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My best-to-the-worst movies of 2011 reviewed - part 2

More reviews from #21 downward...

This is part 2 of the 50 movies reviewed in 2011. If you wish to view the top 20, >> CLICK HERE <<.

21. Super 8 (2011)

a great popcorn muncher. a little simple but well executed. the kids are charming and the great thing about it, is it is my era. can anyone say time warp? rating: •••1/2

in the era of lame lovesick, pale vampires, this flick is a cool zombie-esque gut ripper that satisfies my love of post-apocolyptic society. it's a small budget movie that deserves some respect. if you like zombies, nasty vampires, post-apocolypse and low-budget solid production, this is worth the watch. rating: •••1/2

23. Our Idiot Brother (2011)

when all those around you who appear to be upstanding citizens, aren't... our idiot brother reminds us that there are those out there who are genuine. our idiot brother is like a warm mug of tea by a fire, while it rages bad weather outside, with lots of giggles in between. lighthearted, this flick reminds me it's the trip, not the destination that's what's really important. it's just a shame when we are so surprised at a person's honesty, we often can't handle it. rating: •••1/2

24. Black Death (2010)

this is a glimpse into the era of the black plague and how the govt of the day handled it. needless to say, religion figured heavily in the equation with serious consequences to some. a gloomy period piece for history buffs and those with the fortitude to engage in such a dark time. rating: •••

25. Fright Night (2011)

this remake about a new neighbour who unabashedly shows himself to be a vampire, gets right to it and has plenty of thrills and chills. if you like to be scared, it's something to enjoy. rating: •••

26. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

i'm a planet of the apes fan, so i was looking forward to this with curiosity. i wasn't disappointed. it was a bit uneven but overall, the action-packed and had you rooting for the apes. rating: •••

27. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

since when did sherlock holmes become a fist-a-cuff action hero? with some visually appealing editing (thanks to guy ritchie) and loads of action, as a reader of sir arthur conan doyle, this movie is not enough brains replaced by too much brawn... but a good holiday romp, and a great depiction of the turn of the 19th century. rating: •••

28. Attack the Block (2011)

this is pretty good, but i felt a little old watching this. maybe cuz the ground had been covered so many times in the past... but kids relating to the characters wouldn't know that. rating: •••

29. Horrible Bosses (2011)

this is funnier than i thought it would be. some great characters and some great caricatures. i laughed more than a few times. it was something like an extended sitcom episode. rating: ••1/2

30. Thor (2011)

i collected thor comics long ago. this movie was actually more exciting than i remember him. this marvel comic blockbuster was rock solid but not nothing exceptional. thor was always best, with friends. so bring on the avengers. rating: ••1/2

31. Paul (2011)

to be clear, i LOVE the simon pegg and nick frost duo... and this one doesn't disappoint. we laughed but there was no pant-peeing. i think seth rogan was a good alien voice or maybe he distracted from the part. hmmm... rating: ••1/2

32. Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010)

this biopic of the lead singer ian dury was an entertaining and informative. it tells the story of a rock icon considered one of the forefathers of punk, in britain. not sure if anyone beyond fans of the early punk era will get very excited about this movie. rating: ••1/2

33. The Horde (La Horde) (2009)

this french (dubbed to english) zombie movie is gruesome, brutal, bloody, horrific, nasty, hardcore... a definite must for zombie fans, probably too much for anyone else. if you like your horror served up raw and without all that unnecessary stuff like plot and character development, this has it... and done fairly slickly (dis ain't no grade-C movie). rating: ••1/2

34. The Karate Kid (2010)

a twist on the original has a very subdued jackie chan as the master in this story of a young american fish out-of-water who is acclimating in china. decent presented and best suited for young teenage boys. rating: ••1/2

35. The Eagle (2011)

i liked this as a period piece. not intimate with the era, i hope it was accurate. assuming that, it was great to savour a snapshot of the 2nd century... no matter how wooden the lead and how drab the depiction. rating: ••1/2

36. Nowhere Boy (2009)

a solid biopic of john lennon as a boy getting into his musical career. recommended for 60's rock music fans. highly recommended for beatles fans. rating: ••1/2

37. Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

this was a good popcorn movie. there was gaping holes in logic, but hey: this is cowboy's vs aliens. could have been better, but park your brain at the door and enjoy the ride.

38. Fast Five (2011)

fast chases, cool tatts, hard bodies and set in rio de janeiro to spice things up. just switch your brain into neutral and enjoy the the implausibility of it all. btw, why does the rock seem to be sweating profusely on every shot? was there not towel technician available? rating: ••1/2

39. Sanctum (2011)

this is a cool thrill ride deep in a network of caves. claustrophobes will squirm, others may yawn, but it does have it's moments. i think i forgot any details about it about 72 hrs later. half a star for looking great in 3D. rating: ••1/2

40. Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

not bad. a cute family flick that is utterly forgettable. a popcorn muncher with the little ones on your lap. half a star for canadian Jim Carrey representin'. rating: ••1/2

41. Quarantine 2: Terminal (2011)

i loved the first quarantine. it was really creepy. this instalment had a lot of running around. it didn't have the dread the first one had, but it wasn't terrible either. horror fans will enjoy. movies fans, well... rating: ••

42. Repo Men (2010)

Repo Men has some great moments, but those moments are fleeting. the premise is cool (corrupt company sells artificial organs to people who can't afford them, only to hunt them down and get them back to resell them). but the movie's direction is confusing and ultimately falls apart in a spray of bullets. rating: ••

43. Gnomeo and Juliet (2011)

the kids loved it. i was a bit bored. but the 3D was great. at the end of the movie it didn't seem like much happened... or much that i recall. rating: ••

44. The Hangover Part II (2011)

holy deja vu. it was interesting to see Bangkok, but the comedy was harsher and kinda flat since the first movie relied so much on the element of surprise. this is a classic example of hoping that by playing the same thing over again but really loud, doesn't really succeed.i would have given it the half star for being shot in Bangkok, but then i take a half star away because the father-in-law relationship was so unrealistic. rating: ••

45. Colombiana (2011)

zoe rocks. the action is there. it has some good moments. but the movie is a leaky boat and you're glad to pull into shore by the end, cuz you're almost sunk from totality of the holes in the logic of it all. rating: ••

46. Cars 2 (2011)

i really enjoyed the first CARS animated feature. this one >yawn< couldn't hold my attention. i'm not sure if it really cared to. it just didn't seem to go anywhere. drag. rating: ••

47. The Thing (2011)

enh. lacked the jolts, made me yawn and frankly it's been done. when i'm watching a movie and looking at my watch, you know it missed the mark. but you can't fault the norwegians for wanting their own thing horror flick. rating: •1/2

48. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)

to think of all the terrific movies that came out in 2011 that could break the $50m mark... and this makes almost $100m and counting. is it that hard to make a decent kid's flick?! i mean, it's pretty clear that people will take their rugrats to just about anything around christmas. the movie was okay for my five year-old, barely. a half star for the most entertaining part: the exploding volcano. rating: •1/2

49. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

this movie was a dog... just like the first two installments. it is empty, brainless action which insults the viewer. i wouldn't let my 8-year old watch this piece of junk. rating: •

Do you agree? Let me know in the comment field below.