Adam Mast Reveals His Picks For Best Films of 2011

MY FAVORITE FILM EXPERIENCES OF 2011! By Adam Mast

Its that time of year. That time when insignificant film fans such as myself throw together our pointless Best of Lists. Truth is, I love January for this very reason. Its a great opportunity to turn someone on to a title they might not be familiar with. It isn't about self importance. Its simply about sharing movies that you love with others. Keep in mind, there were plenty of titles I didn't see in 2011. This list simply represents 20 films that moved me during the course of the year. All of these titles are in alphabetical order and in my humble opinion, well worth checking out. Enjoy;

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
This adventure film from Steven Spielberg (based on the comics by Herge) is an exhausting experience, both visually and verbally, and I mean that in the best possible way. The Adventures of Tintin was brought to life through motion capture (the same process used in The Polar Express and Avatar), and it might just be the best use of the technique I've ever experienced. Included; a six minute chase sequence without a single cut! Simply breathtaking.

BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY
This heartfelt documentary explores the life of Kevin Clash, the creative individual who would bring the beloved Sesame Street character Elmo to life. Through amazing stock footage and insightful interviews with Clash and the numerous puppeteers behind Seasame Street and the Muppets, Being Elmo emerges as not only a expose on this terrific performer, but a sterling tribute to the man who inspired him; Jim Henson. This pioneer made a career out of bringing happiness to folks of all ages and that sense of joy drips from every frame of this film.

BUCK
This insightful documentary chronicles the life of original horse whisperer Buck Brannaman and his crusade to change the fashion in which horses are trained. Not only is this the most intimate portrait of a true cowboy that I've ever seen but when you see what Brannaman had to endure throughout an abusive upbringing, you'll wonder where his gentle, selfless spirit came from. An inspirational film.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER
While a lot of love was showered upon X-Men: First Class, for my money Captain America emerged as the most entertaining super hero film of the summer. Perhaps its was the Indiana Jones inspired tone that I warmed up to. Whatever the case may be, I found this movie thrilling and positively gorgeous to look at (the art direction is superb). Kudos to director Joe Johnston and crew for capturing the adventurous spirit of this popular Marvel property.

DRIVE
With terrific work in Crazy Stupid Love, and The Ides of March, there's no doubt that Ryan Gosling had a banner year. His performance in the outstanding noir thriller Drive proved to be his most effective. As a stunt car driver by day/getaway driver by night, Gosling dazzles as a silent tough guy with a heart of gold. Director Nicolas Winding Refn's direction is positively stellar. Tonally, Drive is a bit reminiscent of Michael Mann's best work (see Heat and Collateral). A tense cinematic experience with outstanding performances all around (i.e. Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan, and Ron Perlman).

50/50
You'd think a story about a man in his late 20's finding out he has cancer couldn't possibly be funny. You'd be wrong. This adult comedy features an amazing performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and slacker Seth Rogen as his best friend. 50/50 is raunchy but its sincere and honest, and handles tough subject matter with a surprising amount of grace. And the final act is heartbreaking. A terrific film.

FOO FIGHTERS: BACK AND FORTH
True, your enjoyment of this picture will be partially dependant on whether or not you're a Foo Fighters fan, but even if you aren't, there's quite a bit to enjoy here. Back and Forth chronicles the career of rockers the Foo Fighters, but this documentary is most interesting when its delving into the inner workings of the creative process. This is an intimate and insightful look into that process. Foo front man Dave Grohl proves to be quite the engaging individual and Back and Forth isn't afraid to jump head first into the darker, grittier aspects of success.

THE HELP
Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, The Help is simply a great feel good movie. Yes, it has a fair share of sad moments, but ultimately, I walked away from this film uplifted. The Help features Emma Stone as a young reporter who sets out to pen the memoirs of African American house keepers in a racially turbulent southern town circa the 60's. This film soars thanks to the strongest ensemble of the year (stellar work from Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek, Allison Janney, and Cicely Tyson). A joyful, heartfelt gem of a movie.

HUGO
Martin Scorsese showed an entirely new side with this wonderful 3D family film. Hugo takes place in 1930's Paris and weaves its engrossing tale around an orphan boy (Asa Butterfield) who fixes things. This is a movie lover's movie and a reminder of the importance of film preservation (a cause that is very close to Scorsese's heart). Beyond that, Hugo is, perhaps, the best directed movie of the year creating a magical city-scape that envelops the viewer through the best 3D I've ever seen.

INCENDIES
I almost didn't include Incendies on this list because it didn't actually open in 2011 (in 2010, it was nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar but it didn't open in our neck of the woods until 2011). This Middle-Eastern import is so powerful, that I want folks to check it out so I reconsidered and put it on the list anyway. A provocative, heartbreaking story about a pair of siblings who set out on a journey of self discovery following the death of their mother. Where their journey takes them has to be seen to be believed. Incendies features a plot structure akin to Godfather Part II. Its epic in every sense of the word. And its punctuated by a devastating reveal that I wont soon forget.

KUNG FU PANDA 2
This worthy follow up matches the manic, energetic tone of the first film all while lending a true sense of drama to the proceedings. The vocal work is terrific right across the board and the animation is spectacular. And the final moment of this entertaining film sets up a possible future adventure for Po the panda in a very powerful way. Kung Fu Panda 2 really surprised me.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Woody Allen's magical tale of romance is also an insightful look into the power of nostalgia. A wonderful movie and easily Allen's best work since Match Point. Great performances by Owen Wilson as a writer and Corey Stoll as one of the literary giants who inspires him. What's most engaging about this picture is how the time travel aspect is introduced to the proceedings. There is no scientific explanation. It simply happens. This is Back to the Future by way of Woody Allen.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE--GHOST PROTOCOL
Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt returned in a big way in Brad Bird's impressive live action directorial debut. Look no further then the exciting prison break that opens the film and the masterfully executed Burj Khalifa sequence (seeing Cruise scale the world's tallest building will leave you breathless) at its center. A spectacular adventure story with terrific performances by Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, and Tom Wilkinson.

THE MUPPETS
This nostalgic rush to the system proves that you can, in fact, go home again. In this tribute to Jim Henson's iconic creations, the Muppets are encouraged to re-unite in an effort to raise enough money to save their run down studio from the clutches of an evil land developer. Sunny, charming, and full of great songs, The Muppets put a great big smile on my face.

OUR IDIOT BROTHER
Paul Rudd is at is affable best as a lovable (and somewhat clueless) pot head who serves as an inadvertent truth filter amongst his dysfunctional family members. A great cast (including Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Zooey Deschenel, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, and T.J. Miller), wonderful comic timing, and sharp writing and direction from Jesse Peretz made Our Idiot Brother one of the funniest films of the year.

RANGO
From director Gore Verbinski and star Johnny Depp, comes the offbeat and masterfully animated Rango. Taking a cue from the likes of Chinatown, this quirky, computer animated gem is certainly more adult oriented but there's still plenty of vibrant imagery and hilarious gags for the kids too. The animation in this picture is positively stellar, and while all the characters take on a cartoonish like quality, there were moments throughout when I had a hard time determining whether or not the detailed landscapes were live action or animated. Depp's vocal work is appropriately zany. Rango is an acquired taste to be sure, but I loved it.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
This origin story emerged as the true break out surprise of the summer movie season. Featuring an amazing motion capture performance by Andy Serkis (who also delivers knock out work in The Adventures of Tintin--this guy deserves an Oscar nomination), Rise of the Planet of the Apes shows why and how Caesar the ape rose to power. There are spectacular effects and action sequences to be found in this outstanding movie, but its the dramatic flourishes (the moments between Caesar and John Lithgow are particularly powerful) that are really worth noting.

TAKE SHELTER
This methodically paced drama/thriller is equal parts Close Encounters and A Beautiful Mind. It features a brilliant performance by Michael Shannon (soon to be seen as General Zod in Man of Steel) as a man plagued by nightmarish visions of an apocalypse. This film takes the slow burn approach to strong effect and the ending will--no doubt--spark big time debate. For the record, the ending totally worked for me as did the entire film.

WARRIOR
This is one of the best films of 2011 that no one went to see. It features star making performances by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, and a positively heartbreaking turn by Nick Nolte. Warrior has all the same underdog sports film bravado that made The Fighter a hit last year. However, Warrior has an interesting hook that separates it from the likes of Rocky. Usually, in a movie of this nature, a film-maker will give you a boxer to root for and a boxer to root against so that when the big fight occurs, you know who to cheer for. In Warrior, director Gavin O'Connor complicates the climax by giving us two men to root for. There's certainly more to it, but I refuse to spoil it for you in this blurb.

WINNIE THE POOH
Its quite surprising that the best Disney animated feature of the year was not produced by Pixar. While Cars 2 made the most cash, it was Disney's Winnie the Pooh that stole my heart. While this sweet and gentle film is aimed at the under 10 set, it managed to work its magic on me. A throwback to the early works of Disney. Clever writing and wonderful Zooey Deschenel songs make this a film well worth watching with your kids.

HONORABLE MENTION;

ATTACK THE BLOCK, CEDAR RAPIDS, DAYLIGHT, FROM THE SKY DOWN, THE GUARD, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, THE IDES OF MARCH, LIMITLESS, MARGIN CALL, MONEYBALL, PARIAH, TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL, and YOUNG ADULT.

GO TO ACTOR OF THE YEAR; Ryan Gosling for his stellar work in Crazy Stupid Love, The Ides of March, and Drive.

GO TO ACTRESS OF THE YEAR; Jessica Chastain for her brilliant work in--count them--five separate 2011 projects; Coriolanus, The Debt, The Help, Take Shelter, and The Tree of Life.

GO TO SUPPORTING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR; Andy Serkis for his incredible motion capture work in Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Adventures of Tintin. Its high time his extraordinary artistry is recognized on the awards circuit.

MOST UNDER-APPRECIATED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR; Joseph Gordon-Levitt for his touching, classy, and dignified turn in the cancer comedy (yes, I said comedy) 50/50.

STRONGEST ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR; The Help. Each wonderful peformer in this terrific uplifter brought their A-game, and I suspect we'll see names like Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain on Oscar ballots. Great movie, great cast!

A FILM I ADMIRED MORE THAN I LOVED; The Tree of Life. The gifted Terrence Malick crafted one of the most polarizing films of the year in the form of The Tree of Life; an experimental, poetic, gorgeously shot movie that proved to be every bit as frustrating as it was beautiful.

DUMBEST MOVIE I WAS ENTERTAINED BY; Shark Night 3D. No, this isn't a mistake. This schlockly B movie from Final Destination helmer David R. Ellis is ridiculously stupid and full of cheesy 3D effects, but I'll be darned if I wasn't sucked in by its inspired lunacy.

BUZZED ABOUT FILMS I HAVE YET TO SEE;

ALBERT NOBBS, ANOTHER EARTH, THE ARTIST, BEGINNERS, A BETTER LIFE, CERTIFIED COPY, A DANGEROUS METHOD, EXTREMEY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, HELL AND BACK AGAIN, IN A BETTER WORLD, IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY, THE INTERRUPTERS, THE IRON LADY, THE LAST CIRCUS, LE HAVRE, MARGARET, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, MELANCHOLIA, RAMPART, A SEPARATION, SHAME, 13 ASSASSINS, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN.

Here's to hoping that 2012 brings many great cinematic experiences (watch for our "12 FILMS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2012" article in early Feb.)