THE HACK: cheap views on pop culture

Top Ten Films of 2011

This is by no means a complete list. This is simply the best new films I saw in 2011. There are plenty I have yet to see. This explains why you may think this list is horrible. Well, that and my lack of taste.

10. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Who would've thought that this movie was going to be worth a damn? Well, it was. From Andy Serkis's Oscar-caliber performance as the film's lead Caesar to that "No!" this flick had so much. Hell, who would've thought anyone would be saying "Why cookie rocket?" in the summer of 2011.

9. Bridesmaids

Easily the funniest movie of the year. I was rooting for Melissa McCarthey to get an Oscar nod immediately after walking out of the theater as the credits rolled. Looks like her chances are really high. Oh, and Kristen Wiig. God, I love her.

8. Red State

And, the award for the movie most taken to the shit house be critics? Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked? Nope. Sorry. This title belongs to Kevin Smith's audacious Red State. Shit, I still can't believe Michael Parks is not going to get some love during awards season. Guess awards really don't mean much. Unless, of course, I win. Still, I loved the hell out of this film.

7. We Bought a Zoo

I went to see this movie for New Year's and it was a packed house. Leaving the theater, there was a line of about twenty people ready for the next showing. I'm hoping word-of-mouth helps Cameron Crowe's latest out. Because I'm hopelessly in love with this film. The final scene is one of my favorites from this year.

6. Super 8

I don't give a shit what people said. I felt the human story and the alien story both worked. And, they worked hand-in-hand. J.J. Abrams pulled it off. And, I still get misty-eyed when Joe lets go of the locket.

5. Contagion

Yes, yes - lots of stars in this one. But, the thing is, they act the shit out of this flick. The prom night ending is another favorite scene of my mine from this year. I also loved the scene where Kate Winslet calls her boss to apologize for not finishing. Her tears, man. It got me. Oh, and Jude Law is a son-of-a-bitch in this one. Sign of a good actor. He gets me to like him. And, gets me to hate him. Bravo.

4. Drive

A lot of people have this movie on their best of lists. Some have it on their worst. To each her own. I dug this flick, from the opening "action" scene to the Driver driving off into the sunset. And, let me just say, there's not much that can beat Carey Mulligan walking in slow motion.

3. 50/50

Anna Kendrick. Try watching this movie and see if you can resist falling for her character. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is really good in this, too. Jonathan Levine delivered on the promise made with The Wackness. He's got a good eye and a good ear. This movie's got some great music. I loved this movie.

2. The Tree of Life

And, the award for most ambitious live-action poster for a motion picture goes to. . . Terrence Malick's transcendent film. I get the love for this film. I also completely get the hate. It reminds me of the final episode of Lost. Some got it - and I mean really got it - and others didn't. Some that got it, loved it. Others that got it, didn't.

Wait. Hold up. Isn't that every movie that gets released? Contrary to what anyone has ever said, no one likes, loves, hates, or feels the same about anything and everything. It all truly is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, for the love of God, there are people in this world who truly believe that Jessica Alba is not hot. But, they are entitled to their beliefs and opnions. This list is mine. I loved The Tree of Life, though not as much as Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain.

Finally. . .

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The second film almost made it into my top ten in 2002. The third film did. As did the fifth and seventh. This one, though - holy shit. What an ending. Though I still prefer the novel, director David Yates, screenwriter Steve Kloves, and everyone involved in this picture pulled it off. Check Rotten Tomatoes. Read the reviews. People loved this movie. It's damn good. And, it's pretty damn moving. From the moment Harry steps into Snape's memories to him dropping the resurrection stone, those twenty minutes are simply great cinematic storytelling.

Together as one movie, I personally feel that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the best film of the decade...so far. Obviously. Still, this film is the one that everything I see for the next eight years must measure up to. For some, that may mean the bar is not very high. For me, it's damn near impossible to even see over it. And yet, come Oscar nominations-morning, I doubt we'll see much love for it. And, that may be the biggest shame to come out of this film.

And, that's that.

The Understanding That Comes From Feeling Alien

empathy

noun \ˈem-pə-thē\

1: the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

2: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this

- Merriam-Webster

I've read a lot of reviews that claim J.J. Abrams' Super 8 is really two movies that don't gel. The first film is the character piece which focuses on Joe and Alice, as well as their respective family drama. The second film is the monster movie. Critics say that these two stories more-or-less are told side-by-side, never combining into something more. I'd say that those critics weren't paying much attention.

Also, some of these critics would rather talk shit about how the film simply wallows in nostalgia and nothing more. Honestly, aside from kids on bikes, kids swearing, and the time frame of the film, I didn't see anything that took me out of the story. Abrams has made a film in the spirit of his influences. He didn't go Tarantino and fill the movie with a barrage of references. He kept it simple.

He tells the story of alienation. More than that, he explores how such an alienation can take place. "Bad things happen," Joe tells the alien "monster" in the film. Joe lost his mother in a work-accident. The alien lost his chance to go home. These two losses result in both parties searching for a way to move on.

Thankfully, empathy goes a long way. As far as the alien is concerned, whenever it touches someone, it can link its mind to said someone. That someone can understand that the alien is not necessarily evil. It is just doing everything - anything - it can to leave. Seeing into the mind of someone hurting allows for catharsis.

Joe gets that in the form of Alice. She is able to understand Joe, and in turn, he gives her the chance to forgive her father. Super 8 is about understanding. From this, all individuals who feel alien in this world can finally feel human.

As for the performances, Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning both do fantastic jobs, as do the rest of the kids. Larry Fong's photography is gorgeous and should certainly see love this Oscar season. Michael Giacchino has crafted yet another masterful score. Why I have to wait for the soundtrack until next month is beyond me.

This is J.J. Abrams best film, and if he manages to make a better film in his career, it will definitely be his masterpiece. As for this film: 5 out of 5.

The best film I've seen so far this year.