The Ides of March
I have been a big fan of George Clooney directing work as he has produced gems such as Good Night and Good Luck and he returned to the chair this year.
Yes he hadn't helmed a movie since Letherheads back in 2008 but with The Ides of March he tackled his first contemporary movie.
Let me tell you that it was well worth the wait and it has made it onto our Best Movies of 2011 countdown at number three.
You get caught up in the underhand dealings of the politicians and the people around them from the opening frame - as Clooney shows politics is a game that some will do anything to win.
But what is so great is he doesn't paint one particular individual as the villain - and there are certainly no heroes; suggesting that they are all just as bad as each other. And, it has to be said, this approach really is very refreshing.
Before we get onto the performances and the script and all that jazz firstly The Ides of March is a beautiful looking movie.
Clooney has captured some great images as he shows that sometimes silence is more powerful than words.
The American flag backdrop to the argument between Paul and Stephen, the silences between Mike and Stephen as they argue in a kitchen towards the end of the movie are two prime examples.
It's the looks and the emotions that he captures, without uttering s single word, which are just so powerful; not to mention stunning.
Not only has Clooney produced great work behind the camera but he has also put in a great turn in front of it as politician Mike Morris as he weaves a political web.
But it is the performance from Ryan Gosling that is just one of his stunning performances of the year.
He has an incredibly commanding presence in every scene - particularly as the movie progresses.
This is just a great political thriller that is filled with tension and suspense and just grips the audience.
Fingers crossed that Clooney continues to make such entertaining and riveting movies!!
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw