I want you to keep in mind that this list consists of films that I enjoyed the most. While I do believe some are borderline masterpieces, this list encompasses what I saw and had the best time with.

Notable Mentions (alphabetical):

Cedar Rapids
Chillerama (Expect for the god awful “Werebear” segment)
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hanna
Insidious
Paranormal Activity 3
Rubber
Source Code
Super 8

Top Ten of 2011:

10. Hobo with a Shotgun/Drive

Both films are fantastic throw backs. Yes, Drive is the “better” film but I had so much fun with Hobo.

9. Melancholia

Most know that I love me some von Trier and this powerful examination of depression during the end of the world is damn brilliant.

8. Red State

Love it or hate (most hate it), there’s no denying that Kevin Smith has done something completely different and for me, it was just what I was hoping for.

7. The Woman

Dark, heavy, and macabre. Highly recommended but definitely not for everyone.

6. 50/50

Made me tear up and desperately want to call my mom and tell her I love her. Very moving.

5. Pariah

This one was a huge surprise for me. I’d heard little about it before the advance screening I attended but I wasn’t expecting much. I left overjoyed with satisfaction. An extremely real look a young woman becoming who she was always meant to be.

4. Attack the Block

You’ve likely heard the hype and it’s pretty much all true. See it.

3. 13 Assassins

Of the the best modern films dealing with a group of unlikely heroes getting some much deserved revenge. One of Miike’s best.

2. Hesher

Hilarious, sad, and surprisingly touching. Also, Natalie Portman is looking gorgeous as always.

1. I Saw the Devil

This is a masterpiece. I saw this too many times to count last year and loved it more and more with each viewing. It’s brutal, dark, and fascinating. A must see but be warned: this is not for the squeamish. Seriously.

There you have it. Here’s to another year of fine film and if you feel so incline, let me know how much you (dis)agree with this list.

Now, this is a film that I followed closely due to anticipation of viewing it and really all I could find when reading about it was negativity and mention of the controversy. Now, it seemed to me like many reviewers took the distribution issues and Smith’s actions and judged the film on that. This isn’t right in my mind. The review should focus on the quality of the film and nothing more (yes, I know that I’m two paragraphs in and haven’t talked about the film but I’m going to do that now).

Red State is writer/director Kevin Smith’s first venture out of the comedic realm and it’s a big one. Going from comedies full of dick and weed jokes to a religious horror with a very dark tone wasn’t something anyone expected and many, including myself, weren’t sure he could pull off. Well, I’m here to tell you he did.

I can assume that those who would be interested in this film already know at least the basic plot for it but I’ll share it anyway. Red Sate is a religious horror that focuses on three male teens that, after a poor decision on their part, are kidnapped and held hostage by a radical evangelical group known as Five Points Church. That’s just the basic outline but that’s really all that’s needed to explain the film briefly.

The extremists are lead by the wicked Pastor Abin Cooper (played brilliantly by Michael Parks) who oozes with hate speech and the “word of the lord”. If the pastor and the church sound oddly familiar it’s because they are based on the Westboro Baptist Church and leader Fred Phelps.

To me, the story is perfect for a horror film. Anything involving religious whack jobs is normally quite frightening but in the same breath, that’s my only complaint about the film. The story and the film should be frightening but it’s not. There’s nothing scary about it at all. It’s definitely more of a thriller than a horror in my mind but regardless, not scary. That doesn’t mean it’s not unsettling though. Scary? No. A bit unnerving? Yes. Just knowing that people like this actually exist is enough to make the film engrossing. Yes, Red State is an exaggeration but it still just makes you think, “How far are these people willing to go for their beliefs?”

It’s a brilliantly written and acted and also quite well directed. Michael Parks delivers a long but extremely effective and unsettling monologue toward the middle of the film and that alone made me greatly enjoy it.

Since it’s a Smith film, it was safe to assume that it was going to be lathered heavily in dialog and it was but this time it was different. Yes, the beginning with the young guys had some of the standard sex jokes and whatnot but it wasn’t out of place and over the top and once things started gaining momentum, all of that was gone and serious speech took over.

I know I stand in the minority on this one but Red State is a damn good film. Every actor, every line, and pretty much every shot just works. Oh, and the running shots. If you see it, you’ll know what I’m referring to. For some reason I adored them.

Yeah, it’s not prefect but it’s a great addition to Smith’s filmography and proves that he’s not a one trick pony when it comes to style. Give it a chance. Don’t just brush it off because you think Smith is an asshole or because you read a few bad reviews for it. Really give it the chance it deserves and you may end up surprising yourself with how much you actually enjoy it.

★★★★

The Ward tells the story of a young woman named Kirsten (Amber Heard) who is found by the police burning down an old farmhouse at the start of the film. She is taken to a mental hospital for reasons neither herself nor the audience are aware of. She isn’t there for very long before strange things start to happen and it’s revealed that the building is in fact haunted. As she learns more about the ghost, she tries to rally up the other female inmates in an attempt to escape but all efforts prove futile as the girl’s are picked off one by one by the medical tool obsessed entity.

The Ward is at best a cliché, seeming to take every cue from every psychological horror/thriller before it and managing to do absolutely nothing interesting or new with the material. The characters are one dimensional and honestly just plain irritating. It’s bad to the point that you kind of wish the characters would just die but when they do, even the death scenes are lackluster. You simply do not care about anyone in the entire film. As I was watching it with my roommate, a death sequence was happening and I literally shouted at the screen, “I don’t care!” The film was a tiring disappointment.

I wanted so badly to enjoy this movie. I’m a huge Carpenter fan and hoped that this would be the return that horror fans and I were waiting for. As previously stated, it’s not even close. It’s a boring, dull, run of the mill addition to the genre and a stain on the director’s catalog.

I read a lot about a twist ending and though it technically has one, it’s one that’s been done to death. For me, the only redeeming aspect of the film was that Amber Heard is quite an attractive lady but that was the only good thing I can think of. The camera work was standard and it looked like a direct to DVD horror flick that would be found in the Wal Mart bargain bin. It was just uninspired in all aspects.

I tried to enjoy it, I really did, but there is just nothing redeeming about it. I was bored, frustrated, and upset while watching it and even now as I’m thinking about it, I am feeling the same emotions. I want to give away the “twist” right now so I can save any who are interested in seeing the film their time and energy but I won’t. Just know that it’s a psychological horror/thriller that takes place in a mental hospital. Reread that and just think for thirty seconds and it should become clear to you.

I know horror fans will more than likely see it regardless of bad reviews. I mean, that’s what I did but you seriously do not need to waste your time. Nothing about it reminds me of the days when Carpenter was truly a master of horror and I’ll be damned if anyone would disagree. Thankfully, he was not responsible for the atrocious script so there’s still some hope in me the he’ll churn out a new original horror story in the coming days but after this mess, that hope is quite small.

★

The film is a historical fantasy chronicling the rise of real life empress Wu Zetian as she becomes China’s first female ruler. Before she is able to take the throne though, a supposed supernatural plague in the form of spontaneous combustion begins to wreak havoc on many of the powerful officials in Zetian’s rule. In order to solve the mystery behind the seemingly unexplainable deaths, she calls upon a man who she imprisoned for eight years, Detective Dee.

Hark’s directing in Dee is hands down the strongest thing going for it. The way Hark establishes the background landscape is so fantastic that at times you may catch yourself focusing on the sights behind the characters rather than the action at hand. That is until the fighting is on screen. The choreography for the action sequences can best be described as smooth, precise, and whimsical. Watching the movements of the characters as they fly around the screen and wield their weapons is extremely entertaining.

That’s just what this film is. Entertaining. I mean, there an action sequence where Dee has to fight a bunch of deer. Yeah, that was really neat and entertaining. The story is good and keeps you interested until the end but as it progressed certain “mysteries” of the plot seemed to unravel a bit too early and there was just something about it that wasn’t completely captivating. Also, the CGI was a bit weak though I am unsure if the screener copy I received is actually to blame for that.

With that being said, it’s a good flick that fans of the martial arts, action, and/or historical fantasy genres are sure to fully enjoy. For this reviewer, it was a fun ride that I am happy to have taken and wouldn’t mind going on again.

★★★

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Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is produced and co-written by Guillermo del Toro and directed by new comer Troy Nixey. For his first film, Nixey did a phenomenal job. It’s an extremely well made film with breath taking set design. The amount of detail that was put into every inch of the house is simply magnificent.

I have never seen the original 1973 made for tv film of the same name so I will not touch on that and will treat this as a standalone film. First off, the original ad campaign sold me instantly simply by showing short clips, mentioning del Toro, and having the title fall in huge letters. I loved it and could not wait to see it. As the months went on for me waiting to see it, I did my best not to read much about it so I could go in with a completely fresh mind.

For those who haven’t seen the original, the story is about a young girl named Sally (Bailee Madison) who is sent to live with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) as they remodel a mansion. Sally isn’t there for long before she is contacted by the dark past of the house and what starts out as innocent childish curiosity, quickly turns into something much darker.

I want to state right now that I thoroughly enjoyed Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and had a very good time watching it. It’s extremely well made and is obviously a passion project for those involved. With that being said, I wasn’t frightened pretty much at all by it and that’s my biggest criticism. If I was young or around the age that del Toro was when he saw the original, it probably would have kept me up for a few nights but as it stands and with me being at the ripe old age of nineteen, it just did not scare me. Yes, it was tense at moments and there’s a scene toward the end of the film where Kim is attempting to save Sally from the monsters and… just see it. It’s the only part that really got me simply because I was not expecting to actually see anything of a semi-graphic nature.

For some reason, the film is rated R and I really cannot see why. The violence was kept to a minimum and was mostly off screen (with the exception of one fairly bloody scene and the quick one I mentioned earlier), I don’t remember there being any harsh language at all, and there was no sex whatsoever. The MPAA claims that is was rated R for violence and terror. I can kind of see that for younger viewers but for the crowd that will be allowed in to see it, I doubt there will be much terror.

It’s a good film but I wanted it to be great. Nixey showed great skill and I will definitely keep an eye on him as his career continues. I do recommend it and I doubt it will be met with much dislike. The acting and writing are quite good (more so the writing) and the directing and set design were damn good. Also, it kind of confused me a bit with the ending which I liked. Maybe I just need to see the original to understand it but nonetheless, it was pretty cool. See it and have a good time and if you hate your young kids, bring them to it as well.

★★★½

The Haunted World of El Super Beasto is director Rob Zombie’s first animated film and it’s based on his comic of the same name. I have never read his comic but I can assure you that after sitting though this piece of shit, I won’t be rushing out to find it any time soon. Now, if it’s any consolation, I like Zombie’s other films. I mean, I really like Zombie’s other films. Yes, his work has its faults but nonetheless, I am a huge fan. El Super Beasto? Not at all. I literally had to force myself to sit though the whole 77 minute running time. This, by the way, felt so much longer than it actually was.

The story follows the perverted/sex crazed Super Beasto (voiced by Tom Papa) who is a wrestler of sorts and his sidekick/sister Suzi X (voiced by Zombie’s wife, naturally). The overall plot is that Beasto kind of falls for a stripper named Velvet Von Black (Rosario Dawson doing an extremely irritating accent but doing it so well, I had no idea it was her) and then Dr. Satan (Paul Giamatti) wants her so he sends his gorilla servant to take her and then Beasto goes on an adventure to get her back and calls Suzi away from her battle with Nazi zombies so she can assist him. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.

It’s immature, boring, unfunny, and just plain childish. I’d heard it was extremely messed up and sick and it even starts out with a “warning” about the content which was completely unnecessary. There was nothing here that I even batted an eye at and the only semi amusing aspect of the film is an old man who operates an elevator who has a laugh that made me smile. That’s all this flick got out of me, a smile.

If you’re a fan of cartoon nudity, painfully unfunny jokes, Drawn Together style animation, and/or are one of the youngins I mentioned above, you’ll love it. All I can say is that it is just plain bad and I honestly hate saying that. I expect low brow humor and an overabundance of profanity/gore/sex in Zombie’s films but this was just sad.

As much as I disliked this, I have extremely high hopes for his upcoming film The Lord’s of Salem. Looks to be dark and nasty, the way I like my Zombie. Until then, I’ll just pretend this never happened.

★

Read my review for The Room and pretty much apply everything I said there to this. Yes, Birdemic actually manages to be worse than The Room and Troll 2. Yes, it’s hilarious but dammit this is a frustrating movie. The first forty five minutes attempt to establish the relationship between Rod and Nathalie, the two leads, a slight effort toward character development is the only logical conclusion for any of it, and then birds show up out of nowhere and start diving bombing/exploding, squawking, and spitting acid.

The first half is significantly more entertaining and funny than the second but that’s not saying much. It’s a piece of shit, honestly. The acting, writing, and directing is atrocious and the editing, sound, and CG is baffling awful. The only reason the first half manages to be “better” is because as the ninety minute running time drags on, the “so bad it’s good” feeling wears away and you’re just left with a terrible film.

Nothing about this movie makes any sense. The leads didn’t know each other but then say they went to high school together but were from different states. Rod apparently just made a ten million dollar deal for his software company and Nathalie supposedly signed a contract with Victoria’s Secret. This means nothing to the story. Absolutely nothing in the story fully flows together at all and rarely does anything make sense. Where did the birds come from and why are they attacking? We have no idea nor fully care. The birds look and sound so awful that all you can do is laugh. Later in the flick, it’s said the birds are only attacking people in cars and at gas stations due to global warming. Yup, global warming.

It’s honestly my fault for not seeing that one coming in the nonsensical plot. I mean, the characters do go see An Inconvenient Truth and Rod drives a hybrid mustang that gets 100 mpg. So obvious, right?

The most comical part of the whole movie to me is that it apparently took director James Nguyen, the “master of the romantic thriller”, four years to complete. You’d think in four years he’d at least have a story that was, well, a story. Birdemic is more or less a collection of shots randomly put to together in an attempt to be chronological with a lot of the details linking events together being left on the cutting room floor.

You want a “good bad movie”? Watch it. If you like that sort of thing, it is perfect. Just note that I love that sort of thing and I found this tough to sit all the way through. Grab some brews, grab some friends, and turn it on and you’ll probably have a great laugh. If you’re committed and sit through the whole thing, you’ll have a good time though the journey is a tough one.

-★★★★

Author’s Note: After reading what I wrote, it may seem confusing about what I’m trying to say. See it. It’s damn funny. Just know that it occasionally fades and you’re left annoyed.

Jones was responsible for 2009’s beautiful sci-fi gem Moon, which was also his film debut. After getting his name out with a hard sci-fi indie film, it seemed odd that his next project would be one with a big chance of commercial success but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Thankfully, he made it worth my while.

 Source Code isn’t exactly what the advertisements imply. It’s not an over-the-top, action-packed, love story on a train. Yes, there is action. Yes, there is a subtle love story, and yes, there is a train. But Jones doesn’t allow the Speed-style triteness to get in the way of the real story at hand. Now, I can’t go into too much detail about the film unless I slap a giant spoiler alert sticker at the top of the article. There are just some surprises in the film that need to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

I sat down with Duncan Jones to get some insight on Source Code. “I read it and thought it was terrific,” he said. “It was so fast-paced compared to Moon, so I got excited.” He said that though both Source Code and Moon share some similar themes and concepts, what drew him to the project were actually all of the differences. “The thing that appealed to me about the Source Code script was the differences, not the similarities,” he said. Jones set out to make a film unlike his last, while still staying true to his still-fresh sci-fi roots. And he succeeded.

With the obvious differences between his two works, I was curious about his feelings towards the different styles of filmmaking. One being a low budget indie film (Moon) and the other being a film that had more commercial appeal. “I want to have the illegitimate child of independent filmmaking and budget to make it,” he said. “I made Moon because I wanted to make feature films… Source Code was the opportunity to work with some big name actors, to work with Jake [Gyllenhall] who I was a big fan of, work in the Hollywood system with some more money, some more toys to play with. The next film I’d like to do would be something I’ve written myself with the same kind of money that I did Source Code on and hopefully we’ll take it from there and see how that goes down.” Jones is a director that focuses on making quality films—the kind he would love to see. It’s exciting to know that he is making a name for himself b and it won’t be surprising if in the future, he becomes a force to be reckoned with.

I was curious about what his next project would be and though he was unable to say much, he informed me that his next film will be another sci-fi film. “[I’m] writing a science fiction film right now,” he said. “And unfortunately, as much as I am enthusiastic about talking about it, I can’t really say much more than that but it’s going to be as different as Source Code is from Moon.” He promised that the film would be action packed but still stay true to his hard sci-fi past. He also stated that though he is establishing himself in the sci-fi world, he would like to explore other genres. “I was massively jealous but also excited when Tarantino did Inglourious Basterds. I’m a huge “guys on a mission” fan… by the time I am ready to make one of those films; I think Inglourious Basterds will have been long enough ago that maybe people will be ready for another kind of film like that. I’d love to do something like that.” He’s already proven that he is not a one trick pony with the heavy atmosphere of Moon and the quick paced segments of Source Code so fans should not fret his eventual venture into new territory.

If you’re on the fence or just not sure about Source Code, see it. Give it the chance it deserves. It’s a smart film by a fantastic director and though I had my doubts, it did not let me down. Watch it. It will surprise you.

★★★★

After doing a bit of research, it’s proven that horror films are some of the highest grossing of their year. True, they’re not the powerhouses that their blockbuster competitors are but they definitely have a leg in the race. From The Blair Witch Project to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) to Paranormal Activity and Insidious. These films are nothing but horror and yet they explode when unleashed on audiences. I make that point to prove that horror is a loved genre. Critics tend to discredit and often completely ignore most horror films but from the numbers alone, horror has proven to be quite popular.

The popularity doesn’t necessarily mean the films are good though. Look at the 2009 reimagining of Friday the 13^th. Frankly, that flick sucked and it sucked hard yet it was quite successful in the box office. Look at The Happening. For the unfortunate ones who saw this mess, this is a perfect example of Hollywood realizing that horror sells regardless of quality. I mean, I should have seen the massive shit stain that this turned out to be from the ad campaign alone. When the film being rated R is the driving force behind the campaign, a light should flicker on to warn you that you’re about to hate your decisions in life.

Heh heh heh thank you for your money!

Then there is the slew of remakes, PG-13 stinkers, and mind numbing PG-13 remakes. Yes, most are bad to awful and cringe worthy but the point is that they sell. Without the success of the mainstream money grubbers, there wouldn’t be a chance for smaller, more deserving horror films to even be made. Example: District 9. While technically not a horror film per se, it is a sci-fi alien flick and that often gets lumped in with the horror genre so, I’m going for it.

District 9 is a beautiful film with a deep message and plenty of intense action and has a few good gore scenes and when watching it, it’s hard to believe that it was made for $30 million. That’s a pretty small budget in the realm of film but what’s even better is that it went on to gross over twice that amount and that’s with not many people I’ve encountered even seeing it.  That right there proves that horror/sci-fi does have staying power in the mainstream and that Hollywood doesn’t just have to continue releasing the shite they’ve grown accustom to.

You're welcome.

This may seem long winded. This may pointless. The point? I’m happy. I’m happy that horror, despite having many critics and industries scolding them, still manages to stick around and hold its own. I’m happy that audiences still have the thirst to be frightened. Even with all the mediocre and snore inducing “horror” that Hollywood puts out, I still smile. Yes, I get upset at those films. Yes, I criticize them above and beyond but at the end of the day, they are still horror and due to their successes, they are allowing the gems in the genre to be released and for that, I thank you.