The Dailies - Life In The 'Wood. Adventures In Tinseltown, Daily

Monday, January 2, 2012

Photo by Omar P.L. Moore / PopcornReel.com

The Dailies: LIFE IN THE 'WOOD (MORE OR LESS)
January 2, 2012


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A New Year Of Openings And Closings, Beginnings
Middles And Ends
By Omar P.L. Moore / PopcornReel.com      FOLLOW                                            TWEET

Adepero Oduye as Alike Freeman in "Pariah", a drama directed by Dee Rees. The film is now playing in San Francisco, New York City and Los Angeles, and will expand to theaters elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada in the next few weeks. Focus Features

Happy New Year!

The second day of 2012 is already here, and many 2011 films are still in the memory. Of the films you saw, which ones stick in your mind? What was it about them that were indelible?

Was it the opening? ("Drive", "Melancholia", "We Need To Talk About Kevin", "Pariah", "Shame", "Bridesmaids", "Super 8")

The parts in the middle? ("The Tree Of Life", "Take Shelter", "Mission: Impossible 4", "Beginners")

Or the ending? ("Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes", "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", "Paranormal Activity 3", "Martha Marcy May Marlene")

The films above, some good, others great, and still others middling or fair, had some memorable moments for me.

Which films contained the most memorable beginnings, middles, and endings for you at the movies in 2011?

There will be many more memorable openings, middles, endings in the movies this year. There always are, of course.

So while the typically weaker crop of films are unveiled in these early days of 2012 it's worth thinking back to 2011, a very good, if not great film year. The awards season, which feels like less of a grueling slog to me than the previous year's bout of festivities and campaigning, always helps bridge the gap between the dearth of quality films generally released in most of the first quarter of the year and the Oscars in late February.

As moviegoers look forward to this New Year, I believe that it will be a very exciting and great one for film. Filmmakers continue to take chances in some ways, and I am heartened by the projects that are expected to be filmed this year.

While some major Hollywood titles are hotly anticipated this year, I hope that the overall quality of film product in Hollywood improves. Will the model for Hollywood film success change? Not likely. But I hope that some of the films released exemplify a conscious effort and zeal for something fresh and invigorating.

Stay tuned.

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