2011

ALRIGHT. I’M NOT GOING TO PRETEND THAT I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING THIS YEAR.  I HAVEN’T EVEN SEEN EVERYTHING I WANT TO SEE. THERE ARE SOME GREAT LOOKING TITLES THAT HAVE STILL ELUDED ME.  THAT BEING SAID.  HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE MOVIES OF 2011, BASED ON WHAT I DID SEE.

BEST MOVIE –DRIVE.  THIS NEO-NOIR WITH AN 80’S FEEL WAS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY.  RYAN GOSLING DOES THE MAJORITY OF HIS ACTING WITH HIS EXPRESSIONS, DELIVERING THE MOST MENACING PERFORMANCE I’VE SEEN SINCE JAVIER BARDEM IN NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. ONLY IN THIS CASE IT’S THE GOOD GUY, OR MOST APPROXIMATE FACSIMILE THAT THIS MOVIE HAS TO OFFER.  GREAT WATCH!

BEST FAMILY FILM-RANGO.  PITCH PERFECT WESTERN-ISH. THE ANIMATION IS AMAZING, THE STORY IS ENTERTAINING THE PERFORMANCES ARE BRILLIANT. 

BEST FOREIGN FILM -13 ASSASSINS.  EPIC.  NEARLY HALF OF THE FILM IS DEVOTED TO ONE BRILLIANT BATTLE!  I’M NOT A HUGE SAMURAI FILM TYPE GUY, BUT THIS STORY BLENDS ACTION WITH A GREAT STORY.

WORST FILM- I KNOW I’VE SEEN THIS ON A FEW CRITICS’ LISTS OF THE BEST FOR THE YEAR, BUT I HATED MEEK’S CUTOFF. PAINFULLY BORING.  AND BORING.  AND IT’S A LITTLE BORING. DID I MENTION THAT IT’S BORING?  MUCH LIKE TREE OF LIFE, I BELIEVE THAT MEEK’S CUTOFF IS MEANT FOR SMARTER PEOPLE THAN I (BUT I STILL KIND OF ENJOYED TREE OF LIFE. I JUST DIDN’T UNDERSTAND IT).

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT- SUCKER PUNCH.  I HAD SUCH HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ZACK SNYDER’S FOLLOW UP TO WATCHMEN.  WHAT WE GOT WAS A TERRIBLE STORY, SOME BAD PERFORMANCES AND AN ABSOLUTE MESS OF A MOVIE. I WILL SAY THIS. STYLE TRIUMPHS COMPLETELY OVER SUBSTANCE IN THIS MOVIE AND AS A RESULT THE “DREAM SEQUENCES” THAT AMOUNT TO SEXY WOMAN IN STEAMPUNK OUTFITS BATTLING NAZIS AND MECHANICAL NINJAS AND THE LIKE ARE BRILLIANT TO LOOK AT. I WOULD MUCH RATHER WATCH THESE VIGNETTES ON THEIR OWN THAN THE MOVIE ON WHOLE. 

MOST OVERRATED MOVIE –BRIDESMAIDS.  I LIKED THIS MOVIE ENOUGH.  BUT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE HUGE LOVE IT GETS. I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SUGGEST IT FOR THE OSCARS, AND I’VE SEEN CRITICS NAME IT IN THE YEAR’S BEST.  A FART JOKE IS STILL A FART JOKE, NO MATTER WHAT GENDER MAKES IT.  THE FACT THAT IT’S A GROSS OUT  COMEDY ABOUT LARGELY ANNOYING FEMALE CHARACTERS INSTEAD OF MALE SHOULDN’T BE ENOUGH TO ELEVATE IT BEYOND HANGOVER-TYPE APPRECIATION.

I GUESS THAT’S MY RAMBLINGS ON 2011