Give It A Chance? is a series of articles based around the horribly overused quote “give it a chance”. Exploring the idea of whether a film has been misjudged or a constant reminder of just because some art forms CAN be exhibited doesn’t mean they SHOULD.

So there I was; at home on a Friday night and needing a creative fix. I thought to myself that maybe a movie would help. Though instead of choosing something that I have been meaning to watch, I thought it was time to give something else a try. After reviewing and watching as many films as I have, many a friend have told me that I have become too “jaded” or “cynical” when watching a film. Friends would tell me that I constantly write something off without just giving it a chance. So it was with that mindset that I took an open mind to check out the critically butchered: Jack and Jill.

Now I won’t divulge who the person who recommended this movie was; but I can tell you he is no fan of Adam Sandler. I on the other hand, have been a fan of his since his days on “SNL” and love his early work such as “Happy Gilmore” and “Billy Madison. This recent Sandler outing however is a far-cry for what in comparison to his earlier days could be described as “genius”.

This movie has no real structure or narrative and simply led me to constantly ask the question “why?” and mutter the response “huh”. The movie begins with what is the only not completely horrible sequences which consist of documentary footage resembling “When Harry Met Sally” and fake home movie footage of the titular characters ala “Happy Gilmore”. Sadly, its from those sequences that the movie is just a steady downhill slope down to the deepest trenches of truly bad movies.

The real problem with this movie (beyond it’s premise) is that Sandler actually is a talented person. But in an ironic twist the film also stars Al Pacino as himself playing someone also capable of so much better. The movie tries to even play to fans of Adam Sandler’s “SNL” days with cameos by David Spade, Tim Meadows, and Dana Carvey. But much like these poorly used cameos, this movie is just a complete waste of time. Adam Sandler has reached George Lucas status. To those question what that means; it’s when you continue to make money off the idea of how something was once good and have done nothing but deteriorate that original idea to the point of total creative annihilation. This George Lucas status has continued to where now Sandler is just surrounded by so many “yes men” who not dare challenge these horrible ideas in fear of not collecting a check.

Whether it’s the blatant product placement in the scene’s tired LA setting or just the act-by-numbers performances; I can’t tell what annoyed me more. This movie is the equivalent of eating at a Taco-Bell for some form of nourishment only to find yourself physically sick afterwards. Although the truly saddest part of this movie is that the movie’s core audience (idiots) will more likely recognize Jared “from Subway” Fogle (yes, he has a meaningless cameo too) rather than Al Pacino. This movie was purely awful, mind-numbing, and probably one of my biggest regrets watching. I truly pity the film critics who were forced to watch this sad excuse of entertainment. So if you’re asking whether or not you should “give this movie a chance” please heed this warning and run far, far away.

Verdict: DON”T GIVE IT A CHANCE

Netflix Limbo is a series of articles that examines the films that may have been skipped over in your Netflix Queue but need to be watched immediately.

To leave a legacy in this day and age can be a tough thing. With so much available to you with technology; to simply document your life is no longer a feat. But what about before all that? What about before we could see a life streaming as it happens on the Internet? If you truly understand what it means to not only leave a legacy, then you will understand why Senna is such an important name.

In the self titled documentary “Senna”, the film follows the career and life of formula one racing drive Ayrton Senna. Now, I will admit my knowledge of formula one racing begins with the video game “F1 Pole Position” and ends with Sacha Baron Cohen’s portrayal in the racing farce “Talledega Nights”. From that limited experience, I can fully admit that a film chronicling an athlete of a sport I knew very little about didn’t interest me. So there it sat at the very front of my Netflix Queue for months on end. Many people told me to see this film but I just made one excuse after the next. Fortunately, one morning I was just awake enough to finally give those suggestions a try. This documentary is not only an amazing work of art but one of the finest films I have ever seen.

What truly makes this documentary extraordinary is the fact that it contains all the necessary factors needed for an amazing documentary and then some. The footage of the film is what truly makes it stand out above the rest, because that is all you see. There are no talking heads but merely voices in the background that narrate this story you feel should have been told a long time ago. We see footage from when Senna was very young all the way and through his famous career. The audience is given a front row seat to this man’s amazing life through family home movies, driver’s seat racing footage, intimate interviews, and private conversations. The footage shown throughout the film feels so personally by the end, you feel as if you truly knew Senna.

When the film ended I couldn’t help but feel impacted in a way that a documentary hasn’t done in a very long time. I not only implore you but demand of you to see this film as soon as possible. It has a story that unfolds with characters so rich you would think they had to have been written. “Senna” will have you captivated from start to finish with a pacing that simply can’t be matched. The film is directed flawlessly by Asif Kapadia, a director that after seeing this film will be one to constantly watch out for years to come.There are movies that you should see and then there are movies you HAVE to see; the documentary “Senna” is both.

“Senna” is now available on DVD/BLU Ray and Netfllix Watch Instantly

Ok, I decided to do a list after all. I considered not doing one this year because I felt like it was kind of a slow year and I was struggling with even coming up with my top 5. Two of the movies on my list (6&7) are technically from 2010, but they were released at the end of 2010 and I didn’t see them until 2011.

I also feel guilty saying this was a “slow year” for movies, because there are a lot of films that I have yet to see that probably would have made the list. There are some (Hugo) that I have no excuse for not seeing, and others that I’ve been dying to see (Take Shelter) that have still not been released.

I’m just writing a couple short sentences about each of my picks below simply explaining what it is about the film that impacted me enough to put it on my top 10 of 2011. We also recorded a podcast reviewing our best and worst picks. Look out for that, it should be up shortly. I realize I’m posting this a little late, but hey, if Quentin Tarantino can post his “best of” list in mid January than the rest of America should be able to as well.

And here are my picks:

10. THE FUTURE

The film is narrated by a cat. I loved it, and I’m not even a cat person.

9. TERRI

Azazel Jacobs dodges all the familiar cliches in his familiar genre and introduces us to some new, talented, young actors.

8. HOW TO DIE IN OREGON

Saw this at SXSW ’10 and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Powerful and controversial, this documentary sticks with you long after the credits roll.

7. BLUE VALENTINE

Great acting in a tragic story that is familiar to many. And I know it’s been said before, but seriously one of the best end credit sequences, maybe ever.

6. MARWENCOL

One of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a long time. It’s on Netflix Instant and is a must-see.

5. MELANCHOLIA

Like a bad nightmare that feels too real to forget right away, so instead, you’re haunted by it all day. Not the most fun to watch, but a powerful piece of work.

4. MONEYBALL

A good story made into a GREAT story by superb writing, and brilliant direction from Bennett Miller.

3. DRIVE

This almost felt like one of Cronenberg’s later films, but with the fun, adventurous spirit of a film like True Romance.

2. BEGINNERS

Funny, sad, smart, and sincere. Mike Mills gives us a personal and original film, and takes some directorial risks that seem rare today. I feel like we haven’t seen an “independent” film like this in a while, and I miss that.

1. JUST GO WITH IT

What can I say? I just… went with it. I’m kidding. Adam Sandler, please stop making movies.

1. THE TREE OF LIFE

Critics went from loving it to calling it self-indulgent and pretentious to loving it again. Personally, I think it is an undeniable masterpiece. Not only the best film of the year, but maybe the decade. Just because more people are familiar with Terrence Malick and his signature style does not make him any less credible.

;

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
THE DESCENDANTS
SUPERHEROES (documentary)
HESHER
DRAGONSLAYER (documentary)

WORST:
WARRIOR (Overrated and chock-full of cliches.)

TV (BETTER THAN MOST MOVIES RELEASED THIS YEAR):
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
TREME
BREAKING BAD
LOUIE
GAME OF THRONES

MOVIES I HAVE YET TO SEE:
TAKE SHELTER
SHAME
THE INTERRUPTERS
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
A DANGEROUS METHOD
CERTIFIED COPY (Now on Netflix Instant. Really need to watch this.)
HUGO (Shameful, I know. Scorsese is one of my favorites and I have still not seen this.)
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
WAR HORSE
50/50
THE ARTIST
A SEPARATION
TYRANNOSAUR
MARGARET
PARIAH

Welcome to DTTM’s first top ten! It’s a bit late, but, well… you know. Life.

As is the case every year, this list includes films that weren’t released in 2011. This is a list of my favorite film viewings, not the best films of the year. I do this for two reasons: It’s impossible for me to see all the critics’ pet and blockbuster films, and I really don’t think ten great films come out yearly.

2011 wasn’t the best year for movies. Off-the-assembly-line comic book movies and big-deal cookie cutter indie films defined the year. The good ones, though, were absolutely stellar. As you’ll see below, I called my top two films—both released in 2011—landmarks. For the first time in years, I feel there are directors out there pushing boundaries again. Too bad they aren’t new directors. Ah, well.

Anyways, here’s the list:

1. The Tree of Life – Either you think this film is overrated tripe, or you loved it. You know where I stand. This was the most written about film of the year, so I don’t have much to contribute. I do believe it’s one of the maybe top 25 best films ever made, and certainly in the all-time top 10 for color cinematography. It has Brad Pitt and dinosaurs.

2. Certified Copy – See this on Netflix now. Abbas Kiarostami’s two-person talkfest is the most creative independent film since Pulp Fiction. Both an homage and a creative riff on Kieslowski’s Three Colors films, Kiarostami takes Blue’s leading lady, Juliette Binoche, and provides her the role of a lifetime. I won’t spoil it. See it.

3. 13 Assassins – Takashi Miike’s action masterpiece is, without a doubt, right up there with The Dirty Dozen. One of the most satisfying straight action films in years.

4. Source Code – A true hard sci-fi sleeper, and a great example of fine sci-fi writing. The trailer indicated a Groundhog Day-ish political thriller, but what we got was an innovative story that went into some truly unpredictable—and human—directions. I foresee this film gaining a cult following in years to come.

5. Manhattan – This was a Woody Allen retrospective year for me, and it peaked with Woody Allen’s black and white masterpiece. A perfectly realized, slightly sick yuppie drama.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two – This was the blockbuster film of the year, a special effects bonanza that delivered on all fronts.

7. Midnight in Paris – A complete surprise from Woody Allen, who’s pretty much sucked for about ten years. This one put him right back on the map, a heady fantasy with a cunning performance from Owen Wilson, who finally gets to play someone other than himself.

8. High Noon – I watched this one at just the right time, apparently. After probably half a dozen viewings, I appreciate this classic Western more deeply every time.

9. Interiors – The third Woody Allen on my list this year, and one I feel is his most underrated. This dark, literate drama deals with a fragmenting yuppie New York family. The performances are off the chain.

10. The Killing – Kubrick’s heist film is just as ecstatically rendered, ridiculously creative, and suspenseful as ever.

10. WAR HORSE
This looks like the type of epic-scale adventure film that Disney would have produced in the 80′s or 90′s. We don’t see too many of those anymore, at least not good ones. WAR HORSE has a promising trailer, and with Spielberg directing I’m sure it won’t disappoint. Basically, it looks like it will have the nostalgic value I was hoping to get from SUPER 8, but didn’t.

9. ESSENTIAL KILLING
Vincent Gallo as an action star? Seriously, did anyone see that coming? I’ll have to see it to believe it, but more than that, the trailer actually looks good. Now available on VOD.

8. HAYWIRE
The big question here is; can Soderbergh do for MMA star, Gina Carano, what he did for porn star, Sasha Grey? Hard to tell from the trailer, but Soderbergh could be pushing his luck. However, he has proven me wrong a few times before.

7. THE SITTER
David Gordon Green is continuing his streak of comedy films with THE SITTER. It looks like he’s doing another throwback to comedies of the late 70′s/early 80′s. I thought PINEAPPLE EXPRESS was hilarious and thought YOUR HIGHNESS was painfully bad. I’m hoping he’ll redeem himself with this one.

6. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Even though this is not much of a trailer, with most of the footage being from THE DARK KNIGHT, it still is enough to get us excited for Nolan’s final installment in The Dark Knight trilogy. A lot of disconcerting pictures have been released since this trailer came out (some of which show Batman fighting Bane on the beach) but Nolan has yet to make a bad film and I have a feeling he won’t be starting with this one.

5. A DANGEROUS METHOD
Cronenberg is back, and is continuing his partnership with Viggo Mortensen. Their last two films together were badass, so it’s definitely exciting to see them team up again. If that’s not enough, Michael Fassbender (one of the best actors working today), is also starring in the film. Even though DRIVE felt very similar to a Cronenberg film, it’s been too long since we’ve seen the real deal and I can’t wait to see his latest.

4. MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
This film got a lot of buzz at Sundance because it stars the Olsen sister that wasn’t on Full House. It looks great though! The trailer is pitch-perfect. Eery and suspenseful. Really looking forward to this one.

3. MELANCHOLIA
The latest from Lars Von Trier. It was the talk of Cannes this year, mostly for the wrong reasons, but it still looks amazing. Love him or hate him, Von Trier is always doing exciting work. This is a fantastic trailer for what looks to be a very haunting film. Now available on VOD.

2. TAKE SHELTER
TAKE SHELTER has been on the festival circuit for over a year and just recently started playing in select cities. This is director Jeff Nichols’ follow-up to his impressive debut, SHOTGUN STORIES. Once again starring, Michael Shannon. One of the best trailers I’ve seen all year, this film is at the top of my list.

1. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Fincher is back! ZODIAC was easily one of my favorite Fincher films and then he followed that up with THE SOCIAL NETWORK (should have won BEST PICTURE) and now this. Let’s just forget that PANIC ROOM ever happened. This trailer is very inspired and it looks to have all of our favorite Fincher trademarks. It’s the “feel bad movie of Christmas!”

Honorable Mention: J. EDGAR
I’m not really a fan of Clint Eastwood as a director and I think we saw enough biopics in the early 00′s to last us a lifetime, but still, this film has a good trailer and makes me interested to see it.