Okay, I have a lot of say and do on this post. I'm not going to take up any more time than I'm already planning. Just for your own benfit. I have really thought about the list this year. I'm going to be a little harsh at time, and I believe every film deserves its place. Have fun reading!
25) FINAL DESTINATION:
Plot: Survivors of a suspension-bridge collapse learn there's no way you can cheat Death.
My Thoughts: I have come around to the idea of Hollywood putting together endless amount of sequels. In my opinion, if sequels have the chance of being entertaining than they are worth going to see. 2011 wasn’t short on sequels, prequels, or spin-offs; however, every few of them were really fun to actually watch. That is why the twenty-fifth spot on this list goes to one of the most surprising sequels of the last decade. The Final Destination franchise is known for having an outrageous amount of terrible sequels. (I myself have found little pleasure in the viewing any of them since the second film.) Yet, there must have been something that happened in between the success of the fourth installment and the production of the fifth title, in order to create the most exciting and provocative installment in the whole series. This type of creative storytelling might not be passed on to future sequels, but this film has proven sequels aren’t always a bad idea. (A special shout out goes to Fast Five for almost making this list for the same reason. However, it was clear that Final Destination was a much greater improvement. Plus, it did so without the added benefit of a pumped up cast. Simply amazing!)
24) SUPER:
Plot: After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, though he lacks for heroic skills.
My Thoughts: Oh man, what type of a “best of” list is this? Frankly, I think this film is deserving of this spot. It isn’t the best film of the year, but it was one of the more entertaining. I have already said that I was going to be brutally honest with my list this year. The closer we get to the first place spot, the more influential they have been to me. I’m getting the further spots to those I found fun. Anyway, Super finishes the journey that Kick-Ass started last year. This film takes the superhero parody genre to a new dimension. Seeing Ellen Page dress up like superhero and rape Rainn Wilson might be one of the craziest scenes I have ever seen on film. The funny thing is that it actually worked. I ended up feeling for the characters in this film, and I wasn’t expecting that. If you haven’t seen Super yet… GO SEE IT! I don’t know if you will actually like it, but you should at least have fun.
23) TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT:
Plot: Four years after graduation, an awkward high school genius uses his sister's boyfriend's Labor Day party as the perfect opportunity to make his move on his high school crush.
My Thoughts: So, I usually think that a best of list should have at least one coming of age movie in its pickings. Take Me Home Tonight was by far the best of the year. I do actually have one question. What happened?! Wasn’t there this huge nostalgic movement for things related material? Last year we saw the coming of Nightmare on Elm Street along with Hot Tub Time Machine and so many others. The difference was that all of those movies were terrible. 2011 did the eighties right, and this movie was the best of all. Not only the look of the film, but also the story screamed eighties inspiration. Yet, there was very little love for this movie. Tropher Grace should just continue to play people based out of the seventies and eighties. I don’t really know what it is, but he continues to look like he belongs in that time period. Also, Kristen Stewart was shockingly effective in her role in this film (I haven’t seen Water for Elephants… so I’m not going to judge Robert Pattinson, but I know at least one of the main Twilight alumni will go on to have a successful career. At least… I can hope. Anna Kendrick doesn’t count because she isn’t a main character, and we know that she is a terrific actress. Taylor Lautner might just go the way of Channing Tatum. [You’re so awesome looking you keep getting chances until you learn from your mistakes. He did a fantastic job in The Dilemma, but that is for another list.]) After all of this… I believe that Take Me Home Tonight works because it doesn’t take its concept to far. It is a simple idea that has been done one to many times, but the creative talent knows that this is the case. These movies work on chemistry and there is enough of it to go around. The story is also really fun as well.
22) SUPER 8
Plot: During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.
My Thoughts: I have heard a lot about this movie over the last few months. A few of my friends have said that it is by far the most fun movie they have seen this year. To steal a line from The Dark Knight, “it isn’t the movie that we need – it’s the one we deserve.” That couldn’t be truer. The film is a love letter to Spielberg and E.T. The acting is incredible, and the story is compelling. However, I really don’t think that this film is deserving of even the top twenty films of the year. Don’t get me wrong. Everyone should get a chance to see it because it is a movie that can keep your interest for its entire running time. That is something that a lot of movies simply can’t do these days. Yet, I really do think that is the only thing this movie really has going for it. There is nothing very special about the story. The only morals are after school’ish theme, and the pay off is loose after the whole film. That being said, the overall product is beyond any of the other strictly blockbuster type films of the year. It deserves to be seen, and I’m glad it was a hit. J.J. Abrams and co. can make one hell of a movie. The only reason it doesn’t get further is because we have all seen this movie before. There is hardly anything special or moving.
21) THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU:
Plot: The affair between a politician and a ballerina is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.
My Thoughts: When I was a child, I always used to have the same conversation with my mother. Our discussions would focus on the idea of free will vs. destiny. I have to admit that, when I was younger, I used to believe more in destine than the idea of free will. (Maybe being a movie lover had something to do with that… “The boy always gets the girl.” “Everything works out in the end…” types of situations.) Well, the older I have gotten the more I realize that life isn’t exactly like that. The bully doesn’t always get what is coming to him, and the guy doesn’t always get the girl. This kind of takes the imagination out of life, but I guess that is just growing up. Nevertheless, movies/stories that deal heavily with the subject have since been on my plate. It is a delicate issue, and it is rarely done right. The Adjustment Bureau was very successful in its efforts. It told a good story about a man that was trying to defy his destine for love. Stories like this make me feel like a kid again. Everything is possible, and magic still exists.
20) WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN:
Plot: The mother of a teenage boy who went on a high-school killing spree tries to deal with her grief - and feelings of responsibility for her child's actions.
My Thoughts: Speaking about mothers – if you haven’t seen this movie yet – go tell your mother just how much you love and respect her. Make her know that you are important in her life because this film will put you in that mood regardless. If not that, it will make you not want to have children at all. We Need to Talk About Kevin is by far the most disturbing movie that I have seen all year. This is something that I believe after watching Contagion. I’m not really sure why I sat through the whole film. The beginning is so strange that you want to just stop watching and complain until you get your money back. The rest of the movie isn’t much better. However, at the end you look back at the film in a more holistic view, and you will see its importance. Don’t just take my word for it though because a lot of people seem to hate it.
19) CONTAGION:
Plot: A thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak.
My Thoughts: Talking about a movie that really disturbed me. Contagion isn’t just a movie with a bunch of stars. It isn’t just a movie about the bird flu. It is a movie that really gets under your skin. The story doesn’t just deal with the outbreak of a fatal disease and how that affects the culture as a whole. The whole film is about how fear, greed, and power can also be contagious to mankind. This is an important film in the long run because humans will jump on anything. If anything it is a strong argument of how we act as a species. (At the same time… I might just be looking at this whole thing at a really strange viewpoint. It could have just been a fun story. Hahaha, let me dream that there are still creative people out there.)
18) MIDNIGHT IN PARIS:
Plot: A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.
My Thoughts: If there was anything that I could really point out in this film that would justify my dislike of it – it would be that Owen Wilson is incapable of playing Woody Allen. I don’t care if he did his best! Nobody can play Woody Allen. The only problem here is that Woody Allen wrote this movie. If you know his films at all it is clear that this role should have been given to a younger Woody Allen. Anyway, this movie really hit the mark in a lot of other ways. At its heart the film is a story about how nostalgia literally gets the best of us. (Seriously? I just got done writing about how awesome Take Me Home Tonight was. How is Woody Allen going to do this to me?!?!) In his latter years, Woody Allen’s movies have really done a lot to teach various lessons for a more mature audience. 1) I like this new storytelling style from Woody Allen. 2) I’m glad I’m finally old enough to understand the point of all this stuff.
17) THE IDES OF MARCH:
Plot: An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail.
My Thoughts: For some reason there is very little for me to say about this movie. It has an excellent cast, good direction, and a story worth watching. In fact, if you are looking for a movie to see with the most impressive cast of the year – The Ides of March is probably your best bet. This movie is entertaining, but it is hard for me to admit that I was ever thrilled watching it. I found myself more routing for Ryan Gosling’s character. Yet, in the end, it is just a tragic movie – one that is definitely worth the watch.
16) WIN WIN:
Plot: A struggling lawyer and volunteer wrestling coach's chicanery comes back to haunt him when the teenage grandson of the client he's double-crossed comes into his life.
My Thoughts: Paul Giamatti… you have to love him. This is another film that I have a problem articulating just why I liked it. Its one of those stories doesn’t really have a beginning or an end. The audience is placed in the middle of an important moment in a person’s life, and we watch as a portion of it plays out. There is something simplistic to this type of storytelling. There is no grand resolution that is made. Life is hard, and you take it as it comes. Man up and do what needs to be done. In some ways that is the most telling of all stories.
15) SHAME:
Plot: In New York City, Brandon's carefully cultivated private life -- which allows him to indulge his sexual addiction -- is disrupted when his sister Cissy arrives unannounced for an indefinite stay.
My Thoughts: Sex is not your friend in this movie. It is probably one of the worst and strangest villains of the entire year. Michael Fassbender is just fantastic. Shame is one of the most tragic movies I have seen in year. It is slow burning. It quickly goes way out of control, and you wish the character would snap out of his obsessive life. The movie leaves you hanging on this note, but you know that he isn’t really changed from his experiences. Word to the wise: this film is not for the faint of heart. At its center, it is the most artistic porn movie ever made. Have fun watching.
[Okay, for full disclosure I enjoy a good high concept thriller. The next four films are not really films that you would be seeing on most other best of lists this year. I am not doing this to simply be different. Like I have already said, there films are ones that I found particularly entertaining. They made me think but at the same time they are easily re-watchable. That makes for a good film. Secondly, I believe that all four concepts would be better served as television shows than straight up movies. That’s just my call.]
14) SOURCE CODE:
Plot: An action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.
My Thoughts: [Last I heard this concept was being crafted into a television series. Called it!] Normally a Jake Gyllenhaal film would not make it on my list, but 2011 was a less than conventional year for film lovers. Like The Adjustment Bureau, Source Codes story focused heavily on the concept of destiny. Could you change the future if you were allowed to travel back in time? It’s a hard question to ask. The film doesn’t do everything perfectly, but it allows for enough fun to be watchable. To the films advantage, it is the closest movie on this list to a single room thriller. One of those usually makes it on my list every year, but I was largely unmoved by the other offerings throughout 2011. Source Code is a fun ride, but I’m waiting for the television series.
13) IN TIME:
Plot: In a future where people stop aging at 25, but are engineered to live only one more year, having the means to buy your way out of the situation is a shot at immortal youth. Here, Will Salas finds himself accused of murder and on the run with a hostage - a connection that becomes an important part of the way against the system.
My Thoughts: [This film has the biggest “OMG! This should be a television show because I would follow it religiously!” type of feel. Sadly, I don’t think that is going to happen.] Not a lot of other people really enjoyed themselves with this film. I did! Why? The film is essentially a Logan’s Run/Robin Hood remake. It deals with the evils/unfairness of capitalism (Where were all the Occupy Wall Street people to make this movie a success?) It stars Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, and Olivia Wilde (Where were all the young people to make this movie a success?) Lastly, the film’s general idea is an interesting twist on the classic race against time thriller. (Where were all the movie lovers to make this film a success?!) I’m not trying to sit here and tell you this was the best movie of the year because it certainly isn’t. The rules of the world don’t make a lot of sense. The story is sloppy, and Andrew Niccoi might have put in one to many “I don’t have time” puns. However, the difference between this film and a lot of others this year was simply it made me excited to see movies again. In my opinion, Timberlake and Seyfried have excellent chemistry. (I hope they work together soon.) Please do yourself a favor and watch this movie when it comes out on DVD/Blu-ray. Don’t watch it with the idea that it will be great. Turn off your brain and have fun.
12) INSIDIOUS:
Plot: A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
My Thoughts: [Okay, this might be a really good television idea. Yet, horror television is the new big thing. It could work in my book. Plus, they could do it easily and continue the film franchise at the same time. Just base the show off of another person who is able to travel into The Further. Maybe it could be a horror/comedy show based off the scene-stealing partners Specs and Tucker. Leigh Whannell could also be the lead writer of the entire series. I would also follow that series with great passion.] In the long run – there were so many good things about his movie it is hard to pick a place to begin. James Wan and Liegh Whannell aggressively reemerged as the undisputed of modern/compelling horror movies. (Both SAW and Insidious are instant classic. Its best to forget about Dead Silence.) The story actually worked, and the end product was slightly disturbing. This film not only helps prove that movies have to be expensive to be great, but also that horror movies don’t need to be rated “R” to be scary. Sadly, I don’t think Insidious has the same re-watchable qualities that SAW does, (I might be one of the only people who believes that.) but it is still good on the second/third viewing.
11) THE LINCOLN LAWYER:
Plot: A sleazy defense attorney has a crisis of conscience when he represents a wealthy client who has a foolproof plan to beat the system.
My Thoughts: [Another show that’s concept is currently being re-worked for the small screen. Call it again!!!] I have always had a soft spot for courtroom thrillers. I’m not really sure why that is a true statement for me. (Maybe it has something to do with most of my family at least taking the LSAT at some point. Honestly, it might be that the entire conflict of a story can start and end in relatively the same place. When a single area can become the bane of a characters existence to the salvation.] Anyway, I really enjoyed this film. As my dad said, “the movie had a tight story. It was well put together with good acting and little drag time.”
10) CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE
Plot: A middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a new-found friend Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars.
My Thoughts: Ever since the release of the excellent Love Actually several years ago, Hollywood has been desperately trying to regenerate the same type of movie magic that went into the making of that film. In the process, the American people have been forced to witness such disasters as He’s Just Not that Into You, Valentines Day, and New Year’s Eve. While these films are not the worst of their respective years, they leave a lot to be desired. Enter Crazy, Stupid, Love! This movie doesn’t just try to recreate itself in the vain of aged formulas, but it does take advantage of an incredibly diverse ensemble of a cast. In short: this movie focuses heavily on a Guy Ritchie approach to storytelling. (all be it less stylized.) The story focuses on several different individuals as they go through their daily lives until they all get pushed into to same crazy situation. Crazy, Stupid, Love is not the only most effective movies of the year, but it very well could be one of the finest romantic comedies in the last decade.
9) MONEYBALL:
Plot: The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
My Thoughts: Sports movies are a hard thing to pull off. There are several things that can go wrong when filming any given action shot. For the most part – sports seem to always looks superhuman when being film for a movie. Every single moment deserves to be on the highlight reel for the best plays of the entire year. Another hard boundary is the idea of how you are going to sell the film. Have you ever noticed that most every sports movie include some kind of big win or victory. I don’t care if it is for the entire team or for one individual. There is always something that saves the day in the end. Moneyball was different. It’s about a struggling team that beats the odds, but in the end just struggles again more than ever. It’s a story less about the passion of the game and more about the business of winning at all cost. It was different, and it was good. It deserves to be recognized.
8) DRIVE:
Plot: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.
My Thoughts: 2011 is the year of Ryan Gosling! What is the best part about that statement? He probably isn’t even in his prime yet. This isn’t going to be his best year of his career. Will he have as many quality roles? Probably not, but he will go on to do much better films. That is exciting. Anyway, Drive is a movie that deserves so attention. It deserves more than it got. While the story was purposely a little slow and not well structured, the sheer quality of the film makes it impossible to bash to any real extent. It is sad that the film suffers in my opinion for its choice of storytelling. It could have made it further down the list if it was a little bit more mainstream. At the same time, that is why a lot of people have been putting this film at the top of their lists. I respectfully disagree.
7) BEGINNERS:
Plot: A young man is rocked by two announcements from his elderly father: that he has terminal cancer, and that he has a young male lover.
My Thoughts: The most unconventional love story of the year. It had everything from a starving artist to elderly gay man to semi-talking dog. Somewhere in the midst of all the madness was a movie that really speaks to people. It is almost the same breed as Win Win because it just goes on. The main character gives you some enlightening life lessons that help put various situations in your life into perspective, but in the end we are just left with characters with a paper-thin story. Like I have said before… its refreshing and worth it.
6) LIMITLESS:
Plot: A writer discovers a top-secret drug which bestows him with super human abilities.
My Thoughts: My Thoughts: [I want to go back on the record and state that this is a perfect concept for a television series. I know it wouldn’t work probably, but it could play off so many angles: drugs, politics, high-powered business, etc. It’s just a thought.] I promise… this is my last high concept film on the list. Well – not really. It is my last high concept sci-fi film on the list. (It depends on how you look at it.) Limitless was something of a surprise of the year. It was something that I knew I wanted to see. For some reason the pairing of Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro was a no brainer. Unfortunately, they didn’t play off of each other in the way that the trailer suggested. Oh well… Bradley Cooper ended up caring the film with no problem. The end result was something special both practically and visually.
[Okay, I understand that there is no fifth film on this list. I promise that there are twenty-five films on this list. I just couldn’t really consider any movie that comes close to these last five films, and I couldn’t pick my favorites. In that case… two movies have tied.]
4) THE HELP:
Plot: An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960's decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
My Thoughts: Will any of the women in this movie get an Oscar? I don’t think so. My dad thinks that this film will sweep the Academy Awards this year, but I am not so sure. The only thing I know is that this was the BIGGEST surprise of the entire year! I wasn’t even planning on going to see it, but I’m glad I did. (I even got it for Christmas… score) This was a movie that just worked. It deserves to be on this list. Hopefully the Academy shows it a little love this year, but I don’t think it will walk away any of the big five Oscars. (Best Picture/Director/Screenplay/Actor/Actress)
3) HANNA:
Plot: A 16-year-old who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.
My Thoughts: A very interesting take on the fairy tale aspect of storytelling; however, this princess is a killing machine. She doesn’t think twice. She breaks your neck if you get in her way, and she does it to the coolest soundtrack of the entire year. I saw this film in D-Box, and I couldn’t possibly suggest you watch it any other way. I’m sure it is still a good film either way. The biggest surprise of 2011 and another one I had no real intension of seeing. This only goes to show you that you need to keep your mind open to any kind of movie concept. If a movie sounds interesting you should watch it eventually.
2) GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO:
Plot: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
My Thoughts: Which movie in 2011 had the best poster? Which movie had the best teaser trailer? Which movie had the best trailer? Which movie had the best-attached talent? Which movie deserves Oscar nominations for best picture/director/adaptation/actress? The answer to all these questions is Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. The only disappointing this that came out of this movie is the fact that literally nobody has taken the time to see it. I don’t really know why that is even an issue. The movie going audience is tired of the same old tricks… this movie is different. If you haven’t seen this movie yet… please go see it. I suspect the only thing that will annoy you about it will be the run time that is incredibly long. But wait! You people watched Avatar to the amount of $2.7 billion dollars worldwide and there was nothing moving about that movie. Do the industry a favor and spend your money on a movie that deserves its sequels.
1) WARRIOR & 50/50:
Warrior's Plot: The youngest son (Hardy) of an alcoholic former boxer (Nolte) returns home, where he's trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament.
50/50's Plot: Inspired 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.
Two movies for the number one spot of 2011. This is not
something that I usually try to do, but I couldn’t decide this year. Both films do a very good job at making me care about the story material. Warrior is the closest thing to a modern day Rocky that the movie going audience can expect, and 50/50 perfectly captures the pain in dealing with the effects of cancer. Both films move you in certain ways. They make you care about the people around you and inspire to be the best person that you could possibly be. Both films call for you to leave it all on the line when you feel like you don’t have a choice. Both films deserve a best picture nomination, but I know that neither will get it because of their source material.
IN CONCLUSION:
2011 wasn’t a very good year in terms of the common formula of movies. In this entire list, I only felt like one established franchise film deserved a mention. That isn’t to say it was the best of the bunch, but I think it did its best to improve on its source material. I don't really put these lists together year after year for the readers. I do it for myself. It helps me remember all the great times I had watching movies in the last year. All the different people I experienced them with. The way they made me laugh, cry and smile. All these films deserve to be seen by both movie lovers and the general audience alike. Do yourself a favor and look them up when you get the chance.
Bitchslappin is fun, isn't it? Lolz. Check out this video from Canadian comedian Josh Rimer which I found on YouTube! http://youtu.be/yDCk3NN_HAs
Posted by: alex | January 09, 2012 at 11:51 AM