Now on DVD

In this segment I will cover the films that I've seen recently but haven't reviewed. All of these films are now available on DVD. There are only a handful of films (worth my attention) from 2010 that I haven't seen. So we can now start to focus on 2011. My top 50 films of 2010 are listed on the left side of the page, as well as every other 2010 film that I reviewed. I will give my thoughts on each film below, so if you're thinking about renting any of these films then please read. It's been a rough run of films in 2011, but some of the 2010 films mentioned below are quite good. Enjoy.

2010:

The Next Three Days: While Russell Crowe (Cinderella Man, Gladiator) seems kind of out of his comfort zone here, this film has a good pulse from start to finish. It takes quite a bit before things start to get exciting, but it's worth it. This film isn't anything new, but it's a good popcorn action flick with some decent performances. (B-)

Conviction: This was one of the more disappointing films of 2010. While it wasn't a bad film, it just wasn't as emotionally draining as it led us to believe. I'm just not that big of a Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby, Insomnia) fan and Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke) needed more air time. These type of films are always so predictable, which doesn't help. (C+)

Love and Other Drugs: This film turned out to be surprisingly deep. It's filled with hilarious and sweet moments, as well as some great acting by its leads (Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hatheway). While critics didn't exactly warm up to it, I found it to be surprisingly refreshing. Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Jarhead) is one of the best actors in the world, and he proves it once again here. (B)

TRON: Legacy: This is one of the more visually dazzling films in recent memory. It features a terrific soundtrack, above average performances and (of course) wonderful special effects. Garrett Hedlund (Friday Night Lights, Four Brothers) turns in a breakout performance, but it's definitely not his first rodeo. Even if the plot is a bit thin and the dialogue is a tad weak, I find it hard to believe anyone can find this film anything but enjoyable. (B)

Hereafter: I found this Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino, Mystic River) film breathtaking. Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity, The Talented Mr. Ripley) shows a different side of himself here, as he continues to prove that he has real serious range. There's a breakout performance from Cecile De France to look out for. One of the problems with this film isn't the film itself, but the ad campaigns. The trailers made it out to be an M. Night Shyamalan type of film full of twists and turns, but it's anything but. This a touching, well-acted, thoughtful film and it's one of the best films of 2010. (B)

How Do You Know: While this film was disappointing, it certainly has it's moments. It's not nearly as funny as it should be, especially considering that Owen Wilson (Starsky & Hutch, Zoolander) and Paul Rudd (Role Models, I Love You, Man) are two of the main characters. I absolutely love Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line, American Psycho), but she deserved a better script. This film is better than the majority of romantic comedies, but I expected more from director James L. Brooks (As Good as It Gets, Spanglish). (C)

Blue Valentine: This was easily one of the best 15 films of 2010. Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl) and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain, Shutter Island) are both terrific, and the script is fantastic. This is my type of film. I love dramatic films that make you feel something for the main characters. Happy endings are overrated anyways. This film is highly recommended if you can handle a serious film, with serious problems. (A)

Biutiful: Technically this film was released in 2010, but it wasn't available for viewing until 2011. This was possibly the most disappointing film of 2010, without a doubt. Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Collateral) turns in a heart-wrenching performance, and there are some chilling scenes throughout. However, this film is overlong and underwhelming. I expected more from Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Babel). This is probably his least effective film to date, but that's saying something because this is a well made film. (B-)

Rabbit Hole: This is a bleak and dark film, but it's also a showcase for Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight, Thank You for Smoking) and Nicole Kidman (Eyes Wide Shut, Margot at the Wedding). They're both absolutely terrific, especially Eckhart who has never been better. They play a struggling married couple who copes with the untimely death of their young son. This is serious stuff we're talking about, and not for a single moment is this film enjoyable (well...maybe a few). While this film does push the boundary of way too serious, it's also a terrific film with outstanding performances. (B)

All Good Things: This is an awful mess of a film, which is unfortunate because of it's talented cast. Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man, Elizabethtown) deserve much, much better than this. The first half of the film is not a complete waste of time, but the second half is absolutely horrendous. It's based on a true story, but this is one of those stories not worth telling. All good things eventually end and get washed down the drain. (C-)

The Tourist: This films likable cast (Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie) keeps it watchable throughout. There's nothing new here, but it's often funny and charming. Surprisingly no one saw this film at the theater and the critics hated it. What surprised me the most is that I normally hate these types of films and I didn't mind it one bit, yet everyone else hated it. Oh well, I happen to think this is a very likable film despite it's many flaws. (C)

Little Fockers: Boy oh boy has this franchise sunk to a new low. Meet the Parents was so fresh and hysterical, Meet the Fockers wasn't fresh but it at least had plenty of laughs to go around. Little Fockers is for the most part garbage, other than a gag or two (from Owen Wilson). Ben Stiller (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Envy) needs to stay away from these types of films from here on out, seriously. (C-)

Casino Jack: An interesting real story, but a pretty boring and awful film. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Kevin Spacey (American Beauty, Shrink) fan, but he did not make a good Jack Abramoff. You're better off watching the documentary with pretty much the same title, Casino Jack and the United States of Money. (C-)

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Yes, there are good C's and bad C's. This film gets a good C. I had extremely low expectations for this little Disney flick, but it turned out to be pretty decent all things considered. Nicolas Cage (The Weather Man, The Wicker Man) plays his usual quirky self, and Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up, She's Out of My League) isn't as annoying as usual. (C)

Marwencol: This film literally got 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I find that extremely hard to believe. This documentary is extremely odd and rather creepy. A film crew follows a tormented, horny, aging man who was beaten within an inch of his life many years ago. Now he builds figurines and has his own fake city. Sound interesting? Well, it shouldn't. (C-)

Red White & Blue: This is a surprisingly fantastic indie film. It's not your typical revenge flick. It has a heartbeat and it's downright shocking. Noah Taylor (Almost Famous, Vanilla Sky) has never been better (or this crazy). I highly recommend you seek this film out, especially if you like a good revenge film. It gets a little graphic in more ways than one, so you've been warned. (B-)

Somewhere: This is a quiet, yet rewarding film. Stephen Dorff's (Blade, World Trade Center) career should get a much needed jolt because of his terrific performance. Dorff and Elle Fanning (Super 8, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) make a good duo as they try to rekindle their relationship. Highly recommended. (B+)

Gulliver's Travels: It's no big surprise that this film was a huge failure despite a decent cast. It's impossible to create chemistry between actors when they aren't actually talking to each other, but just reading a script. Jack Black (The School of Rock, Envy) has made some interesting decisions career-wise as of late. He needs to get back to his raunchy comedy roots, and fast. For God's sake, please make another Tenacious D film! (D+)

Farewell: This was one of the worst foreign films of the year, granted I didn't see a ton of them but still. It's just a run of the mill political/espionage thriller that covers no new ground. What keeps this film from being a total disaster is an effective ending. There's no point in giving this one a try. (C-)

You Wont Miss Me: Easily one of the worst films of 2010. This film features an awful, self-centered, unlikable main character. She's a nasty, whore-ish wannabe actress who hates everything around her. And in return, everyone hates the hell out of her. This whole film is just a hot mess. Keep your distance from this filth. (D-)

Another Year: This is a fantastic British film with wonderful performances and serious issues. It's not an easy film to sit through. Everyone can probably relate to the material here, young or old. I didn't find it as funny as others did, but it's a well-made character drama with serious fangs. (B)

2011:

The Way Back: This is one of the more disappointing films of 2011. It's been seven years since Peter Weir (The Truman Show, Witness) has made a film, and it definitely wasn't worth the wait. A solid cast (led by Ed Harris and Colin Farrell) doesn't quite deliver the goods, despite a serious subject matter and an interesting premise. I knew this film would be depressing, but i expected more violence and a crisper script. (C+)

I Saw the Devil: This is a terrific film with fantastic performances and outstanding cinematography. There's an excess amount of violence and gore, yet this film is overly long and frustrating in so many ways. It's impossible to sympathize with the main character based on his head-scratching choices. This is a Korean film, so it's obviously hard to follow with the subtitles, but I still recommend it. Although I'd love to see a U.S. version of this film, I have a feeling Hollywood would turn it into a cheesy action flick with John Cena or something. (B-)

The Green Hornet: This film is occasionally funny with some decent special effects, but the jokes rarely hit and the cast doesn't really work well with each other. Actually the funniest scene in the movie is the opening scene, which was not supposed to be funny in the least. Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) had no business being in this film; who in their right mind thought he would make a good crime boss who has a stupid accent and very lame jokes? (C-)

No Strings Attached: Mildly funnier than most romantic comedies thanks to Natalie Portman (Black Swan, The Other Woman), no thanks to Ashton Kutcher (Spread, Killers). It's extremely predictable and obviously not fresh, but somehow this film is actually watchable. A pretty good supporting cast (Kevin Kline, Cary Elwes, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Olivia Thirlby, Ludacris, Mindy Kaling) helps this thing along. (C)

Daydream Nation: This is a fun little Indie flick starring Kat Dennings (Thor, The 40 Year Old Virgin). It's not necessarily original, but it's a rare coming of age film starring a young woman (instead of a boy). There are bits and pieces that seem to be ripped off from the likes of Donnie Darko (my favorite film of all time), which should have probably make me mad but it surprisingly didn't. I really enjoy both Reece Thompson (The Assassination of a High School President, Rocket Science) and Josh Lucas (American Psycho, Glory Road), so they made the film that much more enjoyable. This isn't your run of the mill high school dramedy. (B-)

The Mechanic: I'm starting to really hate Jason Statham (Crank, The Bank Job). This film is just complete garbage from start to finish. Honestly, what kind of person enjoys these types of brainless action films that have no original thought or a single interesting line in the entire movie? (D+)

I Am Number Four: This is practically a slightly better version of Twilight. The first half of the film starts extremely strong, but slowly dwindles into a run of the mill mythological high school teen romp. However, a strong performance from Timothy Olyphant (The Crazies, The Girl Next Door) propels this film slightly above mediocrity. (C+)

Black Death: Director Christopher Smith (Triangle, Creep) has yet to make his masterpiece, although Triangle (starring Melissa George) was close. This is a bleak and gruesome period piece with solid performances and some alarming violence. While this film won't shake your faith, it shows a few severe views on Christianity. Set in the 14th Century, this film takes place roughly around the beginning of the Bubonic plague. If this is your type of film, I'd also recommend Nicolas Winding Refn's Valhalla Rising. (B-)

The Other Woman: While this type of film has been done a thousand times before, it's made watchable thanks to Natalie Portman's fierce performance. She plays a step mom who means well, but struggles to find a good balance in her new life. I can't recommend this film because it doesn't break any new ground, is predictable, starts slow and is a one woman show. (C+)

The Company Men: You might expect more from Ben Affleck (The Town, State of Play) and Tommy Lee Jones (No Country for Old Men, The Fugitive) but I can't say I'm surprised, mainly because of the yawning premise. Our country is in a rough patch financially, but that doesn't necessarily mean this film will hit home for anyone. These snobby business people lose their jobs, their mansions and their fancy cars and we're supposed to feel sorry for them? (C+)

Drive Angry 3D: What an awful, awful mess. I love Nicolas Cage, even in terrible films like The Wicker Man, but this film is so brutal that it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Amber Heard (The Informers, The Joneses) is shockingly gorgeous, but she's not enough to save this dud. Steer clear folks. (D-)

Vanishing on 7th Street: This film is not scary for a single second, and the cast is weak. The buildup is okay, but then it's just one ridiculous scene after another. Brad Anderson (The Machinist, Session 9) has made some above average films in the past, but Hayden Christensen (Jumper, Awake) is one of the worst actors in history. He has literally never been in a good film, ever. (C-)

The Dilemma: Most people found this film unfunny and off-putting, but I completely disagree. There are some extremely funny scenes thanks to Vince Vaughn (Old School, Wedding Crashers), who hasn't been this funny since The Break-Up. However, Kevin James (I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Grown Ups) is quite obnoxious throughout and his character is oddly similar to George Costanza from Seinfeld. Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon) knows what he's doing, and this black comedy was oddly entertaining. (B-)

The Rite: Well if this wasn't the worse exorcist film of all-time. Anthony Hopkins (The Wolfman, Hannibal) needs to give it up if this is the best he's got. The "horror" genre has lost some steam over the years thanks to Godawful films like these. I think the people behind this film thought that it was going to be groundbreaking and controversial, but it's dull, boring and scare-less. (D)