I turn to one of my great loves for the final “favorites” list of 2011: film. Frankly, I’ve seen better years for film. It was a boring year at the box office. There were large periods of time where I was interested in nothing that was on at the movie theater. It’s true that Hollywood budgets are still somewhat frozen from the Great Recession and the limited amount of credit available to finance film. But I also generally felt that there was a lack of anything that really stirred me or moved me, with a couple of exceptions at the top of my list. Yet, there were some films, especially some independent and foreign ones, that were worth watching in 2011.
As readers will note, I love independent and art film, and I don’t have much interest in big blockbuster films. I love films that have purpose, that convey some truth about existence, or that give us insight into what it means to be human. Sometimes, as in the case of Bridesmaids, that is a comedy. At other times, it’s a philosophical and abstract film like Tree of Life. If the film also points us to the Divine and the life of faith, then I’m even more intrigued. The list below represents those films that rose above the average this year and became memorable for me:
10. Bridesmaids. Terribly funny, the film proved that female comedies can score at the box office and keep us chuckling too (and yours truly is actually present at the wedding scene).
9. Tie: Never Say Never and Bill Cunningham New York. The documentary about pop star Justin Bieber is surprisingly good, inspiring and perhaps the finest documentary of 2011. Bill Cunningham is very different but equally fine as it explores the unique life and work of the New York Times fashion reporter, and it’s not what you would expect.
8. Midnight in Paris. Woody Allen creates a romantic comedy that is a love story for Paris. It’s beautiful, intelligent and funny.
7. A Separation. This Iranian film tells the story of a family and culture struggling with the conflicts and ethical challenges brought on by their sincere but human attempts to conform to their own religious or ethical obligations. One of the best films I’ve seen that explores our human desire to do the right thing, but how even our best attempts at religion or humane action confront the limits of our humanity.
6. The Help. Perhaps the best overall film of 2011, it was perfect in every way. A compelling story line, great performances, lots of humor and a light hearted but soulful look at racism in the Mississippi of the 1960s.
5. Melancholia. The famed director Lars Von Trier provides the perfect bookend to Tree of Life, giving us his perspective on the end of time. There are no great CGI effects or cataclysmic scenes such as those in Independence Day or 2012. The end of the world comes with gradual quietness as the world prepares. For Von Trier, the end of the world isn’t something to be denied but to be faced and accepted while fully alive. A stunning performance by Kirsten Dunst.
4. Of Gods and Men. It’s hard to believe that a French film perhaps could be the most “Christian” film in recent memory, but it’s true. If I wanted to choose a film that portrays all of the best things about the Christian faith, this would be it. It’s a film that moves beyond art and almost becomes a sacrament on screen as we watch the faithful monks in the face of Muslim opposition live lives of worship, community and hospitality, even to those who oppress them. See my review here.
3. The Artist. The French film is an ode to the silent film of early Hollywood, and a rare treat of wonderful acting, great music and entertainment.
2. Drive. Nicolas Winding Rehn directed this film starring Ryan Gossling that is visually stunning and unforgettable.
1. The Tree of Life. This phenomenal film by director Terence Mallick, and starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, tells the story of the universe, of the smallness of life and suffering in light of the largeness of God and the cosmos, and the meaning of of it all. The film is not entertainment. It is a prayer, and it is to be viewed in quiet, meditation and wonder. See my review here.
Honorable Mention: Moneyball, Shame, Albert Nobbs, Poetry, Ides of March, Meek’s Cutoff, Page One, War Horse, The Muppets, Super 8, Margin Call, Hugo, Beginners, Higher Ground, , Crazy Stupid Love, Anonymous.
Extraordinary Acting, Average Film: The Iron Lady, The Descendants, My Week with Marilyn, J. Edgar
Not yet seen, but I hear great things: Martha Marcy May Marlene, Kinyarwanda, We Need to Talk about Kevin
#1 by Matt Stewart on December 30, 2011 - 12:33 pm
We have quite a few agreements here, though I would make room for Hugo as well!