Maybe it was the total allure and true freshness with 2010's outputs, but something I can not grasp made me feel that 2011 wasn't a very good for film in general. Now that the holidays and Oscar month have concluded and we ring in a new year, some of those harsh vibes and cynicism has subsided for myself.
It was a year where the barren landscape of Hollywood entertainment let new voices to be shouted out loud. Film festivals snatched back up their infamy and newsworthy stories and movies. Thanks to stars like Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling, normal people began to notice auteurs that have been around for some time. It was the year of the breakouts, with actors and actresses such as Michael Fassbender, Jessica Chastain, Jean Dujardin, Rooney Mara, Chris Hemsworth, and Elizabeth Olsen making waves over the establishment and their Oscar bait material. Character actors and comedic performers took chances and explored the pains of reality.
The following is the films that I have deemed the best of 2011. Though I put them in a list format, I was equally entertained and moved by these films.
To repeat: This list is of my own opinion, not the general public nor the Internet consensus. If I didn't view the film or watch it in its entirety, than it is ineligible. A few examples of films I wanted to see but couldn't before the mandated deadline were Melancholia, Shame and A Separation.
TOP TEN BEST FILMS
1. Drive
One of the things that make me enjoy the lights and shadows in a movie theater is the ability to hush up all thoughts once I leave. This film achieved it with ease, balancing high-octane driving and hyper violence with the artfully stylized melodrama of lost souls in Los Angeles. From the fantastic soundtrack to the unflinching nature of Ryan Gosling's character, this was phenomenal and rich in pleasure.
2. Bridesmaids
The movie that I identified with the most, despite being an man. This film captured the zeitgeist of the year, as it showed the battles of the rich vs. the poor, the dreams vs. the individual, all leading up to a wedding. One of the darkest films to be given a bright glow and a potential game-changer to women in modern Hollywood films.
3. Rango
Animation was a bit mixed this year, but there were some that strove on originality and wit to make a name for themselves. This movie fiercely broke away from the pack, thanks to its extensive use of fourth wall breaking meta-humor and its ability to create and flesh out a large number of characters. A very unpretentious film with a lot of great details to everything.
4. The Tree of Life
The most talked about film of the year somehow, despite my misgivings with Terence Malick, became one of the few to completely blow me away in theaters. It was always very breathtaking, even with repeated viewings. It could have lost the dinosaurs though.
5. War Horse
It may seem old-fashioned, it may have those odd Spielbergian moments. However, this film was a nice little cry and a joy, thanks to the titled horse, beautiful score by John Williams, and exquisite camerawork that captures the horrors of World War I.
6. Martha Marcy May Marlene
Never has it been so shocking and exceptional to experience the fragile journey through a damaged mind. With a breakout performance by Elizabeth Olsen plus another great job from John Hawkes, the film definitely had the best finale all year, with an ending surely to linger in everybody.
7. Source Code
Duncan Jones is becoming one of my favorite upstart directors, as he once again makes it to my top ten with another great film. Even with the multiple time and body jumps for the main hero, the movie is always thrilling to watch, shifting from comedy to action to drama. It was one of the best films to explore its own world and make us care for all of its inhabitants.
8. I Saw the Devil
Korean horror has been the white elephant for a lot of critics, but not for myself. Kim Ji-woon made an excellent violent crime thriller that even with chilling brutal moments and diabolical nihilism, makes the expert case that revenge is not worth it for a sane human individual. It is pretty though, thanks to the cinematography of Lee Mo-gae.
9. The Artist
The total artificiality of this movie might turn off some but its great magical qualities warmed my heart. With great performances all around, from star Jean Dujardin to a small dog, and expert direction from Michel Hazanavicius, it was a real old Hollywood treat.
10. Senna
The biggest dark horse of the year. This powerful documentary examines how the thrill of motor-racing and pure faith clashed with international and business politics, and how Ayrton Senna became a legend. Crafted using only found footage with faceless voices, it is a haunting yet exciting little movie.
THE NEXT TEN
11. Super
12. Super 8
13. Horrible Bosses
14. The Green Hornet
15. Bill Cunningham New York
16. 13 Assassins
17. Margin Call
18. X-Men: First Class
19. Thor
20. The Muppets
Next Up: The Worst Performances of 2011
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