Take Shelter: The Best Film of 2011

Take Shelter is a beautiful film that will surely become a well-respected classic. Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories) is a director to watch and I can’t wait to see him handle more mainstream fare while still keeping his mid-western sensibilities. Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain give two of the best performances of the year and I really hope they are remembered come awards time.

I don’t want to give away too much because the less you know the better. However, I will tell you Take Shelter is about a  35-year-old man who starts having dreams about the end of the world. This concerns him because he wants to protect his family, but in the back of his mind he realizes that his mom started to experience onset paranoid schizophrenia in her mid 30’s.

I was talking to my friend about this movie and he asked me if it was about  “supernatural world ending shenanigans seemingly directed by M. Night Shyalaman.” It is not a physiological thriller or one of those movies that has false scares. Take Shelter should not be categorized. It is an intelligent character study, that is unpredictable, beautiful and warm

Director Jeff Nichols has an eye for creating vivid scenery and compelling narratives about blue-collar middle America. I think he is one of the best young American directors working today. His two collaborations with Michael Shannon have given the world subdued films that pack a huge punch.

Also, Nichols brother is Ben Nichols. Ben is the frontman for the band Lucero. Listen to them now. Or go on Itunes and download the song Shelter. It is on the Take Shelter soundtrack

Watch Take Shelter! It is amazing!