Favorite Movies of 2011

[gh]

"Dragon Tattoo" absolutely stunning. And so in keeping with the christmas spirit!

[lonewolf]

Saw "Dragon Tattoo" today.. to my untrained senses best movie in a coon's age. I annoint Rooney Mara for Academy Award.r
I don't know how someone who had not read the books could follow the story/action
I thought the rape scene was tastefully done as rape scenes go.. and loved the payback.
My only bitch is the intrusive deafening background sound/music/

[gh]

but, my data is encryped!

(oh, please)

or something like that... one of the great movie lines of all time.

[Marlow]

My only bitch is the intrusive deafening background sound/music/

That was a lot of Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails is his band's name, but near as I can tell, he IS the band) and I loved it. The Led Zep song at the beginning (Immigrant Song - about Norsemen (. . . get it?)) was perfect. I noticed one of the characters had a NIN - Nine Inch Nails - shirt on.

[Giant Panda]

Not wanting to echo those already named, I'll add that "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was a surprisingly strong film.

[jeremyp]

Not wanting to echo those already named, I'll add that "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was a surprisingly strong film.

Yeah! I was dragged to it by my wife (not another retread of a classic!) yet found it quite entertaining. Sirkis trumps Framo.

[lonewolf]

but, my data is encryped!

(oh, please)

or something like that... one of the great movie lines of all time.

Yep, love that line. I think just said "So?"

[jeremyp]

Finally got to see the copied Yank version of Dragon Tattoo. Grandfather Rooney (Pittsburgh Steeler's founder) would've been proud/shocked, at Mara's performance. For me the original Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) will stay as one of the most enduring memories of any female movie character. Mara was great, Rapace was slightly more feral and steely. Hope they do #2&#3. The second one opens up most of Lisbeth's history and she gets to meet up with daddy again and do her thing.

Also saw Margin Call and Paris at Midnight. Margin Call had great acting but lacked in passion. The Woody Allen movie was..... a Woody Allen movie.

[Marlow]

The Woody Allen movie was..... a Woody Allen movie.

There are several people who, if associated with a movie, I will not see it:

Woody
as aforementioned, QT
Sasha Baron Cohen (sp?)
Adam Sandler
Rob Schneider (can't believe he just got his own TV show)

[lonewolf]

The Woody Allen movie was..... a Woody Allen movie.

There are several people who, if associated with a movie, I will not see it:

Woody
as aforementioned, QT
Sasha Baron Cohen (sp?)
Adam Sandler
Rob Schneider (can't believe he just goet his own TV show)

Hmmmm?????
Marlow and I do not always agree on the merits of a movie/film but my no-go list is almost identical. I would add Russell Brand (I think that is his name..just filed for divorce from Katie Perry)
(I think that is her name)

[jeremyp]

The Woody Allen movie was..... a Woody Allen movie.

There are several people who, if associated with a movie, I will not see it:

Woody
as aforementioned, QT
Sasha Baron Cohen (sp?)
Adam Sandler
Rob Schneider (can't believe he just goet his own TV show)

Hmmmm?????
Marlow and I do not always agree on the merits of a movie/film but my no-go list is almost identical. I would add Russell Brand (I think that is his name..just filed for divorce from Katie Perry)
(I think that is her name)

I'd add Nicholas Cage to that list: Mickey Rourke: David Caruso.

[Marlow]

I'd add Nicholas Cage to that list

Oh come on, he's so camp now; he's fun to watch now! Rourke was great in The Wrestler.

[Giant Panda]

Nobody saw The Tree of Life?

[Marlow]

Nobody saw The Tree of Life?

It made the 10 WORST list!

[jeremyp]

Nobody saw The Tree of Life?

I did. The parts were the actors where on Earth I thought was good. Pitt was good as a stern father. Once Malick went to the after life I got bored. I also thought the birth of the universe was disconnected to the central movie. It's a good chat movie for artie cinephiles but one of those I ain't. Pas moi!

[jeremyp]

I'd add Nicholas Cage to that list

Oh come on, he's so camp now; he's fun to watch now! Rourke was great in The Wrestler.

I gag on camp. Never saw, nor wanted to, The Wrestler. I'm sure Rourke was competent as a has been; he gets to play himself.

[kalvin111]

My favorite movies of 2011 are
Immortals
Warrior
Kung Fu panda 2
Insidious
Fast Five
Hangover part 2
Mission impossible Ghost protocol
and now i am waiting for Loosies that will be releasing on 11th of January 2012. so that i can download loosies movie

[jeremyp]

Just saw Tinker, Tailor.... Slow off the mark and a tad complicated ( for those who saw the original but forgot most of it) but well worth the while of those who don't want action, inane dialog, sex, CGI. To my surprise the theater in Florida was chock a bloc with old timers for a 12:50 p.m. showing. And no-one got up and left! Congrats to our British cousins.

[lonewolf]

Ditto. just saw Tinker, Tailor...I did not know there had been an earlier movie and it has been 30 or 40 years since I read the book so I don't remember how true it was to the book..
It did start slow... got better but will not displace Dragoon Tattoo in my list.

[jeremyp]

Ditto. just saw Tinker, Tailor...I did not know there had been an earlier movie and it has been 30 or 40 years since I read the book so I don't remember how true it was to the book..
It did start slow... got better but will not displace Dragoon Tattoo in my list.

Actually it was a TV series, available on Netflix, starring Alec Guiness.

[Marlow]

Ditto. just saw Tinker, Tailor...I did not know there had been an earlier movie and it has been 30 or 40 years since I read the book so I don't remember how true it was to the book..
It did start slow... got better but will not displace Dragoon Tattoo in my list.

Actually it was a TV series, available on Netflix, starring Alec Guiness.

Just saw it, the 75WMC sez:

This is what you get when you opt for style over substance – all mood, atmosphere, faux suspense, and absolutely nothing to sink your teeth into. The characters have so little back-story that we really don’t care WHO the mole is. The film didn’t either, as the revelation comes anti-climactically. Gary Oldman, the lead, appears to have terminal botox; I don’t think he changed his expression for the entire two hours. All in all, totally non-engaging.

[Giant Panda]

I stopped watching Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy it was so tedious. Didn't walk out just sat there thinking other things. It really nailed how dreary it was being a gay spy in the nineteen-seventies when life was full of furtive and unconsummated beige repetitions. And oh look there's a song playing and its the punchline roll the credits.

[Halfmiler2]

I haven't seen Tinker Tailor yet but my first reaction was that it would be very diffcult to fit in a two-hour movie. Wasn't the television series about six hours?

As I said on another thread, I mostly see movies with our two boys these days. My top pick for 2011 is Hugo with honorable mentions to Captain America and Tin-TIn.

[jeremyp]

[

Gary Oldman, the lead, appears to have terminal botox; I don’t think he changed his expression for the entire two hours. All in all, totally non-engaging.

Neither did Alec Guiness. Perhaps you don't know much about Smiley and why his wife left him..... for some excitement. I think cramming a Le Carre book and series into a movie is going to result in a mad rush to tie all of LeC's miriad plot lines together, and a shortening on character development, but in the end it is very much a LeCarre movie, and not for those who are looking for action. I'm more of a Tom Clancy fan myself. They make better movies.
Le Carre needs a TV series to fill out all the wonderful nuances.

[lonewolf]

[Le Carre needs a TV series to fill out all the wonderful nuances.

Yep. My sentiments exactly. Too much background lost in fitting into a movie.

[kuha]

Just saw Dragon Tattoo; tough subject, but beautifully made. I loved the "Blow-Up" aspect of looking for clues in old photographs. I always want Lisbeth on my side...

[Per Andersen]

[Le Carre needs a TV series to fill out all the wonderful nuances.

Yep. My sentiments exactly. Too much background lost in fitting into a movie.

Yes, too much stuff to cover. All in all I found it disappointing.

I sure hope they never try filming "A Perfect Spy" He went over the top with that one. I loved him through "Smiley's People" but that was it for me.

But I never get tired of watching "The Spy who came in from the Cold" with Burton. Still his best book in my opinion.

[jeremyp]

But I never get tired of watching "The Spy who came in from the Cold" with Burton. Still his best book in my opinion.

Certainly his most concise and focused one. In the movie I loved Oskar Werner!

[jeremyp]

Medication alert!

[lonewolf]

There has been a rash of these strange posts lately, some with headings unrelated to the thread title.. how does that happen?

[jeremyp]

There has been a rash of these strange posts lately, some with headings unrelated to the thread title.. how does that happen?

We have been hacked by the Chinese! Surrender now!