Here is Jeff Wells’ list – we plan to talk about our top ten on today’s podcast, as Kris Tapley and Anne Thompson did last week on their Oscar Talk podcast. Jeff has already let the cat out of the bag, though, but that’s okay – sometimes it helps to write them down and get feedback. I’m currently working on mine too. I still have to see Young Adult, however. And this is becoming a major problem for me as there are two strong female strains in that film – writer Diablo Cody and actress Charlize Theron. So I need to fix that asap. But I’ve been hit with two cold bugs (I sound like Nikki Finke!) one after the other and it’s ravaged my schedule in all ways. Either which way, here is Jeff’s list:
HE’s 10 Best of 2011 (in this order): Moneyball, A Separation, The Descendants, Miss Bala, Drive, Contagion, Win Win, Tyrannosaur, The Tree of Life, In the Land of Blood and Honey. (10)
Still Not Allowed to Say Anything: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2)
Special “I Don’t Know Where They Precisely Belong But I Like ‘Em More Than Some Of The Others” Distinction (i.e., Close With Unlit Cigar): Attack The Block, Beginners, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, X-Men First Class, Captain America, Hugo, 50/50, Young Adult, The Artist, Hanna, The Guard, Bridesmaids, Buck, Page One: Inside The NY Times, Rampart. (14)
So Sasha, what’s your take on Jolie’s film since you apparently disagree with Jeff.
I’m so glad Contagion is being mentioned. Excellent Film with a great cast, confident direction and a brilliant, layered script. One of my favourite scores of the year too.
Attack the Block should be on far more of these lists. It is the coolest movie to come out in years. I had goosebumps from the sheer imagination of it all. One of the bets aspects for me was that, unlike Super8 which was a big budget movie pretending to be a small budget movie, Attack the Block had to use trickery to pull off three-quarters of it’s stunts and visual special effects. Also, the movie had a GREAT script and phenomenal music.
Now. Contagion? What a BORING mess of a movie with a shit-ton of inconsequential characters. I hated it. The score was great, and the actors in the movie were all great individually, but as a movie, as a piece of storytelling, it failed for me completely.
I was going to ask about that. Embargo means they can’t put it on the list? Or they’re balking at the embargo by not putting it on the list? Meaning it’s a form of protest.
so it seems that the reason TGWDT is not on any critics list is because of the embargo. That is so stupid on the studios part.
wow.. he really hates We need to talk about kevin huh?
Bet Jolie has the boyz scared! she is too sensible, smart and thoughtful not to have gotten this right. You really can not deny her creative trait.
New York Post Critics have posted their lists as well.
Kyle Smith – http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/best_movies_of_the_year_J5SrxrFobe9UspOB6FAFbJ
1 The Artist
2 War Horse
3 Bridesmaids
4 Captain America: The First Avenger
5 Drive
6 Super 8
7 Rango
8 Contagion
9 The Iron Lady
1050/50
Lou Lumenick – http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/best_movies_of_the_year_3YkCDEmGV7m0AFJaNCLm1K
1 The Descendats
2 Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
3 Melancholia/The Tree Of Life
4 Margin Call
5 The Skin I Live In
6 The Artist
7 J. Edgar
8 Moneyball
9 The Adventures Of Tintin
10We Bought A Zoo
Wow, I’m starting to hear killer buzz about Jolie’s film!
Re: Jolie’s film, Jeff has a big old crush on her — I figure that’s why it’s placed there but I’m not gonna complain if one film by a female director gets in.