2011 movies in review: Superheroes, wizards and merciful dinosaurs (no....really)

When I hunker down to do a year-end movie wrap up, I usually have one big problem. Ten movies are the norm for year-end “best of” lists, but usually struggle to find ten movies that are really great. Sure, there are plenty of good movies, but GREAT movies…..well, they’re a different story.

This year, however, is also a different story. There were some pretty terrific movies and I haven’t even seen some of the top Oscar contenders, like “The Artist” and “The Descendents”. I had a hard time narrowing it to ten, so I picked 20. The order has changed as I’ve mulled it over and I’ll try not to be too verbose as I explain why each movie is there, but for better or worse, here it is…..

20. Thor – Just an old-fashioned good time at the movies. Although, I have to admit that I’m hoping the sequel spends a little more time in Asgard and lets loose a little more now that we’re out of origin story territory.

19. The Adjustment Bureau – This is a little seen gem from the first quarter of the year, however, it was really mis-advertised. All of the marketing said that it was some sort of a sci-fi thriller, when it was really a romantic/action film paying tribute to the miracle of agency.

18. The Muppets – Pure nostalgia decorated with great songs and all the wit of the original movies.

17. Captain America: The First Avenger – Corny, sentimental, and action-packed, this is exactly what a movie called “Captain America” should be. Plus, Chris Evans pulls it off with a sincerity rarely seen in modern-day action heroes.

16. We Bought a Zoo – Surprisingly dramatic and moving, this family film with a cute premise has a brain and a heart not revealed in its advertising. As much about the healing power of family as it is about fluffy animals, this movie stayed with me longer than I expected it to.

15. The Tree of Life – Not so much a narrative film as a cinematic museum exhibit, “The Tree of Life” uses seemingly disparate imagery (including the aforementioned merciful dinosaurs), combined with a simple story about a family in the 50’s to examine the difference between the selfish nature of man and the forgiving nature of grace. Similar in tone to Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”, however the message of Malick’s film is more clear and, therefore, the impact a little more visceral.

14. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Rank this one with “Batman Begins” and J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” as the right way to do a series reboot. Resonant, character-based, and the right combination of thought-provoking and fun, this is a movie that moves this franchise from kitsch to event status.

13. Jane Eyre – A movie that has been unfairly ignored by a lot of the Oscar watchers, this is a superb adaptation of the Bronte novel with excellent performances by the two leads. Michael Fassbender is getting a lot of attention for his showier roles, but he and Mia Waskikowska really deserve attention for their work here.

12. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol - The rumors of Tom Cruise’s professional death have been greatly exaggerated, as proved by this extremely entertaining blockbuster. Not to mention the fact that director Brad Bird has gone from one of the best makers of animated films (“The Iron Giant”, “The Incredibles”, “Ratatouille”) to one of the premiere orchestrators of live-action suspense sequences in Hollywood. The Dubai scene alone puts him at the top of that list.

11. X-Men: First Class – I can’t tell you how much I wish this movie was bigger at the domestic box-office. I think that the subpar “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” soured the taste for all things X-Men related, but, in my opinion, this is the best movie of the series and that’s saying quite a bit. I hope against hope that Fox studios puts some faith in the reviews of this movie and makes it a franchise, because it would be a pretty awesome one.

10. The Adventures of Tintin – I’ve never read a Tintin book, but it’s not necessary to recognize this movie for the achievement it is. The plot is right out of an old movie serial, but the execution is fast-paced and visually stunning. Everything you would expect from a computer-animated action movie directed by Steven Spielberg.

9. Warrior – I’m a push over for sports movies, but I wasn’t expecting to like this one, simply because the idea of two brothers beating each other up for a mixed-martial arts championship didn’t really appeal to me. However, “Warrior” surpassed my over-simplified expectations. Extremely well written and acted, it’s a powerful movie that, in many ways, even surpasses the original “Rocky” for quality and impact.

8. Kung Fu Panda 2 – Forget what the Oscars will tell you next month, this was the best animated movie of the year. Not content to rest on the laurels of the well-received first film, this sequel exquisitely and artfully deepens the character development while creating truly beautiful visuals. More comparable to a more comical version of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” than it is to most of the other DreamWorks stable of films, this is the rare sequel that makes the effort to be great.

7. Super 8 – J.J. Abrams has been compared a lot to Steven Spielberg in the last few years, so it’s only fitting that his “Super 8” (produced by Spielberg) is the most overtly “Spielbergian” film to be released since the mid-80’s, and that’s including the movies actually made by Spielberg himself. However, the most effective homages strive to be more than mere copies, and “Super 8” has a heart and a rhythm that’s all its own.

6. The Help – Having never lived in the South during the 60’s, I can’t speak to the historical accuracy of this movie, but as a lover of great storytelling, I can attest that it gets the job done. Using the backdrop of social mores during that tumultuous time period, “The Help” finds his closest cinematic relation in the early 90’s drama “The Long Walk Home”. Both films use the inherent conflict of being a woman of color working as a maid in a white household to spotlight the burgeoning civil rights and women’s rights movements of the era (plus both feature a terrific performance by Sissy Spacek).

5. Moneyball – Written by Steven Zaillian (“Schindler’s List”, “Searching For Bobby Fischer”) and Aaron Sorkin (t.v.’s “The West Wing”, “The Social Network”), “Moneyball” is a triumph of words. While taking place in the world of professional baseball, it’s more about the economics of professional sports and the “class warfare” that exists between well-supported sports franchises and those struggling to hold on to their players. Much like “The Social Network” made a gripping story out of the seemingly dull world of internet business, “Moneyball” grounds the world of sports economics in character and emotion.

4. War Horse – For the first half-hour of this movie, it seems like a light romp in “Far and Away” territory. Then it takes these warm and folksy characters and plops them into “Saving Private Ryan”. Alternatingly uplifting and heartbreaking, “War Horse” is a great achievement and one of the best films from Steven Spielberg in the last decade.

3. Midnight in Paris – I’ve already gushed about this movie a lot this year, but it really is a gem and one of the best Woody Allen films I’ve ever seen. In fact, I think it may be my favorite of his films because of its message and Allen’s willingness to tone down his inherent neurosis to let the natural talents of the cast effervesce.

2. Hugo in 3D – “Hugo” is, I’m sure, just as great a story in 2d as it was in 3d, but not since “Avatar” has there been a movie in which the 3d technique is almost part of the narrative structure of the film. This movie, from screenplay to shooting, was clearly conceived as a 3d movie and it uses the process to startling effect, helping the current jaded movie-goer experience a bit of the awe that the first watchers of film must have experienced the first time they saw a train racing toward the screen or first saw that rocket land on the man in the moon.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2 – When I was watching “The Tree of Life” (as the critics of the internet made me feel duty-bound to do) a thought kept running through my head…”How is this a better movie than ‘Deathly Hallows, Pt 2’?” Seriously. I may lose my credentials as a film enthusiast for saying this, but the finale in the Harry Potter series dealt with similar themes, was just as artful, just as well-written, just as well-acted, but it actually manages to be so with a solid narrative and without whispering its message repeatedly throughout its running time. Now, I’m not saying this to knock “The Tree of Life”, which is a wholly worth your time. I am saying, however, that to dismiss this film solely because it’s a Harry Potter movie is to dismiss one of the best film achievements of the last decade, particularly if parts 1 and 2 are viewed together as one epic movie. Had it been released as such, I think this movie would have Oscar knocking at its door just as “Lord of the Rings” did.

So, here are my last few thoughts on the year…....

Most overrated movie of the year: Rango – This animated film is three or four scenes of mad, wild, genius-level imagination buried in a lazy plot and surrounded by some of the most repulsive animation ever made. I would’ve loved to see the title character (who was the single charming aspect of the movie) in an entirely different story, preferably a story with a different art designer.

Movie that should’ve been a blockbuster, but wasn’t: Hugo
Runner-up: The Muppets

Movie that was a blockbuster, but shouldn’t have been: The Smurfs
Runner-up: Pirates of the Caribbean 4

Most disappointing movie of the year: Cars 2 (entertaining, but I expect more than just “entertaining” from Pixar)

Performances of the year: Alan Rickman (“Harry Potter”), Jessica Chastain (“The Help” and “The Tree of Life”), Michael Fassbender (“Jane Eyre” and “X-Men: First Class”), Brad Pitt (“Moneyball” and “The Tree of Life”), Ralph Finnes (“Harry Potter”), Viola Davis (“The Help”), Emma Stone (“The Help”), Octavia Spencer (“The Help”)….oh heck, the entire cast of “The Help”, Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”), Mia Wasikowska (“Jane Eyre”)

There they are, my thoughts on 2011 movies. Bring on 2012!