The final questions and answers to Examiner.com's Year in Film Review: Part 1.
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11) Best Ending:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: The Debt.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: Source Code was an exceptionally tight science fiction film that ended with some cool revelations. Also liked the trippy and tragic nature of Melancholia’s ending.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: For a movie whose ending is given away in the prologue, the final moments of Melancholia are devastating (literally and emotionally), aided by the startling acting of Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg. The movie is assuredly not for everyone, yet the intensity that Lars von Trier conjures at the close of his latest is likely to enthrall anyone.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: Transformers: Dark of the Moon...for two reasons. 1. It was an eye-gasmic 45 minute closing, no doubt. 2. I was so glad I didn't have to watch Michael Bay "Penn State" my childhood anymore as he did the last 4 years.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Hugo.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Another Earth. I really loved the concept for this film and for an independent film, it probably took the idea as far as it possibly could. With that said, I was left feeling like it could have expanded on everything much more. The ending just really hit home with me though. Everything just came full circle in the best of ways.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: Final Destination 5…because it ended. And, God willing, so will the series.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: The absolutely dreadful final scenes of The Debt, with totally unconvincing old man makeup, and a chase(!) between mostly incapacitated elderly people finally concluding in a syringe-off. Also, the best scene of the year is the very long seduction scene in Terri. Totally outshines the mediocre movie it finds itself in.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: I could be a smartass and say when Red Riding Hood, Sucker Punch and Transformers 3 started rolling credits. But, in all seriousness, when Drive and The Tree of Life ended, all I could say was, "Wow." They were both such incredible pieces and I couldn’t stop thinking about both of them for the longest time.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: The final minutes of Warrior are taxing. This is a showdown well earned, well fought, and well won. My masculinity rating may take a hit by admitting this but... I got a bit damp around the eyes with this one.
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12) Funniest Movie Of the Year?
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Bridesmaids.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: Bridesmaids. A close second was Paul and The Muppets.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: Far too often the funniest writing of the year is done on television. This year the cinema was loaded with laughs. Carnage, Young Adult and The Descendants all stand as viable contenders. Nevertheless, the only movie I had to be shushed at because I was responding too loudly was Woody Allen’s gem Midnight in Paris. Who knew Hemmingway was so ripe for chuckles?
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: It was a weak year for comedies in my humble opinion, but after watching Hall Pass again on HBO the other night, let's just say that is in the "never delete" section of my DVR. Watch it while drinking a couple beers.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Bridesmaids.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: The Descendants. A great film that was downright hilarious more often than not. If that's considered too much of a drama for some, Horrible Bosses is the only straight comedy movie of the year I laughed fairly hard at.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: This may very well be the toughest pick of 2011. It was a horrible, horrible year for comedies. I actually haven't seen Horrible Bosses yet but have heard good things. Of the films I saw I would have to go with Hall Pass since it was my highest rated comedy of the year, but that's not saying much. Here's hoping 2012 is a lot better for the genre.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: The most I laughed was any scene in [Michael Rapaport’s surprisingly well made documentary] Beats, Rhymes & Life: The travels of A Tribe Called Quest when Phife passive aggressively responds to Q-Tip about his Phife’s diabetes. The moment when he’s in the hospital where he gauges whether the text message Q-Tip sends him is both long and detailed enough is absolutely perfect.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Red Riding Hood – haha, just kidding. Actually, The Descendants was both very funny and had great scenes of emotion.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: If Cedar Rapids and Bridesmaids got into a fistfight...? Bridesmaids might win. If only because it would pull hair, bite, and belt Cedar Rapids in the balls with its bony girl knees.
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13) Movie Title I Felt Sounded the Most Like A Porno Flick?
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Conan O'Brien Can't Stop.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: Hmm….yah, The Beaver. Also interesting would be Everything Must Go, Horrible Bosses, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Just Go With It, Mars Needs Moms, and Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop. Oh yah, and 7 Days in Utopia.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: There are a totally silly amount of options of this category. Real Steel remains my top choice, maybe because its star Hugh Jackman has the kind of name one would expect to find in the adult industry.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: In the effort not answer with the obvious, The Beaver (see what I did there); I'll go with Mr. Popper's Penguins. You could also go with Mars Needs Moms a.k.a. The Adventures of the Milf Hunter.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: No question – Breaking Dawn.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Rubber. This is a BIG guilty pleasure of mine, by the way.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: Ok, well since The Beaver is a little too obvious I'll go with I Don't Know How She Does It and Take Me Home Tonight. But, there were a LOT that sounded like porno titles this year.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: This Ain't The Simpsons XXX.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Beastly and The Bang Bang Club.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Shame. Oh wait... that was a porno flick.
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14) Biggest Badass:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Ryan Gosling in Drive.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: Not a great year for bad-asses. Brendan Gleeson in The Guard, Albert Brooks in Drive.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: The aforementioned Attack the Block was a heap of fun, but a lot of that stemmed from its kickass hero Moses, the terrific John Boyega in his film debut. As Moses, Boyega was a stern kid who saw the alien wackiness – in addition to a local drug dealer and the cops – and simply dealt with what was in front of him, whether with fists or a samurai sword.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: Ryan Gosling's calculating tough guy persona in Drive beats the hell out of everyone. And that includes Vin Diesel, The Rock, Hugh Jackman and Taylor Lautner...wait, Taylor Lautner?
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: The entire team of Fast Five.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Ryan Gosling in Drive. There's really no competition.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: I have to go with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Vin Diesel in Fast Five. That was a whole lot of badassness clashing in one scene.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: Bucky Larson.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Ryan Gosling in Drive. I don’t need to say much else.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy) in Warrior. I'd follow that ex-Marine into the heart of Mordor - maybe even into the smog of an Occupy Wall Street encampment.
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15) Best Piece o' Ass:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Olivia Wilde in Cowboys & Aliens.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: I feel like listing several actresses from across the movie spectrum, but I’ll go with the beautiful newcomer Felicity Jones in Like Crazy.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: Puss in Boots. I mean seriously, have you seen those boots?
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: My cinematic shaft is pointing right at Elizabeth Olsen. I have a soft (or is it hard) for the psychologically damaged.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: War Horse.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Jennifer Aniston in Horrible Bosses. I don't think Aniston is overly attractive all the time, but just the fact that the character was such a departure for her and how ridiculously sexy she was in the film just did it for me. If I was going to be sexually harassed, I'd want it to be by a chick like this.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: Pretty much the entire cast of Sucker Punch, not including Scott Glenn, but maybe throw in the giant samurai warrior. That movie is like the film version of the majority of my dreams.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: Amber Heard in Drive Angry seemed to have been scrubbed clean of any possible visual flaw.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Olivia Wilde was my choice for last year, and she is still drop dead gorgeous. But I’ll put Amanda Seyfried alongside her this year as well. They both were in pretty crummy films this year, but they still look sexy.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs... is the single most frightening thing I think I've seen in twenty years. So I'm choosing Amber Heard in The Rum Diary. I drooled. And not just from my mouth either.
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16) Trend I'd Like To See End in 2011:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Tyler Perry's name attached to the beginning of his films.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: 3-D Disney movies. Michael Fassbender full-frontal nudity, cell phones in theatres, Zac Efron. I’m also getting sick of blatant product placement within the film itself. We Bought a Zoo contained several in-dialogue references to Coke, Target, and Google that took me out of the story. Lastly and most importantly, stop remaking films that don’t need remaking!
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: I suppose this could qualify as a spoiler, but there were far too many sci-fi films, or ones that flirted with the genre, that had sappy, unearned endings. What’s more irritating, the core three culprits all featured entertaining first hours. A crappy movie I can handle and forget. It’s the ones that start promisingly and descend into vanilla mush that linger.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: Gong to sound like a broken-record here, but let's say buh-bye to 3D! When a Harold & Kumar sequel make the best use out of the worthless gimmick, you know it can't be taken seriously anymore.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Bloated, lumbering biopics like J. Edgar.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Live action talking animal movies. I hate them with a damn passion. They really need to be put out of their misery. Your kids may love them, but add another ten or so years to that individual and have them see it again. If they don't want to blow their brains out ten minutes in, then there's something wrong with them.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: The Pirates of the Caribbean and Final Destination franchises. Enough is enough Hollywood. Know when to pull the plug. Oh yeah, and 3D…don't get me started on that.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: The Bad Teacher who needed 30 Minutes or Less to get a Hall Pass for The Change-Up and went to Cedar Rapids with his Friends With Benefits to avoid their Horrible Bosses while in search of Our Idiot Brother who ended up at A Good Old Fashioned Orgy … Part II.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Well, the Twilight franchise will end next year, so I’m thankful for that. Anyway, I’d like for all these big name, romantic comedies to end – especially if Garry Marshall directs them. The 2003 British film Love Actually worked, but Marshall’s Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve were beyond bad. Todd Phillips also needs to create a film that isn’t a rip off of a previous film, especially if it’s his own (Hangover 2).
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Batman and X-Men both get a stay of execution. The rest of you comic book movies need to be gassed to death pronto. Marvel needs to stop making 200 million dollar trailers for their upcoming superhero crossover projects.
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17) Trend I'd Like To See Continue in 2012:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Creative new alien concepts.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: 3-D Scorsese movies, Carey Mulligan full-frontal nudity, sharp well-written science-fiction films, Mel Gibson working. Most of all I would love the continuation of independent and documentary films to be released on a wider and wider scale.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: The future will remember these past twelve months as the ones where studios decided to put Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender in every movie. This is something should continue. I’d giddily even pay to see the pair in a remake of Pretty Woman…but who should be Julia?
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: Very impressed with how many remakes were handled this year. Since that's all we're going to be seeing (thanks to the unimaginative studio heads) let's hope the remakes can stay on the level we saw in 2011.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Original, quality stories told right, like Win Win or The Artist.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: The sci-fi genre continue to flourish. We had quite a few sci-fi films this year and most of them either did extremely well at the box office, had original concepts, and/or were an homage to some of our favorite films from the past. While I didn't love every sci-fi film that came out in 2011, I do greatly admire the genre and would like to see more of it be released wide and theatrically for many years to come.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: I'd like to see film adaptations of books stay prominent in the industry. There were quite a few in 2011 like The Lincoln Lawyer and Harry Potter and most of them were very good (ahem, not you Twilight). If we can't get truly original ideas turned into films, the next best thing would be live action versions of great books.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: Not suggesting that every little coincidence between two films is somehow a trend.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: If Matthew Vaughn can continue to create good comic book films, let him. Also, ILM should continue to do straight animation films. Rango was incredible.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: The writing team of Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. So girls can compete with - and defeat - boys when it comes to writing raunchy adult comedies. Bridesmaids proved that. Which now that I mention it... in the future we need more women relieving themselves in their wedding gowns. Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids) and Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) made this seem so natural, so vogue. Also - and I'm honestly shocked to be saying this after ten years, five movies, and countless steel drums of human growth hormone/liquid tanning fusions - but are the Fast and the Furious movies actually getting better with each release? God help me for saying this... I want another one.
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18) Favorite Quote from a Film in 2011:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: "Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic." - Dumbledore in Harry Potter 7.2.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: "I’m Irish. Racism is part of me culture." - Brendan Gleeson in The Guard.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: Perhaps no better quotes sums up what made a movie so charming and captivating as Elle (Juliette Binoche) stating, "I know you hate me. There’s nothing I can do about that. But at least try to be consistent," in Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy. As Elle and James (William Shimell) wander around an Italian village, we witness two people quarrel and long for one another. Whether the pair are total strangers or a married couple is the film’s main mystery, though it’s appeal is so much more.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: The scream that Ron Perlman let out in the opening scene of Conan the Barbarian. It was so f'ing terrible that I could not stop laughing for about ten minutes thereafter. Even the other press started laughing because I couldn't stop myself.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Megan McCarthy in Bridesmaids as she she says, "Look away! Look away!" while experiencing explosive diarrhea.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: "He who values his life dies a dog's death." -Shinzaemon Shimdada (Kôji Yakusho) in Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: "Paradise? Paradise can go f--- itself." - George Clooney,The Descendants.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: Another Earth, as the characters are discovering that the suddenly visible planet is a virtual duplicate of Earth. The lead character has finagled her way into the house of the husband of a woman that she killed in a car accident under the guise of being a cleaning woman. Her initial bewilderment at the other planet and what her double is doing resulted in this perfect Blue Velvet-like line: "I wonder if I’m cleaning your house."
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: "There are rich teams, and then there are poor teams. Then there's fifty feet of crap, and then there's us." - Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in Moneyball.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: "Does this face look like it's been to the Fountain of Youth?" - Keith Richards in Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides.
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19) What Were They Thinking?
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D - This spy family film's "clever" 4-D concept with scratch-and-sniff cards might be more intriguing if the movie didn't smell like poop and puke - but maybe director Robert Rodriguez just wanted the fourth dimension to stink as bad as the other three?
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: I love Fincher and Dragon Tattoo, which is exactly why I wonder…why? Why remake a film that doesn’t need remaking? The Swedish version just came out a few years ago, and I find it very sad that a society who reads text messages over human contact most of the time, cannot figure out a way to watch a sub-titled movie. Face it America, there are other countries making great films outside of Hollywood…watch them, don’t remake them. Also wondering what the hell Malick was trying to pull off with Tree of Life. 20 minutes of pretentious ego-stroking? You could have made it 5 and been effective. Remember that yes, film is art, but it is art meant to be viewed by others.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: J. Edgar has been unfairly kicked around, even if a handful of critics loved it. The fact is that the movie’s a mediocre biopic with pluses and minuses. That said, holy crap what did they do to Armie Hammer with that old-age makeup? Was Hammer’s elderly love-interest of the titular figure supposed to be a 200 year-old burn victim?
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: Who? ;)
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: Mars Needs Moms was an utter waste of everything: time, talent, animation.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Zookeeper. What the hell, Rosario Dawson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Favreau? Embarrassing, cringe worthy, and just a complete waste of time.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: This would have to go out to everyone involved with The Season of the Witch. I actually really like Nic Cage but some of the roles he has taken over the last few years are mind boggling. I'm actually more disappointed with Ron Perlman He is like the king of the corny supporting character realm, but he generally picks better movies where his expertise can shine. However, he's been in enough bad films to see one coming from a mile away. Everyone involved with the making of this film should be fined for general stupidity.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: The false crisis break-up scene on the roof of a building in Friends With Benefits is one of the most irritating scenes I can think of. Why Timberlake and Kunis didn’t just walk off the set before it was shot is a mystery. Maybe they should have just requested that they improvise an accapella version of that "Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah" song from The Jetsons instead. It would have been more convincing.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: Bill Condon directing Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and making it suck just as much as New Moon. Well, they all suck, but those two are the worst of the franchise. Granted, the material isn’t that great, but Bill is such a good director and even he couldn’t do anything with the series. Catherine Hardwicke trying to sex up Red Riding Hood and making it exactly like the first Twilight, her previous film. There should be a lawsuit from Stephanie Meyer.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Kevin Smith for bungling the ending of Red State. The greatest horror/thriller ending of this generation gets swapped out for something out of a witless Cheech and Chong bong-dream. Also... anyone who put The Artist at the top of their end-of-the-year lists. Good luck remembering why you did that this time next year media lemmings.
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20) Most Wanted Movie in 2012:
Ryan Pratt Movie Examiner: The Dark Knight Rises.
Tom Santilli Detroit Movie Examiner: I am looking forward to Sacha Baron Cohen’s next comedy, The Dictator. Also Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. But nothing gets me all worked up more than thinking about The Dark Knight Rises. Would also like to see the rumored Jason Roestel: The Movie.
Brian Zitzelman Seattle Movie Examiner: Wong Kar Wai’s The Grandmaster has been one of the most anticipated films for several years now. The story is Bruce Lee’s martial-arts trainer Ip Man, of whom other projects have been made. Wong Kar Wai isn’t just anyone. Add to that a returning collaboration with the spectacular acting talent of Tony Leung and what we have is likely to be gold.
Joe Belcastro Tampa Movie Examiner: How about anything that doesn't suck or isn't rushed out to make a quick, uninspired profit? So, looks like I'll be seeing just ten movies next year.
Jorge Carreon LA Personalities Examiner: The Dark Knight Rises.
Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner: Prometheus. I'm a big fan of the Alien franchise and Ridley Scott. The cast is also ridiculous. There's no way this won't be good.
Tom Clocker Baltimore Movie Examiner: As much as I am looking forward to The Dark Knight Rises as a 'guilty pleasure' comic book film, I would have to say Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is my most anticipated for 2012. I haven't read the book yet but several people have told me I need to do so ASAP. And, although it's based on a book, it is at least a new idea and original. I'm also glad 2012 should finally bring an end to the 'Twilight' era.
Adam Lippe Movie Examiner: A director’s cut of Margaret. Also, whatever perfect nonsense Soderbergh comes up with for Haywire.
David Wanberg Chico Movie Examiner: A lot of the comic book nerds want The Avengers to come out as soon as possible. I’m most eager for Lincoln. Daniel Day-Lewis as Abe Lincoln in a film directed by Steven Spielberg? Count me in. Oh, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as well.
Jason Roestel Movie Examiner: Ridley Scott's Prometheus. It's all I want or have ever wanted. (little bit of Tree of Life love for you Santilli) Oh.. and Martin McDonagh's Seven Psychopaths. I want that too.
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