Top 10 Films of 2011

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The box office may have struggled heavily in 2011, but there were still many films worth watching. This is my list for the Top 10 Movies of 2011. There are some movies I haven’t seen that may qualify to be in the Top 10, and you may not have seen all of these movies, but I can assure you that all of them are worth checking out. All critics have differing opinions, so I don’t expect my list to be the same as many other people. Let’s start.

10. Midnight in Paris

Midnight in Paris seems like an unlikely choice because Woody Allen hasn’t made a good film in a long time. I wouldn’t even consider some of his ‘better’ films to be that good. However, with Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen regains some of his reputation as a quality director, and he’s even been nominated for a Golden Globe. Midnight in Paris is a simple film, and you probably won’t know many of the historical figures mentioned in the film (unless you know your artistic history from the 1920s). Owen Wilson delivers a great performance, and has great chemistry with his co-star, Marion Cotillard. The true quality of the film lies in the message it delivers: the present will always be slightly disappointing to everyone, but we should not try to idealize the past. Every single era has its moments and highlights, and we cannot fully enjoy our lives unless we understand this and value everything we are blessed with in the present.

9. Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol

It would be a mistake to miss the fourth installment in the Mission Impossible series, as it is the best and most entertaining. With a superior cast, excellent special effects and an insane scene by Tom Cruise, it’s not worth missing being seen on the big screen. For a more detailed review on the film, click here.

8. Moneyball

Moneyball is just one of the few Brad Pitt films that demonstrate his superb acting ability. He is able to diversify into any role and is one of the best current actors in Hollywood. As for the film, it has been a while since a great sports film has been released. Sports films haven’t necessarily been blockbusters in the past, so it’s understandable that they do not appear to be an attractive investment for movie producers. However, Moneyball was far from being a bomb, and it was propelled by the excellent reviews it was receiving from all sides. I’m not a huge fan of sports films, especially baseball (which I cannot stand watching), yet it was able to win me over. Good directing and great performances, along with a true story describing Oakland’s revolutionary scouting system led Moneyball to the top of the list of sports films and one of the best films of 2011.

7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I still think Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the surprise film of the year. Tim Burton’s film was successful at the box office, but it was not very good. Another issue many people had with this year’s prequel to the franchise was that it’s very dependent on CGI. All of the apes are computer-generated and the film relies on its special effects. However, it does not fail to impress, and led by an awesome performance by Andy Serkis as Caesar, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an excellent film that not only revives the franchise, but ends up being the best one of the 7 films. Check out my review here.

6. The Descendants

George Clooney is set to receive another Oscar for his performance in The Descendants. He won the Golden Globe and I don’t expect anyone to beat him out of the top award (except a possible surprise win by Brad Pitt in Moneyball). The Descendants is a depressing film that deals with everyday problems (family issues are present more often than most of us are aware), and with strong performances from all the actors, it makes for a great film and one that is worthy of an Oscar. The screwed up family genre doesn’t always make for the brightest of films, but you can typically count on it being a good movie (the 2000 Oscar winner, American Beauty, is about as screwed up as a family can get). You can read my review of The Descendants here.

5. X-Men: First Class

I haven’t seen X2 in some time, so I’m unable to say if First Class is the best X-Men film or it is right behind the second installment. First Class took a risk by making a film with a new, young group of actors and basically rebooting the series (not to mention that Hugh Jackman – Wolverine, the best character – was not in the film). It takes place during the time when Professor X and Magneto met and fought alongside each other, and it is a prequel to previous X-Men films. The risk paid off, with a spectacular script, a great performance by Michael Fassbender as Magneto, and great special effects that were able to keep audiences engaged. First Class is one of the year’s best films, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on the best superhero movie of the year.

4. The Artist

The Artist doesn’t belong in this year, in this decade or even in the last half century. It’s a black-and-white film about a silent film actor in the late 1920s whose career and life fall apart when films with sound begin to take over cinema and silent films disappear. There really haven’t been any black-and-white films made in a long time, and it’s no doubt a nostalgic feeling for those older critics to watch a good film that is made in the same style of those films back when they were younger (in fact, it was even before their time). The two lead actors give strong performances and the film has a good script and excellent music throughout. The Artist is the frontrunner to win the Best Picture Academy Award, and I can’t complain. Even though I don’t consider it to be the best film of the year, it has undeniable charm and it is a joy to watch. Younger generations should watch The Artist and experience how cinema used to be, back when every movie was quality, and when studios didn’t make bad films just because they can generate good profits (ie. Transformers 2 and 3).

3. Drive

First of all, I just want to mention that Albert Brooks’ performance in Drive is overrated and even though many Drive fans are complaining and saying he should have gotten an Oscar nomination, I wouldn’t say his performance was Oscar worthy. As for the film, it’s definitely one of the best of the year, and it’s a shame that the Academy doesn’t recognize it as such. It is also the best directed film of the year, but Refn has been shafted on many occasions in this awards season and clearly isn’t being recognized as he should be by critics. Ryan Gosling is excellent, and just wait for the second half of the film. Read my review here and go check out the film for yourself.

2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Not having read the book, I had no idea what was going to happen in the film. It’s been some time since there’s been a good mystery film released, and GWDT is made excellently. I’m sure the book is better, but as a movie, it keeps you engaged and delivers the twist well. I’m not too satisfied with how graphic some of the scenes were (if you watched the film or read the book, you’ll know what I’m talking about), as I felt it was unnecessary by Fincher to show as much as he did and make the scenes last longer than they had to. Nevertheless, led by strong performances, good directing otherwise, and an excellent score, GWDT is definitely one of the best films of 2011.

1. Happy Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part II

With Harry Potter, it’s tough to decide where to place it. Even though it’s probably not the best film of the year, it’s an incredibly satisfying finish to one of the greatest franchises of all time, and it’ll be sad knowing that there will be no more Harry Potter films (until the franchise gets rebooted). My review is here.

Throwback Thursdays #6

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In the words of LL Cool J, don't call it a comeback. After a long break (mostly due to exams but also some laziness on our part) since our last throwback thursday post, Jovan and I decided to once more choose 3 songs from the past and write our feelings about them. If you want to read the old ones, they can be found here, here, here, here, and here. Finally the photo is of the cast of Student Bodies, a YTV show that was and still is very entertaining to watch. Full episodes can be found on Youtube (my personal favourite is when the guys get their car stranded on an abandoned "haunted" road). If you have no idea what I'm talking about then I feel bad for your childhood.

Luka:

Bad Meets Evil - Scary Movies

The first single from the Detroit duo that had a hit with this year's Bad Meets Evil: Hell the Sequel. This song has that classic 90's rap feel with both of the Detroit emcees delivering clever and memorable lines. Eminem is at his nasally-best here with lines like "I'm sicker than a Tupac dedication to Biggie". I enjoyed their album that came out this year but one can only wonder how both their careers would have changed if they had remained as a group back in the day.

Craig David - Seven Days

I really like this song for reasons that are unclear to me. It might be the video where Craig decides to retell his story about a girl to his friends at the most stereotypical African-American hangout, the barbershop. Only things missing was some fried chicken and some kool-aid. Regardless of that the video has a cool plot with Craig getting multiple chances to get with the girl he wants (think Groundhog day). Craig's hair in the video is strange to say the least. It's a mix between an afro and spiky hair but the spikes are flat (see I wasn't lying, very confusing). The song itself is easy-listening and catchy with lyrics about what he's going to do with the girl on each day of the week. One more thing, does anyone else think the girl who breaks her high heel in the video is better than the girl Craig wants?

Kobe Bryant ft. Tyra Banks - K.O.B.E.

No you didn't read that wrong. This is a rap song by Kobe Bryant featuring Tyra Banks. I'll let that sink in for a bit. Why did Kobe do this? I'm not sure but it was in the era where every NBA player just assumed he could rap (see Allen Iverson and Shaq). Sadly, Kobe can't rap. Although it's still fun to listen to because even after hearing this song countless times, I am still not sure whether or not it's a joke. I thought this song was suitable for this week because of Kobe's current off-court issues. I'm still waiting on Kobe's press conference where he admits to cheating on his wife with 100+ women but that all of the sex was consensual (too soon?)

Jovan:

Good Charlotte - The Anthem

If you’ve seen American Pie 2, you know this song. The music in the American Pie franchise is amazing and I’m always relating songs from certain bands to those movies. The Anthem is one of few Good Charlotte songs that I actually like (another good song is Last Night, which is played in the trailer for American Reunion) and it always reminds me of American Pie. It’s a good feeling – a nostalgic feeling – and I look forward to hearing some more great songs on the American Reunion soundtrack.

Desire - Under Your Spell

Under Your Spell is a terrific song from the 80s that demonstrates the quality and great style of music in that decade. It’s one of three fantastic songs that are heard in the soundtrack for Drive (the others two are A Real Hero by College, featuring Electric Youth and Nightcall by Kavinsky). There aren’t any current songs that can match the style of this song, and it’s expected as music continues to evolve. But I can tell you that there also aren’t many songs that come even close to having the charm and appeal of the three songs from Drive. I’m glad Nicolas Winding Refn made Drive.I’m glad that I was exposed to such amazing music.

Eminem - Kill You

Even though this song is completely different from the above two I have mentioned, it is one of Eminem’s best songs released during the prime of his rap career. The lyrics are very vulgar (Eminem’s 2001 concert in Toronto was almost cancelled because of this song) and I wouldn’t blame any girl for not liking this Eminem song, but lyrically, it stands as one of his best. The first verse is spectacular and flows very well, with much emotion being shown from Eminem (he yells in his current songs more often than before,but listen to Kill You and tell me he’s not yelling – Dre hasn’t been mixing Eminem’s recent songs which may be a reason as to why he’s seems to be yelling more). Marshall Mathers LP is Eminem’s best album (and it was robbed at the Grammy’s), and Kill You is definitely worth checking out if you have the album on hand.

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Should You Watch the Golden Globes?

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The Golden Globes are typically an indicator of how the Oscars will turn out. However, that hasn’t been the case in the last few years. Avatar and Jim Cameron won at the Globes, while The Hurt Locker and Kathryn Bigelow won at the Oscars. The following year, The Social Network and David Fincher won at the Globes, but the Oscars were handed to The King’s Speech and Tom Hooper.

Everyone already disregards the Golden Globes as an important awards show, as the Oscars are more important for movies, while the Emmy’s are more important for TV shows. Based on results in the past few years, it does not matter who wins at the Golden Globes because the Oscars are a completely different show. However, I expect to see the same winner at the Globes (in the Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy category) and the Oscars this time around.

The Golden Globes aren’t far away, but it feels like they shouldn’t even come this time around. It’s expected that every year there are going to be snubs (this includes the Oscars) and fans of those deserving movies, shows and actors will undoubtedly be disappointed. There are also undeserving films that are nominated simply for the pleasure of fans. A few years ago, The Blind Side was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and even though it is a good movie, it was evident that its nomination was an attempt to attract viewers and increase ratings. The undeserving film that has been nominated for Best Motion Picture this year is The Ides of March. The film is led by strong performances from Ryan Gosling and George Clooney, but it is a typical political film with no major surprises. In the end, The Ides of March is a very average film. I don’t even know why there are six nominations instead of five. The film has no chance of winning and should have been left out of the category. Ryan Gosling’s nomination for Best Actor also comes as a surprise. His performance was solid, but I was expecting Gary Oldman to get nominated for Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy, with all the credit critics have been giving him for his performance. Regardless, I expect George Clooney to win the Golden Globe in this category for his performance in The Descendants.

The Artist leads the Globes with 6 nominations, unsurprisingly, as a black-and-white film without dialogue, set in the 1920s. Critics praise any movie that involves early cinema and moviemaking, and given the apparent quality of The Artist, which I have yet to see, it’s a lock for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, and probably for Best Picture at the Oscars.

Drive received only one nomination – Albert Brooks for his supporting performance as the film’s antagonist. I understand that he hasn’t acted in some time and that he is regarded as a good actor, but his performance in Drive was nothing spectacular, and the voters could have given his nomination to a more deserving actor. I would also replace Drive for The Ides of March in the Best Picture category, but this is not my main complaint. Drive might be the best directed film of the year, yet Nicolas Winding Refn was completely overlooked by the voters and the Globe will go to a less deserving director.

I’m also curious as to how The Muppets doesn’t have a single song nominated at the Globes, yet it has been getting numerous nominations at other award shows (mainly critics’ awards). It’s not a complaint because I haven’t listened to them, but I do not understand why the Globes are trying to be so different.

The obvious snub in the Best Television Series – Drama category is Breaking Bad. It is regarded as one of the best shows on television all across the internet and it is nominated at the Emmy’s every single year, yet the Globes are choosing to nominate Boss and American Horror Story over it. Personally, I hope Game of Thrones wins the category, seeing as it is the only nominated show that I have watched. Adding on to the Breaking Bad snub, it’s disappointing to see that Aaron Paul is not nominated. He won an Emmy for his performance in the show’s third season, but has yet to receive a Golden Globe nomination. At least Bryan Cranston was recognized for his terrific performance.

There are more snubs and underserving nominations, but these are some of the biggest in my opinion. The Golden Globes do not deserve to get good ratings given all of the snubs, but if you are planning on watching the award ceremony (even though there really is no point), at least you can look forward to seeing Ricky Gervais return once again and give an inappropriate and funny performance as the show’s host.