Better Late Than Never: Best Films of 2011

It’s taken me a long time to catch up with all the 2011 films that I wanted to see before I could make my top 20 of the year. There is still a whole bunch of films I need to see that might have made the list including The Skin I Live In, Midnight in Paris, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Project Nim and The King’s Speech. But it’s getting ridiculous now as I’m about to post my top 20 of 2012 so without further ado, here are my top 20 favourite films of 2011. Expect my top 20 of this year coming very soon.

    20.  A Separation

19. True Grit

18. 50/50

17. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

16. Bridesmaids

15. Tyrannosaur

14. Snowtown

13. Tomboy

12. The Artist

11. Warrior

10. Animal Kingdom

Australian crime drama that digs beneath the sunny exterior to the seedy underbelly. Brilliant performances all round and a fascinating insight into a criminal family.

9. Senna

Best documentary of the year and the only one to make the top 20. The story of F1 racer Senna is riveting and emotionally resonant even though I barely remember the guy.

 

8. Drive

Best soundtrack of the year, a riveting performance from Ryan Gosling and another film to make you weep with the gorgeous stylishness of it all.

7. Attack the Block

Confident debut from Joe Cornish taking genre conventions like a good old fashioned alien invasion and throwing in some British council estate stereotypes before peeling away the outer skin and revealing the heart beneath the hoodies. Sick bruv.

6. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Best action film of the year and infinitely better than any of the previous films in the franchise. Tom Cruise is insane and the stunts aren’t bad either. Achieved the impossible and made me hope for a sequel.

5. Submarine

Richard Ayoade’s directorial debut is funny, warm and beautiful. Quirky characters including a hilarious cameo from Paddy Considine make this a must-see.

4. Rubber

Demented tale of a rubber tyre on a killing spree. The less said about it, the better. Surreal, bonkers and absolutely hilarious.

3. In a Better World

This is a fascinating study about bullying, moral dilemmas and violence. Packed with great performances and enough tension to keep you gripped until the end, Susanne Bier delivers a brilliant drama thriller.

2. 127 Hours

The true story of survival featuring a man forced to desperate measures under extreme circumstances. Danny Boyle directs with abundant style and James Franco holds attention despite being trapped under a rock almost throughout. Inspirational.

1. We Need to Talk About Kevin

Lynne Ramsay dazzles with this grim look at the absolute evil present in a child and the mother who has to deal with the consequences of his terrible actions. Frightening, beautiful and unforgettable.

 

So there you have it: hope, despair and everything in between. It was a great year for movies but 2012 has been even better so watch out for my top 10 of 2012 coming soon!

Any thoughts on this list? Drop them in the comments below!