What You May Have Missed

Well the Oscars and every other award of the season are now behind us. it was a pretty good year for film lovers but not a great year. Though I believe most of the films nominated for Oscars this year would never have been considered in another better year. My personal tastes vary so there was enough to satisfy my movie going pleasure.  So as the award season becomes a distant memory and the winners, like them or not, are part of film history it's time to rent or not rent what your may have missed. what did you miss? well with dvd's, blu ray and streaming you can now catch up most of the 2011 movies currently or soon. here's your rental guide to films you may want to finally see. 

Currently available for purchase or rental

''Sarah's Key'': This remains my favorite film of 2011. A secret, a key and a mystery  touches the heart and speaks to the soul. Kristen Scott Thomas shines. What more can i say? Please see it. ****stars

''Melancholia'': Kirsten Dundst gave the best performance by an actress in this film this year. Meryl got the Oscar; Kirsten got the shaft. Melancholy and a planet called melancholia collide as the apocalypse draws near. For film lover's only. ****stars

''Contagion'': I liked this better on second viewing when i finally got into the 'docudrama' style storytelling of a fast acting killer virus across the globe. A great cast in a good film. ***stars

"The Descendants'': This is a gem. Of all the Oscar nominated films it will be most remembered 50 years from now when Best Picture Oscar winner 'The Artist' will be but a footnote in Oscar history. George Clooney shines as a Hawaiian land baron who can't win an argument with a 10 year old. Kudos to all involved. ***1/2stars

''War Horse'': I'm not sure why this bombed at the box office. It's a good film in the grand old epic style set during World War 1 and it's a boy and his horse. It's a big screen film and may get lost with home viewing no matter how big your hdtv. Give it a try non the less. ***stars

''Tree of Life'': A difficult film  but a great film. Like 'Melancholia' it is for film lover's only. Film lover's not movie lover's. There is a difference. It's been reported many many people demanded their money back at theaters not getting this apocalyptic drama. I can understand that. It is not for everyone. Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain are wonderful. ***stars

''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'':  This remains one of the best films of 2011. It is simply wonderful and far better than any of the past 'ape' films. It boasts one of the years best performances by Andy Serkis in 'performance capture' that the Oscar's refused to acknowledge. Shame on them! ***1/2stars

"Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1": The best in the series. If you are into this series of vampires , werewolves and humans it's a must see. If not then just move on. ***stars

''Hugo'': It won five technical Oscars which was fitting as it was a good technical film. It advanced 3D amazingly. And that's about it. A total bore about the history of film that was about 30 minutes too long. If anyone other than Martin Scorsese had directed this it would have been dismissed as the dullest film of 2011. Rent at your own risk as it may be coma inducing. **stars

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close": What were Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and director Stephen Daldry ("The Reader", "The Hours") thinking? This is extremely lousy and incredibly awful post 9/11 film. The second worse movie of the year after "Young Adult". Forget about it! *star

''Whistleblower'': One of the lost films of 2011 centers on UN peacemakers complicit in human sex trafficking in post war Bosnia. Rachel Weisz uncovers the truth in this lost gem. It's an important film and as always Ms. Weisz delivers the goods. ***stars

''My Week with Marilyn'' and 'The Iron Lady'' both boast brilliant performances in less than stellar films. They should be seen for the amazing actresses, Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe, alone. Forget the weak screenplays involved and enjoy the tour de force performances. I give both **1/2 stars

Oscar's Best Picture Winner 'The Artist'' is still in theaters near you and does not yet have a dvd release date.

Coming soon the lesser seen but mostly critically acclaimed films of 2011 released or soon to be released on dvd and blu ray that may or may not have played at a theater near you due to limited releases.