Palooza Presents "The 99 Films of 2011"

[cf24]

We need to get started on our "Michael Fassbender For President Of Earth" campaign. He has very quickly risen to the #2 spot on my favorite actors list. I watched Centurion and fucking Jonah Hex just to see him. As you know, I too masturbate to First Class. It's a Shame(see what I did there?) that he is fucking brilliant in it, because McAvoy really stole the show for me.

[Palooza]

got one more movieto catch up on and then i'll go on a posting spree. loves ya bitches.

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

11. Beginners
Ewan McGregor, Melanie Laurent, Christopher Plummer, Goran Visjnic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller

Director -
Mike Mills
Writer(s) -
Mike Mills
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 84%
Metacritic Score - 81/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
Mike Mills second film, Beginners, is one that examines the difficult parts of life without ever feeling too depressing. On top of the great performances, Mills is what stands out here. The script is well-written, clever and engaging and goes along perfectly with how Mills presents the film to us. The film tells the story of Oliver (Ewan McGregor) - a man dealing with the death of his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer) who came out of the closet at the age of 75 all the while falling for a French actress named Anna (Melanie Laurent). Mills presents half the movie in flashbacks where two things are accomplished - we learn about Oliver's strange relationship with his mother when he was growing up, leading to confusing revelations about their marriage after knowing his father's secret and we also see the post-coming out relationship between himself and his father. In between venturing to gay clubs and living his true life to the fullest, Hal is being treating for an illness that will eventually take his life. By his side is Goran Visjnic's character, Andy, his younger boyfriend who has some issues and does some questionable things, but still loves Hal deep down. Not only is he next to Hal's side while he is dying, he is one of the main people to help him live before he died, which is what keeps Hal so loyal. Oliver taking care of his father teaches the audience a lot about the two - we learn Oliver's failed relationships and we learn about Hal's ambition and naivity, something of a role reversal for the two in terms of sharing wisdom.

The other half of the movie focuses on Oliver's new found interest in a French actress named Anna played by the wonderful Melanie Laurent. To be fair, since her portrayal of Shoshanna in Inglourious Basterds, I have been dying to see her do some English-language movies. This is pretty much her only one up to this point and she is phenomenal. She is absolutely beautiful, but she doesn't use her looks to accomplish things. When Oliver and Anna meet at a Halloween party, she is dressed up in detailed character, still looking beautiful as Charlie Chaplin. Struck with Laryngitis, Anna lies on Freud's couch (Oliver's costume and shtick through the party), writing notes to Oliver, bonding with him without speaking. It's the perfect blend of adorable and upsetting as Anna is quick to notice Oliver's sad-eyes, even through Freud's glasses. The two immediately hit it off and start a relationship that is complicated because of Anna's job as an actress and Oliver's inability to trust that things will work out for them. He says to Arthur at one point - "Someone flashy walks into your life and you're just gunna fall for it. No, it doesn't work like that there are other steps it's complicated..."

Another cool element of the movie that I want to add is Oliver's job as a graphic designer. Mills uses this to help tell the story and create the character of Oliver. This is shown with the doodles he makes and the historical consciousness he graffitis on the walls of his city with his friend Eli.

The show is stolen by Hal's dog Arthur. Mills acknowledges the cliche that comes along with Jack Russell Terriers in the movies when Oliver talks to the dog early in the movie. I'll get to that quote shortly. Arthur is easily the best part of the great movie, even when we're told that he is cute and everyone loves him because of the image portrayed by movies. Arthur gives himself his own personality that draws you in even further than why we're told to. Arthur is sad about Hal's death, too and barks whenever Oliver isn't around -- he hates being left alone. He is more than just a prop throughout the movie - he is a valuable character. Arthur isn't the reason why Anna is drawn to Oliver, but he certainly doesn't hurt matters. Even though his personality is supposed to have been created by someone else and we're supposed to treat him a certain way thanks to movies, Arthur still becomes his own "person" (so to speak). I'm so proud of him and I love him.
Here is that quote -

Go and have experiences with your own people. I'll be right here.. I'm a human. I'm not a dog... And you're a Jack Russell and that's a breed. Your personality was created by this guy John Russell, who was a hunting enthusiast in the 1800's. And he bred your ancestors for their stamina and their courage for the hunt. You think you're you and you want to chase the foxes, but... other people planted that in you years ago. And now somewhat arbitrarily you're considered very cute by us humans. And we keep breeding you not to chase foxes, but to be cute. And we put you in television shows, and movies, and you're chasing tennis balls because they're as close to a fox as you're gonna get.

Mills gives us a movie that is painfully realistic, but never depressing. We learn about love, happiness, death and sadness through Mills' eyes shifting from each of those four things with ease. Not only do these shifts seem effortless thanks to Mills' powerful script and solid directing, the actors in the film portray the characters to perfection.
Grade - A

[Houston]

I when Arthur ran up to that old guy thinking that it was Hal. If you ask me, he showed more range then that dog from The Artist.

[Palooza]

Oh right,

10. The Muppets
9. 50/50
8. We Need to Talk About Kevin
7. Attack the Block
6. Take Shelter
5. Hugo
4. Drive
3. Another Earth
2. Shame
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

[Cornelius]

Red State was seriously one of the most fucked up movies I have ever seen. was majorly disturbed. I knew nothing about it other than it was directed by Kevin Smith, and was posted about in this thread. I bought a 40 and was like COOL, RED STATE TIME. Buzzkill start to finish but extraordinarily well written (never saw anything coming, scene to scene). It's kind of like The Wrestler ; two amazing movies I simply don't have the stomach to watch again.

 

I saw an interview with Smith in which he said that in the end he was going to have the full on rapture and end the world.