Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011)

Lauded as the world’s most beautiful woman (Oh, those violet eyes!) and chided for her eight marriages (two to Richard Burton), Elizabeth Taylor could also act. She proved her mettle mostly as wanting women, full of drama and so good at being bad.

imdb.com | Time | The New York Times

Limitless (2011)

Bradley Cooper takes a super drug that helps him reach his full potential (as a writer and financial genius), and while the film doesn’t quite do the same, it’s an entertaining yarn and more than believable in the cynical present when (legal) drugs are cool.

d: Neil Burger | imdb.com | trailer | Charlie Rose

Win Win (2011)

Paul Giamatti plays exasperated and put-upon like no one else, but he is calmer and more natural this time as a struggling lawyer and high school wrestling coach. Giamatti is great, and so is newcomer Alex Shaffer in comedy about trying to do the right thing.

d: Thomas McCarthy | imdb.com | trailer | Heart attack
Eminem | Beat the crap | Give me a slap. | JBJ | She’s a druggie.

Take Me Home Tonight (2011)

A cheesy love letter to the 1980s, the film doesn’t really care about the decade, except to mine the era for its one-hit wonders, skinny ties and popped collars. The worst part: Eddie Money’s “Take Me Home Tonight” wasn’t even used in the movie.

d: Michael Dowse | imdb.com | trailer | “Don’t You Want Me”

Hall Pass (2011)

The Farrelly Brothers latest effort feels dated and tame in the era of Judd Apatow, the new king of comedy via dick jokes. Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate live in sitcom world, where men are stupid and women are shrews.

d: Farrelly Brothers | imdb.com | trailer | I got a hall pass.

My favorite movies (2010)

1. The Social Network | David Fincher
2. True Grit | Coen Brothers
3. Winter’s Bone | Debra Granik
4. The Tillman Story | Amir Bar-Lev
5. Greenberg | Noah Baumbach
6. Get Him to the Greek | Nicholas Stoller
7. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Edgar Wright
8. Kick-Ass | Matthew Vaughn
9. The Runaways | Floria Sigismondi
10. Machete | Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniquis