The Sunday Drive: 6/12/11

3. Midnight in Paris
It's possible that Woody Allen's latest could be the most beautiful film shot in Paris ever. It's not totally out of the realm of possibility. Starring Owen Wilson in Allen's funniest story in years, this is a film I'm more than comfortable recommending even to those who aren't typical fans of his work.
2. Super 8
Months of viral marketing and aggressive attempts at secrecy have led up to this: Super 8 is the type of big adventure movie we used to love growing up, and it's clear JJ Abrams is perfectly in tune with that same level of nostalgia.

1. X-men: First Class
The best superhero movie of the year is also the smartest, deepest, and the richest in X-men lore. Matthew Vaughn(Kick-Ass) has woven a beautiful tale of the origins of the X-men, how they were shaped and hardened by fear and hatred. A film so perfect it instantly catapults the entire franchise past Christopher Nolan's revered Bat films.

DVD Pick of the Week: Another Year
Everybody else will be picking True Grit, and it's a worthy film for sure. But Mike Leigh's Another Year is one I'd like people to pay more attention to. Leigh has always been a master at finding beauty and humor in the lives of everyday people, and I think there's never been a better example of that than in this quiet gem. Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen star as Tom and Gerri, a happily married couple in their golden years, completely content with their lives in every respect. Their friends, however, are the very picture of restlessness and unhappiness, in particular their best friend Mary(Lesley Manville should've won an Oscar), who is hopeless in love and helpless in life. If Tom and Gerri are the calm eye of the storm, Mary is the whirlwind raging just outside. Another Year explores four seasons in the life of these characters and more. A must see film.