Mike's Musings: The Top 10 of 2011

Because I am not a pessimist, I will do a Top 10 just as I did a Bottom 10.  Fortunately, these were a lot harder to decide on than the Bottom 10 because the majority are 3.5 or 4 stars.  Unfortunately, it must be said that the amount of good movies was highly disappointing.  Here it is...the Top Ten list of 2011!

10.  Bridesmaids.  This was the years most popular and profitable comedy, but not to me.  Don't get me wrong, it's at times very funny, and the romance subplot really works.  But it's too long and inconsistent for it to get any further up on my Top 10 list.  Another raunchy comedy was far funnier.

9.  Bad Teacher.  Cameron Diaz is amazing.  She's gorgeous, and a gifted comic actress.  Consider her most famous role, the title character in the sleeper hit "There's Something About Mary."  Mary was a ray of sunshine with a wild side.  She wasn't a saint, but it wasn't hard to see why every guy with a package would go head over heels for her.  Elizabeth Halsey, on the other hand, might as well be called Mary's evil twin.  She's still gorgeous, but she's bad to the bone.  Selfish, uncouth, and less trustworthy around kids than Michael Jackson, she's the ultimate bad girl.  And the movie is all the better for it.

8.  Scream 4.  Who knew that a slasher movie sequel (most of which are terrible) would end up on my Top 10 list?  Not only is it scary, it's also quite openly funny.  Packed with plenty of gore and intelligent techno-tidbits and modern horror movie lore, Wes Craven proves that he hasn't forgotten his audience after "My Soul to Take" and delivers what we expect from him.

7.  Green Lantern.  I must not be inline with the critics these days.  The past three movies on my Top Ten list were critically derided.  And yet, I found "Green Lantern" to be a fun time at the movies even though I am incredibly sick of superheroes.  Ryan Reynolds has rarely been better, and the plot is quite involving.  That alone is reason enough.

6.  Super 8.  One of the few big budget movies of recent memory that came directly from the mind of a screenwriter (I suppose J.J. Abrams' successes in the film industry and Steven Spielberg's name have a lot to do with his ability to get this project off the ground), Abrams' loveletter to adolescence and filmmaking make this a thrilling and emotionally rewarding two hours.

5.  Crazy, Stupid, Love.  A great romantic comedy is hard to find, especially one that features adult actors with talent rather than photogenic, acting challenged tabloid stars.  It's also an ensemble film, which are quite rare because of their difficulty.  But Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the two filmmakers responsible for "I Love You, Philip Morris," succeed in this delicate balancing act while still creating interesting stories and compelling characters.  It's an amazing accomplishment to be sure.

4.  Warrior.  I have to wonder who the intended audience for this movie was. People who are looking for action sequences will get bored by the drama (one hopes that the characters would have piqued their interest before long), and drama lovers will be turned off by what appears to be another testosterone soaked action flick.  The truth is that the film belongs in neither category.  It's not a shallow drama and it's not a movie for MMA meatheads.  It's a movie for people who like good movies of any kind.

3.  The Debt.  Mysteries like this rely so much on sleight of hand, but because most filmmakers come from music video backgrounds (where subtlety is not a welcome quality), it rarely works.  John Madden, who comes from a British indie film background, understands what it takes to tell a story.  He never lets us really know if what we're seeing is the truth, and it's enjoyable to spend time watching a complex mystery unfold and unfold without ever jerking us around.  Great acting and solid characterization is just icing on top of the cake.

2.  Insidious.  I'll admit that the four star rating is a little overstated.  The story is at times ludicrous, but the bottom line is that this movie is scary.  I mean REALLY scary.  I was shaking 20 minutes after the lights went up.  James Wan is a master of atmosphere and getting the nape hairs raised.  "Saw" was freaky, but this tops it on every level.  And with no gore to boot.

1.  The First Grader.  Why did I give the number two film four stars and the number one film three and a half?  Because while "Insidious" appealed to my baser instincts, "The First Grader" was more emotionally rewarding.  Sure, it has its flaws, but it is an incredible movie.  I pre-ordered it on Amazon.com months ago, and I am eager to see it again.  It's a great story expertly told.  That's the bottom line.

Now, let's see what 2012 brings us...