Rango

Rango

First time animated film director, Gore Verbinski (also the director of the first three "Pirates of The Caribbean" films), actually pulled off making one of the best animated films of last year. Fans of the western genre will be as pleased with this one as animation fans. The name "Rango" probably comes from the western classic "Django", but Clint Eastwood in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" comes just as often to mind while watching the lead character in this film. Check this one out if you haven't. (7 out of 10) 

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

I am not a big fan of Hollywood franchises, but I have enjoyed the previous "Mission: Impossible" films. None of them were great, but we knew what to expect and it delivered just that: mindless, action-packed fun. Therefore I totally get that this flick, at this point, is the most rented film in the US, but I am not quite getting the 93% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Anyway, there are many things that I don't get, so I'll just cut it even shorter than I am used to by simply saying that this one delivers exactly what the previous films did. (6 out of 10) 

Swinging with the Finkels

Swinging With The Finkels
There are probably a lot of actors who've been in films, which have a zero % rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but there certainly aren't many who've managed that twice in the same year. Mandy Moore is one, though, as this flick along with "Love Wedding Marrage" did just that in 2011. And I can only agree with the critics on this one. It's simply painfully bad and doesn't deliver on any of its promises, least of anything the swinging part. Skip it. (1 out of 10)

Love Wedding Marriage

Love Wedding Marriage

The first time I came aware of Mandy Moore was in "A Walk To Remember", which was an overly sentimental chick-flick that had me cry like a baby. Needless to say, I am not afraid to say that I really liked that film even though most people will laugh at me for saying so. After that film, however, I don't recall having seen Mandy Moore in anything worthwile and in "Love Wedding Marriage" is has reached rock bottom for her and can't possibly get any worse. "Love Wedding Marriage" is a horrible, horrible film. Don't believe me? Well, believe the critics then. This film as a zero % rating on Rotten Tomatoes. (1 out of 10)

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

This was one of the films that were nominated for an Oscar for best film. Of course, it didn't win and no one even thought it had a chance. The reviewers have also been pretty divided on this one. Some have given it good reviews, while quite a few have been trashing it for being overly sentimental. Sure, I can see where those reviewers are coming from, because, quite frankly, this film is overly sentimental. I would even go as far as saying that it is emotionally manipulative, but even when being aware of this, I can't help but fall in love with the story about this boy who has lost his father and is searching for answers. (8 out of 10) 

The Trouble With Bliss

The Trouble With Bliss

Although I haven't found time for more than the first four seasons of "Dexter", I must tell you that I am a huge fan of the show. Michael C. Hall is just fantastic in that show and I would've guessed that he'd be a huge star in no time after the first season. That didn't happen though, although he got a big break in Hollywood film "Gamer", which sadly sucked pretty badly. In "The Trouble With Bliss" he is kind of back in his old element and delivers a great performance. The overall story of the film, however, lacks something extra to really make this indie flick not just being another face in the crowd. (5 out of 10)

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

My biggest problem with Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies is that they just don't feel like Sherlock Holmes. They're just way too comic and overblown. Of course, it's supposed to be like that, but even though I am not a big Sherlock Holmes expert, I am quite sure that I would have liked a traditional Sherlock Holmes crime story just as much as this. The final 30 minutes of this film, however, are quite entertaining, but it is empty entertainment. As for the rest of the film, it just didn't capture my attention as it should have. I miss the good old Guy Ritchie (5 out of 10)

The Divide

The Divide

In this violent, graphic and claustrophobic thriller, 9 people seek shelter after a nuclear attack in a bunker-like basement. This film is not easy on the eyes. It's full of blood, gore, torture and rape. To some people this may seem really promising, but it really isn't. This film is rather repetitive and is at least half an hour to long. At times it even feels like they've just come up with things as they've went along. The film is probably an interesting human behavior study or something like that, but it would've come across better if it was shorter and more to the point. The final ten minutes of the film, however, is pretty much perfect cinema, with picture and sounds colliding in wonderful harmony. (5 out of 10)

Haywire

Haywire

Steven Soderberg is a great film director, but he has both made hits and misses in the past. With an as great cast as the one in "Haywire", one could only expect this one to be fantastic. To be honest, though, I think it's fair to say that "Haywire" is neither a hit nor miss. It's actually one of those in between movies, which is not bad, but not that great either. Fans of the spy-thriller genre will like it, but would probably watch "The Bourne Identity" any day over this. (6 out of 10)

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids

"Bridesmaids" is yet another film in a long line of films about weddings. I wouldn't normally be expecting much from such a film, but after all the hype when it came out last year, I was actually starting to get my hopes up and although it was quite humorous, I couldn't help but feeling a little bit disappointed, as it certainly wasn't the masterpiece some people would have me believe it to be. Having said that, however, I must admit, that it was a breath of fresh air compared to most of the other films within the genre lately. (6 out of 10)

John Carter

John Carter

Wow, for a Disney film this was really something else. It's an adrenaline-pumping and action-packed sci-fi and fantasy film full of special effects, which isn't quite what I have come to expect from Disney. But even though this is quite something else for a Disney film, this really is rather typical when it comes to Hollywood, though. This is the first live-action feature from Andrew Stanton, who's widely known for directing animated films such as "Wall-E" and "Finding Nemo" and writing screenplays for the "Toy Story" films. Personally, I think he should keep his focus on animated projects in the future. (3 out of 10)

Take Shelter

Take Shelter

"Take Shelter" was one of my favorite movies of 2011 and by saying that I mean somewhere on my top 20 list. Obviously the film has a great story, it is directed very well and has good acting all over, but the number one reason for me to fall in love with this film was the outstanding performance of leading role actor, Michael Shannon, who plays a loving father and husband who's pushed to the edge of sanity and beyond after starting having nightmares of a forthcoming apocalyptic storm. The movie builds up slowly, but delivers and everything and more towards the end. (8 out of 10)

Goon

Goon

Let there be no doubt about it: "Goon" is a sports movie, but it's not a sports movie that is as typical and by-the-book as most sports movies. Okay, being a comedy and having Seann William Scott the leading role automatically gives it a goofy touch, but don't go expecting anything along the lines of "American Pie" or anything like that. Actually, despite its comic and brutal touch, it's probably the most serious I've seen Seann William Scott. I don't think this film is as good as the critics have claimed, but it's one of the better indie comedies so far this year. Those who liked the hockey film, "Slap Shot", will probably love "Goon" as well. (6 out of 10)

Hanna

Hanna

"Hanna" is a highly entertaining and adrenaline-pumping thriller and while the story may be a little crazy and the film itself is a bit unsteady as a whole, it's definitely worth a watch. If you're into all those European style thrillers, "Hanna" will definitely be your thing, but if was to advise you to see another cat and mouse type of thriller that is better than this one, I'd ask you to check out the independent British film "A Lonely Place to Die" first. (6 out of 10)

Wuthering Heights

Having only seen the short "Wasp" and her previous feature film "Fish Tank" and having loved both of them, I was excited to see the new film by Andrea Arnold, which is different from the previous ones, as it moves from modern day lower-middleclass day to day lives and takes us back in time in a costume drama. Personally, I liked what Andrea Arnold did in the other two films better, but this film is still worth a watch and probably as good as the better known "Jane Eyre". (6 out 10)

96 Minutes

96 Minutes

"96 Minutes" - which opened in American theaters today in a limited release and will be released on DVD on May 29 - is not a great film in any way and probably one that people won't be remembering for a long time. However, it is an adrenaline-kicking thriller that will definitely have you entertained if it's that sort of thing you're into. Me? I liked it. (7 out of 10)

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo

How many films are there about rich, spoiled young American girls who travel to Europe for the summer? Well, I don't know, but there are plenty and if you thought you couldn't possibly find anything worse than "Letters To Juliet" or "When in Rome", then you were wrong, because "Monte Carlo" is, apart from some shots of beautiful European locations, quite simply as bad as it could possibly get. (1 out of 10) 

Spork

Spork

I've said it before, but I can say it again: I am not a big fan of musicals, although I can enjoy one whenever there is one that is actually worthwhile. Some of my favorite musicals include, "Grease", "The Sound of Music" and "Moulin Rouge”. Unfortunately, "Spork" isn't anywhere near the league of the aforementioned, but, frankly speaking; I wasn't expecting it to be either. That said, I did expect it to be better than it is. I guess they wanted this to be the funny and not-so-politically-correct version of "Glee" or "High School Musical", but unfortunately it isn't better. (3 out of 10)

Another Earth

Another Earth

Like 2010's "Monsters", "Another Earth" is a lo-fi sci-fi flick that is actually more drama than sci-fi. So don't be expecting anything action-packed here. Instead think "Melancholia", but only better and not quite as depressing, although this is definitely not a feel-good film. With good sci-fi films such as "The Adjustment Bureau", "Source Code", "In Time" and the aforementioned "Melancholia coming out last year, one should think that an independent picture like this one couldn't stand a chance, but, the fact of the matter is, that "Another Earth" was actually the best sci-fi film of all last year. (8 out of 10)

  

Paul Goodman Changed My Life

Paul Goodman Changed My Life

I am sure Paul Goodman changed the life of people that passed his way, either if it was through his writings or if it was in his presence, but this documentary surely didn't change mine. I have huge respect for Paul's anti-war opinions and his honestly about his homosexual desires, while also being a husband and a father, but for a big part of this documentary things just aren't interesting enough. I think this one could and should've been better. (6 out of 10)