Best and Worst Films of 2011
by mad_mandonna | created - 17 Jun 2011 | updated - 31 Dec 2011 | PublicMy best and worst films of the year. These are only films that I have watched this year and they have of been viewed at the cinema from Janurary 2011 till December 2011. Enjoy.
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1. The King's Speech (2010)
R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.
Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi
Votes: 707,846 | Gross: $138.80M
Moving, funny and imaculately acted. A truly incredible film and this is coming from a British person who hates the royals. I literally can not fault it. 10/10
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
PG-13 | 130 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.
Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon
Votes: 948,204 | Gross: $381.01M
Best in the series. It ends on a soaring high note. 9/10
3. Black Swan (2010)
R | 108 min | Drama, Thriller
Nina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.
Director: Darren Aronofsky | Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder
Votes: 824,428 | Gross: $106.95M
Stunning, entertaining and original. Though at times a liitle messy, there is no denying this is masterpiece. 9/10
4. True Grit (2010)
PG-13 | 110 min | Drama, Western
A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer.
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin
Votes: 357,447 | Gross: $171.24M
Beautifully directed and acted. The young girl plays a role so suberbly thats well beyond her years. A truly beautiful film. 9/10
5. Bridesmaids (I) (2011)
R | 125 min | Comedy
Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.
Director: Paul Feig | Stars: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Terry Crews
Votes: 309,136 | Gross: $169.11M
Makes the hang over look foolish. This is one of the funniest films I've seen in ages. I literally cried with laughter. 9/10
6. Tangled (2010)
PG | 100 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The magically long-haired Rapunzel has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.
Directors: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard | Stars: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman
Votes: 494,071 | Gross: $200.82M
A mix of old Disney and new Disney makes Rupunzels story so very fun and charming. It feels like disney have truly found their feet again and its so good to see. 8/10
7. The Help (2011)
PG-13 | 146 min | Drama
An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.
Director: Tate Taylor | Stars: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard
Votes: 492,686 | Gross: $169.71M
Very sweet, emotional and heart warming. Its a rare thing in films these days to be so simple and yet so poignant. Truly great. 8/10
8. X: First Class (2011)
PG-13 | 131 min | Action, Sci-Fi
In the 1960s, superpowered humans Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr work together to find others like them, but Erik's vengeful pursuit of an ambitious mutant who ruined his life causes a schism to divide them.
Director: Matthew Vaughn | Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
Votes: 723,513 | Gross: $146.41M
Cool as a cucumber and smarter than your average comic book movie. A great return to form for the series, I literally cannot recommend this film more highly. 8/10
9. Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
PG | 90 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first the Dragon Warrior must come to terms with his past.
Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson | Stars: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman
Votes: 320,599 | Gross: $165.25M
A great little bit of comedy and action keep the sequel light hearted and in some ways better than the first. 8/10
10. Hanna (2011)
PG-13 | 111 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A sixteen-year-old girl who was raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe, tracked by a ruthless intelligence agent and her operatives.
Director: Joe Wright | Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Vicky Krieps
Votes: 206,838 | Gross: $40.26M
With its feet firmly in the ground this film could have been awful, but clever direction and great action ensure this slightly overlong ride isn't a dull one. 8/10
11. Scream 4 (2011)
R | 111 min | Comedy, Horror, Mystery
Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.
Director: Wes Craven | Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Lucy Hale
Votes: 171,158 | Gross: $38.18M
I am surprised by the mixed response from critics. The film manages to be engaging and clever and retain its usual flair for comedy. I loved it! 7/10
12. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
PG | 107 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Intrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg
Votes: 243,182 | Gross: $77.59M
A fun albeit childish film, with a real Steven Speilberg feel to it. It runs out of steam a little because of its stupidly long running time, but its still a grand adventure. 7/10
13. Super 8 (2011)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
During the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.
Director: J.J. Abrams | Stars: Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney
Votes: 367,472 | Gross: $127.00M
It has its moments but generally the pacing of the film is a bit off. The excitement doesn't quite reach the points it should and the more dramatic moments aren't great. But its nice to see a film of this kind out at the moment. 7/10
14. Limitless (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Sci-Fi, Thriller
A mysterious pill that enables the user to access 100% of his brain's abilities transforms a struggling writer into a financial wizard, but it also puts him in a new world with many dangers.
Director: Neil Burger | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Votes: 612,265 | Gross: $79.25M
Not as clever as it thinks it is, however for thriller this is up there with some other great movies. And it manages to keep its originality, all in all I give it a round of applause. 7/10
15. Hugo (2011)
PG | 126 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
In 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Lee, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 336,793 | Gross: $73.86M
A surprising and sweet film. Not at all what I was expecting and iin a way it did not meet my expectations, but well made and a very interesting plot. 7/10
16. Fair Game (I) (2010)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama, Thriller
CIA operative Valerie Plame discovers her identity is allegedly leaked by the government as payback for an op-ed article her husband wrote criticizing the Bush administration.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Sonya Davison, Vanessa Chong
Votes: 51,049 | Gross: $9.53M
A beautifully shot film and well performed, but slight coherency problems and pacing hold it back from true greatness. A shame, because Naomi Watts is great. 7/10
17. Thor (2011)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Fantasy
The powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Votes: 900,003 | Gross: $181.03M
Brilliantly done. Very funny and great action even if the storyline is really very stupid. 7/10
18. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier, transforms into Captain America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a warmonger and a terrorist organization.
Director: Joe Johnston | Stars: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson, Hayley Atwell
Votes: 896,630 | Gross: $176.65M
Its ok. The I love America motif gets old fast, but generally not a completely unlikeable film. 6/10
19. Horrible Bosses (2011)
R | 98 min | Comedy, Crime
Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Steve Wiebe
Votes: 469,643 | Gross: $117.54M
Great premise is marred by slightly obvious execution. A real dissappointment, but there is still lots to like here. 6/10
20. Bad Teacher (2011)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Romance
A lazy, incompetent middle school teacher who hates her job, her students, and her co-workers is forced to return to teaching to make enough money for breast implants after her wealthy fiancé dumps her.
Director: Jake Kasdan | Stars: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake, Lucy Punch
Votes: 212,624 | Gross: $100.29M
An amusing film. Though I can't help think they could have gone further, and yet held back a bit. A bit of a mess, but still very much enjoyable. 6/10
21. Mother's Day (I) (2010)
R | 112 min | Drama, Horror, Thriller
The sadistic members of a villainous family return to their childhood home to terrorize the new home owners and their guests.
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman | Stars: Rebecca De Mornay, Jaime King, Shawn Ashmore, Briana Evigan
Votes: 18,376
Had the plot been better thought through this could have been a much bigger success. 6/10
22. Sucker Punch (2011)
PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A young girl institutionalized by her abusive stepfather retreats to an alternative reality as a coping strategy and envisions a plan to help her escape.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone
Votes: 252,728 | Gross: $36.39M
I actually really enjoyed this. Its fun and action packed, with a fairly decent idea in its head. Execution could have done with a bit more flair and story should have been slightly reworked, but generally enjoyable. 6/10
23. Attack the Block (2011)
R | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion.
Director: Joe Cornish | Stars: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Leeon Jones
Votes: 111,411 | Gross: $1.02M
Creative writing and funny jokes save this from mediocrity. 6/10
24. Green Lantern (2011)
PG-13 | 114 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Reckless test pilot Hal Jordan is granted an alien ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers that inducts him into an intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.
Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong
Votes: 296,093 | Gross: $116.60M
Misses the mark massively. Just go see Thor or Xmen again if I were you. 5/10
25. New Year's Eve (2011)
PG-13 | 118 min | Comedy, Romance
The lives of several couples and singles in New York City intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.
Director: Garry Marshall | Stars: Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Michelle Pfeiffer
Votes: 89,856 | Gross: $54.54M
Horribly misguided film, lacking in laughs and hap hazzardly put together. Not worth the cost of a cinema ticket and not a film you'd want to watch whilst drinking copius amounts of alcohol like most people do on NYE, though alcohol may have made it better. 4/10
26. The Hangover Part II (2011)
R | 102 min | Comedy
Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.
Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha
Votes: 534,513 | Gross: $254.46M
Funny. But it was far too similar to the first one and smoking monkeys are never funny. At least the expectations for part 3 will be lower. 4/10
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