Obligatory Best of 2011 List

Well, here we are again. That time of year when I tell you how wrong it feels to whittle down an entire year's worth of films into a handy Best Of list. How does Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life" stack up against Paul Feig's "Bridesmaids?" Do I opt for the silent glory of "The Artist" or the uncanny primates in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes?"

Film isn't just one thing -- a "movie." It's everything: art, entertainment, music, story, experimentation, hope, death, revolution, joy, sleaze, divinity, despair. To rank them on the same scale seems entirely unfair.

What I can do is offer an unranked list of titles that left an impression on me in 2011, whether for pure entertainment value, a breathtaking performance or a show of artistry that took a few viewings to fully appreciate. So here you have it, my list of notable films of 2011.

My top 5 (really 6) list appears in today's Union-Tribune. I've listed them here but click the link for a brief justification for each.

"The Artist"

"Buck" and "Bill Cunningham New York"

"Drive"

"Of Gods and Men"

"Hugo"

If I'd chosen my top five on another day, I could just have easily substituted one of these three films for "Hugo" (the other films are solidly in place).

"The Descendants"

While I was immediately blown away by Shailene Woodley's performance, it took two viewings of Alexander Payne's family dramedy to really draw me in -- but it was well worth it.

"Midnight in Paris"

With the exception of Rachel McAdams' shrill character, Woody Allen's Parisian fantasy was pure joy.

"The Tree of Life"

A visual poem that envelops you in memory, light, existence...until Sean Penn's mug drags you back to an unwelcome reality.

A few more films worthy of honorable mention:

"Certified Copy"

Having seen it only once, director Abbas Kiarostami's film is a puzzle that I've only half solved. I can't wait to give it another viewing and see what other pieces of this indeterminate relationship I can piece together. Either way,  it's impossible not be be taken in by Juliette Binoche.

"Last Lions" and "Project Nim"

I admit it, I'm a sucker for documentaries about animals, especially when they take out your heart and stomp it to bits. In "The Last Lions," the circle of life is to blame for one lioness' struggles. But chimpanzee Nim can point the finger at a few too many despicable humans.

"Like Crazy"

The level of intimacy director Drake Doremus can create through this mostly improvised film is sometimes more effective than you're prepared for. And actress Felicity Jones declares herself to be the Jessica Chastain of 2012 (I hope).

"Moneyball"
I was happy to see a movie about baseball with very little baseball in it (others saw this is a negative), but Brad Pitt's performance as Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane was the film's greatest accomplishment.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

I went in thinking Franco could do no wrong. I walked out thinking, "Franco, who?" This prequel was the most enjoyable surprise of the year.

"Take Shelter"
If you don't know Michael Shannon's name by now, his performance as a husband and father battling apocalyptic visions is the perfect introduction. You most certainly know Jessica Chastain's name after this year, and you'll see why yet again here.

"Weekend"

A gem of a little film about a weekend-long romantic encounter between two young men that transforms them both in subtle, unexpected ways. 

Thanks to everyone who's joined me on this journey through the films of 2011. Here's to a 2012 full of good film, great friends and lots of love.

Brit Marling is indeed from "Another Earth"; "Apes" vs. Franco

Reading Brit Marling's bio is a slightly sickening experience.

The star and co-writer of "Another Earth" graduated valedictorian from Georgetown University with a major in economics, then turned down a lucrative career in finance to become an actress and artist. Instead of struggling through her 20s waiting tables in LA and slugging through auditions, the natural beauty formed a winning creative partnership with director Mike Cahill, first with the documentary "Boxers and Ballerinas," and now the indie Sundance hit, "Another Earth."

But when you meet the poised, bright-eyed young woman, you understand her success -- and eagerly await what comes next for her as an actress and co-writer/producer with the equally enthusiastic and impressive Cahill.

Read my interview with both of them here, then check out my review of "Another Earth." 

Speaking of alternate realities, how about apes taking over the planet? I went in to "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" thinking, "Hey, Franco's in it -- that's all I really need." I walked out thinking, "Franco who? Go apes!" Read my review of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" here.

Whatever planet you visit, enjoy the weekend.

Tease Me More, Tell Me Less

We usually don't see previews at advance screenings and I'm usually thankful for it. I generally avoid them, preferring instead to see a movie as close to "cold" as possible in an attempt to avoid any preconceived notions before the lights go down.

But this week's screening of "Hangover 2" (review out on Friday) presented us with two appropriate previews for upcoming comedies "Horrible Bosses" and "Crazy, Stupid, Love." The crafting of an effective preview is an art in and of itself -- at least in the realm of marketing--and these two trailers managed to convince me I should see the movies within the first 45 seconds. Job well done, if only they'd stopped there.

Although the premise of "Horrible Bosses" (premeditated triple homicide) is hard to stomach as comedic fodder, the cast alone could make this movie a winner: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Kevin Spacey returning to his unbeatable "Swimming with Sharks" roots,  a sadistically sexy Jennifer Aniston and, what really wowed me, a nearly unrecognizable Colin Farrell as a smarmy, balding boss.

Enough said as far as I'm concerned. So why, oh why, did it KEEP ON GOING, revealing just about every plot turn and punchline? On its own, it was a fantastic preview; it got me laughing, kept my attention and made me want to tell my friends about it. But what I don't feel like doing is rushing to the theater to see it. Why would I? I already got the gist in the damn preview.

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" went even further, basically storyboarding the entire will they/won't they relationship between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. I adore Gosling and am chomping at the bit to see him in a comedic role. And Stone is quickly moving to the top of my list for the everygirl charm that makes her so much more appealing than the cookie-cutter starlets vying for our attention (does anyone else think she stepped right in where the young "Mean Girls"-era Lindsay Lohan should have gone had her parents not turned her in to an unstable addict? Well, I do.)  While I'm still eager to see the movie (it's hard for me to say no to anything with Gosling, or Franco for that matter), I'm resentful that I already know too much.

Perhaps we could just save everyone the trouble and just produce previews instead of full-length feature films? They'd certainly play better online and are probably more appropriate for the youthful attention spans of Hollywood's target market.

Hardly a new complaint, I know. But hey, it's my job to spout opinions.

Watch the previews if you dare. And if you do, tell me what YOU think....

"Hanna": Review (3 stars) and Interview with Director Joe Wright

I wasn't expecting much for my interview with "Hanna" director Joe Wright. Not only was he almost 30 minutes late (a radio interview ran long), but he was clearly exhausted by the time he shook my hand and collapsed onto his chair.

But even through the exhaustion (a one-month old baby and a hefty promotion schedule are the likely culprits), the British director impressed me with his clarity of vision, passion and--most of all--feminist perspective. Not to mention the easy job I had of transcribing the interview due to his British mannerisms full of polite qualifiers and other Hugh Grant-ish verbal fillers. 

Photo: San Diego Union-Tribune/Peggy Peattie

You can read my interview with Wright here. I think you'll be impressed with him too. (I was even more pleased when Wright went public with his criticism of the portrayal of women in the marketing campaign for Zack Snyder's "Sucker Punch," a movie I simply refused to see for that very same reason.)

Then read my review of "Hanna," Wright's fairy tale action movie starring his teenage muse Saoirse Ronan (the Oscar nominated young star from "Atonement").

I also caught "Your Highness" this week, hoping for a much needed laugh. I got a few but not nearly as many as I expected (I could count the seconds in every scene where opportunities for humor were missed). Still, you won't hear too much complaining from me when James Franco and Natalie Portman are on screen - even when they're sharing that screen time with a graphic depiction of minotaur penis. Yes, you read that right. Minotaur penis.

Enjoy your weekend!

Oh, Oscar.....

Could it possibly be almost over? --oops.. I mean, almost here? I'm talking about the Oscars of course and, well, I've been sick of them since early November. Not that I haven't enjoyed the stacks of screeners that appeared in Fed Ex packages on my doorstep every afternoon or the....well, that's pretty much all I've enjoyed.

But as someone that actually gets paid to write about movies (a rarity these days), I mustered up some enthusiasm and spouted and speculated along with the rest of 'em, as you'll see in my expanded "No Brainer," "Educated Guess," and "Head-Scratcher" picks from today's paper. (Here's hoping I get my predictions for all of the categories posted before the ceremony starts on Sunday evening!)

It wasn't always this way. In fact, I was obsessed with everything Hollywood all the way into my mid 20s when I actually lived there and became a part of it--albeit a miniscule part that had me making reservations for power lunches instead of actually attending them.

The thrill of celebrity lasted for a year or two but, when I got a job as a junior publicist, I finally discovered that the emperor had no clothes. In my mind, those glossy magazines with movie stars on the cover became nothing but negotiations. All those awards shows were just pageants designed to sell movie tickets and toothpaste during commercials. And everyone was in on it. The magic was gone.

In the dozen or so years since this disillusionment, I've been able to find a middle ground. A place where I can love film, follow industry trends and manage to keep my dignity. But I still have a problem with the whole concept of picking one film as a "winner" over another. How can something as subjective as art "beat" another piece of art in a contest, let alone one with as many arbitrary rules, restrictions and barriers to entry as the Academy Awards? And yes, film is art (or it should aspire to be at least).

As a critic I find the whole thing ridiculous.

As a woman with a borderline disturbing celebrity crush on James Franco, Sunday night is gonna be awesome.