Whether it was the 99 cent bargain bin VHS tapes at Superstore, or the annual TBS marathon, I have been a huge fan of the James Bond franchise since I was of a young age. Needless to say, when Skyfall was announced I was beyond excited. Daniel Craig is back for round 3, officially having him surpass Timothy Dalton, and eclipse George Lazenby in the 007 mythology.

While Casino Royale breathed new life into the franchise, Quantum of Solace seemed to take it away. With that being said, Skyfall doesn’t seem to be getting the press that I, and many fellow Bond fans, feel it deserves. Finding any news requires a lot of Google searches, and cross referencing (yes a bit of an exaggeration).

With that long winded description out of the way, consider this your one stop shop for all things Skyfall. As news and releases become available, we will be posting them. This page will be updated frequently. So without further ado..

What’s It About?

Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Director: Sam Mendes
Stars: Daniel Craig, Helen McCrory, Javier Bardem
Featuring: Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench

Locations Will Be Limited

The word is that the budget for this movie has been cut heavily. So what does that mean for shooting locations? It will mostly be shot in the UK. The only other location shooting will be in Turkey. Originally shooting was to take place in Bali and China among others. At this point it will be shot  in the London locations of Canary Wharf, Charing Cross, and Turkey. At this point, I won’t let it bring me down, I still believe.. that’s what computer special effects are for, right? RIGHT?!

There’s An Insignificant Photo

James Bond News Will Return.. When It’s Released.

Check Back Soon!

An Easter egg is an intentional message or in-joke hidden within movies, comics, books, video games, etc. I love adding Easter eggs to The City Strip and this is my first chance to share them all with you. Some you may have noticed right away, others you may have not.

So sit back, enjoy and prepare to be immersed in The City Strip…as you’ve never seen it before! - Kevin

Click to analyze!

POSTERS – 1

a) The City Strip #55 – Deep Blue Sea is one of my favourite guilty pleasure movies. Plus LL Cool J has a parrot. A PARROT!
b) The City Strip #56 – If you haven’t seen Moon, you’re really missing out.
c) The City Strip #27 – I don’t have a Top Ten Favourite films list, but if I did The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford would definitely be on it.
d) The City Strip #62 – Mr. Poppers Penguins. I haven’t seen it and…I…don’t plan to.
e) The City Strip #62 – Larry Crowne. Tussle my hair Mr. Hanks!
f) The City Strip #62 – Green Lantern. I really wanted this to work but…it did not. It…did not.

POSTERS – 2

Click to analyze!

g) The City Strip #2 – Goodfellas, one of the all time greats.
h) The City Strip #16 – American Splendor (incorrectly spelt) is a biopic starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar, one of America’s grumpiest comic creators.
i) The City Strip #4 – Callow Caper is a film which our very own Ryan Heinrich’s made. You can watch it on YouTube if you’re curious.
j) The City Strip #40 – Graham is such a fan of Ricky Gervais that he sometimes forces me to include him in strips…sniff…my bruises still won’t heal.
k) The City Strip #5 – Rain Man and Driving Miss Daisy in 3D. It’ll happen. Just watch.
l) The City Strip #29 – Dawn of the Dead. One of the many posters that appeared in our first Halloween Special.
m) The City Strip #31 – Teeth. Vagina’s are scary.

POSTERS – 3

Click to analyze!

n) The City Strip #1 – The very first panel of our very first City Strip had several posters. We’re got Sherlock Holmes, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, and…some unknown poster above those.
o) The City Strip #64 – We’ve got Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and Bad Teacher dueling it out.
p) The City Strip #61 – 3:10 to Yuma. One of the better westerns of recent years.
q) The City Strip #69 – The Straw Dogs remake. Why?
r) The City Strip #29 – Bat People. A film I haven’t seen but…the poster makes me want to track it down.
s) The City Strip #69 – Spy Kids 4-D. When will they end?
t) The City Strip #29 – Our final poster is the classic Jaws poster and the top quarter of Creepshow. If you’ve ever wanted to see Stephen King act like an idiot while covered in moss…that’s the movie for you.

SHELVES

Click to analyze!

a) The City Strip #70 – Here we get a closer look at Batman’s secret Bat Shelf. We’ve got Giraffe Repellent Bat Spray, Bat Condoms, Bat Cream, Bat Repellent Bat Spray and photos of his dead parents. What every mentally disturbed billionaire playboy dreams for.
b) The City Strip #2 – Here we have the first appearance of the Magic 8 Ball. Whenever I want to break up the flow of books/DVDs on a shelf, I almost always throw in one of those.
c) The City Strip #46 – In this small shelf we have a Spock action figure and what I assume to be a dead Abin Sur from Green Lantern.
d) The City Strip #37 – Another appearance by the Magic 8 Ball as well as a Santa panda, a bit of the Enterprise-D and the Alien Quadrilogy DVD set.
e) The City Strip #41 – On this sparsely populated toy store shelf we have an Iron Man helmet, an X-Files playset, the Enterprise and a Magic 8 Ball along with some other junk.
f) The City Strip #19 – In the top shelf we have a silver sphere from the movie Phantasm, the Enterprise-D and an unsolved Rubiks Cube.
g) The City Strip #82 – George Luca’s bookshelf shows that he isn’t immune to the lure of the Magic 8 Ball. He’s also got a TIE Fighter and Yoda but…you know, Whatev’s.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL – 1

Click to analyze!

a) The City Strip #29 – Here we have the Lament Configuration from the Hellraiser series sitting on the recently deceased Gene’s desk.
b) The City Strip #29 – A classic Simpsons gag from the episode Jaws Wired Shut. Otm Shank. He’s India’s answer to Brian Dennehy.
c) The City Strip #29 – Hannibal Lector’s famous mask.
d) The City Strip #29 – Freddy’s Fedora.
e) The City Strip #31 – The Miner’s mask from My Bloody Valentine.
f) The City Strip #30 – A chainsaw from…that one movie…what was it now? Chainsaw City? Bikini Beach Orgy 5? No that’s not right.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL – 2

Click to analyze!

g) The City Strip #79 – William Castle’s Castle. Get it? It’s funny…sort of. If you don’t know who William Castle is then shame on you.
h) The City Strip #29 – The Metropol was the name of the theater from the Italian horror film Dèmoni (also known as Demons). The films playing are Gummo II – Gummier, a fictional sequel to the very unusual indie film. Also, Dark Night of the Scarecrow, one of the few Scarecrow related horror movies that’s actually any good.
i) The City Strip #30 – I had completely forgotten about this particular Easter egg until it was pointed out to me somewhat recently. It’s Ghostface from Scream.
j) The City Strip #80 – In the theater full of Frankensteins you can find a bored looking Dracula sitting in the back row.

MISC – 1

Click to analyze!

a) The City Strip #84 – What good would an article about Easter eggs and cameo’s be without a cameo from the master of cameo’s himself. Alfred Hitchcock.
b) The City Strip #25 – You can find this Daily Planet article tacked to the wall of Clark Kent’s cubicle. Hell if I know indeed.
c) The City Strip #72 – Even Captain Jean Luc Picard finds it futile to resist a screening of Citizen Kane.
d) The City Strip #58 – A poorly drawn Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons is first in line for The Hobbit.
e) The City Strip #71 – Sitting on the corner of George Luca’s desk is the Death Star. Ominous sign?

MISC – 2

Click to analyze!

f) The City Strip #25 – Some amusing YouTube videos appear in the sidebar of this City Strip. Data farting? Yes please.
g) The City Strip #20 – This newspaper features a cross-comic cameo by one of my other creations, Oliver the Optimistic Turtle.
h) The City Strip #57 – This mini story took place in the background of this City Strip. A drunk looking cat vomits on the floor and then leaves before returning to the scene of the crime looking guilty. Cat anus!

2012 is here and so is another line up of movies, I won’t be the first to say this but, it’s going to be an incredible year for the movie business. If 2011 was the year of sequels, 2012 is the year of blockbusters. Big and small, I welcome them all. Each of us here at the City of Films put together a TOP 5 MOVIES TO SEE in 2012 along with other notable releases.

What are you warming up to see? Did we miss something? Shout out in the comments below.  And list:

KEVIN’S 5

Prometheus - June 8

PROMETHEUS

• Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron.
• Director: Ridley Scott.
• Synopsis: In the late 21st Century, the crew of the Prometheus explore the advanced civilization of an extraterrestrial race searching for the origins of humanity.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

Well I’m already breaking my own rule but Ridley Scott’s Alien is my favourite of the Alien franchise and the thought of him returning to that universe (although it still remains to be seen just how closely the universe of Prometheus is to the universe of Alien) is enough to get me very excited. I’ve watched the teaser trailer more often than any other trailer so far and I spot something new every time. With a great cast and a great director returning to the sci-fi genre once again…I can’t help but be giddy as I eagerly await June 8th.

Cabin in the Woods - April 13

CABIN IN THE WOODS

• Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins and Amy Acker.
• Director: Drew Goddard.
• Synopsis: A group of college kids spend a weekend at a mysterious cabin in the woods.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

This film has been sitting on a shelf for a couple of years as it was one of the victims of MGM’s bankruptcy in 2010. It’s been slowly building buzz since then as people catch on to just how different it is. With the release of the trailer (which I would advise you not to watch if you want to go in completely unspoiled) everyone can finally see that this isn’t your ordinary “teens get killed in the woods” story and that’s enough to get me in a seat. It’s been co-written by Joss Whedon so I’m sure that will bring in the fanboys out as well.

The Grey - January 27

THE GREY

• Starring: Liam Neeson.
• Director: Joe Carnahan.
• Synopsis: A number of men stranded in Alaska after a plane crash are forced to survive using little more than their wits as a pack of wolves come after them.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

A good man vs. nature story is always a treat and this one looks to be a gritty ass kicking good time. I’m glad Liam Neeson has been embracing his badass status as of late and this film looks to continue that trend. Mind you…it is being released in January…uh oh we all know what that means. Fingers crossed.

Ted - July 13

TED

• Starring: MarkWahlberg, Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi and Seth Macfarlane.
• Director: Seth Macfarlane.
• Synopsis: Mark Wahlberg plays John, a perfectly normal Boston native whose childhood wish for his teddy bear to come to life comes true. Ted the bear (voiced by Macfarlane) remains his best friend well into his adult years.

It will be Seth MacFarlane’s live action directorial debut. At the time of this posting there have been no promotional material released whatsoever so it’s hard to tell what it will be like. It could easily turn out to be a “look we’ve got a CG bear who swears and farts, aren’t we funny?!” but I’m holding out hope that it will be something more. If the poster comes out with big red text we’ll know we’re in trouble, but I’m enough of a Seth MacFarlane fan to give this a shot.

Looper - September 28

LOOPER

• Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt.
• Director: Rian Johnson.
• Synopsis: A present-day killer (Gordon-Levitt) works for a mob in the future and kills people who are sent from the future. He recognizes one victim (Willis) as himself and hesitates, resulting in the escape of his older self.

Rian Johnson’s first film Brick was a fantastically unique little film released back in 2006. Flash forward to 2012 and I think we’re all about to be blown away by his third film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is maturing into a great actor and the inclusion of Bruce Willis only sweetens the deal. One thing though…how does the 30 year old Joseph “grow up” to be Bruce Willis?

The Dark Knight Rises - July 20

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

• Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Anne Hathaway
• Director: Christopher Nolan (Script by: Jonathon Nolan, Christopher Nolan)
• Synopsis: Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

I mean it’s Batman! Batman Begins was good, the Dark Knight was better, so I have really high expectation for Rises. Easily the most anticipated film of 2012.

Skyfall - November 9

SKYFALL

• Starring: Daniel Craig, Helen McCrory, Javier Bardem
• Director: Sam Mendes (Script by: John Logan)
• Synopsis: Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

I will admit, some of the shine came off the revival of this franchise with Quantum of Solace. It was more like an average action flick and less of a spy thriller. Regardless of how Quantum turned out, I love Bond and have high hopes for this one.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - December 14

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

• Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
• Director:  Peter Jackson (Script by: Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson)
• Synopsis: Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

This is another safe pick. The LOTR trilogy was fantastic, and with the same cast and director, what could go wrong?

The Amazing Spider-Man - July 3

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

• Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans
• Director: Marc Webb (Script by: Steve Ditko, James Vanderbilt)
• Synopsis: Teenager Peter Parker grapples with both human problems and amazing super-human crises.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

When I first heard they were rebooting this it was a big groan from me. The last Spider Man film was brutal. Eric Foreman as Venom, a dance number, it was truly wretched. The first teaster for this one really got me interested. Not sure how I feel about another origin story, but I do like the Lizard character.

American Reunion - April 6

AMERICAN REUNION

• Starring: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Sean William Scott
• Director: John Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg (Script by: Adam Herz, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg)
• Synopsis: Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

I am certain I will see better films than this in 2012. But with so many straight to DVD sequels to the original trilogy, all featuring Eugene Levy, it will be great to see the original cast. It could be more nostalgic than anything, but it should be good for a laugh, and you can’t expect much more than that from this series.

GRAHAM’S 5

Django Unchained - December 25

DJANGO UNCHAINED

• Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx
• Director: Quentin Tarantino
• Synopsis: With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

It’s not Kill Bill Vol. 3, but it will have to do.  It’s a Quentin Tarantino film which makes it an event for those having grown up with his movies.  The cast changed over the course of a few weeks of online news (we’ll miss you Costner), other than that, not a lot is known about the project yet (what we would like to know anyways) so what we are left with is material that is made for Tarantino, I’m sure he will handle it brilliantly.

The Master - TBD

THE MASTER

• Starring: Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix
• Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
• Synopsis: A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as “the Master” whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man.

Paul Thomas Anderson is on my top 5 favorite filmmaker list, all his movies rank somewhere as the best I’ve ever seen.  I love his style and the risks he takes.  So what will no doubt be one of the most controversial movies of the year, if not single most controversial, The Master is sure to keep his ranking high, at least with me.  NOTE: It may be out in 2013, but be optimistic.

The Dark Knight Rises - July 20

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

• Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Anne Hathaway
• Director: Christopher Nolan (Script by: Jonathon Nolan, Christopher Nolan)
• Synopsis: Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.
• WATCH THE TRAILER ON COF

What else can we say about The Dark Knight Rises that already hasn’t been said?  The Dark Knight is considered by some to be the Citizen Kane of superhero movies…so what will Rises be?  The Last Crusade isn’t a bad description, as it will be Nolan’s last story for the caped crusader (as director anyways, there’s always producer when WB wants more money).  It’s going to be bigger and more somber than any comic book movie before it, I said it.

Wettest County - April 20

WETTEST COUNTRY

• Starring: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Gary Oldman
• Director: John Hillcoat
• Synopsis: Three brothers find their bootlegging business under threat in Prohibition-era Franklin County, Virginia.  The story is based on Matt Bondurant’s grandfather and great-uncles.

Two words: Nick Cave.  He wrote the script and will do the score, that’s all I needed.  Add in director John Hillcoat (The Road, The Proposition) and you have yourself the makings of a thrilling story from a novel about two brothers (played by Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy) who become bootleggers in the South during Prohibition.  See you there.

47 Ronin - November 21

47 RONIN

• Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada
• Director: Carl Rinsch
• Synopsis: An 18th century set story centered on a band of samurai who set out to avenge the death of their master.

From what I’ve seen and heard about 47 Ronin, it has the possibility of being great.  I can’t guarantee that however, as I would the other titles in my list as I get an uneasy feeling about some things.  Reeves’ character was specifically created for this re-telling of history.  Reeve’s isn’t Japanese and will play a half-Japanese character, which granted if you want a budget to play with (there’s going to be battles), that’s one casting way to do it.  Also, one of the screenwriters is Chris Morgan (Fast Five) BUT one of the other screenwriters is Hossein Amini (Drive) so…swings and roundabouts.  I listed it because I have to have hope, so here goes nothing.

OTHER MOVIES OF 2012

For better or worse here are the other major players and lesser known film to be released in 2012.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – January 13 – Trailer on CoF
The Lion King made a lot of money, so we will see a lot of these re-releases now.

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING – January 20 – Trailer on CoF
Kate Beckinsale makes a welcome, tight leathery return.

STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D – February 10 - Trailer on CoF
Many think the 3D re-release is just another example of George Lucas trying to milk every last penny out of the franchise, but when has he ever tried to do that?

SAFE HOUSE – February 24 – Trailer on CoF
Denzel Washington is a terrorist and traitor, he’s great when he’s playing a bad guy.

RAVEN – March 10 – Trailer on CoF
A thriller by V For Vendetta director James McTeigue about the last days of Edgar Allan Poe done in a serial killer movie.

THE HUNGER GAMES – March 23 – Trailer on CoF
Based on a book I didn’t know existed until last month, there’s a love triangle…Twilight much?

TITANIC 3D – April 16 – Trailer on CoF
James Cameron has made the two biggest movies of all time, Avatar and Titanic.  He can do anything he wants, not sure why he wanted to do this though.

THE AVENGERS – May 4 – Trailer on CoF
Yes there sure a lot of comic book heroes in this movie, and I bet the script/story isn’t as bloated either.

DARK SHADOWS – May 22
This is the eighth collaboration of Johnny Depp, here bring the 1960s soap opera of the same name to the big screen.

MEN IN BLACK III – May 25 – Trailer on CoF
Time travel, groovy baby yeah!  Oops wrong 60’s time traveling story.

ROCK OF AGES – June 1 – Trailer on CoF
This big screen version of the Broadway musical about ’80s rock star Tom Cruise.

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNSTMAN – June 1 – Trailer on CoF
The second of the Snow White films to hit theaters in 2012.  Kristen Stewart, go away.

BRAVE – June 22 – Trailer on CoF
Pixar always has something to prove as Cars 2 broke the 16-year Certified Fresh streak, this can bring it all back.

G.I. JOE: RETALIATION – June 29 – Trailer on CoF
Everyone will have their shirt off at one point or another.

THE BOURNE LEGACY – August 3
Jeremy Renner will fill the shoes nicely.

TOTAL RECALL – August 3
This remake stars Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel and Bryan Cranston.  I didn’t like the original so this might be something.

THE EXPENDABLES 2 – August 17 – Trailer on CoF
Action stars from the 80s and 90s are going to blow your face off.

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH – August 22
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Richard Ayoade and Jonah Hill are all part of this.

FINDING NEMO – September 14
Why make a sequel when you can just add another dimension?

TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 3D – October 5
This version will pick up where Tobe Hooper’s ’74 original left off.

GANGSTER SQUAD – October 19th
This is a 1940s crime thriller from Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer.  It has an ensemble cast made for this movie – Brolin, Penn to name two.

HALLOWEEN 3D – October 26
Michael Myers is coming home again, without Rob Zombie.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 – November 16
It’s over.  It’s finally over.

LINCOLN – December
A biopic of the former President with Spielberg at the helm, nothing wrong with that.

LES MISERABLES – December 7 (Note: Might get pushed to 2013)
It’s a great story; it has an unbelievable cast and a lot to prove as it’s an adaptation one of the most celebrated shows on Broadway, ever.

THIS IS FORTY – December 21
It’s a spin-off from Knocked Up, focusing on Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters from Knocked-Up.  If Leslie Mann plays a bitch one more time in a movie, she might be typecast.

WORLD WAR Z – December 21
A zombie movie starring Brad Pitt, yes please.

THE GREAT GATSBY – December 25
This remake of the classic novel has a cast going for it, not much else is known.

CLOUD ATLAS – TBD
Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski are back to make the word epic actually mean something.

NERO FIDDLED – 2012
Woody Allen’s annual movie this time set in Rome, Italy. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg and Allen himself in his first acting role since 2006′s Scoop.

The following is a wide range of great films that came out in 2011. I strongly urge every Citizen to check out these titles. With the exception of ‘The Best Movie of the Year’, the rest are in alphabetical order. There are many list around the web by this time, you will find a lot of people share the same favorites, take that as a sign that those are must see movies, or ignore everyone and watch what you want, I’m not your parent.

**I should make a note of saying which movies I didn’t or couldn’t see due to time constraints or lack of showings in my area. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Muppets, Shame, The Descendants, J Edgar, My Week with Marilyn, Rango, Tyrannosaur, The Whistleblower…and many more you might want to tell me including docs like Steve James’ The Interrupters and Werner Herzog’s Into the Abyss.**

Hugo, the best movie of the year.

HUGO

The most beautiful film — both visually and emotionally – of the year. This movie is a gift to fans of film, and shares such a personal message from director Martin Scorsese on the preservation movement. Behind the lack luster marketing for the film, is an adventure that needs to be seen and revisited. Read my review.

THE ARTIST

Likely the riskiest movie of 2011, The Artist is a silent black and white film set in 1927 Hollywood. Try selling that to the kids. Put aside what you think you need in a movie to enjoy it (color and sound) and you will see one of the greatest movies of the year. If this was an experiment, I’m sure it worked as the film is still captivating audiences. It’s score and performances of unknowns is something to see, it’s the most original movie is years.

ATTACK THE BLOCK

The theaters were full of alien invasion movies this year, and I have to say this was the only great one. The Brits pack in so much energy and wit, it begs for multiple viewings. If you’re a fan of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you’ll enjoy yourself here. Horror, comedy and even social commentary are found within the block.

DRIVE

This is bound to be on most people’s list, if not ranked as the #1 movie of the year. It would be deserving of such praise, it’s one hell of a ride. With a little more than a page of dialogue from its star Ryan Gosling, he commands the screen with his presence, a surprise to a lot of people. The supporting cast is deserving of praise as well. The pacing of the movie is perfect, and the stylized images and violence make this movie one of a kind.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

This is what happens when you have total commitment in front and behind the camera. David Fincher delivers once again with this brutal story that feels like his own now. Rooney Mara’s performance should garner a lot of attention with award season, but everyone is in top form here. The exceptional soundtrack by Trent Reznor once again and helps an already great movie reach its best. It couldn’t have been better.

THE GUARD

Here is a great buddy cop movie that delivers the laughs as well as the violence. Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle have the chemistry and comedic timing of some of the greats here. It’s one of the best scripts of the year.

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS – PART 2

A decade long franchise came to an end this summer with a thrilling and visually satisfying conclusion. If it’s the best Harry Potter film is going to be up for debate, but the fact that there wasn’t a bad film in the lot is something to be proud of.

KUNG FU PANDA 2

A glorious sequel that topped the original in terms of story and animation.  Some of the most beautiful animation I’ve ever seen on screen.  It may be aimed at the younger crowd but trust me when I say that it’s for everyone who loves a great movie.

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

Woody Allen’s annual movie seemed to work with everyone this year. Midnight in Paris is sweet and charming; the fantasy works on many levels but simply put shows that a small story can be told in a big way. Gil’s adventure will have you falling for the sights and sounds of Paris.

TAKE SHELTER

Michael Shannon’s descent into madness is a performance for the ages. The film is a slow boil for those that can handle the subtlety and feeling of oncoming drama. The dream sequences alone are some of the best filmmaking I’ve seen this year. Director Jeff Nichols is a name to remember.

THE TREE OF LIFE

Terrence Malick’s pretentious style worked for me with this film. I was in a patient mood with the second viewing and welcomed the emotional along with the visual side of this beautiful movie. It will likely be talked about and dissected for a long time; like Kubrick’s 2001, it’s a movie that will be loved and hated.

WARRIOR

A surprising entry into the top films of 2011, Warrior is a great movie with heart and honesty. I’m not a fan of MMA, so I was glad the movie didn’t glorify it more than it needed. It’s the performances, namely that of Nick Nolte, that is the heart of the movie. Don’t be scared off by the backdrop; you may not like boxing but loved Rocky – the same goes for Warrior.

If It Was A Top 20 List (another 8):
Horrible Bosses, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Moneyball, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Super 8, Tintin, War Horse

Small But Great:
Submarine, Win Win, Trust, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, The Way, 50/50

Worst Movie I Saw in 2011:
The Change Up

Worst Movie I Didn’t See:
TIE: I Don’t Know How She Does It, Jack And Jill

Surprisingly Good:
Red State, Scream 4, Fright Night, Insidious, The Help

Dishonorable Mention:
Rise of the Planet of the Apes – There was hype behind this movie, I watched it and didn’t know why.  Rise of the plot holes is more like it.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – This didn’t have to be part 1, I’m sure of it.  End it already.

Should Have Been Better:
Sucker Punch – The best looking bad movie of the year.
Bridesmaids – The trip to Vegas was a tease of a better movie.
Paul – From the makers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, it could have been more.

Should Have Been Bigger:
The Beaver – Mel Gibson in one of the year’s best performances, and of his career.

Via his blog, Roger Ebert makes some spot on points about the current state of movie revenue, his theories are listed below.  Many of the ideas he gives are nothing new, but it’s nice to see someone who  knows what they are talking about actually step up and talk about it.  Maybe we will see some changes in the New Year?  Or maybe direct entertainment will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.

He says:

Box office revenue at movie theaters “lagged far behind 2010,” an article by the AP’s David Germain reports. Partly that was because the year lacked an “Avatar.” Partly because a solid summer slate fell off in the autumn. Germain talks to several Hollywood insiders who tried to account for the general decline of ticket sales; 2011 had “smallest movie audience since 1995.” I have some theories of my own, fueled by what people tell me.

1. Obviously, the absence of a must-see mass-market movie. When moviegoers hear about “Avatar” or “The Dark Knight,” they blast off from home base and land in a theater seat as quickly as they can.

2. Ticket prices are too high. People have always made that complaint, but historically the movies have been cheap compared to concerts, major league sports and restaurants. Not so much any longer. No matter what your opinion is about 3D, the charm of paying a hefty surcharge has worn off for the hypothetical family of four.

3. The theater experience. Moviegoers above 30 are weary of noisy fanboys and girls. The annoyance of talkers has been joined by the plague of cell-phone users, whose bright screens are a distraction. Worse, some texting addicts get mad when told they can’t use their cell phones. A theater is reportedly opening which will allow and even bless cell phone usage, although that may be an apocryphal story.

4. Refreshment prices. It’s an open secret that the actual cost of soft drinks and popcorn is very low. To justify their inflated prices, theaters serve portions that are grotesquely oversized, and no longer offer what used to be a “small popcorn.” Today’s bucket of popcorn would feed a thoroughbred.

5. Competition from other forms of delivery. Movies streaming over the internet are no longer a sci-fi fantasy. TV screens are growing larger and cheaper. Consumers are finding devices that easily play internet movies through TV sets. Netflix alone accounts for 30% of all internet traffic in the evening. That represents millions of moviegoers. They’re simply not in a theater. This could be seen as an argument about why newspapers and their readers need movie critics more than ever; the number of choices can be baffling.

6. Lack of choice. Box-office tracking shows that the bright spot in 2011 was the performance of indie, foreign or documentary films. On many weekends, one or more of those titles captures first-place in per-screen average receipts. Yet most moviegoers outside large urban centers can’t find those titles in their local gigantiplex. Instead, all the shopping center compounds seem to be showing the same few overhyped disappointments. Those films open with big ad campaigns, play a couple of weeks, and disappear.

The myth that small-town moviegoers don’t like “art movies” is undercut by Netflix’s viewing results; the third most popular movie on Dec. 28 on Netflix was “Certified Copy,” by the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami. You’ve heard of him? In fourth place–French director Alain Corneau’s “Love Crime.” In fifth, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”–but the subtitled Swedish version.

The message I get is that Americans love the movies as much as ever. It’s the theaters that are losing their charm. Proof: theaters thrive that police their audiences, show a variety of titles and emphasize value-added features. The rest of the industry can’t depend forever on blockbusters to bail it out.

*This is a re-post from 2010*  If there’s one thing you should worship around this time of year, it has to be great movies.  So we will, by celebrating The Twelve Films of Christmas.  It’s not a definite list as I’m sure we have left out some peoples classics movies, but these are the movies we at the CoF decided upon, movies we watch annually with love and sometimes a bit of irony.  Please leave your favorite Christmas movie in the comments and enjoy!

For the first film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

The Family Man - It’s sad to see that The Family Man is not held up as a Christmas classic, because that is exactly what it is.  I knew it the first time I watched it, it has since become an annual tradition.  Nicolas Cage gives one of his best performances and it’s his final speech in this not so predictable Christmas movie that puts it over the top.  We don’t always get seconds chances, but in the case of Jack Campbell, his ‘glimpse’ is more than enough to awaken him to realize what’s truly important in life.  [Trailer]

“And I choose us.” – Jack Campbell

For the second film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Die Hard - Yippee-kay-aye, Mr. Falcon! Okay, not the TBS version, and not Die Hard 2, but I still like to

Worst Christmas Ever.

say it. While it’s an odd entry for a best Christmas movie list, it still has elements of the holiday season. When an LA office’s Christmas party gets taken captive, it’s up to Office John McClane to save the day. With assistance from Family Matter’s Carl Winslow [see], what could go wrong? – Ryan Heinrichs [Bonus!  A video Christmas Card from John McClane.]

For the third film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Jingle All The Way – The Governator stars in this movie about a father who waits until last minute to buy the hot ticket item for his son’s Christmas. Featuring the late great Phil Hartman, and Sinbad; this ridiculous holiday film is

fun for the whole family. So before you think that watching Home Alone 2: Lost In New York for the hundredth time is a good idea, give Jingle All The Way a chance. It’s Turbo Time! [Trailer]- Ryan H.

FYI: After all of the ending credits, there is a short film about what happened that Christmas night for the family.

For the fourth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

The Nightmare Before Christmas – Directed by stop-motion animator Henry Selick (James and the Giant Peach, Coraline), Nightmare offers great songs and characters that are almost too dark for kids, just perfect for Christmas!  It still st

ands as one of my favorite flicks to watch this time of year; it turns the classic Grinch story on its head and with such creativity too.  It took a group of around 100 people three years to complete this movie. For one second of film, up to 12 stop-motion moves had to be made. [What's this?] – Graham M.

For the fifth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Babes in Toyland – The greatest comedy team of all time has a holiday staple on their hands – Babes in Toyland is a Laurel and Hardy musical film released in 1934. Originally filmed in black-and-white, the film is sometimes shown in colorized versions.  Many television stations around the world show this film near Thanksgiving and Christmas, if you’re lucky you’ll be able to catch it this year. Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee do their best to keep Mother Peep from being evicted by the evil Silas Barnaby. When that fails, Bo Peep reluctantly agrees to marry Barnaby to save Mother Peep. Thanks to Stan and Ollie’s trickery, the marriage is botched and Mother Peep’s overdue mortgage is ripped up. Barnaby takes out his revenge by rounding up the Bogeymen to finish off Toyland. The boys and the Wooden Soldiers come to the rescue and save the day.  100 6 foot tall soldiers to be exact, it’s pretty great. [Trailer] [Watch it online] – Graham M.

For the sixth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Home Alone – Alright, this one is a bit more traditional in terms of great Christmas films. Maculay Culkin’s signature role as Kevin McCallister a young boy left behind by accident during the Christmas season. It is up to Kevin to defend his home from blundering home invaders Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern), “this is my house and I have to defend it” – classic. Either you have seen this movie, or this paragraph will shame you into watching it for the first time.  It holds up really well if you’re in the mood to not ask too many questions, just give Kevin McCallister the benefit of the doubt, he knows what he’s doing. [Trailer] - Ryan H.

For the seventh film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

A Christmas Story – “You’ll shoot your eye out!” If you don’t know that phrase, or what the pink bunny outfit is – then get to the video store now. Ralphie’s quest for the ultimate Christmas gift has become a tradition for a lot of people reading I’m sure.  The fact that it is played for 24 hours on a few stations h

elps too.

Some might say that it lacks a message but look closer and you might see the coming together of family and the hi-jinks that ensue to make this the very best Christmas story. [Leg Lamp]

And if anyone asks you what you want for Christmas this year, tell them an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time. - Graham M.

For the eighth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Mickey’s Christmas Carol – A a twenty-four minute animated short film produced by Walt Disney as an adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol.  There have been many versions brought to the screen of this classic story, the best ghost story some might say.  Touching and brilliantly animated, this is a Christmas classic I will love forever.
[Part 1 Part 2 Part 3]

For the ninth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Bad Santa – No surprise here.  What started as an unexpected hit in 2003 has now become a holiday classic for many people.  Bad Santa is directed and co-written by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World), produced by the Coen brothers (Fargo, True Grit) and stars Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade) as the title character.  The movie is relentless with its crude humor and cringe worthy moments, it has heart too – it is Christmas after all.  Tony Cox plays his partner in crime, the sensual Lauren Graham plays his naughty girlfriend and late greats Bernie Mac and John Ritter (in his final live-action film) co-star.  Here’s one way to arrive to work as Santa Claus.

For the tenth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Silent Night, Deadly Night – The best Christmas-themed horror movie? Some might say, there’s only a few to choose from anyways, so they can all be winners (Check out Jack Frost and Black Christmas).  “You’ve made it through Halloween, now try and survive Christmas” reads the tagline, in hopes of becoming the next Halloween no doubt.  Well I bet this movie scared more kids than Halloween, so much so the movie was pulled from theaters after only two weeks due to the protests of many angry parents.  Apparently the poster for the movie, which depicted Santa heading down the chimney with a big shiny axe, was giving children n

ightmares.

As a result, the movie was a success when it was released on video and has since developed a devoted cult following.  [Trailer] [More on its controversy and reception]

For the eleventh film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

Batman Returns – The Bat, the Cat, the Penguin, my favorite holiday trio.  The magic of Tim Burton and the thrill of every scene Danny DeVito graces make this one of the best Batman movies ever made and also a pretty great Christmas flick as well, even though it was released in June of 92.  Batman Returns has a form of a cult following among fans mainly because of its design and darker style.  Personally, I

think it’s the cat suit on Michelle Pfeiffer, meow.

For the twelfth film of Christmas, my DVD player gave to me ♫…

"No man is a failure who has friends"

It’s a Wonderful Life – The greatest Christmas movie of them all.  The holiday classic to define all holiday classics, It’s a Wonderful Life is worth an annual viewing, I watch it every year, and it just keeps getting better.  It’s an ageless movie yet many reading this will want to pull out the cliché card and that’s a shame, because sometimes clichés are what we need to hear and see, and It’s a Wonderful Life delivers many.

The film is a testament to everything Christmas should be about: family, friends and the joy of life.

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

*This is a re-post from 2010, our favorite Christmas movies still remain intact*

Now that the Holidays are upon us, we thought it would be a good time for The City of Films to compile our take on the Best Christmas Movies of all time. This could turn into an annual tradition with some titles are obviously newer than others and we hope that more Christmas classics are coming soon. In no particular order, The Mayor and The District Attorney present for your reading pleasure…the Best Christmas Movies of All Time.

THE MAYOR’S LIST

A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)
My first memory of any Christmas movie, and an annual event in my life; sure it’s on TV ad nauseum every December, if you have TBS in your house you know that they play it for 24hrs again and again, bit much perhaps. A small boy and his burning desire for a Red Ryder BB gun, frozen tongues and of course the leg lamp (“It’s pronounced Frageele”) are usually the memories most have when looking back on A Christmas Story. Some might say that it lacks a message (he gets what he wants) but look closer and you might see the coming together of family and the hi-jinks that ensue to make this the very best Christmas story.

HOME ALONE (1990)
If you never designed your own ‘catch a burglar’ traps map, move along. Home Alone is fairly slapstick movie, not nearly as slapstick as the sequels get (avoid). The film is sort of A Christmas Carol for kids. Kevin wants to be alone. He gets it, and realizes he likes his family, even if they are a pain. The movie did very well, it made Macaulay Culkin the biggest child star on the planet, reigned at the box office for 12 straight weeks and grossed $533 million worldwide, but the best thing about this holiday staple is watching an 8-year-old kid toss burglars Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern a good old-fashioned Christmas beat-down.

Leave it to the direction of Chris Columbus, writing of John Hughes and the score of John Williams to make this movie into a heartwarming Christmas tradition. I have a memory of watching this at a family friends house we were staying at; and one of us kids was sick from a batch of Oreos. I never forget where I was when watching Home Alone.

A NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1993)
Directed by stop-motion animator Henry Selick (not Tim Burton), the film is loosely based on the drawings and a poem by Burton. A clever story in which Halloween’s Pumpkin King, one Jack Skellington decides he’d rather preside over Christmas all combine to make this a gently spooky holiday treat. Burton’s original poem was inspired after seeing Halloween merchandise display in a store being taken down and replaced by a Christmas display. The juxtaposition of ghouls and goblins with Santa and his reindeer sparked his imagination. Maybe because you can really watch it twice a year and get the same effect is why I have come to appreciate this film so much. The great songs and characters are near too dark for little ones, but somehow the movie pulls off a grinch esq feeling of Christmas and caring and all that crap. My friends Dad came home one night when I was over mooching some dinner to surprise us with the VHS, Christmas history was born.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
I was a young brat no older than ten when I first saw It’s A Wonderful Life. Mind you I was a lover of the movies by then and thanks to my parents, I could handle an old black and white film with ease. What had me squeamish about this particular movie was the hype from my Dad about James Stewart. He would go on about how they (Hollywood) don’t have anyone like that anymore. All the hype and build up was true; this film was everything you would want – not just in a Christmas movie, any movie. The point of the film we all know by now is that Bailey’s life is truly wonderful. It may not seem as great as what he dreamed, but he has touched the lives of many people, and changed his world in greater ways than he ever thought. It is funny, heart breaking, inspiring, and everything that a great film should be. Frank Capra’s film, more than 30 years later endures as a beloved testament to everything Christmas embodies: family, friends and the joy of life.

MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1983)
Mickey’s Christmas Carol is a twenty-four minute animated short film produced by Walt Disney as an adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, featuring Scrooge McDuck as his namesake and inspiration Ebenezer Scrooge and Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit. I saw this on TV once as a child and I never forgot it. Annually asking my Mum to find it on TV for me with no luck. Maybe they showed it at odd times or maybe you needed a special Disney channel, I was lost. I grew up, and got on EBay to find an old VHS copy. Let it be known that my Christmas’s were never content until that VHS arrived in the mail, a few years ago. Since then I have acquired the DVD and make a tradition to watch this movie every Christmas, touching and brilliantly animated – gotta love the giants red nose. Enjoy it forever.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S LIST

Warning: The following are by no means ‘Christmas Classics’. They are a collection of movies that I choose to watch now, or have spent a lot of time in the past watching and enjoying around the holiday season. They are in no particular order. So kick up your feet, grab a glass of egg nog and enjoy, or don’t, whatever.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY (1996)
Let’s kick this off with a bang. Okay this is an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie that my family just so happened to own a VHS copy of years ago. For many years it was the only Christmas movie we actually owned a copy of. Needless to say, it always found its way into the holiday rotation and still does. It falls into that odd slapstick genre, where lazy last minute parents are shopping for THE toy of the holiday season, the Turbo Man action figure. Interestingly enough the film is based on the shopping craze in the 1980′s over the Cabbage Patch dolls.

CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989)
Witnessing the Griswold family and all of their hijinx makes me very comfortable with my ‘run of the mill’ family Christmas. I also have the strong urge to never hang Christmas lights. It’s hard to believe this one is 20 years old at times, but still a must see around the holiday season. Was anybody else disappointed in their childhood when they saw the animated opening and expected a cartoon Christmas movie? I thought so. Regardless, Chevy Chase plays the part of vacation bafoon Clark Griswold so well that you can’t help but root for him.

BAD SANTA (2003)
He’s an eating, sleeping, drinking… well you get the idea. I can’t think of an adult holiday film I enjoy as much as Bad Santa. Mom and Dad, send your kids to bed before you pop this one in, it definitely isn’t for the faint at heart. Since it’s release in November of 2003, it has been part of my holiday rotation. Whether it’s the pathetic life of mall santa/professional thief Willie, played by Billy Bob Thorton, or the prudish mall manager, the late John Ritter; this one has it all. Honestly, this is one of the few Bernie Mac movies I really enjoyed. Just remember, don’t bug him when he’s on his lunch break.

You got a little something right there...

CHRISTOPHER THE CHRISTMAS TREE (1994)
Most of you will have absolutely no idea what I am talking about here. But if you know what YTV is, you will know that every holiday season you were guaranteed to find that they would play Christopher The Christmas Tree on more than one occasion. The story is simple, Christopher was a small tree, nobody ever picked him. This half hour journey through the psyche of Christopher.. nah who am I kidding, he sings with squirrels. Honestly, I don’t even know why I am admitting to watching this to the general public. Below is part 1 of this ‘instant classic’. Youtube has all 4 parts, so if you are really bored, give it a watch, only if you are bored.

Click here to view the embedded video.

DIE HARD (1988)
This one may be a bit of a stretch, but common, it all takes place at a staff Christmas party. There is no deep meaning to this movie, besides the fact that you don’t want to mess with John McClane. A classic late 80′s action movie, complete with Christmas cheer and Carl Winslow. If only they found a way to work Urkel into one of Hans Gruber’s violent outbursts. Christmas time or not, this is a must watch if you want to see Bruce Willis when he still had hair. Yipee Kai Yay Mr Falcon.

What do you mean you forgot my watch?!

It’s the last lap of 2011 and we have the final month of movies for you below, so choose wisely.  Here is a roundup of what’s coming out this month, I can tell you right now I’m so there for Sherlock Holmes, MI4, Tintin and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  I usually see a movie on New Year’s Day (all is quiet), and I will likely start 2012 off with Spielberg’s War Horse.

What will you be watching?  Did we miss anything?  Sound off in the comments below!

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – December 9

The Sitter – December 9

New Year’s Eve – December 9

Young adult – December 16

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – December 16

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked – December 16

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol – December 21 (In select theatersand IMAX on Dec. 16 with The Dark Knight Rises Prologue)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -December 21

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn – December 21

We Bought a Zoo – December 23

The Darkest Hour -December 25

Directed By: Chris Gorak
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella
Synopsis: In Russia, a group of young adults struggle to survive after an alien invasion.

• Analysis: Another alien movie in 2011, color me stunned. I’m glad to see Emile Hirsch take a leading role, he’s been a favorite of mine for some time (see: The Girl Next Door, Into the Wild). The premise and effects I must say look poor, but I guess if we are to believe aliens are invading we can also let a few CGI mishaps pass by too.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close -December 25 (Limited)

War Horse – December 25

Directed By: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis
Synopsis: Follows a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, and how their bond is broken when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent to the trenches of World War One. Despite being too young to enlist, Albert heads to France to save his friend.

• Analysis: Adapted from a critically acclaimed play, War Horse is Spielberg’s other movie this month. If the trailer is any indication, the film will be very dramatic, perhaps even cheesy. I have not heard the story before but I will tell you right now, if a horse dies, I’m going to lose my collective shit as I’m still getting over Artax dieing in The Never Ending Story.