7. Limitless
This is where we enter the territory of the surprises; films that I didn’t expect but so much from and got far more than I ever would have imagined. Number 7 is such a film; when I heard it’s premise was based around the urban myth that the human brain only uses about 10% of its full capabilities, I was immediately resistant to anything that it had to offer, a resistance that only increased once I learned that the lie that the entire film is based on, isn’t even accurately represented. It had to have been pretty damn good to transcend all of those problems.
Struggling writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is, for lack of a better word, a loser. He’s mooching off of his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish), to finish a book that’s been long overdue yet he hasn’t even started on. His brilliant but misguided, he eventually stumbles upon a drug referred to as NZT, which alters the human neurochemistry to take advantage of 100% of the brain as opposed to the 20% humans normally have access to. This heightened intelligence puts him on the fast track to finishing his book but furthermore, seeking more prestigious career opportunities, all while dealing with others that want in on his success secret.
Limitless is a film that is far from perfect. While things start off a little bit slowly once the focus is put on Eddie’s life, things hit full swing in the second act only to be dragged back down by one of the weakest, telegraphed, Hollywood endings to a film that I had seen in god knows how long. And yet for all its flaws, when it’s at its height, it is absolutely stellar.
The story covers Eddie’s rise to and subsequent fall from greatness that results from his growing reliance on NZT, in addition to examining the obviously dangerous side effects that result from his dosages of it, as well as studying his addiction to the power that he is being provided through it. The editing is the star of the show, making every dosage of NZT that Eddie takes an almost nauseatingly memorable trick compared to the dull grey and bland world that he finds himself in whenever he isn’t on the drug.
Performances will probably be the biggest shocker of the entire film. Bradley Cooper manages to prove himself a serious actor, believably selling a protagonist with a lot of potential that fails to understand exactly how to actualize that potential for his own good, as well as helping to pull off a drug addiction story that actually feels realistic and without melodrama. Robert De Niro as his business partner also gives a surprisingly effective performance, demonstrating an acceptance of his place in the supporting cast and not stealing the spotlight from Bradley Cooper despite easily being capable of doing so.
Overall, “Limitless” transcends the flaws of its premise to become one of the most endearing sci-fi films that I’ve seen all year. I admit that the story of a loser writer that doesn’t know how to actualize his potential hits kind of close to home but that doesn’t make the film any less admirable on its own merits. Had its ending been less of a cop out, I might have been tempted to put this as a front runner for number 1 but as it stands, it’s still a great film.
6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I really need to learn to stop doubting any project that David Fincher has his name attached to. Every time I see a trailer for one of his movies, I say in the back of my mind that it doesn’t look to be noteworthy only to watch it and have it land smack dab in the middle of my list. As of the writing of this entry, the final list that you are reading has gone through several revisions before reaching the films that you see before you but the last list before this final iteration was written before I had seen the current number 6 film, which meant that “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” snatched this slot away from a previous film, leaving me with a fully written entry that I had written for nothing. Only a David Fincher movie has the power to make me do that.
With his reputation recently tarnished in a libel case, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is brought in and paid handsomely by a retired CEO for his keen eye for detail in order to solve the decades old mystery of his granddaughter’s apparent murder. Assisted by the brilliant but reclusive researcher, Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), the two stumble upon a conspiracy that reveals just how much dirty laundry the family has been keeping under wraps.
The mystery told is incredibly tight and well crafted. There are some outcomes that can be logically drawn but the twists and turns are never telegraphed directly to the audience. In addition to the tight direction of the film, I have to further give it credit for its realistic portrayal of the effects and consequences of sexual violence, a topic that it could have easily shot itself in the foot with.
The actors manage to keep up with material that they’re handed perfectly, with Rooney Mara portraying a believably asocial hacker with a distrust of men and a disturbing past. What really wowed me however was the film’s elevation of Daniel Craig in my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, “Casino Royale” is one of my favorite films and I’d say that Daniel Craig is easily the best Bond since Sean Connery but I have yet to see him anything beyond the Bond franchise that I really enjoyed until now. That’s not to say that his performance was necessarily legendary but it’s nice to that he has a good deal of range.
From what I’ve researched this version of the film seems to be slightly more faithful to the original book than the 2009 Sweedish version of the film, which does unfortunately bring me to my biggest problem with the film. I’ve had several friends who have both liked and disliked the novel state that one of the biggest problems with it is the jarring shift of perspective between Salander and Blomkvist. If this is true, I dread the thought of even touching the thing because as brilliantly made as the film is, the first half of it is really, really, slow. Fincher’s direction is as tight as ever but I can’t help but feel that the flaws of this film are derived from screenplay, as despite being well paced and shot, following two completely unrelated stories stealing screen time from one another can get dull really quickly.
Despite the slow start it gets off to however, the film is atmospheric, tense, and incredibly well scored musically and I can’t wait to revisit once it hits the home market again.
5. Attack the Block
Easily the weirdest movie that I’ve seen all year, the number 5 film was originally reserved for another film of its kind, that of the adventure subgenre of kids getting pulled into zany adventures that are way over their head. When I saw “Super 8” earlier this year, I was taken aback by how extraordinarily JJ Abrams managed to perfectly capture the feel of classic Spielberg family films. Then I saw “Attack the Block” which put the still well done, “Super 8” to shame.
On a seemingly ordinary night, a gang of teenagers are attacked by an alien creature that they manage to kill. The night goes from ordinary to a nightmare as more creatures of the animalistic species begin a secret invasion of the inner-city of South London, which the kids spend the entire night running from and trying to survive.
“Attack the Block” is easily the biggest surprise of the year for me. It may be one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. It’s funny, fun and a fresh take on a set of tropes that have been long tired out. The rather sizeable cast of characters all have different moments to shine as they trek all over the city trying to survive and fight the invaders. The real tension settles in with the revelation that everybody can die, once the shocking and gruesome death of certain main characters occur.
If it sounds like I’m being vague, there’s a good reason for it. “Attack the Block” was a UK film that had a rather limited release and poor marketing. It also marks the directorial debut of director Joe Cornish. The film is probably one of, if not the most unique that I’ve seen this year and I highly advise that you see it for yourself as the highlight of the film is really watching the reactions of the gang in ways that any spoilers would significantly detract from. It’s easily my pick for most underappreciated film of 2011.
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