2011 Cinescape: The Year in Movies

Matt Shapiro is back with his yearly look at the movies that moved audiences to new places. This is the sixth year he’s done a bang-up job editing the year in movies into one sublime package.

“This video is an attempt to use the remarkably diverse selection of films released over the course of a year’s time to construct a broad narrative encompassing the many different elements that comprise the cinematic medium we love so dearly,” Shapiro writes.

The video starts with a prologue from Billy Wilder’s Sunset Blvd. and uses the music of New Order, Ennio Morricone, David Lynch and Deadmau5 effectively.

What’s most amazing about this — aside from how expertly crafted it was — is how Shapiro manages to make even the crappy movies from 2011 seem incredible.

Unfortunately, there’s not currently a list of the movies used, which would be helpful. It would be a long list. Shapiro manages to squeeze not just the big Hollywood movies in this, but also tons of clips from independent and foreign cinema.

The Oscars should consider hiring Shapiro — who was just 14 when he made his first Cinescape in 2006 — as his work is better than any tributes the award show has done in the last few years.

Check out his past efforts from 2006-2010 on the next page …