1. BLACK SWAN A
2. SCOTT PILGRIM vs. THE WORLD A
3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK A
4. 127 HOURS A
5. LET ME IN A
6. TANGLED A-
7. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 A-
====(In Theatres)==== Datenight -- C+ Greenzone -- B How to Train A Dragon -- A- Iron Man 2 -- A- Robin Hood -- B- Toy Story 3 -- A Avatar: The Last Airbender -- D+ Inception -- A+ The Sorcerer's Apprentice -- C Despicable Me -- B+ The Expendables -- C- Scott Pilgrim Vs The World -- B The American -- F Bunraku -- C+ Devil -- C-
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader -- B-
From the Voyage of the Dawn Treader thread:
I saw this today. It was kind of disappointing. The really frustrating thing was that the movie felt like if they had just tried a little harder with the story and the character struggles it would have been a much better film.
The struggle with sin/evil makes for a good character driven story, but they really glossed over a lot of it in favour of trying to fit all of the different islands in (which also all felt rushed). I think while Prince Caspian struggled b/c the original story didn't have enough in it to support a movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader struggled b/c there was too much in the book for one movie. I know the franchise is struggling so it didn't really warrant this, but I wish they had made this into two separate films instead of one.
Also, as a Christian, I found the redemption scene where Aslan
removes the Dragon-ness from
Eustace to be very powerful. It was glossed over and I don't think many people picked up on it, but the whole movie was about dealing with temptation and sin as we journey through this life. One day followers of Alsan will reach Aslan's country (heaven) and things will be made right, but for now there is darkness in the world and inside ourselves that we have to face every day. Eustace
gave in to the temptation and became something he didn't like. When he met Aslan he immediately was ashamed at what he had become and wanted to rip the dragon skin off himself and become human again, but he couldn't, Aslan had to do it for him.
That's deep stuff.
==== (On DVD)==== Edge of Darkness -- C+ The Book of Eli -- B- The Losers -- B+
Daybreakers - Really creative, constant tension, stacked cast, damn good film. Really liked what they did with the concept. 8/10
The Wolfman - This really could've been great, but a lot of the usual things went wrong. Insane amount of CGI, jump-heavy blockbuster scares without much atmosphere or showmanship to them, bizarre pacing, etc. I love a lot of Joe Johnston's stuff but I think he's just not a horror director. M. Night Shymalan could've done a great job with this. Every actor does very well though. Hopkins saves the whole film. 5.5/10
I just read that they cut 17 minutes from the final cut of the film for theaters because the studio wanted audiences to get to the first Wolfman transformation sooner. Joe Johnston's putting these back for the DVD, which I want to see.
Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland - I think as entertainment this is pretty much critic-proof. It has a lot of the same problems with missed showmanship that Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory had, but at the end of the day it's a fun tribute to Carroll's world packed with colourful, captivating visuals, a great cast, and a good old-fashioned fantasy quest element woven through which it's fun to see the well-known characters participate in. Where else are you going to be able to see
a Jokerized Johnny Depp using a garment mannequin to swordfight a one-eyed Crispin Glover?
6.5/10.
The Crazies - An interesting take on the Zombiepocalypse genre and an effective, suspenseful, scary film overall. Literally every second is suspenseful, never letting up. 7.5/10
Hot Tub Time Machine - Absolutely The Hangover meets Back To The Future, this was hilarious. With a little more effort they could've approached a BTTF level of changed-the-future emotion and satisfaction at the end, but it was still a borderline great movie. 8.5/10
Kick-Ass - Apart from a few details I would've changed, and maybe a different lead actor, this was so ****ing good. 9.5/10
Clash Of The Titans - This wasn't directed very well, and is one of the poorest uses of the 3D process I've seen yet. Worthington's still good, everyone was, especially Mads Mikilsen, there were some AWESOME moments(the whole
Medusa sequence
was probably my favourite part), and it benefits from the original story still being so good. In a lot of ways it's a great old-fashioned movie, but one of the most powerful feelings it elicted in me is still "appreciation for Peter Jackson". But I still enjoyed it. 7/10
A Nightmare On Elm Street - Barely scary and cluelessly directed, for the most part. But Haley is great and this film's story, and Freddy Krueger, are excellent and way, way more interesting than in the original. Some real horror direction, subtlety and scary imagery could've made the most of that story, but as it is this was still decent overall. 6/10
Iron Man 2 - This was amazingly engaging and entertaining, filled with captivating performances and some of the best effects-fueled action sequences in the whole superhero movie genre. The story parts didn't flow quite as well as in the first film, but the story was far bigger and more ambitious too, and in my opinion, worth that price. I loved every minute of it. 9.5/10
Ridley Scott's Robin Hood - Take Gladiator, mix it with 300, Kingdom of Heaven, and Beowulf and Grendel, now strip it of all the character, the spirit, the fun and the point. Pretty much. A "gritty reboot" of a character whose legend has been kept alive for a thousand years largely because of the merry, swashbuckling, fantastical elements was simply a bad idea. Crowe was great as usual and a potential sequel could really be something. This was not. 5/10.Ebert's review is spot-on.
Edge Of Darkness - I was basically expecting your usual Taken type of thing, but this was so much more(both plot-wise and overall quality). I forgot it was a Martin Campbell film until the end credits, but it's certainly up to his standard. Mel Gibson was amazing. 8.5/10
The Imaginarium Of Dr. Parnassus - This is vintage Gilliam. The only frustrating thing is that CGI has replaced his traditional models and clay, which used to account for so much of his signature brand of surreality. Nevertheless, this is a fine film with a great story, tons of excellent performances from an eclectic, amazing cast and the fact that Burton's Alice In Wonderland made like ten times as much at the box office is pretty much a disgrace. Oh well. This will endure where it counts. 9.5/10.
Shutter Island - I swear to god, I watched the first minute of the first trailer when it appeared, decided I wanted to see it and shut my eyes for the remainder of the trailer, and hoped that.... this.... wouldn't be how it ended. When the all the hype over "the twist" started popping up, I assumed that it couldn't be what I was thinking of. At yet it was. I don't know how "the twist" got any hype or acclaim. I barely even get how they decided to put up the effort to make the whole movie and seriously do that ending, let alone also drop rock-solid hints to it throughout. However, every single other aspect of the entire film, acting, directing, editing, cinematography, and most of all characterization and development, was so good that it's still totally worth seeing. Also,
the last line in the film is kind of a mini-twist in its own right and makes it a whole point higher.
8/10
Splice - The first great creature feature I've seen in a long time. Excellent effects drive a daring story, with really dark humour, solid leads and loads of suspense. Delphine Chaneac's "Dren" is hypnotic. I also was fortunate enough to see it with a great audience who was really into it, laughing and clapping at all the right moments. Anyway, recommended. 8/10
The Book Of Eli - Fallout 3 with Christianity instead of the American Dream. The main reason I was looking forward to this was to balance out the bleakness of The Road(a great film) and explore the more fun side of the post-apoc genre, but it was quite a bit better than I expected. It has a lot of the stuff I hate about religion and faith, but also stuff I love about the idea of God, and they explore it from different sides fairly well. The action was excellently stylized, but sometimes felt kind of out of place in this film. Gary Oldman and his character were excellent, and the musical score was my favourite yet this year.
Most surprising of all, I liked the ending way more than that of ''Shutter Island''.
An entertaining and powerful film. 8/10
If you get it on disc, make sure to check out the animated mini-comic about Billy Carnegie as a kid. More great music too.
Toy Story 3 - Aside from easily being the best film I've seen so far this year, and easily Pixar's best since The Incredibles, this can sit on the shelf next to 1 and 2 as one of the most amazing movies ever made. The twelve year wait made it even more special, and it's a good thing it requires 3D glasses at this point because I don't think there was a dry eye in the house at the end. I remember seeing 1 at age six and 2 at age nine(same ages as Andy) in the theatres as clearly as anything. Seeing 3 at age twenty was another one of a kind experience, and purely epic. 10/10
Inception - "You've heard of an idiot plot? This movie is an idiot plot fractal. No matter how far down into the details you wallow, you still find a whole new, glorious idiot plot." ~ The Agony Booth's review of A Sound Of Thunder (2005)
Replace every instance of the word "idiot" with the word "genius" and you'll get a pretty good idea. I've scarcely seen a movie that has so many, many of the things that make film as a whole great rolled into one. 10/10. Brrrrrrrm.
The Ghost Writer - An intriguingly quirky thriller that gets better and better as it goes on and features Ewan McGregor's best performance in ages. Pierce Brosnan matches him. Polanski remains a truly formidable filmmaker. Definitely recommended. 8/10
Scott Pilgrim VS The World - Too many conflicting circumstances to rate this one properly. In some situations, it might've become one of my all-time favourite movies. In others, I might've been annoyed as heck by it. I've only seen it once. It was a bizarre film to watch in August rather than February. Overall, I really liked it and will probably enjoy further viewings in many different ways.
The Night Chronicles: Devil - Another one basically unratable by me. It's ridiculous and frequently so-bad-it's-good, but it's also just unambitious given that it was working with a premise that could've gone so many places and been a classic. The "scares" are either laughable or incidental. I saw this with TwilightEL and we were like the only people in the theater and we loudly rifftraxed the bejeezus out of every moment and line and it was a riot. I'd be stunned by anyone who took it seriously being satisfied, and it's depressing when you think about how many brilliant, original films out there are going unmade because their writer is a nobody. Shyamalan could salvage his career by just funding projects like that for a while.
The Social Network - The screenplay is almost sexually satisfying in its brilliance, all the actors are dead-on(I genuinely forgot it was Justin Timberlake and not Sean Parker), this might be Fincher's best film along with Zodiac. Inception(which is still my favourite film of the year so far) and this each deserve a screenplay Oscar for original and adapted respectively. Atticus Ross, after an inspiring job on The Book Of Eli score, delivers yet again and it enriches the experience even more. A fascinating story that needed to be told and preserved. We're very lucky they took a chance and made it so well. 10/10
Get Him To The Greek - I was expecting a much more Apatow-ish wild party film that is content to be a hilarious adventure of drug-fueled disasters and thrilling excess. But it only did just enough of that to get by. It's actually a very capable exploration of the definitive Rock Star lifestyle that bothered to make Aldous Snow a really good, fully formed character. In fact, I felt like it was at its worst when it tried to be a goofy modern R-comedy. The substance was great here, and a few moments in particular are unforgettable. Worth it. 7.5/10.
Leaves Of Grass - This was blatantly going to be good, but it ended up being one of my favourite films of the year. The Norton-Norton duo - done to perfection - alone would have made the film worth seeing, but everything else in it is just as good. It manages to be both direct and wonderfully subtle, reflecting its own themes without being.... preachy? It's hard to describe. It's as real and absorbing as movies get, and I hope the Oscars and a wider release give Tim Blake Nelson his due, but whatever the case, I loved it and hope you see it. 10/10
Harry Brown - The concept of your standard street vigilante justice film, but starring Michael Caine, is a great one. However, it really is just that - your standard street vigilante justice film, with almost nothing new to say or add to the genre. After five Death Wish films and the excellent, subversive The Brave One, you have to get more creative than this. Caine is great though and a deleted scene about Chess was one of the best parts of this. 6/10
Predators - Pretty much what it should be, which is a true Predator film(which believes in and understands the concept of the series) and a true '80s-'90s action film with updated effects. The effects were also something to watch for, with extremely realistic CGI being used to enhance the excellent practical effects we expect from the series. The cast worked well enough in general, but Adrien Brody really stood out, playing wildly against type as a grizzled, meaty combat veteran and is totally convincing. Very impressive. The downside is the very open ending which resolves very little. It might as well have had a "To Be Continued" sign before the credits. It BETTER be continued. 7/10
Perrier's Bounty - An aptly-described "urban western" also reminiscent of Crank and Lock Stock. Cillian Murphy owes €1000 to some mobsters, lead by Darren Perrier(Brendan Gleeson), who plan on collecting the night the film starts. Jim Broadbent plays his dad who quickly gets involved in the mess and believes he met the Grim Reaper several nights previous. Instant adventure with a good comic script whose performances make it great. Lots of fun. 8.5/10
How To Train Your Dragon - Fantastic. It defied a lot of my expectations, especially in that it was - at most - 50% a comedy. Everything was well-executed, but the flying sequences and dragon effects in particular really stood out. They also really put some effort into the music, which these films always should. Very impressive and will hopefully quell all the Dreamworks bashing once and for all. 9/10
Unstoppable - This looked really good, but it just.... meh. Maybe the concept was doomed from the start, because the only thing the train can really do is hit things, and after the first time that happens they take everything off the track. They never really treat the train as an antagonist or give it any sort of menacing air, which I think also took it down a peg. Anyway, nothing much happens, the few action sequences are by-the-numbers, and it's completely forgettable. 6/10.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part I - Perhaps as expected, this had an inescapable LOTR feel, which was mostly a good thing, but it also makes me want them to have gotten Peter Jackson to direct it. It's beautifully shot, but honestly, I think Yates is the worst of the series' four directors. He has so little sense of timing and showmanship. Things just kind of....happen, and in a story that's already so full of really crazy stuff coming out of nowhere, it really brings it down. There's also been increasingly less focus on music throughout his films, whereas it was one of the best and most cohesive things about the first four. None of the Williams music was used in HBP, and only a few bars of it here. HAVING SAID THAT, there are loads of great moments throughout the film, and frankly.... its still a Potter film, and I'll take any of them any day of the week. 8/10
[COLOR="#Green"]Valhalla Rising - Bizarre film about a wordless one-eyed slave-warrior(Mads Mikkelsen, aka Le Chiffre from Casino Royale) killing his captors and leading a small band of vikings across the Atlantic to the New World around 1000 A.D., in search of God and other planes of existence. Frequently surreal and confusing, but exceptionally well-shot and filled with interesting layers of symbolism. Some of the best single shots of the year are in this film. Really hard to rate and pends a lot of examination. The making-of doc where you see that they made the whole thing with a crew of about 30 people camping in the mountains of Scotland is very impressive. 7/10
Knight And Day - I expected to like this and was right. Cruise has a lot of fun spoofing himself in a film that's basically one long aside-glance at misogynistic spy films from the 60s and his own usual action films, but is also a solid and entertaining one in its own right. 7.5/10[/COLOR]
Trying to convince someone come see Black Swan next.
Black Swan N/A: this is one of a very few movies I can't rate. I can't tell if I should be sexually aroused when Mila Kunis eats out Natalie Portman giving her such a nice face. or shutting myself in a room becuase I think im also going crazy when I see and do things that I really havn't done. cuz that little bit'a darkness inside feels sooo good that it wants out but you can't let it, until it just consumes.
Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader 7.5/10 decent movie, never read the book. didn't really care for the monster thing at the end.
Due Date 7.3/10 didn't really care for the movie, liked all the stunts and could sympathize with Robert. i would'a left him and not looked back.
The Warriors Way: 9.5/10: the movie had its little quirks, but i found everything to be at just the right blend. slow motion tech has stepped up, along with the wires stunts, CGI and blood splatter . I just REALLY liked it. if there is one action movie you watch this year make sure its this one.
edit: I think Sngmoo Lee may one day really make a name for himself.
Life as We Know It: 7.4/10 something about babies today. it wasn't a bad movie, it worked out pretty well. A good date movie.
Faster: 8.5/10 It was everything i was expecting it to be. there were no major surprises and there weren't meant to be any and that's what made it so great. it wasn't about a man out for revenge, but retribution that is owned to him. revenge is to kill any and all that get in your way no matter what. for Retribution, only those that need it.
Legend of the Guardians The Owls of Ga'Hoole: 7.7/10 This wasn't what i was expecting. the movie was alot darker than i thought it would be. by the time i got to the end, it all made alot more sense. when i rewatch it again in a couple of months it will probably be a lot more enjoyable. still a great movie to watch.
Tangled 8.7/10 I really enjoyed it, and you will enjoy it as well, that is my decree!!!!! you laugh, you cry, you cheer, you boo, and you want to reach for your own fry pan :lol:
Lottery Ticket 6.1/10 great cast, but it just didn't catch me. if ya know what im saying.
Harry Potter 7 pt 1 7.3/10 for a Harry Potter film it wasn't bad, they better not mess up the bank stuff coming in the next movie.
MegaMind 8.7/10 another really great film. another one where you will Laugh, Cry, Cheer, Boo, and go for the Black Mamba.
Red 7.5/10 it was a solid movie, but the old people got to me after a while.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps 8.6/10 Really great movie. Enjoyed every moment of it. most people never understand the difference between the hustle and THE Hustle. this movie does a very good job dealing with both types. if you don't get it, one day you will or maybe never. Money. Power. Respect.
The Town: 7.9/10 crisp, clean and to the point. The Boston accents got to me after a little while. but other than that a well thought out movie.
1. Black Swan - 10/10 - An emotional powerhouse of a film... I haven't seen Reqiuem, but this is above and beyond the other Aronofsky I've seen. The acting is brilliant, and there are moments in this film so raw they're overwhelming.
2. The Social Network - 10/10 - There's a single line in the film about trying to be an ******* that doesn't work, but literally everything else in the film is flawless. Completely restores my faith in Fincher after Benjamin Button. Doesn't overstep its bounds by making claims about what it means to live in this generation, but still crafts an incredible character study.
3. Inception - 9.5/10 - After some time to process it all... I think i have to knock off a half point. There are problems. But Nolan has still managed to craft a phenomenal sci-fi thriller.
4. Toy Story 3 - 9.5/10 - More thinking has this dropped a half-point, as I slowly came to grips with the fact that I think The Incredibles might still be a stronger Pixar film or at least its equal. I still can't exaggerate the effect this film had on me, and the year still has a LOT of work to do to potentially beat this movie.
5. How To Train Your Dragon - 9/10 - This towers over everything Dreamworks has accomplished before. A phenomenal story on par with most Pixar films. I can't even say how pleased I was to get to see this while it was still playing in theaters.
6. Shutter Island – 9/10 – By far the best film to be released this year, and the only thing on this list likely to make the Oscars next spring... DiCaprio is phenomenal in this beautifully filmed thriller.
7. Tangled - 8.5/10 - Easily the best film from Walt Disney Feature Animation since the late 90s... I really hope they can keep it up, because if this is an indication of whats to come, we're about to get some classic Disney.
8. The Town - 8.5/10 - Extremely well made and well acted... I don't think it'll make the history books, but it certainly puts Ben Affleck firmly on the list of damn good directors to watch closely.
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 8/10 - Scott Pilgrim is Michael Cera. I never thought I would be able to say that without gagging, but he nailed the role right on the head. And Wright nailed the film at large. My problems are minor, and I'll save them for the release of the film in theaters. God Bless San Diego Comic Con.
10. Easy A - 8/10 - Smart, funny and good. Probably not quite as good as Mean Girls, but definitely right in the same area of appeal and quality. Extra credit goes to Stanley Tucci for being the funniest dad character I've seen in ages.
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One - 8/10 - I was just genuinely happy with this film, in a way that the other films have never managed to evoke in me. I think the decompression actually allowed for character work, which has been the first thing to go in previous films. I'm actually kinda looking forward to rewatching this when the second comes round, and I never really want to rewatch the HP films.
12. Kick-Ass – 8/10 – High octane fun... Much better than the original comic book series in the way it dropped its aspirations towards reality and embraced the absurdity of ultraviolence in superheroism.
13. Megamind - 8/10 - Much better than expected... A great pastiche on the Superhero genre that's genuinely funny when it wants to be and touching when it needs to be.
14. Catfish - 8/10 - The last thing I was expecting was this to be a documentary. I won't say anything more about it. Definitely worth seeing. Found out some behind the scenes stuff that really really affects my opinion of the film, (not about the production, but about the people).
15. Let Me In - 8/10 - There are even a couple moments I like here more than I liked the original, but overall its mostly a pale copy.
16. The Last Exorcism - 7.5/10 - This would be a great movie if not for its terrible ending. It doesn't quite erase how much I liked the earlier portions, but they could have gone in literally dozens of more interesting paths than the one they take for the last 15 minutes.
17. Predators - 7.5/10 - Probably my favorite of the Predator franchise thus far... Everything about this movie was awesome. Bits of the CGI didn't work, and it could have used a bit more polish, but as is, its a wholly enjoyable film.
18. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - 7.5/10 - Strong acting and a decent story, but it lacks the relevence of the original on each and every count, and struck me as entirely pointless. The original is a classic that brought attention to the horrible way business was handled in the 80s. All this one says is "Hey, the people who caused the financial crisis did some bad things, huh?" Which is hardly a revelation these days.
19. Piranha 3D - 7/10 - Crazy entertaining. Exactly as trashy as it wanted to be. If you like boobs and gore, this is the movie for you.
20. Dinner For Schmucks - 7/10 - Much better than I expected, after the film was basically shrugged off by critics and audiences... A sweet movie that made me laugh. Comedy-wise, that's all you really need.
21. Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10 - A really sweet movie and a great buddy comedy with only a handful of stale jokes. The way they handle the time travel in the film is problematic, but only we geeks would really nit-pick at that.
22. Iron Man 2 – 7/10 – High octane fun as well, but without the story-work that should have been there to make it truly unforgettable. Truly wish I could rank this higher, but regardless, I had one hell of a time watching this movie.
23. Machete - 7/10 - In the exact same boat as Piranha 3D. Trashy as hell, but totally watchable. Except for Lindsay Lohan. She was legitimately terrible. But Cheech totally makes up for it.
24. The Other Guys - 7/10 - A fun movie... Wahlberg seems a little misplaced, but this is certainly the first time in ages where I've really liked Will Ferrell in a movie. There are plenty of issues, and it could have been much better, but it was ultimately a lot of fun.
25. The Karate Kid - 7/10 - Surprisingly satisfying, and an extremely solid film. It's far from perfect, but it is fun and the fighting is incredible. Definitely worth the ticket price.
26. Despicable Me - 7/10 - In a year with so many brilliant animated films, It's a little disheartening to see one this pandering... Still fun, though.
27. The A-Team - 7/10 - Okay wow, this probably comes from having had virtually no expectations for this film whatsoever, but even though i was in a bad mood going in, I have to admit the film was extremely fun. Probably the first time I've actually liked Bradley Cooper's character in a movie.
28. Tron Legacy - 6.5/10 - I had much higher hopes for this movie, but it ended up being pretty standard without any of the ingenuity that seemed to be presented in the trailers... And in the middle, it was pretty freaking boring. This thing could have been really great, in the end its just kinda fun with good graphics.
29. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - 6.5/10 - I wish I could hate this movie, but Slade actually does the impossible and makes the abysmal bearable. Cheers to you Mr. Slade. The story is still rubbish, but the film engaged me throughout.
30. Red - 6.5/10 - Fun but middling. Could have been much better with that great a cast onboard.
31. Get Him to the Greek - 6.5/10 - Funny but ultimately disappointing. Still love Aldous Snow, the fictional Rock God that he is, but at the end of the day, I was hoping for something closer to the other Apatow efforts in terms of the film's emotional side.
32. The Crazies - 6.5/10 - The better side of mediocre, but not by much. Boring at parts, scary sometimes... I saw it a few weeks ago and have kind of already forgotten most of it.
33. A Nightmare on Elm Street - 6/10 - Really should have been so much better... The world deserves the return of Freddy Kruger, and there's so much potential in a horror monster that lurks in the dreamworld that just probably won't ever happen... Until the round of Threemakes starts up in another 20 years (get ready, everyone). The worst part about these Platinum Dunes films is they haven't figured out that casting the lead female role is ****ing important. For the first 45 minutes, i didn't even know WHICH of the bland girls was supposed to be Nancy.
34. Alice in Wonderland – 5/10 – This should have been infinitely weirder than it ultimately was. What it ended up as was simply a cliched fantasy plot forced into Wonderland... Some good visuals and performances, but by far the least satisfying Burton film in ages.
35. Daybreakers – 5/10 – This movie really could have been good... I loved the world, and Sam Neil made for a great villainous vampire... But in the end, it was just all kind of stupid.
36. Legion – 3/10 – "Ain't got no shark teeth, paw!" made me laugh out loud. A lot of this movie did. I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all without the few beers I drank beforehand.
37. Shrek The Fourth - 1/10 - Having created this film, everyone on the production team should be put in prison forever. In particular the person who voiced Rumplestiltskin. I cannot even remember a less enjoyable film-going experience in recent history. At least Legion was LAUGHABLY terrible. Nobody in the theater laughed at this film. It was dead silent and sad.
38. The Last Airbender - 0.5/10 - There is precisely one character in this film, and he was Zuko's Uncle. I don't know how he survived Shyamalan's directing, but he did it, and that is the only reason this film gets a half-point. There is no flow, no characterization, no compelling action (which is particularly shocking)... It's telling about the quality of the source material that the most frustrating thing about this film is that it SHOULD be good, the world this film fails to depict shines through in the minutest detail. In a strange way, I'm glad I've seen this, because it makes me want to see the animated series more than ever. This film is a failure on virtually every level, its only moments of strength derived from the structure provided by the series this film failed to adapt. I didn't enjoy a minute of this movie, and if you feel compelled to see it, download it. There is no reason to support this film in theaters.
Movies to See:
Casino Jack, Monsters, Due Date, True Grit
6. Tangled - 8.5/10 - Easily the best film from Walt Disney Feature Animation since the late 90s... I really hope they can keep it up, because if this is an indication of whats to come, we're about to get some classic Disney.
Hm. So, I didn't see as many movies as I'd like this year but I'll probably end up cramming over the Christmas holiday. I'm scrolling through a wiki list of releases to realize what was put out this year and not in 2009.
From Paris With Love -5.0 - A pale imitation of a Luc Besson movie. Travolta does a pale imitation of Vince Vega doing a pale imitation of Denzel's character in Training Day. Of course, when he proves to be right ('cuz of terrorists!), it bleeds any pathos or edge the character might have had in the first place. What follows is a rote action-adventure that can't be saved by generic fight sequences and a pat ending.
Shutter Island - 9.0 - I went into this movie with everyone saying "They're should have been another twist at the end". Of course, those people are idiots, and while the implications of the somewhat obvious twist don't merit a second viewing, it does lend some clever nuances to the earlier interactions. It's far from Scorses' best, but it's definitely a smart deconstruction of twisty conspiracy thrillers that puts the genre to shame.
Hot Tub Time Machine - 7.0 - Fun, stupid comedy greatness. It's not the best of second generation frat pack movies but it's remarkably charming, and anyone who liked John Cusack's 90's performances will enjoy seeing him lampoon the persona he played in every single one. It's the kind of movie I'll leave sitting on my shelf and only see once every few years, but be pleasantly surprised each time I watch it.
Kick-Ass - 5.5 - The comic was better than the movie, and considering the former was written by Mark Millar, that's saying a lot. Mark Millar made a few vulgar decisions with his story that, taken under a more deft hand, could have been well implented, but Vaughan erred instead on the side of sentimentality. What we get instead is a superhero movie that follows the Spider-Man template number-by-number, and is ultimately predicated on the enjoyment of a little girl with a katana. The action sequences end up coming across as an unintentional parody of Tarantino style, parroting flashy pop-music laden sequences in a way that reminded me of Boondock Saints. The only saving grace was watching Nicholas Cage do a hilarious Adam West impression and wear mustache extensions as part of his costume.
The Losers - 6.0 - I wanted this to be great. I really, really did. I loved The Losers. The comic book was everything a 21st century A-Team should have been. The movie was what The Expendables luckily wasn't. The performances (Chris Evans in particular) were charming but the effects and plot were forgettable drivel. It's a real shame.
A Nightmare on Elm Street - 3.0 - It wasn't as bad as I expected going into it, but that doesn't mean it's not a wretched little movie. Freddy Krueger's charm was sacrificed in favor of the generic and in the midst of making him grim and gloomy, they didn't think of giving him any personality. The performances were underwhelming and the death sequences just plain boring. Considering this is a character who can create any fantasy, you'd hope Freddy had a little more imagination, but the dream sequences are spent almost entirely in brown and gray boiler rooms and burned out buildings. And the implication that he's chasing after Nancy so he can rape her forever and ever and ever was unsettling for all the wrong reasons. They mistook dark and gritty for horror and the end result was just abysmal.
Iron Man 2 - 8.5 - Despite its many flaws (too many characters, a schizophrenic plot, a sagging middle that was more an advertisement for the Avengers than anything else, an obligatory sub-plot involving daddy issues, the puzzling recasting of the ideal Terrence Howard for the brilliant but ill-matched Don Cheadle), it was still a great movie. The choreography on the race tracks may have a place as the greatest fight scene in superhero films, the acting amongst the principal players was on par with the Dark Knight, and Scarlet Johansen's ass-kickery through Hammer Industries almost made her disappointing performance for the prior two hours worth it.
Robin Hood - 6.0 - What started off as the quintessential Robin Hood movie spent its last half inexplicably retelling the plot to Braveheart and I spent an hour wishing I were instead watching the sequel. In the end, it got to a place where a great Robin Hood story could be told, but the process of getting there just wasn't any fun. But man, a sequel would be awesome, right?
Toy Story 3 - 9.5 - It wasn't as great as Up[/i], but it was still touching, beautiful, heart-warming. At this point, I don't know if there's much to say except that it's a Pixar movie. I can't think of any film studio, live action or animation, that has the record of stellar production those guys do.
Predators - 7.5 - If nothing else, this was worth it just to see Adrien Brody as an action hero. I expect to be ironically quoting this movie well into 2011, and really, is there a greater gift a movie can give you than that? The costume designs were great and while every single thing that happened was entirely expected, it was still fun to watch it happening.
Inception - 9.5 - mind twists that stand up to further examination, breathtaking set pieces, a clever sci-fi premise, phenomenal acting. It's every bit a visual masterpiece as The Matrix was when it first came out and it cements Nolan's reputation as the finest director at juggling complex, frenetic set pieces in the business.
The Expendables - 8.5 - It confounds and disappoints me that I seem to be the only one here who enjoyed this. Do you get that? Every single one of you is a disappointment to me. As a kid who grew up on such Reagan era masterpieces as First Blood, Commando, and Die Hard, this movie is really just a breathtaking love letter to everything that made action films and the 80's and 90's great. Stallone clearly understands the genre perfectly and Dolph Lungren is a shining star. And anyone who doesn't regard Mickey Rourke's scene chewing as a phenomenal bit of acting is just plain wrong. It's not going to win any awards but it runs neck and neck with Inception as my favorite movie of the year.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 7.5 - Going in to see this, my only real reservation was with Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, but to his credit, he blew the role out of the water. But the real stars were Kieron Culkin and Chris Evans. It was witty, enthusiastic, and possibly too clever for its own good, but it was also ultimately a little shallow. Maybe it's my age (or general disregard for hipsters?) showing, but I found myself grimacing at the rapid fire revelations of self discovery at the end. While I found myself consistently amused throughout, I doubt I'll have the desire to sit down and watch it again for a good long time.
1 Star 39. The Last Airbender
The show is one of my favorite things ever. The movie is one of my least favorite things ever. Fails on every level.
2 Star 38. When In Rome
I expected this movie to be blah and it was. But Kristen Bell is always nice to watch.
37. Jonah Hex
The cast was there. Some of the ideas were there. Some of the ideas were not.
36. The Expendables
Blah. Some of the dialogue was weak and forced, the action wasn't that great, with the exception of throwing knife stuff. That was awesome. And Mikey Rourke is always awesome.
35. The Crazies
Meh. Why are all these small town survivors movies the same?
34. The Wolfman
Exactly what I expected to be. The atmosphere and mood were perfect and it was a just a really entertaining movie.
3 Star 33. Salt
After awhile I actually thought this would go in the direction I thought it should. But then it reversed it. It was pretty predictable and average. But not terrible.
32. Hot Tub Time Machine
A really interesting premise, and while it had a few laughs, there really wasn't much to it.
31. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Jackie is no Robert Englund but he was still great. It was a remake for good or bad. Nothing really new, but just more of the same with new look. But I still liked it well enough.
30. Resident Evil: Afterlife
I seen this in 3D for some reason and it actually had some great 3D scenes. I am usually anti-3D but I enjoyed it for the most part. It did get annoying and distracting at times. These movies actually have the potential to be better but they usually stumble with their ideas.
29. Clash of the Titans
Great special effects, effective cast, and an average movie. Not as epic as I expecting. It felt awkward in some scenes, like they couldn't pull off what they were going for.
28. The Town
I don't see the hype, it was good. But just that, good.
27. Red
I can't imagine this being based of an Ellis comic. It was basically a movie about what seemed to be the character of John McClane (Die Hard) on a date with Nancy Botwin (Weeds).
26. The Losers
Chris Evans was the best part and it lacked an ending.
25. Date Night
Entertaining movie, I like that I knew almost the entire cast from other projects.
24. The Next Three Days
Needs more Liam Nelson, prison escaper.
23. Saw VII
Disappointing. Easy the worse one of the set. The 3D did not exist. Horrible end to what I thought was a great series.
22. The Runaways
This was odd seeing Dakota Fanning all sexed out. Kinda creepy, but I liked the movie. I'm still in love with Kristen Stewart. Haters be damned.
21. Robin Hood
I am more excited at the idea of a sequel then this one. It was basically Robin Hood Begins, and I did enjoy it. I thought King John was terrfic and any movie with Mark Strong and Kevin Durand is ok in my book.
20. Due Date
What an odd duo. The movie was better then it looked and I really like Downey's anger.
19. The Book of Eli
Surprising how good it was. I loved the entire tone of the movie. It really suprised me with the whole purpose of the film.
18. Despicable Me
I am positive if I ever had a daughter, she would be like the youngest in this movie. It was an adorable film and I want some minions.
17. Alice in Wonderland
I went into thinking mediocre at best. It was quite better then I expected and one of Burton's best. Depp as the Mad Hatter, while on paper sounds awesome, was actually the worse part of the movie. He had some moments but mostly meh. Alice on the otherhand was wonderful. She carried the movie.
16. Youth in Revolt
This movie was so strange yet so awesome. Michael Cera finally did a part that wasn't George Michael, sorta. It gives me hope for Scott Pilgrim.
15. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Best videogame adaption ever? Probably. But an average movie with a strong cast. Jake was a perfect Prince and even sounded like him. Gemma is great in anything, as I am sure I would be great in her. It had a similar tone to the Pirates movies, as it was made by the same company. I think that is a good thing.
14. The A-Team
The best part of this movie, was the chemistry between the 4 main characters. I would watch a tv show with them.
4 Star 13. Machete
Everything it looked like.
12. Toy Story 3
I was expecting some so emotional that I wouldn't be able to control myself. It wasn't like that. It was great and had some great emotional scenes but it was still not enough. I was never a huge Toy Story fan anyway.
11. How To Train Your Dragon
One of the more enjoyable Dreamworks films. Great voice cast and I want a pet dragon.
10. Kick-Ass
I wasn't a huge fan of the book and I think I like the movie better. I could stomach Nicholas Cage and while I liked some tweaks and changes, others I didn't.
9. Predators
This is the best movie ever that had a Predator in it. A huge step towards making this a great series again.
8. Get Him to the Greek
I don't think it was as good as Forgetting Sarah Marshall but it was still awesome. Russell's Brand's "character" is still hilarious every moment on scene and I loved Jonah Hill in this. Some of the cameo's were great and Rose Byrne...mmm.
7. Shutter Island
I totally would of done the ending differently. At first I was going to be annoyed if they went that route but they totally made it work. The movie had terrific atmosphere.
6. Iron Man 2
I have seen a lot of complaints for this movie but it was going to happen with hyped sequel. While it may not be as good as the first, all the new additions made this awesome. Whiplash, Justin Hammer, and of course The Black Widow (my favorite part). It was another solid superhero movie.
5 Star 5. Tangled
One of the best non Pixar Disney movies I have seen. I dare say I loved it as much as Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty And The Beast.
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
My favorite one besides Order Of The Phoenix, because they had actually had time to really had the character development and the tension that the books had.
3. The Social Network
A movie about the creation of Facebook? And it was this good? I would have never imagined.
2. Inception
I have heard of multi-laired movies before, but this takes it to a whole new level (heh). The cast is amazing, Nolan is amazing.
1. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs The World is the greatest movie to ever punch me in the face. It was amazing. Besides a few line from some of the characters that seemed awkward, it was a perfect movie. Julie didn't come across very good in some scenes, mostly the beginning, and Ramona seemed more dull then playful. I also must live in a world where people explode into coins at death.
Also, people who are updating already posted lists -- not to sound mean, but I don't think many people are going to rummage through 18 pages of posts in order to find the one you're talking about. Just repost the whole list.
I typically repost a page or so after I've already posted... The lists get so big that I don't want to just repost it with every new movie. I gots a system.
I'm scrolling through a wiki list of releases to realize what was put out this year and not in 2009.
