30. The Wolfman- The movie had the stink of a huge bomb when it was delayed numerous times and there were consistent reports of reshoots. The end product is actually not that bad a film though. It certainly isn't perfect and gets odd at spots but the rest of the time the director knows exactly what type of movie he is making and has fun with everything. I could've done without the incessant relying on CGI as it's distracting but there is enough here to look. Perhaps its the principle of lowered expectations.
29. The A-Team- It's a trashy, supersized action film but it is polished to the degree where you sort of ignore all the quirks of the film. Plus let's be honest, it's not like the television show was high art. The movie is big, loud, and ridiculous but it is a solid fun time and you'll be able to overlook the more inane things. I mean- piloting a tank by shooting the cannon in carious directions? Wildly dangerous, and I'd be willing to bet not versed in solid science. But who cares.
28. Catfish- Is it a legitimate documentary or a dramatic film pieced together by the directors to resemble a documentary? That is a question that sits at the heart of the film. The three directors explore how social media allows people to manipulate their identities when they meet other people. It feels at times like they are crassly exploiting the woman at the center of the film and they try to position it that they are the wronged ones which feels sort of dirty. The film raises interesting questions and there are a few great quotes by the woman's husband, but the idea that these three New Yorkers were duped by one woman in Michigan is kind of hard to get past.
27. Alice in Wonderland- This has all the usual highlights of a Tim Burton film. At the core of the proceedings are humor, dazzling visuals, and a general delight for what he is creating. However, as the film progresses it loses some of its energy and gets kind of boring. The ending battle it builds to then becomes just another CGI heavy battle scene where it becomes hard at times to decipher who is on what side and what exactly is happening. As is normally the case, Johnny Depp wraps himself in the joy of his role and is having fun, but the secret lurking here is that the Wonderland scene is not so wonderful the entire running time.
26. The Crazies- George Romero's 1973 original is a fun little time and this movie only improves upon it. Director Breck Eisner understands what works for the genre and does his best to constantly create dread and mood- which works for the most part. It's a B-movie glossed up and prepped for the masses but that is okay when it works. It's part horror melodrama and doomsday action thriller propelled by some great performances from Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell.
25. The Blind Side- It's a film that is designed to be nothing but cinematic comfort food. Sandra Bullock though elevates it to a different level. A level that I don't think any other mainstream actress probably had the ability to pull off. I know Julia Roberts turned the film down and I really think she would've been wrong for the role. There are good performances throughout the film and they do a great job of turning a book- that is equal parts football strategy and story-into solely a great story. The only downfall to the film is that it all feels a little too cute, and maybe panders a little to the audience. Still though- worth watching.
24. She's Out Of My League- It's not a classic comedy but it is one that clearly is having fun and trying to make something that is hilarious. Too many R-rated comedies focus on the raunchy aspects of the film and leave out the heart which is really what you need to drive the films. This film does a great job of mixing the heart and raunch together into a wonderful R-rated comedy. That doesn't mean it isn't raunchy at times. The scene that brings the raunch the most is hilarious though. Plus the soundtrack is pretty killer.
23. Piranha 3D- Every thing that Snakes on a Plane aspired to be- this film is. It knows that all you are interested in is the 3D gore and it brings it in spades. The only minor complaint is that they should've done more of it. All the actors are clearly having fun with this film and realize that the entire premise is ridiculous. There are beautiful women naked, Christopher Lloyd pops up in full-on Doc Brown mode, and when all hell breaks loose- it breaks loose. Director Alexandre Aja has fun here and I can only imagine he is anxiously waiting to make that sequel that is in the works.
22. Going the Distance- Another R-rated film that finds a healthy mix between the nastiness and comedy to create something worth watching. The beauty of doing it here is that it creates a romantic comedy that doesn't feel like every other romantic comedy that came before it. Love and intimacy are two concepts that run together sometimes and this film understands that and captures both perfectly. Barrymore is her usual charismatic self and Long, Day, and Sudekis are perfect together as the guys in the film. The dialogue here sounds normal too, and not something ripped out of a trashy romance novel. One of the most pleasant surprises in theaters this season.
21. The Last Exorcism- It is a film that is cobbled together from films you've already seen. A dash of The Exorcist, a pinch of The Blair Witch Project- but the mix it comes up with feels definitively fresh. Not to mention the film brings the goods when it comes to the scares. There were quite a few times the film caused me jump (I can be an easy target at times though). It's a film that will raise questions and invite debates about what we do and don't believe and when the ending hits it will cause you to readjust (maybe) what you thought up to that point. On top of it Patrick Fabian (Prof. Laskey from Saved by the Bell:The College Years) delivers a performance that owns every minute of time he is on screen. It's worth seeing just for that fact.
Tomorrow the first half of the Top 20.
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