No 10 - Thor (12A)

Dir: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston


I first saw this film at about half 3 in the morning a couple of months back at the BFI in London as part of an Avengers all-nighter.  I had wanted to see it on its initial release but was unable to due to one thing and another.  The film is the story of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and how he was cast from his home on Asgard for his arrogance and sent to earth, stripped of all his powers.  He falls in love with Jane (Natalie Portman), a scientist and thus learns respect and humanity.  Whilst this is going on his brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has usurped the throne from their father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) which threatens the lives of both worlds.  Thor, with the help of his powerful friends tries to restore the balance.

This is a very funny film and gets better with each watch, also it usurped Iron Man from being my number one Avengers based film so you know its awesome!

No 9 - Rise of the Planet of the Apes (12A)

Dir: Rupert Wyatt

Cast: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto

I have never been into the Planet of the Apes films and this is the only one I have seen still to this date (I should really rectify that probably!).  It was the brilliant trailer that made me think it may not be a bad one to see and then I saw an interview with Andy Serkis re the WETA technology and I thought it looked awesome and that sold it to me.  The film was highly enjoyable and (even though as stated I haven't seen the other films) I still got most of the in jokes such as Caesar painting a model of the Statue of Liberty (I am a film geek after all!).

Scientists are trying to perfect a cure for Alzheimer's and use ape's as test subjects, when one experiment goes badly wrong the program is shut down but one of the scientists, Will Rodman (James Franco) rescues a baby chimp (Andy Serkis) and raises him at home, Will uses Ceasar to help his dad (John Lithgow) who does have the disease but keeps the secret.  When Ceasar is older, he attacks a neighbor, if only to defend someone he loves and gets taken to a secure facility where his super intelligence allows him to rise above the evil staff at the facility.  This leads onto far more dangerous things.

The reason this film is in my top 10 is that I was never bored and really felt for poor Caesar, it was a proper Summer blockbusting film and changed my opinion of the Ape franchise.  Plus (and I know I wasn't the only one) I liked calling it RotPotA, just rolls off the tongue :)

No 8 - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (15)

Dir: Tomas Alfredson
Cast: Gary Oldman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy

This was my most anticipated film of 2011 and its cast includes most of the creme de la creme of British actors at the moment, so why not nearer the top of my list?  I do feel it was a very well done piece of work and the acting was superb but I also feel the other films on my list just caught my imagination more, I think as well the fact I did have really high expectations for it was also a detriment.  The story centers on their being a mole in MI6 (or at the top of the circus if you want).  George Smiley (Gary Oldman) has retired from MI6 (not of his own will) but tries to hunt the mole out with the help of Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and a snitch, Ricky Tar (Tom Hardy), they narrow it down to four suspects, their code names: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

I have yet to read the book or see the original adaptation of this but they are on my list of things to do.  I loved the music they used in the trailer for this, it does really set the tone.  I also found it quite funny that I still knew the library scene off by heart after first seeing it at Movie Con months before watching it in the cinema, and the way they did the wide shot of the floors in that scene were awesome.

No 7 - We Need to Talk about Kevin (15)

Dir: Lynne Ramsay
Cast: Tilda Swinton, John C Reilly, Ezra Miller 


I read the book this film is based on (by Lionel Shriver) two years ago.  I found it very interesting, quite disturbing and recommend it to anyone, I was however unsure as to how it could be filmed given in the book the story centers around letters Eva (Tilda Swinton) is writing to Franklin (John C. Reilly).  They are the parents of the Kevin of the title (played by Ezra Miller).  Eva and Kevin never really developed that mother/son bond and when Eva begins to suspect there is something not quite right about Kevin no one, not even her husband believes her and thinks she is being mean or over protective (when her daughter gets injured).  Then tragedy strikes.

The story raises the whole nature/nurture debate, is Kevin the way he is due to his mums apparent post-natal depression or was he just born evil?  I think Tilda Swinton was perfectly cast in the role of Eva, a fairly cold woman but at the same time gaining some sympathy from the viewers, and the symbolism with the red was great.  My favorite scene was when she was driving home on Halloween.  It was so surreal,spooky and disturbing, I loved it.

No 6 - Warrior (12A)

Dir: Gavin O’Connor

Cast: Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, Nick Nolte

I was never really into boxing or martial arts films, but last years The Fighter made me think I would also give this one a chance, plus Tom Hardy is one of my favourite actors.  I know this sounds really cheesy but I have to day this film has a lot of heart, seriously!   Two estranged brothers, Brendan (Joel Edgerton) and Tommy (Tom Hardy) enter the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighting completion, Brendan is already an ex fighter but returns in an effort to make ends meet.  Tommy is an ex-marine and enlists the help of his also estranged recovering alcoholic father to help train him for it. 

The film sees how all sides of the family deals with this and past issues.  Brendan initially gave up fighting for his family which is ironically his reason for returning to the ring, not only do he and his brother not get along, he also doesn’t talk to their father, Paddy (Nick Nolte on Oscar winning form).  It is no spoiler to say the film climaxes in the two brothers having to fight each other.

               What makes this film stand out is the amazing acting from the cast and the rawness and the emotion of the story, a must see.

No 5 - Kill List (18)

Dir: Ben Wheatley

Cast: Neil Maskell, Myanna Buring, Harry Simpson

It was all down to Empire, not just the magazine but the fellow forumites that I managed to catch this little British beauty. Myanna Buring (Shel) was at Big Screen talking about the film (and Breaking Dawn Part one!), let’s just say she’s a lot different to her character in this than the way she came across in real life, and that rabbit scene was not as funny watching it in the context of the whole film.

 What starts out as your typical kitchen sink gangster film, it swiftly changes genres to thriller and then horror, making it have a well-deserved place on this list. Jay (Neil Maskell) is an ex hit man, ex because of a failed job in Kiev.  He is also a family man.  His friend Gal (Michael Smiley) convinces him to go on a job with him that will pay well (so far so generic), Jay accepts owing to his and his family’s expensive tastes, and we are in a recession are we not?  Things take a slight turn for the odd when the “victims” seem thankful for their demise.  Here the madness starts.

The thing I loved most about this film is that it was not as typical as you were originally made to believe and even though I knew the ending was inspired by one of the greatest British horror films ever (which I won’t reveal to you), it was still no less shocking as numbing.  I and others came out into the cinema foyer in silence; it was quite an eerie experience.

No 4 - The Skin I Live In (15)

Dir: Pedro Almodovar

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet

Just seeing that picture made me want to see this film.    The movie centres around Robert Ledgard  (Antonio Banderas) who is a surgeon trying to perfect a super skin that does not burn or cut.  This was brought on by the terrible tragedy of his wife being burned alive in a car accident. 

The first part of the film is puzzling and makes the viewer ask lots of questions such as who is Vera (Elena Ananya) really? And why does the housekeeper (Marisa Paredes) not like her?  Some of these are answered in the second act of the film which is told primarily in flashback.  The part also reveals the amount of tragedy the surgeon has endured, almost gaining sympathy and then all is revealed in the finale. 

The reason for this film being in my list is that it certainly left an impression on me and it was quite disturbing, I also feel some of the plot was very clever even though I did guess something correctly, as they say revenge is a dish best served cold.

No 3 - Bridesmaids (15)

Dir: Paul Feig

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne

When I first saw the trailer for this film I thought it looked OK but not a film I would go out of my way to see, test audiences must have felt the same as a lot of the clips used in the trailer were not in the film.  One of my friends really wanted to go and see it so we did, and I am so glad. 

Annie (Kristen Wiig) is not having the best of times, her cake shop has closed down, she is in a very loose relationship with an obnoxious, shall we say player to put it nicely (Jon Hamm)  and she lives with a brother and sister who look to have a quite dodgy bond.   She then finds out her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) is getting married and wants Annie to be maid of honour.  We then meet the rest of the bridesmaids, including Helen (Rose Byrne).  Helen and Annie take an instant dislike to each other for a number of reasons and constantly try to open up the other from here on in. 

It is undeniably the funniest film I have seen in a long time, I was literally crying at one point and I went to see it again a week later with others I had recommended it to and was still LOL-ing, especially at the airplane scene.

No 2 - Drive (18)

Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston

From when I first saw THAT lift scene at Big Screen, Empires annual film festival, I wanted to see this film.  Four months later I finally got the chance.  The film tells the story of “the Driver” (Ryan Gosling) who works part time as a stunt driver for movies and part time as a getaway driver for criminals.  He meets Irene (Carey Mulligan) who lives in the same apartment as him, they share an instant attraction to one another which is short lived as Irene’s husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac) is released from Jail.  Standard is a decent enough fellow who regrets what he’s done but in order to truly move on he is forced to rob a jewellery store for the man who helped him be protected whilst he was in jail.  The Driver agrees to help out, if only for Irene and her sons sake.  As you can tell things do not go to plan and our protagonist and those he cares for lives become endangered. 

It may seem a pretty standard plot (no pun intended!), but what makes this stand out from the others is that it oozes coolness and style.  Our hero says little yet the audience are still drawn to him and develop an affinity with him, which says a lot about Goslings acting ability.  It also tells you when he does speak, you should listen.

                Before seeing the film I had also heard a lot of praise for the soundtrack, it is definitely worth it.  The film has an 80s feel to it and most of the songs add to this with their electronic style.  My favourite song from the film is undeniably “Oh My Love” by Riz Ortolani feat. Katyna Ranieri and thought it was used beautifully in the film.  Another reason this is number 2 in my list is that when I went to see it the most annoying group of people I’ve ever had the misfortune to share a screen with were there too and yet I still managed to enjoy the film.

No 1- Black Swan (15)

Dir: Darren Aronofsky

Cast: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

Although released at the very end of 2010, it was not until January 2011 that I saw the cinematic release of Black Swan.  It is a psychological thriller which tells the story of Nina (an Oscar winning Natalie Portman).  Nina is a ballet dancer, the company she belongs to has as their next production Swan Lake and Nina auditions for the lead role and gets it.  She lives and breathes dancing, her pushy mother (Barbara Hershey)  and bully boss (Vincent Cassel) only encourage this further, perhaps to breaking point.  A new girl joins the group, Lily (Mila Kunis).  Nina befriends her but also feels threatened by her, fearing she may take away her thunder.

There are many reasons this is number 1 on my list.  As I have stated I saw it in January, it may possibly have been the first film I saw at the cinema in 2011 and yet no film has stayed with me more this year or felt as stunning.  The performances were excellent, as were the lighting and costume.  I loved that myself and the person I went with jumped quite a few times, one of my arms had a bruise on it! Someone else in the audience let out a huge scream at one point which made everyone laugh, it was a hugely enjoyable experience. 

                I have always liked films which you have to watch more than once to get everything and this is definitely one of them.  From the little things going on in the background to the ending, you must see this film at least twice to get it all.