- 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.
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