Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is some sort of mushy, sentimentalist crap. A film that's so overwrought, so full of utterly one-dimensional emotions, that it's almost offensive. It's got a star who is utterly punchable (except punching kids is bad!). And guess what? I freaking liked it. A lot. Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are.

The film is directed by Stephen Daldry, who always manages to turn trite into something better. This guy is some sort of miracle worker. He directs the hell out of his films and makes them connect to an audience even when they don't want to be connected. I went into this movie expecting the worst. I read the reviews. I was as shocked as everyone else when it got nominated for Best Picture. Plainly speaking, I didn't want to see it. Maybe it was because my expectations were so low. I don't know. But I ended up liking the damn thing.

It's the story of a young New York City boy (Thomas Horn) who may or may not have Asperger's. He lives with his mom (a plain looking Sandra Bullock) and jeweler dad (Tom Hanks). He and his dad are incredibly close. They go on expeditions, which are sort of scavanger hunts with dad making up stories about a mysterious sixth borough of the city so that his son will have to traverse Central Park and talk to strangers (which is the real mission, of course, since he has so much difficulty with this) and try to solve the mystery. They have a perfectly sweet, if not completely nerdy family. Then, 9/11 strikes and dad had a meeting in the World Trade Center. Oscar's life changes. Struggling with grief and guilt and all kinds of things that he's not emotionally equipped to deal with, he finds a key in his father's closet and decides it's his dad's final way of trying to reach out for him. His final mission, and the only way he can keep his father close. The key is in an envelope marked "Black" and he sets out to speak to everyone named black in New York City, trying to decide if they knew his father and what the key means. Along the way, he meets Viola Davis and Jeffrey Wright and the movie stealing Max Von Sydow.

I know what you're all thinking. The fact that I like this movie is very suspect. I mean, after all, I have impeccable, IMPECCABLE, taste in films! But there was just something about this film that struck me. It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but it's emotional in such a way that makes you want to like it more than you should. I went into this thing wanting to hate it, just like everybody else. But, despite myself, I just couldn't do it. Something about it just got to me. Bullock is solid and since Hollywood loves her so much, I'm surprised her name hasn't been thrown around more during award season. Horn is a great find. As much as I wanted to punch him in the face in the beginning, he grew on me (especially since he's sort of a younger male version of me... I mean I'm scared of EVERYTHING too). But Von Sydow is what sealed the deal for me. As a man who never speaks a word (there's a lot of that going around this award season), he is absolutely riveting to watch. He's astounding really and I'm glad he got nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Overall, I know there's a lot of hatred out there for this movie, but I just couldn't bring myself to hate it. Believe me, I tried.

Grade: B

The Artist

I don't know what it is about Oscar Best Picture front runners lately. Last year, everyone under the sun loved The King's Speech... except me. I found it too long and too boring. And pointless, too. Ooooh, let's make a boring two hour movie about a guy who had to overcome something in order to make a speech. Well, guess what? I have anxiety attacks anytime I have to talk in front of more than 3 people at a time. No one has made a movie about me. A few years before that, it was the over hyped, underwhelming Slumdog Millionaire. I was, seemingly, the only person alive who didn't like. Not only that, but I hated it with a passion. This year it's The Artist. Maybe it's because there is always a better film in the running that loses to these boring, trite, baity movies (The King's Speech beat the far superior The Social Network (and even Inception and Black Swan), Slumdog Millionaire beat out the political masterpiece Milk, The Artist will most likely win over a slew of better films including, but not limited to, Hugo, Moneyball and The Tree of Life). Maybe, since these are BEST PICTURE WINNERS / CONTENDERS, my expectations are just too high and I'm always let down. I don't know what it is, but there's always something.

That being said, The Artist is not a BAD movie. It's even, by most standards, a good movie. I even will go so far as to say that I liked it. Of course, I did like it better when it was called A Star is Born, because basically that's the plot of The Artist except without words and with a dog. The Artist is a mostly silent film about the biggest silent film star in Hollywood in the late 1920s, George Valentin (Jean DuJardin). Everyone in the world loves him. He's on the top of his game. However, silent films are on their way out and talkies are on their way in and a young ingenue, Peppy Miller, who he helped discover is poised to become the biggest star in Hollywood as he fades slowly away. And that is A Star is Born... I mean, The Artist. So, cliched plot - check!

But there is something about The Artist that is worth going to see. It's a wonderful throw back to old Hollywood and a celebration of the golden age of Hollywood (which is why it will probably win Best Picture). They recreate Hollywood in the late 1920s and early 1930s effortlessly. DuJardin is amazing as George Valetin. His performance is epic. He is larger than life, effortlessly charming, so vibrant and alive... all without saying a word. After seeing this film, I do think he should beat out George and Brad for Best Actor. However, I was less than impressed with Berenice Bejo's performance as Peppy. She was too hammy and over the top to be taken seriously, in my opinion.

The last twenty minutes of The Artist are pretty flawless and perfect, but over all, it's really not anything all that special. I mean, yes, The Artist is a good movie. But is it a great movie? No. Is it a movie that will stay in my mind for more than a year or two? No. Great Best Picture Oscar winners should stand the test of time. We should still want to watch them in twenty or thirty or fifty years. And, I'm sorry, but The Artist is not that movie.

Grade: B

Oscar Nominations

Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
THOUGHTS - I predicted seven nominees and the seven I predicted are part of this group of nine.

Best Actor
Demian Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
THOUGHTS - I sort of for saw Oldman taking out Fassbender and Leo but I never even heard of this Bichir guy. WTH!?

Best Actress
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
THOUGHTS - I'm pleasantly surprised to see Mara, although it means no Charlize. I predicted last year that she would be nominated for playing Lisbeth but her lack of precursor support really surprised me.

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max Von Sydow - Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
THOUGHTS - No Brooks surprises me although there doesn't seem to be much love for Drive in the nominations. I haven't seen Extremely Loud but I do have an older man crush on Von Sydow so yay!

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
THOUGHTS - No Shailene makes me upset. I think that's the biggest snub of the day for me, even more so than Fassbender or DiCaprio. I'm shocked to see McCarthy even though I loved her in that role. It doesn't scream Oscar.

Best Director
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazawhatever - The Artist
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
THOUGHTS - I think this is exactly what I predicted so yay. But boo for no Fincher!

Oscar Predictions

Tomorrow is my favorite movie related day of the year - Oscar Nomination Day! Yes, I love it even more than the actual Oscars. By then, you pretty much know who is going to win (barring any upsets - I LOVE upsets), but nominations are usually at least a little surprising. So, I'm going to try my hand at predicting the nominees. I am notoriously VERY bad at this but I'll give it a try anyway. Keep in mind, this year they changed the Best Picture rules. I don't completely understand them but there could be anywhere between five and ten nominees. I'm going to go with seven...

Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: The riveting, thrilling roller coaster that was Drive.

Best Actor
George Clooney - The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
SURPRISE SNUB? - I really have a feeling Fassbender is going to get snubbed. Don't know why but he could be replaced by Ryan Gosling for Ides of March or Drive.
FYC - Michael Shannon, who gives the years absolute best performance in Take Shelter.

Best Actress
Viola Davis - The Help
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
Charlize Theron - Young Adult
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
POSSIBILITY - I was tempted to go with the majority and predict Glenn Close over Charlize but I'm going with my gut.
FYC - Rooney Mara's performance in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was nominee-worthy.

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks - Drive
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Ides of March
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
POSSIBILITY - It's very possible Hoffman won't get in but I have a feeling about him and the Oscars have nominated him for lesser work.

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants
FYC - Wishful thinking but I'd love to see some Judy Greer love up in here!

Best Director
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist (I hope he loses just because I hate spelling his damn name)
Terrence Malick - The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
SPOILER ALERT - The Oscars LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Spielberg...
FYC - If this category could somehow edge the French guy out for David Fincher and Payne for Bennett Miller of Moneyball, this would be filled with some of my favorite directors of all time.

Haywire

The problem with Haywire isn't that it's confusing (but it is) and it isn't that the lead character can't really act (because she can't). The problem is: if the lead character was a man, this movie wouldn't be interesting. It wouldn't be on anyone's radar. It would probably be widely regarded as one of the worst movies of the (very young) year. But because a female is the main character and that is supposed to encourage some sort of bad ass, feminist movement, then this movie is getting very generous reviews.

That being said, Haywire isn't a bad movie. It's a very mediocre movie with some very good supporting performances. But that's just not enough. MMA star turned American Gladiator turned movie star Gina Carano stars as Mallory Kane, an ex-Marine turned mercenary who is back stabbed and framed and sent on a cross country mission to find out who did her wrong and clear her good name. Or, it's the Bourne Identity without the memory loss and without Matt Damon. Carano is not an actress and although she can kick all kinds of ass, she's not all that compelling to watch. I just kept finding it completely unbelievable. I don't care how tough and awesome she is. I believe that she could fight tough boys and probably win most of the time. But that she always walks away without a scratch?? Come on! That her only injury during the entire movie was when she falls from a building and hurts her back and has to limp away? Please. She's not perfect.

So, Carano was kind of a wash for me. It's a good thing her role is largely silent and she doesn't have much dialogue because I didn't find her to be a good actress. The thing that saved this movie for me were all the great male supporting actors. Channing Tatum shows (again) that he's more than a pretty face as Mallory's ex-partner. He was impressive in previous efforts like A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints and Stop Loss, so hopefully this is a step in the right direction for him. I don't want to see him in movies like the upcoming The Vow because that isn't going to do anything for him. He needs movies like this to maybe earn some cred. Michael Fassbender oozes sexy charm as the partner Mallory is set up with in Berlin. The two try to kill each other in a knock em down, drag em out hotel fight which is totally sexy. It's the best part of the movie, hands down. Michael Angarano, one of my favorites, is great as the comic relief - a young boy who happens upon Mallory in a cafe and gets forced along on a crazy road trip. Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas are great as the powerful potential bad guys in suits. But it's Ewan McGregor who all but steals the movie as Kenneth, Mallory's slime ball ex-boyfriend/ex-boss. He's delightfully slimy and wonderfully creepy.

Like I said, Haywire isn't a bad movie. It's just not a good one either. All I kept thinking during the entire movie was, I wonder what this movie would have been like if it had been directed by Quentin Tarantino. A talky, stylish, bad ass spy epic from one of the coolest directors around?? I would have loved to see that.
Grade: C

Contraband

My first movie of 2012. What can I say? Well, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, that's for sure. The good news here is the supporting cast. Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale are just fine as the leads but you can sign me up for any movie starring (or co-starring) Ben Foster, Giovanni Ribisi, J.K. Simmons, and Lukas Haas. Personally, I would like to champion Hollywood to make a much, much better movie for Foster and Ribisi to co-star in and make that happen as soon as humanly possible. It's almost a shame to watch two of the most exciting character actors in the business get weighted down in this overwrought, cliched material.
But, more on that later.
Contraband stars Mark Wahlberg as a former smuggler turned family man who settled down with his pretty wife (Beckinsale) and two young sons to lead an honest life in New Orleans. However, his brother-in-law, Kate's (yes, that's her name in the movie, too) little brother (Caleb Landry Jones) isn't so smart. Despite tons of warnings, he got himself caught up in the smuggling business. When customs searches the boat he's smuggling drugs on, he throws the package overboard and finds himself in the hospital with a huge debt thanks to a particularly snaky smarmy bad guy played by the lovely Giovanni Ribisi. So, Wahlberg and his ex-smuggler bestie Sebastian (Foster) try to pay his debt but Giovanni isn't having it. He wants his money and he wants it fast. So Wahlberg and friends go to Panama via a boat captained by J.K. Simmons for one last heist.
And that's all of the plot that you'll get. There is a pretty significant plot twist that I won't give away (although, really, if you are a fan of a certain actor's work in general, you won't really be surprised by the twist, as I wasn't). If you are looking at Contraband as a fun way to kill two hours on a cold, winter's day then you won't be disappointed. It is an action filled movie that is interesting enough to keep your attention with likeable enough stars to make you cheer for them. However, Contraband isn't really anything to write home about. It has a mediocre script, at best. The dialogue is cliched and contrived. There is one particularly well directed scene that almost seems like a waste because the rest of the film is directed in a very hodge-podge, throw it against the wall and see what sticks kinda way. These characters aren't particularly complicated and well thought out or subtle. They are very two dimensional characters, with the exception of Sebastian and that's only because Foster is so damn good, so much better than just about EVERYONE else. And his performance makes up for a lot with me. This movie would be an utter failure without him (Ribisi and Jones are pretty spectacular as well, although they don't do as much with their flat characters). Foster makes this character come alive. He is a ridiculously talented actor who should probably be getting all of Ryan Gosling's roles (don't get me wrong, I love Gosling too... it's just a shame how underrated Foster is).
So, overall, Contraband isn't a complete waste of time or a terrible way to start off the 2012 movie year. It's fun if not forgettable and cliched. But Ben Foster makes up for A LOT with his complicated, dazzling performance. His performance alone brought my grade up at least a letter grade.
Grade: C+

Golden Globe Predictions

The Golden Globes are Sunday night so here are my predictions on who will win!

Best Movie - Drama
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse
Who Will Win - I'm going to do a little wishful thinking and say Hugo. But don't count out The Descendants or The Help!

Best Movie - Comedy / Musical
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
My Week With Marilyn
Who Will Win - If The Artist doesn't win I will be shocked even though Bridesmaids is the only really outright laugh out loud comedy listed there.

Best Actor - Drama
George Clooney - The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Ryan Gosling - The Ides of March
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Who Will Win - Did you see the HOTNESS of this category? Honey, we ALL win! (But, seriously, Clooney).

Best Actress - Drama
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
Who Will Win - When in doubt, always go with Meryl!

Best Actor - Comedy / Musical
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Brendan Gleeson - The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50
Ryan Gosling - Crazy Stupid Love
Owen Wilson - Midnight in Paris
Who Will Win - If Dujardin doesn't win, I will be shocked.

Best Actress - Comedy / Musical
Jodie Foster - Carnage
Charlize Theron - Young Adult
Kristin Wiig - Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
Kate Winslet - Carnage
Who Will Win - Look, Michelle's performance as Marilyn Monroe was my favorite female performance of the year. I am 85% sure she is going to win an Oscar in a month. But given the crazy, unpredictable nature of the Golden Globes, part of me really, really, really wants Wiig to win!

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Albert Brooks - Drive
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen - A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Who Will Win - Plummer!!

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants
Who Will Win - I'm sensing there is going to be some ridiculous level of love for The Artist so I'm kind of leaning with Bejo. This category seems wide open though and I'm personally pulling for either Chastain or Woodley.

Best Director
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
George Clooney - The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
Who Will Win - Again, it depends on the love of The Artist. I could see Payne winning here, but I'm going with Hazanavicius. I think the Globes are going to love The Artist.

2011 Grades

To finish my yearly wrap up, here is the complete list of films I've seen this year, alphabetical by grade:

A+

A
Hugo
Moneyball
The Tree of Life

A-
Drive

B+
50/50
Beginners
Bridesmaids
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Help
The Ides of March
Midnight in Paris
Super 8
Take Shelter
Warrior

B
Bellflower
The Conspirator
Contagion
Crazy Stupid Love
The Descendants
Limitless
The Lincoln Lawyer
My Week With Marilyn
Red State
Scream 4
Skateland
Source Code
X-Men: First Class
Young Adult

B-
Ceremony
Fright Night
Jane Eyre
Meek's Cutoff
Win Win

C+
Friends with Benefits
The Hangover Part 2
Hanna
Horrible Bosses
J. Edgar
Our Idiot Brother
Thor

C
The Art of Getting By
Bad Teacher
The Beaver
I Am Number Four
The Mechanic
No Strings Attached
Unknown

C-
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Immortals
The Other Woman
Paranormal Activity 3
Red Riding Hood

D+
The Adjustment Bureau
Cedar Rapids
The Green Hornet
Just Go With It

D
The Roommate
Sucker Punch

D-
Beastly
Insidious
The Rite
Take Me Home Tonight

F
Battle Los Angeles
The Dilemma
Drive Angry
Hesher
One Day
Paul
Super
Your Highness

Top Ten List: Best Films of 2011

Honorable Mention - The Ides of March, Bellflower, Young Adult, 50/50, The Help.

10. Warrior - If MMA had existed during Shakespeare's time, he would have written a play about it and this movie would have been based on that play. Warring brothers? Check. Sons with major daddy resentment issues? Check. Lots of melodrama and tragedy? Check. An epic final showdown between said brothers? Check. Just throw in some witches or something, and it's a Shakespeare play!

09. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - I still think I prefer the original Swedish version and Noomi Rapace's performance as Lisbeth better, but that's not to take anything away from David Fincher's punk rock, edgy, anarchy filled remake. It's dark and brutal filled with amazing performances from Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig and Stellan Skarsgard.

08. Take Shelter - One of the quieter films of the year, Take Shelter is a fantastic take on one man's life. He starts having nightmares and then struggles to discover if he's seeing the end of the world or just going schizophrenic like his mommy. Would this movie work without Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain's Oscar worthy performances? Maybe not. So thank God we've got them!

07. Beginners - You know how all movies about parents dying of cancer and love stories about starting over and trying again are terribly cliched? Well, not this beautiful filmed based on director Mike Mills own experiences with his 70-something dying dad coming out of the closet and his thirst for life in his final months that influences him to seek love with a quirky adorable French actress. Plus, there's a dog that talks in subtitles!

06. Bridesmaids - The goddamn funniest movie of the year, hands down! Months later and Bridesmaids is still so far into the collective minds of society that it's being nominated for a well-deserved ton of awards! Kristen Wiig is outstanding (and her performance, I relate to, maybe, a bit too much) as a woman struggling with the feelings of her best friend getting married and getting her life together while she still hasn't figured anything out. Throw in Maya Rudolf and Melissa McCarthy and you will never laugh harder.

05. Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen is back! Although, he hasn't gone anywhere, really, Midnight in Paris is his most creative, most enjoyable movie in years. Owen Wilson stars as a writer engaged to a terrible woman (Rachel McAdams) who is obsessed with 1920s Paris. One night, he suddenly finds himself transported back there to hob nob with the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, his wife Zelda, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and, of course, a very hilarious Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway. A delightful, fantastic film from my favorite director.

04. Drive - I remember when I was in the college and I swear every dorm room had a poster of either Fight Club or Dazed and Confused. Those were the cult masterpieces of my college days. I always wondered what movie poster kids these days would have on their walls. Well, thanks to Drive and it's gritty, violent, urgent storytelling and performances, plus it's generally too-cool vibe, I think it's safe to say everyone next fall will have a Drive poster on their wall.

03. The Tree of Life - What can you possibly say about such a flawed masterpiece? A movie that so many people love, but just as many people hate. Well, The Tree of Life is so big, so urgent, so beautiful, that it's really almost above film. Director Terrence Malick has made, yet again, a piece of art. And that you got to sit there and watch it, should make you grateful.

02. Moneyball - Maybe it's because I love baseball so very much but Bennett Miller's tale of an aging baseball star and current coach who breaks the rules and tries to create his very own system for picking players is a great movie. It's not just a baseball movie (although it's the best movie about baseball since Bull Durham), it's a movie about life, being the underdog and trying your hardest to win.

01. Hugo - When I heard that Martin Scorsese was directing a children's movie, I was shocked. After all, this is the man that made Raging Bull and Goodfellas and Taxi Driver. But it IS Martin Scorsese so I should have realized really quickly that his children's movie would be the best of the year. Hugo is enchanting and beautiful and a celebration of film and movie making with exquisite performances. Also, he finally made me think 3D wasn't such a waste of time and money.

Top Ten List: Best Actor 2011

10. Tom Hardy for Warrior - Hardy, who has previously done such great work in films like Bronson, is electric in Warrior. As a mysterious former Marine who joins the ultimate MMA battle, he is like a caged lion in the ring, all aggression and rage and heart.

09. Michael Fassbender for X-Men: First Class - I know, I know. Fassbender again?? But he was great as the young Magneto, a former prisoner of the Nazi's who starts out as a friend to Professor X but ultimately becomes a very very (sexy) bad man.

08. Michael Angarano for Ceremony - This movie made me realize that in a few years Michael Angarano is going to be just like Sam Rockwell. Watching his performance here, as a young man in love with an older soon to be married woman who shows up at her wedding to wreck havoc, you would think you were watching a young Rockwell. And that's definitely a good thing.

07. Ryan Gosling for The Ides of March - In the second of Gosling's one-two punch this fall, he played a good man working for a bad politician. So when he decides to fight back and manipulate certain events, what does that make him? Luckily, Gosling is just as good as the script, so it's fun trying to figure it all out.

06. Joseph Gordon-Levitt for 50/50 - I've been a fan of Gordon-Levitt's since day one, years ago when he was a young kid on 3rd Rock from the Sun. He did the indie circuit, and wowed everyone with performances in Brick and then moved on to blockbusters like Inception. It's great to see him flexing his considerable acting skills in a very good (highly underrated) comedy about cancer.

05. Ryan Gosling for Drive - The first of Gosling's amazing performances this past fall, he stars as a mysterious man only known as the driver. He's a stunt car driver who gets caught up in a huge scheme involving the local mob and a very scary Ron Perlman and an even scarier Albert Brooks. He doesn't have much dialogue but the movie is still so alive thanks to his expressions and subtlety.

04. Brad Pitt for Moneyball - I don't always like Brad Pitt. For every Fight Club and Seven, there are movies like Seven Years in Tibet and all those awful Oceans movies. But this is the perfect role for Pitt - an aging golden boy, former star who is trying desperately to hold onto to his former glory days on the baseball field and craft a new generation.

03. George Clooney for The Descendants - Clooney is perfection as Matt King, a man struggling with his wife being in a coma she may not come out of, two semi-out of control daughters and a big upcoming real estate venture. This is the single best performance of his career and the reason why he'll most likely win an Oscar in a few weeks.

02. Leonardo DiCaprio for J. Edgar - DiCaprio should win an Oscar for his very versatile performance as J. Edgar Hoover. Unfortunately, the movie is lackluster and so he probably won't win that long, long, long deserved Oscar. However, that doesn't make his profound performance any less impressive.

01. Michael Shannon for Take Shelter - Michael Shannon is transcendent in Take Shelter, as a family man who suddenly begins having nightmares of the end of the world. Is he losing his mind like his schizophrenic mother? Or is he a modern day prophet? This performance is so restrained, so quiet, so simple (not over the top like he can be once in a while), so intense, so beautifully done. It's a shame he's not a bigger star because if he was Hollywood's best character actor would give Clooney a real run for his money in February.

Top Ten List: Best Actress 2011

10. Michelle Williams for Meek's Cutoff - Williams gave two great performances last year, the first of which was as a strong, silent pioneer woman in the visually stunning but ultimately flawed Meek's Cutoff. Her performance is largely in her eyes and expressions and she is flawless as usual.

09. Emma Stone for The Help - Emma proves she's not just a one hit wonder with Easy A by starring in one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It's also, arguably, the best acting ensemble of the year and she holds her own with a bevy of wonderfully talented women.

08. Saoirse Ronan for Hanna - 2011 was a great year for younger actors and actresses, with Ronan as a huge standout. She is going to be a huge star and her performance as the deadly child assassin, who has no idea what the radio is and only really wants to kiss a boy, is mesmerizing.

07. Elle Fanning for Super 8 - Another young actress that is talented beyond her years, Fanning is amazing as the wannabe actress who causes all the boys in the neighborhood to fall in love. She's also acting within her acting here, and it's simply a joy to watch.

06. Viola Davis for The Help - Another amazing, layered performance in The Help, this time Davis as a maid who has recently lost her only child and wants nothing more than to keep tending to the white child of the family she works for. Davis will most likely be nominated for an Oscar in a few weeks for her great performance.

05. Carey Mulligan for Drive - Ryan Gosling isn't the only one who smolders in drive. Carey Mulligan, as the object of his affection, is pretty damn great too. She plays a young, working mother who is caught between her deadly neighbor and her baby daddy, just released from prison.

04. Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids - Bridesmaids is the one movie that gives The Help a run for its money in the best ensemble category. It's also the funniest movie of the year and that is thanks to its star (and co-writer) Kristin Wiig. Anyone who has ever watched SNL knows that Wiig is funny but here she is also deeply touching and sympathetic. Also, I probably related to her character more than any other in the entire 2011 movie season.

03. Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - I still think I prefer Noomi Rapace - the original girl with the dragon tattoo - but Mara, who was practically a nobody before this role, was definitely the right choice for Lisbeth. She is sensational as the tough, empowering computer hacker. With her tattoos and mohawk and black clothes, she's an unlikely but understandable female heroine.

02. Charlize Theron for Young Adult - I very nearly almost gave Theron the top spot on this list. She's the best she's ever been (yes, better than her Oscar winning role in Monster) as Mavis Gary, a very likely mentally ill failing Young Adult writer who goes back to her hometown to steal her high school boyfriend who is married with a newborn baby. Likeable?? Not at all. Hilarious?? Totally.

01. Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn - Ultimately, the top spot had to go to future Oscar winner (yes, as in, in less than two months) Michelle Williams who doesn't just play or portray or impersonate Marilyn Monroe... she becomes her, right down to her wiggle and her breathy voice and her seductive everything. She's perfection in every single way. If she doesn't win an Oscar in February than something is very, very wrong in Hollywood!

Top Ten List - Best Supporting Actor 2011

10. Michael Fassbender for Jane Eyre - Maybe it's my huge crush on Fassbender or maybe it's his really huge year, but he smolders in a boring period piece like Jane Eyre. He manages to make the rough and unlikeable (at least I always disliked him) Mr. Rochester sexy and mysterious.

09. Jonah Hill for Moneyball - Everyone knows Jonah Hill is funny. But the guy can actually act! Thanks, probably, to Aaron Sorkin's fantastic script, Hill brings the character of a dorky math whiz who uses his skills to assess baseball players to life on the screen.

08. Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Ides of March - Hoffman has also had a great year, also stealing his few scenes in Moneyball, but in The Ides of March, he is sneaky and manipulative and loyal and just plain fantastic.

07. Kenneth Branagh for My Week With Marilyn - Sure, this movie belongs to Michelle Williams and her fantastic portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, but there is room to talk about Branagh, too. He plays Sir Laurence Olivier perfectly - mean, surly, ridiculously talented, in love with and jealous of Monroe.

06. Stellan Skarsgard for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Elegantly creepy, Skarsgard was the perfect choice to play the seemingly nice member of the despicable Vanger family, Martin. In his big scene near the end, he manages to be terrifying and funny and classy and intelligent and disgusting, all at the same time.

05. Patton Oswalt for Young Adult - Yes, Patton Oswalt can act and he creates one of the best oddball chemistries ever with Charlize Theron. He's a handicapped former bullied kid who grows up to be a guy who makes moonshine and loves action figures. He is disgusted by Theron's character, but also worships her. It's a great performance to watch.

04. Ben Kingsley for Hugo - Kingsley has been one of the greatest actors of his generation for years. But, after years and years in film, Hugo may just be his finest performance ever. As a toy maker and former revolutionary director, Kingsley is fierce and sentimental and just amazing.

03. Albert Brooks for Drive - Brooks is devastatingly scary in one of the best movies of the year. As a mobster type, he terrifies in a controlled way, which is really the most terrifying way to scare people after all.

02. Corey Stoll for Midnight in Paris - My personal favorite performance of the year, Stoll steals the entire movie away from more well known actors. His Ernest Hemingway is absolutely and undeniably hilarious. It's a shame he wasn't nominated as part of the ensemble at the SAG Awards, but here's hoping he goes method and shows up in character, drunk and yelling, "WHO WANTS TO FIGHT??"

01. Christopher Plummer for Beginners - Plummer is exhilarating as a man in his 80s who finally comes out of the closet, only to find out he's dying, and manages to inspire his son to start over because he won't let a little thing like death slow him down from finally being happy and finding true love and starting movie clubs and having parties and being just plain amazing.

Top Ten List: Best Supporting Actress 2011

10. Judi Dench for J. Edgar - J. Edgar was a huge disappointment. Not a disappointment? The expectantly great performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Judi Dench, as his tough love mother who loves and berates him and adores and terrifies him. It's a splendidly layered performance.

09. Bryce Dallas Howard for The Help - Howard is fabulous as the ultimate mean girl in the 1950s, treating her servants, friends and even family members like crap. But don't worry. She more than gets what she deserves.

08. Judy Greer for The Descendants - Greer doesn't show up until about three quarters of the way through the movie. She doesn't have a very big part, but she plays her few scenes with so much substance and subtlety that you can't take your eyes off of her.

07. Allison Pill for Midnight in Paris - As the flamboyant, fabulous Zelda Fitzgerald, Pill is a delight with her Southern accent and hatred for Ernest Hemingway. Even when she's having a break down, she's charismatic.

06. Anna Kendrick for 50/50 - This under the radar movie was so underrated and so is Kendrick's performance as a newbie therapist who maybe needs a little therapy herself. Her performance is warm and sweet and awkward and lovely.

05. Jessica Chastain for The Tree of Life - Chastain came out of nowhere this year and managed to give a handful of spectacular performances. In The Tree of Life, she holds her own opposite Brad Pitt and Sean Penn as a loving, beautiful, caring mother.

04. Octavia Spencer for The Help - So much sass! Spencer plays the role of Minny to perfection. Her maid is spunky and has more than enough moxie to go around.

03. Jessica Chastain for The Help - The Help was probably the best ensemble of the year. And the stand out? Chastain, of course, as the ditzy, brand new rich girl who would do anything to fit in. She's funny and sweet and loveable.

02. Shailene Woodley for The Descendants - I wasn't buying the hype either. I thought, no way is this little girl from that pregnant teenager show on ABC Family THAT good. But, she is. As Alexandra, daughter of Clooney, she plays angsty teenager so naturally that you forget she's playing a character and think she's just herself.

01. Jessica Chastain for Take Shelter - The Oscars may be burned out on Chastain's ubiquitous year by the time nominations are announced, but I'm certainly not. Chastain glows in so many outstanding performances this year that it's hard to pick just one as THE performance. But, opposite Michael Shannon, she proves she's a force to be reckoned with and one to watch for years to come.

Top Ten List: Worst Films of 2011

10. Beastly - I guess this movie is supposed to be a young and hip remake of Beauty and the Beast. Instead it's a wooden, terribly written, terribly acted awful movie starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer as two pretty people who can't act their way out of a paper bag and have no chemistry whatsoever. Plus, Neil Patrick Harris completely embarrasses himself by being a part of this mess. When Mary Kate Olsen is the best actor in your movie, you know you've got problems.

09. Insidious - Yes, it lives up to its name. This movie stops being good the minute the opening credits end. It's boring and trite and the last third of the movie is so overly ridiculous that it made me want to laugh out loud... and not in a good way.

08. Hesher - I love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I love Natalie Portman. So this quirky indie drama couldn't go wrong, right? No way. I was so wrong. Hesher was a VERY BAD MOVIE starring very good actors about a rebellious asshole who befriends a mourning child and steals the grocery store clerk he's in love with. Unlikeable characters, less likeable script.

07. Your Highness - Or, What can go wrong when you have a movie directed by David Gordon Green (who directed two of the best movies I've ever seen) and starring Justin Theroux, James Franco, Natalie Portman, and Zooey Deschanel?? The answer, by the way, is everything.

06. The Dilemma - Watch Vince Vaughn make gay jokes while he struggles with the idea of trying to tell his best friend that his wife is cheating on him. Also, try to suspend disbelief and believe for even one second that a schlub like Kevin James can land a hottie like Winona Ryder.

05. Battle Los Angeles - I can't really say what this movie is about other than shaky cam alien invasion, or some shit. Mostly, it's just a really, really, really bad action movie filled with characters you don't care about doing stuff you don't care about.

04. Paul - Or, the biggest waste of time and the talents of a long list of people including, but not limited to, Bill Hader, Jason Bateman, Simon Pegg, Kristen Wiig, Jane Lynch, etc. etc. etc.

03. Super - Super, it is not. Instead, it's a disgusting, unfunny, unnecessary movie about a man that wants to be a super hero to save his wife from a drug king pin. Also, watch Ellen Page OVERACT so bad that I just had to capitalize the word.

02. Drive Angry - Nicolas Cage escapes from hell and takes a road trip in order to save his baby granddaughter from a cult that wants to sacrifice her to the devil. I'm not even remotely kidding about that synopsis.

01. One Day - I honestly don't know how this catastrophe of a movie was even made. One Day is one of my absolute favorite books. I don't know why they would make a movie version if they were planning on cutting out three quarters of the book. I don't know why they would cast Anne Hathaway who was absolutely terrible, but also, in her defense, totally wrong for the part. I just don't know why this movie was ever made in the first place.