The most provocative and innovative super human film in years that raises the bar for the up and coming of its kind, The Dark Knight Rises better bring its A game. This one of a kind film was surprisingly emotionally deep having sympathy for even the darkest of characters because their motivations run deep and you have a deep connection with them that the experience becomes enthralling. The three newcomers were charming and gave depth to their roles and most notably from Dane DeHaan who gave a devastating and quit, intense and emotionally riveting performance as Andrew Detmer who has a broken like with his mother on her death bed and his father who got injured on the job as a firefighter is now without a job and becomes an abusive alcoholic and when he gets out of control with his new found powers all hell breaks loose. The special effects in this film was just astonishing to me and so raw with the crew not overdoing it but to focus on balanching character developement, story, thrills and suspense than over the top explotions kind of like how Super 8 did it but to me this film was more effective in its overall execution, this was visually exhilerating. This film went to pretty dark and chaotic places towards the end and amped up the violence that was shattering and a surprise in some of its turns to the dark side but when the last act proceeded and completed it just...[more]...

Hands down it was the most artistically stunning film of 2011 and Kirsten Dunst gave a heart shattering performance and never looked better and it was a wonderous beauty of filmmaking I've ever seen. It raises alot of questions and less than enough answers and becomes more and more frustrating as the film goes on and it never clearly gives any insights of any of the characters other than Justine played by Kirsten Dunst is mentally ill and has a strained relationship with her sister Claire who always cleans her personal mess up which is distressing through the whole film and on top of that it my be the end of the world as they know it as a planet that has been hidden behind the sun for some time might collide with earth wiping it out forever, dread ensues. There is not really a clear point to this movie but it kept me fascinated the whole way through but it's a very, very escentric film and definitely not for all tastes but the way that it was brought to life is something of a masterpiece that will be more appreciated through time and though it's a step up from Lars von Trier other effort Antichrist it still has the same WTF element that doesn't rub off or sit well for me and has no cohesive plot or logic to the whole film but an mesmerizing beauty to the eyes and he always seems to get...[more]...

A classic ghost story that delivers solid chills and spooks and a unnerving sense of dread and tension that will have you clenching your fists and bitting your nails in anticipation of a scare. The house has to be one of the most bone chilling estates in a horror movie to date and it brings back memories of old school haunted house flicks of a long gone era like the original The Haunting from 1963 or from our time The Others and at those less is more, slow burn terror, suspense and atmosphere over gore elements it gets the job done and it's polished and skillful at creating it. Time sure does fly as Daniel Radcliffe went from a kid in the Harry Potter series to an mature adult in this grittier role and to my surprise he hold his own but at the same time it was a kind of wooden performance but was believable enough. The script was unfortunately less than compelling and they just didn't bring the classic story to any new level and just didn't go anywhere compelling it just turned up the scares but nothing too terrifying here if you are a veteran horror enthusiast and it might of stayed a little bit too loyal to the original film yet it still managed to surpass it slightly by its scares. Overall it's unfortunately not the horror film to beat all horror films this year as I was hoping for and it...[more]...

The Grey took a survival story that could of been typical and run of the mill and went to the tip of the peak on delivering a memorable, rough and tough, thrilling, suspenseful, emotional hitting one to date, it sure brings its wrath and havoc which is a triumph compared to ones that came before it. Liam Neeson is a goliath of an actor here and is not one to reckond with, he gave an emotional powerhouse of a performance and as well transformed into one badass action star and I can tell you right now that he deserves an oscar for the role and the academy better not snub him or this film because the cast and crew gave it their all for this movie and deserves to be awarded for that and for how effective and fresh they made the survival sub-genre again and with a vengeance. The supporting actors were perfectly cast and they are a great support against Neeson and brought intensity and emotional depth to their roles and speaking of intensity the plane crash scene was horrifyingly realistic yet dreamlike and nightmarish and guarantee to give you chills down your spine. From there on it's man against nature, man against man, man against wolves and man against his inner demons in an electrifying battle for survival. The filmmaker is a very talented man delivering the most haunting atmosphere I've seen in years for the genre and the ways he rattles with your...[more]...

A Dangerous Method's story is sure fascinating and makes you think and Keira Knightley gives a fearless, powerful, striking yet odd and over the top performance of her career as Sabrina Spielrein and it's a shame and a crime that she didn't get nominated for a oscar for her no holds barred performace. The rest of the delivery of the story however was dull and empty in comparison with as expected smooth performances from Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen as Carl Jung and Sigmond Freud who seem to always get the job done but they had nothing interesting to do in the movie. The film seemed to go on and on with a bunch of psychology mumble jumble which can be intriguing if done in a great way but I felt like I was in psychology class with a not so exciting teacher giving a lecture and for that it had me looking at my watch now and then wanting it to be over or get to the point already. I just wanted something to happen to make my trip to the theater worth it but nothing quite did leaving me bored, cold and unsatisfyed with what I saw and it just went to nowhere road and it's disappointing because I really wanted to like this and from the previews it had so much potential of being a powerhouse which it did have one performance wise from Knightley but is wasted by a dull execution of...[more]...

An pretty offbeat love story involving around the unsuspecting relationship turned deep of two young individuals Enoch and Annabel who meet at a funeral Enoch was crashing. Enoch soon learns that Annabel is dying of cancer and does the best to make the short time with her count as he has experience of losing someone close to him in a deadly car crash, his parents. The performances and chemistry between rising stars Mia Wasikowska and Henry Hopper (who is the son of the late Dennis Hopper believe it or not) in his first major role was earnest and raw and charming. The film moved at a slow pace developing delicately the lives and some backstories of it's characters and the attention to detail made you little by little care for them and their tragic situations, it was very heartfelt, artistically poetic and deep which was admirable with a soundtrack that flows through the film smoothly and fittingly adding to the charm. The whole imaginary friend/ghost element was a little off putting at first but once you know the true meaning and importance behind it was heart tugging and different and touching and that whole letter part was heart wrenching. I wasn't overyly impressed with the film but the story and performances were effortless and touching but it stayed at a steadiness and never went above and beyond its comfort nor went below it and it just knew what it was and what it set out to do...[more]...

This has to be the most overrated horror film of 2011! The film started off pretty good and unpredictable with intense and disturbing scenes with a cast of mostly unknows but if you are a horror fan you might be familiar with Angela Bettis from the director's other horror offering May and other horror films and gives one of her best performances here as a battered and emotionally abused homemaker, wife and mother. I actually really liked the soundtrack to this film and fits every scene emotionally well and it seems like the film has alot to say on human culture and how we behave and takes bold leaps here and there unlike anything I've seen in a horror movie all last year making it one of a kind in its own right and that made it so intriguing and effective and it was like American Beauty meets The Miricle Worker meets Gregory Wilson's The Girl Next Door with a dash of The Hamiltons twisted up into one messed up horror film. The flaws and plot holes, extremely vile violence which I don't blame that guy for walking out of this film at that one screening where he got filmed complaining about the film, those alone brings the film down big time for me. There were just no backstory to anyone to explain their motives and how they got to that point leaving you empty and disgusted at the same time so you couldn't feel...[more]...

High octane stunts, old school filmaking and one of the sexiest/intensifyed action/thriller you will likely see in 2012. We have a new female action star on our hands who is like Rachael Leigh Cook meets Angelina Jolie and her name is Gina Carano in one bad ass role with an impressive supporting cast of well known actors. The movie's classic like approch will remind you of the director Steven Soderbergh's other film Oceans Eleven or some James Bond film meets Salt or Wanted which makes for one entertaining watch and very skillful and intelligent at that. The movie though also had its corny and far fetched moments as well that made it somewhat laughable but in a good fashioned popcorn way but the ending just seemed rushed to me and anti climatic to make the film as a whole truely great and they almost could make a sequel from it but who knows it could be the next Bourne. Overall it's all good slick fun here with a sexy as all hell protagonist who kicks ass like there is no tomorrow and with the smarts to beat, where have you been hiding Mallory? An action fans wet dream came to life on the big screen enjoy amigos. Recommended but nothing too deep here.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is an extremely manipulative film that jerks around with your emotions for two hours before letting you down in the end all bummed out and frustrated. The human connection and stellar performances especially from newcomer Thomas Horn who is the heart and star of the picture and with it the wonderous story makes you stay in your seat. To be honest this movie was problematic and had several plot holes that didn't get filled and you were left waiting for something with a much deeper meaning to happen and be uplifted but nothing powerful does but it certainly pulls at your heartstrings with ease and for most will bring back 9-11 memories that could be emotionally distracting from the film itself and it's a very depressing feeling that never leaves the film until the at peace but bittersweet ending. The other thing that bothers me is the choice of putting big time A-list actors like Sandra Bullock and Tom Hanks in very tiny roles almost using them in a way to lure you towards seeing the film thinking they have a more important role which they do not and I also think they should of just cast unknown actors for the parents and others as it could of been more effective, it's just kind of a misleading film to me and still kind of a bad timing or too soon for a movie that has 9-11 in its plot...[more]...

This charming, hysterically funny but predictable rom/com is for Anna Faris fans only. I really do think that it was much more entertaining than I thought it would be considering that I had low expectations for it and Ana Faris gives her most shining performance to date as Ally Darling who desperately tracks down all of her ex boyfriends and tries to reconnect with them to find who is her true love so she won't have to go over 20 relationships with men which sounds really silly on paper but Anna Faris's enthusiasm, spunk and witty charm will win you over and makes it a whole lot of fun and enjoyable even though that it doesn't bring anything remotely fresh to the genre. The supporting cast was also pretty good and likable with Chris Evans who shows great chemistry with Anna Faris but no one stands out as much as Anna but the story/plot was pretty paper thin and nothing much to it but was frequently funny and fast paced that before you complain about flaws it's over and it was such an easy watch that none of that matters. Overall yes it's another typical sex comedy that's predictable but one of the most enjoyable one of 2011 and I recommend it lightly because it's not half bad compared to most.

This is a very spiritual, deeply moving, thought provoking and expertly acted with raw emotion that has an whole lot of connection with the viewer and I never had so much emotion drawn from me from a film in all of 2011 let alone in years. To me in this film George Clooney gives the best performance of his career and deserves his praise and shows why he is so popular and not going away anytime soon, the actresses who play his daughters in the film were also great and have great chemistry with the star. The on location setting of Hawaii was so breathtaking and gives the movie an even larger soul and made the very human story very effective and a punch to the emotions and the movie balances laughs and drama very well so you don't leave the theater depressed but greatful making it the best film in 2011 that I've seen. Overall I highly recommend this motion picture to everyone because it's just a great film bottom line that anyone can relate to.

An powerful, taut, suspenseful, clever revenge/nazi thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat through most of its running time. The performances and chemistry have such an intensity to them that it will keep you glued to the screen and I'm surprised that it's not up for awards because these are actors at the top of their game. The story though sometimes complicated and rushed was effective and harrowing and packs an emotional punch and has one heck of an ending and is deserving to be called a thriller because it certainly thrills but I still wanted more from it than what I got. Overall it's an all around exceptional thriller that got the job done, has an stellar cast and crew and to me has few flaws compared to most of its kind but I still think that it had the potential to be a little better than it was but it's still an powerhouse of a movie and one of the top and smartest thrillers of last year and it's another reason why Helen Mirren is one of the best actress ever as she can do just about any role. Recommended!

The most overrated film of 2011 goes to....The Artist. The technique though gimmicky was neat and quite an experience watching it on the big screen as though you step back in time when movies weren't so complicated and relied on true talent of its stars and these two leads are as charming as they get and quite brilliantly pull off a silent film for 2011. This is though I think an acquired taste as it kind of takes a bit getting use to that it's an silent film and to be honest they just didn't dig deep enough with the history of silent films and when they transfered to talkies and I think it would of been more interesting if it started as a silent film and when the year when talkies made way the film will make an transition from silent to talkie instead of being slient the whole time but that's just me. The story is nothing that fresh either but more of a homage but didn't really reinvent anything as that and the love story aspect of it didn't have any emotional impact infact I really didn't feel anything and I thought that the film seemed empty at that and all I did was sit back and admire its passion for films of the past. The thing that I liked the most about it was the filming of it in black and white and I would like to see...[more]...

Well I'm not going to say that I'm surprised that this just didn't work on any level for me because I didn't have much expectations but come on we as horror fans deserve better than this clueless, dull film. The creators of this film treated us like we were dumb and never heard about or seen an exorcism film before and that got irritating very quickly and eye roll inducing, I mean do something different that we haven't seen before and you don't need a high budget to know that, be creative/inventive and open your minds if you have one and you can do amazing things to a film. The acting wasn't bad but the writing and characters weren't believable and effective except for one actress who gave it all when on here limited scenes she was given and she stole the show and that is Suzan Crowley who plays troubled and possibly possessed Maria Rossi and it was her dead on intensity that put shivers down my spine but the rest of this is scarefree unfortunately. The whole found footage thing has been done so much to death that it's becoming numbing to the emotional impact it's supposed to give and I was just looking at my watch wanting the whole film to be over already and was tempted to walk out and that is not a good sign when the film is only 87 minutes to be...[more]...

I am just shaken by this horrifyingly brutal film that has so many nightmarish scenes that it will definitely keep you up at night in shock. To be honest I'm still scratching my head on figuring out what all of it as a whole really means and what the connections are and all I can think of now is that he was somehow unknowingly or knowingly initiated into some kind of satanic cult but it's the type of film that needs multiple viewings to understand the meaning which are the type of films I don't care for but this one takes it to a whole new level of shock and disbelief that it will stick with you long after you watch it. The acting was powerful and probably the best I've seen in a thriller or horror movie in 2011 and it made it all the more effective and disturbing and speaking of disturbing the violence in this is not for the weak of heart or the squeamish as it gets very graphic and unrelenting at times but its strongest goal is to keep you in suspense and fear the unknown. This movie may start as a hitman movie but it soon spirals down deeper and deeper into brooding territory bringing shivers down your spine and never lets up and it might not be a particularly scarefest but the images alone in this film will give you nightmares. Overall the ending is hard to swallow and...[more]...

One of the more enjoyable indie comedy released last year that had charming performances from all involved especially Paul Rudd who steals the show. The story is light and fluffy and pretty predictable but its messages were very positive and spiritual in saying it's alright to be yourself and to except others that are different from yourself that we are all a unit and we need to help eachother out and have compassion for one another or mind your own and walk the other way. The film had several funny and hysterical moments but nothing laugh until it hurts but it was entertaining on how the siblings interacted with eachother and was very relatable in the sense of finding yourself. Overall it wasn't perfect but it was thoroughly charming and irresistible and especially for Paul Rudd fans and fans of independent comedies and I lightly recommend it. 6.5 out of 10

Ti West is definitely a horror director to look out for and since his first offering in the genre The Roost and then the very spooky The House Of The Devil the director seems to be growing more and more with each offering and The Innkeepers is his best yet. The attention to detail, the quiet, chilling suspense, the suffocating, creepy atmosphere and the everyday, working class characters that you relate to and get to know with its slow but never dull pace and has such restraint that when the scares do happen even when most of them are cheap they work effectively and get under your skin. The performance that I was really surprised with was Sara Paxton who is always likable in all of her films but this one I really believe is her breakout role because she showcases such growth as an actress and showed layers of emotions with this role that she has ever done before and doesn't over do it and it flows naturally. The one element I that I also liked about this film is its quirkiness and never took itself too seriously but never made a joke of itself that blended well for the film and made it fun and enjoyable in an old fashioned way and I liked it for that and it was refreshing compared to the other horror offerings this year. The final act is the one thing that let me down and I felt that it was a...[more]...

This is one distressing film that was a unrelenting, tense, violent cautionary tale of two young souls who meet at fate and their dangerous journey to escape their proplems in their homeland and travel by train to the United States for freedom and a fresh start but ill-fated ways soon follows. The performances were so believable in this that you feel like you are watching a documentary but the way that it was filmed was epic and haunting and quite an experience as if you were right there with them and all the more unsettling and sad that this is actually going on. The violence in this is very graphic and brutal like in most gangster movies but this also has thrilling, edgy adventure with such heart ache and dread that it was an emotional rollercoaster of never ending obstacles. The movie takes its time in the beginning to introduce us to its characters and you get a glimpse inside their world and how they live and survive depravity and poverty which is a tragic and captivating sight but once the escape comes to the open it never lets up and you're on the edge of your seat from there on out with a bittersweet and bleak conclusion that was full of devastation and expected but full of hope for one character and for that it was satisfyingly real. Overall this is a much overlooked film that deserves much more recognition than it got and needs to be...[more]...

Much like Hot Tub Time Machine mixed with I Love You Beth Cooper, Take Me Home Tonight is full of life and energy and has a great soundtrack! The performances were entertaining as if you were actually watching a 1980's John Hughes teen flick about coming of age and finding true love in the most ulikely places, so it was a nice throwback. Topher Grace seems to act the same in almost all his movies and here is no different and it's getting dull but still genuine, the other three actors Teresa Palmer, Ana Farris and Dan Fogler steal the show here and I just wish it focused more on them. The story has been done to death but the way they treat their characters with care and the pure zest viewing experience was more satisfying than most comedy efforts this year and probably the most wise about growing up and life in general and is a surprisingly decent film. The pacing of the film was a breeze and it wasn't a laugh out loud film but had its moments and wasn't forced and it was pure fun and the kind of movie you don't want to end. Overall it could of went with a better ending and it's not really original but I kind of miss movies like this that didn't have to be overly raunchy to make you laugh and has alot of heart and spirit and in seeing that these...[more]...

War Horse sure looks grand and directed flawlessly of course by the one and only Steven Spielberg who is always an expert storyteller but when you disect the film and look closer there isn't anything that deep about it. I like their choice of mostly unknown actors making the experience more authentic but the overuse of sentimentality made it a little corny and depressing at times but alot of it comes with care and has a huge heart. The real star of this movie will have to be Joey the horse and about in every scene he over comes obstacles and triumphs pulling at your heartstrings with ease and if you're human you might just shed a tear or two or ball your eyes out because there are certain scenes especially during the war that are just haunting and devastating. The atmosphere was epic and old fashioned in a Gone With The Wind sort of way that will leave you gazing in awe and I won't be surprised if it gets nominated for best picture at the oscars or winning it for that matter and it deserves it for sure. Overall not as fantastic and the movie to beat all movies this year as I was hoping for but there is alot of passion, grace and nostalgia and earnestness put in this picture that you can't help but appreciate its existance and the moving story of a boy and his loyalty to his horse Joey and...[more]...