DEC 31 — It’s the end of the year, which means that the time has come to make lists again! As usual, you won’t find me compiling a best-of list since making lists is after all a subjective exercise.
Living in Malaysia also means that I won’t have the chance yet to see quite a few of the major titles that are destined to be on a lot of year-end lists like “Take Shelter”, “Hugo”, “Weekend”, “Shame”, “The Descendants”, “Margaret” and so many more.
There’s also very little Hollywood presence on my list this year because it’s been a pretty weak one, with only “The Adventures Of Tin Tin”, “Warrior”, “X-Men: First Class”, “Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes” and “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” impressing. So, on to the list now, shall we?
The Kid With A Bike – A trip to Phnom Penh a few weeks back yielded a lucky encounter with a DVD copy of this latest film from Belgian maestros the Dardenne brothers, and this enormously affecting tale of a boy desperately wanting to go back to his father after being placed in a boys’ home, and finding unexpected love from a chance encounter with a stranger is undoubtedly the brothers’ most accessible film to date, and hands down my favourite film of the year. Simple has rarely been this beautiful.
Le Quattro Volte – Before I saw “The Kid With A Bike”, this was my favourite film of the year. A largely wordless (there aren’t even any subtitles, and it’s an Italian film!) and plotless film, it follows the fortunes of an old goat herder, and then a baby goat, a huge tree, and finally the remains of the tree as it makes its way into a charcoal kiln. It’s surprisingly not boring at all, and there’s even a staggering set-piece involving a dog, an Easter procession and a van with the most hilarious punchline of the year.
Meek’s Cutoff – A new kind of American Western from my favourite female director Kelly Reichardt, this is a hypnotic and deeply suspenseful story of three pioneering families during the earliest days of the treacherous Oregon trail, set in 1845. For a film about getting lost and wandering around in the desert, it’s simply remarkable how engaging it all is.
Crazy Stupid Love – Multi-character films purportedly exploring the many facets of love are by now a dime a dozen. But I just love this film to bits. Maybe it’s because there’s Emma Stone in it (oh, how I love her!). But I think it’s mainly because it straddles the line between being insightful and being laugh-out-loud funny so incredibly well. And Emma Stone.
Somewhere – Another film that I’d call a personal darling for me this year. Pretty much a father-daughter bonding story, this latest one from Sofia Coppola is the very definition of “chillax” (that’s chill and relax, in case you didn’t know), and its casual sweetness never fails to give me a hugely pleasurable and warm buzz every time I watch it.
Guilty Of Romance – Japanese director Sion Sono has been steadily and stunningly improving in the last few years that I think it’s just a matter of time till he gets the same reputation as Takashi Miike in the international film world. And this latest one from him, about an innocent housewife’s descent into “love’s inferno”, which sees her get mixed up with porn and prostitution, is a lurid, sexy and highly emotional tale, delivered with a style that would make Brian De Palma proud.
Putty Hill – American indie cinema takes another bold step forward with this second film from Matt Porterfield, a fluid blend of documentary and fiction that turns the humble act of observing into a hugely satisfying and touching work of art. Call him the American version of Pedro Costa if you will.
SUPER – Yes, my band’s song is used in this film. But this curious blend of “Taxi Driver” and superhero film is so fearless and unique (not to mention so, so entertaining) that it won’t be too far-fetched to call this one an original, as it explores feelings and mental states very rarely explored on screen, thus making it feel quite strange and maybe even sacrilegious to some people.
Let The Bullets Fly – China’s biggest blockbuster so far is also a very fine example of witty, dialogue-driven but also action-driven crowd-pleasing cinema. Jiang Wen’s latest directorial effort is so entertaining that not only will you be wowed by the action set-pieces and con games, but you’ll also be knocked out by the bullet fast dialogue interplay between stars Gou Ye, Chow Yun Fat and Jiang Wen himself.
The Tree Of Life – No list this year will be complete without Terrence Malick’s gigantic and ambitious film. It holds everything you might ever want from an art film, and more. Whatever you may think of it afterwards, this film is a must-watch.
Win Win – Some films can be so unassumingly excellent that they run the risk of being overlooked, which I think is what happened to this small film about flawed human beings trying their best to cope with what the world throws at them. It’s not often that films feel “true”, but this one does.
A Screaming Man – African cinema is not easily available in this part of the world. But if you can, track down this Chad film, from auteur Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, which is a moving and beautifully shot account of a father who loses his job to his own son, and a moment of weakness that will haunt him forever.
Your Highness – Finally, what’s a year without a good old dumb raunchy comedy, right? And they don’t come raunchier than this hilarious and shockingly vulgar Danny McBride vehicle. Supposedly a period piece, the movie is so loaded with dick jokes and stoner humour that I think it’s the most non-politically correct mainstream comedy that Hollywood has ever made, with maybe “Freddy Got Fingered” as its only rival. Refreshing.
So there you have it, my favourite films this year. Did I miss anything, you reckon?
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
