LeapBackBlog 2011 Film Awards – Part 3: Directors

Film in 2011 saw many very good films. Deciding what made the lists and what did not was very difficult this year, and there are more than a few great films, performances and technical achievements that I had to leave off. The LeapBackBlog Film Awards are comprised of what I think were the best and most interesting films, the strongest performances (taking into consideration who the actor is and what else they have done, and 2011 again features a lot of amazing breakthrough performances), the narrative style that drew me in (best directing), and exquisite craftsmanship (best technical achievements). But really, these are lists of my favorites from the year.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances

Part 4: Leading Performances

Part 5: Films

Directors:

J.J. Abrams – Super 8

J.J. Abrams had a difficult job going into Super 8 – making a Steven Spielberg style film with child actors (and not have it suck or be a lesser experience to say E.T.). Super 8 is brilliant. Abrams gets phenomenal performances from his young actors, keeps the action coming but still has important character moments and captures the perfect nostalgic tone and look for the film. It is a masterful job of directing, as Abrams further makes an argument for himself as an action auteur.

Terrence Malick – The Tree of Life

Terrence Malick seemingly is not interested in telling a story using a Hollywood style narrative, rather he is much more concerned with what the images and motifs in his films garner meaning wise in their viewers. Much like Sergei Eisenstein, Malick juxtaposes images to instill emotion and meaning. The Tree of Life seems to be his greatest departure from conventional narrative style. There is still a story and characters, but the meaning comes from the visual and audio experience. And with this film, Malick has created something quite powerful and to a degree spiritually engaging.

Lars von Trier – Melancholia

Aesthetically speaking, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia is a masterpiece of visual art. The film is striking – from the slow-motion living painting shots to the majesty of the alien planet approaching Earth. von Trier also achieves marvelous performances from his actors (especially Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg). Thematically, Trier has produced an intellectually and spiritually intriguing film that warrants multiple viewings (which is always a great compliment for a film). More than any film in 2011, Melancholia is a cinematic experience.

Joe Wright – Hanna

Hanna is also a wonderfully artistic film – especially for what is an action film akin to a Jason Bourne and/or James Bond movie. Joe Wright and his crew have exploited every aspect of the film to create interesting aesthetics. But, Wright succeeds in getting a difficult and fully formed performance from his young lead Saoirse Ronan, as well. The film is very engaging both from an artistic and narrative perspective (as the best films should be). Something that stands out in Wrights work, Hanna being no different, is his use of long takes, and this film has a couple amazing ones (Erik’s fight in the Subway, and the Container Park scene).

David Yates – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Deathly Hallows: Part 2 had a ton of expectation and anticipation and David Yates delivered a completely satisfying film. He faced the daunting task of getting everything important in, giving each character his moments and still keeping the pacing ever moving forward (which is the downfall of many a film, not just epics). And to this degree, Yates does a brilliant job. He gets everything right. His work on the franchise has been wonderful throughout, but this is his best film. Yates does it all – garnering great performances, enchanting aesthetics and a narrative that resonates.

The Tree of Life (2011) – Review

Review: The Tree of Life is a beautiful film, each shot crafted to both impart and evoke meaning in the viewer. However, it plays off the juxtaposition of images more so than the standard progression of scenes, which one would find in a typical narrative film. There are scenes, but most of the film is built around the impact of one shot cut against the next or the power of each imagine and how it affects its viewer. Writer-director Terrence Malick must have shot a ton of footage (something he often does) to find just the right moments to put together. Even though the film lacks the typical narrative structure found in most modern films (as it feels a lot more like the early and more experimental films in cinema history, reminding me a little of D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance), there is enough story that comes out of the images, scenes and performances to engage the audience on a narrative level. But Malick is not so much interested in the story, he purely wants to create a piece that challenges its audience emotionally (and he succeeds wonderfully). Malick is interested in the themes of innocence, love and how life, religion and human interaction impact and warp how we perceive the world and each other. Each character has an innocent quality to them and love within them, but as the film plays we see this aspects morph and change due to internal and external forces that shape them, and allow them to grow. The loss of innocence within these characters is heartbreaking, as we feel the loss within ourselves as time corrupts us all. That is the power that Malick has with this film. He is able to touch the viewer in a much more personal way than most films can, or hope to. There is a struggle within the film and its viewer because the film is very striking with radiant and sublime aesthetics drawing the viewer in only for the content to revel in the tragedy and pain that the film elicits in its characters and awakens in its viewers. It plays on both a grand scale with the creation of the world and evolution of our planet over time only to focus on one family and primarily one part in their lives, seemingly suggesting the magnitude of what surrounds us and how fragile and small we are in its comparison, but also how personal and meaningful our existence is to us (as short and delicate as it is). As seemingly sad as this film is (seeing the heartbreak and corruption of the characters), Malick does not leave the narrative void of all hope – life is ever evolving with new experiences, people and feelings each present the chance for happiness and substance amidst the tragedy of the passage of time. While the film is very impactful on an emotional level, viewers looking for something with a more cut-and-dry narrative structure (like a typical Hollywood film) are probably not going to like this at all and find it boring, as Malick makes no real attempt to make that type of film. There is not much dialog, as most of the story and meaning are directly derived from the viewer’s interpretation of the images Malick places before them. The Tree of Life is not for everyone, but for those that give in to its allure and participate, opening up to its emotional advances, it is a very profound, mesmerizing and unique cinema experience.

Technical & acting achievements: With each film, Terrence Malick seems to get more interested in the meaning of his images and what they can bring out in the viewer than in telling a fluid story, as this is by far the furthest away from a Hollywood narrative of any of his previous films. However, his brilliance as a filmmaker is seemingly even more evident, as he crafts such excellent shots and powerful scenes – garnering fantastic performances. Malick’s collaboration with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki produces some of the best work (not only of this year, but of the last few decades). They work so well together giving the film such an angelic, truthful and superb look and feel. Lubezki is able to capture and use light maybe better than anyone else working today. Production designer Jack Fisk has a difficult job, designing sets that are minimalistic, but also warm in the 1950s scenes, and cold and stylistically modern sets in the present, while also working with Malick to find locations that fit the atmosphere and feel of the narrative and intended emotional impact – and he does so expertly. The soul of the piece is its performances, but also the score by composer Alexandre Desplat both confronts and comforts the characters on screen, while serving as our emotional gateway to what we are seeing on screen. Back to the performances, Brad Pitt is very good as a man that wants to be a good person and father, but like us all is carried away by selfish ambitions. Hunter McCracken is excellent in his debut, and I look forward to more great work from him in the future. Jessica Chastain, however, steals the film. She has so much strength, but is on the brink of losing herself. It is a marvelous performance, and one I will not forget.

Summary & score: Love it or hate it, The Tree of Life will certainly be among the most interesting, emotionally engaging and powerful (or boring, if you hated it) films of the year (and probably decade). 9/10

Terrence Malick – Movies Spotlight – May 2011

Auteur writer-director Terrence Malick is known for making atmospheric existential films that incorporate beauty and nature into the story and feel of the narrative (even more so than character or plot is some cases). His films are always amazing to behold – meditations on their subject matter. Malick is interested in the artistry and emotional resonance of his visuals and characters. His new film The Tree of Life looks at a young boy in the 1950s who losses his innocence as he comes to terms with the world around him, his relationship with his father and growing up. Malick’s films are about meaning, each viewer deriving their own from the experience of watching them, and thus are polarizing. But regardless, it is undeniable that he is one of the master filmmakers working today.

Early Career:

Malick started his filmmaking career as a student, receiving his MFA from the AFI Conservatory in 1969. While attending the program, he made his first film – a short called Lanton Mills. He also met and made contacts in the program with the likes of Jack Nicholson and agent Mike Medavoy, who got Malick freelance writing work (he revised scripts, wrote an early draft of Dirt Harry and the produced script for Pocket Money). Malick continued to write, producing the screenplay for Deadhead Mills for Paramount Pictures, but the studio felt that it was an unreleaseable film. This experience changed Malick’s focus from purely a writer to wanting to direct his own scripts.

Badlands and Days of Heaven:

Malick’s feature debut came in 1973 with the film Badlands, about a young couple that goes on a crime spree in the 1950s starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek (it is sort of like an existential Bonnie and Clyde). The film was made independently for little money and had a troubled production, but when it finally was screened for critics it received wonderful reviews prompting Warner Bros. Pictures to buy the distribution rights for three times the film’s budget. It is a brilliant film that is beautiful in its photography, but terrifying as it peers into the souls of it characters – a jovial amoral young man and apathetic young woman. Next in 1978, Malick wrote and directed Days of Heaven, a story about a hot-tempered farm laborer running away from his past who convinces his love to marry their rich but dying boss so they can claim his fortune, but becomes jealous when she beings to love him. It stars Richard Gere, Sam Shepard and Brooke Adams. The story, much like Badlands, is poetic and more concerned with the feelings and emotional experience of the characters than plot, but here the story and characters seem to take a backseat to the truly amazing aesthetics (specifically the cinematography). Malick and D.P. Nestor Almendros shot almost the entire film during the “magic hour” – the hours between day and night early in the morning and late in the evening. It is magnificent (Ennio Morricone provides a good score as well).

The Vanishing:

After Days of Heaven’s success both at the Academy Awards and at Cannes, Malick began work on a new film for Paramount Pictures entitled Q, about the origins of life on Earth. But, during pre-production he suddenly left the project and moved to Paris, disappearing from public view (though, he has always been considered shy when it comes to the media). During his twenty year absence from Hollywood, he worked on a number of unproduced scripts and produced a few films.

Back After Twenty Years:

Malick finally returned to Hollywood in 1998 with The Thin Red Line, a war film focusing around the Pacific Theatre of WWII, specifically the conflict at Guadalcanal. The film boasts a fantastic cast (here is the full list) and Malick’s typical brilliant aesthetics (this time working with cinematographer John Toll). Malick shot over a million feet of film, and his original cut was barely under six hours (the theatrical cut runtime is 170 minutes). The film was critically praised and accompanied Steve Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan as a nominee for Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars (while both are WWII films, tonally they are almost 100% different, and initially I liked Spielberg’s more but now I favor Malick’s). He next began work on an article about Che Guevara, which incited Steven Soderbergh to offer Malick the chance to write and direct a film about Guevara that Soderbergh had been wanting to make with Benicio del Toro (though Soderbergh ultimately ended up writing and directing it). Malick accepted, but after a year-and-a-half the financing had not come through and Malick moved onto a project he was just as excited about – The New World. The film is a poetic and romantic interpretation of the story of John Smith and Pocahontas, with John Rolfe playing a major role as well. The cast is brilliant with tons of wonderful actors; it stars Colin Farrell, Q’orianka Kilcher and Christian Bale. Again like his other films, it is beautiful and atmospheric. Malick’s collaboration with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki garnered maybe the best visual work to date (and Malick is again working with Lubezki on The Tree of Life and his next project). The film deals with many themes including the corruption of nature by civilized man, colonialism – the stark juxtaposition of the Americas to England is crushing. The film received a very mixed reaction upon its release in 2005, but since then has come to be regarded as one of the best films of the decade (making a number of critic’s lists, including Mick LaSalle’s).

Producer:

Malick has also served as a producer on a number of independent films, most of which he worked on during his twenty year break from directing. The highlights include Yimou Zhang’s Happy Times, David Gordon Green’s Undertow, Michael Apted’s Amazing Grace, Hans Petter Moland’s The Beautiful Country, and the documentaries The Endurance and The Unforeseen.

Future Projects:

In 2012, Malick has a yet untitled film that he wrote and directed scheduled for release. It is a love story starring Rachel McAdams and Ben Affleck, while featuring Javier Barden, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Chastain, Olga Kurylenko, Amanda Peet, and Barry Pepper in supporting roles (making for a great cast). And Emmanuel Lubezki is shooting the film and Jack Fisk is doing the production design (which is awesome for those that enjoy amazing aesthetics; Fisk has worked on all of Malick’s films, production design on The Thin Red Line and on, and as art director on his first two).

Terrence Malick’s Career Highlights:

1.)    Badlands (1973) – Director* [DVD/Rent]

2.)    Days of Heaven (1978) – Director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

3.)    The Thin Red Line (1998) – Director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

4.)    The New World (2005) – Director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

*Editor’s Picks

At the Movies – May 2011 – Part 3: This Month’s Best Films

Must See of the Month:

The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick) – Drama – May 27 [limited]

The film is about a family with the three boys living in the 1950s. The eldest son grows up losing the innocence of childhood, replaced by disillusion, and his wanting to regain meaning in his life. Writer-director Terrence Malick makes extraordinary films with both a visual and emotional mastery, but he does not prescribe the Hollywood narrative structure, which does make his films less accessible to many average movie-goers. But it should not, as his work is brilliant and vibrant. He is again working with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who shot The New World for him. Their collaboration yielded a visceral visual experience with nature and the setting of each scene playing as big a role in the film as any character. Their past collaboration produced truly excellent work (which makes me so excited that they are working together again, and Lubezki shot Children of Men for Alfonso Cuaron which is also visually amazing). Also returning from The New World is production designer Jack Fisk, who also worked on Malick’s third film The Thin Red Line (Fisk’s return also makes me very happy, as Tree of Life promises to be a visual treat). Wonderful composer Alexandre Desplat (The King’s Speech) is scoring the film. All in all, the crew is very good – as is the cast. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain (who is looking to have a breakout year with this film, The Fields in July, The Help in August, and The Debt in the fall) star, with Fiona Shaw in a supporting role. Aesthetically, there is no question this is the film to see in May (or June depending where you live). Terrence Malick is maybe the best auteur filmmaker working today in terms of using visuals more so than story to create emotions in the viewer. And with such a great cast and crew, this is the must see of the month, and probably among the top five must sees for 2011. Check out the trailer. Review.

Worth Checking Out:

The Hangover Part II (Todd Phillips) – Comedy – May 26

The film is about the Wolf Pack getting together again, as Stu is getting married. The gang travels to Bangkok for the wedding only to find themselves in yet another post-blackout misadventure (don’t you hate it when that happens). Writer-director-producer Todd Phillips is back, as are composer Christopher Beck, cinematographer Lawrence Sher, production designer Bill Brzeski, and stars Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, and (of course) Mike Tyson. Basically, all the pieces that made the first so much fun are back, only substituting Vegas for the even bigger capital of debauchery Bangkok (be that true or perceived, I mean there is this song after all) – and why mess with a winning formula. The cast also features Jamie Chung and Mason Lee (as well as potential and rumored cameos). Phillips and company are going full out on this sequel, which normally would probably be a mistake – but with this film, making everything bigger and crazier is a necessity. Will it work? I hope so. This has the potential to be very funny and the best comedy of the year (as it looks pretty hilarious based on the trailer). It also has the potential to be an overdone self-aggrandized mess. Check out the trailer. Review.