Top 20 Films of 2011. And One Turkey.

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