*Written by guest contributor Evan Stevens*
Well, the big finale.
Before I start, I’d like to perhaps clear the air for anyone who may read this and rage about “WHY YOU NO PICK MY FAVOURITE!?” or the “WHY THIS NOT ON THERE?” Well, these are what I personally consider to be the most deserving movies of the year, and again, I can only pick from a pool of movies that I saw. There are a few movies that met much critical acclaim that, for one reason or another I didn’t get to see, be it money or not enough time. Being a struggling varsity student, I have to watch what I spend a little bit. Some movies that I really wanted to see that met much acclaim, but never had the chance to see: “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”, MoneyBall, Take Shelter, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Muppets, and The Artist. I’ve seen pretty much all the other major film releases this years, save for a few documentaries. It may seem a little odd not to include some docs on here, but seeing as how they are very rarely released on a large scale, it is hard to get out to view them in a town with one movie theater. For that reason, I chose not to add any on here, they are too hard to see without stepping into some questionable copyright territory.
and so, I present you with my favourite film of 2011
1) HUGO
I must admit, I am a little surprised that I liked this movie so much. When I initially saw the trailer for it, I had no desire to see it. It is a 3D adaptation of a best selling children’s book directed by the king of mob movies, Martin Scorsese. I am not a fan of 3D. It is just a gimmick to get us to pay more at the theaters. Most of the time it is tacked on in post-production to add a little more spectacle but I find it is never done right; it is just a cheap filler to add to a bad movie to get you to not think about the convoluted plot and not think about how much it ruined your childhood (see Transformers: Dark of the Moon). And Scorsese directing a touching children’s story? Eh, not digging it.
How wrong I was.
I was taken to see it this past week by my mother. I was doing it more just to be with my parents after a very long and tiring semester at school. I was blown away from the very first scene where Paris transforms from is busy 1930s streets to the inner workings of a clock with all its cogs and wheels. The 3D effects are astounding, never in your face, never trying to be disruptive, but rather adding a whole level of depth that no other film before has done. If the general rule of thumb of 3d technology is James Cameron’s Avatar, then HUGO surpasses it on every level. This film boasts some of the most beautiful cinematography of the year, maybe even the decade, rivaling the sweeping landscapes in the Lord of The Rings by capturing the picturesque City of Lights on a smaller scale.
Yet, the technical aspects of the film are just the surface of this amazing piece of cinema. Ben Kingsly gives an amazing performance as a sad toy-shop worker with a very mysterious past. It is one of the best Performances of the year, up there with Ryan Gosling’s Driver and Andy Serkis’ Caesar. The plot, although presenting itself as a children’s story of adventure, is much more about a love of cinema and history.
But the greatest thing about this film is Scorsese’s direction. Forget all his mob movies, all his wise-guys and thugs, all those twisting intrigue points. This is his best movie. You can sense the care and passion he took in making this film. It’s his love note to the movie business and its roots. It reminds us of the old silent films, the fun and joy of creation and the passion one can have for their work. Scorsese has crafted a love note to the films and directors that started the whole business and he has done so with so much heart and so much passion that you can’t help but be mesmerized while watching it. It is truly a beautiful film, one well worth the extra money to view in 3D.
The trailer can’t even begin to show just how beautiful this film actually is. If you like cinema, if you love good movies, please go see Hugo, you won’t be disappointed.
So there is my list of favourite movies of 2011. If you have any problems, concerns, questions, or ideas that you want addressed on here, or if you just want to ask about a movie, feel free to ask me on here with the ask feature, e-mail me, or you could even tweet at me: @AMonsterAmongUs.
2012 should be another amazing year with several high profile releases like Marvel’s team up: The Avengers, Christopher Nolan’s conclusion to his Batman epic: The Dark Knight Rises, and Ridley Scott’s return to science fiction with Prometheus.
Trailers can be found on youtube or head on over to my cousin’s website, NerdNexus where he’s got all the latest and greatest.
Next year will be a great year to be a nerd.
Hugo is glad this movie wasn't a sequel to Sexy Beast