Dr.Strangefate
He Sees You When You're Sleeping. He Knows When Yo
1. Black Swan - 10/10 - An emotional powerhouse of a film... I haven't seen Reqiuem, but this is above and beyond the other Aronofsky I've seen. The acting is brilliant, and there are moments in this film so raw they're overwhelming.
2. The Social Network - 10/10 - There's a single line in the film about trying to be an ******* that doesn't work, but literally everything else in the film is flawless. Completely restores my faith in Fincher after Benjamin Button. Doesn't overstep its bounds by making claims about what it means to live in this generation, but still crafts an incredible character study.
3. Inception - 9.5/10 - After some time to process it all... I think i have to knock off a half point. There are problems. But Nolan has still managed to craft a phenomenal sci-fi thriller.
4. Toy Story 3 - 9.5/10 - More thinking has this dropped a half-point, as I slowly came to grips with the fact that I think The Incredibles might still be a stronger Pixar film or at least its equal. I still can't exaggerate the effect this film had on me, and the year still has a LOT of work to do to potentially beat this movie.
5. How To Train Your Dragon - 9/10 - This towers over everything Dreamworks has accomplished before. A phenomenal story on par with most Pixar films. I can't even say how pleased I was to get to see this while it was still playing in theaters.
6. Shutter Island – 9/10 – By far the best film to be released this year, and the only thing on this list likely to make the Oscars next spring... DiCaprio is phenomenal in this beautifully filmed thriller.
7. Tangled - 8.5/10 - Easily the best film from Walt Disney Feature Animation since the late 90s... I really hope they can keep it up, because if this is an indication of whats to come, we're about to get some classic Disney.
8. The Town - 8.5/10 - Extremely well made and well acted... I don't think it'll make the history books, but it certainly puts Ben Affleck firmly on the list of damn good directors to watch closely.
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 8/10 - Scott Pilgrim is Michael Cera. I never thought I would be able to say that without gagging, but he nailed the role right on the head. And Wright nailed the film at large. My problems are minor, and I'll save them for the release of the film in theaters. God Bless San Diego Comic Con.
10. Easy A - 8/10 - Smart, funny and good. Probably not quite as good as Mean Girls, but definitely right in the same area of appeal and quality. Extra credit goes to Stanley Tucci for being the funniest dad character I've seen in ages.
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One - 8/10 - I was just genuinely happy with this film, in a way that the other films have never managed to evoke in me. I think the decompression actually allowed for character work, which has been the first thing to go in previous films. I'm actually kinda looking forward to rewatching this when the second comes round, and I never really want to rewatch the HP films.
12. Kick-Ass – 8/10 – High octane fun... Much better than the original comic book series in the way it dropped its aspirations towards reality and embraced the absurdity of ultraviolence in superheroism.
13. Megamind - 8/10 - Much better than expected... A great pastiche on the Superhero genre that's genuinely funny when it wants to be and touching when it needs to be.
14. Catfish - 8/10 - The last thing I was expecting was this to be a documentary. I won't say anything more about it. Definitely worth seeing. Found out some behind the scenes stuff that really really affects my opinion of the film, (not about the production, but about the people).
15. Let Me In - 8/10 - There are even a couple moments I like here more than I liked the original, but overall its mostly a pale copy.
16. The Last Exorcism - 7.5/10 - This would be a great movie if not for its terrible ending. It doesn't quite erase how much I liked the earlier portions, but they could have gone in literally dozens of more interesting paths than the one they take for the last 15 minutes.
17. Predators - 7.5/10 - Probably my favorite of the Predator franchise thus far... Everything about this movie was awesome. Bits of the CGI didn't work, and it could have used a bit more polish, but as is, its a wholly enjoyable film.
18. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - 7.5/10 - Strong acting and a decent story, but it lacks the relevence of the original on each and every count, and struck me as entirely pointless. The original is a classic that brought attention to the horrible way business was handled in the 80s. All this one says is "Hey, the people who caused the financial crisis did some bad things, huh?" Which is hardly a revelation these days.
19. Piranha 3D - 7/10 - Crazy entertaining. Exactly as trashy as it wanted to be. If you like boobs and gore, this is the movie for you.
20. Dinner For Schmucks - 7/10 - Much better than I expected, after the film was basically shrugged off by critics and audiences... A sweet movie that made me laugh. Comedy-wise, that's all you really need.
21. Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10 - A really sweet movie and a great buddy comedy with only a handful of stale jokes. The way they handle the time travel in the film is problematic, but only we geeks would really nit-pick at that.
22. Iron Man 2 – 7/10 – High octane fun as well, but without the story-work that should have been there to make it truly unforgettable. Truly wish I could rank this higher, but regardless, I had one hell of a time watching this movie.
23. Machete - 7/10 - In the exact same boat as Piranha 3D. Trashy as hell, but totally watchable. Except for Lindsay Lohan. She was legitimately terrible. But Cheech totally makes up for it.
24. The Other Guys - 7/10 - A fun movie... Wahlberg seems a little misplaced, but this is certainly the first time in ages where I've really liked Will Ferrell in a movie. There are plenty of issues, and it could have been much better, but it was ultimately a lot of fun.
25. The Karate Kid - 7/10 - Surprisingly satisfying, and an extremely solid film. It's far from perfect, but it is fun and the fighting is incredible. Definitely worth the ticket price.
26. Despicable Me - 7/10 - In a year with so many brilliant animated films, It's a little disheartening to see one this pandering... Still fun, though.
27. The A-Team - 7/10 - Okay wow, this probably comes from having had virtually no expectations for this film whatsoever, but even though i was in a bad mood going in, I have to admit the film was extremely fun. Probably the first time I've actually liked Bradley Cooper's character in a movie.
28. Tron Legacy - 6.5/10 - I had much higher hopes for this movie, but it ended up being pretty standard without any of the ingenuity that seemed to be presented in the trailers... And in the middle, it was pretty freaking boring. This thing could have been really great, in the end its just kinda fun with good graphics.
29. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - 6.5/10 - I wish I could hate this movie, but Slade actually does the impossible and makes the abysmal bearable. Cheers to you Mr. Slade. The story is still rubbish, but the film engaged me throughout.
30. Red - 6.5/10 - Fun but middling. Could have been much better with that great a cast onboard.
31. Get Him to the Greek - 6.5/10 - Funny but ultimately disappointing. Still love Aldous Snow, the fictional Rock God that he is, but at the end of the day, I was hoping for something closer to the other Apatow efforts in terms of the film's emotional side.
32. The Crazies - 6.5/10 - The better side of mediocre, but not by much. Boring at parts, scary sometimes... I saw it a few weeks ago and have kind of already forgotten most of it.
33. A Nightmare on Elm Street - 6/10 - Really should have been so much better... The world deserves the return of Freddy Kruger, and there's so much potential in a horror monster that lurks in the dreamworld that just probably won't ever happen... Until the round of Threemakes starts up in another 20 years (get ready, everyone). The worst part about these Platinum Dunes films is they haven't figured out that casting the lead female role is ****ing important. For the first 45 minutes, i didn't even know WHICH of the bland girls was supposed to be Nancy.
34. Alice in Wonderland – 5/10 – This should have been infinitely weirder than it ultimately was. What it ended up as was simply a cliched fantasy plot forced into Wonderland... Some good visuals and performances, but by far the least satisfying Burton film in ages.
35. Daybreakers – 5/10 – This movie really could have been good... I loved the world, and Sam Neil made for a great villainous vampire... But in the end, it was just all kind of stupid.
36. Legion – 3/10 – "Ain't got no shark teeth, paw!" made me laugh out loud. A lot of this movie did. I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all without the few beers I drank beforehand.
37. Shrek The Fourth - 1/10 - Having created this film, everyone on the production team should be put in prison forever. In particular the person who voiced Rumplestiltskin. I cannot even remember a less enjoyable film-going experience in recent history. At least Legion was LAUGHABLY terrible. Nobody in the theater laughed at this film. It was dead silent and sad.
38. The Last Airbender - 0.5/10 - There is precisely one character in this film, and he was Zuko's Uncle. I don't know how he survived Shyamalan's directing, but he did it, and that is the only reason this film gets a half-point. There is no flow, no characterization, no compelling action (which is particularly shocking)... It's telling about the quality of the source material that the most frustrating thing about this film is that it SHOULD be good, the world this film fails to depict shines through in the minutest detail. In a strange way, I'm glad I've seen this, because it makes me want to see the animated series more than ever. This film is a failure on virtually every level, its only moments of strength derived from the structure provided by the series this film failed to adapt. I didn't enjoy a minute of this movie, and if you feel compelled to see it, download it. There is no reason to support this film in theaters.
Movies to See:
Casino Jack, Monsters, Due Date, True Grit
2. The Social Network - 10/10 - There's a single line in the film about trying to be an ******* that doesn't work, but literally everything else in the film is flawless. Completely restores my faith in Fincher after Benjamin Button. Doesn't overstep its bounds by making claims about what it means to live in this generation, but still crafts an incredible character study.
3. Inception - 9.5/10 - After some time to process it all... I think i have to knock off a half point. There are problems. But Nolan has still managed to craft a phenomenal sci-fi thriller.
4. Toy Story 3 - 9.5/10 - More thinking has this dropped a half-point, as I slowly came to grips with the fact that I think The Incredibles might still be a stronger Pixar film or at least its equal. I still can't exaggerate the effect this film had on me, and the year still has a LOT of work to do to potentially beat this movie.
5. How To Train Your Dragon - 9/10 - This towers over everything Dreamworks has accomplished before. A phenomenal story on par with most Pixar films. I can't even say how pleased I was to get to see this while it was still playing in theaters.
6. Shutter Island – 9/10 – By far the best film to be released this year, and the only thing on this list likely to make the Oscars next spring... DiCaprio is phenomenal in this beautifully filmed thriller.
7. Tangled - 8.5/10 - Easily the best film from Walt Disney Feature Animation since the late 90s... I really hope they can keep it up, because if this is an indication of whats to come, we're about to get some classic Disney.
8. The Town - 8.5/10 - Extremely well made and well acted... I don't think it'll make the history books, but it certainly puts Ben Affleck firmly on the list of damn good directors to watch closely.
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 8/10 - Scott Pilgrim is Michael Cera. I never thought I would be able to say that without gagging, but he nailed the role right on the head. And Wright nailed the film at large. My problems are minor, and I'll save them for the release of the film in theaters. God Bless San Diego Comic Con.
10. Easy A - 8/10 - Smart, funny and good. Probably not quite as good as Mean Girls, but definitely right in the same area of appeal and quality. Extra credit goes to Stanley Tucci for being the funniest dad character I've seen in ages.
11. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One - 8/10 - I was just genuinely happy with this film, in a way that the other films have never managed to evoke in me. I think the decompression actually allowed for character work, which has been the first thing to go in previous films. I'm actually kinda looking forward to rewatching this when the second comes round, and I never really want to rewatch the HP films.
12. Kick-Ass – 8/10 – High octane fun... Much better than the original comic book series in the way it dropped its aspirations towards reality and embraced the absurdity of ultraviolence in superheroism.
13. Megamind - 8/10 - Much better than expected... A great pastiche on the Superhero genre that's genuinely funny when it wants to be and touching when it needs to be.
14. Catfish - 8/10 - The last thing I was expecting was this to be a documentary. I won't say anything more about it. Definitely worth seeing. Found out some behind the scenes stuff that really really affects my opinion of the film, (not about the production, but about the people).
15. Let Me In - 8/10 - There are even a couple moments I like here more than I liked the original, but overall its mostly a pale copy.
16. The Last Exorcism - 7.5/10 - This would be a great movie if not for its terrible ending. It doesn't quite erase how much I liked the earlier portions, but they could have gone in literally dozens of more interesting paths than the one they take for the last 15 minutes.
17. Predators - 7.5/10 - Probably my favorite of the Predator franchise thus far... Everything about this movie was awesome. Bits of the CGI didn't work, and it could have used a bit more polish, but as is, its a wholly enjoyable film.
18. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - 7.5/10 - Strong acting and a decent story, but it lacks the relevence of the original on each and every count, and struck me as entirely pointless. The original is a classic that brought attention to the horrible way business was handled in the 80s. All this one says is "Hey, the people who caused the financial crisis did some bad things, huh?" Which is hardly a revelation these days.
19. Piranha 3D - 7/10 - Crazy entertaining. Exactly as trashy as it wanted to be. If you like boobs and gore, this is the movie for you.
20. Dinner For Schmucks - 7/10 - Much better than I expected, after the film was basically shrugged off by critics and audiences... A sweet movie that made me laugh. Comedy-wise, that's all you really need.
21. Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10 - A really sweet movie and a great buddy comedy with only a handful of stale jokes. The way they handle the time travel in the film is problematic, but only we geeks would really nit-pick at that.
22. Iron Man 2 – 7/10 – High octane fun as well, but without the story-work that should have been there to make it truly unforgettable. Truly wish I could rank this higher, but regardless, I had one hell of a time watching this movie.
23. Machete - 7/10 - In the exact same boat as Piranha 3D. Trashy as hell, but totally watchable. Except for Lindsay Lohan. She was legitimately terrible. But Cheech totally makes up for it.
24. The Other Guys - 7/10 - A fun movie... Wahlberg seems a little misplaced, but this is certainly the first time in ages where I've really liked Will Ferrell in a movie. There are plenty of issues, and it could have been much better, but it was ultimately a lot of fun.
25. The Karate Kid - 7/10 - Surprisingly satisfying, and an extremely solid film. It's far from perfect, but it is fun and the fighting is incredible. Definitely worth the ticket price.
26. Despicable Me - 7/10 - In a year with so many brilliant animated films, It's a little disheartening to see one this pandering... Still fun, though.
27. The A-Team - 7/10 - Okay wow, this probably comes from having had virtually no expectations for this film whatsoever, but even though i was in a bad mood going in, I have to admit the film was extremely fun. Probably the first time I've actually liked Bradley Cooper's character in a movie.
28. Tron Legacy - 6.5/10 - I had much higher hopes for this movie, but it ended up being pretty standard without any of the ingenuity that seemed to be presented in the trailers... And in the middle, it was pretty freaking boring. This thing could have been really great, in the end its just kinda fun with good graphics.
29. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - 6.5/10 - I wish I could hate this movie, but Slade actually does the impossible and makes the abysmal bearable. Cheers to you Mr. Slade. The story is still rubbish, but the film engaged me throughout.
30. Red - 6.5/10 - Fun but middling. Could have been much better with that great a cast onboard.
31. Get Him to the Greek - 6.5/10 - Funny but ultimately disappointing. Still love Aldous Snow, the fictional Rock God that he is, but at the end of the day, I was hoping for something closer to the other Apatow efforts in terms of the film's emotional side.
32. The Crazies - 6.5/10 - The better side of mediocre, but not by much. Boring at parts, scary sometimes... I saw it a few weeks ago and have kind of already forgotten most of it.
33. A Nightmare on Elm Street - 6/10 - Really should have been so much better... The world deserves the return of Freddy Kruger, and there's so much potential in a horror monster that lurks in the dreamworld that just probably won't ever happen... Until the round of Threemakes starts up in another 20 years (get ready, everyone). The worst part about these Platinum Dunes films is they haven't figured out that casting the lead female role is ****ing important. For the first 45 minutes, i didn't even know WHICH of the bland girls was supposed to be Nancy.
34. Alice in Wonderland – 5/10 – This should have been infinitely weirder than it ultimately was. What it ended up as was simply a cliched fantasy plot forced into Wonderland... Some good visuals and performances, but by far the least satisfying Burton film in ages.
35. Daybreakers – 5/10 – This movie really could have been good... I loved the world, and Sam Neil made for a great villainous vampire... But in the end, it was just all kind of stupid.
36. Legion – 3/10 – "Ain't got no shark teeth, paw!" made me laugh out loud. A lot of this movie did. I don't think I would have enjoyed it at all without the few beers I drank beforehand.
37. Shrek The Fourth - 1/10 - Having created this film, everyone on the production team should be put in prison forever. In particular the person who voiced Rumplestiltskin. I cannot even remember a less enjoyable film-going experience in recent history. At least Legion was LAUGHABLY terrible. Nobody in the theater laughed at this film. It was dead silent and sad.
38. The Last Airbender - 0.5/10 - There is precisely one character in this film, and he was Zuko's Uncle. I don't know how he survived Shyamalan's directing, but he did it, and that is the only reason this film gets a half-point. There is no flow, no characterization, no compelling action (which is particularly shocking)... It's telling about the quality of the source material that the most frustrating thing about this film is that it SHOULD be good, the world this film fails to depict shines through in the minutest detail. In a strange way, I'm glad I've seen this, because it makes me want to see the animated series more than ever. This film is a failure on virtually every level, its only moments of strength derived from the structure provided by the series this film failed to adapt. I didn't enjoy a minute of this movie, and if you feel compelled to see it, download it. There is no reason to support this film in theaters.
Movies to See:
Casino Jack, Monsters, Due Date, True Grit
