My Best Films of 2011

Unlike last year, I have restricted this year's list to films that have been released in the UK. The order of films is not hugely important, although they do generally go in the direction of best film first.

1) A Separation

I think this film is unassailably the best film of the year. It doesn't seem like a film and the people in it do not seem like actors. It is as though one were there with them and the events break out around one - people shouting at each other in the stairwell, people rushing out into the street in distress. This film was written by the director, Asghar Farhadi, and it is a triumph. I'm very pleased to see that it is gaining recognition that it deserves. 

2) Poetry

I am cheating here because Poetry is one of my best films the 2010! I have included it again because it is a film of which I'm very fond and, quite unexpectedly, it obtained the UK release this year. Quite unexpectedly because this filmmaker, Lee Chang-dong, has made five very good films, and this is the first of his films to be released in the UK.

3) Oslo, August 31st

This film had a lot of impact on me because it is the second adaptation of the novel Le Feu Follet, which was adapted in 1963 by Louis Malle and now has been adapted again by the Danish filmmaker Joachim Trier. I thought this film was strong in all departments - acting, writing and direction, and it is a very moving film. It has a sublime in ending that bears comparison with the best of Antonioni.

4) We Need To Talk About Kevin

Many have praised Tilda Swinton's excellent performance in the main part, but this film is a triumph of adaptation and direction, which I attributed mainly to Lynne Ramsay.

5) Tyrannosaur