Top Ten Films of 2011

In my humble opinion, 2011 was not a great year for movies...I would actually say that it was nothing more than a decent year for movies. Even at this time last year, there just wasn't the same crop of appealing films that there was going into 2010, and even some of those that sounded appealing proved to be disappointments. Of course 2010 was a spectacular year for films, so maybe it was inevitable that there would be a dropoff. But while 2011 may have been a tad disappointing overall, there were some very good films released this year, and even a couple great ones. So, with that, I present my list of the top ten films of 2011.

I will say as a point of clarification that this list simply captures how I feel at this point in time, having now seen every critically acclaimed film that appealed to me released this past year. My feelings on some of these films may change over time...for example, while I have completed top ten lists for each of the last four years (2007-2010), I have gone back and retroactively changed my lists for two of those years, though my number one film has never changed (I also declared a number one film for 2006 despite not having a full top ten). That may be particularly important this year as I had a very hard time deciding which of my top two films was the best, but I'm confident that the film I chose will stand the test of time as my personal favorite of 2011.

And so without further ado, here is my list of the best films of 2011, beginning first with ten honorable mentions. These are films that particularly impressed me this year despite not being among the very best.

HONORABLE MENTION

 (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

The Adjustment Bureau

This sci-fi / fantasy film based on a short story by Philip K. Dick presents a world where a secretive society of people make sure that things happen "according to plan." The story is a bit cheesy, and it's really more fantasy than sci-fi, but stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have incredible chemistry, and they're both such talented actors that they make the film work in spite of deficiencies in the story.

Anonymous

This film from director Roland Emmerich presents the theory that Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans) was the true author of Shakespeare's plays. It's all a bit pulpy, with an abundance of political and sexual intrigue, but when viewed as a piece of historical fiction it's an immensely entertaining film, the likes of which (a lavish, big-budget period drama) that aren't really made anymore. And Ifans gives an absolutely titanic performance.  

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer, this film tells the story of Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn), an eccentric young boy who lost his father on September 11. The ending is a bit cheesy, but overall it's simply an extremely well done emotional drama, and Horn gives a terrific performance.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The final film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's epic series of books is really just the extended climax of what is one four-and-a-half hour feature. But even as a standalone film, it's a spectacular action film with some of the best acting and emotion in the whole series.

The Help

When I reviewed this film back in September, I declared it the best film of the year at that time. My opinion on it has softened a bit since watching it a second time; while the execution is top-notch and there are probably close to ten excellent performances, some aspects of the ending (particularly the secret of Minnie's chocolate pie) feel a bit artificial, and while this film shows hints of the horror that blacks faced in the Jim Crow South, ultimately it feels a bit too sanitized to be considered a truly great achievement.     

Moneyball

This story of how Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) transformed the 2002 Oakland Athletics into contenders is a compelling sports drama. Pitt gives another great performance as he moves further and further away from the more populist action roles that defined his early career, and Jonah Hill is great is his first truly dramatic role. It's a very well-made film, but one that I didn't have a huge emotional reaction to overall.

Rango

This animated western from director Gore Verbinski (the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy) is filled with clever humor, fun action, and references to countless classic western films. The animation is spectacular and Johnny Depp is perfectly cast as the voice of the titular chameleon who must save the town of Dirt from an evil land baron (Ned Beatty)

Source Code

This small-scale, cerebral sci-fi thriller was released back in April, and it remains one of the year's most thought-provoking films. Other than Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," no film this year made me think more about its ending; in fact I was preoccupied with it for days after seeing the film and it wasn't until seeing it a second time that I became convinced I was interpreting it correctly. If you haven't seen this film, seek it out. It's excellent. 

Super 8

This sci-fi drama from director J.J. Abrams is very much in the spirit of such Steven Spielberg classics as "Close Encounters," "E.T.," and "The Goonies." It's the story of a group of kids who discover an alien presence in their town following a terrifying train crash. The child actors--led by Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning--are all terrific and Abrams continues his rise as one of the most prominent young directors out there.

The Tree of Life

No film this year was more anticipated among movie buffs, or discussed more afterwards, than Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life." The simplest way to describe this FAR from simple film is that it's a meditation on life and the nature of the universe. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea and I'm still not entirely sure what happens at the end, but it's a fascinating experience. 

And now for the cream of the crop, the top ten films of 2011:

10. YOUNG ADULT

This excellent black comedy from writer / director Jason Reitman centers on Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), a thirtysomething woman who returns to her hometown determined to win back her high school sweetheart Buddy (Patrick Wilson). Patton Oswalt gives a surprisingly great performance as a nerdy man-child, but Theron owns this film. It's bitingly funny with moments of sobering reality, and the moment when Mavis lets loose on these people she despises so much is heartbreaking. Put simply, this is an excellent little film with an outstanding lead performance.

9. THE ARTIST

 

 This French-produced, black-and-white silent film is a fun homage to early Hollywood. Jean Dujardin stars as George Valentin, a silent film star who refuses to adapt to the rise of "talkies" and sees his career go down the drain as a result. He's terrific in the role, as is Berenice Bejo as Peppy Miller, a rising young talkie star who takes pity on Valentin. The black-and-white, full frame cinematography is beautiful, taking full advantage of the lavish production design, and Ludovic Bource's score energizes the film completely. 

8. MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

This art house thriller from first-time writer / director Sean Durkin stars Elizabeth Olsen in her first feature role as Martha, a young woman who, as the film opens, has just escaped from a cult. The film alternates between her time living under charismatic cult leader Patrick (John Hawkes), and her increasing paranoia as she tries to adjust to normal life with her sister (Sarah Polley). Olsen gives an electrifying performance and Hawkes is terrifying despite never raising his voice. Durkin keeps the film extremely atmospheric and it all builds up to an ending that I'm still not entirely sure of. It's not a conventional thriller by any means, but it is an excellent film.

7. THE IDES OF MARCH

Based on the play "Farragut North" by Beau Willamon, this excellent political drama is directed by and co-stars George Clooney as Mike Morris, a presidential candidate in a fight for the democratic nomination. But the film really centers on Stephen Meyer (Ryan Gosling), Morris's junior campaign manager. As the fight for the nomination unfolds, Stephen becomes increasingly embroiled in the dirty underbelly of American politics as the film builds to a showstopping climax. As much as "The Help" is filled with great performances from several leading ladies, "The Ides of March" nearly matches it as Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Evan Rachel Wood are all excellent.

6. 50 / 50

 

This comedy / drama is based on the true story of Will Reiser, a friend of co-star and producer Seth Rogen who battled cancer in his 20s. It may hit a little too close to home for those whose lives have been touched by cancer, but it's an excellent film that seamlessly blends comedy and drama, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives another great performance in the lead role. Angelica Huston is also great in a small role as his mother. If you can handle the subject matter, this is definitely a film worth seeing, one that is both very funny and very sad.

5. SHAME

This devastating portrait of sexual addiction from director Steve McQueen features an electrifying performance from Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan, a thirtysomething New Yorker who is desperately addicted to sexual gratification. Brandon is forced to confront his demons when his sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him, and ultimately finds himself spinning more and more out of control. This is an extremely difficult film to watch, but the artistry on display is masterful. Mulligan is excellent also, and McQueen shows a complete mastery of the very difficult material. This one of the most purely artistic films I've ever seen, and it touches on a very difficult issue that is often covered up in American culture.

4. TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY

This excellent thriller is based on the classic novel by John le Carre and tells the story of an investigation into the presence of a Soviet mole at the top levels of Britain's MI6. Gary Oldman is terrific as George Smiley, the former agent who secretly heads up the investigation, and director Tomas Alfredson creates a moody, bleak atmosphere with bleak, grainy cinematography. This is very much a dialogue-driven film, complete with just enough bursts of shocking violence to keep the film moving along at a slow burn, right up until the final reveal.

3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Woody Allen has been hit-or-miss lately, but with "Midnight in Paris" he has a definite hit. Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a struggling screenwriter vacationing in Paris with his fiance Inez (Rachel McAdams). When he goes out late at night in search of inspiration, Gil finds himself transported back in time to Paris in the 1920s, where he meets a host of famous characters including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill), Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates), Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), and Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll in a scene-stealing performance). He also falls in love with the beautiful Adriana (Marion Cotillard). This is definitely a piece of fantasy, but taken in that light it's an effortlessly entertaining film, probably the funniest film of the year. The more you know about literature, the more you'll get out of all of Allen's references, but this is simply one of the year's best, most entertaining films. 

2. DRIVE

This brilliant art house noir from director Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the year's absolute best films, and one of the few that I expect to stand the test of time as a truly great film. It's the story of an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) who becomes involved with some shady businessmen (Albert Brooks and Ron Perelman), as he slowly falls in love with his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan). This is just an utterly brilliant film, with terrific performances, an electrifying score, and beautiful cinematography. There are some thrilling car chases and several sequences of shockingly brutal violence. As I alluded to in my opening, I struggled for a while in determining which of my top two films was the best, and while I've kept "Drive" at number two that doesn't take away from it at all in my mind. 

1. THE DESCENDANTS

Alexander Payne's "The Descendants" is, flat out, the best, most entertaining film of the year. George Clooney gives the best performance of his career as Matt King, a "backup parent" who is forced to confront increasingly painful truths when his wife falls into a come following a boating accident. Shailene Woodley gives a terrific performance in her first film role as Matt's eldest daughter Alex, a wild child who has to catch up on her growing up and help her father out in dealing with things in the wake of her mother's accident. The supporting roles are filled out with excellent character actors including Matthew Lillard, Judy Greer, Beau Bridges, and Robert Forster. The film is based on a book of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings, and Payne and his co-writers Nat Faxon and Jim Taylor have created a series of characters that feel completely and utterly human, and a series of situations that feel completely and utterly realistic. The film blends comedy and drama seamlessly and is both hysterically funny and heartbreakingly sad. The Hawaiian setting allows for some gorgeous cinematography and atmospheric music, and the setting plays crucially into multiple themes in the film. All in all, this is just an excellent film. I've seen it three times now and I can confidently say that "The Descendants" is the best film of 2011.

So that's a wrap on 2011. I'll be posting my reactions to the Oscar nominations, which will be announced on Tuesday morning, and I'll have Oscar predictions in the week leading up to the big show and reactions after. At some point I'll post a list of my most anticipated films of 2012, which will hopefully be a great year for movies and will hopefully feature some films that are as great as "The Descendants" and "Drive."

The Film Source 2011 Movie Awards

Here in the first month of 2012, Hollywood is in the midst of its "awards season," the two month period every year when countless organizations, guilds, and critics' groups announce their best of the year awards in numerous film production categories. There is certainly a great amount of prestige in being nominated for, and winning, these awards, but in my many years of following movies I've come to realize that despite all their prestige, these awards--from the People's Choice Awards to the Academy Awards--are really just one group of people's opinions on the best films and performances of the year. So, in the spirit of awards season--the first one since I started this blog--I've decided to post my own personal film awards for 2011 in a handful of categories. These categories are similar to many of the ones recognized by the Academy and the various trade and acting guilds in Hollywood, though I've combined some in the interest of simplicity. I'll also have some honorable mentions in most categories to go along with each winner. I'll begin with animated films, move on to the technical categories, and then on to screenwriting, acting, and direction. So without further ado, here is one amateur critic's opinion of the very best Hollywood had to offer in 2011.

BEST ANIMATED FILM OF THE YEAR:

"RANGO"

 

Animation is a field that has been dominated by Pixar for years now. But this year, director Gore Verbinski (the original "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy) has crafted an animated western that holds its own among the better animated films out there. It doesn't reach the level of Pixar's best films ("Wall-E" and the "Toy Story" trilogy in my opinion), but this story of a chameleon lost in the desert who must defend the town of Dirt from a greedy land baron is entertaining, action-packed, and utterly hilarious. It also may be the most visually impressive animated film...ever. Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins was a visual consultant on the film, and blu-ray.com has hailed it as one of the finest Blu-rays ever produced, thanks largely to its spectacular image and sound quality. This is simply an excellent film all around.

(A warning to parents who haven't seen it: this film isn't for the very young as there is some risque humor as well as some violence and scary scenes that push the boundaries of the PG rating. As a matter of fact, the film's "extended edition," which is available on the Blu-ray, would almost certainly have earned a PG-13).

Honorable Mention

None. "Rango" absolutely dominated this category this year.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

"HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2"

 

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" seems to be the Oscar frontrunner for visual effects, but while that film did have spectacular motion capture CGI, I found some of the environmental CGI to be lacking. "Harry Potter," on the other hand, simply has spectacular visual effects all around. It's impressive to see the progression of the effects work across the eight films, as the early effects in "Sorcerer's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets" were pretty poor, but as the franchise became more and more mainstream and the budgets grew, so did the quality of the effects. And in this final chapter, which is really just the third act climax of a four-and-a-half hour epic, the final battle for control of the wizarding world looks utterly spectacular.

Honorable Mention (in alphebetical order)

• "Hugo"
• "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
• "The Tree of Life"

BEST SOUND:

"EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE"

There may have been films with more impressive sound design from a purely technical standpoint this year. But "Extremely Loud" is unmatched in the way it uses sound to influence the development of its protagonist. Whether the blare of sirens, the rush of a passing subway train, the gentle jingle of a tambourine, or a blared cacophony of noise, we hear the world of post-9/11 New York just as Oskar does, and through this begin to understand a bit more of his eccentric personality.

Honorable Mention

• "Drive"
• "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
• "Hugo"
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• "The Tree of Life" 

BEST EDITING:

"THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO"

While I thought the story in David Fincher's adaptation of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" wasn't particularly compelling, there is no denying the filmmaking prowess on display from an acting and technical standpoint. And while editing is so essential to storytelling, that's not where this film suffers. The blending of Lisbeth's and Blomkvist's storylines in the first act, as well as in the moments leading up to the film's climax, is simply excellent and, particularly in the latter instance, really helps build the tension in this extremely atmospheric film.

Honorable Mention

• "Drive"
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
• "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• "The Tree of Life"
• "War Horse"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

"THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO"

Another technical recognition for this film as "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is simply beautiful to look at. No matter the location--whether the snowy environs of northern Sweden at Christmastime, the warm glow of Martin Vanger's seemingly inviting house, the bleak dinginess of Lisbeth's apartment, or the pulsing neon of a vibrant club in Stockholm--Fincher and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth have once again crafted a film with an absolutely pristine appearance.

Honorable Mention

• "The Descendants"
• "Drive"
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
• "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
• "Shame"
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• "The Tree of Life"
• "War Horse"

BEST COSTUME AND PRODUCTION DESIGN:

"HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2"

And another technical award for the "Harry Potter" franchise. Unlike the effects, which have improved with each film, these films have always had spectacular production design and costumes. But this one may have been the most impressive as we see Hogwarts transformed into a war zone--even to the point that we see blood smeared across the floor from the dragging of dead bodies. Production designer Stuart Craig and costume designer Jany Temime have worked on all eight of these films and this one (which is really concurrent with Part 1 as they were shot as one film) may be their best work yet.

Honorable Mention

• "Anonymous"
• "The Artist"
• "The Descendants"
• "The Help"
• "Hugo"
• "Midnight in Paris"
• "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• "War Horse"

BEST MUSIC:

"THE ARTIST"

The Academy only recognizes original scores and songs in their music categories, and their rules are somewhat vague. I've elected to combine the two categories and simply recognize all music within a film, whether instrumental or vocal, original or previously recorded. But even with those rules, there is simply no film this year that used music as effectively as the excellent black-and-white silent film "The Artist." The score plays over virtually the entirety of the 100 minute film and, as with all silent films is absolutely essential in influencing the mood of every scene. Ludovic Bource's work here is simply excellent, and while there were plenty of other films with excellent music this year, none of them could match "The Artist."

Honorable Mention

• "The Descendants"
• "Drive"
• "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
• "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
• "The Ides of March"
• "The Muppets"
• "War Horse"

BEST SCREENPLAY:

"MIDNIGHT IN PARIS"

This was one of the toughest categories for me to choose a winner in. But Woody Allen's story of a struggling screenwriter who is magically transported back to Paris in the 1920s is simply wonderful. It may not have as many memorable lines of dialogue as some other films this year, or have the difficulty of a nearly silent protagonist, or have the unique nature of a silent screenplay, but "Midnight in Paris" absolutely has one of the best stories of any film released this year.

Honorable Mention

• "The Artist"
• "The Descendants"
• "Drive"
• "50 / 50"
• "Young Adult"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

SHAILENE WOODLEY IN "THE DESCENDANTS" 

None of the acting categories seem to be overly competitive this year, and while this category in particular could be filled by probably half-a-dozen performances from "The Help," for me, no one was more impressive this year than Shailene Woodley. Starring in her first film, Woodley plays Alex, the daughter of George Clooney's Matt King, a young woman with a troubled wild streak who is forced to catch up on growing up when her mother falls into a coma. Woodley absolutely owns this role with a performance that displays huge emotional range. Torn between rage and sorrow early in the film, Alex matures noticeably during the course of the film, but even as she engages in biting conversations with her father and others, that pain and sorrow is always there, and those emotions come back to the forefront during the film's alternately hilarious and heartwrenching climax. This is simply a fantastic performance from an up and coming young actress, and as with other young discoveries in recent years, I'm very excited to see where Woodley goes from here.

Honorable Mention

• Berenice Bejo in "The Artist"
• Bryce Dallas Howard in "The Help"
• Octavia Spencer in "The Help"
• Carey Mulligan in "Shame"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

ALBERT BROOKS IN "DRIVE"

This was Albert Brooks's first film performance in eight years, and as shady businessman Bernie Rose, he absolutely owns the role. Bernie is a genuinely likeable guy at first, though clearly he's not someone to be messed with. Though his true colors can be guessed at, it's not until late in the film in two shockingly brutal scenes--one in a diner, the other in a garage--that the nature of his character is revealed. And through it all, Brooks is absolutely excellent, making Bernie one of the rare likeable villains in cinema.

Honorable Mention

• Viggo Mortensen in "A Dangerous Method"
• Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"
• John Hawkes in "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
• Kenneth Branagh in "My Week With Marilyn"
• Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
• Tom Hardy in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
• Patton Oswalt in "Young Adult"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

VIOLA DAVIS IN "THE HELP"

This was another tough choice, and it wasn't until seeing "The Help" a second time that I made my decision. While the film shows its flaws more on a repeat viewing, the strength of Davis's performance just grows. As Aibileen, a black Mississippi housemaid in 1963, Davis is simply flawless. While Octavia Spencer's Minnie is the source of much of the film's humor, Aibileen is the driving force of much of the drama, and Davis simply captures this character perfectly. There are countless scenes I could cite, but the one that really struck me on a second viewing was the final confrontation between Aibileen and Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard), the despicable queen bee of Jackson's young housewives. Davis's delivery in this scene is absolutely perfect (I can imagine full theatre auditoriums cheering at this point), but her closing monologue about forgiving your enemies shortly after this scene is perhaps just as powerful. This is simply a stellar performance from an actress who has been steadily rising in the ranks over the last five years or so, and hopefully this well be the performance that earns Davis her first Academy Award.

Honorable Mention

• Rooney Mara in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
• Elizabeth Olsen in "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
• Michelle Williams in "My Week With Marilyn"
• Charlize Theron in "Young Adult"

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:

MICHAEL FASSBENDER IN "SHAME"

  

Michael Fassbender's performance in "Shame" as Brandon Sullivan, a thirtysomething New Yorker who suffers from a desperate sex addiction, was, for me, the year's most electrifying performance. He captures every nuance of Brandon's character, whether his cool confidence in picking up a woman in a bar, his eyeing of a woman on a subway that is the first clue that there's something off about this guy, his increasing desperation as he descends deeper and deeper into depravity, or his complete emotional collapse when he begins to realize how debilitating his addiction has become and what it has cost him. Fassbender completely gives himself over to this character, and while this is a difficult film to watch, Fassbender is utterly captivating in the role.

Honorable Mention

• Rhys Ifans in "Anonymous"
• Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
• George Clooney in "The Descendants"
• Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

BEST DIRECTION:

NICOLAS WINDING REFN FOR "DRIVE"

 

This art house noir about a Hollywood stunt driver who gets involved with some very shady people is one of the year's absolute best films, and while there are many moving parts contributing to the whole, probably the greatest factor is Refn's direction. The cinematic execution is simply excellent on every level, whether in the quiet character moments, the visceral action, or the shockingly brutal violence. I honestly don't have much more to say about this film that I said in my review, or in my top ten article, but suffice to say that "Drive" is simply a spectacular film and I will be eagerly looking forward to whatever Refn does next.

Honorable Mention

• Alexander Payne for "The Descendants"
• Woody Allen for "Midnight in Paris"
• Steve McQueen for "Shame"
• Tomas Alfredson for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR:

"THE DESCENDANTS"

 

With my Top Ten Films of 2011 article now completed, I can now add "The Descendants" here. I'll refer you to my list for an evaluation of why that film is at the top, but I will say that it is, without a doubt in my mind, the best film of 2011.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" Review

I must admit, up until recently, I was not looking forward to "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." The trailer made the film look like shameless Oscar bait and felt very emotionally manipulative to me. Couple that with the heavy Oscar buzz--undeserved in my mind as no one had seen it--the film was receiving up until about a month ago and it just wasn't a film I was interested in. Then the reviews started coming in, most of them mixed, but there was at least one rave review from a critic I highly respect that got me a little more interested in the film. Eventually I got to the point where I was looking forward to seeing it, and I'm happy to say that my early thoughts about the film were wrong. This is a film that delivers on every level. It's not perfect--I found the ending to be quite sappy for example--but it is nonetheless a fine example of dramatic cinematic execution.

Based on the book by Jonathan Safran Foer, "Extremely Loud" is the story of Oskar Schell (newcomer Thomas Horn), a young boy who may or may not have Asperger's Syndrome ("The tests were inconclusive," he tells one character). Oscar lives in New York City and is suffering emotionally from the loss of his father Thomas (Tom Hanks) on September 11. But when he visits his father's closet for the first time a year after his death and finds a key hidden in a vase, Oskar becomes convinced that this key must lead to some mystery somewhere, and he embarks on a quest across the city in search of what he hopes is some final message from his father.

That all may sound a little sappy, and to be honest that's what I thought at first as well, as this is very similar to the plot description given by Warner Bros. But I'm trying not to give away any spoilery details, and trust me when I say that the story makes sense as it plays out. We see in flashbacks that Thomas often gave Oskar various quests and puzzles to solve, presumably to keep him occupied and channel his clearly hyperactive energy. These moments between Oskar and his father are quite touching as Tom Hanks is perfectly cast in the role. This is the Tom Hanks many will remember from ten or twenty years ago, playing yet another effortlessly likeable character. He doesn't get much screen time as this Oskar's story, but that's not a problem as Thomas Horn is an absolute revelation. He appears in literally every scene in the movie and he completely captures every quirk of Oskar's character. Whether in the playful early scenes with his father, the narrated descriptions of all his apparent oddities (he even refers to himself as odd), or his increasingly heartbreaking emotional outbursts, this is simply a brilliant performance from a young actor who looks to have a great future.

I will say that this is not a film to be taken lightly. The events of 9/11 hover over the film, and in Oskar's interactions with people all over New York, no matter what their personal situations are, when they learn Oskar's story and his connection to what he refers to as "the worst day," we can see how deeply each of them was affected by that terrible tragedy. Politics are wisely avoided, with Oskar simply being unable to understand why people would fly a plane into a building and kill his father. Imagery from the day is fleeting, but it's powerfully used, and there's an extremely heartbreaking conversation between Thomas and his wife Linda (Sandra Bullock) when he's trapped in one of the towers. There are also a series of voicemails left by Thomas that are revealed throughout the film; these scenes are a testament to Hanks's talent as he is able to convey so much emotion in his voice alone. There are also some very emotionally intense moments in Oskar's conversations with various people and overall this is just an emotionally draining film...though not nearly at the level of something like, say, "Schindler's List."

The best thing though is that the emotion and the drama never feel forced...at least until the end. The ending might feel a bit sappy to some, and it was the one real flaw that keeps me from giving the film a perfect rating. But up until that point, the story and the emotions feel completely believable. Maybe Oskar's determination to walk everywhere (he is now afraid of public transportation, among many other things), is a little far fetched, but a scene in which he walks across the Brooklyn Bridge (bridges also scare him, though evidently not as much as subways), is particularly effective. Perhaps everything is so believable because Oskar is such a unique individual. He clearly thinks and sees the world differently than most other people, but that turns out to not be such a bad thing.

I haven't even touched on all the excellent supporting performances from the likes of Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and others, but in the interest of avoiding spoilers I'll simply say that all three are particularly effective. The score from Alexandre Desplat is moving, particularly in the emotional moments. Even the sound design is immaculate; in fact the use of sound in this film may have more of an effect in developing Oskar's character than I've seen in any other film, maybe ever. Overall, this is simply an excellent drama that works on almost every level. The Oscar buzz on this film has all but died out, but it's nonetheless absolutely worth seeing for anyone who loves quality cinema or simply a great story.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" is rated PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images, and language.
Running time: 129 minutes.
Released domestically on December 25, 2011, by Warner Bros. Pictures.
3.5 stars out of 4.

"Carnage" Review

"Carnage" is a rather unique film; a black comedy with four speaking parts that takes place entirely in one setting (two if you count the opening and closing credits). Directed by Roman Polanski and based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza (who also wrote the screen adaptation with Polanski), it's a very funny but very dark film.

The film is the story of two sets of parents, Penelope and Michael Longstreet (Jodie Foster and John C. Reilly), and Nancy and Alan Cowan (Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz). Following a playground altercation in which the Cowans' son Zachary hits the Longstreets' son Ethan with a stick, the four of them meet in the Longstreets' apartment to try and resolve issue. But their meeting quickly deteriorates as it becomes clear that while the playground act may have been one of childishness, the parents may actually have less maturity than their children.

The film is very funny and very dark as I mentioned, and there are lessons that can be taken from it. The acting is excellent and Reza and Polanski do an excellent job at making each of the four characters unique in their personalities so that their actions never feel redundant. Penelope and Michael are relentlessly affable, Nancy is a bit high strung, and Alan is the oddball of the bunch as he is constantly on his Blackberry and shows no interest in the proceedings...that is, until coffee, cobbler, and eventually scotch and cigars are offered. But as the film progresses, each character transforms, at various paces, until they all end up raving lunatics and the whole purpose of the meeting is forgotten. Each of the performances is excellent, with Foster probably standing out the most to me, and Winslet coming on strong with a series of drunken outbursts near the end. The only problem I would say I have with the film is that because it's so brief (a scant 79 minutes), it's hard to say how much has changed in these characters by the end. Also, because of its short duration, it ultimately ends up feeling a bit like a pleasant diversion rather than a fleshed out feature film. It's entertaining enough, but I don't know that I'd recommend a full-priced $10-11 ticket. See it at a matinee and you might feel like your money was better spent.

"Carnage" is rated R for language.
Running time: 79 minutes.
Released domestically on December 16, 2011, by Sony Pictures Classics.
2.5 stars out of 4.

"Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol" Review

The latest installment of the "Mission: Impossible" film franchise is yet another satisfying entry in one of the more continuously successful series out there. I've found each of the first three films to be solidly entertaining, and while this one has a bit of a slow start, it ultimately ends up as yet another solid outing for Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and company.

As far as the story goes, Hunt and his team (Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton, Simon Pegg), are forced to go off the grid when the IMF is implicated in a terrorist plot and the entire organization is disavowed. Rogue scientist / professor Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nyqvist) has stolen a set of Russian nuclear launch codes and hopes to incite nuclear war with the notion that decimating the human population will be good for mankind in the long run. Hunt and his team of course have to stop Hendricks at all costs. The catch though is that because the IMF has been shut down, they have no connection to their bosses back in Washington, and no backup of any kind. 

I'll get the bad out of the way first, and I've alluded to it already: the first 30 minutes of the film did not grab my attention in the least. I found the pre-credits prison break sequence to be a bit underwhelming, and while the traditional "light the match" opening credits--accompanied by Lalo Schifrin's classic theme--are fun, the following sequence which involves Hunt and his team infiltrating the Kremlin I found to be downright boring. I'm not sure what contributed to this, and I intend to see this film in theatres again (because the rest of it is so good), so maybe I'll be more drawn in the second time around. But once unexpected things start happening and Hunt and his team are forced to go rogue, the film definitely amps up and doesn't let up once all the way up through it's thrilling climax. The impressiveness of this series has always been more in the gadgets (though it thankfully never goes for a pre-Daniel Craig James Bond level of gadgetry) and the stunts, rather than in spectacular action sequences...the exception being the John Woo-directed second entry. Stylistically this film is probably most comparable to M:I-3, which probably makes sense since the director of that film, J.J. Abrams, remains a producer on this one. But the scale of the action and stunts is definitely upped here as director Brad Bird--in his first live-action outing following animated hits "The Iron Giant," "The Incredibles," and "Ratatouille"--has come up with some showstopping set pieces, particularly a sequence involving the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world's tallest building. This is probably a sequence seen on the biggest screen possible, though as I'm not a fan of IMAX (I think it eliminates the impressiveness of wide-screen for something akin to a giant full-frame television), I wouldn't necessarily recommend that format. I saw the film on a fifty-foot wide screen sitting five rows back and the Burj Khalifa scene definitely gave me a sense of vertigo.

Overall, "Ghost Protocol" is yet another solid entry in the series. The stunts are spectacular, the action is intense, and the gadgetry is fun. This is about all you can ask for from a "Mission: Impossible" film, and this one definitely delivers.

"Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol" is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence.
Running time: 133 minutes.
Released domestically on December 16, 2011, by Paramount Pictures.
3 stars out of 4.

"War Horse" Review

"War Horse" is probably the cheesiest movie I've ever seen. It's filled with sappy situation after sappy situation, and has some of the most idiotic characters I can recall seeing in a movie, characters who do things that make no logical sense whatsoever other than to support the notion that the horse of the title is that special. It's also absolutely dreadfully written, with cringe-inducing lines such as "I can do it mom! I'll train him!" This film is heavy-handed sentimentality at its absolute worst, and while it's well done from a technical standpoint, and generally well-acted, it's simply not a good movie in any way whatsoever.

Based on the novel by Michael Morpugo, as well as a Tony Award-winning play, "War Horse" is the story of Joey, a thoroughbred horse born in England circa 1910. Joey is bought at auction by Ted Narracott (Peter Mullan), though Ted spends way more on Joey than he can afford; his only motivation seems to be to outbid his landlord, Mr. Lyons (David Thewlis). Of course there's also the problem that Ted really needs a workhorse for his farm--you know, so he and his family can make money to pay their rent, to the very same landlord Ted outbid for the horse--but Joey is a thoroughbred and won't take to plowing. However, Ted's son Albert (Jeremy Irvine) insists on training the horse...cue a montage accompanied by a soaring John Williams score and off we go! Of course right about this time war breaks out in Europe, and Joey is bought by Capt. Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston) to be his personal mount. From here on we follow Joey through four years of war as he is put to use by both the British and the Germans, and in between lives with a sickly French girl (Celine Buckens) and her grandfather (Niels Arestrup).

I will say that the film is very impressive from a technical standpoint. The cinematography is gorgeous, as is Williams's score, though it really adds to the cheesiness of the whole thing and would probably play much better as a standalone orchestral arrangement. There is an extremely well-done and intense battle sequence as well as a chase through no-man's land. The acting is decent for the most part, though most of the characters aren't around enough for you to develop any attachment to them. And there lies one of the film's many problems: because we just follow Joey's travels through the war, each set of characters and their stories play almost as individual vignettes that make up a larger whole. This is a novel approach, particularly in having a horse as the main character, but there is simply no emotional connection to any of the characters. I did actually begin to feel for the plight of the French girl Emilie and her grandfather...and in a film filled with bad dialogue, Arestrup delivers a spine-tinglingly emotional monologue about bravery that is one of the film's few highlights. But the grandfather (the character has no other name) makes nonsensical decisions similar to those made by Ted Narracott at the beginning of the film, though his are even worse as he willingly endangers the life of his granddaughter. And when he reappears later in an even more nonsensical scene, the result is a sequence that is absolutely cringe-inducing in its awfulness.The film also drags on way too long, particularly in the first 45 minutes or so leading up to the outbreak of war.

Overall, "War Horse" is simply a bad film. It's a film filled with cheesy moments, characters who act completely and utterly ridiculous, and line after line of dreadful dialogue. There are a few bright spots here and there as I've mentioned, but this is just a bad film and perhaps yet another piece of evidence that Steven Spielberg is losing his touch as he hasn't made a truly good film in six years.

"War Horse" is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence.
Running time: 146 minutes.
Released domestically on December 25, 2011, by Touchstone Pictures.
1.5 stars out of 4.

"The Adventures of Tintin" Review

I grew up reading Herge's The Adventures of Tintin, a comic book series of sorts about an intrepid boy reporter and his pet dog who scour the globe in search of good stories and frequently end up in all kinds of trouble. The stories are great to return to even as an adult, and while this motion capture-animated adaptation from director Steven Spielberg captures some of the spirit of Herge's characters, ultimately I found the film to be somewhat lacking.

The film is mainly adapted from two of Herge's stories, The Secret of the Unicorn and The Crab with the Golden Claws, though characters and situations from other stories are added. Tintin (Jamie Bell) buys a model ship which quickly proves to be a highly sought-after item, and he and his dog Snowy eventually find themselves imprisoned aboard a ship run by the nefarious Sakharine (Daniel Craig). In a race with Sakharine to uncover the secret behind the clues found within the model ship, Tintin teams up with Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) in a quest that takes them from Belgium (though it's never identified as such) to Morocco and back.

Since this film is an amalgamation of Herge's stories, the main thing I was looking for as a fan of the comics is whether Spielberg and writers Joe Cornish, Edgar Wright, and Steven Moffat were able to capture the tone of the stories and the characters. The characters are all very well done, particularly Tintin and Captain Haddock. If lines such as "Great snakes!," "Blue blistering barnacles!," and "Ten thousand thundering typhoons!" mean anything to you, you'll be rolling in your seat and maybe even cheering at some of these moments. But while the characters were generally done very well, the chase / action nature of the film didn't jibe well with the comics, which have much more of an investigative mystery feel. Yes there are bits of action here and there, but nothing like the half hour long climax of the film, a sequence that spans two continents and goes on probably twice as long as it should have.The animation is extremely detailed and well done, and the motion capture work is some of the best I've ever seen, probably even better than the work done in "Avatar."  But while the film is impressive from a visual and character standpoint, ultimately the story doesn't hold up as it degenerates from a mystery into endless action. Ultimately I left the film with kind of a ho-hum feeling, and when asked what I thought of it, the best I could come up with was "It was okay."

"The Adventures of Tintin" is rated PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness, and brief smoking.
Running time: 107 minutes.
Released domestically on December 21, 2011, by Paramount Pictures.
2.5 stars out of 4.

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Review

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is one of the year's best films, a brilliant old-style spy thriller with a commanding performance from Gary Oldman. Based on the novel by John le Carre, the film is set in the halls of British intelligence organization MI-6 (affectionately known as "the Circus") at the height of the Cold War. Agent George Smiley (Oldman) has recently been forced into retirement, but he's secretly brought back into the organization to learn the identity of a Soviet informant who may have climbed to the very top levels of the Circus. The suspects, provided by the secretive agency director known only as Control (John Hurt) are Percy Alleline (code named "Tinker" and played by Toby Jones), Bill Haydon ("Tailor," Colin Firth), Roy Bland ("Soldier," Ciaran Hinds), and Toby Esterhase ("Poor Man," David Dencik). With the help of his young assistant Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch) and rogue agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy), Smiley must secretly investigate each of the suspects as the tension continually escalates.

"Tinker Tailor" is an extraordinarily atmospheric film. There is very little action and the film is overwhelmingly dialogue-driven, but I was riveted the entire time as director Tomas Alfredson continually ratchets up the intensity with suspenseful scenes, meaningful exchanges, and occasional bursts of shocking violence. In terms of the feel of the film, it is perhaps a distant cousin of the excellent thriller "Drive," though the styles employed in the two films are drastically different. Here, Alfredson employs a very methodical style, and the mood is fed with outstanding production and costume design, bleak, washed-out, grainy cinematography, impeccable sound design and a minimal but menacing score. Oldman is outstanding as Smiley; I haven't seen the BBC adaptation that starred Alec Guinness in the lead role but I can't imagine anyone playing the character more perfectly than Oldman. The supporting cast is rich, but the most outstanding turns come from Hardy and Mark Strong as Jim Prideaux, two characters who probably have the most emotional involvement of any in the story.

Overall, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is simply an excellent film. It's not James Bond or Jason Bourne by any means, but for those who can adjust to the slow, methodical, menacing style it's absolutely worth seeking out. I'm hoping to publish a list of my top ten films of the year in about two weeks as there are a few more films I still have to see and a few more I need to rewatch, but as of right now, "Tinker Tailor" is very close to the top.

"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" is rated R for violence, some sexuality / nudity, and language.
Running time: 127 minutes.
Released domestically on December 9, 2011, by Focus Features.
3.5 stars out of 4.

"A Dangerous Method" Review

"A Dangerous Method" is the latest film from David Cronenberg, a normally brilliantly unconventional filmmaker. Unfortunately, this film fails to present a compelling story or interesting characters (with one very notable exception), and I ultimately found myself just not caring. The film is the story of the birth of psychoanalysis, as shown through Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and his relationships with Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) an extremely unstable patient of his. But despite covering a period of around ten years, the film is only 99 minutes long, and as such is essentially plays as nothing more than a highlight reel of these two relationships, hopping from one scenario to another without ever establishing any real emotional connection The one bright spot for me was Mortensen's performance as Freud. Mortensen steals absolutely every scene he's in, to the point that I'd much rather have seen a biopic of Freud--one that was about an hour longer than this film--with Mortensen in the role. It's one of the year's finest supporting performances, but Mortensen can't rescue the film as a whole which ultimately left me with a feeling of "who cares?"

"A Dangerous Method" is rated R for sexual content and brief language.
Running time: 99 minutes.
Released domestically on November 23, 2011, by Sony Pictures Classics.
2 stars out of 4.

"The Artist" Review

"The Artist" is a throwback to the early days of Hollywood, specifically to the dawn of the sound era and the effect it had on the silent film stars of the day. "The Artist" is a silent film with a mono soundtrack shot in the now obsolete Academy Standard full-frame aspect ratio. A recorded score has replaced the live orchestras that were used back then, and while the film is in black and white, it was shot on color film stock and then desaturated. So while writer / director Michel Hazanavicius has cut a few corners, in most respects it's a film in the old, old style, and while it's certainly unconventional by today's standards, it's one of the year's better films. The reason for this is simple. Great films succeed, regardless of style, because they have good stories, and "The Artist" has a good story. Jean Dujardin plays 1920s silent movie star George Valentin, who sees his career head south because he refuses to adapt to the popular new "talkies" that begin to dominate the Hollywood scene. Berenice Bejo is Peppy Miller, a rising young star who has a soft spot for Valentin and tries to rescue him from his increasingly self-destructive tendencies. "The Artist" is ultimately a story of redemption and finding one's place in a changing world, and Dujardin and Bejo both give wonderful performances. Also worth mentioning is the outstanding score from Ludovic Bource, which is the primary emotional driving force in the film. Overall, "The Artist" is an excellent throwback to a bygone era.

"The Artist" is rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture.
Running time: 100 minutes.
Released domestically on November 25, 2011, by The Weinstein Company.
3 stars out of 4.