Rajorajorajo | 28 Dec 2011 | 536 Views | 4 Likes | 0 Dislikes

Rajo's Top Ten for 2011!

2011 was a year in which I just didn’t make it into the theatres as often as I would have liked (new dad, new home-owner), but by all accounts it seems like I didn’t miss much. More than one person I know has called 2011 ‘the worst’ in terms of Hollywood output, and I’ve even been assured that this year’s festival films weren’t all that great, relatively speaking. So instead of rushing out during the already stressful end-of-the-year holiday times to get caught up on what I’ve missed, I’ve instead opted for spending more time with a certain screaming baby. It's my baby, by the way. Not some stranger's baby. Eventually even my baby fell asleep, though, which gave me a chance to put together a list (such as it is) of the absolute top ten ‘films’ that appeared in front of my eyeballs during this calendar year - some current, some classic, all great IMHO. Enjoy! (and for Mike's official top ten list, go here)

- Rajo Zakic

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

Hanna (dir. Joe Wright, 2011)

One of the best action films I’ve seen in years, let alone THIS year - and this was the year I got vertigo while watching Tom Cruise scale the outside of the Burj Dubai in Imax so you know, stiff competition - but Joe Wright’s Hanna was up to the challenge. So simple in concept and absolutely flawless in execution, front to back. Hanna reminded me that in this post-Bourne world a capable director is still able to shoot fight choreography with a relatively still camera. Loved it! (my 2 cents, er, minutes)

Our Idiot Brother (dir. Jesse Peretz, 2011)

If you don’t find Paul Rudd to be one exceptionally charming motherf*cker then I’m afraid there’s no help for you - better put all your affairs in order and kill yourself. For the rest of us we were lucky enough to see the man play his best role yet in a star-studded comedy that surprisingly relies on subtlety and character for laughs and ends up being genuinely heartwarming and sweet in the bargain. A diamond among decidedly rougher fare like 2011’s Hangover 2 and Horrible Bosses. (Mike's original WTI here)

Back to the Future II (dir. Robert Zemeckis, 1989)

I’ve always been a sucker for the kind of clever trickery that results when filmmakers are faced with a specific creative challenge (watch Von Trier’s The Five Obstructions to see what I mean). In this case, Robert Zemeckis was tasked with shooting a film-within-a-film; he flawlessly recreates bits of his first BTTF film while seamlessly inserting a 2nd Marty McFly - with an exciting new set of objectives, no less - into each scene. Simply tons of fun to watch, I don’t care who you are.

The Miracle Worker (dir. Arthur Penn, 1962)

I can’t remember the last time I got legitimate chills from watching an actor’s performance alone but that happened to me when I stumbled upon this classic on Netflix. Anne Bancroft won an Oscar for her role as Helen Keller’s blind teacher Annie Sullivan and for that I say, “... no shit.” She delivers a tunnel vision-inducing monologue in this film that locks your focus like a tractor beam. And that final sequence? I’ll bet you a thousand dollars you won’t be able to hold back the tears...

The Bengali Detective (dir. Phil Cox, 2011)

Easily the best documentary I saw this year - mainly because it so joyfully plays out more like a gritty crime drama populated by quirky and loveable characters. And it’s real! This could easily (and probably will soon) be a narrative fiction film. Director Phil Cox borrows heavily from both Bollywood & Hollywood to bring viewers the fascinating story of Kolkata private eye Rajesh Ji in a way that simply nails every emotional beat you could hope for - you will laugh, you will cry... literally. Track it down and watch it before Fox Searchlight has a chance to exercise it’s ‘remake rights.’ (watch the trailer!)

Game of Thrones - ‘Baelor’ (dir. Alan Taylor, 2011)

Never did I read the George R. R. Martin books. I was, however, completely wrapped up in this tv series and its characters, especially that of Sean Bean’s Ned Stark. And just when I was in the middle of it, watching week after week, becoming obsessed, they... gah! I can’t believe they just... I mean, you never even see it coming. You think to yourself, ‘Oh, this is a TV show. Somebody’s gonna ride in and stop them from...” but no, no one does. BOOM. Welcome to Game of Thrones, we mean business. This penultimate episode of the first season was like a simultaneous slap in the face and kick to the groin.

Attack the Block (dir. Joe Cornish, 2011)

Believe the hype. Joe Cornish’s debut film (don’t you just love it when first-time directors absolutely nail it?) about London thugs fighting aliens is all that. The kids are perfectly cast and have just the right amount of edge necessary to make you believe that they’re hard enough to take on aliens with the same determination they exhibit when they take on the harsh realities of their everyday life. It’s funny, fresh and unlike anything you’ve seen in a long time. (Mike's review here)

Pusher (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 1996)

Ok, so I liked Drive well enough but am a bit surprised to find such overwhelming praise for it among people who I feel are usually not as easily impressed. Not to say NWR isn’t a huge talent when it comes to making movies about unusual characters, as evidenced by his debut film about a lower-level drug dealer that gets in way over his head. This is a guy who initially comes across as so like-able and charming that absolutely shocks you by making some terrible decisions out of desperation in the back half of the film. I saw this for the first time a few months ago and am anxious to see it again - a highlight of the year for me, that’s for sure.

Home Alone (dir. Chris Columbus, 1990)

Instead of sitting through the new Straw Dogs remake starring James Marsden, why not watch the infinitely superior original? The original for-kids remake with much less rape, anyway. I did, just a few days ago and ended up with a huge grin on my face. An innovative kid is left to defend his home over the Christmas holidays from a duo of invaders known as the ‘Wet Bandits’ using any and all resources available. Plus, somebody says the line, “keep the change, you filthy animal.” Classic!

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (dir. Rupert Wyatt, 2011)

Hail Caesar! Yes, the original was kinda ridiculous and probably didn’t need a billion sequels (each goofier than the last), but the monkey vs. man switcheroo is a sci-fi concept that you can’t deny is worth putting up on screen in a way that explores the various themes surrounding our specietal (pretty sure that’s a word) dominance of planet Earth. Are we a bunch of selfish jerks who are probably going to ruin everything one day? If super-intelligent monkeys got a leg up, would they fare any better? Who knows, but one thing’s for sure, Andy Serkis is so good in this that you’ll be rooting for the fall of humankind. (Mike talks apes in this WTI)

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