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Home , John Hawkes (actor)

EVEN PAGE Page 6 – Colby Free Press — New Year’s — Friday, December 30, 2011 Associated Press movie critics find

By Christy Lemire and David Germain try to help and usually end up saying or doing wife. tion. Dennis’ structure is similar to that of AP Movie Writers the wrong thing. Comedy writer Will Reiser 5. “Bellflower” – Evan Glodell directed, “.” He jumps based the script on his own cancer diagnosis wrote, co-produced, co-edited and stars in back and forth between a 25-year-old Marine LOS ANGELES – Associated Press re- in his 20s, and his words are filled with dark this ultra-low budget film – his first feature sergeant’s return to his North Carolina home- viewers Christy Lemire and David Germain humor and a wry recognition of the gravity of – which essentially suggests that getting your town and the mission that left him seriously saw the same films in 2011, but they clearly this situation, but also with real tenderness. heart broken is tantamount to the apocalypse. wounded. He is so in the thick of things, he’ll weren’t seeing the same pictures. 3. “The Myth of the American Sleepover” He takes this notion to incendiary heights, and repeatedly make you wonder how he got that They usually have a fair amount of overlap – No one saw this movie. It was only in the- in doing so, has made one of the most wildly amazing shot. in their top 10 lists, but this time, they agreed aters for a few weeks and it didn’t even make creative movies to come along in a while. He 9. “Beginners” – Cute narrative gimmicks on only one film. Here are their picks. $40,000. And that is such a shame, because even built the camera used to shoot “Bell- abound here, ones that might have seemed too The top 10 films of 2011, according to AP not a single moment rings false in this qui- flower,” which allows for an oversaturation of cloying or self-conscious, but writer-director Movie Critic Christy Lemire: etly observant, gently insightful feature debut colors that vividly reflects his characters’ ex- Mike Mills makes it all work with humor 1. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” – The from writer-director David Robert Mitchell. tremes. His film subtly morphs from a sweet, and poignancy. He also draws lovely, natu- year’s most haunting film, with a star-making He’s taken a genre that’s overly familiar – the idyllic romance to something dangerous and ral performances from performance from as a young all-night teen dramedy – and made it feel re- disturbing. He’s an exciting, young filmmaker and Ewan McGregor as a father and son who women who struggles to assimilate to the out- freshing and new. He also made it look effort- to watch. are finally getting to know each other, truly, side world after fleeing a cult. Writer-director less. By assembling a cast of unknowns, some 6. “Melancholia” –The best film Lars toward the end of the father’s life. And Mela- Sean Durkin, making his astoundingly confi- of whom had never acted before, he creates a von Trier has made in a while, maybe since nie Laurent, who was so striking as the dar- dent feature debut, cuts seamlessly between warm aura of authenticity and naturalism. “Breaking the Waves,” and yet it’s a devas- ing theater owner in “Inglourious Basterds,” the psychological abuse of her past and the 4. “The Tree of Life” – Bold, gorgeous, tatingly beautiful, operatic mixture of all his shows a softer side here, and an effortless gift paranoia of the present. Olsen’s placid, open ambitious, self-indulgent, maddening – Ter- signature themes and visual schemes. His ex- for comedy, as the young woman who teaches face reveals nothing and yet suggests seeth- rence Malick’s opus about nothing less than ploration of depression is visually sumptuous, McGregor’s character how to fall in love, for ing torment. And as the group’s creepy, char- the origin of the universe is all these things featuring a lengthy, wordless, super-slow- once, as a grown-up. ismatic leader, John Hawkes radiates menace and so much more. But it’s also unlike any- motion prelude that portends his characters’ 10. “Bridesmaids” – Director Paul Feig’s without ever raising his voice. thing you’ve ever seen and it’s sure to alter fate. For melancholia isn’t just a state of mind film takes the typically cliched wedding 2. “50/50” – It’s a comedy about cancer, your mood long after it’s over. If you’re open but a planet that’s hurtling toward Earth, and movie genre and completely upends it and re- which would sound like a tricky proposition, to letting the impressionistic imagery wash Kirsten Dunst is riveting as the new bride invents it into something surprisingly daring but director Jonathan Levine has crafted a over you, to allowing yourself to get sucked who welcomes such a catastrophe. The excel- and alive. But it also takes the Judd Apatow- film that’s uproariously funny, and he finds into the film’s rhythms and fluidly undulating lent supporting cast includes Charlotte Gains- style buddy comedy, with its mixture of raun- just the right tone every time. Joseph Gordon- tones, you’ll be wowed. gives one of bourg, Kiefer Sutherland and Stellan Skars- chiness, neurosis and sentimentality, and tai- Levitt stars as a young man who learns he has the best performances of his career as a stern gard. lors it to female experiences and sensibilities. a rare tumor on his spine, one he has a 50-per- father of three boys in 1950s Texas and Jes- 7. “Take Shelter” – There seems to be a That the film achieves both of these ambitious cent chance of surviving; friends and family sica Chastain is lovely as his playful, doting theme emerging; here’s yet another selec- goals simultaneously while remaining (most- tion about the threat of an apocalypse, either ly) hilarious is a testament to the power of real or imagined. That’s much of the allure Kristen Wiig as co-writer and star, and to the of writer-director Jeff Nichols’ film: It keeps awesomely eclectic ensemble cast of strong us guessing until the very end, and even the comediennes who surround her. Happy New ending is open for interpretation. “Take Shel- The top 10 films of 2011, according to AP ter” is both daring thematically and striking Movie Writer David Germain: aesthetically, even as it pierces at the heart 1. “The Artist” – Enough with 3-D. Enough of the most relatable, everyday anxieties we with super widescreen Technicolor. Enough Year! all experience. And it features a tremendous with all the talking. Cinema finally is back lead performance from as a where it belongs with this boxy, black-and- husband and father in rural Ohio whose night- white, silent gem about a 1920s screen idol mares grow more vivid and urgent. whose career is muzzled by the talkies. Direc- 8. “Hell and Back Again” – Director and tor Michel Hazanavicius lets us all in on his photographer Danfung Dennis has crafted a wondrous dream, a film whose every moment documentary about the war in Afghanistan delights with grand visual tableaux, lush mu- with the mesmerizing, dreamlike artistry of a sic, ageless performances by feature film. And yet he maintains the brac- and Berenice Bejo and the most adorable dog ing, intimate realism needed to authentically this cat lover has ever seen. Luddites unite. tell a story about battle, survival and redemp- Silence really is golden. Farm Implement & Supply Peoples State Bank 100 S. Range Ave. Happy New Year 2012! Happy New Year Colby, KS 67701 785-462-2224 All of us at Farm Implement & Supply wish you from all of us at Peoples State Bank a Happy Holiday and a Prosperous New Year! Remember we will be closed Jan. 2nd Have a Safe 1025 1st Street Annex • Colby MEMBER FDIC www.farmimp.com 785-462-2411 Holiday! • Colby • Hoxie • McCook