For 2012 (Top 10)

10. Cabin In The Woods

Director: Drew Goddard
Stars: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison

We’ve all seen this setup before, a group of High School social imperialist plan a getaway at a creepy isolated location where bad things are set to happen. However in what was to be one of the year’s pleasant surprises The Cabin In The Woods provides a superbly knowing venture through the mechanics and conventions of the horror genre.  Many will draw comparisons with Wes Craven’s Scream series which is justifiable enough but there are more laughs to be had here, more satire and more jokes being made at itself in this glorious joyful of a genre.

9. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Stars: Muhammet Uzuner, Yilmaz Erdogan and Taner Birsel

Nuri Ceylan’s Once Upon A Time In Anatolia may be the most visually arresting film of the year, his slow burning drama follows the process of a murder investigation and search for the missing body in the vast Anatolian steppes. The strength of the film is the stunning cinematography that illustrates and transcends the story as it unfolds, we join the search party in the bleakest hours of the night where blinding car lights, flickering flames and hand lamps are the guiding lights. Morning light when it comes is stark contrast as the Darkness offers the beacon of light upon the lush natural colours of the untouched landscape. All of this while we observe our subjects converse of other juxtapositions such as a mothers death in child Birth, corpses in the summer time and a young girl's beauty in a dying town.

8. The Raid 

Director: Gareth Evans
Stars: Iko Uwais, Ananda George and Ray Sahetapy 

A Welsh director and an Indonesian setting are the unlikeliest of combination in the year’s best out and out action flick. Gareth Evans guides us through the Jakartan slums and into the midst of the eponymous Raid which sees Jakarta’s finest attempt to infiltrate a tower blocker poisoned with gangs and drug lord inhabitants. The film respectfully follows convention, we have an unsuspecting would be hero rookie cop Rama (Iko Uwais) with problems of his own beyond that of the job namely his status as an expectant father and the knowledge of his brother operating on the wrong side of the law. Anyone watching for narrative reasons need not bother, The Raid is all thriller with little filler, a savage ballet with heart pumping, breathtaking stunt work that will leave your veins adrenaline filled once it is all over. 

7. Killer Joe

Director: William Friedkin
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch and Juno

William Friedkin is a little long in the tooth these days yet the disgustingly delightful antics of Killer Joe shows he hasn’t lost his ability to polarise audiences. Set in deepest darkest Texas with shades of the Cohen’s at their most jet black and David Lynch at his most sexually psychotic and you are half way there. Throw in a terrific cast led by the resurgent Matthew McConaughey as Joe who is indeed a killer hired by a hapless Father and son duo (Thomas Haden Church and Emile Hirsch) to speed up their claim to an estranged matriarch’s life insurance policy, when revelations and problems come to the forefront. Charged with sex and violence, piloted by dark humour and the complexly feeble minds of its characters  Killer Joe is a Texan journey not to be missed

6. Untouchable

Directors: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Stars: François Cluzet, Omar Sy and Anne Le Ny

French buddy romance Untouchable is an easy target for cynics and misers alike, it tells the story of a rich quadriplegic white guy (Francois Cluzet ) and his poor black would be carer (Omar Sy) who overcome their dissimilarities and become the most adhesive of mates.  From such an ostensibly predictable pretext comes a touching, humorous and life affirming experience which explores every element of their personal and collective discord; from writing poetry to quoting Al Pacino lines, appreciating classical music to throwing shapes to pop music or writing love letters to spouting corny pickup lines, everything is so well observed and charming about the discovery of how their differences make them so similar.    

5. The Dark Knight Rises

Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway

Christopher Nolan completes his Batman adventure with the blisteringly epic Dark Knight Rises, retaining the brooding sense of menace that will no doubt distinguish his series from the that of Tim Burton  and Joel Shumacher efforts before it. In making TDKR the big question was always going to be replacing Heather Ledger and his iconic Joker, Nolan brings in another mad man wanting to bring Gotham to its knees. Bane (Tom Hardy) is antithesis of the Joker, opting for an archly deranged sense of military order instead of his predecessors penchant for controlled chaos. Standing in his way Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) 8 years on is a weakened man from his confrontation with the clown,   bearing scars that are both visual and hidden, donning the cowl and cape returns him to the lost symbol of The Batman but with his psyche damaged and infrastructure wilting can they both withstanding this latest battle. 

4. A Royal Affair

Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Stars: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen and Mikkel Boe Følsgaard 

Mads Mikkelsen produces one of the years finest performances in A Royal Affair, portraying an 18^th century German Doctor who becomes tangled in a web of romance, betrayal and politics within Denmark's monarchy of the time. Oddball King Christian VII hires brilliant physician Johann  Struensee (Mikkelsen) to become hs royal doctor however a resultant bond between the two develops as the sycophantic doctor embraces the Kings reckless nature which manifests in whore house visits and other unbefitting behaviours for a king. A love triangle ensues when Christian’s distant Queen Caroline becomes attracted to the German who proceeds to utilise his influence on the royals in pursuit of his own ideals, taking on political and religious significance which would change northern Europe forever, remarkable stuff.

3. Marley

Director: Kevin MacDonald

The Music, the man and the myths are all unearthed here in the years best documentary, Marley may not have the style or cleverly crafted subtleties of last years Senna but the similarities are abundant.  From the Kingston Ghetto’s, palliative care of frozen Europe where he spent much of his last days and glorious career that lay between. British Director Kevin MacDonald’s feature manages to be both respectful and challenging in providing insight into the life of someone whose music still to this day transcends generations and races. Through exploring the metamorphosis of the genre itself and the explosive political landscape of his beloved Jamaica at the time Marley avoids being both self aggrandising and hagiographic in the best possible way because let’s face it Bob did all that himself with his accomplishments and lasting legacy.

2. Angels' Share

Director: Ken Loach
Stars: Paul Brannigan, John Henshaw and Gary Maitland

You could do worse than describe Ken Loach’s Angels' Share as the British answer to Sideways, where Alexander Payne uses Wine as a  Metaphor for the love, Loach uses Whiskey to illustrate our personal histories and need for second chances. Veteran director Loach's mercurial blend of his trademark social realism, with a fantastical caper and riotous laughs which will have you welling up with emotion as well as bellyaches. The film follows a bunch of petty and not so petty criminals whose Community Service Co-ordinator Harry (John Henshaw) takes the group to a Whiskey Distillery, he forms a bond with a particularly troubled member of the group Robbie (Paul Brannigan) who possesses a natural nose for Whiskey tasting, leaving the group with the opportunity to make some money and turn their lives around.

1. Moonrise Kingdom

Director: Wes Anderson
Stars: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward and Bruce Willis

A delightful composite of sprawling untouched Rhode Island scenery, quirky visual devices and off beat character inversions make up Wes Anderson’s outstanding New England odyssey. Moonrise Kingdom is part commentary on the failings of authority figures, where parents (Francis McOrmond and Bill Murray), scout master (Ed Norton), Law Enforcement (Bruce Willis) and Social Services (Tilda Swinton) struggle to come to terms with the escalating panic and revelations brought about by the disappearance of a pair of young runaway lovers. On the flip side Anderson points to the maturation of his young characters who among other things write elegantly apologetic letters, handle their growing adolescent sexuality and reconcile with the error of the ways. At it's core Moonrise Kingdom is served by the sweetest of romances between debutants Jared Gilman as Sam a proficient and resourceful boy scout and Kara Hayward a beautiful literature and music loving girl, their relationship and friendship blossoms on screen in alluring fashion.