The Pains of Living Dangerously: FILM IN 2011
If you trawl through the mire of sequels, remakes, and lazy reimagining’s that took up most of 2011’s cinematic output, there was a lot of brilliant and diverse offerings to be had. For the UK alone, a prolific output, full of richness, was better than anything these shores has offered in recent memory (and I am not referring to those US funded British films manufactured for the Oscar market). This fact alone puts pay to David Cameron’s recent idiotic call to aspire to be more Hollywood-like. Still……. “great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” as Uncle Albert once said.
Purely opinion based the following are some of my best personal moments that cinema offered in 2011. Clearly many films were not viewed (just not enough hours in the day) and do not appear (I’d imagine The Artist would feature if seen), with some films maybe released pre-2011 outside of the UK or yet to be released. But hey, leave that for others to worry about.
Never slipping into parody or taking itself too seriously, this ace run around the Norwegian countryside was one of the year’s most fun cinematic experiences. Using CGI to great effect and some hilariously knowing humour it was the surprise genre hit if 2011.
19. Upside Down: the Story of Creation
A timely reminder that whilst self-indulgence and a distinct lack of inspiration was the order of the day in the 80s, a few strived for more. A true reflection of the punk ethic that puts other pretenders to shame, this documentary offers some excellent rare footage of bands aiming for something more through music.
An outstanding exercise in horror that utilises long takes to ratchet up the tension. The home invasion narrative has been used many times but this is as affecting as the sub-genre gets, shredding the nerves and twisting the viewer’s moral compass right up to its cynical finale.
Based on his own short film (which arguably is a lot more successful than this full length feature), Paddy Considine shows his directorial talent. It’s a tough look at British kitchen sink culture, but ultimately has the emotional back up to provide meaning and hope to the characters on display here.
This cruel, disturbing slice of Korean exploitation mixes in some serious observational drama that covers friendship; family ties; gender power; and sexuality. It’s very refusal to play to conventions, and that the audience demands a degree of sympathy for its characters that never comes only heightens the nihilistic atmosphere.
This documentary of a man striving to find identity and redemption of his own past proves one of the year’s most emotional documentary films. Never is the approach exploitative, with our own questions proving to be the back bone of the subject matter.
The best, most exciting opening credits of the year and although by no means De La Iglasia’s finest hour, this again proves there are not many directors working today with as much skill and enthusiasm for cinema. It may frequently fall apart but at times this is breathtakingly unique.
Excellent Japanese offering that is full of ideas and invention. Its moral stance also refreshing, never afraid to ask the questions that others would not dare confront.
A film where rarely anything happens, but Ti West is quickly becoming a master of manipulation as the viewer is put through a series of events that forces interaction. Because of this the reviews were mixed, but this is everything the much misunderstood horror genre is all about.
Relocating to the US after the Living & the Dead, Simon Rumley proves that he is one of the UK’s leading directors with this tightly crafted tale. Great performances give the characters on display here a genuine emotional depth, as they continually try to bring meaning to their lives. Often challenging, it’s gritty for sure, but there is a lot going on here. Not so much the American Dream, as the American Nightmare.
This tense Australian drama captures your breath and doesn’t let go until the end. Utilising excellent naturalistic performances and an edgy minimalist soundtrack, it’s an experience many will find uncomfortable but one not to be missed.
It’s been a long time coming but this director finally gets the recognition he deserves. It’s easy to point out that Miike has been prolifically directing cinema of this quality for many years now, but this polished and (almost) restrained period piece is some of the best work that the Japanese maverick has ever produced. Best ‘climatic’ fight sequence?…….without a shadow of doubt.
Audiences were divided, as is always the case whenever a Von Trier release comes along. Yet most who witnessed his end-of-the-world would not deny hurting their jaw as it hit the floor. It could well be the director’s most cruel joke he has yet played on his audience, but there can be little disagreement that this is a pure cinematic spectacle.
As cool and calculated as anything Refn has yet done, he continues to craft his directorial talent by once again exploring the inner psyche of humanity. It’s character study and romantic development of its lead characters (Gosling and Mulligan both brilliant) would undoubtedly fall apart in the usual strandard contemporary Hollywood tradition but it’s a testament to the director that this remains one of the year’s most hypnotising cinema experiences.
Araki’s subversive critic baiting, again cleverly disguised as a standard teen comedy drama, is hugely entertaining. The director’s usual staples are all in check here (cool soundtrack; sexual anxiety; etc) and comes across as b-movie science fiction, selfishly and knowingly fucking the hell out of the cast of 90210, whilst taking a vacation near to Twin Peaks. Kinda. And if anyone other than you-know-who should film the planet’s demise this year, then thank our lucky stars it was Gregg Araki.
This Portuguese gem will hopefully get a wider release, as its Coen-esque approach is a wonder to behold. Full of quirky sequences with some of the strangest moments of surrealism you will see for a long time, this odyssey is well worth the trip that ultimately proves highly observed about how we go about our daily lives.
Ben Wheatley’s second feature is a shot in the arm for the British film industry. The less you know about this film the better, but if anything it is a highly affecting journey into the heart of darkness. The whole thing may well be a metaphor for the many international events and atrocities that have been committed over the past few decades, but taken on its own merit it is a polished, claustrophobic horror film with the ability to stun and confuse the viewer that leaves many questions open to interpretation - something quite rare in genre cinema these days. Outstanding.
Sion Sono’s latest, (very) loosely based on actual events, confirms the director as being one of the most inventive currently working in cinema today. This bleak tale of repressed, inhibited tropical fish store owner Mr. Shamoto, who when coerced into business partnership by fellow tropical fish vendor Mr. Murata, eventually leads him to violence and serial murder. It may be the blackest of black comedies you will see all year, but it is also the most furiously original and thought provoking. This years Visitor Q, if you will.
Nothing in 2011 is able to stand in the same room as this film. A completely unique approach to cinema both visually and in its own sound design. Using non-professional actors, this tale of a family constantly at breaking point, influenced by the arrival of the mothers’ new boyfriend, is often highly challenging. Yet the biggest achievement is how easily identifiable and sympathetic the characters are, particularly Lucas Pittaway’s ‘Jamie’. Not for the easily offended for sure (many walk outs have been reported), it can no doubt be filed next to Kargl’s ‘Angst’ and Villaronga’s ‘Tras El Cristal’ in the comfort stakes.
Sono’s second release of 2011 is the most perplexing and intelligent pieces of cinema all year. A heady mix of the crime drama and pinku film, it is a confrontational exploration that continues the directors’ exhibition of human morals and shortcomings. Dazzling, erotic, surreal, and darkly amusing, where next for this phenomenally talented and original director………goodness knows what he could make of the often touted portrayal of a Norwegian death metal band.
Other notable films of the year included the polished, yet familiar Julia’s Eyes; bizarre Brit-doc Knuckle; unlikely romance in Monsters; The Violent Kind, which gave a refreshing take on horror that felt akin to those unique and unpredictable 80s films (Night of the Comet; et al); the ace Red Hill; tension galore in The Reef which will frighten anyone with a fear of open water and/or sharks; Lucky McKee’s brilliant and controversial The Woman; La Pacte which almost brought the best of Fulci into the modern age; the excellent triptych Little Deaths (Simon Rumley’s short the highlight, although Sean Hogan’s entry must be seen to be believed!); A Lonely Place to Die; and the slightly overrated We Need to Talk About Kevin, which by anyone else’s standards would make a top 20 list but Lynne Ramsey is definitely capable of more.
Hangover II and I hate to say it, The Ward, John Carpenter’s latest probably the least enjoyable films of the year.
But a special fuck off goes to Darren Aronofsky, who exposed himself as the shallow, cinematic tourist that many suspect. His Black Swan is perhaps the year’s most unintentionally hilarious offering, which unashamedly rips Satoshi Kon’s astounding Perfect Blue. No matter how much visual flair Aronofsky throws his dollars at, it is apparent that he is punching above his weight with his frequent psuedo-intellectual narrative faux pas.
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