I haven't really seen too many contemporary movies in recent years, but without doubt my favourite movie of the year is J. J. Abrams' Star Trek XI. I wouldn't really call myself a Star Trek fan but this film is an almost perfect marriage of the original tv series and the Next Generation films. From the awe-inspiring appearance of the USS Enterprise to the opening bars of the otherworldly title music (which appears at the end of the film) this is a beautiful movie, with a hint of realism that is sadly lacking in the age of CGI. The anamorphic-cinematography, props, and effects are particularly creative, and the lens flare that occurs constantly throughout the film are organic as opposed to digital, giving the film a kaleidoscopic lucidity. It's like the technicolor-Sixties all over again.

There's an energy and vitality to the young cast that hasn't been seen since Star Wars. It goes well beyond the studio's brief to "make Star Trek cool again" and makes a mockery of any other Hollywood blockbuster of the past decade. What I like about it most is the fact that it doesn't fall into the trap of being too self-aware, as most prequels seem to be. It's the kind of film I would have become obsessed with when I was a kid. It almost makes space relevant again.