Favourite Films Of 2011

This is the first part of my review of the year, my favourite films of the past year.

I saw some impressive films at the start of last year and at the end of this, with not much inbetween. Anyone would think that's the awards season...

10. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

You're supposed to describe this as compelling, tense, absorbing, involving etc etc and in some ways it was. Some would say dull. In reality, it's probably somewhere in between.

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9. True Grit

Good film but... I'm still not sure why they made it.

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8. Submarine

An excellent film, about the horrors of growing up and some.

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7. 127 Hours

127 Hours is an experience that I survived. I think. Unforgettable, for several reasons.

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6. My Week With Marilyn

Michelle Williams does an extraordinary job as Marilyn Monroe.

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5. Drive

An absorbing piece of cinema. Some would call it slow but I’d call it tense and involving.

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4. The Fighter

Much more than just a film about boxing.

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3. The Social Network

‘You're going to go through life thinking that girls don't like you because you're a nerd. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won't be true. It'll be because you're an asshole.’

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2. The Kings Speech

Excellent casting, excellent acting. A thoroughly entertaining piece of historical cinema that gives a fascinating insight into King George VI

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1. Black Swan

An enthralling experience from start to finish, something you would not expect from a film about a ballet.

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Sudden Upsurge

Both Nottingham and Derby councils seem to have gone mad with the gritters last night. Apparently a dusting of snow was forecast last night, although I’m not sure by whom. I didn’t see any snow on the forecast; I’d have got all excited if I had. If it snows now we’re stuffed as they’ll be out of grit.



We really struggled to get a squash court for tonight. There appears to have been a sudden upsurge in playing, which will annoy the council, who I'm sure are trying to phase it out. My opponent's theory is that perhaps everybody is trying to lose weight like him.

So we end up playing at 6.15, which means I have to be radical and use the car to get to work.

As I said opponent is on a diet and bemoans that one unfortunate side effect of reducing his calorie intake is that he now have the drinking capacity of a 12 year old girl. I can’t say much, having had the fainting threshold of a 12 year old girl whilst watching 127 Hours the other night.

Anyway he shouldn’t dismiss lightly the drinking capacity of 12 year old girls. Some pre-teens are very experienced drinkers these days, so he shouldn't consider entering into a drinking contest with one, not in his current state.

I play better tonight and lose a close match 3-1. Then a quick, early, one in the pub. Him on diet coke of course.

(Thursday 27th January)