The Top 10 Films of 2011

2011 turned out to be a much better year for movies than I had initially thought. By November I was a little perplexed because I didn't think I had seen any movies worthy of a number one spot. I really enjoyed the summer movie going experience. "Bridesmaids," "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "Super 8," and "X-Men: The First Class" all surpassed their genres and expectations...and at one point they were all in my top 10. But there was no "Where the Wild Things Are," a movie that seriously tugged at my fragile heart strings. There was no "Black Swan," a film that was more than last year's number 1. It is my favorite film since "Mulholland Dr." There wasn't even a "Paranoid Park," and indie that topped my list several years ago...a film that probably wouldn't be my number one film today...but one that I felt quite passionate about at the time. Then I started my 12 Days of Christmas Catch Up and all those summer movies dropped off my list. And four films found their way fighting for my top spot. Then I figured out 4 and 3, and it wasn't until yesterday that I felt confident in my decision about number 1. Here is the top 10.

1. Hugo
A movie about loving movies. And that's why it secured my number one spot. This is the most magical film of 2011. Just like in "Super 8" I could definitely see my own childhood through the eyes of Hugo Cabret. But there is more to the film than that. Hugo's loss is quite heartbreaking...and his desperate desire to finish the invention he and his father had started is the driving force behind the film. And leads him to meet Isabelle and Papa Georges. Both Hugo and Mieles are trying to fill a void of loss. And find each other in the process. Although the scope is grand, in a way this is Scorsese's simplest film. And his most personal. Although there were moments I loved about the 3-D in "Avatar," I believe that Scorsese used it best. Technically this film is a wonder...but it is its heart that landed "Hugo" in my number 1 spot.

2. Moneyball
Although I am not the biggest fan of sports, I have been quite moved by sports stories, especially when they are used as a means to tell a bigger story...aka..."Friday Night Lights." But this is a sports story through and through. And I was incredibly enthralled. I have never understood why baseball fans get so caught up in their hatred of a team. They don't just love their home team. And when they really hate a team, they REALLY hate them. I can't tell you how many times I have heard, when asked who their favorite team is my friends say: "whoever plays against, say the Yankees." I went to my first NY Yankees game with one of those friends this year. It was an Oakland A's game (the subject of Moneyball). Sitting in the bleachers with a huge group of Yankees fans, I understood a bit about their underdog feelings. (Yes, the A's won.) That night we talked a bit about Moneyball...it hadn't yet come out...and I became incredibly intrigued. It wasn't about having the most money...it was about the best potential. "Moneyball" doesn't have a love story in the conventional sense...but it is a love story. The love of baseball...and for a team. Brad Pitt has never been better...but Jonah Hill gives my favorite performance in the film. And Pitt's and Hill's scenes together are quite fun.

3. Shame
"Shame" was so much more than I was expecting. Not in terms of the acting...I knew with Mulligan and Fassbender we would get the best...but in terms of the overall story. It's actually a bit difficult to write about why the film resonated with me. But I could relate to Brandon. Wanting to stop something that has gotten completely out of control. And causing others to suffer while continuing to engage in that something...all the while knowing and unable to "get out." Although not to the extremes in the film, this is something I believe most people can relate to. The film also captures the loneliness that can occur in New York City and how you can almost have two lives here. A public (job) and a private one...that no one knows about. The film ends (like a few others on this list) ambiguously. We wonder if he has really kicked his habit. From what I gather, this is the first time he has tried. Is this his rock bottom? Did he "suffer" enough in the film's final act? McQueen leaves it up to us to decide.

4. Drive
There have been lots of films since when I initially saw "Drive" and creating this list. But it was the first film I saw in 2011 that made me think I could give a #1 spot and not feel I was doing it for the sake of doing it. There are a few things that still stick in my mind about the film (I never reviewed it or take notes...so I'm winging it a bit here.) The opening robbery scene is so incredibly exciting. And Gosling's calm intensity the perfect balance. The use of music reminded me of the 80's...and there are even shades of Lynch...with a more linear and clear plot, that is. I had wondered if Albert Brooks really deserved the accolades he was receiving. And yes, he is. The scene in the garage with Bryan Cranston is horrific, graphic and earily, touching...mostly due to Brooks. The 2nd film with an ambiguous ending on this list might just get a bit of a resolution. The author of the book is working on a sequel.

5. The Help
I added "The Help" just today after watching it again, for the 5th time. Surely the fact that I enjoyed it enough to watch it that many times should have clued me in that it is one of my favorite films of the year. Every year there is a film that I question landing a spot. There was a lot of controversy surrounding this film, and most people will site it is the performances that are the true standouts. And maybe that's true. But I think it is a beautifully directed film and well written film. Every character is so well defined, not the carbon copies of archetypes they could've been. And yes, the actors are responsible, in part, but you can't forget Tate Taylor's work as director/cowriter. There is a funny saying that if a movie works, the actors get the credit. The director only gets credit when the film fails. I feel that is going on a bit in terms of Taylor. I couldn't even remember his name until I looked it up. I will try not to forget it now.

6. The Skin I Live In
Since I saw "Bad Education" I have made an effort to see every Pedro Almodovar film as soon as it is released. (And one of these days I will start at the beginning and see them all) This year I had the pleasure of seeing "The Skin I Live In" early at the New York Film Festival. And like "Bad Education," "Volver" and "Broken Embraces" it has landed in my top 10. Although I missed seing his muse, Penelope Cruz in this one...and couldn't help noticing the resemblance in Elena Anaya, I was thrilled with Antonia Banderas. Although the usual Almodovar-isms are there...a thrilling, if crazy mysterious vibe, great score, beautiful shots...we get something new...a leading character who is actually a villian. At first, I thought the film was a bit cold...but that's the point, right. The film is all about surfaces...but at the same time...you can change the skin...but you can't change what's inside. A great piece of filmmaking.

7. Weekend
Living in NYC, I have seen and heard about plenty of meaningless one night stands. And there are plenty of times when I have experienced a very intense few days myself...days you wish would never end...but know must. My favorite thing about "Weekend" is that there is never a discussion whether or not Russell and Glen might meet up again. It's all about the weekend. A very intimate one at that. This film gives me hope that one day more films with same sex couples/themes will get better. With better actors and directors. I think we compensate and over praise because of the limited output out there. This is not an overpraised film.

8. Melancholia
I heard a critic say recently that this film was all about hate, which I simply do not get. For me it's a story of depression...not the end of the world. At the film's center we have Justine, a new bride, headed to her wedding reception. What should be the happiest day in her life is just another sad one. She tries her hardest to overcome it, but succumbs. Her sister continues to help her, although though she doesn't get completely off the hook. We definitely see the toll it takes through Kiefer Sutherland, the brother in law. Von Trier shows us the true depth of melancholy by equating it with the end of the world. It is once Justine knows the end is near that she begins to come in out of the dark. She and Melancholia (the planet on course with Earth) are one and the same, and their inevitable meeting brings her joy. The movie is bookended with the end of the world...and the overture...just like his last film "Antichrist" is a wonder of filmmaking. Only Von Trier can make tragedy so beautiful.

9. Restless
After the large scale "Milk," Van Sant went back to his indie roots and teenage muses with "Restless." It is the story of Anabel, played by Mia Wasikowska, a terminally ill girl who meets Enoch (played by newcomer Henry Hooper) at a funeral. In a supernatural twist, Hooper has a best friend who happens to be a Japanese kamikaze pilot...and a ghost. This is an exploration on death and living life to the fullest...especially when you know they are numbered. By the film's ending, I was moved to tears. A beautiful, small film.

10. If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Marshall Curry continues to be my favorite documentarian. Both his previous films, "Street Fight" and "Racing Dreams" made my top 10 in previous years. This year, his film "If a Tree Falls" (on the short list for the Best Documentary Oscar) uses the trial of an Earth Liberation Front (an "action" driven F.B.I. deemed eco-terrorist group) member, Daniel McGowan as a means to explore activism and its consequences. In a year where protests and the treatment of protesters have taken center stage, this film is a truly remarkable look at the reasons why someone believes and acts. It's is always hard for me to explain why I lover certain documentaries. But my criteria is in effect here. No judgements, just the story. Although the film is unbiased the extremes are a bit shocking, especially in a scene where what appears to be a q-tip coated with pepper spray is used on a non-violent protester. The film makes you question what it takes to get something done in our country, especially in terms of the environment. And what is good activism and where radicalism crosses a line in social movements. And the definition of "terrorist."

Honorable Mentions:Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
X-Men First Class
Bridesmaids
Super 8
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
My Week with Marilyn
Stuck Between Stations
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Midnight in Paris
Contagion

JANUARY 22, 2012