Favorite Films - 2011

A look at some of my favorite films of the past year.  Starting with the "lower ranked" and ending with the most favorite.  This is the second year that a Pixar film is absent from the list.  Sadness.  The coming year looks to be great all around though!

The Muppets

This movie almost didn't make the list. I saw it a second time one day as a "time filler" and it convinced me that it definitely belonged on the list. As a lifelong fan of the Muppets and Henson, it felt great to see the characters back in a quality feature length. The Muppets still work best as a "variety act" but the movie does a good job at giving us those moments and still manages to feel like a cohesive whole.

Redline

This movie is a lot of fun. It represents the best and worst about stereotypical anime. I had a blast with it though. It is one of the most visually thrilling animated pieces I have seen in some time. Think of a mix between Speed Racer and Aeon Flux and you would be in the right ballpark. Visceral Sci-Fi fun.

The Last Circus

This movie is crazy. Two warring clowns. A sad clown and a happy clown. Both crazy in different ways. On paper, it is all over the place. It is a testament to the director that he manages to take all of these elements and make them feel natural in one movie. This is the kind of insane stuff that cinema needs more of...

Shame

I debated including this seeing as I just saw it this week (now weeks ago). But since it is in theaters now (not anymore), I think its inclusion is very important. Strong filmmaking of the "true art" variety, this film further demonstrates Michael Fassbender's ascension towards "best actor working." Long takes on the main players and very little back story provided, the actors must convery everything with their understated performances. This look at addiction (sexual) and the titular emotion is devastating.

HUGO

Scorsese is a beast (obviously). He has been operating at the top of his game of late. This film has the best 3D I have ever seen. It ADDs to the framing and the immersion. It never feels like a gimmick. A wonderful story about the history of film (liberties taken of course) that had me grinning the whole way.

Midnight in Paris

One of the best Woody Allen films in quite some time. Very charming and well written. The cast is all pitch perfect. I never thought about it before, but Owen Wilson is a great choice for the "Woody Allen" role. Beautiful locals and a simple message that rings true, a winner on every level.

13 Assassins

Miike makes a serious samurai epic and succeeds. So much so, that it is one of the genres absolute best. An old school action film, where the action has meaning and is deliberately paced. It hits hard. Amazing cinematography and an assured Miike that I didn't even know existed. Beautiful and poetic.

Hanna

This movie is fantastic. An action movie that is deft, daring and new. It feels so incredibly fresh. It is also one of the better shot films I have seen (this year or any). Beautiful to look at, a propulsive Chemical Brothers score and oddly poetic. Highly reccomended.

Attack the Block

I had my eye on this picture for a long time. When the opportunity arose to see it early in Atlanta, I jumped at it. I drove down just to check out this film. It didn't disappoint. A throwback that feels fresh, this film is perfectly constructed.  It does what it wants to and does so flawlessly. A must for fans of old Carpenter or 80s Sci-Fi in general. The score from Basement Jaxx is also one of the years best and deserves mention.

Drive

Director Nicholas Wending Refn has been poised to break out to the next level and he has done so here. This movie is fantastic.  A style over subtance film that has loads of substance too, this minimal noir is my favorite film of the year. It is so good, that it made me an active fan of Gosling and I've never cared for him before (he had a great year in general). The soundtrack punctuates the film wonderfully and the cast all give stand out performances. Top notch at every turn.