Top Tens

Better late than never...my top ten of 2011

Just a couple of qualifiers for the list: these are my favourite films (not the 'best' films) of the year and they are judged on UK release dates. Let me know your thoughts...

10 - Submarine (LOVEFiLM/DVD)

Richard Ayoade is Hollywood's new king of quirk. His debut film as writer/director revolves around Oliver (Craig Roberts) and his adolescent obsessions over his parents' dwindling marriage and a girl from school. Ayoade's vision of Wales is charming, original and wonderfully witty. His sophomore effort The Double, a take on the Dostoyesvsky novella, wrapped in July. 

9 - Take Shelter (DVD)

Set in rural Ohio, Jeff Nichol's second feature is a psychological tour de force. As family man Curtis, played by a scintillating Michael Shannon, starts to develop apocalyptic visions, his comfortable life starts to unravel. Infectious, intense and disturbing, Take Shelter packs a climactic punch that is truly memorable and rewards multiple viewings.

Nichols is certainly one to watch.

8 - Rabbit Hole (DVD)

Some say drama is pure cinema, but it remains notoriously hard to get made in Hollywood. Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play grieving parents in Rabbit Hole, who struggle to come to terms with the loss of their child. The actors are laid bare and their incredible performances flourish. Kidman in particular produces extraordinary pathos and only missed out on a second Oscar because of a certain unstable ballerina...

7 - Black Swan (DVD)

One of the most intense cinematic experience since Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan will get under your skin (and Natalie Portman's). Her performance was (rightly) praised across the board, but the supporting players are equally strong. Darren Aronofsky is the kind of artist that subtly chips around the edges with a chisel, then reverts to a sledgehammer when you least expect it. Film-making doesn't get more ambitious than his current project - Noah.

6 - The Skin I Live In (Netflix/DVD)

My experience of foreign films is almost non-existent, but the long-running movie podcast Filmspotting led me to acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, the man who made Penélope Cruz a household name. The Skin I Live In centres around a meticulous plastic surgeon (Banderas) who becomes obsessive about one patient. His project forces the viewer to question their own attitudes about morality, identity and sexuality in this stunningly rich film.

5 - Source Code (LOVEFiLM/DVD)

I'm a sucker for smart action films with a twist. Director Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie,  debuted with impressive sci-fi indie flick Moon and brings his unique style to this taut time-travel thriller. The originality of the concept galvanizes Gyllenhall and drives the electrifying action to a controversial climax, making it one of the most exciting cinema events of 2011. Any film that brings significant debate with audiences is valuable.

4 - 50/50 (Netflix/DVD)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has had an incredible couple of years. From starring in sci-fi blockbusters Inception and Looper to this drama-comedy, he's shown impressive range and that he's got star quality. Gordon-Levitt brings real humanity to his role as a rare cancer patient in his mid-twenties who faces a 50/50 chance of survival. Based on the writer's real-life experiences, this is a heartwarming and genuine portrayal, with refreshing supporting feats from Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick and Angelica Houston. 

3 - Animal Kingdom (LOVEFiLM/DVD)

Billed as "the Australian Goodfellas", Animal Kingdom follows seventeen-year-old J Cody after being thrown in the middle of his family of criminals. The naive, almost catatonic nature of J is a very effective perspective to judge the explosive Cody brothers and matriarch "Smurf"'s power-plays. Fledgling writer/director David Michôd expertly controls the pacing of the picture and gets the best out of Guy Pearce, Joel Edgerton and especially the slimy Ben Mendelsohn, who is hilarious in Brad Pitt's mob film Killing Them Softly.

2 - Hanna (DVD)

It's not often that a classically trained director like Joe Wright tries their hand at action. Hanna is a breath of fresh air into the stagnant genre as Wright injects an art-house feel into the fairy-tale like narrative. Saoirse Ronan, almost unrecognisable from her refined role in Atonement, is a force to be reckoned with as she hunts revenge in the form of a 'fanged' Cate Blanchett, with the Chemical Brothers' score setting the rollicking pace. Impressive box-office takings show that the rewards can be significant for a director leaving their comfort-zone.

1 - Drive (Netflix/DVD)

The most stylish film in years. Danish Director Nic Winding Refn brings his unique approach to Hollywood's forefront, with Ryan Gosling at the wheel. Stylishly shot and beautifully acted, with an infectious soundtrack, it was incredible to behold in the cinema - twice. Refn pushes the boundaries with sparse dialogue and sporadic ultra-violence and it's brilliant to see a film-maker who's willing to take risks get a foothold in the mainstream. A cult film in the making, Drive is a modern classic.

Some honorable mentions that just missed out on the list are Kill List, The Ides of March, Super 8, The Fighter, Crazy, Stupid, Love and Moneyball.

Soundtracks

Great Songs From Films

A selection of songs that really stick in my mind from great moments in film. Some may have been used for other movies as well, but these are the films that I discovered them from. Most of the YouTube videos are just the songs with some pictures, so no spoilers. Enjoy.

Garden State - "The Only Living Boy in New York" (Simon and Garfunkel)

Kicking in at the kookily cathartic moment of Garden State, as Zach Baff, Natalie Portman and Peter Sarsgaard scream into the abyss (see above), Simon and Garfunkel's beautiful song breaks through the quirky narrative. One of many brilliant songs from the Grammy-winning soundtrack, compiled by Braff himself. 

Amélie - "Comptine d'Un Autre Été: L'après Midi" (Yann Tiersen)

If I wasn't so musically challenged, this would be the first thing I'd learn on the piano. Video is an extended version, because the original just isn't long enough.

Hanna - "Container Park" (The Chemical Brothers)

Contrasting the fairytale-like theme song of Joe Wright's arthouse thriller, the intensely atmospheric build-up of this track explodes into the kinetic intensity of the action scenes. 

Little Miss Sunshine - "How it Ends" (DeVotchKa)

The Denver four-piece band gained wide recognition for their 'Little Miss Sunshine' score, including a Grammy nomination in 2006. Their previous hit "How it Ends" is epic,infectious and accompanied by other indie hits like Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago".

Philadelphia - "Streets of Philadelphia" (Bruce Springsteen)

An uncompromising look at HIV discrimination, 'Philadelphia' is a fantastic film. This beautifully downbeat track, as well as Neil Young's heartfelt theme song, enhances the veracity of Tom Hanks' first Oscar-winning performance.

Into the Wild - "Rise" (Eddie Vedder)

The Pearl Jam front-man's folk music is as contagious as Chris McCandless's passion. Full of freedom, nature and wonder, every song is as memorable as each scene. One of my favourite soundtracks, brimming with beauty.

True Romance - "You're So Cool!" (Hans Zimmer)

I'm not sure whether this song is really good or it just reminds me of the spontaneous exuberance of this great movie. Either way, I love it. 

Collateral - "Shadow on the Sun" (Audioslave)

In a film that is really a non-stop thriller, with an unnervingly cool Tom Cruise at the helm, this track signals a sharp shift in tone that will give you chills. Ingenious song choice.

Traffic/28 Days Later - An Ending (Brian Eno)

One of the best pieces of ambient music, used to perfection by expert directors Soderbergh and Boyle. Soothing.

The Truman Show - "Truman Sleeping" (Philip Glass)

Straight after learning some Yann Tiersen, if I miraculously get over my musical inabilities, I would then learn this. Distinctive and wonderfully atmospheric score from this universal favourite.

Crash - "In the Deep" (Bird York)

Tugging at the heartstrings, 'Crash' and Bird York's gorgeous vocals are hard to resist. 'Maybe Tomorrow', easily Stereophonics' best song to date, also features.

Requiem for a Dream - "Lux Aeterna" (Clint Mansell)

No list of film scores would be complete without this colossus. Really driving the intensity of the characters' fall from grace, it's used throughout 'Requiem' to great effect.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - "Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime" (Beck)

I'm not a huge Beck fan, but this track is stunning. Maybe again because of my love for the film, it is an appropriately charming ending to Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry's masterpiece and this blog post. (Lots of film footage in this video so probably best to avoid if you haven't seen the film yet.)

Future Releases

The Great Gatsby

8 films to look out for in 2012 (UK)

Rather than telling you about high profile blockbusters that will receive a lot of attention before their release, I'm going to spotlight eight films I'm eagerly awaiting that you may not have seen three trailers for. Excluded from the list because of this are the likes of Prometheus, The Great Gatsby, Looper, Cloud Atlas, Argo and many others.

Red Lights - June 22 (trailer here)

This psychological thriller is writer/director Rodrigo Cortes's follow up to the brilliantly claustrophobic Buried. Sigourney Weaver is cast as the investigator of a reputable psychic (Robert De Niro) with the help of her assistant, Cillian Murphy. Rising stars Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Craig Roberts (Submarine) complete the promising line up. The prospect of De Niro actually taking on an interesting role is exciting in itself. Having wrapped in April last year, this has taken an age to reach British audiences and hopefully it's worth the wait.

Killer Joe - June 29 (trailer here)

After playing at Venice Film Festival and TIFF last September, this William Friedkin (The Exorcist/The French Connection) dark thriller has also taken its time before release. The story revolves around a sinister bounty hunter (not Matthew McConaughey's usual part of Southern heartthrob) who is hired to kill his client's mother. Emile Hirsch hasn't fulfilled the promise that he showed in 2007's Into the Wild, but hopefully this is a return to form after the aptly named Darkest Hour. Juno Temple, who will be appearing as the sidekick to Anne Hathaway's catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises this summer, also stars. Its NC-17 rating, means it will probably be an 18, because of "graphic aberrant content involving violence and sexuality, and a scene of brutality." Quite surprising, but won't put me off. 

Killing Them Softly - September 21

Brad Pitt's solitary 2012 outing is in Andrew Dominik's adaptation of George V Higgins's dialogue-heavy novel about the Boston mob-scene. This is the second time the two have collaborated after the epic Assassination of Jesse James, but it sounds like the New Zealand-born director has reverted back to the brutality of his debut picture Chopper in this gritty tale of 'professional enforcer' Jackie Cogan. With a strong supporting cast including James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta and Sam Shepard, the film is in contention for the Palme d'Or at Cannes next week and is certainly one to look out for at the cinema.

Seven Psychopaths - November

I don't think my expectations could be higher for this. After playwright and master of black comedy Martin McDonagh's insanely funny feature film debut In Bruges, comes an equally wacky sounding story about a struggling screenwriter (Colin Farrell) who, with some friends, "dognap" a dangerous mob-boss's (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu. Other players include Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Olga Kurylenko and Abbie Cornish. If it's half as entertaining as In Bruges, it'll be worth the cinema ticket. 

Gravity - November 23

Considering Alfonso Cuaron's follow-up to the sci-fi triumph Children of Men has been in development for years, it's surprising that hardly any details and no photos have been released about the project. The only two characters are played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, surviving astronauts on a debris hit space station. Originally, Robert Downey Jr and Natalie Portman were cast in the lead roles but had scheduling conflicts. Rumour also has it, that the film opens with a 17-minute-long continuous take. Oh, and it's in 3D. Should be interesting at least. 

The Company You Keep - November

As well as producing and directing this political thriller, Robert Redford appears on screen, in the lead role, for the first time in five years. The original Gatsby plays an exposed former Weather Underground militant with a young reporter (Shia LaBeouf) and FBI agent (Terrence Howard) hot on his tail. Susan Sarandon, Brendan Gleeson, Anna Kendrick and many others make up a fantastic assembly, with Drive's Cliff Martinez devising the score. Talented starlet Brit Marling, who took last years Sundance by storm with debut flicks Another Earth and Sound of My Voice, features too.

Stoker - No date

Wentworth Miller has been pretty quiet since Prison Break, and now we know why. Under the pen-name Ted Foulke, he has written the screenplay for this psychological family thriller, which was voted onto the 2010 'Black List' (the 10 most exciting, unproduced Hollywood screenplays). This success despite his anonymity, along with Oldboy director Chan-wook Park on board to make his English-language debut, makes Stoker an exciting prospect. Players include Nicole Kidman, fellow Australian Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode, as well as Animal Kingdom's intimidating matriarch Jackie Weaver. Fox Searchlight have picked up this film and should organise a release for late 2012.

Only God Forgives - No date

Right off the bat, I'm gonna say that Drive was my favourite film of 2011. So, naturally I am frantically anticipating the reunion of Ryan Gosling and writer/director Nic Winding Refn, in what Gosling has called "the strangest thing I've ever read". He stars as an exiled British gangster, who sets out to avenge the death of his brother in a Thai Boxing ring. Expect a lot more violence, with Refn's divisive style running riot in Bangkok. The Dane tweeted last month "we're pushing hard toward our goal: be ready for last week of August", in time for major film festivals. It's set to be another busy end of the year for Gosling too, with Gangster Squad and The Place Beyond the Pines roughly scheduled for November.

Drama on Netflix

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Amy Ryan

Director: Ben Affleck

Genre: Drama, Thriller

My Rating: 8/10

Like most people I think, my first impressions of Gone Baby Gone were something along the lines of "Ben Affleck directing? Really?". Yes, the star of such 'masterpieces' as Daredevil and Pearl Harbour has gone behind the camera, with surprisingly good results. It's ironic that, after appearing in J-Lo's conceited video for "Jennie from the Block", he returns to his humble Boston roots to create such a modest and unpretentious picture. Big bro's come a long way.

Based on the bestselling fourth novel in Dennis Lehane's excellent Kenzie/Gennaro detective series, Gone Baby Gone retains the book's intricate story line and fascinating characters. It is a careful synthesis of captivating plot, poignant acting and (occasionally) humanity. As a proud native, Affleck’s direction is considered, painting a picture of Boston that is gritty, sometimes endearing but always entertaining. Patrick and Angie's search for Amanda, a missing 4 year-old girl, leads them to the darkest corners of the neighbourhood, right into the heart of the depravity that they shield themselves from in their comfortable apartment. The humanity (and lack of), in the context of child welfare, tugs at the heartstrings of the viewer, with the detachment of Affleck’s direction meaning this effect isn’t forced, but earned.

"Kids forgive, they don't judge, they turn the other cheek, and what do they get for it?"

As an actor (although his credentials are questionable), Ben Affleck knows how to shape stellar performances from the perfectly balanced cast. His brother, Casey, is compellingly explosive alongside a subdued Monaghan, with excellent performances from ever-reliable veterans Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. The stand out though, is Amy Ryan’s compelling portrayal of the uncouth, defective mother of Amanda, which received an Oscar nod. Another great supporting bow comes from Titus Welliver, who Lost fans will recognise as 'The Man in Black'.

Where this film really succeeds though, apart from two fantastic scenes in a local bar and a crime syndicate, is its unpretentious questions of child welfare and (to a lesser extent) the media's exploitation. Its climax leaves you with a gut-wrenching dilemma that will stay in your thoughts for days. 

Due to its similarities and proximity to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Gone Baby Gone's British theatrical release was delayed. It didn't get the exposure it deserved because of this, but at least it's able to stand on its own terms as a gripping, important story and it's well worth checking out on Netflix or on DVD.

Right so this is the first time I've ever blogged, quite confused but I'll get the hang of it.

What's the point?

In these blogs I plan to bring people short informal reviews of movies that are playing at the cinema, available on streaming services (Netflix and LOVEfilm) or maybe just on DVD/Blu-ray as well as interesting (hopefully) film news. 

If you like films, then I hope to flag up a few (hidden) gems that you may not know about and maybe convince you to check them out (or not if they're actually shit). I won't bore you with a synopsis of every film I look at since anyone can find a better one in seconds on the net.

In the next few weeks I intend to review Netflix offerings Gone Baby Gone, Breaking Bad and The King of Kong as well as both new Joss Whedon features Cabin in the Woods and Avengers Assemble. 

I'll drop a link on my facebook page every couple of posts, so look out for them if you're interested in any of the films/TV series I mentioned!