1. Martha Marcy May Marlene: a view into the scared and brainwashed life of Martha Marlene, portrayed exquisitely by Elizabeth Olsen (the Olsen twins little sister). John Hawkes ('Winter's Bone', 'You Me and Everyone We Know') is beginning to be a bit typecast as a creepy backwoods type, but he is really good at it, so go with what works. Sarah Paulson & Hugh Dancy also star.
2. Drive: a modern film noir with Ryan Gosling's best performance of the three films I saw him in this year. Carey Mulligan and Bryan Cranston also star.
3. Take Shelter: One of the most intense films that I have seen all year. Fighting with whether he is schizophrenic or foreseeing apocalyptic images Curtis (Michael Shannon) attempts to keep his family together somewhere in western Ohio. It will grip you and hold you in your seat as you hang on the edge.
4. Tree of Life: a sort of modern version of '2001: A Space Odyssey'. It is a film hard to explain. It is lengthy and confusing at times, but also enlightening as well. It made me think about how short life is and how we all should make the most of it. Cinematography and soundtrack create an almost dreamlike experience. Brad Pitt stars, and Sean Penn plays a small but important role.
5. Melancholia: another apocalyptic film with amazing cinematography. A great performance by Kirsten Dunst, as Justine, as a deeply disturbed young advertising art director who struggles with her recent nuptials and her overall mental capacity as well as strained relationship with her sister. This all occurring while a newly discovered planet brings about further questions and grave outcomes. Charlotte Gainsbourg & Kiefer Sutherland also star.
6. Bridesmaids: The funniest movie I've seen in years. Kristen Wiig is stellar as the lead, but it is Melissa McCarthy that brings it. Her character steals the show just as Galifianakis did in 'the Hangover'.
7. Hugo: a beautiful story of a young orphan boy who lives in the walls of a Parisian train station. It explores his struggles to remember his father through clockworks and films. Beautiful CGI imagery of 20s era Paris add to the beauty. Martin Scorscese directs.
8. the Descendents: I love Alexander Payne films. Sideways will always be in my tops of all-time list. This film is another classic look at relationships, life, death, and just ordinary life. George Clooney is great as always as a father and husband struggling with a sick wife and rebellious daughters in suburban Hawaii.
9. Beginners: Ewan McGregor stars as an artist that tells the story of him falling in love after his father passes away while also telling the story of his fathers final months as an openly gay man in his 70s after years of hiding it. There are voiceover sequences that will remind you of 'Trainspotting', the film that brought McGregor to our attention, without all the talk of heroin use.
10. 50/50: A sort of buddy film with cancer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogan are best friends, one of them has cancer and this follows their exploits of getting through it. Heartbreakingly funny.
Honorable mentions:
Hanna
Midnight in Paris
the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
the Adventures of Tintin
Like Crazy
A Little Help
Young Adult
Ides of March
Cedar Rapids
Moneyball
the Beaver
