The 2011 Critic Lists and Awards Masturbato Discussion Thread (FILMS ONLY)

[Bosco B Thug]

Reverse Shot's Two Cents of 2011 (http://www.reverseshot.com/article/reverse_shots_two_cents_2011) Wow, lots to comment on/chafe at/do whatever to there. (Good and bad.) It just kept on going and going.

Bad call dissing the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo opening credits.

[Watashi]

Guy Maddin listed MI:GP. He's cool with me.

[Pop Trash]

Wow, lots to comment on/chafe at/do whatever to there. (Good and bad.) It just kept on going and going.

Bad call dissing the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo opening credits.

Yeah, I mean, isn't it pretty obvious that it's tattoo ink and not tar?

[Watashi]

Quentin Tarantino's Best Films of 2011:

1. Midnight In Paris
2. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
3. Moneyball
4. The Skin I Live In
5. X-Men: First Class
6. Young Adult
7. Attack The Block
8. Red State
9. Warrior
10. The Artist / Our Idiot Brother (tie)
11. The Three Musketeers

Others considered in no particular order

50/50
Beginners
Hugo
The Iron Lady
Carnage
Green Hornet
Green Lantern
Captain America
The Descendants
My Week With Marilyn
Fast Five
Tree Of Life
The Hangover Part II
Mission Impossible 4
The Beaver
Contagion
The Sitter
War Horse

Nice Try Award

Drive
Hannah
Drive Angry
Real Steel

Best Director

Pedro Almodovar
Bennett Miller
Woody Allen
Jason Reitman
Michel Hazanavicius

Best Original Screenplay

Midnight In Paris
Young Adult
Red State
Attack The Block
Our Idiot Brother
Beginners

Best Adapted Screenplay

Moneyball
The Skin I live In
Carnage
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Hugo
X-Men: First Class

Worst Films

Sucker Punch
Potiche (Trophy Wife)
Miral
Insidious
Rampart
Straw Dogs
Paranormal Activity 3
Meek’s Cutoff

[Lucky]

Does anyone else find a director's list including a "Worst Films" category a bit unprofessional?

[Derek]

Does anyone else find a director's list including a "Worst Films" category a bit unprofessional?

Not at all. I don't see why directors shouldn't be allowed to be honest about what they like and dislike. QT's list is pretty awful, though I'm glad to see Rampart on his worst list, but that's beside the point.

[Lucky]

Not at all. I don't see why directors shouldn't be allowed to be honest about what they like and dislike. QT's list is pretty awful, though I'm glad to see Rampart on his worst list, but that's beside the point.

That's not quite what I meant by that. I think a director should (and be encouraged to) freely express their opinions of others' work in the right avenue. If Tarantino had an outlet where he wrote film reviews I would expect some of those reviews would be negative. It's just that posting a Worst Films list feels like it crosses that line. I know this industry is different than most others because it's strongly founded in criticism, but his approach rubbed me as unprofessional. Perhaps I'm just being overly sensitive.

I would say the same thing if Brad Pitt posted a worst performances list.

[Derek]

That's not quite what I meant by that. I think a director should (and be encouraged to) freely express their opinions of others' work in the right avenue. If Tarantino had an outlet where he wrote film reviews I would expect some of those reviews would be negative. It's just that posting a Worst Films list feels like it crosses that line. I know this industry is different than most others because it's strongly founded in criticism, but his approach rubbed me as unprofessional. Perhaps I'm just being overly sensitive.

I would say the same thing if Brad Pitt posted a worst performances list.

I think artists have always tended speak strongly, one way or the other, about their contemporaries. I think your mistake is thinking they should play industry politics and consider their fellow directors as business associates rather artists (or hacks).

[Pop Trash]

Does anyone else find a director's list including a "Worst Films" category a bit unprofessional?

I agree with you here. Not to mention his list is obviously geared towards liking his 90s Gen-X friends (Kevin Smith) and less towards Tarantino-esque movies by up-and-comers (Drive). His "nice try" quip just smacks of sour grapes.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I would say the same thing if Brad Pitt posted a worst performances list.

I wasn't with you until you posted this bit. Now, I can kind of see your point.

[Spinal]

Quentin Tarantino's Best Films of 2011:

1. Midnight In Paris


Do. Not. Understand.

[Derek]

I wasn't with you until you posted this bit. Now, I can kind of see your point.

I still don't. Now, if QT made a 10 Worst Contemporary Directors list, then I'd agree. The difference between a director listing his least favorite films of the year and an actor listing his least favorite performances, is that one expresses disapproval of the art object, the other of the person him or herself. Are we really to say that an author shouldn't express negative thoughts on books he dislikes or painters on paintings he dislikes. It's absurd.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I still don't. Now, if QT made a 10 Worst Contemporary Directors list, then I'd agree. The difference between a director listing his least favorite films of the year and an actor listing his least favorite performances, is that one expresses disapproval of the art object, the other of the person him or herself. Are we really to say that an author shouldn't express negative thoughts on books he dislikes or painters on paintings he dislikes. It's absurd.

But the example isn't Pitt isn't making a 10 Worst Contemporary Actors list. It would still be in bad taste to point out what he thought was the worst performances of the year. A performance is often a combination of material, direction, and actor. So while it's not necessarily a dig on the person, it still seems a bit smug and unnecessary. I can see the same connection being made with Tarantino calling out the worst films of the year, as more often than not, the film is a reflection on the director. They are supposed to be in control of all elements, so if those elements don't coalesce, the blame is on him/her. I'm not sure I completely agree, since my initial reaction to his list was to take no notice of the inclusion of worst films, but like I said, I can see Lucky's point of view.

[ledfloyd]

Not to mention his list is obviously geared towards liking his 90s Gen-X friends (Kevin Smith)
i'm not defending his list, because it's pretty erratic. but red state is literally the only instance of that, so it's hard to say the list is geared towards such.

i do like seeing the skin i live in so high, but i'm also confused as to what he didn't like about drive.

[Lucky]

Are we really to say that an author shouldn't express negative thoughts on books he dislikes or painters on paintings he dislikes. It's absurd.

No, not at all. That's why I wrote that second post. If an author made a 10 Worst Books of 2011 list, I'd say the same thing. Maybe this is rooted more in my failure to understand the value of a "Worst of..." list. I feel like all it accomplishes in these cases is belittling and condescension.

[Derek]

No, not at all. That's why I wrote that second post. If an author made a 10 Worst Books of 2011 list, I'd say the same thing. Maybe this is rooted more in my failure to understand the value of a "Worst of..." list. I feel like all it accomplishes in these cases is belittling and condescension.

I dunno, I don't really buy the "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" principle in regards to art. I think it exists to explored and that includes analysis, criticism, discussion, arguments and so on. It seems a bit shortsighted to relegate all negative opinions that come from that as condescending. It sounds as if you'd prefer everyone only talk about films, books, etc. they like and simply keep quiet about the rest, which I think would do more harm than good. Of course, if someone just goes around ragging on films all the time and never backing them up with thoughts or opinions, then I'd see your point. But whatever you think of QT, he is a well-informed, thoughtful cinephile, so I don't think he takes these dismissals lightly.

[transmogrifier]

I prefer "Worst of" lists to the likes of Reverse Shots "11 Offenses of 2011" or White's "Better than" list, which are both nothing more than hey-look-at-me-I-know-better-than-everyone-else self-congratulatory puff pieces.

[Kiusagi]

I wish Tarantino did reviews on a regular basis. I found a couple of reviews by him on YouTube and the passion he has made them a great listen. I certainly would like to know what he saw in Our Idiot Brother.

[Robby P]

I've seen four of the movies on his top 10 list (Moneyball, X-Men Babies, Red State, The Three Musketeers) and disliked each of them to varying degrees.

I have no problem with him including a 'Worst Movies' list, although it does seem a little presumptuous and tacky.

[Ezee E]

Surely he liked X-Men for the Basterds like scene in the bar with Magneto.

[Winston*]

I watched X-Men Babies the other week on a plane. Thought it was surprisingly terrible.

[Boner M]

Putting Drive on his 'nice try' list = sour grapes.

[DavidSeven]

To be fair, he's always been down on guys like Welles and Kubrick. Maybe there's just something about cold, meticulous craftsmanship that rubs him the wrong way.

[DavidSeven]

These lists of his do seem to be getting progressively less interesting as the years go on. Is he out of touch or is it CINEMA itself?!

[Spinal]

The Golden Globes really like Madonna.

[Boner M]

To be fair, he's always been down on guys like Welles and Kubrick. Maybe there's just something about cold, meticulous craftsmanship that rubs him the wrong way.
That doesn't explain The Skin I Live In at #4.

[Boner M]

These lists of his do seem to be getting progressively less interesting as the years go on. Is he out of touch or is it CINEMA itself?!
I've noticed that his tastes get less interesting as his own films get more interesting.

[Bosco B Thug]

These lists of his do seem to be getting progressively less interesting as the years go on. Is he out of touch or is it CINEMA itself?! He just has horrible critical faculties.

Though I would love to hear his rip on Insidious, since I would have thought he'd love that.

[MadMan]

Maybe its because I'm a QT fanboy, but I have no problem with him making a Top 10 and then a Worst of list, either. He's always had strong opinions on movies, so its natural for him to make up such lists. I strongly disagree with him on Drive, too, so I have to say its not as if I agree with him fully about his picks per say. Then again, I've only seen over 20 movies so far from 2011 so I will admit I do not have a proper grip on how good this year has been.

[TGM]

Well the Golden Globes was a largely uninteresting show. Ricky Gervais was disappointingly quite tame...

[Watashi]

Well the Golden Globes was a largely uninteresting show.

You don't say.

[dmk]

But whatever you think of QT, he is a well-informed, thoughtful cinephile.

hehe

[TripZone]

That doesn't explain The Skin I Live In at #4.

I know you're referring to the clinical aspect, but I knew QT would love Skin I Live In while watching it, what with its really arch approach to nonlinear narrative handled with finesse. Kill Bill comes to mind mostly.

[Irish]

Was there any source on the QT lists? I'm curious if there was an interview or essay attached to these (really like to know how The Artist and Idiot Brother wound up next to one another).

Also agree with Lucky. The worst of thing is unprofessional & tacky. QT best hope that none of the people he called out move in to producing.

[Derek]

hehe

From what I've read and heard, I think it's pretty clear he puts a lot of thought into the films he watches (or at least those he loves). Whether or not that translates to good taste or is evident in his own films is an entirely different matter.

[eternity]

Quentin Tarantino is the only guy who is far enough out in the left field to put Our Idiot Brother on a top list of anything.

[Pop Trash]

Quentin Tarantino is the only guy who is far enough out in the left field to put Our Idiot Brother on a top list of anything.

Yeah, the only thing I can think of with that one is that it could be considered a "hang out" movie which I know he is a fan of (stuff like Dazed & Confused). Personally, I just thought it was flat and went nowhere, but maybe that's what he liked about it? I did like Der Rudd in it (as always), and felt like his character deserved a better movie.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, first year I didn't even watch the entire Golden Globes. Stopped after Scorsese won cause I realized no more good jokes would get made.

Madonna was probably the funniest.

[Lucky]

Yeah, first year I didn't even watch the entire Golden Globes. Stopped after Scorsese won cause I realized no more good jokes would get made.

Madonna was probably the funniest.

Well you missed Clooney's golf joke then.

[Spinal]

Madonna's comeback was pretty good, but it was in response to an uncharacteristically lame joke from Gervais. Madonna-isn't-really-like-a-virgin jokes? She's had over 25 years to practice responses to that one.

[Ezee E]

Madonna's comeback was pretty good, but it was in response to an uncharacteristically lame joke from Gervais. Madonna-isn't-really-like-a-virgin jokes? She's had over 25 years to practice responses to that one.
True, but I say it's more of a lame joke from Gervais then Madonna. Those jokes were old ten years ago, and nobody laughed at that one.

[Winston*]

uncharacteristically lame joke from Gervais.

Huh?

[TripZone]

Gervais was every bit as terrible as he always is hosting.

[Ezee E]

This year instead of people being offended, the celebrities were offended if they weren't mentioned.

[Watashi]

A huge collection of critic's worst of 2011 lists. (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2012/01/vulture-critics-poll-worst-movie-of-2011-ballots.html)

Some of the films listed are just baffling and make me question how they got a job in the profession to begin with.

[Rowland]

A huge collection of critic's worst of 2011 lists. (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2012/01/vulture-critics-poll-worst-movie-of-2011-ballots.html)

Some of the films listed are just baffling and make me question how they got a job in the profession to begin with.This is a gem:


Bridesmaids. Ugly in both technique and spirit. For this to be hailed as a breakthrough for women in a year when the most ambitious American film, Sucker Punch, also the strongest feminist film to ever come out of Hollywood, was condemned as sexist suggests that film critics have collectively lost their fucking minds.

Also, this rather perfectly describes why I almost liked We Need to Talk About Kevin in spite of itself:


We Need to Talk About Kevin. I consider myself fortunate that I no longer have to see (or review) most of the bad movies that routinely pass through the multiplexes each week on their way to ancillary markets. No Jack and Jill for me. I've always found bad comedies and bad "art house" pictures to be the most painful to sit through, and What's the Matter With Helen, Kevin? is a hoot, because it tries so very, very hard. I'm not sure what it's trying to do, but it really works at it. Is it an unbearably arty horror film? A parody of "Bad Seed" movies in the broad style of Mel Brooks? A parody of sixties Antonioni movies as imagined by Dario Argento? Another take on Mommie Dearest? There's a hilarious Rosemary's Baby black stroller for the evil child, a pediatrician's office with faded pictures of killer clowns, an entire wall of tomato soup cans (hommage de Warhol?), little sis bound and gagged with garlands ("We're playing Christmas Kidnapping!"), a guinea pig and a garbage disposal, William Tell archery practice that you know cannot turn out well … and more red than Sugarpuss O'Shea's sore throat. (John C. Reilly daddy-comedy double-bill of the year: Kevin and Carnage.)

[Boner M]

We Need to Talk About Groupthink.

[Boner M]

Midnight in Paris. I'm not sure what I hated more, Allen's misogyny or the unrelenting tedium of his received ideas, but either way it made me want to stab myself in the face.
Come baaack Nathan. :sad:

[transmogrifier]

Come baaack Nathan. :sad:

Yeah, I read that and though WTF? That sort of shit would be embarrassing on an RT thread, let alone a paid critic.

[MadMan]

A huge collection of critic's worst of 2011 lists. (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2012/01/vulture-critics-poll-worst-movie-of-2011-ballots.html)

Some of the films listed are just baffling and make me question how they got a job in the profession to begin with.That was my thoughts on some of their lists. A couple favorite quotes of mine though were the following:


New Year’s Eve. Garry Marshall ushers in the eternal hellfire predicted by the Mayans.That's pure comedy, man.


Shark Night 3D. If you're going to name your tacky horror movie Shark Night 3D, please have the good sense to at least let it be R-rated.I can agree with that, which is why I passed on it. From what I've been hearing, I made a good decision.


Battle: Los Angeles.*Aliens from planet Shakey Cam invade Santa Monica. This movie would nauseate a methed-up mosquito.I'm surprised that anyone made it past the 45 minute mark. I gave up on it before then, especially since I was bored out of my skull.

[Spinal]

Some of the films listed are just baffling and make me question how they got a job in the profession to begin with.

Mick LaSalle, who I usually like, has both Happy Feet 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2. What? I mean, he must have seen Rio, right?

[Spinal]

This person is pretty funny though:


Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
1. Jack and Jill. A comedy so desperate, so starved for humor or jokes of any kind, I kept waiting for Al Pacino to Method-fart.
2. Cars 2. Pixar's answer to the Saw series — a phenomenally successful film franchise that nobody likes.
3. Cowboys and Aliens. Even on paper, it sounded like a bad idea.
4. A Dangerous Method. Respectable David Cronenberg makes me long for exploding heads and gash fucking.
5. The Sitter. The Birth of a Nation of lowbrow comedies, featuring running gags about mincing homos and scary black people.

[megladon8]

I predict either Brad Pitt or Gary Oldman will take home the Oscar.

[MadMan]

This person is pretty funny though:#5 is pretty funny. I guess The Sitter is really that terrible? I'll still give it a shot-even stupid comedies are usually worth at least a couple of laughs, although I thought it looked mostly unfunny.

[Spinal]

I predict either Brad Pitt or Gary Oldman will take home the Oscar.

Without even seeing the film, I would love to see Oldman rewarded. Call it lifetime achievement, whatever. He deserves it.

[MadMan]

Yeah I'm rooting for Oldman to win, too even though I haven't viewed Tinker Tailor, Solider Spy either. Besides that's often how the Oscars work these days-after all, The Coens and Martin Scorsese both won after working in Hollywood for decades. Apparently its mostly about just paying your dues.

[Rowland]

Mick LaSalle, who I usually like, has both Happy Feet 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2. What? I mean, he must have seen Rio, right?Mick LaSalle, pfft. He gave Attack the Block zero stars. I hate to play that game, but really? Zero?

[Pop Trash]

Mick LaSalle, pfft. He gave Attack the Block zero stars. I hate to play that game, but really? Zero?

Yeah, Mick LaSalle sucks. His column today in the SF Chronicle re: the Oscar noms was the pits.

[MadMan]

Mick LaSalle, pfft. He gave Attack the Block zero stars. I hate to play that game, but really? Zero?I now want to read his review of the film. How could he give such an entertaining and well crafted movie zero stars? I wonder if maybe too many of these critics expect Citizen Kane everytime they go to the cinema.

[megladon8]

Without even seeing the film, I would love to see Oldman rewarded. Call it lifetime achievement, whatever. He deserves it.


That's the main reason why I suspect he may win.

If memory serves, he's never even been nominated before. That's just nuts.

[MadMan]

He deserved a Best Supporting Oscar nomination back in 1994 for The Professional, at the very least.

[Adam]

2011 Skandies results (http://skandies.org/results/winners?year=2011)

1. The Tree of Life
2. A Separation
3. Margaret
4. Certified Copy
5. House of Pleasures
6. Drive
7. Melancholia
8. Meek's Cutoff
9. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
10. Martha Marcy May Marlene
11. Tuesday, After Christmas
12. Of Gods and Men
13. The Arbor
14. Putty Hill
15. Beginners
16. Moneyball
17. Take Shelter
18. Shame
19. Hugo
20. We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Director
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Actress
Anna Paquin, Margaret

Best Actor
Peyman Moaadi, A Separation

Best Supporting Actress
J Smith-Cameron, Margaret

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, Drive

Best Screenplay
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Best Scene
"Nights in White Satin" from House of Pleasures

[Boner M]

Always like reading the individual ballots. Dan Sallitt's love for We Bought a Zoo is a surprise. The wait for Margaret is killing me.

[NickGlass]

Yeah, I've been following the Skandies with every update. I'm still surprised, and elated, that they picked the right supporting actress in Margaret (which is no slight against Jeannie Berlin, who is a nominee for me, as well).

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Yeah, I've been following the Skandies with every update. I'm still surprised, and elated, that they picked the right supporting actress in Margaret (which is no slight against Jeannie Berlin, who is a nominee for me, as well).

Didn't read until after seeing the film that Smith-Cameron and Lonergan are married. I don't really remember her in You Can Count On Me, but if he ever scrounges up enough money or will power to make another film, I hope she's in it.

[NickGlass]

Didn't read until after seeing the film that Smith-Cameron and Lonergan are married. I don't really remember her in You Can Count On Me, but if he ever scrounges up enough money or will power to make another film, I hope she's in it.

I didn't know that until...just now. Nonetheless, I always think of her as Harriet's mom in Harriet the Spy.

[Pop Trash]

The wait for Margaret is killing me.

I have a sneaking suspicion many on match-cut won't like it.