As a reminder, I'm not a movie critic--only a movie fan so even as some of my commentary may indicate one movie is better than others or best in some respects it actually only means I liked it better. I should probably call the list my ten favorite, but ten best sounds more official.
The Top Ten
This is the first film I've seen from director Jeff Nichols, but I'll be seeking out more of his work. Michael Shannon is amazing in this movie, playing a man coming to the realization that he's schizophrenic. It was easily the best acting performance of the year for me. He of course, then, was not nominated for an Oscar. Jessica Chastain is really good playing his wife as well. If they were giving awards for an actor/actress body of work in a year (Take Shelter, The Tree of Life, The Help, and others) then she would take it without real competition. The couple is struggling financially to raise the deaf daughter when he decides to build out the storm shelter for what he believes (through a series of hallucinations and dreams) is an impending storm which will mark the end of time. Take Shelter is the kind of thriller I love. It builds intensity and sense of dread without using a great deal of gimmicks or manipulation to get there. It's measured, but also enthralling and well worth seeking out.
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I'm certainly interested in baseball and the somewhat new wave statistics that are helping fans evaluate the game so I was anticipating enjoying this film quite a bit. As it turns out you probably don't have to be terribly interested in either to like Moneyball. Baseball is the backdrop, but it's more a story about business, a man and his drive for success, and the intersection between looking at problems in new ways instead of doing things the way they've always been done. The latter of those themes is probably most interesting to me. It also seems that's what intrigues and drives Bill James, the writer and thinker whose application of math/statistics to baseball set the groundwork for Billy Beane (the protagonist in Moneyball) and others to change the way baseball teams operate. The writing is great, there's a bit of drama, and a touch of humor. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are great in the film and really the only thing keeping me from rating this among the year's very best are the other performances which often times come off feeling a bit like caricatures and some of the baseball action recalls Bad News Bears or Major League too much for my liking. That said, Pitt and Hill are in pretty much every scene and there's not as much baseball action as you might expect. If you've read Moneyball you might wonder how they would adapt to the big screen. It's hard to imagine now if they could have adapted it in a better way.
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I enjoy everything Alexander Payne has ever directed (though I haven't seen About Schmidt) and The Descendents is not an exception even as it probably fails to measure with his best films. It's the story of a real estate lawyer (George Clooney) in Hawaii and how he deals with some difficult personal circumstances while simultaneously weighing options on a land deal that will massively effect not only his family, but the future of his community as well. The strength of the film is in the focus on the family relationships between Clooney's character and his daughters (primarily the oldest one played by Shailene Woodley). Clooney is great in the role and the supporting actors, Woodley most notably, deliver solid performances too. The Descendents has several more serious moments, but it's also funny and, set in Hawaii, a visually pleasing movie. I enjoyed it a great deal, however, the primary drawback for me was the inevitability of it all. It became apparent early in the film where we were heading and even though I enjoyed the ride it's never all that fun to see the destination before you're supposed to.
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Overall, Drive was a very enjoyable movie for me. It's not often a movie can succeed so well based almost entirely on the style and tone presented, but Drive attempts this and delivers. It wouldn't rank this highly for me based on that alone. Gosling's character is layered and interesting even without much dialogue and the primary gangsters (played by Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman) are sure to be memorable. There's not a ton of substance though. I wished the female characters (played by Carey Mulligan and Christina Hendricks) in particular would offer a bit more and I don't think their failure to measure up was the fault of those fine actresses. You pretty much get some gangsters doing some gangster shit around a semi-compelling hero who doesn't say much. The movie looks great though and it's directed in a manner where the tension, suspense, and elements of surprise work impeccably. I guess lacking substance is fine when you're not that worried about the story in the first place. For a story we've seen hundreds of times, Drive delivers it in a unique, better way.
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I really love Woody Allen so I went in expecting to like Midnight In Paris and that's exactly what happened. I also love Owen Wilson, so you can take for what it's worth the fact that I thought he was excellent playing the lead. It's the best thing Wilson has done in quite some time in fact. Many are trumpeting Midnight In Paris as 'the return of Woody Allen!' I get it to a degree, but basically over the last decade he puts out a movie I really like every two or three years and mixes in a couple I could take or leave between those. This happens to be the good Woody, but no more so than Vicky Cristina Barcelona or Match Point for instance. It seems unrealistic to just expect classics from him every time when he's banging out that many movies. Perhaps his critics would prefer he just release a movie every three years instead of delivering sub-great ones in between his stronger efforts? That would be defensible I guess. Anyway, this is basically a love letter to Paris and also to literature of the early to mid 20th century so if that floats your boat then seek it out immediately. If it doesn't then I'd offer what I offer everyone about Woody Allen--if you like Woody Allen then go see his movies. If you don't, you should probably pass.
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3-D is really bothersome, but Hugo is best movie I've seen 3-D and Scorsese uses the medium far better than anyone else to this point. In fact, I'd like for everyone else to just stop. Hugo's is an homage to the creation of cinema and this juxtaposed with Scorsese's use of the newest film style is interesting. This is one of the most visually pleasing movies of the year from the sets, to the costumes, to the camera shots. On top of that the movie resonates as a wonderful story of the power of dreams and art (movie-making) in general. You can get the feeling you're watching a dream. I bought into the characters, there are several touching moments, and a few spots of comedy. The visuals provided are the main payoff, but without those other elements it obviously wouldn't work. Scorsese is a masterful director and I think Hugo fits into the top five of best movies (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Gangs of New York, and......I say Hugo ahead of The Aviator, Casino, Mean Streets and others).
This movie is about a younger man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt alert!) being diagnosed with cancer. He's given a 50/50 survival chance and the story follows how he, his best friend (Seth Rogen), his therapist (Anna Kendrick), his mother (Anjelica Huston) deal with the diagnosis. It's a comedy, but one that deals with obviously serious subject matter. The movie balances this perfectly to me and it's refreshing to see a depiction of a diagnosed cancer patient handled with realism. Anna Kendrick can be a little annoying to me at times, but she was fine in this role and I'm already a big fan of Rogen and Gordon-Levitt. I've probably mentioned it before, but Gordon-Levitt has become one of my favorite actors who consistently stars in movies I love (Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Inception, (500) Days of Summer, and now 50/50. Not to mention turns in movies I'm sure to love releasing in 2012 - The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, and Django Unchained). I'm surprised this one didn't get more hype during it's theater run or more notice during awards season. I feel like a lot of people don't want to watch a movie that may be depressing, but 50/50 strikes a good balance and is really a very good, funny film.
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Fair warning: many will find this movie a bit slow and possibly depressing. It IS about depression after all and director Lars Von Trier paints this picture of depression through the story of two sisters played magnificently by Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg. The two interact over the course of one's wedding day and then through a few weeks (set sometime later) after the wedding. To start with, the opening sets the tone and this sequence was not topped by any movie this year and is not likely to be topped anytime soon. It's metaphorical at times, perhaps in whole, and it's important to keep this in mind to avoid getting dragged down a bit, but these feelings were trumped by the visual aspects of the film and the performances (even Kiefer Sutherland was solid!). It's a heavy movie, filled with imminent despair, but it's also a beautiful, honest film. There are few movies that will stick with you for days or weeks after the initial viewing, but this is one. I've only seem one other from Von Trier (Dancer in the Dark) and it had a similar lasting impact on me. It appears I need to be viewing more of his work.
Charlize Theron plays Mavis, one of the more unlikeable characters I can remember, and she's in every scene. Fortunately it's a perfect performance and the movie is funnier than anything I saw all year. It is a darkish comedy about a writer (Theron) of young adult books who returns to her hometown in an attempt to steal her high school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson) back. Along the way she interacts with old acquaintance (Patton Oswalt) who attempts to talk reason into her. Young Adult is basically a series of uncomfortable exchanges and scenes which help reveal the Mavis character. I'm a fan of Theron and Oswalt, and Jason Reitman is officially a can't miss director for me so I came in expecting a good experience. It's pretty rare that a director can continue meeting expectations when those expectations rise with each subsequent effort, but Reitman meets the challenge.
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This is a film that will speak to each individual a bit differently. It is an exploration of the human existence and an examination of the relevance of this existence in context of space and time all demonstrated through detailed, small moments in the life of a 1950s family. Terrence Malick directed and if you've seen his other films then you would have a sense for the film's style, but even for Malick I would say this is a bold subject and a particularly beautiful movie. Brad Pitt has never been better as the authoritative father analogously representing 'Nature' along side Jessica Chastain as the mother who provides the balance of 'Grace'. I would do you no favors by attempting to outline the happenings in the film or the feelings I experienced while watching. The baffled looks and confused chuckles that emitted around me when the lights went up make it hard for me to recommend this film to every viewer, but if you're fascinated by this type of subject matter and love cinema as an art-form then you will be enthralled when viewing The Tree of Life. I went into the theater expecting some kind of cross between 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Fountain which are two my all-time favorites that tackle heavy subject matter at least somewhat similar to what Malick deals with here and I walked out thoroughly satisfied. It will take some time and repeated viewings to see if The Tree of Life can move into that pantheon for me, but being as I was holding it to that standard going in, it succeeded magnificently.
The Rest (in order of preference)
*** Meek's Cutoff
This story of three families traveling the Oregon trail, lost and running short on water, was a nice surprise for me. They have an inept guide, Meek (Bruce Greenwood), who appears to have no idea how to get them back on track or to water. In an semi-odd turn for a Western, one of the wives (Michelle Williams) takes the lead for the families, challenging Meek on a few of his more questionable actions. Both Greenwood and Williams gave performances that should have garnered some awards buzz, but neither were the best thing about the movie for me. It's rare to find a movie driven almost completely by its settings, but Meek's Cutoff is one. Obviously then it's a pretty minimalist movie with very little dialogue, but the landscapes and scenery are remarkably done and the plot itself is a bit mysterious with various threats to the wagon train, some real--broken down wagons, lack of water--and some more abstract--native Americans, Meek's ability and/or motives, driving the movie along. It also seemed designed to leave the viewer with perhaps a few more questions than answers and that strategy rarely fails with me. I would also recommend Wendy and Lucy from this director, Kelly Reichardt. I'll be going back into her catalogue to check out Old Joy as well.
*** Beginners
Beginners is the story of a young man (Ewan McGregor) dealing with his father's (Christopher Plummer) revelations that he has terminal cancer and that he is gay. McGregor's character is a graphic artist so portions of the story use artistic devices to reveal his feelings on the happenings this is a bit quirky and overdone in my opinion. Do we really need a subtitled dog? It's probably not fair to dismiss this completely as I enjoyed similar techniques in other films ((500) Days of Summer most memorable recently), but this story is much more engaging and heartfelt. (500) Days of Summer was relishing in its fluff whereas Beginners is much more serious and real. The use of these techniques here end up distracting from what otherwise is a wonderful, touching film about loving relationships. McGregor is underrated in my opinion and delivers again here and it will truly be shocking if Plummer doesn't win an (deserved) Oscar for his role.
*** Terri
There are certainly some troubling aspects in this film and the plot takes an odd and perhaps unneeded turn near the end, however, overall Terri is exactly the type of film making that I enjoy. Terri (Jacob Wysocki) is an awkward, overweight high school student who lives with an uncle fighting Alzheimer-like symptoms. The story focuses on Terri and his relationship with the school principal (John C Reilly) who takes an interest in helping him. A few of Terri's classmates are important parts of the story too and each character is portrayed honestly and realistically. Reilly is exceptional even as it's a bit of his typical kooky performance. Terri is a coming of age movie, but a bit unlike others I've seen. This cast of characters, all of which have their insecurities on display, leads the viewer through what ends up a heart-warming story even if there were some disturbing turns along the way.
*** A Better Life
We could really use a few more films like this one in the world where all discussions of illegal immigration are hypersensitive and painted in black and white. This story is of a man (Demian Bechir) struggling to make it as an illegal worker in Southern California while also attempting to keep his son from veering into gangs. It's a simple, powerful tale of this man, his struggles, and human element we should all keep in mind when evaluating the immigration issue. Another movie with similar themes from recent history would be The Visitor, which I enjoyed immensely as well. I'd put A Better Life on a higher tier than that one due to the absolutely phenomenal performance by Bechir.
*** Win Win
A lawyer/wrestling coach (Paul Giamatti) comes across a star athlete (Alex Shaffer) through some shady court dealings and begins mentoring him to take advantage of his wrestling talents and for his own family's financial gain. The boy's mother arrives on the scene and throws his plan on its ear. It's a fresh idea and it works pretty well. Amy Ryan plays Giamatti's wife and delivers the strongest performance, notably in her real to life interactions with the young wrestler. It's kind of a typical Giamatti role--he's playing the guy with strokes of luck and life working against him--but as you may agree, he's good in those roles. It's a funny movie, but not overly comedic. The supporting characters (Jeffrey Tambor, Bobby Canavale) provide more of the punch lines, while our main characters are developed fully albeit in a nuanced way. I was a big fan of director Thomas McCarthy's first two films, The Station Agent and The Visitor. Win Win is another above average effort in what is an impressive three film start to his directing career.
*** Hanna
Hanna is an odd take on an action movie, with the lead hero played by a young girl who kicks lots of ass. It's far better than Kick-Ass though as this is directed with style and there's a lot more provided in the way of supporting story and characters. The Chemical Brothers did the soundtrack and I've seen them criticized in some places, but it generally worked for me in providing heightened suspense. There is some sort of Grimm fairy tale parallel going here too, but I thought they might have taken that particular piece a little too far. I finished watching it wanting a little bit more--the interesting aspects of the story that make it unique to other action thrillers were plentiful but that ended up making it difficult to explore them enough. The action is done well and Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is an interesting character, but the pieces around those elements never completely add up. I'd still recommend watching if you, like me, are interested in action movies that attempt to provide more than your standard mindless action.
*** Margin Call
This is set over the course of one day and night at the outset of the financial crisis and focuses on the key players at a financial firm. The fact that it's basically a true story (not the specifics, but still) heightens the tension and the acting is really good even as I only generally care for a few of the main actors/actresses. The movie is attempting to tell a story about the convoluted mess that caused the financial crisis and it's able to do so without getting into so much detail as to lose the audience. Instead it reveals its characters as real human beings with choices to face and depicts the scenarios where those individuals, many times, didn't feel they HAD said choices. It seems silly on the face that these type of reverberating decisions were actually made over the course of twelve hours by highly stressed human beings (as the movie portrays), but at the very least that's a least a metaphor for the recklessness that contributed to the shit storm which followed.
*** Another Earth
I watched Another Earth the day after I had seen Melancholia so hopefully I'm not dismissing it too much based on it's failure to live up to that film for me. They're very different stories, but some of the most memorable images from each are the ones showing another planet in the Earth night sky. Having just seen Melancholia I'm sure these shots in Another Earth were damaged for me. This is a story of guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. A young woman is responsible for the deaths of another man's family in an auto accident and years later returns to attempt making amends. Hanging over the story is the idea of an alternate reality where these things may or may not have happened based on choices the characters could have made. It's an affecting movie, acted and directed well on a small budget. I'm hoping to watch it again soon without the weight and beauty of Melancholia weighing me down.
*** Attack the Block
Attack the Block is a pretty fun action movie. Think Zombie movie, but instead of Zombies they're using aliens. It has its funny moments, a few nice action sequences, and the casting of mostly unknowns worked well (John Boyega in particular). Bad guy turns hero, slay some Zombies errr aliens along the way, and sprinkle in some good drug humor among some other laughs. There's nothing ground-breaking here contrary to reports you may have heard elsewhere, but if you like this sort of thing Attack the Block does it better than most.
*** 13 Assassins
This was an entertaining Japanese language Samurai action movie. The villain is one of the more cruel and evil bad guys in recent memory and the assembled good guys have at least enough character built to care about what happens to them. Some of these types of films have fight scenes that are difficult to follow, but this was not the case with 13 Assassins. Overall, it's a very well made action film, thought it fails to break any new ground from a story standpoint. It's a violent film and subtitled so if either of those bother you then skip this one, but if you're into the genre then it's certainly worth watching, though I'd point you to a few others first if you haven't seen them--Seven Samurai, in particular.
*** The Ides of March
This is a political thriller set in an Ohio Democratic Presidential primary. George Clooney plays a governor running for President and his campaign managers are portrayed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ryan Gosling. Paul Giamatti plays the rival campaign manager. As you might imagine with such star power, the acting is solid. I'm a sucker for political intrigue and this movie does a fine enough job in that respect though the primary storyline around one of the Governor's interns (Evan Rachel Wood) is less interesting to me. As a said it's a good enough movie, but I'd hesitate to recommend it unless you're interested in dirty politics (Is there any other kind?).
*** Horrible Bosses
Shockingly, this was not terrible. It seemed a awful idea, but I watched it since I like most of the actors and they didn't disappoint. Charilie Day is hilarious at all times and it's possible my analysis for this movie is clouded by how funny I find him. Bateman, Sudekis, and even Aniston had good moments too. It's raunchy and has some jokes that fall completely flat, but if it's on cable or if you're coming up blank at the red box you could do far worse.
*** Cedar Rapids
Also, shockingly, this was not terrible. My love for John C Reilly might cloud my thoughts on this one too, but he turns in another great comedic performance here. Ed Helms play the lead as a sheltered insurance agent who gets tasked with representing his firm at the annual convention in Cedar Rapids due to the untimely death of his 'star' co-worker. Helms's character is similar to his turns as Andy in The Office, leaning on likable naivety for laughs. Anne Heche and Isaish Whitlock also star and bring some comedic moments. I was especially fond of Whitlock's constant references to The Wire (a real TV show in which he starred--a real TV show that doubles as the best TV series ever aired fwiw). It's not an exceptional movie, but it's pretty funny at times (some of the humor is pretty crude as fair warning), more so than I expected going in and I think Helms showed enough for me to watch future comedies with him in the lead.
*** The Adventures of Tintin
I saw this one in 3D and that technology continues to improve. The action sequences are spectacular, particularly a chase scene down the side of a mountain town late in the film. The Adventures of Tintin drags at times and the laughs are a bit more infrequent than I'd prefer in a kid's movie, but it's always interesting to watch. My niece and nephew seemed to enjoy it and though I haven't seen many other films his year with a target audience of children, I'm confident saying this was a good choice. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked would have been an unmitigated disaster I'm certain.
*** The Artist
I always try to avoid trailers and buzz prior to watching films as it can no doubt have an effect on your reaction to said film. I'm trying to strip away my expectations on this one, but due to it's Best Picture front runner (read: lock) status it's a difficult thing to do. I have no problem with (almost) silent films or with Hollywood nostalgia (Hugo), but this really doesn't measure up to its substantial hype. Berenice Bejo is delightful, however, and Jean Dujardin was good as well. Some parts of the film are uber fun to watch, but it really, really draaaaaaaaaaaaaags in the last third and overall it's going to be forgettable. It's Hollywood masturbatory cinema on the highest level, but it's not insulting because it's made by a Frenchman. It's ok, but will land in the bottom third of Best Picture winners over the last two decades or so and given the Academy's failures that's not quite a complement.
*** Bridesmaids
I love everything about Kristen Wiig in this movie--the toast scene and the airplane scene are memorably hilarious and perhaps more importantly she brings some sincerity and realism to her overall role. That's the thing, Bridesmaids is really a movie about depression and Wiig handles her role superbly while at the same time providing 99% of all the laughs. I didn't think it possible for her to reach out of her SNL style and be effective, but she is here and I'm hoping to see her in equally great roles going forward. The problem with Bridesmaids is that I didn't find anyone else remotely interesting or funny. Apatow movies are pretty hit and miss for me in general so take it for what it's worth. If you love him and you love raunch humor then you'll probably like Bridesmaids.
** The Help
This wants to be a serious movie about race relations, but it fails in that regard. It wants to deal with suffering, but most certainly doesn't want the audience to feel it in any meaningful way. This is not say some aspects don't work. Viola Davis in particular, is outstanding, but as odd as this sounds I found her too serious and effecting for the rest of the film. This is not a good thing (for the overall film) when you're dealing with this kind of subject matter. Jessica Chastain, too, is great, but her role doesn't seem to fit with the type of movie they're trying to create either. Emma Stone is completely forgettable and Octavia Spencer is over the top (not in a good way). The stronger performances, mostly Davis, save The Help from being an absolute disaster. If you thought The Blindside and Crash were interesting commentaries on race relations, then it's possible you'll feel the same way about this. The Help is a better movie than either of those, but fails just as spectacularly as they did when dealing with what seems to be their intent.
Documentaries
I decided not to continue the star ratings for documentaries this year, or include them in my list of preference. None were among my ten favorite movies of the year and it's such a different medium it didn't seem appropriate to slot them among the other films. I can recommend all of the below documentaries, though they are listed in my order of preference.
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Werner Herzog films are always a treat to watch. The cave profiled in this documentary houses the oldest known paintings known to man. It's visually appealing and I'm a sucker for this type of subject matter. Herzog has a way of highlighting just how amazing and mysterious this finding was and continues to be though his narration and clever filming. You would think that drawings from 40,000 years ago may lack somewhat in artistic quality by today's tastes, but this is not the case. He chooses interview subjects whose perspectives on the cave wouldn't seem to be the most highly sought, but at the same time are surprisingly intriguing. This documentary falls a little bit short of my favorites of his (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man), but I can still comfortably recommend it to documentary, history, and Herzog fans.
The Interrupters
This highly touted documentary tracks the work of several former criminals who have turned their lives towards 'interrupting' violence in the streets of Chicago. It chronicles a few stories of their work with individuals in the city as well as giving a look into the organizations (CeaseFire among others) that promote this type of work. The filmmaker is most noted for Hoop Dreams, one of the best documentaries I've ever watched. This work is more difficult to watch, but certainly more important as well. I find violence in our cities to be one of the most depressing and important issues confronting our society. The documentary is set in Chicago, but as the filmmaker makes sure to point out--this is not a problem unique to that city, it's an American problem that must be addressed.
Buck
Buck is a documentary about Buck Brannaman, who apparently is the character on which The Horse Whisperer is based. Having never seen The Horse Whisperer I'm still confident in recommending you watch Buck instead. Like most good documentaries profiling individuals, this focuses on a very compelling character. Buck has a strong passion for horses, but even further he believes the best way to relate to them and train them can teach us a lot about how we should interact with each other. It was really moving in a few spots. It's touching, funny, and remains interesting even if the subject matter (horses) was not one with which I'm familiar. I can recommend the film to all viewers.
Better This World
This documentary is about two young men who end being charged as terrorists for a plot to use Molotov cocktails at the 2008 Republican National Convention. A little more than that, though, it's about the intersection of protest, civil liberties, and how our government handles those topics. This isn't just the case of two men who contemplated using firebombs, but it goes further to figure out a bit more about how they got that point and whether they would have been in that position at all without influence from our own government. I'm pretty skeptical that the government does anything good by nature so it may not be a surprising development that I came away from this one with even more skepticism than before, especially as it relates to the FBI and their use of informants.
Bill Cunningham: New York
This is a pretty fun documentary about the photographer for the New York Times style section (or something to this effect). From watching the movie I get the feeling his fairly famous in New York City and among the elite groups that care about such things. Not being from New York City or caring in the least about these things I actually liked this documentary. Cunningham is a unique, interesting man who carves out an at least as interesting career for himself. 'Career' is probably the wrong word as it's unclear whether anyone pays him. That fact is interesting in itself, no? Bill Cunningham: New York is a profile of a very happy man content in doing solely what he loves.
If a Tree Falls: The Story of the Earth Liberation Front
This documentary would seem on the surface to mirror the issues raised in Better This World, but it's less effective in my opinion as it seems the accused here are only arguing over semantics. It property destruction terrorism? What if it's multi-million dollar property destruction? I'm not sure the answers to these questions, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be burning down multi-million dollar buildings and businesses no matter what your cause. I find some of the law enforcement tactics depicted in this movie to be deplorable in their own right, but those tactics were used on subjects other than the ones focused on in the documentary. It's moments like those when it's easy to remember that every documentary has an agenda. The great ones make you forget this fact. All of that said, this is worth watching as it has its share of shocking and/or enlightening moments and it tells a story of which I had little previous knowledge.
What did I miss?
I caught most of what I wanted to see this year, though there were a few films I wasn't able to watch that I was really hoping see. I've outlined them below in order of desired viewing. I imagine the first few on this list would have had a chance to crack into the Top Ten. I'll update the comments if that ends up being the case. Please advise if you have seen any of these films (or others) and feel strongly that I should move them to the front of my viewing line.
A Separation
Submarine
Margaret
Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy
Martha Marcy May Marlene
We Need to Talk About Kevin
The Skin I Live In
Shame
Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol
Pina
War Horse (I'm holding out a thread of hope this isn't terrible)
That's a wrap on 2011. A well needed wrap since it's almost March! Please let me know if you have thoughts.
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