And how would you like your fandom served? (The Year in Review 2014)

A beloved indie filmmaker.  An obscure comic book.  A crowd funding appeal.  From humble beginnings come great things, and it was interesting to watch this year as previously niche products found success in ways once unimaginable.  From Oscar buzz to box office boffo to critical accolades, this was the year when that old cliché finally did ring true:

This year, they really could not have done it without the fans.

Film

Twelve years in the making, three hours in execution, Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD is a risky film experiment that, on the whole, works admirably.  Obviously inspired by the Up documentaries, the film follows Mason (played by newcomer Ellar Coltrane) across twelve years of adolescence into adulthood, stopping for short character vignettes a dozen times along the way.  The tropes are a bit mundane – the working mom, the alcoholic stepdad, the bullies at school – but it’s hard not to fall for these characters as you follow them through what was, in real life, a decade-plus of filming.  Sure, this might have worked better as a mini-series (hyper-extended DVD edition, anyone?), but it’s still filmmaking at its finest, from a director finally getting some well-earned recognition.

Of all the oddball fandoms served, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY stands walking tree-like tall as the funniest, most entertaining mass product since the golden age of Spielberg and pre-Howard the Duck George Lucas.  Wearing such inspirations very much on its sleeve, GOTG tells the story of the Han Solo-like Star-Lord (a hilarious Chris Pratt) and his merry band of misfits on their quest for a cosmic MacGuffin of the “let’s not worry the plot too much” variety.  Star-Lord’s teammates include Rocket, the anthropomorphised raccoon with a chip on his shoulder to match the size of his laser gun; Groot, a living tree who’s the gentlest low-vocabulary giant since Chewbacca; Drax, a surprisingly well-meaning wrestler-type out for revenge; and Gamora, who’s possibly the best-written empowered female since whatever film Michelle Rodriguez appeared in last.  You’ll laugh!  You’ll cry!  You’ll buy the lunchbox!

If Disney’s cult comic adaptation was a financial risk (and it was), then someone must have lost an awfully big bet in order for Terry Gilliam’s THE ZERO THEOREM to get made.  Thankfully, after years of disappointment the ex-Pythoner is back in form for this conclusion to his informal “Dystopia” trilogy.  Fans will appreciate the overt influence of predecessors Brazil and Twelve Monkeys, but anyone can enjoy this adventure of an existentially-challenged hero (Christoph Waltz) working on the formula to prove everything amounts to, well, nothing.  Throw in a virtual reality hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold (Mélanie Thierry) and a surprisingly sympathetic asshole boy genius (Lucas Hedges), the film is weird, visually delightful, and a welcome cap to Gilliam’s long (if mostly blighted) film career.

Video Games

If the crowd fund is the ultimate form of fan service, then KickStarter mega-hit BROKEN AGE (ACT I) is a success for the - cough - ages.  Tim Schafer’s charming tribute to the genre he helped create, BA is a throwback point-and-click adventure full of humour, wild ideas, and more celebrity cameos than you can shake a controller at.  Following parallel story lines – the sacrificial maiden who fights back, the isolated space boy on his first real adventure – the game takes players on an enchanting journey across the universe and back again.  From a cult leader whose adherents “enlighten” by handing over their golden eggs, to the Space Weaver who crochets the fabric of space and time, it’s all in good, weird fun.  I can’t wait for Act II.

They said it couldn’t be done, and they were right: Telltale Games’ THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 2 simply does not reach the lofty heights of its predecessor, which, let it be said, was the first video game to ever make me cry.  That being said, damn if this second “season” doesn’t come close.  Picking up where the original left off, main character Clementine is forced through a series of increasingly mean, brutal, and ugly situations as she struggles to survive the ongoing zombie apocalypse.  She’s joined by a mix of familiar faces and new companions, and for the most part the narrative succeeds in making you feel for, say, the sheltered teen Rebecca the way you once felt about that goofy kid known as Duck (“as in, he never stops quacking”.)  Still, Clem’s been through a lot, and her and the game’s general grimness may leave players longing for the more sympathetic lead from Season One.  It’s worth pushing through though, as fantastic plotting, great pacing, and yet another remarkable (and traumatic) ending make it a definitive experience of 2014.

They said it couldn’t be done, and… they were wrong!  Telltale Games’ THE WOLF AMONG US is every bit the compelling, heart-rending experience as its zombified sister.  Like DEAD, this is a comic book adaption, taking place in a fictional Manhattan borough populated by “adult-rated” versions of fairy tale characters – Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, the titular B.B. Wolf, and so on.  Thankfully, even though this is “Red Riding Hood X-Rated” it never feels exploitative.  The lore instead serves as backdrop for an intelligent noir-style mystery touching on illicit “glamour” (magic as an acknowledged metaphor for drugs) and the dealings of the infamous Crooked Man (his crooked house an acknowledged metaphor for organised crime).  Private Detective Wolf is one gruff (see what I did there?) anti-hero, but for pure villainy nothing compares to this game’s version of Bloody Mary.  Creeeeepy…

Obligatory Canadian Early-Access Award

Yet another Kickstarter success, THE LONG DARK is a Vancouver-made survival adventure pitting players against the elements.  And that’s it, really.  The game is entirely built around keeping your character alive in the freezing Canadian wilderness, where managing body temperature, burnt calories, and fatigue is the only way to survive.  At the moment, “Early Access” mode means there isn’t even a story to speak of, although it will eventually update with a narrative and endgame that take players on the titular journey through the dark.  Even as it stands, however, wandering through the hauntingly beautiful landscape is an exciting, if terrifying, experience.  Each Game Over (and there are many) is not a reason to quit, but rather an invitation to dive back in.  This time, you'll swear, as you warily eye the wolves across the frozen lake, I'll make sure to get indoors before night falls...

Papers, Please: Human Rights and the Bureaucratisation of Morality

It's December 18th, 1982.  One week to Christmas.

In the past month, my wife and children have died of starvation (I could not afford to put food on the table), colleagues have been killed in terrorist attacks on the border, and I have just been instructed to start confiscating all Arstotzkan passports.  (My own was confiscated weeks ago.)

Welcome to Papers, Please.  Please have all your documents ready.

An altogether ingenious "Iron Curtain" simulator developed by indie developer Lucas Pope, Papers, Please casts the player as a border agent in a fictional communist nation.  The gameplay mechanics are gratifyingly simple: inspect travel documents of individuals trying to cross the "East Grestian Wall", and Approve or Deny as required by the State.  Sure, the rules might seem arbitrary - one week, Obristanians might be banned after a diplomatic spat, the next, it's all native Arstotzkans, with the central government in deep paranoia mode over a revolutionary movement - but it all comes down to doing your job as efficiently as possible.

Of course, as can already be seen from the description, this is far more than just Pushing Papers: the Video Game.  Rather, as an exercise in controlled futility, it winds up being one of the most remarkably tense, compelling, and at times disturbing narrative experiences of the year.

"Just doing my job" can be sometimes difficult to justify.

It begins with "efficiency": as a border agent, you're paid on commission, required to process (properly, of course) as many travellers as possible, or suffer the consequences of docked pay (for improper processing) or low-yield salary.  Given that you're also trying to save money to feed, shelter, and keep warm your family, this leaves little room to manoeuvre.

Fascinatingly, this focus on efficiency also encourages you to focus on the system of people processing, rather than, well, the people themselves.  Thus, when a wife with forged documents begs to be let through to see her husband, or a weary traveler gets fed up with increasingly obscure visa requirements, you find yourself torn between "just following orders" (where have we heard that before?) and quietly letting a "mistake" slip through here and there.  As you can see from this screenshot of my outcome, you can imagine some of the choices I had to make:

And while the gameplay mechanics never change (just becoming more complex, requiring more shuffling of more paper, and - eventually - the issue of a sidearm "due to the increased threats of violence"), the narrative most definitely evolves.  Thus, in addition to daily moral quandaries like the ones mentioned above, there are also several overarching narratives playing out, in which (if you so choose), you find yourself a bit player.  Maybe it's the smuggler-with-a-heart-of-gold who wins you over (perhaps in the faint hope of gaining his assistance sometime in the near future).  Or perhaps, with revolution in the air, you find yourself strangely compelled by the ghost-masked "Order" member who, should you choose to accept, will begin delivering coded instructions to aid his plans.  Of course, you must also deal with visits from your supervisor and other Important Authorities, kowtowing to the so-called "Will of the Proletariat" lest you wind up in the gulag, or worse.  (The game has some 20 alternate endings on offer.)

Pictured: Not the Best Ending.

But perhaps what is most fascinating about Papers, Please is its subtle but highly sophisticated rumination on dehumanisation: Despite spending most of your time turning human faces and human stories into rote bureaucratisation, it's altogether striking that, at the end of the day, the greatest pangs of regret you feel are for the nameless, faceless spreadsheet that represents the digital "family" you've worked so long to protect.

Never has so little text conjured so stark an image.

The Banality of Evil

Ultimately, Papers, Please is really about what the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman calls the "rationalizing tendency of modern bureaucracy".  In showing the incredible power that rules have to constrain our lives, this little game (it takes all of four hours to experience) demonstrates the extraordinary danger found in (to borrow from Bauman again) the substitution of technical for moral responsibility in our lives.

Now go finish that report!

(And, if interested, Play It Here.  All Purchases Support Charity.  Glory to Arstotzka!)

Who's that sleeping on your sofa? (The Year in Review 2013)

Hot off the presses, I give you Jeremy Greenberg's Best of 2013.  My entertainment sources were a bit more passive this year, so don't be surprised at the re-weighting of categories.  Without further ado...

FILM:

I never got into Buffy, found Firefly oddly written and poorly acted, and - with the exception of the character of Klara - was disappointed by his run on my favourite comic book.  Still, Joss Whedon sure knocked one out of the park with MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, this year's biggest "small" film.  Made on weekends during the filming of that other, slightly larger project, and intelligently adapted from the Shakespeare play, this "Ado" hits all the right notes: charm, beauty, a bit of magic (just check out that party scene), and great comic relief.  Give Whedon some credit: with a good co-writer, he sure produces some great work!

Another small film with a big heart, Noah Baumbach's FRANCES HA is an Allen-esque "sad" comedy about New York, the romantic spirit, and the dangers of quarter life crises (not necessarily in that order).  Greta Gerwig is the title character (whose name isn't really "Ha", but, well, you'll see), a 27-year-old aspiring dancer (and aspiring adult) with a dreamer's tendency to mishandle relationships, drop golden opportunities, and spend a lot of time crashing on other peoples' couches.  The writing is top-notch, often laugh-out-loud funny, and (refreshingly) never, ever mean-spirited.  Alternately bittersweet and charming, HA is, like its title character, a nice, indie-type friend, who'll be there whenever you just need to cuddle up for an evening.

Speaking of dreamers who spend a lot of time on other peoples' couches, no "Best Of" list is complete without INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, the latest from the Coen Brothers.  Like HA before him, the title character is an aspiring creative, here a 1960's folk singer eking (or rather, subsisting) out a living as a Greenwich Village folk singer.  Davis, as played by Oscar Isaac in a revelatory performance (is there a "Best Debut" Oscar out there?), isn't the most likeable of protagonists, but you'll at least feel sorry for him by the end of the film.  Bad relationships, both romantic (Carey Mulligan plays a friend not afraid to call Davis on his bullshit) and creative (Marcus Mumford "appears" as Davis's ex-musical partner) lie at the heart of his problems, and by the time Davis takes the stage for just-one-more set, you'll have a hard time not feeling for the guy.

Changing direction for a moment, Lake Bell's undeniably charming, very funny IN A WORLD... is about a young creative-type crashing at other people's apartments as she struggles to make it in a highly competitive world.  Okay, I lied: entry four on our list also revisits the Theme-of-2013, this time with a very likeable hero(ine) competing in the man's world of voice acting.  Bell's gigs run the gamut from dubbing kids' cartoons to coaching Eva Longoria on her cockney accent, but - until now - she's never had a shot at the big time.  Here, it manifests as the new "Amazon Games" gig, and a chance to deliver that famous, eponymous, movie trailer phrase.  A pair of romantic subplots, one featuring an excellent and very low-key Rob Corddry as a husband in a faltering marriage, also offer up some lightly comic moments, and contribute to the general, all 'round good feeling that permeates this film.

Finally, in the "it's amazing these movies still manage to get made" category, comes part three in the ongoing "Sunrise Trilogy", BEFORE MIDNIGHT.  If you haven't seen the earlier films, made 10 and 20 years ago, go do so now(!), as they're among the very best romantic films you'll ever see.  This third entry picks up with Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke) slightly longer in the tooth, but no less beautiful, in love, and talking up a storm.  And where Entry Two ("SUNSET") was notable for occurring in real-time, just check out that extended single-take near the beginning of this film.  This is a series that thrives on witty, intelligent dialogue (often improvised), and after spending another couple hours with this wonderful film couple, I can't wait for the next entry.  See you in ten years?

VIDEO GAMES:

They're calling this the year of the indie, and with titles like GONE HOME, it's easy to see why.  More an interactive short story than a proper "game", HOME puts players in the shoes of a young woman returned from abroad to an unexpectedly empty family home.  Players are completely free to explore the house at their own pace and discretion, rummaging through drawers, unsealing letters, listening to a teen girl's mix tapes, etc. and getting a hauntingly fascinating look into the lives of your fictional family.  Without spoiling any further, all I can promise is a healthy dose of goosebumps.  Oh, and the voice acting is among the best you'll ever hear.

Finally, while technically not a game, I just couldn't resist one more opportunity to celebrate THE DROWNED MAN. You can read more about this immersive theatrical experience here, but in its open world, compelling non-player-characters, and freedom to rummage about (drawers, letters, as above), it's the closest you'll ever get to visiting a fictional world (outside the digital realm).

CAN-CON BONUS x 3 C-C-C-C-COMBO!
Also part of our annual tradition, some shout-outs to the best Canadian content produced this past year.

THIS IS THE END is outrageously funny, not for the faint of heart, and certainly not for the easily offended.  I haven't laughed so hard in quite a long time.

STORIES WE TELL had its Canadian debut last year, easily topping my previous Best of list.  Since its 2013 American release has put it in the running for this year's Oscars, let's take a look back at what makes it so great.

GUACAMELEE! from tiny Toronto studio Drinkbox Games has been topping all the video game charts, from annual "best of"s, to all-time "greatest indie" accolades.  Check it out!

The Drowned Man: An Exceedingly Spoiler-Free Review of a Cult Classic in the Making

Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate

Before we exit the elevator to begin our descent into hell, our guide hands us each a white mask and sets out three instructions: 1) Do not remove the mask under any circumstances, 2) Do not speak, and 3) Do explore.

With that, I enter the world of The Drowned Man, Punchdrunk Theatre's "immersive" experience, and this decade's new cult classic.

Mature Audiences Only:
So reads the warning on the National Theatre's Website, and very rarely has the M-word carried so much weight.  The fairly traditional NT is serving as co-producer, and its warning is an important one to understand: this "play" requires an open mind, a loss of inhibition, and a very brave spirit.  If you're not prepared for (or even relish) unsettling experiences, this is not for you.  The most courageous should also, to maximise the experience, go into it with a very minimum of advance knowledge.

So, what can I say about this very loose adaptation of Buchner's Wozzeck, without spoiling the experience?

The Plot:
This is in some ways the easiest to share, as its core is completely laid out for the audience before the show even begins.  Echoing Wozzeck, we are informed that we are about to experience two concurrent story-lines: in each, a betrayed lover enacts brutal vengeance before meeting a very watery fate.

How it Works:
The truly spoiler-averse should stop reading here, but it's probably fair to reveal that this is not a normal theatrical experience.  Playing out more like a haunted house (or a video game (more on that in a bit)), what you're actually doing is exploring a completely open world laid out across four massive levels and a labyrinthine network of sets.  These range from the minuscule (hidden rooms abound) to the gigantic (full neighbourhoods, the interiors of large buildings, and so on), all of which offer glimpses into an even more labyrinthine set of narratives that's being acted out by a cast of 40-odd dancer-actors.  

Now, it's easy enough to just spend the night following one character after another as they make their way around the world, and that's one way to see a fair amount of the plot and sets.  However, you'd be remiss if you didn't also spend some time wholly on your own (surprisingly easy to do), summoning up the courage to head off the beaten path and seek out, almost Easter-like, the (dark, creepy) treats awaiting the courageous adventurer.  It really is like a video game world, where as the outsider you're free to wander through the lives, homes, and settings of the characters.  You're free to paw through characters' belongings, digging through drawers, opening letters (which often reveal interesting plot details), and getting up close and personal in a way theatre never permits.  At times, there is almost a feeling that you're the haunter, and the actors the haunted: Every time a character sets aside a personal article, and some faceless audience member picks it up for a quick inspection before the character comes back, it's definitely a strange moment.

The Set: 
Is as important as the plot, if not more so, and all I'm willing to reveal is that if you've ever wanted to explore Twin Peaks, this is the closest you'll get.

A Sense of Dissatisfaction: 
The show has taken some flack for being too obscure, its narrative too hard to piece together, an "Emperor's New" Play, so to speak.  To this I say: you're missing the point if you expect to get at the whole story.  Indeed, the pleasure of the experience is in only getting a glimpse of this strange new world, ever-so-briefly inhabiting a space where you know full well that there is so much more going on.  Yes, when it ended, I did feel a vague sense of disappointment that I'd seen so little of the world (whole rooms and characters, apparently), but is there any fault in theatre that makes you want to see it again? 

Some tips: 
DO go with a friend so you can compare notes afterwards.
DON'T stay with your friend the whole night.
DO push boundaries: there is very little against the rules, and there are very carefully placed staff in place to prevent you from doing anything too stupid.
DO follow some of the tertiary characters.  It becomes pretty obvious who the main narrative agents are (and tempting to only stick with them), but you risk missing out on an exceptional (and potentially intimate) moment with a security guard, secretary, seamstress, or any one of the other characters that populate the world.

Finally:
DO go see it.  Provided you have an open mind, it's an experience you'll never forget.

An Unfinished Journey (The Year in Review 2012)

One of the advantages of not being a professional journalist is that I can deliberately overlook buzz, making my first experience with a film or video game something entirely special - and surprising.  At least two of my picks this year fall in this category, so I tread very careful waters in un-spoilering any description of those works.  If you can, get your hands on 'em before someone spoils the experience!  Now, on with the show:

Film:

If ever there was a "the buzz is distracting" film, it's THE MASTER.  Paul Thomas Anderson's follow-up to THERE WILL BE BLOOD is, yes, based on the inner workings and early goings of L. Ron Hubbard's Scientology cult, and a fascinating exposé of what goes on on behind its tightly closed doors.  Nevertheless, the movie is ultimately less about the group than about the individual experience, in particular the brutal but compelling relationship between Philip Seymour Hoffman's eponymous villain and Joaquin Phoenix's loose cannon apprentice.  Like Daniel Day-Lewis before him, the give-it-all performance by Phoenix is a shoo-in for the Best Actor Oscar.

Sarah Polley's highly personal STORIES WE TELL is a documentary about a family secret.  Aaand... to say more would be a disservice.  Suffice it to say, there's something about the Polley family, and over the course of 90 or so minutes, our hero sets out to resolve it.  Of course, this being an indie/arthouse doc, her approach to the form is a bit unusual.  Try not to spoil it for yourself!

The Blockbuster counterpoint to last year's TREE OF LIFE, CLOUD ATLAS is an art film for the masses.  It's grand(iose).  It's philosophical.  It tries to say something about the meaning of life.  And it's one hell of a thrill ride.  Tying together stories of multiple characters across multiple generations (the element of reincarnation is key here), it paints a portrait of a world where everything we do is fated... and where the "chosen ones" have something greater to contribute to the Tree of Life (or the Matrix (or whatever you feel like calling it)).  Tom Hanks and Halle Berry are the big names filling multiple roles, but it's Jim Sturgess (as both a 19th century lawyer and 30th century freedom fighter) and Ben Whishaw (as an early twentieth century composer) who give the standout performances.  Hugo Weaving (Elrond, Agent Smith) is also a treat as the villain who just won't go away.

Video Games:

Easily the greatest work of art in gaming history, thatgamecompany's JOURNEY tells an elegant and sparse story of one avatar's narratively ambiguous adventure.  As the game begins, you find yourself dropped in the middle of a desert.  There are tombstones and strangely patterned ribbons leading off into the distance.  Further on, a mountain beckons.  As you proceed, a stranger appears.  He appears friendly (in fact, he's a real person, who's joined your world via the magic of the Internet) chirping happily alongside you in an incomprehensible language.  Soon, you've developed a buddy system, using Morse-like code to indicate hidden treasure (or enemies) and finding strength in numbers.  As you proceed through your journey, each area one visual marvel after another, you grow to love your new friend, and come to fear for his safety.  Your journey together isn't a long one, but what's there - the visuals, the music, the narrative turns - is the most beautiful yet created for this interactive medium.  Even without an internet connection (and I have since taken the journey alone), it's still a wonder to experience.

A close second for Masterpiece of the Year is THE UNFINISHED SWAN.  Developed by graduates of the same program that gave us thatgamecompany, it's another elegant and surprising little tale.  Like Journey, you're dropped in the deep end: an empty white space that starts filling with black splotches as you hammer buttons on your controller.  Eventually, you begin to get your bearings, and it becomes apparent that the world has been erased; it's up to you to restore it with your paintball attacks... and to chase those odd birdlike orange footprints out into the world.  It's a wonderful mechanic, and as the narrative progresses and shadow and colour are added to the mix, you find yourself in a real work of beauty.  The story is quite touching too, a fairy tale for the 21st century (guest starring Terry Gilliam!).

It may not have had the perfect conclusion, but damned if the MASS EFFECT TRILOGY isn't one of the all-time great space operas, comparable even to Star Wars or Trek.  (And Garrus Vakarian is at least as cool as Han Solo.)  As blockbuster interactive entertainment goes, there ain't much better than this Canadian-made series.  The epic finale sees Commander Shepard (customise your appearance, gender, and first name) facing off with the evil Collectors for one last galactic brouhahaha, Home Team Advantage.  As Earth fights to stave off the invaders, a rogue faction of humans (led by Martin Sheen in a great voice performance) is hatching its own nefarious plans, throwing you in the middle of a conflict fought on multiple fronts.  The choose-your-own story-telling is top notch - those who've been around since the first game will see the consequences of earlier decisions play out here - and features at least one heart-wrenching decision that you'll be contemplating for days and months to come.  Hell, I still feel bad about my choice... which is, of course, the point of this series.  It's always been best when it puts the big decisions in the hands of the player, and there's just nothing else like it out there.  Amazing.

Bonus Can-Con Award:

As usual, a special shout-out to a homegrown favourite, Toronto's Drinkbox Studios and their Game of the Year nomination for Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!

The Year in Review 2011

I don't think there were enough greats to merit a Top 10 list, but here, in a very particular order, are my Top 5 in: 

Film

Riveting and surprisingly frightening, TAKE SHELTER showcases Michael Shannon (best known for supporting roles in such films as REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) in a compelling performance as Curtis LaForche, a small-town family man whose haunting visions of impending disaster compel him to increasingly bizarre behaviour. And though he believes he may be going insane, the great tragedy at the heart of this story is that despite this awareness, he cannot help but obey his compulsions (among other things, installing a massive storm shelter in his backyard, at great expense). This is one of the great big-screen treats of 2011, and is bound to lose something in the translation to TV (or, God forbid, laptop monitor). 

 Do not let the religious theme of Xavier Beauvois's OF GODS AND MEN turn you away. An examination of the cruelty and meaninglessness of war, it tells the true story of a small group's devotion to protecting their community. Lambert Wilson is the lead, a French Trappist monk in a monastery in rural Algeria. As the country deteriorates into civil war, armed thugs (on both sides of the conflict) begin encroaching on the monks' sacred territory, and threatening the local Algerian community. Although the European monks are offered a peaceful exit, they must wrestle with their responsibility to not abandon the Algerian Muslims who have been their neighbours for so long. Insightful, profound, and intelligent, this is certainly the best foreign-language film of the year (though, sadly, it was not Oscar nominated in its original release year of 2010.) 

The latest adaptation of John Le Carré's TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY is a complex, intellectual, Cold War tale: Gary Oldman (like Shannon, acclaimed for too long as merely a supporting actor) stars as George Smiley, ex-British Secret Service called back to duty to uncover the identity of a high-ranking Russian mole at the heart of the British intelligence establishment. The globe-spanning investigation delves into a botched Hungarian defection, a love affair between the wife of a Russian diplomat and agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy, excellent), and into Smiley's own broken personal life. Although the story is simultaneously slow-going and yet incredibly difficult to follow, the payoff is worth it, and the dénouement(s) sublime. 

Surely the most divisive film of 2011, Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE is a meditation on life, death, beginnings, The End, and a whole lot more. At its best, it takes audience on an audio-visual roller coaster through the history of time, and through the emotional roller coaster of a broken family in the American 1950's (with Brad Pitt at its head). At its worst, the meandering non-story, bizarre camera work, and voice over heavy dialogue are sure to turn some viewers completely off. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride (much more so than in Lars Von Triers's similar MELANCHOLIA), and I suggest the inquisitive viewer check this one out. 

Although it has the most unnecessary use of 3D in a film this year, Wim Wenders's PINA is still an enthralling performance documentary. The conceit - intersperse late dance choreographer Pina Bausch's greatest pieces with commentary from dancers in her company - actually doesn't work that well: while the dance performances testify to Pina's brilliance, the interviewees are needless time-fillers, coming off as pretentious and fawning with nothing interesting to say. Still, as a performance film, it is nothing short of breathtaking, and the dances (which we get in tantalizing excerpts, some admittedly too short) cover a wide range of moods and styles. Highlights include: The lovers in a madhouse being controlled like puppets, Bausch's take on the Stravinsky Rite of Spring, the comical Robot-like one-man piece, and the disturbingly sexual poking and prodding of an elder female dancer by a large group of black-suited men. Not to be missed for anyone interested in the vanguard of contemporary art. 

 And on a lighter note, 

Video Games!:

The sequel to arguably the greatest video game of this generation, PORTAL 2 improves on the original with its better, funnier, and more subversive story. Also, with its wonderful characters, magnificently crafted universe, and, yes, the brain-tingling gameplay. For those unfamiliar with the series, it is based on a single gameplay mechanic: the eponymous gun that allows its user to "warp" from one destination to another by creating entry and exit portals at whim. Of course, it's not just a question of shooting one's way to an exit, but rather of solving increasingly complex - but never impa(o)ssible puzzles - while dealing with an hilariously idiotic robot sidekick (voiced by "The Office" and "Extras"'s Stephen Merchant) and his villainous counterpart, the infamous GLaDOS. 

Although I am some distance from finishing the game's main storyline (let alone its hundreds of side quests), I believe I can safely rate BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY not just the greatest comic book video game ever created, but one of the best stealth games, ever. Taking everything cool about Batman (the gadgets, the Ninja-like stealth, and the Bathook/Batcape glide mechanic), adding in a healthy dose of comicdom's bizarrest villains (with Mark Hamill-voiced Joker at the very top), and one of the most satisfying combat systems around, B:AC is undoubtedly one of the coolest games this year. From the smoke bomb/grappling hook escapes, to the building ledge takedowns (reach up and pull a thug off a ledge and leave him on a rope, dangling), through the glide sessions across Gotham Arkham City, this game has probably the best stealth mechanics since Metal Gear's Cardboard Box. 

While not as innovative as its predecessor Rez, CHILD OF EDEN is certainly the trippiest game of the year, taking players on a brief but memorable acid trip through the "internet" of tomorrow: a mindscape of strange organisms to "purify" with a weapon that activates in time to the soundtrack of the game. It's as bizarre as it sounds, but if you can handle the aesthetics, it's one of the most beautiful and original games of this generation.  

Honourable Mentions: 

The Pride of Toronto, SUPERBROTHERS: SWORD AND SWORCERY EP briefly burned up the iOS charts as the year's great point-and-click adventure game. Of course, it wouldn't be on this list just for bringing back a genre I love: like other favourites, its subversion of the genre is what won me over: in particular, its constant breaking of the fourth wall, use of the iPod/Phone/Pad's abilities, and fantastic soundtrack (also, coincidentally, tied to the action on screen). The game definitely requires patience - certain parts literally require the player to set the game down and walk away - but it's worth the effort. 

And the best game I technically haven't played yet: ULTIMATE MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 3, for finally allowing me to create a team consisting of Nova (from Marvel Comics' New Warriors), King Arthur (from Ghosts 'n Goblins), and Amaterasu (from Okami).

The greatest video game of our time is Canadian.

I realise this is ostensibly an arts blog, so right off the bat I will say that I endorse the idea of video games as art. Moving on...

Recently, IGN published its picks for the Top 100 Modern Games. The category was specifically designed to recognise that, despite the lasting popularity of classic titles like Ocarina of Time and Super Mario, most modern gamers are either too young to be interested in those old titles, or old enough to have already played through them. That left IGN with the worthwhile task of picking the best of the current generation. (Interestingly enough, IGN saw fit to include a number of free-to-play and iOS games, including Angry Birds).

IGN's choice for best game overall is Mass Effect 2, developed by Edmonton-based BioWare for the Xbox 360 (and later ported, with some major problems, to PS3*). IGN is not alone, either: aggregate review site Metacritic places Mass Effect 2 twelfth, but only two points behind #1 Grand Theft Auto IV. Gamesradar ranks it the #10 greatest of all-time, superseded only by Half-Life 2, Shadow of the Colossus (my personal #1), a Mario game, a Zelda, a Metroid, GTAIV, Chrono Trigger, Tetris, and Portal.

The greatest game

Mass Effect 2 is the middle entry in a galaxy-spanning trilogy of sci-fi titles, which concludes next year with the release of Mass Effect 3. The game features Commander Shepard - male or female, depending on your own character creation - and his/her quest to stop the evil Reapers from destroying the universe. Like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, BioWare's last great success, it is an action RPG, in which story, character, and player choices are more important than gameplay. In addition to deciding gender and appearance, your character has a customizable personal history, and his/her decisions have major repercussions not only within the current game, but also its sequel(s).


The Mass Effect Dialogue Wheel. "Paragon" options are at the top. "Renegade" at the bottom. You can be a real jerk in this game if you want to.

This last point is what makes the Mass Effect series so special: a decision to, say, spare the life of an enemy in Mass Effect 1, might have that character reappear in Mass Effect 2 either as a new ally, or engaged in even worse behaviour. There are also a few major plot branches in each installment, leading to some heart-wrenchingly difficult decisions for the player. These can range from deciding which teammates to leave behind, pursuing a romance, or split-second decisions on the fate of the galaxy itself. There's no video game experience quite like it: playing through Mass Effect 2 and seeing repercussions from Mass Effect 1 is something truly special. Who knew you could regret a choice made in a virtual world?

Canuck Pride

Anyway, all of this is to say that, as Canadians, we should do more to recognise BioWare. Unlike film and television, where Canada plays a lesser fiddle (way lower than second) to American programming, BioWare has (almost) single-handedly made Canada the king of the video game medium. (Here's to Canadian music, though! Bet you didn't know the #1 selling album of the 1990s was Shania Twain!)

On that note, I'm not sure what exactly Casey Hudson, Ray Muzyka, and the rest at BioWare have earned. At the very least, they should be due for the Order of Canada. For now, let's get them into the public eye!

Notes

There are lots of other great game companies in this country, too, so kudos to Next Level (Punch Out!), the Canadian divisions of Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia), Capcom (Dead Rising 2), Rockstar (Bully, as well as Grand Theft Auto IV's PC conversion), EA (Need for Speed, NBA Jam), and the many others out there.

*The big issue with the PS3 port of Mass Effect 2 is that there is no PS3 Mass Effect 1. This means that all those major decisions from the earlier game are missing, and the experience is less personalised. BioWare did release an interactive digital comic that allows players to make some major choices, but the smaller ones are overlooked, and the nuance missing from the 15-minute comic book experience.