Hugo (2011)

The most important thing to know before walking into Hugo is that, despite its critical acclaim and awards-season hype, large swaths of it are nothing more than a stylized children's movie. Asa Butterfield plays the title character, who for reasons explained at great length at some point in the middle section of the film lives in the clocks above Paris's central train station. It is in that station that he meets George Melies (confusingly, a real-life figure, unlike any of the other characters; portrayed by a terrific Ben Kingsley), who will eventually be in many ways the center of Hugo's adventure.

Hugo does drag sometimes under its family film guise, sacrificing its sentimentality and character development for cheap entertainment that panders to the younger audiences it expects to attract. But with what room is left (and there is plenty in Hugo's run time of well over two hours), Scorsese manages to build a touching tribute to the silent-film era, a well-crafted portrait of a man fallen from the spotlight, and a fully-developed coming of age story all in one. This work is as impressive as it sounds, and though Hugo is far from perfect, it is certainly a heartwarming film that most will connect with on some level or other.

Score: 3.5/4

War Horse (2011)

Ever wondered how a truly spirited horse (played by a horse) would behave when thrust into battle, miles and miles away from its original owner, an annoying kid (Jeremy Irvine)? Now, thanks to legendary director Steven Spielberg, you can find out! War Horse tells the story of such a horse, accompanied the whole way by a laughably corny dialogue, justifiably unsuccessful actors in key roles, and a s**t-ton of other horses. An unbearably--nay, unimaginably--cliche-filled slog through World War I, War Horse is the dream come true of people who hate movies.

Divided, essentially, into vignettes, the plot follows the horse's path through the war as it passes from owner to owner (spoiler: most of the owners die, creating perfect opportunities for the schmaltzy, overbearing score to blare as something of relevance is filmed in slow motion). One or two of these vignettes, to the film's credit, are fairly manageable, particularly the one in France with an old dude who makes delicious-looking jams and his not-bad-looking teenage daughter.

This does not, however, excuse War Horse at all from the fact that it is quite bad and wholly unnecessary, an adaptation that no one asked for and even fewer were happy to have received. Sitting through War Horse is a struggle that can consume one's soul, a battle best undertaken by only the truest endurance warriors who also happen to like bad cinema. All others should stay away.

Score: 1/4

A Better Life (2011)

Chris Weitz's painfully emotional, painfully cliched immigrant drama A Better Life stars Demian Bichir as Carlos, a single Mexican father living in Los Angeles trying to make ends meet so he can move his teenage son to a better neighborhood. Unsurprisingly, all sorts of terrible misfortunes befall Carlos, dragging him on an adventure through the dingier parts of LA that, of course, brings him closer to his son.

The concept in and of itself would not be a bad thing--Mexican immigrant stories are fairly underrepresented on the major independent filmmaking scene for reasons that are rather unclear--but the script, from Eric Eason, is a disaster. A hodgepodge of sentimental scenes that feel as if they have been directly lifted from other, better, dramas and had some Spanish added to them give the film an unprofessional feel. The acting from Jose Julian, who plays Carlos' son, also leaves something to be desired.

Bichir is terrific, delivering a finely crafted, emotionally wrenching performance as a man trying very hard to keep it together, and his work alone is somewhat of a reason to watch the movie. It is hard not to wonder, though, in the universe of possible films with Bichir as the leading man of a movie about Mexican-Americans struggling to adapt to immigrant life, how much better a final product we could have watched.

Score: 2/4

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

David Fincher's adaptation of the first third of Stieg Larsson's "Millenium Trilogy" (which has already been adapted once), "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo," is every bit as haunting as could be expected when the project was announced. From the opening credit sequence, which features some kind of weird animation involving black dye being cast repeatedly around the profile of the film's antihero, Lisbeth Sander (Rooney Mara), all set to the tune of Trent Reznor's cover of "The Immigrant Song," it is clear the film is going to come at you hard and heavy.

This expectation is fulfilled more and more as the film goes on, eventually bringing you (semi-spoiler-but-not-really alert) a grand total of three rape scenes, a mutilated cat, and some near-murders. Sander and Mikael Blomqvist (Daniel Craig) traipse around, attempting to solve a murder committed decades ago that continues to haunt the thoughts of a wealthy family's patriarch (Christopher Plummer).

The film seems cheap and poorly thought-out through its opening scenes, perhaps because Craig's acting is subpar and Mara's is strictly average and both are given a blunt, nuance-free script to work with, but once the action and thrills kick in, all is forgiven. While Fincher is comfortable working with dialogue (see Social Network, The, for one recent example), his screenwriters and actors seem to prefer it when more is happening onscreen than just talking. In less experienced hands, this might threaten to lead the film to spiral out of control, but Fincher polishes the brutal violence and chilling suspense of the film's final two-thirds to make them spine-tinglingly enjoyable.

In the end, Dragon Tattoo overstays its welcome by a solid twenty minutes (chalk it up to setting up for the sequel) and fails to fully explain its more intricate plot points to those who are not familiar with the novel; still, it provides non-stop entertainment with Fincher's artistic flourishes. Flawed it may be, but excellent it is nevertheless.

Score: 3.5/4

The Iron Lady (2011)

The new Margaret Thatcher semi-biopic "The Iron Lady" is as much a study in dementia and old age, in reliving past glory, as it is a look at the whole life and body of work of Britain's only female prime minister. This may be unappealing to those looking for a comprehensive run through Thatcher's life, but the reason for this movie's existence is for Meryl Streep to play Margaret Thatcher, for her to nail Thatcher's voice and look and mannerisms and remind you that she is Meryl Streep the greatest friggin' actor alive, and a movie with that purpose is best subjected to the aged-celebrity-looking-back-on-a-life-of-regrets treatment.

The film is choppy, of course, but what else would be expected in the hands of Phyllida Lloyd, a director best known for helming Mamma Mia!? Truth be told, the scenes that feature Alexandra Roach playing the younger Thatcher and no sign of Streep are rather unnecessary, as if the demented Thatcher's flashbacks could have begun from whatever point in her life she was old enough to be played by Streep. But Streep as Thatcher in old age is an absolutely beautiful thing, and when given Jim Broadbent, a talented actor in his own right, as a partner (Thatcher's dead husband, appearing as a hallucination), she is unstoppable.

Don't go to The Iron Lady to learn about Margaret Thatcher (it's treatment of her politics is murky at best). Don't go to The Iron Lady to see a really great movie. Don't even go to see a pretty great movie. But if what you want is to see the cream of the acting world's crop absolutely dominating a very difficult role (assisted, it should be added, by the makeup team, which got everything right where J. Edgar got it wrong), then go see The Iron Lady. You won't be sorry.

Score: 3/4

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, the latest effort from well-known schmaltz master Stephen Daldry, is for almost everyone a complete hit-or-miss. For one thing, the viewer needs to accept that the subject material is clearly in the hands of someone who wishes to use it to manipulate audience emotions; for another, the viewer needs to find the kid (Thomas Horn) somewhat tolerable.

If both these conditions are satisfied, plus you can buy into the ridiculous American-ness of it all (9/11 is the greatest tragedy ever, Tom Hanks is God, etc, etc), there is no reason you won't love Extremely Loud. I, for one, surprised even myself by falling for the film, cloying elements and all. Horn is annoying, sure, but that is only because that is what the role calls for--the boy, Oskar, whose father was killed in the Twin Towers, mentions that he may have Asperger's syndrome and clearly struggles socially while excelling intellectually. There is nothing bothersome or unrealistic about that.

What you go to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close to do is cry, and if you end up liking the movie you will certainly get your fill. Particularly wrenching supporting performances by Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Max Von Sydow, and Sandra Bullock strengthen the film enough to help it withstand its cliches and silly little cutesy elements, like Oskar carrying a tambourine everywhere and calling 9/11 "the worst day."

In the end, Extremely Loud is nearly assured of joining The Tree of Life as the most divisive films of the year, but unlike the latter, I came out of Daldry's tearjerker squarely on the supporting side. It takes a leap of faith to let the film engage you, but it is a leap decisively worth taking.

Score: 3.5/4

Warrior (2011)

"Great movie about the UFC" may have seemed like an oxymoron only a few months ago, but Warrior puts that notion conclusively to rest. This masterpiece, which seems to have emerged out of absolutely nowhere, centers on two brothers, separated during adolescence, who are on an inevitable crash course to meet in the finals of a huge tournament. The stakes, both emotionally and financially, could not be higher.

The film builds slowly to its climax, introducing us to both Mr. C (Joel Edgerton), a one-time fighter who now teaches high school physics to kids who look like they weren't even in college that recently, and his estranged brother Tommy (Tom Hardy), an ex-Marine looking to catch a break in the MMA world decades after dominating his high school wrestling league. While Mr. C returns to the octagon for fear of a foreclosure (he needs to protect his supernaturally hot wife and two daughters), Tommy is an enigma, fighting perhaps to prove himself, perhaps to earn the money he feels he owes his fallen comrade's family, or perhaps just to beat the crap out of some people.

Both men, though, together with their trouble father (Nick Nolte), who Tommy enlists as his trainer, have dealt with a past full of family drama and upheaval. Each feels he has been betrayed by the other, making the stakes in the final fight even higher than they otherwise would be. 

Director Gavin O'Connor handles his material perfectly, letting his pitch-perfect actors drive the film for the most part, then stepping in with an artfully music-backed final scene that could not have been any more beautifully destructive had it been in the hands of Scorsese or Kubrick. It all adds up to the biggest surprise of the year, a must-see drama that is about much more than a sport few care much about.

Score: 4/4

Albert Nobbs (2011)

Glenn Close's passion project, "Albert Nobbs," is a frustratingly formulaic attempt at telling an unconventional story. The subject is unfamiliar--a woman posing as a man, Albert Nobbs (Close), to earn a living as a butler--but most elements  of the plot are as familiar as can be: a young woman (Mia Wasikowska) falls for a man, Joe Mackins (Aaron Johnson) who gets her pregnant but can't treat her right; meanwhile, our hero--Nobbs--falls for the same girl; at the same time, the company that employs them all is struggling to stay in business; finally, of primary interest, Nobbs meets a fellow, Hubert Page (Janet McTeer), who is pursuing the same path of life as Nobbs is. Even the unexpected ending is executed in an expected way.

Of even greater concern for those who for some reason elect to undergo the chore of watching Albert Nobbs is the fact that neither Close nor McTeer is convincing as a man. Why should we buy into a movie based around women masquerading as men if those women would not convince a single person of their masculinity were they placed in the real world? Simply put, we shouldn't. There may come times when you catch yourself unsure of Nobbs' gender, thanks to a combination of strong writing and acting, but a close-up shot of her face quickly removes any shred of doubt. The film may be otherwise well executed, but without first having checked to make sure that its basis is believable, the producers have failed to deliver anything that can truly engage us.

Score: 2/4

The Help (2011)

"The Help," a dulled-down Hollywood interpretation of the Jim Crow south during the civil rights movement, pulls all the emotional punches it is capable of pulling while still avoiding any gray area. All of the characters are clearly black or white, beginning with Skeeter (Emma Stone), a recently college-educated white girl who wants to catch a break in the reporting industry by writing an earnest piece for Harper's Magazine on the perspective of black servants in white southern households.

Skeeter's old friend Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the villain, a conservative housewife who is pushing a new sanitation bill requiring each family to have a separate bathroom for the help. The servants who elect to speak to Skeeter are Aibileen (Viola Davis) and Minnie (Octavia Spencer), two imperfect but generally sympathetic women who in the eyes of the filmmakers are worthy of our unconditional admiration.

Perhaps this is so, but The Help feels lazily written, as if discounting the likelihood that not every servant was as kind as Aibileen or as cunning as Minnie. There is real power behind Davis's acting, and her performance drives The Help beyond pure Hollywood schmaltz. The scenes Davis inhabits are real and touching. The rest of the film, though, can't measure up.

Score: 2.5/4

My Week With Marilyn (2011)

Perhaps the most overlooked film of the year, "My Week with Marilyn" takes a brief, not particularly pivotal period of the life of American icon Marilyn Monroe, and makes a delightful movie of it. The film is anchored by Michelle Williams performance as Monroe; indeed, until Williams appears for the first time, the movie feels forced, heavy-handed, and unnecessary, the story of a boy, Colin, (Eddie Redmayne) about whom we know little and care less.

As soon as Monroe is introduced, though, everything changes--not only for the characters (Colin is immediately taken with Marilyn, who is starring in the film whose set he is working on), but for the people making the movie. Simon Curtis's direction is more even-keeled, the supporting cast settles in, and even the script improves, as those scenes not involving Monroe seem to be an afterthought.

It is, then, Williams' performance that the movie hinges upon, and she lives in the role in a way only the greatest actresses can. Williams, already recognized by the Academy for her work in "Brokeback Mountain" and proven as a dramatic lead in last year's "Blue Valentine," makes her case as best actress of her generation more and more forcefully with each wrenching scene as Marilyn. Monroe was a uniquely flawed individual, the film argues, and Williams gives a uniquely emotive and expressive performance to match.

It is hard to tell whether Williams' acting alone elevates the film, or whether it is a group effort (Kenneth Branagh is convincing as Sir Laurence Olivier, Redmayne is charmingly innocent, and Curtis seems to have an eye for subtleties like costume and makeup work). What is certain, however, is that "My Week With Marilyn" ultimately rises beyond being just an acting-showcase biopic and becomes instead a meditation on matters that transcend Monroe's single life--love, happiness, and choosing the right path in life.

Score: 4/4

Airplane! (1980)

"Airplane!" is a very stupid movie.  It is the 1980s' version of, say, "Scary Movie," in that it operates on a thin plot, relies mostly on gags, and is continually bouncing from character to character and joke to joke. Still, its stupidity transcends generations and keeps it relevant even today, when most comedies are either aiming for a higher purpose or for a target audience consisting of intoxicated twenty-something-year-olds.

"Airplane!" finds the happy medium--dumb, silly comedy that everyone can enjoy--and runs with it for the entire duration of its story arc (an airplane is in danger of crashing, in parody of some disaster movies). There is certainly nothing technical to be marveled at here, and no jokes that make one pause to wonder whether the writing team behind the film have dabbled in comedy with more gravitas (ie Woody Allen's later work). But, riding a tremendously consistent wave of one-liners and sight gags, "Airplane!" still manages to taste greatness.

Score: 3.5/4