WM's Best Films of 2011

[X.]

So, I'm finally done with my list for 2011.

The last week has been both heaven and hell (mostly heaven) trying to catch up on films I needed to; eighty percent of list was already done, but this exercise was useful in that it yielded one great film and one great stinker! (Which is which? I'll leave you to guess.)

1. HADEWIJCH (Bruno Dumont)
A complex mediation on love and faith, and why they can be the same thing...demanding sacrifice.

2. A DANGEROUS METHOD (David Cronenberg)
A cerebral and elegant film about freedom, desire and destiny.

3. MELANCHOLIA (Lars von Trier)
Depressed? Feel the world is going to end? Let Lars von Trier serenade you! A beautiful work of art.

4. THE MILL AND THE CROSS (Lech Majewski)
Based on Bruegel's painting, this film is the most rewarding cinematic experiment of 2011.

5. ELENA (Andrei Zvyagintsev)
Zvyagintsev gets into full Chabrol mode. Also: the most perfect use yet of Philip Glass' minimalist score.

6. PINA (Wim Wenders)
Pina Bausch + Wim Wenders = Theater + Cinema = Love candy.

7. THE KID WITH A BIKE (Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)
The love between a child and a woman. Pure. The Dardennes use music to caress/comfort the lonely boy.

8. TREE OF LIFE (Terrence Malick)
Maddening and convoluted but always sincere. The most personal film from Malick.

9. TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (Tomas Alfredson)
Cool, sophisticated and precise. A spy-thriller made for brainy people.

10. THE SKIN I LIVE IN (Pedro Almodovar)
A cruel, savagely funny study of gender, insanity and love. Buñuel and Franju would be proud.
 
Honorable Mention(s):
11. OSLO, AUGUST 31st (Joachim Trier)
12. THE CLOCK (Christian Marclay)
13. A SEPARATION (Asghar Farhadi)
14. BULLHEAD (Michael R. Roskam)
15. ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA (Nuri B. Ceylan)
 
Most Overrated Films of 2011:
1. SHAME (Steve McQueen)
2. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (Lynne Ramsay)
3. MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (Sean Durkin)

[X.]

Once the rest of our WM elites have finished their Top Lists, we can compile the results and make a new thread like so. (Be good to keep the tradition alive!)

Till then, use this thread to post your lists and discuss each other's selections.

[fizz]

A dangerous method (which I just can't...find) now goes to the very top of my list. Great revival of an WM tradition (I think we failed to do this last year), I only hope I can keep up...

[X.]

Fizz, I wish for you to experience the power and simple majesty of A DANGEROUS METHOD on the big screen; but would also understand if that is not possible in your part of the world.

[fizz]

Fizz, I wish for you to experience the power and simple majesty of A DANGEROUS METHOD on the big screen; but would also understand if that is not possible in your part of the world.

Not happening. As far as I know, there is no release date for it.

Now if only Kaytee could work some of his magic....

[shariqq]

Great revival of an WM tradition (I think we failed to do this last year), I only hope I can keep up...

You and Madali. The rest of us had some sort of a list last year too... Of course, never ended up being a WM list.

This year though seems very difficult if we want to include the movies that have received general acclaim. Many movies are not available, or will probably release in cinemas here late (and I'll wait as long as there is hope of release before turning to KFF). If we compile a list based only on what we have seen and manage before, say 31st Jan, we exclude many important films (Pina, A Dangerous Method, Shame, etc.), it will mean our list won't hold up in comparison to so many others out there.

[X.]

I feel we shouldn't really care about what others' list looks like. The WM best-of list just represents our group's tastes, taken at an average. It's a snapshot of our taste over the past year.

For me the deadline to finish my Top 15 list was simple: I just had to get it done by the end of the 1st week of January, or else I would never be able to do it. Whatever I could include within my viewing I did. Whatever got left out, got left out. Of course being in the States (especially LA; more narrowly in the film business) has a distinct advantage over the UAE, but logically the process can be the same.

I would say just set a *personal* deadline for yourself (whatever feels fair and comfortable to you personally) and let the WM's collective chips fall where they may, when they may.

P.S. SHAME is a borderline Stinker!, so don't lose too much sleep over not being able to see it! But, I guess, curiosity must be satisfied.

[kaytee]

AK is it worth paying £10 (60 Dhs) to watch A Dangerous Method on the big screen?

[X.]

Shit, man, that's pretty expensive. And worth every penny.

(Expect a simple majesty, not extravagance.)

[kaytee]

My Top 10

1) A Separation
2) The Tree of Life
3) The Artist
4) Midnight in Paris
5) Drive
6) Moneyball
7) Senna
8 ) This is Not a Film
9) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
10) Melancholia

Honourable Mentions -

We Need to Talk About Kevin
Win Win
50/50
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara

Most Overrated Movies -

The Bridesmaids
Hugo
The Descendants

[X.]

Interesting list, Kaytee. Haven't seen SENNA; it's a surprising project from Asif Kapadia who almost sabotaged his career with THE RETURN starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (the Hollywood thing can make or break you).

Ironic to see WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN under your Honorable Mentions. It's a terrible film -- bombastic and full of cliches. Lynne Ramsey really fucked up bad after the mesmerizing MORVERN CALLAR. I am actually proud to have KEVIN in my list under Most Overrated Films of the Year.

P.S. Kudos on wrapping up the unfinished business of making your 2011 list.

[kaytee]

Guess no one else will be doing this, unsticky'ed...