My Top 25 Favorite Movies of 2011, Part 5: Final Chapter

I'm not even going to bother appointing a "Worst Movie of 2011" award this year, primarily because I try to avoid seeing movies that I know I'm going to hate.  Of the movies I willingly sat through, the likeliest candidate would be "Beastly".  I enjoy great love stories, but this is not one of them.  It's a glorification story about lust-driven co dependence, something that teens often mistake for love but really isn't.  Need I mention "Twilight"?

"Beastly" probably isn't the worst film of the year, though.  I'm betting that both Adam Sandler's "Jack and Jill" or "Atlas Shrugged, Part 1" were far more shittastic.  Or they may be brilliant, I don't know.

Sure they are.

And now may I present to you my final five faves of 2011.  These are my most favorite movies of that year, ending with the movie that I consider to be my #1 pick, which is unusual because I can rarely ever narrow my choices down to just one.  For instance, if you were to put a gun to my head and make me choose my favorite movie of all time my automatic answer would be Terry Gilliam's "Brazil", but that's not entirely true.  I really couldn't pick just one unless my life depended on it.  In 2011, though, I can steadfastly say there was one movie that I consider to be Top Dog.  And I will save it for last.


- Super -

"Shut up, crime!"  That's my favorite catchphrase of the year, as spoken by Rainn Wilson in the gleefully demented, yet brutally honest deconstructionist superhero/vigilante comedy "Super".  Similar to the equally hard-edged "Kick-Ass" but with far less of a slick pop culture/mainstream veneer, this is almost like a Troma Studios version of that same film (see also "Hobo With a Shotgun").  What a coincidence, because writer/director James Gunn used to work for Troma until he moved to the majors - his previous movie was the entertaining monster movie comedy "Slither".  For all of its shocking gore, uproarious humor, sharp societal commentary, and the underdeveloped childlike innocence of its protagonist, the movie has a true, meaningful heart that beats like a drum and bursts forth full force during the final scene.  This movie ends on a perfect note which caps off the story perfectly - you will be taken "through the ringer" during the rollercoaster ride of the story but, trust me, it's well worth it.

- Rise of the Planet of the Apes -

I been a "Planet of the Apes" fan since I was a little bastard.  The original was always my favorite, but I enjoyed the sequels as well.  Even the short-lived live action T.V. series kept my attention.  Just don't get me started on that horrible Tim Burton-directed remake from 2001.  Except for the well-done ape makeups by Rick Baker, it was crap, so you could imagine my skepticism when going to see this new reboot from some guy named Rupert Wyatt.  Well I'll be a monkey's uncle if this movie didn't grab me.  Surprisingly subtle, character-driven and solid as all heck, this remake of the fourth apes movie ("Conquest of the Planet of the Apes") details the primate revolution started by a super intelligent ape named Caesar.  Brilliant actor Andy Serkis (Gollum from "Lord of the Rings", who previously played a big ape as the title character in Peter Jackson's "King Kong") portrays Caesar and is the heart of the movie.  In fact, his portrayal is my pick for best acting performance of 2011.  You become so wrapped up in the story that you completely forget the visual effects side of it.  This movie ranks right up there with recent reboots like "Star Trek", "Casino Royale" and "Batman Begins".

- 13 Assassins -

Turning Japanese.  I think I'm turning Japanese.  I really think so, because I really dig samurai films.  "Seven Samurai" is the one most often referred to as the best samurai flick - most film lovers agree that it's one of the best films of all time, period (I agree).  But there are so many good ones out there - "Kagemusha", "Samurai Assassin", "Throne of Blood", "After the Rain", "The Hidden Blade", "The Hidden Fortress", "Yojimbo", "Harakiri", "Ran", and on and on.  Add to that list "13 Assassins" from director Takashi "Madman" Miike.  Clearly influenced by many of these films, Miike adds his own painterly eye, lyrical storytelling prowess and love of carefully coordinated chaos to this timeworn tale of a group of warriors in 19th century Japan who are hired by the Shogunate to ambush and take down a corrupt politician. It's simple - set up the villain, introduce the heroes, set up the plan, execute the plan, The End.  It's the best action film of 2011, hands down.  And this is one of those rare cases where I actually prefer the edited down American version over the original Japanese version.  Scenes featuring Miike's perverse, over-the-top sense of humor are cut out, which, in this case, is good for the whole.  Those scenes just feel out of joint with the rest of the movie - what's left is a lean, mean limb-hacking machine.

- The Muppets -

I don't get along with anybody who hates the Muppets.  Those people frighten me.  How anyone could something so clearly born out of love, as the Muppets are, is beyond my comprehension.  Sure, the Muppet brand has been a lifeless franchise from about the mid-90s through the 2000s, but only because the bean counters took the reins and sucked most of the life out of it.  There were still signs of life, however, as those who loved the Muppets tried hard to keep the dream alive - "Muppets Tonight", the introduction of Pepe the Prawn - but still it faded.  Then along came, of all things, the Walt Disney Corporation.  Once a faceless, soulless entity, the new head honchos at Disney realized one important thing about the art of moviemaking - Do Not Meddle.  Let the filmmakers do their thing.  So when they acquired the Muppet franchise they brought in talented people - actor/writer Jason Segel and director James Bobin (of "Flight of the Conchords") - and turned them loose.  The result - "The Muppets", a love letter to Jim Henson and his timeless creations which brought the opening night crowd of the theater I attended to a full-on standing ovation.  Pure joy.

And now I would like to present my favorite movie of 2011.

Drumroll, please. . .


- Take Shelter -

I wasn't lucky enough to catch this one in theaters, I had to wait to see it on DVD.  However, as soon as I had finished my first viewing I turned around and watched it a second time in a row - it's that good.  This is a hard one to recommend.  When you tell people that it's a drama about a hard working man with paranoid schizophrenia who's trying his best to keep his family together, it just doesn't sound like a fun night at the movies.  But from its moody opening shots to its strangely exhilarating finale, it's absolutely worth it.  Director Jeff Nichols has put together a prime slow cooker of a movie, a movie that takes its time and builds deliberately towards an emotional climax, punctuated by the occasional creepy/startling schizoid vision and accompanied by the ethereal tunes of composer David Wingo.  The real burden of the movie rests on its two main actors - Michael Shannon and JESSICA CHASTAIN.  Shannon gives a pitched-perfect understated performance, the kind of character where every subtle tic is equal to an atomic explosion of epic emotional expression, while Chastain is the backbone and heart of the movie, the real hero of the tale.  Both performances are honest and real, as are all of the supporting characters (there really aren't very many characters - it's a low budget movie, after all).  In conclusion, it's my #1 recommendation of 2011.

See you one year from now with my 2012 list!

My Top 25 Favorite Movies of 2011, Part 4

- Rubber -

Why do I love this movie so much?

No reason.

- The Help -

BlahblahblahJessicaChastainblahblahblah. . ."Oh boy, here he goes again."  Yes, once more I've put a movie on my list featuring the fantastic Miss Chastain.  I'm not doing it because I have a crush on her -seriously, it's a great film that probably would have landed here anyway.  She really doesn't have all that much screen time in the movie, comparatively speaking, yet still she makes an impression, as evidenced by the Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination she received for her role.  Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, the film centers around the lives of African-American women in the 1960s who work as maids and child-rearers for mid-to-upper class white folk in the South.  As a Northern boy, I was sadly unfamiliar with this societal arrangement.  Thanks to "The Help", now I have a window into that world which not only serves as a loving tribute to these women, but is a damn entertaining ride as well.  Director Tate Taylor (who is best friends with the novel's author, btw) has put together a solid work of art here.  The cast is across-the-boards fantastic - from Viola Davis, who is the heart and soul of the film (and was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar), to her cohort Octavia Spencer, to Bryce Dallas Howard (one of the best villains of 2011), to the main character portrayed by Emma Stone, to that one extra in the background of scene 43, all are fantastic.  It's heartwarming, moving, funny and interesting - one of the best of 2011.

And Jessica Chastain is in it, too.

- Source Code -

From Duncan Jones, director of "Moon" (and son of David Bowie), comes this tightly-wrapped science fiction tale of alternate universes, time travel, identity theft, mad bombers and second chances.  What could have been a confusing tale of a helicopter pilot whose mind is sent back in time into the body of a man who's been killed by a terrorist bombing on a train in order to find and stop that terrorist from setting off any more bombs all while falling for the pretty woman who sits across for him, saving her life, trying to figure out what happened to him back in futureworld, how his dad's been doing, dealing with living the same 8 minutes over and over and over again, sifting through a trainload of suspects, fighting authority figures, dying far too often, going crazy, seeing visions, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria. . . aw, damn that's confusing.  However, thanks to Mister Jones and the acting chops of star Jake Gyllenhaal, the movie is not.  It's an economically made thriller with plenty of food for thought, some surprisingly moving moments, lots of great acting, exciting action scenes and a special vocal cameo appearance by Scott Bakula in a tribute to the classic sci-fi T.V. series "Quantum Leap".

- Horrible Bosses -

Every year, there always seems to be one mainstream comedy that ends up on my list.  Previously, films like "The Hangover" and "Hot Tub Time Machine" graced my blog simply because I enjoy them and watch them repeatedly (Sneak Peek - next year's list will feature "21 Jump Street").  "Horrible Bosses" by Seth Gordon is 2011's pick.  I've never worked for a horrible boss in my lifetime.  I've had a couple of lousy bosses, but no really horrible ones.  Satan has not been my supervisor, yet I can still relate to that situation, as most everyone can.  Granted, most of the bosses in "Horrible Bosses" are overly exaggerated, cartoonish characters, but it's an overly exaggerated, cartoonish caper comedy, so they fit nicely.  The real joy in this movie is following this trio of everyday doofuses (doofii?) as they plot the demises of their respective supervisors, and then laugh as things go terribly, terribly wrong.  Sprinkle in a few colorful side characters, lots of profanity and naughtiness, engaging lead actors (Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis), a driving soundtrack and plenty of ridiculous shenanigans, and you have one damn funny flick.  It makes me laugh.  It's not subtle, but what can I say, I'm a simpleton.



- Attack the Block -

Bring your translator.  Seriously, bring something that will help you translate modern Londoner youth slang into English because, unless you are a modern Londoner youth, you may be left scratching your head in confusion.  After watching this movie a few times, I'm starting to get the hang of it.  A little.  Okay, I get the basic gist of it, and that's adequate enough.  Cinema is a primarily visual medium - dialogue takes a backseat.  You should be able to get what's happening onscreen even if you can't understand what's being said - which was exactly where my mindset was when I saw this movie the first couple of times.  All talk of dialogue aside, it's a great creature feature, a tongue-in-cheek British comedy and a socioeconomic character piece all in one package.  When a gang of miscreants incite a group of alien beasties to, well, "attack their block", these same miscreants must now deal with the horror they've brought down and defend the people they once mugged and assaulted on the streets.  It's an urban fable, with lively performances from the kids, eye-catching cinematography, fast-paced action, off-the-cuff humor and outstanding creatures who may seem simple in design (deceptively so) but come across as unique and scary.  Feel me, fam?

Please stop touching me.

Stay tuned!  Next time, I'll reveal my five ultimate favorites of 2011.

Have an Evil Dead St. Patty's Day!

Shifty Bastard says:

Have a happy and safe Saint Patrick's Day Weekend!

Only 21 days until the new "Evil Dead" movie comes out!

What the hell does the Evil Dead series have to do with St. Patty's Day?

Absolutely nothing!!!