Had a few too many Christmas cocktails? Can’t quite remember your name, let alone the movies that wooed us in 2011? Never fear, Roobla is here! Join us as we take a look back at the year that gave us the end of a boy wizard’s cinema reign and the origins of America’s Captain!
JANUARY
Three of the best…
THE KING’S SPEECH
The film that led the way at the 83rd Academy Awards, The King’s Speech wowed audiences way back in January 2011. Bagging Colin Firth a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of King George, the film showed explored the more human side of royalty. Superb performances came from Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, too.
BLACK SWAN
Bringing up the rear at the Oscars was Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Battling Natalie Portman against both her inner demons and Mila Kunis, the film explored the price a ballet dancer is willing to pay for her dreams. Dark and twisted the film delves into moments of paranoia and ecstasy before galloping to a beautifully executed finale.
127 HOURS
Things went from bad to worse for James Franco in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours. Portraying the real life story of Aron Ralston, the film soon gained a reputation for its gory realism. After becoming trapped in a cave, Ralston is left alone with only his thoughts, camera and hunger for company. He endures 127 hours of isolation before he hacks his arm off in attempt to escape.
Some of the rest…
The Next Three Days, The Green Hornet, The Dilemma, Morning Glory, Barney’s Version, Biutiful, Hereafter, How Do You Know, Tangled.
This month’s turkey: Season Of The Witch
You may have missed: Blue Valentine
FEBRUARY
Three of the best…
TRUE GRIT
Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges star in this remake of a western classic. Introducing Hailee Steinfield, the Coen Brother’s film won a lot of attention as well as acclaim when it hit cinemas in February.
RABBIT HOLE
Nicole Kidman gave her all in Rabbit Hole, a film that deals with loss and its aftermath. When she and her husband (Aaron Eckhart) try to regain some sort of normality months after the incident she finds solace in an unusual place.
THE FIGHTER
The story of fighter Micky Ward is told by director David O. Russell in this Oscar winning movie. Starring Christian Bale (dramatically committing himself once again to a role) and Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter was loved by film fans and critics alike.
Some of the rest…
Brighton Rock, Submarine, A Little Bit of Heaven, Sanctum, Gnomeo & Juliet, Just Go With It, Never Let Me Go, Yogi Bear, Paul, Inside Job, I Am Number Four, Animal Kingdom, Drive Angry, No Strings Attached, West is West.
This month’s turkey: Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
You may have missed: Confessions
MARCH
Three of the best…
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU
Our concerns for the hat wearing in the trailer for The Adjustment Bureau were vindicated when they were explained during the film. Giving the wearers access to unthinkable passage ways, the hats are humanity’s guardian’s way of zapping about the place ensuring we stick to our life paths. Starring Matt Damon as an aspiring politician, the film proved the power of Philip K. Dick’s imagination once again.
RANGO
Johnny Depp is a man of many talents. Having proved he can do funny (Pirates of the Caribbean), serious (Public Enemies) and downright quirky (Edward Scissorhands), he lends his voice to animated chameleon Rango in this comedy.
SUBMARINE
The IT Crowd’s Richard Ayoade proved his writing and directorial talent in March’s Submarine. Telling the tale of teenage Oliver Tate the film impressed audiences back in spring.
Some of the rest…
Ironclad, Unknown, The Tempest, Hall Pass, Chalet Girl, Anuvahood, The Lincoln Lawyer, Limitless, Faster.
This month’s turkey: Battle: Los Angeles
You may have missed: The Company Men
APRIL
Three of the best…
SCREAM 4
Neve Campbell and co returned for Wes Craven’s fourth instalment in the Scream franchise. Killing teenagers off more brutally than ever before, Scream 4 proved it could twist and turn just as much as its predecessors.
SOURCE CODE
Jake Gyllenhaal starred in Moon director Duncan Jones’s second feature. Gyllenhaal’s Colter Stevens wakes up to find himself in a mysterious room where he must relive the same final eight minutes inside the head of an unknown train passenger. The outcome is always the same; the man dies along with the train;s other passengers when it explodes. He discovers his mission is to find the person responsible for the catastrophe – but in doing so could he discover something much worse?
THOR
Kenneth Branagh directs Marvel’s Thor. Diving straight into the action, the movie juggles its time between the wondrous world of Asgard and the xenophobic atmosphere of Earth. After being set up by brother Loki, Thor is stripped of his powers and is banished to Earth. Here he meets Natalie Portman who just happens to have based her career on his chosen method of travel. Although the film’s finale isn’t as epic as it could have been, it promises good things for 2012’s The Avengers.
Some of the rest…
Hop, Killing Bono, Oranges and Sunshine, Mars Needs Moms, Rio, The Roommate, Sucker Punch, Your Highness, Red Riding Hood, Winnie The Pooh, Fast & Furious Five, Adele Blanc-Sec, Arthur, Cedar Rapids, I Saw The Devil, Insidious, Tomorrow When The War Began.
This month’s turkey: Beastly
You may have missed: Rubber
MAY
Three of the best…
HANNA
Saoirse Ronan stars as Hanna, a deadly teenage assassin who finds herself tracked across the Europe. Co-starring Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett, Hanna surprised audiences with its performances and storyline.
ATTACK THE BLOCK
Joe Cornish wrote and directed Attack The Block, arguably the best received British comedy of 2011. Pitting aliens and chavs against each other, the movie features some much-quoted one liners as well as killer performances.
THE HANGOVER PART II
The Wolf Pack returned this year in The Hangover Part II. Going for a if-it-aint-broke-why-fix-it mentality, producers created a sequel that recycled much of what made Part I so popular, a decision that soon proved its worth.
Some of the rest…
Water For Elephants, 13 Assassins, Something Borrowed, Love Like Poison, The Way, Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides, Age of Heroes, Blitz, Win Win, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2, Life, Above All.
This month’s turkey: Priest
You may have missed: Julia’s Eyes
JUNE
Three of the best…
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
James McAvoy took on Professor X whilst Michael Fassbender stepped into Sir Ian McKellan’s hefty helmet for X-Men: First Class, an origin story that showed us just where the gang, including Mystique and Beast, came from and how their allegiances were formed. Pitting them against Kevin Bacon and the Hell Fire crew, the film provided first class entertainment.
SENNA
Racing fans and cinema fanatics alike enjoyed this documentary back in June. Documenting the life of Formula 1 racer Ayrton Senna, the film looks at his decade in the spotlight before his untimely death at the age of 34.
BRIDESMAIDS
Referred to as the female Hangover, Bridesmaids raised many a laugh in its run at the cinema. Following, unsurprisingly, a group of Bridesmaids, it found the funny side of preparing to get hitched.
Some of the rest…
Donor Unknown, Prom, Rio Breaks, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Beaver, Bad Teacher, Green Lantern, Potiche, Stake Land, Transformers: Dark Of The Moon.
This month’s turkey: Love’s Kitchen
You may have missed: Life In A Day
JULY
Three of the best…
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
After successfully keeping audiences enthralled since 2001, Harry Potter came to an end this summer. Placing Harry and his chums at Hogwarts in their final battle against evil, Deathly Hallow Part 2 was just as epic as fans hoped it would be.
THE TREE OF LIFE
Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life features both Brad Pitt and the cosmos, pairs Sean Penn with existentialism. Hard-hitting and breath-taking, the film is a must-see.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
Completing this year’s Marvel release schedule, Captain America catapulted Chris Evans (or Fantastic Four fame, not was-once-married-to-Billie-Piper fame) into one of comic’s most prestigious roles. Set in the 1940’s it sees Evans beefed up by a top secret operation, making him fit to fight for America’s ideals in World War II.
Some of the rest…
Larry Crowne, A Separation, Super, Trust, Just Do It, Beginners, Cars 2, Horrible Bosses, The Violent Kind, Zookeeper.
This month’s turkey: Horrid Henry: The Movie
You may have missed: Hobo With A Shotgun
AUGUST
Three of the best…
SUPER 8
J.J. Abrams went all Spielberg in this summer’s Super 8. Following a group of children as they try to make a zombie movie, the film bursts into action when they witness a cataclysmic train derailment. The special forces move into town as they try and discover just what the train was carrying…
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Planet of the Apes gets its own origin story in this summer blockbuster offering. Featuring the motion capture skills of Andy Serkis, ROTPOTA explores the downfall of man.
THE INBETWEENERS MOVIE
The boys arrive at the cinema, having been transported there by the surprising success of their E4 series. Jay, Will, Simon and Neil decide to go on a lads holiday to celebrate the end of school. Of course, nothing could go wrong, could it?
Some of the rest…
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Sarah’s Key, The Devil’s Double, The Smurfs, Project Nim, Cowboys And Aliens, Glee – The 3D Concert Movie, The Guard, Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World, One Day, Kill The Irishman, As Blood Runs Deep, Final Destination 5.
This month’s turkey: Conan The Barbarian
You may have missed: The Skin I Live In
SEPTEMBER
Three of the best…
DRIVE
Nicolas Winding Refn went offered us this delicious slice of film noir in September. Having already made waves in Cannes, Drive proved Ryan Gosling’s acting abilities as well as offering audiences an 80’s-infused piece of gore-filled cinema.
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY
Gary Oldman donned George Smiley’s iconic glasses in this adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel. Teaming Oldman up with Colin Firth, Benedict Cumbernatch and Tom Hardy this espionage-filled thriller kept viewers guessing until the end.
WARRIOR
A lot of hype is surrounding Tom Hardy. Set to appear in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, he’s come a long way since his career began. Starring opposite on screen brother Joel Edgerton, Hardy proves his abilities in this fighting movie.
Some of the rest…
3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, Apollo 18, Fright Night, Kill List, Weekender, A Lonely Place To Die, Colombiana, Friends With Benefits, Jane Eyre, Troll Hunter, 30 Minutes Or Less, The Change-Up, I Don’t Know How She Does It, Tomboy, Pearl Jam Twenty, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Mademoiselle Chambon, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Abduction, The Debt, Shark Night, What’s Your Number.
This month’s turkey: The Woman
You may have missed: Melancholia
OCTOBER
Three of the best…
REAL STEEL
Hugh Jackman stars opposite CGI robots in Shawn Levy’s Real Steel. Pairing family drama with robot fighting, the film appealed to many in its run at the cinema.
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: THE SECRET OF THE UNICORN
Spielberg and Jackson unite for this motion-captured rendition of Tintin. Starring Andy Serkis and Jamie Bell, the film offers visual delights heightened by it’s 3D visit to cinemas.
TYRANNOSAUR
Paddy Considine made an impact back in autumn with Tyrannosaur, a self-penned and self-directed slice of British cinema. Starring Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan the film promises good things from the powerful actor turned director.
Some of the rest…
Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark, Johnny English Reborn, Midnight In Paris, Perfect Sense, The Three Muskateers, Everything Must Go, First Night, Footloose, Retreat, Sleeping Beauty, Texas Killing Fields, Monte Carlo, Paranormal Activity 3, Restless, Reuniting The Rubins, We Need To Talk About Kevin, The Help, Anonymous, The Ides Of March, Miss Bala, Contagion.
This month’s turkey: 7lives
You may have missed: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
NOVEMBER
Three of the best…
IMMORTALS
Tarsem Singh’s Immortals pairs the stylistic prowess of 300 with Greek mythology. Starring Mickey Rourke and the soon-to-be man of steel Henry Cavill the film oozes style.
50/50
Cancer was a comedy no-go until 50/50 decided to tackle it head-on. Balancing comedy with drama, the film pairs Joseph Gordon-Levitt with Seth Rogen to create an interesting and well-received film.
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS
Aardman Animations, known primarily for their distinctive Wallace and Gromit series, tackle Christmas time with this festive offering. Centring on Santa’s son, the film offers a Christmas movie with a twist.
Some of the rest…
In Time, Machine Gun Preacher, Tower Heist, The Human Centipede 2, Weekend, Will, Yves Saint Laurent: L’Amour Fou, The Awakening, The Rum Diary, Wuthering Heights, Magic Trip, Snowtown, Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, My Week With Marilyn, Resistance.
This month’s turkey: Dream House
You may have missed: Moneyball
DECEMBER
Three of the best…
HUGO
Martin Scorsese isn’t best known for his child-friendly films. In Hugo, however, he breaks away from type and paints a magical story. Widely praised, the film stars Chloe Moretz and Ben Kingsley.
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
David Fincher’s American adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s best selling novel has received a lot of hype. Starring Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig, the film was released amidst much speculation. Having to live up to both the novel and the Swedish adaptation, TGWTDT is as hard-hitting as it is absorbing.
THE ARTIST
Released at the very end of 2011, black and white movie The Artist received much award speculation. Although only time will tell how well it does at the award ceremonies next year, its ingenious uniqueness is sure to draw audiences in well into the new year.
Some of the rest…
Happy Feet Two, Romantics Anonymous, The Thing, Puss In Boots, A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
This month’s turkey: New Year’s Eve
You may have missed: Another Earth
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