With 2011 officially in the books, it’s time once again to look back and reflect on some of the best films that have come out in the past year. As with all movie writers, coming up with a list like this is usually expected, but also damn near impossible. To me, reading and writing these types of articles are only beneficial in spreading word about titles that really had an effect on me, while stirring up debate between those who strongly agree with my choices, or vehemently disagree. No one list is ever truly definitive; what is considered great to one may not register the same way to another. The only real truth is that 2011 had a wide range of very interesting and fascinating films, and just like every year, there’s always a good handful worth noting.
Video Review – Cars 2
Spencer and Allen review Pixar’s latest animated adventure Cars 2, from directors John Lasseter and Brad Lewis.
This segment is also available on Stitcher, iTunes, and Zune. The audio version can be downloaded directly from here.
Film Review – Cars 2
Pixar’s latest effort is an animated film that I had a little bit of reservation about when I walked in to see it. Cars 2 (2011), which is the appropriately titled sequel to Cars (2006), continues the adventures and hijinks of those lovable vehicles brought to life. Now, I must admit, the first film is probably my least favorite out of everything that Pixar has in their catalog. As light and fun as that movie was, its story was something we have seen before, it was geared towards a much younger audience, and it certainly did not have the emotional impact or catharsis that Pixar has given us in other movies, particularly in the last couple of years. With that in mind, I walked into this sequel a little hesitant. While the film was not as bad as I thought it would be (Pixar has never given us a “bad” movie, actually), and surprisingly better than the first, it definitely was not the great animated movie that seems to come out of this studio nearly every year.
Film Review – Little Fockers
What the fock?
Little Fockers (2010) continues to repeat a joke that wasn’t funny even in Meet the Parents (2000). Let’s just get this out of the way: yes, Ben Stiller’s character is named Gaylord Focker. Yes, he has a first name that hasn’t been around since the Civil War. Yes, his last name sounds a lot like the curse word. Yes, he is a male nurse. Can we get over it now? Throughout the course of the “Focker Trilogy,” we’ve been subjected to more joke variations of this guy’s name than I can think of, none of which is very clever or amusing. Here, the filmmakers attempt to take the series away from the flamboyant craziness of Meet the Fockers (2004), and try to bring it back more along the lines of the first film. Unfortunately, they did it almost too well, because essentially, the two are the exact same.
Dialogue Review – How Do You Know
Brandi Sperry: , the latest film from writer/director James L. Brooks, is a romantic comedy with an A-list cast that seeks to explore the question: when you are faced with a big choice, how do you know you are making the right one? Well, Allen, we are here to help our readers make their own big decision—whether to see this movie this weekend.
Allen Almachar: The film revolves around the love triangle between ex-Olympic softball player Lisa (Reese Witherspoon) and the two men in her life, baseball superstar Matty (Owen Wilson) and recently out of work George (Paul Rudd). George is the son of a wealthy businessman, played by Jack Nicholson. Early in the film, we find George under investigation from the U.S. Government for fraud. He loses his job, and all his associates attempt to distance themselves from him. If you were in Lisa’s position, then of course you would have trouble choosing who to be with: the wealthy, famous baseball player, or the out of work/possibly going to jail slub. Tough choice.
