Movies #35 & #36 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Happy 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day #37 & #38

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1 & 2)

This is a befitting finale to arguably the best (and most successful) movie franchise of all time - eight movies in total.

Part 1
This was a perfect prelude to a finale that has been anticipated since the first movie came out (2001). The build up was grand and epic, making it the finale much more enticing.

Best Movies of 2011

Besides hauling a ton of crappy movies this year, Hollywood released some really fantastic movies like Super 8, The Descendants, Contagion, X-Men: First Class, The Muppets, Winnie the Pooh, The Help, Fast Five, Source Code, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Jane Eyre, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2, 50/50, Rio, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, Rango, The Ides of March and Hanna.


Here are the 10 best of 2011 (in Pictures):


       10.  Bridesmaids

Movie #34 - Carnage

Day #36

Carnage

The performances by Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, Kate Winslet and John C. Reilly were outstanding! Based on the play "God of Carnage" by Yasmina Reza, this Polanski directed feature star revolves around two sets of parents who try to resolve a simple situation But soon everything goes berserk. This is a dark comedy whose actors were clinical and a riveting direction to accompany it.

A lovely movie!

Day #35 - Midnight in Paris

Movie #33

Midnight in Paris

The highest praises should go to writer/director Woody Allen, the supporting cast (Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, Carla Bruni and Adrien Brody) --- and Paris!

I loved the fact that Woody Allen didn't waste any screen time explaining how Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) travels back in time, but instead concentrated on the story and its characters; invariably telling us to enjoy the movie for its content. The structure of the movie is poetic, and the manner through which humor was quite amusing.

And finally, Paris --- You have to fall in love with it at the end of the day; such an enjoyable movie.

Movie#32 - Hugo

Day #34

Hugo

The biggest surprise of this masterpiece is its director, Martin 'freaking' Scorsese! The king of gangster movies!

Hugo is the best movie of 2011, with an amazing director who did a REALLY brilliant job, a children's story that "metamorphs" into a movie about -- Movies, and the acting is (following its french theme) incroyable -- with brilliant references from everyone down to Sacha Baron Cohen's Inspector Gustav's dog! And a majestic mise en scene.

This is one emotional--brilliant piece of art.

Richard Corliss (of Time) -- "Scorsese's love poem, rendered gorgeously in 3-D, restores both the reputation of an early pioneer and the glory of movie history — the birth of a popular art form given new life through a master's application of the coolest new techniques". Now that's how you end a review about an awesome cinematic experience.

Day #33 - Scarface

Movie #31

Scarface

Al Pacino's Tony Montana is one of the most influential characters to ever grace the movies; and Oliver Stone's writing is legendary with its graphic language and memorable lines. This one stylish, foul-languaged, super-violent, drug-fueled gangster Epic.

Movie #30 - The Godfather

Day 32

The Godfather (Part 1)

The is the best movie ever made!

This epic movie gets everything right, from powerful performances (from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall etc) - brilliant script - redolent set design - wonderful direction - the theme! 
All this from a movie that resonates around a Family/Loyalty/Mafia theme. And for a gangster movie, it sets itself apart by telling the story from an Insider's perspective of the Mafia without scenes depicting the nature of their businesses -- Gambling, prostitution and other forms of racketeering.

A great movie!

NB - Don Vito Corleone: "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse" - this is one of the most memorable line ever!