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.

Cut To The Chase Reviews from The City of Films are spoiler free Reviews ‘Abridged For Your Pleasure’. Quick, concise, and sometimes entertaining opinions on the go!

You have to be a true master of cinema to make a 3D skeptic take notice, so leave it to Martin Scorsese to make me a believer again.  Hugo is the best use of 3D since Avatar, and the greatest movie about movies I’ve ever seen (move over Matinee).

After years of 3D post conversion and greedy studios using 3D for increased ticket prices (setting the medium back by leaps and bounds), Scorsese comes to the rescue.  He has set a new standard and created one of the greatest movie going experiences I can remember.

This is Martin Scorsese’s first family film, first 3D film, and what feels like his most personal release to date.  Scorsese’s involvement in film preservation is perfectly dramatized here, as well as his love of classic cinema.  The director includes nods to the films of French filmmaker Georges Méliès such as A Trip to the Moon and A Kingdom of Fairies; they are just some of the classic cinema brought back to life in Hugo (Safety Last! pictured above).  That’s where the use of 3D really shines, not as a gimmick but an enhancement of the story.

The pacing of the film may have the younger ones wishing for a faster more frantic experience, but give Hugo time and it will deliver.  The characters and visuals here are magical; the film is so full of adventure and heart that it may have you welling up with tears.  It’s a celebration of cinema and storytelling and it’s not just a film for children; take your parents and grandparents.  For anyone who turned their back on the movie going experience, it’s here again.

SCORE: 5/5

Martin Scorsese & James Cameron discuss Hugo:

Cut To The Chase Reviews from The City of Films are spoiler free ‘Reviews Abridged For Your Pleasure’. Quick, concise, and sometimes entertaining opinions on the go!

There is something very hypnotic about Melancholia, the latest film from Lars Von Trier.  The film, which is split into two parts revolves around two sisters during and after the wedding party of one of the sisters, Justine, played by Kirsten Dunst, and the whole time, we know that  Earth is about to collide with an approaching planet.

I would never classify this movie as science fiction as it has been, but a drama about unhappy people.  The only happy person in this movie is an innocent child, whose family is hate-filled and depressed.  The second part of the film reaches a climax and brings with it stunning visuals and perhaps one of the most heartbreaking final acts I’ve seen in years.  The film features beautiful music from Richard Wagner [listen], and an Oscar worthy performance from Charlotte Gainsbourg [Note: Dunst received the Best Actress Award at the closing ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival].

Lars Von Trier isn’t known for exposition and Melancholia is no exception, the first half of this filmwill be irritating to some and come off as arrogant filmmaking, but that’s Lars for you.  It’s the chaos before the storm that is worth watching here; hateful people realizing they are going to die.  There can’t be a happy ending all the time.

SCORE: 3/5 [Trailer]

Did you smoke my pot?!

I am on the fence of what to think about Seth Rogen these days, and 50/50 doesn’t make me feel all that comfortable. I shouldn’t rush to any judgments just yet.. Thankfully our friends over at FilmWonk have saved me the trouble of having to digest this one.

Head over to their site and listen to their podcast if you are curious.

Citizen Kane | Warner Bros. | 1941 | 119 min

A psychological study of Charles Foster Kane, a powerful newspaper tycoon whose idealism was corrupted as he rose to enourmous wealth and power. The story unfolds as a mystery: when Mr. Kane dies uttering cryptic last words, a magazine reporter interviews the tycoon’s friends in an effort to uncover the significance of the word “Rosebud.”

What can you say about Citizen Kane that hasn’t already been said? Not a lot, so I will keep this review short and to the point. For anyone who has never seen the movie, now more than ever is the best time to do so, because with stunning video and audio, Citizen Kane is a must-own Blu-ray release.

I was quite young when I had my first viewing of Citizen Kane, maybe too young to appreciate everything about it. The movie has so much history that once you know it all, it’s hard to look at movies that same way. Orson Welles created this cinematic masterpiece when he was only 26 years old, an age I will reach in less than a month’s time. That numeric coincidence may not be worth much to you of course, but for me it put a lot in perspective of what someone can accomplish early in their life or career. This is a great time in my life to revisit this classic film and gain a whole new appreciation for it.

It’s become a film lovers curse to list Citizen Kane as one of their favorite movies, but they have to. Citizen Kane set a standard that even today hasn’t been met in my opinion. They really don’t make movies like this anymore and you would be hard pressed to find anything else like it. Finally, the best home version of this movie has arrived.

Mr. Kane was a man who got everything he wanted and then lost it. Maybe Rosebud was something he couldn’t get, or something he lost. Anyway, it wouldn’t have explained anything… I don’t think any word can explain a man’s life. No, I guess Rosebud is just a… piece in a jigsaw puzzle… a missing piece.

This is a near spotless transfer with almost like new video and a good 70 year old mono track [more tech specs below]. The extras from all previous releases are here including the terrific HBO movie RKO 281 and Oscar nominated documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane. Commentaries by Roger Ebert and Peter Bogdanovich are included and I have to point out that Ebert’s if far more interesting, he man knows his stuff when it comes to Citizen Kane, you will learn a lot of background here and filming techniques.

Note: You don’t have to worry about Citizen Kane being converted to3D or color. Welles’s contract was quite strict in forbidding any alterations.

Revisit this movie or watch it for the first time; it will be a very inexpensive film school for some and a new cinematic treasure to others.

– Digital video is mastered by putting a film through a machine that digitally scans each frame, storing the information as a stream of pixels.
- Another machine translates these data back into an image. The higher number of pixels, the more detailed and truer is the image.
- The digital master for the 2002 DVD of Citizen Kane was made from a “high-definition” scan—i.e., with a machine that scanned each frame as 1,080 lines horizontally and 1,920 vertically, or 2 million pixels in all.
- For the new Blu-ray, the digital master was made from a “4K” scan—4,096 lines horizontally and 3,112 vertically, or more than 12 million pixels in all, per frame. That is to say, 4K scanning produces a raw image having six times the resolution of a high-def scan.
-At the moment, no commercial TV monitor can display a 4K image, nor any commercially available disc-player read it. But when digital-mastering technicians work with a 4K scan on their equipment, they can manipulate the data—correct the color, adjust contrast, clean dirt, fill in missing information—in ultra-microscopic detail. [slate]

Cut To The Chase Reviews from The City of Films are spoiler free ‘Reviews Abridged For Your Pleasure’. Quick, concise, and sometimes entertaining opinions on the go!

Kevin Smith has reinvented himself and made a very grown up movie. Red State is part horror, part action and heavily political; and with elements of the genres mixed together, we get a terrific movie that deserves attention even if you were a septic like myself prior to its viewing.

Set in Middle America, a group of teens receive an online invitation for sex; the tables are turned on them as they are forces to face justice at the hands of fundamentalists (think Fred Phelps and his crew with a whole lot of fire power).

Red State will piss off a lot of people, if it hasn’t already. The movie seems to take a different direction every 20 minutes with its few redeeming characters and for the many pages of script, it’s a shame that we didn’t get more show instead of tell.  The acting from the cast deserves recognition, namely Michael Parks (From Dusk Till Dawn) and Melissa Leo (Frozen River). Along with the great cinematography, editing, and writing, Smith give us one hell of an experience with his direction. Red State still may not be Kevin Smith’s best film (Chasing Amy), but it is certainly his most mature and I can’t wait to see if he continues on this more artistic path.

Score: 3.5/5

Cut To The Chase Reviews from The City of Films are spoiler free ‘Reviews Abridged For Your Pleasure’. Quick, concise, and sometimes entertaining opinions on the go!

I hesitated to even write this review. I mean, a lot of people read reviews in an attempt to assess the merits of seeing a particular movie. With Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, there is little doubt who will want to see this – everyone.

Straight from the get go Part 2 picks up directly where Part 1 leaves off. The call to action, and the overall pace of this film is fantastic. By the time the closing credits roll it’s hard to believe that over 2 hours had passed. It’s easy to feel a sense of nostalgia as we witness the conclusion of what is surely one of the most epic film sagas of our generation.

With the increasingly adult tone that this franchise has displayed from film to film – Harry Potter has become more than just a children’s tale. It’s an adventure that is pure magic.

Score: 4.5/5

Cut To The Chase Reviews from The City of Films are spoiler free ‘Reviews Abridged For Your Pleasure’. Quick, concise, and sometimes entertaining opinions on the go!

Since the first poster was revealed for this one, I have been counting down the days until Horrible Bosses hit theaters. While I didn’t see it on the day it was released, I figured that I would check it out while everybody was lining up for Harry Potter.  I was a bit worried that all of the best gags were going to be revealed in the trailer, thankfully my worries were alleviated within the first 10 minutes.

The gags were raunchy, pushed boundaries, and had the theater in hysterics. As many could tell by the trailer, the cast for this one is stellar. While the likes of Jason Bateman, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, and Jennifer Aniston are well established – the breakout star is Charlie Day. For those familiar with his work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I am starting to believe Charlie Day simply plays himself. The dialogue is off the cuff, and his interaction with Jennifer Aniston provide some of the best moments of Horrible Bosses.

Without giving anything away, Horrible Bosses lives up to the hype. One piece of advice I have to offer, if you have small children, don’t bring them to this movie. I say this because a couple brought their kids into this one, and there is nothing more awkward than hearing Jennifer Aniston talk about a man’s junk while a child is crying. Just saying.

Score: 4.5/5