Please excuse the horn tooting, but I just spotted this the other day. The coolest part was that I just happened to be with Morgan Spurlock at the time (my first time meeting him). He got as much of a kick out of it as I did.

Read my full review of Morgan Spurlock’s COMIC-CON EPISODE IV: A FAN’S HOPE at Twitch:
TIFF 2011: Spurlock’s COMIC-CON Will Make You A Fan

I should have obviously posted this earlier, but while there is horn tooting going on, check out the first quote up in the awesome theatrical trailer for THE RAID: REDEMPTION (at 1:24).

Reprinted from Twitch

Ahhh, another snowy year at Sundance (particularly snowy this year) has come to a close. A lot of excellent films have been packed up in their canisters and sent to their new distributors. Even more will move along in the festival season, hoping to find a friendly home on some form of new-fangled download-to-your-alphanumeric-pager distro-strategy. But before these movies make it to screens of various sizes near you, I’d like to take you on a quick tour of all the titles I was able to catch this year. I’ve included my letter grade, a few words of what I thought, whether the film has yet to land distribution, and also my initial impression via my immediate tweet after seeing the film.

As you might notice, the films I saw at this year’s festival included a whole lot of B grades. Frankly, the quality of films this go-around was a bit lower than in past years. There weren’t a lot of bad films (I avoided both Lay the Favorite and Price Check after hearing rotten reports). It just seemed that filmmakers (or maybe the fest) was playing it a bit safe. While there are obvious exceptions (Compliance), no fewer than a dozen of the films I saw can be best summed up in one word: charming. I’ll avoid too deep of an analysis on this trend as to the role of the economic downturn or the perception that distributors are avoiding challenging films. But it is safe to say that this trend led to a generally less risky batch of films — and therefore a generally less rewarding crop. But there were certainly some gems to be found amongst the rhinestones. Now, here are my thoughts:

28 HOTEL ROOMS – Next – My Grade: B

28 HOTEL ROOMS is a mostly successful experiment; an interesting yet ultimately limited way to tell a love story. Messina great.
This story of a long term affair takes place over a number of years, exclusively in the hotel rooms that the affair goes down in. It’s pretty indie, but it works, mostly on the strength of Chris Messina. No need to rush out and see it but it will probably do a decent turn on pay cable.

ABOUT THE PINK SKY – World Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

Keiichi Kobayashi’s moody B&W Japanese school girl drama ABOUT THE PINK SKY might be too small a story for many to really connect.
I wasn’t particularly impressed by this somewhat mundane story that employs a heavy handed style to the detriment of its narrative.
My Review of ABOUT THE PINK SKY

AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY – US Docu Competition – My Grade: B

This doc chronicling the controversial career of Chinese activist/artist Ai Weiwei is a pretty by the book doc about an incredibly anti-establishment artist. It is well worth watching for anyone interested in modern art or Chinese politics – but there’s no harm waiting to watch it at home (no theatrical plans yet, anyway).

THE AMBASSADOR – World Docu Competition – My Grade: B

THE AMBASSADOR is a fascinating look at corruption in Africa (shocker!) if you can stomach the “performance art” of Mads Brügger.
There is no doubt that it is pretty fascinating to see this white Danish dude work his way through the layers of corrupt African bureaucracy, but I couldn’t help asking myself if he was doing it to make a political statement, or just to say, “hey look how stupid these people are.”

ARBITRAGE – Premieres – My Grade: B+

ARBITRAGE is excellently written/directed/performed thriller about wealthy privilege. Might Gere be thinking about statues?
I really enjoyed this financial thriller that is far more thriller than it is financial. Instead of focusing on the details of the finance plot, Jarecki spends time making the story and characters interesting. The film sold to Lionsgate/Roadside for $3M.
My Review of ARBITRAGE

BACHELORETTE – Premieres – My Grade: B

BACHELORETTE is a wilder more hit/miss Bridesmaids. Isla Fischer is great. It’s also the PARTY DOWN mini sequel. Casey+Henry4eva!
It’s almost funny just how obviously this film is going after the Bridesmaids crowd. It mostly disappoints but there are some pretty funny moments, especially Isla Fisher’s reee-diculously dumb character who rivals Inspector Clouseau in idiocy at times.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: A

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is the kind of remarkable film that rekindles your passion for independent cinema. Pure magic.
Without a doubt, my favorite film of the fest, this beautifully whimsical film is a must see when it comes to a theater near you from Fox Searchlight ($1M), likely sometime next fall.

My Review of BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

BLACK ROCK – Midnight – My Grade: B-

Katie Aselton’s survival-thriller follow-up to The Freebie needed a lot more comedy and another script pass. It did, however, sell to LD Entertainment for $1M+.

My Review of BLACK ROCK

CALIFORNIA SOLO – Premieres – My Grade: B

CALIFORNIA SOLO is a sweet but forgettable tale of an aging rocker dealing with all kinds of aging rocker problems.
Robert Carlyle plays an over-the-hill rocker with an immigration problem almost as bad as his drinking problem in this respectable little indie that won’t likely make more than a ripple.

CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER – Premieres – My Grade: B+

CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER is a heartwarming contemporary romcom with plenty of laughs, well deserving of a strong distributor.
I rather liked this very commercial rom-com starring Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones that Sony Pictures Classic (odd choice?) bought for $2M. It should make some good late summer counter programming.

COMPLIACE – Next – My Grade: B

Feel like a survivor after COMPLIANCE. Extremely uncomfortable. I hated experience of watching it but am starting to respect it.
This was, without a doubt, the most controversial film of the festival. When all is said and done, Compliance will likely be the film that we remember from Sundance 2012 (along with Beasts and The Surrogate). It is the kind of extremely tough film that requires you to continually remind yourself, “this is a true story.” That’s simply the only excuse for the filmmaker to put the audience through such an ordeal. Magnolia has signed on for an undisclosed amount to bring it to screens of some sort in the next year or so.

THE END OF LOVE – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

THE END OF LOVE may be the Mark Webber show, but it’s his 2 year-old son who steals the spotlight. Yet another Sundance charmer.
The story here is all about Webber “directing” his son (or rather the scenes around his son) to tell a very competent and touching story – even if it feels a bit manufactured at times.

FILLY BROWN – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: A

FILLY BROWN is exactly the hard hittin hip-hop drama I hoped. Gina Rodriguez straight kicks ass. Sundance must see!
I loved Youssef Delara and Michael Olmos’s hard hitting hip hop story. Huge congrats to the guys. I seriously hope this one finds a good distributor soon.

THE FIRST TIME – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

THE FIRST TIME is a very talky teen romance. While not always 100% sincere, in the end it works. It’s, wait for it… charming.
The tweet says it all. There are a whole lot of scenes of teens sitting around talking about falling for each other – but ultimately the performances by Dylan O’Brien and Britt Robertson win us over.

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL – Premieres – My Grade: B+

FOR A GOOD TIME, CALL is the smart & silly girl power raunch-com you’ve been waiting for. Perfect summer counter programming.
I had a lot of fun with this film about girls starting a phone sex business, mostly on the strength of stars Lauren Milller and Ari Graynor. Focus liked what they saw, buying worldwide rights to the film for $3M.

HELLO I MUST BE GOING – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

HELLO I MUST BE GOING is an ultra charming comic romance, best in its comic moments. Great direction & Melanie Lynskey is a star.
Todd Louiso’s awkward comedy is pretty funny but runs a bit too long in its more sincere moments. Melanie Lynskey does a fantastic job in a role that seems like it was written for her (it wasn’t).

I AM NOT A HIPSTER – Next – My Grade: B

I don’t have a lot to say about this heartfelt indie about a rocker who just isn’t that likable as a protagonist. This might the film from Sundance 2012 that I forget first.

THE IMPOSTER – World Docu Competition – My Grade: B+

THE IMPOSTER is a truly stranger than fiction docu, ripe for remake. Wondering if the extreme stylization adds to the intrigue?
This is a fascinating docu that is super stylized and well worth tracking down if it ever makes it to a screen near you – more likely on demand than in a theater.

KID-THING – Next – My Grade: C+

The Zellner Bros’ KID-THING has some wonderfully mundane humor but too much of the plot fails to resonate to ultimately recommend.
While those mundane moments of goat milking are fantastic, I just couldn’t get on board with the central plot of a little girl riding around being a spoiled brat.

LIBERAL ARTS – Premieres – My Grade: B+

LIBERAL ARTS is an episodic but heartfelt film abt feeling adult. Radnor def has a gooey center but I’m starting to root for him.
LIBERAL ARTS perfs: Jenkins (duh) & Zac Effron (rly?) particularly great. Janney & Radnor solid. Real story is Lizze Olsen is the weak link.
Josh Radnor didn’t exactly win me over with Happythankyoumoreplease. But his sophomore effort shows a lot of promise, mostly on the strength of its supporting performances (except, sadly, a pretty weak Lizzie Olsen). The film sold to IFC for just north of $1M.

NOBODY WALKS – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

NOBODY WALKS is a small somewhat pessimistic view of love & relationships. Like the LA love but not a particularly memorable film.
Another Sundance indie that no one needs to rush out and see, Ry Russo-Young’s John Krasinski/Olivia Thirlby/Rosemarie DeWitt drama is, unfortunately, not as good as that cast deserves. Magnolia saw something they liked, however, buying the film for mid to high six figures.

RED LIGHTS – Premieres – My Grade: C

If you accept a world where magicians are criminally persecuted for faking tricks, RED LIGHTS is still a mediocre genre thriller.
As if to confirm that Robert De Niro is allergic to decent films, Rodrigo Cortes’s Buried follow-up was my least favorite film of the fest, mainly because it just feels like a failure of execution by Cortes. It seems like he just didn’t understand what the writer was trying to do (the film is written by Rodrigo Cortes). Just to lock in my impression of the company, Millennium Entertainment bought the film for one of the highest totals of the fest: $4M.

ROBOT AND FRANK – Premieres – My Grade: B+

Yes, it’s another “charming” Sundance film, but this Alfred P. Sloan winning near-future dementia dramedy is a great film because of tight writing and fantastic performances by Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, and the voice of Peter Sarsgaard. Sony/Samuel Goldwyn picked up the film for $2M and change.

ROOM 237 – New Frontiers – My Grade: B+

ROOM 237 has some pretty incredible theories about THE SHINING. Some are wacko but film nerds will love it.
This isn’t necessarily an expertly crafted docu, but the crazy theories professed by the Kubrick/The Shining scholars interviewed, make this one of the most entertaining films of the festival.

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: A-

Adored SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED! A heartfelt & hilarious love story w/ perfect amount of wackiness, awesome cast, & a great script.
This wacky little sci-fi-ish comedy was one of my top films this year. Both Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass are great, but the funniest part, for me, was Jake Johnson. This one is going to get a release from Film District after their $1M+ purchase.

SAVE THE DATE – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: C+

Not even a the stellar cast of Lizzy Caplan, Allison Brie, Martin Starr, and Mark Webber could elevate this rom-com that just never gets the audience involved with any of its characters.

SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS – Midnight – My Grade: A-

LCD Soundsystem’s SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS is a near perfect concert doc w/ many cool narrative elements & a slammin performance.
I loved both the rocking performances and the innovative storytelling and editing in my favorite docu of the fest. Check out the review (also my favorite of the fest).

My Review of SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS

THE SURROGATE – US Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B+

THE SURROGATE is certainly a touching tale. Hawkes (& Hunt) are incredible, but don’t think I’m quite ther on Best Pic Oscar buzz.
Fox Searchlight took home the biggest sale of the fest with this $6M buy. Hawkes seems pretty damned likely to see awards buzz but I just don’t feel the story goes on enough of a journey to quite be considered a home run. There wasn’t a ton of buzz, but William H. Macy deserves some serious kudos as well.

UNDER AFRICAN SKIES – Docu Premieres – My Grade: B

Joe Berlinger’s Paul Simon Graceland doc UNDER AFRICAN SKIES is an interesting & music-filled chronicle of the album’s birth.
Joe Berlinger’s journey with Paul Simon through the history of his album Graceland is a great history lesson for music fans but fails to really get on top of the racial issues it tries a bit too hard to tackle.

V/H/S – Midnight – My Grade: B+

V/H/S is a bunch of very good filmmakers having fun with a particular medium. Even w/o coordination, interesting themes emerge.
More than anything, the filmmakers involved with this found footage anthology subscribe to my favorite precept of horror filmmaking: Make it Fun! Magnolia/Magnet agreed, picking up the film for $1M+. This couldn’t be a better match.

My Review of V/H/S

WISH YOU WERE HERE – World Dramatic Competition – My Grade: B

WISH YOU WERE HERE is a tense relationship drama w/ a crime plot backdrop. Fantastic performances although a few plot shortcuts.
There are some unfortunate problems with Kieran Darcy-Smith’s drama – but they’re not because of the performances by Joel Edgerton, Felicity Price, or Teresa Palmer. Entertainment One picked up the film for an undisclosed sum.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS – Spotlight – My Grade: B

True, Andrea Arnold’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS is no FISH TANK, but still fair bit to like, in particular the emotionally charged editing
I finally got a chance to see Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank follow-up. It’s not particularly entertaining and it’s hard to like the characters, but it’s an interesting adaptation of a book I have no interest in reading.

YOUR SISTER’S SISTER – Spotlight – My Grade: A-

Great performances & a smile-inducing story make Lynn Shelton’s YOUR SISTER’S SISTER is a wonderfully worthy follow up to Humpday.
Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, and Rosemarie De Witt give excellent and fun performances in this somewhat stage play-esque story with plenty of laughs and plenty of heart. IFC has been on top of this one since TIFF.

Some of the notable films I didn’t catch were Antonio Campos’s mostly praised thriller SIMON KILLER which sold to IFC, James Ponsoldt’s Mary Elizabeth Winstead starring sober-up drama SMASHED, Eugene Jarecki’s War On Drugs Grand Prize Doc winning THE HOUSE I LIVE IN, and Mike Birbiglia’s Best of Next winning SLEEPWALK WITH ME.

A final word of mention for the two Sundance 2012 films I came in having seen The Raid, and Oslo, August 31st. Both films are excellent. Both films were in my Top 10. Both films deserve an A. Go see ‘em.

It is time again for what has become an annual tradition here at enderzero.net: My end of year Best Of movie post. In years past I’ve created some version of a Top 10 (see: 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 ). 2011 brought a considerably more active year of film festival attendance via my role at Twitch. I was lucky enough to put in serious film viewing time at Sundance, LA Film Fest, Toronto, Fantastic Fest, and AFI Fest. Therefore, I’ve decided to expand things a bit this year and bring you my 50 Beautiful Films from 2011 (and 5 Ugly Ones). I’ve included a few words about each film along with my original impression of the film via my first tweet after seeing it. You’ll also find a link to my full review if one was written. As always, I look forward to your comments below.

50. Hobo with a Shotgun – Jason Eisener’s bloody Rutger Hauer extravaganza sneaks onto the list because of how gut-blasting fun it was to see this movie as one fo the film’s first audiences at Sundance. It’s bloody, ridiculous, and hilarious – in my opinion the perfect midnight flick.
“Hobo With a Shotgun more than delivers on everything it promises. Blood, guts, gore, & ridiculous laughs. Full commitment.”
My Review of Hobo with a Shotgun at Twitch

49. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within – Another Sundance film clocks in at #49 with the sequel to 2007′s Elite Squad. While this Brazilian actioner has more politics than the original, there are still plenty of guns blazing and the political intrigue only serves to add depth to the world and especially Wagner Moura’s towering Lt. Col. Nascimento.
“Elite Squad 2 is a truly awesome Brazilian actioner. Padilha went more political than the 1st = less action – but def a success.”
My Review of Elite Squad: The Enemy Within at Twitch

48. The Day – I was a huge fan of the world created by writer Luke Passmore in his post-apocalyptic actioner. Yes, this is a super low budget movie which is pretty obvious from the painfully poor CGI – but it is an excellent script with very competent performances. I’m very much looking forward to the next portion of the story.
“THE DAY is an excellent post apocalyptic actioner on a tiny budget. Lookin fwd to big things from new talent Luke Passmore.”
My Review of The Day at Twitch

47. The Invader – Nicolas Provost’s Belgian immigrant drama is a stunning debut with halting visuals and performance from lead Isaka Sawa. This little film is definitely worth seeking out.
“Nicolas Provost to top of my directors to watch list w/ his strikingingly personal tale THE INVADER. Whatta perf by Isaka Sawadogo.”

46. Perfect Sense – There hasn’t been a whole lot of love shown for David Mackenzie’s Ewan McGregor/Eva Green high concept love story. I was a fan at Sundance and hope it finds an audience when it opens stateside February 10th.
“Perfect Sense is a love story that completely commits to its very high concept. A lot to like – though maybe not for everyone.”
My Review of Perfect Sense at Twitch

45. The Adventures of Tintin – Yes it runs a bit long, but I pretty strongly believe this animated feast for the senses is Spielberg’s best film in years, if for no other reason than it is so damn fun.
“ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is part video game, part rollercoaster, & a whole lot of fun. A bit long perhaps, but a true visual feast.”

44. Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope – Morgan Spurlock might be on to something with his latest docu focusing on the cult of fandom around SDCC. The key: he isn’t the film’s focus. Instead we get a very interesting portrait of some odd but compelling characters.
“Morgan Spurlock’s COMIC-CON doc is his best, most human film. It also has the least Morgan yet. Hmm.”
My Review of Comic-Con at Twitch

43. Young Adult -Sharp writing and fantastic performances carved out a T50 spot for Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s latest coupling. I might have hoped it would be a bit higher on the list, but it was Patton Oswalt’s showing that made sure the film wasn’t just an honorable mention.
“Propel’d by Chalize Theron & Patton Oswalt’s performances, YOUNG ADULT is a mature work that excels at creating mostly enjoyable discomfort.”

42. The Lady – Luc Besson’s Aung San Suu Kyi biopic moved me in Toronto and grabs spot #42 for its emotional resonance, stellar performances, and beautiful cinematography.
“THE LADY is a heartwrenching tale of devotion with superb acting from Michelle Yeoh & David Thewlis. Magnificent job by Besson.”

41. The Ides of March – It’s hard to imagine a film starring Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, and George Clooney not making a best-of list, even if this political drama lacked the little bit of spark needed to propel it from stage adaptation to Best Picture contender.
“Big fan of IDES OF MARCH. Compelling char driven political drama with awards ready performances & a plot that moves.”

40. Jeff Who Lives at Home – The Duplass Bros. continue to impress with their latest Jason Segel/Ed Helms two hander. While it kinda feels like the guys just went out and shot the movie one afternoon, the end result is pretty damn funny from beginning to end and a definite feel good film.

39. Sleepless Night – Frederic Jardin’s French cop flick takes place over one evening in a night club. Kind of like an action version of Noises Off, characters come and go through the same locations, nearly missing each other on many occasions. A simple concept but executed brilliantly with a star making role by lead actor Tomer Sisley, even the tacked on feeling conclusion can’t stop the film from being a big success.
“SLEEPLESS NIGHT is a polished French actioner w/ solid fight seqs & a good story. Great intensity but could lose few mins.”

38. Martha Marcy May Marlene – Sean Durkin’s debut will likely be remembered less for its Sundance buzz or minor box office success for Fox Searchlight, and more for launching the career of the seriously talented Lizzie Olsen. Her role as the emotionally damaged cult escapee left me reeling. As always, John Hawkes puts in a stellar performance as well.

37. Viva Riva! – Kinshasa is calling in the most polished crime thriller you’ve ever seen come out of The Congo, nay, all of Africa. Just check out the trailer for Djo Munga’s impressive debut here.

36. Pina – Wim Wenders’s love letter to modern dance choreographer Pina Bausch is, without a doubt, the best use of 3D I’ve ever seen. Wenders places his cameras at just the right vantage to capture the stunning dances in a way you could never imagine on a flat screen. With his variety of routines and voice-over cutaways that feature some of the most stunning backdrops I’ve ever seen, the film was able to keep me enthralled from start to finish. This is a remarkable film and a must see whether you are a fan of dance or not.

35. The Artist – This likely Best Picture nominee (winner?) had me smiling all the way through. Sure it is a bit gimmicky but the gimmick is executed to perfection and used to enhance the narrative instead of just put butts in seats. It’s not my favorite films of the year (it’s my 35th favorite), but I think it deserves the nom.
“Loudest applause I’ve ever heard at a film for Hazanavicius’s brilliant THE ARTIST. Its best Oscar bets likely actors.”

34. Your Highness – Surely the most controversial pick of my list so far, I was unapologetically delighted to tears by David Gordon Green’s medieval stoner fantasy. Sure not every joke works, but Danny McBride carries the film and it’s always fun to see Franco actually act stoned on purpose. To all those who hated this move, here’s a hint. Don’t see it sober.

33. The Corridor – Evan Kelly’s low budget cabin-in-the-woods thriller is part Stephen King and part Donnie Darko and really works because of its commitment to the premise that comes together so well at the film’s awesome conclusion.
“Wow. THE CORRIDOR is the first absolute must see of FantasticFest! Pass. It. On.”
My Review of The Corridor at Twitch

32. Somewhere Between – Linda Goldstein Knowlton’s LAFF identity docu about girls adopted from China and raised in America is a success because of how interesting the characters and subject matter are, but also because of the expert job of telling the stories of these four different girls with nothing in common other than their background, and putting it together into a perfectly digestible package. Bravo!

31. Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest – Michael Rapaport’s ATCQ doc comes in at #31 with its compelling look at one of the most influential hip hop groups of our time.

30. The Guard – While I wasn’t able to see John Michael McDonagh’s black crime comedy at Sundance, I’m glad I caught it when it finally rolled around this Fall. Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle turn in excellent performances and McDonagh’s writing is just as sharp as his brother Martin’s (In Bruges). This is the perfect rental if you missed it in theaters.
“Finally caught up with THE GUARD. Very funny & smart action comedy with a brilliant performance by Brendan Gleeson. Worth catching.”

29. Jiro Dreams of Sushi – David Gelb’s ode to raw fish (in particular, the man who is probably the most accomplished Sushi chef alive) is a wonderfully photographed and surprisingly compelling doc. Gelb nails the little details, taking us behind Jiro’s counter and inside Tsukiji market to great effect. But be careful, this film will make you extremely hungry.
“JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI is a beautiful portrait of a master striving for perfection, well aware it doesn’t exist”

28. 13 Assassins – Takashi Miike’s samurai action extravaganza is probably his most accessible film to date and an easy pick for a high spot on my list.

27. Clown – This Danish slapstick comedy is so hilarious I had to see it twice in one week. I wouldn’t dream of spoiling any of the laughs, but make sure you seek it out when Drafthouse Films puts it out later this year, hopefully with all (private) parts intact.
“CLOWN is pure Danish hilarity with way more heart than I expected. One of my faves so far at FantasicFest.”

26. The Descendants – Alexander Payne’s latest has turned out to be a bit more divisive than I believed when I saw it at Toronto. It might not be his best, but Clooney is a worthy successor to the leading male throne previously occupied by Giamatti, Nicholson, and Broderick.
“THE DESCENDANTS is a superb drama in Payne’s signature comedic style. Lock for Best Pic nom and Actor nom for Clooney.”
My Review of The Descendants at Twitch

25. Magic Trip – I have yet to see an Alex Gibney doc I didn’t like. Enron, Eliot Spitzer, Jack Abramoff, and Hunter S. Thompson are a few of his more notable subjects. In Magic Trip, Gibney (alongside Alison Ellwood) turns his attention toward Ken Kesey, Neal Cassady, the Merry Pranksters, and the bus called Further. The job done to pour through the footage and turn it into this fascinating doc is seriously impressive. More than anything, it is just so cool to see these mythological figures come to life.
“Magic Trip is a must see for fans of Kesey, Cassady, and all merry pranksters. Gibney masterfully docus the birth of 60s counter culture.”

24. Bellflower – Now we are getting into the midst of the films really competing for Top 10 status. What else can I say about Evan Glodell’s debut feature (I called it the year’s biggest surprise in this Twitch piece)? You’re probably better off just reading my review below – which happens to be my favorite review I’ve written. To add to that I’ll just steal what I wrote in the Twitch piece and say, “the single most surprising part of the year of Bellflower, for me, is just how much the story has stayed with me. I find myself thinking about the blossoming of Woodrow and Milly’s love and its tragic demise all the time. It’s a surprise, but this is a truly great film.”
My Review of Bellflower at Twitch

23. The Innkeepers – Ti West’s haunted hotel horror-comedy won me over for its perfect combination of those two elements. The tweet really sums it up, but more than anything, this expertly put together film is just so damned fun.
“I see INNKEEPERS like a rollercoaster. Thrills & chills w/ a safety bar. More comedy than horror, thus a complete success.”

22. A Separation – Asghar Farhadi’s Iranian family drama is a beautifully nuanced story about 2 completely sympathetic characters torn apart by circumstances and stubbornness. It’s incredibly mature filmmaking and one of the most honest films of the year. That it is set in Iran only makes it more interesting.

21. You’re Next – I walked into my second Midnight screening at Toronto thinking there was no chance it would come close to being as awesome as my first, The Raid. I was wrong. Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett’s film is the home invasion genre turned on its head. Described by Todd Brown as Friday the 13th meets Home Alone, You’re Next asks what happens if the home being invaded happens to inhabit one badass babe (Sharni Vinson in this case). Like The Innkeepers (and any great Midnight flick), I loved this movie because more than anything, it’s fucking fun.
“Gigantic grin across every face in Ryerson after the home invasion thriller chiller major blood spiller YOU’RE NEXT!”

20. Attack the Block – Joe Cornish’s urban London alien invasion actioner gets all the action comedy beats right (obviously producer Edgar Wright knows a thing or two about that). With standout performances by the young cast, Attack the Block turned out to be one of the year’s biggest crowd pleasers.

19. Page One: Inside the New York Times – This year-in-the-life of the NY Times’s Media Desk journalists is fascinating as a snapshot of such a quickly changing media landscape. That David Carr is such an interesting character makes Andrew Rossi’s film one of the most engaging docs in years.
“Page One is a captivating doc about why journalism will always be important, even in the changing face of the media landscape.”

18. Sound of My Voice – It still surprises me that it was Another Earth that garnered Brit Marling so much attention at Sundance and not Zal Batmanglij’s considerably more engaging and better put together film which Marling also co-wrote. Maybe this one will make a bigger splash when it comes out later this year.

17. The Skin I Live In – I put off seeing Pedro Almodovar’s latest film for a few months because of relatively lukewarm reviews out of Toronto. So I was very pleasantly surprised by how engaging and batshit bonkers this film turned out to be when I finally got around to seeing it. Not to mention it is technically brilliant and simply a joy to look at.
“Almodovar’s THE SKIN I LIVE IN is a beautifully twisted story of love & obsession w/ frighteningly good performances. Sry I waited so long!”

16. Shame – Steve McQueen’s Michael Fassbender starring tale of addiction really struck a nerve for me. While it doesn’t make you feel good, it certainly makes you feel – long after the credits roll.

15. 50/50 – Jonathan Levine’s The Wackness has been one of my all-time fave’s since seeing it one cold Park City morning. It feels like it took forever, but it warms my heart to see his latest continues his string of excellent work. I’m excited to see what he and writer Will Reiser and producer Seth Rogen do with their next film, Jamaica
“50/50′s exceptional script & excellent cast hits all the right notes. Equal parts funny & touching. Levine is 3 for 3. Homerun 4 @SummitEnt”
My Review of 50/50 at Twitch

14. Beginners – Christopher Plummer’s role alone as the freshly out-of-the-closet geriatric is good enough to get this film a spot on the list. Director Mike Mills does a beautiful job of weaving the Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent love story into the father-son story, giving us a truly touching feature.
“Quite enjoyed BEGINNERS – a heartwarming love story w/ 1 minor flaw in its idealistically round corners. Plummer and Laurent deserve nods.”

13. Take Shelter – Pretty much any movie from here on out could be my favorite film of the year. It’s Michael Shannon that makes Jeff Nichols’s mental illness drama so resonant. I also think it’s important to point out that Nichols avoided the easy way out of making Shannon’s character simply deny he has a problem. Instead, he is completely aware that something in his head is fucked up, which makes the film all the more frightening.
“TAKE SHELTER a fascinating journey into a man’s soul. Brilliant filmmaking & acting. Exactly what I’d hoped to see.”

12. Win Win – Tom McCarthy is truly one of the most talented directors working today. The subtle emotion in his characters is something too often overlooked in most filmmaking. This is another example of taking a small story and making the audience care way too much about high school wrestling. Bobby Cannavale also gives one of the most underappreciated performances of the year.
“Win Win is a superbly acted family/sports drama. Another huge success for T. McCarthy – one of the best directors working today.”

11. The Interrupters – I’ll let my tweet speak for itself in the service of Steve James’s excellent documentary.
“The Interrupters is a brilliant & incredibly inspirational doc about people doing good. The only way to stop violence is to try.”

10. Natural Selection – Robbie Pickering’s SXSW sweeping coming-of-age road comedy between a barren middle aged church wife and her husband’s illegitimate son is equal parts hilarious and touching – and all parts marvelous.
My Review of Natural Selection at Twitch

9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – This ultra-smart spy thriller is perfectly scripted by Peter Straughn and the late Bridget O’Connor and directed with inspirational detail by Let the Right One In‘s Tomas Alfredson. But the real masterpiece factor comes from the incredible performances by just about every amazing actor in Europe today; including: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds, and the inimitable Benedict Cumberbatch. Best ensemble in a long time.
“TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY just made a strong play for my Top10. Look & music impeccable, cast ridiculously good, & a truly brilliant script.”

8. Super 8 – It has its detractors, sure, but J.J. Abrams take on what made the films of our youth so great took me exactly where I wanted to go and again made me believe in that magical quality of cinema.
“‘Super 8′ is mint condition summer fare. The kind of Amblin adventure I’ve been waiting since childhood to see. Tons of fun + tons of heart.”
My Review of Super 8 at Twitch

7. The Raid – The best action movie in decades was also one of the most exhilarating film watching experiences I’ve had in a long time. It was so cool to be part of the first audience to see the movie at the Midnight Ryerson Toronto screening, hooting and hollering with every head kick, the whole crowd well aware we were witnessing something that everyone would soon be freaking out about.
“Forget Tony Jaa, Jet Li & even Tom Hardy. THE RAID is the best action movie in decades! Gareth Evans & Iko Uwais FTW!”
My Review of The Raid at Twitch

6. Bullhead – Actor Matthias Schoenaerts and director Michael Roskam exploded onto the scene with this taut and touching crime story set in the Belgian bovine hormone trade underworld. Don’t fuck with Belgian farmers.
“Wow Wow Wow BULLHEAD! Wow Michael Roskam! Wow Matthias Schoenarts! Late to the party bus but taking a seat at the front.”

5. Like Crazy – The most buzzed about film at Sundance was also my favorite film I caught there. Drake Doremus’s long distance heart wrencher works so well because it so honestly depicts how hard we work to fool ourselves into thinking we can get back there again.
“Like Crazy is a more hopeful Blue Valentine – an incredibly honest look at love and distance. It is a MUST SEE.”

4. Melancholia – Rarely have I enjoyed a film so thoroughly with so little motivation to defend it. I simply accept this movie didn’t work for some people. Some people hate it. All I can say is that I was completely on board for every moment. Call it my unapologetic love for Kirsten Dunst, but I was transfixed by her performance, her world, and this film.
“Put me down in the huge-fucking-fan category for MELANCHOLIA. Thought it was brilliant even if it is long. Potential Top10.”

3. Oslo, August 31st – Joachim Trier moves up one spot from his #4 finish for Reprise on my 2008 Top 10. Watching this remarkable depiction of addiction with a stellar performance by Anders Danielsen Lie, I was suddenly struck with the precognition that Trier will someday be recognized amongst the most talented directors in Europe.
“OSLO, AUGUST 31ST is a beautiful, honest & unpretentious journey inside what it means to be a real person. Trier is a master.”
My Review of Oslo, August 31st at Twitch

2. Senna – Asif Kapadia has put together one incredible documentary with his chronicle of legendary Formula One racer Ayrton Senna. That that film is completely assembled from over 15,000 hours of archive footage makes it one of the most impressive projects ever completed. Knowing that a 6 hour cut exists out there is enough to make me feel like a kid on Christmas morning. Let us see it, Kapadia. Let us see it.
My Review of Senna at Twitch

1. Drive – The big numero uno is actually pretty easy for me this year. I knew the moment I walked out of Nicolas Refn’s Hollywood debut that this was going to be it. A second viewing only cemented its position. With the perfect of mix of tension and explosive action, Drive does absolutely everything right. Not only is this my favorite kind of movie, this is, without a doubt, my favorite film of the year.
“Refn’s DRIVE is stunningly beautifuly & shockingly intenese. If ur on board with the slow burn, u won’t want the ride to end.”
My Review of Drive at Twitch

With a list of 50 films it seems a bit unfair to list runners-up, but a few films that narrowly missed the list include Carre Blanc, Submarine, The Trip, On the Ice, and Crime After Crime. Notable movies I failed to see include A Dangerous Method, Margaret, Midnight in Paris, Tyrannosaur, and Le Havre. Now on to the fun part…

The Son of No One – Dito Montiel’s third feature certified the director as a hack, but piling on after the film’s anemic $30,000 box office on a $15,000,000 budget seems a bit mean. No, the real ugly of this movie belongs to the sales agent who mounted an aggressive campaign of lies after the films embarrassing Sundance press and industry screening. Although at least half the audience was gone by two-thirds of the way through, the sales rep claimed that only a few people walked out early, and all reports of a mass exodus towards the film’s conclusion were due to the projectionist making a mistake and bringing up the lights too early. Whoa! That didn’t happen at all. What took place could only be described as a mass exodus (of the few people who were left) and sarcastic applause from the scattering of people who stayed for one of the most bafflingly horrible conclusions in Sundance history (and there have been a lot of baffling conclusions at Sundance). No sales rep spin can detract from how terrible this movie really is.
“Son of No One is a real mess. Baffling character motivations & one of the worst endings I’ve seen. Big slump for Dito.”

Machine Gun Preacher – Not even a heroin addicted Michael Shannon could rescue this mess of a film from the ridiculous emotional manipulation, borderline racism, and rambling overstuffed plot. The one good thing about this film is that it cemented the number one slot on my list of overrated Hollywood directors for Mr. Marc Forster. I just wish he hadn’t dragged Chris Cornell down with him.
“MACHINE GUN PREACHER is just as bad as I feared. Typical manipulative H.wood drivel from Forster & way too long.”

Smuggler – I quote this from my Noble Failures piece on Twitch: Only one film this year made me so angry I actually questioned my decision to pursue a career in film. That film is Japanese director Katsuhito Ishii’s Smuggler. The story starts out quite promising with a pulpy yakuza crime feel involving two rather compelling assassins Vertebrae and Viscera. Unfortunately, about three-quarters into the film, Ishii takes a left turn into a very graphic and hard to stomach sequence of torture porn (yeah, I get that some people don’t like that term, but that’s what it is). The real crime is that Ishii is inflicting the pain on the protagonist we have spent the whole film learning to feel empathy for. Ishii isn’t saying anything about the torturer–he’s simply saying, “here’s how uncomfortable I can make you feel.” It’s disgusting and made me extremely angry–especially since I went in expecting the whimsy of Ishii’s wonderful film The Taste of Tea. Swing and a big miss.
“Rly disappointed w/ Ishii’s SMUGGLER. Perfectly good crime actioner ruined by more disgusting torture porn. Whats wrong ppl?”
My Review of Smuggler at Twitch

War Horse – Hoooo boy this movie was bad. From the “will the horse plow the field?” drama to the “will the horse walk to the crippled kid when he makes the clucking sound?,” this is manipulative Hollywood emotional drivel at its worst. What is so amazing is how many people fall for it. Next time, please at least tell us a story.
“WAR HORSE is one of those 2.5 hour movies that feels way longer. Zero substance. No character. Pure emotional drivel. Critics will love it.”

Hugo – Yep, I’ve saved the most controversial for last (that it narrowly bumped Warrior as most overrated film of the year will only ruffle more feathers). Well I’m sorry folks, but Scorsese’s love letter to silent cinema is manipulatively nostalgic and little else. I had some fun with the reenactment stuff towards the end, but no way does it justify the total failure of plot logic and character depth throughout. If the kid has been living in the station and fending for himself for so long, why is he so bad at it? If he has so many secret passages, why does he always bumble right into the path of the station guard? The kid should be wily. Instead he is pitiful. And why the hell is the old man so mean? Give the kid the drawings back! They’re his, for God’s sake! But it is just easier to paint these conveniences into the plot to make the artificial arc seem more dramatic. I say Bah! What’s worse is all the buzz over how this movie does something new for 3D (see: Pina). No, this is just the same layering and technological trickery masquerading as story.
“Not a fan of HUGO. Pretty pictures marred by poor writing that paints broad ugly strokes of characterization instead of int’rstng character.”
“HUGO fails by talking down to its young aud w/ illogical plot & forehead slapping dialog – unlike SUPER 8 & TINTIN, both better fam films.”

I look forward to your thoughts.

While there were certainly some notable releases this year, 2011 is not going to be remembered as a particularly strong year for music (at least as far as the mainstream indie post-alternative contemporary music that makes for the majority of my playlisting goes). We seem to be on an every-other schedule with 2010 being packed with good stuff after a rather weak 2009. Regardless, there were a few real hits, including a couple albums that could end up on my best of the decade list. It was the 5-20 that was just a bit murky. But I was able to whittle out a Top 10, and here it is without further ado:

Note (aka further ado): I’m not a music critic, I’m a film critic. I say this to make it clear I didn’t make much of an attempt to search out all the music that was out there in order to curate a comprehensive Top 10. Instead, this is my list of favorite albums that found their way to me in one way or another. If you are one of those ways or another, I thank you for sharing. Please let me know if there’s something I may have missed that I’ve just gotta hear.

10. Trail of Dead – Tao of the Dead
Tao is another solid album from one of mainstream rock’s most underrated acts. Trail of Dead has put out seven LPs, all excellent. While I rank Tao somewhere behind So Divided and Worlds Apart, it is still good enough to squeak in at number 10.

9. TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light
Although it’s a far cry from 2008′s Dear Science (white liiiight!!), any year with a TV on the Radio release is a good one. I’m looking forward to seeing one of rock’s greatest live acts again as soon as possible.

8. My Morning Jacket – Circuital
MMJ continues to evolve and the latest step in that evolution includes a few real gems – especially the title track.

7. Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes have managed to deftly avoid the sophomore slump with this fantastic album. My top song is most certainly title track Helplessness Blues – and while it isn’t quite Blue Ridge Mountains good, it’s still one of my favorite songs of the year.

6. Feist – Metals
I’ve been listening to Canadian songstress Feist’s latest pretty much nonstop since its October release and it is still growing on me. This is a must have.

5. The Antlers – Burst Apart
As soon as I found this album it shot to the number one spot on my bed time playlist. I’ve probably heard the first two and a half songs 100 times. The rest of the album is fantastic too!

4. Washed Out – Within and Without
Much thanks to Addy for the strong rec of this Sub Pop debut album from Chillwave artist (seriously, that’s what they call it on Wikipedia) Ernest Greene. I caught him live (with band) a few months ago and it was even better than I’d hoped.

3. Cold War Kids – Mine is Yours
I’m an unapologetic Cold War Kids fan and their latest is their strongest and most mature work yet. I love that surf guitar sound. While the CD is loaded with hits, it doesn’t get much better than Nathan Willet’s powerful vocals on Bulldozer.

2. Portugal, The Man – In the Mountain, In the Cloud
Wow! The ‘where did they come from’ award this year goes to this Alaskan quartet (that’s where) whose 6th LP finally broke through the log jam (thx Rob!). I was lucky enough to catch them a few months back and can easily say they put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in years. With a bit of an Arcade Fire vibe and a great light show, these guy are a can’t miss band next time they play near you.

1. Cut Copy – Zonoscope
It was actually kind of close with the strength of Portugal, The Man, but the vaunted spot as top album of 2011 goes to Cut Copy’s third full length Zonoscope. I was a huge fan of their last album In Ghost Colours and was instantly smitten when Zonoscope arrived at the beginning of the year. Seeing their ridiculously energetic live show at Coachella (vid) cemented them at the top of the summer party playlist, especially favorite song of the year Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution. 15 minute balearic closer Sun God shows that Cut Copy isn’t just a one trick pony. As good as their Coachella show was, their Palladium show in October proved they still have a bit to learn about building the audience energy to a boiling point – but as long as they keep making albums this good, I’ll most certainly be on board.

Honorable mentions go to the Danger Mouse and Danielle Luppi collaboration Rome, Bon Iver‘s self titled follow up to his unbeatable debut, and perennial faves The Decemberists‘ latest The King is Dead.

Fantastic Fest 2011 is all wrapped up but plenty of nostalgia lives on. Movie fanatic Nirvana is the best way to describe Austin’s September celebration of all thing cinematic. Crazy incredible flicks, copious libations, and truly good times with great friends were had over the 8 sleepless days. We had WALL TO WALL coverage over at Twitch including over 70 reviews. You can check out the full recap in Twitch’s Super Festival Wrap and some other good stuff in Fantastic Fest in Photographs and our Great Fantastic Fest Open Preview. But here for your (well my) convenience is a list of everything I saw and my initial tweeted impression. Enjoy!

LET THE BULLETS FLY – My Grade: B-
LET THE BULLETS FLY features some great performances but it’s a bit long & subtleties too easily lost in translation.

SLEEPLESS NIGHT – My Grade: B+
SLEEPLESS NIGHT is a polished French actioner w/ solid fight seqs & a good story. Great intensity but could lose few mins.

POLVORA NEGRA – My Grade: D
When FantasticFest is over, I’ll remember nothing about POLVORA NEGRA.

MILOCRORZE – My Grade: B+
MILOCRORZE is charming, stylish & super schizophrenic. Ishibashi is exactly the kind of filmmaker I hope to discover at FantasticFest!
The future samurai world part of MILOCRORZE has some of the coolest costume/makeup/production design I’ve seen. Drank it up.

UNDERWATER LOVE – My Grade: B
UNDERWATER LOVE: It’ll make you wet. …anyone? Sorry.

THE CORRIDOR – My Grade: A-
Wow. THE CORRIDOR is the first absolute must see of FantasticFest! Pass. It. On.
Review

SNOWTOWN – My Grade: B
SNOWTOWN is an extremely impressive piece of cinema but wld have been just as effective & less exhausting w/ 30 mins trimmed.

ZOMBIE ASS – My Grade: B-
ZOMBIE ASS is basically live action tentacle porn w/ lots of fart jokes. So if that doesn’t sound awesome, u’ve been warned.

BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW – My Grade: B
BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW is a gorgeous color poem to 1980s sci-fi psychadelia but plot/trippedoutedness balance a bit off.
BEYOND THE BLACK RAINBOW could be edited into the greatest Chemical Brothers video of all time.

THE DAY – My Grade: B+
THE DAY is an excellent post apocalyptic actioner on a tiny budget. Lookin fwd to big things from new talent Luke Passmore.
Review

SMUGGLER – My Grade: D
Rly disappointed w/ Ishii’s SMUGGLER. Perfectly good crime actioner ruined by more disgusting torture porn. Whats wrong ppl?
Review

VERSUS – My Grade: B+
VERSUS is even more fun a decade later. Best Japanese zombie action extravaganza I’ve seen at FantasticFest (& I’m approaching dbl digits).

TAKE SHELTER – My Grade: A-
TAKE SHELTER a fascinating journey into a man’s soul. Brilliant filmmaking & acting. Exactly what I’d hoped to see.

PENUMBRA – My Grade: C+
It’s not unfair to call PENUMBRA an Argentine “Apartment of the Devil.” I liked it but wanted a bit more pace & originality.

CLOWN – My Grade: A-
CLOWN is pure Danish hilarity with way more heart than I expected. One of my faves so far at FantasicFest.

CARRE BLANC – My Grade: B
CARRE BLANC is a bold dystopian vision from to-watch newcomer Jean-Baptiste Leonetti.

HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION – My Grade: C
HOW TO STEAL 2 MILLION is def not the best African film this year (see Viva Riva), but it is an impressive by-the-book debut.

MELANCHOLIA – My Grade: A
Put me down in the huge-fucking-fan category for MELANCHOLIA. Thought it was brilliant even if it is long. Potential Top10.

RETREAT – My Grade: B-
RETREAT features some impressive performances but doesn’t go quite crazy enough to make a lasting impression.

HEADHUNTERS – My Grade: B
HEADHUNTERS is a Norwegian action caper with a weird mix of heart & humor. Many like it but it was too uncomfortable for me.

LOVE – My Grade: C-
Had an extremely hard time staying awake 4 Angels and Airwaves film LOVE. It’s pretty but too much/not enough a nod to 2001.

MOVIES ON FIRE: 80s HONG KONG ACTION – My Grade: B+
I was skeptical about going to Hong Kong On Fire final film tonight but @Marshy00 prevailed. Forever grateful. Action PACKED.

BULLHEAD – My Grade: A
Wow Wow Wow BULLHEAD! Wow Michael Roskam! Wow Matthias Schoenarts! Late to the party bus but taking a seat at the front.
BULLHEAD is a brilliant crime epic fully deserving of Belgium’s Oscar submission. This year’s Animal Kingdom?

A BOY AND HIS SAMURAI – My Grade: B+
A BOY & HIS SAMURAI is a charming Jp family comedy, a clever commentary on modern gender roles but a bit short of fantastic.

Sundance has once again proved to be the most fun you can have in Utah. Between seeing a whole ton of movies, hanging with friends, shredding Rocky Mountain powder, and meeting new cool people, there was simply no time for sleep. I caught 25 Fest Films as well as a very cool short film directed by Lou Reed who ended up sitting right in front of me for the Q&A (photo). My full festival wrap is up at Twitch, but here is the list of everything I saw (in order viewed) with my twitter blurb and a few quick thoughts:

THE OFF HOURS – Next – Rating: 4 out of 10

I wasn’t a huge fan of Megan Griffith’s truck stop romance filmed in Burien, WA. Amy Seimetz is likable enough as bored waitress Francine, but her story just isn’t interesting enough to get too invested in. This super indie will find its fans in people who appreciate the honest script – but ultimately it falls just a bit too flat.

THE LIE – Next – Rating: 5 out of 10

“The Lie is a superbly edited performance driven indie, steeped in Silverlake love.”
The premise of Blair Witch and Humpday star Joshua Leonard’s feature directorial debut is that a dude (Leonard) tells his co-workers that his child has died in order to get out of work. Not a bad concept but it seemed the writers were afraid to ever really commit to it. Instead this very indie dramedy becomes a little too caught up in the dude’s general malaise. It isn’t bad movie, it just never quite went where I wanted it to. That being said, I was a huge fan of all the Silverlake love it shows.

PROJECT NIM – World Docu Comp – Rating: 6 out of 10

“Project Nim is not a feel good movie – but it is an inciteful doc with as many revelations about humans as about chimps.”
James Marsh’s 2008 doc Man on Wire managed the impressive feat of being both a documentary and a heist movie. It was an incredible story and most importantly, it was fun. While Project Nim is a very accomplished doc, it is not very fun. The story centers around a researcher who tries to determine if chimpanzees learn to communicate the same way humans do (but with sign language). To do this, he places a baby chimp in a human home and basically treats it like a human. Where the story takes a rough turn is when the chimp turns five and the project ends, starting the odyssey that is the reintroduction of a chimp that thinks he’s a human to chimp society. It is interesting, no doubt, but at times just too terribly depressing.

THE NINE MUSES – New Frontiers – Rating: 3 out of 10

I’m sure there are some people who will really appreciate John Akomfrah’s lyrical imagery and experimental editing – but the complete lack of narrative was just too difficult for me to get on board with and I couldn’t connect to the film at all. This is more art than movie.

MARGIN CALL – Premieres – Rating: 7 of 10

“Margin Call is a very contained financial thriller buoyed by extremely strong performances by the entire cast.”
I didn’t expect a whole lot from J.C. Chandor’s financial thriller, mostly due to Kevin Spacey’s weak performance in Casino Jack and my assumption that this film would be pretty similar. I was wrong – this is Spacey’s best role in years. The film takes place in the roughly 24 hours right before an investment bank brings down Wall Street and is meant to be a fictionalization of the 2008 crisis. How much of the story is accurate is anyone’s guess, but the film does an excellent job of dramatizing such an event. The key to the film’s success is in the performances by Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, and even Demi Moore. While it threatens to get a bit claustrophobic at times, the cast and topical subject matter should equal some box office and potentially awards season success.

MAGIC TRIP – Docu Premieres – Rating: 8 out of 10

“Magic Trip is a must see for fans of Kesey, Cassady, and all merry pranksters. Gibney masterfully docus the birth of 60s counter culture.”
Alex Gibney has made some of the best docs of the last decade (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Taxi to the Dark Side, Casino Jack and the United States of Money, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, etc. etc.). Here he turns his attention to the incredible story of Ken Kesey and his magical, LSD-infused bus trip across the US in 1964. The film is made almost entirely of footage shot by the Merry Pranksters on their trip and then never edited into anything sensible (I guess they were busy). This is a treasure trove of footage of a cranked up Neal Cassady driving the bus and jabbering away, a 22 year old Jerry Garcia strumming his guitar on top of the bus, and Kesey – one of the most brilliant men of his generation. This is the origin story of the 1960s counter culture and a MUST SEE for anyone remotely interested in the subject.

SUBMARINE – Spotlight – Rating: 7 out of 10

“Submarine is a very funny British coming-of-ager at its best during its extremely clever self-referential moments.”
With a charming cast led by Craig Roberts as young Oliver Tate, Submarine is very smart and fun coming-of-age story. Oliver lives in Wales with his neurotic parents played by Sally Hawkins and Noah Taylor. The return of an old boyfriend of his mother’s (Paddy Considine) coincides with Oliver snagging his first girlfriend of his own and the challenge of balancing all the new aspects of his life provide the ample subject matter for laughs. Wacky and clever writing and hilarious self referential moments as subtle as Oliver flicking his eyes at the audience make this a really enjoyable discovery.

ON THE ICE – US Dramatic Comp – Rating: 7 out of 10

“On The Ice is an engaging crime thriller, similar to Winters Bone the way it takes u deep into a world you’ve never experienced.”
Andrew Okphea MacLean’s directorial debut is a very impressive look inside the world of Alaskan native teens living way above the arctic circle. Shot in MacLean’s hometown of Barrow, Alaska, the film succeeds because the lives of these self styled “arctic thugs” are really interesting. I got a chance to spend a good amount of time with the two stars Josiah Patkotak and Frank Qutuq Irelan. They were very cool guys and it was great to see how much they were appreciating the experience (although true to character 16-year old Josiah had to head back early to his grandma). When I asked Frank if he had hopes of continuing acting, his answer was a very pragmatic, “Maybe – it depends if I get paid.”
Read my full review of On the Ice @ Twitch

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN – Park City at Midnight – Rating 7 of 10

“Hobo With a Shotgun more than delivers on everything it promises. Blood, guts, gore, & ridiculous laughs. Full commitment.”
I’ve been a big fan of the grindhouse resurgence. Planet Terror, Hell Ride and Machete proved you could make great movies by taking a ridiculous premise and hamming it out – as long as you had good acting. Hobo with a Shotgun is this turned up to 11. If you are a fan of restraint, then do not go near this film. But if you enjoy cheesy technicolor blood and guts squirting from every conceivable orifice, you’ll surely love this movie.
Read my full review of Hobo with a Shotgun @ Twitch

WIN WIN – Premieres – Rating: 9 out of 10

“Win Win is a superbly acted family/sports drama. Another huge success for T. McCarthy – one of the best directors working today.”
Tom McCarthy’s previous films The Station Agent and The Visitor were such successes due to his extraordinary ability to reveal the heartwarming humanity of his characters. This is very much the case in his third film about a small town lawyer-slash-high school wrestling coach who takes in a troubled teen, just as his own life is hitting a difficult patch. McCarthy gets the very best out of his actors – and when you’ve got pros like Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan in the lead roles, that is saying a lot. Bobby Canavale and Jeffrey Tambor co-star and turn in hilarious performances as well. This is a little movie with a big heart, executed to perfection by one of the best directors in the biz.

KNUCKLE – World Docu Comp – Rating: 5 out of 10

“Knuckle explores feuding families in Ireland. While entertaining at times, the story ultimately isn’t all that interesting.”
I was very surprised to hear that the remake rights to this feuding family doc had been picked up at the festival. The problem with the film is that the story of the two families – who have settled their differences over the generations by engaging in highly regulated fights – is really pretty boring. There is nothing to remake. You would be better off just taking that premise and writing your own original story about people who fight each other. Throw in some infidelity and some crime and you might get something worth watching. Unfortunately, as a documentary, Ian Palmer’s film simply has nothing to say. It is unclear if we are supposed to think this is a barbaric way to settle long running problems or to applaud the families for not letting things get violent outside the ring. I frankly didn’t care.

LIKE CRAZY – US Dramatic Comp – Rating: 9 out of 10

“Like Crazy is a more hopeful Blue Valentine – an incredibly honest look at love and distance. It is a MUST SEE.”
Drake Doremus’s love story cemented itself as the most buzzworthy film of the fest when it took home the top dog Dramatic Grand Jury Prize (last two winners: Winter’s Bone & Precious). But Park City was going nuts for this film long before last Saturday’s awards and its sale to big distributor Paramount for $4M was the first sign that things were looking very good on the biz side of the festival. The film is worth all the hype. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones turn in very mature performances as the young lovers separated by an ocean of bureaucracy (and a real ocean). It tugs at your heart strings but you never felt manipulated. Admittedly, I am a sucker for a love story done well and this one is done very well. You’ll be hearing plenty more about this one soon.

THE CATECHISM CATACLYSM – Park City at Midnight – Rating 5 out of 10

“The Catechism Cataclysm is a surreal adventure down a wacky winding river that has very little to do with Jesus. Bravo!”
Todd Rohal’s bizarre comedy is basically a showcase for Steve Little (Eastbound & Down) to do his thing. If you are into his thing, there is a lot to like here. I wasn’t completely on board but I did have a few healthy chuckles. What I didn’t understand was why Little’s character was a Catholic priest. This and a few other odd decisions made it tough for me to become a real fan.

MY IDIOT BROTHER – Premieres – Rating: 7 out of 10

“My Idiot Brother is a very commercial comedy with some pretty funny moments. The impressive ensemble should get butts in seats.”
Paul Rudd stars as the very likable Ned in Jesse Peretz’s well executed commercial comedy. Ned is just trying to keep on L-I-V-I-N (and get his dog back) but every interaction with his sisters (Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer) seems to get him in trouble. The cast is excellent and co-stars Steve Coogan, Rashida Jones, and Adam “Are we having fun yet?” Scott all hit it out of the park. There is a lot to like about the movie (although I can see why some critics have suggested it is rooted in a bit of misogyny) and it will surely be rewarded at the box office.

THE INTERRUPTERS – Docu Premieres – Rating: 9 out of 10

“The Interrupters’ is a brilliant & incredibly inspirational doc about people doing good. The only way to stop violence is to try.”
Clocking in at over 2 and 1/2 hours, some moviegoers weren’t willing to commit the time to Steve James’s (Hoop Dreams) doc about crime interrupters on the South Side of Chicago. That is too bad as the film was surely one of the best docs of the fest. The subjects, all ex-criminals who have devoted their lives to trying to stop young kids from killing each other, are some of the most compelling characters I’ve ever seen. It is easy to see why the kids on the street pay so much respect to people like the particularly charismatic Ameena. There is no answer in this film other than try to keep doing your best – but the end result is a very emotional journey along with some people doing just that.

CEDAR RAPIDS – Premieres – Rating: 7 out of 10

“Cedar Rapids is very funny once it finally hits its stride about halfway thru & commits to its wackiness.”
Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, and Anne Heche star as insurance agents gone wild at the big annual convention in this broad comedy from Miguel Arteta. There is a somewhat necessary plot about Ed Helms (playing Ed Helms) trying to win an award to keep his insurance agency open or something but it really isn’t important. The movie gets really enjoyable once Arteta gets away from the plot about half way through and really let’s things go off the rails. Ed Helms smoking crack and getting in fights is much funnier than Ed Helms nervous about getting ketchup on his pocket protector.

THE SON OF NO ONE – Premieres – Rating: 2 out of 10

“Son of No One is a real mess. Baffling character motivations & one of the worst endings I’ve seen. Big slump for Dito.”
One of my favorite parts of this year’s Sundance was following the drama over the Press & Industry screening of The Son of No One. The movie is awful and I’ve spent enough time talking about how bad it is and how little sense it makes and how amazing the awful ending is. But the controversy over exactly how many people walked out of the screening (a lot – but a lot of people walk out of decent movies too) and the ridiculously defensive reaction by the sales agent who said the lights turned on ten minutes before the film ended (they didn’t) has been hilarious. When the film finally premiered to the public on Friday, it found a bit more positive response – but it will be very interesting to see if the movie ever makes it to release. Maybe Katie Holmes will buy it and distribute it herself.

VAMPIRE – World Dramatic Comp – Rating: 6 out of 10

“Vampire is an obscure & original love story. A few very odd artistic decisions – some work, some don’t – but certainly bold.”
I am a big fan of Shunji Iwai’s Japanese films Swallowtail Butterfly and All About Lily Chou-Chou and therefore was looking forward to his English language debut with a fair amount of anticipation. The result is a very different horror movie about a compassionate killer who helps people end their lives and then drinks their blood. It starts out slow and makes some awful missteps (turning the camera on its side sent people out of the theater a full row at a time) but the final product is a very artistic and interesting film with some truly beautiful moments.
Read my full review of Vampire @ Twitch

I MELT WITH YOU – Premieres – Rating: 6 out of 10

“I Melt With You is the most intense midlife crisis ever. Great cast. Beautiful photography. Amazing music. Weird movie.”
I wasn’t exaggerating when I called this a weird movie and I wasn’t at all expecting the experience I got when I walked into the theater. Mark Pellington has a very impressive resume between his features (Arlington Road) and his music videos (U2, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains) but he was hopped up on some crazy pills for this one. Crazy pills are actually a big part of the plot in this movie which is basically about Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe, and Christian McKay on a crazy drug-fueled mid life crisis gone terribly wrong. The movie takes a big twist about two-thirds through and at the time I was very against it – but looking back, I am kinda glad it took me where it did. It’s a tough one, but ultimately it is pretty impressive.

THE DETAILS – Premieres – Rating 6 out of 10

“The Details is a black comedy. Like black as night. Tobey Maguire just didn’t work for me but Laura Linney is an absolute riot!”
Tobey Maguire stars in Jacob Aaron Estes (Mean Creek) super black comedy about a dude who keeps making bad decisions. This movie goes just as wacky as I Melt With You, but it does so with enough humor to save you from a brain aneurysm. Unfortunately Tobey Maguire just isn’t a good enough actor to pull it off – though Laura Linney as the neurotic neighbor who blackmails him into oral sex is funny enough to almost save it.

ANOTHER EARTH – US Dramatic Comp – Rating: 4 out of 10

“Another Earth is an uneven redemption story with too many plot problems to overlook.”
Sundance it-girl Brit Marling co-wrote, produced and stars in one of the most buzzed over films of the fest (it won the Special Jury Prize, Alfred P. Sloan science award, and scored a major deal with Fox Searchlight). I know I’m in the minority on this one but I was horribly unimpressed with the film. Marling is obviously a talent but the plot has more problems than the middle east and the attempt at a scientific explanation for the second earth is laughable. I am still waiting for someone to explain to me why we have so much trouble talking to the other planet. We had radio contact with astronauts on the moon in the 1960s – are you really telling me with all our satellites and communications technology we can’t just pull up FaceTime on our iPhones with another planet that’s right over there (they have all the same technology afterall). I hear you saying, “but it isn’t about the science, it’s about the love story.” Yeah, fine, but the love story sucked too.

HOMEWORK – US Dramatic Comp – Rating: 6 out of 10

“Homework treads familiar territory of the outcast kid who the pretty girl falls for. However it avoids cliches and is enjoyable.”
We’ve all seen the story about the loser kid that no one likes that inexplicably hooks up with the prettiest girl in school. There are obviously a lot of directors and screenwriters living out adolescent fantasies in Hollywood. Gavin Wiesen’s directorial debut is pretty much that exactly – but it is that done pretty damn well. A big part of the success is due to young British actor Freddie Highmore who plays a vulnerable yet somehow confident outcast. Emma Roberts is okay as the object of his affection – but she is short of memorable. Wiesen does manage to avoid a lot of cliches and it is kind of fun to see all these high school kids drinking at bars in Manhattan. It’s a decent movie that is worth a watch but won’t likely make much noise – and it is definitely no The Wackness.

PERFECT SENSE – Premieres – Rating: 8 out of 10

“Perfect Sense is a love story that completely commits to its very high concept. A lot to like – though maybe not for everyone.”
Ewan McGregor and Eva Green star in David Mackenzie’s romantic thriller about a world where everyone is losing their senses. It is a very bold concept but Mackenzie commits fully and what results is a highly polished and excellent film. This was one of my surprise faves of the fest.
Read my full review of Perfect Sense @ Twitch

ELITE SQUAD 2 – Spotlight – Rating: 8 of 10

“Elite Squad 2 is a truly awesome Brazilian actioner. Padilha went more political than the 1st = less action – but def a success.”
Jose Padilha’s Elite Squad showed that you could make a very smart shooter without giving up any of the action. His follow-up focuses more on the political side of things in the Rio police force – but it is every bit as impressive. The fact he was able to pull off such a polished product for under $9M is even more of a feat. I’ll be shocked if Hollywood doesn’t shell out some big bucks to get Padilha behind the camera of a big studio picture soon.
Read my full review of Elite Squad 2 @ Twitch

PAGE ONE: A YEAR INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES – US Docu Comp – Rating: 8 out of 10

“Page One is a captivating doc about why journalism will always be important, even in the changing face of the media landscape.”
Andrew Rossi originally set out to make a doc about NY Times media reporter and all around distinctive character David Carr. What resulted was a fascinating exploration of news and journalism in the face of a rapidly changing media landscape. From WikiLeaks to an NBC sponsored media event declaring the end of combat in Iraq, Rossi’s cameras capture the the deliberation the editors at the NYT go to to consider the distinction between reporting the news and creating the news. Carr remains an important figure in the film and an enigmatic force – but the people around him are just as interesting. For those interested in issues of media and you know, the world, this doc is another must see.

Of course there were just as many films that I wanted to see but didn’t get a chance to. One film with a ton of buzz I hope to catch soon is Martha Marcy May Marlene with festival sweetheart Elizabeth Olsen – younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley. Brit Marling’s other fest film Sound of my Voice had people raving. Kevin Smith was at the fest with his political horror Red State, but the lack of P&I screening made it impossible to score a ticket. I spoke to a number of people who had very good things to say about Terri with John C. Reilly and Vera Farmiga’s directorial debut Higher Ground was also rumored to be well worth a watch. The Paddy Considine directed Tyrannosaur and Take Shelter with Michael Shannon both had people saying great things as well.

On the unseen docu side of things, the film with the most positive buzz was Morgan Spurlock’s product placement expose The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. It sounds like everyone who saw it loved Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey. Euthanasia doc How to Die in Oregon, Afghan war doc Hell and Back Again and the story of the real life horse whisperer Buck all received top prizes as well.

My Top 10 of 2010 included a stunning 7 films at Sundance 2010 (though I only caught 4 of them at the fest). I can’t help but wonder how many of this year’s batch will be included on my list a year from now. Like Crazy will very likely stick around and it won’t surprise me if The Interrupters and Win Win do as well. It’s exciting to think about all the great movies that are still to be seen.

While the upcoming Academy Awards will again stir up the debate about quality versus popularity, in my opinion 2010 has been a fantastic year for film – giving us a trove of moving and visceral filmmaking and giving me my favorite movie going experience since Ghostbusters. Without further ado, here are my Top 10 films of 2010:

10. Boy – Taika Waititi’s semi auto-biographical story of a young Maori kid is a touching and whimsical tale that takes full advantage of its beautiful New Zealand setting. I imagine this laugher/crier flew under most moviegoers’ radars – but it is well worth seeking out. [Covered in my Sundance'10 wrap-up]

9. Winter’s Bone – Like most of the films on this list, Debra Granik’s Ozark thriller played at Sundance’10 – though I didn’t catch it until much later. What I love most about this film is the way such an interesting and complex story unfolds so expertly from the point of view of the young protagonist (and of course enough can’t be said about Jennifer Lawrence). We are along for the ride from moment one as it spirals from mundane to outrageous.

8. Blue Valentine – My fest fave from Sundance’10 falls a few spots back upon reflection, but Gosling’s and Williams’ performances stand firm for me a year removed. The movie is picking up steam in the specialty market as it enters its third frame of release this weekend and is well worth tracking down. [Covered in my Sundance'10 wrap-up]

7. Animal Kingdom – I can’t think back on David Michod’s film without dwelling on the startling performances by Ben Mendelsohn and Jacki Weaver. They are both simply chilling. This movie is one of the best crime thrillers in years. [My review on Twitch]

6. Exit Through the Gift Shop – Banksy’s docu-mystery was certainly one of the most talked about documentaries of the year and also one of the best. I personally believe most of the mystery is drummed up and what you see here is mostly what you get. But the real success of the film is the unparalleled view into the street art movement. This documentation will live on long after
the Space Invader tiles fall off the wall. [My review on Twitch]

5. A Prophet – I thought for some time on whether to include this film here since it made so many lists in 2009. But when it came down to it, the movie played in theaters in 2010 and I didn’t see it until then so here it is (sorry True Grit, you got bumped). Jacques Audiard’s prison drama is both haunting and magical with scenes that make you want to hide your eyes and others that make you sigh with awe. On top of that, Tahar Rahim’s performance might be one of the most overlooked of the year.

4. The Social Network – Plenty has already been said about the film I still predict to take home the best picture Oscar. What strikes me most a few months later is the absolute pitch perfection that David Fincher manages to achieve time and time again with his films. He is quite possibly the most skilled director working today. [My review]

3. Restrepo – Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s Afghan war documentary is without a doubt the most visceral war movie ever made. Fans of Platoon, Saving Private Ryan, and The Thin Red Line need to seek this film out right away. This is war. These are soldiers. Those are enemies. This is the real thing – and it is incredible.

2. Fish Tank – A surprise late entry to my top 10 list this year came in the last few weeks after I saw this title cropping up on a number of top 10 lists and sought it out. Andrea Arnold’s coming of age story of a poor 15 year old girl in suburban England is hauntingly honest yet ultimately uplifting. Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing, and Michael Fassbender hold nothing back in their stirring performances. Andrea Arnold is a filmmaker on the move and I am a fan.

1. Black Swan – No surprise here as I have been able to do nothing other than rave about this film to everyone I meet since seeing it a month ago. It is one of my favorite films of all time and probably the most thrilling cinematic experience I’ve ever had. 2011, this one is gonna be hard to beat. [My review]

Honorable mentions that just fell off the list were True Grit (Review), Catfish (Twitch Review), Inception, and the remake of my number one film from 2008, Let Me In.

I am very interested in hearing what you think of the list. Please feel free to leave your comments here. Thanks!

It is impossible to have a discussion of Oliver Assayas’s Carlos without talking about its monstrous 330 minutes of length. There just aren’t that many movies that ask you sit still for five and a half hours. Like a good long novel, this allows the authors an exceptional amount of time with the characters – a gift for any storyteller. But that gift can also be a poison as it sets the bar for approval so much higher. Is the indulgence justifiable? Is this world worth spending so much time in? Are these characters worth the commitment?

In this case the character is a classic antihero. Carlos “The Jackal” was a notorious criminal who inflicted terror across Western Europe during the last two decades of the Cold War. His world is a place of conviction to a belief that he is fighting for a better society – but also a place of hubris; that only he can deliver that society to the hungry masses.

Edgar Ramirez, a Venezuelan, is given the role of his life in the shoes of his fellow countryman. At times he shines. The early scenes in which Carlos is filled with a political zeal that overflows onto his cadre of followers are particularly moving. At other times, Ramirez falls short – as seen in the more introspective Carlos of his latter years. I found the film at its most interesting when it explores the politics of running the terrorist organization. A good section of the film is devoted to the logistics of funding and housing such a group. At times it is a rare and fascinating view into the secret police offices behind the iron curtain – a place not a lot of films have so expertly explored.

To be accurate, Carlos isn’t really one five and a half hour movie, but three much more normally sized movies. It originally aired in Europe over three nights and even made a quick Sundance Channel appearance in that form last October (although that flew below my radar). My guess is that most film fans watched it as I did – in one long sitting. Unfortunately, you just can’t get away from judging the film based on this format. Simply put, there are many other films I would have rather spent that much time with (a five and a half hour version of A Prophet? Hell yeah!). Carlos is an interesting and at times entertaining film, but it is really, really long.

After a particularly weak offering in 2009, 2010 has been an exceptional year for new music. I had a very difficult time cutting the list down to 10 with the likes of Titus Andronicus, Delta Spirit, Miike Snow, Minus the Bear, Ra Ra Riot, and Tokyo Police Club just barely missing the cut. Also not on the list are Gorillaz, Yeasayer, BRMC, and LCD Soundsystem. All of those albums would have likely made last year’s Top 10. One final word about 2009′s list: Although it was released in 2009 and therefore disqualified here, I probably listened to K’naan’s Troubador as much as any other album this year and it deserves a mention.

10. Lissie – Catching a Tiger With super catchy cuts like When I’m Alone and In Sleep, I found myself playing Lissie’s awesome debut album over and over again.

9. Menomena – Mines Portland band Menomena’s follow up to 2007′s Friend & Foe was even more impressive and goes down as yet another strong album released by Barsuk.

8. Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks Scottish rockers and NPR faves Frightened Rabbit dropped this very solid album that too many people missed.

7. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More It seems Mumford & Sons have found a home in steady rotation on commercial radio and therefore are disqualified from most people’s top 10 lists. I love this album – but hey, I’m the same idiot who gave The Killers my top spot two years ago.

6. Nas & Damian Marley – Distant Relatives Sick beats, illmatic flows, the reggae vibe, and a real message make this a must have album.

5. Hot Chip – One Life Stand While Hot Chip has been on my radar for a while, I’ve never dug one of their albums the way I totally dig One Life Stand. You can’t help but tap your foot to this one. Hell, just get up and dance.

4. Arcade Fire – Suburbs A week after this album came out I was sure it would be in the number one spot come late December. Unfortunately, it just didn’t stand up quite as well as I’d hoped after repeat listening. That being said, it is one hell of an incredible album and well worth its number four spot.

3. The Black Keys – Brothers The best straight up rock and roll album in years, this one was pretty tough for me to bump down to third. We’ll see if Jack White lets them keep that crown for long.

2. Local Natives – Gorilla Manor This indie-tastic album straight outta my hood held top spot in my rotation from about February to July. I can’t wait to hear what they offer up next.

1. Broken Bells It is too easy to joke about how many artists Danger Mouse has worked with, but he continues to crank out hits. This time teamed with The Shins’ James Mercer, Broken Bells is one of those albums that perfectly defines the year 2010 – yet will have a spot in my heavy rotation for years and years to come.

What a terrific year for music! I’m sure there will be some disagreements with these picks. What do YOU think?