I was pretty sure that I'd seen lesser number of films this year than I did back in 2010, but as I sat down to compile a year end list I realized my list this year had many more contenders for the top 10 than they did last year.
When I wrote about 'Deathy Hallows Pt.1' last year I ended it by saying, "hopefully in Part 2 all hell shall break lose" & I was not disappointed. Pt.2 was as action packed & brisk in pace as Pt.1 was introspective & moody. The battle of Hogwarts came alive onscreen in all its bustling glory, and the remotest of characters were there to make their presence felt (even Madam Pomfrey showed up!). All in all the saga has come to a solid & satisfying conclusion & we bid goodbye with damp eyes & warm hearts...unless...erm...never mind.
Maybe I'd seen lesser number of films but the quality of the films had gone up, thanks to various film festivals I attended in the year gone by & also the exposure to various film clubs & making friends with fellow film geeks who would take copious notes about cult films with the enthusiasm of a nerd at a science quiz.
So this year's list is an eclectic bunch of arse kicking superhero flicks, auteur directed mass entertainers, screwball comedies & also films that've been winning accolades across the festival circuit.
These are the films that have made a nice, warm, cozy home within the confines of my memory & imagination over the past 12 months.
10. The Tree of Life
The reticent Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life' aims for a vision & scope that very few films before have achieved. It tries to bring us face to face with how the earth's existence came into being, while alongside portraying the life of a family living in the American midlands. Naturally, it polarized audiences. So while many complained they weren't able to "get" the film, others labelled it an instant classic.
Well, here's what I think:- Malick's film was an experience to behold, a landmark film, but yes it moved at a snail's pace. It has long stretches of scenes with absolutely no dialogue & when they are spoken they're merely in whispers, & let me be honest I may never watch it again, at least not in its entirety. But I'm glad I experienced it. The film shall hover in my mind for a long long time.
The "problem" with 'The Tree of Life' lies in the fact that you have to peel through layer upon layer of subtext in order to get to the themes of questioning God, the limits of inflicting suffering & the ambiguous nature of death, and unfortunately not many film goers prefer to travel that far out as a movie going experience.
Well, at least Terrence Malick had the balls to throw out that challenge to us without caring about the cash registers. And for that I salute him.
9. Bridesmaids
Judd Appatow is a modern day comedy genius, who has mastered the art of making the stoner/dude comedies (Superbad, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up etc.), but this time round he teams up with Paul Feig (director of a royalty of TV sitcoms-30 Rock, The Office & Arrested Development to name just a few) & a brazenfaced bunch of chicks who show us they can do an equally good (if not better) job at making a gross-out, raunchy, slapstick & outrageous comedy.
But beneath the slapstick & boorish humour is a steadily beating heart which makes it so very lovable & charming. Bridesmaids throws up a myriad of stupendously funny characters but my personal favourite was Melissa Mcarthy's sturdy Megan. Try not to burst out laughing when she's on screen & you might die of asphyxiation.
Appatow may have pulled off the ultimate trick with Bridesmaids- A chick flick that the boys can genuinely laugh out loud to on a guy's night out. Undoubtedly the best comedy of the year.
8. The adventures of Tintin: Secret of the
Unicorn
Unicorn
There were a hundred & one ways in which 'The adventures of Tintin' could've gone wrong. At least 3 generations of fans to satisfy, justice to be done to the mammoth scope of Herge's adventurous tales all the while maintaining their boyish charms, the apprehension regarding motion capture & finally, the last few outings of auteur Steven Spielberg hadn't quite been hitting the nail on its head.
But don't you just love it when each & every piece of a puzzle fits RIGHT into place?
It was heartwarming to see Herge's comic panels come to life quite literally as they were drawn. Also blending 3 Tintin stories effortlessly to give birth to one grand adventure was a stroke of genius, and to top it all off, the film was scored by the inimitable John Williams (which pretty much made it magical by default), and if anybody had doubts over characters been done justice to, they needn't look beyond Snowy the dog's histrionics.
The film left me smiling from ear to ear & was nostalgia inducing. Lo & behold! Mr. Spielberg is back in form.
7. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows
[Pt 2]
[Pt 2]
Its' next to impossible that you haven't seen a Harry Potter film if you exist on planet Earth. A generation has grown up with the celluloid adaptations of J.K. Rowling's iconic characters, so naturally it was essential that the makers provide us with a fitting finale, and owing to what they built up last year, DH pt.2 had a HUGE responsibility of making sure that every Pottermaniac goes home happy.
Not to worry. The saga goes out with a big bang.
When I wrote about 'Deathy Hallows Pt.1' last year I ended it by saying, "hopefully in Part 2 all hell shall break lose" & I was not disappointed. Pt.2 was as action packed & brisk in pace as Pt.1 was introspective & moody. The battle of Hogwarts came alive onscreen in all its bustling glory, and the remotest of characters were there to make their presence felt (even Madam Pomfrey showed up!). All in all the saga has come to a solid & satisfying conclusion & we bid goodbye with damp eyes & warm hearts...unless...erm...never mind.
6. Moneyball
Moneyball is a sports film that even a non-sports fan can thoroughly enjoy, because it isn't as much about baseball as it is about Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) & Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) & the atypical bromance between the resolute game coach & a nerdy number cruncher.
Aided by a spectacular screenplay written by 2 of the best screenwriters in Hollywood - Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zallian & some zany dialogue, Moneyball ventures into the world of a man trying pull himself out from the depths of despair, & we all have experienced what that feels like at some point or the other. Pitt displays finesse & class in his performance but the real delight for me was Hill who finally gets to dig his teeth in a meticulous, meaty non-stereotypical role. Look at his expression in a scene where Brand successfully bargains a player over to their team over the telephone. Pure delight.
Its a melancholic movie but still stirs enough joy in itself to steer through.
(Here is my original write up of Moneyball after watching it at MAMI)
Moneyball is a sports film that even a non-sports fan can thoroughly enjoy, because it isn't as much about baseball as it is about Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) & Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) & the atypical bromance between the resolute game coach & a nerdy number cruncher.
Aided by a spectacular screenplay written by 2 of the best screenwriters in Hollywood - Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zallian & some zany dialogue, Moneyball ventures into the world of a man trying pull himself out from the depths of despair, & we all have experienced what that feels like at some point or the other. Pitt displays finesse & class in his performance but the real delight for me was Hill who finally gets to dig his teeth in a meticulous, meaty non-stereotypical role. Look at his expression in a scene where Brand successfully bargains a player over to their team over the telephone. Pure delight.
Its a melancholic movie but still stirs enough joy in itself to steer through.
(Here is my original write up of Moneyball after watching it at MAMI)
5. Pina
(Here is the original write up i did after watching The Artist at MAMI)
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Wim Wenders' mesmerizing documentary is about Pina Bausch, a German dancer & choreographer, who sadly passed away during the principal photography of the film. Wenders had almost given up the idea to make it, but convinced by members of Pina's dance troupe he decided to go ahead with it. So now, the film stands as a homage to the ambitious choreographer.
Its hard for me to define this film. It does not tell a particular story & yet it tells hundreds of stories. Wenders takes a unique approach that involve set piece reenactments of Bausch's dance routines performed by her fiercely devoted company of dancers. These are interspersed with their interviews, where they narrate how Pina's impact changed the way they experienced life, how she taught them to express the deepest of emotions through dance.
The film is an ideal example for the usage of 3D. instead of the gimmicky nature which many films have subjected 3D to, Pina shows exactly how immersive an experience 3D can be, it takes us inside the performance spaces of these wonderful set pieces.
Pina almost borders on being a meditative experience.
4. X-Men: First Class
I was pretty sure X-Men: First class was gonna suck. I mean seriously, how far can you milk a franchise? The third X-Men from the original trilogy was extremely unimpressive & X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a tepid excuse of a movie to display Jackman's brawny star power.
But boy was I pleasantly surprised by this juggernaut of a movie!
Not only was X-Men: First Class the best superhero movie of this year, but the best we've seen since Nolan's The Dark Knight. Director Matthew Vaughn does an excellent job of coalescing the many backstories & still maintaining a tightly structured story of the film itself to keep us hooked to the edges of our seats. Charles Xavier & Magneto are to comic lore what Dumbledore & Gandalf are to fantasy, & to tell their origin stories was a heavy burden but it is completely done justice to. Michael Fassbender totally NAILS it as Magneto, the revenge spewing, Nazi killing badass who (as we all know) would later demand a more dominant standing for the mutants.
X-Men: First Class has all the trappings of an action movie - things blow up, rockets fly, elaborate fight scenes take place, but there's a very good reason behind all of that happening. All of those things affect the story & characters, and that's what makes a quintessential super hero film.
Take that Transformers!
3. Drive
Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Drive' is a very very rare fusion of a snug art movie & a high-adrenaline violence fueled actioner. Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman by day who switches over to a wheel man for hire at night to help out robberies & thefts. Things hot up when Irene (Cary Mulligan) moves in as a neighbour with her son & our mysterious driver starts growing affectionate towards them. Then her husband Standard (Oscaar Isaac) returns from prison. Now, instead of the story veering towards the expected jealousy angle,it takes a wicked turn when the driver finds out about Oscaar's impending debt to the mafia. They plan a million dollar heist. It doesn't go according to plan & instead ends in a blood bath.
Well, this is just a warm up. Winding's film has a profound impact because it brings violence to the forefront as it is in real life-Sudden, agressive, ruthless & unpredictable. Scenes we expect to be serene & lovable are jagged by nasty spurts of staggering violence.
The 80's soundtrack provides a strange subtle harmony to the milieu & acting performances are top notch. Gosling is pitch perfect as the mysterious brooding Driver who has a past which in keeping with movie-lore we aren't introduced to. He just IS. And that's that. Carey Mulligan provides the much desired role of a template of vulnerability. Ron Perlman & Albert Brooks are menacing as the mob men & Bryan Cranston provides the father figure potently.
Its that strange wonderful violence driven film that still leaves the aftertaste of serenity in your mouth.
2. The Ides of March
Banking on a star cast that would probably make the Hollywood walk of fame jealous, George Clooney's Ides of March is a taut political thriller that will go down in the history books as one of the very best. What works for the film is how it unravels the dirty nitty gritties & the malicious mind games of political parties in the guise of a razor sharp, pulse racing screenplay (Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon).
The movie throws ample amounts of twists & turns to keep you on tenter hooks & the performances are top notch (what else can one expect with the who's who of method acting raining down in the film?) but the pick of the lot is Ryan Gosling. The transformation of his character Stephen Myers from a humble press secretary who looks up to potential president of USA Mike Morris (Clooney himself) to the guy who could turn the political scenario upside down is superbly crafted.
But what really makes 'Ides' worth sitting up & taking note of is that just like 'The Social Network' last year it is very much a film of today, of this day & age, where smart work is held in higher esteem than hard work.
'Ides of March' packs a punch.
(Here is my original write up of Ides of March after watching it at MAMI)
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And finally
(Drumroll)
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1. The Artist
The best film of 2011 does not have a spoken word & is shot in stark black & white. Michael Hazanavicius' 'The Artist' is a film that belongs to a league of its own. Ever since I saw it I've been revisiting it in my head. I could not imagine comparing it to any other feature film this year, & therein lies its victory. The film made me fall into a state of enchantment that no other film did.
On paper you might say the film has lots of handicaps - Silent film, Black & White, unknown director, no star power, in fact you might even mistake it as one of those award winning snoozefests that bore you to death. But you would be thoroughly mistaken.
The Artist is an out & out joy. It's almost impractical that you walk into see this film & do not come out with a smile plastered across your face.
Haznavicius tells the quintessential Rise-fall-rise story of an actor with all the tenderness & affection that he has for the silent era Hollywood bursting out on screen. Each & every frame makes your heart flutter with merriment.
The excellence of the acting prowess on display here is almost unparalleled, its no child's play to replicate the mannerisms & characteristics of the silent actor's from the 20's, but Jean Dujardin, Bernicie Bolo & all others involved take the challenge head on & come out with flying colours.
The film has already won plenty accolades & I won't be surprised if it takes home the Oscar this year. In an era where the souls of movies seem to be more or less withered, The Artist brings pure, unadulterated joy. Kudos to that.
(Here is the original write up i did after watching The Artist at MAMI)
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Honourable mentions:-
The following missed the top 10 by a whisker
Jane Eyre:- A good old fashioned romantic drama. Think of a Jane Austen novel in a gothic setting. Riveting performance by Mia Wasikowsa & Michael Fassbender's Edward Rochester is like a bad ass Mr. Darcy.
Thor:- Chris Hemsworth's chiseled body made the perfect Asgardian superhero & Tom Hiddleston was menacing as Loki. Best popcorn movie of the year & a close contender to X-Men: First Class' throne.
Rise of the planet of the Apes:- Andy Serkis knocks it outta the park as Ceaser-- probably the most memorable character at the movies this year. So what if he was an ape?
Kung Fu Panda 2:- The ever lovable Po (Jack Black) returns to kick some more Kung Fu ass, only this time round its about family. Laugh out loud fun with just the right measure of sentimentality.
Rango:- A cowboy western, but with a lizard as the protagonist (voiced by Johnny Depp), A far cry from the cutesy Pixar films, this one's got rough edges. Totally worth a ride.
Horrible Bosses:- A group of friends decide to kill their respective overbearing bosses & what ensues is a sheer laugh riot. The star cast is perfect for a film like this. Jennifer Aniston is a scene stealer as the nymphomaniac dentist.
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THE CRASHES
Enough of the good, let's take a look at the bad....and the ugly...and the downright disgusting. Here are 5 films that came riding with tons of expectations on them but turned out to be epic sized duds.
The Hangover 2:- So basically they dusted the script for the first one, & merely replaced the word 'Vegas' with 'Thailand' & the word 'Baby' with 'Monkey' right? *Sigh* Todd Phillips, you just HAD to ruin it didn't you? To say that it wasn't half as funny as the first one would still be giving it a compliment.
Cowboys & Aliens:- How can a film with the coolest effin' title in the world turn out to be a disaster? Directed by the guy who made 'Iron Man', produced by the guys who made 'LOST' & 'Apollo 13', & starring James Bond & Indiana Jones, for Chrissakes HOW? The movie starts of pretty decently, setting up the brooding cowboy characters in the wild west, And then the aliens come & destroy everything...including the movie.
Green Lantern:- While Marvel was busy putting out one awesome superhero flick after another DC thought they might as well try a hand. Well, they should've just kept their hands in their pockets. Firstly, Ryan Reynolds looks like a nincompoop as Green Lantern. Secondly, the so called story was a pathetic half assed attempt, what did they do put 6 year olds in charge of the writing dept.? Oh wait, no even THEY would've written a better script, & lastly whoever the hell chose the colour scheme for this film should be imprisoned in Oa. All that BRIGHT GREEN & PINK makes you downright queasy. Ugh!
Sucker Punch:- Dear Zack Snyder, you forgot the golden rule of filmmaking - Never let technique override content. If only you'd given half as much importance to the story as you gave to maintaining the cool graphic novel/video game-y look & making the hot chicks in short skirts look glossy we would've had a winner on our hands
Pirates of the Caribbean: On stranger tides:- A 4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie was right on top of the "things the world doesn't need anymore" list. Just by Johnny Depp putting mascara around his eyes doesn't give birth to a good movie. Sorry Captain Jack, your ship sank...without a trace.
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So that was that, but if the internet buzz is anything to go by, 2012 is going to be an epic year for movies - 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Hobbit', 'MIB 3', 'Prometheus', and many many many more...so hopefully next year will be much more fascinating than this one...if the world doesn't end that is!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
(You can read my last year's best & worst of list here)
