The Absolutely Positively No Doubt About it Best Films of 2011

And so we have reached the finale, the best films according to me, I've taken much time to deliberate and it is clear in my mind, that these ten films are by far the ten best experiences I had at the movies. Of course every person's top ten films are different, and had I been given to opportunity to see more, this might've looked completely different, but this was what was given to me. So now here we go.

1. Midnight in Paris Perhaps not a shock to some of you, I've heralded this film's praises, back when I first saw it on a warm summer day in July. Woody Allen's tribute to Paris was by far the most entertaining film I saw, full of wit, wisdom, and winning performances. Some films feel like they were made just for you, and that's the feeling I get when I watch this film, it's one of those special ones I can directly relate to, so why not make it the best of the year?

2. Certified Copy Famous Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami creates one of the most romantic mysterious films I've ever seen. Juliet Binoche and William Shimell play two people who, at the beginning look like they have just met, but the film takes a different turn, and then they start acting as if they are husband and wife. The film never makes it quite clear what their relationship really is, but it plays on the ideas about love, and art, and if the copy can be just as good as the original.

3. Meek's Cutoff Minimalist director Kelly Reichardt creates a vivid portrait of pioneer life. Most westerns are seen as epic stories, this keeps a quiet tone about a small wagon train of three families who struggle everyday to find a settlement. They begin to suspect their guide (Bruce Greenwood) is leading them off course on purpose. The film plays like a novel, with an involving plot, and high stakes, it ends abruptly but perfectly as nothing is quite resolved, but it's one where you realize, they're lives hang in the balance of the decisions they make, and the people they trust.

4. PoetryA South Korean film about a woman faced with the first stages of Alzheimer's, along with finding out her grandson committed a terrible crime. But she find solace and purpose in a poetry class she has just enrolled in. A very moving film about one woman struggling to find beauty and meaning in non sensical world.

5. Tree of Life Terence Malick's poetic opus, was probably this year's most ambitious. Starting off with the creation of the universe, and finding meaning in existence, the film is part philosophical and part a coming of age tale. It takes risks on film narration, focusing on rather than usual linear structure. Like the universe itself, it's full of questions and assumptions, an intriguing film.

6. Moneyball Based on the true story of Oakland A's manager Billy Bean (Brad Pitt) and the re-shaping baseball, by using computers and number crunching to create a championship team. Pitt has never been better, the script by Steven Zallian and Aaron Sorkin is punchy, and witty, the most complete mainstream film of the year.

7. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo A vast improvement over the Sweedish version from last year, thanks largely to the direction of David Fincher. He makes the film a wonderful visceral experience starting from the opening credits. I found myself much more involved with the actual investigation in the film, and the relationship between Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig is handled with a more assured hand. A wonderfully entertaining, pulpy film.

8. 13 Assassins: An updated version of the Samurai film, using Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" as a framework. This tells the story of 13 shogun who are hired to kill an evil corrupt emperor who's obsessed with killing, and mutilation. It all comes down to the amazing bloody battle which lasts for almost an hour, amazing filmmaking.

9. The Ides of March George Clooney's underrated political film about the inside of an American campaign. Clooney plays the candidate, while Ryan Gosling is the young ambitious campaign manager hellbent on getting him elected. The film is full of twists and turns, and some really great filmmaking from Clooney and a top notch ensemble cast working with a great script.

10. Our Idiot Brother Paul Rudd's wonderful comedic performance brings this film to a different level. A comedy about family, relationships, and how being an honest person can get you into trouble. Rudd makes his hippy dufus character both lovable and memorable.

Other films that just missed the list in no particular order would be Brad Bird's "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" featuring some of this year's best action pieces, Steven Spielberg's epic "War Horse", the lady comedy "Bridesmaids" featuring Kristen Wig's brilliant comedic performance, Johnny Depp in "Rango" the psychedelic lizard western, Martin Scorsese's ode the old cinema "Hugo", and Clint Eastwood's intriguing bio "J. Edgar".

Some films I failed to see that I wish I could've "The Help, "The Artist", "Margaret", "A Dangerous Method", "Uncle Boonmee who can recall his Past Lives", "Shame", and "Melancholia."

2011 MVP: Brad Pitt

I'd like to mention the MVP award to a person who has had the most impressive body of work throughout the year. There was a lot to choose from, but in my mind no other performer stood out for me as much as Brad Pitt this year. To me Pitt is part of that great trio of modern movie stars who are commonly linked (George Clooney and Matt Damon being the other two). What these three actors have in common is their knack for picking quality work, that is sometimes out of the mainstream.

Clooney for instance had a tremendous year himself with the rather underrated political pot boiler "The Ides of March", which he co-starred as well as directed and co-wrote. He also starred in Alexander Payne's superb "The Descendants" which contains a nice role for him.

The always reliable Damon has been no slouch continuing his collaboration with director Steven Sodebergh making the big hit "Contagion", he was also seen in the fantasy "The Adjustment Bureau", as well as Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo", which even though didn't go well with critics showed his continued interest in working with interesting directors. Damon was also seen in "Margaret" which was filmed years ago but finally got released, and those who have seen it are calling it a masterpiece.

Other actors and actresses have had extraordinary years like Jessica Chastain, Michael Shannon, and Michael Fassbender, but it was Pitt for me who really had the pick of the litter.

Pitt was seen in two films this year, not only were they two of the best films of the year, they were also two of his best performances ever, plus he had a hand in producing them, how's that for quality?

First in "Tree of Life", Terence Malick's coming of age, poetic opus, which also deals with the existence of God, and man's own place in the universe, Pitt plays the character of the father. Pitt's character is far more complicated than just the mere villain of the film. He starts off as a brute of a father who disciplines his sons harshly and can be down right abusive. But later in the film we get a man who is really sympathetic and is seen more as a failure, but also someone who truly loves his kids and is full of regret.

Pitt disappears in this performance, it lets him take the kind of risks most movie stars wouldn't approach, he's not afraid to become unlikable, it shows he's an actor of immense depth, something that is easy to forget.

Later in the year Pitt was seen in "Moneyball" where he plays Billy Bean, a former baseball player who works for the Oakland A's. Billy is one of those great movie star roles where Pitt is able to bring in his natural charisma, and charm. We get on Billy's side right away, he's a competitor and a rule breaker, he wants to win. Billy is a character who understands baseball is now a game for people with the highest paycheck, so he alters the playing field.

"Moneyball" was one of the smartest mainstream movies to come out last year, and its success was mostly due to Pitt's everyman performance. It got him a deserved Oscar nomination, although in my mind, he could've been nominated for both films he was in.

A movie star like Brad Pitt makes me interested in seeing what he'll do next, because it never seems to be boring. Like Damon and Clooney, he seems attached to working with interesting, and creative people, he doesn't always resort to his natural charm, he wants to challenge himself as well as his audience.

2011 will probably go down as a pinnacle in Brad Pitt's career, he's been around for awhile, but it's interesting that just now he seems to be hitting his stride.

Favorite Male Performance of 2011: Paul Rudd in Our Idiot Brother

"Our Idiot Brother" was probably the best comedy nobody saw this year, and what a shame because it's about time people knew the genius of Paul Rudd. Rudd's been around for awhile now, I'm actually not sure when he first popped up, he just appears out of nowhere when you least expect it. I think I'll say right now, the next Paul Rudd movie is something I anticipate for, he should be the biggest comic actor right now, because he simply is the best.

"Our Idiot Brother" may not have worked with any other actor besides Paul Rudd, he's able to give his characters that little extra flavor. As Ned, Rudd is able to sink his teeth into a rather likable guy. Ned is just that way, he's a new age guy who grew out of the sixties and has the flaw of trusting people too often.

The set up of the film couldn't be more simpler, Ned is sent to jail for selling a cop pot, is kicked out by his girlfriend and ends up with his three sister who's lives he ruins while there.

It's a pretty simple premise, but Rudd is one hundred percent committed to this guy. Ned's biggest ambition is to get his dog who he calls Willy Nelson back from his ex. His sisters all have big complicated lives and when Ned comes in with his easy living ways, they are interrupted. The philosophy of the film is pretty simple, guys like Ned should be around to make the world a better place, that's all. "Our Idiot Brother" isn't very profound, but it was pleasant, and Rudd makes that pleasantness important because he makes Ned important in our eyes.

Some runners up would also be Brad Pitt for his performances in both "Moneyball" and "Tree of Life", Ryan Gosling for both "The Ides of March" and "Drive", Owen Wilson for "Midnight in Paris", Johnny Depp for his unseen performance in "Rango" and William Shimell for "Certified Copy".

Best Female Performance: Juliet Binoche in Certified Copy

While it's true I have not seen all the Oscar Nominations yet, I myself did see a number of great performances which I deem noteworthy, dare I say award worthy, even if the Academy doesn't think so.

Looking back at some of my favorite performances by women this past year, my cup seems to have runeth over. Modern actresses these days still strive for the great role, they are there, but if your name doesn't end with Streep then they may be hard to come by.

I must admit I haven't seen many of the Best Actress nominees, Meryl Streep included.

A few performances however did shine for me. Kristen Wig for example illuminated slapstick comedy in "Bridesmaids", for me she was that movie no matter how many Melissa McCarthy supporters are out there. McCarthy was all show and not much substance, Wig was the human face of it all, it was her story, and she's not afraid to show her character's loneliness and sadness, but she's able to play both sides of the coin, it's a slippery slope in comedy, but Wig pulls it off beautifully; the blood of Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett run in her veins.

But Wig would still be my runner up, Rooney Mara's performance in "Girl with the Dragon Tatoo" would come somewhere close, as would Michelle Williams for "Meek's Cutoff".

But after watching it again just recently I there is no doubt in my mind my favorite performance by an actress this year just happens to come from my favorite actress of the moment Juliet Binoche in "Certified Copy".

I've become enchanted with Binoche in recent years. She's had success in North America winning an Oscar a few years back for "The English Patient", also being nominated for "Chocolat". But it was probably in Keislowski's "Blue" I first really noticed just what a great actress she was. As a woman wrought with grief, she is restrained but real, it's her face that catches my eye, there always seems to be sadness but brightness behind it too.

With "Certified Copy", Binoche may have her best performance as Elle, she is a woman on a mysterious rendezvous with a man who may or may not be her husband (William Schimell). Throughout the film, Binoche seems to be going through different stages of a relationship, sometimes she must be flirtatious, sometimes sweet, then hurt, and longing. It's a romantic mystery and most of the screen time consists of these two people.

Binoche's Elle is never elusive to us, she is the one we identify with the most, and the way she plays her is perfectly lived in. The best compliment I could give this performance is Elle feels one hundred percent real to me, she is a person I wouldn't mind knowing and could see myself meeting at some point in my life. I've always noticed that Binoche seems to have this knack for creating characters which feel very lived in, she becomes a part of the character and can immediately sympathize with their situation. Bincohe can play those real moments, in "Certified Copy" she is heartbreaking when she comes out of the ladies room having just applied make-up and earings to make herself look beautiful for the man she loves. She is dismissed by him immediately and her face goes from disappointment to hurt, but she never overplays it.

Most actors who are honored with awards seem to be those who are able to fade away into a character, the chameleons such as Meryl Streep, who I admire very much do that well. But I love the actors who bring a bit of themselves to the role. Their performance always feels more intimate, more personal, more real. When I see Binoche playing her part, she's bringing me in to her world, and I will follow her wherever she goes. This is probably the performance of the year in my book.

Favorite Moments in Movies of 2011

Certified Copy The long two-shot take of James and Elle in the car near the beginning of the movie. As they drive by buildings which are reflected in the windshield, their conversation transcends convention as they are shown to be on a different plain.

Midnight in Paris Hemingway's advice to Gil in the back of the taxi, an inspired satire of Hemingway prose plus Owen Wilson's delivery of the line "Pretty sexy" is pitch perfect.

Our Idiot Brother Paul Rudd gives a lesson in sublime with his delivery of the line "Aww Fuck" when he just realizes he sold dope to a cop.

13 Assassins A wave of blood pours over a village fortress during the climactic battle scene, perhaps the most visceral image of the year.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo The bold new ending, which gives Lisbeth a muted moment of empathy, and a whole new dimension.

War Horse Spielberg's great use of the close-up as he focuses on the face of a soldier a second before his imminent death.

Poetry A woman suffering from the first stages of Alzheimer's suddenly realizes she just finished talking to the woman who's daughter was raped by her grandson.

"Tree of Life" The wordless discovery of a boys first love in a classroom a his early flirtation as he doesn't give her his paper to grade. What I like most about this film are the little moments like these that are scattered throughout.

Midnight in Paris Gil: "I'm having an insight, it's a minor one...but I think it explains the anxiety of my dream." and then later Gil again: "These people don't have any antibiotics". These are probably two of my favorite quotes of the year, they made me laugh more than anything else.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol The best car chase of the year done in a sand storm, popcorn entertainment at its best.

Rango The best use of 3-D. Oh wait this wasn't in 3-D but once Rango gets to the vast vistas of the old west, it just feels that your there with him.

Meek's Cutoff The unexpected finale where we are left with our characters in that moment between hope and uncertainty.

Certified Copy Juliet Binoche's final words in the quietest most intimate scene of the year "J...J...James."

Bridesmaids Kristen Wig who was the true heart of the film juggles slapstick and pathos beautifully during her breakdown at the wedding shower.

"Meek's Cutoff" A wagon loses control down a hill, which could mean almost certain doom for its party.

Hugo The recreation of the films of George Melies using today's state of the art technology, films can still be magical.

Moneyball Brad Pitt driving aimlessly while his team is playing, then hearing his daughter singing a song for him at the end of it all.

The Ides of March The final close-up of Ryan Gosling, a wonderful ending.

The DescendantsShailene Woodley's reaction in the pool after she is told her comatose mother will die, then her remark right after that.

Tree of Life The creation scene is the most epic and awe inspiring sequence I saw in the theatre all year.

Film Socialisme The moments of real wind blowing against the boom mic. Baffling, but effective.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but I'm pretty sure that's him climbing on the side of the world's tallest building.

The Ides of March The moment Phillip Seymour Hoffman is given his walking papers, a restrained and effective moment.

13 Assassins Biggest WTF moment, that guy who got the sword in the throat isn't dead!

13 Assassins The image of a young woman who had both her arms, legs, and tongue cut out at the hands of the brutal emperor.

Drive Albert Brooks' matter of fact way of slicing a guy's arm open, cold blooded.

Drive Without giving anything away, the ending when we see Ryan Gosling blink.

Midnight in Paris The most movie loving romantic ending of any movie this year. Woody Allen delivers exactly what the film called for, walking in Paris in the rain.

Special Jury Prize: Film Socialisme

I tried to rewatch "Film Socialisme" again before I wrote this, I really tried, but I figured, life is probably too short. Yet there might come a time where I would like to revisit the film, probably the most frustrating incoherent film I've ever seen.

What does it mean? I don't know, perhaps nothing, maybe it is the ramblings of a mad genius, but maybe, just maybe (And this is my hopeful side talking) it's the next revolution of film making.

When I did watch "Film Socialisme", I decided right away that it was not successful at whatever it was doing, but I was still stunned by it, I couldn't quite shake it off. I saw some things in this film that I hadn't seen before and I think in a different context perhaps they would work.

You might call this a total film, with even the subtitles not being used conventionally, but rather as another image. The sound and picture is sometimes distorted, I'm not quite sure why, but then perhaps it is meant to show us why not.

The film was directed by Jean-Luc Godard, who has proven himself a master filmmaker, he made some of the most radical and inventive films of the 1960s, then he decided to confuse his audience and alienate them more and more. I actually haven't seen any of Godard's post 1960s films other than "Film Socialisme", but he's proven to be ever the provocateur.

I suppose the best description I could post about my feelings towards "Film Socialisme" is rather a love hate relationship. At its worst, it's a trial to sit through, at its best, it's wild and unpredictable. It shows the potential of film, that it's a raw and true artform. To me Godard has been a filmmaker who constantly asks himself what can film do that no other medium can? He experimented perhaps more than any other filmmaker. Take "Vivre Sa Vie" which has been called a film about close-ups, how many close-ups can you give your subject, and what can they all be about. It's also about how many ways you can film a conversation. "Film Socialisme" seems to be a continuation of Godard's experimentation, he's pushing boundaries here. His intention was never to make a linear film with an easy to follow storyline.

A lot of his compositions are beautiful, perhaps if this were silent, you could be conjure up some kind of story, yet Godard fills his films with words and phrases, he's alwasy done that, it's almost like an essay told in a limerick. Whatever it is, I find it fascinating.

Watching "Film Socialisme" to some might be futile, especially to those who couldn't even endure "Tree of Life", which is a walk in the park by comparison. But I do encourage people to at least see even a few frames of "Film Socialisme" and maybe make up their own minds whether it's worth your while or not. I enjoy films which force you to take a stand, "Film Socialisme" makes no apologies for its intricacies, what it does it show you that film is full of possibilities, in the end, I guess that's why I can't quite give it up.

Worst Film of the 2011: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

To kick off the Best of 2011, let's start off with the bottom of the barrel. Originally, I wasn't going to focus on any worst movie of 2011, but it made me think that yes, even a bad movie can have its merits.

I actually don't believe I've seen too many bad movies this year, I found myself enjoying them on some level. I found the often maligned "Green Lantern" to be a movie that maybe didn't work fully, but I could see something full of promise in it. By comparison, I found "Thor" to be a much less inventive movie that had a dark look to it, and not enough at stake.

Even arthouse wise, Jean-Luc Godard's "Film Socialisme" had many detractors, and I may never watch it again, however I couldn't deny some passages of pure mad genius and the need to take film into another dimension, (stay tuned for more about this later on.)

As far as the most critically lambasted movies are concerned ("Twilight" and Adam Sandler), instinct has taught me to simply stay away.

But there was one movie that did manage to ultimately dull my senses this year, and make me look at my watch more times than any other. That is "Transformers: Dark of the Moon". What an awesome piece of trash this movie is, and in some corners that could be seen as a compliment. Movies can be trashy and still be good, as Pauline Kael has taught us, afterall it's sometimes those movies claiming to be important that turn out to be terrible.

But for me "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" is the worst kind of trash, it's the kind that tries showing its greatness through state of the art special effects, and big star cameos, but only leaves a wreckage of carnage in its wake.

The film is incomprehensible, annoying, and senseless. How depressing it is to see actors from the Coen Brothers stock company (Francis McDormand, John Turturro, and John Malkovich) forced to act grotesquely and play second fiddle to CGI (Although McDormand comes off the best when she must share the screen with that ham Optimus Prime)

The real crime is these robots themselves, the ones this whole movie revolves around, how uninteresting they are, and lifeless. Think of the great robots that have graced the screen of Science Fiction (Robbie the Robot, Gort, The Terminator, C3P0 and R2D2). Some of these robots never spoke a word of English, yet they remain far more interesting. The transformers are only meant to look cool, and they do, especially when they get to transform, but they are used only as mechanical plot devices literally.

In a film where the world seems to be in an apocalyptic war between robots, it all seems pretty tepid and unimportant, by the time the epic battle begins, we know where it's going and how it will resolve itself, it's going through the motions.

I suppose the reason I actually did see "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" was the director Michael Bay. I can't deny Michael Bay has a style of his own, good or bad, he's got a signature. It had been some time since I saw a Michael Bay movie, and I guess I thought it was time to revisit him and perhaps reassess his work. However my opinion of him hasn't much changed, but I will say he fits nicely in the vat of bad taste he's made for himself, and if he's happy with it, then that's fine.

I actually do hope they don't stop making films like "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", history will tell weather or not there is validity in them, my gut likes to think not, but I've been wrong before.

FEBRUARY CELEBRATING THE BEST OF 2011 plus THE OSCARS

It's that time again. As per usual, February is the time to celebrate the best in film according to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, but to be fair, they've kinda missed the mark on a number of occasions. At the same time, this is also when we here over at Jeremy and the Movies celebrates what Jeremy (That's me) thinks the best in film are.

On most occasions, I'd say I differ with the Academy, but that mostly has to do with their sheer lack of imagination and narrow minded views of what the best in film is. I'm usually shocked and appalled when I hear the nominees, however I am delighted to see a few surprises. This year in particular I was glad to see the inclusion of some films (Yay "Midnight in Paris") but baffled by others (You couldn't drag me to see "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close").

But really it's all in good fun, we all have our own views of what we think the best movies are, and this is just a chance for me to share mine with you. I also like to think I highlight some films that don't usually get the kind of press mainstream movies do. And heck if my writing about them gets you intrigued to watch them, then that's all the better.

I usually think some of the best films I've ever seen were the ones I took a chance on. Just in the past few years, I could count foreign films like "Summer Hours" and indie movies like "Shotgun Stories" to be the best recent movies I've ever seen. This year is no different. There have been some unique and surprising Hollywood movies that I was immensely entertained by, but also some smaller films that were brought to my attention by other critics who I admire and trust.

Before Oscar night, I will reveal my top ten list, one I am still trying to compile. I might also focus on a favorite performance, or favorite moments from the past year. I also like to give a special Jury Prize award to a unique film that deserves a special mention.

So I hope you join me this month for some fun as we give a fond final farewell to 2011. And if I don't talk about your particular favorite film/performance/moment, don't take it personally, but I hope you let me know what it is.