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Aaron's Top 11 Blu-rays of 2011
Wed Jan 11, 2012 at 03:30 PM ETTags: Best of 2011, Aaron Peck, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Aaron Peck
2011 has come and gone.
We got a lot of great Blu-rays over the last year, and we even got one of the most anticipated sets everyone had been waiting for since the format debuted. 'Star Wars' finally found its way to Blu-ray, and while it was a great release (unless you're a 'Star Wars' purist) it didn't find its way onto my year-end list of top Blu-rays. Why? Well, because the ones listed below are simply my personal favorites. I loved the 'Star Wars' set, but simply put, I loved the ones below even more.
In honor of 2011, I have picked the 11 Blu-ray releases that I particularly liked. There's no calculation or algorithm used to determine the top discs. Many of these releases I like for different reasons.
'Citizen Kane'
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Movie buffs and HD enthusiasts the world over had been clamoring for this release for years. 'Kane' kind of flew under the radar when it came out, since 'Star Wars' was hogging on the Blu-ray buzz that week. Still, when 'Kane' was finally released I think we were all amazed at the quality of the product that Warner put together. Finally, one of the best movies ever made was available in high definition, and it looked stupendous. Black and white features often look fantastic on Blu-ray and 'Kane' was no exception.
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2'
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It's the best 'Potter' movie of the bunch, but the reason 'Part 2' made the list wasn't just because I really liked the movie. It's because this release was one of the best action movie Blu-ray releases of the year. Its audio and video are simply astounding. The battle at Hogwarts is some of the best surround sound I've heard on the format. If you want a movie that is going to rumble the pictures off your walls this is it.
'Human Planet'
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It's presented in 1080i, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anything remotely wrong with this stunningly beautiful portrayal of human society spanning the globe. Just when I thought the BBC couldn't produce any more groundbreaking nature features they turn the dial up and take on one of the most daunting tasks out there: the encapsulation of the human condition. It's simply a stunning set that anyone who loves 'Planet Earth' or 'Life' must own.
'Kung Fu Panda 2'
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The movie was a pleasant way to pass the time. I didn't think it was as good as the first 'Kung Fu Panda,' but I never felt bored or uninterested. The reason I put 'Kung Fu Panda 2' on this list is because the animation here is exquisite, and in HD it shimmers. This release was truly a feast for the eyes and the ears. Featuring demo-worthy audio and video.
'The Lion King'
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Disney continues to slowly release its catalogue of animated classics. While this year saw the release of quite a few – 'Bambi,' 'Fox and the Hound,' and 'Dumbo' – 'The Lion King' was destined for high definition. It didn't disappoint either. Hand-drawn animation flourishes in high definition. Seeing the 'Lion King' restored to HD glory was one of the highlights of my Blu-ray watching year. Not to mention the newly minted 7.1 sound mix that rumbled ferociously during the stampede scene. What a great movie and a great release.
'Rango'
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Ah yes, 'Rango.' Never have I seen a movie with such unique animated flair. It's an odd, quirky film that I happen to love. The animation is stunningly gorgeous. It's the most detailed CGI I've seen in a long time. The video provided by the Blu-ray release of 'Rango' could compete for most flawless of the year.
'Sucker Punch'
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The movie is a mess, I know that. All you have to do is read my review to understand what I thought about it. It's a confusing film to say the least, but it looks and sounds terrific. For my money it really was one of the best action movie releases of the year featuring some of the best CG work. Think what you will about the movie, but its visual presentation is unmatched by most of the other releases in 2011.
'Super 8'
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'Super 8' still remains one of my favorite movies that was released in 2011. Barring J.J. Abrams' penchant for lens flares the rest of this movie's presentation, both audio and visual, is fantastic. The train wreck scene remains the best demo-worthy audio scene of the year. It's the scene that you should stick in to show off your sound system.
'Tangled'
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I'm an animation junkie, what can I say? It's not by mistake that almost half of my entries on this list were animated titles. It's just that animation looks so great on Blu-ray I just couldn't help myself. After watching 'Tangled' again just a few nights ago I was reminded how impressively beautiful that movie is. From Rapunzel's flowing hair to the awe-inspiring lantern sequence, 'Tangled' was demo-worthy through and through.
'Treme: The Complete First Season'
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I was surprised how much I loved 'Treme.' Season One was my favorite television release of 2011. Its New Orleans inspired soundtrack is reason enough to own this set. Coupled with HBO's tender loving care that they show just about every Blu-ray release that they put out, this is by far one of my most favorite sets from 2011.
'Winnie the Pooh'
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This is a personal favorite of mine. I picked 'Winnie the Pooh' because I feel like it's been lost with the deluge of animated titles released this year. It certainly didn't do great at the box office when compared to the other animated titles, but that wasn't because it's not good. 'Pooh' is an easily loveable film for children of all ages, and it looks magnificent in high definition.
What were some of your favorite releases of 2011? I know you may not agree with some of my picks, but none of them make for a boring night of movie watching. Let us know what your favorite releases were by clicking on the link at the bottom and heading over to the forums to make your picks known.
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High-Def Digest Holiday Gift Guide 2011: The Best Blu-rays of the Year
Wed Nov 23, 2011 at 01:38 PM ETTags: HDD Holiday Gift Guide, Holiday Gift Guide 2011, High-Def Retailing, Luke Hickman, Best of 2011 (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
Is it me or has this year flown by? For me, this was an exceptionally amazing year in high definition. First, I was brought on as a contributor to this fantastic site, then I finally upgraded my ancient entertainment system, making my home theater worthy of reviewing Blu-rays. I quit adding worthless DVDs to my collection over three years ago, but it wasn't until recently that I was able to fully enjoy everything I'd purchased since summer 2008 in all of its full 1080p glory with astonishing 7.1-channel audio. Now that I've gone full HD, I can never go back. I can't even watch DVDs anymore, they bother my eyes so much - and the same goes for the sound. Foolishly, I never knew that sound could make so much of a difference.
Revisiting older titles in my collection for the first time in true high-def has been amazing, but what really gets me excited is seeing how great the new titles look. The bar has been raised extremely high, causing collectors to demand the best possible quality from current releases as well as new catalog titles.
It's been an interesting year for Blu-ray. Especially in the last two months as we've seen a huge wave of 3D titles hit the shelves. As studios prepare the world for the DVD-free shift to Blu-ray, more new titles seem to include DVD versions of the films, even to the point that many titles are receiving a double dip with the only new addition being the DVD copy. Along with these combo packs, digital copies are almost unavoidable in new releases.
Keep in mind as you read through this list that I had to narrow the hundreds of candidates down to just ten (16 if you consider my format "cheating"). To avoid repetition, I've intentionally omitted titles that I've already expressed my love for in other recent posts ('Tangled,' 'Eternal Sunshine,' 'Source Code,' 'Hanna,' 'The Social Network,' ''Let Me In'). I can already hear the certain backlash for not including classics like 'Citizen Kane,' but these are my picks and I'm sticking with them.
Many more titles will hit the shelves over the next month a half, but the following are releases that have been reviewed that we can vouch for. 'Kung Fu Panda 2,' 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes,' 'Fright Night' and 'Midnight in Paris' are just a few of the late November/December releases that have yet to be reviewed. I present to you "The Best Blu-rays of the Year," a list of movies that you should be asking Santa for if you do not already own them.
'Super 8'
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J.J. Abrams, the filmmaker deemed "the new Steven Spielberg," teamed up with Spielberg to make this nostalgia-filled tribute to adventure films of the late '70s and early '80s. A group of kids whose banter resembles that of 'Stand By Me' and 'The Goonies' sneaks out late one night to film their zombie movie at the small town's empty old trainstation. As a speeding air force train passes, a local conspiracy theorist drives his truck onto the track and plays chicken. The resulting wreck is easily one of the loudest and most intense action sequences ever. The military soon takes over the town (a la 'E.T.') and the kids set off to rescue a friend taken by the monstrous secret that was let loose during the crash.
If you're a lover of Spielberg, Abrams, and the classic style of film they reincarnate with 'Super 8,' then you'll absolutely love every minute of this movie. Whisking you off to the long gone days of your youth is made possible through its use of a fun group of characters, a crew that will possess a familiar quality to those of you who grew up with it.
As we've come to expect from Abrams' film and series, 'Super 8' is shrouded in mystery, offering little clues here and there and only a few fleeting glimpses of the beast behind the mayhem. Abrams knows that less is more and creates an intense tone that never lets up. At the center of the film is a deeply emotional character story that's not only moving, but integral to story at hand. Much like 'Lost,' there's quite a bit going on, and it all serves a purpose.
The 'Super 8' Blu-ray is stuffed with fantastic special features, but could offer a little more insight into how they achieved the film's iconic train wreck. Even then, it's no disappointment.
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'
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You could take this recommendation a few different ways, as there have been several new 'Harry Potter' Blu-ray releases this year. Both parts one and two of 'The Deathly Hallows' made it to shelves, as well as a collection including including all eight films in one box set. The conclusion of the 'Harry Potter' series has been one for the books, rivaling the success of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Splitting the last book into two films initially seemed like a lame way for Warner Bros. to milk the 'Harry Potter' teat for all it was worth, but it proved to be the best way to wrap everything up. Sure, 'Part 1' feels like the set-up to a climax that's cut-off by closing credits and 'Part 2' feels like the climax to a movie you didn't just watch, but combined they make a perfect finale for one of the world's most popular book and movie series of all time.
'Part 1' begins by setting our central characters in the most grim setting. People - friends - are dying. Danger is finally 100 percent upon them, something most of the earlier films failed to convey. The darkness of 'Part 1' is bleak, offering no resolution and never letting up. Thankfully, now you can own 'Part 2' and watch them back-to-back, the way they're meant to be seen. When watched together, they fluidly form a single motion picture with a beginning, a middle, and an end, the ending of which is a spectacular climax that pits our hero against the ultimate evil.
David Yates directed the final few films in a way that only one other 'Potter' director was able to - he perfectly balanced the adolescent behavior with that of the magical teens and the ill-fated plot working against them. The heavy, dark moments were balanced by light, up-beat ones and the gravity of their dire situation became real.
With both 'Part 1' and 'Part 2' containing Warners' Maximum Movie Mode special feature, even the single-disc edition is worth owning. And as if that one lengthy feature wasn't enough, the two-disc set comes with more quality features than any 'Potter' fan could want.
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Love it or hate it, there's no denying that 'The Tree of Life' is a beautiful film. Sure, it's pretentious and the double-digit length of The Creation sequence is so over-endulgent that it's nauseating, but the tale is tells is so intimate and universal that every parent needs to experience it. 'The Tree of Life' completely falls apart in the final sequence, but you can't un-learn the lessons that come before it.
Terrance Malick has an unmatched eye for cinematography. The quality of his shots rival the best photographs ever taken. The way that they're compiled works harmoniously with the tone of the story being told. Many times, the pictures on screen tell the story stronger than the dialog, which is exactly why very little dialog is needed to carry this film.
Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain will earn many awards nominations for their performances. Both have already made their acting chops known to the world, but it's in 'The Tree of Life' that they one-up any job prior and I'll go as far as to say that neither will ever give a stronger performance.
'Rango'
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All hail the best animated film of the year! Usually, Pixar dominates this category, but with the lame sauce that is 'Cars 2,' they don't even deserve the usual Best Animated Film nomination. 'Rango' stepped up, filling the vacant spot with an animated film made more for grown-ups than children.
'Rango' tells the story of a chameleon who is simply just trying to fit in. After a car accident ejects him from his comfortable aquarium life as a pet, Rango is forced into survival mode as he's stranded in the desert. All of the other desert critters that he comes in contact with are tough and tried, but despite being able to change colors, Rango just can't seem to fit in.
Through the course of the story, our animated reptilian hero has to find out just who he is and how he can save himself and his new friends while serving up justice to the antagonists. 'Rango' is a western, through and through. While kids (including my own) may find it boring and uninteresting, 'Rango' appeals to the long lost kid within the adults who take their kids to see it.
Finally, another studio brings to the big screen the same quality expected from Pixar's films - in both animation and content. Being filmed, animated, and voiced in a unique manner, 'Rango' features a few heart extras worthy of the film's Blu-ray.
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Disney's release of 'Tron: Legacy' is arguably one of the most demo-worthy titles of the year. The digital locations clearly and sharply transfer over to the small screen and the brilliant 7.1 audio track transports you to The Grid.
'Tron: Legacy' equally plays out just as much as a remake as it does a sequel. It initially establishes the world they live in, then our central character gets sucked into The Grid (the computer world) where he must participate in disc battles and light cycle games. After he escapes, he has to ride a ship down a beam of light to the transport home. The formula is the same, but the effects of 'Legacy' are top notch and super stylized.
One need not be a 'Tron' enthusiast in order to follow and enjoy 'Legacy' - but if you grew up watching the original, you'll enjoy 'Legacy' even more. They've slapped a couple million dollars more into the production budget and made an honest spectacle out of it. The original score by Daft Punk is amazing, above par for most contemporary films. The soundtrack is certain to be featured in movie trailers for years to come.
Not only is the main feature on 'Tron: Legacy' worth owning, it also comes with more than 45 minutes special features that will please all fans. Since I added 'Tron: Legacy' to my collection, it's become my number one demo disc. There's no reason why it won't be one of yours too.
'Memento: 10th Anniversary Edition'
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Christopher Nolan's breakthrough psychological thriller deserves the Blu-ray remastering it got this year. I don't know of many other directors who hit the ground running as well as Nolan did with 'Memento.' There are few things cooler and more reassuring than seeing the "director approved" sticker on a new Blu-ray transfer of a catalog title - and the 10th Anniversary Edition of 'Memento' dons it.
Guy Pierce stars in 'Memento' as Leonard, the husband of a murdered woman who hit his head in the altercation and now has no short term memory. About every five minutes, his mind resets and he cannot remember anything after the grizzly home invasion. Nolan's unique storytelling style is odd at first, but he makes it work better than anyone else could. Because of Leonard's condition, the movie plays out to the audience the exact same way it does for him - we only see things five (or so) minutes at a time. First, we see the last five minutes of the film, then the five minutes leading up to that, and so on, and so on. Between each chapter of memory, we see a few minutes of black & white footage that occurs in the beginning of this non-linear jumbled narrative. Trust me, it sounds more complicated than it is. Just go with it and you'll be sure to love it.
With a transfer far superior to the original Blu-ray release, the 10th Anniversary Edition is even more worthy of a double-dip considering the extras. A director's commentary is included, along with several interviews with Nolan, a fantastic 'Anatomy of a Scene' episode and the original short story 'Memento Mori' from Nolan's brother Jonathan. If you don't own it already, put this near the top of your Christmas list. If you've mistakenly purchased the original Blu-ray release, put it near the top anyway.
'Pulp Fiction' - 'Jackie Brown'
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For those Tarantino fanatics, like myself, who have been dying to own his cannon on Blu-ray, the final two (minus 'Four Rooms,' which he directed one segment of) to round out the set are here. And just like Nolan's 'Memento' reissue, they're "director approved."
I was 14 years old when 'Pulp Fiction' came out, meaning I shouldn't have been watching it. While my naive untrained mind wasn't able to pick up on all of the pulpy awesomeness from it, 'Pulp Fiction' still stood out as something unique. With age and education I learned just exactly what it was - it's a Quentin Tarantino flick! It's smart, gritty and - well - cool. Not a single character is safe, making it one unpredictable film. With a near-perfect video and audio transfer and a slew of special features, 'Pulp Fiction' is definitely wish list worthy.
'Jackie Brown' doesn't match the success of 'Pulp Fiction' in both film and Blu-ray quality, but it's still worth owning. Definitely my least favorite of Tarantino's flicks, 'Jackie Brown' is still a solid, well-made movie that's better than most of what's out there.
The titular character is a flight attendant who smuggles money into the country for an arms dealer. When she's busted by A.T.F., she must devise a plan that will distract all parties involved so that she can steal some of the cash and head off to paradise. The funny thing about 'Jackie Brown' is that it gets better with each viewing. It may be a title that you keep on the back burner, but once you throw it in again you'll be pleasantly surprised by home much better it keeps getting.
'Captain America' - 'Thor' - 'X-Men: First Class'
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Not only did this summer contain some of the very best comic book movies to date (excluding 'Green Lantern,' of course), but each of the big three received fantastic Blu-rays. Because the 'X-Men' property is still owned by Fox, not Marvel, they couldn't tie 'First Class' into S.H.I.E.L.D. nor the Avengers Initiative - like it's supposed to be. 'Thor' and 'Captain America,' on the other hand, are highly integrated, mixing themselves with 'Iron Man' and 'The Incredible Hulk' in preparation for next summer's 'The Avengers.'
'Thor' should have been the weakest movie leading up to 'The Avengers,' dealing with Nordic Gods and all, but it's actually one of the strongest. Via strong direction and an amazing screenplay, 'Thor' was made digestible for all audiences. We get to see the Nordic god of thunder kick ass on other worlds, get banished from his own and learn what it's like to live as a mortal human on Earth. Coming from Shakespearean expert Kenneth Branagh, 'Thor' is like the Shakespearean branch of the Marvel Universe. It's fun, funny, well-written, and contains plenty of the action expected from comic book movies these days.
'Captain America' takes superheros back to their roots in World War II. When a Nazi organization called Hydra splinters off and creates their own world-ending agenda, America mixes a genius doctor's formula for creating super soldiers with the technology of scientist Howard Stark (Iron Man Tony Stark's father). Only one super soldier was produced, but this one-man-army is more than enough to put a dent in Hydra's evil plans. Perhaps the most well-rounded of all the pre-'Avengers' Marvel movies, 'Captain America' not only contains all of the action you could possibly handle, but it has a great big heart and a timeless morals as well.
Far superior to the previous two 'X-Men' films, 'First Class' revived the dying franchise by focusing more in genuine characters than lame, pointless action. Its witty and smart script blends the 'X-Men' storyline with that of the historical events of the 1960s in Cuba. More than anything, the purpose of this prequel is to show how the superhero team came to be and how Magneto and Professor X became the men we know them as from previous films. As Erik/Magneto, Michael Fassbender delivers a phenomenal performance that grips you and makes you root for the guy that you know will soon be the "bad guy." Hats off to the cast, crew and director Matthew Vaughn for breathing life back into the X-Men.
'Jurassic Park' - 'Star Wars' - 'The Lord of the Rings: Extended Editions'
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There are certain sets that deserve to be in your collection, even if some of the titles are hit and miss. With the exception of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, this sets contain a few not-so-great movies, but they're balanced by phenomenal and/or iconic titles that must be part of your collection.
'The Jurassic Park' series is definitely the least of the three, containing only one perfectly solid film - the first. The original 'Jurassic Park' was the first film to create fully CG animals - dinosaurs, to be specific - that interact with physical actors. Compared to the effects of today, it's average. But when the film was released in 1993, it was unprecedented. 'The Lost World' is a sore thumb on Spielberg's credits, but revisiting it now reveals a bunch of fun action sequences wrapped in ham and corn. But the worst of them all is the third, a mostly unwatchable lazy attempt at making even more money off the franchise. 'Jurassic Park III' is the final nail in a dinosaur-sized coffin.
For me, the 'Star Wars' saga bats .500. Two of the movies are fantastic, two are just okay and two are absolutely terrible. The original trilogy is an iconic classic. I'm not old enough to have seen them in theaters (if I did see them in theaters, I don't remember it), so I'm of the second generation era that grew up watching them on VHS and on television. Nonetheless, they are timeless films. The second trilogy, however, is mostly lame. The last film of the prequel trilogy is decent, mostly because it delves into the dark territory necessary to set up the original trilogy. The kids will love them despite being rubbish, so they're not the worst films you could have in your collection.
The biggest of these three is the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Not a single of the three movies is bad. The theatrical Blu-ray trilogy had plenty of transfer flaws, but most have been corrected with the extended edition trilogy. If you're going to own this 17-time Academy Award winning series, it's the extended editions you want - not only for the better, elongated and expanded cuts, but for the much-improved Blu-ray quality also.
'The Walking Dead' - 'Breaking Bad'
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Even with a cloudy current season and an unknown future, the first season of the record-breaking 'The Walking Dead' series is a must-own for all zombie fans. Survival is the name of the game and true to form with Frank Darabont's last production, 'The Mist,' it's unclear who poses a bigger threat - the survivors with their back against the wall or the zombies themselves. The second season may end up failing miserably, but at least we'll always have season one.
'Breaking Bad' is an already hyped series, but it needs to be bigger. It's a classic anti-hero tale, telling the story of a good, honest man who has never been on top despite being a phenomenal chemist. Working as a high school chemistry teacher, he can hardly provide for his family. When he's diagnosed with stage three lung cancer, he falls off the deep end like Michael Douglas in 'Falling Down,' cooking and selling the most chemically sound meth with a drug-dealing former student. Imagine what it would be like if Tarantino wrote a series; that's what you get with 'Breaking Bad.' Season one and two were awesome, but three really delivers the goods.
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HDD Picks The Top 10 Movies of 2011 (So Far)
Tue Jul 12, 2011 at 02:15 PM ETTags: Luke Hickman, Best of 2011, Fun Stuff (all tags)
by Luke Hickman
With the year halfway over, it's fair to say that, so far, 2011 has already been a pretty great year for movies!
The first few months of each year are usually filled with a palate varnishing film of garbage – the horrible Fall titles bumped by their studios to a time when nothing good is released – but 2011 featured some better-than-normal start of the year films. While there were definitely some stinkers – like 'Season of the Witch,' 'Country Strong,' 'The Dilemma,' 'The Roommate' and 'The Eagle' – there were also some unexpected winners - like 'Cedar Rapids' and 'The Way Back.' Just as surprising, the Summer has been with filled (mostly) exceptional cinematic gems and blockbusters.
As we take a look back on my Top 10 Movies of 2011 (so far), please put out some positive thoughts so the second half of the year will be just as good, if not better, than the first.
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Considering the fact that 'The Adjustment Bureau' was bumped back from Fall 2010 to March 2011, nobody expected anything good to come of it. But when advance screenings started being held weekly four weeks prior to its release – all of which press were invited to – I suspected it was tracking better than Universal originally expected.
The smartest and most refreshing thing that 'The Adjustment Bureau' did was act opposite other movies that lie in the same odd mysterious genre – like 'The Box.' 'The Box' saved its reveal until the end of the film; 'The Adjustment Bureau' gives it to you right in the beginning. Films of this strange nature usually toy with the audience, showing them creatively weird things throughout, but never give you all the goods until the end. 'The Adjustment Bureau' introduces you to its characters, allows you to make a quick emotional connection with them, then gives you a good dose of strange followed by the early-on reveal.
With the odd scenario set up from the beginning, instead of actively trying to piece the puzzle together, the audience can go on a fun ride completely connected with the characters, not dragged along by mystery. 'The Adjustment Bureau' sets up a unique and fun story, then runs with it.
'Win Win'
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Fox Searchlight's indie comedies have often been a notch or two above the others. 'Super Troopers,' 'Garden State,' 'I Heart Huckabee's,' 'Thank You for Smoking,' 'Little Miss Sunshine,' '(500) Days of Summer,' 'Whip It' and 'Cyrus' are just a few of them. Earning another notch in the winning category for Fox Searchlight is 'Win Win.'
Paul Giamatti stars in this lightweight comedic drama as a husband and father who is giving his all while trying to provide for his family. Working primarily as a lawyer in his small town, he also coaches the high school's pathetic wrestling team. Even then, he's barely making ends meet, so he takes on an invalid client's grandson. When the teenage rebel ends up being the best wrestler in the state, he not only becomes necessary to the survival of the team, but to Giamatti's family as well.
'Win Win' has a simple-but-solid story, a fantastic script, lots of laughs, and a great big heart – easily one of the best features to come out of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
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Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie) earned a lot of love with his 2009 feature-length Sundance debut 'Moon.' He brought a hard science fiction story to big screen – something that rarely happens when you remove the space westerns ('Star Wars,' 'Star Trek' and 'Firefly') – and did it perfectly successful. But lying within that not-widely-popular genre, 'Moon' only received a limited release from Sony Pictures Classics. With 'Source Code,' Jones made a studio-distributed science fiction film that can be easily digested by all audiences.
I don't dislike Jake Gyllenhaal; he's just never made anything that has wowed me – until now. In 'Source Code,' Gyllenhaal plays a military chopper pilot who has been chosen for a top secret experimental project were a soldier can be sent back to the recent past in the body of a now-dead person and relive his/her experiences prior to death. When the film opens, Gyllenhaal is sent back to a terrorist train bombing where he is to find the bomber so that the culprit can be stopped before he causes another attack in the present. He has eight minutes to achieve his mission before the bomb goes off. Each time the train explodes, he returns to the present just to be sent back for another eight-minute attempt.
Although 'Source Code' sounds just as highly repetitious and annoying as 'Vantage Point,' Jones pulls some tricks out of his sleeve to stop it from getting stagnant. Not once will you become bored during 'Source Code.'
'Hanna'
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Imagine Jason Bourne as a teenage girl. That's what you get with 'Hanna.'
A father (Eric Bana) and his daughter Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) have been hiding from the U.S. Government spooks just south of the arctic circle for years. Being hunted by an evil government official (Cate Blanchett), the father has taught his daughter everything she needs to know in order to survive – how to adapt, how to hunt, and how to kill. As she finishes her training in the opening of the film, they trigger a beacon that will alert the bad guys to their whereabouts. With Hanna being a highly dangerous tool, she begins a mission to take down those responsible for ruining their lives.
Director Joe Wright ('Atonement') made 'Hanna' into one of the most refreshing action flicks in a long time. Obviously made with an indie flare, none of the typical tricks of the genre are present. Wright proves that there's more to action films than guns, explosions, special effects, and scantily clad supermodels. Without a doubt, 'Hanna' is one of my most anticipated Blu-rays of the year. Here's hoping Focus Features gives it plenty of special features.
'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold'
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Easily the most entertaining documentary from Morgan Spurlock ('Super Size Me'), 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold' follows Spurlock as he tries to find sponsors to help fund his documentary about product placement. With his corporate-bashing credits, major companies are hesitant to advertise with him, but those who do understand the brilliant concept at hand, and open their doors for him and his crew and show the behind-the-scenes secrets of product placement within the television and motion picture industry. With the title of the film carrying its name, obviously, POM Wonderful becomes the major sponsor.
'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold' is such a crowd-pleaser that if you heard the audience's reaction throughout the film, you would have thought they were watching a side-splitting comedy. Not only does Spurlock talk to directors in the industry who have used product placement (Peter Berg) and those who have been shot down by advertisers (Quentin Tarantino), but because he is getting sponsors for the film you are watching, the film itself is filled with plenty of product placement of its own.
'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold' is not only one of the best documentaries of the year, it's one of the very best films of the year.
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Anyone who reads The Bonus View knows that I love 'Bridesmaids' – and the box office reports show that I'm not alone. After nine short weeks, 'Bridesmaids' has grossed more than $150 million. Considering it was made for only $32.5 million, 'Bridesmaids' is one of the most successful films of 2011, never dropping more than 33 percent in weekly attendance. Not only has it gone on to become the highest grossing female comedy of all time, it has also out-grossed every other Judd Apatow ('Knocked Up') production.
So, why does everyone love 'Bridesmaids?' Because of it's hilarious, genuinely heartfelt script and brilliant female performances.
Writer, co-producer and star Kristen Wiig ('Paul') has been one of the only worthy cast members of Saturday Night Live over the recent years. All of her talent put into practice with 'Bridesmaids' makes her potential evident.
In 'Bridesmaids,' Wiig plays an “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” type of character. Now in her late 30s, her world begins to fall apart when her best friend (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged. She loses her job, is incapable of forming a relationship with her sex buddy (Jon Hamm) and is in a constant battle to hold her title as Maid of Honor against a fellow bridesmaid (Rose Byrne).
'Bridesmaids' would never have been as successful without its leading ladies. Wiig is just as hilarious as always. We got a taste of Byrne's awesome comedic sense with 'Get Him to the Greek,' which is only more solidified in 'Bridesmaids.' Rounding out the brilliant bridal party are Melissa McCarthy ('Gilmore Girls'), Wendi McLendon-Covey (Reno 911!) and Ellie Kemper ('The Office '). These ladies successfully perform disgusting gags we are only used to seeing men do – which makes them far funnier than they have ever been.
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Truth be told, I haven't been a huge fan of Woody Allen's recent films, but 'Midnight in Paris' returns him to his charming, witty, and whimsical form, easily becoming my favorite of his films.
'Midnight in Paris' stars Owen Wilson as a hack screenwriter on vacation in Paris with his fiancee (Rachel McAdams) and soon-to-be in-laws. When they bump into his fiancee's douche-bag pseudo intellectual college friend (Michael Sheen), she reverts to her bitchy, immature college attitude.
Not wanting anything do with her and her old best friend, he strolls the streets of Paris alone, taking in the lights and the romance. As the clock strikes midnight, something magical happens – something that I refuse to reveal because of its playful nature.
Forget the average studio rom-com – 'Midnight in Paris' is the film you should go to on date night. With both my wife and I loving it equally, I'm sure repeat viewings will fill many date nights in the future. It's smart, funny, romantic, unforgettable, and definitely entertaining.
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Few films teach impacting life lessons - even less without words – but Terrence Malick's 'Tree of Life' is one of the strongest. With hardly any dialogue appearing in this 139-minute opus, you would expect 'Tree of Life' to drag, but the opposite happens. The intentional lack of dialogue leaves room for you to think, analyzing your own life and situation as you watch the central characters (Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain) make their own good and bad decisions.
Most will view 'Tree of Life' as a pretentious arthouse film (which it is) and miss the morals that lie at its core. The family-rich story might pass right over the heads of those without children. But if you walk into it with an open mind, looking to actually experience something – something more than just watching a movie – you will walk out with a different perspective on creation, life, and death.
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Just like with 'Tree of Life,' it is extremely difficult to put into words how beautiful 'Beginners' is. It, too, covers life and death while adding in a rich amount of love. In the same way that 'Love Actually' exemplified the many angles of love, 'Beginners' covers them as well.
Ewan McGregor ('Trainspotting') plays the confused and somewhat lost 38-year-old central character. We walk through different periods of his life when love has been the most abundant or completely void. We see his childhood when his mother showered him with unforgettable acts of love. We learn about her deep, undying love of her husband (Christopher Plummer). We see him and his father grief-stricken when his mother passes. And we see how his father lived a loving life until his death.
Now that both his parents are gone, love is missing. No love is incoming, no love is it outgoing – not until he meets a unique girl (Mélanie Laurent) who pours out the combined love of his parents. It's then up to him to learn how to love on his own.
Filled with an aesthetically charged romance that resembles the happy memories in 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,' 'Beginners' will make you experience falling in love for the first time again. Who wouldn't want to have that feeling again?
'Super 8'
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Very few movies have the ability to raise expectations exceptionally high and beat them. Along with 'The Dark Knight' and 'Inception,' 'Super 8' is one of them. And, yes – I basically just compared the merits of J.J. Abrams to those of Christopher Nolan.
The teaser trailer for 'Super 8' had me hooked. When the 30-second spot aired during the superbowl, revealing its child cast and monster story, I became obsessed. More nostalgia from my childhood was crammed into that 30 seconds than any full-length movie I'd seen since then. I felt like I was magically whisked away to my childhood, so imagine how much more I was while watching the actual film.
'Super 8' pays homage to the classic '70s and '80s films of Steven Spielberg. Considering J.J. Abrams is known by some as the “New Spielberg,” the blend is fitting. Abrams successfully mixes iconic Spielberg moments with his fresh, creative styles of story-telling and film making.
Having grown up on the films that are paid homage in 'Super 8,' I fall into that demographic that can truly call 'Super 8' a nostalgia piece. It appears that the majority of those who dislike 'Super 8' do not fall into that demographic. They expected a modernized twist on a monster movie, when in reality what you get with 'Super 8' is a refreshing blast from the past. Again, here's hoping Paramount gives 'Super 8' a proper, special features-filled Blu-ray.
What use is a Top 10 list without a few dishonorable mentions? Here are 15 films of 2011 that, in this critics' opinion, should never have been made: 'Cars 2,' 'The Hangover Part II,' 'The Beaver,' 'Something Borrowed,' 'Hoodwinked Too!: Hood vs. Evil,' 'Rio,' 'Arthur,' 'Your Highness,' 'Hop,' 'Red Riding Hood,' 'Take Me Home Tonight,' 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon,' 'Gnomeo & Juliet,' 'Sanctum' and 'Big Momma's: Like Father, Like Son'
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