TOP FILMS OF 2011

I wanted to do my full review of We Bought A Zoo first, but I find my emotions for this film keep getting in the way (a first). So instead, I've decided to do my list of top films of 2011 first and worry about the full review of We Bought A Zoo Later.

Now, like everyone else on Earth, I wasn't able to see every single movie that came out in 2011 (and I wasn't able to review every one I did see, and my opinions of those that I was able to review may have changed slightly). So, keep this in mind as I present MY TOP 10 FILMS OF 2011 (This list may be altered when I finally see Melancholia and Martha Marcy May Marlene).

#11- Midnight In Paris

Midnight In Paris is a beautiful film to look at, not to mention it's also got a pretty cool story and boasts the best performance we'll probably ever get out of Owen Wilson. Tackling themes of nostalgia, all the while making literary die-hards drool...Midnight In Paris is sure to captivate most.

#10-Hugo.

Hugo is the story of a young orphan who takes care of all the clocks in a train station, it is also a story about the history of movies. Hugo may not be Martin Scorcese's best work, but it is definitely his most magical.

#9-Limitless

What if there was a pill that could make you the ultimate version of yourself? This is the fascinating subject that Limitless attempts to explore. It's not a perfect film by any means of the word, but it does succeed at capturing your attention and imagination. Bradley Cooper does a surprisingly great job as Eddie Moira, the author stuck on a losing streak into whose hands the super pill falls into. The film makes it fun to watch Eddie get into trouble and then have to think his way out of it, and Limitless also makes you think. What would you do if this pill fell into your hands? A fast-paced joy ride of a thriller, Limitless is super fun. Buckle your seat belt and hold on.

#8- Super 8

No, I didn't put this on the list as a pun. Super 8 really is a super film. I've already said all I really can say about Super 8 in my fairly lengthy review I posted a few months back. If you want my full thoughts in the film, you'll have to check back there for them.

#7- Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Go on and boo me if you must, but you have to admit this film is pretty damn impressive. It knows exactly what it wants to be and goes about achieving it's various goals in a truly brilliant and inspiring way. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2 bring the Harry Potter Saga to a close in an emotionally satisfying way for both fans and non-fans alike.

#6- The Beaver

The Beaver just may be the darkest film of the year. It's a dark look at depression and how it affects the individual and those around him/her. Disturbing, awkward, and uncomfortable, The Beaver may be hard to watch but it's so worth it in the end. Complete with believable and all too real performances by Mel Gibson, Anton Yelchin, Jodie Foster, and Jennifer Lawrence...The Beaver is a realistic, painful film and it's all the better for it.

#5- Warrior

Warrior is a superb film about a broken family whose issues are sorted out in the ring. A completely heartbreaking, emotional film...It's sure to leave most in tears by it's end. It's not all sad though, as it's numerous fight scenes are gripping and brutal and the portrayals by Tom Hardy and Joel Edgarton are super. This is one of the few films that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

#4- The Artist

The extremely rare silent film stuck in the age of talkies, coincidentally, that's also essentially what the premise of this clever little film is. With great performances all around, an adorable pup, and one hell of a gimmick (NO TALKING!!!), The Artist succeeds in being a sweet little throwback to the golden days of film. Oh, and the great John Goodman is in it....what more could you want?!

#3- Rango

Yes, it's animated...SO WHAT? Rango is a completely different, original, unique take on the western genre that is supported by a zany Johnny Depp and stunning animation work throughout. A breath of fresh air, Rango is without a doubt THE BEST animated film of 2011.

#2- Drive

Drive is a different kind of ultra-violent film, one where the character's don't do much talking and instead say all they need to say through their body language and facial expressions, one where the setting of a somtimes beautiful/sometimes scary Los Angeles is a character unto itself, one where the song choices help to tell the story. Drive is completely fascinating and altogether poetic, beautiful, and tragic. It's a new modern classic that NONE should miss.

#1- The Descendents

It's very rare you get to see such a well-rounded film. I don't normally like these kinds of films, but this one really surprised me. It's got a really great script, it's just about perfectly acted, it's full of emotion, and it's got one hell of a killer surprise cameo in it. The Descendants juggles all of its topics and emotions perfectly, and makes for one fine film. I'll definitely be re-watching this one again and again and again when the Blu-ray comes out.

HONORABLE MENTION: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

This film would have easily made it onto the top films of 2011 list...except it did not come out in a wide release until 2012. That said, be sure to look for it in my Oscar review coming later. It really is a phenomenal film, despite grouchy critics. If I were to fit it into my Top films of 2011 list, I'd put it in the number 2 spot therefore extending my list fro 11 films to 12.

So there you have it, my top 10 films of 2011...I'm sure most were surprised by my #1 pick...and that's fine. I had a blast in 2011 and I hope to have an even bigger blast in 2012....so here's to a bright new year.

THE TALE AS OLD AS TIME LOOKS BRAND NEW: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 3D

I start out the new year in style with my review of Beauty and The Beast 3D. Like Lion King, I'm pretty sure that everyone knows the story of Beauty and The Beast so this review will mainly focus on the 3D aspect of the film. Now, I haven't seen this film in ages, so getting to see it in a theater again was a real treat. The film about a beautiful, book loving woman and the Beast with a heart of gold is just as good as it ever was. It still manages to touch your heart and I'm surprised to say that it is without a doubt one of the best love stories ever. All the characters are still a joy to watch, and it is easy to get caught back up in the classic tale. Beauty and the Beast is still one of the best animated Disney classics around.

Now comes the difficult part, I HATE to bash on a universally beloved classic like Beauty and The Beast but as a burgeoning critic I must. The 3D to be sampled in this film is far from perfect. It felt like Lion King got the 3D down better than Beast did. The background shots (the opening shot of the wilderness, the shot of Belle running up a hill to sing, all the scenes in the dark creepy forest) are spectacular as usual, and some of the key scenes in the film (Be Our Guest, Maurice's initial trek through the woods, The Beast's fight with the wolves, The ballroom dance scene, and the Beast's transformation) succeed in stealing your breath away. The depth is beautiful and some of the rooms seem to stretch on for quite a bit (like the Library and the staircase, for example). Unfortunately, for most of Beauty and The Beast we are focusing on the human characters and the backgrounds are not as prominent. This is where the 3D slips up, the characters look awkward and sometimes disproportional and the 3D isn't always given ample time to shine like it should. Some of the exquisite shots that look so good in 3D only last for a mere 2-3 seconds, the effect is like passing by a beautiful, large room and only being able to catch a quick glimpse of it. It's actually somewhat frustrating.

The thing we must remember is that Beauty and The Beast was not a film made to be viewed in 3D( the 3D is not a perfect fit for the film). Beauty and The Beast was ready to be released in 3D several years ago, but never got the chance. This means that the 3D team had worked on the 3D transfer for quite a while (Beauty and The Beast was actually the first Disney film to be converted to 3D), which makes it all the more frustrating when we view the final product. I feel like Beauty and the Beast 3D could have been so much better than it is. That said, while the 3D version from the film may not be a perfect product, it is still a satisfactory one. No, you won't be throwing away dollars when you pay to see Beast in 3D....just don't expect to be overly impressed. Adjust your expectations. I'm happy to say that there is still much to enjoy in this old classic, especially when it looks brand new like it does now.

So, what I'm saying is expect certain scenes to steal your breath away, expect fantastic, deep rooms and backgrounds, and expect somewhat awkward human character work (the best character work in the film is the Beast's first entrance when he confronts Maurice, there are a few moments when some characters seem off...mainly the human ones). As I've said the best thing about Beast 3D is that it looks brand new.

So, go ahead and see Beauty and the Beast 3D if you feel so inclined. It's still a classic film that has stood the test of time surprisingly well (like most animated Disney films have).

3.5/5 STARS

CLOSING TIME: THE JAWS RIDE CLOSES TODAY

Yes, today is a dark day for Universal and Theme Parks everywhere. One of the best attractions and themed lands in the WORLD is closing forever at the end of the day: The Jaws Ride. it had thrills, it had chills, and it had a good deal of butt-kickin too. It will be missed.

To commemorate this sad day, I have decided to share MY Jaws story with all of you today, here goes.

I don't want to say goodbye. I can't remember the first time I went on the ride, but I do remember I was terrified of going on it. The shark plus the flames were enough to put a young tot like me runnning for the hills. I remember watching the old video with John Forsythe and seeing the flames from the Jaws ride in the vid. I thought the boat actually would sail right into the flames and burn up. I remember the old ads with the shark eating up the boat, I thought that was really going to happen. It all seemed larger than life to me. I was terrified, but somehow I did eventually go on it and a love affair was born.

I made sure to ride Jaws numerous times whenever I would go to USF (one day I actually rode it 14 times!!!!), I memorized the Skipper spiel (one of my dreams was to be a Jaws Skipper one day, was going to apply sometime this year for a position) and still act it out in my home today. If I had to choose my favorite lines they would have to be: "Wait...you mean these things are actually loaded???" and "WE'RE THE BEST and only scenic cruise on the island". My favorite scene? Hard to say honestly, the whole ride is just tops!!!! I'm going with Amity 3's wreck/the first fin.

One of the things that kept me coming back was the theming, not just of the ride but of the whole Amity area as well. Once I step under the Amity 4th of July Celebration banner it's like I am actually in the REAL Amity Island. From the boardwalk games (Amity is the only area where the games actually fit into the established theme), to the little shops, to Nathans, to Captain Jake's Town Square....everything fits perfectly into the area. I always enjoyed getting to soak up the atmosphere of Amity while I was in the area, of the town and of Amity Boat Tours queue line as well (YES, there is tons of theming in the queue itself, tons of little knick-knacks in the waiting line that are fun to look at), the WJWS Hey There Amity video also helped to firmly establish the storyline of the ride (if you actually take the time to watch it). I still stand by my statement that Amity was the best themed area in USF, and it's sad that we are losing it.

As you can imagine, I was shell shocked to learn that Captain Jake's/ Jaws would be closing down forever. At first I thought it was some kind of sick joke (I first heard about it on the official Jaws Facebook page), after Universal made the announcement the reality of the situation first started to set in. I felt sick. On the 3rd of December I created my own Jaws Fan Forever T-shirt and ran to USF to catch what would end up becoming my final tours around Amity Island. I said a personal goodbye to the Bruce Photo-op that night and went home and cried. A part of my childhood and a ride that helped to inspire me would soon be gone forever.

I would end up becoming a part of what some people called Captain Jake's Army. I wrote to Universal (and received what was essentially a copy-and-pasted response), posted numerous things about the ride's closure and encouraged people to fight on Twitter and Facebook, I signed petitions...in short, I fought for a good 30 days. Naturally, my efforts were in vain... Jaws would still met its end. Now, all I can hope for is for Uni. to salvage some ride props, hopefully place the Bruce Photo-op somewhere else in the park.

I used to have vivid dreams about the Jaws ride, that's how much the ride had imprinted itself on my psyche. I must have had at least 5 dreams about it, probably more. I hope I will continue to dream about it, that way I can continue to take Boat Tours even while the ride is gone. I will miss the Jaws ride and Amity Island very much, and will probably think about them every time I pass by their replacement. The memories that were made for me there will last a lifetime, I know I will never forget them. So, sail into the sunset Captain Jake's and Jaws....You were the BEST and only scenic cruise on the Island and I Love You. CHOMP CHOMP

WAR HORSE IS A SWEEPING EPIC

FINALLY!!!!!! It's been a while since John Williams and Sir Steven have tag teamed on a film ( It's been 3 years since their last collaboration). These two visionaries used to create magic together on the silver screen (with classic films like E.T., Jaws, and Jurassic Park). While their last effort, the just plain bad Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, failed to ignite that old spark their newest project, War Horse, recreates the magic that millions have missed so much.

War Horse is the story of a young horse that is ripped away from his mother and sold to a poor family, where the adolescent son, Albert (Jeremy Irvine, who does a really good job here), falls for the horse and volunteers to be the one to break him in/train him. Together the two form a strong bond. Unfortunately times are hard for the family, and to alleviate some of the stress, the father sells the horse, named Joey, to the British Army ( and to a British soldier played by Tom Hiddleston, who is great here as usual) which is preparing for WW1. It is this event that will set the horse on a collision course with several individuals who he will make an impact on and help, meanwhile Albert embarks on a journey to find joey and bring him home.

The first half of War Horse is where the film struggles to find its footing. There was little to no emotional connection made for me, the film didn't flow very well, was choppy, and characters were introduced only to be abruptly dropped ten minutes later. It is here where one of the main problems with the film takes shape, does it want to be a sweeping war epic or a tender heartfelt sentimental journey, does it want to focus mainly on Joey or does it want to focus mainly on the human's stories? the film can't make up its mind and it's only well into the end of the first act/beginning of the second act that it finally is able to find somewhat of a balance.

While the first act tested my patience (if i wasn't with my family, I may have given up and walked out of the film) , the second half of War horse is where the film swallowed me whole. It is here where the film begins to finally pick up steam, where the music melds into the film so I didn't even notice it, where the emotional connection was finally made that the film so badly needed. In short, the second half is where War Horse finally gets good.

War Horse is one of Steven Spielberg's most mature, sad, and tragic films. It deals with several very adult aspects of war, and treats both the British and German sides as equal. Not one is good or bad, both are viewed as victims of sorts. The film also deals realistically with the treatment of horses during war. There is a scene where a battlefield is strewn with the dead corpses of both humans and horses, and the setting for most of the second half, an area referred to as No Man's Land (a war torn field), is beautifully realized, actually taking my breath away in the ugly beauty of it all. Steven Spielberg has always had an eye for environments and settings, and he shows this skill off to a stunning degree in War Horse (with the help of Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski).

War Horse is a film that was made to explicitly tug at your heartstrings, and it does this with an alarming precision and skill. If you don't like films that try their hardest to make you shed a tear, then War Horse is not the film for you. I like films that are sentimental, and while I didn't cry (I don't cry easily) I definitely got choked up at the last scene. War horse is by no means a perfect film, and while it does lose it's way in the first half it successfully finds a firm footing during the second and manages to deliver the goods we all were expecting. It's just fantastic to see both Spielberg and Williams back together again, weaving their own special brand of magic that only they can weave. In the end, War Horse overcomes its many struggles and emerges triumphant. It's quite an achievement.

3.5/5

MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. GRINCH- BEETLE REVIEWS HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

It's officially Christmas Day!!!!

I know before I was griping about how I've never successfully celebrated the spirit of the season on my blog, well all that changes today with my first ever Christmas review. I start a new trend today with my review of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Today. I'm reviewing the Jim Carrey/Ron Howard version of the timeless tale. I know that this version has gotten a good deal of hate, but it's become a tradition in the Beetle house and is one of my personal favorite Christmas films. Is it a perfect film? No (It's not even a perfect adaptation), not by any means of the word but I still love this new classic all the more. The film never fails to fill me with joy and a warmth that can only be found on Christmas Day.

In this version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the story is the same but Ron Howard has added some back story to the characters and made Cindy Lou Who a bigger role than she previously was. Howard also adds in some new characters including the Mayor of Whoville (Mayor Augustus Maywho), Cindy's parents, and the lovely Martha May Whovier. Is all the added back story, characters, and details necessary or even needed? Heck No! Here, the new characters do make for a nice touch, but the backstory of The Grinch is really used more for padding than anything else. Nothing revolutionary is revealed, and honestly I didn't really need or want to know The Grinch's reason for hating Christmas. I do miss the simplicity of the original story, with all the added stuff here things can get a bit messy and muddied at times.

That said, the acting found in this new version is pretty good. Most of the cast does a perfectly acceptable job with the roles they are given. Taylor Momsen does a surprisingly good job as the young Cindy Lou Who, but the standout star of the film is the great Jim Carrey himself as The Grinch. Carrey throws himself into the role of The Grinch with a wild abandon that is crazily infectious. It's clear he's having fun with the classic character, he is the classic Grinch we all know and love with a few sprinkles of Jim Carrey's own personal flavoring for good measure. Not only is he a goofy, funny, lovable character but he is also a sad, and sometimes even slightly menacing and scary one as well. The Grinch is easily one of Carrey's best roles to date.

The sets and environments found in The Grinch are wonderfully Seussian, and remain faithful to the book. The small town of Whoville (found inside a snowflake, what a perfect little added detail) is perfectly realized, as is The Grinch's lair on Mt. Crumpit. Here is a town that I wouldn't mind visiting and exploring for a while, not to mention I also wouldn't mind staying at The Grinch's lair for some time....it's so vast and cool, even to a 21 year old such as myself. Every time the film ends, I find myself wanting to spend more time in this fantastic world Dr. Seuss and Ron Howard created.

Luckily, with all the lots of modern humor (I take it this is what most complain about, I actually like this aspect of the new film though) the new Grinch doesn't forget that it was the heart that made the original story so beloved. This new Grinch definitely has a big, beating heart at its core. This time around, Whoville is a town that has become obsessed with all the commercial and material aspects of Christmas (an angry Grinch even points this out during a heated monologue in the center of town), forgetting what Christmas is really all about (another aspect I'm sure upset fans of the original). While at first glance this would appear to be a bad choice for the film, it actually strengthens the message at the end of the film. And what exactly is that message? That Christmas is really all about being together with your family and being grateful for what you have, of course!

So, as I've already said The Grinch is by no means a perfect film,but it is permeated by the spirit and warmth of the holiday season and that makes it enjoyable nonetheless. With a delightfully infectious performance from the great Jim Carrey, The Ron Howard version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a great treat for the whole family...especially when the holiday season rolls around.

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you Grinch's out there (and you non-Grinch's too). Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy Christmas Day....remember, it only comes but once a year so make it last!

4/5 STARS

CHRISTMAS EVE

Hello all. I just wanted to explain my lack of any reviews lately. I had a very stressful semester at College, and I got home a few weeks ago. I don't feel like I can muster the energy to write up a full review, so instead I have posted several small ones to Rotten tomatoes...you can find them HERE: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/user/id/906180249/

I also have never fully celebrated Christmas here on the site, but I have made several big to-do's about Halloween....and that was wrong of me, I am sorry. I have spent my few weeks at home mainly resting and making up the hours of sleep I lost up at College, and as I've already stated couldn't muster up the energy to write full reviews (Christmas related or otherwise).

Anyways, i just wanted to take the time here to wish all my readers a very merry Christmas/holiday season and a very happy New Year. May you receive all you asked for and maore, and may the net year bring much happiness to you and your friends.

Till next time, this is Beetlejuice wishing all of you a very merry Christmas and a happy ho-ho-holiday season.

God Bless

CHOMP CHOMP: CAPTAIN JAKE'S AMITY BOAT TOURS (AKA: THE JAWS RIDE) TO CLOSE FOREVER ON JANUARY 2, 2012

I am honestly at a loss for words.

Universal Studios Orlando announced today at 11:00 AM that one of the last remnants from the park's glory days and a strong staple of the park to this day, The Jaws Ride, will be closing FOREVER on January 2 2012. The announcement was met with shock, depression, and rage from park fans (such as myself).

The Jaws Ride has been a very big part of my life for quite some time now. I have the whole ride spiel memorized, I even planned on auditioning to be a Jaws Skipper sometime next year. Jaws has been my favorite ride at USF (not to be confused with IOA) for a very long time, and with it and the surrounding area gone I'm not sure I have much incentive to revisit that park anytime soon.

Why is this such a tragedy, you ask? Well, it was one of the few rides that had been a part of the park since 2 years after USF opened it's gate to the public. All the other rides that were open at this time are now reduced to mere fragments of memory. Such classics like Kongfrontation, Ghostbusters, Back To The Future....with Jaws gone the only classic ride left is E.T and that ride itself needs some serious TLC SOON.

Not only was Jaws a reminder of Universal's glory days, it was also the only remaining attraction that still had a Team member operating the ride vehicle, interacting with guests, and delivering a speil throughout the course of the ride. The only other ride to do this was Kongfrontation, and that was demolished to make way for the Revenge of The Mummy, a High tech Rollercoaster that was fun but couldn't hold a candle to Kong. Jaws' skippers helped to make the ride that much more memorable and fun, some of their ad-libs making my day (ex: WE DIDN'T DIE!!!).

With Kong gone, Jaws (and the surrounding Amity area, which is to be demolished along with the ride) were the most well-themed area and ride of the park. The numerous pay to play games made sense in the area, since they were similar to what you would find on a seaside boardwalk and the entire theming of the Amity area (from food, to building design) helped to cement the illusion that you really were in the seaside town of Amity. The center of the small town was a captured shark, which was displayed prominently in front of Captain Jake's Amity Boat Tours Queue line. The whole Amity area was a marvel of imagination and design, and it's really depressing to think that, come the start of next year, it will all be gone.

So, what exactly was the story of the Jaws Ride? well, you, the guest, are asked to believe that the events of Jaws were based on actual events that occurred in the town of Amity (actually a fictional town). Shortly after the film was released, the small town's summer population dropped sharply and since Amity is a summer town that relies heavily on summer dollars...the town itself began to die. Luckily, salty Sea Dwarg, Captain Jake Grunty, had the brilliant idea to open his very own sightseeing tour of Amity Harbor which would take guests on a tour of where all the shark attacks actually occurred. The tour attracted tourists from all over the world, and just like that Amity was back on top again. However, 36 years later during Amity's 4th of July celebration and on the very weekend when the shark attacks first occurred so long ago Captain Jake's Amity Boat Tours will have to fight the great white terror known as Jaws once more.

That's the story, and as I'm sure you can see...It's also very well crafted and themed. I can honestly say, they just don't make em like they used to. So sad, that we have to lose a truly great, original ride that so many loved.

Many fans were angered that, while the closure of Jimmy Neutron was announced half a year before it was done away with, Jaws' closure was only announced a short 30 days (a month) before its final tour was to set sail. I agree with the fans here, that's not fair at all. Why should a mediocre ride like Jimmy Neutron get so much coverage and hoopla about it's closing, while a true classic like Jaws gets the absolute bare-minimum. It just doesn't taste right.

You know what else, doesn't taste right? There are rumors floating around that Harry Potter Phase 2.0 will be replacing Amity and Jaws. While I do love Harry Potter and it's land over at IOA, I just feel that HP doesn't belong in the Studios and wouldn't fit smoothly into the park. If Universal does announce that Harry Potter will be replacing Jaws, that will be the final straw for me... no more trips to USF for me (I'll still travel to IOA, but USF will be off limits).

According to Uni's announcement, they have some things planned to make sure we never forget the Jaws Ride. I don't know what this means, but I'm hoping for at least a memorial statue or to have the Shark photo-op moved to another area in the park.

Anyways I guess It's fitting that I end this post with my own eulogy to one of my favorite rides of all time: R.I.P Old Friend. You were the best (and only) scenic cruise on the island, and I shall miss you VERY much. CHOMP CHOMP

For those of you curious, here's Universal's official announcement on Jaws' imminent closure:

"Hey fans, we want you to be the first to know… JAWS! and the Amity area will officially close on January 2 to make room for an exciting, NEW, experience we’re planning for you.

We know you love JAWS! and we do too. It has been an amazing attraction and after terrorizing the waters of Amity here at Universal Orlando for 20 years, it’s a VERY important part of our history. So, we’ve got a couple things planned to ensure we always remember and honor it. We know it’s hard to say goodbye, but we can’t express how EXCITED we are about the new, innovative & amazing experience we’re going to be bringing you." -source: Orlando United