First, I didn't realize I had set this to post on the wrong date until I went to write my blog entry for this week. I had intended for this to be up on the first of the year. I've set it to appear that way. If there's anyone out there that was actually looking for it, sorry!
Now...
This post is going to be broken down into different parts, three to be exact:
- The first part is a collection of the top ten movies I saw this year and five honorable mentions. I really limited myself here. The list could've been longer, but I took a lot of time and deliberation and narrowed it down to these fifteen. They're in alphabetical order, as are all parts of the blog. Their order has nothing to do with anything else. These aren't necessarily the best movies of the year; they're just the ones I enjoyed the most. Most of them are linked back to the full reviews I did earlier in 2011.
- The second part is made up of the movies I wanted to see but haven't gotten around to, yet. I've included short word or two about my reasoning for wanting to see them.
- The last part is a suggested list of movies to avoid from 2011. It's short, but I would highly recommend staying away from the films on this list. My explanations here are a little longer than on the other parts of the list. Some of them got their own reviews earlier, too.
Top Movies of 2011
- Adventures of Tintin
· I just saw this one this weekend. I’ll have a full review of it coming for next week. It was really good though. The animation was gorgeous.
· This is a great section of the series leading up to next summer’s big event from Marvel. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
· This was one of those movies that is based off of an idea very similar to one I had before seeing the movie. I think that’s why I connected so much with it. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
· This is the only scary movie I really wanted to see this past year, and it was ruined by a bunch of punk kids. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
· I knew this would be funny, but I wasn’t expecting nearly as much as what I got. A lot of the good parts are in the trailer…but not all. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
· I wanted the whole movie to be like the last fifteen or twenty minutes. It was still really good, though. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
· A great thriller! By far this movie surprised me more than any other I saw in 2011. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
- Take Me Home Tonight
· This 80s throwback had me really laughing at a few points, and I wasn’t expecting that. I'm going to try and get to a review on this one soon!
· Another great build up to Marvel’s big summer release in 2012. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
· This movie is way better than the first, two. I don’t have a review of this one, but I’ll get one posted soon. I can’t believe I missed it.
Honorable Mention
- Source Code – This is a weird sci-fi flick with a crazy, twisty ride.
- Super 8 – JJ Abrams brings us an alien flick like we haven’t seen before.
- The Muppets – It didn’t live up to what I expected, but it was still great.
- X-Men: First Class – I’m a sucker for origin stories, especially the super hero kind.
- Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil - This horror/comedy has such a great plot and is really funny.
Top Ten I Wanted to See But Haven’t, Yet
- 50/50
· This one has two great actors in it…well, two of my favorite actors. I wouldn’t quite compare Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon Levitt to DeNiro and Pacino, but I like ‘em. So, it’s about cancer and how a young man deals with the disease.
- Adjustment Bureau
· This was the first movie I saw advertised in 2011 that I really wanted to see. I have placed such high expectations on it that I may never watch it now.
· This one really caught my eye. A combination of the names John Favreau, Ron Howard, Steven Speilberg, Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig will do that. I haven’t really heard one good thing about, though. I’ll probably still watch it to judge for myself though.
- Don’t be Afraid of the Dark
· This was the only horror movie other than Paranormal Activity 3 that I wanted to see. I guess I’ll catch the DVD, but I have friends who recommend against it.
· Good dramas get me every time. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock really make me want to see this. **UPDATE: I just realized that this movie wasn't released in the US until this past weekend when I went to see it. It should've gone on my post for the week following this one. Regardless, I've got a review up for it now.
- Larry Crowne
· This is the first film Hanks has directed since That Thing You Do!, and it’s one of my all time favorite movies. I’m really hoping this one will be, too.
- Money Ball
· I have never liked baseball. I’ll just get that out of the way now. Despite that fact, I’ve always liked baseball movies. Actually, you could substitute the word “sports” for “baseball” there, and it’d still be true.
- Our Idiot Brother
· Even though I really want to see this one, I’m afraid it’s not going to live up to my expectations after Paul Rudd’s excellent performance in I Love You, Man. I’m really looking for something that good, again.
· I had no desire to see this when I first saw the trailers, but after its release, so many critics and movie-goers were buzzing about it. I do want to see it now. I’ll be looking for it on DVD.
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
· Two words: Gary Oldman!
The Number One Movie People Said I Should See
1. Bridesmaids – This is another one I had no desire to see, but I’ve heard from people that I’d never have thought would like it say it’s good. It’s from Judd Apatow, too. I didn’t know that until recently.
Avoid Like the Plague
- Apollo 18
· This movie had lots of allure for me. I like the shaky-cam flicks. I like alien stuff. I like scary stuff. I figured it might be a little slow, but geez! If you want a good sci-fi flick about outer space that’s a little weird, skip this, go back a few years and watch Moon with Sam Rockwell and the voice talents of Kevin Spacey.
· I think my favorite genre of movies is post-apocalyptic or survival. I guess it’s just the adventure of trying to survive some catastrophic event. Movies like The Postman, The Road, Dawn of the Dead, Zombieland, and The Road Warrior all come to mind. Yes, some of these cross into comedy or horror or other genres, but they’re all about survival, too. If that’s what you’re after here, avoid this one. Contagion is about the events leading up to said catastrophe. It’s pretty boring, and I’m usually pretty forgiving about that. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
- Dylan Dog: Dead of Night
· This is one of those movies I’d envisioned before I ever heard about it. I think that the idea of things in our imagination being real and existing all around us in hiding is a great concept. It’s been done lots of ways, but here we get to see a human play detective for this unreal world all around us. It didn’t fly very well for me. I was happy to see Brandon Routh in another role, but not even the Man of Steel could save this one.
· I liked that the makers of this one accepted the fact that it was time to stop taking these seriously, or attempting to take them seriously. This one is a cheese fest from beginning to end. The death scenes are really played up. What I don’t like is everything else. Click the title to go to my full review of this film from earlier in the year.
- Shark Night: 3D
· I admittedly didn’t see this one, but really! Another shark movie? I just don’t understand the fuss here. Just get out of the water!
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