Your Acting's Like The End Of The World: January 2012

2011 was a reasonable year for film. Whilst there were no Inception's or Animal Kingdom's this year, there was a Bridesmaids and a Drive that successfully blew enough people away. There was also a set of films that had no right to be good, or rather, as good as they turned out to be.

I neglected to do any lists for 2010 which is odd. I will one day create a list for the best films of the past decade, but one day never comes (it is, however, on my list for the best films of 2011).

I begin with the worst film of the year...

Norweigan Wood - I'm sure that there were worse films - Transformers 3, Pirates 4, Jack & Jill - but I didn't see them. I did, however, endure Norweigan Wood. I don't know what was worse, being a Haruki Murakami fan and sitting through the turgid mess that is Norweigan Wood, or forcing my wife to sit through such a morbid moody miasma. Visually, Norweigan Wood is beautiful. However beauty does not carry a film which struggles to convey the feeling of a great depression. It's odd that a film like Norweigan Wood should be such a failure given the source material is good - not Murakami's greatest though - and the director and cast have been promising in the past. Yet, unlike Melancholia, Norweigan Wood misunderstands depression. Long moody quiet silences and lingering shots do not show what depression really is. A failure on so many levels.

And now my top 20...

20. Fast Five/Final Destination 5 - How can I put these two films on a best of list and hate Norweigan Wood so much? Well, both of these films should not have been as good as they are. When films reach their fifth volume in a series, they're usually being prepared to go out to pasture. In the case of Final Destination 5, it's understandable that it could get a theatrical release as horror films are notoriously cheap and easy to make. Fast Five should have been a direct to video release. They both go against the stereotypes and blow the viewer away with exceeding expectations. Final Destination 5 is the best in the series since Final Destination 2, and its use of 3D is one of the best examples of the gimmick I've seen. It also fits perfectly with the mythology of the series (what mythology it has) and links up with the first film perfectly. Hilarious, over the top, and exactly what was required from the series. A great relief after the boring The Final Destination.

Fast Five on the other hand is just over the top fun. Casting Dwayne Johnson in the film was an inspired move. The charisma that both he and Vin Diesel have in this film is crazy - given that you don't expect them to have charisma in the first place - and the action is exactly what you want from a film. It's a believable yet over the top action. It's also real action. The lack of CGI stunts and effects in this film is a breath of fresh air. When the chase takes place at the end of the film, it's thrilling simply in the fact that you can see that this all actually happened.

These two films had no right being as good as they are - they should have been run of the mill D-List films (Final Destination 5 is D-List, but it's a horror film so that's expected) which go through the motions.

18. Hesher - Hesher was the first film I saw at the grand Alamo Drafthouse theatre in Austin. It's a grand little film which was co-written by the brilliant mind behind Animal Kingdom - David Michod. Joseph Gordon Levitt shows why he's one of the best actors around at the moment. His Hesher is offensive, insane and surprisingly loveable. The supporting cast are all enjoyable, and for the first time since he got his head cut off in House of 1000 Corpses, Rainn Wilson is tolerable again! Whilst the events of this film couldn't exist in any kind of reality, it shows why we go to movies. To see characters like Hesher.

17. Red Dog - The biggest Australian film of the year is actually a good Australian film. In a year where Australian films were mediocre at best, Red Dog was an enjoyable film which played on stereotypes and caricatures joyfully. Red Dog himself is such a great character that any foibles the film has - aformentioned stereotypes and the odd opening to the film - are forgotten when you have great little scenes like Red Dog VS Red Cat. Try not cry at the end.

16. One Day - I had low expectations for this film. I thought it would be an average romantic drama. I didn't expect to be brought to tears by the end. Yet, sure enough, when the supremely obvious finish to the film comes round I was a bubbling mess. Whether it's Anne Hathaway's supreme beauty that had me enthralled throughout the film, or the fact that it's not your typical romantic drama, who knows. It's films like One Day and Crazy, Stupid, Love that defy expectations that make film going so exciting.

15. The Eye of the Storm - It's a joy to see Fred Schepisi back in Australia with such a fine cast. Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis and Charlotte Rampling are pitch perfect as the remaining family members of this bitter family. The sexual hate in this film is seering, especially with the way Charlotte Rampling spits some of her lines out. You can tell how much fun all of the cast were having with such rich dialogue and grand over the top characters. It's a joy to see such a fine director coming back to his homeland and creating such a fine little film.

14. Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen's films of late have been very hit/miss. Maybe it's that our expectations have now been lowered when we see a new Woody Allen film, or maybe Midnight in Paris is actually a good movie, either way, Midnight in Paris is enjoyable. It's not a deep film, it's not going to rewrite history, or teach you anything about history. It's just one man who admires certain things about the history of France and made a little film about it. Right now it's an enjoyable film, in ten years time will we look back on it and feel the same way? Probably not.

13. Wasted on the Young - It's impressive that a film like Wasted on the Young is even able to be made in Perth. Whilst it's not a film that's going to set the world on fire, it is a very enjoyable little film none-the-less. A cast which is solely made up of teens - not an adult in sight - this is a great antidote to Gossip Girl. Ben C. Lucas is a young director with great talent. Lets just hope he sticks around in Australia and makes more films of this calibre.

12. 13 Assassins - Takashi Miike is an interesting director. His film output is unstoppable, so quality is not always his strong point. So it's a joy to see that his samurai film is actually good. It's as classic samurai tale that spends a long time setting up for the great battle at the end. Goro Inagaki's Lord Naritsugu is one of the best villains in recent memory. His actions are awful, yet he's such an interesting villain that you want him to stick around.

11. Source Code - I didn't care for Duncan Jones first film, Moon. It was an ok, but overrated, little science fiction film. Source Code is science fiction through and through, but it's science fiction with a heart. Jake Gyllenhaal is perfect as the cypher that moves the story along. On paper, a film where you rewatch the same event over and over sounds pretty darn boring, however Gyllenhaal's Colter Stevens is such a believable and human character that as the film moves along (and it moves quickly within its brisk 90 minute running time) you feel his pain. It also has one of the best freeze frame moments in film.

10. Burning Man - Burning Man showcases one of the best performances of the year. Matthew Goode is a revelation in this film. It's a film which reveals itself slowly, but once it takes you it doesn't let go. This is the finest Australian film of the year by far. Technically its perfect - the car crash scene is on par with Let Me In's car crash. If there's one quibble with it, is the films infatuation with breasts. Seriously, this film has more breasts in it than Russ Meyer on an off day. Usually that wouldn't be a problem, but it doesn't help the story in any way whatsoever.

9. Outrage - Ah, Takeshi Kitano. You're back! Outrage is so very violent and intense that its harking back to classic Kitano - Sonatine, Violent Cop - is a breath of fresh air. After doing his samurai flick, Kitano's been off form so when he released Outrage, fans were happy. And sure enough, they had many reasons to be very happy. Now please, Kitano, don't take too long to do another Yakuza flick!

8. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - This is another film that had no right to be as good as it is. A continuation of a long dead series that last appeared as a critically hated remake in 2001. Andy Serkis is pitch perfect as Caesar. So good in fact that he outshines his human counterparts. It's nice to see "big themes" being dealt with in a blockbuster film. This would make a great companion piece to Koko: The Talking Gorilla.

7. The Adventures of Tintin - Andy Serkis continues his brilliant mo-cap performance work here in Tintin as Captain Haddock. It's uncommon for kids films to deal with such big themes as alcoholism, but here it is getting a work through in Tintin. Tintin shows what has been missing in big budget action films for a long time - adventure. There's a one shot scene later in the film which is one of the most enjoyable chase scenes in a film ever. Snowy's pretty darn good in this too.

6. Rabbit Hole - Nicole Kidman seemed to have sailed her acting boat, and then she started her production company and showed us why John Cameron Mitchell is still relevant. Sure, she followed up Rabbit Hole with Monte Carlo, but they can't all be winners right? Rabbit Hole is an immensley powerful film dealing with grief. It appears every year there's one that deals with grief of some sort, and every year it gives actresses a chance to show that they can still cry under all that botox. Well, not only can Nicole Kidman still cry, she can still bloody well act. Aaron Eckhart shows that he's one of the finest actors working at the moment.

5. Black Swan - Ah, ballet horror. Aronofsky is such a brilliant director that he turns a possibly trite concept into high horror. There is not a dull shot in this pitch perfect film. The final shot as well is cathartic and glorious. It's hard to fault Aronofsky and his brilliant casting ability - as seen here with Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel delivering career best performances.

4. I Love You, Phillip Morris/Crazy, Stupid, Love - Glenn Ficarra and John Recqua almost came out of nowhere. Nowhere did take them two years to get their first film released, but it's still nowhere. Phillip Morris showcases the best performance Jim Carrey has done since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. This is one of the finest black comedies around, and Carrey's relationship with Ewan McGregor is perfect. Fortunately it wasn't as long a wait for the follow up film from the pair (Ficarra/Recqua) as Crazy, Stupid, Love came out and blew my socks off.

Like One Day, I had low expectations for the film. I thought it might just be a routine rom-com with a good cast. I was happily wrong. Steve Carrell delivers his best performance yet. Ryan Gosling is downright perfect in a role which is a breeze, but he brings a humanity to it. There's a sweet little twist near the end of the film. It's saying something that when the high school kid gives a speech about love and life, you're not reaching for the bucket to vomit. Crazy, Stupid, Love has a fantastic cast that all deliver superbly. This was the film that changed my mind on Ryan Gosling. I wasn't sold on him before, but this and my number one film changed me.

3. Bridesmaids - I love Kristen Wiig. I used to feel that she was the lesser of the SNL girls, but then I realised that Tina Fey was a little one note and one trick pony, and Amy Poehler and Kristen Wiig were where the talent lay. Wiig's ability to create characters who are hilarious, yet have a heap of heart is brilliant. Whilst Melissa McCarthy is getting all the praise for her supporting character, Wiig is the one who should be getting the acclaim. I've never loved a character as much as I've loved Wiig's Annie Walker. Sure, the films downright hilarious and has one hell of a relationship with Annie and Nathan Rhodes, but Wiig's Annie is one of the most fully realised characters in a comedy to date. Also, any film with Terry Crewes in it is fine by me.

2. Melancholia - Kirsten Dunst is an actress who I've grown up watching in various roles. She was about the same age as me when she started acting so I've always had some kind of affinity with her. So it's great to see her in such a fantastic film and giving her best performance. Melancholia is a beautifully shot film, but it's one hell of a hard watch. There have been many films made about depression, and why not, it's a fantastic source of material for drama. Yet I can honestly say that there's never been a film that depicts it as well as Melancholia. Lars Von Trier gets a lot of shit thrown his way for the way he acts in public and what he says, but one things for sure, he knows how to make a great movie.

I've never appreciated Charlotte Gainsbourg in films before, I always thought she looked a little too off and her acting has never hit the right chord with me, but after Melancholia I now get her. She delivers a perfect supporting performance. It's a performance that almost makes me want to revisit Antichrist just to see if I missed something.

I don't think I could ever recommend watching this film, but if you are at all curious about Von Trier's films then there's no better place to start than here. It's by far his best film - although Dancer in the Dark is no slouch either - and it's also a damn good sci-fi film too.

1. Drive - Oh man, I've never wanted to be a character in a movie so much more than Ryan Goslings nameless Driver in Drive. I wish I could exude so much cool just by walking down the street. I wish that I could be a getaway driver like he is. I wish I had his jacket. I wish I had his soundtrack - a soundtrack that follows you everywhere you go, like a real hero.

Every so often there's a film which you watch and weeks later you can recall the film almost ver batim, and for me Drive is one of those films. There is not a weak moment, performance, shot or story beat in the whole film. It's just downright perfect. Just don't watch it expecting Fast Five, y'know.

Honourable mentions:

The Human Centipede 2: The Full Sequence - For being one of the most enjoyable cinema events of the year. Gross, horrific, hardly scary, and also a little funny.
War Horse - Sure, the first hour is some of Spielbergs worst, but I challenge you not to be moved when it comes to the barbed wire sequence.
The Iron Lady - An average film with one of the best performances by Meryl Streep (when isn't she good?)
Griff The Invisible - I keep forgetting about this film. It's a good little movie, but I feel that it's too little to be memorable. Ryan Kwanten is damn good though.
Thor - For being a solid little action film.
Scream 4 - For being one of the most enjoyable cinema experiences of the year. "Somebody just kill the bitch already." "Take off your heels and ruuun bitch." "Oh no she didn't." These are direct quotes from the running commentary provided to us in Times Square whilst watching Scream 4.

Films that I haven't seen that could have made the list:

Attack the Block
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Contagion
The Guard
Hanna
Senna
Rango
Win Win

2011 was a magnificent year. My wife and I got to go to America for our first time. One of my personal goals with going to America was to visit Dallas - a long (long) desired journey that I'd always wanted to make. As I grew up and realised that Dallas was probably not going to be as great as I had built it up to be - it was great, it was awesome, but not as great as Austin - I looked to Austin to be our central place to visit.

Not only is Austin the home of the best BBQ in the world, it is also the glorious home to the best cinema in the world - the Alamo Drafthouse. Alongside South Lamar's Alamo Drafthouse is Mondo. (Also, just a hundred or so metres away are some of the best donuts at Gourdoughs. I actually get a little choked up thinking about Austin it's that great). Mondo is the pillar of brilliance when it comes to film posters. They are the elite of the elite. To purchase a Mondo poster - a drop as it's called - you have to be quick, hope that your internet connection doesn't fail, make sure you're logged in, have all of your rabbits feet and four leaf clovers lined up, and just be downright lucky. These things sell super quick - sometimes within thirty seconds (the wooden True Grit poster was blink and gone) - and the runs are exceptionally limited (most runs have about 300 prints available).

The other way to get a Mondo print is to visit the Mondo store in Austin. You don't get a wide selection, but you do have a choice of a few prints. Usually they're a little damaged, or just ones that didn't sell as super quickly.

So, for the first time possible, I'm going to do my top 10 Mondo posters for 2011.

10. House By The Cemetary - Ok, so most Mondo posters sell out instantly. House By The Cemetary took three weeks to sell out. That's random and slow. Especially given the design of this poster. It's beautiful to look at - the lines are just glorious, the stark blood trail is horrifying, the type is fantastic. It's one of Lucio Fulci's better films - it's not Zombi 2 though.

9. The Invisible Man - there were a few series of posters this year that worked perfectly. Guillermo Del Toro's posters are grand. The Lucio Fulci posters were good. However, the Universal Monsters posters were just sublime. The Invisble Man's poster is another poster which shows how fantastic line work can really transform a brilliant poster. This is simple and stunning with its simplicity. You could almost expect to see this in a movie theatre when The Invisible Man was released.

8. The Mist - I'm a huge fan of Frank Darabont's The Mist. It's a chilling little horror film that has one hell of a sucker punch ending. This poster references that so perfectly, which is what makes the poster so beautiful. The snow flakes the litter the sky with the giant monster in the background. It's daunting, yet beautiful in its supreme-ness. This was one of Mondo's secret screening posters.

7. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - I love Hellboy 2. It's a great little film that is just crying for a sequel. This poster is fantastic. I'd literally kill to have this poster on my wall. Unfortunately this goes for about $500-$1000 on eBay when/if it ever appears.

6. Jurassic Park - I'm a huge Jurassic Park fan. Massive. The first film shook my childhood immensely. I constantly taunt my wife in saying that I am going to get a Jurassic Park tattoo. She keeps telling me she'll leave me if I do. So, nix that idea. This poster takes one of the weaker moments of the film and turns it into a moment of beauty. Another secret film poster, this one goes for big bucks on eBay.

5. Frankenstein - Drew Struzan is a God amongst film geeks. The guy created some of the finest film artwork ever. Even though I'm not a fan of the Indiana Jones films, his work on their posters is great. So, Struzan doing Mondo? Well, it's gold. This is one of those posters that didn't even get to breath the air of the internet before they were snaffled up. The design of this is beautiful.

4. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - I would absolutely love to have this poster. It's gory. It IS the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. You can feel the heat of Texas coming off this poster. The amount of detail in it is great. The only downside? The obvious typo of the title - one of the major things about the original film is that it's Chain Saw Massacre, not Chainsaw Massacre. It's not a big thing, but it's something which would have made it that touch better.

3. The Iron Giant (Variant) - Another secret film, and another one that goes for major money on eBay - on average, about $500. Mondo routinely do normal and variant varieties of their posters. Variant's are extremely limited (to usually about 50-75 prints) versions of the normal poster. They may have a different colour scheme, or a different touch. The variant version of The Iron Giant is definitely better than the normal version. It's a poster which any child in the 50's would have loved to have on their wall. Simply beautiful.

2. Gremlins - I love Gremlins. It's a film which I grew up with and can easily close my eyes and remember every moment of it. The sinister mayhem of the film is something which is lacking in kids films nowadays. This is also the only poster that I've managed to get at a drop - and it was gone within two minutes, so I do feel lucky, punk. I could have gotten the variant, but this is better. I love that they put Spike on the poster and not the cute Gizmo. Although I do wish that for Gremlins 2 (which is one of the few duds of the year, alongside the Once Upon A Time posters) they had put Rambo Gizmo on it.

1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind - And this is my first (well, one of my first) Mondo posters. For the record, I also got the Scream poster (which is awesome in itself, and I really should have it on this list, but it's not), a Star Wars poster (Greedo), and Werewolves on Wheels (which is just cool). I think I wet myself when I bought Close Encounters. It's a perfect poster which references the original poster nicely. The design is amazingly detailed. The glow in the dark works so brilliantly - it's not tacky in any way. I still pinch myself that I have this framed. The man who framed it as well is exceptionally jealous.

And that's it... my top 10 Mondo posters of 2011. If you're at all interested, the website to see them is here...

http://www.mondoarchive.com/archive/2011/

Monday, January 23, 2012

Oscar Predictions 2012.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Top 20 Films of 2011. And One Turkey.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Top 10 Mondo Posters - 2011.

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