The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch gives an outstanding, Oscar-nominated performance here as Alan Turing, the genius cryptographer who cracked the infamous Enigma code during the Second World War. The film explores Turing's methods, his clashes with colleagues and his homosexuality, which was illegal in Britain at the time and had much to do with the tragic end to his life. The subject matter is potentially dry (particularly as much of the movie is set in a shed), but Morten Tyldum's direction ensures it's an absorbing journey throughout. Cumberbatch has fine sparring partners in Charles Dance, as Turing's superior, and Keira Knightley as his confidante and fiancée, Joan Clarke. As well as a thrilling piece of cinema, The Imitation Game fascinates as it delves into the mind of a brilliant but unfairly treated war hero who should never be forgotten.