Friday, December 30, 2011

MTV Movies' Honorable Mentions Of 2011

When compiling your list of the ten best films of the year, inevitably a great film or two just won't fit on your final roster. That's where the honorable mention comes in handy. Perhaps the film was a little dumb, a little odd or something was just off, but for whatever reason it didn't make the cut, you love it nonetheless.

We asked the MTV Movies staff to share their honorable mention for the film year that was 2011.

"Source Code"
Duncan Jones' second feature delivered nearly everything I could ask for in a popcorn sci-fi flick: time travel, parallel universes and nifty plot twists that leave you asking friends afterwards, "Wait, what did it mean when...?" Fans of Jake Gyllenhaal's cult fav "Donnie Darko"?which really truly is an awful movie?would be well served to throw some love toward JG's "Code," because it spins a vastly superior sci-fi yarn. Let's all just pretend we took a source-code trip of our own and managed to alter the film's Hollywood ending so it isn't so blandly, cheesily, plot-defyingly nonsensical. -Eric Ditzian

"The Guard"
Something dark and funny runs in the McDonagh family. Martin McDonagh made a name for himself writing twisted, hilarious Irish plays and burst into film with the nearly perfect "In Bruges," starring Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in 2008. This year, his brother John Michael McDonagh hit the same notes with his feature film debut "The Guard," which also stars Gleeson as one of the most misbehaved cops you'll ever see. Gleeson earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role and rightfully so. "The Guard" combines dark humor, heart and a good amount of action to keep you entertained throughout, but it ultimately lacks the depth that made "In Bruges" a modern classic. ?Kevin Sullivan

"Insidious"
I'll be honest. I had no interest in seeing "Insidious." When I saw advertisements for it, I immediately dismissed it. But upon seeing images of the snarling, hypnotic creature behind Patrick Wilson, I was beyond intrigued. "Insidious" does a great job setting up a desolate and creepy mood, but unfortunately, it staggers to a flawed and goofy finish. Even so, the visuals are great, and the cast elevates the campiness. If you've got 90 minutes to burn on Netflix, check it out. -Joel Hanek

"Immortals"
From the moment "Immortals" was announced, I was ready to buy a ticket for opening day. A new spin on the Theseus versus the Titans myth? A cast of very attractive actors? All under the direction of the exuberant, visionary ground-breaker Tarsem Singh? Talk about winning combinations. It's not like I expected to have my mind completely blown when I did finally see the film. I just wanted a big, beautiful spectacle, and in that respect "Immortals" delivered in spades. So many bloody battles, so many beautiful bodies, so much fun. Plus, we got our first look at "Man of Steel" Henry Cavill's action hero prowess, which is very promising indeed. -Kara Warner

"Another Earth"
If you could meet another version of yourself, what would you say? What would you want to know? Director Mike Cahill asks these questions and more in his feature film debut that uses a compelling sci-fi concept?the discovery of another Earth filled with alternate versions of ourselves, people who made different choices than us?as a way to dive into human nature, the mistakes that we make, the lengths we go to find forgiveness and the ways we punish ourselves. Featuring touching performances from leads Brit Marling and William Mapother, "Another Earth" is not just my favorite sci-fi film of the year, but one of the very best movies I saw in 2011. Seek it out?you won't regret it. -Josh Wigler

"Jane Eyre"
We all know that 2011 was Michael Fassbender's year: "Shame," "A Dangerous Method," "X-Men: First Class," lots of high-profile stuff. But my favorite of his films this year hit theaters back in March, and I wonder if anyone else remembers it. Fassbender played Rochester in a really good adaptation of "Jane Eyre." His co-stars included Jamie Bell, Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins and Mia Wasikowska as Jane ? a solid cast in one of the best literary adaptations I've seen in recent years. The movie is dark, intense and romantic. I think Charlotte Bront� would have approved. -Tami Katzoff

What were your honorable mentions of 2011? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Tags another earth, Best of 2011, Immortals, Insidious, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jane Eyre, Michael Fassbender, Source Code, the guard

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