My Top Five Movies of 2011: A Year-Long Project (Update)
For 2011, I'm keeping an ongoing list of my top five movies, continuously updated with each new movie that I see. There are very few rules to this. Movies are only eligible if I've seen them. And only movies with 2011 release dates are considered. For example, I saw The King's Speech in 2011, but it had a 2010 release date. Not eligible for this project.
This update actually includes a bunch of new additions. Since the last update, I saw The Hangover: Part II and X-Men: First Class in theaters. I also realized that I should be counting movies I saw on video in this list too. You'll find I Am Number Four and Drive Angry in the "Didn't make the cut" part of the list.
1. X-Men: First Class. The fact that superhero movies are so far dominating my Top Five list is a sure sign that we haven't hit Oscar-caliber release time. While I previously said Thor was Marvel's best superhero movie since Iron Man, X-Men: First Class now stands as the best superhero movie since The Dark Knight, period. Marvel and Fox owe director Matthew Vaughn a huge debt of gratitude for rescuing a franchise that Brett Ratner and Wolverine managed to almost destroy. After seeing X-Men: First Class, fans are definitely going to wonder what Vaughn would've done with X-Men 3 had he stayed on board.
The cast of this movie is phenomenal. James McAvoy is great, but Inglourious Basterds' Michael Fassbender dominates the movie as Erik/Magneto. The young mutants were cast just about perfectly. Really, the only complaint about the acting in this movie would be January Jones. But then again, I'm sure they didn't cast Don Draper's ex for her acting chops. There's also an awesome cameo in the film (which is also the PG-13 picture's brilliant use of its one allotted f-word).
X2 still stands as the X-Men's greatest cinematic achievement, but X-Men: First Class comes pretty damn close. Vaughn has already said this film is the Batman Begins of a new trilogy, so we'll have to see what he has planned for a follow-up.
2. Thor. I'd still see Thor again. And I can't wait to see the character in The Avengers. So far, Marvel's collection of superheroes is winning the summer of 2011. We'll get to see what DC has in store with Green Lantern in a few weeks.
3. Source Code. Source Code continues to hold up well. Apparently the film can only be bested by super-powered heroes on my list.
4. The Adjustment Bureau. As I teased in the last installment of my Top Five, The Adjustment Bureau reclaims its spot above The Conspirator. The Adjustment Bureau had something special to it. In the end, The Conspirator didn't.
5. The Hangover: Part II. Yes, this movie is almost an exact replica of the original. Yes, you could predict a lot of what was going to happen. But it made me laugh like crazy. And you have to appreciate the chemistry Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis have.
Didn't make the cut: I Am Number Four, The Conspirator, Sucker Punch, No Strings Attached, The Green Hornet, Drive Angry.
Previous rankings
May 7
April 16
April 2
This update actually includes a bunch of new additions. Since the last update, I saw The Hangover: Part II and X-Men: First Class in theaters. I also realized that I should be counting movies I saw on video in this list too. You'll find I Am Number Four and Drive Angry in the "Didn't make the cut" part of the list.
1. X-Men: First Class. The fact that superhero movies are so far dominating my Top Five list is a sure sign that we haven't hit Oscar-caliber release time. While I previously said Thor was Marvel's best superhero movie since Iron Man, X-Men: First Class now stands as the best superhero movie since The Dark Knight, period. Marvel and Fox owe director Matthew Vaughn a huge debt of gratitude for rescuing a franchise that Brett Ratner and Wolverine managed to almost destroy. After seeing X-Men: First Class, fans are definitely going to wonder what Vaughn would've done with X-Men 3 had he stayed on board.
The cast of this movie is phenomenal. James McAvoy is great, but Inglourious Basterds' Michael Fassbender dominates the movie as Erik/Magneto. The young mutants were cast just about perfectly. Really, the only complaint about the acting in this movie would be January Jones. But then again, I'm sure they didn't cast Don Draper's ex for her acting chops. There's also an awesome cameo in the film (which is also the PG-13 picture's brilliant use of its one allotted f-word).
X2 still stands as the X-Men's greatest cinematic achievement, but X-Men: First Class comes pretty damn close. Vaughn has already said this film is the Batman Begins of a new trilogy, so we'll have to see what he has planned for a follow-up.
2. Thor. I'd still see Thor again. And I can't wait to see the character in The Avengers. So far, Marvel's collection of superheroes is winning the summer of 2011. We'll get to see what DC has in store with Green Lantern in a few weeks.
3. Source Code. Source Code continues to hold up well. Apparently the film can only be bested by super-powered heroes on my list.
4. The Adjustment Bureau. As I teased in the last installment of my Top Five, The Adjustment Bureau reclaims its spot above The Conspirator. The Adjustment Bureau had something special to it. In the end, The Conspirator didn't.
5. The Hangover: Part II. Yes, this movie is almost an exact replica of the original. Yes, you could predict a lot of what was going to happen. But it made me laugh like crazy. And you have to appreciate the chemistry Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis have.
Didn't make the cut: I Am Number Four, The Conspirator, Sucker Punch, No Strings Attached, The Green Hornet, Drive Angry.
Previous rankings
May 7
April 16
April 2
My Top Five Movies of 2011: A Year-Long Project (Update)
Reviewed by Bill Kuchman
on
6/04/2011
Rating:
Reviewed by Bill Kuchman
on
6/04/2011
Rating:
Awful taste in movies. You are the reason this country is going down the drain...
ReplyDeleteThanks, man. You're my hero.
ReplyDelete