Bests of the Year

What kind of critic would I be if I didn't feel the need to shove down your throats my opinion on what was the best of the year in a variety of categories? Although I'm absolutely sick of the trope this year of "I'm only doing this list because its tradition" which basically every major (read: real) critic has said. I like best of lists. Mainly because they give me chance to agree or disagree (something I enjoy doing) and because they at times call attention to films I didn't see but soon become intrigued by. Without Ebert's 2006 list I wouldn't have ever heard of Man Push Cart, now ultimately I was disappointed by that one but it was still worth watching.

Plus after seeing 87 movies at the theater you can bet I want to let you know which ones are worth seeing. I'm willing to convince myself that anyone cares. Now I haven't seen everything out there but I saw a great deal (most crap) a decent amount of memorable ones did make my initial gander. Plus I plan to throw in a few random awards (I admit stolen completely from my friend Nick).

Movie absolutely ruined by its ending award: The Brave One

This film was a pretty good take on the vigilante. A sort of modern day Charles Bronsan flick but way higher quality and Jodie Foster has the skill to pull of a really complex character who after a brutal attack at first recoils at the outside world but eventually takes it upon herself to make the world a better place in her eyes. Sure it missteps a few times early on and I didn't find everything convincing but once this film got going I was engrossed. And then whammo, easily one of my top five favorite scenes of the year. Foster and Terrence Howard together in a diner. Howard plays a cop investigating the vigilante murders and befriends Foster along the way. And the diner scene just excels. As the two of them talk frankly about the vigilante without ever mentioning the 800 pound gorilla in the room. And the promise of that scene just begs, nay demands an incredible finale. And the film totally punks out! I was never so disenheartened by an ending in my movie going experience. I wanted to scream I was so angry.

Escapist fantasy award: Stardust

Objectively I can understand all the criticism of this film. I understand the "poor man's Princess Bride analogy. I know it isn't a great film. Objectively I know that. And objectively I just don't care. This movie charmed me. I was smiling from minute one until the end. This movie had me smiling when I was stressed out. Sometimes you just go to a film and you enjoy it despite what anyone says and this was that film for me this year. I saw it four times (the only other movie I saw four times this year is in a different league). Favorite moments: A fight sequence choreographed to "Galop Infernal" from the opera Orpheus in the Underworld (often called Can-Can) and a scene in which we first realize that Clair Danes' Ivaine loves Tristan and its all done with a glow (you don't see her face).

Female performances:

Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone: I can't be so cavalier as to say it was the best performance of the year (there is too much I didn't see and too many great performances) but it was an amazingly powerful performance. Every scene she is in works and some of them set up the best parts of the film. Her tearful pleading to Casey Affleck to get her baby back leads to that amazing rollercoaster decision he makes. And her final acts leave us behind with a heartbreaking image. Certainly the best of the year in female performances that I saw (maybe the best overall performance, I'm too cautious to go out on a limb for it).

Kelly Macdonald - No Country For Old Men: When I saw Colin Farrell in Minority Report I had absolutely no clue he was Irish. When I saw Ms. MacDonald in this film I had absolutely no clue she was Scottish. In fact as far as this movie is concerned she is a West Texas trailer park wife and you believe it. She makes you believe it. And I'm tempted to say she has the single best scene in the whole movie. Her scene with Javier Bardem is flawless.

Katherine Keener - Into The Wild: A.O. Scott described a scene from this movie in a recent post and since I deeply admire him as a film critic and feel unequaled to the task I'll just link to his post for those who are interested (Into The Wild). It's the second most powerful scene in the whole movie behind Hal Holbrook and Emile Hirsch's hill top conversation (granted its just an opinion).

Male Performances:

Tommy Lee Jones - No Country For Old Men: I'm still bitter about Mr. Jones' Academy Award for The Fugitive but if ever he deserved one its for this year (he was also amazing in In the Valley of Elah and last year's Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. From his poignant reflections on the evils of the world to his description of a strange dream, Mr. Jones holds your attention and I can't help but watch him again and again and again.

Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild: Its only a small part but Holbrook's character is McCandless' surrogate father in the same way that Katherine Keener's Jan is his surrogate mother. And his advice which comes from the experience of age is quite moving. Suffice to say I was crying a few times when Hal was on screen (although I fully admit I wiped those tears away quickly so my movie companion could not see them).

Frank Langella - Starting Out In The Evening: Langella pulls off his role in this film so well it reminded me of Peter O'Toole's performance in Venus from last year. Showing us with subtle performance that there is life and dignity in old age. He commands the space on screen even when he's acting opposite some fine actors in their own right.

Movies:

No Country For Old Men - Hands down the best film of the year (I refuse to accept a counter argument). Its picture perfect from moment one to the final shot. That it can elicit debate about who the protagonist really is or what the ultimately message is is all testament to how damn good it is. Its virtually complete lack of music, its tense moments of cat and mouse. Who knew a coin flip could have such emotional resonance? Who knew a quiet refusal could be the most daring and bold action of the movie? And finally who could have known that a unsure recitation of an almost random dream could so beautifully end a movie that I had nothing left to give if the film had continued on? I saw this film four times in theater and each time I was as emotionally invested as the first time. It didn't get old, talking about it now has me jonesing like a crack addict to see it again.

Gone Baby Gone - First time director Ben Affleck just knocks it out of the park. Sure it has a few missteps but its the kind of thing you might expect from a first time director. Here is another one that had me hooked from that first voice over (and I'm the guy who often rails against the use of voice over). Casey Affleck does wonders with his performance and is only outshone by Amy Ryan. And holy crap when it comes down to that final decision that his character has to make. Even when I absolutely knew what decision he had to make I was still on the edge of my seat wondering if they would have the stones to actually have him do it. And bam, it happens, I collapsed into my seat and thought I've got nothing left but then there is one final scene, that tears your heart right out of your chest and leaves you unable to move.

Into The Wild - Honestly I'm not sure I ever would have guessed that this would be in my top three after I saw it. I watched it. I knew it was good and I knew I liked it but I was critical of it on many points. But the more I think on it, the more I like it. It's the equivalent of a snowball rolling down hill. It just gets bigger and better in my mind as I reflect or discuss it with others. I only wish I could have seen it again in the theater. And since I've made special mention of both Mr. Holbrook and Ms. Keener, I want to reiterate how good they were (to say nothing of Emile Hirsch who was also amazing) and how I'm pretty sure neither Keener's best scene nor Holbrook's would have as much emotional resonance without the other. They just work so well on so many levels and are better for being in the same movie.