Balthazar's Movie Blog

I was doing a top ten list of 2011 for Billiedoux.com when I realized that I didn't want to just do a top ten. So here are micro reviews of every single movie that I saw last year, that also come out last year. There are 29 titles here, and I know that isn't everything. In fact there are some I wish were on this list. My criteria was simple, if I've seen it either in the theater or on DVD than it is included. This is extremely opinion based, and I invite comments and additions.

Great:There has to be something really special about a film for me to put it in this section. There has to be a certain level of care put into the production, excellent writing or performances, and most importantly it has to linger with me. If I'm thinking about a movie for a week after I've seen it, then it deserves to be in this group. There were four movies this year that I've seen that I would consider to be worth at least 3.5 to 4 stars.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - I would give a more detailed impression of my thoughts about this movie, but I've already reviewed it so here is the Review Link

Source Code - Brilliant and a little tragic, this was the best kind of science fiction. This is because it was based on a simple premise, that had extremely complex implications. It drew you into the characters and the situation, brought some tense drama and character building, and still managed to say something about the nature of humanity. I loved this movie, and it was one of the few that I've seen in the theater twice this year. This was also reviewed by Billie Doux, you can find that review Here.

X-Men: First Class - Better than any of the previous installments, this was excellent from start to finish. I wouldn't go so far as to set this one alongside The Dark Knight, but it was a solid 3 1/2 star movie for me. Set in the 1960's right around the time of the Bay of Pigs, this tells the story of how the X-Men came to be. It has fully fleshed out characters, a positive message of hope and humanity yet set in a time of impending doom, and really carefully crafted special effects. This is one of those movies where special effects are tools of the story instead of the story being told around the effects.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - This serves as a prequel to Planet of the Apes, and also the start of a new franchise. It took the basic premise of the cause of the original movie, deconstructed it, and set it in modern day. The effects were awesome, if a little flumsy at times. But this was primarily a character piece, and in that it really excelled. I would have no problem setting this movie next to the original, because I feel it was that good.

Good: These movies are the staple of any year. For the most part there is something that is satisfying about these movies. So I use these as the quality baseline for everything that comes out that year. They set the bar that determines if a movie should be elevated to 4 stars, or fall into one of the lower categories. These are all rated at least 2.5 to 3 stars.

The first four movies in this group I've already reviewed. I feel reiterating my thoughts here would be a waste of time and effort so here are the links; The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, In Time, and Immortals

Limitless - Just short of being really excellent, this movie suffered from just a bit too much style. It has a fascinating premise, and some really interesting ideas. I liked the performances, and the concept enough that it's failings didn't bother me.

The Lincoln Lawyer - This was adapted from a book of the same name, and was done really well. There were great performances, and it was tightly scripted and paced so that it never got boring. The only real problem for me was that it felt a little too familiar, as if I had seen this before in a different package.

The Adjustment Bureau - Another Phillip K. Dick adaptation. This one is a little more fantastic then most, and it could've benefited from being a little bolder with the interpretation. But I really enjoyed the fight against fate, and the concept that cosmic design isn't set in stone.

The Mechanic - Wild, violent, and compelling. This Jason Statham vehicle pushed the believability line to the limit. Still it was a lot of fun, and had some rather enjoyable moments of intrigue and action.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Bigger, darker, and better than the first two. Dark of the Moon replaced Megan Fox, and added some much needed substance. It wasn't great, but I thought this was the best installment in a franchise that should end here.

Super 8 - This was a nice tribute to Steven Spielberg done ala J.J. Abrams. It had a lot of magical moments, but it kinda feel apart in the third act. Yet it didn't matter that much, because I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Sucker Punch - Excessive, loud, and more than a little tragic. This wasn't a film everyone would enjoy, but I did. Hidden in all the style and noise was a rather deep story of a very lost young woman. I just wish it hadn't hidden it's substance so well.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - Way too long, way too convoluted, but really fun. Jack can lead a movie as a character, but sometimes it does feel like too much of a good thing. As a fan of the series, I liked this one a lot.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - This is an example of why you shouldn't split movie's up. All of the pathos and momentum gained from part one was lost in this non-stop movie. What should've been a moving and triumphant finale, felt a little shallow. Still it was amazing to watch.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol - This felt more like Mission Impossible than the last two did. This wasn't so much an action movie as it was an intricate puzzle. I think I place this one as the best in the franchise so far.

Fast Five - Fast and Furious, no really this was fast and furious. I can't really ask for more. For me this was the best one since the first of the series.

Captain America: The First Avenger - This was a really solid superhero movie. Although it was predictable, it gave us some good performances especially from the lead. Unfortunately it was mostly set up for this years tent-pole movie, The Avengers. Mark Greig also reviewed this one, you can find that review Here.

Thor - Another solid superhero movie. This one was a little long, and a little hard to suspend disbelief. Yet it was endearing, and the lead was really likable. Mark Greig also reviewed this one, you can find that review Here.

Battle: Los Angles - I would almost put this one into 3 star territory instead of only 2 1/2. Unfortunately it was a little too difficult to buy into, mostly because of how they presented it. This was like watching Black Hawk Down with aliens. That isn't inherently a combination that couldn't work. But the aliens were a bit to hard to believe as a species to make the story believable. Not to mention this is an example of an effects movie with no real plot.

Okay: Passing, and often not so good. These films share the dubious honor of being bleh. These are movies that are rated 1.5 to 2 stars.

Priest - This could've been so good. Unfortunately they wasted some good actors on an insipid script, and wonky pacing. The effects were ok, and so were the action sequences. But this was one of those cobbled together films that moved from moment to moment with nothing of value in-between.

Your Highness - Ok I confess I liked this one a lot. It was goofy, but I would've liked if they had used less of the macho sex and homophobic jokes. But as a spoof of the high fantasy genre, this had echoes of greatness. If you like spoofs, stupid humor, and fantasy give this one a try.

I am Number Four - This was a contrived, convoluted mess, but it had a really fun third act. This squeaked out of one star territory by the skin of it's teeth. I just wish they had put some more thought into the script, or something. Billie Doux also reviewed this one, you can find that review Here.

Arthur - If this had been an original movie and not a remake, it might've been awesome. I think some of the magic was lost in translation. Although I liked the lead, he wasn't compelling enough to be completely drawn in. Mostly because none of his problems seemed important enough to warrant a movie about them.

Contagion - Ok maybe this deserves more than two stars. It had a stellar cast, and it was a serviceable thriller. It had a serious message, but it was so heavy handed that I felt like I had been lectured at for two hours. If they hadn't made it out to look like an apocalypse movie I might not have felt so cheated.

Bad: Sometimes there is a gem of a bad movie that has the rare honor of being a classic. But for the most part these are the worst of the worst, the dregs of year. Movies that should be avoided and ridiculed, and share the basement with horrible masterpieces like Battlefield Earth. These are movies that are rated 1 star and below.

Drive Angry 3D - This is my guilty pleasure movie of the year. It was so bad it was good. Nic Cage was at his campy best, Amber Heard was descent as the kick ass heroine, and William Fichter was wonderfully zany as an unstoppable... something, I don't really have a good explanation for what he was. There was nothing really exceptional about this, it didn't have any redeeming qualities except for the fact it was absurd. At least it knew it was absurd and ran with it. If I had to recommend any one star movie it would be this one.

Hanna - Tortured and painfully slow, this wannabe art-house thriller tries to be The Professional and fails miserably. Eric Bana, Kate Blanchett, and Olivia Williams are wasted on a script that was just dull. Maybe it wasn't the scenes that were bad, as much as the resolution and pacing. At least the lead (Saoirse Ronan) was good, even if the movie wasn't. She should have a good career ahead of her.

The following list are movies from this year I didn't get a chance to watch but want too. In no particular order; Final Destination 5, Fright Night, Colombiana, Apollo 18, Real Steel, Paranormal Activity 3, Drive, Dream House, The Three Musketeers, A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Footloose, The Muppets, Scream 4, Green Lantern, Cowboys and Aliens, Paul, Beastly.

I hope you all have a happy New Year of movie watching! You can check out all the stuff I'm looking forward to in Mark Greig's 2012 Film Preview.

Balthazar's Movie Blog

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