The blog post all Reel Nerd fans have been waiting for…Ryan’s complete list of movies he saw in 2011! They are ranked from 59-1, yes I saw 59 movies this year( I did cheat and have My Week With Marilyn included). I really enjoyed movies this year. I was surprised by many movies and disappointed by a few. Brad that this year was ok, I actually think this has been a strong year for movies and that’s why this list took a little longer to put together. So sit back, grab a Coke and some popcorn and enjoy my list. Better yet tell me if you agree or not. If you would like to hear what I had to say about my top 10 movies of the year, please download my awesome podcast on itunes. Just search Reel Nerds(I guess you can agree with James or Brad as their choices are also on the cast…)
59. Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1: This is a terrible movie and it’s made by people who should know better. If Anna Kendrick and Billy Burke were not in this movie it would be worse. Wooden acting, terrible directing, sloppy editing, and no redeeming qualities make this not only the worst movie of the year but also the most painful to sit through.
58. Creature: Yes this is a terrible movie, but the reason this is ranked higher then Twilight is because at least this movie had no money and wasn’t trying to be something it’s not. Don’t see this movie unless you want to see one of the worst movies of all time, almost as bad as House of the Dead.
57. The Rum Diary: Talk about bad editing. This movie jumps all over the place and not even Johnny Depp can save this piece of shit. Like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, I think some people will say they like this movie but they will be lying because like Fear and Loathing this movie sucks.
56. happythankyoumoreplease: Yes that’s the actual title of this boring and unoriginal movie. Josh Radnor whom I like in How I Met Your Mother, is the writer and director of this snooze fest. He tries so hard to make this movie ‘independent’ that it’s really distracting.
55. The Mechanic: See only for Ben Foster, other then that typical Jason Statham fair, which is not a good movie.
54. Drive Angry: The writer of Jason X writes a B-Movie starring Nic Cage and it is not good. Some cool gore though. And Cage has sex with a lady and shots bad guys while she is riding him, so there’s that.
53. No Strings Attached: It’s cool seeing Natalie Portman not take herself so seriously but the movie is meh.
52. Immortals: One cool scene has Helios making people explode by using a whip. Not enough to keep it from being below average.
51. Just Go With It: I like Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston and the movie is funny at parts but not quite enough to rise it above other rom-coms.
50. Green Lantern: Until DC learns how to write comic characters like Marvel, they will be stuck with only one amazing film franchise and that’s Nolan’s Batman(not Burton’s don’t get me started). Oa looks good though.
49. Your Highness: It’s silly and you get to see Natalie Portman’s butt so it’s not too bad. It just feels like it could’ve been funnier.
48. Insidious: The demons are cool looking and the ending is cool. Some clichés keep it from the top however.
47. Change-Up: The best part if this movie is watching Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman play each other. Other then that it’s typical body switching stuff. And what’s up with CGI boobs?
46. The Sitter: This movie has more heart then you might expect and it is really funny at parts.
45. Hugo: Can you say overrated?
44. Water For Elephants: Ok period piece and Christophe Waltz is great to no ones surprise.
43. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: A big disappointment. Again Johnny Depp cannot save this movie, and the tacked on romance is really annoying.
42. Cedar Rapids: The acting is really good but the movie is really boring, it tries to be Up In The Air but it can’t reach those heights, hey oh!
41. Cowboys and Aliens: So much potential but it falters at the twist. I do really like Harrison Ford in this movie.
40. 30 Minutes or Less: This movie is fun but with so many other great movies this year it is somewhat forgettable.
39. Cars 2: Not as bad as some would have you believe, just not as good as Pixar’s other movies. But I would watch this 100 more times then have to suffer through another Shrek.
38. Bridesmaids: A lot of people love this movie and there are some truly great moments but it doesn’t quite do it for me.
37. Hobo With A Shotgun: Brad’s favorite movie from 2011 is different and a blast( I did it again! Pun after pun!) but towards the end it gets really weird and that hurts it’s ranking for me.
36. The Thing: I liked this movie more then I thought I would. There are some great tension filled scenes and it is a fun movie.
35. Super: Another one of Brad’s favorites and it is a cool movie. The reason it isn’t higher on my list is it’s a hard movie to recommend. I do like it but I don’t think I would show it to my mother.
34. Transformers: Dark Of The Moon: I do not like this franchise, but the action is amazing and it’s one of the only movies that I think 3D actually adds something to it. And there is a sweet Fatality at the end, Optimus Prime rips Megatron’s head off with his spinal column hanging from his severed head, excellent!
33. Winnie The Pooh: This movie is so cute. It is also wonderfully animated. I miss animation like this and I love that Disney has started to produce hand drawn animation again.
32. Young Adult: Patton Oswalt is very good in this movie but it’s hard to really get behind a movie where the main character is such a bitch.
31. The Hangover II: The Wolf Pack is funny and a little darker this time.
30. Attack The Block: Fun little British movie. I like the kids and the monsters are really creative.
29. A Very Harold And Kumar Christmas: I hate stoners and drug movies…but for some reason I love the Harold and Kumar movies.
28. Scream 4: I really like the Scream franchise and this movie fits nicely into the Scream lore. The ending actually fooled me and the dialogue is as snappy as ever.
27. Fast Five: Take a lame franchise with a bad actor as it’s lead and add a little Rock and you have one of the most surprising movies of the year. This franchise needed a shot in the arm and The Rock provided it. Also it has some sweet car chases.
26. My Week With Marilyn: I saw this movie this week but it came out last year(see Brad I included a 2011 movie in my 2011 list, burn!) and I was surprised how good it was. Michelle Williams is fantastic and a sight to behold on screen.
25. The Muppets: Fun movie that proves sometimes all you need is a happy song.
24. War Horse: Great movie and well worth a viewing. Sometimes Spielberg is so good you can take him for granted.
23. Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Another movie that surprised me with how good it was. It has a clunky title but the movie is fantastic.
22. Horrible Bosses: Super funny despite it’s dark premise, I mean Jamie Foxx’s character’s name is Mutha Fuckin’ Jones.
21. Paul: Funny Sci-Fi movie with two of my favorite leads, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It also has some great cameos and winks at classic sci-fi movies.
20. Red State: Such a risk by Kevin Smith, but he pulls it off. Extra points because he brought it to Denver so we got to watch it with him and engage in a Q&A afterwards, never forget that experience.
19. The Adjustment Bureau: I really liked this movie. The two leads Matt Damon and Emily Blunt have amazing chemistry. Give this movie a shot it’s worth it.
18. 50/50: Cancer funny? Not really but this movie is and it also has plenty of heart. All the actors are on top of their game.
17. The Adventures Of Tintin: My favorite animated movie of the year. It’s really fun to see what Spielberg did when he wasn’t hindered by the physical world.
16. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop: I really interesting look at the inner workings of a comic genius and the pressures that come with it. I highly recommend this documentary for Conan’s fans and anyone wondering if they have what it takes to be on tour.
15. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: Robert Downey Jr. has become my favorite actor and he kills it again as the famous detective. Guy Ritchie’s direction is as cool as ever.
14. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Haunting and brutal. Rooney Mara is awesome as Lisbeth. This movie will stay with you long after the credits stop.
13. Moneyball: Brad Pitt is so good in this movie you forget you are watching Brad Pitt.
12. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil: Horror movie fans will love this movie like me. And casual horror fans will love the play on clichés. Either way this is one of the coolest movies of the year.
11. X-Men: First Class: Hands down the best X-Men movie. This movie is all kinds of cool and so close to being in my top 10. Also one of the greatest cameos ever and the greatest use of fuck in a PG-13 movie.
10. Real Steel: The biggest surprise for me this year was how good this movie was.
9. Fright Night: Another surprise this year, Colin Ferrall is great as the vampire Jerry.
8. Thor: A movie that could be goofy is awesome. Another pleasant surprise on how good this movie is.
7. Crazy, Stupid, Love. : Romantic comedies are hard sales because they are so predictable. This one might seem predictable but it often turns what you know about rom-coms on it’s side. Ryan Gosling and Steve Carrell kill it, and who doesn’t love Emma Stone?
6. Captain America: The First Avenger: I love Steve Rogers and he is played superbly by Chris Evans. Can’t wait for The Avengers.
5. The Artist: Charming. Amazing. Touching. A silent movie with a lot of heart.. This movie must be seen to be appreciated. And who doesn’t love a dog who saves your life.
4. Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol: The Best straight up action movie in years. Tom Cruise still rocks and this movie has many scenes that will leave you breathless.
3. Super 8: Behind the alien story lies one with tons of heart. When kid actors are this good you can’t wait to see what they do next.
2. Drive: This movie is so cool. I want Ryan Gosling’s jacket from this movie and drive as good as him and be as good looking as him…fuck! See this movie it is quiet awesome.
1. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2: An epic ending to an epic film series. Beautiful and heartbreaking, the death of Lord Voldermort is a welcome sight. Harry Potter The Boy Who Lived indeed.