While 2011 box office numbers were down and people griped about sequels dominating the theaters, the truth is that there were tons of great films out there. I definitely saw some that stunk, but the seasons that promised quality definitely delivered. The summer had massive blockbusters, the late fall brought on the award show buzz and many new faces came along who are happy we paid that 3D surcharge.
My top ten film list is based on 105 different films, which I saw in theaters during 113 trips. Let’s just say I saw a few movies more than once.
(Click titles to read full reviews)
In order to give Crazy, Stupid, Love justice I would have to spoil some cringe-worthy and surprising plot elements. I won’t do that, but let’s just say that the audience doesn’t see the best scenes in the movie coming at all. Unpredictability and romantic comedies don’t usually go together, so it’s quite a testament to the script and directors for not giving away their secrets too early.
One of the many successful aspects of Rise is the willingness to get away from the expected and iconic imagery of the past films. There is no Statue of Liberty scene and no instances of a human man kissing an ape woman. Only the inclusion of the famed “you damn dirty ape” line made the cut. From there the movie is much less an action blockbuster than intellectual thriller.
The reach of this film is massive. After five years since Mission: Impossible 3, this fourth installment goes for it, pushing the limits of a film that looks like it cost significantly more than its $145 million budget.
Based on the Philip K. Dick short story, Bureau is one of those rare movies that give over-saturated moviegoers a well-executed, unique story. I would put it just a step behind Inception in the realm of sci-fi creativity.
The two women are the real stars here, providing a powerfully real look at how emotions would take hold in this apocalyptic situation. Melancholia is heart-breakingly sad, but somehow the viewer can walk away with fulfillment because it is such an intense study of human emotion.
Tinker has the strong sense of classic espionage thrillers. There is no need for fast-paced chase scenes because the tension is already there. All the characters have a seedy sense to them that gives credit to how authentic the film comes across.
Taking out all of the specifics regarding sound and color, The Artist is an interesting story full of strong storytelling and quality characters. The film would likely appeal to moviegoers from any point in the last 80 years.
Even with sad moments and high drama, the film is a pleasing cinematic experience. The pacing is reminiscent of mid-century romances, and even though the boy doesn’t get the girl in the end, it isn’t that important. Colin was never going to win over Marilyn Monroe. The movie is too real for that type of fairytale ending.
A long film, War Horse is a story that needs that time to build up the audience’s emotion. There are so many casualties in the film that this horse becomes as much of a morale boost to the viewer as he is for the characters he interacts with.
Harry Potter has proven to be one of the most important stories in cinematic history because of its consistent quality and influence on a multi-billion dollar industry. For this reason, plus my own personal admiration, I can’t put a score on Deathly Hallows Part II. But if I wanted to completely show my bias, I could just say that numbers just don’t go high enough.
Honorable Mentions: The remaining films that received a score higher than 9.0
(Please leave your top ten list in the comments and let us know why you liked what you did.)
The Oscars are strange. I’ve seen the movies, I enjoyed a good number of them, yet I’m never quite satisfied when the award show is over. There are of course the moments where Queen Amidala, Batman, the Joker, and a Tarantino Nazi win the trophies, but that just isn’t enough. (Natalie Portman and Christian Bale did not win for their performances in Star Wars and Batman, but for their work in Black Swan and The Fighter respectively.)
