skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Worst Actor: Adam Sandler, Jack and Jill
Dishonorable Mentions:
Grant Bowler, Atlas Shrugged: Part I
Mickey Rourke, Passion Play
Larry the Cable Guy, Cars 2
Alex Pettyfer, Beastly
Paul Bettany, Priest
Tom Sturridge, Waiting for Forever
Worst Actress: Taylor Schilling, Atlas Shrugged: Part I
Dishonorable Mentions:
Leslie Bibb, Zookeeper
Rachel Bilson, Waiting for Forever
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Megan Fox, Passion Play
Emily Browning, Sucker Punch
Amanda Seyfried, Red Riding Hood
Worst Supporting Actor: Dan Fogler, Mars Needs Moms
Dishonorable Mentions:
Cam Gigandet, Priest
Ken Jeong, Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Bill Murray, Passion Play
Adam Sandler, Zookeeper
Max Irons, Red Riding Hood
Rohan Chand, Jack and Jill
Noah Ringer, Cowboys and Aliens
Worst Supporting Actress: January Jones, X-Men: First Class
Dishonorable Mentions:
Jessica Alba, Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
Maya Rudolph, Zookeeper
Lisa Gay Hamilton, Beastly
Jodi Foster, The Beaver
Next Up: Best Performances of 2011
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
2011 was a year for ambitious and daring works. I didn't have as much fun as 2010, but the rampant uses of originality and/or hyper-stylized direction made for some interesting fare, certainly to help many films on the home video market. Whether on DVD, Blu-ray, or streaming, these movies will grow like fine wine.
However, like the dwindling box office revenue and massive absence of movie-going crowds, the year spewed several abominations and misfires. There were plenty of fiascos throughout the year, most notably during the summer. Once again, Hollywood prefered the dollar over a crisp dollar, producing plenty of sequels where nothing was changed or advanced and where hackneyed ideas were re-purposed for the benefit of nobody. While there were some shockingly awful outputs from the independent circuit, it was largely all about the studios and their pathetic attempts at entertainment.
These are the films I have deemed the worst of 2011.
Now comes the usual disclaimer that sadly everyone forgets to remember: This list is of my own opinion, not the general public nor the Internet consensus. If I didn't see the film at all or in its entirety, than it isn't counted. Thus, Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star is unable to be counted. Sadly, I did saw the next twenty films.
TOP TEN WORST FILMS
1. Jack and Jill
I expected this film to show up on this list somewhere. However, I could not believe how low this movie achieved and actually went. It is purely rotten beyond its core, with so much offensive "comedy", absolutely horrendous direction by Dennis Dugan, and its insulting use of product placement. Shame on you Adam Sandler, shame on you.
2. The Undefeated
This film almost could have been disqualified and given a zero out of five from myself, since it is basically a two hour television political ad instead of an actual film. Even if you are a Tea Party supporter or a fan of Sarah Palin, this is truly a hard sit, especially with director Stephen Bannon's ADD editing and sharp cuts, its universal use of flat stock footage, and the fact we don't learn anything about Palin beyond her politics.
3. Zookeeper
If the dream girl is shown at the beginning to be a horrible creature, why should anyone want to see this romantic comedy commercially spun to be a family film? The animal voices are all terrible, the humor is migraine-inducing and the only chemistry Kevin James has with anyone is not the talented and beautiful Rosario Dawson, but instead a man in a gorilla suit.
4. Mars Needs Moms
One of the biggest fiascos of the year and something to be inscribed in future textbooks. Its nonsensical script somehow brings insulting gender politics, a "Banksy"-like subplot, tons of boy humor, and bleak drama involving humans being sacrificed. Certainly the worst animated film all year and, sadly for the Tintin films, the final nail for motion-capture animation.
5. Waiting for Forever
The new favorite film for stalkers everywhere. Far more damaging than any of the Twilight films, this movie wastes a great performance by Richard Jenkins to make the case that women should fall for the psychotic pajama-wearing men who have followed them everywhere they lived.
6. Red State
Kevin Smith's disasterpiece. No likable characters, slumming character actors, constant tone shifts, with plenty of exposition dumps to go around. This also has one of the most notorious endings of the year, where you think it's about to go gonzo, only to cut to people explaining what happened instead of showing us.
7. Atlas Shrugged: Part I
Another television-like movie. This glorious failed adaptation of Ayn Rand's most popular novel brought robotic performances, turgid and misguided dialogue, and terrible use of mise en scene. If this was a Sunday night miniseries on NBC, it would still suck but at least it would have been free to see how bad it is.
8. Passion Play
Mitch Glazer's dream project should have been lost somewhere in his subconscious. This movie doesn't work at all, whether it is trying to make me believe that Mickey Rourke can play a trumpet or make Bill Murray look threatening. From the continuity issues of Megan Fox's wings to the laughably bad/stone cold awful ending, the greatest sin this film brought is that it made Christopher Doyle's legendary cinematography look amateurish at best.
9. Battle: Los Angeles
Jingoism I can take, only if it is done properly. Unfortunately, this movie does it offensively bad, along with its never-not-shaking shaking camerawork and brain-dead script. Just play the equally bad video game adaptation to experience what the film was like.
10. The Darkest Hour
I wanted stupid genre fare, only to receive no fare but plenty of helpings of stupid. The 3D was abysmal, especially since there are many nighttime scenes, but the rampant douchebaggery, whiny characters, and non-suspense gave this film no hope to enjoy.
THE NEXT TEN
11. Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
12. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
13. Priest
14. Beastly
15. Gnomeo and Juliet
16. Scream 4
17. Season of the Witch
18. The Beaver
19. Rubber
20. The Descendants
Next Up: The Best Films of 2011
Now for Steven Spielberg, it is two for two. WAR HORSE is his absolute best film in quite awhile. Like his some of his other counterparts this year, he has presented a giant mixing pot of past films and their ideas with the traditional Spielberg trademarks added in for flavor. It is pure old school, from the John Ford-like construction to its stylish displays of violence that would have Sergei Eisenstein and David O. Selznick applauding. It also is deliberately hackneyed with its massive frothing of melodrama yet it has no shame. All of these come together to make one damn fine emotional movie, surely able to break out the tears and tissues.
On its surface, the film simply follows the life of a part-Thoroughbred horse, from his early life as "Joey" in Devon, England, to his constant trading of hands in WWI-era France, either as a tool for the English and German military or as a pet for a French girl. However, as the film unfolds and stated plainly in its transcendentally beautiful ending, it is about how warfare makes everyone and everything a tool, humbling them into absolute quietness. Having its main protagonist be a horse amplifies this point considerably in order to exploit the viewer.
I do not hate Spielberg for his exploitation of a horse in constant peril or of men in battle. That is really one of key factors of what makes film so great; to rip your mind to shreds with excitement and fear for maximum engagement. Spielberg does to World War I combat what he did to World War II in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Except, like the aura and current status of World War I in pop culture, he accurately displays why people don't talk about it often or even make works around it. This was a nightmarish time where trench warfare was the textbook example of insanity and where human class and respect ironically shook hands with bloodshed.
With the PRIVATE RYAN comparison, some snobs might cry out self-plagiarism, saving the plagiarism charge for the film's liberal use of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT imagery along with one of the latter film's iconic subplots involving a separate object. I didn't mind these possible complaints or anything else because I was witnessing the Spielberg experience again. I was amazed by Janusz Kaminski's striking cinematography and the musical movements of John Williams. I liked how Spielberg kept the audience on its toes, always playing with them and waiting to invoke terror and despair on his characters. He took advantage of my emotions and was able to reciprocate it with an immense gift.
FINAL REVIEW: 5 / 5
Now when I think about it, I really wanted to see THE SOCIAL NETWORK in 3D. Who cares about factors such as expert tone and crisp dialogue when I can see a hot L.A. night club or the campus of Harvard pop out at me and dimmed to obscurity. The makers of THE DARKEST HOUR took up this challenge for its overlong opening half, going so far as to hire one of that film's actors and put him in a similar situation where preppy entrepreneurs fight over a networking site. Now we suckers of cinema can finally watch extreme boardroom scenes to the max, with plenty of douchebaggery to go around and be protruded into our faces.
THE DARKEST HOUR is so tepid and a full bore, the climax of the experience was ripping open your 3D glasses from the plastic pouch. I do like playing Russian roulette with unscreened genre fare but here the joke is on you; the gun was fully loaded.
I can't remember the names of the characters, nor any characterization beyond vapid American nerd, his handsome best friend, pretty New York runaway, and the beautiful foreign lass. The first two come to Russia for business, the latter for pleasure. They meet cute at a bar before being constantly on the run from invading invisible aliens. Meanwhile, in a far darker scenario, you are at the mercy of flat cinematography, yawn-inducing suspense, and all scenes ending with a fade to black. Director Chris Gorak loves those fades. What better way to conclude epic scenes such as walking up stairs with a lantern?
The film turns gonzo in its second half, where our heroes fight back with giant microwave-firing rifles and teaming up with Russian commandos who ride on license-plate armored horses and wield car doors as giant shields. That should sound totally awesome to behold, something Takashi Miike could easily do for critical acclaim at a more limited budget. Instead, all of the negative energy of the proceeding chapters wipes out any and all future excitement. We are thus left in a sad state of sorrow as talented performers such as Emile Hirsch and Olivia Thirlby embark on baffling stupid decisions and deliver whiny speeches about the power of humanity.
There is currently a movie company called The Asylum, who is infamously known for their schlocky takes of Hollywood blockbusters. THE DARKEST HOUR some how sinks far below their outputs, though guaranteeing itself for future weekend screenings with those movies on the Syfy channel. Not funny to enjoy in a "so bad it's good" mood, nor justified to see its screening times being displayed at your local theater.
FINAL REVIEW: 1 / 5
I'm really getting tired of the mediocre performance and output being done of the movie studios' marketing department when it comes to animated films. None of the people working in there have any idea how to entertain, grab the attention and ultimately sell an animated movie for mass consumption and appeal. Instead, they use flat jokes, play-on-swear words, and repeated smiling facades that wouldn't play in a grade school play, let alone Peoria.
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS is one of the more recent victims, since the monotone ad campaigns and criminally banal poster art hide a bountiful treat for the holiday season. It is justifiably joyous and has proper adult humor, namely with its plot that makes Christmas to be so completely corporation-driven, it has spread into the day to day operations of the North Pole. Santa Claus is no longer the magical gift-giver. He is now only a figure-head for symbolism and commercialism; a stooge and a old coot.
Powered by a flying battle-cruiser shaped like a sleigh called the S-1 and performed by acrobatic squads of elves instead of just jolly ole St. Nick, the laying of gifts is technologically ordered and done military-style at the hands of Steve, Santa Claus' oldest son and possible heir to the position. "Santa", who is 71 years old and was once named Malcolm, has the absolute power over everything but he is unable, nor wants to handle the now more complicated procedures. One present is found to be undelivered, a bike for a little girl in England, and the two agree and believe that it is an okay loss and mistake, most definitely once data and spread sheets backs them up. However, Santa's younger son Arthur, a klutz forcibly but lovingly embedded in the letter-reading and writing department, refuses to comply and decides to bring the bicycle to the girl before the sun rises in her neck of the woods.
This sounds pretty heavy for a holiday movie but the people at Sony and Aardman Animations are able to handle it while keeping up a friendly and funny tone throughout for the kids in the audience. Unfortunately, this already dense film is filled to the brim with more ideas and can get way too busy at times. A subplot where the Arthur's bad directions and actions with the original and magical wooden sleigh are interpreted as presences of an U.F.O. is utter nonsense. Also, though Arthur is a charming protagonist, he is a little too plucky and innocent. He doesn't receive an acceptable character arc, always staying in neutral with his goofy demeanor.
Regardless, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS does have a heartfelt message and is a pleasant surprise for Christmas fare. The film is well animated, most especially with its opening sequence where the commando elves infiltrate and invade Denmark. There is a lot to behold and laugh at, whether it is too British or a minute in-joke in the background. Even with some superfluous moments, it is fun little adventure and an interesting satire.
FINAL REVIEW: 3 / 5
Steven Spielberg is currently one for one. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is what is other films are often mislabeled as; It is a true and true action-packed thrill ride. No joke, this film is filled far past the brim with action that it might get exhausting just to watch it. For instance, in one very long chapter on a freighter, our titled hero exits from holding cell and room, engages in some fist-a-cuffs, retrieves a key in a packed living quarters, stealthy does some business in the radio room, then haves an intense firefight with his opponents and before barely escaping with his and his friend's lives on a rescue boat. All of this happens just because Tintin likes model boats.
By purchasing a model of the lost pirate ship the Unicorn, the intrepid reporter Tintin (Jaime Bell) and his dog Snowy are forced into a dangerous scenario with evil criminals, deadly vendettas, and even a kleptomaniac pick-pocket. He eventually meets up with Captain Haddock, played by the always charismatic Andy Serkis, whose drunken demeanor and mindset withholds a tainted family legacy and a bevy of pirate treasure. The three travel all around the world for clues, only for the more smarter audience to figure out the mystery and final destination by the half-way point. Still, the adventure is very enthralling and it is fun to have a nice laugh at and with the "gee, wiz" aesthetic.
The film was filmed and created with 3D motion-captured animation, one of the vilest film ideas to break out recently before kids began to learn about the uncanny valley. Here, Spielberg and his crew are able to work it to a high degree but retaining some of the same problems. The more cartoonish the character looks, such as Haddock and the detectives Thomson & Thompson, the better to easily go with the flow. However, some such as Tintin are kind of scary at times with their blank dead eyes. There is also the ugly displays of seeing fluid body movements on characters with stiff, misshapen heads. The latter is more apparent in any of the vibrant crowd scenes.
Still, the greatest hits of action spectacle is hard not to appreciate, most definitely the jaw-dropping one-take chase sequence in Bagghar. I also greatly adored the animation just outside the frame or in the background; whether it is Snowy's walking on spent alcohol bottles or a subplot involving a town's water shortage, Spielberg paid no expense to the landscape. Though the swashbuckling nature loses some luster and can lose a person's attention, the film is one great animated film and a classic movie serial under two hours.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
