Top Ten Movies of 2011

Here are my top ten movies of 2011! There were lots of big films that passed me by this year, so this’ top ten’ list is made up of my favourite movies that I saw that had 2011 cinema releases in the UK.

1.    Drive

It was a big year for Ryan Gosling, mainly due to his collaboration with director Nicolas Winding Refn, which resulted in the most stylish, retro and exciting picture of 2011. The performances are effortlessly perfect; the music a throwback to the brooding tones of Vangelis’ Blade Runner score and violence which is executed with amazing choreography and brutality. I’ve seen it 3 times already and I know I won’t get enough of this neo-noir action thriller which propels Gosling to the place of best leading man of the year. 

2.    I Saw the Devil

A bloody and unflinching tale of vengeance, this Korean movie is both haunting and beautiful, with as many shocks as it has realistic and well rounded moments. It blurs the edges of good and evil, making I Saw the Devil one of the most insane cinema experiences of the year.

3.    Warrior

Inspirational, tense, uplifting and thrilling, Warrior pits Tom Hardy against Joel Edgerton as rival brothers in an MMA tournament. Not just for fight fans, there’s plenty of family drama here, in a similar way to last year’s The Fighter but with more of a focus on the never-say-die attitude on both of the leading men.

4.    Animal Kingdom

The perfectly paced and astoundingly acted Australian crime thriller Animal Kingdom is dark and sizzling, driven by pressure to keep heart rates high. The tension is hard to bear, which makes every moment in this movie worthy of the critical acclaim it has received.

5.    Submarine

  

 

Submarine is quirky and unique debut from filmmaker and Brit comedian Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd, The Mighty Boosh). It’s hilarious, quaint, awkward and tremendously enjoyable, with some amazing original twists of cinematography and an atmosphere that is unmistakably English.

6.    X-Men – First Class

The origin tale of Marvel’s famous superhero team is my favourite comic book adaptation of the year, in a summer full of superheroes (Thor, Captain America, Green Lantern, etc). It feels like a classic spy thriller in places, and when the action begins it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen. Michael Fassbender’s performance depicting Magneto’s fall from grace to the depths of a super villain is a juggernaut.

7.    The Rum Diary

Johnny Depp returns to Hunter S. Thompson material with a performance as a freelance journalist working for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean. It’s odd, intelligent, hilarious and sublime.

8.    Blue Valentine

A realistic depiction of love and relationships, which is something that is rarely done well on film. It’s not very ‘Hollywood’, which is refreshing, and despite the movie taking a bleak route at times; it’s a compelling watch with top performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

9.    50/50

Inspired by a true story, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen star as best friends dealing with the news that one of them has been diagnosed with cancer. Rogen is most definitely comedy relief, but the touchy subject is tackled with both humour and sensitivity. It is excellent and in no way looks at the disease in a depressing manner, operating with the objective that hope and happiness prevails even in the hardest of times.

10 . Red State

 

Kevin Smith makes a different type of movie than we are used to him putting his hand to with the wild and exhilarating Red State, a shocking look at religious extremists in Middle America. The violence is over-the-top and the subject matter is controversial, agonising and fury-educing. I won’t give anything else away because it something that really does have to be seen!

Honourable mentions include – Hobo With A Shotgun, Hanna, Super 8, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Our Idiot Brother.

Here's to 2012!