Wuthering Heights (2011)

Andrea Arnold's take on Emily Brontë's beloved novel of the same name is an assured and mesmerising piece of cinema. It often hits hard and low, hell-bent to knock you off your comfort zone. Relying solely on ambient sounds and intrusive camerawork, it leaves the viewer panting for breath. It has its flaws, for sure (and they are plenty), but the positives almost always overcome its shortcomings.

Jane Eyre (2011)

Jane Eyre is an incredibly well-made period drama. It is also one of the most hauntingly beautiful films of this year. There is an emphasis of enunciation and mannerisms in the adaptations of Victorian literature, both on television and in film. Director Cary Fukunaga's version of the tumultuous love in the rainy, gloomy northern England, however, emphasizes the story and the mood. I can't think of a better costume drama than this Jane Eyre which captures the dark and eerie undertones of the source novel perfectly. This also bodes well for Andrea Arnold's the upcoming Wuthering Heights, which looks amazing.