2011 - The Thin White Dude's 5th Best and Worst of the Year

"Look, to start off, I have failed you" was how I started off my best and worst of 2010. I was appealing to my readership, tail between my legs, for forgiveness when I really should have been asking myself that question. Well, thankfully, I don't know if I have delivered on my promise (fingers crossed, that's down to you!), but my work this year is at least on time. I got through sixty-nine films from the year of 2011, and needless to say I feel a bit chuffed at my increased work-rate. I've been to hell and back, scourging both the battlefield that is modern multiplexes and bottom of the direct-to-DVD barrels, but coming out the other end, I feel I've enjoyed my cinematic journey for this year. Cinema is a wonderful medium of storytelling, and if the best of this year is any proof, indeed, the best is yet to come. The universal acceptance of cinema sometimes makes people forget how young the medium is. Apocalyptic harbinger's bemoan the imminent death of cinema in the wake of piracy and 3D. I think I speak for a lot of people in disagreeing with these so-called prophets/profiteers. We have many, many more fruitful years to go in our journey, so without haste, let's get jiggy with it!

Rules

There isn't many of them thankfully, but I thought I'd just get them out of the way, for sake of my being the only one who might be able to understood this bloody rubix cube of an article

1. A movie must have received a release in theatres or on DVD in 2011

2. The numbers for eligibility in all categories (aside from Best Film/Worst Film/Horsemen Of The Apocalypse) range from 5 to 8 nominees

3. I only mention films I have seen, so if, for instance, The Descendants, isn't on the nominees, it's because I didn't see it in time

4. Most of it, but not all of it, is in alphabetical order by films. There are deviations, but frankly I can't be bothered fixing them.

Note: no new categories this year because of serious cramming, even if it is on time!

Enjoy!

The Thin White Dude

The 4^th John Carpenter Award for Best Horror Film of 2011

Final Destination 5 (New Line Cinema/Practical Pictures/Zide/Perry Productions) – Steven Quale

The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (Six Entertainment Company) – Tom Six

Kill List (Rook Films/Warp X/Film4 Productions/Screen Yorkshire/UK Film Council) – Ben Wheatley

Stake Land (Belladonna Productions/Dark Sky Films) – Jim Mickle

TrollHunter (Film Fund FUZZ) - André Øvredal

And the winner is… Kill List (Rook Films/Warp X/Film4 Productions/Screen Yorkshire/UK Film Council) – Ben Wheatley

Once again, my award for Best Horror Film goes to a low-budget independent movie from England. In a year of lackluster (for the most part) horror pictures, Kill List’s consistently unsettling level of tension made it stand out from the pack, head and shoulder the Best Horror Film of 2011.

The 4^th Kenneth Loach Award for Best Dramatic Film of 2011

Hugo (GK Films/Infinitum Nihil) – Martin Scorsese

Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan

· The Tree Of Life (Plan B Entertainment/River Road Entertainment) – Terrence Malick

· Tyrannosaur (Warp X/Inflammable Films/Film4 Productions/ UK Film Council/Screen Yorkshire/EM Media/Optimum Releasing)

· Water For Elephants (Fox 2000 Pictures/Type A Films/3 Arts Entertainment/Crazy Horse Effects/Flashpoint Entertainment)

And the winner is… Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan

Peter Mullan’s third film is a stunning sociological depiction of a young man’s descent into hooliganism and violence hits home hard. An extraordinary, powerful picture of savage grace (thank you, Mark Kermode!) which hits home hard and doesn’t let you go until long after the ending credits.

The 4^th Sylvester Stallone Award for Best Action/Adventure Film of 2011

Blitz (Lions Gate Entertainment/Davis Films) – Elliot Lester

Fast Five (Original Film/One Race Films) – Justin Lin

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures/Skydance Productions/Bad Robot Productions/TC Productions) – Brad Bird

13 Assassins (Sedic International/Recorded Picture Company/Toho Company) – Takashi Miike

X-Men: First Class (Marvel Studios/Dune Entertainment/Marv Films/Bad Hat Harry Film/The Donner’s Company) – Matthew Vaughan

And the winner is… X-Men: First Class (Marvel Studios/Dune Entertainment/Marv Films/Bad Hat Harry Film/The Donner’s Company) – Matthew Vaughan

Thanks to Matthew Vaughan and screenwriter Jane Goldman, X-Men: First Class has the same youthful energy of their previous film Kick-Ass. Furthermore, it doesn’t lose track of itself, firmly remaining as much a character study as a rollicking good action flick.

The 4^th ‘GWB’ Award for Most Unintentionally Offensive Film of 2011

· 5 Days Of War (RexMedia) – Renny Harlin: pissed off Russians, Ossetians, Human Rights Watch; labeled as “essentially Georgian propagada” (Johsua Foust)

· The Hangover Part II (Legendary Pictures/Green Hat Films) – Todd Phillips: pissed off animal rights groups (PETA, AMA), transsexuals, some Asian people

· The Iron Lady (Pathé/Film 4/UK Film Council/Media Rights Capital) – Phyllida Lloyd: pissed off Margaret Thatcher’s children, Marxists and conservatives

· Sucker Punch (Legendary Pictures/Cruel and Unusual Films) – Zack Snyder: pissed off a lot of women, along with a few narrative storytellers

· Transformers: Dark of the Moon (di Bonaventura Pictures) – Michael Bay: pissed off a number of people, accused of xenophobia and sexism

And the winner is… 5 Days Of War (RexMedia) – Renny Harlin: pissed off Russians, Ossetians, Human Rights Watch; labeled as “essentially Georgian propagada” (Johsua Foust)

Worse than Sergei Eisenstein at his most indulgent and politically ludicrous, 5 Days of War’s crass, base propaganda is in itself it’s only outstanding feature. Instead of giving us another Cliffhanger or Deep Blue Sea, Renny Harlin succeeds in pissing of an entire country and then some.

The 5^th David Fincher Award for Best Thriller Film of 2011

Drive (Bold Films/Odd Lot Entertainment/Marc Platt Productions/Seed Productions) – Nicolas Winding Refn

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Scott Rudin Productions/Yellow Bird Films/ Film i Väst) – David Fincher

Hanna (Marty Adelstein Productions/Studio Babelsberg) – Joe Wright

I Saw The Devil (Showbox/Mediaplex) – Kim Ji-woon

The Skin I Live In (El Deseo) – Pedro Almodovar

And the winner is… Drive (Bold Films/Odd Lot Entertainment/Marc Platt Productions/Seed Productions) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Drive is a wonderful thriller containing some of 2011’s most memorable and intense moments. Also, the enigmatic central performance by Ryan Gosling and Nic Winding Refn’s direction elevate it beyond genre constraints and into a genuine synchronicity of art and entertainment.

The 5^th Philip K. Dick Award for Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy Film of 2011

The Adjustment Bureau (Media Rights Capital) – George Nolfi

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures/Heyday Films) – David Yates

Real Steel (DreamWorks Pictures/Reliance Entertainment/21 Laps Entertainment) – Shawn Levy

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (20^th Century Fox/Dune Entertainment/Chernin Entertainment) – Rupert Wyatt

Source Code (The Mark Gordon Company/ Vendôme Pictures) – Duncan Jones

Super 8 (Bad Robot Productions/Amblin Entertainment) – J.J. Abrams

And the winner is… Source Code (The Mark Gordon Company/ Vendôme Pictures) – Duncan Jones

Duncan Jones’ sophomore film carries with it the intelligence of its predecessor Moon and is a genuine film of ideas. Furthermore, Jones’ direction ensures that there is some substance to the film’s style, and results in sublime execution of artistic intent.

The 5^th Stan and Ollie Award for Best Comedic Film of 2011

The Artist (La Petite Reine/ ARP Sélection) – Michel Hazanavicius

Beautiful Lies (Les Films Pelléas/TF1 Films Production/Tovo Films) – Pierre Salvadori

The Beaver (Summit Entertainment/Participant Media) – Jodie Foster

Bridesmaids (Relativity Media/Apatow Productions) – Paul Feig

Horrible Bosses (New Line Cinema/Rat Entertainment) – Seth Gordon

Rango (Nickelodeon Movies/Blind Wink/GK Films/Industrial Light and Magic) – Gore Verbinski

And the winner is… The Artist (La Petite Reine/ ARP Sélection) – Michel Hazanavicius

The less said, the better, and that is certainly the case with 2011’s best comedic film, The Artist. All the joy, the sorrow, the tears, and some laughs in between, is conveyed in an original manner of pure visual storytelling with accompanying rhythm and beats in the soundtrack.

The 5^th ‘I Am Legend’ Award for Biggest Disappointment of 2010

Barbarossa: Siege Lord (Martinelli Film Company International) – Renzo Martinelli: a turgid mess that was bad beyond all expectations

Cars 2 (Pixar) – John Lasseter: Pixar should know better

The Guard (Reprisal Films/Element Pictures/Crescendo Productions/Aegis Film Fund/Irish Film Board/Prescience/UK Film Council) – John Michael McDonagh: overcooked in the same manner as In Bruges

J. Edgar (Imagine Entertainment/Malpaso Productions/Wintergreen Productions) – Clint Eastwood: lacks the care and craft of most Eastwood films

The Rum Diary (GK Films/Infinitum Nihil) – Bruce Robinson: Why, with Bruce Robinson, Johnny Depp and Hunter S. Thompson, am I getting bored?

And the winner is… Cars 2 (Pixar) – John Lasseter: Pixar should know better

It is excusable for Pixar to have a lapse of sorts, considering the pressure of living up to their recent output, namely Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3. However, it is not excusable for them to deliver such a boring, workman-like assembly-line film like Cars 2. The once-endearing Mater becomes more and more annoying as the film goes on. I am thoroughly disappointed with Pixar, and hope they bounce back from this.

The 3^rd Walt Disney Award for Best Animated Film of 2010

Kung Fu Panda 2 (DreamWorks Animation) – Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Rango (Nickelodeon Movies/Blind Wink/GK Films/Industrial Light and Magic) – Gore Verbinski

And the winner is… Rango (Nickelodeon Movies/Blind Wink/GK Films/Industrial Light and Magic) – Gore Verbinski

In a poor year for animation, Gore Verbinski’s Rango stands out as a particular pleasure. Johnny Depp’s vocal performance is superb, the script has a note-perfect eccentricity, and it contains some of the most stylistically unique animation I’ve seen in quite a while.

The 3^rd Walter Murch Award for Best Sound Design/Mixing in a Film in 2011

Etienne Colin/Michael Krikorian/Gérard Lamps/ Marc Mnémosyne/Nadine Muse (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Peter Burgis/John Casali/Andie Derrick/Michael Fentum/Samir Foco/Glen Gathard/Dominic Gibbs/Peter Gleaves/Leigh Humberdross/Nick Kray/Jed Loughran/James Mather/Luke O’Connell/Kevin Penney/Vanessa Lorena Tate/Derek Trigg/Stuart Wilson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – David Yates

Shalini Agarwal/Ron Bedrosian/Dustin Cawood/Robin Atkin Downes/Sean England/Will Files/Ken Fischer/Pascal Garneau/Richard Hymns/Daniel Laurie/Michael McGee/Gary Rydstrom/Brad Semenoff/Graham Timmer/Juniper Waters/David Wyman (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) – Brad Bird

Robert Edwards/J.R. Grubbs/Doc Kane/Adam Kopald/Peter Miller/Beauxregard Neylon/Lee Orloff/Dee Selby/Addison Teauge (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Erik Aadahl/Craig Berkey/David Burk/Joel Dougherty/Kirk Francis/John Pritchett/Hamilton Sterling/ (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

And the winner is… Etienne Colin/Michael Krikorian/Gérard Lamps/ Marc Mnémosyne/Nadine Muse (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

It may be a ‘silent film,’ but The Artist contains much artistically ambitious and innovate use of sound design/mixing. It is never at any point less than entrancing, and its deviation from the silent film conventions work to startling effect.

The 4^th Paul Schrader Award for Best Film Screenplay of 2011

Hossein Amini (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Peter Mullan (Neds) – Peter Mullan

John Logan (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Agustín Almodóvar/Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

Paddy Considine (Tyrannosaur) – Paddy Considine

Ashley Miller/Zack Stentz/Jane Goldman/Matthew Vaughan (X-Men: First Class) – Matthew Vaughan

And the winner is… Agustín Almodóvar/Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

The Almodovar’s have adapted a tough, borderline exploitation film source and have injected with their vibrant colours and energy. The dialogue is note-perfect, and being backed up by a non-linear structure, The Skin I Live In becomes a finely executed film with appropriate substance behind its high-concepts.

The 2^nd Edith Head Award for Best Costume Designs in a Film in 2011

Mark Bridges (The Artist) – Michel Hazanvicius

Erin Benach (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Jany Temime (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – David Yates

Sandy Powell (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Paco Delgado (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

Sammy Sheldon (X-Men: First Class) – Matthew Vaughan

And the winner is… Erin Benach (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

That jacket: it is his protection, his armour, isolating him from all things good and bad. The scorpion is his symbolic equivalent to the pentagram of the Arthurian court. Of all the costumes I have seen this year, it is Erin Benach’s iconic jacket for the Driver that will go down in history.

The 5^th (Lack of Namesake) Award for Most Surprisingly Entertaining Film of 2011

Bridesmaids (Relativity Media/Apatow Productions) – Paul Feig: ditches my preconceptions of rom-coms

Fast Five (Original Film/One Race Films) – Justin Lin: energetic and entertaining car chases

Final Destination 5 (New Line Cinema/Practical Pictures/Zide/Perry Productions) – Steven Quale: (wisely) hams up the absurdity of the central concept

Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan: ‘hoods’ movie becomes a drama of Kubrickian power

Real Steel (DreamWorks Pictures/Reliance Entertainment/21 Laps Entertainment) – Shawn Levy: fighting robots being entertaining

And the winner is… Real Steel (DreamWorks Pictures/Reliance Entertainment/21 Laps Entertainment) – Shawn Levy: fighting robots being entertaining

Real Steel was for this jury of one the unanimous winner. I went into this film thinking it would be somewhere between a Transformers rip-off and ‘Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots: The Movie.’ Instead, I got a highly entertaining and touching film, and finally, a name for this award. If any film truly deserves an award for proving me wrong, it is this. Check it out!

The 4^th Christopher Doyle Award for Best Cinematography in a Film in 2011

Guillaume Schiffman (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Newton Thomas Sigel (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Robert Richardson (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Mogae Lee (I Saw The Devil) – Kim Jee-woon

Roman Osin (Neds) – Peter Mullan

Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

And the winner is… Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

Good-looking as every nominee here may be, Emmanuel Lubezki’s work of Terrence Malick’s The Tree Of Life is a milestone in cinematography. If there is one thing that film does most successfully, it is (through Lubezki) embedding in the viewer unforgettably beautiful images.

The 2^nd Rick Baker Award for Best Make-Up/Hair in a Film in 2011

Sharisse Fine/Jenny Fred/Love Larson/Donald Mowat/Angel Radefeld/Zoe Tahir/Eva Von Bahr/Torsten Witte (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) – David Fincher

Amanda Burns/Amy Byrne/Tilly Calder/Francesca Crowder/Sarah Downes/Hannah Edwards/Charmaine Fuller/Faye Garland/Belinda Hodson/Sophia Knight/Claire Matthews/Jessica Needham/Sharon Nicholas/Adrian Rigby/Charlotte Rogers/Stephen Rose/Sophie Slotover/Luca Vannella (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two) – David Yates

Catherine Mednick/Nicole Nicolaou/John Schoonraad/Emma Slater/Harriet Thompson/Jenna Wrage (The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)) – Tom Six

Kay Bilk/J. Roy Helland (The Iron Lady) – Phylidda Lloyd

Sarah Bergeest/Samantha M. Capps/Bonnie Clevering/Daina Daigle/Erica Dewey/Karola Dimberger/Lisa Hazell/Stacey Herbert/Jami Hight/Krystal Kershaw/Jack Lazarro/Karen Lovell/Darryl Lucas/Patricia McAlhany Glasser/Sara Michael/Stacey Panepinto/Kellie Robinson/Lesley Rodriguez/Remi Savva/Melizah Schmidt/Emily Tatum/Beka Wilson (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part One)

And the winner is… Kay Bilk/J. Roy Helland (The Iron Lady) – Phylidda Lloyd

Don’t get me wrong, The Iron Lady is an absurd, boring piece of balderdash. However, the makeup/hair department has done an excellent job, ensuring Meryl Streep can legitimately play Margaret Thatcher over a period of approximately forty years.

The 4^th Lucio Fulci Award for Most Excessively Violent Film of 2011

Barbarossa: Siege Lord (Martinelli Film Company International) – Renzo Martinelli: terrible battle sequences; a hundred cavalry do not achieve ninety-degree turns in one-and-a-half seconds (I counted!)

5 Days Of War (RexMedia) – Renny Harlin: stuck between being a ‘horrors of war’ picture and propagandistic bilge

The Hangover Part II (Legendary Pictures/Green Hat Films) – Todd Phillips: completely unnecessary ludicrousness; would be among the ‘Video Nasties’ in the 1980s

Sucker Punch (Legendary Pictures/Cruel and Unusual Films) – Zack Snyder: formulaic Zack Snyder trademarks; contributes nothing artistic or entertaining to the proceedings

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon (di Bonaventura Pictures) – Michael Bay: akin to the censored ‘Zombies’ cut of Carmageddon: you’re still watched wonton destruction, carnage and violence, humans or no humans!

And the winner is… The Hangover Part II (Legendary Pictures/Green Hat Films) – Todd Phillips: completely unnecessary ludicrousness; would be among the ‘Video Nasties’ if released in the 1980s

Admittedly, I was in the minority who didn’t like The Hangover. However, Part Deux is like a crass, Italo-exploitation film remake of its predecessor. It is rarely, if ever at any point, funny, and for a comedy, does about as much for the genre as Ed Wood did for auteur theory. At least Wood has a legacy that gave us Tim Burton’s Ed Wood and the benefit of ironic hindsight.

The 4^th Ennio Morricone Award for Best Original Score/Soundtrack in a Film in 2011

Ludovic Borce (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Cliff Martinez/Johnny Jewel (Desire and Chromatics)/Kavinsky/College/Riz Ortolani (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) – David Fincher

Craig Armstrong (Neds) – Peter Mullan

Hans Zimmer (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Alexandre Desplat/Others (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

And the winners are… Ludovic Borce (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius/Cliff Martinez/Johnny Jewel (Desire and Chromatics)/Kavinsky/College/Riz Ortolani (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

I’ve selected two winners this year, as both The Artist and Drive are sonically pleasing films. Ludovic Borce’s music is the pulse of The Artist, keeping you thoroughly engrossed in the film, elevating the overall mood and first and foremost entertaining you. On the other hand, Drive, with a terrific score by Cliff Martinez and contributions from other artists, who you would think wrote them specifically for the film, feels like a wholly organic being.

The 2^nd (As Yet Named) Award for Best Production Design in a Film in 2011

Laurence Bennett (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Beth Mickle (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Dante Ferretti (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Antxón Gómez (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

Yuji Hayashida (13 Assassins) – Takashi Miike

Jack Fisk (Water For Elephants) – Francis Lawrence

And the winner is… Dante Ferretti (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

For the second year in a row, Dante Ferretti’s wins an award for his production on a Martin Scorsese film. In 2011, he creates a beautiful, hyper-real 1930’s Paris that fits the film’s fairytale nature like a glove. The best production design in a film since I began reviewing (in 2006).

The 3^rd Stan Winston Award for Best Special/Visual Effects in a Film in 2011

Greg Butler/Kevin Campbell/Florent de la Taille/Dadi Einarsson/Rudi Holzapfel/Louise Hutchinson/Matt Jacobs/Steven Lloyd/Sean Mathiesen/John Moffatt/Zissis Papatzikis/Clark Parkhurst/Miguel A. Saleck/Chris Shaw/Scott Singer/Olcun Tan/Raymond Tjernstrom/Jess Vickery: Double Negative/Framestone (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two) – David Yates

Colin Decker/Justin Cornish/Dan Lemmon/Brooke Lyndon-Standford/R. Christopher White/Erik Winquist: Weta Digital (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) – Rupert Wyatt

Ryal Cosgrove/Louis Morin: FLY Studio/Mr X Inc./Modus FX/MPC/Oblique FX/Rodeo FX (Source Code) – Duncan Jones

Doug Trumball: Prime Focus VFX/Double Negative/One of Us/Method Studios/pop III star simulation/Evil Eye Pictures/Image Quest 3-D/ (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

Chris Corbould/Mike Felt/Adam Coglan/Zsolt Krajcsik/Arturo Orgaz Casado/Rajasekar Prince/Benjamin J. Reesing/Doug Spilatro/Shailendra Swarnkar/Guy Williams/Anton Yri: Weta Digital/Spectral Motion Inc./Amalgamated Dynamics Inc./Rhythm and Hues/Primes Focus/Moving Picture Company/MPC/Trixter Film/Digital Domain/Fox/Luma Pictures/PLUG/RISE Visual Effects Studios/Cinesite/ (X-Men: First Class) – Matthew Vaughan

And the winner is… Colin Decker/Justin Cornish/Dan Lemmon/Brooke Lyndon-Standford/R. Christopher White/Erik Winquist: Weta Digital (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) – Rupert Wyatt

The team at Weta Digital have done it again: ten years after their first Oscar win and nine after their creation Gollum elevated specials effect to the level of high art, they have given us Caesar. Despite my initial opposition (being an old-school ‘Apes makeup’ fan), I found myself wholeheartedly embracing Caesar, not as an effect, but as a wonderful, fully-rounded character and the driving force of Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes.

The 3^rd Vic Armstrong Award for Best Stunts/Choreography in a Film in 2011

Laura Albert/Michael Caradonna/Sterling Winans (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Heather Arthur/Jonathan Arthur/Dean Bailey/Robert Bastens/Erik Betts/Chris Bryant/Tim Connolly/Philip Dido/Tom Elliott/John Galindez/Daniel Hernandez/Ben Jensen/Paul Leonard/Victor Lopez/Anthony Martins/Denney Pierce/Justin Riemer/Larry Rippenkroeger/Anthony G. Schmidt/Gary J. Wayton/Lee Whittaker/Li Xing/Marcus Young (Fast Five) – Justin Lin

Fraser Aitcheson/Krista Bell/Radek Bruna/Jiri Horky/Michael B. Johnson/Keii Johnson/Jindrich Klaus/Miroslav Lhotka/Mike Majesky/Alexander Mandra/Darryl Scheelar/Shelly Ward (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) - Brad Bird

Stunt Team (13 Assassins) – Takashi Miike

Chris O’Hara/Sonny Tipton: Stunt Team (Water For Elephants) – Francis Lawrence

And the winner is… Fraser Aitcheson/Krista Bell/Radek Bruna/Jiri Horky/Michael B. Johnson/Keii Johnson/Jindrich Klaus/Miroslav Lhotka/Mike Majesky/Alexander Mandra/Darryl Scheelar/Shelly Ward (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) - Brad Bird

At first, Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins was going to run away with this award, but Impossible Missions Force has struck again. While the whole film has good stunts, it is the extraordinary, heart-in-your-mouth intensity of the Abu Dhabi, which will stay with you years later for its ambition and innovation in stunt work.

The 4^th Thelma Schoonmaker Award for Best Editorial Work in a Film in 2011

Mark Day (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two) – David Yates

Thelma Schoonmaker (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Joe Walker (Life In A Day) – Andrew McDonald and the YouTube Community

Chris King/Gregers Sall (Senna) – Asif Kapadia

Paul Hirsch (Source Code) – Duncan Jones

And the winner is… Paul Hirsch (Source Code) – Duncan Jones

Source Code is part of the continuing trend of Hollywood releasing genuinely intelligent science fiction films. Being a high-concept film, it is important that we can buy what’s happening. Thanks to Paul Hirsch’s editing, we share the protagonist’s moments of both clarity and extreme disorientation. It is some very sharp, economic work.

The 5^th James Cameron Award for Best Sequel of 2011

Fast Five (Original Film/One Race Films) – Justin Lin: changes the franchise’s genre

Final Destination 5 (New Line Cinema/Practical Pictures/Zide/Perry Productions) – Steven Quale: becomes the ‘Scream’ of the Final Destination franchise

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures/Heyday Films) – David Yates: takes the series to a logical and satisfying conclusion

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (20^th Century Fox/Dune Entertainment/Chernin Entertainment) – Rupert Wyatt: advances in CGI/performance capture ensure the successful rebirth of Apes brand

X-Men: First Class (Marvel Studios/Dune Entertainment/Marv Films/Bad Hat Harry Film/The Donner’s Company) – Matthew Vaughan: injects the all-too serious series with a bit of ‘Kick-Ass’ humour

And the winner is… X-Men: First Class (Marvel Studios/Dune Entertainment/Marv Films/Bad Hat Harry Film/The Donner’s Company) – Matthew Vaughan: injects the all-too serious series with a bit of ‘Kick-Ass’ humour

Much as I like the rest of these films (particularly ‘Apes’), X-Men: First Class is the best sequel of 2011. Matthew Vaughan and his team of writers took a floundering film franchise and gave it new life. Also, it is probably the most consistently entertaining of the entire X-Men film franchise.

The 4^th Werner Herzog Award for Most Ingenious Film Concept of 2011

Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius: a silent movie with multiple layers of self-reflexivity

Chris Morgan (Fast Five) – Justin Lin: the franchise becomes a heist movie

Andrew McDonald (Life In A Day) – Andrew McDonald and the YouTube Community: “take the humble YouTube video, … and elevate it into art.” – Andrew McDonald

Asif Kapadia (Senna) – Asif Kapadia: the documentary as chronological, narrative film

Thierry Jonquet (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar: a delightfully screwed-up and twisted thriller

Ben Ripley (Source Code) – Duncan Jones: eight minutes to complete a mission, returning multiple times a la Groundhog Day

And the winner is… Asif Kapadia (Senna) – Asif Kapadia: the documentary as chronological, narrative film

Frankly, while The Artist was a close contender, I feel that Asif Kapadia’s concept deserved to win. Telling Ayrton Senna’s story chronologically through archive footage does much to elevate the medium of the documentary film and, importantly, blurs audiences’ distinction between documentary and narrative film.

The 2^nd ‘Cemetery Junction’ Award for Most Overlooked Film of 2011

The Beaver (Summit Entertainment/Participant Media) – Jodie Foster: regardless of Mad Mel’s recent debacles, it’s a good film (and he’s good in it!)

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Scott Rudin Productions/Yellow Bird Films/ Film i Väst) – David Fincher: I think people are starting to tire of the Millenium series’ overexposure (good as it is)

Horrible Bosses (New Line Cinema/Rat Entertainment) – Seth Gordon: dismissed by many critics as a Hangover-esque gross-out comedy

Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan: lacked the major release it truly deserved

Real Steel (DreamWorks Pictures/Reliance Entertainment/21 Laps Entertainment) – Shawn Levy: Transformers-lite it certainly ain’t: it’s way better!

And the winner is… Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan: lacked the major release it truly deserved

Neds is the most overlooked film of the year, not because of it’s content, but due to the film’s lack of a major release. This is especially disappointing, given the large market created in the wake of Kidulthood and This Is England. If Neds had been given a major release, it would have made decent box-office and a major awards contender.

The 4^th Katherine Hepburn Award for Best Supporting Acting Role by a Female Actor in 2011

Jessica Chastain: “Mrs. O’Brien” (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

Elle Fanning: “Alice Dainard” (Super 8) – J.J. Abrams

Amber Heard: “Piper” (Drive Angry) – Patrick Lussier

Melissa McCarthy: “Megan” (Bridesmaids) – Paul Feig

Carey Mulligan: “Irene” (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Marisa Paredes: “Marilia” (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

And the winner is… Jessica Chastain: “Mrs. O’Brien” (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

The Tree Of Life is a beautiful film, and Chastain shines as Mrs. O’Brien. She is wholly believable as the story’s ethereal heart and soul. Never crossing over to caricature, her Mother Earth/Blessed Virgin Mary role is most entrancing and fascinating, and legitimises the thematic content Malick is aiming to discuss.

The 4^th R. Lee Ermey Award for Best Supporting Acting Role by a Male Actor in 2011

Dwayne Johnson: “Luke Hobbs” (Fast Five) – Justin Lin

Ben Kingsley: “Georges Méliès” (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Choi Min-sik: “Kyung-chul” (I Saw The Devil) – Kim Jee-woon

Brad Pitt: “Mr. O’Brien” (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

Alan Rickman: “Severus Snape” (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – David Yates

Kevin Spacey: “Dave Harken” (Horrible Bosses) – Seth Gordon

And the winner is… Choi Min-sik: “Kyung-chul” (I Saw The Devil) – Kim Jee-woon

Although the most animated performance of 2011, Choi Min-sik proves there’s method to his madness. His mesmerizing turn as Kyung-chul has a great level of depth and complexity, going far beyond a typical ‘serial-killer’ part. The volume is turned up to eleven, and Choi maintains this level of intensity for the film’s entire running time.

The 2^nd ‘Extras’ Award for Best Bit Part in a Film in 2011

‘The Cameo’ (X-Men: First Class) – Matthew Vaughan

Christina Hendricks: “Blanche” (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Moby: “Beef Bellows” (Suck) – Rob Stefaniuk

Peter Mullan: “Father” (Neds) – Peter Mullan

Terence Stamp: “Thompson” (The Adjustment Bureau) – George Nolfi

Emma Stone: “Kayla” (Friends With Benefits) – Will Gluck

Uggie: “Jack” (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

And the winner is… Uggie: “Jack” (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

One of the shameful omissions in the acting categories this year is the lack of recognition of Uggie in The Artist, due to his being of the canine variety. Uggie is one of many, many reasons that The Artist is so charming, and his excellent turn as Jack gives much weight to the argument that animals too deserve recognition for their work.

The 3^rd Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary Film of 2011

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (Creative Differences/History Films/ Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication/Arte France/Werner Herzog Filmproduktion/More4) – Werner Herzog

Debtocracy (BitsnBytes) – Katerina Kitidi/Aris Hatzistefanou

Life In A Day (Scott Free Productions/YouTube, Inc./LG Corp) – Andrew McDonald and the YouTube Community

Senna (Walt Disney Pictures/ESPN Films/Midfield Films/Working Title Films) – Asif Kapadia

Tabloid (Air Loom Enterprises/Moxie Pictures) – Errol Morris

And the winner is… Senna (Walt Disney Pictures/ESPN Films/Midfield Films/Working Title Films) – Asif Kapadia

While Life In A Day is also a great picture, Senna is an amazing documentary that does so much to elevate the medium. Asif Kapadia tells Ayrton Senna’s story through archive footage, akin to a chronological, narrative film. It is a simple, yet intelligent way of making the story of an F1-driver a universally acceptable tale.

The 3^rd Peter Sallis Award for Best Vocal Acting in a Film in 2011

Johnny Depp: “Rango” (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Mel Gibson: “Walter Black/The Beaver” (The Beaver) – Jodie Foster

Bill Nighy: “Rattlesnake Jake” (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Gary Oldman: “Lord Shen” (Kung Fu Panda 2) – Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Timothy Olyphant: “The Spirit of the West” (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

Andy Serkis: “Caesar” (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) – Rupert Wyatt

Meryl Streep: “Margaret Thatcher” (The Iron Lady) – Phyllida Llloyd

And the winner is… Johnny Depp: “Rango” (Rango) – Gore Verbinski

I kid you not, this is Depp's best work since Sweeney Todd. Heck, I’ve been contemplating whether or not it is his best work. Rango is a complex and humourous character, and it is through the strength of Depp’s comic timing and vocal performance that we are able to dig this crazy chameleon.

The 5^th Cate Blanchett Award for Best Lead Acting Role by a Female Actor in 2011

Elena Anaya: “Vera Cruz” (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

Bérénice Bejo: “Peppy Miller” (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Olivia Colman: “Hannah” (Tyrannosaur) – Paddy Considine

Mila Kunis: “Jamie” (Friends With Benefits) – Will Gluck

Rooney Mara: “Lisbeth Salander” (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – David Fincher

Saoirse Ronan: “Hanna” (Hanna) – Joe Wright

Kristen Wiig: “Annie Walker” (Bridesmaids) – Paul Feig

And the winner is… Olivia Colman: “Hannah” (Tyrannosaur) – Paddy Considine

In the best year for female acting in quite some time, it is Olivia Colman who stands out. Playing against type, she is nevertheless amazing in her role as Hannah. Colman’s successful juxtapositions of Hannah’s public and private images are a treasure to behold.

The 5^th Kevin Spacey Award for Best Lead Acting Role by a Male Actor in 2011

Antonio Banderas: “Robert Ledgard” (The Skin I Live In) – Pedro Almodovar

Jean Dujardin: “Georges Valentin” (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Brendan Gleeson: “Sergeant Gerry Boyle” (The Guard) – John Michael McDonagh

Ryan Gosling: “Driver” (Drive) – Nicolas Winding Refn

Conor McCarron: “John McGill” (Neds) – Peter Mullan

Hunter McCracken: “Jack” (The Tree Of Life) – Terrence Malick

Peter Mullan: “Joseph” (Tyrannosaur) – Paddy Considine

Andy Serkis: “Caesar” (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) – Rupert Wyatt

And the winners are… Conor McCarron: “John McGill” (Neds) – Peter Mullan/Andy Serkis: “Caesar” (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) – Rupert Wyatt

Two winners this year: Conor McCarron is a captivating and challenging lead in Peter Mullan’s Neds. Up there with Malcolm McDowell and Ray Winstone, McCarron carries the weight of this picture on his shoulders and then some. As Caesar, the great Andy Serkis achieves the unthinkable in bringing this CGI-cynic to tears, elevating the art of performance capture acting to new peaks. How Oscar could not acknowledge such work is unthinkable!

The 4^th Akira Kurosawa Award for Best Foreign Language Film of 2011

(France) Beautiful Lies (Les Films Pelléas/TF1 Films Production/Tovo Films) – Pierre Salvadori

(South Korea) I Saw The Devil (Showbox/Mediaplex) – Kim Ji-woon

(Spain) The Skin I Live In (El Deseo) – Pedro Almodovar

(Japan) 13 Assassins (Sedic International/Recorded Picture Company/Toho Company) – Takashi Miike

(Norway) TrollHunter (Film Fund FUZZ) - André Øvredal

And the winner is… (Spain) The Skin I Live In (El Deseo) – Pedro Almodovar

Another great film from the Spanish maestro, The Skin I Live In is both a distinctive ‘Almodovar’ movie and a venture into new territories. A delightfully screwed-up and twisted thriller, with great performances and an excellent script.

The 3^rd Orson Welles Award for Most Promising Debut of 2011

Paddy Considine (Tyrannosaur): directs with skill and sense of character, akin to classic social realist pictures such as ‘This Sporting Life’ and ‘Kes’

Joe Cornish (Attack The Block): directs with panache and style, making his film more entertaining than its script would indicate

Aris Hatzistefanou/Katerina Kitidi (Debtocracy): both directors have an eye for detail and tell a truthful, honest tale

George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau): makes a surprisingly challenging and unconventionally intelligent science-fiction picture

Steven Quayle (Final Destination 5): bucks the ‘Final Destination’ format and with his smart use of the 3D gimmick, makes the ‘Scream’ of the franchise

And the winner is… Paddy Considine (Tyrannosaur): directs with skill and sense of character, akin to classic social realist pictures such as ‘This Sporting Life’ and ‘Kes’

By far and out, Paddy Considine showed the most promise in the directorial chair this year with his debut film Tyrannosaur. Bringing to mind the works of his lead actor Peter Mullan, Considine handles a tough story with confidence and conviction. He’s a talent to look out for!

The 4^th Steven Spielberg Award for Best Producer(s) on a Film in 2011

Thomas Langmann (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

David Barron/David Heyman/J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2) – David Yates

Johnny Depp/Timothy Headington/Graham King/Martin Scorsese (Hugo) – Martin Scorsese

Andrew McDonald/Ridley Scott/Tony Scott (Life In A Day) – Kevin McDonald and the YouTube Community

Takashi Hirajo/Toshiaki Nakazawa/Jeremy Thomas (13 Assassins) – Takashi Miike

Gregory Goodman/Simon Kinberg/Lauren Shuler Donner/Bryan Singer (X-Men: First Class) – Matthew Vaughan

And the winner is… Thomas Langmann (The Artist) – Michel Hazanavicius

Thomas Langmann wins this award, partly because I respect anyone who has the guts to fund a film like The Artist. Furthermore, his passion and respect for Michel Hazanavicius as an ‘artist’ has led to this modest production being one of the biggest pop-culture phenomenon’s of the 21^st Century.

The 5^th Stanley Kubrick Award for Best Director of a Film in 2011

Pedro Almodovar (The Skin I Live In)

David Fincher (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)

Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)

Terrence Malick (The Tree Of Life)

Peter Mullan (Neds)

Martin Scorsese (Hugo)

Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

David Yates (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2)

And the winner is… Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)

This is a strong list of contenders, but Michel Hazanavicius is the only winner. He does everything a good director should do, taking a script/concept from its foundations and building it from the bottom up. Following through with his artistic intentions beyond a gimmick, Hazanavicius delivers a truly, beautiful work and establishes himself as an auteur filmmaker.

The 3^rd ‘Drag Me To Hell’ Awards for 2011’s Horsemen of the Apocalypse

2^nd Rank (Two-Time Previous Inductee) Horseman Michael Bay (Director/Producer of ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon')

Danny Dyer (Tit in ‘Age Of Heroes' and 'Reality')

Kevin James (Screenwriter/Producer/Actor in ‘Zookeeper’)

Renzo Martinelli (Story/Screenwriter/Producer/Director of ‘Barbarossa: Siege Lord)

Margaret Thatcher (Being Margaret Thatcher/’The Iron Lady’)

The 1^st Inductee Into The Thin White Dude’s Hall Of Shame

3^rd Rank Horseman Of The Apocalypse Michael Bay

Anyone who is able to be this consistently bad and lacking in scruples deserves not only inductee into my Hall Of Shame, but a good kick on the backside! The worst thing is that Michael Bay has shown talent with Bad Boys and The Rock, but he is willing to churn out the lowest common denominator, all in the name of The Almighty Dollar. In closing, fuck you Michael Bay!

P.S Stop remaking horror films I liked the first time! I hate having to refer to them now as ‘the original!’ Tool!

The 3^rd Alfred Hitchcock Award for Most Significant Player (Member of the Film Community) in 2011

J.J. Abrams (Screenwriter/Producer/Director of ‘Super 8’ and Co-Writer/Producer of ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’)

Michel Hazanavicius (Screenwriter/Editor/Director of ‘The Artist’)

Peter Mullan (Screenwriter/Director/Actor in ‘Neds’, Actor in ‘Tyrannosaur’ and ‘War Horse’)

Andy Serkis (Acting as Caesar in ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’)

Martin Scorsese (Producer/Director of ‘George Harrison: Living In The Material World’ and Producer/Director of ‘Hugo’)

Kristen Wiig (Screenwriter/Producer/Actor in ‘Bridesmaids’)

And the winner is… Peter Mullan (Screenwriter/Director/Actor in ‘Neds’, Actor in ‘Tyrannosaur’ and ‘War Horse’)

Honestly, it was between Mullan and Hazanavicius. If it was down to one film, it would probably be the latter. However, Peter Mullan has made his undeniable presence made in a number of this year’s best films and also wrote and directed the extraordinary Neds. In 2011, Mullan has been a cinematic powerhouse.

The 5^th Ed Wood Award for Worst Film of 2011

Age of Heroes (Metrodome Distribution) – Adrian Vitoria

Barbarossa: Siege Lord (Martinelli Film Company International) – Renzo Martinelli

Cars 2 (Pixar) – John Lasseter

5 Days Of War (RexMedia) – Renny Harlin

The Hangover Part II (Legendary Pictures/Green Hat Films) – Todd Phillips

The Iron Lady (Pathé/Film 4/UK Film Council/Media Rights Capital) – Phyllida Lloyd

Killer Elite (Ambience Entertainment/Palomar Pictures/Omnilab Media) – Gary McKendry

Sucker Punch (Legendary Pictures/Cruel and Unusual Films) – Zack Snyder

Swinging With The Finkels (Kintop Pictures/Reliance/Starlight Films) – Jonathan Newman

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (di Bonaventura Pictures) – Michael Bay

And the winner is… Barbarossa: Siege Lord (Martinelli Film Company International) – Renzo Martinelli

Swinging With The Finkels was going to take this, but then I decided to indulge my inner Rutger Hauer fanboy, and lo and behold, we get the worst film of 2011. Aside from F. Murray Abraham, Renzo Martinelli’s film is a display not just of auteur-filmmaking as a double-edged sword, but everything that is wrong with filmmaking. I recently called Jack and Jill a “shit-sandwich of a movie”: this is the shit without the sandwich!

The 5^th Clockwork Award for Best Film of 2011

The Artist (La Petite Reine/ ARP Sélection) – Michel Hazanavicius

Drive (Bold Films/Odd Lot Entertainment/Marc Platt Productions/Seed Productions) – Nicolas Winding Refn

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Columbia Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Scott Rudin Productions/Yellow Bird Films/ Film i Väst) – David Fincher

Hugo (GK Films/Infinitum Nihil) – Martin Scorsese

Neds (Blue Light/ Fidélité Films/StudioUrania) – Peter Mullan

Rango (Nickelodeon Movies/Blind Wink/GK Films/Industrial Light and Magic) – Gore Verbinski

Senna (Walt Disney Pictures/ESPN Films/Midfield Films/Working Title Films) – Asif Kapadia

The Skin I Live In (El Deseo) – Pedro Almodovar

Source Code (The Mark Gordon Company/ Vendôme Pictures) – Duncan Jones

The Tree Of Life (Plan B Entertainment/River Road Entertainment) – Terrence Malick

Tyrannosaur (Warp X/Inflammable Films/Film4 Productions/ UK Film Council/Screen Yorkshire/EM Media/Optimum Releasing)

And the winner is… The Artist (La Petite Reine/ ARP Sélection) – Michel Hazanavicius

This year has seen not only a great, diverse list of Best Film nominees, but this is the first time that I have had a genuine critical dilemma. I have spent the best part of a month and a half debating whether I found this or Neds the better film. I still find it hard to say that Neds is an inferior film, as I seem to be the only critic that is genuinely championing it as one of the best films of 2011. However, after much deliberation, I've come to the conclusion that The Artist is the best film of the year. It does so much more than simply using the silent-film medium as a gimmick. The use of sound in the film has examples of deviations from the medium, but are used few and far between, as Ludovic Bource's astounding score keeps the rhythm and the pace of the film going. Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo (and Uggie!) all deliver great performances of a dense three-dimensional quality. The actors depict their characters with the greatest of respect. Every aspect about the film, the lighting, the cinematography, the editing, the production design, the costumes, the entire mise-en-scene is established with excellence. Finally, behind all of this is 'the artist' himself, Michel Hazanavicius, who has lovingly and passionately created not just an homage to silent-film, but a wonderful example of silent-film, in and of itself. It is a dramatic, funny, beautiful and charming masterpiece that captures in it's one-hundred minute running time, like a firefly in a jar, the essence of pure cinema.

Multiple Award Winners

The Artist: 7 awards – The 5^th Stan and Ollie Award for Best Comedic Film of 2011, The 3^rd Walter Murch Award for Best Sound Design/Mixing in a Film of 2011, The 4^th Ennio Morricone Award for Best Original Score/Soundtrack in a Film of 2011, The 2^nd ‘Extras’ Award for Best Bit Part in a Film of 2011, The 4^th Steven Spielberg Award for Best Producer(s) on a Film of 2011, The 5^th Stanley Kubrick Award for Best Director of a Film of 2011, The 5^th Clockwork Award for Best Film of 2011

Neds: 4 awards – The 4^th Kenneth Loach Award for Best Dramatic Film of 2011, The 2^nd ‘Cemetery Junction’ Award for Most Overlooked Film of 2011, The 5^th Kevin Spacey Award for Best Lead Acting Role by a Male Actor in 2011, The 3^rd Alfred Hitchcock Award for Most Significant Player in 2011 (Peter Mullan, also for ‘Tyrannosaur’ and ‘War Horse’)

Drive: 3 awards – The 5^th David Fincher Award for Best Thriller Film of 2011, The 2^nd Edith Head Award for Best Costume Designs in a Film of 2011, The 4^th Ennio Morricone Award for Best Original Score/Soundtrack in a Film of 2011

Tyrannosaur: 3 awards – The 5^th Cate Blanchett Award for Best Lead Acting Role by a Female Actor in 2011, The 3^rd Orson Welles Award for Most Promising Debut of 2011, The 3^rd Alfred Hitchcock Award for Most Significant Player of 2011 (Peter Mullan, also for ‘Neds’ and ‘War Horse’)

X-Men: First Class: 2 awards – The 4^th Sylvester Stallone Award for Best Action/Adventure Film of 2011, The 5^th James Cameron Award for Best Sequel of 2011

Source Code: 2 awards – The 5^th Philip K. Dick Award for Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy Film of 2011, The 4^th Thelma Schoonmaker Award for Best Editorial Work in a Film of 2011

Rango: 2 awards – The 3^rd Walt Disney Award for Best Animated Film of 2011, The 3^rd Peter Sallis Award for Best Vocal Acting in a Film of 2011

The Skin I Live In: 2 awards – The 4^th Paul Schrader Award for Best Film Screenplay of 2011, The 4^th Akira Kurosawa Award for Best Foreign Languag Film of 2011

The Tree Of Life: 2 awards – The 4^th Christopher Doyle for Best Cinematography in a Film of 2011, The 4^th Katherine Hepburn Award for Best Supporting Acting Role by a Female Actor in 2011

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes: 2 awards – The 3^rd Stan Winston Award for Best Special/Visual Effects in a Film of 2011, The 5^th Kevin Spacey Award for Best Lead Acting Role by a Male Actor in 2011

Senna: 2 awards – The 4^th Werner Herzog Award for Most Ingenious Film Concept of 2011, The 3^rd Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary Film of 2011

R.I.P. 2011/2012

This is a list of people that I admired who passed away in 2011/12

Pete Postlethwaite: 1946-2011 – Actor of Alien 3, In The Name Of The Father, The Usual Suspects, Brassed Off, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and 2010’s Inception, Clash Of The Titans and The Town

John Barry: 1933-2011 – Composer of eleven James Bond films, The Lion In Winter,Born Free, Out Of Africa, Dances With Wolves and Somewhere In Time

Bill Varney: 1934-2011 - Sound mixer of Animal House, Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Escape From New York, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, The Thing, Gremlin and The Goonies

Sidney Lumet: 1924-2011 – Director/Writer/Producer of 12 Angry Men, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead

Mary Murphy: 1931-2011 - Actress in The Wild One

Gunnar Fischer: 1910-2011 - Cinematographer of Smiles Of A Summer Night, The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries and The Magician

Laura Ziskin: 1950-2011 - Producer of Pretty Woman, As Good As It Gets and the Spider-Man film series

Francescor Quinn: 1963-2011 - Actor, played Rhah in Platoon and voiced Mirage/Dino in Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Cliff Robertson: 1923-2011 - Actor in Charly and Spider-Man

Charles Napier: 1936-2011 - Actor in The Blue Brothers, First Blood: Part II and The Silence Of The Lambs

David Hess: 1936-2011 - Actor in The Last House On The Left and The House On The Edge Of The Park

Ken Russell: 1927-2011 - Director of Women In Love, The Devils, Tommy and Altered States

Bert Schneider: 1933- 2011 - Producer of Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces and The Last Picture Show

Tim Hetherington: 1970-2011 – Director/Cinematographer/Photographer for Restrepo: winner of The 2^nd Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary Film of 2010

Bob Anderson: 1922-2012 - Fight choreographer for Barry Lyndon, Star Wars: Episodes IV-VI, Highlander and The Lord Of The Rings film trilogy

Finalment

Okay folks, another year of movies is done. I'm exhausted right now, but I must say that there are a number of films coming out this year I'm looking forward to seeing. David Cronenberg's new film A Dangerous Method, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, Werner Herzog's latest Into The Abyss, and loads, loads more. On my final note, I do once again want to emphasise my necessity to champion Peter Mullan's Neds. It has passed under nearly everyone's radar, and I think it is an extraordinary, cerebral film of "savage grace" (a quote that won me a signed DVD from the good Dr. Mark Kermode earlier in the year) which should be up there competing for the Best Picture along with The Artist. Do see it, it is powerful. And, from me, this is goodbye, but not farewell, my love, and I bid to you a good night, and good luck.

Peace!

The Thin White Dude

P.S. Yes, blogger fucked up for the second year in a row!

El Fin