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SALT LAKE CITY -- It's the last week of 2011 and that means it's time to knock you over the head with "best of" lists. Hollywood gave us a wide variety of films this year, from brawny superheroes to witty detectives to unfortunate twins. But Hollywood also put out some great films that not enough people saw.
Here is a list of five great films from 2011 that I had the opportunity to see that may have slipped under the radar.
When I saw Saoirse Ronan a few years back in "Atonement" I never pictured her as an action star. So, when I saw the trailer for director Joe Wright's "Hanna" I was skeptical, and it would appear that many felt the same way considering the box office return was nothing to write home about. But all of our assumptions about Ronan were wrong.
"Hanna" tells the story of a 16-year-old girl who was trained to be an assassin and is sent on a mission across Europe. While the movie is an action film, it's also a coming of age story of this young girl who's never experienced childhood and is now getting a taste of adolescence all while trying to stay alive.
"Hanna" is rated PG-13 for violence and some language. The violence is pretty intense and is not appropriate for younger audiences.
For the campy-horror junkies out there "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil" is right up your alley. If you hate those kinds of movies, you may still like this movie.
The synopsis for "Tucker and Dale" on IMDb is short and simple, "Tucker & Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are attacked by a group of preppy college kids."
That's more or less the idea, but the film is so much more fun. Tucker and Dale are just two simple hillbillies who wouldn't harm a fly, but the college kids think they're cold blooded killers.
"Tucker and Dale" will leave you cringing on occasion and laughing almost non-stop. The film is rated R for language and bloody violence. This one is meant for mature audiences.
Woody Allen has churned out some good flicks in recent years, like: "Scoop," "Vicky Christina Barcelona," and "Match Point." But "Midnight in Paris" may be the best thing the neurotic director has done in the past decade.
Owen Wilson headlines the romantic comedy about a writer, Wilson, who has a mean case of writer's block. Inspiration starts to flood Wilson as he starts taking walks every midnight in Paris. While the walks spark Wilson's creativity, they may be ruining his relationship with his fiancée, Rachel McAdams.
The film is witty and heart-felt, just like we expect Allen's film to be, but this one has a little extra something.
"Midnight in Paris" is rated PG-13 for some sexual references. The movie is pretty mild, but probably not for younger kids.
Every year there seems to be an indy film that just captures the attention of audiences. "Juno" falls into that category as does "Up in the Air." Both of which are Jason Reitman films by the way. A little movie that unfortunately slipped though the indy cracks this year was "Win Win."
Paul Giamatti is at his finest as a struggling lawyer who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach. A star athlete lands on his squad, but some of Giamatti's sketchy law practices threaten to ruin the new found relationship.
The movie is artsy, but it manages to break your heart and get you laughing at the same time.
"Win Win" is rated R for language which can get pretty offensive. This film is appropriate for mature audiences.
"Warrior" was a big budget film with a wide release that just fell flat at the box office, which is a real shame.
"Warrior" follows two brothers, Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, who enter an MMA tournament with a pay-out of $5 million. Sounds simple enough, but there are so many levels to this film that call it a "fighting movie" would be a mistake.
"Warrior" is along the same vein as the original "Rocky" and is just as emotional. While both Hardy and Edgerton give fine performances everyone pales in comparison to Nick Nolte as the brothers' father who is a recovering alcoholic. Nolte demands your attention and you wait for him to come back on screen.
While "Warrior" seems to hit just about every sports cliché, you don't care because the film is executed so well. I watched the movie by myself in my basement about a week ago and I literally found myself fist pumping and cheering out loud.
"Warrior" is one of the best films of 2011 and no one saw it. The film is rated PG-13 for martial arts fighting, some language and thematic material including alcoholism and death. Not for younger crowds but should be OK for your teens.
Now it's your turn. What films stuck with you from 2011 that no one seemed to see? And what do you think of my list? Is it garbage or is it spot on? Let me know on the comment boards and on Facebook.
E-mail: jclyde@ksl.com
