It may span an butt-numbing 171 minutes, but thankfully Kaige Chen's acclaimed cross-over hit earns every minute. This is a big film that tells a big story, starting in 1924 and ending in 1977, yet no time or period feels short-changed. For a film to cover the life of one character is impressive. Chen's film covers three. Filled with memorable characters, excellent performances (including a very young Gong Li), and stunning production values, Chen's film smartly navigates the expansive timeline, grounding each period of Chinese history just enough to make sure that it all sticks. At times the characters can feel a bit like they're being maneuvered and manipulated to achieve somewhat mechanical dramatic ends, but the overall achievement is more than worth a look, because it works as a character drama, a romance, and a big slice of complicated Chinese history, all while remaining coherent.
Grade: B+/A-
You Can Count on Me (2000) dir. Kenneth Lonergan
It took a distressingly long time for Lonergan's second film, Margaret, to hit theaters, only to be seen by virtually no one. After taking a look at his directorial debut, it really seems like a shame, because if You Can Count on Me is any indication, Lonergan is one of the most promising directors out there. Filled with moments of tenderness, anger, cruelty, and joy, the writer/director's exploration of family ties between a divorcee (Laura Linney) and her unreliable brother (Mark Ruffalo) has an undeniably authentic feel to it the whole way through. Linney and Ruffalo have an instant brother-sister chemistry from their first appearance together, and the way the film gives both characters their fair share of examination creates the feeling that you know these people inside and outside. The only element that feels off is Matthew Broderick as Linney's new boss, though this has more to do with the actor's performance than Lonergan's writing. He's the one part of the film that doesn't feel entirely authentic, although ultimately it's easy to ignore, particularly when scenes like Linney and Ruffalo's parting-of-ways comes along and emotionally wreck you.
Grade: B+
Sherlock: Season 1 (2010) created by Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffat
The setting may be thoroughly modern, but Gatiss and Moffat's (best known as the current show runner of Doctor Who) modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels is a delightfully executed slice of TV that makes you beg for more after each episode (which is a problem, since each season is only 3 episodes). With each episode lasting roughly 90 minutes, Gatiss and Moffat straddle a fine line between serialized TV narrative and TV movie/mini-series, which gives the series a richer, more epic feeling. Case in point, the first episode, "A Study in Pink," which acts as a perfectly self-contained story all while establishing Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) in the show's modern-day London setting. Yet even though Moffat brings a certain amount of appeal to the series, it's watching the spectacularly-voiced Cumberbatch and Freeman play off of each other that's truly a joy to watch. Cumberbatch's Holmes is driven to the point of insensitivity, prone to arrogance in his quest to analyze and get to the bottom of things. Watching the actor recite detailed breakdowns of crime scenes, combined with the flashy close-ups and edits, is as riveting as any number of big setpieces in recent blockbusters. Freeman's more mellow, "every day" nature brings a nice touch to Watson. He's not a doofus, but he's a "normal" smart guy who still has to contend with the seemingly god-like analytical capabilities of his crime-solving partner. So even though episodes 2 and 3 (mostly 2) aren't quite as effective as "A Study in Pink," the actors and general execution make the show worth keeping up with. Now to get onto season 2 so I can see the much-buzzed-about finale...
With last night's SAG awards out of the way, the Oscar race is finally becoming a little clearer. After months and months of uncertainty, clear frontrunners are emerging, and the race is really taking shape. That said, there's still room for a few surprises on Oscar night, which is always welcome. Which is even more impressive now that Hollywood's three big guilds have handed out their awards for 2011. No matter how many critics prizes a film takes, in the end its industry support that matters. Look no further than The Social Network/The King's Speech for a classic example of a critical favorite eventually trumped by a film that hit it off big time with the industry. And in a year where so much is uncertain, we can at least try to speculate where AMPAS' votes will go, though unlike last year nothing is quite set in stone.
Best Picture
Frontrunner: The Artist
The Help may have picked up the SAG's top prize, but that's for ensemble, not picture (though SAG sometimes votes as if it is). Both the PGA and the DGA have gone to The Artist, which has emerged from the field of 9 contenders as the one with the best chance. The Descendants, Hugo,The Help, and even The Tree of Life all have their ardent supporters, but ultimately, this is The Artist's to lose.
Best Director
Frontrunner: Michel Hazanvicius - The Artist
The film certainly stands out among the crowd as a modern-day silent, and seeing as AMPAS generally tends to lump picture and director together, expect Hazanvicius to be swept along with his film.
Best Actor
Frontrunner: George Clooney - The Descendants
Though his loss last night to Dujardin was a blow to his momentum, Clooney remains the logical pick for the win, even though Dujardin is rapidly closing in on his lead. Clearly the actors love him, and the industry seems to love The Artist, so Dujardin could ultimately prove victorious. At the moment, however, Clooney's golden boy status could still be enough to keep him in first place.
Best Actress
Frontrunner: Viola Davis - The Help
Had Meryl Streep won the SAG award last night, I would have been ready to declare her third Oscar win all sewn up. But SAG went with Davis, whose film is clearly much more popular. Streep may have claimed the Globe, but Davis has the more popular film and the SAG momentum on her side.
Best Supporting Actor
Frontrunner: Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Probably the acting race's only lock, and he's only emerged recently. With back-to-back wins from the Globes and SAG, and the complete drop-out of Albert Brooks' campaign, Plummer is poised for an easy (though still very deserved) victory.
Best Supporting Actress
Frontrunner: Octavia Spencer - The Help
Though she's not quite the lock that Plummer is, she's pretty damn close. There's still room for co-star Jessica Chastain to sneak in and win here, but ultimately her nomination will prove to be her reward for her break-out year. Not a sure thing, but at the end of the day, this is Spencer's to lose.
That's all for now. More to come after the BAFTA awards next month, and then a final round of predictions just before Oscar night. We're almost at the end!
Now that those crazy Oscar nominations are out of the way, I've decided that it's time to dole out my favorites from 2011. As such, this is where I get to put out what would have been my Oscar ballot, including my #1's from the year. It hasn't exactly been easy, but here are my picks for the major categories, along with a few fun "special" categories:
The Best of 2011
Best Picture
A Separation
Beginners
Certified Copy
Drive
Shame
Take Shelter
The Artist
The Tree of Life
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Weekend
It says something great about last year when Jeff Nichols' psychological thriller stands among the more "normal" of my favorites. It may not have The Tree of Life's epic, sprawling nature, or Drive's existential-art-house action flair, but at the end of the day, Nichols' sophomore effort took my breath away with its slow-burning narrative, first rate performances, and an ending that still makes me apprehensive when I see dark clouds.
Best Director
Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Steve McQueen, Shame
Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter
Nicholas Winding-Refn, Drive
Best Actor
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Ewan McGregor, Beginners
Peyman Moadi, A Separation
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
If making a Top 10 was tough for 2011, narrowing down favorite performances was even more painstaking. As such, I've expanded acting categories to 6, to accommodate one more worthy performance. A shame, then, that I still feel like I'm neglecting so many performances. At the end of the day, however, I'd be hard-pressed to give this to someone other than Michael Shannon. The actor's depiction of confusion, despair, and even full-blown madness is a force to be reckoned with, and is a big part of why Nichols' film hits as hard as it does.
Best Actress
Juliette Binoche, Certified Copy
Olivia Colman, Tyrannosaur
Viola Davis, The Help
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Jeong-Hie Yun, Poetry
That I'm neglecting Charlize Theron and the ladies of Melancholia should be a clear enough indicator as to how incredibly strong this year was for leading roles for women. And while all of these performances are excellent, it's Olivia Colman's work in Tyrannosaur that has stuck with me the most (you were close, Juliette). The way Colman captures her character's fragility, making it all look so lived in, is haunting, and damn near unforgettable. The film around her may be somewhat ordinary, but Colman's performance is hard to shake.
Best Supporting Actor
Colin Firth, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Hunter McCracken, The Tree of Life
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Mark Strong, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
While the boys from The Tree of Life and Tinker Tailor may have plenty of company here, it's Christopher Plummer who ultimately won me over. The actor's lovely, tender portrait of a senior who comes out of the closet has stayed with me for quite a while, and there's a good reason for that: Plummer knocks it out of the park from beginning to end.
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Leila Hatami, A Separation
Carey Mulligan, Shame
As much as it pains me to ignore the Year of Chastain, at the end of the day Hatami's fiercely articulate portrayal of a woman fighting for her right to leave Iran got to me. Combining Chastain's three big turns from 2011 would have seen her steamroller the competition, but leaving them separated, it's Hatami who comes in first at the finish line, albeit only by a hair's breadth.
Best Original Screenplay
A Separation
Beginners
Certified Copy
Take Shelter
Weekend
It took me a second viewing to fully appreciate, but Abbass Kiarostami's deceptively simple screenplay emerges as an understated work of genius. Playing out like a middle-aged, melancholy Before Sunrise, this story of a man and a woman who may or may not even know each other is dense, layered, and filled with mystifying exchanges. It's a puzzle worth visiting multiple times, just so you can get caught up in the characters' game (or is it?) all over again.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Drive
I Saw the Devil
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Skin I Live In
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
While I can't help but admire Drive's bare-bones approach or Dragon Tattoo's smooth take on a clumsy novel, Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan's dense condensation of John Le Carre's novel stands as the most impressive adaptation of the lot. Never caving in to the temptation to explain everything, O'Connor and Straughan distill the novel to the essentials and create a mystery that demands your attention every second, lest you suddenly fall 20 steps behind. It really makes your brain work, which is quite the achievement when you look at some of the junk studios are churning out nowadays.
Best Cinematography
Drive
Hanna
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Tree of Life
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Without a doubt the easiest decision I had to make, which is saying a lot considering the competition. All of Malick's films are beautifully shot, but none have covered as much as Tree does while making every frame look like a work of art. Film making, or at least cinematography, is sometimes described as painting with light, and the expression couldn't be more appropriate for how Emmanuel Lubezki captures Malick's massive vision.
Best Art Direction
Drive
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Skin I Live In
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Fittingly, the production design of Alfredson's film is as dark and dense as its screenplay. From the dingy apartment rooms to the lifeless office rooms and filing cabinets, the dreariness of Cold War-Era London comes to life thanks to Maria Djurkovic's rich and meticulous work.
Best Costume Design
Hanna
Mysteries of Lisbon
The Artist
The Tree of Life
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
All of the above-mentioned films did excellent jobs of capturing their respective time periods (even modern-day Hanna gave its characters identities through their wardrobe choices), but it's tough to top Mark Bridges' work. The end of the Silent Era may have been decades ago, but it all feels fresh and vibrant, as if the styles presented were about to make a comeback on Madison Avenue.
Best Editing
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
I gave Best Editing to Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall last year, and wouldn't you know, they had to go and blow me away again. The film itself may not be as strong as The Social Network, but David Fincher's more fluid story-telling gets its kick from this duo's work. One of the story's biggest problems is that it keeps Mikael and Lisbeth apart for so long, but thanks to Baxter and Wall, the pieces of the labyrinthine plot flow together with confidence and energy.
Best Ensemble Cast
A Separation
Bridesmaids
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
As much as I hate to snub the ladies of Bridesmaids, Tomas Alfredson's impeccable (and impeccably dressed) array of British talent hit every nail on the head to perfection. It's hard to forget any of the film's faces, because they all have their moments, big or small.
Best Acting Duo
Juliette Binoche and William Shimmell, Certified Copy
Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melancholia
Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Olivia Colman and Peter Mullan, Tyrannosaur
Tom Cullen and Chris New, Weekend
One of the most important components of Weekend, possibly the ONLY component, is the relationship between its two main characters. There's little time for build up, yet Cullen and New have a palpable chemistry right from the get-go, and it only gets better from there.
Best Original Score
Hanna
Take Shelter
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Skin I Live In
It's a shame that the Academy chose to honor John Williams' sickeningly sweet score for War Horse over some less conventional choices, but hey, that's what posts like these are for, right? And despite any number of great scores from 2011, The Chemical Brothers' work on Joe Wright's delightfully strange Hanna is still stuck in my head, pulsating beats, strange sound effects, and all. It was a bold move, but it paid off in spades.
Best Animated Film
Rango
I only made it to one animated film this year, and thankfully it was a wonderful one. Gore Verbinski's stunningly beautiful film is hilariously eccentric, quirky, and unapologetically reference-heavy. It also features one of the best action sequences in years, one that makes the chaotic bombast of Michael Bay look amateurish.
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation [Iran]
Certified Copy [Belgium/France/Italy]
I Saw the Devil [South Korea]
The Double Hour [Italy]
The Skin I Live In [Spain]
It was an uncommonly spectacular year for foreign films reaching American theaters (screw AMPAS' system, by the way), and as lovely as Certified Copy is, I have to throw my vote to Asghar Farhadi's riveting, albeit sometimes frustrating, family/legal drama. It can feel a bit academic at times, but this exploration of modern-day Iran is filled with riveting exchanges that tear the veil off of a society that couldn't be any further from our own.
Best Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Tree of Life
The creation scenes. End of discussion.
Best Make Up
Drive
I Saw the Devil
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Sound
Drive
Hanna
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Super 8
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Performer of the Year
Jessica Chastain, The Help & The Tree of Life & Take Shelter & The Debt
Michael Fassbender and Ryan Gosling weren't far behind, but at the end of the day, it's damn near impossible to ignore what has to be one of the best career kick-offs in cinema history. Chastain was everywhere this year, and yet her on-screen presence never grew repetitive thanks to the variety of her roles, and the different presence she brought to each one.
Best Cameo Performance
Kathy Baker, Take Shelter
It all comes down to one scene for Kathy Baker, yet you won't forget her, even with all of the madness that comes afterwards. Her finely tuned portrait of a formerly (possibly still) paranoid mother achieves in minutes what many performances don't in 2 hours.
Breakthrough Writer/Director
Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur
His exploration of anger and pain may hit some familiar notes, but the story moves with a surprising swiftness without shortchanging the narrative. Let's hope this is just the start of a promising career behind the camera.
Breakthrough Performer - Female
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy Mary Marlene
She grabs your attention from the film's opening frames and doesn't let go for long after the credits roll. At last, something worthwhile has come out of the Olsen family.
Breakthrough Performer - Male
Hunter McCracken, The Tree of Life
He conveys a strange mix of introspection, confusion, and wisdom without coming off as phony. A beautiful, honest portrait of childhood and its first brushes with darkness.
Best Poster
Best Trailer
And there you have it! And not one mention of Albert Nobbs or War Horse; isn't that refreshing? With that out of the way, I'm realizing how much I'm going to hate bidding 2011 goodbye. The variety and strength of films was pretty remarkable, and 2012 is going to have its work cut out for it.
It's that time again. We've been predicting for month, and we've certainly made our fair share of changes, but at last we come to it: Oscar nomination morning. Tomorrow, that is. Starting at 5:30 PST the Academy will unveil its nominees and confirm some front-runners, throw out some surprise nominations and snubs, and even a few left-field choices. Of all of the categories, Best Picture will be the most interesting, seeing as how, due to new rules, we could have 5 Best Picture nominees. Or 6. Or 7. Or 8. Or 9. Or 10. So even though that makes predicting the category a bit of a pain, it also leaves more room for the race to really get interesting. And since the Academy is the last-remaining major body to release its nominees, I figured I'd take a stab, and throw out my guesses for who/what will be called out on January 24th. Picks are in order of likelihood.
Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
The Help
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
Best Director
Martin Scorcese - Hugo
Michel Hazanvicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
David Fincher - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Actor
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Best Actress
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Viola Davis - The Help
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Albert Brooks - Drive
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Brad Pitt - The Tree of Life
Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
Hugo
Moneyball
The Help
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Original Screenplay
Midnight in Paris
The Artist
50/50
A Separation
Bridesmaids
Best Editing
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Artist
Hugo
Moneyball
Best Cinematography
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Hugo
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Art Direction
Hugo
The Artist
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
My Week with Marilyn
The Help
Best Costume Design
My Week with Marilyn
The Help
Hugo
The Artist
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (?????)
Best Original Score
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
War Horse
Hugo
The Help
Best Original Song
"The Living Proof" - The Help
"Lay Your Head Down" - Albert Nobbs
"Life's a Happy Song" - The Muppets
"Pictures in My Head" - The Muppets
"Star Spangled Man" - Captain America
Best Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Hugo
Captain America
Best Make Up
J. Edgar
The Iron Lady
The Artist
Best Animated Film
The Adventures of Tintin
Rango
Puss in Boots
Arthur Christmas
Kung Fu Panda 2
Best Foreign Language Film
A Separation [Iran]
In Darkness [Poland]
Pina [Germany]
Footnote [Israel]
Bullhead [Belgium]
As for sound, documentary, and the short categories...let's just say I've probably made enough mistakes with what's already here...
Right off of the bat, what's immediately impressive about Pariah, the narrative debut of writer/director Dee Rees, is its lack of sensationalism or melodrama. Though it opens in a club with primarily lesbian clientele, it's clear that the film's point isn't to be exploitative or shameless in dealing with its subject matter. It may be a little cluttered in terms of subplots, but at its heart, Pariah is a strongly acted character piece that has yet to earn the recognition it deserves.
Rees' subject is Alike (nicknamed 'Lee'), a bright, 17-year old Brooklyn girl who is also deeply in the closet, at least when it comes to her family. And as the film traces Alike's developments, and the way her orientation affects relationships with friends, family members, and schoolmates, Rees resists the urge to pull out any cheap, overwrought tricks. Though there are plenty of scenes that involve heated exchanges and even physical violence, Rees has the ability to ground so much of the movie with its intimate, lived-in feel. Adepero Oduye does lovely, understated work as Alike, creating a character who somehow commands our attention from her first appearance. Other roles, like Alike's 'out' friend Laura (Pernell Walker) or her domineering mother (Kim Wayans) are also expertly filled out, creating an engaging web of characters. Only Aasha Davis' Bina, a forced acquaintance who gradually becomes Alike's friend, comes off as forced, though the impact this has on the film is minimal. Yet while Rees handles each individual scene well as a director, she doesn't quite make the entire story flow together fluidly. The subplot involving Laura, while understandable on a thematic level, doesn't feel necessary, and detracts from the focus on Alike. Similarly, the subplot involving Alike's relationship with her English teacher feels underdeveloped, even though it plays a major role in the film's narrative and thematic conclusion. Small issues like these add up, and they dilute Alike's story, despite its inherent power. In the end, it makes the film sometimes feel a little too academic, despite its obvious categorization as a character piece.
The final shot of Roman Polanski's Carnage, an adaptation of Yasmina Reza's acclaimed play "God of Carnage," doesn't feature anything wrong in and of itself. The composition, framing, lighting, etc... are all perfectly fine, crisply and cleanly captured by cinematographer Pawel Edelman. Yet when one takes into account everything that came before it, along with its supposed meaning, this final shot is a head-bangingly obvious piece of symbolism that does nothing but add an abrupt end to a fast-moving but ultimately tepid piece of satire and social commentary.
Opening with a shot of a park (one of only two exteriors in the whole film), we witness one boy (Zachary) strike another boy (Ethan) with a large stick. Next thing we know, we're in a Manhattan apartment with the parents of the aggressor (Kate Winslet's Nancy and Christoph Waltz's Alan) and the victim (Jodie Foster's Penelope and John C. Reilly's Michael). What starts as a simple conversation among the four of them to come to terms with the bit of violence between their children quickly devolves into a savage verbal battle.
Yet the problem, which registers fairly early on, is simply that Reza's target - middle class hypocrisy and self-righteousness - feels easy, and as a writer she hasn't said anything truly entertaining, interesting, or insightful. Add to the mix that characters switch sides so frequently that no one feels like they have any structure to them. Though the characters have some distinct traits, they ultimately all feel like limply-constructed mouthpieces for the author. There's no depth to any of the four characters, and it only becomes more apparent the more the script drags out the encounter between the two couples. There are any number of opportunities for Nancy and Alan to leave Penelope and Michael's apartment, but through contrivance after contrivance, they keep going back in the door for more punishment (for themselves, the other couple, and the audience).
It's a shame too, because Polanski's cast is trying their hardest. A pity, then, that they're saddled with such lackluster material. Occasionally their talents overcome the script's deficiencies - Winslet's drunken anger is fun to watch, along with Foster's holier-than-thou attitude and Waltz's general disinterest - but even the film's best lines barely register. Polanski's direction is straightforward and efficient, never getting in the way of his talented cast. Unfortunately, there's not much he, or anyone else can do to overcome the weaknesses of the source material, and therefore the screenplay. Thankfully the actors have plenty of energy, so the film never drags. At the same time, the only reason the pace is a strength is that it makes the film feel like a swift piece of mediocre film making rather than a tortuously drawn-out affair. It's all so surface-oriented, so forced, and so artificial, that even the third act theatrics fail to bring a much-needed spark to the scenes. Throughout the entire ordeal, Waltz's Alan displays a constant attitude of disinterest, remarking at one point that the whole conversation is pointless. As it turns out, he's right, and the result is that the film as a whole feels pointless as well.
It's been quite the year in movies, and with awards season in full-stride, I figured it was time to officially consider my favorites from last year (because I totally wasn't keeping lists this whole time *cough cough*). Inspired by my friend Patrick's list (visit his blog HERE; he's got one hell of a top 10), I've decided the time has come to do my own, albeit more drawn-out and pretentious, set of favorites from the year in film. This will consist of three parts:
1. The Runners-Up (this post): Just outside of the top 5 or 10
2. The Favorites: AKA my "nominees" were I in charge of my own awards show.
3. The Best: The "winners" (speeches will be limited to 1 minute before the exit music starts).
So, with that set aside, here's a look at the close-but-no-cigar entries in some of the major categories. 2011 has proven to be an exceptionally diverse and strong year for movies, and the more I look back, the more I feel like it would be wrong to ignore the following achievements, even if they didn't quite make it.
THE RUNNERS-UP
Best Picture
Martha Marcy May Marlene
An enigmatic and engrossing thriller bolstered by stellar work from Elizabeth Olsen and Sarah Paulson that works on multiple levels. Sean Durkin's debut feature drifts among dream, memory, and reality with an effortless sense of time and place that makes it feel like the work of an old pro. Not only does it stand out in a strong year, but it's also worth a look because it's been so criminally ignored over the course of awards season (really, what was up with that?).
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Though it still bears some of the flaws of Stieg Larrson's lumpy plotting, David Fincher and Steve Zaillian's stab at the icy crime tale is infinitely superior to the Swedish adaptation. Though the movie benefits from better casting and better performances, the real stars are Fincher and his technical collaborators. The director is in his element here, and he brings masterfully meticulous touches to a story that is, ultimately, beneath him. Throw in stellar editing, scoring, and vastly improved writing, and you're left with a film that deserves to become known as the definitive cinematic version of the story.
Hanna
It may not be heavy on substance, and feature an iffy script, but Joe Wright's teen assassin tale rises above its pedestrian origins on the page thanks to rich and eccentric execution. Featuring effective (albeit somewhat one-dimensional) performances, including a scenery-chewing Cate Blanchett and a cold-as-steel Saoirse Ronan, the film is another case of talented people elevating subpar material. Lush visuals from DP Alwin Kuchler and a thumping electronic score from The Chemical Brothers only add to this strange, fairy-tale influenced gem.
Best Director
Michel Hazanvicius - The Artist
He makes a silent film effortlessly engaging from its opening frames, even in a day and age where it's all about the sound(s). One of the liveliest, most joyful films of the year, and it owes more than a little to his direction.
Asghar Farhadi - A Separation
As much as his film is built on its writing and acting, it could have been a mess were it not for his incredible sense of storytelling. An eye-opening and unpleasant story wonderfully told.
David Fincher - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
It may not live up to some of his other films, but Fincher's take on Larsson's story reaches new highs thanks to his fluid sense of pacing that helps offset the story's uneven sense of structure.
Best Actor/Supporting Actor
Tom Cullen & Chris New - Weekend
One of the year's best acting duos. The entire film rests on their ability to generate some sense of chemistry out of almost nothing, and from their first spoken words, the spark is there.
George Clooney - The Descendants
Proving that he's still better in front of the camera than behind it, Clooney delivers one of his strongest performances to date as a conflicted father struck by tragedy and stunned by secrets.
Peter Mullan - Tyrannosaur
Along with co-star Olivia Colman, he helped elevate Paddy Considine's solid directorial debut above its somewhat pedestrian script. A fierce and committed turn if ever there was one.
Ryan Gosling - Drive
Stoic and distant, yet also mesmerizing and filled with presence. What could have come across as lazy and empty feels worthwhile thanks to his work.
Christoph Waltz - Water for Elephants
The film around him was less than spectacular, to say the least, but Waltz conveys an excellent sense of charm and menace without ever feeling like he's reprising his Inglorious Basterds role.
Best Actress/Supporting Actress
Charlize Theron - Young Adult
Despite a screenplay that doesn't give her enough to work with early on, Theron makes her mark as THE caustic, volatile bitch of the year.
Kristen Dunst & Charlotte Gainsbourg - Melancholia
A second viewing upped my opinion on von Trier's latest considerably, though it still has some issues. The performances, however, remain first rate. Dunst's portrayal of despair and Gainsbourg's depiction of desperation rank among the year's finest.
Jessica Chastain - The Tree of Life
Just one of many strong turns in a dazzling break-out year, her gazes of hope, love, and hurt register beautifully. To quote one blurb online recently, she "did young Liv Ullmann proud."
