Palooza Presents "The 99 Films of 2011"

[Palooza]

Cool to see Woody Allen make a movie about some of the people he's been making references to for decades. Also, speaking of one movie a year, the next one he has coming up looks like a complete disaster. Sucks, I was getting my hopes up for it since MIP was so good.

You gotta wait until 2016ish for a good Woody Allen movie.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Brian Cox is a very underrated movie villain actor guy.

Hes good overall.
Even in a cheesy action comedy like Red hes great.

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

32. Melancholia
Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Alexander Skarsgard, John Hurt, Charlotta Rampling, Stellan Skarsgard, Jesper Christensen, Brady Corbet​

Director -
Lars von Trier
Writer(s) -
Lars von Trier
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 77%
Metacritic Score - 80/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
I imagine in some time this movie will be played in a "Psychology of Film" class. If I had to write an essay on this film, it would certainly revolve around the two sisters and their representation of "melancholy" and how this idea of melancholy is used throughout the film, most obviously with the planet traveling toward Earth, "Melancholia". Either that or I'd write it on the themes of accepting mortality. This is a typical artsy, weird, mind bending film from Lars von Trier, who does his best to both bore and engage the audience simultaneously. The first half of the movie focuses on what is supposed to be the happiest day of Justine's life (Kirsten Dunst), but she is terribly depressed and has been, from what we learn. After a set of questionable acts on her wedding day, we jump forward to the real plot of the movie where Justine is recovering from a breakdown post-marriage at her sister Claire and her husband's mansion (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland). This is where he paranoia and acceptance of morality kick in. Each of the four characters (including their child) face the impending end of the world in their own way, some more cowardly than others. Even though Kirsten Dunst and I were born in the same town, I don't like her at all. I don't find her attractive and she's always annoying. Here, though, there's a reason she won Best Actress at Cannes. She pulls off the many layers of depression with ease, even if some of the scenes are unsettling and frustrating. von Trier's portrait on the human psyche toward the end of the world is not only a beautiful examination, it is also visually stunning, with many random cuts of nature and life being showcased for the audience. The movie is weird and strange and bizarre and any other synonym you can come up with. The camera shots and cuts can get annoying at times and the first half of the movie may be frustrating to some, but it all pays off in the end. It is a very good companion piece to The Tree of Life, which you will see later on in the list.
Grade - B

 

[Palooza]

Hes good overall.
Even in a cheesy action comedy like Red hes great.

He's even the best part of the Johnny Knoxville vehicle "The Ringer"

I also love his monologue at the end of 25th Hour

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

99 Films of 2011

50. Limitless
Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth​

Director -
Neil Burger
Writer(s) -
Leslie Dixon
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 69%
Metacritic Score - 59/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
Another movie I watched with some of the lowest expectations. I was not ready to take Bradley Cooper seriously as a leading man, but he knocks this out of the park. This movie is about adderall on crack, which are two of my favorite drugs so I didn't get caught up in the fact that he's pretty much a fraud. It's a pure popcorn flick that you can just shut your brain off for 2 hours and enjoy yourself. Over thinking or taking this movie too seriously will result in a bad experience. I thought it was going to suck and it wound up entertaining the shit out of me.
Spoiler Alert - People don't really get what they deserve.
Grade - C

Ironic that you need to shut your brain off about a movie that turns on parts of your brain.

Movie was ok. I think all of the OK came from the daydreaming about the pill. Thats all I cared about. I never wanted a movie object so bad since I first saw a light saber.

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Crazy Stupid Love
Planet of the Apes.

I liked both. For whatever reason CSL was completely forgettable for me. I was halfway through your synopsis when I realized OOOOOH wait I did see this.
On the flip side Planet of the Apes stood with me for days after seeing it.

GAY ALERT...In CSL I think the only memorable thing was how sleek he looked in that brown suit.

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

31. Source Code
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Bakula​

Director -
Duncan Jones
Writer(s) -
Ben Ripley
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 91%
Metacritic Score - 74/100
Viewed - In theaters
After I watched Moon, Duncan Jones' first movie, I was so impressed that I looked up whatever I could on Jones and his upcoming projects. I did not find much on what I was looking for, so I kept up with him. What I did find was some of the strangest trivia ever - Duncan Jones is Zowie Bowie, one of David Bowie's kids. I was even more impressed with the film he put together (Moon) after learning this news, even though the movie would be nowhere near as perfect without Sam Rockwell. This past March, Jones released his follow up - Source Code, a science fiction time travel military conspiracy action film. The result is one of the most original and coolest movies of the year. In the hour and a half or so of this film, there are only two settings - "Home base" where Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright's characters are sending Jake Gyllenhaal's Colter Stevens back in time into someone else's body on the train that was the victim of a terrorist attack to find answers, which is the second setting of the film. Duncan Jones does an absolutely marvelous job making the same 8 minutes seem fresh and new as Stevens repeats these events over and over, trying his best to find out what happened to both himself and on the train, all the while sparking a romance with a passenger (Michelle Monaghan). As Stevens gets deeper, he becomes more involved with each element at hand, becoming more and more determined to save the girl, his country and find out what brought him to this point in his life. Gyllenhaal has much more to do in this movie than Rockwell in Moon, but he does a wonderful job keeping the audience involved with his determination and confusion.
Grade - B

 

[Buzzman]

It's a shame people seem to already have forgotten about Source Code.

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

30. Carnage
Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly, Jodie Foster​

Director -
Roman Polanski
Writer(s) -
Yasmina Reza
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 72%
Metacritic Score - 61/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
It's pretty obvious that this movie was based on a play - the strict setting and dialogue heavy script are just two examples of how you can tell. Thankfully the movie was put in the hands of Roman Polanski, a brilliant director (among other, less appealing things) and he allows the actors to use this brilliant material as their playground. The story is simple, two sets of parents meet to discuss the necessary action that should be taken after their sons get into a fight. Every single one of the actors shines in their own right, even Jodie Foster who I hate. Her character, along with the rest, made it so easy to hate, but the acting is so fucking good that you don't mind. I'll admit, I wasn't immediately sold, but once Kate Winslet threw up all over the living room of Reilly and Foster, I was in. Christoph Waltz' reaction is absolutely priceless and he does a awesome job at being a 'my job to support my family is more important than my family' douchebag. John C. Reilly is equally impressive, as always, as a grown up loser. "Grown up" that seems to be the most important element of the film - these "grown ups" are far from that, exuding some of the most childish behavior between each other. At the end of it all, you realize the children dealt with their problem honorably, unlike the parents, who are fake to one another at first, but once they all come out of their shells, it's obvious what their sons have become are because of them and they have no one but themselves to blame.
Grade - B

 

[Houston]

Thought the end joke/laughter part of Source Code was brilliant. In the minority, but I liked the movie alot more than Inception which people seem to compare it to.

 

[Buzzman]

Thought the end joke/laughter part of Source Code was brilliant. In the minority, but I liked the movie alot more than Inception which people seem to compare it to.

 

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

29. Win Win
Paul Giamatti, Alex Shaffer, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Melanie Lynskey, Burt Young​

Director -
Thomas McCarthy
Writer(s) -
Thomas McCarthy
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 94%
Metacritic Score - 75/100
Viewed - HBO
Again, another underrated Paul Giamatti movie is on the list. This is one more focused, rewarding, heartfelt, genuine and appealing than Barney's Version. Giamatti plays a struggling lawyer and coach of the local wrestling team. In an effort to help support his family, he takes guardianship of an elderly man and an odd chain of events leaves the man's grandson with Giamatti and his wife, played by Amy Ryan. The kid's mom is a selfish bitch and he's an excellent wrestler. Giamatti along with his friends and family, embrace and support the boy's talent. Paul Giamatti's Mike is much like most of his characters - he's an everyman who is trying to make ends meet, keep everyone happy and keep himself and his integrity in tact. Mike is flawed, but all of his faults are made up for by his supporting wife. Amy Ryan plays as the film's moral center, exceeding most "wife conventions" we see in films based mostly around men. Amy Ryan's character is Mike's conscious and partner in crime. The love between them is genuine and it adds a to your support for them. Bobby Cannavale steals every scene he is in as Giamatti's hyper, overzealous friend. The chemistry between Giamatti and Cannavale is amazing, the two genuinely seem like the best of friends; Giamatti is the only one who can talk any sense into Cannavale and Cannavale presents the truth to Giamatti no matter what. Writer/Director Thomas McCarthy has yet another indie darling on his hands here, but unlike The Station Agent or The Visitor, this movie was overlooked by those in any form of power, leaving Win Win with no type of awards love. This is not just your run of the mill family indie dramedy, it's got heart and some balls, too.
Grade - B+

 

[Palooza]

Source Code is good, but not Inception good.

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

28. Rampart
Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Cynthia Nixon, Anne Heche, Sigourney Weaver, Ned Beatty, Robin Wright, Ice Cube, Brie Larson​

Director -
Oren Moverman
Writer(s) -
James Ellroy, Oren Moverman
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 76%
Metacritic Score - 70/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
Dave Brown is somebody that everyone should hate. Cops, crooks, politicians, women, journalists, bums, black people, whatever, they should all hate Dave Brown. He is a piece of shit, narcissistic, crooked cop who does whatever he wants to uphold his version of the law. They don't call him "Date Rape" Dave for nothing. This is all on paper, mind you. Then they decided to cast Woody Harrelson, who is one of the few people in Hollywood who can pull of charismatic psychopath with ease. This role is perfectly suited for Woody and he doesn't disappoint. I hated Dave Brown, but I wasn't mad at him. He kept doing these awful things and I was on his side, which is a really hard thing to portray with such a realistically shot movie like this. Oren Moverman is the guy behind Harrelson's Oscar nominated role in The Messenger from a few years back. This film has the same gritty, personal feel to it like The Messenger and you can tell this is the style that will follow Moverman throughout his career. The script is co-written by Moverman with the king of L.A. cops and crime, James Ellroy, the mind behind the source material for L.A. Confidential. It has all the cop elements of an Ellroy story with Moverman's style and Woody Harrelson's phenomenal acting. The pacing and editing in general can be annoying at some points, it jumps around a lot and makes the viewer make conclusions on their own, which is a problem for most movie-goers, but not for me. I definitely could have used more Robin Wright/Ben Foster, too and less Cynthia Nixon/Anne Heche/Sigourney Weaver. I would definitely say this is not the type of movie most people wanna see, it shows the evil side of the law with no genuine repercussions in a disgusting, gritty manner.
Grade - B+

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

27. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Clemence Posey, Helena Bonham Carter, John Hurt, Warwick Davis, Domhall Gleeson, Evanna Lynch, Kelly Macdonald, Jason Issacs, Tom Felton, Helen McCrory, Ciaran Hinds, Jim Broadbent, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane, Gary Oldman, Matthew Lewis, Devon Murray, Jessie Cave, Afshan Azad, Bonnie Wright​

Director -
David Yates
Writer(s) -
Steve Kloves
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 96%
Metacritic Score - 87/100
Viewed - In theaters
I don't really need to explain this. The Harry Potter movies are really good and every young adult novel series will look up to these movies until the end of time. This movie had a lot to live up to, the end of such a long series always has high expectations and this did not disappoint. In the world of sequels for the sake of sequels, this franchise had the benefit of some of the most popular source material that was always intended to tell a long narrative. I cannot commend everyone involved in this enough for their impressive work making the end of something great feel so much more than just the end. They've taken something that could definitely wind up being ridiculous or anti-climatic or repetitious and they make it feel like home. You've followed these characters as they grew up and now they've finally matured into what they were supposed to become and it's amazing. If you're a fan or have kids who are, go see this. If you're not, stop being so stubborn, these are some good movies. Also, Emma Watson is one of the most beautiful women on the planet. I love her.
Grade - B+

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

26. Margin Call
Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Penn Badgley, Mary McDonnell​

Director -
JC Chandor
Writer(s) -
JC Chandor
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 89%
Metacritic Score - 76/100
Viewed - HQ torrent
Margin Call benefits from a great script and the actors performances. The plot is much more confined, which gives you a catastrophic uneasiness, even though if you're not a dumbass, you should already know what happens. It's not so much about the financial crisis as it is about how the short period of time with people who helped create it try to combat what they've done. In essence, everyone is a villain; there are just some you can sympathize with better than others and some you understand the ruthlessness that helped build and will now destroy what was created. Zachary Quinto steps out of the shadow of Spock and Sylar and does a really surprising job of carrying the film at it's core. After the company fires Quinto's boss and mentor (Stanley Tucci), he passes along a flash drive of something he needs finished. Quinto stays up all night and figures out something awful is about to happen and so we follow him and his buddy (Penn Badgley) as they go up the food chain to their boss (Paul Bettany) to his boss (Kevin Spacey) o his boss (Simon Baker) to the CEO (Jeremy Irons). The irony that is sprinkled throughout is that the further up the food chain you go, the less they know about the details and more they are concerned with saving themselves. Irons does what he does best, oozing evil and terrifying the shit out of me. Kevin Spacey and Stanley Tucci are the easiest to relate to and sympathize with aside from Quinto. Paul Bettany's character is a smart, selfish, but loyal guy who seems to be working his way down the path that got the ones making the decisions where they are. If none of this would have happened for another decade, Bettany's character would be on crisis control with Irons, not Baker, who is seemingly the most incompetent of the group. Demi Moore is pretty useless and annoying until the end, where she, SPOILER ALERT, is cast as a scapegoat.
Grade - B+

 

[Palooza]

99 Films of 2011

25. Super 8
Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Ryan Lee, Zach Mills, Gabriel Basso, Ron Eldard, Noah Emmerich, Richard T. Jones, David Gallagher​

Director -
J.J. Abrams
Writer(s) -
J.J. Abrams
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 82%
Metacritic Score - 72/100
Viewed - In theaters
Aside from Lost and Mission:Impossible 3, I can't say I'm too much of a J.J. Abrams fan. I wasn't a die hard Lost fan, but I also did not want to kill myself after it all ended. However, when I began to hear about this movie, I got pretty excited. Nobody is wrong when they tell you this has a Goonies feel to it, which was probably my favorite movie growing up. The movie is an homage to adventure movies like that plus Spielberg's early alien movies all the while showcasing the young ambitions of future filmmakers. All the correct portions of that formula exists - the young protagonists, forbidden love, distant family members, evil military personnel and aliens. Abrams does a good job of introducing these characters, entertaining you with them so to keep your patience for the "catastrophic event" that unleashes the film's main plot. When the train crash does finally happen, I was blown away. It was unbelievably well done. Even though I knew nothing would happen to these kids during this, only in the aftermath, I was concerned for all of their safety. As much as I hate child actors and their inability to pull off any real emotion, I was pleasantly surprised. The fat kid was annoying, but he was perfect in his role as the "director" of the movie and even though he said "mint" too many times, I enjoyed his comic relief. Joel Courtney could have easily fell on his face playing Joe, the main kid, but he didn't and that role definitely would have killed the movie if he didn't pull it off. I'm just going to say this - I can't believe Elle Fanning is only 14 years old; she is adorable. When the time comes, I want to see her and Chloe Moretz make out. Friday Night Lights' Coach Taylor is competent in his role, but he isn't asked to do much. When it comes down it it, this is about the kids and they do a fantastic job leading the way to an adventure that I did not expect to be so awesome.
Grade - B+

 

[dell71]

I'm probably alone on an island here, but I hated Source Code. So repetitive and boring because I honestly figured out who the killer was on his first or second trip back to the train. It was the only person that actually made sense. The rest of the movie I was just waiting on the hero to catch on. Then the end of the movie broke all of its own rules just to be romantic so I was too through with it by then. To me, it was a slightly better version of the awful Vantage Point. (Just my $0.02)

 

[Buzzman]

Did you not like Star Trek reboot?

 

[dell71]

Did you not like Star Trek reboot?

Liked it, not loved it.