My year in lists - Films of 2011

At the end of the year, everybody is trying to summarize the best moments of those bitter-sweet 365 days and make their New Year Resolutions. I have already written about my 2011 in a previous post. The post about my Resolutions should follow suit. Here, I would only like to present some of the lists I made for things I saw/heard in 2011. As a musicologist, I should probably start with the musicians, concerts and albums I've managed to hear in 2011. However, there have been quite a few films which I've seen lately and by which I felt absolutely overwhelemed. Mesmerizing, clever, witty, gorgeous. So I decided to start writing my lists with choosing the films I most liked from 2011. With no further ado - here they are, in reverse order from 10 to 1. (It was hard selecting the best 10, I had to re-write and reconsider a few times about some of them :)

10. Win/Win

A both sharp and witty drama that succeeds in depicting everyday life and brings out its warm-heartedness. It deals with human behaviour, family bonds and people's responsibility along with ethical judgements. The script and direction are clever, adding a small, but sublime sense of humour. The characters are faithfull and so convincing that the result is a winning dark comedy.

9. Jane Eyre

The adaptation of the well-known timeless tale of romance written by Charlote Bronte, this film creates an emotional relationship with its audience. Mia Wasikowska's performance is tense, intelligent, passionate and very much contributes to the film's vividness. It's an elegant adaptation for the screen which trutfully shows every aspect of Bronte's novel.

8. The Help

The strenght of this movie is in its main cast, particularly Viola Davis who creates a life-time achievement. It dwells into themes of racism, and despite of the obviousness, the act of the cast is capable of delivering thrilling moments by aiming at the audience's heart and conscience that you end up being in some way healed and improved by it.

7. Like Crazy

This is a story that captures your heart, your senses, entwining you in a heartbreaking and deeply personal experience. It tells the story of the thrills, joys and sorrows of falling in love as well its earthy side - the efforts of maintaining that relationship when there is geographical distance that provides a stumbling block. The choice of camera and shooting style, the little-scripted, improvised dialoge and the basic sketches of main characters can well suit a great love story.

6. Melancholia

As the reviews and audicence reactions have shown, Melancholia is a film you either love or hate. In my opinion, it is the BEST von Trier's film so far. It is neither warm, nor uplifting, but it is mezmerizingly gorgeous, captivating and beatifully suffocating, so to speak. Having seen both Melancholia and The Three of Life I believe that the Palme D'Or went to the wrong one. 

5. Beginners

Beginners is a moving tale of affection which disarms you with its charm and honesty. It's both warm and bittersweet. McGregor and Plummer put on masters performances, creating a delightuful stylistic and thematic play.  There's a particular chemistry between the three main characters, which never dwell too much into melancholy.  

4. We need to talk about Kevin

This is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the relationship between a conflicted mother and a sociopathic son. The film depicts the aspects of nature vs. nuture relationship taking it to a whole new level. Tilda Swinton's performance is so piercing, fierce and masterful, that it brings tears to the eyes. The film has a dream-like, almost surreal artsy quality that raises a lot of question on parental guilt, innate evilness combined with questions on moral ambiquity.

3. The Skin I live In

This is Pedro Almodovar confirming his ingeniousity yet again. It is the gorgeous storytelling of his and his extraordinary eye for visuals that makes this film bizzare, dark, sexy, shocking and utterly compelling. A wonderfully twisted cinematic journey.

2. Martha Marcy May Marlene

One of the most powerful, unsettling and disturbing films I have ever seen, which stayed in me for a long time afterwards. Elizabeth Olsen deserves an Oscar nomination. She is a miracle. You can watch it again, each time peeling a layer of some new, previously hidden quality. Dark, twisted and haunting. Just perfect.

1. A Separation

The Iranian drama which I am quite sure will win both the Golden Globe and the Oscar this year stikes with its fearless honesty as well as the superb, brilliant main cast performances. It offers a window on questions on morality and troubled society, on disfunctional marriage, on search for better life and the difficulties of remaining honest through all that. The best film of the year comes from Iran. Just who would've thought?