2011 A Year in Film Director Pedro Almodóvar (pictured with Elena Anaya) described ‘The Skin I Live In’ as "a horror story without screams or frights." Remembrances: 2011 set a new record for number of sequels released, a grand total of 28, Considering that 9 of those wound up in the list of top 10 moneymakers - they’ll keep shoveling them out as long as we keep paying for the privilege (of which I am guilty as anyone else). I wonder how many remakes there were on top of that? (Meaning: Just how stale has Hollywood become?)
Despite this I can always find movies that stand out and rekindle my love of cinema. In 2011, directors like Terrence Malik, Bertrand Bonello and Asghar Farhadi (to name only 3) helmed pictures that provided an oasis from sameville and acted as reminder that there's always something original out there, you just have to look.
There were several great performances in 2011 –Though many slipped past Oscar's notice: Among the M.I.A. - Michael Shannon's odd and squirrelly turn as a man who believes the end is nigh in
Take Shelter. Woody Harrelson was a dirty cop in
Rampart. And Dennis Farina was tough and poignant as an aging con man in
The Last Rites of Joe May. For the Ladies, there was Elizabeth Olson in
Martha Marcy May Marlene (more on her later), Tilda Swinton as a hollowed out, broken figure in
There's Something About Kevin. Also in top form was Rachel Harris, playing a devout Texas housewife who has her world turned upside down in the road comedy
Natural Selection, and Adepero Oduye was memorable as a teen coming to terms with her sexuality in
PariahIn addition:
* This was the year we said goodbye to
Harry Potter, who went out with a bang. With
Twilight bowing out next season, it’ll be up to
Hunger Games to fill the young adult literature adaptation void. (
Percy Jackson failed to hold up his end in 2010, but he’ll get a second try in 2013)
* Superheroes fell off a bit - though they still made money (it just wasn’t the huge money studios hoped for). None broke into the top 10, and DCs next big thing, the 200m budgeted
Green Lantern, fizzled with critics and fans; only managing to take in 116m in domestic gross. Don't weep for the men in tights just yet - their days of glory aren’t over.
* Cinema was in a nostalgic mood, looking back at itself in productions like
Hugo, The Artist, My Weekend With Marilyn and to a lesser degree,
Midnight in Paris. All fared well with critics and filmgoers.
* 3D hit a new artistic high. Martin Scorsese's
Hugo, Wim Wender's
Pina and Werner Herzog's
Cave of Forgotten Dreams; all displayed how 3D could be used beyond the realm of gimmick.
* Of course in every film season there will be those ‘hot’ pictures that leave me cold. For example: I was not as bowled over by Nicolas Winding Refn's
Drive as other were.
Crazy, Stupid Love was an asinine, unfunny comedy. And while
Melancholia is gorgeous and the opening sequence a stunner, it ultimately, as do all von Trier films for me, falls under the weight of self indulgence and soapy, over the top, depressing angst.
Cinematic Titans of the Year: Michael Fassbender the second hardest working actor in film took starring roles in X:Men First Class, Jane Eyre, Shame and A Dangerous Method. It’s amazing that he failed to receive an Oscar nomination for such a range of top-notch work. Besting this output (in smaller parts) was…
Jessica Chastain had a breakout year and was seen in 7 different movies, including: The Debt, Take Shelter, Tree of Life, The Help (for which she received an Oscar Nomination), Coriolanus, Texas Killing Fields and Wilde Salome.
2011 top moneymakers (worldwide grosses): #1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 - #2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon - #3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - #4. Twilight: Breaking Dawn pt 1 - #5. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - #6. Kung Fu Panda 2 - #7. Fast Five - #8. The Hangover part II - #9. The Smurfs - #10. Cars 2
Other noted releases (for good or bad):Country Strong, Sucker Punch, The Lincoln Lawyer, Hanna, Thor, Bridesmaids, Super 8, Warrior, 50/50, Margin Call, Puss in Boots, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Young Adult
Critically praised indie, arty, foreigny fare: Meek's Cutoff, Margaret, Submarine, The Mill and the Cross, Pina, Coriolanus, Kid With a Bike, Kshay (Corrode), The Source, Tomboy, In Darkness, Beginners
Events: The Artist became the first silent film to win the best picture Oscar since Wings. The film also garnered awards for best actor (Jean Dujardin) and director (Michel Hazanavicius). Best actress was Meryl Streep for the Iron Lady. Supporting awards went to Octavia Spencer (The Help) and Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Among those who passed: Anne Francis (Forbidden Planet, TVs Honey West), Pete Postlethwait, John Barry (composer), Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Cooper, Peter Falk, Cliff Robertson, Ken Russell
Hollywood relationships: Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig were married on June 22nd in a private New York ceremony, with only four guests in attendance
My Top 20+This decade isn’t getting off to the greatest start, and as with the previous season, making a list for 2011 proved a difficult task. It took a final rush of viewing, before I had gathered up enough gems to flesh out a list I could happily live with.
1. HugoAn orphaned boy endeavors to repair an automaton his dad was working on before he died. The story centers on one of film’s great innovators, the father of special effects if you will – which is why if ever there was a picture that should have been filmed in 3D, it’s Hugo. The movie is a love letter to the magic of motion pictures and to the people who make dreams come alive.
The 3D is quite stunning. Not only for the depth of field, but also for those scenes that mirror silent film techniques (a character falls and you see footsteps above her, ala Hitchcock’s “The Lodger”) as well as modern flourishes, such as a beautiful moment where papers spin around our young lead actors. Scorsese also has fun with it, especially with close-ups (as in a scene in a bathtub). Performances are strong, direction is without peer and I like that the movie isn’t cynical, it's a good family film with a good heart.
2. A SeparationThis Iranian production won the Oscar for best foreign language film (a first for that country). And it is a strong challenger to Hugo as my favorite movie of the year. It's about a man and a wife who separate (though it appears -deep down- they don’t really want to). The husband hires a woman to help him care for his father, who has Alzheimer’s. Things gradually go haywire -- good people get caught in their own self-made traps, little lies that lead to tragedy and sorrow, things left unspoken that would have made of all this unnecessary. The film addresses complex moral issues -- complex relationship and societal issues. It was very involving; I was riveted to the very end.
3. Midnight in ParisThis is a kin to one of my favorite Woody Allen films, the Purple Rose of Cairo. It concerns a writer named Gil (Luke Wilson) who is vacationing in Paris with his fiancé and her parents. Gil is enchanted by the city, but is surrounded by cynics and blowhards and ugly American’s who have no beauty in their souls, and don’t “get” what he sees in the place. At midnight, as the writer wanders the streets to clear his head, he discovers magic.
I don’t want to give specifics; part of the joy in this film is the journey, but it’s a warm, bittersweet and romantic tale. It features one of the best-written scripts: The language is brilliant -- as are the performances. Adrien Brody, in a small part, was particularly hilarious.
"Enjoy and celebrate the past, but remember to live in the here and now to its fullest", is the message I got out of it. After being the butt of many a joke recently, it was refreshing to see a movie that celebrates France and its culture and art.
4. House of Pleasures“Bertrand Bonello's "House of Pleasures" is a morose elegy to the decline of a luxurious Parisian bordello, circa 1900, a closed world in which prostitutes and their clients glide like sleepwalkers through the motions of sex. Elegant and detailed production design creates L'Apollonide, a high-priced whorehouse on a respectable boulevard, where a madam and her women of commerce lead a life as cloistered as in a convent, or a prison.” – Roger Ebert
One of the least sexy sex movies I’ve ever seen. The nudity does not titillate, it only adds to the sadness and the sense of being trapped and used. The film looks great, the mood and tone is haunted - languid. The anachronistic music adds to the otherworldly atmosphere (“Nights In White Satin” has never sounded so moving). Some scenes repeat themselves, others are left open ended -- it’s a troubling fever dream and an entrancing viewing experience.
5. Take ShelterA Midwestern farmer is either a paranoid schizophrenic or is having accurate visions of the end of the world as we know it (and he doesn't feel fine). Michael Shannon, ever an actor with an off-kilter vibe (he has large, troubled eyes), gives a tour de force performance -- one that matches the uneasy tone of the picture. It's a beautifully photographed, subtle psychological character study that slowly and quietly builds a feeling of dread. Behind that, this is the story of a marriage, the nature of marriage – and the anxiety over losing your family to forces beyond your control.
6. X-Men First ClassSet in the 1960s, with a cool 007 vibe. Matthew Vaughn presents a smart, slick and mature look at the X-Men during their formative years. Marked by superb character interaction and sharp performances – James McAvoy is Professor X (a bit of a ladies man), Jennifer Lawrence brings youthful warmth and vulnerability to Mystique, and Michael Fassbender (one of my favorite actors) makes Magneto a complex figure, both likable and haunted with a dangerous edge. I also liked the use of practical effects: Seeing actually people, rather than computer generated figures flying around made it all feel even more fantastic and awe inspiring.
7. Source CodeTaut, Twilight Zone style thriller about a man who is sent back in time, over and over again, with only 8 minutes to find out who set off a bomb on a train. While I did question the logic - when it comes to sci-fi I’m more interested in the fiction than the science. If I’m getting a buzz from the story, if I’m invested with the characters and situation as I was here, that’s all that matters. (And after listening to the commentary and watching the Blu Ray extra on quantum physics, parallel realities etc; some of the riddles were made clear)
The joy in watching movies like this for the first time is seeing the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. But you only get that experience once. Seeing it again I now know who is who and what’s what – so it loses something - but not enough to diminish my original high opinion. This is one edgy, and humanly moving adventure. I thought it was well acted across the board - and another triumph for director Duncan Jones (Moon).
8. MoneyballNot as much about Baseball the game, but the economics behind it. Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, general manager for the A’s – a small market team with a limited budget. With the help of an economics expert (Jonah Hill) Beane devises a controversial plan, assembles a team of misfits and changes the way the game is run, at least on some level (the era of the ginormous contract for star players is still in play – despite Billy’s efforts). It’s a perceptive film and fascinating look at an unseen side of the game. While there are on the field triumphs, don’t expect your traditional “underdog” sports story. Acting wise: Pitt was solid, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the field manager was pretty much wasted in a small role - and Hill, while good, is not Oscar nomination worthy. He brings his usual bag of ticks and mannerisms (like that ever present ‘blank look’ on his face)
9. TrustRoger Ebert’s review echoes my own sentiments...
rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110331/REVIEWS/110339996 But to sum up: Trust is an emotionally draining story about a teenage girl who becomes the victim of an Internet predator. The subject is difficult but is approached honestly. It explores the sorrow and struggles, as well as touching upon points of hypocrisy (ala a scene where young people are exploited as sexual objects in advertising). I thought the acting packed a wallop. Clive Owen plays the father, consumed by anger (for the attacker, his daughter as well as himself… in regret over his failing to protect her). Catherine Keener is the mother, fighting with her own grief while providing a voice of compassion for her daughter. Above all is Liana Liberato who gives a shattering performance while tackling a range of emotion within her character. I was completely knocked out by it and feel it’s an important picture - an impressive offering from Director David (Friends) Schwimmer
10. SuperSubversive insanity from James Gunn (The Specials). Rainn Wilson plays a messed up loser who dons tights in order to save his wife from a drug kingpin. Aiding him is the sociopath Boltie (Ellen Page – who plays it over the top and delightfully irritating). The story mixes the spiritual and some truly heartfelt moments, with biting comedy and graphic violence. I found this controversial, low budget flick, a hilarious/sick, kick in the tail (or -wrench to the head – in this case) but what makes it work for me is that ending. Frank at his core is a true believer, who -in his own twisted way- does something heroic. He might not get the girl, but he does save her, and for me that heart is what elevates the movie from lowbrow Troma-type exploitation, to something a bit more thoughtful. Does this tonal collision make the film unfocused or unbalanced as critics claim? Perhaps, but I like it: It’s all so wrong… and yet all so right.
11. The ArtistWhile I didn’t think this was the Best Picture of the year, it was a charming romance and a lovely ode to Hollywood’s past (made by the French). It focuses on the lives of two people: A silent film star, George Valentin, who is unable to make the transition to talkies. And an actress named Peppy, who he meets by chance when she bumps into him on the street. Though she starts off as a struggling extra. Peppy is on the opposing trajectory, as she flourishes in this new era of motion picture. As a silent B&W film, the Artist is somewhat of a novelty piece, but it has a good heart and features several amazing performances.
12. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2The franchise closes with a bang, and in my opinion, Hallows pt 2 is the best film in the series. It’s a big adventure with wonderful character moments. Loaded with nail biting excitement while showing off a warm heart as well. The scene where we are shown Snape’s memories was genuinely touching and yes, I shed a tear or two.
13. The Adjustment BureauMysterious bastards interfere with a politician’s life. While I’m left scratching my head over why these beings aren’t putting a crimp in a terrorists plans and the like, rather than futzing around in this guys love life - beyond that it’s an affecting love story with intriguing existential ideas (can we exert our free will?) The romance works because of the onscreen chemistry between Matt Damon and playful Emily Blunt (who is easy to love in this picture), and the fantasy elements are thought provoking as well as logistically cool.
14. Martha Marcy May MarleneWho knew the Olsen Twins had a more talented sister? Though she wasn’t nominated, Elizabeth Olsen gives an Oscar worthy performance playing a young woman trying to get her bearings after escaping from a cult. Olsen seems adrift, an alien visitor, unsure how to act properly on her return. Through flashbacks we see what she experienced and the psychological damage inflicted that continues to infect her. It’s truly a haunting piece of work, shattering. The movie also offers up a bit of suspense, as these cultists are calm and reasonable with their brand of insanity. And that makes them especially frightening.
15. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, SpyGary Oldman is brilliant in reserved mode, playing a disgraced British spy who is brought back into active duty when the government fears that their is a double agent in their midst. A gripping, twisting –grown up- spy thriller. The RT summary says it all --
“Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy” is a dense puzzle of anxiety, paranoia, and espionage that director Tomas Alfredson pieces together with utmost skill.”16. Descendants Set in Hawaii, George Clooney gives a moving performance playing a man working on selling land that has long belonged to his family, while his wife lies dying in a hospital. This being an Alexander Payne film you’re going to get dissatisfied people: Lost, uncertain, many in denial -while they examine their past mistakes etc, which usually leads to awkward situations (and opportunities for black humor). And though eventually the characters reach a point of acceptance and growth, getting there is rough. The pieces are familiar, but unlike past efforts from Payne (ala Sideways) –where I find repeat viewings do his movies no favor- the Descendants only gets stronger on a second go through.
17. The Skin I Live InLurid tale of a scientist (Antonio Bandaras) who has developed a synthetic skin, that he uses it on a mysterious test subject. Director Pedro Almovodor’s warped, over the top opus pays homage to Georges Franju’s “Eyes Without a Face”, while adding it’s own deviant twists. Present are the soap opera melodramas, perverse sensualities and “everything but the kitchen sink” narratives that have become Almovodar’s signature.
18. BernieRichard Linklater's Bernie is a gently told and unexpectedly amusing true-crime comedy that benefits from an impressive performance by Jack Black – RT. Black plays Bernie Tiede, a kind hearted 39 year old mortician who shockingly murdered his 81 year old, millionaire companion, Marjorie Nugent (Shirley Maclaine). Interviews with real townsfolk from the small Texas City are included and contribute much of the humor. Some might find this in poor taste, but if you can handle it, the movie works.
19. ContagionThe eclectic Steven Soderbergh delivers one of the most frightening motion pictures I’ve ever seen. And he does so without the employ of zombies or mutated creatures and the like. This provocative drama is about a virus that spreads like wildfire, and the toll it takes reaches beyond the clinical and into human nature itself. This is intense, end of the world material.
Soderbergh knows how to juggle expansive stories and casts (see Traffic) and he needed that skill as he explores the bureaucratic, the opportunist as well as the cost in human terms. Though it came off a bit detached in places, this is balanced out by a palpable sense of desperation, frustration and fear. The ending sent a chill around my heart.
20. The Ides of MarchI never cared for George Clooney as a director as I always found his work a bit soft. But his straightforward approach works with this material, and it’s elevated by an intense story about an idealistic Presidential campaign staffer (Ryan Gosling) who gets a hard dose of reality. While its subject wont shock many in this jaded day and age -- the confident, steady pacing and razor sharp performances make it a standout. Co-stars 2 of the best character actors around: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti.
21. The Tree of LifeThere are big ideas offered here -- huge, nature of life and creation concepts. And it is marked by beautiful shots, the cinematography and design is inspiring. But for all this glory, at its center is a very simple story about the difficult relationship between a father and son. And for me, the ‘small story wrapped around an expansive presentation’ is not always a successful mix. I know those fevered Terrence Malik zealots just got fidgety in their seats. Hell, if a character farted on screen they’d spend hours arguing the brilliance and meaning of the action to the minutiae. But come on, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar (as they say) and sometimes a simple story about the family dynamic doesn’t need dinosaurs and the big bang. Still, the pieces of this picture are so breathtaking, or –in the case of the relationships- so wise in its intimacy… that even while the movie as a whole doesn’t completely coalesce, there is much to admire about it.
22. LimitlessLimitless is a fascinating story about a down on his luck writer (Bradley Cooper) who is introduced to a drug that can open 100% of the brains function. What would you do if you could do anything? That’s the question that keeps things interesting. The story has enough holes to fill the Albert Hall. Where, what, why? The questions kept piling up. But if you’re able to forgive this and simply sit back and enjoy the ride, it’s one hell of thrilling battle of wits -- amply stocked with metaphors (drug/corporate control)
23. The Adventures of TintinSteven Spielberg’s adaptation of the classic French comic book Tintin, is about as exciting and funny a treasure hunt as you can get. The direction is sharp and highlights several inventive scene transitions. Performance-capture has been my least favorite style of animation (see Beowulf). The waxy figures are bad enough, but the cold, lifeless eyes were the worst kind of freaky. Fortunately the art form has been improved upon considerably. There’s a greater sense of texture and they actually solve the problem with the eyes and give them a bit of soul. While the film does go on action overload, with parts of the final battle coming off like something from a video game. Overall Tintin was great fun.
Honorable MentionsThe Guard, Griff the Invisible, Another Earth, Headhunters, Rio, Mozart’s Sister, Project Nim, Le Havre, Tyrannosaur, Buck, Shame, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Win, Win, My Week With Marilyn
Other decent films I enjoyed: Everything Must Go, The Help, Captain America, Rango, Gainsbourg, Hell and Back Again, Carnage, Footnote, The Future, Corman’s World, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Mars Needs Moms, Kinyarwanda, Natural Selection
Movies I have not seen: Interrupters, Pina, The Flowers of War, Kid With a Bike, Sleep Tight, Corrode (Kshay), the Source
A Few Favorite QuotesSuperFrank (Rainn Wilson) to Jacques (Kevin Bacon): "You don't butt in line! You don't sell drugs! You don't molest little children! You don't profit off the misery of others! The rules were set a long time ago! They don't change!"
Jacques: "You really think that killing me... stabbing me to death is going to change the world?"
Frank D'Arbo: "I can't know that for sure, unless I try."
Midnight in ParisMan Ray: A man in love with a woman from a different era. I see a photograph!
Luis Buñuel: I see a film!
Gil: I see insurmountable problem!
Salvador Dalí: I see rhinoceros!
Midnight in Paris "That makes perfect sense..."
"Yeah, but you're surrealists...
Contagion"Blogging is not writing. It's just graffiti with punctuation." – Dr. Sussman (Eliott Gould)
Rango"If it were (heaven), we'd be eating Pop Tarts with Kim Novak." - The Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant)
Moneyball"There are rich teams and there are poor teams, then there's fifty feet of crap, and then there's us" – Billy Beane (Brad Pitt)
BridesmaidsAnnie: You read my diary?
Brynn: At first I did not know it was your diary, I thought it was a very sad handwritten book.
Captain America: The First Avenger "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" "Yeah. I punched out Adolf Hitler 200 times." - Dum Dum Dugan and Steve Rogers
Young Adult"It was national news. I mean, until people found out I wasn't really gay. Then it wasn't a hate crime anymore. It was a fat guy getting his ass beat." – Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt)
The Descendants "Don't be fooled by appearances. In Hawaii, some of the most powerful people look like bums and stuntmen." – Matt King (George Clooney)
2010: A Year in Film