Feature - Top Ten Films of 2011

Here we are, at the end of the year, with the inevitable top ten films chart. To qualify for the chart, the film has got to be one that I've seen for the first time this year. You may think that this would be dead easy: find your 10/10 films, they go first, then your 9/10 films etc... Nothing's ever that easy. I've disregarded any ratings and gone by a gut instinct of what I would most like to watch again. Funnily enough there is a strong horror bias, but anyway, here we go. (If you want to read the full review of each film, just click on the title. I spoil you.)

10. Ice Cold In Alex

A perfect Sunday afternoon film, plus you get to learn what the best beer in the whole of the Middle East is. What more do you want from a film?

9. The Horseman

Top quality Australian revenge film. Brutal and unrelenting, but surprisingly well acted.

8. This Happy Breed

A gentle film about life between the two World Wars. Another great Sunday afternoon film.

7. Inbred

The title and picture says it all really. And it's set in Yorkshire, which is a bonus.

6. 5 Centimeters Per Second

Beautiful anime by the director of The Place Promised In Our Early Days, Makoto Shinkai.

5. Shuttle

Possibly the biggest surprise of the year. I got this from Poundland, so wasn't expecting much. It gets gradually darker as the film progresses and ends on a very bleak note.

4. Harold's Going Stiff

Er... the picture above looks a bit dodgy, especially taking the title of the film into account. Honestly, it's not that sort of film, you haven't just stumbled into a more specialist website. This is a great film, still worth 10/10 and still worth watching when it comes out on DVD. But it's not my number one. The overall feeling and atmosphere of a film tends to take precedence when I'm choosing my favourites.

3. Some Guy Who Kills People

Yes, it's a horror film. Yes, it's a comedy. But it's the relationship between the father and daughter that makes me want to watch this again. Another surprise.

2. The Woman

Watch the trailer. If you think that you're going to be offended, don't bother watching the full film. If not, you're in for a treat.

1. Cold Sweat

Totally stupid idea for a film, but I can't wait to see it again just for the atmosphere. This is the film that has wormed its way into my brain, just as The Pack did last year.

So there you have it. Ten quality films. But what's the worst film I've seen this year? That dubious honour would have to go to 127 Hours. If anyone can take a perfectly good book and mess it up it's Danny 'Ooh, look at me I'm a director. Look at all the flashy camera and editing effects I can use, just to remind you that I'm the director. And I've never made a zombie film. Even though they moved like zombies, chomped on people's necks in a similar fashion to zombies and generally looked like zombies, they're not. They're infected. I'm the director and my word is final! Don't you realise that I had a 'Feel Good Hit of the Summer'? By the way, did I mention that I'm a director?' Boyle. Biggest waste of time this year, by a long way.

I wonder what delights the next year will bring us. Will there actually be a mainstream film in the top ten in the form of The Avengers? Hopefully Joss Whedon will pull it off. Fingers crossed...

evlkeith