TOP 3 MOVIES I SAW IN 2011
by Benn Ray
You know what? I saw a lot of shit movies in 2011. Well, not a lot - but I saw as many shit movies as decent movies. But then I didn't go to the theater a whole helluva lot. Movie theaters feel less magical and more hasslely lately.
There are three main theaters I go to in Baltimore.
The Charles is, I guess, my homefield theater.
Then there's the beloved Senator which, after all the hullabaloo, was back in action this year, but frankly, you'd barely know it. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the Senator is still a movie theater as opposed to a community center, a venue for puppet shows or a jam band radio station/performance hall, but if there was any reason for me to see a movie there this year, they didn't do much to make that apparent. I did see the final Harry Potter film there, but that was it.
And then there's the Landmark. Remember when people were fretting over another supposed "multi-screen art house theater" opening in Baltimore? Some of us were worried about what it would do to The Charles? Seems kind of funny now to think of the Landmark as anything but a mainstream movie theater with a bar.
First, it's a weird "neighborhood" to go to. That Inner Harbor East is full of pod people. Whenever I go there, I wonder who all these people are and what they've done to my city. Then there's the parking. I'm not a fan parking garages or paying to park in general, then add that to the Inner Harbor East weirdness and the movie ticket prices - even after the validated ticket - well - all these things add up to making me a reluctant Landmark goer. Plus, the last time I was there I ended up in a fight with a talker largely due to the way the theater handled the situation, and I suspect the issue I had is not an isolated one and one that is indicative of the future moviegoing experience the Landmark will deliver.
I also got to speak to two different sets of filmmakers who were making documentaries about two of my favorite bands. One is called The Sweet Rock: The Red Weasel Story which should be coming out this year, and another as-yet unnamed project about Double Dagger.
I saw some great films at the Maryland Film Festival this year by friends who I couldn't be prouder of - Josh Slates' Small Pond and Michael Tully's Septien were both cinematic highlights for me (and also Skizz Cyzyk's Freaks In Love which I didn't get a chance to see at the festival because of scheduling conflicts but really wanted to) .
But as far as good movies I saw in 2011, whelp, the best I could come up with was a list of 3 good movies.
1. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn, dir.)
Everyone in this movie was perfect - from Ryan Gosling to Albert Brooks. It's a modern take on the classic Steve McQueen driving movie and an update of L.A. Noir at the same time. Super-stylized, this thing is just beautiful to watch. Not to mention the oddity of Gosling's driver. Is he just a quiet, tough guy, or is he slightly touched? Drive was a complete surprise and a is complete must-see. I kind of want to watch it every day.
2. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen, dir.)
Years ago, I was a huge Woody Allen fan. As the '90s drew to a close, I began to suspect that Woody had nothing left to say to me. And then I saw Midnight In Paris. As much a love letter to Paris as Manhattan is to New York, Midnight is gorgeous and funny. Owen Wilson's Woody Allen character conveys neuroses and comedy while not seeming flat, dull or creepy (which are qualities often conveyed by other actors playing Allen's protagonists). Allen creates in Hemingway a character I wish was alive and running around Baltimore, and Adrien Brody's Dali is nothing short of inspired. And on top of that, Woody's take on nostalgia, which is what Midnight is all about, is spot on and completely unexpected from him.
3. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller, dir.)
I love a good baseball movie - even if harldly any of the movie takes place on the field. Moneyball is about much more than baseball. It's about those without money finding a way to compete with those with a lot money. It's about the difficulty of introducing new ideas - ideas that threaten people. And it's about attitudes, entrenched institutions and ingenuity.
But here's the thing, Billy Beane's (Brad Pitt) ideas are not unique. His idea of using statistics to build a team was actually pioneered by the Balitmore Orioles' Earl Weaver. The idea of using mulitple cheaper players to replace one marquee all-star was also an idea utilized by Earl Weaver - it's called Platooning. Weaver, incidentally, also was one of the first managers to use the radar gun on pitchers. Many folks think of Earl Weaver as this foul-mouthed, chainsmoking, short tempered dirt kicker, and he was (if he thought it would help him win a game), but he poineered everything you see in Moneyball, and in 16 years of managing, he only had 1 losing season and delivered 6 Eastern Division titles, 4 American League pennants, and a World Series championship. Only, he doesn't get any props in the movie (he is mentioned the book upon which the movie is based).
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TOP TEN MOVIES I SAW SCREENED IN BALTIMORE CITY IN 2011
by the Charm City Cineaste
USER’S GUIDE: Films were cut from the list that did not play Baltimore, even if they were worth noting. Revivals were excluded. Charm City Cineaste is a blog where I keep track of all the movies I see and briefly comment on them. Quotes are from said blog.
1. Melancholia
“Melancholia is why I go to the movies, to see and experience something new. Kirsten Dunst's character's wedding party, already a disaster, concludes at the beginning of a much bigger global one. Lars Von Trier captured the mood of my Fall inadvertently in film. Armageddon: now more than ever.” - Films Viewed, November 2011
2. Hugo
“Hugo 3D was such a direct hit on me that I feel like an unreliable praise-giver. A young boy lives in the walls of a train station, unraveling mysteries that have to do with his father and the birth of cinema. Charming, beautifully shot... a movie I want to live in.”- Films Viewed, November 2011
3. Shame
“Shame, a ‘date night’ movie from hell, proved to be a nice bracing alternative to the usual holiday cheer. A sex addict spirals as his sister arrives to complicate his life further. A stunningly crafted film that makes me want to see director Steve McQueen's first film.”- Films Viewed, December 2011
4. Bridesmaids
“I had a lot of faith in Bridesmaids, going to see it by myself on opening weekend as part of a vow I have made to see all of the many 2011 summer films of note. Now that the film has caught on and found its audience, I am happy for its success. Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and the rest of the cast put in stellar ensemble work in a very funny (and very raunchy) comedy.” - Films Viewed, May 2011
5. Putty Hill
“Putty Hill was just as fine time, the second sold-out 2010 Maryland Film Festival screening for this local filmmaker. As someone from these types of neighborhoods who has lost people to similar circumstances, I applaud this film for its sensitivity and nuance.” – Films Viewed, May 2010
“Putty Hill has been mentioned here before, and I stand by my original observations. Truly wonderful and challenging new American underground filmmaking.” -Films Viewed, March 2011
6. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
“Cave of Forgotten Dreams 3D invariably takes some explaining, as I had to travel to Georgetown in Washington DC to see it (in 3D). Werner Herzog was given unprecedented access to film a cave cut off from the world for eons to capture the oldest known pictorial creations of humankind. Excellent, magical. Looks like it opens in the Baltimore area this month, so my long and expensive day-trip may have been a folly. Oh well, I've gone further for less.” – Films Viewed, May 2011
7. Take Shelter
“Take Shelter is already clearly one of my films of the year. A family man struggles with apocalyptic visions in workaday Ohio. The masterful choices make the film powerful and effective, leaving the viewer guessing until the very end. Michael Shannon has never been more perfectly cast.” – Films Viewed, October 2011
8. Young Adult
“Seeing a preview of Young Adult was a nice alternative to the Mount Vernon Monument Lighting hoo-ha. A woman returns from the big city to try to re-kindle a romance with her high school sweetheart. So what if he is happily married and a new father? So what if she is an alcoholic train-wreck of a human being? Cruel and grim and very in tune with the status updates of my fellow class of 1994 high school graduates.” – Films Viewed, December 2011
9. The Future
“During a trip to Chicago, I saw The Future. Miranda July manages to stay true to the vision and voice of her debut film, but takes things in a much darker and despairing direction. A couple in their mid-thirties realizes that they are in their mid-thirties. Let us just say, in some ways, the film was a direct hit on the creeping dread of someone born in 1976. Should be playing at the Charles theater in the coming weeks.”- Films Viewed, August 2011
10. Meek’s Cutoff
“Meek's Cutoff was the first of a series of films seen on a weekend trip New York. Another winner from director Kelly Reichardt in which some pioneers become lost on the Oregon Trail (and, no, this has nothing to do with the beloved PC game). Revisionist Western? Feminist critique? Too slow and "nothing happens"? I am more with the former and less with the latter, but I dig on Antonioni. so...” – Films Viewed, April 2011
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FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2011
by Sarah Pinsker
I've only seen one movie since just before Thanksgiving, so I feel like I haven't seen a whole lot of this year's big films. In no particular order:
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 2
I thought both halves of the final movie were very well done. The kids have learned to act, the adults get meatier parts, and the action is both big enough and personal enough to hit all the right notes.
Paul
Not nearly as good as Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, but fun nonetheless, especially if you don't let anyone spoil the cameos.
Win Win
Great performances by Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, and some strange kid with some good wrestling moves.
Source Code
If you pick it apart there are flaws, but it played as smarter science fiction than most action SF movies.
Bridesmaids
Made me laugh, except for the one gross out scene, which I thought was completely unnecessary.
Beginners
Great performances, beautiful film.
Hanna
Stylish thriller, great action, unusual premise. I couldn't stand Cate Blanchett's hammy accent but liked it otherwise.
Super 8
Again, lots of holes to pick apart if you felt like it, but otherwise just a fun old school SF blockbuster.
Hugo
Lots of fun in 3D. A love letter to the power of cinema. A little disjointed - I felt like there were two separate movies going on, one about Hugo and one about Meliere - but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Ides of March
I'm not sure that I'd really put this in my top ten, but I had a lot of interesting discussions about various interpretations of what went on. Good performances, too.
Honorable mentions to the three fun Marvel flicks that came out this year:
Captain America
Thor
X Men: First Class
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FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2011
by Howard Yang
Melancholia
Contagion
Drive
Your Highness
MI4: Ghost Protocol
The Trip
Midnight In Paris
13 Assassins
Attack the Block
Tabloid
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TOP FILMS OF 2011
by Michael Tully, Hammer To Nail
1. Nostalgia For The Light (Patricio Guzman)
2. Take Shelter (Jeff Nichols)
3. A Separation (Asghar Farhadi)
4. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
5. Tuesday, After Christmas (Radu Muntean)
6. Weekend (Andrew Haigh)
7. Margaret (Kenneth Lonergan)
8. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
9. House of Pleasures (Bertrand Bonello)
10. In The Family (Patrick Wang)
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2011 HAMMER TO NAIL AWARDS
by Michael Tully, Hammer To Nail
For a hearty wrap-up on the year in independent American narrative cinema, follow this link to our annual Hammer To Nail Awards.
TOP 5 LEAD PERFORMANCES
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Yun Jung-hee, Poetry
Anna Paquin, Margaret
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
TOP 5 SUPPORTING PERFORMANCES
Jeannie Berlin, Margaret
Maria Popistasu, Tuesday, After Christmas
Sarina Farhadi, A Separation
Laramie Eppler, The Tree of Life
Tyrone Brown, Gun Hill Road
BEST DIRECTOR: Patricio Guzmán, Nostalgia For The Light
BEST DOCUMENTARY: Nostalgia For The Light
BEST FIRST FEATURE: In The Family
BEST SCREENPLAY: Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Emmanuel Lubezki, The Tree of Life
BEST ENSEMBLE: Margaret
BEST UNDISTRIBUTED:
Bad Fever
The Color Wheel
Convento
The Dish & The Spoon
Family Nightmare
Jess & Moss
The Patron Saints
A Rubberband Is An Unlikely Instrument
Two Years At Sea
Without
WORST
1. Twelve Thirty
2. Restless
3. I Melt With You
4. Midnight In Paris
5. Road To Nowhere
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TOP 10 DVDS OF 2011
by Robin Bougie, Cinema Sewer
Since I didn’t get out to the theater much this year, and instead bought piles and piles of movies on dvd, I’m gonna do a best dvd releases for 2011. As the publisher of Cinema Sewer magazine, you can bet this list has a bent towards the sleazier, exploitational elements of the cinematic experience.
10. MARWENCOL (2010)
The winner of over a dozen film awards, including two Independent Spirit awards and a bunch of Best Documentary awards from various festivals and film societies, Jeff Malmberg’s film about a man who recreates his shattered life with elaborate miniature war-themed doll dioramas is just about the most original and unusual tale I’ve witnessed all year. This is a straaaaange documentary, but it’s also heart-warming and beautiful.
9. KISS ME DEADLY (1955)
Criterion does Robert Aldrich’s pot-boiler noir masterwork up right, and if there was any justice, the world would weep tears of joy as each copy of this landed in the hands of its respective owner. Look, just sit down and peep the first scene where Mike Hammer picks up a hitchhiking woman along a dark lonely road, and see if you’re not hooked in like a fish on a line. This classic poop is brazen and bleak.
8. THE SWORD AND SORCERY COLLECTION (1983/1984/1985/1987)
Deathstalker, Deathstalker 2, Barbarian Queen, and The Warrior and the Princess -- four of the most enjoyable titty-n-violence-filled Conan clones to explode out of the1980s were collected in one special edition dvd this year by Shout Factory, and I for one am pleased as a pig in poop. This release is perfect for a beer and pizza party with your pals.
7. THE BIG LEBOWSKI --THE XXX PARODY (2011)
Finally! Somebody fucks with the Jesus! Hey, remember when xxx parodies of hollywood movies sucked? Well, they still do for the most part, but now once and a while they totally fucking RULE, and this one by Lee Roy Meyers is a good example of the latter. Clearly everyone involved with this movie, from top to bottom, is a giant Lebowski-fan, -- because most of it is a shot for shot remake of the Cohen Bros movie we all know and love. And you know what? The casting is nothing short of inspired, and some of the sex scenes are genuinely hot as shit. I especially liked Kimberly Kane as Maude Lebowski, and you best believe she is “good and thorough”.
6. STREETWALKIN’ (1985)
Not enough '80s exploitation films about crazy pimps and tough-talkin’ whores in your collection? Well, now Streetwalkin’ is finally available, so you don’t have any good excuses to allow that shameful situation to continue. And hey -- commentary by director Joan Freeman, just like I begged for in public in the pages of my magazine, Cinema Sewer! IT IS A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE! Ohhhhh, I love this movie so hard, I think I might have crushed my copy. I better go check on it, give me a second.
5. SAVAGE STREETS (1984)
Arrow video in the UK put out this wicked-righteous release, so if you live outside of region 2 and don’t have an all regions player you can’t partake, but I say go ahead and make that happen, because the shit these guys are doing is worth it. First off, WHAT AN AMAZING COVER! An all new poster by the superior Tom “The Dude Designs” Hodge is enough to make my balls leap out of my pants and batter my own face senseless. My friends: Pure intoxication is due any and all owners of this amazing '80s trash classic. Please don’t miss out.
4. THE FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL VOL. 5 (2011)
Recorded live at the Oriental Theater in Milwaukee WI, Joel and Nick bring the ha-ha’s in yet another spleen shattering ode to hilarity. These guys are the fucking kings of finding bizarre and funny oddball footage in the most unlikely of places, and then pooping into the face of the world with their astute and side-splitting commentary. My sides split open and then my guts poured out all over the goddamn ground. These clowns owe me big time. It was totally gross.
3. THE WOMEN IN CAGES COLLECTION (1971/1971/1972)
A million thank you’s to Shout Factory for their splendid Women In Cages set that lends gorgeous remastered transfers to this seminal women in prison movies shot by Jack Hill and Gerry DeLeon. Loaded with audio commentaries and other goodies, this dvd/blu is the best bang for your buck in 2011. Do you like Pam Grier? I know you do, and gaaaah.... if only real women's prisons were this boner-incuding.
2. THE PRIVATE AFTERNOONS OF PAMELA MANN (1974)
Distribpix belts another one out of the park with this astonishingly lovely and premium quality release for Radley Metzger’s first erotic foray into hardcore. It’s one of the best porn movies ever made, and it is here treated with a measure of respect that the genre has never experienced. Honestly, how often are you going to see a Criterion-qaulity release for an old porno movie? Take advantage of this limited edition pressing before it goes out of print.
1. BLOW OUT ( 1981)
This amazing two disc Criterion Collection release of Brian DePalma’s classic about a sound effects man who accidentally records the sounds of a murder is an absolute must have, and the finest dvd I experienced this year. I'm giddy just typing about it. Also available in a Blu-ray version. ABSOLUTELY GET IT!
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