The Awakening (2011)

Rebecca Hall stars as Florence Cathcart, a professional debunker of supernatural phenomena, who is sent to a school where spooky goings on have been reported. As she begins to investigate ghostly sightings, it becomes clear that she is involved in these events in deeper ways than she realises. 

Directed by Nick Murphy, this is a genuinely creepy thriller that follows the first rule of horror: what you don’t see is scarier than what you do see. 

Imelda Staunton is excellent as a member of staff at the school, while Dominic West is pretty good as one of the teachers who becomes romantically involved with Cathcart.

On the down side, too much happens in the last 10 minutes, so the ending does seem a little rushed. And the deliberately ambiguous ending may frustrate.

Vera Drake (2004)

Written and directed by Mike Leigh, this is an excellent drama about a 1950s working-class Londoner (Imelda Staunton) who illegally performs abortions out of a well-meaning wish to help young girls. Vera has a tight-knit family who know nothing of what she does and whose lives are completely transformed by the discovery. 

Imelda Staunton is superb in the lead role, adding depth and emotional complexity to the moral issues explored by the script. The fall-out of her actions and the devastating effects on Vera and her family are brilliantly examined by Mike Leigh, with his usual intelligence and empathy.