Posts tagged woody allen

Kat’s Top Ten of 2011

My top ten includes my favourite theatrical releases of 2011, but due to film festival goodness this year at TIFF and LFF not the best films I have actually seen and you can look forward to in 2012. At LFF I was blown away by Steve McQueen’s second feature, Shame, a film that delves into the world of sex addict Brandon (Michael Fassbender). Chicken with Plums comes from the creators of Persepolis and is an adaptation of another of Marjane Satrapi’s award-winning graphic novels. It is a beautiful melodramatic story about how art sometimes comes from a painful place.  Comedy was strong at TIFF this year, the Duplass brothers returned with Jeff, Who Lives at Home which has one of the funniest opening scenes I have ever seen. Jason Segel, Ed Helms and Susan Sarandon star. The Oranges is dark comedy from Julian Farino in his debut feature, whose name may sound familiar from the TV show Entourage. I was worried too, but it is a total change of pace as he explores the family dynamics of suburbia. It boasts a fine cast including Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Catherine Keneer, Oliver Platt and Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development).

In no particular order here are my top ten:

1. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

This stylish spy thriller gripped me from start to finish. The cast is superb and the soundtrack sublime. Gary Oldman is understated and mesmerising to watch as George Smiley an ex-spy brought back into the world of espionage to uncover a mole. It is powerful and intelligent film-making directed by Tomas Alfredson. He was also responsible for the Swedish film Let the Right One In which is also great adaptation. The story is wrapped up  in pure cinematic gold as Charles Trenet’s” La Mer” sung by Julio Iglesisas plays over the final sequence.

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Review: Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen’s love letter to 1920s literature, music, art and fashion all set in a Parisian playground with Owen Wilson as the wide eyed guide. Wilson plays a man called Gil who is struggling with the completion of his novel and engaged to a woman he feels doesn’t really understand him. Whilst on a trip to Paris Gil romanticises about the 1920s life in Paris, full of the culture he has grown to love, and ends up being transported back to that time where he meets Adrianna (Marion Cotillard) a woman heavily involved with the 1920s artsy lifestyle.  

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