So as 2011 fades from view I wanted to take a quick look back at some of the films, soundtracks and television that made an impression on me over the course of it’s rather bumpy 365 days.
Once again I managed to get to the cinema on fewer occasions than I would otherwise have liked, being a freelancer means money and time is not as disposable at it once was. At this point I would like to thank Gavin Ingram, his Cineworld unlimited card and Orange Wednesdays as between them I got to see Rise of the Planet of Apes for next to nothing (35p on a text is not bad).
ROTPOTA, as it is affectionately know, was one of the blockbuster highlights of 2011 and I’m pleased I managed to see it on the big screen unlike a certain Doctor K. Great motion capture work from Andy Serkis, must mean it can’t be long before the Academy is having to nominate these kind of performances in the Best Actor/Actress category. And talking of motion capture I thoroughly enjoyed The Adventures of Tintin. The film looked great and captures some of that Indiana Jones spirit I so love.
In a year where nearly every release was being pushed out in some form of 3D, I went to see Tintin in 2D, as I have found that only certain films really benefit from 3D. One such movie was Hugo, a fantastic love letter to early cinema from Martin Scorsese. It’s subtle use of 3D to enhance the experience shows how 3D can and should be used.
As a lifelong comic fan I really enjoyed the Marvel offering this year. Thor and Captain America both captured the spirit of the characters and have only increased my excitement for this years Avenger team up. I’d love to see future Captain America films head back to the 40’s as like The Rocketeer (Joe Johnston’s much underrated film based on Dave Stevens comic series), that period is an ideal setting for rip roaring adventure. X-Men First Class was a nice addition to Matthew Vaughn’s body of work. Playing fast and lose with the comics history, the films was an interesting reboot of the film franchise and it was great to see the Blackbird on screen just as I remembered it from the books. I’d love to see them properly introduce Kitty Pryde and Lockheed in the future.
British talent provided some fabulous cinema this year with Richard Ayoade directing his first film Submarine and Joe Cornish bring us his first big screen outing Attack The Block. Films from either end of the entertainment spectrum but both assured and entertaining movies I recommend you see at the earliest opportunity.
The summer brought it’s usual blockbuster heavy schedule and I as much as other people didn’t I enjoyed both of the latest Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers movies. Transformers: Dark of the Moon was pure 3D spectacle with giant robots smacking giant robots in 3D, and as usual the human characters were pure background. I’d like to see them jettison the human element and concentrate on the robots, with a story set on Cybertron, but as most audiences are not that versed in Autobot history it’s unlikely. On Stranger Tides, in 2D, was just dumb fun and as I had no problem with either of the two previous Pirates films I was along for the ride. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two was a suitably epic end to one of the most successful film franchises in history and I loved every minute. It’ll be strange not having new film to look forward to each year but this series has now joined the list of timeless classic children’s films and will be watched at Christmas in our house for many years to come
I’m a huge fan of Wim Wenders work and it was lovely to see him give us Pina. It’s a beautifully shot film and is Wenders tribute to late choreographer Pina Bausch. Well worth seeing and is available on DVD now.
I must also mention Rango – a beautifully realised and animated film from ILM and Gore Verbinski. On par with the very best of PIXAR, the film is a shot in the arm for CGI animated fare. Leagues above its peers, Rango is well worth your attention whether you’re an adult or a child, so put down that Shrek DVD and go out and purchase Rango today.
I end the year with a stack of films I’ve yet to see including Source Code, Green Lantern, Super 8 and Super but thanks to DVD and Blu-Ray I’m set for all those times I can’t get to the cinema this year. I will make special effort to see a few films in 2012 including The Artist, The Muppets, The Avengers and Prometheus.
If your interesting in any of the films I have mentioned you can get them from Amazon by clicking on these links –
Thor - Triple Play (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)[Region Free]
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Triple Play (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)[Region Free]
Captain America - The First Avenger: Triple Play (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)[Region Free]
Attack The Block - Double Play (Blu-ray + DVD)
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 [DVD] [2011]
X-Men: First Class - Triple Play (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)
