ICFR No. 3 'Darkest Hour:' Assumptions v. electric sharks!

When I walked out of "The Happening" in 2008, I promised myself that no one could ever make a movie so flat yet full of unlikeable or bland characters.

Well, "The Darkest Hour" has crushed my hopes.

As Elvis Costello once said, "I just don't know where to begin."

Sean (Emile Hirsch) is a douchebag. He and his douchey friend Ben ("The Social Network"'s Max Minghella) go to Russia to sell a cell phone app but have their dreams squandered. But who cares? They still have the money to go party it up with some girls at a bar. The girls are just as douchey. You go to a bar in Russia and order a drink and the bartender only speaks Russian. Their reaction: "Does anyone speak Russian??"

Assholes.

But Sean rules the group, calling his new found lady-friend a dick, later calling his best friend an asshole, etc. etc. But my biggest issue with the character is an issue with the writer as well. When the "aliens" start "attacking," Sean discovers he has the ability to make wild assumptions that just happen to be true, much to the chagrin of Ben, who play like a sidekick on an infomercial.

"Sean! You're saying these beings are sentient and are killing us on purpose?? But we are 15 minutes into the movie!......YOU'RE RIGHT! How DOES he do it folks???"

But more importantly is the twist that everyone in the film can make brilliant assumptions. As the gang of unlikeable and flat kids hang out in a basement for four days (ASSUMING they won't be found), the population of Russia is nearly wiped out, Santa Claus builds a microwave gun and another gang learns how to destroy the aliens. IN FOUR DAYS.

But we'll get there.

The movie continues to drag you through a survival story that feels sadly reminiscent of "Red Dawn" except Patrick Swayze sold you on the Reds invading. The dialogue of "The Darkest Hour" is as follows:

Sean: I'm going to make this general assumption about these aliens. Now we should go over here.

One of his friends: But, Sean... You don't know that. I'm scared and would prefer to not be stupid.

Sean: SHUT UP ASSHOLE, THIS IS MY MOVIE.

(They do said act with greatest of ease.)

Repeat AD NAUSEUM.

That is, until the gang meets a group of Russians hiding in a building. This is where Santa Claus comes into play. Apparently he has found a way to keep them safe. He has built an elaborate gun that shoots microwaves. IN FOUR DAYS. And he must have tested it if he's so damn proud. IN THOSE SAME FOUR DAYS.

But this miracle gun only stuns the invaders. They don't want to make t too easy, plus we haven't had our heartstrings pulled yet by a semi-main character dying. We also haven't been blessed with seeing how little attachment these people have to each other.

Imagine you are in this movie and it's real for a moment. You see a loved one of any kind disintegrated in front of you. Human emotion dictates you would scream, cry, go into shock, even possibly "see red" and attack the alien with a slice pf bacon, if it was readily available. But you certainly wouldn't leave the area, mope around a bit until you receive a half hearted apology from Hirsch.

Alas, that's what we get when Anne (Rachel Taylor), the pretty blonde that just wants an English bartender, gets poofed out of our story. The gang runs, Hirsch gives her surviving friend the equivalent of a "SORRY, BRO" and we move on.

Then we get to see a gang of badasses KILLING an alien! Yay! Apparently if you keep shooting like a pissed of teen in "Modern Warfare," they will eventually blow up. While this just rips off EVERY VIDEO GAME EVER and makes the micro-gun seem useless, it at least tells us an end is in sight.

So the two groups get together and head for a submarine that will take them... well, who knows. Like a discontent teenage girl in Wisconsin, it doesn't seem to matter as long as there is some other place to go. But not before the group encounters more aliens.

But wait!! It looks as if... YES! "The Darkest Hour" is going for the Triple Crown of Bad Cinema!! They stuck the landing with unlikable characters... They wowed the judges with crazy assumptions... But now they will give you a NEW ELEMENT THAT WAS NEVER MENTIONED UNTIL IT BECAME CONVENIENT!

So, as the group makes their way for the sub, one of our alien friends wraps up Ben's leg with a tentacle-esque... tentacle! OH REALLY, says I. SUDDENLY, these aliens that are purely electrical in nature can manifest enough matter to capture a human, AND enough strength to overpower him?

Triple Crown won. Congrats.

Alright, this has gone on long enough. They reach the sub, the girl Sean likes gets lost so he throws a fit until they go get her, he takes down an alien (like all the other guys have already done; maybe now they won't make fun of him) and they get on the boat and leave. Our story ends with us thinking this group will now travel the world killing the aliens.

Which I doubt, seeing as how it lost money in theaters. Maybe sometimes Hollywood's ridiculous capitalism rules can save lives.

Maybe.

The good, bad and BLEGH of upcoming films!

Quick note: as a rule, I avoided any blockbusters already swimming the internet at full force. ("MIB 3," "Avengers", etc.) Except "Twilight," since it doesn't get enough hate from people.

So I climbed out of my hole this morning and I winced at what I saw.

As usual with me, let's start with the bad:

"TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN PART 2"

I've seen three of these films, and I'm still not sure how these got made. As we mention on Great Ideas, I can make fun of Stephenie Meyer, but I can't make fun of "Twilight."

But I can try...

Check this out: Bella gets pink eye and has an intense sexual encounter with a deer:



"We're the same temperature??" I thought these kids would be less akward after a quick marriage and bed shattering PG-13 sex scene. But, alas...

Speaking of Stephenie "Kinda Literature" Meyer...

"THE HOST"

I guess Meyer doesn't have to try anymore, she can jump straight to making flat films. you know what I need? A body snatchers-esque film, but for the easily impressed.



MMMMMM, there it is. You know what I love about it? It tells you just enough for tweens to be excited without showing you enough footage to know it'll suck. Well played.

Let's try some possibly interesting films. See what we're doing? We're getting LESS cynical as we go. It's like Willy Wonka. Happy Saturday, children...

"SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED"

These films hit so hot and cold with me: the indie with a strong but not well known cast that touches on some big movie themes while remaining heartfelt? Oh, boy. Will I leave the theatre saying "Huh! Not bad!" or "SCREW YOU DIABLO CODY!" a la Juno?

Let's see....



I'm going to hope for the former.

"PARANORMAN"

(You'll have to click on the title to see this one)

Being the perpetual 11-year-old I am, I'm already excited for Paranorman. A stop-motion movie about a kid, zombies, ghosts and curses? Yes, please! Then you see a cast including Anna Kendrick, John Goodman, jeff Garlin and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (can we just call him McLovin?). It looks strong!

And finally, a film that actually ...

"SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMEN"!

This is a big 180 for me. At first, it was another Snow White movie released in a flurry of Snow White junk ("Mirror Mirror"? Blegh.) and to top it, Kristen Stewart, the one that had the pink eye from earlier, is Snow White.

But wait...



I think I'm okay with it. I can just root for Charlize Theron to brutally beat her to death and scream "Where's your vampire now?!"

So maybe this didn't get less cynical. I tried.

HAPPY WEEKEND!

'Hunger Games' is more than just a phenomenon

For months movie fans have been hearing about the coming phenomenon of "The Hunger Games." Like another well known literature franchise, it has a rabidly loyal fanbase, had stacked the film with attractive young actors, and was based around an independent heroine and a dramatic romance.

However, unlike those other movies, "The Hunger Games" is a fascinating story filled with interesting characters who are heroes without trying hard or shouting it from the mountaintops.

It is the story of a future America called Panem, where children between the ages of 12-18 are sent to the Capitol as tribute to compete in The Hunger Games.

Katniss Everdeen volunteers to save her sister and Peeta Mallark is chosen from District 12, which is a poor coal mining village.

From the first moments the film encompasses viewers in the tension of the world these children live in, where any one of them could be sent off to die. In fact Katniss' best friend Gale seems resigned to his fate as his name is in the bowl 42 times so the odds are against him.

This instantaneous connection with the characters is one of the biggest draws of the movie. Even with its unique plot and characters, at its core "Hunger Games" is basically a hero's origin story starring Katniss.

Once the story moves to the Capitol, viewers are introduced to the support cast that must play along with the games or find themselves on the outside looking in.

Woody Harrelson is funny and heartbreakingly honest as Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta's mentor and the last winner from District 12.

Wes Bentley is a more cruel, yet still somehow realistic Nigel Lythgoe/Mark Burnett clone as Seneca Crane, the gamesmaker.

Lenny Kravitz is impossibly attractive and touchingly earnest as Katniss' stylist and only true friend Cinna.

Donald Sutherland is appropriately mustache twirling as President Snow, but he seems like less of threat here than he will be in the future.

However, as usual the real revelation is Stanley Tucci as host of the games Caesar Flickerman. He's part Ryan Seacrest, part Bob Costas and part P.T. Barnum; yet all these pieces come together to create an over the top portrayal that steals every scene he's in.

If the film receives any awards attention it will be in supporting categories for Tucci and Harrelson.

Like any good origin story it is the journey to becoming the hero that really counts and that is seen most in the arena. Jennifer Lawrence is captivating as Katniss, but more importantly she's real.

She's not perfect, she's not the smartest and she's not always right, but at the end of the day she's authentic and that makes her likable. This also make her relationship with Peeta more interesting, as these are mythical supernatural beings in an unreal world falling in love. These are real people in a life or death situation who must depend on and trust each other for survival.

While the movie left out Katniss' indifference about her feelings for Peeta, Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson still communicated the unrequited and somewhat one-sided nature of their romance.

With the film's record-breaking $155 million opening weekend a lot will be made of new star Lawrence, but the revelatory performance really comes from Hutcherson as Peeta.

Peeta is the smartest player in the game, as he figures out early on that he must win the crowd to compensate for any physical weaknesses. He is also certain of his imminent death, but just wants to assure that he remains true to his self.

While Katniss is obviously the hero, Peeta is the audience's window into this strange world.

"The Hunger Games" will be the center of a lot of attention for a while and the "Twilight" comparisons will no doubt be unstoppable, but it's important to note that despite all the hoopla and noise, at its core "The Hunger Games" is a solidly made film with impeccable pacing, fantastic performances and fascinating storytelling.

These qualities make it more than just a phenomenon.

Attack of The Rebox No. 2: '80s remake battle!

Editor's note: Heyo, this is a new feature where we kind of just pick something at random at our local Redbox. Could be good, probably bad.

Alright!

Ladies and Gentlemen, today we have a battle to the death between two welterweight champions of '80s lore!

In this corner... Straight from 1982, directed by John Carpenter... shot grimly with Wilford Brimley... Remade quite aloof with the girl from "Death Proof"...

"THE THING!"

So THAT'S what happens when a mind is blown...



And in THIS corner... the 1984 version of Glee... the stinger with Lori Singer... pulled out of the sewer by director Craig Brewer...

"FOOTLOOSE!"

I think the tagline on the poster is a Churchill quote...


Going into the battle, my handicap is in favor of "The Thing." History may have more memories of "Footloose," but "The Thing" holds a kind place in the hearts of those who remember it.

ROUND 1: THE PLOTS!

"THE THING:" A group of scientists in the arctic locate an alien spacecraft, along with it's pilot. Once the alien breaks free of it's icy fate, it begins killing off the scientists by shapeshifting into them.

"FOOTLOOSE:" A young city boy moves to a small country town after his mother's death. When confronted with the culture change, including a ban on public dancing and music, he instigaes the town's youth into fighting back through dance.

ROUND 2: EXECUTION!

"THE THING:" The original film relied heavily on psychological terror; what do you do when the monster could be the person right next to you? The remake, however, heavily relies on CGI and jump scares, opting to give you shot after shot of a monster that's psychological bark far outweighs it's flashy bite.

"FOOTLOOSE:" The memory of 1984's "Footloose" left me expecting a heaping pile of cheesy, over-glamorized dance routines a la Step Up and a looser plot than "Star Wars Episode 1." I WAS DEAD WRONG. The director (previously from "Black Snake Moan" and "Hustle and Flow") keeps a basic structure but enlists some charismatic young talent and some real intelligence into what could have been just another teen dance off.

ROUND 3: RATINGS!

"THE THING:" Due to it's cheapening of a classic horror flick and all around "same old same old" feel, "The Thing" is, at best, a C for cheesy.

"FOOTLOOSE:" Maybe it's just low expectations, but between subplots and supporting acting that raises the bar, a successful rookie leading male (Kenny Wormald) and writing that only sometimes plays down to it's audience, "Footloose" gets a B+ for beating my cynicism into submission.

THE WINNER: "Footloose." Even if you cringe at the mention of the title, at least see it to know what a "dance flick" can be. The supporting cast (namely Ray McKinnon as the guiding uncle and Miles Teller as a respectfully done hick of a best friend) adds some unforeseen self respect to the show, and if you can forgive some cheesy moments and Dennis Quaid, you may end up being satisfied.

Attack Of the Redbox No. 1: 'Melancholia'

Editor's note: Heyo, this is a new feature where we kind of just pick something at random at our local Redbox. Could be good, probably bad.

Remember those kids in school who were always too smart for everything by their own standards? The ones who would make snide comments and shit on anything anyone liked? The ones who smoked clove cigarettes, listened to The Smiths and couldn't wait for the world to end?

Well, those kids grew up. And one of them made a movie. And it's about as good as you would expect it to be. By which I mean that it grossed about half of it's budget and leaves you happy you grew up and learned to function like an adult.

Fishing: You're doing it wrong.

"Melancholia" is a film about a young woman named Justine. Justine has crippling depression that goes untreated just enough for her to be completely (and I mean COMPLETELY) useless. She is aided by her sister, Claire, who is basically a walking panic attack herself. So right there you have yourself an upper of a movie, right?

After a wedding (which we will get to, BELIEVE YOU ME) that ends in some awkward departures, Justine and Claire and the cast of supporting normal people discover that a planet is on a crash course with Earth. BUM BUM BUM.

The rest of the film revolves around the core characters wringing their hands and looking pretty until the giant ball drops on humanity. But, much like every New Year's, you'll either be bored and drunk or asleep by the time it hits.

The movie is also divided into two segments, one following Justine and one following Claire. Part 1 revolves around the wedding, where everyone is rich, miserable and melodramatic. Cue Kirsten Dunst, fresh off "Spider-man 3." Yowza. She effectively plays a character you know nothing about in a way that makes you wonder if she was aware what her character's motivations even were. Or if she really had any.

And since no one (I'm looking at YOU, Von Trier...) takes the time to explain or build characters, we're left wondering what the hell is going on and why the hell we should care. It's simply a sad story about rich people not having things go their way. Nothing more. No mention of the plot or really anything that will pertain to the second part.

In that second and more movie-like part, you will quickly shed a tear for Kiefer Sutherland. He performs a well-rounded if one dimensional role as Claire's logical and scientific husband. He carries the plot of the movie in on his shoulders and, noticing no one willing to help move it to the other end of the movie, carries it nearly all the way home.

Let's get back to my previous swing at the people involved in this frowny face of a film. Director Lars Von Trier is the posterboy of pretentious film school kids. His previous work with "Antichrist" left me with two reactions. Firstly, Von Trier can pawn his need to shock audiences off as entertainment, but I know a self-obsessed punk when I see his "art." Secondly... gross, Lars. Just... gross.

Melancholia only fortified my opinion of the director. But some other amazingly egotistical things were learned. Von Trier directs and writes all of his movies, most likely because no one with talent will return his phone calls. I also discovered via IMDB that his motto is "Everything's going to hell, but we should smile all the way." Although he may have stolen that from a 14-year-old boy at Warped Tour. Who knows.

The extra content on "Melancholia" makes Von Trier ego issues even more obvious. What little interview material I could stand had the director boasting that he made sure that the science behind the movie was correct. Congrats, Lars. You did two days of work toward an associates degree in physics.

Overall, Lars Von Trier is and will always be an obnoxious pseudo-artist and his films, including "Melancholia," will go down as million dollar cries for help.

'The Descendants': A solid but underwhelming buffet

I put off this film for maybe too long.

Before the Oscars, the buzz and the word of mouth, "The Descendants" may have been a bittersweet and rich story of Matt King (Clooney), a wealthy husband with a wife slipping toward the grave and two daughters; one estranged and one just strange. King has to deal with possible infidelity, his wife's mortality, his eldest daughter's daft boyfriend (nicknamed by a friend of mine as "Lil Kelso") and a surprisingly personal business deal.

Objectively, the film is nearly the definition of hit and miss. While each subplot is interesting, there seems to be so much involved that you don't get enough of anything. The business deal subplot seems a great personal story of heritage; the wife and infidelity seems like a perfect setup for a dark comedy; the story of a man learning to handle his daughters alone plays out like a great road trip movie.

But much like a buffet, nothing is specialized. Everything is available, but nothing is served to the viewer in a special manner.

As stated,however, since the movie received such high praise, I went in expecting a bit more from a film which gathered such high acclaim. Yes, Clooney's performance was good.

But otherwise, nothing crept out as an award-worthy element. Sadly, one of the most surprising and praise-worthy roles is by Matthew Lillard (yes, Matthew Lillard!) who plays a rather critical role and handles it in a cringing and engaging maturity.

"The Descendants" is definitely a movie worth seeing. Just do your best not to expect a monumental film.

'Silent House' Is A Little Too Silent

I don't know where to start...

"Silent House" is... well, was marketed as... a real-time chunk of horror involving ayoung woman, violent inturders, and what seemed to be someimpressively fast-paced, one-take moves by the director.

What the film boils down to is a dark house full of cliched horror actress and derivative, cheap jump scares.

The majority of the film turns out to be Elizabeth Olson (also a product of overhype) either running like she just downed her eighth Heineken or quiletly crying. The latter of these at least got amusing when it seemed like her only way to survive this ordeal was to make rat faces.

Let's start the breakdown with the gimmick that got everyone in a tizzy: the promise of carefully orchestrated horror stunts, all done in one take and in real-time. This may be true, but is far from impressive in the film itself.

Yes, it is one take, but when you factor in the IMMENSE amount of time spent sitting, creeping or just killing time in a room, it's pretty noticable how they pull it all off. It would be more entertainging for Olsen to make a rat face and hold up a "buffering" sign.

(Possible Spoilers! But you shouldn't see this film, so....)

The storyline itself is just fragments of other bad movies. Olsen plays a young woman who goes to a family home with her father and uncle to rennovate and hopefully sell. Once things turn sour, the audience becomes aware to soon just how cheap the film will get.

It starts with Olsen's father and uncle suspiciously finding and hiding photos without showing them to her. Which starts the insanity; if your family kept hiding pictures that are strewn about the house, wouldn't you have a WTF moment?

Of course, a faceless person starts terrorizing Olsen, which leads her on a slow, dull ascent to the top floor of the house where she has a cathartic experience, part of which is her using a polaroid camera in the dark.

NOTE TO FUTURE DAMSELS IN DISTRESS: A Polaroid camera is incredibly loud, and the flash is all but useless for more than two seconds. When hiding from a possible killer, try not to give away your position but using a fashing noisemaker.

Now, a quick disclaimer: I'm very passionate about movies, their message, and underlying meaning. It gets me into troble with people who don't take them as seriously, but I'm the one writing here, so deal with it...

The ending turns into a "Fight Club" scenario, where apparently an Olsen is able to brutally attack grown men and drag them all over a house in less than an hour. Cute. An maybe plausible. But my problem came from the deeper motivation: Olsen attackeed her father and uncle due to her father raping her as a child.

I am able to stomach a large amount of things, being a horror fan. But what I don't stomach is how condescending this motivation is towards women (see my "Sucker Punch" review).

Rape of any kind is a traumatic experience and should be handled in a delicate manner, but saying that being raped turns you into a super human psycho is not only illogical, it's insulting. I'd assume that if a young girl was treated in such a way, she wouldn't forget and certainly wouldn't be ok with going to a house alone with the culprit.

Overall, Silent House is slow, dull and accidentally entertaining before turning confusing, illogical and insulting rregarding a serious issue.

Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill show the Academy how it's done

Every year that I morbidly watch the Oscars, I always wish someone would call out the things we're all thinking at home. It never happens, of course. The bland host makes a few "risque" shots at the other rich people in the room, much gafaw-ing, and more teleprompter reading.

..........

Sorry, I nodded off.

To my amusement, I ended up watching the Independent Spirit Awards Feb. 25, hosted by Seth Rogen. And if the goal of the rich old white men running the Academy is to bring in young people, the Spirit Awards are a lesson in candid humor.

The high-quality laughs and shots at award season started with Rogen's relentless monologue, making Ricky Gervais look like Bob Hope. Rogen threw hard punches at most of Hollywood, landing almost all of them. Some of the best landed on Mel Gibson, Bret Ratner and Chris Brown who received the best punchline.

"At the Grammys," Rogen observed, "you can literally beat the shit out of a nominee and be asked to perform twice!"

Like it or not, that's good comedy. Good luck, Billy Crystal. Make sure your hearing aid and Depends are a go.

Even the banter of some of the presenters was more entertaining than recent Oscar hosts. Jonah Hill and Kirsten Dunst got great laughs when Jonah Hill nearly took out the microphone with the wave of a hand.

Also at the Spirit awards, you'll see some kudos to films whose titles haven't been heard 40,000 times in the last month. While "The Artist" did clean up Best Film, Best Male Lead, Best Director and Best Cinematography, other notables included Michelle Williams (Best Female Lead, "My Week With Marilyn"), Will Reiser (Best First Screenplay, "50/50") and Shailene Woodley (Best Supporting Female, "The Descendants").

So, Oscar producers? Looking for a way to pump some youth, humor and ratings into your show without watching James Franco and Anne Hathaway freeze the room? Class is in session.

Academy Awards live blog

Best of 2011: Steph's No. 1 movie

By now it's probably not a big secret what my best movie of 2011 is, however first let's recap the list.

10. "Larry Crowne"
9. "Paul"
8. "In Time"
7. "Bridesmaids"
6. "The Muppets"
5. "Captain America: The First Avenger"
4. "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol"
3. "The Artist"
2. "The Descendants"

1. "The Help" - No movie touched me more and effected me on a personal level more than "The Help." I remember seeing this film on its opening day and telling Tim that the film, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer would all get Oscar nominations. In actuality I think I was already engraving Davis' name on her statue.

Her performance was so raw and real, you felt Abilene's pain and pride. It was a role that you could imagine no one else in. Davis gave us everything.

Spencer was equally powerful in what will no doubt become the role of a lifetime for her. Minnie could have easily been a caricature, but Spencer gave her such depth that she became much more than the showiness of the character.

In a cast that included Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, Alison Janney, Sissy Spacek and Cecily Tyson there was not a single misstep.

The actors and directors had to walk such a cultural tightrope to tell this story and they did so respectfully and beautifully.

For black women, this is a part of our history that's always there, but never talked about. "The Help" not only told that story, it told it with class.

Best of 2011: 3 and 2 (Steph)

We're almost at the finish line of the best movies of 2011. Today it's Nos. 3 and 2.

3. "The Artist" - As a fan of the classics, this film was such a revelation. From the amazing score to the sensational performances, watching "The Artist" was like going back in time to when movies were just meant to be a fun time at the theater. Jean Dujardin's classic leading man looks helped sell him as the fading star, while Berenice Bejo was charming as the star on the rise. It's hard to come up with something new nowadays, so the decision to go back to the classic was really inspired.

2. "The Descendants" - Tim described very eloquently how George Clooney put on a masterclass of acting in this film. What he does here is create a character that instantly draws the audience in and keeps them 100 percent invested until the minute the credits roll. While the movie is absolutely great, it's hard to imagine anyone else picking this film up on his shoulders and making every second work the way he does.

As fantastic as Clooney is, he would have nothing without the beautifully balanced script. It moves so perfectly from heartbreak to hilarity, that it is also a masterclass in storytelling. Sometimes it just takes the right marriage of actor and script to create a one of a kind special movie.

And now it's on to No. 1...

Best of 2011: Nos. 2 & 1 (Tim)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 2 and 1.

First let's recap the list:

10. "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
9. "We Bought a Zoo"
8. "The Adventures of Tintin"
7. "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol"
6. "Thor"
5. "Captain America"
4. "The Descendants"
3. "Super 8"

2. "Limitless"

This film literally came out of nowhere. I had no clue it was even a movie until I saw the trailer for the first time.

And it kicked my ass. In a good way.

I was not expecting what my eyes saw. I was genuinely surprised and excited in almost every second of this movie.

And it goes everywhere from romance, to comedy, to drama, action and even a bit of horror (oh, God that one scene near the end...). Neil Burger, who directed "The Illusionist" did a fantastic job. Especially with the visuals of what the drug does visually. There's a rumor he's directing the "Uncharted" movie. AWESOME.

I've always known Bradley Cooper was awesome. Remember "Alias?" He's the perfect leading man here who goes from total loser to probably the most amazing man in the world.

1. "The Muppets"

Yes, No. 1. Deal with it.

I really went back and forth between this and "Limitless." But, listening to the soundtrack made me sure that "The Muppets" was the best movie of the year.

Like Stephanie said, just listen to "Pictures in My Head." I dare you not to get emotional.



Everyone can relate to that song. We all have had friends that we haven't talked with in years. And sometimes you don't know the reason why.

So many great moments in this film. Funny, sad, romantic and cute. I went to my first viewing with a few co-workers and we were all laughing throughout. And then spent a good 20 minutes outside of the theater talking about it.

Isn't that what going to the movies is all about?

And months later I'm still quoting lines (seriously, if me or my co-worker gets upset the first words out of our mouths is "In... Control..."). I'm even listening to the soundtrack again as I type this.

Best of 2011: Nos. 2 & 1 (Dan)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 2 and 1.

First let's recap the list:

10. "Horrible Bosses"
9. "Rango"
8. "Super 8"
7. "Incidious"
6. "Attack the Block"
5. "Moneyball"
4. "50/50"
3. "Ides of March"

2. "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

If not for the out-of-left-field dark horse "Red State," "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" is the best and most Oscar-worthy film of 2011.

Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) is an aggressively introverted computer genius who joins journalist Mikail Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) on a mysterious adventure into a rich families nightmarish past in order to solve a case of a missing girl. In the process, you get the kind of visuals and slow but satisfying pacing that only director David Fincher could deliver.

Imagine this is the next Bond movie, but instead of half-baked villains and muddling around for some action sequences, the writer pours their heart into their work, filling it with detail (for better or worse) and horror at times.

(By the way, make sure you know the lyrics to Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" before you see this. You'll want to see the opening sequence a dozen times.)

1. "Red State"

When Kevin Smith announced he was pretty much done with the film scene and was going to take a shot at a horror flick, my ears perked up. As a horror savant, the idea of Smith's attitude brought to a thriller was intriguing. Over the months, as everything he did regarding the film was documented, reviewed and passed around via word of mouth, the initial novelty wore off.

By October, when the film finally made it to a semi-wide release, I went into the film expecting just another film.

Then my mind was melted by unrelenting terror, uncomfortable characters, and a tour de force by Smith that is my No. 1 of the year with a bullet.

Three high school students (a centerpiece for Smith's comedies) go out to the country for a hook-up with a mysterious woman. In a twenty-four hour period, hell breaks loose for not only the teens, but for terrorists and the lawmen who fight them. And on a meta level, God vs. Logic is the core of the film. The movie is glossed with slick storytelling and two Oscar-level monologues delivered by Michael Parks (the morose bigot Abin Cooper) and John Goodman (FBI lead and only man with a conscience Joseph Keenan.)

If you're a fan of action movies, horror movies or just solidly written films, "Red State" is a must see.

(AFTER-THE-FACT NOTE: I just saw "Red State" is bolstering a 48 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. I was honestly shocked. Then I realized it was due to critics expecting Smith to just try to push buttons. Of course they left underwhelmed; they wanted a controversy and got a smart film!)

Best of 2011: 6, 5 & 4 (Steph)

After a few days off I'm back with Nos. 6-4 of my top 10 movies of 2011 list.


6. "The Muppets" - America had long been waiting for The Muppets to return to the big screen. Luckily Jason Segal gave our childhood heroes the movie they so richly deserved. In an art imitates reality twist, The Muppets have disbanded because they're not that popular anymore. However, superfan (and new Muppet) Walter helps get the gang back together for a telethon and it's everything fans had been waiting a lifetime for.

While the film is a funny, family friendly musical, it is also extremely poignant in places. None more so than Kermit singing "Pictures in my Head." What helped this movie more than anything else was Segal and all the other human participants clear love and respect for the history of The Muppets and how that translated to the screen. I dare you not to tear up during "Rainbow Connection."

5. "Captain America: The First Avenger" - Captain America has always been one of the most popular heroes ever, but his sincerity and the time period of his adventures made a movie adaptation a question mark. The most obvious problem, who could exude Cap's patriotism and earnestness. Chris Evans, who was previously Johnny Storm, turned out to be perfect casting. It was his longing to serve his country when everyone kept telling him no that made him a real hero.

Outside of Evans' great performance, the film was beautifully shot. It somehow blended modern effects with a classic style and look. Add in Hugo Weaving as Red Skull and a fantastic ending that set up "The Avengers" perfectly and this was far and away the best comic book movie of the year.

4. "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" - Tim already discussed how truly spectacular the Dubai high rise sequence was, but what got this movie into the top five was how top to bottom good the film was. Everything worked from Tom Cruise's return as Ethan Hunt to Jeremy Renner's introduction to Simon Pegg in the field. Every second of the movie something good was happening. And in IMAX, wow, it was breathtaking.

Up next Nos. 2 and 3.

Best of 2011: Nos. 4 & 3 (Tim)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 6 and 5.

4. "The Descendants"

OK, I broke our own rules here. There is an Oscars film on my list.

But, it's on here because the hype is real. This is a freaking good movie. You know how I tell people how awesome this is? I tell them that Matthew Lillard is really good in this movie. Seriously.

Clooney should, but probably won't, win the Oscar for Best Actor for this. We talk sometimes about how actors put on a class onscreen. Clooney, with this film, teaches a masterfully powerful class on how to act.

And the rest of the cast is great too. Everyone from the young daughter to Judty Greer is perfectly cast and holds their own. The big surprise? Shailene Woodley.

Yes, the girl from the ABC Family show "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Going in I wasn't expecting much from her. But she blew me away.

And it should be a crime that she wasn't nominated for an Oscar for this role. In an Academy Awards year where there is plently to complain about, her snub is at the top of the film.

The script is perhaps the best script of any film this year. It blended the heartbreak and comedy like walking on a tightrope without swaying too far on either side. And the best part? It was co-written by Jim Rash, who plays Dean Pelton on "Community."

Dean Pelton is going to win an Oscar. That is reason enough to watch the show.

If there were any justice in the world, it would win more than just that.

3. "Super 8"

One of the few films Dan and I agree on.

JJ Abrams has a free pass in my book thanks to "Alias" and "Star Trek," so I would have seen this regardless.

I loved, loved how they kept the secret of what the alien looked like. Even if there were spoilers, I avoided them. I wanted to remember what it was like before everything was spoiled by the Internet.

This entire movie was just that, a welcome, unspoiled surprise.

It also reminded me of a time where kids kicked ass. Like "The Goonies" or "Monster Squad." Kids didn't need parents to save them. They walked right up and kicked Wolfman in the nards. I'm old school.

And that train crash scene? Holy crap, possibly the best effects of the year (looking at you Visual Effects category). And you totally need to stay through the credits to see the Super 8 film the kids actually shot. I was laughing my ass off through the entire thing.

Best of 2011: Nos. 4 & 3 (Dan)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 4 and 3.

4. "50/50"

Another gut-wrechingly ignored film in Oscar season this year is "50/50," a beautiful and hilarious story of a young man who is diagnosed with cancer and struggles to deal with life when things start unraveling. Joseph Gordon Levitt (who has never been a part of a bad film, to the best of my knowledge) plays the lead character and the perfect straight man to Seth Rogen's bumbling, borderline man child Kyle.

Based on the true story of screenwriter Will Reiser's struggle in his 20s, "50/50" is a dry walk through coming to terms with death, and prioritizing along the way.

Not only will this movie make you laugh about cancer, the last 15 minutes will make you cry like you're watching "Field of Dreams." (It's a part of man-law: you can always tear up at "Field of Dreams," and now this movie is on that list.)

3. "Ides Of March"

What seemed at first as a desperate attempt to get some fanfare (the list of stars in this movie is longer than this blog post. Maybe.), "The Ides Of March" was actually on par with what expectations were raised to.

Ryan Gosling, who is slowly making a name for himself as a legitimate actor in this post-"Notebook" world, plays a budding political campaign manager. He's full of ideals, believes that good can be done in politics andd is willing to put his back into making it happen.

Sounds pretty naiive, right polito-cynics? Well, right you are. Slowly, things begin to unravel  in a seemingly simple primary race, and Stephen (Gosling) is slowly sunk into a game of lies, deception and immorality that will either break him or make him one of the monsters he hopes to defeat.

The films name is extremely apt in that the story plays out on a nearly Shakespearean level. Powerful characters are crafted with ease and made to fall. Also Shakespearean is the full weight of acting greats that play in the film. Of course there's Gosling, George Clooney and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, but there's also Marisa Tomei and the criminally underestimated Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright.

The film plays out as a political nightmare for our hero, leading to a series of  well done twists and turns that leave you feeling like you are flying through the rings of political hell.

Best of 2011: Nos. 6 & 5 (Tim)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 6 and 5.

6. "Thor"

Numbers six and five were very close. In fact, they switched a couple of times. Even right down to when I typed this out.

"Thor" was a movie I was slightly unsure of. I was never a huge fan of the character, but I'm a Marvel geek so I was going to see it no matter what.

And you know what? It's a really good movie. Kenneth Branagh was the perfect person to direct this film due to his Shakespeare background. But, he also amazed me with his aptitude for special effects.

The film also had one of the best casts of any film in 2011. Chris Hemsworth, while somewhat unknown at the time, felt like he was born to play the role. And people like Rene Russo, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings, Natalie Portman, Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston all were standouts.

Especially Elba and Hiddleston. You know a movie is good when you walk out of it and are talking about how good the supporting cast was.

An added bonus, we got to see a tiny bit of Hawkeye.

5. "Captain America"

Was it the amazing "Avengers" footage at the end of the film that pushed this past "Thor?" Perhaps. But, the strong story also helped.

Origin stories are sometimes hard to get past because there is just so much background to get through. But, this background only made me like the character more.

Iron Man and Thor are harder to relate to because of their origins. But, Captain America was an everyday Joe. People get that.

The film also had great effects and a pretty awesome performance by Tommy Lee Jones. Well, that, and Nick Fury showing up at the end too.

Best of 2011: Nos. 6 & 5 (Dan)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 6 and 5.

6. "Attack The Block"

We live in an age where once something fresh is done, it's over, films like "Attack The Block" remind us that a developed style has more depth than we realize.

"Attack The Block" follows South London punks from a mugging to an action-packed fight against some straight up cool looking aliens.

The film is in the vein of "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" in it's visceral nature and a bit like "Shaun Of The Dead" in it's cheeky British demeanor, but "Attack the Block" is it's own animal. It's young, it's dark, it's beautifully gritty and amazingly unapologetic.

Don't expect a lot of redemption value from your heroes, but expect them to fight for their block.

5. "Moneyball"

The only film on my list to receive critical acclaim (deservedly so) is "Moneyball." Another true story about Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane and his attempt to discover a way to keep up with richer teams in Major League Baseball.

His big chance comes when he meets Peter Brand and develops a system to find players who may not be stars, but have the mathematical numbers to piece together wins.

The biggest negative comments I've heard about this movie are that people aren't into baseball.

Well, good news! This movie is not about baseball. Yes, one of the main elements in the movie revolves around a baseball team. But it's not so much about the players as it is the men who are the players. It's a story of people who are devalued and have accepted their fate to being small time players. More importantly, it's a movie about faith in your fellow man and that everyone has the potential to be something amazing.

In a time when a lot of people are disenfranchised, what could be better than a film about second chances, centering around the game America created? "Moneyball" is a fun, interesting and sentimental ride that you'd have to be heartless not to enjoy.

Best of 2011: Nos. 8 & 7 (Tim)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 8 and 7.

8. "The Adventures of Tintin"

Yes, it was even a shock to me. For months leading up to the release of the film I kept saying how I wasn't interested. Then Christmas happened.

I had seen every other film I wanted to already. My entire family went to the movies so I had three choices: "New Years Eve," "Hugo" or "Tintin."

I made the best choice ever.

First off, the film is beautiful. My jaw was literally on the floor seeing how gorgeous every frame of this film was.

I'm usually not a fan of motion capture, but Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson made a believer out of me. And the 3-D wasn't even annoying!

If it's still playing at a theater anywhere near you, stop whatever you're doing and see it. You can even take kids to it.

There is one part of the film, near the end, that takes place on a pirate ship. That scene, probably less than 10 minutes total, was better than the last two "Pirates of the Caribbean" films combined.

Thankfully it caught on overseas and made a ton of money so a sequel is in the works.

7. "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol"

Another film I wasn't too much thought into. I knew it would be at least "good," but this film kicked me in the gut and made me apologize.

Brad Bird, known for his animated film work, knocked it out the park with his live action debut. Everything about this movie works; the effects, acting, chemistry, plot... everything.

It's a nail biter, edge of your seat thriller. And that skyscraper scene? Holy crap. If you see that film and don't give Tom Cruise a bit of respect after that, there is something wrong with you. He totally earned a free pass in my book for not only that scene, but the entire movie.

Is it a coincidence that both of these movies starred Simon Pegg? I think not, he rocks. And I think you can totally expect to see my No. 7 movie appear a lot higher on Stephanie's list.

Best of 2011: Nos. 8 & 7 (Dan)

My countdown of the best movies of 2011 continues with Nos. 8 and 7.

8. "Super 8"

No, it was just coincidence.

"E.T." and "Goonies." If you're an American between 15 and 30, you've seen these movies and they are a part of your upbringing. These movies taught you that you and your friends can be bold. you can adventure, you can hunt treasure or just ride your bikes around town like bad asses.

Where did those movies go?

Well, "Super 8" is a solid throwback to those films. A group of kids work on a home movie (shot on a SUPER 8 camcorder)and stumble onto an alien conspiracy that leads to some great (I just refer to it as JJ Abrams level these days) storytelling.

It should be a crime that the weekend this came out we didn't see preteens put down their Justin Bieber (Bieber? Beeber? I don't care...) to go rock some movie making.

7. "Insidious"

Much like "Red State," "Insidious" gets big points for classy shock value. The opening scene of the film alone says "Hello, I look like some things you've seen. But I hope you're prepared for a ride!"

The Lambert family just moved into a new house expecting the perfect family life. Not so much.

The film will take you through some of the horror punches and rolls, but they will not just feed you the scares and send you packing. You're getting ghosts, demons, dreams, spooky pictures, opening doors, whispering voices, and one of the creepiest (or funniest) songs you'll ever hear.

Don't have the time to go to a theme park for a little fun? Take a ride through this ghost house flick instead and you'll get more bang for your buck.