Ten to treasure: Matt Adcock’s films of 2011

2012 is here, but first let’s look back on the movies of the past 12 months that really stuck in the mind. It’s a countdown of quality, so watch out for these titles if you haven’t seen them yet...

10. Attack The Block

Hard-edged sci-fi action mixed with street level laughs delivers a quality British feel good time. Credible, scary and fun...

9. NEDS

Meet young John McGill a really smart, lovely, ambitious kid. Journey with him as he falls into the underworld of becoming a NED (Non-Educated Delinquent) it’s tragic and heartbreaking but also shot through with great humour and grim violence. 

8. Limitless

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Did you know that the average movie goer only uses 20% of their brain when experiencing a film? Limitless, however, brings experimental drug NZT to the table - a drug that allows people to use the full 100 percent of their mind for films or absolutely anything. Recorded side effects however include scorching of the pleasure receptors as a result of witnessing such a delirious action thriller head-trip.

7. Hugo

Chloë Grace Moretz dazzles in this homage to every early film and the whole art of film making. The year’s best 3D, too – well, up there with Drive Angry!

6. Warrior

Warrior is a crunching plot punch to the forehead, followed up with a emotional knee to the abs and finally a satisfying slam take-down. Tom Hardy FTW! 

5. Black Swan

A phantasmagorical case study of someone breaking down but it is utterly watchable thanks to having a director with such artistic verve, empowered by an incredible cast. 

4. Super 8

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Think Goonies mixed with Close Encounters of the Third Kind and, throw in some great references to films from across the genres and you’ve got the winning recipe for a new breed of classic. 

3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Evil will with evil be expelled. Fincher’s remake is a turbo charged black-hearted beast powered by Mara’s transformative performance. 

2. The Tree of Life

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? ...while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38). Challenge yourself to see this film and reflect on life, the universe and everything!

1. Drive 

I’d like you to meet ‘Driver’ (Ryan ‘Half Nelson’ Gosling) a man with no name but an uncanny way with cars. Drive is an uber powerful, heartbreaking romance shot through with heavy-duty violence and awesome crime-drama-action.  This film melts the heart and taps straight into your pleasure receptors, making it my film of 2011!

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