My top movie picks of 2011

Yes I know I’m a little behind…sue me! Here are the top ten movies I felt deserved reconition of the year. I will admit, film has been on the decline over the past few years but I still love the feeling of finding some precious gems out there.

Drive- Hands down my favorite movie of the year. People question my love for Ryan Gosling and think it’s just a schoolgirl crush, but in reality this man has been on my acting radar for years. I think he is one of the greatest, genuine actors of our time.

In drive, the driver (he is never given a name) is a stunt car driver/mechanic by day and a getaway driver by night. At night he is quiet, sneaks in, gets the job done, and gives the criminals only 5 minutes to do their work, then they are never to see him again. His boss Shannon (Brian Cranston) borrows money from a mobster (Albert Brooks) to buy a car for the driver to race, that deal doesn’t sit well with the mobsters business partner (Ron Perlman). During all of this, the driver meets Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son Benicio. While he is a loner, a connection is built between the three and you start to see emotion come through that is usually masked behind his tough exterior. It isn’t until her husband gets out of jail, when the movie starts to accelerate.

What makes this movie amazing, is the Noir aspect of it, it was like watching a modern day Taxi Driver. It’s violent but with a purpose, quiet but loud at the same time. Very little dialogue is uttered, but so much is heard and felt throughout the entire film, and it’s joined by a fantastic soundtrack. I would love for Gosling to win accolades for this role, but alas, I think the academy might be too afraid of this.

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- In a nutshell the basic premise of this movie is a man, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), is hired by retired CEO Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to write a family history on the Vanger’s as well as investigate the murder of his niece, who disappeared 40 years prior. While working, he hires an intelligent researcher/computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a young punk with a very troubled past.

I walked into this movie with an immediate hatred. I tried to get through the Swedish movies and the books after they became such an international hit, but they bored me to tears. I heard it was violent and shocking, but quite frankly I’ve seen worse. The original Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) wasn’t horrible but I just didn’t feel a connection with her. I just viewed her as a sad, mopey, hipster punk who had it rough. On top of that, I loathed Fincher’s last two films (Social Network and Benjamin Button). He is one of my favorite directors because of films like Seven or Fight Club, and has such a raw grittiness that I adore. I will admit though, seeing what he lacked in his last two films, I didn’t think he had it in him anymore. I was wrong and have never been so happy about that!

First off, I’m always slightly partial because Fincher started an amazing collaboration with one of my favorite musicians, Trent Renzor. He did the soundtrack to Social Network (so I guess I didn’t loathe the movie, only slightly hated) and he again created an amazing soundtrack to this film. Ok with all that said….I absolutely loved everything about this movie (well not everything, but you get the idea). It was fantastic, dark, raw, and dirty. The opening sequence alone is one of the best opening’s since Zombieland. It was Fincher at his true form, a crime drama with an edge. The new Lisbeth (Rooney Mara) brought a child-like innosence to the disturbed character. She was literally (and figuratively) naked and raw in every scene she was in. In fact, I was left wanting more of her character and less of the main plot.

My Week with Marylin- I always had hesitation on saying I thought Michelle Williams was a good actress. With breakout performances in Brokeback Mountain and Blue Valentine, I still couldn’t shake that I used to love watching her on Dawson’s Creek. Well if there was ever a movie to solidify her Hollywood status, it’s this film. What I loved about it was it didn’t focus on the “Betty Boop” Monroe most people tend to identify with. It showed Marylin as an actress who sometimes couldn’t push past her demons and insecurities, and how that almost destroyed her career and ultimately ended her life. Michelle Williams didn’t just play her, she truly became Marilyn and not in a silly “character actor” way. What I also love is that this isn’t just a Marylin Monroe bio pic, the supporting cast (Kenneth Branagh, Judie Dench, Emma Watson, Julia Ormand, just to name a few) also wows and the setting is beautiful.

I know I didn’t really “describe” the film, so here you go. It’s a true story about a Production Assistant starting out in the film world, who works on the British set of the Prince and Showgirl, starring Sir Laurence Olivier and Marylin Monroe (who at the time is a newlywed to Arthur Miller). When Miller leaves the country, this assistant and the showgirl develop a friendship and a week of love, in hopes to distract Marilyn from the pressures of Hollywood and fame.

Bridesmaids-Hilarious and Sweet with a breakout performance by Melissa McCarthy. Yes it can be viewed as The Hangover with girls, but there is more to this movie than that. Being a woman, I obviously related to the bridesmaids woes, but it also appeals to both men as well. Don’t pretend and say you haven’t had that “where has my life gone” moment, especially turning 30. Everyone has a friend or is that themselves where they think it can’t get any better. Bridesmaids tugs at your heartstrings awkwardly but then takes a crap in the middle of the street to make you laugh.

You don’t need a synopsis…it’s a comedy with fart jokes, relationships, and a whole lotta Wilson Phillips!

50/50-I will always go see a Seth Rogan movie and I get more and more impressed with Joseph Gorden Levitt with each film, so what if this one happens to be about cancer, I’m there!

The story is loosely based on screenwriter Will Reiser’s (who wrote this movie) life. It’s the story of Adam (Levitt) and Kyle (Rogan). Adam does everything by the book, doesn’t drink, do drugs, recycles, and lives a simple life. He’s best friends with Kyle, and he is your typical…well he’s Seth Rogan. One day Adam discovers he has cancer and his world is turned upside down. Suddenly his life plan changes and he has to learn how to adapt. Not one to show much emotion, he has to learn to face his fears and let people in. His girlfriend(Bryce Dallas Howard) lacks compassion, but he surprisingly finds solace and strength with people he never thought he would have .

Yes it’s about cancer and dying but it can be touching and funny as well. In my opinion, when something happens, you have to see the humor in things or else you, and everything else around you, will crumble.

Bonus points for a nice soundtrack

X-men First Class- Forget Captain America, and Thor, the comic book movie to see is this one. The film is a prequel to the X-men series, so we get to see how it all started. Who doesn’t love comic book movies, especially when they are done this well, and I especially love getting to know these mutants more than dealing with fancy explosions or special effects. Both lead characters Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lensherr/Magneto (Michael Fassebender) are well cast, with Fassbender being exceptionally good, and who doesn’t love a campy Kevin Bacon. With the exception of the GOD-AWFUL (and I mean it when I say without a doubt the worst acting ever on the face of this earth) January Jones, the rest of the cast is well played and allows you to just go along for the ride that is called X-men First Class.

Crazy Stupid Love-Yes I know another Gosling flick but trust me, this sleeper hit will warm your heart. It’s a story about Cal (Steve Carrell) and Emily (Julianne Moore), a married couple going through a separation. They have children, with one intelligent, wise beyond his years, son (played by a talented Jonah Bobo). During this Cal struggles to find his identity as a newly single man. While drinking away his sorrows at the bar one night, he connects with womanizer Jacob (Ryan Gosling). It’s then that Jacob decides to teach Cal the ways to get a woman into bed. It’s silly and funny but tender at times. Gosling plays Jacob ridiculously over the top, but it’s his first “silly” role and I think he played it wonderfully. Emma Stone and Kevin Bacon also have small roles, which stand out, but the real chemistry goes to Carrell and Moore.

Hobo with a shotgun-This Canadian exploitation film was the winner of Robert Rodriguez Grind house trailer contest. It stars Rutger Hauer as a hobo who arrives in a town called Hope Town, but has since been re-named Scum Town. It’s ruled by The Drake and his sadistic sons, and no one gets out of there alive if they don’t play by the rules. Trouble ensues once the evil rulers see the Hobo fighting back. One of the best, campiest, exploitation films I have seen in a long time. If you don’t like movies like Night of the living dead, Machete, any Troma films, Black Dynamite, etc then this isn’t your cup of tea, so don’t even bother.

Rise of the Apes- I would consider this film staring John Lithgow and James Franco, to be your basic well done popcorn flick. The Ape effects (done by Andy Serkis) are incredible and instantly make this film a more intelligent action film. The chemistry between Caesar and Franco is heartfelt and genuine. It’s a touching story even with all the action.

Human Centipede 2-What can I say, it’s been a slow year. I’m surprised I could pick 5 films let alone 10. Yes it’s disgusting and beyond over the top but you know what? I have to respect a director who tries to go Avant Garde with a film that involves sewing people’s heads to other people’s asses. I hope every actor in the film (especially the lead character Martin) never works again. Leave this as their lasting legacy and make their children and grandchildren proud.