Penelope (Foster) and Michael (Reilly) Longstreet invite Alan (Waltz) and Nancy (Winslet) Cowan over to their place to have a cordial meeting between parents after their two 11 year-old boys got in a fight on the school playground. Ethan, Penelope and Michael’s son, was hit in the face by the Cowan’s son, Zachary, with a stick causing two of Ethan’s teeth to be knocked out. So  the hope of this meeting is to clear the air between the parents and then get the two kids to talk about it with Zachary apologizing to Ethan and all of this can be put behind them. But what starts out as a friendly, mannerly conversation between adults takes a nose dive in to aggression and the “grown-ups” are acting worse than their kids. The curtain is pulled back on both couples leaving them to show their true colors and what they really think about each other. It is the harsh reality of the life they really live and the struggles each of them face in their own marriage. The truth certainly finds its way out by the end of their get together and it’s not pretty. Not one bit.

Carnage is all about the performances because if the performances fail and aren’t convincing then the whole film could very easily fall apart. But with actors like Winslet, Waltz, Foster, and Reilly, there is no way that was going to happen. Foster plays a wife and mother whose idea it was to have the meeting in the first place and I am sure it was done with best of intentions. But as one thing happens after another, it doesn’t go like she thought it would and she certainly doesn’t get the apology she expected. And Reilly seems to not have an opinion and just agrees with Penelope. He tries to be the peacekeeper at first, but begins to lose it until he is finally pushed over the edge and we get to see who Michael really is.

Winslet and Waltz are practically polar opposites of Penelope and Michael. Nancy acts concerned at first about the altercation between the two boys, but she thinks all of the blame should not be placed on their son and both boys should be held responsible. And let’s face it, we all know this is what kids do and these types of things happen all the time. This is exactly Alan’s opinion of the entire situation and views the meeting as ridiculous and pointless, which why his wife had to drag him there in the first place. But he spends most of his time on the phone due to work so his interest and attention is very limited from the start. A meeting that was suppose to be about the kids shifts its focus to them and about their lives and who they are and represent. All four people seem trapped in some shape, way or form, whether it is in their marriage or simply in that damn apartment.

Carnage is the perfect title for a film like this because that is exactly what these two couples cause and get caught up in. By the end, the gloves are off and no one is backing down. At a quick 80 minutes, Polanski dives right in to the story of humans being humans. People try to put on a smile and try not to make a big deal out of things, but certain situations, especially when it concerns their children, can make people turn in to monsters. There is nothing fancy about Carnage, but it is a terrific platform for some of the best actors working today to showcase all kinds of emotions which in return creates a hostile, funny, uncomfortable, but always entertaining environment.

Wahlberg plays a former legendary smuggler named Chris Farraday who now has a family to take care of and has managed to start his own security system business. However, he is dragged back in to the dark world of international smuggling when his brother-in-law,  Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), messes up a drug deal for his unmerciful boss Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi). So in order to pay off a family debt, Chris along with his best pal Sebastian (Ben Foster) assemble a crew to go in to Panama and leave with millions of counterfeit bills. But if he gets caught or time runs out, Briggs will not just come after them, but he will kill the rest of Chris’s family too.

Contraband keeps a steady pace and everything that could go wrong for Wahlberg’s character does, but we knew it wasn’t going to be a simple get in and get out movie. It has it’s share of cool action sequences and tense moments, and Wahlberg does a nice job playing the bad dude who wants to do good. He has played this guy before so it’s not really a challenge for him, but Wahlberg will not disappoint his fans. I have enjoyed Foster in several films, the last being The Messenger. And his role in this adds another level to the movie, but you will have to go see it to find out what I mean. Ribisi plays a man out of control and he is so damn good at it. Usually its Foster who gets crazy but not this time. Of course, I cannot forget about the beautiful Kate Beckinsale who plays Wahlberg’s wife. Now her character only cries, screams, and holds her kids for the most part, but at least she took a break from fighting werewolves and vampires I guess. But don’t worry, she’ll be back to doing all of that in no time.

Contraband isn’t a movie where you will forever remember and cherish the performances. It’s a movie where you don’t have to think and can just go to have a good time. And honestly there is nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that whatever you think will happen probably will. Unless you think for some reason Wahlberg gets his ass kicked, but then you must have never watched one of his movies. That does not happen and it never should.

The man on the ledge is Nick Cassidy (Worthington), an ex-cop who is now a wanted fugitive trying to prove his innocence in a very dramatic fashion. David Englander (Harris) is a very wealthy man who does business in real estate and when the market crashed, he was able to survive and stay alive through it all. And come to find out that may have had to do with a $40 million diamond which Cassidy was found guilty of stealing from Englander. The only problem is Cassidy says he never stole it and was set up and in reality, the diamond never left the sight of Englander. So this leaves him with no choice but to cause a scene and try to bring some attention to his case and a shot at freedom. But that is not his only motive for what he is doing. Across the street in Englander’s hotel, Cassidy’s brother Joey (Bell) and his girlfriend Angie (Genesis Rodriguez) are breaking in and hope to actually steal the diamond this time around to prove it was never stolen in the first place. I know it sounds crazy, but hey it could work….I guess.  

With a movie like Man on a Ledge, there is the issue of corruption within the New York Police Department and also trying to make your ex-partner believe you are an innocent man. And with Cassidy’s set-up, we know there are some cops who are in on it. I mean Englander has a lot of cash so it only makes sense that some have been paid off. But who all is involved? I must keep that a mystery. But there is a small yet nice relationship between Cassidy and Lydia Mercer (Banks), a NYPD negotiator. She is famous for negotiating with a rookie cop who she couldn’t save and perhaps Cassidy is her chance at redemption. He asks for her because she knows how it feels to be an outsider in the department and the only person he can actually trust. But she slowly catches on to his ulterior motive and she can’t decide how legitimate this whole thing is and whether or not she can or even wants to help him.

Worthington and Banks are the performances that stick out the most in the movie. Like I said before, everyone else offers just a little bit, but aren’t really given enough to begin with which makes it tough to hold them fully accountable. The only real problem I have with the movie is the last 20 minutes or so. It feels so rushed and is wrapped up so quickly that it’s very anti-climatic. It builds up to a certain point only to have it be settled within a few moments. Luckily, the ending didn’t ruin the experience completely, but this is your official warning about it.

But with all of that said, Man on a Ledge is a good movie because it delivers on providing entertainment that folks can enjoy and not leave you feeling miserable like I am sure moviegoers did when they saw Beastly, my #1 worst movie of 2011! So for my first movie of the year, it could have gone a lot worse. Man on a Ledge has 2012 headed in the right direction.

It is my Best of 2011!

The list everyone waits in anticipation for so they can feast their eyes on my personal favorites ranging from movies, actors, actresses, and directors. Also, I added a new category for this Best Of that includes prequels/sequels since there were a ton released this past year. And just like every year, you may see some films on this list that were officially released in 2010, but cut me a break because Nashville isn’t like NY or L.A. so we have to wait a little bit. That is the same reason why films such as The Iron Lady, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Shame may pop up on 2012′s list because they haven’t reached my side of town yet.

And whether it is because 2011 didn’t offer as many great films as the year before or I just slacked off, but I saw around 20 fewer films than in 2009 and 2010.

153 is the number of movies I saw in theatres in 2011…..and here is what I remember from all of those……

Best Comedy Film

Bridesmaids

Runners-Up: 50/50, Our Idiot Brother

Best Horror Film

Paranormal Activity 3

Runners-Up: Insidious 

Best Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin

Runners-Up: Kung Fu Panda 2

Best Foreign Film

Incendies

Runners-Up: Biutiful, The First Grader

Best Documentary Film

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

Runners-Up: Senna, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Buck, One Lucky Elephant

Best Prequel/Sequel

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Runners-Up: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, X-Men: First Class, Kung Fu Panda 2

Most Surprisingly Good/Great Films (in no particular order)

- Fast Five

- Thor

- Attack the Block

- The Debt

- Transformers: Dark of the Moon

- Rise of the Planet of the Apes

- Dolphin Tale

- The First Grader

- Paranormal Activity 3

- War Horse

Most Disappointing Films (in no particular order)

- Red Riding Hood

- Dream House

- The Hangover Part II

- Your Highness

- J. Edgar

- Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

- Cars 2

- Midnight in Paris

- Horrible Bosses

- The Dilemma

- Captain America: The First Avenger

- The Muppets

Worst Films

5) Season of the Witch

4) Jack and Jill

3) Almost every Horror Film this year: Dream House, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Tontine Massacre, Apollo 18

2) The Resident

1) Beastly

Runners-Up: The Mechanic, Of Gods and Men, The Darkest Hour, Happy Feet Two, Meek’s Cutoff

Best Actress

Runners-Up: Top 10

- Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) 

- Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)

- Helen Mirren (The Debt)

- Rosamund Pike (Barney’s Version)

- Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia) 

- Charlize Theron (Young Adult)

- Emma Stone (The Help, Crazy, Stupid, Love)

- Berenice Bejo (The Artist)

- Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene)

- Jodie Foster (The Beaver)

Top 5 Actresses of 2011

5) Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids)

4) Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine, Meek’s Cutoff, My Week with Marilyn) 

3) Viola Davis (The Help)

2) Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)

1) Jessica Chastain (Tree of Life, The Help, The Debt, Take Shelter)

Best Actor

Runners-Up: Top 12

- Michael Shannon (Take Shelter)

- Jean Dujardin (The Artist)

- George Clooney (The Ides of March, The Descendants)

- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50)

- Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar)

- Matthew McConaughey (The Lincoln Lawyer)

- Tom Hardy (Warrior)

- Matt Damon (The Adjustment Bureau, Contagion, We Bought A Zoo)

- Asa Butterfield (Hugo)

- Javier Bardem (Biutiful)

- Aaron Eckhart (Rabbit Hole, The Rum Diary)

- Nick Nolte (Warrior)

Top 5 Actors of 2011

5) Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Adventures of Tintin)

4) Mel Gibson (The Beaver)

3) Brad Pitt (Tree of Life, Moneyball)

2) Paul Giamatti (Barney’s Version, Win Win, The Ides of March)

1) Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Drive, The Ides of March)

Best Director

Runners-Up: Top 15

- Bennett Miller (Moneyball)

- Tate Taylor (The Help)

- Terrence Malick (Tree of Life)

- Gavin O’Connor (Warrior)

- Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter)

- John Cameron Mitchell (Rabbit Hole)

- J.J. Abrams (Super 8)

- Jodie Foster (The Beaver)

- Lars von Trier (Melancholia)

- Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class)

- Alexander Payne (The Descendants)

- Glen Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love)

- Steven Soderbergh (Contagion)

- Thomas McCarthy (Win Win)

- Joe Wright (Hanna)

Top 5 Directors of 2011

5) Martin Scorsese (Hugo)

4) Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)

3) Steven Spielberg (The Adventures of Tintin, War Horse)

2) Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)

1) Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

Best Films

Runners-Up: Top 12

- Moneyball

- Crazy, Stupid, Love

- The Adventures of Tintin

- Hanna

- The Beaver

- Win Win

- Kung Fu Panda 2

- The Help

- Bridesmaids

- X-Men: First Class

- Super 8

- Take Shelter

Top 5 Films of 2011 

5) War Horse

4) Warrior

3) Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2) Rabbit Hole

1) Drive

The End.

Well that does it.

Feel free to comment on my choices or which ones you would change. And go to my Best Of category and take a look back at the past.

So a tip of the hat to 2011. And a nice, strong handshake to 2012.

My Week with Marilyn

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

The Adventures of Tintin

We Bought A Zoo

Best Actor

Robert Downey, Jr.- Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Matt Damon- We Bought A Zoo

Best Actress

Michelle Williams- My Week with Marilyn

Kirsten Dunst- Melancholia

Charlize Theron- Young Adult

Rooney Mara- Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Best Director

Lars Von Trier- Melancholia

Steven Spielberg- The Adventures of Tintin 

Up Next:

The Best of 2011 (along with some Disappointing and Worst).

So let’s make a smooth transition and get things going starting with last month.

Best Films

Take Shelter

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

Hugo

The Artist

The Descendants

Puss in Boots

War Horse

Best Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio- J. Edgar

George Clooney- The Descendants

Jean Dujardin- The Artist

Armie Hammer- J. Edgar

Kevin Spacey- Margin Call

Michael Shannon- Take Shelter

Asa Butterfield- Hugo

Johnny Depp- The Rum Diary

Best Actress

Elizabeth Olsen- Martha Marcy May Marlene

Berenice Bejo- The Artist

Jessica Chastain- Take Shelter

Best Director

Jeff Nichols- Take Shelter

Michael Hazanavicius- The Artist

Martin Scorsese- Hugo

Alexander Payne- The Descendants

Steven Spielberg- War Horse

Check back for December 2011 followed by my annual Best Of for 2011.

Payne’s new film is set in Hawaii and centers around Matt King (George Clooney) and his two daughters, Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller), having to deal with the possibility of losing Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie), his wife and their mother. She is involved in a boating accident that leaves her in a coma and the thought of her never waking up becomes a harsh reality for Matt and his two girls. As if that isn’t enough, he is also having to wrestle with a decision about selling some property that will decide the future of his family and their legacy in Hawaii. Matt describes himself as being the “back-up parent” because he hasn’t been around for most of his daughters’ lives. He was always gone on business and is out of touch with who his daughters are and how to reconnect with them during this difficult time.

Matt has regrets on how he has been a father and a husband. If Elizabeth will just wake up then he will make things right with her. He will give her the love and attention she deserves if only she will wake back up. But then he finds out something he never saw coming: His wife was having an affair and was going to divorce him. Right when you think the film is going in one direction, it changes its path. It is about the journey of a man who is trying to do the best he can and becomes self-aware of the life he is living and how it should have changed a long time ago. It could very well be too little too late at this point. 

The Descendants is heartfelt and emotional, but always seems to find some humor in these uncommon, yet familiar issues we face as human beings. And with a story about how messy things can get, you need an actor who can portray a person who has confidence but needs help, has remorse but still allowed to be angry and no one is better than Clooney. Could this be one of his best performances ever? Absolutely. He isn’t the Clooney we are used to seeing in film. He is a lot more exposed and open in front of the camera this time around. From his hair to his clothes, he gives himself up to Payne completely and it pays off for both of them. And let’s not leave out the two girls who both give amazing performances, especially Woodley. And what is so terrific about The Descendants is how great all the performances are and how each character brings something to the film that allows it to get to the next level.

This dramatic comedy is tough, wrenching, and tender. It focuses on some devastating events that we hope to never encounter in our lifetime, but it does happen. And when it does what will we do? How will we act? That is what the film is all about. Incase you forgot how good Payne is, The Descendants is a guaranteed reminder.

Theseus (Henry Cavill) lives the life of a peasant in a small village and is full of pride and confidence no matter what his status is. More importantly, he stands up for those he loves and he does not love anyone more than his mother. But when the brutal, ruthless King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) attacks the village, he murders Theseus’s mother right in front of him. That is something Hyperion should not have done because Theseus has been chosen to change the world and save it from Hyperion. 

Theseus has a destiny to fulfill, but the only problem is he doesn’t know that yet. Hyperion has been raging a war against Zeus and the other Olympians and is in search of the legendary Epirus Bow and with it, he can release the Titans so he can overthrow the Gods and take over the world. But Theseus wants revenge and stands in Hyperion’s way, and with the help of an Oracle (Freida Pinto) who can see the future and Stavros (Stephen Dorff), a thief who can battle with the best of them, he becomes a legend who obtains immortality.

Immortals isn’t here to be accurate or complex, and it has no interest in trying to make the audience think about what they are viewing. This movie wants to amaze you by using grand set pieces and CGI, and it does a nice job achieving that. The action sequences are terrific and if you like blood and severed heads then you have come to the right place. Cavill fills the role of the muscle-bound hero who defies the odds. This is just a little taste of what you will get once he appears as Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel coming out in 2013. And Rourke is so damn good at playing a villain. There is just something about him that oozes bad and I mean that as a compliment. He was cool as Whiplash and gave that character some depth, but that doesn’t happen here as Hyperion. He is a sick bastard who shows no mercy and will get what he wants by any means necessary. It is that simple.

 Immortals has it’s fair share of awesomeness. There is action and violence for any fan to enjoy, and if you are a fan of 300 then you will no doubt find this movie entertaining. But that isn’t to say it doesn’t have its issues, and there are times when you wish things would hurry up and get going again. It could have had a shorter running time for sure. In the end, Immortals is fun and it reaches its epic status every now and then. Yet it will forever live in the shadow of the Spartans.

Sandler plays Jack and Jill, identical twins who use to be inseparable yet now Jack dreads having his sister come stay with him once a year during the holidays. Jacks’ wife (Katie Holmes in a mindless role) and his two kids enjoy Jill and are entertained by her, but she drives her brother nuts with her neediness and passive aggressive behavior, but her heart is in the right place. She’s just a lonesome gal from the Bronx crying out for attention and in need of some love.

But Jack, who is an advertising executive, winds up needing his sister to go out with Al Pacino (playing himself) so he will do a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial for him and keep his ad agency in business. Pacino forms a crush on Jill that is ridiculous and borderline creepy. But Pacino really tries to pull out all of the stops for this movie, but it hardly even makes a bit of difference.

The premise above is useless to describe. Jack and Jill is suppose to be about the importance of family.You do not get to pick your family, but you have to love them anyway because they are who you can rely on at the end of the day. However, this movie isn’t the place to try and find some type of meaning or walk away having learn something. There is no way that is going to happen. This Sandler comedy is like a lot of his comedies: Pointless, stupid, careless, and unfunny.

To be honest, it hurts for me to say that because I like Sandler and for those of us who have seen him in Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, and Funny People, we know he can really act but he rarely likes to showcase that. He shouldn’t be embarrassed that he has the ability to show real emotion and is capable of being dramatic. Instead, he should be embarrassed of Jack and Jill.

Puss’s story begins with him as a quiet kitty cat who finds himself in an orphanage and becomes friends with Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis). They are outcasts who stick together and always seem to find their way in to trouble. Dumpty was the brains of the operation and Puss put the plan into action. They seem to be the best of friends until Puss becomes a hero and Dumpty is left behind which results in Dumpty betraying his old pal.

Since then Puss has formed the reputation of being an impressive fighter and an even more impressive lover. But it looks like he may have met his match when he has a run-in with Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek). She messes things up for him while he tries to steal some magic beans from the Bonnie and Clyde-like Jack and Jill (Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris) that will lead to the Giant’s castle in the clouds where there is a golden goose who lays golden eggs. When Puss tries to get some answers from this mysterious beauty with a mask, he finds out she was sent by Dumpty. Hesitant at first, Puss ends up joining forces with Dumpty and Softpaws to take down Jack and Jill and getting his paws on some gold. This furry Zorro just cannot help himself.

Puss in Boots would have never worked from the beginning if it wasn’t for Banderas and the energy and quick wit he brings to the character. There is great voice work from Hayek and a nice surprise from Galifianakis who gives Dumpty a personality that you could never imagine. But it is Banderas who breathes life in to Puss in Boots and his movie. I mean it is only fitting for the man who played Zorro to voice the cat who would sword fight him any time, any place.