Best of 2011
Hello all. Mark here.
2011 was a superb year for movies. I had a hard time picking out the number one film. I picked Warrior because I want it to find a larger audience. I’m hoping it blows up on Blu Ray. If you haven’t watched any of these films check them out now. Comment. I want conversations.
1. Warrior-Please watch this. Tell your friends to watch this. Tell your friends to tell their friends to watch this. This movie was criminally under watched. It hurts my soul that it bombed in the theaters. This movie features some of the best scenes and acting of the year. The blu-ray is loaded with extras too.
2. Take Shelter-One of the most powerful films you will ever see. It is impossible not to feel dread when viewing this film. The conclusion will punch you in the gut. Michael Shannon needs to win an Oscar and director Jeff Nichols will be a major force in the independent film world. Listen to the song “Shelter” by Ben Nichols right after you watch the movie.
3. The Guard– Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson are the best couple of the year. This movie is offbeat, funny, surprising, smart and insane. Brendan Gleeson deserves an oscar nomination because he plays a character so smart that he makes everyone think he is dumb. Also, Cheadle wears fabulous duds…you will know what I mean
4. Like Crazy– I loved this movie like crazy. I know that is kind of lame but I loved every moment of it. It made me want to buy a 7D and write a screenplay. This is the kind of love story that only comes along once in a while. This is a movie that does not feel fake and doesn’t seem too depressingly real. It is on par with Lost in Translation, Say Anything and Once.
5. The Trip– I did not want this trip to end. I could watch this movie everyday. Steve Coogan lampoons himself while Rob Brydon charms. This movie is worth the watch for the hilarious ending shot and incredible impersonation contests. Brydon and Coogan engage in Michael Caine and Sean Connery impersonation war!
6. The Descendants–understated, relaxed and wonderfully acted. Alexander Payne is a master of creating likable characters and epic journeys that are in no way epic. I like having Alexander Payne around.
6 1/2. Tree of Life– I love Terrence Malick. Sean Penn made an incredibly dumb statement when he said he didn’t understand this film. This is a simple film about a man remembering his youth on the anniversary of his brother’s death. People can look all they want for pretentiousness. What they should see is a beautifully shot film that will stay with you. Watch this. Don’t be intimidated. Enjoy the show.
7. Cave of Forgotten Dreams– Absolutely wonderful. If you love history and crazy German directors you need to watch this film. There is no reason why you shouldn’t see this. It is on Netflix instant HD!
8. Drive–Drive is one of the most sensory films ever made. Nicolas Winding Refn was finally able to translate his insanity to the mainstream. The result is badass music, ultra-violence and super coolness. Don’t watch a preview for this film because it totally misrepresents it.
9. 50/50– Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen are the second best duo of the year. This film hits all the right notes and provides the viewer with three-dimensional characters. I didn’t expect much out of this film and I was totally wrong. I loved the story and friendships.
10. Hanna-Great score, innovative filmmaking, a steadicam shot that will rock your face off. This movie was criminally underrated. Hanna is a unique fairy tale that will leave you happy. The ending is gangster as well.
11. 13 Assassins– The final hour is a bloodbath of epic proportions. Wowza! My girlfriend and I sat on the edge of our seats as the 13 battled 300. The bad guy is a perfect evil foil to the 13 brave men.
12. I Saw the Devil
This is a tough film. It is hard to recommend because it is so violent and dark. However, it is a beautiful looking film that is anchored by two great actors. I Saw the Devil is an unforgettable work of a mad genius. Caution: This film hurts to watch.
You will like Tucker and Dale. They are nice people who think college kids are killing themselves around them. T&D flips the horror genre on its head and provides the viewer with unique and genuine laughs.
Honorable mentions
Senna
Beginners
Our Idiot Brother
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Share this post:
Best Villains of 2011
Hello all. It wouldn’t be a Movies, Films and Flix list without some bad guys involved. This year featured a cornucopia of villains who transcended villainy and became very memorable. Men, women and animals comprise this list of über mean people who caused the heroes a plethora of pain.
1. Rachel McAdams- Midnight in Paris
Rachel’s character is easily the best villain of 2011. Whether she is giving Owen Wilson mini panic attacks or insulting his intentions of becoming a novelist. She is a pure ball of evil. What is the worse thing? Her name is Inez. Nothing good can come out of people named Inez…
2. Bryce Dallas Howard- 50/50 and The Help
Howard is going to be typecast for life. Her characters in the films are racist, angry and promiscuous. There is nothing redeemable about them other than making you like the other actors more. Add in her character from Hereafter and you have a trilogy of punks. Congrats Dallas! You annoyed a lot of people…..In a good way.
3. Mark Strong – The Guard
Literate, narcissistic and murderous. The guy is a perfect foil to Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. His argument about psychopaths vs. sociopaths were epic. I think he was both.
4. Wolf Boss-Danny McBride – Kung Fu Panda 2
If the peacock was the CEO of Evil Corp, the wolf was the foreman. The wolf did more than the evil peacock. He hit Po in the face with a hammer, escaped the Furious Five in a buggy and described the panda by saying he has a “plush cuddly super soft face.” He is a solid villain because he is more relatable than the pure evil punks.
5. Tom Hiddleston – Thor
Smart, devious and…more smart. The guy almost takes over Asgard and will give The Avengers a run for their money. Loki is the most three-dimensional villain of the year. Hiddleston gave him the perfect amount of bravado and insecurity.
6. Albert Brooks – Drive
The ultra-violence this guy is capable of is extraordinary. He aims to hurt people before he kills them. He reminds me of a guy that would say “kill him…then kill him again.”
7. The red demon guy – Insidious
I normally don’t get freaked out by horror movie villains but this guy had me covering my eyes. The dude was a total evil punk who wanted to take over a human body and cause chaos. They don’t make evil people like they used to. Great makeup!
8. Goro Inagaki – 13 Assassins
I’m going to quote the great Roger Ebert: “13 Assassins has what many action pictures need, a villain who transcends evil and ascends to a realm of barbaric madness.”
I agree with Ebert. The dude is the definition of a badass evil monster.
9. Colin Farrell – Fright Night
I’m quoting my girlfriend “Yeah, I’m bad. What up?” Farrell is the most casual evil vampire ever. The dude rocked. You could tell he loved playing the role.
10. Choi Min-Sik- I Saw The Devil
Choi is crazy good in this film. This movie dives headlong into insanity with Choi leading the way. His performance is one of the bravest things I’ve seen in years. He is evil, funny, scary and human.
Share this post:
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Brad Bird, Tom Cruise and crew have taken action to an artistic level. MI4 has refocused itself to a crew dynamic and steered away from the Tom Cruise do-it-all syndrome.
The plot centers around Ethan and his Impossible Mission crew on the run. They are suspected of blowing up the Kremlin and have to stop a madman from starting a nuclear war.
Along the way they survive sand storms, car chases and fist fights with French assassins. My favorite set piece was when Cruise has to enter a computer room from the outside of the worlds tallest building.
Simon Pegg had a small role in MI3 and is given much more to do in this film. He hacks computers, shoots guns and quips, Jeremy Renner makes for a solid second in command and will have a much bigger role in MI5. Paula Patton is believable as the tough female of the group. Patton is more realistic than Angelina Jolie, Maggie Q and Zoe Saldana because she is athletic and not skinny. Her brawl with Lea Seydoux (Midnight in Paris) is a barn burner.
This may be the fourth in the series but they were able to make it fresh. The addition of animated maestro Brad Bird was a daring choice that paid off. The worldwide gross is huge and critics love it (93% on Rotten Tomatoes)
The only part of this film that I found unbelievable was that Tom Cruise could find a perfectly tailored leather jacket as he is walking around the slums of Russia.
Share this post:
Beginners
I dug this film. It is quirky without being overbearing and is buoyed by solid performances.
Two intertwining stories are told in this film. The first is of Oliver (Ewan McGregor) and his cancer stricken widowed father (Christpoher Plummer) who decides to step out of the closet at 75. The other story is of his relationship with Melanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterd’s). The two stories test Oliver greatly and they work because they deal with beginnings. (yeah yeah, that is the title).
Ewan and Melanie could have gone into cliché world of the pixie indie women and sullen/depressed man. H0wever, their escapades are things newly in love couples would explore. I’ve read complaints about their “meet cute.” I think that is how it would happen. These are two people who are used to meeting “cute” and they both let the relationships fall apart. it is their beginning when they decide to make it last. Between Like Crazy and this film there have been two solid romances this year. Romances where the people fall in love first then have to get to know each other. What they realize is that it is a lot tougher to keep it going.
Watch Beginners. Dig the relationship. Roll with the quirks.
Share this post:
Kung Fu Panda 2
I dig these movies. The action scenes are creative works of art and you genuinely like all the characters. Dreamworks now has two solid series at their disposal. Panda and How To Train Your Dragon will make tons of money and hopefully continue to be better than Shrek.
The movie revolves around Po the Panda trying to find inner peace while battling an angry peacock who wants to blow up China by using firework missiles.
Jack Black once again gives an inspired performance. His Po is an exuberant dude who always manages to be victorious despite himself. However, Angelina Jolie sounds bored. I’m surprised they let her get away with the monotone readings. There was quite a contrast of styles.
The character I liked the most was the second in command to Gary Oldman’s peacock. The Wolf is a tough guy who proves to be a perfect foil to the Furious Five. My favorite part is when he describes the Panda as having a “plush, cuddly super soft face.” He reminded me of Moriarty’s second in command in Sherlock Holmes 2. I liked both the guys.
Watch the Panda. Dig the Panda. Skadoosh!
Share this post:
Rare Exports: A Christmas Story
Rare Exports is a cheeky Finnish film that answers the question “what if Santa was a mean dude who ate kids?”
The beginning of the film features people blowing stuff up on a burial mound. A really really really big burial mound. Thus, breaking every horror movie rule ever. Inside this mound are skinny old men who look like Santa. However, they bite and don’t seem to feel the cold. They also wear zero clothes which makes for some interesting chase scenes.
What I love about this film is that it cannot be stuck into any specific genre. It features kid empowerment, horror and comedy. It is a breezy 85 minutes and gives the viewer something they’ve never seen. I loved the wide shots and unpredictable nature.
You like all of the characters and you appreciate the father/son relationship at the center of this film. If you are looking for a neat/inventive film from Finland you are in luck.
Share this post:
Senna
Senna is a fantastic documentary chronicling the rise of Ayrton Senna. Senna is one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. The man had an understanding of racing that few will ever achieve. His story is told from old home footage, racing highlights and news clips. The editing style makes for a cinematic experience that has to be respected and watched. The research that went into this doc is astounding. I would love to hear stories about the editing process.
It doesn’t matter if you know nothing about racing. This doc is about a man who had the racing world transfixed and had charisma to spare. He inspired Brazil and his duels with Prost are stuff of legend.
I’d rank this doc right along Murberball, Man on Wire and The King of Kong. Watch it on Netflix streaming now!
Share this post:
Friends With Benefits (a second opinion)
When asked about his historic run of great films in the 70s Jack Nicholson said he “likes to play characters who haven’t existed yet.” I know it is odd to compare this movie to Jack Nicholson but you’ve seen the characters in Friends With Benefits many times before.
Friends with Benefits is a frustratingly predictable film. Despite the nice leads, shiny look and witty banter this movie offers nothing new.
John wrote a glowing review for this film that is much more in-depth. Check it out. I understand that appeal of the film but the charm didn’t work on me. Here is my review in nine pithy bullet points.
SPOILER ALERT!
1. The leads are attractive, rich and emotionally unavailable.
2. Their situation is in no way empty.
3. They quip, banter and recite dialogue only heard in movies.
4. They fight about their feelings.
5. Their quirks include not being able to add, mixing up Third Eye Blind songs with Semisonic songs and disliking heights.
6. She hears him talking about how they are just friends and she flies back to New York.
7. There is a flash mob.
8. They end up together.
9. Forget instantly
If I had to compare this to No Strings Attached I would give the win to Strings. No Strings Attached is not a good film but it has bumps and bruises that make it genuine. It doesn’t feel like a sterile hollywood film. The characters make sense in an odd way.
If you want to watch a non-offensive raunchy romantic comedy with familiar characters this is the film for you.
Share this post:
Knuckle
The poster is a bit excessive. This is not a documentary loaded with fights. This is a documentary exploring the people who take part in those fights. What makes it excellent is the contrasting attitudes.
It seems like nobody wants to fight yet they incite more fights. The taunts get more inventive with the introduction of camcorders and youtube. The clans record videos and say things in the heat of the moment that provoke more violence. The brawls are structured events. Two unbiased refs, no illegal hits and no time limit. Some fights go for ten minutes others go for two hours. The results are broken pride, noses and knuckles.
Ian Palmer filmed this documentary over a period of 13 years. His subjects are travelling Irish clans who battle over superiority and the honor of their name. Palmer seems to be transfixed and disgusted at the same time. This makes for a great narrator.
What I love about this documentary is that it takes you to a completely foreign place. The film feels new. You never know if you are getting the straight story from James Quinn McDonagh. His contrasting stories keep the narrative going. He is a great boxer as well.
What is depressing is that the fighting will never stop. Nobody seems happy to be fighting but yet they keep going. The women don’t want it to happen yet are proud of their men. With the inclusion of betting the fights will only get bigger and bigger.
Watch this doc. Learn something. Let me know what you think.
Share this post:
Bad Movie Tuesday: Faces in the Crowd
Or as it is called in Latvia: Would have gone to Lifetime had it not been for the occasional throat slitting.
This movie is the brain child of Julien Magnat. He produced, wrote, directed and acted in this film. I’m only going to give him credit for producing it. The fact that he got a movie about “face blindness” made is impressive. What is more impressive is that he named the killer Tearjerk Jack. The dude must talk a good game because the movie is painful.
Here is what happens:
A serial killer named Tearjerk Jack attacks Milla Jovovich and throws her off a bridge. What kind of injuries did she sustain post bellyflop? Broken Leg? Concusion? Shattered clavicle?
Milla Jovovich is diagnosed with “face blindness.” She cannot recognize faces. Which is bad because she can’t remember what Tearjerk looked like. This angers a local detective played by Jullian McMahon (Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four). McMahon sports the worst facial hair/wig I’ve ever witnessed on-screen. He also swears a lot.
This is one of those movies where Milla ALWAYS runs away from people and into the darkest/dankest area. She also finds herself in clubs with strobe lights, dark train cars and empty alleys. This film also features the first ever scene where a woman is running from a killer and she finds herself amidst hundreds of roller bladers. It was a strange decision to have the lead character fight her way through roller blading extras.
Surrounding Jovovich are her two friends who constantly drink. They are also annoyed because she cannot remember their faces. Here is a women that was terrorized by a serial killer and her friends are annoyed that she has “face blindness.” In fact, everybody is annoyed by her condition. Her boyfriend dumps her, her friends complain and the detective is always yelling at her………They are probably the worst people ever.
This movie got me thinking about other films that Magnat could produce that involve odd health issues. I asked some friends and cowriter John to help me out.
1. Car Pool Tunnel – The movie centers around a woman who has a fear of tunnels. One day her Car Pool breaks down in an abandoned tunnel. The people start dying because one of them is a serial killer….or is she a paranoid schizophrenic?
2. The Blurred Picture Conundrum – A cross-eyed woman looks into one of those pictures where you have to look at it cross-eyed . Within the picture she sees her future. A serial killer will attack her……or was it just a boat?
3. Punch Drunk– A female boxer who has suffered too many concussions begins gettng strange phone calls from a serial killer. Are the phone calls really from the killer or is she just getting butt dialed from somebody with a unlisted number?
4. Writer’s block – A female novelists hands literary get turned into blocks. Or is she just lying because she is lazy and doesn’t want to write.
Movies, Films & Flix 