Movie Ratings A-Z

Attack the Block: In spite of a good pedigree and positive reviews, “Attack the Block” has been suffering at the box office. A sharp script delivered by a cast that really seemed to click, this creature feature manages to make a group of rather annoying antiheroes sympathetic, as might be expected from the creators of “Shaun of the Dead.” Very good fun, like most of this group’s films – B-.

Bridesmaids: ”Bridesmaids” unites Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph in perhaps the least feminine female-driven comedy ever, complete with awkward sex, epic breakdowns, and Melissa McCarthy as the scene-stealer that stripped the finish off of an otherwise lovely sink. Seeing this movie with your mother is an experience, but seeing this movie with your mother and an entire row of her coworkers, all elementary school teachers, is something else entirely. One of the (the?) only laugh-out-loud movies of 2011, “Bridesmaids” is more than deserving of an A. Just remember not to go near the giant cookie.

Contagion: Steven Soderbergh and about 754.8 Oscar nominees and winners can now add “epic disaster movie” to their resume, and for once that’s not a bad thing. Although flawed by a couple of totally pointless plotlines (and a really weird false tooth), “Contagion” may contain the best cast starring in the most terrifying movie of the year. I’m still grabbing doorknobs with my shirtsleeve…A-.

Crazy, Stupid, Love: ”Crazy, Stupid, Love” might as well have been called “Perfect, Intelligent, Lovable.” An all-star cast that included my two favorite gingers, Julianne Moore and Emma Stone, crafted a witty and touching romantic comedy outshone only by Ryan Gosling’s abs. Call me crazy, but I’m giving this one an A-.

Drive: A fantastic cast, retro soundtrack, intense acting, and a spare, beautifully woven plot make “Drive” one to see. Ryan Gosling has proven once again (as he has done so frequently lately) that he is top leading man material, here as a confident, cool but never arrogant, intriguing driver caught with the wrong people at the wrong time. A-.

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie: I’m beginning to think that Ryan Murphy et al. really don’t understand the concept behind “too much of a good thing.” “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie” presented exact replicas of performances done on the show, with a random smattering of almost-touching fan interviews that more often than not felt forced and uncomfortable, and of course a waste of the 3D format and its surcharges. Because it made me spend money for what I see freely every week on TV, “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie” gets an F.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2: The first book was released not long after my seventh birthday, and the eighth movie came out soon after my twenty-first. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ was certainly a fitting conclusion to millions of childhoods – moody and action-packed with almost enough Maggie Smith to be satisfying – but Rowling’s epilogue didn’t translate well to the big screen, and major inconsistencies with conclusive parts of the source material brought the overall quality down. Regardless, it’s by far the best of the series, and one of my favorite movies of 2011 to date. A-.

The Help: Complaints may abound that “The Help” doesn’t hold true to the realities of the 1960s southern U.S., but that doesn’t take away the fact that this cast has more chemistry than most and that the story being told is regardless important. It certainly doesn’t hurt that Emma Stone can do no wrong. A ridiculously good ensemble, and a quality film based on a great book? I’ve got to give this one an A-, if only because I’m terrified of Minny’s pie.

The Lion King (in 3D): Disney’s classic “The Lion King,” more than any other film from the Disney Renaissance (except perhaps “Beauty and the Beast”) should be available on the big screen for future generations. Having never seen it in the theatre myself, I couldn’t be happier to finally enjoy this savannah classic that melds “Bambi” and “Hamlet” into glorious musical entertainment, however I cannot see how this second run is helped at all by the addition of 3D. 3D complaints aside, this masterpiece can roar triumphantly over an A+.

Moneyball: Intergenerational conflict, politicking, and statistics abound in “Moneyball,” a crackerjack new movie from Bennett Miller (of “Capote” fame), or, should I say, Aaron Sorkin. A couple of feeble and forgotten subplots and a one-note performance from Brad Pitt (albeit a very, very good note!), weaken the overall film, but I still think that it might be the best damn baseball movie you’re likely to see. It’s not quite a grand slam, but “Moneyball” is definitely better than your average ballpark peanuts. A-.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: I’ll be the first to admit that the sheer number of trailers I saw for “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” made me not want to see it, but I was certainly happy I went. An interesting introduction and a pulse-racing third act make a box-office hit out of a movie otherwise replete with clichés and unnecessary interspecies family drama – but just barely. C.

Super 8: J.J. Abrams, one of my favorite directors, shows that kid-starring movies can be anything but childish in “Super 8.” The price of admission was worth it for the credits alone, so discovering that Abrams was able to craft a beautifully nuanced story full of adolescent romance, government intrigue, and family tragedy was icing on the cake. Arguably the best movie of the summer, “Super 8″ gets an A.

Thor: ”Thor” was the first big blockbuster of summer 2011, and while it certainly won’t be earning Natalie Portman another Oscar, it was an entertaining way to spend an evening. Bonus points to the filmmakers for a huge number of awkward laughs courtesy of the old transplant-from-interdimensional-travel trope. Weird accents, big hammers, and…Anthony Hopkins? B.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Shocking no one, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” was, like most other Michael Bay creations, an utter waste of time and money. I went to it looking for an action-packed popcorn movie, but while the special effects certainly impressed, so much of this 2.5 hour robot porno was comprised of Bay’s pitiful attempts at a storyline that the thrill was lost. Mostly for the cash that seeing it made my wallet hemhorrage, “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” gets a well-deserved F.

Winnie the Pooh: Competing with the biggest release of the summer (that is, one featuring a certain Mr. Potter), “Winnie the Pooh” suffered, despite garnering heavily positive reviews. This gorgeously animated reintroduction to a classic series brought with it laughs and tears (I’ll admit it!), but I couldn’t help but feel a bit cheated out of potential joy by the paltry running time of 73 minutes. “Winnie the Pooh” will remind you why you loved childhood, stuffed bears, and clay pots full of hunny. Definitely worth an A- in my book.

X-Men: First Class: Proving that even Professor X can come back from “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “X-Men: First Class” was a wildly entertaining rehash of the foundation of this mutant super-squad. It might have been tough to swallow as X and co. caused and averted the Cuban Missile Crisis, but Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, and Lucas Till make everything worth it. It reminded me why the X-Men are so wildly entertaining, and for that it gets a B+.