Bel’s Favorite Films of 2011

With the year coming to a close, I thought I’d share my thoughts on some of my favorite films I saw this past year, just in case you haven’t already seen them. 

10) Melancholia — This Lars Von Trier film starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland and Alexander Skarsgård is one of those films that requires a second-viewing to fully comprehend, because the plot isn’t quite so transparent. Plus, it’s so visually striking that I can’t help but want to see it over and over.

9) Beginners — The quirky, non-linear storytelling coupled by amazingly heartfelt performances by Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor are what make this film so memorable. I loved the relationship between McGregor and Plummer, as a father and son who are dealing with the father’s terminal cancer and recent gay lifestyle.

8) The Tree of Life — Terrence Malick never ceases to amaze me. Even though the plot of the film was quite obtuse, I found myself completely enraptured by the visuals and scoring. Warning: this film is not for those who cringe at avant-garde films. Yet, if you can get over the fact that the point of the story won’t be readily discernible, then you are in for a treat because Malick is pushing the very definition of cinema.

7) Bridesmaids — Utterly hilarious freshman effort by SNL cast member Kristen Wiig. I don’t think I need to tell you all why this movie is fantastic—it’s pretty much general knowledge at this point. The entire cast of amazingly uproarious women was perfectly casted and the world now finally realizes how excellent Melissa McCarthy is.

6) Hanna — Anyone who knows me in person, knows that I have a huge lady boner for Joe Wright. He always manages to take convention and alter it in a truly spectacular way. Hanna is no different. The superb Saoirse Ronan is the titular character, a trained teenage assassin on a mission to kill CIA agent Marissa Wiegler. What ensues is one of the greatest action films I have ever seen.

5) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II — This film marked the end of an era for me. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan, and while I may not have always been a fan of the film adaptations, I did always love the visual splendor they provided. This last one was no different. It had it’s problem—Kloves script was mediocre at best, but nonetheless touched upon all the important moments and was easy enough to understand for those that solely watched the films (despite the fact that Dumbledore’s entire back story was eliminated, but let’s not get into that). The entire film was one big epic goodbye and I was a weepy mess afterwards.

4) Drive — Drive was not what I expected at all, but definitely in a good way. Director Nicolas Winding Refn took the overplayed car chase film and turned into a suspenseful and stylish neo-noir, filled with ’80s synth pop, slow-motion action sequences and hot pink title cards. Most importantly, the film elevated Ryan Gosling to another level, showing once again his versatility as an actor. 

3) Midnight in Paris — I have always been a fan of Woody Allen. I mean, who doesn’t think Annie Hall is one of the greatest movies ever made? Lately, however, Woody has either gotten quite serious and depressing, like Match Point and Cassandra’s Dream, or just irrelevant, such as with Whatever Works and You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.  Yet Midnight in Paris is neither of these things and takes us back to the light-hearted, but poignant Woody we’ve grown to love. Plus, Owen Wilson is excellent as Woody’s mouthpiece and Paris, with all its splendor, is just a fantastic backdrop as New York once was for his earlier films

2) The Skin I Live In — Pedro Almodóvar never disappoints me, and this film was not any different. Almodóvar gets everything right: the pacing, the music, the editing—all of which provide a moody of fantastic suspense to this perverse thriller. And Antonio Banderas might have been out for the count, but now he’s back in true form, as a sadistic man intent on revenge.

1) Shame — There are no words for this film. It’s as if Steve McQueen looked into the deepest recesses of my soul, pulled out my deepest insecurities and transposed them onto the screen. The film stars Michael Fassbender as sex addict Brandon, but the it is far more universal than that, showing anyone who watches this film a reflection of themselves. If you felt nothing while watching this then you are an automaton.

Honorable mentions: Hugo, Red State, Fright Night, Horrible Bosses, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Captain America: The First Avenger, Super 8, X-Men: First Class, Source Code,Insidious, and Jane Eyre.

Films I still need to see: The Artist, Carnage, The Muppets, The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse,Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Iron Lady, The Descendants, Take Shelter,Another Earth, Coriolanus, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Le Havre.

Thanks to the lovely latina-fey for the amazing image!

What were your favorite films of 2011?