2011 Movies I've Seen

An amusing comedy with some decent performances and an interesting premise. However this film never reaches the levels of creativity and comedy that writer/director Ruben Fleischer's previous effort "Zombieland" did.

B-

This, in my opinion, is the best film to come out in 2011. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives his best performance in this film and really makes us feel for him and route for him to beat his cancer all throughout the film even when the chances seem to become slimmer and slimmer for him. Seth Rogen also does very well giving a sort of more laid back version of the pot-smoking jerky best friend character he usually plays but he is downplayed which works to his advantage. The script is very strong in telling a story that portrays cancer in a way that is the most realistic way I have seen in a film. The laughs are just as genuine as every single emotion the film conveys. Every moment feels authentic.

A

This an entertaining mix of sci-fi and romantic story elements. Though the film does feel slightly derivative of other films such as The Martix and Dark City, it does have some really good action and chase scenes, the performances by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt are very good, and it does have a love story in its centre that is actually quite engaging.

B

This film is stellar. Motion capture animation has been done in the past with movies such as Robert Zemekis' Polar Express and A Christmas Carol. But, the animation always seemed to be a bit off to me; and I know I'm not alone on this. The characters all looked like they were zombie-like with dead eyes, especially background or side characters. Thankfully I think the balance has been hit and the animation in this style is the best I've seen. Film legend Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson have crafted an Indiana Jones-esque adventure that is engaging and exciting. All the action sequences are very well executed. I especially admired a sequence that comes at around the midway point that is all done in one contunuous 3-5 minute shot. The 3D is actually good as well, and usually I'm not one for 3D at all. But for this one I didn't mind because they did it quite well. Minus a few pacing problems I had here and there I think this film is one of the most memorable of the year.

B+

This film has some decent performances, it's well shot, the set and costume design is great, but this film is directed by Roland Emmerich taking a break from his usual disaster movies he's known for and judging from his work its always a visually brilliant movie with a hollow script. Which is what has happened here, even without all the big explosions. It's an overlong, drawn out snorefest that had the potential to be good, given the concept, but is weighed down by a monotonous script.

C

Though I disagree with its Best Picture status, this was an ingeniously acted, beautifully shot, well written, highly enjoyable and very entertaining gimmick of a movie.

B+

Cameron Diaz does a good job playing this self-centred, manipulative, bitchy character and it is very enjoyable to watch. The rest of the cast is decent as well but nothing spectacular. The movie is funny, but I think they could've pushed the envelope further with the R rating and made it raunchier, more vulgar and funnier. Overall though, good but not great.

B

This is one of those movies that was smashed by the critics and I couldn't disagree more with them. I found this to be a wildly entertaining, though predictable, badass action film with a unique take on the alien invasion premise which has been done to death. I like the fact that it takes the approach of following the military throughout the whole film as apposed to other alien invasion movies where they are background or lesser supporting characters that never get to have their big moments in the story due to them being killed off. Here the approach to have the the military unit as the main character was an interesting take in my opinion. Aaron Eckhart was good as always as the team's leader and the action in this movie is really fun to watch. Sure it doesn't make you think a whole lot, but sometimes movies can just be fun and badass with shit blowing up real good and this film succeeded on that level.

B+

I have trouble knowing what to think about this film. The premise is so odd and ridiculous that is undercuts all the drama that the cast is trying to convey but it is made unintentionally funny at many moments in the film. Riggs walking around talking through a puppet the whole time is just plain funny to me and also really really weird.

C-

A facsinating look into the mind behind one of the world's most recognizable characters. It is very interesting to see what goes into bringing this beloved character to life.

B+

Bridesmaids is flat-out hilarious. This is the funniest movie of the year. The entire cast is excellent and really, really funny, and every moment is genuine. This is a well written, directed, and acted worthy of multiple re-watches. One moment in particular that I found especially hilarious was when the all the bridesmaids are on a plane headed for Las Vegas. I'll leave it at that.

A-

You can tell Nick Swardson is actually trying with this goofy innocent character, but he may be trying too hard. The rest of the cast seems like they're phoning it in and the writing is quite lazy hitting easy punchlines and gross-out gags. I counted only three times I actually laughed in this movie and if Pauly Shore ever shows up in your movie then you know it's doomed. I liked Swardson in Grandma's Boy and I enjoyed his stand-up but this is a total missfire.

C-

A well made comic book adaptation with great action and a great introduction to the first avenger. I had my doubts about Chris Evans playing this role but I think he did a really good job and now I can't imagine anyone else in the role. Hugo Weaving was awesome as Red Skull and makes a great villain. But, then again, when has Hugo Weaving been bad in anything, let alone as a villain. He's Hugo Weaving! He's awesome! Overall a solid and memorable action film.

B+

A surprisingly engaging and entertaining film with great performances from the whole main cast, well written and funnyh dialogue and a realistic slice-of-life type of story with nothing feeling atrificial.

B+

I think this film got a little too much hate from people than it deserved. Sure it is a sequel to Pixar's weakest and most kid-oriented property that is evidently a means of capitalizing on the brand. However, in my opinion, the good outweighs the bad. What I surprisingly liked a lot about this movie was the action and car chase scenes in it. Particularly those involving a sort of parody of the spy genre. The opening scene on the oil rig was a very well done action scene that rivals many action scenes in other Pixar films. Another thing that surprised me is how little I was annoyed by the character of Mater. In the first film he got on my nerves, but they made him a more sympathetic character and I like how they handled him. Overall, not one of Pixar's best. Not by a long shot. But, it's a decent film that surprised me in more ways than one.

B

A film with a premise that seemed to be done to death actually does have some merit to it. With Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman as the leads who switch bodies doing a very good job in their roles portaying each other and some jokes that were quite hilariously executed. There are a lot of funny moments, especially from the Ryan Reynolds personality portrayed both by him and Bateman, but there are many jokes that fall flat or go too far into the gross-out territory that I am not a fan of when done this way. A decently funny film though highly predictable the entire way through.

B-

A delightful, hilarious, original, well written, superbly acted, and beautifully shot, one of a kind film with an enormous heart that leaves you more than satisfied with its story and characters and with a big, warm, silly smile on your face by the end of it all. It's a movie all its own and you'll not be able to find anything else like it.

A-

An interesting and realistic take on a virus outbreak type film with an outstanding cast across the board. Definitely a must watch for Soderbergh fans.

B+

This is a really fun, dumb action movie. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford are badass, and the notion of mixing sci-fi and western genres I felt worked as well it could've and it ended up being very entertaining.

B+

A surprisingly very enjoyable, funny, original and genuine romantic comedy with great performances from Steve Carell and in particular Ryan Gosling. One of the better films to come out this year.

A-

A brilliant, intelligent, unique, entertaining, inspiring and insanely fascinating documentary about a highly misunderstood artform that gives its subjects a well deserved spotlight showcasing their talents and vision through a misunderstood artform.

A-

This was such a dark, original, and very well written movie. The screenplay appeared to be so unpredictable to me as the story unfolded gradualy and it was boasted by great performances all throughout.

A

This movie is incredible. Everything in this film succeeds from the performances, direction, cinematography, writing and the awesome soundtrack. Ryan Gosling's Driver character, who is really a modern day Man with No Name type character, is one of the best performances of the year. Albert Brooks makes a great villain and should've been nominated for an Oscar for this role, as well as the film itself for best picture.

A

Will Ferrell does in this film what others he has done never allows him to which is showing his abilities as a dramatic actor as well as a comedic one and in this film he succeeds on all levels. I'd like to see more like this from Ferrell, but it isn't as popular as some of his dumb-guy characters unfortuneately. He really is a talented actor and this film showcases that.

A-

Also known as "No Strings Attached", this movie shares the exact same premise as another film that was released the same year but still manages to be somewhat entertaining. The leads are likeable, the script is full of sharp and quick dialogue and it does have a hand full of good laughs. Still this is a highly predictable rom-com which stops it from being better and more original.

B-

Having now seen the original film and this David Fincher directed remake I can say that I think I like them equally for different reasons. The three areas that this version has over the original are the cinematography which looks great, the score by the same composers from The Social Network, and the ending was told out in such a way that it was easier to understand. Other than that there isn't a lot different between the two versions other than the language they were made in. If the main inspiration to remake an already decent film is only to make it in English so dumb North American movie-goers don't have to make an effort and "read their movies" then I don't really see the point. What made me at least interested in the story I already knew and saw was the performance by Rooney Mara as Lizbeth. Both her and Noomi Rapace do a very good job interpreting the same character. I think Fincher and Mara's take is darker and more intimidating and scary. It's the same routine crime mystery as the original only in English, but David Fincher's talent and ability as a storyteller and filmmaker and the performance by Rooney Mara kept me from dismissing this remake entirely.

B

I enjoyed Morgan Spulock's previous documentary hit Super Size Me very much and was interested in what he would bring to a film like this. I though he had an original approach to the topic of marketting, advertising and product placement but I don't think I learned a lot from this film. That being said, I was entertained. Spurlock alone is a likeable enough guy that he is enough reason to be entertained. His enthusiasm transcends onto the audience thus I was enthusiastic about the film while watching it. It's also quite funny as well. Decent flick.

B

This is quite the funny movie. Seth Rogen and Jay Chou play off each other nicely, Christoph Waltz makes for an effective and hilarious villain, although very different from his previous villain role in Inglourious Basterds, and hey we got to see Edward Furlong for a few seconds ... until he dies. The action is fast-paced and fun, the dialogue is sharp and funny, and it's always good to just turn off your brain and laugh at a movie where Seth Rogen is a superhero. He knows how unlikely and unbelieveable it is for him being taken seriously as a crime fighter so he has fun with is and I did too. The only real downfall is the role played by Cameron Diaz. Not that she was bad, just that she had nothing to do and nothing to her character. She's just the girl and love interest, she's just there. Also, there is a long fight scene between Rogen's Britt and Jay Chou's Cato that is hilarious. Solid silly entertainment.

B

Definitely a disappointment, but not as big as other people's. First off, I know nothing about the Green Lantern character, comics, etc. I was just expecting a fun superhero movie. What I got was a long, boring, routine origin story with a love story that isn't really developped, a weak villain, and a cool planet of the Green Lantern Core that we only see for about 15 minutes total...woohoo. Ryan Reynolds is a good actor in my opinion and his work in other films showcases his abilities as an actor such as Buried and Definitely, Maybe. You can tell he's trying his best with the material, but not even he can help this mediocre mess of a movie with horrendous use of post-converted 3D.

C-

Quite the funny movie. A good comeback for the Farelly Bros. Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis work well together and there are a lot of jokes that had me laughing hard. Nothing as great as some of their previous work like Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary, but still an entertaining comedy.

B

I didn't hate this movie nearly as much as most peple seemed to. Sure, it does recycle elements from the first film, but the film, although not very original, had the same amount of chemestry between the three leads that carry the film, had enough laughs to keep me interested, and Ken Jeong is hilarious as always, and the setting of Tailand allowed them to take the story into darker territory. Still, nothing special, but not that bad either.

B-

A very stylish and well crafted thriller with good performances, great camera work and action scenes, as well as a great soundtrack by The Chemical Brothers. The ending was a bit abrupt and it was a little slow in places. Overall, good action movie.

B

It is a near-perfect conclusion to one of the greatest film franchises in movie history. Nothing more to be said.

A

A well acted, smartly written and directed film mixing dark humor with realistic drama. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is great as the title character of Hesher, along with Rainn Wilson and Natallie Portman as good as always. Newcomer Devin Brochu does great work as T.J. generating great genuine sympathy in dramatic scenes some adult actors couldn't pull off. At times the film is a bit uneven in its tone but overall it is an entertaining look at a truly original set of characters and their struggles.

B

A balls-to-the-wall, brutally violent, darkly comedic, badass, grindhouse-style exploitation crime movie that looks like it came right out of the 70s. Rutger Hauer is great as "The Hobo" who is dead-set on ridding the city of crime and corruption with nothing but a shotgun. Great fun, but not for the faint of heart. Be warned, this is a brutally violent movie. I am pretty good at handling gore in movies but there were some sequences that had me cringing and looking away they were so brutal. For example, a scene involving a school bus full of children. Still, it is a funny send-up of the 70s exploitation crime movies of that era and in that sense it succeeds.

B+

A genuinely hilarious film with top-notch performances and a clever premise that never slows down. Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis do great work and though he can be annoying at times Charlie Day delivers a few good laughs and works well with Bateman and Sudeikis. The trio reminds me of a raunchier version of the Three Stooges because of how stupid they are. Kevin Spacey and Colin Farrell do funny work as well but to my surprise Jennifer Aniston of all people steals every scene she's in. Very funny movie.

B+

Scorsese is the master in any genre. This is a very well told and uplifting story with great performances and a great use of 3D cinematography proving how the technology can enhance the enjoyment of a film if it is used correctly and Martin Scorsese, screenwriter John Logan (The Last Samurai, The Aviator and Rango), DOP Rob Richarson (The Aviator, Inglourious Basterds, Casino, and Shutter Island) and the entire cast ranging from newcomer Asa Butterfield who plays Hugo, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ben Kinglsey (who shoul've gotten an Oscar nomination for this role in my opinion), Sacha Baron Cohen, Jude Law, Emily Mortimer and Christopher Lee did nearly everything right in telling this compelling and visually stunning timeless story.

A-

FUCK THIS MOVIE! Fuck it hard with a rusty spoon. Seriously?! I'll admit I am an Adam Sandler fan and he has done some bad movies in the past like The Waterboy, Mr. Deeds, Just Go With It, Anger Management, and You Don't Mess With the Zohan, but THIS! I mean, holy fuck! This shit is on a whole other level of bad! Nearly everyone involved with this mess is capable of so much more than this. Even Adam Sandler is very capable of turning in some great films and performances such as in Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison, Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, Funny People, and The Wedding Singer. Which is why is pains me to see him doing this shit because I have seen how good he can be in other movies. But, the biggest crime of all was having Al Pacino reduced to this level of humiliation. Al, you deserve better than this. You were in the fucking Godfather for fuck's sake and classics like Dog Day Afternoon, Heat, and Scarface. You know better and this was clearly nothing more than a paycheck to you. And the fact that this movie cost $80 million to make is just astounding to me because judging from what I saw on screen I can't tell you where the fucking money went. Oh wait, I know where it went, it went ot Adam Sandler and his dumb fucking buddies who all had a hand in making this dreck of a "movie" in an effort to con movie-goers out of their time and money. ...FUCK!

F

This was an interesting film for someone who didn't know a whole lot about J. Edgar Hoover going into it. Leonardo DiCaprio does great work as always and the rest of the cast is very good as well. It is shot beautifully and they did actually manage to make Leo look pretty close to an old Hoover. My only complaints are with the way Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black chose to structure the film. I'm fine with movies having their narratives jump back and forth in time but in this case the way it was done was often jarring and had me confused a lot of times. It is also a little too long and meandering. Not one of Eastwood's best, but it's good. Just not great.

B