1.) “Hugo” (Martin Scorsese)
2.) “Drive” (Nicholas Winding Refn)
I can’t think of two movies any more different from each other this year than “Hugo” and “Drive.” While “Hugo” is whimsical and life-affirming, “Drive” is slick and existential. While “Hugo” is a grandiose, theatrical ode to early cinema, “Drive” is a muted, minimalist peek into cinematic future. “Hugo” saw Martin Scorsese, a prolific and much-heralded pillar of American film, step away from his comfort zone to try his hand at something new. Conversely, “Drive” saw its director, Nicholas Winding Refn, talented but relatively unknown, stick to what he does best (ultra-stylized violence and grit), and finally get the recognition that has long eluded him. But as much as these films are the antitheses of each other, here they stand, well above everything else that has been released this year (so far), as near equals in quality and in their ability to captivate. And not only does their polarity manage to comment on the great variety of 2011 in general, but it also reminds us fully what cinema is capable of, reminding us that it can delight and challenge in equal measure. It can thrill us just as it comforts us.
3.) “Weekend” (Andrew Haigh)
LGBT cinema is often ghettoized or marginalized by the movie-going crowd, seen as a specialty cinema with little to no potential for mainstream success. But it’s not for lack of quality. Every year sees the release of more and more exceptional gay-themed films, their variation, range and quality rising right along with the levels of social acceptance. This year’s standout, by far, is Andrew Haigh’s British romance, “Weekend,” the charming but tragic story of a gay love affair cut short. The plot is admittedly simple, but the outstanding screenplay lends the film a surprising amount of insight, depth and emotion. Couple that with two stunning breakout performances by the leads, Tom Cullen and Chris New, and you have one of this year’s absolute best, a must see for everyone — gay, straight or anything in between.
4.) “Melancholia” (Lars von Trier)
To call “Melancholia” bleak would probably be overstating its cheerfulness. Watching it is an emotional experience not altogether different from being run over by a dump truck. And yet, I’ve placed it at number four. Why? Well, because though it is definitely not an uplifting experience, or even arguably an enjoyable one, it its undoubtedly an original and magnificently executed directorial vision. And though it might not be saying something happy, it is saying something very honest — about life, about death — that might not be pretty, but must nevertheless be stared in the face. It is an experience that stays with you, eats at you and possesses you, long, long after the credits have rolled. Heck, I’m still reeling from it.
5.) “Midnight in Paris” (Woody Allen)
And here we all were, thinking that Woody Allen had lost his touch. Well, not so fast. After a long string of disappointments, failures and near-misses, everyone’s favorite existentialist New Yorker is back, finally, with a film that fits right in with his iconic best. “Midnight in Paris” is whimsical, smart, beautifully captured and, perhaps surprisingly, laugh-out-loud hilarious. A love letter to Paris, past and present, this film is successful because it isn’t afraid to do whatever it takes to encompass the essence of the famous city, even if that involves a little magic.
Honorable mentions (in alphabetical order): “Beginners,” “Bridesmaids,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2,” “Meek’s Cutoff,” “Tree of Life.”