1. Captain America: The First Avenger
When I went to see this film I have to admit that I didn't expect to be blown away. But you know what? This film turned out to be pretty good. The special effects were pretty cool, had riveting action sequences and the fact that the man himself was a scrawny, sickly little kid transformed into a buffed, Nazi-slaying badass resonated for the geek within me. Hayley Atwell's cute-but-tough Peggy Carter and Tommy Lee Jones' prickly Colonel Chester Phillips are also stand-outs. Totally ejoyable.
My grade: B
2. Johnny English Reborn
This film received mixed reviews from critics, with some saying that Rowan Atkinson 'still had it' while others thought he is losing his touch. But in my opinion, this was one of the funniest films I've ever seen.
I'm a big Rowan Atkinson fan and I have to say, he still has it. The dialogue ranged from witty to straight-up ridiculous and the action was over-the-top and, at times, predictable but I still laughed myself silly. The opening sequence alone had me red in the face and by the end of the film I felt as though I had just completed 1,000 sit-ups. Absolutely hilarious!
My grade: B+
3. X-Men: First Class
I used to watch the X-Men cartoons as a kid but haven't seen a single one of the films. When this one came out I thought that I might as well see it since it's the prequel to the series and looked at the history between Charles Xavier and Magneto in that they started out as friends and eventually became enemies.
Well, what can I say? The special effects and the action had me on the edge of my seat and there were enough friendly and brotherly exchanges between Xavier and Magneto that made you wish they hadn't eventually turned against each other. And the scenes in which Xavier teaches his young mutants to learn to control their abilities are pure gold - as is a cameo appearance from Hugh Jackman.
My Grade: A
4. The Fighter
As a boxing fan, I was disappointed when I heard that this film based on former boxing champion Micky Ward's career excluded his three legendary fights with the late Arturo Gatti. Still, I thought it was a great movie. While Wahlberg does not look at all like the real Ward (who makes a cameo in the film), his acting was top-notch and the Academy Award wins for Christian Bale and Melissa Leo (Who played Ward's brother/trainer Dicky Eklund and Ward's Mother/manager Alice Ward, respectively and both of whom won best supporting actor/actress in this year's awards) were well-earned. The fight scenes were realistic compared to some other boxing films (where inhuman beatings, wild-exaggerated punches and unhealthy amounts of blood and aggression seem to be the norm) and the squabbles and banter within Micky's dysfunctional clan are hard-hitting yet strangely amusing at the same time. And if Amy Adams' intent in signing on to this film was to distance herself away from her character in 'Enchanted', all I have to say is mission accomplished.
At the risk of sounding clichéd I have to say that this film delivered a knockout blow.
My Grade: A+
When I saw the preview for this film I thought to myself, 'I've got to see this one!' I walked out of the cinema thinking that it was the best film of the year. James Franco and Freida Pinto played their roles well but were completely overshadowed by Andy Serkis' compelling and touching performance as Caesar the Chimp. Also memorable was Tom Felton's portrayal of the sadistic animal caretaker at a primate shelter Caesar finds himself in.
There were some scenes that can bring a tear to the eye, and the film's climax not only leave you on the edge of your seat but will also have you, as a human being, cheering for the apes to win their battle against humans. There were also scenes that will make you laugh, particularly those with Caesar and his band of apes and I quite liked the way scenes in which Caesar was forming his army was shot with shades of 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Prison Break' thrown into it. A powerful film with a strong message. Absolutely loved it.
My Grade: A+
Well, there you have it. These were the films that stood out for me in 2011. Let's see what the year 2012 will bring.
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