2011: The Retrospect: Top 15 Best Movies of 2011

And now, the payoff!

Let us, before we go any further, have a quick toast to 2011 and all the cinematic things is gave us. To action. To romance. To drama. To comedy. To horror. To silence and loudness. To homages to the greats. To the creation of the world. To the end of the world. To romanticized pastimes. To gods and mortals. To aliens and humans. To superheroes and their villains. To the God of the Thunder. To the first avenger. To Optimus Prime and women with inked skin. To drivers. To You-Know-Who and The Boy Who Lived. To dysfunctional families. To loving families. To epidemics. To cures. To beating cancer. To apes who rise and dark lords who fall. To the first class. To time traveling parisians. To brides and their bridesmaids. To spys who run and gun. To spys who walk and talk. To addicts, and the people who help them. To wild nights and wilder mornings. To swords and chivalry. To seriousness and parody. To politicians, corrupt and on the level. To the laughter. To the tears. To the screams. To the thrills. To the sadness. To the happiness. To everything and more that the films and filmmakers gave us in 2011. All is welcome. None is forgotten.

2011: The Restrospect: Top 5 Best Soundtracks

I'm feeling... musical!

We're about halfway done with the retrospect. After today, we'll be getting into more heavy stuff. But today, we're going to be talking about that one piece of film you can take with you wherever you go, long before the movie is available on home video.

2011 brought a lot in compelling scores. Though there was nothing quite as good as the best score from last year, there was plenty to like. I had a bit of a hard time narrowing this list down, even changing one of the entries as I wrote the damn thing. But, I brave the hardships and trials, and am ready to face your judgement. Here are Films From the Supermassive Black Hole's Top 5 Best Scores of 2011!

5. Super 8 (Michael Giacchino)

It sounds like the best John Williams score, but it's not John Williams. It sounds like the best John Williams score, but it's not John Williams. It sounds like the best John... oh, the hell with it! It sounds great, bringing to mind the Spielberg films of old. Sweeping and memorable, this is a wonderful example of an old-fashioned, classic tinged score.



4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Alexandre Desplat)

The Harry Potter scores have always been good, but as the franchise moved into darker and darker territory, the music got better and better, changing to fit the more mature tone, and gradually distancing itself from the kiddy tones of the initial Williams score. "Lily's Theme" is a haunting ode to the loss and sacrifice that the heroes are facing. "Courtyard Apocalypse" is a foreboding piece that wonderfully illustrates the chaos of the final battle. And "Voldemort's End" is about as epic as epic can get!



3. Drive (Cliff Martinez)

Infusing techno, rock, and other genres, the score to Drive is sort of this year's Tron: Legacy score, in that it's a score that takes a styles of popular music and melds it perfectly into a hyper-stylized film. The syth-poppy score fits the film like a well worn glove, beautifully accenting the 70s vibe the film is inhibiting. A score like this would be in a film where the main character wears a jacket with a giant, gold scorpion on the back. I mean, that's just fate, man.



2. Contagion (Cliff Martinez)

Same guy, same style. Like Drive, Contagion's score relies on synthetic beats and rhythms above all things, but where Contagion surpasses Drive is in its embrace of the atmosphere. Contagion was a pretty scary movie, and the music that went with it is pretty intense as well. "Get Us to the Front of the Line" is not something you want to be listening to alone at night.



1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)

Wipe that shocked expression off your face. Did you expect anything else? Reznor and Ross deservedly won that Oscar for The Social Network, and even though they have no chance of winning this year, I'd say they deserve it even more. Let's be honest. Trent Reznor; he's a little fucked up. A little disturbed. A little twisted. So is the music he makes. And all three of those qualities are paramount in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. So... you know. Match made in heaven.

Also, "Immigrant Song"! There's a reason I can't stop listening to it!



And we are done with the silliness. Now we get into actors, directors, and the ultimate best and worst lists. Tune in tomorrow for the next installment of 2011: The Retrospect, and be sure to check out everything you might have missed up to this point. Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to go geek out about Sundance again!!

2011: The Retrospect: Top 5 Best Scenes

Beware! There's a seriously red band clip concealed within!

You all have it on the mind as you stroll on out into the light of the real world. That one thing. That one scene. 2011 had tons, literally, TONS of great scenes. But THERE CAN ONLY BE FIVE HIGHLANDER!!! Wait, what? That's the wrong line. Anyway, from elaborate sequences depicting the creation of the universe, to crazy feats of absurdity, to lot's and lot's of blood! These are the five best of those. Here they are, Films From the Supermassive Black Hole's Top 5 Best Scenes of 2011!

5. Scaling the Burj Khalifa (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol)

Christ, this scene is intense. Traditionally, the action in the Mission Impossible movies was fun, but nothing special. But then Brad Bird, and animation director, stepped in. He directs this installment in the franchise as if it were animated. Nothing is out of the questions, and the laws of physics have no say! The scene sees Ethan Hunt climbing along the side of the world's tallest building, while the rest of his team scramble to intercept a series of targets. Awesome by itself. Throw in the inclusion of a slowly approaching sandstorm, and you have action movie gold!



4. The Gods vs. The Titans (Immortals)

Tarsem Singh's eyegasm of a Greek epic really goes for broke in this finale. Theseus has done all he can to stop Hyperion from releasing the Titans. He fails, but all is not lost. Now that Titans have entered the picture, the Gods can finally join the fight. What follows is the most gleefully violent and gory scenes of the year!



3. Caesar Speaks (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)

Caesar was already a compelling character, easily the most interesting of this reboot?, remake?, of the classic franchise. As the film progressed, we were fully on his side as he gradually came to turn against humans. When he finally reveals the ability to speak, it's absolutely chilling. What follows is really great!



2. The Prince's Tale (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2)

My God, this scene is heartbreaking. The Battle of Hogwarts has come to standstill, but it is clear that Voldemort is winning. Having taken a memory from the dying Snape, Harry is finally told the extent of what he must sacrifice in order to defeat the dark lord. In addition, he finally learns Snape's true motivations. Alan Rickman is achingly good here! This scene is just beautiful!

Quality on this sucks! It's the best I could find. Sorry!



1. The Opening Getaway (Drive)

I'm gonna call out that woman from Michigan again cuz I really don't see how she could have misinterpreted the film like that. This opening scene sets the tone and the style of the film with quiet grace and steely confidence. Driver is one well put together individual, never even breaking a sweat as he effortlessly dodges cop cars, choppers, and other obstacles. SO! FRIGGIN'! SWEET!



One more day of silliness before the important stuff. Thanks for the feedback so far, folks. You are quite swell! And, as always, check back at 2011: The Retrospect for all your 2011 memories! See y'all tomorrow! Brush your teeth!

2011: The Retrospect: Top 5 Best Trailers

Day 3, and we're starting to get into the good stuff.

Where 2011 offered little in good posters, it offered lots in good trailers. At almost every movie, you would see something interesting in the previews that would add another to your "Watch List". I know that last year I included trailers for movies that would be coming out in the year, but I'm avoiding that this year. If I did, the top three trailers would be for 2012 films. I think you can guess which ones.

But, here they. 2011's Top 5 Best Trailers! Enjoy!!!

5. The Muppets (Dragon Tattoo Parody)

A lot of the best trailers this year came courtesy of Jim Hansen's creations. Those were some damn fine parodies. This one wins out above all of them because it had me laughing so hysterically the whole time! It tells you nothing of plot or gives any sense of what's to come. Just that there's going to be a lot of Muppets in the film. Point! Taken!



4. Contagion

Easily one of the scariest trailers I've seen in a long time, this one perfectly set up the terror and chaos of Steven Soderbergh's brilliant disease thriller. It's actually fairly minimalist, showing quick shots of the big carnage while focusing more on the individual characters. I knew a movie about one of my biggest fears would scare the crap out of me. Who knew the trailer could do so as well?



3. Drive

I don't really see how the crazy broad from Michigan or wherever thought that this film was like The Fast and the Furious after seeing this trailer? The Fast and the Furious never had no trailer set to a slow, melancholy symphony. This trailer beautifully alludes to the art house qualities that the film was pushing, as well as its more awesome aspects. That shot where Ryan Gosling is about to hammer a bullet into that guy's forehead? So tight!!!



2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

When it came to big, epic trailers, this was the cream of the crop. We all knew that the finale of the Harry Potter franchise would have some sweet action, but holy crap, we didn't know it would be that sweet. It's loud! It's rousing! It's altogether wonderful!



1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Well, yeah. Easily the coolest minute, thirty seconds of advertising you could catch in theaters all year. No dialogue at all. Hell, there's not even a single sound that was used in the film at all. Just Trent Reznor's totally bitchin' cover "Immigrant Song" over an elaborate montage of super quick cuts. I was all in for Dragon Tattoo before most, based on Fincher alone. But if there were any doubts on my mind, this trailer dispelled them all! It's the one I kept going back to watch again and again. Then again, that could just be because of the song.



Well, that's all for today. We're almost done with the silly stuff. Just a few more days before we get into heavy hitters like actors and directors. Stay tuned, and be sure to check into 2011: The Retrospect for anything you might have missed thus far. See you tomorrow kids. Always drink your Ovaltine!

LAMBcast #78: Pottery Class

In which Dylan, Nick, and I dish on the final Harry Potter flick. Well, that was the plan, at least. It quickly devolved into a heated debate of the whole series. Good discussions all around. It's followed by some quick rants and raves, and some all to brief games of Last Lamb Standing. Enjoy.

Not With A Bang, But With A Sonic Boom

So, the end is upon us. I honestly cannot think of another movie that has caused as much hysteria as this one. I cannot think of one film that caused all my friends to drop everything, dress up, and wait in line for midnight screenings except for this one. I cannot recall a single film that had the potential to mean more to me than this one. The bomb has been dropped. The final chord has been struck. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is upon us, and with it, the end of the story that a generation grew up with. And what an ending it is! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is not only the best movie of this summer, it's the best movie of any summer that I can remember! It is a more satisfying conclusion than Return of the Jedi or Return of the King! It's better than Avatar! It's better than The Dark Knight! This is big, epic filmmaking at its most passionate, its most emotional, its most glorious! It's the finale you didn't even know you wanted. You will cry! You will cheer! And you will love EVERY! SINGLE! SECOND!!!

It Arrives!

So I guess something pretty big is going down today. The apocalypse?
...
Yeah, probably.

Oh gods! What will I wear?

Trailer Trash: X-Men: First Class & Harry Potter 7.2

You can wait until tomorrow for the Glee review. It's time to root through some spectacular trailers. What sorts of extremely awesome things will be alluded to today?

First up, X-Men: First Class. If the first trailer wasn't enough, this'll do it. Showing off more footage than any other advertisement, this trailer makes me furious. Why? Because I will be in France on June 3, and won't be able to see it until July.

Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy look great, and the rest of the cast ain't no slouches either. Can't wait to see more of Jennifer Lawrence looking hot and Kevin Bacon as a villain.

Plus, Magneto stopping dozens of missiles with his hand? More please.



The X-Men: First Class trailer is awesome. But, it is no more than a whimper compared to the almighty BANG of the new Harry Potter trailer.

HOLY SHIT!!!! I AM SPEECHLESS!!!

I might as well buy my midnight ticket now!

2010: The Retrospect: Top 5 Most Anticipated of 2011

We're almost done.

What kind of retrospect would this be if I didn't at least touch on what was about to come. In the past, all I've done is list off some movies that would be gracing our presence in the coming year. Well, now, since I'm getting nominated for awards whatnot, I'm going to focus on the year to come with it's very own post! Man. I'm legitimate! Seriously though, 2011 looks like it will answer a lot of cinematic questions, questions regarding superheroes, robots, wizards, and Mel Gibson. These are my Top 5 Most Anticipated Films of 2011!