"But, Matt, Billy Crystal is making his triumphant return as the host this year! And think of the fashions! WON'T YOU JUST THINK FOR A MOMENT OF THE FASHIONS!!!"
Calm down, weird, fashion-obsessed reader. I'll check out the photos from the red carpet while I drink my coffee Monday morning like I always do (sadly true), I'm just not super excited about the nominees this year, that's all. When the nominations were first announced, I remember thinking, "Wow, 2011 was a shitty year for movies." I hadn't seen even one of the Best Picture nominees (in fact, I still haven't seen any of them), so, unfairly, I deemed 2011 the worst year in film ever in recorded history. I'm kind of dramatic.
But then I started catching up, and I slowly began to realize that 2011 may have been the best year in movies ever. I learned that there were so many good movies released in 2011, that there was no possibly way for all of them to receive the nominations they so richly deserved.
Anyway, here is a list of my Top Ten Favorite Movies of 2011, along with some Honorable Mentions and my picks for the Worst. Enjoy.
10. BRIDESMAIDS
9. I SAW THE DEVIL
8. THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
7. SUPER
6. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL
5. 13 ASSASSINS
4. ATTACK THE BLOCK
3. DRIVE
2. HANNA
1. SUPER 8
HONORABLE MENTION
The Muppets: My wife isn't a big movie fan, but we do share a deep affection for Jim Henson's Muppets, as I think most people of our generation do. Those with a soul anyway. I think this was the only movie we saw together in a theater last year. I remember afterward we went to On the Border for dinner and she had a deep-fried avocado. I can't remember if she liked it or not. We both loved the film. It was a nice evening.
Captain America: The First Avenger: Of the three Marvel-based superhero movies I saw last summer (Thor, X-Men: First Class, and Captain American), this one was the best. X-Men: First Class was boring and, well, Thor was...just read on...
2 FILMS I HATED (or THE WORST FILMS OF 2011)
Thor: I never expected to like a movie based on Marvel Comics' Thor character (He's the actual Thor, right? Of Norse mythology?), so I went in with pretty low expectations. Actually, that's not entirely true. For some reason, the critical community largely gave Thor a pass, which, in turn, inspired me to adjust my apathetic feelings toward the whole endeavor. So, I entered the theater with slightly elevated expectations. And, boy, was I disappointed. Any movie that makes me loathe a Natalie Portman performance this much--and I looooathe her performance in this hunk of garbage--has something terribly wrong with it. I think that something is the fact that this was a movie about Thor.
Hobo with a Shotgun: Hey, I knew what I was getting into, and, frankly, I was damn excited to get into it. I love a good low-budget exploitation flick, specifically the kind that includes a whole bunch of revenge-related gore. But Hobo with a Shotgun didn't sit right with me. It made me queasy, but not in that fun way. I know what it was that turned me off, while turning my stomach. It was all the violence directed at children. Seeing a gutterpunk shove a hand cannon in a baby's face isn't my idea of a good time. Have a kid and tell me how funny the bus burning scene is, OK? Listen, if you enjoyed Hobo with a Shotgun, that's great. I didn't. I've told you why. Now, let's move on.
FILMS I STILL NEED/WANT TO SEE: Midnight in Paris (currently sitting atop my DVD player), The Tree of Life, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 50/50, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Melancholia, Young Adult, The Artist, Beginners, Drive Angry
