I liked M Night Shyamalan’s movie Signs, actually when it first came out I really liked Signs. Yes, it’s a bit on the nose and on the sentimental side. But, it seems to have a lasting impact. Love it or hate it, you probably remember it. It has a way of being both slight and deep at the same time. You could say the same thing about many of the Duplass brother’s mumble-core movies, but in a completely different way. They like to take a single theme or cliche or idea and drill into it. Maybe turn it on it’s head, maybe poke it and kick it and dissect it ad nauseum. But instead of the hyper-real world that Shyamalan creates, the Duplass’ go the other direction, to a completely realistic world, where the events could be happening just down your street. What you are left with walking out of the theatre may worm it’s way into your brain, but it also may seem like nothing really happened in that movie you just watched.

In Jeff, Who Lives at Home, the Duplass’ take the theme from Signs and look into it a bit more than that movie ever could. Are there signs in the world around you, if you can see them, that can lead you to where you are “suppose” to go? Jeff thinks so, but at the same time Jeff admits that he is unhappy with his life looking for signs. So why does he continue to look for them? Why does he still blindly follow these signs if they keep leading him to misery? It’s like the movie Signs has dug into his brain and he can’t let go of it. To the point where he doesn’t even like to leave the house, because he knows the signs will lead him on some wild goose chase. Maybe it’s because he sees his Mom and his brother who are both miserable without following the signs. At least the signs give hope, even if it’s a slim hope.

The Duplass’ do a great job showing Jeff’s view contrasted with those around him. It makes for some funny and heartfelt scenes. And Jason Siegel does a great job playing Jeff with just the right amount of heart, innocence and resignation. He really has no choice in following where the signs lead. In the end, I wish the Duplass’ brothers had kept the signs a bit less on the nose, but maybe they just couldn’t get that Signs movie out of their heads.

The whole idea to drudge up some bad 80′s tv show and re-make it into a movie sounds like a marketing ploy. Either they slap the name on some mediocre script laying around to hopefully arouse some interest, or write a script that copies all the badness from the original show just to pull in the nostalgia crowd. It’s been done many times before, and it will be done many times in the future. So why do we keep biting it hook, line and sinker? For me, it’s because sometimes they happen to hire a writer/director/actor that actually cares about his craft and wants to make something good out of the bad premise they have in front of them. This is one of those times.

I laughed many, many times during 21 Jump Street. And I don’t do that very often at the movies. Comedies either slow burn with me and I don’t really laugh until the 2nd, 3rd, 10th time I watch it (Old School), or a have a good laugh or two and then forget I even saw it 2 days later (The Hangover). Time will tell if 21 Jump Street lives up to multiple viewings, but I for one had a blast the first time out.

This year’s ceremony was much better than last year’s, Billy Crystal brought some much needed stability and class to the show. And ultimately I didn’t mind The Artist winning the big awards, it’s a good movie that celebrates film. I was pleasantly surprised with Meryl Streep’s win, she was wonderful in the Iron Lady. Hugo won more awards than I thought it would, and I was wrong on all the short films, so this year I was a weak 16 for 24. Overall a good year in film, but here’s hoping next year steps it up a notch.

For the second straight year my favorite movie came out in the summer… maybe i’m just a popcorn flick lover at heart. I had high expectations for Super 8 and it met everyone of them. It had the perfect mix of nostalgia, great characters, stunning cinematography, a compelling story and A MONSTER! What more could you ask for?

After that there is a group of great films that any other year could have been #1. I especially liked Drive, it felt like no other film in 2011 and had this great mix of heart and thrills. Clooney gave his best performance of his career in Descendants, and he and movie sucked me in and I didn’t want to leave (didn’t hurt that it took place in Hawaii, how does anyone every leave that place). I wish Young Adult had gotten more Oscar love, Charlize Theron gave the best female performance offthe year. It’s hard to pull off that unlikable of a character and still make you want to watch her every move (especially with me, as I usually dispise movies with no likeable characters). Midnight in Paris was the biggest surprise of the year, that movie came out of nowhere and wisked me away like a movie is suppose to do. Also wanted to mention Attack the Block, which was like a lo-fi, british version of Super 8, except shot through a harsh lens instead of a warming one. Search that one out, it’s a great underseen film.

I watched 105 movies that came out in 2011 (11 more than 2010), almost all in the theatre. 48 of which I gave 4 stars or more (two more than in 2010), meaning about half the movies I saw were good movies. 10 were below 3 stars (same as 2010), meaning I only saw 10 bad movies from 2011. The worst being The Green Hornet and The Roommate.

The Top 20

1. Super 8   P: R: O:

2. Drive   P: R: O:

3. The Descendants   P: R: O:

4. Young Adult   P: R: O:

5. Midnight in Paris   P: R: O:

6. Attack the Block   P: R: O:

7. Bridesmaids   P: R: O:

8. We Bought a Zoo   P: R: O:

9. Mission Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol   P: R: O:

10. Hanna   P: R: O:

11. War Horse   P: R: O:

12. Win Win   P: R: O:

13. Super   P: R: O:

14. Rise of the Planet of the Apes   P: R: O:

15. Another Earth   P: R: O:

16. The Muppets   P: R: O:

17. Suckerpunch   P: R: O:

18. Captain America   P: R: O:

19. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy   P: R: O:

20. The Help   P: R: O:

For the past 6 months I’ve been going back and forth between Inception and Scott Pilgrim as the best movie of 2010. And i’m still not sure which is better, it’s really just splitting hairs. I’ve seen Inception more times, and it’s great every time, and that last shot is one of the best shots i’ve ever seen and is the reason why i love movies. But, on the other hand, Scott Pilgrim has one of the best opening credit sequences ever, with that expanding living room shot while Sex Bob-omb is playing their kick-ass title song. Both movies have ground-breaking special effects and truly innovative and unique scripts, but are completely different movies. Both will go down as 2 of my favorite movies ever…. so why pick, why choose and so i’m declaring a TIE!

After that is the King’s Speech, which is an impeccably made movie that has heavy stakes and brilliant acting that comes together to make a just about perfect film. A step down from there is Let Me In, True Grit, Black Swan and Exit Through the Gift Shop which could be in any order. But after the top 7 there really is a drop to everything else, as this year had some great films, but not a lot of consistancy. Lot’s of films doing great things but not quite coming together.

I watched 94 movies that came out in ’10 (7 more than ’09), almost all in the theatre. 46 of which I gave 4 stars or more (one more than in ’09), meaning about half the movies I saw were good movies. 10 were below 3 stars (3 more than ’09), meaning I only saw 10 bad movies from ’10. The worst being Bounty Hunter and Dear John.

The Top 20

1. Inception
P: R: O:
1. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World!
P: R: O:
3. The King’s Speech
P: R: O:
4. Let Me In
P: R: O:
5. True Grit
P: R: O:
6. Black Swan
P: R: O:
7. Exit Through the Gift Shop
P: R: O:
8. A Prophet
P: R: O:
9. The Fighter
P: R: O:
10. Shutter Island
P: R: O:
11. The Social Network
P: R: O:
12. 127 Hours
P: R: O:
13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
P: R: O:
14. The Runaways
P: R: O:
15. Animal Kingdom
P: R: O:
16. Paranormal Activity 2
P: R: O:
17. Easy A
P: R: O:
18. Greenberg
P: R: O:
19. Winter’s Bone
P: R: O:
20. The Kids Are All Right
P: R: O:

I was quite happy with most of this year’s Oscar winners, with a few exceptions (Hailee). But, the ceremony it self was quite bad. I’m voting for Justin Timberlake to host next year (even though they will probably go back to someone old after this year’s catastrophe). As for my predictions, 18/24 ain’t too bad, especially considering I started out 0/4.

I’m the kinda guy who likes tranquility in my life. A Saturday that involves sleeping in, playing Rock Band, eating a leisurely lunch while finding new and exciting apps on my iPad, lounging on the couch reading comics, spending loads of time cooking way too much food for dinner and then going to a late night movie, well, it’s a perfect Saturday in my book. A life that has few highs but also few lows. You find happiness and excitement in the small deviations and comfortable repetitions. To find a soulmate with similar tranquil aspirations, well that’s a miracle i wish for everyday. But… what if, out of the blue, inspiration strikes? Not just a small deviation of inspiration, but a full fledged, life-outlook changing, titanic of a strike? It could start small, but soon it’s all you think about, all you really care about, and all you want to spend your life doing. This brings us to the story of Filip Mosz, played with a perfect feel of innocence lost by Jerzy Stuhr. Filip was happy with his tranquil life. He had a loving wife with tranquil aspirations herself. A brand new baby that should take all of his attention and love. And a steady job that was comfortable. A life that was comfortable. But then an 8mm movie camera entered that life and changed it forever.

It’s harder to imagine that a little old movie camera can bring along with it so much drama when these days hardly a week goes by when you don’t capture 15 seconds of phone video, or watch someone else’s 15 second video on YouTube. But there was a time when holding a camera was like holding the world in the palm of your hand. Really, it’s like creating a world in the palm of your hand and then getting to show this world to everyone you know as they shower you with praise at how wonderful your creation is. That can be intoxicating. Sometimes too much so.

Filip’s intoxication grows slowly… He takes a few home videos of his new born child and his neighbors. Then of a concert at his company’s anniversary celebration. And before he knows it, some people richer and more influential then he want him to make movies for them. Movies that lead to public showings and film festivals and to famous movie makers. All the while his tranquil life is floating away behind him, along with his wife, his children and his friends. That tranquil life is no longer good enough, he has found meaning in this new life. And when meaning is what you have found, it’s hard to let go of it, even if it means losing the one’s you love.

Camera Buff’s director, Krzysztof Kieslowski had make many documentaries before this is first real feature film. And you can’t help but think there is alot of Filip in Kieslowski. And through his lens, you side with Filip. How can his wife not see that he’s found a calling? How can his co-workers not see that he’s providing a public service? That filmmakers are service providers? How can the powers that be not see that he’s speaking for the little guy? But that doesn’t mean Filip isn’t caught in the grip of obsession. That he has lost control and the cliff is drawing near. The ending of Camera Buff takes that looming cliff and turns it on it’s head and brings the film full circle to create one hell of a movie that I just can’t get out of my head.

Well, this is the first time in 5 years that the Coachella lineup just doesn’t excite me enough to go (i needed to change it up this year anyway, and i’m shooting for Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago this summer). BUT, there are a few intriguing artists i wouldn’t mind seeing:

• Robyn (almost worth just going to see her perform ‘Dancing on my own’)
• Crystal Castles
• Cee Lo Green (ditto with Cee Lo performing ‘Fuck You’ while yours truely and the entire crowd scream along with him)
• Ariel Pink
• The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
• Titus Andronicus
• Scissor Sisters
• Tallest Man on Earth
• The Love Language
• Jimmy Eat World (one of my top 10 all-time favorite bands playing Coachella = awesome)
• Jenny and Johnny

Wow, just noticed that most of those are on Friday…hmm… maybe i go for 1 day?
(stop it Whitney, just let it go!)