RANDY ELROD

Sensual | Curious | Communal | Free

Get Your Copy of The Purging Room

📱 Kindle $7.99 🎧 Audiobook $8.99 📖 Paperback $14.99 📚 Hardback $24.95

My Top Five Movies of 2011

In no particular order…

1. Super 8 — This movie was magical and grabbed me on many levels. An instant classic!

2. Midnight in Paris — Woody Allen’s finest movie and Owen Wilson’s finest performance. This movie is now in my top 5 all-time!! I was spellbound and it transcended time and space.

3. Moneyball — Riveting. An expose not only of baseball, but also religion, mega-churches and politics.

4. Being Elmo — A must for creatives.

5. What was your favorite movie of 2011?

Two movies of 2011 I can’t wait to see….

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Tree of Life

Worst movie of 2011 — The Skin I Live In — Disturbing and pointless.

14 responses to “My Top Five Movies of 2011”

  1. Randy Elrod Avatar
    Randy Elrod

    Chase, you rock!! Love the pic.

    My thoughts on your list to see that I know about…

    Atlas–NO!!!!! Horrible take on an epic book.
    Midnight…see above
    Super 8–see above
    Moneyball–see above

    I also want to see The Artist!!

    Reply
  2. Chase Gassaway Avatar
    Chase Gassaway

    Here we go…

    1. Crazy, Stupid, Love – Brilliant, modern story. The screenplay is uncanny and perfect. Soundtrack includes: Christophe Beck, Thievery Corporation, Goldfrapp.

    2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows – Better than the first, which is hard to do. If you haven’t seen the sequence of Holmes and Watson being chased through the woods, you have missed the new standard of visual movie grandeur. Cinematography by Philippe Rousselot (Big Fish) and an fully satisfying score by Hans Zimmer.

    3. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II: Granted, we have ventured far away from the magic of the books, but this is the conclusion of an epic series spanning over a decade. I went to the midnight premier dressed as Dobby. http://twitpic.com/5q7tmz If you haven’t seen all of these movies in sequence, you missed my generation’s Star Wars.

    4. X-Men: First Class – Ok, not mind blowing, but X-Men are my favorite comics from childhood. This prequel is filled with nerdy allusions, obscure references and hidden easter eggs, but is accessible to anyone. And how can you watch a movie with James McAvoy and not find it charming? You also get to know Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique who is going
    to play the lead in the Hunger Games trilogy (which you should go read immediately.)

    5. The Muppets – Written and starring Jason Segal! Starring Amy Adams! Music by Chrisophe Beck! (trend?) Endless list of cameos! And it’s the frickin’ muppets!

    HONORABLE MENTIONS
    Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
    Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes

    MISSED, BUT STILL WANT TO SEE, THOUGHTS?
    Atlas Shrugged, Part I
    Bridesmaids
    Midnight In Paris
    Tree Of Life
    Super 8
    Another Earth
    Our Idiot Brother
    Moneyball
    The Descendants
    The Artist
    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

    Reply
  3. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    I too loved Midnight and Super 8, haven’t seen your other two yet. As far as those two you are still wanting to see, I highly recommend both-they are both going to end up on my top ten for the year and I posted about each of them. I am giving myself a few more weeks to see a couple more before I settle on a final ten though.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      Awesome, Jason. Where is your post located? I would love to read it..

      Reply
  4. Chuck Harris Avatar
    Chuck Harris

    My fav was definitely “Midnight In Paris” Corey Stoll should definitely get a nomination for his portrayal of Hemmingway.

    Somebody must of recommended that movie to you…..I wonder who it was? thinking…. thinking…cough, cough…..

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      Let’s see. Who was that…? :) I’m eternally grateful, Chuck. What a movie!!!

      Reply
  5. Laurinda Avatar
    Laurinda

    Midnight in Paris really moved me. I think any writer should see this movie. This movie instantly became one of my favorites too. It will be a classic.

    Honestly I’m more of a sci-fi/action type movie person. Battle LA, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Thor were 3 of my favorites this year.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      I’m definitely planning to see Rise…I love Sci-Fi as well. Thanks, Laurinda.

      Reply
  6. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    Loved loved loved ‘Moneyball.’ Brad Pitt is a very underrated actor. His performance was excellent, the writing was excellent and it was a great story. If I had any quibble, it was that there was zero mention of the A’s starting pitching that helped them that year as well. Mark Mulder (19-7), Tim Hudson (15-9) and Barry Zito (23-5!!) were not “misfit toys” that’s for sure. But that’s the baseball geek in me. The movie geek loved it.

    And yes, Super 8. Loved that one too. It was great to see again a movie that starred mostly kids that was something adults and kids could enjoy.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      Nice, Jay!!! Thanks so much for joining the conversation!

      Reply
  7. Randy Elrod Avatar
    Randy Elrod

    To me as well!! It would have been #5, if I had filled that one in, instead of asking everyone to do so. It spoke to me deeply as well on the same subject. Unfortunately, “pursuing your heart” is frowned upon by the establishment.

    Reply
  8. Rocco Capra Avatar
    Rocco Capra

    “The Adjustment Bureau”.

    The thought that ‘pursuing your heart’ will be greatly opposed, and that you should never give up. It spoke deeply to me.

    Reply
  9. Sandra Heska King Avatar
    Sandra Heska King

    I resolve to see more movies this year. Wanted to see Moneyball. Missed it. Never heard of Being Elmo. Shame on me! But I just watched the trailer.

    We don’t go very often because the “nicest” theaters are 20 miles away and cost a mint even a senior rates. And I usually can’t stay awake for a rented movie.

    But last week we saw We Bought a Zoo at our local theater built in the 1930s, later twinned with a second screen in the balcony. It has little knee room, wobbly seats, drink holders only on every other seat, and curtains instead of doors on the bathroom stalls. But two tickets, popcorn, and a drink cost less than one senior ticket at a mega-theater. So we plan to frequent this one more often.

    Anyway, since I just lost my mom, I loved this movie because of the way it dealt with grief, the humor, the animals–as well as the sense of adventure in finding a new purpose in unfamiliar territory.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      That is beautiful, Sandra. I love your story of your theatre. I am fortunate to have a delightful, cozy theatre in my building called the Violet Crown. Movies take us to a magical place!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply to Jason Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *