Apolloverse's Top 11 Films of 2011 01/01/2012
I haven't posted anything in this blog for months and for my latest post in a long time, I want to share my top films for the year 2011. Again, I am not a real film critic and the only criteria I use to evaluate the films is pretty much just my preference and how much I liked it overall. Also, it's not possible for me to watch all of the films that were shown in the year 2011 so these films are just based from what I was able to watch (I was able to watch a lot though). Also, there may be some here that wasn't released in the Philippines but I included it anyway since it was released in 2011 pa rin (Thank God for torrent downloads) Anyway, here goes:  11. The Tree of Life Directed by: Terrence Mallick Starring: Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Sean Penn With the risk of seeming like a pretentious arse, I'm putting The Tree of Life in my list of favorite films this year. This impressionistic film follows the story of a Midwestern American family in the 50s and the journey of the eldest son, Jack, through his disillusioned adult years. The film contains so many experimental elements and tries so hard to scope everything, from the creation of the universe to its demise, through the vision of this small Texan family. It does fall short in a lot of aspects and maybe a more linear narrative would be better for the film's structure but one has to give props to this one of a kind film that just left me questioning my existence after watching it.  10. X-Men: First Class Directed by: Matthew Vaughn Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones... Yep, I know this film probably won't be in any other's top films (and the real critics wouldnt even care for it) but I've always been an X-men kid and I really enjoyed this film as a prequel to the Xmen that we've come to know. However, this was on my list for a reason other than me liking Xmen that much. The film's storytelling is efficient and it's not specialFX-hungry, meaning it really tells a story not just visual spectacles and show-off of computer generated techniques.  9. Drive Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan I don't know how to describe this film but it feels like a neonoir classic already with elements from an 80s action/heist-gone-wrong film, car chases and bullet smashes. It's bloody, it's violent, it's polarizing but I enjoyed watching it, not to mention the solid performance given by Ryan Gosling. Even it's scoring is awesome!  8. Source Code Directed by: Duncan Jones Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga Easily the year's smartest sci-fi, techno-thriller film, Source Code centers on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train. I love films that deal with time-space manipulation, theories of parallel universes and overall mindfuckery and this film has that. The film almost felt like Inception's cousin (not as awesome though)  7. Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington Directed by: Jade Castro Starring: Martin Escudero...(well kitang kita naman sa poster ang cast) The sole Filipino film on my list this year, Zombadings is a films starring little known actors (well there's Roderick Paulate, Janice de Belen and John Regala for support) with a solid story told in a non-conventional manner, somehow challenging cinematic standards in the country and still addressing issues that aren't tackled by huge mainstream studio releases.  6. Carnage Directed by: Roman Polanski Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly I'm not really a fan of films happening in real time (with the exception of Before Sunrise) but this one stuck with me. Polanski has always been into the dark side of humanity so its not much a surprise he'll be drawn to do something like this, a black comedy of claustrophobic proportions. Every character has a certain level of caricature in them and each actor gave really good performances!  5. 50/50 Directed by: Jonathan Levine Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen This film could've easily been horrible, dark humor dealing with mortality but backed by smart character, convincing actors and a well-written script with a heart, it all works out. The absence of too much sentimentality and self-pity is what makes this film stand out from others straddling the same topic. It's a refreshingly and surprisingly thoughtful buddy movie.  4. The Help Directed by: Tate Taylor Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer Adapted from the novel of the same name, this film tells the story of a young white woman and the black maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the Civil Rights era. Given the heavy premise, the film is actually quiet with no over-the-top expected drama yet powerful and captivating, backed with very likable characters and superb acting from the cast. I never saw it as an award bait when I watched it so I am pleasantly surprised when I've come to read the accolades it is receiving.  3. Midnight in Paris Directed by: Woody Allen Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard Midnight in Paris is about a young man's great love for a city, Paris (especially its 20s era), and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. Charming, lighthearted, clever and filled with a loving embrace of art told in an upfront fantasy way, the movie deals with themes of modernism and nostalgia.  2. Bridesmaids Directed by: Paul Feig Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rode Byrne, Melissa McCarthy I love comedies. As much as I love to watch films that have deep psychological shit or movies set in dystopian universes, sometimes I just want to watch a good ol' comedy film and Bridesmaids, for me, is the best comedy film of the year. The genre-busting film is a union of genuine characters and gross-out gags that are usually not seen in most comedies starred by women. It's raunchy, it's fearless, it's magnificently written! Out of all the films in this list, this is definitely the film I recommend the most for everyone!  1. Melancholia Directed by: Lars von Trier list as the best films Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg I was drawn to watch this film because of the poster. Kirsten Dunst floating on a body of water on her wedding dress that reminds us of the painting Ophelia by John Everette Millais. And so I watched and after watching, I was stunned. It's hauntingly beautiful. The introductory sequence alone is enough to capture one's attention. The film was so polished and had elements of romanticism that greatly clashes with its apocalyptic premise. Unlike most disaster films, the story is not focused on the characters' struggle for survival but with the study of the human psyche during a disaster and the acceptance of the incoming demise. I am haunted by the film in ways that I cant exactly clear in my mind. It's a shame that this film seems to be snobbed by the Golden Globes. Also, worth noting is Kirsten Dunst performance in this film. So there's my top films for 2011. Runners-up include Limitless, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Babae sa Septic Tank and No Other Woman. Also, I would've put The King's Speech on the list since it was widely released this 2011 but previously shown, limited on 2010. Another is that there are films I think would've been on the list have I seen them, these are The Artist, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Shame, Hugo, Margaret, The Descendants and Weekend. (I am yet to see Another Earth too but I already downloaded it) Anyway, so that's it. Tell me below if you agree with my list or not. :) Comments05/13/2012 19:26
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