Alyn Darnay
Filmmaker, Actor, Critic
Director and
Scriptwriting Instructor.
Alyn Darnay’s  THE TOP 10 FILMS OF 2011
It’s that time of year again, the time it falls to us reviewers to select the best films of the past year. Most of the time I really enjoy this part of the job, picking through the 200 plus films I saw and wrote about during the year, but this year, not so. 2011 has been a very lean year in terms of great films, perhaps the worst in the past decade. The thrills were few and far between, the dramas over-wroth, the comedies lame, the supernatural’s mundane and predictable, and the children’s offerings less than films. If you’re not getting the message here, I thought it wasn’t a very good year for film.
But there were some, few as they were, true joys in the movie theaters. Enough inspired pieces of creative work for me to pick the outstanding ones and grace them with the title of best of the year. So here they are starting with the best.
1) Drive
Director Nicholas Winding Refn treated us to a re-envisioning of the Noir genre with this taught tale of protection and revenge on the fringes of life in Los Angeles. Add to that Ryan Gosling’s brooding performance and Albert Brooks’s award-deserving turn as the Bad Guy and you have one powerhouse of a movie. Best Picture of the Year.
2) Limitless
This film came out of nowhere and gave us a new anti-hero. Never predictable, the twists and turns never took us where we thought we were going, and Bradley Cooper’s performance was stunningly wonderful.
3) My Week With Marilyn
I liked everything about this movie. It’s a supposedly true story of a film assistant’s dalliance with Marilyn Monroe, during the filming in England of the movie “The Prince and the Showgirlâ€.
4) Albert Nobbs
Glenn Close – Best Performance by an actress in the last 10 years. A must see tour-de-force. Based upon a play, it’s not the best film around but you won’t notice, because you’re there with Mr. Nobbs.
5) Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows Part 2
Finally, the definitive Potter Film. A glorious finale to the epic series, with everything you ever wanted from Harry’s movies.
6) Midnight In Paris
Woody Allen being romantic about that period in Paris when all the great writers, artists, actors roamed the streets. It’s like savoring a fine wine.
7) MONEYBALL
Playing Oakland A’s manager Billy Beane, Brad Pitt turns in a totally believable and finely crafted performance. However, it’s Jonah Hill’s straight turn with some of the year’s best lines that make the film such a funny, and touching movie.
8 ) Cedar Rapids
From director Miguel Arteta, comes this entertaining white-collar comedy in the style of “Fargoâ€. Ed Helms is a pure painful delight showing us the true nature of small town mentality.
9) Bridesmaids
This was the film that made me laugh the most this year. It’s sort of a “Hangover†for the girls. Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and the crew show us just how funny women can be as they capture the challenges of friendship and competition in female relationships. Great comedy. Great movie.
10) MISSION: IMPOSIBLE – Ghost Protocol
Tom Cruise, an exploding Kremlin, the world’s tallest building, a blinding sandstorm, a 60 foot car dive, tech stuff up the wazoo; what more could anyone want from an action adventure film!
Best Documentary of 2011
Bill Cunningham New York
Bill is an American Treasure who has spent his whole life on the streets of the Big Apple capturing and creating fashion trends on film. This doc brilliantly captures the true essence of the man and is a constant joy to watch. You need to see it.