Best Films of 2011

Top ten.  Here it goes!




10. Jane Eyre

This isn't some foreign film, just an international poster for Jane Eyre that I liked a lot.  After watching Jane Eyre and realizing the story was such a gimic in the end that she just gave up to easily (Charlotte Bronte) it seemed, I realized that this was somewhat of the Twilight of the time.  The only difference being that the characters were three dimensional, and the time was interesting. By "Twlilight of the time" I mean that it was the love story everyone was falling for.  Except it didn't suck. People during the time of Bronte were able to tell the difference between good and bad writing.

Jane Eyre was well acted, directed, and technically sound in all areas.


9. Rango

I had so much fun watching this animated western.  It came out at the beginning of 2011 when there were no other good films out.  It's entertaining to see animals acting like old western characters and interesting to see the divide between animal and human characteristics as portrayed by animation.  Sometimes animals can talk about issues like water in Las Vegas that humans can understand better.



8. 50/50

This film perhaps helped me feel every emotion possible.  It touched on so many things that humans go through, loss, worry, death, cancer, the possibility of death, suffering, humor in the midst of suffering.  There was some crass humor but this movie made me respect the one on the left a little more.  Also, I already like Jason Gordon Levitt from Angels in the Outfield--a movie that maybe he wants to forget--and "3rd Rock from the Sun" the TV show.



7.Sourcecode

I've already seen Sourcecode three times and have enjoyed it with each viewing.  I'm a firm believer in seeing a movie more than once and enjoying it again the second or more time.  I think that's the mark of a good film.  Films weren't meant to be seen just once I think.  Originally the same great movies would come out once a year and people would be able to have a repeat viewing.  Like Gone With the Wind and such.  Anyway, this film is repetative to begin with.  You'll see.

It's mind boggling though! Alternate realities, strange ideas, time travel etc.  See it.









6. The Muppets

So many comedians have my respect this year. Jason Segal for example, though I haven't seen him too much before this, wrote The Muppets and performed singing numbers.  Gone are the days where people can do more than stand in front of a camera and deliver a good line while looking just right.  I loved this and I love those to actors on the poster.  Amy Adams and Jason Segal.

5. The Help

There has been a lot of complaint about this film with some silly talk about how the "white woman solved racism."  It's not about a white person solving a problem.  It's about anybody, anybody seeing that this issue needed to be talked about and doing something about it.  These issues are universal, not just to do with race.  We are all victims of racism, everyone is.  Just because someone is more privileged does not mean they don't have the right to do something about a problem.  Same goes for the underprivileged.

See The Help.  

4. The Artist

A silent movie, they call it.  For all intensive purposes, yes it is.  It plays with all aspect of what the cinema is and was to people.  It's a journey of a the cinema through the life of a man.  As if the movies themselves were personified.  Beautiful black and white piece of work.

3. Tree of Life

I think this poster is so appropriate for the film because of all the many images the film expresses.  It was the kind of montage (we call it editing but he french call it montage) that Eisenstein used to create.  It was a mixture of images to come up with a larger image, that is a larger message.  Two stories colliding.  Montage is collision as Eisenstein wrote.  (I think it was him.)  And this film had beautiful cinematography and had so many images and two stories--I would say becoming one.  The story of time itself, and that of an American family.  Shot in a way you've never seen a film before.

2. Hugo

Good think Martin Scorsese liked the 3D medium and ran with it.  This is like one of those peices of work that seem like it's been in someone's head their whole life and now that they get the chance to finally make it, it is breathtaking.  Martin Scorsese had all of those other movies his whole life to practice making this, what seems like, most autobiographical piece.  The movie that says the most about himself as a filmmaker.  Like The Artist it is a journey through the cinema.  Except this one is about a kid discovering what the magic of cinema is all about.  The BEST PICTURE of the year in my opinion.

My favorite though....

It All Comes Back to Harry

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Finale

The reason I picked Harry this year is because it brought back to me what the movies have always been about.  A social community experience.  I got to go experience the movies the way they used to be.  I went to the theater at midnight, all my friends were there, all excited to see this feature film.  It was a movie event, and that doesn't happen all that often.  I will hopefully talk about it more.  Plus it's amazing--simply the best of the year.

People were cheering, crying, laughing out loud.  People were dressed like wizards.  This was a huge mark in a cultural phenomenon.  Though not the end I think.  Harry Potter's magic will live on and we will understand it differently and more appropriately throughout our lives.  

BELOW ARE SOME MENTIONS



Honorable Mentions:
Tintin, WarHorse, Bridesmades, Crazy Stupid Love, Arther Christmas. Moneyball.

Best movie that takes place in both New Mexico and outerspace
THOR


Best movie of the year that was not released this year but was shown in theaters:
Lord of the Rings
It was remastered and had three intros by director Peter Jackson.
(There were a number of rereleases Lion King included)

Worst Movie possibly ever made:
Three Musketeers

Most Dissapointing Movie: War Horse
It used all the right tactics to get me to like the characters, I was supposed to like them because the film told me to, that's why I had a hard time.  Also the Horse had a best friend who was a horse.  It was an American Story Civil War tale like Gone with the Wind set in WWI Europe.  So many things just didn't belong there.  I thought it looked great--kudos to the cinematographer and art direction.  It just wasn't what it could have been--good.

Best Scene:
In The Artist where he has the dream and it is all in vibrant sound.  You must see it.

Best Movie going experience of all time:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There were people dressed like wizards, brooms, goblins, house elves etc.  All there to enjoy, talk about, and wait for a wonderful movie that they all loved so dearly.  The audience I was with reacted to every expression, every moment with such appreciation.  The energy in the room was so high. That's what you go to the movies for--to laugh, cry, shout, and be in the moment.  I loved every minute of it.

Best Musical Number:
"Am I a man or a Muppet?" from The Muppets
Also the Opening number is pretty great.


Worst Best Visual Effects:
Planet of the Apes
It looked so real, the apes were expressing so much that I couldn't believe it.  No I literally didn't believe it.

Best 3D movie to date:
HUGO. See it, and see it in 3D.  It's absolutely stunning, it is beyond anything you've ever seen.  Haha beyond... whatever.

Most Montage:
Tree of Life


Best Acting:
The Ladies in The Help


Best Ensemble Cast:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
This is the best cast ever.  I'm pretty sure it's missing like 5 British Actors that I can think of, and that's it.


Best Summer Movies not released in the Summer
Sherlock Holmes and Mission Impossible 4