Hot films for 2011

http://www.adlsu.com/2011/04/27/10-most-anticipated-action-movies-in-2011/

Apr
27/11
10 Most Anticipated Action Movies In 2011
Last Updated on Wednesday, 27 April 2011 08:07
Written by School President

Many popular action heroes will be seen in the movie this year along with some of the most awaited action movie sequels. So without further ado, here’s a crispy list of the 10 most anticipated action movies in 2011.

10. Green Lantern:

Green Lantern 10 Most Anticipated Action Movies In 2011

Another superhero will be seen this year when Ryan Reynolds will portray the role of Green Lantern based on the DC Comics character. The other cast include Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong, Angela Bassett and Tim Robbins. This movie will go on the floors on June 17.

9. Cowboys and Aliens:

Cowboys and Aliens 10 Most Anticipated Action Movies In 2011
Cowboys and Aliens is the most awaited sci-fi action film. This film will hit the floor on July 29 featuring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde in the primary roles.

8. Captain America: The first avenger:

Captain America The first avenger 10 Most Anticipated Action Movies In 2011
Chris Evans will seen playing the title character of Captain America, the comic book adaptation of the same name. This movie is slated to release in last week of July.

7. X-men: First Class:

X-Men: First Class will unveil the origin and history of X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. The film will mainly focus on the relationship between Prof. Charles Xavier and Magneto and how their friendship was converted into the rivalry. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon and January Jones will be seen playing the main roles. Release date of this film is June 3 2011.

Which action movie are you excited about? Share your thoughts below.

http://thescorecardreview.com/articles/tsr-blog-articles/2011/04/27/tsr-blog-which-summer-superhero-movie-has-the-most-oscar-power/19752

TSR Blog: Which Summer Superhero Movie Has the Most Oscar Power?

* April 27, 2011 6:41 am
* Megan Lehar

Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, Captain America: The First Avenger … we have superheros coming.

The other day I went to the movies (Hanna if you must know) and saw trailers for three superhero movies coming out in the next three months. But what I noticed was how many Oscar winning stars are slumming for the big bucks. Or, maybe they’re making awesome movies awesomer, depending how this crop turns out. So I wondered, what movie has the biggest Oscar bang for it’s buck.

Thor’s being released first, on May 6th. It features the most recent Oscar winner on the list, Natalie Portman. Besides her win for Black Swan, she also has a nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2005′s Closer. Anthony Hopkins is on board too, as Thor’s angry daddy, Odin. He won for 1992′s Silence of the Lambs. But since then, he’s racked up three more Best Actor noms, two for lead in The Remains of the Day (1993) and Nixon (1995) and one for supporting in 1997′s Amistad.

The last one is sort of iffy, Jeremy Renner’s listed on both IMDB and Wikipedia as an”uncredited” actor in the film. I imagine he’ll be in the “secret scene” after the credits that will tease toward the upcoming Avengers movie. But he has two Oscar noms so far, Best Actor for The Hurt Locker (2010) and Best Supporting for The Town.

That gives Thor 2 wins and 8 noms. Not bad.

X-Men: First Class arrives a month later, on June 3rd. The cast looks great, with some actors who’ve done amazing work in the last few years, Michael Fassbender from Hunger and Inglorious Basterds and James McAvoy who starred alongside nominees in The Last King of Scotland and Atonement. But the only nominee in the whole film is Jennifer Lawrence for last year’s Winter’s Bone.

So X-Men: First Class has one lonely nom.

Two Weeks later, Green Lantern comes out. Hopefully Ryan Reynolds’ suit will look less creepy in the film than it does in the trailer. This film has some serious Oscar talent, but unfortunately they’re further down on the credit list. Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clark Duncan both just have voices featured in the film, presumably for animated alien members of the Lantern Corps. Rush has an Oscar for Best Actor from 1996′s Shine. He also got noms as Best Supporting Actor in last year’s The King’s Speech (you may remember that one) and 1998′s Shakespeare in Love. He also has an a nom for Best Lead from 2000′s Quills. Duncan has one Best Supporting Actor nomination from 1999′s The Green Mile.

Tim Robbins and Angela Bassett also have small roles. Robbins has two Oscar noms, though I’m only going to count his 2003 Best Supporting Actor win for Mystic River. His other nod was for Best Director for 1995′s Dead Man Walking. I don’t want to touch any non-acting nods because where will it end then??? Bassett of course got a nomination for her turn as Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It.

Green Lantern surprises with 2 wins and 7 nominations.

The superhero orgy ends with Captain America: The First Avenger on July 22nd. Since the last trailer, my hopes are really high for this one. But that’s not based on Oscar glory, this film only has two nominees in it, Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci. Jones won Best Supporting for The Fugitive in in 1994. He also got nominations for Supporting Actor in 1992′s JFK and Lead Actor for In the Valley of Elah in 2007. Tucci, despite his breadth of work only has one nomination, Best Supporting Actor for The Lovely Bones.

Captain America has one Oscar win and four nominations going for it.

Thor wins as the film with the most Oscar nominated actors in it. But what will that mean in terms of box office and reviews? Most likely nothing. But hey, maybe I’ll come back when the summer’s over, do some calculating and see if there’s anything to it after all.

http://www.thejanoman.com/2011/05/movie-news-blockbuster-edition/

Movie News Blockbuster Edition

Posted by Jez on May 2, 2011 · View Comments

So summer is fast approaching and after our hearts have been wrenched by the Oscar season, oh the tears we shed when Natalie spread her wings in the spectacular Black Swan, and when The King Colin triumphed over his Speech.

Those emotional months are now behind us and it is time to look forward to a brighter, flashier, and much prettier future. It is of course Blockbuster season people. And my god are we in for a good one.

With Thor already destroying the silver screen, the Marvel Team have a real packed summer of mutant mayhem lined up for us. There are a few other titles that are definitely worth a look at as well.

So I am going to draw up a brief rundown of the ones that cannot be missed at the cinema this summer.

X-Men: First Class

Topping the bill for this summer has to be X-Men: First Class.

I would not judge you for expecting very little of this new instalment from the X-Men.

After Bryan Synger built a fantastic foundation with X1 and X2, to then be replaced for the final of the trilogy by the man that directed Rush Hour?! The Last Stand lost a lot of fans of the much celebrated franchise, but they were to find themselves kicked while they were down by the shambolic Wolverine: Origins.

But hope is on the horizon people.

Things you need to know: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Matthew Vaughn.

I shall continue, Mathew Vaughn is the creator of the brilliant Layer Cake but more importantly, the wonderful super hero movie, Kick Ass, which was the surprise hit of 2010.

James Mcavoy is a real actor with an impeccable CV, and Fassbender shined in Tarantino’s modern classic Inglorious.

Vaughn hasn’t made a bad movie yet, and he has once again picked a fantastic cast, it all looks very promising.

Don’t believe me…

Release Date: June 3rd

http://fairfieldmirror.com/2011/05/04/movies-previews/

Movies Previews
May 4, 2011
By: Kelsey Guerin

If you’re looking forward to new blockbuster movies this summer with original ideas and all new characters, then you may be out of luck. The movies this summer look like they fall into one of the two categories seen below: prequels/sequels or superhero movies. Many of these movies look promising though, and will hopefully deliver all the action and thrills desired from a summer blockbuster.

May 20 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is back once again for the fourth installment of the popular franchise, and this time he is searching for the “fountain of youth.” Geoffrey Rush will be returning for this movie as Barbossa, but Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom will not be reprising their roles as Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner. Instead, Penelope Cruz will play the lead female role of Angelica. Also joining the cast is Ian McShane as the legendary pirate Blackbeard and the newest captain of the Black Pearl. This installation will have the usual Pirates antics, but will also include some new faces and new adventures.

May 26 – The Hangover Part II

The Hangover was the U.S.’s highest grossing R-rated comedy, so why mess with a proven formula? That must have been the thought behind the creators of “The Hangover Part II,” because the sequel seems like the original “Hangover,” except now it’s set in Bangkok and there’s a monkey instead of a baby. Before his nuptials in Thailand, Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) decide to take Teddy (Mason Lee), the little brother of Stu’s fiance, out for one small drink. It should be utterly unsurprising that Stu, Phil and Alan then wake up the next morning with no recollection of the previous night and no Teddy. Fan favorites Mike Tyson and Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) will also be in this sequel.

June 3 – X-Men: First Class

This movie is the only one on the list with the honor of being both a prequel and a superhero movie. Before they were Professor X and Magneto, Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) began a school to teach humans with superpowers and fought alongside his best friend Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) to prevent a nuclear apocalypse during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The stress of working together highlighted a difference in ideals between Xavier and Lensherr, however, and these differences eventually evolved into the constant battle between Professor X’s X-Men and Magneto’s Brotherhood seen in the other movies.

June 17 – Green

Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) was a gifted test pilot who shied away from responsibility until he suddenly found himself a member of the Green Lantern Corps. This group consists of superpowered protectors across the universe, and Hal is the first human ever to be selected to join the group. He must struggle to learn to control his new powers in time to defeat a threat to the entire universe, an enemy known as Parallax. Blake Lively stars opposite Reynolds as his fellow pilot and love interest Carol Ferris.

July 1 – Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The Decepticons are back once again and seeking revenge against the Autobots. Noteworthy in this sequel is the replacement of Megan Fox as leading lady. In this film, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox) are no longer together. Sam’s new love interest is instead another highly attractive young woman named Carly (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley). Since this is a Michael Bay movie, expect plenty of fight sequences and explosions.

July 15 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you know that this summer marks the end of the Harry Potter franchise (until someone decides to reboot it in about five years or so, that is). In this last installment of the movie series, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends will face the Dark Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) in the ultimate battle between good and evil. If the newly released trailer is anything to judge by, this movie promises to be as action-packed as the books, and perhaps even more so (see: Harry and Voldemort’s newly discovered interest in cliff diving). Either way, one thing is certain: millions of fans across the country will be queueing up to see the movie at midnight and say their goodbyes to this immensely popular franchise.

August 12 – Final Destination 5

According to the IMDb page, “Survivors of a suspension-bridge collapse learn there’s no way you can cheat Death.” You know what happens in the previous four Final Destination movies, so you can probably guess what happens in this one.

http://www.filmcritic.com/features/2011/05/science-fiction-preview-2011/

Gaaah, Meh, or w00t! The 2011 Sci-fi and Fantasy Preview
Posted by John Scalzi on May 4 2011

Hey! The summer movie season starts this weekend, and from here through Labor Day it's comic-book characters, explosions, and less-than-Oscar-caliber acting and writing -- all designed to get you in your seat and munching popcorn. Excited? Excellent. Here's my quick take on the summer's science-fictional and fantastic would-be hits, which I grade, in order of increasing enthusiasm, as follows: "Gaaah," "Meh," "Hmmm," and "w00t!" Because ranking by stars or letter grade is boring.

Thor (May 6)
What's it about? The Norse god of thunder (or, more accurately, the comic-book version of the same) is tossed out of Asgard and ends up having to defend the Earth. Oh, and he's dating Natalie Portman.
Am I excited? Hmmm. I've never been a huge Thor fan, but the director here is Kenneth Branagh, who once got a Best Director nomination at the Oscars for Henry V. Will Branagh be slumming or classing up the joint? That's what I want to know.

Priest (May 13)
What's it about? In the future dystopic theocracy (those are the best kind), a renegade-assassin priest defies the church in order to hunt vampires. In 3-D!
Am I excited? Meh. I'm fond of star Paul Bettany, and the flick promises at least your minimum daily requirement of wirework action. But the whole thing looks like a prog-metal album cover spooling by at 24 frames a second.


Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20)
What's it about? Captain Jack Sparrow is back and searching for the Fountain of Youth. Because even Johnny Depp isn't getting any younger (although co-star Penélope Cruz seems to be maintaining just fine).
Am I excited? Meh. The first film in the series was fun, but the sequels were tiresome. Perhaps new director Rob Marshall can bring back the vibe of the first film, but I'm not holding my breath for that.

X-Men: First Class (Jun. 3)
What's it about? The origins of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr, i.e., Professor X and Magneto, who, before they were on opposing sides of the mutant wars, were friends using their special mutant talents during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Am I excited? Hmmm. The last X-Men film wasn't exactly good (and didn't exactly make sense), but I'm a fan of director Matthew Vaughn (who did the underrated Stardust), and leads James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender both seem eager to give their characters some depth. Hope the screenplay lets them.

Super 8 (Jun. 10)
What's it about? A train from Area 51 derails in Ohio, and a bunch of kids with cameras are there to document the strange things that happen next.
Am I excited? w00t! Yes, I am. This J.J. Abrams film, set in the late seventies, seems aimed directly at the heart of Spielberg territory (it's produced by Spielberg, even), and I'm very interested to see if Abrams, who recently resurrected Star Trek, can get back that very specific film vibe. I'm optimistic.

Green Lantern (Jun. 17)
What's it about? A hotshot pilot becomes part of an interstellar law force when he comes across a mystical green ring. Will he be required to save the universe? Oh, probably.
Am I excited? Hmmm. Green Lantern is a second-tier DC hero, in my estimation, and I'm not the world's biggest Ryan Reynolds fan. But director Martin Campbell is one of the most consistently effective action directors out there, so I have some hope he can put this film through the right paces.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Jul. 1)
What's it about? Oh, you know, Transformers. And this time, they go to the moon.
Am I excited? Gaaah. No. Even Michael Bay, of all people, has admitted the previous film in the series stank up the room, so there's that. But while Bay can recognize the obviously bad, none of the rest of his films suggests he has much of a handle on what is actually good. So I expect this to be standard-issue Michael Bay, i.e., loud, messy, and mostly stupid.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Jul. 15)
What's it about? The climactic end of the Harry Potter series, in which our hero confronts the evil wizard Voldemort and the fate of the wizard world and our own hangs in the balance.
Am I excited? w00t! Definitely. This is one of the few series that has gotten consistently better the longer it's gone on, and as this is the last film they're going to pull out all the stops. I'm very excited and plan to see it in 2-D because I think 3-D will get in the way.

Captain America: The First Avenger (Jul. 22)
What's it about? A scrawny would-be WWII soldier is transformed by science into a buff super-soldier and then goes after some Nazis (like you do).
Am I excited? Meh. This will be the fourth major superhero film of the season, and I'm feeling fatigued just knowing I'll have slogged through three others to get to this one. But it has Hugo Weaving as the bad guy, and he's always fun to watch.

Cowboys & Aliens (Jul. 29)
What's it about? A man wakes up in the Wild West with no memory and a weird object clapped on his wrist. What is it? A gun for shooting aliens, who show up presently.
Am I excited? w00t! Yes. The cast includes Daniel Craig as the hero and Harrison Ford as the less-than-good guy, and director Jon Favreau has earned some good will with the Iron Man flicks. This could be a lot of fun.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Aug. 5)
What's it about? What happens when you give apes intelligence? If you say "Why, they try to take over the world," you may be right.
Am I excited? Meh. I'm willing to be surprised, and the ape effects look good. (Old ape hand Andy Serkis -- who played King Kong -- plays the main ape character.) But the last visit to the planet of the apes didn't exactly thrill me. Also: human star James Franco better bring something besides the smug.

Conan the Barbarian (Aug. 19)
What's it about? What's best in life, of course: crushing one's enemies and hearing the lamentations of their women!
Am I excited? Gaaah. I very strongly suspect I will need to clip off the blood flow to my brain in order to sit through this one.

http://www.film.com/movies/the-most-overlooked-films-of-2011-so-far

The Most Overlooked Films of 2011 (So Far)

William Goss June 30, 2011
The Way Back Theatrical

The year has hit its halfway mark (well, February technically puts that milestone off by a couple of days, but work with me here), so when better to stop and look back — in chronological order — at the hidden gems of these past six months?

1. The Way Back (now on DVD/Blu-ray)

Master and Commander director Peter Weir’s sweeping epic about escapees from a Siberian gulag (played by Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, and Saoirse Ronan, among others) got a half-hearted theatrical release back in January. Now that it’s on home video, we recommend watching it at a friend’s house — really, wherever you can find the biggest screen on which to get caught up in a good old-fashioned adventure story.

2. Cold Weather (on DVD August 2)

Among indie films, the label of “mumblecore” became something of a four-letter word to describe any low-budget outing that focused on 20-/30-something relationship troubles and ennui. The term seems to have petered out a bit, but at first glance, it would seem well-suited to describe Aaron Katz’s low-key character study. That is, before the charms of lead Cris Lankenau and the cast pay off when the plot turns into an honest-to-goodness mystery — one interesting enough that you’ll wish the film didn’t meet such a traditionally mumblecore end when it does.

3. Carancho (now on DVD)

This drama about an ambulance chaser (Ricardo Darin) and a paramedic (Martina Gusman) was Argentina’s submission for last year’s Academy Awards, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a smoldering romance, a damning critique of a broken healthcare system, and a crackerjack thriller rolled into one confidently helmed package. Imagine Michael Clayton crossed with The Square, and you’ll have a rough idea of what you’re in for.

4. I Saw the Devil (now on DVD/Blu-ray)

South Korean cinema has pretty effectively cornered the market on intense revenge thrillers with films like Oldboy, The Chaser, and this tale of a secret agent (Lee Byung-hun) playing cat-and-mouse with the madman (Choi Min-sik) who murdered his fiancée. Director Kim Jee-woon laces the proudly excessive violence with a wickedly dark sense of humor, yet grounds it all with a genuinely conflicted sense of morality. The leading men are both fantastic, and the camerawork is often impressive in its own right; check it out if you have the stomach for it.

5. Jane Eyre (on DVD/Blu-ray August 16)

This umpteenth adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel is the leading contender for 2011’s most understated romance, as the much put-upon Jane (Mia Wasikowska) and the secretive Rochester (Michael Fassbender) hit it off at his English manor. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that those two work wonders together, nor that Adriano Goldman’s cinematography is effortlessly gorgeous throughout.

6. Rubber (now on DVD/Blu-ray)

Certainly a lock for the year’s biggest WTF? film, Quentin Dupieux’s riff on the slasher movie formula — starring a killer tire (yes, as in car tire) — also doubles as a sharp commentary on audience expectations. You probably already know whether you’re in or out, but I promise that you’ve never seen anything quite like this before.

7. Meek’s Cutoff (on DVD/Blu-ray September 13)

Kelly Reichardt’s frontier journey is a much different animal from something like The Way Back. We’re only given the scantest narrative to follow — Michelle Williams and fellow settlers fear that they’re lost in 1845 Oregon — and Reichardt takes her sweet time with her shots (composed in the claustrophobic 1:33 aspect ratio) and plot developments. The pace couldn’t be much slower, but the stakes couldn’t be much higher, as doubt and determination drive our characters to strike out into unknown literal and emotional territory.

8. Ceremony (now on DVD/Blu-ray)

Sam (Michael Angarano) is convinced that Zoe (Uma Thurman) still has feelings for him, and he’s willing to crash her wedding to the smug Whit (Lee Pace) to prove it. Don’t worry — Wedding Crashers 2 this is not. Instead, Max Winkler’s winning directorial debut owes much more to the dramedies of Hal Ashby, striking a welcome balance of quirky antics and melancholy.

9. 13 Assassins (on DVD/Blu-ray July 5)

Takashi Miike’s most mainstream picture of late is simply an old-school tale of samurai honor, clearly modeled on the works of Akira Kurosawa and capped off with a staggering 40-minute climax that has to be seen to be believed.

10. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop (on DVD/Blu-ray September 13)

This documentary follows the stand-up comedian on last summer’s “The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television” Tour, and while it’s certainly full of laughs, it also doesn’t flinch from the physical and emotional toll that the tour takes on the funnyman and his occasional resentment towards an establishment that always wants more out of him than he’s able to give. The only pick on this list still in a limited theatrical release, Can’t Stop is also available on demand through most cable providers.

Over the next six months, we’d recommend that you keep an eye out for 50/50 (9/30), Attack the Block (7/29), The Interrupters (7/29), Project Nim (7/, and Thunder Soul (9/23), just to name a few.

http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/06/the-25-best-movies-of-2011-so-far/x-men-first-class#gallery

The 25 Best Movies Of 2011 (So Far)
By Matt Barone, | Jun 27, 2011 | 12:13 pm

2. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Nicholas Hoult, Lucas Till, Zoe Kravitz, Oliver Platt
After the ineptitude of Brett Ratner’s 2006 fanboy devastator X-Men: The Last Stand, all director Matthew Vaughn needed to do in order for X-Men: First Class to revive Marvel Comics’ mutant property was tell a coherent story. Fortunately, he and his fellow Kick-Ass screenwriter Jane Goldman matched coherence with revisionist history, framing the origin story of Professor X (James McAvoy) and Magneto (Michael Fassbender) within the Cuban Missile Crisis. As much of a James Bond action flick as it is a CGI-laden superhero blockbuster, X-Men: First Class succeeds on all accounts, granting Vaughn the bragging rights associated with resurrecting one of the comic book world’s most iconic titles.

A great deal of the credit here goes to McAvoy and Fassbender, who dominate—in a great way—a film that’s not lacking in solid performances (Kevin Bacon’s villainous Sebastian Shaw is particularly memorable). McAvoy gives Charles Xavier a nice balance of smooth-talking charm and cerebral smarts, yet, when all’s said and done, X-Men: First Class is Fassbender’s show; already an in-demand actor on the verge of A-list acceptance, he’s, for lack of a better word, magnetic, covering the spectrum of emotions as his character evolves from vengeful ass-kicker to maniacal antagonist. Much like X-Men: First Class as a whole, Fassbender commands attention and supplies excellence.

http://debi-rara.blogspot.com/2011/07/catch-up.html

http://dhkinfo247.blogspot.com/2011/07/top-ten-movies-of-2011-so-far.html

05/07/2011
TOP TEN MOVIES OF 2011 (So Far)


10. Limitless (2011)

105 min - Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller - 18 March 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.3/10
Director: Neil Burger
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel and Abbie Cornish

Storyline
An action-thriller about a writer who takes an experimental drug that allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As one man evolves into the perfect version of himself, forces more corrupt than he can imagine mark him for assassination. Out-of-work writer Eddie Morra's (Cooper) rejection by girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) confirms his belief that he has zero future. That all vanishes the day an old friend introduces Eddie to NZT, a designer pharmaceutical that makes him laser focused and more confident than any man alive. Now on an NZT-fueled odyssey, everything Eddie's read, heard or seen is instantly organized and available to him. As the former nobody rises to the top of the financial world, he draws the attention of business mogul Carl Van Loon (De Niro), who sees this enhanced version of Eddie as the tool to make billions. But brutal side effects jeopardize his meteoric ascent. With a dwindling stash and hit men who will eliminate him to get the NZT, Eddie must stay wired long enough to elude capture and fulfill his destiny. If he can't, he will become just another victim who thought he'd found invincibility in a bottle. Written by Relativity Media



09. Thor (2011)

115 min - Action | Adventure | Fantasy - 6 May 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.4/10
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman

Storyline
The warrior Thor (Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster (Portman) teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth.



08. Bridesmaids (2011)

125 min - Comedy - 13 May 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.6/10
Director: Paul Feig
Stars: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne

Storyline
Annie (Kristen Wiig), is a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Annie's life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love. Written by Anonymous



07. Rango (2011)

107 min - Animation | Adventure | Comedy - 4 March 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.6/10
Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher and Timothy Olyphant

Storyline
Rango is an ordinary chameleon who accidentally winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless outpost in the Wild West in desperate need of a new sheriff.



06. Fast Five (2011)

130 min - Action | Crime | Drama - 29 April 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.6/10
Director: Justin Lin
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson

Storyline
Former cop Brian O'Conner partners with ex-con Dom Toretto on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto broke Dom out of custody, they've blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he's not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can't separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey... before someone else runs them down first. Written by Universal Pictures.



05. Source Code (2011)

93 min - Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller - 1 April 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.7/10
Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga

Storyline
Colter Stevens, an American Army helicopter pilot whose last memory is flying in Afghanistan, wakes up on a commuter train. However, he discovers that he has assumed the identity of another man. 8 minutes later, the train explodes and Stevens finds himself in some kind of pod. He then talks to someone named Goodwin, who tells him he has to go back and find out who the bomber is. He is sent back to go through the whole thing again and attempts to find who the bomber is but fails. The bomb goes off and Stevens finds himself in the pod again. He is sent back another time, yet still cannot find out anything. When he returns, he asks what is going on. Goodwin and Rutledge, the scientist in charge, tell him that he is part of a project that can put someone in another person's consciousness during the last 8 minutes of their life. Stevens then asks why he cannot just stop the bomb. He is told that he is not going back in time but placed in the moment so he can find out who the bomber is and if there are any other targets. On the side, Stevens finds himself falling for the woman traveling with him while he is still in the other man's consciousness. Written by rcs0411@yahoo.com



04. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

91 min - Animation | Action | Adventure - 26 May 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.8/10
Director: Jennifer Yuh
Stars: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan

Storyline
Po joins forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy with a deadly new weapon.



03. Super 8 (2011)

112 min - Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller - 10 June 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 7.7/10
Director: J.J. Abrams
Stars: Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka and Kyle Chandler

Storyline
In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth - something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined. Written by Official site.



02. The Tree of Life (2011)

139 min - Drama - 8 July 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 8.0/10
Director: Terrence Malick
Stars: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain

Storyline
The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack (played as an adult by Sean Penn) finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith. Written by alfiehitchie.


01. X-Men: First Class (2011)

132 min - Action | Adventure | Drama - 3 June 2011 (USA)
IMDb Rating - 8.1/10
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence

Storyline
Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN. Written by Twentieth Century Fox.

http://jmunney.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/2011-mid-year-report/

2011 Mid-Year Report

July 3, 2011 – 9:25 PM

2011 is halfway through, and it is time for us to take a breath and get ourselves prepared for what we may very well have to include six months from now in the roundup of the best in entertainment for the whole year.

Best in Movies
The best films I have seen so far this year are Bridesmaids and Midnight in Paris. I haven’t caught The Tree of Life, so I can’t yet say if it loves up, or down, to the hype.

In Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen pulled out his best directing tricks since those he showed off in Match Point.

Woody’s literacy also earns him accolades for his screenplay, while Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote a fascinating look at female friendship with Bridesmaids.

As for acting, the top female leads were Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) and Saoirse Ronan (Hanna), while James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) led the way for the men. The top supporting ladies were Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Lin Shaye (Inisidious). The Supporting Actor fielded is already crowded, with Kevin Bacon (X-Men: First Class), Bruno Ganz (Unknown), Peter Sarsgaard (Green Lantern), and Corey Stoll as Ernest Hemingway (Midnight in Paris).

Best Trailers
Hanna blew our mind with its wild tonal shifts, X-Men: First Class promised us a visceral period piece, and the wedding invitation in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 marked the ultimate in cheese.

Best in Television
The top shows that I caught that debuted in 2011? Portlandia, Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, and Bob’s Burgers at number 1. Honorable mentions go to Perfect Couples and Happy Endings.

Best Songs
At the top is, of course, Adele with “Rolling in the Deep,” while former Tony! Toni! Toné! member Raphael Saadiq brought the funk with “Stone Rollin.’”

Best Music Videos
Guest stars galore has been the name of the game for great music videos for 2011. First off, two clips from Chris Marrs Piliero: Ke$ha’s “Blow” (featuring James Van Der Beek) and the Black Keys’ faux-trailer in “Howlin’ for You” (featuring Tricia Helfer, Corbin Bernsen, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Todd Bridges). There were also twisted tales from Katy Perry – “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” with Darren Criss, Kevin McHale, Rebecca Black, Hanson, Kenny G, Corey Feldman, and Debbie Gibson – and Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette – “Hello,” with tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Gael Monfils and fellow DJ Bob Sinclair. Meanwhile, sans guest stars, Taylor Swift was at her cutest and wittiest yet in “The Story of Us.”

http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2011/7/5/halfway-honors-best-of-2011-thus-far.html

Halfway Honors. Best of 2011 Thus Far
DateTuesday, July 5, 2011 at 5:00PM

This year seems to be off to a slow start but here's what I'd choose as the best of the year thus far. I've excluded films that are still waiting for their proper release like Andrew Haigh's finely tuned miniature gay drama Weekend (which has been collecting festival trophies and which I loved) and Paddy Considine's discomfiting abuse drama Tyrannosaur which I did not love but which boasts impressive acting.

TOP TEN PICTURES (alpha order)
The Arbor, Beginners, Bridesmaids, Certified Copy, Jane Eyre, Midnight in Paris, Poetry, Rango, The Tree of Life and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. You can see a complete list of what I've seen here.

[Notable films that I did plan to see but will have to catch on DVD include: Hanna, The Housemaid and Win Win]

DIRECTOR
Clio Barnard - THE ARBOR
Lee Chang-dong - POETRY
Abbas Kiarostami -CERTIFIED COPY
Terrence Malick -THE TREE OF LIFE
Mike Mills -BEGINNERS

notes: I gave Barnard the slight edge over Apichatpong Weerathesakul mostly because I far prefer "Joe's" earlier effort Tropical Malady to Boonmee. But not without some hesitation. I appreciated the bold experimentation of The Arbor, a documentary/narrative hybrid about the life and work of playwright and screenwriter Andrea Dunbar (Rita, Sue and Bob, Too). I just wish the film had been tighter and less relentless in its last 45 minutes. It had already done so much surgical socioeconomic surveillance damage by that point that rather than feeling devastating it started to feel exhausting. But it's definitely worth a look.

ACTRESS
Juliette Binoche - CERTIFIED COPY
Yun Jeong-Hie -POETRY
Mia Wasikowska - JANE EYRE
Kristen Wiig - BRIDESMAIDS
Michelle Williams -MEEKS CUTOFF

actors and the supporting crop and even a few technicals if you just...

Monia Chokri in Xavier Dolan's "Heartbeats"notes: The two runner ups are both french language performances: Monia Chokri's thorny awkward vintage queen in Heartbeats was a real keeper and Catherine Deneuve's sassy late bloomer in Potiche a great deal of fun. Ironically just as I was finally understanding Nick's complaint about Michelle Williams sometimes being 'closed off' (I think that's how he put it) he went and finally fell for her. Still, I'd gladly trade Williams out for the mesmerizing work of Olivia Colman as an abused religious wife in Tyrannosaur... but I can't keep track of whether or not that has received or is going to get a release.

ACTOR
Joel Courtney -SUPER 8
Michael Fassbender - X-MEN FIRST CLASS
Michael Fassbender - JANE EYRE
Ewan McGregor - BEGINNERS
Owen Wilson - MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

notes: Fassbender is the new acting god. Lead actor hasn't offered up many valid competitors yet this year but Courtney, McGregor and Wilson all did beautifully understated work where a lesser actor might have pushed too hard upsetting the delicate needs of these "soft" reactive roles or pictures. Meanwhile, not in regular release, Peter Mullen (Tyrannosaur) pushes so hard he demolishes buildings and animals unfortunate enough to cross his path but it's a different type of role with different requirements.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rose Byrne - BRIDESMAIDS
Marion Cotillard -MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Sally Hawkins - SUBMARINE
Melissa McCarthy - BRIDESMAIDS
Karin Víard -POTICHE

notes: Runners up Elle Fanning in Super 8 and Melanie Laurent in Beginners both held the camera very well but I give Cotillard the slight edge in this year's crop of the often underchallenging and overpopulated Romantic Muse Type. Cotillard had the advantage of complicating her motion picture towards its climax as we discussed on the podcast. As for Byrne in Bridesmaids... I'm more surprised than anyone, trust, but she just aced her brittle nose up comedic turn.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Hiddleston -THOR
Hunter McCracken - THE TREE OF LIFE
Chris O'Dowd - BRIDESMAIDS
Brad Pitt - THE TREE OF LIFE
Christopher Plummer -BEGINNERS

notes: This was a difficult group to decide on. I finally went with Hiddleson and O'Dowd because they had confusingly written and potentially generic parts respectively and both actors sold them with real personality and conviction. McCracken's beautiful naturalism was a gift but with child actors it's always difficult to know how much credit to give the director. As for Pitt and Plummer, they're the only two who one could see getting Oscar traction though I suspect it might be tougher going than it should be in both cases on account of the size of the pictures; Tree of Life's grandeur will result in all the focus going to its auteur and the miniature personal nature of Beginners may make it too small an affair for year end awards hunting.

CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEGINNERS Kasper Tuxen, HEARTBEATS Stéphanie Weber-Biron, JANE EYRE Adriana Goldman, THE TREE OF LIFE Emmanuel Lubezki and WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Rodrigo Prieto

COSTUME DESIGN
HEARTBEATS Xavier Dolan, JANE EYRE Michael O'Connor, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS Sonia Grande, POTICHE Pascaline Chavanne, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Jacqueline West

ART DIRECTION
JANE EYRE Wil Hughes-Jones, SUBMARINE Gary Williamson, SUPER 8 Martin Whist, TREE OF LIFE Jack Fisk and WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Jack Fisk

[Trivia: Jack Fisk, pictured left at the 77 Oscars, works infrequently but has several classics under his belt (it helps when your bosses are people named Lynch, Anderson, Malick). Strangely he's only been nominated for one Oscar (There Will Be Blood). He has been married to Sissy Spacek for 37 years. They were married shortly after they both worked on Terrence Malick's Badlands (1973).]

I'd love to hear your halfway lists or comments on this one. Plus Original Score since I always like opinions there (music is unfortunately the last thing I notice in movies). Have at it!

http://thefilmchaser.blogspot.com/2011/07/best-of-first-half-of-year.html

Best of the first half of the year
2011 is halfway over with, and we have had a pretty good first half of films this year. However, looking forward to second half of the year I only see about a few films to look forward to. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy looks awesome; David Fincher's The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo looks pretty interesting, and A Dangerous Method looks like a must see, but not really anything else is catching my attention. So this might be one of the few years where the first half is better then the second.

(I still have not seen Tree of Life, so don't yell at me for not having it on here.)

Best Actor
5. Tom Hiddleston - Thor and Midnight in Paris (showing good range in both films)
4. James McAvoy - X-Men: First Class (first film I liked him in since The Last King of Scotland)
3. Jake Gyllenhaal - The Source Code (his best performance since Donnie Darko, has to show such of an arrange of emotion here,)
2. Owen Wilson - Midnight in Paris (Owen Wilson first good performance outside of an Wes Anderson film, does good job being like Woody Allen.)
1. Michael Fassbender - X-Men: First Class and Jan Eyre (He posses everything a star needs, having one of the biggest breakout year I've seen from an actor in awhile.)


Best Actress
5. Michelle Monaghan - The Source Code (always good and reliable, great chemistry with Gyllenhaal)
4. Emly Blunt - The Adjustment Bureau (she is so lovely in this film, got to love her)
3. Elle Fanning -Super 8 (much better then her sister, so many moments when she owns the screen)
2. Mia Wasikowski - Jan Eyre (another rising star, in her best performance so far)
1. Saoirse Ronan - Hanna (She continues to impress, its a performance like no other, and its my favorite performance of the year so far.)


Best Film
5. The Source Code (Flawed in production and execution at times but well acted and a great idea.)
4. Midnight in Paris (A good small and sweet comedy by Woody)
3. Hanna (A great performance plus Joe Wright takes this all to familiar story to new heights)
2. Rango (Its weird that the best western I've seen in five years is about a talking lizard.)
1. X-Men: First Class (Marvel's most ambitious film to date, and the best superhero film since The Dark Knight)
Posted by Chase R at 4:05 PM

http://whatwouldtotowatch.com/2011/07/11/totos-best-movies-of-2011-so-far/

Toto’s Best Movies of 2011 (so far)

Compiling “Best of” movie lists at this time of the year defines “fool’s errand.”

The first few months of any movie year are usually its weakest, and the best summer blockbusters rarely aspire to more than fast food entertainment.

“The Dark Knight” remains a joyous exception.

So far, 2011 feels different. We’ve already seen a number of films which wouldn’t look odd rubbing elbows with the Oscar bait heading our way this Fall. A few others brought the spectacle in ways that didn’t insult our intelligence.

Let’s all savor that for a moment.

So, in no particular order, here are my picks for the year’s best movies so far:

“Rango” – This one comes with a disclaimer. My son has made me watch the Blu-ray version, out July 15, again and again. And each time I marvel at the artistry involved and Johnny Depp’s brilliantly off-kilter line readings. It’s not Pixar. But at times, it’s just as good in its own way, Rango’s perfect comic timing is something to savor.
“X-Men: First Class” – What began as a frantic franchise extender became a smart, sophisticated superhero yarn in the hands of director Matthew Vaughn. And casting the great James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as the lead mutants only sweetened the deal.
“Barney’s Version” – Paul Giamatti plays the kind of guy who flirts with a strange woman during his own wedding ceremony. And you can’t help but love the big lug all the same. That’s the power of Giamatti in his prime, and it’s precisely what you see in one man’s road to what passes for redemption.
“Win Win” – Giamatti, again, shines as a small-town wrestling coach who tweaks his own moral compass to pay the bills. When he stumbles across a wrestling prodigy (played by newcomer Alex Shaffer) his life seems complete. His deceit backfires in a big way, letting us watch a man scramble to save his marriage and himself. “Win Win” offers poignant moments and a gaggle of great one-liners, many delivered by Bobby Cannavale in a role deserving of Best Supporting Actor consideration.
“Insidious” – I spoke with the film’s director, James Wan, prior to its release. He promised me his film wasn’t another gore-fest, and that it held fast to old-school horror movie principles. And, by golly, he wasn’t lying. The final act feels incomplete, but the rest reminded me why the horror genre remains a personal favorite. The film’s micro-budget made its success even sweeter.
“Super 8” – Director J.J. Abrams is not Steven Spielberg. But he’s the closest thing we have to the man behind “Jaws” and “E.T.,” and Abrams proved it with this loving mashup of coming of age movie and action romp. Now, about that ending …

Welcome Big Hollywood and KyleSmithOnline readers! Please let me know your thoughts on this list, the site in toto and anything else movie related. And, please know, your first comment here needs to be “approved” by me. After that, everything you write goes live instantly.

http://www.accessreel.com/movie-news/tiffs-mid-year-movie-meditation

Tiff's Mid-Year Movie Meditation
Submitted by Tiffany on Mon, 11/07/2011 - 8:37pm
http://www.accessreel.com/-

We are officially floating in the midyear section of 2011 now and I have been charged with the dubious task of relaying my thoughts on this year’s cinematic prowess, so far. I will be including my top 5 favourite movies, movies that didn’t quite hug me hard enough and movies that I really shouldn’t have to mention again. I may cry a little, laugh a little, fall asleep a little, but it’s all in good fun so join me after the jump.

I’m going to be all different and start this list with number 1, because this is my list and I can.

#1

Get Low: Feb 2011

If anyone had the pleasure of seeing this movie, watch it again. It doesn’t happen very often when something will actually move me and surprise me. The film was gentle, thought provoking, unpredictable and classic. Aside from the fact that Robert Duvall is a legend it was one of the most well-paced and presented period films I have ever seen. With no pretentiousness or historical inaccuracy, the decade was not the story, the people were. I gave this movie five stars and look forward to seeing it again.

#2

Black Swan: Jan 2011

I know, I know “it won an Oscar, everyone loves it now”. I always make judgments on a movie from how I feel while I was watching it. That film affected me, stayed with me; I ignored everything else in the media and went with that feeling. Not only was that film terrifying, it felt very personal and emotional. There were so many things going on in that movie, when you look past the “tee hee hee lesbians” factor, you can see the damage that has been caused to the main character and all the unnatural elements that have always been there. Her mother, I believe was the most important element of her downfall and the most unnatural influence in her life. When her insanity manifests itself it is the inevitable fault of on already unstable foundation. It was the subtle tricks the film uses to pull you down into her reality that grabbed my spine and shook it. Very effective.

#3

Paul: April 2011

This film spoke to me, it was me. It felt so familiar and nothing in that movie made me frown. It was pure, silly, brilliant, Science fiction geek heaven. Enough said,

#4

Super 8: June 2011

This film was amazing. Being that I am a film nut and have loved playing with cameras since I was very young, I related to this on a personal level. I loved it how this was an adult film from a child’s perspective instead of the other way around. How every pre teen deals with adult decisions every day, and how you grow up forgetting the bravery of children (could be mistaken for recklessness, no it’s definitely courage). I thought that the monster was decent, the mystery was decent, the plot had been used but it wasn’t the focus anyway. The relationships developed in the movie looked authentic and by golly the effects were awesome. Watch it and forget about how other monster films have disappointed you. This one has heart.

#5

Xmen: First Class: June 2011

I am a fan of the X-Men comics, I have been for a very long time, imagine my disappointment when, with the first trilogy of films, they messed with the continuity, changed characters to the point that they didn’t reflect their reference at all and Magneto was an old frail man (albeit fantastic actor). I was gutted. Granted that the films were enjoyable, this worked better. There was better chemistry between the characters, the story flowed better, it was the closest to the comics you are ever going to get and it was just so much fun. I utterly fell in love with Michael Fassbender as Magneto (he should be James Bond, make it happen) and loved the cheekiness of James McCavoy. The most fun I have had watching a movie at the cinemas this year. Great musical score and great eye candy (sue me), get rid of January Jones and it would have been perfect.

Honourable Mentions

I have set this aside as a section to place those movies I was umming and ahh-ing about. The ones that got my attention but somehow didn’t make the list.

Sucker Punch: April 2011

I really, really enjoyed this movie. I found it to be a quite deep and meaningful journey. If you see past all the Boobs and fishnets you will see that this film is really, really messed up. As a film that was taken literally but wasn’t meant to, it wasn’t well received. I got it, I understood it’s message. I chose the path I hoped that it was heading, unfortunately it never quite made it’s mind up about what it wanted to be. On one hand it was a steampunk ride to babe town and on the other it was a grisly tale about one girls determination to survive in a world that victomizes innocence and beauty. It was always somewhere in the middle with flashes of the horrible reality of the real world intermingled with her fantasy, but not enough of them to make you feel enough either way.

Insidious: May 2011

Scariest. Movie. I. Have. Ever. Seen. I have seen a lot of scary movies. I live by it and love it. This movie got to me. I don’t know what it was but they tapped into my inner child and made it cry. They knew what scared me and they exploited it to the maximum effect. It was brutal and unnerving to a degree where I was physically uncomfortable. Thrilling experience but it may take me a while to watch it again. It was so effective and unique but I couldn’t say it was one of my favourite films of the year because I was too busy being traumatized by it. I would like to know who has seen it and thinks I’m crazy.

Horrible Mentions:

You knew this was coming; let’s do this quickly, like ripping off a scabby bandaid.

Burlesque: Jan 2011

This was a Christina Aguilera film clip. She has a great voice, not a terrible acting talent either but it wasn’t burlesque, it wasn’t catchy. It was just annoying and boring. I didn’t hate it because it isn’t my kind of music, I stay very open minded, I hated it because it didn’t try to be anything else but safe.

Gnomeo and Juliet: Feb 2011

Oh James McAvoy, such a beautiful voice, such a shame. I know this is a kids movie, but there is no excuse for poor workmanship. Rango was the best 3d animated film I have ever seen that was a brilliant kids film (see how I sneaked an honourable mention in there, I’m sneaky) G&J was simple, rushed, cheap gags that would make a kid laugh but was too decade specific to stay in their minds for generations. It will not become a classic. Great animation though.

So there you have it, tough but fair. These are my opinions and now I am interested in yours, let me know what you think about these movies. I will be back for another one of these reports at the end of the year, we shall see what has made it’s mark then.

Tiff out.

http://www.sircritic.com/2011/07/2011-movie-halftime-report-well-always.html

Monday, July 11, 2011
The 2011 movie halftime report: We'll always have Paris

Earlier this year, the motion picture Academy announced yet another Best Picture rule change. Now, the nominees are no longer fixed at 5 or even 10. The nominees will now number at least five, and as many as 10, but will most often end up somewhere in between.

For awhile there, I thought my 10 Best List for 2011, would be something like that. If I made the cutoff grade at least an A-, I figured I would end up with at least 5 or not more than 10. After looking through my roster, I came up with exactly 10, released in the Dayton area before the end of June. For better or worse, I'm generous that way.

Midnight in Paris: You may notice I haven't written about this movie yet. There's a reason for that. Woody Allen's latest is one of those movies where the less you know about it going in, the more you will enjoy it. So I won't expound on that, except to say that the movie is utterly wonderful and left me with a big smile on my face both times I've seen it ... so far. Anybody wanna take me to Paris?

Super 8: The best popcorn entertainment of the year, this throwback to early Spielberg, written and directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Spielberg, it's like a reminder of a time when movies weren't bent on selling anything other than themselves. Pure joy.

Blue Valentine: This movie, on the other hand, is pure trauma, as Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams all too vividly portray a once-loving couple who have gone way past the breaking point. Shattering, but impossible to shake.

Jane Eyre: One of today's best young actresses, Mia Wisikowska, shines once again in the title role of this new Bronte adaptation, which might even be a little better than the 1944 picture with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine. And here is picture one that shows this to be the year of Michael Fassbender.

The Cave of Forgotten Dreams: Just when 3D had about worn out its welcome, along comes Werner Herzog, of all people, to put it to practical use, exploring the earliest known cave with paintings. It's never less than fascinating and wondrous all at once, and the 3D does what 3D ought to do - make you feel like you're there.

X-Men First Class: And here's part two of the year of Michael Fassbender, who excellently plays Magneto in this prequel that cures the ailing franchise. The whole cast is dynamite, and so are the action scenes.

Rango: After getting lost in the tumult of the Pirates of the Carribean franchise, Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp reminded me of why I so admire them both - for their persistent willingness to be bizarre and endearing at the same time. Some people were put off by the quirky style, but that's what made the film a cut above all the other animation out there.

Cars 2: Dear fellow critics: Eat my dust!

Bridesmaids: Always a groomsman, never a groom. You don't have to be a chick to find this hysterical.

Paul: Hm. Maybe this should also be the year of tributes to Steven Spielberg. I laughed a lot at this grossly underrated comedy.

The A for Effort award goes to: Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. No film released this year - hell no film released in at LEAST the past five years - has been as ambitious as this one. And yet ambition doesn't always equal success. Parts of this movie are magisterial, other parts are remote and confounding. I know that ranking this below Cars 2 will be enough to have people revoke my film buff card, but I only saw this once, and every film buff knows it takes more than one viewing to process this. Or maybe I just really hate trees after one fell through my house. Either, way, check back at the end of the year. Maybe The Tree of Life will grow on me. (rim shot)

Posted by Sir Critic at 12:05 AM

http://www.joblo.com/movie-news/bestworst-of-2011-so-far

The Best Movies of 2011! (So far...)
Comments: 29
terometer
90%
Strike Back below!
by: Chris Bumbray Jul. 15, 2011

OK folks, we’re halfway through 2011, and now, just before the next wave of summer blockbusters hits us, is probably as good a time as any to look back at the movies that hits screens throughout the first six months. So how has 2011 chalked up so far? Read on…

BEST BLOCKBUSTERS

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS : While it’s been struggling a tad at the box office compared to the previous installments, I doubt anyone would argue that FIRST CLASS is not only the finest X-MEN film since X2, but also one of the best films of the year- blockbuster or not. I dug the hell out of this flick and I know a lot of you share my opinion on this one. Matthew Vaughn redeemed the franchise here, with a unique, sixties-James Bond style vibe, and a pitch-perfect performance from Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Despite being the lowest grossing film of the franchise, it’s still had good legs at the box office, and hopefully this won’t be Vaughn’s only shot at the franchise, as he’s got the knack.


SUPER 8 : While I’m maybe not quite as hot on this one as a lot of you, I still really enjoyed it for what it was, which is a nostalgic throwback to the Amblin’ blockbusters we grew up with in the late-seventies/eighties. It’s also nice to see something that’s not a sequel/superhero flick do some damage at the box office.


BRIDESMAIDS : Speaking of doing damage at the box office- how about BRIDESMAIDS? It’s the sleeper hit of the year, already raking up $158 million. It’s made a star out of Kristen Wiig (I hope), and it’s proven once again that a film doesn’t need a mega-budget, or huge stars to capture an audience. Sometimes, all it has to be is, ya know- good.

BEST ARTHOUSE

TREE OF LIFE: OK, so this is definitely not a film for everyone, but, say what you will about Terrence Malick, his film cannot be dismissed. Personally, I loved TREE OF LIFE, although, I’d wager that in Malick’s cannon, it’s far from my favorite (with that spot still belonging to BADLANDS). However, it’s still a great film, and if there’s really a three hour cut out there, bring it on!


MIDNIGHT IN PARIS: Woody Allen’s finest film in years and a real sleeper hit, as far as the Woodman’s films go. It’s a charming rom-com, featuring some gorgeous scenery, some gorgeous women (Marion Cottilard, and Rachel McAdams), and a real comeback performance by Owen Wilson, who’s better here than I’ve ever seen him outside of a Wes Anderson film.


BEGINNERS: Why aren’t more people seeing this? This is a deeply affecting indie comedy starring Ewan MacGregor, as a man who tries to open himself up to an intriguing new woman (Melanie Laurent), while dealing with the scars left behind by the untimely death of his father (Christopher Plummer), who, shortly before passing, announced that he’s gay. Despite being an under-the-radar film, expect this to get some play later on this year around awards time, as Plummer seems a shoe-in for a long overdue Oscar nod.


SUBMARINE : The directorial debut of Richard Ayoade, of THE IT CROWD, SUBMARINE was my favourite film of last year’s TIFF, and probably the least maudlin coming of age film you’re ever likely to see. I adored it. It also has a great song score by Alex Turner of The Artic Monkeys, which might actually convince me to give them another shot after suffering through a really half-assed concert they gave in Montreal a few years ago (thirty-five minutes, no encore- boo!!!!!!!).

BEST FILMS THAT HAVEN’T COME OUT YET


TAKE SHELTER: A brilliant piece of work by Jeff Nichols (SHOTGUN STORIES: if you haven’t seen it, watch it!), TAKE SHELTER, which I was lucky enough to catch at Sundance, features the amazing Michael Shannon as a family man suffering from apocalyptic visions. Imagine CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, minus the aliens, as directed by circa 1978 Terrence Malick (when he was linear), and you’ve got an idea of the kind of ride you’re in for. My personal favourite of the year so far.


MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE: Another amazing Sundance selection, this is the harrowing tale of a young woman, played by the phenomenal Elizabeth Olson, who escapes a cult run by a creepy but magnetic John Hawkes (even better here than he was in WINTER’S BONE), and tries to re-establish a normal life for herself. The last forty minutes of this are among the most harrowing I’ve spent in a movie theater all year. For me, THIS is a real horror film.

BIGGEST SURPRISE


HANNA : Joe Wright’s child assassin tale is easily the best action film of the year so far, due to some dizzying technique (that one-shot underground parking lot fight is incredible), a pulse-pounding score by The Chemical Bros., and two standout performances by Saoirse Ronan, and Eric Bana (why isn’t this guy a mega-star?).

WORST OF THE YEAR:
Alas, this is a long list, with several truly bad films having already seen the light of day, including PASSION PLAY, which I’ve been dedicated to warning people away from since last year’s TIFF. No film can possibly measure up to its level of badness, but the following give it a good shot: RED RIDING HOOD, LARRY CROWNE, SUCKER PUNCH, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, THE DILEMMA, and sadly, GREEN LANTERN.

http://filmbalaya.com/2011/07/28/tim-20-films-that-could-blow-you-away-in-the-second-half-of-2011/

25 Films That Could Blow You Away in the Second Half of 2011

July 28, 2011 by Nick 8 Comments

This is a list of some of our most anticipated movies of 2011. These films have the potential to knock a cinephiles socks off and hopefully most of them will. I must admit, after making this list, this could be a truly fantastic year for movie fans.

Before I get started, a disclaimer: this is not a list for those of you who think that Transformers, The Green Lantern, Harry Potter, or Twilight are going to be the best films of the year. If you made a funny face and almost spewed just from thinking about the aforementioned films, this is your list. Maybe.

Feel free to leave comments down below. I was pretty thorough with my list, but I could have forgotten something. To see the list click the link below.

25. Red State

Release Date: 19 October 2011

Director: Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy)

Starring: Michael Parks, John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Stephen Root

Synopsis: Set in Middle America, a group of teens receive an online invitation for sex, though they soon encounter fundamentalists with a much more sinister agenda.

Why you should see it: Kevin Smith is hit or miss with me, but I gotta say that anyone who makes a horror movie about crazy, right-wing-religious-fanatics is going up a notch in my book. Also, do I even have to point out that cast! Melissa Leo is fresh off an Oscar and John Goodman is John f#%@#&! Goodman.

Red State trailer
24. The Rum Diary

Release Date: 28 October 2011

Director: Bruce Robinson (Withnail & I)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, Aaron Eckhart

Synopsis: Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) is an itinerant journalist who tires of New York and America under the Eisenhower administration and travels to Puerto Rico to write for The San Juan Star. Kemp begins the habit of drinking rum and becomes obsessed with a woman named Chenault (Amber Heard)

Why you should see it: Both the director and leading actor have worked with Hunter S. Thompson’s material before with great success. I’m also hoping that this role will re-instill my faith in Johnny Depp who has not impressed me in a drama since Blow back in 2001.

No trailer
23. Bellflower

Release Date: August 5 2011

Director: Evan Glodell

Starring: Evan Glodell, Tyler Dawson, Jessie Wiseman

Synopsis: Two friends spend all their free time building flame-throwers and weapons of mass destruction in hopes that a global apocalypse will occur and clear the runway for their imaginary gang “Mother Medusa.”

Why you should see it: This film by first time director Evan Glodell looks downright awesome! Guns, flame-throwers, muscle cars, and main characters who are hoping for a global apocalypse? I’ll admit that I let the trailer sell me on it, which I try to never let happen, but I figure in the worse case scenario, this film will be unique. That’s more than you can say about most movies these days.

Bellflower trailer
22. The Muppets

Release Date: 23 November 2011

Director: James Bobin (Da Ali G Show, Flight Of The Concords)

Starring: The Muppets, Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones

Synopsis: With the help of three fans, the Muppets must reunite in order to save their old studio from a greedy oil tycoon.

Why you should see it: Who doesn’t like the Muppets? It’s also written by Segel which gives it some big laugh potential. Let’s hope he didn’t write any full frontal nudity into this one though.

The Muppets trailer
21. Bernie

Release Date: TBA 2011

Director: Richard Linklater (Dazed And Confused, Before Sunrise)

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine

Synopsis: In small-town Texas, the local mortician strikes up a friendship with a wealthy widow, though when he kills her, he goes to great lengths to create the illusion that she’s alive.

Why you should see it: Linklater has directed some good films, some funny (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock,) some trippy (A Scanner Darkly,) and some touching (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset.) I just have a gut feeling that this one is going to be a winner.

No trailer
20. We Bought a Zoo

Release Date: 23 December 2011

Director: Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Say Anything…)

Starring: Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Elle Fanning

Synopsis: Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo.

Why you should see it: Although Crowe’s last narrative feature, Elizabethtown, was a letdown, let’s not forget that he helmed Say Anything…, Almost Famous, and Vanilla Sky. He’s also teaming up with two actors I have learned to trust in: Scarlett Johansson and the beautiful Matt Damon… Wait, I think I mixed that up.

No trailer
19. The Ides of March

Release Date: 7 October 2011

Director: George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind)

Starring: Paul Giamatti, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Synopsis: An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail. Based on the play by Beau Willimon.

Why you should see it: Do you know what a killer cast looks like? It looks like Paul Giamatti, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ryan Gosling, Evan Rachel Wood, and Marisa Tomei (probably nude.) Clooney has also had directing success in the political genre before with his 2005 film “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

Ides Of March trailer
18. Damsels in Distress

Release Date: TBA 2011

Director: Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, The Last Days Of Disco)

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton

Synopsis: Violet Wister’s Damsels in Distress is a comedy that follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.

Why you should see it: When a director takes 10 years between movies, there is usually a good reason. It’s been 13 years since Stillman released The Last Days Of Disco and his new film, Damsels In Distress is once again giving his fans something to be exited about. His sophisticated and often humorous films offer a look inside the lives of the American bourgeois. For those of you not familiar with his work, he has inspired directors such as Wes Anderson.

No trailer
17. Tyrannosaur

Release Date: November 2011

Director: Paddy Considine

Starring: Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan

Synopsis: The story of Joseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction. As Joseph’s life spirals into turmoil, a chance of redemption appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker. Their relationship develops to reveal that Hannah is hiding a secret of her own – with devastating results on both of their lives.

Why you should see it: This UK film won three awards at Sundance this year: two for acting and one for directing. Tyrannosaur has been called “not a pleasant viewing experience,” “malicious and punishing,” and a film that you “won’t want to revisit anytime soon” – and all of this was said in favorable reviews. Sounds like my kinda movie.

No trailer
16. The Artist

Release Date: 23 November 2011

Director: Michel Hazanavicius (OSS 117)

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Malcolm McDowell, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Missi Pyle

Synopsis: Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion. He sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.

Why you should see it: Once I heard one of the best received films at Cannes had a cast that includes John Goodman, Malcom McDowell, James Cromweall, and Jean Dujardin, it was going to make this list. I didn’t think I could possibly be more exited for this movie… then I found out something rather unusual and in fact almost unheard of in today’s film industry, it’s a silent film. That might scare a lot of people away but I want to see it twice as bad!

The Artist trailer
15. Twixt

Release Date: TBA 2011

Director: Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather Trilogy, Apocalypse Now)

Starring: Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Ben Chaplin

Synopsis: A writer with a declining career arrives in a small town as part of his book tour and gets caught up in a murder mystery involving a young girl. That night in a dream, he is approached by a mysterious young ghost named V. He’s unsure of her connection to the murder in the town, but is grateful for the story being handed to him. Ultimately he is led to the truth of the story, surprised to find that the ending has more to do with his own life than he could ever have anticipated.

Why you should see it: Some people have just completely forgotten that one of the greatest American directors is still making movies. Coppola is possibly the owner of the best directing streak of all time when he consecutively made The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II, and Apocalypse Now. Although admittedly he hasn’t continued to pump out crowd-pleasers like he did back in the 70′s I’m sure as hell not going to miss out on Coppola directing a horror/thriller.

No trailer
14. Contagion

Release Date: 9 September 2011

Director: Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean’s Trilogy)

Starring:Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law

Synopsis: An action-thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak.

Why you should see it: Is it just me, or is Matt Damon starring in an impossible amount of movies lately? The real question is: are we getting the awesome indie movie Steven Soderbergh, or the fun-but-generically-Hollywood-Ocean’s-trilogy Steven Soderbergh. Either way, the movie will be worth watching but if we get indie Soderbergh, this could be the next big Sci-Fi masterpiece.

Contagion trailer
13. Martha Marcy May Marlene

Release Date: 21 October 2011

Director: Sean Durkin

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes

Synopsis: Haunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.

Why you should see it: This Sundance favorite looks like it’s going to be a hit. It feels, both in story and quality, like a film that could be compared to 2010′s Winter’s Bone. This is only the second film starring Elizabeth Olsen, sister of Ashley and Mary-Kate, and I’m exited to see what she can bring to the table. One more similarity to Winter’s Bone is that it also stars John Hawkes who looks to offer an equally haunting performance.

Martha Marcy May Marlene trailer
12. The Last Circus

Release Date: 19 August 2011

Director: Álex de la Iglesia

Starring: Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Carolina Bang

Synopsis: A ferocious battle between Sad Clown and Happy Clown, escalating to unbelievable heights in this absurd, shocking, irreverent and unforgettable film.

Why you should see it: This film looks like a brilliant, colorful, and bloody duel between clowns. It has been highly recommended to me and looks like it’s going to be mind blowing. Just watch it.

The Last Circus trailer
11. Shame

Release Date: TBA 2011

Director: Steve McQueen (Hunger)

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale

Synopsis: A drama centered on 30-something Brandon, his myriad sexual escapades, and what happens when his wayward younger sister moves in with him.

Why you should see it: Because Steve McQueen’s only other film, Hunger, is effing awesome.

No trailer
10. A Dangerous Method

Release Date: TBA 2011, Possibly 2012

Director: David Cronenberg (The Fly, Eastern Promises)

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender

Synopsis: A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.

Why you should see it: Viggo Mortensen + David Cronenberg = Good movies. Past results are A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. Plus, who doesn’t want to see Viggo tackle the role of Sigmund Freud.

A Dangerous Method trailer
9. The Skin I Live In

Release Date: 14 October 2011

Director: Pedro Almodóvar (All About My Mother, Broken Embraces)

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Jan Cornet

Synopsis: A brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.

Why you should see it: Pedro Almodóvar doing a sci-fi drama is something that I’m not going to miss. How often these days do we get the pleasure of watching an established dramatic director venture into the sci-fi genre? This film has huge potential.

The Skin I Live In trailer
8. Drive

Release Date: 16 September 2011

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn (Valhalla Rising, Bronson)

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston

Synopsis: A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.

Why you should see it: To me Ryan Gosling is on the brink of becoming a movie star. He’s already proven himself as a great actor but he has yet to grab the roles that make me think “this guy was made to be in movies.” Last year he was phenomenal in Blue Valentine and this year I’m hoping Drive will take him to the next level. Also, I have been hearing great things about the films of Nicolas Winding Refn and I can’t wait to check one out.

Drive trailer
7. J. Edgar

Release Date: 21 October 2011

Director: Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven, Mystic River)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Josh Lucas

Synopsis: Biopic on FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, focusing on his scandalous career and controversial private life as a homosexual and rumored cross dresser.

Why you should see it: Although Clint’s last two films (Hereafter, Invictus) have disappointed me, I still think he’s one of Americas greatest living directors. Teaming him with DiCaprio and Watts in a movie about a cross dressing FBI director might be all the help Eastwood needs. And to remind those of you who think Eastwood has lost his directing edge, within the last 10 years he’s turned out such films as Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Gran Turino.

No trailer
6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Release Date: 21 December 2011

Director: David Fincher (Fight Club, The Social Network)

Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Stellan Skarsgård

Synopsis: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander (Mara), a young computer hacker.

Why you should see it: I have to admit that I was not a big fan of the original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Every time I was getting into the story, there was a crime solving montage that totally took me out of it. It was a classic example of trying to fit a long book into a short movie and taking the cheap way out. With Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List, Gangs of New York) writing the screen play, I think that Fincher has a chance to turn this into a classic. That is if fake Swedish accents don’t ruin it.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trailer
5. Take Shelter

Release Date: 30 September 2011

Director: Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories)

Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham

Synopsis: Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself.

Why you should see it: Micheal Shannon is getting typecast as a crazy guy but it’s OK because he’s so damn great at it. This film is going to be his nutcase tour de force, so if you love movies about people falling off the deep end as much as I do, this is a must see.

Take Shelter trailer
4. Melancholia

Release date: 4 November 2011

Director: Lars von Trier (Antichrist, Dancer in the Dark)

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland

Synopsis: Two sisters find their relationship challenged as a nearby planet threatens to collide into the Earth.

Why you should see it: Kirsten Dunst has yet to convince me that she can act, but this is the perfect role for her to do it in. Lars von Trier has said something to the tone of, “I am tired of directing comedies.” If you have ever seen one of his films, this should deeply disturb you. Antichrist and Dancer in the Dark, among others, are films that not only didn’t make me laugh but pretty much sucked out every iota of my happiness. Be warned.

Melancholia trailer
3. Carnage

Release Date: 18 November 2011

Director: Roman Polanski (Chinatown, The Pianist)

Starring: Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, John C. Reilly

Synopsis: Tells the story of two sets of parents who decide to have a cordial meeting after their sons are involved in a schoolyard brawl.

Why you should see it: I feel like I shouldn’t have to spell this one out for any cinema fans. Roman Polanski directing this cast could rip space-time in half. If you’re one of those people who won’t watch Polanski films because of his personal life, I feel really, really, really, really bad for you. This movie is going to be awesome.

No trailer
2. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Release Date: 18 November 2011

Director: Tomas Alfredson (Let The Right One In)

Starring: Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy

Synopsis: In the bleak days of the Cold War, espionage veteran George Smiley is forced from semi-retirement to uncover a Soviet agent within MI6′s echelons.

Why you should see it: Now I know all of you who saw “Let The Right One In” like I did immediately thought, “this Alfredson guy needs to direct a Cold War film.” Your prayers have been answered by the gods of cinema. Teaming up with Gary Oldman and Colin Firth gives this film the potential to win a handful of Oscars and I really hope it does.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy trailer
1. Moneyball

Release Date: 23 September 2011

Director: Bennett Miller (Capote)

Starring: Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill

Synopsis: The story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

Why you should see it: It’s my list and I’m an A’s fan. Deal with it. I still wasn’t exited about this film though until it secured a real director in Bennett Miller, then the real cast of Brad Pitt, Robin Write, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Then I saw the writers, Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. I’m sorry what did you guys write again? Oh yeah! Schindler’s List and The Social Network. Game over. Moneyball takes the cake in 2011.

Moneyball trailer
Films that just missed out

Immortals Tarsem Singh’s newest film was high on the list until we realized it was a Hollywood s$#! fest like 300.
The Thing prequel is something I am exited for but don’t trust. Young hot cast and CGI are no thing I want to see.
Restless (Gus Van Sant) was looking way too indie melodrama for me, but I hope I’m wrong.
Hugo is sure to have some folks exited but family movies don’t do it for me.
The Texas Killing Fields I just want to see if the spawn of Michael Mann can direct.
The Descendants Didn’t like Up In The Air that much, getting the same vibe here.
The Iron Lady has Meryl Streep starring as Margaret Thatcher. Love Streep but don’t trust director Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!)
One Day looks a little too sappy for me.
In Time could be great, could be typical Hollywood Sci-Fi.
Cowboys & Aliens Because cowboys and aliens are two of my favorite things.
Like Crazy I’m interested in seeing what Jennifer Lawrence does post Winter’s Bone

http://www.filmireland.net/2011/07/26/smattering-of-green-amongst-guardians-50-oscar%C2%AE-tips/

Smattering of Green amongst Guardian’s 50 Oscar® Tips

Tue, Jul 26, 2011

News

(Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire)

With only five months left until Christmas it can only mean about six and a half months until those winning names are read out at the Kodak Theatre at the 2012 Academy Awards.

This week The Guardian have picked out 50 films that may be up for consideration next year and there are a few with an Irish interest, let’s a take a look at our best chances at hearing ‘Tá an athas orm’ being bellowed from the stage next February.

#25 Shame

Everyone’s favourite German Kerryman Michael Fassbender reunites with Hunger director Steve McQueen in a film about a man unable to control his sex life.

‘Brandon (Michael Fassbender, Inglourious Basterds, Hunger, A Dangerous Method) is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon’s world spirals out of control.

From director Steve McQueen (Hunger), Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us.’

#34 Jane Eyre

Michael Fassbender stars as Mr Rochester opposite Mia Wasikowska in this adaptation directed by Cary Fukunaga.

‘Based on Charlotte Brontë’s classic novel, the romantic drama stars Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”) and Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) in the lead roles. In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. The isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester’s coldness – have sorely tested the young woman’s resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. As Jane reflects upon her past and recovers her natural curiosity, she will return to Mr. Rochester – and the terrible secret that he is hiding…’

#35 Haywire

Starring Michael Fassbender and also partly shot in Ireland this thriller is directed by Steven Soderbergh.

‘Mallory Kane is a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive.

Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious—and dangerous—trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary.’

Keep a (very) close eye on the trailer for familiar buildings.

#48 This Must Be The Place

Can Element Films, currently riding high at the Irish box office with The Guard, don the tuxedos and gowns next year?

‘Cheyenne is a former rock star.

At 50 he still dresses “Goth” and lives in Dublin off his royalties.

The death of his father, with whom he wasn’t on speaking terms, brings him back to New York.

He discovers his father had an obsession: to seek revenge for a humiliation he had suffered.

Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off, and starts a journey, at his own pace, across America.’

Plenty of quality there, and a busy Michael Fassbender appearing in three films, check out the other 46 rivals here

http://schmoesknow.com/?p=5708

FBF with Captain Dan: Summer Season Thus Far: (8-8-11)
How Do You Rate This Movie?
Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

By Captain Dan

AUGUST RULES! As Long as you’re outside.

I’m back!!!!

A 2 week hiatus from you people, and I’m Indiana Jonesing to talk movies with you people. (See what I did there?)

There is still a good 30 days of summer left, enough time for BBQ’s and waterslides, plenty of baseball left, Preseason Football to look forward to(Thank God), however the blockbuster movie season is coming to close. With COWBOYS AND ALIENS opening and RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES bowing this past weekend, most of the big popcorn flicks will have premiered. August is typically the month they dump the would be blockbusters, the ones that the studios are hoping make big cash but are afraid to put up against the big boys. There can be some hidden gems and unlikely BBusters in the August slate, and I think there may be some very unlikely hits coming our way.

But let’s talk the summer that was, shall we? The summer may start in June, but The Summer Movie Season starts in late April which is where we got our first mega-hit, the fifth entry in the FAST AND THE FURIOUS series. I am not a fan of the FAST series, yet other than the TOKYO one, I have seen all of them in the theatre opening weekend. I love movies, even bad ones, I will see almost anything(SEX AND THE CITY is the biggest exception, pretty sure I will see neither of them, ever!). FAST FIVE is by far my favorite of the franchise, and funny enough for the first time ever, I’m looking forward to a FAST sequel. I’ve always loved the cars in the movie and the racing scenes, but the rest just left a bad taste in mouth. Mostly because the insipid story and Jr. High drama club acting got in the way of the cool cars. But this one was just a rollicking good time. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker have the best man love chemistry since BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN…wait, this isn’t a gay love story? Oh well, it could’ve totally went that way and made sense, moving on. I like Tyrese Gibson, dude can sing and he is always likable. It may be the same role every time but it’s likable. Always happy to see LUDA!! The best thing about this cast, is the addition of The Rock as the gung ho FBI agent with mad-on for Vin. The fight between Vin and Rock is worth the price of admission alone. Don’t believe check out what my Generals had to say about it.

Joe Marvel steps up to the plate, there’s 2 on, 2 out and a lot riding on the line. The pitch, SMACK!!! It’s back way BACK, that ball is ouutttaaa heeree! Only thing keeping Marvel from hitting a grand salami instead of 3-run jack, was not having a fourth movie this year. Should have been Edgar Wright’s long gestating Ant-Man, but say la vie. For you non-comicos, Ant-Man was a founding Avenger. And the AVENGERS is the “a lot riding on the line “I was referring to. Marvel has put a lot of eggs in the AVENGERS movies, seeing as they still want sequels to it as well as sequels to IRON MAN, THOR, HULK, and possibly separate spinoffs for Hawkeye(Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow(Scarlett Johansson). Having these three succeed makes those and other Marvel properties almost sure green lights.

They led off with THOR, a journey into the mysterious world of Asgard and the immortal beings who dwell in this magnificent realm. And magnificent it was. The production design team, Art Dept and visual effects crew brought this comic Norse mythical world to life in a way I didn’t believe was possible. Without looking completely silly of course. And that’s what impressed me so much about THOR, something near impossible to ever be taken seriously and Kenneth Branagh did it. As he does with Shakespeare, he makes it accessible to the common man, yet still keeps what makes it special to the most ardent connoisseur. After STAR TREK(2009) and now THOR, I have a new man crush(Sorry Arnold). Chris Hemmsworth is awesome as the Odinson and Anthony Hopkins rules literally and figuratively as Odin, the father of the Gods. I could look at Natalie Portman all day, but her part is kind of a throwaway. Kat Dennings is adorable, her rack uh I mean one-liners are one of the brightest spots of the flick. Can’t wait for THOR 2. Generals, my Generals, what say you?

Next up was X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, the acting champ of the three. This cast was by far the highlight of the fourth in Fox’s X-MEN franchise. Some purists took exception with some of the liberties it took with X-men’s origins, I myself didn’t mind that at all, however the story did seem rushed, even though it was great story. The execution of it felt rushed. The scene with a young Erik Lensherr hunting Nazis was just a small sample of how cool his Origin movie would have been. Michael Fassbender as Magneto and James Mcavoy as Professor X highlight the exceptional young talent assembled to embody Marvel’s first all mutant team. Not to mention Kevin Bacon scene chewing villain Sebastian Shaw. Director Matthew Vaughn found the pulse of the X-Men’s heart, here’s hoping they give him another shot at it, as well as a little more time to flesh out his story.

Then there was Cap. Second in Marvel’s hierarchy only to your friendly neighborhood wall crawler. More importantly, this more so than the IRON MANs and THOR, was the setup movie for next summer’s THE AVENGERS. Hell it has Avenger in the title. CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER is World War II era story of a scrawny kid who so badly wants to be in the army he volunteers for the Super Soldier program. One super-steroid injection later and Captain America is born. Boasting an impressive cast with the likes of Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Hugo Weaving, CAP is summer popcorn at it’s finest. A straight up action movie with Chris Evans more than capably handling the shield of the titular hero, that also happens to have the best end of the credits scene yet, AN AVENGERS PREVIEW!!!!

You can watch the teaser if you want or wait to see it after Cap, it’s up to you. But here some screen caps.

http://splashpage.mtv.com/2011/07/29/avengers-teaser-first-look/

Then came two disappointing sequels. Oh, I know I shouldn’t have had high expectations for a new PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN movie, but I did. Once again, Johnny Depp was incredibly entertaining as Jack Sparrow, yet he was great in the two over-bloated sequels too. At least they dumbed it down this time around so it wouldn’t collapse under its own weight. Problem is they dumbed it down too much. I can’t even remember the plot, something to do with the Fountain of Youth, I think. If only the PIRATES series wasn’t a series, because I fear they may forget just fun the original, the BLACK PEARL was.

I love me some Zach Galifinakis. Ed Helms is my favorite on the OFFICE. Bradley Cooper, well, I thought he was good in ALIAS and WEDDING CRASHERS, but I just don’t really get his appeal. However, he’s a movie star and I’m not so I ain’t hatin’. I like the original HANGOVER, but not quite as much as everyone else it seems. I thought it was funny but don’t know if necessarily needed a second one. AUSTIN POWERS, that I could watch 50 sequels. I wasn’t too excited to see the Wolf Pack together again but I went anyway. Here’s what I found… IT’S THE SAME MOVIE!!! They upped the gross out factor but it was the same gags. Then they went and made Galifinakis more of an a-hole than a lovable socially inept man-child. Now AUSTIN POWERS, they repeated the same jokes for 3 movies, yet somehow they were still funny as hell 3 times over. Mel Gibson could’ve saved this movie. Come on now, if director Todd Phillips, Jewish himself, can forgive Mel, everyone else should be able too. He didn’t kill anyone(I’m talking to you O.J. and Robert Blake).

June had 3 big surprises hit. Well one not so much as a surprise but what turned out to be my favorite movie of the year so far. One was movie with big name director who has never had a hit even close to this, moneywise. And the other because threequels are never, ever better than their predecessors. Well start with the obvious one, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON was by far the best of all the TRANSFORMERS, in fact it’s better than the first two combined. This is the TRANSFORMERS I’ve been looking for and the 3-D was absolutely breathtaking.

Woody Allen’s MIDNIGHT IN PARIS has been the surprise hit of the summer. Woody’s movies have a loyal audience but it’s not a huge one. I am part of that audience and I can easily say this is Woody’s best in 20 maybe even the last 25 years. Owen Wilson takes over the Woody role as many actors have done before him. He was the best Woody since Woody himself in MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY. Now I have always loved to read, but PARIS inspired me to pick up authors I haven’t had to read since required reading in High School.

SUPER 8 was a movie I had high expectations for, I mean J.J. Abrams directing a Steven Spielberg homage that actually has Spielberg involved? How could expectations not be through the roof? Abrams for me has become like Spielberg, Cameron, and Nolan, I would follow that man wherever in his imagination he wants to take me. SUPER 8 assembled the most talented young cast since the first POTTER. Dakota Fanning better watch her tail or her little sister Elle is going to make her the Frank Stallone of the family.

GREEN LANTERN, * sigh *, where did they go wrong, let me count the ways. Let’s start with what they did right, OA looked great and I’m finally on board with Blake Lively. I thought she was really good in THE TWON, but I didn’t get why dudes were fawning all over her. Now I get it. That girl is middle of August in the Valley wearing a black beenie, black sweats and a black turtleneck standing in the middle of burning asphalt hot. Ryan Reynolds should’ve been the Flash or they should of made the DEADPOOL movie already, he is not Hal Jordan. It teased what could have been a far superior sequel. The Sinestro vs the Green Lanterns is one of the most compelling stories in comics, alas I doubt we will get it. But you never know in this world of reboots that happen almost immediately following a misstep.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT. 2, * tear *, All I can say is, I’ll miss you Harry. And thank you to everyone involved in that franchise, you got as close to Harry was in my mind when I was reading them, than anything else I have ever read translated to screen.

I also want to take this time to thank the majority of critics out there. Thank you for trashing COWBOYS AND ALIENS, a movie I had huge expectations for. Because you seem to totally have missed the point of what Jon Favreau was trying to do, you lowered my expectations. So thank you for that because I took a time out from this writing to attend C&A and I wholeheartedly, mind, body and soul loved it. I can’t wait to kick off my new actor series in next week’s blog with my favorite Movie Star of all time, Harrison Ford.

So far Summer 2011 season record stands at: 8 – 3

And now we head to the dog days of summer to see if ’11 blockbuster season makes the playoffs(Playoffs being Award Season in Nov and Dec) I look forward to APES of course, but how will the SMURFS do? Will it be the CHIPMUNKS or YOGI BEAR. FRIGHT NIGHT looks fun, and the original I’m happy to say stands up pretty well. CONAN won’t be good, but I am a fan of Jason Momoa’s other work(STARGATE: ATLANTIS, GAME OF THRONES). THE CHANGE UP is Ryan Reynolds in his element, and although he has become a movie whore, I’m still a fan of HOGAN’S FAMILY star Jason Bateman. (Don’t forget where you came from JB) Emma Stone is my new it girl. She is Jack Tripper bite my knuckle off sexy and her talent/potential is off the charts. So yes, I will see THE HELP and I believe that will be the next sleeper hit of the summer behind MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. ZOMBIELAND’s director may have another surprise hit on his hands with the Jesse Eisenberg starrer 30 MINUTES OR LESS. I most certainly am looking forward to this one. Funny ass cast. I am also looking forward to IDIOT BROTHER with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who I’m predicting is the next big thing. However, IDIOT will probably not hit more than the indie crowd.

Here is my prediction for the final season: 13 – 5

Not too shabby, Summer ’11, not to shabby.

Cap out.

http://sarahleighann.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/my-movie-summer/

08 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by Sarah LeighAnn in Film

So, my entire social life (i.e., anything outside of work, church, or family outings… actually my Group pretty much consists of family+church friends) is usually summed up with “going to the movies.” Which is totally fine, considering when it’s 105+ degrees outside for a few weeks straight there’s very little else to do. But half of this summer, it seems, has been spent at the theatre. And for good reason:
May

Thor- Only saw once, but loved it. To quote from my twitter, 2 reasons I saw this movie: Chris Hemsworth, and Kenneth Branagh. I was definitely not disappointed. The Hawkeye cameo was a total bonus! Really, the Shakespearean feel of it was really what captured my interest, being the English Major nerd that I am. Ok, And Chris Hemsworth’s gorgeousness, too.
Pirates 4- Again, just got to see once, May was a busy month. Since I hated Pirates 2 and 3, I was hesitant about 4, but it was great. Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Depp were as awesome as ever, and I think it had more of the spirit of the first movie. Even Penelope Cruz wasn’t as obnoxious as I anticipated. The mermaid/missionary thing was a little weird, though… even for Pirates.
Kung Fu Panda 2- Cute, I loved the first one, and my *awesome* brother was very pleased, which made it all the better. One of the only times I think my entire family was able to make it to the theatre together. There are 7 of us, without the extra “adopted” tag-alongs. =)

June

X-Men First Class- Ok, I saw this movie 3 times, lol, first at the midnight opening. Let me just say, if you ever see a midnight showing, make it a Marvel movie. The midnight crowds are great. They’re cool, fun, and pretty easy-going. Makes for a completely different experience, well worth the lack of sleep. Second time we saw it was with one of my favorite authors, Mr. James Owen, who my library had brought into town for a presentation the next day. Super cool dude, had a blast! Anyway, I loved James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, and their characters’ brotherly friendship, even if I knew where it was going. I think they were fantastic! Could have done without Emma Frost, though.
Super 8- TWICE! I totally called this one, too… the Close Encounters meets Stand By Me. The best part were the kids, they were so real. And that awesome train explosion?? Hey, Michael Bay, you can have a film with neat effects AND a story! The language was a little rough, but overall this was one of my favorites for the summer. Also got to bring my parents with me. Mom was beaming, she called the year of the setting before the movie ever stated what year it actually was (I think the tombstone was the first thing that actually printed a recent date).

Super 8

Super 8

July

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt. 2- Yeah, remember what I said about midnight showings? This was one I avoided, lol. After seeing pt. 1 at midnight in November and having front row seats to what was almost an all-out brawl, I decided to steer clear of the heat-crazed teenagers out waaaay after their bedtime in the middle of the summer. We went at 9:30 the next morning, and other than wading through two feet of pop-corn that hadn’t yet been cleaned up from the chaos hours earlier (I was too busy applauding my good judgement to be worried about the disgusting mess), it was a great time to go. We loved the movie, though the ending fell a little flat for me (I might post on that later), and it was good enough to see a second time. Sad it’s over, but eh, it was closure.
Captain America- So, Super 8 might have been my favorite movie, but Captain America was my favorite superhero movie! We saw this at midnight (and further proved my theory about the midnight Marvel crowds), and LOVED it! I was even a little pleased to see it beat Harry out of the top spot at the Box Office for the weekend. Chris Evans was perfect, and it was really great to finally see a superhero that wasn’t so tortured, brooding, or arrogant (as much as I love Batman or Iron Man). Captain was a good-guy that was positive, heroic, and inspirational without being cheesy. And the movie was clean! All in all, so refreshing. I’m surprised I haven’t seen it twice yet, but since the entire Group (including Mom and Dad!) saw it that night, I haven’t found anyone else to take again!

August

Cowboys and Aliens- Exactly what I thought it would be, scary, gritty, and fun. I loved the whole sci-fi/western thing already ever since I discovered Firefly, and though I’m not a Daniel Craig fan, I even liked him, too. Couple of Western racial stereotypes that I thought were in pretty poor taste (I don’t care if that’s the “genre,” it is 2011, and there are spaceships in the movie, I think we can do without a few “traditional” stereotypes). Not sure I’d see it twice, but it was definitely enjoyable.

Now I’m waiting for some DVD’s, namely The Conspirator which I saw with my sisters in April, and Jane Eyre, which I never got around to seeing. (Hello again, Mr. Fassbender!)

Also need to back to the theatre to catch Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but with my trip coming up and fewer of my Group interested in it, I might have to wait for DVD for that one, too.

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/2011/08/22/18586036.html?cid=rssentertainment

'11 box office winners, losers so far
By KEVIN WILLIAMSON, QMI Agency

Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Cowboys & Aliens.

WINNERS:

Hate all you want on reboots, remakes, requels, sequels and prequels. Really, there are only two kinds of films: good and bad.

So while the summer was, as expected, dominated by Harry Potter, Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean -- each installment of which amassed $1 billion worldwide -- discriminating moviegoers could be heartened by the season's underdogs.

No, not The Hangover Part II, which was the top-earning comedy, cruising to nearly $600 million globally. Or the nauseating The Smurfs, which depressingly crushed the sweet Winnie the Pooh.

These were the skillful entertainments that won both critics and audiences alike despite (relatively) tight budgets: prequels that scored; women who surprised; and original fare that cut through the clutter.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes


Gross (so far): $133 million in North America (worldwide total: $256 million)

Budget: $94 million

Why it worked: Because it created an emotional bond between its CG simian hero and audiences. When it was first announced, this prequel was largely laughed off by observers. But it has emerged as the year's action sleeper by demonstrating effects and excitement are no substitute for characters you care about (human or not).

Who won: Director Rupert Wright, who previously made the indie The Escapist and can now write his own ticket; James Franco, rebounding after hosting the Academy Awards; and Andy Serkis, who, if there's any justice, should receive an Oscar nomination.

X-Men: First Class

Gross: $145 million (worldwide total: $350 million)

Budget: $150 million

Why it worked: Because, like Apes, this prequel/reboot put smart storytelling ahead of mindless mayhem. It was also the best superhero movie of the year -- deeper, wittier and sleeker than either Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger.

Who won: Director Matthew Vaughn, whose Kick-Ass underperformed last year; Michael Fassbender, ascending closer to household name status; and Fox, which rejuvenated one of its most valuable franchises.

Bridesmaids

Gross: $167 million (worldwide total: $268 million)

Budget: $32 million

Why it worked: Female moviegoers are as sick of rom-coms starring Jennifer Aniston and Katherine Heigl as everyone else is.

Who won: Kristen Wiig, who co-wrote the screenplay despite the prevailing "wisdom" that audiences only want to see men, not women, behaving badly (and hilariously); director Paul Feig; and producer Judd Apatow, who watched Bridesmaids march past his own Knocked Up to become the top-earning comedy he's ever been involved with.

Super 8

Gross: $125 million (worldwide total: $220 million)

Budget: $50 million

Why it worked: Because this hybrid of Cloverfield, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. wasn't just "Spielbergian" for marketing purposes. Like the films of the legendary director's heyday, J.J. Abrams' nostalgia-fuelled movie boasted terrific performances from its adolescent cast and revealed its otherworldly secrets gradually.

Who won: Abrams, who, after Star Trek and Mission: Impossible III, proved he can do more than resuscitate pre-existing brands -- even if Super 8 grossed only a fraction of what Spielberg's classics did.

The Help

Gross (so far): $71 million (worldwide total: $71 million)

Budget: $25 million

Why it worked: When Emma Stone was on Letterman, she referred to it as "Twilight for adults"; she wasn't kidding. The bestseller's enormous fanbase was clearly anticipating this period drama -- and is pleased with the results. The stellar word of mouth, in turn, has filmgoers who hadn't read the book discovering it in droves.

Who won: The studio, which is raking in the profits; the cast (particularly Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, who both seem certain Oscar nominees); and director Tate Taylor, now in demand and circling such other dramas as the Brad Pitt-produced Peace Like a River.

LOSERS:

Cowboys and aliens. Beheadings and 3D. Ryan Reynolds and ... anything. Some things just don't belong together. At least not this summer.

Yes, it's hard to feel sorry for Reynolds, a guy whose life is still exponentially better than yours, no matter what kind of box office bruising he suffers. But that doesn't mean back-to-back bombs still don't sting.

Then again, the Vancouver-born actor is in Hollywood where everyone is just one hit away from redemption. (Even Mel Gibson, whose The Beaver flopped with a pitiful gross of $6 million on a $20 million budget.) That's good news not just for Reynolds, who appears twice below, but the others who round out this rundown of the season's biggest losers.

Cowboys & Aliens

Gross (so far): $89 million (worldwide total: $107 million)

Budget: $160 million

Why it flopped: Westerns appeal to older audiences who prefer their dusters lean and mean (i.e.: True Grit). Aliens appeal to young filmgoers who are more familiar with The Dude than The Duke. So who exactly was this mash-up for?

Who lost: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and director Jon Favreau, all of whom might have thought they were launching a new franchise. As well, times just got tough for any producer who wants to mount a big-budget western. Case in point: Jerry Bruckheimer, who recently saw his remake of The Lone Ranger shut down -- either temporarily or permanently -- by Disney, despite the marquee power of Johnny Depp.

Green Lantern

Gross: $115 million (worldwide total: $175 million)

Budget: $200 million

Why it flopped: You don't require a power ring -- or a neon green unitard -- to figure this out. Of this summer's superhero adaptations -- X-Men: First Class, Thor and Captain America being the others -- Lantern had the worst script and weakest direction.

Who lost: DC Entertainment, desperate to catch up to rival Marvel, which is making its B-listers into movie stars. After Lantern's failure, it wouldn't be surprising if Warner is more reluctant than ever to stray from its go-to superstars, Batman and Superman. (In other words, don't hold your breath waiting for Aquaman.)

Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer

Gross: $15 million (worldwide total: $15 million)

Budget: $20 million

Why it flopped: Any successful family film is savvy enough to entertain kids without aggravating their parents. But Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer was as shrill and charmless as the loud, antsy, sugar-addled children it celebrates.

Who lost: The producers who wanted to lay claim to the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

The Change-Up

Gross (so far): $32 million (worldwide total: $32 million)

Budget: $52 million

Why it flopped: Filth fatigue, for one. After Bridesmaids, The Hangover Part II, Bad Teacher and Horrible Bosses, audiences had obviously had their fill of raunch by the time The Change-Up opened in August.

Who lost: Reynolds, especially post-Lantern; director David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) who last helmed the disastrous Fred Claus; and the body-swap genre, which audiences have never especially cared for.

Conan the Barbarian

Gross (so far): $10 million

Budget: $70 million

Why it flopped: In the decades since 1982's Conan, the genre has matured and deepened. After Lord of the Rings and HBO's Game of Thrones, who wants to see a fantasy epic in which the only brains involved are splattered everywhere (in 3D, no less)?

Who lost: Who didn't? Late August is a rotten time to open anything -- as shown by the anemic hauls for Fright Night, Spy Kids 4 and One Day. The difference between those films and Conan, however, is cost. With a $70 million production budget (and tens of millions more spent in marketing), it's an unmitigated flop, even if it proves more popular in international markets.

http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/08/29/%E2%80%98harry-potter%E2%80%99-aside-british-winners-and-losers-at-summers-box-office/

‘Harry Potter’ Aside, British Winners and Losers at Summer’s Box Office
By: Leah Rozen Posted: Monday, August 29th, 2011

'Harry Potter' - and the summer - draw to a close.

This summer was magical one. That’s because Harry Potter and his fellow wizard pals reigned supreme at the box office. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the final installment of the eight-chapter film series, grossed nearly $1.3 billion worldwide at the box office, making it the No. 1 movie for the year.

With Labor Day fast approaching, it’s time to take a look back at how other British films and stars did during the summer season. Which movies and actors were winners and, on the flip side, which were the big losers?

Going as far back as May, the kickoff of the summer movie season, here are the winners:

• Kenneth Branagh, for directing Thor, which grossed $448 million worldwide and is considered the successful cinematic launch of yet another Marvel superhero. Aussie Chris Hemsworth played the hammer-wielding hunk, while Sir Anthony Hopkins portrayed his royal father.

• Michael Sheen, who memorably played an unctuous academic in Midnight in Paris, the art house comedy hit that has become director Woody Allen’s highest grossing film ever at $92 million worldwide.

• Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) and stars James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender (okay, he’s Irish) for X-Men: First Class. The mutant vs. mutant prequel grossed $352 million worldwide and goosed new life into the series.

• Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Jason Isaacs and Eddie Izzard all lent their voices to Pixar’s Cars 2, the animated sequel which vroomed to $452 million globally. Critics may have labeled this one a backfiring jalopy, but the target audience, kids and their parents, showed up in droves.

• Irishman Colin Farrell, sporting a paunch and a comb over, popped up to potent comic effect in Horrible Bosses, an R-rated comedy that took in $158 million worldwide. Welsh-born Ioan Gruffudd also earned laughs in the movie, showing up for a “peequant” – he played a man who’s paid to urinate on others for their sexual pleasure – cameo.

• Dominic Cooper scored in two of the summer’s successful films: Captain America, in which he played the dapper father of Iron Man in a supporting role, and The Devil’s Double, a breakout star turn, in which he shined in dual roles as Saddam Hussein’s psycho son and his lookalike body double.

• Comedian Joe Cornish made a promising debut as a writer-director with Attack the Block, an alien invasion comedy that made up with laughs and smarts what it lacked in budget.

• The always-entertaining Scotsman, Alan Cumming, provided the voice for Gutsy Smurf in The Smurfs, a kiddie film that surprised everyone by grossing $331 million worldwide. You can bet there’s already a sequel in the works.

Not everyone landed in the winner’s column. Here is this summer’s list of Brit losers:

• Submarine sadly remained submerged at the box office, grossing under a half million dollars in the U.S. (and $2.4 million elsewhere). The appealing indie comedy, written and directed by The IT Crowd‘s Richard Ayoade, was a coming of age story and featured Craig Roberts as its teen hero and Sally Hawkins as his mother.

• Playing Sinestro, Mark Strong made a strong impression in Green Lantern, but the superhero movie proved a weakling at the box office, grossing under $200 million worldwide. At Lantern‘s end, Strong was tipped as the villain in a sequel, but it’s now questionable whether that follow-up will ever be made.

• Daniel Craig, trying to move beyond his James Bond niche, stumbled big time when the genre-bending sci-fi western, Cowboys & Aliens. One of the summer’s major bombs, it has grossed only $110 million worldwide since its July 29 opening.

• Jim Sturgess is still a star waiting to happen. His copious charm wasn’t enough to lure audiences to One Day, a romantic drama based on English author David Nicholl’s bestselling novel. It didn’t help that American-born costar Anne Hathaway‘s Northern accent came in for a drubbing from British critics.

• Inexplicably, the combined appeal of Colin Farrell and Doctor Who‘s David Tennant failed to attract crowds to their enjoyable 3-D remake of Fright Night, a vampire film. Though the movie earned respectable reviews, audiences stayed away, plunking down only $10.5 million for Fright in the U.S. on its opening weekend.

——————————–

Do you have other nominations for British winners or losers?

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/51067

Nordling's Best Stuff Of Summer 2011!

Published at: Sep 02, 2011 8:49:34 PM CDT

Nordling here.

So, with Labor Day Weekend, the summer of 2011 comes to an end. Personally, this was a pretty terrific summer movie-wise. There were very few outright stinkers, and the ones that were I managed to avoid, mostly. I thought it would be fun to post this best of summer 2011 list and break down what worked and what didn't.

2011 was inundated with big budget films and small quiet fare; superheroes everywhere and raunchy comedies. What I've done here is break it down into some categories - feel free to disagree with my methodology and my opinions, as I'm sure many will.

Best Hero Of The Summer

Caesar, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

This one seems a no-brainer to me. There weren't very many characters as compelling as Caesar this summer - heck, this year. From his simple beginnings as a baby chimpanzee to a genuine leader of apes, Caesar's arc may have been fairly predictable, but the emotionality of Andy Serkis' performance, along with WETA's motion-capture technology, brought the audience squarely on their side and actively rooting for humanity's downfall. There are few movie moments this summer as powerful as Caesar's "No!" as he takes his destiny into his own hands.

Best Villain Of The Summer

Loki, THOR

I enjoyed THOR, but I probably would have come out on the negative end of that critical spectrum if not for Tom Hiddleston's performance as Loki. The ad campaign kept talking about a Shakespearean level to the family relationships in THOR, but only Hiddleston actually made me believe it. His arc was the most believable, and by the climax of the film, you understood Loki's position. More than just a scorned son of Odin, Loki under Hiddleston's acting almost became justified in his rage against Thor. I know who the ladies may have been rooting for in that final battle, but as for myself, I was hoping Loki would show that gloryhound what real power was, and our sympathy with Loki is testament to a terrific performance.

Best Animated Film

KUNG FU PANDA 2

Is it just me, or does this year seem light on animated films? No matter. I thought KFP2 was just as good as the original, and I don't think many people expected the original when it came out to be as good as it was. I loved the characters, especially Gary oldman's villainous peacock, and Po's search for his heritage was emotional and well done. If Dreamworks keeps it up, making genuine martial arts movies with fluffy animals as characters, this series could wind up being something truly special. I'm there if they're able to keep it up.

Best Superhero Film

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

I know Harry will differ with me on this one - he's unabashedly in love with CAPTAIN AMERICA - but for my money this was one of the most interesting superhero films yet made. First it's a prequel, which almost never works, and yet not only does this one work, it overshadows all the previous films. I wouldn't mind if they just dropped the original film continuity and built from this one. Second, Michael Fassbender's Magneto is one of those performances that commands your attention, and I would happily have seen INGLOURIOUS MAGNETO for two hours. But the movie is filled to the brim with great performances - James MacAvoy, Kevin Bacon's evil Sebastian Shaw, Jennifer Lawrence's conflicted Mystique - and although the ending is a bit too pat (I think they put Xavier in the chair a bit too quickly), X-MEN: FIRST CLASS succeeds in building a believable world set amidst the backdrop of the tumultuous Cold War 1960s. I loved CAPTAIN AMERICA, but this is the film I think about more when I look back on this summer.

Best Use Of 3D

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

Yeah, that's right, I enjoyed TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON. It ain't great, to be sure, but unlike the previous film it's not all chaos and shaky-cam. Shooting in 3D actually made Michael Bay restrain himself in regards to his action setpieces and the result may be the most coherently shot, visually compelling film he's done yet (and I know that's not saying a lot). But the use of 3D really works here - it's immersive, always interesting visually, and best of all, it's BRIGHT. Suffer through FRIGHT NIGHT, also shot in 3D, and see how bad use of the technology ruins what is actually a pretty good film. I think T:DOTM may end up selling more 3D televisions than any of the other films in 3D this summer, and although the film is flawed and pretty stupid at times, it remains enjoyable to watch.

Best Comedy

BRIDESMAIDS

This summer saw comedy get crude and raunchy, no doubt due to the success of 2009's THE HANGOVER, which had a sequel released this summer. But none of them had the heart and soul of BRIDESMAIDS, Paul Feig's brilliant comedy. The script, by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, went past the "chick flick" model and found something universal for all audiences to enjoy. All the characters were likable, even when they were behaving badly. BRIDESMAIDS is filled with real people, even if they were exaggerated a little bit for comic effect. BRIDESMAIDS treats the audience like thinking human beings even when characters are taking dumps in the middle of the street. Finally, BRIDESMAIDS' secret weapon, Melissa McCarthy, a woman who believes in herself so much that she actively makes great things happen even when others would take one look at her and dismiss her. BRIDESMAIDS remains one of the best films of the year, and it's one I think people will revisit many times on video.

Finally,

Best Film

ATTACK THE BLOCK

You know this was coming. If you've read my blathering over this film all spring and summer, you know this was coming. Hell, I even called it the best film so far this year, and I stand by that (although there's some movies coming this fall, whoo boy). I love how Spike Lee saw this film, flipped out over it, and cast John Boyega as the lead in his HBO boxing drama. I love how Joe Cornish just nails it with his first directorial effort. The ad campaign for this film pretty much doesn't do it justice - in fact, I'm certain all the hype, of which I'm guilty of contributing to, killed this movie in a lot of ways. Looking back, I wouldn't change anything I said, I just think if I were Screen Gems I would have released this a lot sooner and much wider (although maybe in arthouse theaters first) but that's all Monday morning quarterbacking. I know many of you resent the coverage this film got, and all I can say about that is that I love the movie so much I couldn't stop talking about it. But don't punish the movie for that - when you do get a chance to see it, just ignore all the hype and enjoy ATTACK THE BLOCK for what it is - a very effective, fun, thought-provoking, and thrilling movie.

But wait, I'm not done:

Best Film Experience

TREE OF LIFE

Many of you will consider this a cheat, but I couldn't let this end without talking about this prayer of a film that seems more than just a film to me. Terrence Malick's masterpiece isn't just a movie - it's a serious meditation on life, death, creation, and everything in between, and what may come off as pretentious to many was very transformative to me. One wouldn't think that a simple story about a family in rural Texas would touch on all those universal topics but Malick has done something amazing - he brings the cosmic and the intimate together and they not only co-exist in the same film but complement each other. The Sean Penn bookends, for many, don't work (even for Sean Penn himself, apparently) but I like how the film becomes a look back through his eyes, and how he makes peace with the loss he feels on the beach at the end. It doesn't make much sense logistically, but emotionally, it rings true. TREE OF LIFE is about many things, and will be different for everyone who sees it. And some people will put it away and never look back, and that's understandable, as TREE OF LIFE definitely isn't for everybody. It is, in fact, not for most people. But Malick never made a film for the masses - in TREE OF LIFE he's made the closest thing to a prayer on film, and even to an atheist like me, I felt moved, and even spiritual through its grace.

And that's it! What rang your chime this summer filmwise? Hopefully this fall will give us some amazing pieces fo film - September already seems very promising, with CONTAGION and DRIVE. As always, thanks for reading.

Nordling, out.

http://convert-to-3d.com/blog/must_watch_in_3d_top_10_movie_premiers_of_autumn_2011.html

Must Watch in 3D: Top 20 Movie Premiers of Autumn 2011
02.09.2011
Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn 2011

Summer moved on... and autumn has come with its new schedule of the most highly anticipated movie premiers! We have gathered for you the list of Top 20 Most Interesting Films of Autumn 2011 that we recommend you to Watch in 3D. So in release date order you'll find here three sports dramas, two animations, several thrilling horrors and sci-fi films, a couple of outstanding comedies and mind-blowing actions, and, of course, a great romance. Check it out!

Apollo 18 (September 2)

“There's a Reason We've Never Gone Back to the Moon” A new sci-fi horror from Spanish director Gonazlo Lopez-Gallego “Apollo 18” follows a story of a decades-old found footage from NASA's abandoned Apollo 18 mission, where two American astronauts were sent on a secret expedition. The tape reveals the reason the U.S. has never returned to the moon. Looks like “Paranormal Activity” and “The Blair Witch Project”, but in space. Really worth checking out.

Shark Night 3D (September 2)

“Terror Runs Deep.” Directed by David R. Ellis, the thrilling horror “Shark Night 3D” centers on seven vacationers, whose weekend at a lake house in the Louisiana Gulf turn into a nightmare as they are subjected to fresh-water shark attacks. This one we recommend to watch in a company of seven friends. Have fun!

Contagion (September 9)

“Nothing Spreads Like Fear” Having such a great cast of actors as Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lawrence Fishbourne, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon and Marion Cotillard this action-thriller is condemned to success. Moreover, the film is a directorial work of Steven Soderbergh, who stands behind such great films as “Ocean's 11” franchise, “Erin Brockovich”, “Traffic” and many more. So don't hesitate and watch “Contagion” - the film, which centers on an international team of doctors who try to save the world from a deadly disease.

Drive (September 16)

Starring Ryan Gosling and Christina Hendricks, the dramatic crime-action “Drive” centers on a Hollywood stunt performer who noonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, the film received a standing ovation at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. So it's quite obvious indication that “Drive” will be on your A movie list.

Moneyball (September 23)

With Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robin Wright in the cast, the comedy-drama “Moneyball” is based on the true story of Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, who attempted to create a competitive team despite Oakland's unfavorable financial situation. He tried to do that through analysis and a new, non-traditional sabermetric approach to scouting players. “Moneyball” is definitely a must-watch.

Abduction (September 23)

“The Fight for the Truth Will Be the Fight of His Life” Directed by John Singleton, the action-thriller “Abduction” centers on a teenager Nathan Price (played by Taylor Lautner) who finds out that his parents are not really his when he sees his baby photo on a missing persons website. The cast also includes Lily Collins, Sigourney Weaver, Maria Bello, Jason Isaacs and Alfred Molina.

50/50 (September 30)

“It Takes a Pair to Beat the Odds” The upcoming comedy-drama “50/50” directed by Jonathan Levine is loosely based on the life of its screenwriter and cancer survivor Will Reiser. The film centers on a 27-year-old man Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who otherwise being in excellent health is suddenly diagnosed with cancer and his struggle to beat the disease with the support from his best friend Kyle (Seth Rogen). Fans of “500 Days of Summer”, don't miss dis!

Real Steel (October 7)

“Courage Is Stronger Than Steel.” An upcoming sci-fi action “Real Steel” is based on the 1956 short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson and is set in 2020, when robots have replaced humans in boxing. The story centers on a former boxing champion Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) who teams up with his son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build a robot that can contend for the championship. This looks quite fantastic!

Footloose (October 14)

ThIf you loved “Step Up 3D” you should definitely watch its “step brother” (in a positive meaning) titled “Footloose”. The remake of the 1984 classic film of the same name “Footloose” is a dance film, starring Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell. The story follows Ren MacCormack (Wormald) who is transplanted from Boston to the small southern town of Bomont, where he experiences a culture shock as well as falls in love with troubled girl Ariel (Hough). Let's Cut Loose, Everybody.

The Skin I Live In (October 14)

Directed by Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, “The Skin I Live In” (or La Piel Que Habito) is a drama thriller about a brilliant plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) who is haunted by past tragedies and succeeds in creating a type of synthetic skin that cannot burn. For his medical research and operations he is holding a young woman Vera (Elena Anaya), who was kidnapped with the help of his servant. The film is based on Thierry Jonquet's novel “Tarantula” and is described by the director himself as “a horror story without screams or frights”. Full of suspense and thrill, “The Skin I Live In” will be an exciting cinematographic experience both for Pedro Almodovar and Alfred Hitchcock's fans.

The Thing (October 14)

“It's Not Human. Yet” The upcoming sci-fi horror “The Thing” is both a prequel and a remake to the 1982 John Carpenter film of the same name. Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., the story takes place three days before the events of the Carpenter's film and follows a paleontologist Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who joins a scientific team at an Antarctica research site, where an alien craft with some creature has been discovered. The cast also includes Joel Edgerton, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Eric Christian Olsen and others.

The Three Musketeers (October 21)

Shot in 3D, “The Three Musketees” as you have already guessed is an interpretation of Alexandre Dumas' novel of the same name. The adaptation centers on a hot-headed young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman) who joins forces with down on luck three veteran Musketeers to defeat a beautiful double agent Milady de Winter (Milla Jovovich) and her villainous boss Cardinal Richelieu (Christoph Waltz) from seizing the French throne. Adding Orlando Bloom as Duke of Buckingham to the great cast of actors, and this action-adventure directed by Paul W. S. Anderson seems really worth watching!

Johnny English Reborn (October 28)

“One Man. One Mission. No Chance.” Parodying the James Bond secret agent genre, “Johnny English Reborn” is the sequel to “Johnny English” (2003), which is written by and starring the great British comic Rowan Atkinson (also known as Mr. Bean). The film follows Johnny English, who is called back by the British Intelligence Service, MI7, from Tibetan monastery of martial arts in order to help them in catching a band of assassins, who plan to kill the Chinese Premier. It's important to mention that MI7 secret agent is played by charming Gillian Anderson (X-Files).

In Time (October 28)

One of the most anticipated premieres of the season is Andrew Niccol's sci-fi thriller “In Time”, starring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfired. The film is set in the future when people stop aging at 25 in order to avoid overpopulation and pay for luxuries and necessities with the most valuable currency – time. So the rich can live forever, while the rest try to negotiate for their immortality. Meanwhile, young man Will Salas (Timberlake) is accused of a murder, but suddenly finds himself with a fortune of time from a dead upper class man and thus is forced to run from the corrupt police force “Timekeepers”. The plot sounds very promising. So “In Time” should not be missed as it's known it also stars Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy, Matt Bomer, Elena Satine, Johnny Galecki and others.

The Rum Diary (October 28)

Hurray! After enjoying Mr. Johnny Depp in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” you can now have a pleasure to see his performance in the adaptation of another Hunter S. Thompson's novel. This time it's “The Rum Diary”, which centers on a freelance journalist and alcoholic Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp), who finds himself in Puerto Rico working for the local newspaper “The San Juan Star”. While writing and drinking gallons of rum he falls for the woman Chenault, played by Amber Heard. Check out the magnificent trailer!

Puss In Boots (November 4)

The upcoming 3D animated adventure “Puss in Boots” won't leave you cold as it's a prequel to the “Shrek” series. The animation centers on the character Puss in Boots on his adventures before his first appearance in “Shrek 2” in 2004. The story takes place before Puss met Shrek, when he was a hero who protected the innocent and went on a journey with his old friend Humpty Dumpty to prevent some outlaws finding an ancient power that can destroy the world. The voice cast includes Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and others.

Immortals (November 11)

Directed by Tarsem Singh, the upcoming 3D action-adventure “Immortals” is an epic saga based on the Greek myth of Theseus ans the Minotaur and the Titanomachy. The story follows Theseus (Henry Cavill) who battles against imprisoned titans with Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) at the head of them. Spectacular cinematography combined with mind-blowing special effects, this is all about “Immortals”. A definite must-see.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (November 18)

The next highly anticipated premier of the season is the first part of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn”. Starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, the film centers on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child poses different threats to the wolf pack and vampire coven. “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1” is directed by Bill Condon.

Happy Feet Two (November 18)

“Every Step Counts” The upcoming animated feature directed by George Miller is the sequel to “Happy Feet”. The story centers on Mumble the penguin who has a problem: his son Erik, who is reluctant to dance, encounters The Mighty Sven, a penguin who can fly. “Happy Feet 2” stars Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Pink, Sofia Vergara and Common.

A Dangerous Method (November 23)

It's time for some psychoanalysis. Directed by David Cronenberg, the historical thrilling drama “A Dangerous Method” shows the intense relationships between psychiatrist Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender), his mentor Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen), and troubled but beautiful young woman Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). The film is based on the 1993 non-fiction book by John Kerr titled “A Most Dangerous Method” and also stars famous French actor Vincent Cassel.

http://newmanhd.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/best-superhero-movie/

Best Superhero Movie

This year was the year of the B-level superhero movies as we had Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern and Captain America: The First Avenger all swoop into theaters. I was a nervous about this year’s slate of movies since I knew very little about many of the superheroes. Other than X-Men, which is a quasi-prequel, I had no idea about Thor, Green Lantern or Captain America. I’m not much of a comic reader so I didn’t know that Thor is a god, or Captain America use to be puny. So without further ado, here is the winner of the Best Superhero Movie.

Best Superhero Movie : X-Men: First Class

The first thing I love about the newest X-Men movie are the stars – more specifically, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Kevin Bacon. Without those actors, I don’t think First Class would get a passing grade. This movie made Magneto look like a badass as he is destroying things left and right. Kevin Bacon plays Sebastian Shaw, and he is quite the foil to Professor X. The relationship between Professor X and Magneto was the focal point and was the strength of the film, but some of the minor mutants were misused. Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Runner-up: Thor

Chris Hemsworth is the star of this film and it shows. He has a presence that demands everyones attention. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance between Thor and Jane (played by Natalie Portman) because it felt tacked on. The film takes place in Asguard and Earth, which wasn’t as confusing as you would think. This movie had a little more personality than Captain America, hence why it finished in second. Grade: 4 stars out of 5

Monday – Best Indie Movie

Nominees: Everything Must Go, Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris, Beginners, Terri and The Guard.

http://www.otakusandgeeks.com/2011/09/summer-superhero-movies-2011-hits.html

Summer Superhero Movies 2011: The Hits & Misses
The superhero movie season is over, and compare to previous years this one left many us in disappointment. Some were great, some were good and some made us wish they let a comic geek be the director. Regardless of critics and box office sales, these movies had it's hit and misses. Let's take a look at Thor, X-Men First Class, Green Lantern and Captain America.

Thor (The Hits) - Thor was entertaining, had a great cast and a wonderful leading man. It got the theme of Thor right, him needing to learn how to be humble if he was to gain back his power. Asgard was beautiful and Loki performance played by Tom Hiddleston was a great addition. Thor kept us entertained, although it didn't pack much of punch action wise, the character driven story kept you interested.

Thor (The Misses) - Natalie Portman and Kat Dennings characters were pointless, besides Portman being the love interest, her character was annoying and took away more time for Loki's development. The constant setting up for The Avengers movie is a distraction, does Shield have to be in every Marvel movie now? However I will say Thor did it less than Iron Man 2. Finally the pacing felt slow, so the movie will get boring at times unless you are invested into the characters, also the 3D was useless.

X-Men First Class (The Hits)- The X-Men returned to the big screen this year. After a horrible X-Men: The Last Stand, FOX looked to redeemed themselves with a prequel. The acting was greatly done by the two leads James McAvoy as Xavier, and Michael Fassbender as Magneto. This movie was purely focus on the relationship of Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr. Unlike the other X-Men movies this one was heavy on character driven. The cameo by a certain X-Men was worth the price of admission. The real hit of this movie is Magneto, nothing is more great than to see a characters transformation.

X-Men First Class (The Misses) - Continuity is a huge problem in this film. If this serves as a prequel to the other X-Men movies then something is wrong. 1. In the first X-Men movie Professor X clearly states that "Cyclops, Storm and Jean were among my first students." If they were his first students why aren't they in the movie as the first class? Certain characters don't get enough backstory, once again we are thrown in Mutants just to please the fans. It's pointless if we don't know who they are. The action was so, so but I expected more in the final showdown.

Green Lantern (The Hits): Green Lantern had great casting. Mark Strong did what he could do with Sinestro. Ryan Reynolds did a good job as Hal Jordan, the voices for Kilowog, Tomar-Re we're spot on. They captured the space feel very well when Hal Jordan was on OA. The constructs was cool.

Green Lantern (The Misses)- Not enough character development on key Lantern characters. Parallax origins, and appearance was a mess and inaccurate. The movie spent too much time on Earth, and for a movie that was suppose to be DC's answer to Star Wars, it didn't have enough space time. The 3D was good in some parts, blurry in others. Hector Hammond's character was pointless and under used. Sinestro was more of a cheerleader for Hal Jordan and didn't really show signs of his future. The action while good, could have been more of. Finally the movie was too short and the editing was bad. The editing would cut from one scene to another.

Captain America: The First Avenger (The Hits)- Wonderful performance by Chris Evans. He play Steve Rogers very well. Great direction from Jim Johnson, the movie felt like The Rocketeer, but better. Out of all the movies that came close to the comics, this one was it. It hit the origin story enough, to make a comic fan very proud. This movie also has one of the coolest 40's theme songs, that I've heard in a while. The pacing was great and we get a balance of love, action and drama as well. Red Skull played by Hugo Weaving was great, his appearance screamed comic book. The ending is the best part, not because of The Avengers movie, but because the relationship between Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter.

Captain America: The First Avenger (The Misses) -
The action is kind of boring, Captain America action doesn't feel tense or epic. He punches, runs and throw his shield around. The set pieces could have been done a little better. Red Skull should had more development and more screen time, and the final battle between him and Capt was disappointing.

Overall the best superhero movie of the summer goes to Captain America. It stuck close to the comics, the theme was great and that ending is makes you feel sorry for him. What did you think was the best superhero movie of the summer? Leave your answer on the comments below.


Posted by Justin (The Cool) at 11:20 PM