2011: The Best & Worst Movies of the Year

This year in film was a crazy one. Between sequels for just about every big franchise in the known world, we've gotten two Steven Spielberg movies release in the span of mere days, remakes no one asked for that actually turned out really good, two movies that rejoice the silent film era, a whole bunch of nostalgia trips, ballsy films that attempt no less than to show audiences the meaning of all of life, films about hot chicks escaping into their imaginations to avoid being raped, films about tires coming to life to explode people's heads, and the final installment of what is literally the most lucrative franchise in movie history. If that's not a crazy year, I don't know what is.

It certainly was a unique and incredibly interesting year of film, and I'm here to count it all down in what is probably my biggest blog post I've ever written. With 20 of my favorite films of the year, and also my favorite performances, my worst movie of the year, most overrated/underrated, and tons of other miscellaneous crap. Hold your breath, because this is gonna be a long one! The best & worst movies of 2011 begins now...

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2011: The Best & Worst Games of the Year

To say that the holiday season of gaming was overwhelming would be an understatement. With such a ridiculous amount of games coming out within the span of a mere couple of months, it was nigh impossible for the average gamer to keep up with all of the goodness that was coming out all around. And as such, I obviously couldn't play every game to release this year. While I did play some of the big heavy-hitters, I didn't have a chance to check out Uncharted 3 (due to not having a PS3), Modern Warfare 3 (Due to my general dislike for the Call of Duty franchise), and plenty more.

So please be aware reading this that I haven't played every game to be released this year, but you can bet your ass that there were some amazing games that I loved. And I'm going to count them down, and throw in some other fun shit along the way. So here's the year of 2011 in gaming, as determined by I, Enigma Bigglesworth VanNoLastNameInParticular.

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CinEffect Podcast Episode #12

Episode #12: Young Adult, Dogville, Hugo, Skyrim, and Spaced

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. This week, we harken the return of Brady, splooge over Skyrim and Spaced, discuss our favorite actors of the year in our reviews for The Descendants and Young Adult, Chris expresses his hatred for Lars von Trier's Dogville, and conclude with He-Man singing while we confess to being naked the entire show...wait, what?

Subscribe via iTunes

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The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Movie Review

[The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Directed by David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, and Christopher Plummer
MPAA: R - For Brutal Violent Content Including Rape & Torture, Strong Sexuality, Graphic Nudity, and Language]

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Bellflower Movie Review

[Bellflower
Written and Directed by Evan Glodell
Starring: Evan Glodell, Jessie Wiseman, and Tyler Dawson
MPAA: R - For Disturbing Violence, Some Strong Sexuality, Nudity, Pervasive Language, and Some Drug Use]

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CinEffect Podcast Episode #11

Episode #11: Melancholia, VGAs, The Descendants, Hugo, Skyrim, The Muppets, Breaking Dawn

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. This week, Chris & Alex discuss the trailer hype in the VGAs, Chris's addiction to Skyrim, how batshit insane Ichi the Killer and Breaking Dawn are, Alex's hatred for The Boy In The Striped Pajamas, and conclude with an in-depth review of Lars von Trier's Melancholia.

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Melancholia Movie Review

[Melancholia
Written and Directed by: Lars von Trier
Starring: Kirstin Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Kiefer Sutherland
MPAA: R - For Some Graphic Nudity, Sexual Content, and Language]

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Hugo Movie Review

The Following Review Contains Major Spoilers

[Hugo
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Asa Butterfield, & Chloe Grace Moretz
MPAA: PG - For Mild Thematic Material, Some Action/Peril And Smoking]

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To The Moon Review

[To The Moon

Developed by Kan Gao

Published by Freebird Games

ESRB: Not Rated - Contains Some Mild Language]

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Skyrim First Impressions

Tower Heist Movie Review

[Tower Heist

Directed by Brett Ratner
Starring: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Casey Affleck, and Matthew Broderick
MPAA: PG-13 - For Language and Sexual Content]

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Well, the reason why there wasn't a review last weekend was because I was at a college field trip at San Diego. But fear not, people who actually follow my work for some weird reason, for I have seen a new release and plan to review it for you all. The only problem with that is the movie in question was so boring and forgettable that writing a review will be a challenge. But hey, a good challenge should never be turned down, unless that challenge is who can rape the most orphans in a school bus, so I accept.

CinEffect Podcast Episode #10: Halloween Special

Episode #10: Halloween Special, Paranormal Activity 3, American Horror Story, The Walking Dead

Subscribe via iTunes

In this Halloween Special, we go through a crap-ton of classic horror movies, as well as a not-so-good one, discuss the latest horror television shows, and conclude with an in-depth review of Paranormal Activity 3. Happy Halloween, fgts.

Martha Marcy May Marlene Movie Review

[Martha Marcy May Marlene

Written & Directed by Sean Durkin
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, John Hawkes, Sarah Paulson
MPAA: R - For Disturbing Violent and Sexual Content, Nudity, And Language]

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"Fear is the most amazing emotion of all, because it creates perfect awareness of everything."

Submarine Movie Review

[Submarine

Written & Directed by Richard Ayoade
Starring: Craig Roberts, Yasmin Paige, and Sally Hawkins
MPAA: R - For Language And Some Sexual Content]

CinEffect Podcast Episode #9

Episode #9 Drive, 50/50, The Ides of March, Gears of War 3, Breaking Bad, and Contagion

Subscribe via iTunes

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. After a long hiatus, we're back with an extra long episode showcasing all the good shit we've seen over the past few weeks of our absence, as well as some games we've been playing, and television to check out.

The Perfect Scene #1: (500) Days of Summer

There comes a time when you're watching a movie, and the most perfect scene comes on. This scene can be anything. It can be two characters having the most intellectually stimulating conversation you've ever heard, a fight scene with the highest caliber of choreography and visual effects ever conceived, a beautifully poignant and emotional moment that touches your heart like no other; it is The Perfect Scene. And because there are so many Perfect Scenes, rather than making a list like I normally do, I'd like to dedicate an entire post to dedicate one Perfect Scene, and analyze it frame by frame.

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The Ides of March Movie Review

[The Ides of March

Directed by George Clooney

Starring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

MPAA: R - For Pervasive Language]

Trollhunter Movie Review

[Trollhunter
Directed by André Øvredal
Starring: Otto Jespersen, Robert Stoltenberg, Johanna Mørck
MPAA: PG-13 - For Some Sequences of Creature Terror]

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Gears of War 3 Review

[Gears of War 3
Developed by Epic Games
Published by Microsoft Game Studios
ESRB: M - For Blood And Gore, Intense Violence, And Strong Language]

Drive Movie Review

[Drive

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carrey Mulligan, and Ron Perlman
MPAA: R - For Strong Brutal Bloody Violence, Language, And Some Nudity]

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Drive is a rare kind of miracle. It is an action movie that works because of atmosphere and mood. Does it have good action? Yes. Does it have kick-ass car chases in it? Of course. Are the performances any good? Abso-fucking-lutely. But Drive is a director's movie, and director Nicholas Winding Refn (Bronson and the Pusher trilogy) directs the SHIT out of it.

Straw Dogs Movie Review

Warning: To get into great length about what makes Straw Dogs not work (Oh, and btw, Straw Dogs does not work) I'm going to have to get into full length about the plot and more specifically, the ending. Not just of the movie, but also the original Sam Peckinpah-Dustin Hoffman movie that inspired it. So..

SPOILERS FOR STRAW DOGS, THE REMAKE AND THE ORIGINAL

[Straw Dogs
Written and Directed by Rod Lurie
Starring: James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, and Alexander Skarsgaard
MPAA: R - For Strong Brutal Violence Including A Sexual Attack, Menace, Some Sexual Content, and Pervasive Language]

Revisiting Donnie Darko

The Following Contains Spoilers. Please Don't Read This If You Haven't Already Seen The Film.

Last weekend, I revisited an experience that I'll never forget. I went across wormholes, met giant demonic bunny rabbits, flooded my school, attempted time travel, and followed a spherical energy field coming out of my chest into fantastical places. Then after that, I swore off shrooms for good after running my car into a tree and re-watched Donnie Darko to ease me off my crying fetal position of withdrawal and inadequacy.

Meek's Cutoff Movie Review

[Meek's Cutoff
Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Starring: Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, and Paul Dano
MPAA: PG - For Some Mild Violent Content, Brief Language, and Smoking]

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The Top 10 Best Ending Songs Of All Time

Well, I wasn't able to see Contagion today, so here's another Top 10 List!!

You know that moment in an awesome movie when the movie ends, and just when you think it couldn't be more awesome, a kick-ass song that fits perfectly begins to play and makes you love it even more? This list is in honor of that moment.

Today, we look at the top 10 best movie ending songs of all time, not just because they're awesome songs, but because of how well they complement their respective movies. Enjoy.

WARNING: Some Spoilers Abound In Some Of Them

In A Better World Movie Review

[In A BetterWorld
Directed by Susanne Bier
Starring: Mikael Persbandt, Trine Dyrholm, and Markus Rygaard
MPAA: R - For violent and disturbing content some involving preteens, and for language]

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Movie Review

[Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Directed by Troy Nixey
Starring: Bailee Madison, Katie Holmes, and Guy Pearce
MPAA: R - For Violence and Terror]

Climbing The Tree of Life

It's been months since first viewing Terrence Malick's magnum opus The Tree of Life, and it still lingers in the mind. It's a metaphysical pilgrimage, a wonderfully nostalgic ode to childhood, a haunting mood piece, a surrealist drama, a meditative slow burn, and it's the only film I can ever remember that handles the balancing act of being both incredibly disjointed, and wonderfully fluid.

So if you didn't get the memo that I pretty much love everything about this movie to death, let's repeat it: I love everything about this movie to death, the afterlife, and so on and so forth. And since it's been spreading to more and more theaters each week, and it will inevitably be going to be releasing on DVD in one or two months (Hopefully in time to get recognition this coming awards season), I've decided to analyze the film in depth. Some things I will mention are quite obvious to anyone who paid close enough attention to the film, but there are a few shocking revelations that I've interpreted myself that should interest anyone who's seen the film.

**WARNING: Spoilers Abound. DO NOT READ IF YOU DID NOT WATCH IT. BOLD, UNDERLINED, CAPITAL LETTERS.**

Analyzing LIMBO

**WARNING: Spoilers Ahead**

CinEffect Episode #8: Catherine, Crazy Stupid Love, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Future

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. This week, we discuss Atlus's newest game Catherine, the awfulness of Lee Daniels's Shadowboxer, Andy Serkis's exceptional performance in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and conclude with a review of the latest ensemble romantic dramedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. Yes, we hate the word "dramedy" just as much as you do.

Subscribe via iTunes.

The Future Movie Review

[The Future
Directed by Miranda July
Starring: Miranda July and Hamish Linklater
MPAA: R - For Some Sexual Content]

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

[Rise of the Planet of the ApesDirected by Rupert Wyatt
Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, and John Lithgow
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense and Frightening Sequences of Action and Violence]

If there's one thing you're going to hear me say a lot whenever I mention Rise of the Planet of the Apes, it's that it's one of those movies where the performance is better than the movie itself...

The Top 15 Movies You Probably Haven't Tried (That You Should Try)

Some movies unfortunately don't get the recognition they deserve. Whether they end up getting a horrible distribution line-up, terrible marketing, or a straight-to-DVD release can determine the fate of a movie that remains to be completely unseen by the general public. Thankfully, there are lots of hardcore film nerds that like to give the smaller films support, and some of them end up becoming cult classics. But, believe it or not, there are movies that even the biggest movie snob has never heard of. And even if they heard of it, there's no guarantee that they've even actually tried it. So this is a list that is dedicated to the dark horses of the industry. 15 films that even the most knowledgeable movie snobs can admit to not really trying, even if they may have heard of it.

With that in mind, let's begin our odyssey into the unknown...

CinEffect Episode #7: Rubber, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Catherine, Cyrus, and more The Tree of Life

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. This week, we discuss Brady's unconditional dedication to Mass Effect, The Duplass Brothers' Cyrus, our childhood experiences with the Harry Potter franchise and it's final installment, more of Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, and we finish it off with a descent into the insanity that is Rubber.

Subscribe via iTunes.

Captain America: The First Avenger Movie Review

[Captain America: The First Avenger
Directed by Joe Johnston
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Tommy Lee Jones, and Haley Atwell
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Action and Violence]

Rubber Movie Review

 

[Rubber

Directed by Quentin Dupieux

Starring Stephen Spinella, Jack Plotnick, and Wings Hauser 

MPAA: R: For some violent images and language]

CinEffect Episode 6: The Tree of Life, X-Men: First Class, Operation Rainfall, Trenched, and Triangle

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. This week, we review X-Men: First Class, discuss the hidden direct-to-video gem Triangle, get into heated debates about the Operation Rainfall boycott of Nintendo and the Supreme Court ruling of video games as a legitimate art-form, and finally conclude with a philosophically charged in-depth review of Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. A profound episode, to say the least. 

Subscribe via iTunes.

CinEffect Episode #5: Super 8, L.A. Noire, I Saw The Devil, Metro 2033, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Welcome to the Cineffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between.

Subscribe via iTunes. 

I Saw The Devil Movie Review

[I Saw The Devil
Directed by Kim Ji-Woon
Starring: Choi Min-Sik, and Byung Hun-Lee
MPAA: Unrated - Contains graphic violence, nudity, sexuality, and language]

Midnight In Paris Movie Review

 

[Midnight In Paris

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and Marion Cotillard

MPAA: PG-13 - For some sexual references and smoking]

Super 8 Movie Review

[Sorry there hasn't been a review for a while, but I've been busy with stuff like vacations, visiting Washington D.C., oh yeah, and I had a birthday last Wednesday. But fear not, I have seen a movie and it is ready for reviewing, so...better late than never. Enjoy.]

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[Super 8
Directed by JJ Abrams
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning
MPAA: PG-13 - For intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language, and some drug use]

The Tree of Life Movie Review

[The Tree of Life
Directed by Terrence Malick
Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, and introducing Hunter McCracken
MPAA: PG-13: For some thematic material]

Is it possible to review a movie that is, for all intents and purposes, indescribable? Can I properly describe a film in a way that doesn't confine it from the multiple interpretations of its meaning? A film like this, and especially this film in particular, can mean completely different things for completely different kinds of people. Is it a simple family drama? An existentialist journey? A subconscious meditation of memory, both of one's life and the life of the universe? A metaphysical odyssey? A philosophical allegory?

It is all these things and more, which brought me to this encompassing conclusion: The Tree of Life is about everything. About life, nostalgia, love, loss, hatred, anger, nature, grace, forgiveness, redemption, and everything else mentioned in the above paragraph. The Tree of Life is simply a film about all life and everything around it.

CinEffect Episode #4: E3 Predictions, Cannes Round-Up

Welcome to the Cineffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between.

Subscribe via iTunes. 

Priest Movie Review

To say that Priest is a movie is to insult an art form that has produced some of the greatest works of the century. To say that it has a plot would be a disservice to generations of writers who have made unique and interesting stories. And to quote Roger Ebert's review of The Spirit "To call the characters cardboard is to insult a useful packing material". Priest is barely a movie. It's a walking, talking cliche. A film so derivative of just about every sci-fi, horror, and action movie convention on sight that it makes the invention of Star Wars look bad since it was one of the many things that spawned this turd.

Thor Movie Review

Fast Five Movie Review

Here's something odd. People who read my reviews can't seem to tell if I even like to have fun after my jabbings of Battle: Los Angeles. I know! How weird!

Never Let Me Go Movie Review

WARNING: The following review contains a somewhat major spoiler involving Never Let Me Go's strange, original premise. If you've read the Kazuo Ishiguro novel, you'll know what I'm talking about, but if you want to come into the film not knowing what makes Never Let Me Go different from the crowd of period-based romantic dramas, then this review is probably not for you.

With that in mind, let's begin...

Cineffect Episode #3: Four Lions, Portal 2, FLCL, Gears of War 3

Welcome to the Cineffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between.

Subscribe via iTunes.

Somewhere Movie Review

Mogworld Book Review

 

 Hey! Haven't done one of these in a while! Last time I reviewed a book was with Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted just as an excuse to orgasm about one of my favorite authors. Now, I'm using it as an excuse to orgasm about one of my favorite critics in general.

Some Mothersexing Updates

First up, our podcast is now on iTunes. You can subscribe to it through there by clicking here.

Next up, I'd like to thank the Academy Joe Lee (a.k.a. Yeshua) for making the website banner for us. Although it was too big and not all of it fit into the header, it works beautifully.

So yeah, episode 3 is coming out, fgts. We'll discuss Insidious, possibly Limitless, possibly Arthur, some more of Hanna, Scream 4, and kick it off with a mega discussion of Four Lions.

You'll love it.

loveit

Scream 4 Movie Review

 

Hey, it's my first written review on this site. Pretty awesome...

Cineffect Podcast Episode #2: DAMN GOOD COFFEE (Hanna, Win Win, Source Code)

CinEffect Podcast Episode #1 - Sucker Punch

Episode #1 - Sucker Punch

Welcome to the Cineffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady talk about film, games, and everything in between. In our very first episode, we talk about a new Resident Evil, a PG-13 The King's Speech, how fantastically awful Skyline and Exam are, how underrated Homefront's multiplayer is, and conclude with an in-depth review of Zack Snyder's latest film, Sucker Punch.

[WARNING: This podcast contains some explicit language]

EPISODE MINUTE MARKERS

0:00 - M4 Part 2 by Faunts

0:49 - Introduction


What We've Been Watching (DVD/TV)

2:49 - Chris: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, City of God, Exam, and Eyes Wide Shut

7:29 - Brady: The Social Network, The Wonderful Wild Whites of West Virginia

15:01 - Alex: Regular Show, Archer, RIN

18:35 - Chris: Skyline


What We've Been Playing (Video Games)

19:40 - Chris: Mass Effect

20:32 - Alex: Dead or Alive 4, Nier, Homefront

28: 39 - Brady: Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Fallout 3, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam


NEWS

35:16 - Resident Evil Remakes and the new Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

46:12 - Darren Aronofsky leaves The Wolverine

51:56 - The King's Speech PG-13 Edit


Reviews

59:32 - Alex: Paul

1:05:04 - Brady didn't watch anything this past week because he likes men, lol.

1:05:49 - Chris: Battle: Los Angeles

MEGA REVIEW

1:09:47 - Sucker Punch

1:30:19 - Spoilers for Sucker Punch begin


CONCLUSION

1:36:40 - What We'll Watch For Next Week

1:37:47 - Podcast Title Suggestions

1:38:07 - Brady talks about Twitter and stuff he'll watch next week

1:40:29 - Where To Find Me And Alex On The Internet

1:40:38 - Where The Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin