Here is my annual (some would say anal) “Top Ten” list of the Best Movies of 2011, except of course mine goes up to Eleven. Don’t look for many Oscar contenders here, though I think at least two will get some well-deserved love from the Academy (I’ll let you decide which two out of this highly subjective selection.) Most of the rest, with the exception of a couple of summertime blockbusters, are strange birds that flew right out of the cuckoo’s nest and under the radar, exactly how I like ‘em. Each title is hyperlinked to my complete review, if you require further explanation for my choices.
DRIVE ANGRY - Nicolas Cage goes to Hell and back in this high-octane modern grindhouse classic, colorfully and shamelessly combining muscle car culture with Satanism, sex and other sleazy supernatural shenanigans.
TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL - one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in years, a clever and even touching case of mistaken identities mixing outrageous splatstick satire with good, old-fashioned grindhouse gore.
THE TREE OF LIFE - a quiet, unique, poetic, emotional, soulful, heartfelt and intimate epic about Life and Death set mostly in a dusty 1950s town, featuring career-high performances by Brad Pitt and Sean Penn; yet another bold (and autobiographical) visionary masterpiece from an idiosyncratic genius, director Terrence Malick.
SUCKER PUNCH - I wasn’t crazy about Zack Snyder’s revved-up remake of Dawn of the Dead or his ponderous adaptation of 300, though both had their merits, but he really won me over with his outstanding cinematic translation of Watchmen and continued his winning steak with his first all-original story, a visually stunning, surrealistic slice of epic exploitation, a pulpy potboiler bubbling with palpable pathos.
HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN - the winner of the Grindhouse faux trailer contest finally becomes its own feature film, and this Troma-centric splatterfest starring Rutger Hauer as a vengeful bum would’ve fit perfectly on the bottom of a bill topped with Machete (Grindhouse 2).
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - Michelle Williams beautifully channels Marilyn Monroe’s earthy sexuality, endearing vulnerability and tragic insecurity in this small-scaled but sensitive portrait of the lonely legend. The scene with her riding sadly in a car as Nat King Cole sings “Autumn Leaves” still lingers in my heart.
THE RUM DIARY - Johnny Depp once again hits the mark in this Hunter S. Thompson “origin story” that is remarkably faithful to the colorful cult author's early, seminal novel of the same name, written pre-Gonzo, but still an inspirational piece of literary rebellion that receives a low-key but respectable screen treatment.
RED STATE - Kevin Smith's best movie since Clerks is a provocative horror satire that deftly mixes authentic chills with thoughtful laughs.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER - near-perfect, ideally cast adaptation of one of my favorite Marvel sagas. I wasn’t crazy about the utilitarian, “realistic” costume, but overall, it captured the tone and style of vintage Cap, whetting my appetite for The Avengers.
THOR - ditto.
THE THING - I was as apprehensive as everyone else, but this genuinely faithful “prequel” to John Carpenter’s justly celebrated 1982 remake of Howard Hawks’ 1951 sci-fi milestone is a reverent, and relevant, addition to the canon, expertly recreating the claustrophobic atmosphere and even the groundbreaking special effects of the original.
Overall, it was a very good year for genre/indie films, and 2012 - with new Batman, Spider-man, Superman, Avengers and James Bond movies, to name a few - will be even better. I’m really looking forward to it. See ya right back here in twelve short but eventful months. Cheers.
UPDATE: Add THE ARTIST to the top of this list, which, yes, means I'm going up to a dozen. Read my late review here.
Will “the Thrill” Viharo is a pulp fiction author and B Movie impresario.
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