My top films of 2011

Ok, so 2011 is drawing to a close and I'm jumping on the bandwagon and blogging about my top movies of 2011 (can anyone say 'No original content'?).

I've been surprisingly blah about the movie offerings of this year and as such, the ones I have ended up rating, have taken me by surprise - in a good way.

2012 looks to be far more exciting for me as a viewer - The Hobbit, The Hunger Games and War Horse are all must see films for me - the kind of ones that actually raise my heart beat and have the hair on the back of my neck standing up.

But before looking ahead, let's look back at the ones that got the thumbs up from me, in ascending order:

#5 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
An avid fan like meself was desperate for this film to do it's thing and bring the series home - it did but without the serious finish to adequately top it off. It underperformed but it was the end, so deservedly wins a place on the list. Read the full review here.

#4 - Ides of March
Classic example of brilliant casting, contained and focused narrative, enough to keep you thoroughly engaged without needing to throw explosions and mega SFX our way. Full review here.

#3 - Kung Fu Panda 2
This was just good fun and had me laughing loads and you need a good comedy in there. To be honest, Bridesmaids should also be mentioned as a great one too, though it was a lot less comedic than I thought and a lot more poignant. So Po wins out for the comedy value. Review here.

#2 -  True Grit
As with #4 on the list, you canna beat good casting, solid script etc. Plus Hailee Steinfeld was so amazing, I'm just honoured the Coen brothers brought that on screen to show us. Review here.

#1 -  X-Men: First Class
This one took me totes my surprise - it had a little bit of everything: solid performances, great action, a smattering of laughs and intense drama. It was an all rounder. Read the review here.









And if you care to bother to know which films I didn't even want to see (and you may argue, I missed out on)

- Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The title alone was offensive to me - did anyone tell the creators that 'of the' twice in a title is just plain ugly?
- Twilight: Breaking Dawn
Let's not even go there.
- Immortalz
I put a 'z' on the end to demonstrate how it lacks any semblance of creditability whatsoever.
- Hangover Part 2
You just knew it was going to be appalling, even if no 1 was a laugh.
- One Day
I couldn't stand the book and didn't finish it - why would I want to watch Anne Hathaway play that annoying Emma for 2 hours?
- Thor, Captain America, Green Lantern, Transformers
Yeh, no.


Films I wanted to see:
- The Help
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Well, let me know your thoughts and best wishes for Christmas and New Years!

The Ides of March - London Film Festival Review

I was very fortunate to be invited along to the premiere of the film at the LFF. I have taken ages to coming around and writing this review, so I reckon I'll be giving a rather brief (perhaps vague?) review of it, as its not as immediate in my mind as I would like. Let's see what Memory dredges up!

This film is a well put together, well acted piece and is commendable on many accounts. Mr. Clooney himself, when introducing the film, said it was nice to have a film like this that wasn't all explosions and insane action sequences. And George is right of course - for all of you that follow this blog regularly (you don't need to scoff!), you will know how I champion a well contained narrative and impressive acting/casting.

Don't I look sinister? But I'm a Democrat, thumbs up!

I love American politics - all the intrigue and the back-hand deals and the veneer of imperious dignity, reminiscent of Ancient Rome which the USAns love to emulate (and hence the title). The film goes through these layers and peels them back one by one - starting with idealistic but robust faith and belief displayed through Ryan Gosling character's trust and enthusiasm for the candidate he campaigns for, Governor Morris. Gosling is really quite impressive and sustains our journey through his story as he descends into the messy business of presidential campaigning, with revenge, affairs yada yada all there. Only this doesn't go crazy and though melodrama could be used as a term for the film, there is a more subdued tone - the tension is palatable in scenes but the dramatic moments are 'off stage' which presents a sort of interesting Greek tragedy feel, such as when Stephen listens to Molly's (Evan Rachel Wood) voice messages, the intern he has a fling with.

The writing is solid - nothing to find fault, for there is great balance of quick banter, measured words and comedy. In terms of pace, it's constantly engaging with just enough intrigue and you are allowed room to admire the content because it's also in the capable hands of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti - and Mr. Clooney himself, who has less screen time than you might think but makes it count. The confrontational scene between Morris and Stephen (Gosling) is in a closed kitchen of some pub/restaurant and full of shadows. It's wonderfully symbolic as we understand how dark the world has become for Stephen.

There's great observations about loyalty, the price of one's mistakes, who really pulls the strings and how one political party can be so pitted against one another within their own ranks - all very Roman. The end shot is brilliantly done and sums up the film and Clooney's directing (lots of lingering shots). I'm not going to say what it is - go watch it and find out.

Solid is a word I would use, so while I was more than satisfied with the film, I'm not sure it's a breakthrough one and stands simply as a good example of good film making.

VERDICT: 8.4/10