#9 Locke
Let me ask you a hypothetical: Suppose I said to you "You've got a chance to watch a movie where one actor drives in a car taking calls on his bluetooth system for eighty-five minutes." You'd probably ponder for a second before returning "Does it lead up to a massive fiery car crash?" "No," I'd say. You'd nod, scratch your chin, look up quizzically. "Is there a big blaze of glory shootout with the cops?" "Nope, not that either." "It's really just one guy, driving and talking on the phone for an hour and a half?" I'd think for a second. "Pretty much, yeah."
Probably wouldn't be knocking the elderly out of the way or cutting lines to get to your movie theater seat in time, would you?
In reality, Locke is so much more than that, and it's a shame not many people saw it because it boasts one of the finest acting performances of the year. Since busting on to the scene as droll con man Eames in Inception, Tom Hardy has showcased his range, turning in performances as a convincing Brooklynite (The Drop), a mixed martial arts champion (Warrior), a rom-com CIA agent (This Means War), and a cheerful Darth Vader (The Dark Knight Rises). Never has he been so good or so multidimensional as he is in Locke. The movie begins with Ivan Locke taking off his bright yellow construction vest and hardhat (he's a site manager) and putting on a suit to get in his car and drive to London. The timing isn't great; he's got a bad cold and the biggest construction project of his career starting tomorrow and he can't be there for the concrete pour. These are the calls he handles first, talking on his car speaker to his right hand man, Donal (voice of Andrew Scott) and his boss Gareth (voice of Ben Daniels), who are both confused and upset at his absence. He works at assuring them that all will work out before hanging up and calling his family. There's a huge football match on, and he has to first break the hearts of sons Sean (voice of Bill Milner) and Eddie (voice of Tom Holland) by telling them he can't be there for it before asking to speak to their mother, Katrina (voice of Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson). It's at that point, between his conversation with his wife and another mysterious call that the audience is shown why he is ditching his obligations to drive to London, and everyone is gobsmacked about it.
I don't want to say any more because I think you should see it. Hardy and director Stephen Knight are literally given one set piece to work with and within that car they manage to convey tension, loads of suspense, heartbreak and occasional laughter. Ivan Locke's drive to London runs the gamut of human emotion, and I don't know if Hardy could have been any better. In a sense, Locke is like Redford in last year's All is Lost, by himself and captaining a sinking ship, doing everything he can to plug the leaks. Locke, shot entirely at night, also looks beautiful, with streetlights whizzing by and coordinated reflections on the dash and along the window behind his head. Kudos to both Knight and Hardy for taking a chance on the unconventional and pulling it off.
#8 We Are the Best!
The best buddy comedy of the year does not feature Hill and Tatum, nor does it put New Girl stars Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. on a crash course with police academy, or send Rogen and Franco to North Korea to assassinate its dictator. The leads in the best buddy comedy of the year are two thirteen year old Swedish girls. Introducing: We Are the Best!
It's the early '80s in Stockholm, and Bobo (Mira Barkhammar) is a shy young girl who looks a lot like a young dude--short hair, John Lennon glasses, baggy sweaters. She lives at home with her single mom, who is always having adult parties in their apartment and auditioning new suitors. Bobo's best friend is Klara (Mira Grosin), equally androgynous but with much more punk flair and a haircut that looks like she just walked out of a Dead Kennedys show. They are outcasts in every situation, laughed at in school and feuding with teenage metal band Iron Fist at their rec center. Klara decides they should start a band to piss off their competition, who constantly remind them that "punk is dead." Klara, far more outspoken and political than her counterpart, handles lyrical duties. After an incident in gym class, she comes up with "Hate the Sport", a hilarious and brilliant attack on pervasive sports culture. Around this time, they pick up a third, a quiet girl named Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne) who they see nail a classical guitar performance at their school talent show. Once they are a trio, the movie gains even more steam, tackling theological differences (Klara=atheist, Bobo=agnostic, Hedvig=Christian), style (an unfortunate haircut incident), and romance (Klara and Bobo vying for the attention of the same punk-rock boy) on the way to a gonzo conclusion at their first rock gig in a Stockholm suburb.
Out of the four films I saw at this year's Minneapolis St. Paul Film Fest, this was my favorite, an absolute riot. Just writing about it makes me want to see it again. Do yourself a favor and track it down. It doesn't disappoint. But if it does, make sure to write me a punk rock letter illustrating your disdain for me.
#7 Gone Girl
I know a certain someone who got this book on their kindle and read it in one three-and-a-half hour sitting. You have to give it up for Gillian Flynn, the ex "Entertainment Weekly" columnist who churned out the beach read of the last three years, a propulsive, addictive psychodrama about the pitfalls of marriage. Or, more specifically, the pitfalls of marrying the wrong person.
Gone Girl the movie was, to a degree, critically underrated. I saw it on very few top ten lists this year, and it deserved to be. The David Fincher/Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross machine,now on their third straight collaboration (The Social Network and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) continues to improve, to fine-tune itself and create a tone that matches its content. The pacing of Gone Girl, with Fincher's seamless movement between scenes and Reznor/Ross's blippy electronica and industrial flourishes of terror, is nearly perfect. Fincher's lighting and framing, going all the way back to Se7en almost 20 years ago, finds a way to coax out the darkness of every interaction. Considering the pitch of the book, I couldn't think of more capable people to take on the adaptation, and the hype surrounding it was well-rewarded.
Of course, it helps to get good performances out of your actors. Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) have a meet-cute in New York City and get married. When Nick's mom gets sick, they pack up the U-Haul and move back to rural Missouri to be there to help out. Amy gets resentful and bored, and their marriage becomes strained. On their fifth wedding anniversary, with Nick all set to go on the annual scavenger hunt that she puts together for him, she disappears. He reports it to the cops, Boney (Kim Dickens) and Gilpin (Fugit), whose distrust for everything he says is practically written on their faces. When it becomes a national story, Nick is in the crosshairs with not much stopping him from being the only suspect. Smack in the middle of the movie is the giant twist that sets the entire second half into motion, and if you've read the book, let me assure you that this section is not only handled masterfully, but probably my favorite part of the film.
Good-to-great performances come from: Carrie Coon, Nick's put-upon twin and co-owner of their bar, Margo; Tyler Perry as lawyer/PR mogul Tanner Bolt; Casey Wilson as Noelle Hawthorne. a concerned neighbor with ambiguous intentions; and Neil Patrick Harris as Desi Collings, an ex-boyfriend of Amy's who wants to get involved. There are others, but mentioning them would give away important plot points. I refuse to be the guy who gives away the 'twistery" of the last half-decade.
Only six more to go. There will be an good explanation for why I chose to save my top 6 instead of my top 5. At least I hope there will be. Stay tuned throughout the day for more!
Probably wouldn't be knocking the elderly out of the way or cutting lines to get to your movie theater seat in time, would you?
In reality, Locke is so much more than that, and it's a shame not many people saw it because it boasts one of the finest acting performances of the year. Since busting on to the scene as droll con man Eames in Inception, Tom Hardy has showcased his range, turning in performances as a convincing Brooklynite (The Drop), a mixed martial arts champion (Warrior), a rom-com CIA agent (This Means War), and a cheerful Darth Vader (The Dark Knight Rises). Never has he been so good or so multidimensional as he is in Locke. The movie begins with Ivan Locke taking off his bright yellow construction vest and hardhat (he's a site manager) and putting on a suit to get in his car and drive to London. The timing isn't great; he's got a bad cold and the biggest construction project of his career starting tomorrow and he can't be there for the concrete pour. These are the calls he handles first, talking on his car speaker to his right hand man, Donal (voice of Andrew Scott) and his boss Gareth (voice of Ben Daniels), who are both confused and upset at his absence. He works at assuring them that all will work out before hanging up and calling his family. There's a huge football match on, and he has to first break the hearts of sons Sean (voice of Bill Milner) and Eddie (voice of Tom Holland) by telling them he can't be there for it before asking to speak to their mother, Katrina (voice of Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson). It's at that point, between his conversation with his wife and another mysterious call that the audience is shown why he is ditching his obligations to drive to London, and everyone is gobsmacked about it.
I don't want to say any more because I think you should see it. Hardy and director Stephen Knight are literally given one set piece to work with and within that car they manage to convey tension, loads of suspense, heartbreak and occasional laughter. Ivan Locke's drive to London runs the gamut of human emotion, and I don't know if Hardy could have been any better. In a sense, Locke is like Redford in last year's All is Lost, by himself and captaining a sinking ship, doing everything he can to plug the leaks. Locke, shot entirely at night, also looks beautiful, with streetlights whizzing by and coordinated reflections on the dash and along the window behind his head. Kudos to both Knight and Hardy for taking a chance on the unconventional and pulling it off.
#8 We Are the Best!
The best buddy comedy of the year does not feature Hill and Tatum, nor does it put New Girl stars Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. on a crash course with police academy, or send Rogen and Franco to North Korea to assassinate its dictator. The leads in the best buddy comedy of the year are two thirteen year old Swedish girls. Introducing: We Are the Best!
It's the early '80s in Stockholm, and Bobo (Mira Barkhammar) is a shy young girl who looks a lot like a young dude--short hair, John Lennon glasses, baggy sweaters. She lives at home with her single mom, who is always having adult parties in their apartment and auditioning new suitors. Bobo's best friend is Klara (Mira Grosin), equally androgynous but with much more punk flair and a haircut that looks like she just walked out of a Dead Kennedys show. They are outcasts in every situation, laughed at in school and feuding with teenage metal band Iron Fist at their rec center. Klara decides they should start a band to piss off their competition, who constantly remind them that "punk is dead." Klara, far more outspoken and political than her counterpart, handles lyrical duties. After an incident in gym class, she comes up with "Hate the Sport", a hilarious and brilliant attack on pervasive sports culture. Around this time, they pick up a third, a quiet girl named Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne) who they see nail a classical guitar performance at their school talent show. Once they are a trio, the movie gains even more steam, tackling theological differences (Klara=atheist, Bobo=agnostic, Hedvig=Christian), style (an unfortunate haircut incident), and romance (Klara and Bobo vying for the attention of the same punk-rock boy) on the way to a gonzo conclusion at their first rock gig in a Stockholm suburb.
Out of the four films I saw at this year's Minneapolis St. Paul Film Fest, this was my favorite, an absolute riot. Just writing about it makes me want to see it again. Do yourself a favor and track it down. It doesn't disappoint. But if it does, make sure to write me a punk rock letter illustrating your disdain for me.
#7 Gone Girl
I know a certain someone who got this book on their kindle and read it in one three-and-a-half hour sitting. You have to give it up for Gillian Flynn, the ex "Entertainment Weekly" columnist who churned out the beach read of the last three years, a propulsive, addictive psychodrama about the pitfalls of marriage. Or, more specifically, the pitfalls of marrying the wrong person.
Gone Girl the movie was, to a degree, critically underrated. I saw it on very few top ten lists this year, and it deserved to be. The David Fincher/Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross machine,now on their third straight collaboration (The Social Network and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) continues to improve, to fine-tune itself and create a tone that matches its content. The pacing of Gone Girl, with Fincher's seamless movement between scenes and Reznor/Ross's blippy electronica and industrial flourishes of terror, is nearly perfect. Fincher's lighting and framing, going all the way back to Se7en almost 20 years ago, finds a way to coax out the darkness of every interaction. Considering the pitch of the book, I couldn't think of more capable people to take on the adaptation, and the hype surrounding it was well-rewarded.
Of course, it helps to get good performances out of your actors. Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) have a meet-cute in New York City and get married. When Nick's mom gets sick, they pack up the U-Haul and move back to rural Missouri to be there to help out. Amy gets resentful and bored, and their marriage becomes strained. On their fifth wedding anniversary, with Nick all set to go on the annual scavenger hunt that she puts together for him, she disappears. He reports it to the cops, Boney (Kim Dickens) and Gilpin (Fugit), whose distrust for everything he says is practically written on their faces. When it becomes a national story, Nick is in the crosshairs with not much stopping him from being the only suspect. Smack in the middle of the movie is the giant twist that sets the entire second half into motion, and if you've read the book, let me assure you that this section is not only handled masterfully, but probably my favorite part of the film.
Good-to-great performances come from: Carrie Coon, Nick's put-upon twin and co-owner of their bar, Margo; Tyler Perry as lawyer/PR mogul Tanner Bolt; Casey Wilson as Noelle Hawthorne. a concerned neighbor with ambiguous intentions; and Neil Patrick Harris as Desi Collings, an ex-boyfriend of Amy's who wants to get involved. There are others, but mentioning them would give away important plot points. I refuse to be the guy who gives away the 'twistery" of the last half-decade.
Only six more to go. There will be an good explanation for why I chose to save my top 6 instead of my top 5. At least I hope there will be. Stay tuned throughout the day for more!
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