The Top 10 of 2011
My favorite films of the past year, as well as those I believe will have a lasting effect on the history of cinema. Purely opinion, of course.
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- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsBrad PittSean PennJessica ChastainThe story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents' conflicting teachings.A true work of art that aspires to ponder the totality of existence within the universe, while also celebrating it. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are true forces of nature here as the parents of the three young boys we follow throughout the film. It also helps that every single frame can be hung upon a wall.
- DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.One of the most delightfully charming films I have ever seen. The fact that it is silent only adds to the appeal as this tale of Hollywood stars in the late twenties weaves a spell with its audience that is impossible to break. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo will become international superstars for their incredible turns as George Valentin and Peppy Miller, respectively.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsRyan GoslingCarey MulliganBryan CranstonA mysterious Hollywood action film stuntman gets in trouble with gangsters when he tries to help his neighbor's husband rob a pawn shop while serving as his getaway driver.Pure cinematic experiences are very hard to find in today's modern age of blockbuster spectacle, but luckily we have real gems like Nicolas Winding Refn's thrilling fairy tale. Ryan Gosling is a force to be reckoned with as the nameless Driver who puts himself in mortal danger to protect a mother and her young son. I was utterly entranced from the very beginning.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsKirsten DunstCharlotte GainsbourgKiefer SutherlandTwo sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide with Earth.A polar opposite to The Tree of Life in almost every sense, Lars von Trier creates a depressingly real vision of an impending Apocalypse that is simultaneously beautiful and visceral. The opening montage of the Earth being obliterated by the titular planet is, alone, worth the price of admission. But stay to see Kirsten Dunst give a career-best performance as Justine, a truly depressed bride who is strangely calm when the end is nigh.
- DirectorLynne RamsayStarsTilda SwintonJohn C. ReillyEzra MillerKevin's mother struggles to love her strange child despite the increasingly dangerous things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined.The title may suggest a focus upon Kevin, but the film belongs entirely to Tilda Swinton, who plays the mother of the unruly sociopath that commits a Columbine-style massacre. Lynne Ramsay jumps back and forth to the raising of the child and the aftermath that his actions have had on his mother, who endures hatred and torment at the hands of the parents of her son's victims. It is a terrific horror-drama that gets under the skin of its viewers and stays there long after the credits have rolled.
- DirectorJonathan LevineStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittSeth RogenAnna KendrickInspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.I went in expecting another buddy comedy and came out both moved and exhilarated. This dramedy about a young man that becomes diagnosed with a rare cancer was a complete surprise that really had me in tears by the end. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is heartbreaking as the main protagonist, and Seth Rogen shows off his dramatic chops as his best friend. It's a film to cherish and I truly enjoyed what it had to offer.
- DirectorSteve McQueenStarsMichael FassbenderCarey MulliganJames Badge DaleA sex addict's carefully cultivated private life falls apart after his sister arrives for an indefinite stay.Showcasing powerful performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, Shame is an uncompromising portrait of a very adult subject. What is so great about it, though, is that it never plays coy or bows to the audience. There are quite a few moments that are very hard to watch and, no doubt, most audiences will be unwilling to give it a chance, but those who do will find a real work of art here.
- DirectorSean DurkinStarsElizabeth OlsenSarah PaulsonJohn HawkesHaunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.Horror films in this day and age often load up on blood and gore, without any real substance behind the ferocity, but here is a film that seeks to unnerve and disturb its audience through the effective use of paranoia. Elizabeth Olsen is a revelation as a girl that escapes a cult, but finds that their influence still has a very firm grip on her sanity. John Hawkes is suitably charming as the cult's leader, but beneath that clean facade is a ferociously terrifying monster that presides over the film's dark atmosphere.
- DirectorDavid YatesStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.Here we are, the final entry in the staggering eight film franchise. To say that a suitable end was absolutely essential is an understatement, but this epic leaps over those expectations to become a beautiful cinematic experience that few other films can rival. The relentless final battle presents spectacle after spectacle, but never does it feel like too much and never does it feel insincere.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsOwen WilsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesWhile on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.Nostalgia can be a bit of a bother in cinema, but Woody Allen presents an interesting perspective on the subject with what could be his most charming film to date. Owen Wilson is fun and fresh as the main character who finds himself thrown back in time to 1920's Paris where he meets many of his literary heroes, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. The star-studded cast is fantastic, particularly Marion Cotillard as Adriana, Pablo Picasso's mistress. What the film does best, though, is that it never condescends to the audience. Allen holds everyone to a higher standard and God bless him for it.