21. Senna
20. Take Shelter
The Movie: Michael Shannon goes loco in the belief that a storm is a-coming, and drags wife Jessica Chastain along for the ride.
Impact: If you hadn't already twigged from Revolutionary Road or Boardwalk Empire, then his performance as General Zod in Man Of Steel will leave no doubt that Shannon is the go-to guy for scary-eyed nutters right now.
19. Super 8
The Movie: Did you grow up watching Spielberg and Amblin movies? So did J. J. Abrams, only now he's in a position to pay homage by making his own. Beats writing a blog about how great The Goonies is.
Impact: In a summer dominated by sequels and Avengers trailers, Abrams redefines first principles: story, characters, soul. Learn the lesson, Hollywood.
18. Tyrannosaur
The Movie: Heard the one about the dog-killing drunk (Peter Mullan) and the abused charity shop worker (Olivia Colman)? Paddy Considine directs like he acts: shafts of tenderness wrapped in bleakness and rage.
Impact: A new directorial voice? Or a one-hit wonder? Let's hope Paddy doesn't follow the path of Gary Oldman or Tim Roth, who still haven't followed up their own great debuts.
17. The Skin I Live In
The Movie: Pedro Almodovar and Antonio Banderas reunite in a sort-of horror about a weird plastic surgeon with a live-in patient. To say any more would spoil; suffice to say, Pedro's not known for his restraint when it comes to flamboyant twists.
Impact: Business as usual for Almodovar, but Banderas grabs his chance at a more complex and crueller character than Hollywood allows ol' Puss In Boots. More, please.
16. The King's Speech
The Movie: A little film about a king with a public speaking problem snowballed into award-hogging glory thanks to Colin Firth's charm and Weinstein's schmoozing. It has a voice.
Impact: The relative failure of bolder takes on the British period drama (Wuthering Heights, for one) makes it even more likely that producers will play safe with King's Speech-y clones in the next few years.
15. The Fighter
The Movie: For his dream project about Boston boxer Micky Ward, star/producer Mark Wahlberg surrounded himself with real-life brawlers (director David O. Russell, Oscar-winning co-star Christian Bale) for a punch-drunk cocktail of hugs, hits and coarse humour.
Impact: A much-needed shot in the arm for controversy magnets Bale and Russell... but keep an eye on Wahlberg. Between this, Entourage and Boardwalk Empire, he's becoming a producer of real talent.
14. Neds
The Movie: Peter Mullan goes back to his roots in his violent drama about delinquents in 1970s Glasgow. Released the same month as The King's Speech, but worlds apart.
Impact: That's three-for-three for Mullan as director, and still he's the best kept secret in British cinema despite Tyrannosaur highlighting those acting chops.
13. True Grit
The Movie: Jeff Bridges replaces John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn as the Coen brothers go west and find they can be traditional crowd-pleasers after all.
Impact: A thousand 'Dude vs Duke' comparisons, and a brief renaissance in Westerns that lasted until Cowboys And Aliens blew everything up.
12. Source Code
The Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal only has eight minutes to live. The good news? He gets another chance if he fails.
Impact: Ignore the reductive comparisons (Inception meets Groundhog Day meets North By Northwest meets Quantum Leap) and settle for Moon on Earth. This confirms Duncan Jones' as sci-fi cinema's brightest hope.
