Finally, an extensive look at my Top 23 Films of 2011 and why. ‘But it’s February?’, I hear you ask. I know, I know, I’ve been slack, ok! Better late than never I say. And besides, the list kept changing! Before we begin, I ask that you please forgive the fact that some of the writing will seem pre-dated. I began putting this particular blog together well over a month ago (yikes). Off we go then, Thisfilmisonners!

23. Bridesmaids

Easily the funniest film of the year, and not a Rogen or a McBride in sight! Having said that, ‘Bridemaids’ continues the Apatow tradition, but for the first time with women at the forefront. It has proved to be a phenomenal vehicle for long-time Apatow favourite and SNL vet Kristen Wiig, but even more so for Melissa McCarthy (whose previous TV credits include ‘Gilmore Girls’ and more recently ‘Mike and Molly’) in her first major feature film. McCarthy is unforgettable as Megan, and as the critics associations of America start to announce their end of year awards thick and fast, it’s looking increasingly likely that McCarthy will secure an Oscar nomination for her bold, hilarious turn that single-handedly launched this film to ‘The Hangover’ heights. Wiig’s screenplay is sharp as you like, and she along with a brilliant Rose Byrne are both fantastic, but it’s McCarthy’s film from the moment she appears on screen.

22. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

The initial trailer for this film really didn’t sell the overall quality of the picture. At first, I found myself thinking, ‘Franco! What on earth are you doing?’ After a stellar 2010, I was fearing a slight sell-out. I was to be entirely incorrect. ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ is THE blockbuster of the year. It features arguably some of the strongest visual effects ever seen on screen and an award-worthy supporting performance from Andy Serkis as Caesar, the first ape to experience threatening levels of intelligence. Serkis has long been the king of mo-cap performance, but this really needs to be seen to be believed. He gives Caesar just the right amount of humanity that he needs to anchor the story, and contrary to how the trailers may sell the movie, it really is in the story that ‘Rise’ excels. Personally I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun gawking at visual effects and extensive action set-pieces while being completely gripped story-wise and entirely invested in all of the characters, most of all a CGI one.

Nice try, Cameron.

21. The Guard

‘The Guard’ definitely caught me off-guard. Literally. Though aware of it’s existence and the positive reviews it was pulling in, it was only on a word-of-mouth recommendation that I felt the need to seek it out while it was still on a cinematic run.

Directed by John Michael McDonagh (brother of ‘In Bruges’ director Martin McDonagh), he more than follows in his brother’s footsteps when constructing the ultimate buddy-cop comedy. The wild brashness of ‘In Bruges’ is played upon to great effect, with Brendan Gleeson’s ‘Gerry’ being both perhaps the funniest and most politically incorrect character you will see on screen this year. He’s borderline racist, full of contempt, a drinker, and a regular frequenter of escort girls. What more could you ask for in a police sergeant?!

Strong complimentary performances from Don Cheadle as the initially unwilling American partner, and Mark Strong as the baddie round off ‘The Guard’ as THE European comedy of the year, hands down.

20. Super 8

J.J. Abrams is pretty much the prince of advance viral marketing (Nolan is the king). People were talking about ‘Super 8′ for well over a year before it’s release. The teaser trailer was excellent, and the plot was a tightly guarded secret. Abram’s homage to Spielberg sci-fi was always going to be a huge deal. And it is! But as special as it felt when I was watching it, it didn’t quite live up to it’s hype. I don’t think that’s Abrams fault though, or executive producer Spielberg’s for that matter. These days, when a film is promoted with such fervour, everyone expects the best film ever made. Hell, even I was chatting Best Picture nominations before I’d even seen it.

‘Super 8′ has unlimited strengths. The 70′s sheen is untouchable, the younger actors are pretty much perfect (and I’m not a fan of kid actors), and the story is wonderfully solid by Spielberg standards. My only two teeny-tiny gripes are that perhaps it is slightly too much (at times) of a Spielberg homage rather than a J.J. Abrams stand-alone piece, and that I felt that the alien was a teeny-tiny bit too Cloverfield/Star Trek-y. Neither of these criticisms are 100% negative, as I’m aware of the intent of the film and the creature style that Abrams has developed for himself. I guess I just felt like I’d seen this creature before, in some shape or form.

Nevertheless, a wonderful family film that I warmed to instantly, and carried with me long afterwards.

19. Source Code

To put it lightly, there was no way that I was ever not going to like ‘Source Code’. ‘Moon’ had been such a revelation in terms of modern sci-fi, I was always eager to find how how he would follow it. The answer is ‘Source Code’. While Jones didn’t self-pen his second feature, he certainly played a massive part in creating the world of the source code. As with ‘Moon’, it takes place in a perfectly feasible near future. And, as with ‘Moon’, it is the subtlety of fictional science that elevates Jones’ film into his own stylistic realm. Rather than cloning and moon mining, ‘Source Code’ sees Jake Gyllenhaal unwilling solider replaying the last eight minutes of the life of a man who died in a terrorist train bombing. Through this admittedly far-fetched experimental process, he is able to use his skill set to try and identify the source of the attack in the hope of preventing a second, all through relentless, tailorable flashbacks. Think ‘Vantage Point’ meets ‘Back to the Future’ but in a far more appealing manner than you could ever imagine.

It’s a mind-blow to try to explain, but well worth the time and consideration. It leaves you with questions that will never be answered, but for me that was part of the fun. Parallel universes aren’t necessarily meant to be questioned. Overall, it is a total blast and further proof than Duncan Jones has a massive future ahead of him.

18. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

I had all but written off the Harry Potter franchise until late last year. My girlfriend pleaded with me to give them a go as I had previously turned my nose up at it, deeming it ‘kids stuff’. I reluctantly agreed to give them a go, starting at the beginning, more because I wanted to join her for the ‘event’ that would eventually be the release of the final chapter; ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2′.

Here I am holding my hands up. I was completely off the mark with my views of this world-beating film series. It is astonishing not only in its storytelling, but in its technicality, its character development, humour, action set-pieces, the whole nine and then some. Once you get past the first couple of films, it all kicks off. ‘Azkaban’ descends in to a darkened maturity and never looks back.

While I personally prefer ‘Part 1′ as a piece of filmmaking, ‘Part 2′ is pretty much all you could ask for in a final chapter of a phenomenon that has dominated the box-office for the last ten years. Where it doesn’t quite have the reflective delicacy of ‘Part 1′, that was never the point. The action comes thick and fast, giving you more than enough time with each of your favourite characters, discovering various fates in the process. When viewed as an ‘action’ film, it presses all the buttons. It is all out final war. Good and evil clash in a way never seen before on-screen, and a fine use of Imax 3D means that you are right in the thick of it.

And to think, I almost missed out on this entirely memorable spectacle.

17. Warrior

If awards were given out for the most overlooked films of the year, Gavin O’Connor’s ‘Warrior’ would probably be at the top of most people’s lists. While at first glance it may look like potential straight-to-dvd, testosterone fuelled nonsense, I’m hear to tell you that that’s about as far from the truth as you could get. I was speculative of a MMA film too, don’t get me wrong. What transpired though was an epic tale of disconnected families, financial hardship and redemption.

No one would have ever predicted such an emotional film. Fantastic performances from Tom Hardy and (possible Oscar contender, no shit) Nick Nolte provide the initial strength of the story of two brothers who end up fighting professionally for different reasons, but peel back the layers and this is not just “‘The Fighter’ goes UFC”. It is a beautifully acted and beautifully executed film about the powerful effect that sport can have on a family. The characters are solidly anchored separately, and offered the chance to build and build to the eventual climactic clash.

If any film pleasantly took me by surprise this year, ‘Warrior’ was most definitely it. Stunning.

16. The Ides of March

You know a film is solid when it falls slightly below your expectations but is still easily one of the finer films of the year. My opinion of George Clooney is so high that I guess I just expect everything he touches to turn to gold. Unfortunately for ‘The Ides of March’, its not even George Clooney’s best film of the year, nor Ryan Gosling’s or Paul Giamatti’s or Philip Seymour Hoffman’s (though it was Hoffman’s strongest performance and one that will be forever overlooked). Saying that, all of these individual dramatic strengths still contributed to one hell of a movie.

You either love or hate political thrillers, but when they are presented so masterfully without being over-preachy, they sure are hard not to appreciate. More than a Clooney film (though he plays a central character, it is a supporting role), this is a massive Ryan Gosling vehicle. It almost, in a way, feels like a slight mantle passing from father to son. Gosling is the youth among all the ever impressive experience, and holds his own fantastically well, more so than he did in ‘Drive’ earlier in the year.

All in all, it will confirm your love for Gosling and solidify the idea you had that if Clooney ran for president, you would probably vote for him.

15. 50/50

As if ‘cancer-comedy’ is a sub-genre now? I mean, hell, Seth Rogen’s done two of them now. This is far and away the better one. If any movie ever found the balance between hilarity and sensitivity, ’50/50′ is that movie. Penned from the real-life experiences of Rogen’s friend (and soon to be Golden Globe nominated screenwriter) Will Reiser, it tells the story of 27-year old Adam’s (Joe Gordon-Levitt) struggle with ‘type-4 back cancer’. With a spot-on supporting cast of Rogen, Anjelica Huston, Bryce Dallas Howard and the enchanting Anna Kendrick, it’s as funny as it is heart wrenching. You honestly laugh as hard as you cry. In all my movie going experiences, I’ve never come across a film able to evoke contrasting emotions so admirably. Where Adam is hit with bad news, Rogen’s Kyle is right there to share a joint and make a dick joke. It all just works so well that you can’t help but fall in love with it. Claiming original screenplay awards across the board already, prepare your box of Kleenex for real-life survivor Will Reiser accepting that Golden Globe in January.

14. Another Earth

‘Another Earth’ is a beautifully constructed piece of low-budget indie sci-fi, comprising the elements of many of its influences to create a modern beauty. I would write more about a film that I have come to love over the past year, but as it turns out, I already have!
Click here to read a more in-depth appreciation of Mike Cahill’s Sundance darling, ‘Another Earth’.

13. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Whilst David Fincher’s follow-up to 2010′s ‘The Social Network’ (easily the best film of that year) has managed to crack my Top 15, let it be known that after one viewing, ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ picks up the prize for biggest letdown of the year. It’s not that the film was in any way ‘bad’, it just didn’t tick all the boxes that I was expecting it to. For example, much of the dialogue is just too sharp for my expectations of this story that I have come to know so well. While that worked perfectly in ‘The Social Network’, I had a lot of trouble buying into the quips of this script. It was wonderfully written, no argument there, but it was awfully light in places considering the dark content with which it deals. Not to mention the way it was marketed. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I was expecting a new level of bleakness that only David Fincher could have provided, and fanboy though I am, part of me feel like he compromised. Why appeal for bleakness you ask? Why not appreciate the lighter lifts that the script provides for relief when it all gets a bit much? Because for me, that’s not what the story of Lisbeth Salander is. It is a painful, harrowing journey that is entirely uncompromising, and thats exactly what Niels Arden Oplev’s adaptation had going for it. It literally pulled no punches.

Those gripes aside, this is a fantastic film. The cinematography is typically stunning, the acting ensemble is strong (even Daniel Craig), but this movie is all about Rooney Mara. She is incredible from start to finish disappearing into a role that could have just as easily destroyed her career before it ever really began. Thankfully though, Fincher was right. Mara was the right choice, even if she is a teeny tiny bit too cute to be 100% convincing as the modern legend that is Lisbeth.

12. Midnight In Paris

I’m new to Woody Allen. He is the product of a generation slightly removed of mine, unfortunately, but I am taking great delight in revisiting that era though his countless films. ‘Annie Hall’, ‘Manhattan’ and ‘Hannah and Her Sisters’ have all been thoroughly educational from a screenwriting point of view, but with his 2011 offering ‘Midnight in Paris’, I was able to truly enjoy Woody Allen at the cinema for the first time.

What I didn’t realise when taking my seat in the auditorium was that I was going to be watching a film about fantastical time travel! And what a treat it was watching Owen Wilson charmingly travel night after night to Golden Age Paris for frolics with the likes of Picasso and Hemingway. Ridiculous you say? Well, sure, but when its all put forward in such a joyous fashion, why question it? I, for one, certainly didn’t find myself asking any questions regarding how this all came to be. Why ruin it? The film looked great, was written great and acted great by a smorgasbord of talent that includes (*deep breath*), Rachel McAdams, Marion Cottilard, Michael Sheen, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates, Adrian Brody and everyone’s second favourite character actor behind J.K. Simmons, Kurt ‘Wayne’s World’ Fuller. Oh yeah, and Carla Bruni?

With just enough Allen to easily be able to regard it as Allen, and enough Owen Wilson to satisfy even the toughest of exteriors, ‘Midnight in Paris’ is Allen’s best film in years, and certainly one of the best films of this year.

11. Margin Call

Taking place on the eve of the 2008 Wall Street crash, mega-indie ‘Margin Call’ was a pleasant surprise as 2011 drew to a climactic close. The debut feature from JC Chandor, it tells the story of one man’s startling discovery and the controversial efforts of the many that strived to combat the impending financial doom. For the record, I didn’t really have any idea what anyone was talking about in ‘Margin Call’, but I certainly had no trouble feeling the impact of it. That impact specifically, the accessibility that it allows, is what makes this film impressive. The same way that no one really understood anything Mark Zuckerberg was banging on about in ‘The Social Network’, or Billy Beane in this year’s ‘Moneyball’ (if you were clueless about baseball statistics which most of us are), ‘Margin Call’ enables the viewer to feel the power of the foreign land of Wall Street.

While the jargon is indecipherable, the way in which the characters respond to it is almost Shakespearean in its valour. Zachary Quinto shines as the junior analyst who develops the underused Stanley Tucci’s discovery, while big shots Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons turn this zeitgeist-fest into something that pans out more like a Broadway stage play than a Wall Street boardroom drama.

With terrific performances all round and one of the screenplays of the year, be sure to keep an eye out for ‘Margin Call’ when it makes an extremely limited cinema run in the UK next year.

10. Snowtown

‘Snowtown’ was probably the toughest film to watch all year. Basing my expectations on a beautifully crafted trailer, I expected the worst. A film that deals with the relationships between a mass murderer of suspected pedophiles and homosexuals and his unwitting accomplices was never going to be an easy watch. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever watched a film and been as personally upset by what was transpiring.
This is for many reasons, and all to do with the filmmaking.

First of all, the two lead performances are nerve-janglingly real, to the point where I could barely stand the sight of John Bunting (Australia’s most notorious serial killer), let alone try and process what it would have been like to share a room with him. There is an awkward threat that surrounds his character from the moment he appears on screen, a terrifying sensation that lingers into the afterglow of the film as a whole. You long for Jamie to find a way out of John’s manipulative clutches as the situations grow darker and more violent. But this is not a film about justice and redemption. What makes the scenes these two characters share all the more uneasy is the lack of scoring. Unsure silences fill your ear canals as Jamie slowly becomes sucked into John’s twisted world. As a viewer, you could not feel more involved in this journey, right there beside Jamie as he goes from victim to potential accomplice in the space of two hours.

The cinematography is poetic and the writing sharp, creating all the more reason to fear the barren open spaces of Australian suburbia. Not for the faint-hearted, ‘Snowtown’ is a film that I would encourage any budding filmmaker to watch once.

9. Moneyball

I got really excited for ‘Moneyball’ months before its release for a few reasons. The main one being that strong, memorable baseball movies are extremely rare. When I heard that Aaron Sorkin was co-writing a movie about baseball statistics and strategy, it became an instant must-see. And it didn’t disappoint.

Brad Pitt is effortlessly brilliant as Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane who managed to turn one of the poorest (financially) teams in baseball into a genuine contender, using brains rather than bones. In a sport dominated by money, and making plenty of enemies in the process, Beane developed a scouting strategy that has now been adopted by most of America’s major league teams. ‘Moneyball’ tells the powerful human story of that development with the help of an Oscar-worthy screenplay from last years across-the-board victor Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian (Oscar winner for ‘Schindler’s List’). A powerhouse writing combo if ever there was one.

Featuring superbly solid supporting performances from Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman (and a cameo from Spike Jonze), ‘Moneyball’ is proof that Bennett Miller is worth his salt as a filmmaker.
Don’t like baseball? Doesn’t matter. If you like storytelling, you’ll like this.

8. Melancholia

I’m absolutely over the moon that I liked ‘Melancholia’ as much as I did. As a previous blog will evidence, I saw ‘Antichrist’ at the cinema and hated it. I found it’s pretension and unflattering use of infantile shock tactics to be offensive and tasteless. ‘Melancholia’ though, is an entirely different monster whilst still employing many of the pretensions that put me off Lars Von Trier in the first place. Almost as if watching and hating/not quite understanding ‘Antichrist’ was a necessary preface to prepare me for my appreciation for ‘Melancholia’. Simply put, it is a masterpiece. Through a gorgeous use of apocalyptic personification and music, Von Trier has gone from offensive nut job to artful genius in one fell swoop creating a lasting piece of work that will affectionately reside long in my memory.

Kirsten Dunst gives the performance of her career as the depressive Justine, capturing the harsh realities of an affliction that prevents her from feeling anything given that the world is coming to an end. She is stunning in every scene from start to finish, outshining equally solid turns from Kiefer Sutherland, John Hurt, Charlotte Rampling, the Skarsgards and Von Trier regular, Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Beautifully blending art, music, character study and sci-fi, ‘Melancholia’ is one film that I would recommend seeking out at all costs if you’ve passed it over up to this point.

7. Take Shelter

Back in September, I saw a trailer that gave me all kinds of funny feelings. ‘Take Shelter’ immediately rose to the top of my ‘must-see’ list, so imagine my disappointing rage when November 25th came and went without the slightest suggestion of a screening at any of Norwich’s cinemas. I moaned and I cried and scoured the internet for hi-def screeners (desperate times, desperate measures), but none were to be found. Then, in mid-December, our lovely friends at Picturehouse cinemas decided to give it a six-day run. Thank the Lord.

In ‘Take Shelter’, Jeff Nichols has managed to reintroduce Americana to the cinema going public. He could not have recruited finer talent in Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, and they are put to fantastic use. The film tells the story of Curtis, a man who is either an unwilling prophet or a paranoid schizophrenic. Or maybe both? Maybe that’s the point? Either way, Nichols has struck every available nerve with a modern classic that addresses the zeitgeist of the nation. The subtle use of an ‘impending storm’ as a metaphor for social decline never wavers and never seems in any way obvious or over political as we watch Shannon’s Curtis slowly destroy himself and his family in the blind hope that his decisions will eventually save them all from what he deems to be certain doom. It all sounds a bit heavy, and believe me, it is.

As far as though provoking, independent American cinema, this is where the bar now lies. In a fair world, Michael Shannon will squeak in with an Oscar nomination having already fared better than expected with the critics associations, while Jessica Chastain can assuredly add her performance to an already stellar 18-months in which she could easily garner multiple Supporting Actress nominations. While she won’t win for ‘Take Shelter’ (more likely, ‘The Help’), her performance in this powerhouse of a psycho-thriller is simply further testament to the fact that Chastain is an acting legend in the making.

6. We Need To Talk About Kevin

‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’ is the most overlooked film of 2011. Hands down. No arguments. In a stunning adaptation of Lionel Shriver’s 2004 novel, Lynne Ramsay has gloriously crafted what I think was the most impacting film of the year. The subject is simple. Imagine how awful it would be to find it hard to love your first born child? From birth, Kevin is difficult and cold. Cue puberty, and he becomes a demonic domestic force, a shadow of traditional parental expectation as he manipulates his family and attempts to sabotage his mother’s mindset at every available opportunity. This journey through childhood and into adolescence all climaxes in a mesmerising way, and it is through one element of this film that ‘Kevin’ is able to peak with such untouchable intensity. Tilda Swinton.

I know a lot of people have mixed feelings for Swinton, more often than not because she’s ‘a little strange looking’, but no one can deny that her lead performance in this film is incredibly powerful. The bravery of her character is echoed in the bold and relentless charge that is her performance, not for one second allowing anyone to doubt her perseverence. Behind closed doors, he character is tortured and destructive, but in public she is untouchable.

There is a lot to be answered for in terms of how women are portrayed in modern cinema (I’m pointing my finger at Michael Bay), but this year has seen the likes of Rooney Mara and Meryl Streep in assertive female roles, laying waste to male rivals in the process. This year though, with all the female revival, no one came close to Tilda Swinton who gives the performance of her career in a film she can call her own. Perfect acting. More or less perfect film.

5. Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy

Are actors working for less money these days? Is that it? It certainly seems like a lot of movies in the last few years have had a lot of talent in them. Just look at ‘Valentine’s Day’ and ‘New Year’s Eve’ for example. Or don’t. Please, don’t.

‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ involves the most male talent since ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’. Headed up by the masterful Gary Oldman, the movie also features Colin Firth, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, Benedict Cumberbatch and everyone’s favourite big shot and in this instance, scene stealer, Tom Hardy. They all come together to create a uniquely underplayed thriller that aches for repeat viewings. At the same time, it is an exhausting watch. A quiet, thoughtful piece of work, ‘Tinker’ thrills the mind rather than the senses, leaving you feel like you have been challenged by what you’ve seen. With a thriller, that’s all you can ever ask for. Whilst hard to follow in places if you don’t already know the story, it is a beautifully shot, beautifully written and impeccably acted le Carre adaptation that commands the attention of any serious film lover.

4. Hugo

Anyone who has read an interview with Martin Scorsese over the last few years knows the passion he has for the preservation of our cinematic roots. Year after year, precious celluloid prints are left to be lost or destroyed while films like ‘Clash of the Titans’ and ‘Transformers 3′ pollute our screens.

‘Hugo’ returns us to the birthing point of the golden age and tells the story of a delightful young orphan (Asa Butterfield) with a love of the movies who forms an accidental but crucial relationship with real-life filmmaking pioneer George Melies (an effortless Ben Kingsley). The film as as visually stunning as anything released in the past few years, and the single most affecting use of 3D technology that (personally) I have ever seen. This use of 3D, I think, is what makes the film that little bit more impressive.

Martin Scorsese is a known champion of traditional cinematic technique, so to opt for what is largely a recently fashionable technology to tell the story of modern cinemas humble beginnings was a bold and out-of-character choice indeed. It turned out to be a magnificent decision and made for perhaps the most immersive experience I had at the cinema all year.

With hugely impressive support from Sasha Baron Cohen and Chloe Moretz, ‘Hugo’ is something unmissable that if you didn’t catch at the cinema, you must be sure to experience at home with the family.

3. The Tree of Life

Cue controversy! I thought that ‘The Tree of Life’ was one of the single best pieces of filmmaking that I have ever seen. My experience of this film at the theatre is certainly something I will never forget, namely because I have never been exposed to anything like it in the mainstream before.

This film is hit-or-miss with everyone who’s seen it, sure. Half of it’s viewers marvel at it’s intelligence, personality and overwhelming cinematography as it addresses the issues of family and religion head on. It asks huge questions about ‘what it all means’, and challenges viewers to perceive the ‘why’ on a whole new plain. Doesn’t it?

The other half hated it, describing it with such words as ‘vacuous’, ‘pretentious’ and (the hands-down favourite) ‘boring’. So let’s just be straight for a second here. Terrence Malick is pretentious. He is an artist! ‘The Tree of Life’ is not a film made for your entertainment, it is a film made to satisfy his own personal longings to visualise life; adolescence, innocence, questioning your very existence. A huge undertaking for anyone, Malick presented his views on this issues through beautiful cinematic form and (for want of a better phrase) visual poetry.

Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain excel in their supporting roles, Pitt representing ‘nature’ and Chastain, ‘grace’, alongside a fine, young group of actors who adapt to their director with maturity beyond their limited years, offering effortlessness in their realism.

2. The Artist

Where to start with ‘The Artist’? It is, without a shadow of doubt, a truly fantastic film. The inevitable backlash has begun though, with a majority of blogger and online critics coming down hard on it’s silent film ‘gimmick’ and asking the question; had this film actually been released during the silent film era, would it be receiving even half of the praise that it has been receiving for the simple fact that it was released in 2011? The answer is, of course not.

Sure, the fact that it is a majoritively silent film is somewhat of a gimmick, but isn’t it a refreshing and joyous one? As far as filmmaking goes, ‘The Artist’ doesn’t touch some of the other fine releases of 2011, but as far as a cinematic experience and pure, innocent enjoyment goes, it is untouchable. Should it win Best Picture at the Oscars? Probably not. But it will, for the simple reason that is has reminded the public of the charm and importance of silent films as part of our film heritage while telling a warm, funny and impeccably presented story of two people falling in love; one representing a dying age and one representing the future. As far as any silent film goes, the score in unrivaled in its brilliance, while the acting for this time as place is delicately wonderful.

1. Drive

Oh, ‘Drive’. You really do get more unbelievably freaking awesome with every watch. What began as cult anticipation turned into cult appreciation. That transmorphed into unrelenting critical acclaim, and with it’s blu-ray and DVD release this week it is already a cult classic.

There are so, so many reasons why ‘Drive’ is the best film I saw last year. The main one being the commanding performance from Ryan Gosling as the central character. As far as acting opposite extremes goes, you’d be hard pressed to find a performance this year that offered as much range as Gosling’s. At times he is fragile, soft-spoken and caring, selfless in his dimeanor. In the flick of a switch though, he quivers with a buried rage that leaves bodies mutilated in his defensive wake. With a range of death-tools from curtain rails to bootheels, ‘Drive’ employs the most effecting use of mainstream sporadic extreme violence outside of Tarantino.

As a film student, I am already hearing whispers of projects being influenced by the films cinematographical style. Newton Thomas Sigel’s unforgettable visual construction is something already being cited as reference through a fashionably stylistic use of angle and colour filtering. I bet that none of us expected to be using the term ‘modern-day 80′s noir’ this year, but alas, there you have it.

What Nicolas Winding Refn has done is pretty much reinvent the genre film in the way that, ‘Drive’ isn’t a genre film (?). It spans everything from the romantic to the ultra-violent, and most things in between. It’s a mob film and it’s a love story. Win win?

With Refn employing Gosling for his follow-up, Bangkok-based mob/MMA film ‘Only God Forgives’ which will be hitting our screens later this year, I think it’s safe to say that this particular partnership will continue in it’s solidity and provide the necessary cure to mainstream cinema’s current ills through it’s coupled strength and vision. Who knows? Maybe we’ll find the same director and leading man at the top of this list this time next year?

That’s all from me, folks. Ignore all of those that penned 2011 as a duff year for films. If I had to make my Top 10 a Top 23, someone was doing something right. Apologies again for this belated annual review. Hopefully, it has in the least invited you to check out a film that you may have missed this past year. Here’s to a top-notch 2012!

So, let’s take a break from the awards season fare and look at what might feature in next year’s race or what either way will be hitting screens later this year. The nine films that I have chosen to showcase stood out for a variety of reasons and include comedy, drama and documentary. I have not seen trailers for any of these movies and was drawn to them because of the cast, the story and from festival buzz.

The Surrogate

The Surrogate stars Sundance favourite John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone and Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene), as disabled writer Mark O’Brien who is bed ridden and reliant on an iron lung. The writer who suffered from polio is also a virgin, and with the blessing of his priest (played by the always brilliant William H. Macy) he sets out to find a surrogate to do the deed. Step forward previous Oscar winner Helen Hunt (for As Good as it Gets) as the hired hand, and we have a personal tale that won over the Sundance audience thanks to be being both heartfelt and funny. The film won both an Audience Award as well as one for the ensemble cast, and has been picked up by Fox Searchlight. Don’t be surprised if people are talking about this film when awards season rolls around next year, especially if you take into account that it is based on a true story.

Save the Date

This is one of two wedding related comedies that screened (the other was Bachelorette and also stars Lizzy Caplan) and the obvious reference point would be Bridesmaids. I’m sure that any comparison to last year’s monster success will be splashed across the poster (see The Five Year Engagement, which looks great and also stars Alison Brie).  Caplan and Brie play sisters who are dating guys in the same band (a two-man band to be precise), and things turn awkward when one sister breaks off her relationship while the other is planning her wedding. Both Alison Brie and Lizzy Caplan have shown comedic talent in other projects such as Community and Party Down , and the guys in the cast also have fantastic comedy resumes; including more Party Down, Freaks & Geeks and (500) Days of Summer. This is one rom-com that I am definitely saving the date for (terrible pun alert).

Safety Not Guaranteed

What happens when a classified ad is placed seeking out a time travel companion? In this movie, we have three journalists who seek the person who placed this ad who all have very different agendas that range from cynical and hopeful. The ad was genuinely placed 15 years ago, and the filmmakers were able to successfully track down the real author and reveal who he was at the festival. The film stars some of my favourite faces from TV comedy at the moment with both Jake Johnson of New Girl and Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation, the latter show appearing to be a running theme through the festival this year ( two of my other choices star Parks and Recreationcast). What this film does is take an ad that seems ludicrous and uses it to tell a much larger and heartfelt story making this film one of the Sundance successes; leaving with a distributor and winning a screen writing award.

Smashed

Smashed is a comedy of sorts about alcoholism. Yep, bet you weren’t expecting that to be the subject of a funny film. Probably better to call it a dramedy as this film explores what happens when a married couple who both drink too much decide on very different paths for their partying ways. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (who should be a bigger star) is the one trying to get sober, and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) is her drunken counterpart. The supporting cast is strong and includes Octavia Spencer who is riding high with several awards for her performance in The Help, and real-life married couple Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation). Alcoholism is a tricky subject without going full-on dark, but Smashed sounds like it treads the line between the good and the bad without revelling in the behaviour of the characters.

Arbitrage

Margin Call was one of the success stories from last year’s Sundance, and Arbitrage is another film about Wall Street and the cost of big financial errors. Consequences of your actions on the small and grand scale is what the film focuses on with Richard Gere in the central role as a billionaire hedge funder who is trying to sell his company before his dodgy dealings are discovered. Gere has received high praise and his performance has been lauded as his best; it’s very early but can we expect to see his name doing the rounds this time next year? Supporting players include Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth and Brit Marling in this timely thriller, one which has been reportedly purchased by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.

Celeste and Jesse Forever

A romantic comedy that looks at the end of a relationship rather than the beginning of one seems like a hard sell, but Celeste and Jesse Forever is selling just that. Andy Samberg (SNL) and Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) play the titular couple who are separated and are dealing with the pieces of their relationship. It looks at what happens when a break-up isn’t full of screaming and shouting; how can you move on if you still get on? Ari Graynor (who I will be talking about below), Eric Christian Olsen, Elijah Wood and Emma Roberts round out the cast in this movie that is about letting go of what is comfortable, and moving on. Rashida Jones also co-wrote the film and the sharp wit that we have seen in her performances thus far is hopefully evident here.

The Queen of Versailles

A family decide to build the biggest house in America (inspired by Versailles), and then the economic market collapses; sounds like it could make for a good movie right? Well, this documentary follows the Siegels both before and after their financial strife that impeded this project of building a 90,000 square-foot mansion. Showcasing all that is good and bad about the American dream, especially in light of the economic crisis, the Siegels are a warm family who might be a tad out of touch with reality.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Fox Searchlight has already purchased what has been described as one the big surprises of the festival, one which received the top grand jury prize. Starring a host of unknowns, the film follows Hushpuppy (Quevenzhane Wallis), a girl who is trying to survive in her flooded Louisiana town. The film has been praised for the excellent and beautiful cinematography (which it also won a prize for) and is one that I am definitely excited about seeing.

For a Good Time Call…

Ending my selection of Sundance films on a lighter note, this comedy sees two roommates who don’t seem to like each all that much but start a phone-sex line from their apartment. Ari Graynor (Celeste and Jesse Forever, Whip It) plays the feisty one of the pair, with newcomer Lauren Anne Miller (co-writer of the film and wife to Seth Rogen) getting the uptight role. The comedy focuses on female friendship through some smutty jokes as it is a film about a phone-sex line after all. Justin Long co-stars and is always a welcome sight.

So, what do you think of this selection of films? Any that you want to see? Any that I haven’t included from Sundance that you want to hear more about?

It’s hard to fathom that Roman Polanski has been making films for 50 years now. His early output was a revelation, making a name for himself with a unique brand of taut claustrophobic thrillers (See Knife in the Water/Repulsion). Seething with a palpable sense of anxiety, Polanski pushed his subjects to psychological breaking point with the enclosed surroundings amplifying the tension to almost unbearable levels. In short, they were bad places to be, especially if you happened to advocate bourgeois values. Downton Abbey, had it been made in 1960′s Poland probably would have had the entire cast holed up, soiled knickers and all, in the study with wolves roaming the corridors. It was in its mockery of the Bourgeoisie that European cinema was in its element. While never overtly political, Polanski revelled in using them as fodder. Even through visions of the American dream in Rosemary’s Baby & Chinatown, widely considered all-time greats, many of the hallmarks of his previous work shine through.

However, since that 1960′s/1970′s golden period; whether making conspiracy movies with Harrison Ford, big budget pirate adventures or dodgy horror flicks, his output has ranged from the strange to the down right awful, picking up a best director Oscar for The Pianist along the way. He seemed out of sorts for such a long time. So it was a surprise to hear that Polanski was seemingly revisiting his roots with an ensemble character study in Carnage.

If walking into the experience blind, you could look at the ingredients; a Polanski film, based on a play called ‘God of Carnage’, with the single apartment setting playing host to an all-out bourgeois smack down. You would be forgiven for expecting a world of pain, and upon seeing the film you wouldn’t be far off, except that you’re going to laugh. A lot. In fact, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more satisfying comedy all year.

Set over the course of a single afternoon, in the aftermath of a playground scuffle between two 11 year-old school boys, the Cowans (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz) visit the Longstreets (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly) to discuss the problem between their respective sons. What begins as a straightforward social courtesy develops into polite finger pointing and before long, prejudices slip out, the veneer of civilized discussion fritters away, and that’s when things well and truly kick off. A barking dog, a bottle of whiskey, a ringing cell phone, some not-so tasty left overs; all at some point seem to conspire, almost supernaturally to pour gas onto the fire.

Not unlike Luis Bunuel’s 1962 masterpiece The Exterminating Angel the Cowans find that they’re bound to the apartment, except this time not by a mysterious unspoken force, but by invitation of the Longstreets. Neither able to let it drop. This is something Polanski could have possibly made 30 years ago. Like Repulsion, the downtown Brooklyn apartment is a black hole. The irresistible pull of psychosis replaced with one of egocentric stupidity. Even the opening scene, in the context of a Polanski film (a static shot from behind the trees), showing a peripheral conflict in the scope of a wide shot encompassing both the playground and the Hudson river could be viewed with a more sinister connotation if it weren’t for the Alexandre Desplat score which appears straight out of a feel-good 80’s comedy.

Despite the films origins as a stage-play being entrenched in its DNA, this is a dynamic film that is unflinching in its moments of tension whilst allowing for larger than life, eccentric performances from its cast. Huge credit of course has to go to the screenplay which reduces the concerns of adults in modern society to schoolyard triviality. Considering the setting is restricted mostly to one room, the pacing is perfect. With a simple symmetry to the composure of the shots, movement between rooms is expressed with a roaming handheld camera style familiar within Polanski’s early work.

Waltz and Reilly are in their anarchic element as the sneering egotistical attorney and the blue collar blunt tool. It is Foster though, as the anthropological writer; the sanctimonious, emotional ticking-time bomb, and Winslet as the elitist, emotionally sterile investment broker who, playing against type, really let everything hang out and provide the film’s funniest moments. Their group breakdown is a gleeful crescendo of farce and political incorrectness. And as none of the characters have much in the way of redeemable personality traits, all four collectively make up the ultimate toss-pot. You enjoy their descent into hysteria like watching animals on a wildlife documentary or ironically small children in a playground.

I have to admit my first thought as the credits rolled, ‘I can think of a handful of situations in my adult life, which I would look back on with a much greater fondness if they went a little more like that’. One interpretation is that Carnage is a comedy for anyone who has had to bite their tongue. It is also Roman Polanski in his element; society eating itself under the stress of its own vanity.

A very funny film, with excellent performances all round.

When people ask me what makes for a really great performance (and someone did, once) I direct them to two performances. De Niro in Raging Bull and Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. If you watch those performances you’ll notice something. The performance isn’t about their facial expressions or the words being spoken or even how they’re spoken. It’s the physicality of the performance that sells it. Only time will tell whether this performance has the longevity of those iconic roles but he certainly inhabits Matt King right down to his posture, gate and awkward moccasined run. Furthermore, bare in mind that this is coming from someone who still refers to him as ‘Doug Ross’ in day to day conversation.

If ‘acting is reacting’ then honourable mentions must go out to Clooney’s younger co-stars. Shailene Woodley (Alex) is arguably the best known of the three and she can count herself a little unlucky to have come of age in a highly competitive year for the Best Supporting Actress category. As you expect, the troubled teenage daughter has the broadest range of performance but certainly matches Clooney in a number of difficult scenes. The younger sibling is played by debutant Amara Miller who, after revelling in the role of a potty-mouthed pre-teen also plumbs emotional depths beyond her age towards the films emotional pinnacle. As you might expect there’s a few other familiar faces along the way. Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, and Beau Bridges are all good whilst Robert Forster does enough in two scenes to remind you why he too is an Oscar nominee.

The film itself is expertly paced and although I usually find the excessive use of voice over annoying, it works in relation to the subject matter. Though I couldn’t shake the feeling that the voice over in Up in the Air made the film feel like some kind of dysfunctional self-destruct video, here Clooney’s impassioned inner monologue plays out like the desperate pleas of a husband to his dying wife. It ads an emotional level often lacking from films where the audience is addressed directly and as a result immerses you into the story rather than forming a barrier.

Of course, wherever there is tragedy, there’s scope for excellent comedy and Payne, together with his duo of comedy actors/writers, Jim Rash and Nat Faxon don’t miss a beat. If I cried three times (which of course, I totally didn’t), I belly laughed more. The strength of such an emotionally charged story is that the delivery of comedy is simultaneously funnier and more poignant. For that reason I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest that the film could well walk away with Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay next month. The film is released today and if you feel like your soul could use a bit of a jump start this year, I strongly recommend you take in this picture.

First up this week is Nicholas Winding Refn’s 70’s throwback Drive.


For a man whose name sounds very much like a font, Winding Refn is fast grinding out a rep as one of the most promising directors of the moment. Drive, which sees man of the moment Ryan Gosling channelling the likes of McQueen and Eastwood, is unlikely to derail the Dane’s upward trajectory. Despite a top notch cast which also boasts Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks, it’s the style of the film which sets it apart from similar pictures. Set in the seedy, neon, Hollywood underbelly, ‘Driver’ as he is simply known is a man out of time; figuratively speaking only. A stoic protagonist with an unyielding moral compass, Gosling traverses between heartfelt tenderness and unspeakable brutality. Both are filmed bravely; Winding Refn knowing exactly when to cut away and when to linger. Though not one of the most prolific award season nominees, Drive is picking up the odd nomination here and there and everyone of them is deserved.

In contrast Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is arguably one of the most over hyped films of last year. That’s not to say it’s without merit. On the contrary, it was an expertly crafted film in almost every way. Gary Oldman is certainly an outsider for a Best Actor Oscar and there is some great support work from hot properties like Tom Hardy and Benedict Cumberbatch. Like Drive, Tinker Tailor comes to us courtesy of another Scandinavian director, Tomas Alfredson. Like his contemporaries, Alfredson is a master craftsman when it comes to ‘show, don’t tell’. There’s certainly no unnecessary monologuing in the film which affords you the opportunity to really take in the expertly recreated cold war setting. The film’s weakness however, lies in it’s complicated, in places convoluted story. As is often the case with adaptations, the density of the original novel is simply not transferrable to the screen. Often at times, key plot points are sacrificed in favour of a more palatable running time and unfortunately in this case, it felt like key elements of John Le Carre’s seminal story were lost on the cutting room floor. With that in mind, home entertainment may in fact be the film’s saving grace. Repeat viewings coupled with the supporting features may just be enough to clear the fog.

In the barrage of mindless, plotless ensemble rom-com flicks that seem to be the trend of the moment, everyone was glad to see a date movie that might avoid the same trappings. Crazy Stupid Love was off to a flyer even before it was released with one of the most likeable cast lists ever put together. With Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling all starring, it’s no wonder that the movie went down well with both genders, and although not exactly a classic, it does have a lot going for it. At the centre of the story is a Hitch type story where Gosling’s suave womaniser coaches a post-separation Steve Carell in the art of seduction. Carell and Stone are as good as ever, but the real revelation is Gosling as a comedian. If we didn’t already hate him enough the triple threat proves that he’s got the comedy chops to rival the best of them, even picking up a Golden Globe nomination in the Comedy/Musical acting category. Releasing two weeks before Valentine’s Day is no doubt a savy move by Warner Bros. who are no doubt banking on its ‘snuggle up on the sofa’ factor to shift shed loads of copies.

In terms of re-releases, it’s a good week with three classics getting the Blu-ray treatment. First up is the multi-Oscar winning Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Whilst personally I’m sceptical as to how much difference Blu-ray makes to a nigh on fifty year old movie, the epic scale of a Joseph Mankiewicz movie might just warrant the upgrade.

Also released is James Cameron’s Aliens.

With Prometheus looming ominously on the horizon like an abandoned interstellar transporter of mysterious origin, chances are that interest in the original quadrilogy is likely to peak over the next few months. There’s every likelihood the four movies will be all over TV as well, but probably not in the quality of a nice, crisp Blu-ray. This will prove a decent investment, especially if there’s that annoying guy in your office who won’t shut up about how Avatar is the greatest science fiction movie ever made. You can lend him Aliens and prove to him that Avatar isn’t even the greatest science fiction movie James Cameron has ever made.

It’s a quieter week for TV releases this week. The only real release is the first batch of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. Rather than housing an entire series the Blu-ray contains the pilot episode along with two other classic episodes so not really one for the casual Trekkies (or Trekkers, as they prefer to be called).

Special mention must go to the release of season asix of The Office (US). Although to the best of my knowledge the series is not getting a Blu-ray release (makes sense when you think about it), season six is arguably where the series peaked.

With a cast most movie producers would kill for (Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Ellie Kemper and Kathy Bates) the sixth series brings with it closure to one of the love stories of the decade, and en route Steve Carell falls into a Koi Pond. If you’re yet to discover the wonders of The Office, then go back to the beginning (by which I mean season 2, episode 1). For those of you Dunder Mifflin devotees, this might just prove to be the last Office box set you choose to take home.

In conclusion, my recommendation for the week is clearly Drive. Having gotten up early on pay day to pre-order the very reasonably priced Blu-ray, it’d be hypocritical of me to suggest anything else. Yes, there’s no denying the ‘classic’ status of James Cameron’s Aliens however, the savvy consumers should know that you can find the complete quadrilogy online for less than a fiver more than the stand alone release.

I only ask that you remember what makes the Academy Awards so prestigious and so exciting. They are voted for by the most qualified of filmmaking specialists, all of which have either won or have been nominated for an Academy Award themselves. On top of that, they are peers to every nominee that will be announced tomorrow afternoon in Los Angeles. And as many acceptance speeches in February will acknowledge, there’s no greater honour in film than being recognised by your peers.

Before I unveil my (I’d like to think educated) predictions to you here, exclusively on Thisfilmison.com, I’d just like to raise the point that I personally feel it has been an especially exceptional year for filmmaking. In Hollywood, and as far as Iran, stories have been told in the most beautiful fashions throughout the last 12 months. So much so that my Top Ten list had to be expanded to a Top 25 just to be able to recognise the films that I felt were the best. Twenty-damn-five, which is part of the reason that I haven’t published it yet. It will surface soon, in depth, I promise you.

On to the serious business though. Deserved films and performances will be acknowledged tomorrow, and some will be left out. The ugly truth is that there just isn’t room for everyone, which sad as that may be, does make for an extremely tense and incredibly exciting ten minutes as the Academy prepares to unveil their annual nominations. Without further ado…

Best Original Song

The Living Proof, The Help
Life’s A Happy Song, The Muppets
Pictures In My Head, The Muppets
Lay Your Head Down, Albert Nobbs
The Keeper, Machine Gun Preacher

Alt: Hello Hello, Gnomeo and Juliet

Best Make-Up

The Artist
The Iron Lady
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Alt: Hugo, Albert Nobbs

Best Visual Effects

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Hugo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Tree of Life
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Alt: Captain America: The First Avenger, Super 8

Best Animated Feature

The Adventures of Tintin
Rango
Kung Fu Panda 2
Cars 2
Winnie the Pooh

Alt: Puss In Boots

Best Documentary Feature

Project Nim
Buck
Undefeated
Pina
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Alt: We Were Here, Semper Fi: Always Faithful

Best Foreign Language Film

A Separation (Iran)
In Darkness (Poland)
Pina (Germany)
Footnote (Israel)
Omar Killed Me (Morocco)

Alt: Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (Taiwan), Superclasico (Denmark)

Best Original Score

Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
John Williams, War Horse
Howard Shore, Hugo
Thomas Newman, The Help

Best Costume Design

The Artist
Hugo
My Week With Marilyn
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help

Best Sound Editing

Drive
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Super 8
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Alt: Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Best Sound Mixing

Hugo
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Super 8
War Horse
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Alt: The Tree of Life

Best Art Direction

Hugo
The Artist
War Horse
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Midnight In Paris

Alt: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Tree of Life

Best Cinematography

Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist
Bob Richardson, Hugo
Jeff Cronenweth, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Janusz Kaminski, War Horse

Alt: Hoyte Van Hoytema, Tinker, Tailor Soldier, Spy

Best Editing

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Artist
Hugo
The Descendants
Drive

Alt: Moneyball, War Horse

Best Adapted Screenplay

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton and Jim Rash, The Descendants
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian and Stan Chervin, Moneyball
Steve Zaillian, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, The Ides of March
Tate Taylor, The Help

Alt: John Logan, Hugo

Best Original Screenplay

Woody Allen, Midnight In Paris
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Will Reiser, 50/50
Diablo Cody, Young Adult
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Alt: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids, Tom McCarthy, Win/Win

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
David Fincher, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Woody Allen, Midnight In Paris

Alt: Tate Taylor, The Help, Steven Spielberg, War Horse

Best Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer, The Help
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Shaileen Woodley, The Descendants
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Alt: Janet Mcteer, Albert Nobbs

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Albert Brooks, Drive
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior

Alt: Patton Oswalt, Young Adult, Ben Kingsley, Hugo

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Meryl Streep,The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Viola Davis, The Help
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk about Kevin
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Alt: Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs, Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Best Actor in a Leading Role

George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Alt: Leonardo DiCaprio, J Edgar, Gary Oldman, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

AND FINALLY, THE BIG FINISH. HOW MANY NOMINATIONS ARE THERE GOING TO BE? WHO’S IN? WHO’S OUT?

Best Motion Picture of the Year

The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Hugo
Midnight In Paris
Moneyball

Alt: War Horse, Bridesmaids

So there you have it folks! In a tightly packaged little nutshell! Tune in to BBC News/Sky News tomorrow lunchtime to find out how right or wrong I was, and to see if the films you loved this year got the love they deserved.

Man, I’m excited.

Of course, fifty percent of that last paragraph was bull shit but I promise that what follows will be a combination of facts and personal opinions that will hopefully allow you to optomise your spending in this period of economic crisis. As you might expect, the weeks directly following the festive period tend to be a little thin on the ground regarding big releases but there is at least, this coming week, a vast cocktail of titles coming your way.


The two biggest releases this week are two comedies that enjoyed mixed receptions at last year’s box office. First up is 30 Minutes or Less. Ruben Fleischer’s follow up to Zombieland should have been a smash. Danny McBride is fast becoming a household name, and Jesse Eisenberg was the geek of choice following his Academy Award nomination for The Social Network last year. Unfortunately, the film failed to live up to expectations and lukewarm early reviews killed it off in well under thirty minutes. Second, we have The Change Up; the body swap comedy which sees Jason Bateman’s family man swap lives with womaniser Ryan Reynolds. Despite its strong cast (Olivia Wilde and Alan Arkin also star) the ‘writers of The Hangover’ failed to sprinkle their box office magic over this one. The film itself is bland and formulaic and if it were not for two leads would have very little going for it.

Of course, it’s not just comedies that are trying to replicate the success of The Hangover. Hostel 3, which was spared the embarrassment of a comprehensive theatrical release follows an almost identical set up as the 2009 comedy but finds its four hapless protagonists at the mercy of some nefarious Las Vegan’s even more sadistic than Ken Jeong. If you’re interested in that, you might also be interested in the release of schlock horror, Shark Night 3D. I’d probably excuse you purchasing this if you are the proud owner of a 3D TV but failing that, there’s really no excuse for wasting your hard earned dollar on a film where cartoon sharks terrorise a group of bikini clad, inexplicably deficient University students.

In contrast it’s a strong week for British TV releases. Both Misfits and Merlin release their latest series (three and four respectively) this week but both are usurped in terms of anticipation by the release of the impressive second series of BBC’s Sherlock.

With audio commentaries for all three episodes and a featurette entitled ‘Sherlock Uncovered’ the likelihood is that this may well be the biggest seller of the week.

The previous releases getting the Blu-ray treatment this week are certainly also worth a look. The film that saw Denzel Washington pick up his third Oscar nomination, Malcolm X , is released this week, whilst the lesser known Roger Dodger also gets an upgrade. Another title looking to capitalise on Jesse Eisenberg’s newly earned celebrity, Roger Dodger stars The Social Network star as a young teenager sent to stay with his ad exec uncle Roger (Think a late-Nineties Don Draper). With the grossly underrated Campbell Scott (soon to be seen in The Amazing Spiderman) Roger Dodger is not necessarily going to test the limits of your HD TV but as a performance driven film, it’s certainly a cut above most of the other fodder churned out this week.

Although I have only a limited selection of concert DVDs (I don’t really see the point in most of them), I’d no doubt get in serious trouble if I fail to mention this week’s releases. As well as Doors: Mr Mojo Risin’, a documentary about the making of The Doors final album Monday also sees the release of Radiohead: Live from the Basement. A straight up live performance of album The King of Limbs, this particular music Blu-ray is probably only a must have item for those unnaturally obsessed with the Thom Yorke as it’s pretty much vanilla.

With all these factors taken into consideration I have reached a split conclusion. My recommendation for this week would be two fold. Firstly, go and rent Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia.

Let’s face it, you may not find it in your local Blockbuster so you might be better off checking in out of your local library. The film is visually and aurally stunning and whilst it may not burn into you a desire for many repeat viewings it’s worth checking out at least once in the highest definition. Once you’ve watched Melancholia in all its glory go out and buy Rodger Dodger. It may not have the scope and scale of Von Trier’s film but it also doesn’t have Kirsten Dunst in it.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association have included more than a fair share of heavyweight productions in their nominations for their two Best Picture categories, and also given true, quality comedies a chance to shine this year in the form of ’50/50′ and ‘Bridesmaids’. With all to play for, and excellence oozing in every category, let’s have a look at how things could prospectively pan out from 0100 GMT, a time of night familiar to all you awards buzz-heads.

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Hello Hello” – Gnomeo & Juliet
Music by: Elton John
Lyrics by: Bernie Taupin
“The Keeper” – Machine Gun Preacher
Music & Lyrics by: Chris Cornell
“Lay Your Head Down” – Albert Nobbs
Music by: Brian Byrne
Lyrics by: Glenn Close
“The Living Proof” – The Help
Music by: Mary J. Blige, Thomas Newman, Harvey Mason Jr.
Lyrics by: Mary J. Blige, Harvey Mason Jr., Damon Thomas
“Masterpiece” – W.E.
Music & Lyrics by: Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry

You would think that this would be a fairly straightforward category. Seeing as ‘The Help’ is the only film worth anything, it feels like there must have been a massive lack of original songs this year, and indeed in general. Songs written specifically for films seems to appear less and less, the proof being the quality of the songs included in this category this year. Saying that, if you were to eliminate nominations for ‘Machine Gun Preacher’, ‘Gnomeo and Juliet’ and the woeful ‘W.E’ (that’s right, MADONNA’s directorial debut), and instead include three of the best songs from ‘The Muppets’, this category would have far more merit. Why that film in particular has been omitted entirely, only the HFPA knows. As a result, I’m going for heavyweights Mary J. Blige and Thomas Newman for the overwhelming win.

My Pick: ‘The Living Proof’, The Help
NGNG (No Guts, No Glory): ‘The Keeper’, Machine Gun Preacher

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski, W.E.
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore, Hugo
John Williams, War Horse

Many strong contenders here, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross providing their second breathtaking score in two years. Any other year, I would pitch them as back to back winners without the slightest hesitation, but Ludovic Bource’s score for ‘The Artist’ was the driving force of that film, giving the story all of it’s highs and lows. For that reason, I am left with no choice regardless of my affection for the work of Reznor and Ross.

My Pick: Ludovic Bource, The Artist
NGNG: John Williams, War Horse

Best Foreign Language Film
The Flowers of War (China)
In the Land of Blood and Honey (USA)
The Kid With A Bike (Belgium)
A Separation (Iran)
The Skin I Live In (Spain)

All kinds of choice this year with the foreign films crossing over into familiar territory. Almodovar is ever present, while one of these films is directed by Angelina Jolie (wtf) and China’s entry stars a 2011 Oscar winner in Christian Bale. While I have my reservations about a film from the USA being eligible for this category considering the vast amounts of foreign films that could have potentially been included this year, I wouldn’t put it past the HFPA to crown in this years Best ‘Foreign Language’ Film. Let’s all hear it for loopholes! While I don’t think that will happen, I do however think that one of the best films (full stop) of this year will be recognised for its towering power.

My Pick: ‘A Separation’, Iran
NGNG: ‘The Skin I Live In’, Spain

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, The Descendants
Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball

My favourite category, the award for best screenplay (a rare mixture of adapted and original) could not be more wide open this year. All of these screenplays are fantastic and worth recognising, but I feel like it’s Allen vs Payne vs Sorkin and Zaillian. ‘The Artist’ may scoop up plenty of awards tonight, but the dialogue in ‘Midnight In Paris’, ‘The Descendants’ and ‘Moneyball’ is just too strong too get overlooked in favour of a majoritively silent film. It is certainly going to be the most tightly contested award of the night, and my choice has been up in the air for weeks now. It’s time to put pen to paper though so I’m going to go with my gut rather than my heart and say Allen for the win.

edit – It should be noted that ‘The Ides of March’ was also written impeccably, but you have to draw the line in the sand somewhere

My Pick: Woody Allen, Midnight In Paris
NGNG: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Best Animated Feature Film
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

This is a two horse race as far as I’m concerned, and a closely fought one between ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ and ‘Rango’. ‘Cars 2′ is an obligatory nomination for Pixar, and while ‘Puss in Boots’ and ‘Arthur Christmas’ both received very positive reviews all round, neither hold the clout of the two frontrunners. While I feel ‘Rango’ is the better film, I think this award will go to ‘Tintin’ purely because the HFPA will feel like they owe Spielberg something for the year he’s had, and if you consider that ‘War Horse’ will more than likely walk away from the Globes completely empty handed.

My Pick: ‘The Adventures of Tintin’
NGNG: ‘Puss in Boots’

Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

Now we start to get down to some serious business. Mostly new faces here, with one of them sure to be teary eyed by the end of their night. You would think that with the phenomenal year that Jessica Chastain has had, that she would be a sure thing to take home some gold this year. The more I think about it though, the more thats not necessarily the case. The problem is, she’s been so good in so many films this year, the voters were always going to be faced with the ultimate decision on which role to nominate her for. They’ve gone with ‘The Help’, and don’t get me wrong, she’s fantastic in it. But Octavia Spencer is better in this particular picture, as the maid on a mission, Minnie. Had they nominated Chastain for ‘The Tree of Life’ or even ‘Take Shelter’, I think you would have seen a much closer race, but alas I think she’s outclassed herself out of contention.

My Pick: Octavia Spencer, The Help
NGNG: Berenice Bejo, The Artist

Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

With a late buzz surge from Kenneth Branagh, this could now easily be a three horse race that also includes critics’ favourites Christopher Plummer and Albert Brooks. Both have won numerous supporting actor awards so far this winter. Brooks shot out in front, but Plummer has pulled it back to neck and neck in the last couple of weeks. Branagh is a thespian in a well respected biopic though, so don’t count him out completely. With ‘Drive’ being such a raw film though, I feel like this particular bunch of voters will go with the feel-good gay-flick.

My Pick: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
NGNG: Jonah Hill, Moneyball

Best Performance By An Actress in A Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Jodie Foster, Carnage
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Kate Winslet, Carnage

I’m personally not a fan of all this Comedy Or Musical business, but I suppose it mean more recognition for those performances that wouldn’t normally be taken into consideration by the Academy (when was the last time a comedy won ANYTHING?). In this lead role category, I feel like only one of these fantastic actresses will actually end up with an Oscar nomination in a few weeks, and that’s Michelle Williams. Will she win? Probably, and it will be glorious and deserved if she does. ‘Carnage’ seems to have garnered two nominations to make up the numbers, as entertaining a film as it looks to be. You won’t see Foster and Winslet nominated for anything else where though this entire awards season. This leaves Theron and Wiig to cause upsets, but I don’t think they can. Theron has received rave reviews for her performance in Jason Reitman’s much anticipated follow up to 2009′s ‘Up In The Air’, ‘Young Adult’. It’s a classic case of too little, too soon though. Or maybe it’s just that no one in this category put in as great a performance as Michelle Williams in a film that’s not really a comedy or a musical. I’m going to roll with that.

My Pick: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
NGNG: Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Ryan Gosling, Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Similar scenes here in category that in recent years has seen Robert Downey Jr win gold for ‘Sherlock Holmes’, and Johnny Depp for the truly awful ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Basically, it’s a bit of a joke category. Nine times out of ten, dramatic performances are always going to be more impressive than comedic ones. It’s just the way of the world, unless you’re Robert Downey Jr in ‘Tropic Thunder’. This year though, it is a completely different story. Every one of these performances is truly nomination worthy, and for the first time the HFPA have me eating my words. Much like the previous category however, only one of these performances will be nominated for an Oscar and I’m 99% sure that it’s the one that’s going to win tonight. In a perfect world though, Brendan Gleeson would walk away with this.

My Pick: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
NGNG: Brendan Gleeson, The Guard

Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture – Drama
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin

So you thought Auntie Meryl as Maggie Thatcher was a sure thing? Think again. Rooney Mara has stormed into the race with her show stopping turn as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher’s ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’. As much hype as she has going into tonight’s ceremony, I think that her film (much like Brooks in ‘Drive’) is just too bold to be taken seriously. As is Swinton’s ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’ which (along with Michael Fassbender in ‘Shame) is THE performance of the year by anyone. Glenn Close has been pretty much ignored by the critics associations so she’s out, so that leaves Viola Davis and Meryl. Streep has won numerous times, as strong as she is in ‘The Iron Lady’, and Davis is new blood as far as acting awards are concerned (previously Oscar-nominated for her turn alongside Meryl coincidentally in ‘Doubt’). Taking ALL of this into account, and the fact that you know that Meryl would be thrilled with a Viola Davis victory, that’s the route I’m going to take after much deliberation. Could go either way though, honestly.

My Pick: Viola Davis, The Help
NGNG: Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Just look at that list. Great actors, great films. You’d think it would be hard to pick a winner from that attractive bunch, but it’s not as hard as you would probably think. In my opinion, DiCaprio and Gosling are meat in the room. Tit meat. Not to say that their performances weren’t 100% solid, because they were. Brad Pitt has won over the critics, and he was great as Billy Beane in ‘Moneyball’, but compared to Clooney and Fassbender, he had it easy. He was charismatic and confident, and that is Pitt through and through. Clooney had to depart from his Mr Nice Guy routine, and Fassbender had to wang it out and play a tortured sex addict. Both were driven to excellence by exquisite direction, and both are deserved winners. While I’m on Team Fassbender this year, this is the Globes and I fully expect King George to reign supreme without much argument. The Oscars could well be a different story, ie. Fassbender has a real shot.

My Pick: George Clooney, The Descendants
NGNG: Brad Pitt, Moneyball

AND NOW THE BIGGIES…

Best Director – Motion Picture
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Michel Hazanvicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

This is a real tough call this year. Allen? Scorsese? The spectacular return of Alexander Payne? Michel Hazanavicius? Wait, who? What’s even more interesting is the fact that in a year where the golden era of Hollywood has been paid tribute to on more than a few occasions, it’s the relative unknown that is more than likely going to beat one of film’s true heavyweights (Scorsese). The Weinsteins sure can pick ‘em. I make it sound like it’s down to those two, but it really isn’t. All of these directors have created wonderful works this year, but at the Globes it’s all about buzz and reputation (a trait which is becoming worryingly evident in AMPAS voting), and the buzz is most definitely with Hazanavicius. I may be picking him for the sake of scoring points, but I still think the HFPA could just as easily go with Marty.

My Pick: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
NGNG: Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
My Week With Marilyn

All great films in this pointless category for once! Extremely pleased to see ’50/50′ recognised as it was truly superb as far as comedies go, as was ‘Bridesmaids’ which I think will break down even more barriers and be rewarded for a unrelenting campaign with a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars later this month. What a crowning achievement that will be for women’s comedy AND Judd Apatow. The two films from this list that are Best Picture locks though are ‘The Artist’ (which is probably the frontrunner for Best Picture overall) and Midnight In Paris. While both leave you smiling and joyous, ‘The Artist’ is spectacularly different from any mainstream film we’ve seen in years. Strong in every area; writing, acting and music, you’d be a fool not to assume that (with the current hype surrounding it) ‘The Artist’ will take home the gold not only tonight, but in late February as well.

My Pick: The Artist
NGNG: Bridesmaids

Best Motion Picture, Drama
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Finally the one that matters. The award that is the precursor for many of the eventual Oscar nominations for Best Picture. What’s most intriguing is that where there are six nominations here, there could be up to 10 at the Oscars. That should mean that all of these films get nominated, right? Wrong. I can’t see ‘The Ides of March’ receiving a Best Picture nominations. It’s inclusion here is just Clooney-worship. It was a good film, no doubt, but certainly not one of the 10 best of the year by any stretch of the imagination (and that’s assuming the Academy stretch to 10 nominations! It could be five!).

Whatever film does end up winning Best Picture – Drama, will more than likely prove to be the main competitor for ‘The Artist’ at the Oscars, but will that film be ‘The Descendants’ or ‘Hugo’? Personally, I think ‘The Help’ could make a real go of it if I’m honest. Had it been directed by someone better known, it would probably be the frontrunner. That’s just how voting politics goes. Marty has had it good the last ten years or so though, with nominations coming out of his ears for just about everything he’s produced bar ‘Shutter Island’ (which I will never understand, that film was brilliant), and Payne hasn’t put a film out since his Oscar-winning wine-comedy ‘Sideways’ in 2004. For that reason, and the fact that it stars the untouchable George Clooney, I have no problem making the solid prediction that the award of the night will go to ‘The Descendants’ for it’s unmatchable strengths in overall acting and writing this year.

My Pick: The Descendants
NGNG: The Help

So there you have it! As I always promise, that is EXACTLY what’s going to happen. Be sure to stay in touch with myself (@htimsttam), Owen (@owennicholls), Emma (@frazbelina) and Lewis (@LewSwift) for all the action on Twitter from the moment the red carpet is unveiled from 2300GMT.

Speak to you tomorrow for a breakdown.

The summer big noises speak for themselves;
Early glimpses of The Dark Knight Rises and Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien universe with Prometheus in IMAX & 3D respectively, look certain to be the years most complete cinematic experiences.
Elsewhere, you have a bumper fix of Marvel comic book action as the superhero equivalent of The Breakfast Club finally arrives in the form of The Avengers ,as well as a reboot of the oh so profitable Spider-Man franchise. Autumn/Winter will bring us Sam Mendes’ contribution to the Bond series in Skyfall, Peter Jackson’s return to Middle Earth in The Hobbit, ‘Tarantino does a western’ in Django Unchained and Baz Luhrmann’s intriguing 3D take on The Great Gatsby. There is plenty more to be excited about in 2012, but here are my ones to watch in the coming year:

5. Mama

Andres Muschietti’s 2008 short film Mama, was a nerve shredding 3 minute crescendo of gilt edged tension. In the tradition of the great recent Spanish-language horror hits (The Orphanage, Devils Backbone, Julia’s Eyes), two young sisters, home alone, decide to leave when they hear something making a noise downstairs. A masterful exercise in suspense, it must have impressed someone as it is currently being expanded into a full length feature, with Muschietti again directing from a script he co-wrote with Luther creator Neil Cross, under the guidance of Guillermo Del Toro. The very in-demand Jessica Chastain & Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldu will play the couple who take in their two young nieces who after years of being missing, are discovered living alone in a forest…assuming they were actually alone. Likely to be 2012’s scariest …

4. Gravity

I have to admit, when I heard the premise for Alfonso Cuaron’s long awaited follow-up to Children of Men, the idea of Sandra Bullock being sent up into orbit with nothing but the Hubble space telescope to hold on to, seems a fair & proportionate punishment for that 2 year period of cinematic gastroenteritis that incorporated Premonition, The Proposal, All About Steve & The Blind Side…but not such an easy sell for a film, with its entire success resting on Bullock’s one woman show (a la Silent Running/Moon).

But this has long been a labour of love for its director, with Cuaron also writing, editing and producing the picture with Harry Potter mastermind David Heyman and with the help of superlative cinematographer Emmanuel Lubeski, who did some great work on the scarily-near dystopian Britain of Children of Men. If they get this right and Bullock gives the performance of her career, it will no doubt be one of the year’s best.

3. Cogan’s Trade

It feels like its been far too long since we were treated to the breathtaking Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford but fear not… director Andrew Dominik and star Brad Pitt are back again with this Boston gangster thriller following Pitt’s titular mob enforcer who is given a license to kill after a gunpoint heist on a mafia protected high stakes poker game. Amongst those with whom Cogan will be having a ‘quiet word’ are Richard Jenkins, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Monsters star Scoot Mcnairy and Ben Mendelsohn who stole the show as the dangerous Uncle Pope in Animal Kingdom. Expect a dialogue heavy gritty urban noir, like The Departed …but without the good guys.

2. Wettest County

…most exciting reunion of the year? Anyone who saw John Hillcoat & Nick Cave’s work on The Proposition will know what to expect. A gritty, poetic examination of the brutal morality that exists in the harsh pre-colonial Australia, it was a strikingly fresh take on the Western, with a brilliant original screenplay by Nick Cave.
This prohibition era crime-epic is based on Matt Bondurant’s semi-biographical novel of his family’s operations in 1920’s Virginia. The story follows the three Bondurant brothers (Tom Hardy, Shia LeBeof & Jason Clarke) as they navigate an illegal alcohol bootlegging operation through the great depression as well as trying to avoid the unwanted attention of police deputy Charley Rakes (Guy Pearce). An excellent supporting cast comes in the form of Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain & Noah Taylor. Along with most of the original creative team behind The Proposition, another Nick Cave/Warren Ellis score and master editor Dylan Tichenor (Magnolia, Assassination of Jesse James and There Will Be Blood) putting the whole thing together, this has all the hallmarks of a big contender for the upcoming festival season & can hopefully be Hillcoat’s Godfather.
Imagine John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath…but heavy on the wrath…

1. Seven Psychopaths

To pick a most anticipated film above all others in a year this strong is surely impossible, you would say? But then you think back to any number of instantly quotable moments from 2008’s In Bruges and naturally get rather giddy at the thought of a follow up.
Seven Psychopaths is playwright Martin Mcdonagh’s second full length feature and reunites him with In Bruges star Colin Farrell, who plays a screenwriter, struggling to finish his latest project ‘Seven Psychopaths’ when he is unwittingly roped into an ill-advised dog napping venture by low life buddies Sam Rockwell & Christopher Walken. Unfortunately they find themselves in hot water when they abduct the prize pooch of local gangster Woody Harrelson. Abbie Cornish, Olga Kurylenko & the one and only Tom Waits fill out the cast. Expect laughs, violence & misfortune in abundance

So who are the five nominees for 2012?

Chris O’Dowd had a successful 2011 thanks to his role as adorable Officer Nathan Rhodes in the monster hit Bridesmaids. O’Dowd was previously best known for the sitcom The IT Crowd , and for his part in The Boat That Rocked. 2012 looks set to be a big year for the funny man as he will feature in This is 40, the somewhat sequel to Knocked Up as well as another comedy, Friends With Kids. Friends With Kids earned rave reviews at the Toronto Film Festival, and reunites several of the Bridesmaids cast. He ended 2011 with some more good news as he sold a comedy pilot script about a male weight-loss group to US network NBC.

Switching gears, we have Chris Hemsworth who made his name in Thor playing the titular character. Hemsworth showed that he could both play the superhero with his rather impressive physique, and that he could inject some humanity into the part by way of humour. The five minutes that he appears on screen at the start of the most recent Star Trek instalment showed that Hemsworth was one to keep an eye on and Thor proved this. He will be reprising this role in this year’s Avengers as well as playing the hero opposite former Orange Rising Star Award winner Kristen Stewart in Snow White and the Huntsmen.

Tom Hiddleston (who also starred in Thor and will feature in The Avengers ) is another nominee, and he plays Thor’s brother and villain Loki in both films. Not only has Hiddleston had success with this franchise but he is also starred in Midnight in Paris which is getting awards love, and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse which is out this Friday (see him with the bearded one above). Hiddleston will be taking on Shakespeare later this year as he will be playing Hal in Henry IV parts I and II which will air on the BBC as part of the big Shakespeare celebration season.

Adam Deacon is an actor/rapper/writer who has appeared in both Kidulthood and Adulthood. He used this experience towards his writing/directing debut in a lighter, more comedic take on these types of films in Anuvahood. Deacon will star in two more British films this year; in the horror film Countdown and the comedy Outside Bet.

Finally we have Eddie Redmayne who played the ‘my’ in My Week With Marilyn, and whilst it is his co-stars Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh that are getting most of the critical acclaim, Redmayne deserves his place on this list for his performance in this personal tale about one of the biggest movie stars that has ever graced cinema screens. Redmayne will be hitting the small screen with the BBC adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong at the end of the month, and if the promo is anything to go by it will be heartbreakingly brilliant. He has also snagged a part in Tom Hooper’s big screen adaptation of the musical smash Les Misérables alongside Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.

These five nominees were chosen from an original list of 8 and they have one thing in common; they’re all men. Yep, that’s right. The three female nominees who featured on the longlist are the ones that have not made the cut.  The three actresses; Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain and Felicity Jones all had a strong body of work this year with Chastain receiving nominations and acclaim for her roles in The Tree of Life, The Help and Take Shelter. Jennifer Lawrence was Oscar nominated last year for Winter’s Bone , and is set to have a huge 2012 playing the lead in the much anticipated book to film adaptation of The Hunger Games. Felicity Jones also has nothing to worry about as she has garnered critical acclaim for her turn in Like Crazy (out January 27), and last night won Best Breakthrough Performance for this film at the National Board of Review Awards (tying with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s Rooney Mara).

To vote for your Orange Rising Star head here and let us know who you think should win in the comments below.

The BAFTA awards will take place in London on Sunday, February 12.