Films of the year (in unfashionable ascending order)

1. Toy Story 3 – you will cry so hard, you will shed tears of blood – the 3D glasses needed their own windscreen wipers. Pushes the boundaries of what a kid's movie can do.

2. A Prophet – a 2 ½ hour prison movie in French is a commitment (although hardly the life sentence of its central character)– but this electrifying, well-acted tale grips like a hangman's noose

3. Somewhere - Two parts cynical Hollywood survivor's commentary to one part heart warming father-daughter movie – after the substance-free Marie Antoinette, it's a return to form for Sofia Coppola's unique, quiet voice. And Stephen Dorff is hot.

"Stephen Dorff is hot"

4. Kick Ass – although initially borderline amoral (which actually proved more difficult to get over than I thought), this superhero movie is a perfectly balanced cocktail of the original and the familiar. And there are surprises at every turn.

5. Ponyo – more kiddy than we're used to, but this Miyazaki is still the most charming thing I saw all year. The opening twenty minutes are majestic.

"Majestic"

6. Inception – a blockbuster that didn't patronize the shit out of its audience. Accusations of po-faced smugness aren't without merit but this is thought-provoking, visually dazzling hokum of the highest order.

7. The Secret in their Eyes – suspend your disbelief and trust the director, and this will prove to be a bravura, head-swimmingly unpredictable shot of South-Americana.

8. The Illusionist – rarely has a movie captured time and place so well. Although Sylvain Chomet never quite knows how to present the central pair's relationship, the attention to detail here in unrivalled

"Unrivalled"

9. Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale - Completely bizarre and really quite creepy, this alternative Danish Christmas movie presents a League of Gentleman load of bewitching watchability.

10. Cherry Tree Lane - Pant shittingly tense home invasion movie. Like Funny Games without the lecturing – it's an exercise in pure, nasty, undiluted horror. I felt sick throughout – and, for that, it should be commended!

"I felt sick throughout"

Honourable mentions: The Social Network (a great piece of drama, which due to its 12A certificate lacked a certain edge), I Love You, Philip Morris (uneven but warm hearted and endlessly entertaining con movie), The Kids Are Alright (although a little light in places, this was an intelligent relationship drama for grown-ups) and A Single Man (beautifully acted and moving if a little too refined and sculpted for my liking)

And a happy new year to y'all ...