Films of the Year: 6-10

10. The Deep Blue Sea

Terrence Davies' beautiful tale of love, loss and passion set just after the second world war is something both quintessentially British and brilliant. The story follows a woman’s (Rachel Weisz) ill-fated love affair and its aftermath as she pours through the confused fishbowl of memory. It’s a case of a phenomenal cast, script and Davies' wonderful directorial style coming together to make something that might seem tired and clichéd feel wonderfully full of life and warmth. As the film transports the audience to an astonishingly well-recreated post-war England, with its deeply touching and human tale. James Absolon

9. The King's Speech

This year's big winner at the Oscars was a resounding success among critics and the public alike. With Colin Firth delivering the performance of his career and winning Best Actor at the Oscars as the stuttering, apprehensive King George VI, or 'Bertie' as he is colloquially known, The King's Speech was probably the best feel good film of 2011. The support cast is excellent too, especially Geoffrey Rush as the King's assuredly cheeky speech therapist. It is however lacking somewhat in edge and originality, so so for this reason it only makes Number 9. Stephen Puddicombe

8. Tyrannosaur

Paddy Considine's debut as a director and screenwriter creates a murky world of the subconscious that lies dormant in all of us, where even from the beginning frame the battle within is evident. This is a thought-provoking film that challenges every preconceived concept of who the ‘bad guy’ is in any story. Considine’s protagonist is not a ‘good’ man in any court, yet the audience sympathises with him regardless of the monster underneath. Hannah’s story shows the universal aspect of the blur between right and wrong. Tyrannosaur is not for everyone, but for the brave it is unmissable. Conor Catchcart

7. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Gary Oldman stars in an ensemble cast that reminds us of how spy films used to be, before Bond introduced explosions and fisticuffs to a genre previously occupied by tense dialogue and atmosphere, allowing the mantle to fall back to the story. It is one of the best films of the year primarily due to the precision with which it is made; the actors were perfectly subtle and the dialogue riddled with subtext. Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy was as Marmite film, yet those willing to attend to it will find themselves thrown back into that which feels like a memory. Conor Catchcart

6. Drive

Drive was without doubt one of the most surprising films of the year. At first glance it looked like a generic, action packed driving movie, but as the film progressed from a breathtaking opening sequence it became quickly apparent that there was far more to it. Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn combines stylish visuals, a thumping retro soundtrack, occasional moments of genuinely shocking violence and multiple nods to other films to create a truly unique blending of art-house and B-Movie aesthetics. Of these nods perhaps the most noticeable was the similarity between Ryan Gosling's (who seemed to be everywhere in 2011) unnamed character and Clint Eastwood's own Man With No Name. Without doubt one of the years most entertaining features. Stephen Puddicombe

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