Best Films of 2011 Part 1

                                                                                                                                                               

I thought this was an excellent year for film. More than anything this year, I think we saw a significant rise in independent filmmaking. I believe almost all of the films on the list below were either independent films, or limited release pictures. I also thought in the spirit of it being 2011, I would list my eleven favorite films of the year.

Overall I agonized many hours over this list, in particular I had trouble slotting my top six.  Any list, of course, should be taken with a grain of salt, as they are arbitrary by definition. It is also difficult to really place films that are completely different in genre and subject matter, and place them into a eleven-slot list. Anyway here is my much-suffered over list of my eleven favorite films of 2011.

11. Source Code

Duncan Jones may be the best up-and-coming science fiction director around today. After directing the excellent 2009 film "Moon" Jones went on to "Source Code," trading in the existentialism of space to that of time travel. "Source Code" is essentially one part "Matrix," "Groundhog Day," and "12 Monkeys" mixed well into a thriller that is not overtly pretentious or sentimental. Jones paces the action very well, building tension until the film reaches it's climax. The shooting of the film is also very well done, creating a disorienting atmosphere that leaves us as confused as our main character. Jake Gyllenhal is also excellent as Colter Stevens, our time-traveling hero. "Source Code" is a fun ride, and another entry into the filmography of the increasingly prolific Jones.

10. The Help-

“The Help” was essentially carried by three performances: Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, and Jessica Chastain. Each of these women were terrific in their respective roles and added a genuine element that is necessary to create an effective film commenting on race. I think their three roles more than make up for Bryce Dallas Howard's performance as Hilly Holbrook in the film. It's not necessarily the fact that Dallas Howard is awful as Holbrook, but her character is just to predictable. Similar to her performance in "50/50" Dallas Howard merely acts as a lightning rod for the viewers ire, soaking in all the displeasure so other characters can shine. The gesture seems noble, but really it just oversimplifies the story. 

Other than that I thought "The Help" was very solid. "The Help" represents an important story told to us in the simplest of ways. This will leave the audience very happy, but it doesn't always make the greatest story. I think if "The Help" had taken a few more risks, than it would be even higher on this list. 

9. The Descendents

"The Descendents," more than any other film on this list, relies on real human emotion to drive it forward. Director Alexander Payne's story of a man named Matt King-George Clooney- who tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife's death can really be a sucker punch sometimes. Factor in Clooney's stellar performance and this is certainly one of the more "human" films of the year. I also think "The Descendents" presents enough ethical puzzles that the audience is really engaged throughout it's 115 minute runtime. At times I thought this film became a little too dramatic, but for the most part I thought it was a genuine film about people dealing with awful tragedy.

8. Hugo

Initially “Hugo” seemed like a weird choice for Director Martin Scorsese, but I think it’s clear now “Hugo” is Scorsese’s comment on the need for film preservation. I think the book “The Invention of Hugo Cabaret” must have spoke to him on some personal level and prompted the making of a very heartfelt, genuine film.

“Hugo” I think is simply a movie about the mystique of movies. It’s almost cliché to write this now, but it is a story that tries to remind us why we like the movies. I think this is achieved mostly due to the good performance of Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabaret. Scorsese also gets some strong supporting work from Jude Law and Ben Kingsley. The one main shortcoming of the film, I thought, was Sacha Baron Coen’s performance as the station inspector. His role was greatly expanded from that of the book and I’m not exactly sure why. It never feels like he adds much to the story.

Shortcomings aside, “Hugo” is a very enjoyable film about the thrill of watching movies. It may not have the depth of some of the other films this year, but it definitely should give you enough viewing pleasure while watching.

7.  Moneyball (Full Review Here)

I thought “Moneyball” was this year’s “The Social Network”- a story of an out-of-the box thinker trying to incorporate radical ideas in an unhelpful society. In the case of “The Social Network” the society was Harvard and eventually the courtroom. In “Moneyball” our society is the world of baseball, where tough scouts make their decisions based on what they think a prospect can do. I thought “Moneyball” outdid it’s literary brother in terms of creating an interesting narrative to follow. At times it feels a little tedious, but for the most part I thought it told a tight story.

The film also gets a terrific performance out of Pitt, who really makes you buy into the fact he is Billy Beane. Pitt’s performance represents a man driven to define himself after earlier failures, and I think it may be his best performance to date.

The other real highlight of the film is its score, which sets the tone for any scene we are in perfectly. "Moneyball" represents the juxtaposition of the economics and people, and in a time of turbulent economy it is as timely as can be. This may be the best sports movie since "The Damned United," and was certainly a fine entry for this year.