Super
8 (2011)
I loved Super 8 and, even though the pacing was a bit blocky, this is such a wonderful Summer blockbuster -- the type of blockbuster I used to enjoy when I was a kid. It was such a wonderful feeling to relive that time of my life all over again.
X Men: First Class (2011)
Not only is X-Men First Class the best X-Men movie, but it could also be the best Marvel superhero movie so far -- at the very least, it's on par with the first Iron Man movie. I simply enjoyed this movie; It was wonderfully written, smartly paced, and was full of great actors playing great characters. I wish all superhero movies could be like this!
Kung
Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Kung Fu Panda 2 is a more than worthy follow up to the enjoyable sequel. It's exciting, action-packed, and beautiful with all of the character moments that make good movies great. This movie could actually be one of those rare instances when the sequel eclipses the original -- which, given the quality of the original, is no small task.
The
Hangover Part II (2011)
All of the surprise and joy is gone and, if it weren't for the gross-out one-upsmanship of the script over the first movie and the contributions of the go-for-broke cast, this would be a carbon copy and I cannot abide that level of creative laziness. Substitute Bangkok for Vegas and you have nearly the same movie.
Thor (2011)
From a visual standpoint, Thor exceeds anything that has come before and, from a standpoint of pure enjoyability, Thor is very much worth the price of the ticket.
Rio (2011)
The predictability of the plot aside, Rio is a bright and happy celebration of color and music. This is the type of movie that just makes you feel good and it makes you feel good long after you've left the theater.
The
Human Centipede: First Sequence (2009)
I have tried -- believe me, I have tried very hard -- to find something, anything in this movie two merit it any special attention other than the shock factor which, frankly, grows tedious and boring the longer that this movie plays out. The Human Centipede should be one of two things: entertaining and/or engaging and, on every level of either requirement, it just isn't. Watching this movie is like watching a puppy drown or a kitten mewing from a live microwave..