No Fassbender or Gosling. In a year where both Michael Fassbender and Ryan Gosling were in at least two roles that could have netted either a statue, neither breakout actor had a single nomination. Can’t fault the choices of any of the five actors who did make the cut, though I might have put Fassbender in the spot occupied by Demián Bichir (“A Better Life”).

No ‘Drive’ at all. Not only do you leave out Gosling, but you completely shut “Drive” out of the major awards entirely – and it’s still the best movie I saw in 2011. Albert Brooks turned in the performance of his career, yet he doesn’t make the cut for Best Supporting Actor. Nicholas Refn is left out of the Best Director party, and well as Hossein Amini for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The whole Best Supporting Actor category. Not only missing Brooks, but including Nick Nolte (“Warrior”) and Max Von Sydow (“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”). Conventional wisdom says that Christopher Plummer will win for “Beginners,” and deservedly so, but in this instance the honour of the nomination was wiped out.

The whole Best Documentary category. It was an amazing year for documentary filmmakers – apparently, too good. Three of the best documentaries from 2011 – “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey,” “Senna” and “The Interrupters” weren’t even on the short list for consideration, and “Project Nim” didn’t make the cut. All four omissions are criminal.

Anywhere you see “The Tree Of Life” nominated other than Best Cinematography.

The 84th Academy Awards will be handed out Sunday, February 26.

Michael Fassbender. Following a highly-touted supporting role in Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds,” Fassbender turned in three top-notch performances: Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto in Bryan Singer’s better-than-expected “X-Men: First Class”; the sexual addiction poster child Brandon in “Shame”; and psychiatrist Carl Jung in David Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method.” Each role is unique, and allows viewers a look at different facets of Fassbender’s range. (And yes, you see a lot of Fassbender in “Shame.” One of the funniest conversations I had last year was discussing the prospects of a 3D “Shame” with Gwen Reyes and company at Crystal Decker’s birthday shindig. But let’s not run too far off the rails here. This is hard enough as it is.)

Jessica Chastain. Think Fassbender was everywhere in 2011? How about Chastain, who starred or had a featured supporting role in six different films: “The Help,” “Texas Killing Fields,” “Take Shelter,” “The Debt,” “The Tree Of Life,” and “Coriolanus.” 2011 was Chastain’s big coming-out party. Every time she was on-screen, the woman mesmerizes. She has pristine comic timing, an expressive pair of eyes that deserve their own screen credit, and a plethora of directions she could go as a leading actress.

Remakes / Reboots / Re-Imaginings / Gritty Redux. “Arthur”: $33 million. “Conan the Barbarian”: $21 million. “The Three Musketeers”: $20 million. “Fright Night”: $18 million. “The Thing”: $16.9 million. Sadly, these are the bottom-of-the-barrel notices – the abysmal “Smurfs” CG epic roped in $142 million, and the tepid note-for-note “Footloose” copy brought in $51 million. There was hope, though…

“Super 8,” “Attack The Block,” “Source Code,” “Hugo.” Four completely different films, with wildly different returns at the box office (with “Attack The Block” bringing in a paltry $1.2 million). All of them are what sprawling cinema was meant to be, and all were a delight to watch over and over.

The Texas Theatre. Indie cinema in Dallas doesn’t begin and end with the Angelika. With a slate of programming as wide and deep as the range of cinema itself, the Texas Theatre is a treat for anyone who considers themselves a fan of film. With in-house visits from the likes of Alex Cox, Crispin Glover, Harry Shearer and more on a regular basis, you should acquaint yourself with the Texas. Today.

South by Southwest 2011, DALLAS International Film Festival 2011, and Texas Frightmare Weekend 2011. The troika of Texas film festivals damn near killed me this year, between producing the WFAA daily recap show for DIFF and running around Austin to talk with the folks behind “Being Elmo,” “Wuss,” “Becoming Santa,” “Paul,” “Bridesmaids,” and “Surrogate Valentine.” Getting lit up on absinthe with Troy Duffy. Ann-Margret cooing at me, calling me an “absolute gem.” Gobsmacking Malcolm McDowell with a pair of the film-used chairs from the Korova Milk Bar. Was it all worth it? You betcha.

…and, with that, I’m out. This is my last article for Red Carpet Crash as its Editor-In-Chief. There are a hundred reasons why I’ve made the decision to step back from the position, and the site I’ve strove to build as a premier entertainment resource for Texans. The primary reason is: time. I need to spend a lot more time with my lovely, patient goddess of a wife, and focusing on my “day job.” I’m not leaving to start up another web site, or other hair-brained project that’ll soak up all of my time. Yet.

There are a legion of writers, publicists, actors, directors, theater staffers and critics I need to thank for the last 30 months at Red Carpet Crash. Rather than do it publicly, and get lambasted for leaving someone out (which will happen – my brain is addled – have you met me?), please know that the people I need to thank the most are the readers of RCC. You Crashers are the reason we got into this in the first place, the ones who packed out the Big Gold Statue parties at the Lakewood and Angelika. (No BGS party this year, by the way. Cease-and-desist letters are nasty things to get in the mail.)

The Red Carpet Crash staff, circa March 2011 at the Return of the Big Gold Statue Party: Mark Walters (not a staffer, but a Crasher nevertheless); Matt Mungle (also not a RCC staffer, but my co-host on Reel Geniuses); Steve Norwood; Crystal Decker; Jenny Sherman; Chiccywood!; Joe Lopez; Devin Pike; Aaron Davidson; Mark Harris

Red Carpet Crash will continue along, with Mark Harris carrying the banner for the site. We’re expanding, with events in San Antonio complimenting our strong presence in Dallas / Fort Worth and Austin.

Until the next time you see me around, remember the sage wisdom of Dr. Buckaroo Banzai: “No matter where you go, there you are.” Now, go see a movie in a theater.

Steve Norwood:
In January, I look forward to three distinctly different films that open the year: Ralph Fiennes’ directing debut CORIOLANUS; Steven Soderbergh’s spy thriller HAYWIRE; and Liam Neeson taking on the elements in THE GREY. In February, CRANK creators Neveldine/Taylor put their hyper-caffeinated spin on a GHOST RIDER sequel, SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE. All of these sound like sure bets to me.

Jump to June and this avowed science fiction and ALIEN series fan is giddy about Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS. I’d like to see how Nolan wraps up the Batman trilogy in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. The TOTAL RECALL remake has a great cast, so that sounds intriguing. And a hopefully more appropriate adaptation of the Judge Dredd series with Karl Urban as DREDD.

In the fall, James Bond returns with SKYFALL, which I hope will close out the Daniel Craig trilogy in good form. Spielberg and Daniel Day-Lewis do LINCOLN, which looks like it could be the pair’s next award opportunity. The much-anticipated film adaptation of WORLD WAR Z, a great novel about a zombie-laden future, also sees the big screen.

And I will look forward to finally seeing Polanski’s CARNAGE and Ben Wheatley’s KILL LIST, the former sooner, the latter still burdened by question marks.

But if 2012 were to be condensed down to a single film I want to see, it would, without discussion, be Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED. No doubt…after the genrefied glories of KILL BILL and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, my hopes are incredibly high for the director’s new western drama.

That’s about it. Of course, smaller, independent and international films will slide in. But for the major U.S. releases, that’s where I’m looking ahead.

Adam Holloway:
1. “Prometheus“: Director Ridley Scott’s return to the science fiction genre was big news when this project was announced over a year ago. There’s been lots of rumors and online debate on whether “Prometheus” is a sequel/prequel to “Alien” or if it’s a completely unconnected sci-fi story. The studio and filmmakers have remained coy about the film, providing very little information (and often seemingly contradictory information), but the quick shots of identifiable settings in first trailer confirm the film is within the same world as “Alien”. There hasn’t been a great “Alien” film since James Cameron directed “Aliens” in 1986, so I’m really hoping the classic creature indeed turns up in “Prometheus”.

2. “Django Unchained“: I know it’s risky to put a film on a “most anticipated” list when not a single frame of film or studio-released photo has been seen, but “Django Unchained” has enough going for it to warrant inclusion in my top three. The upcoming film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino follows the story of an escaped slave who seeks revenge against his former owner in the American south. That premise is interesting on its own, but it’s the casting, typical of Tarantino films, that makes this a must-see. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz, Kurt Russell, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Sacha Baron Cohen are all among the cast – one of the most interesting ensembles in quite some time. Very eager to see how this turns out…

3. “The Dark Knight Rises”: Fans have high expectations for the final film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy and the recent trailer has only fanned the flames of anticipation. Due to Heath Ledger’s fantastic turn as The Joker in “The Dark Knight”, the bar has been set very high for this film, but it looks like it may in fact surpass its predecessor. The plot has been kept under strict lock and key, but from what the trailer tells us, “The Dark Knight Rises” will be the largest scale Batman film to-date and an epic conclusion to Nolan’s take on the hero. I’m mainly just curious how they’ll wrap up the entire saga within three hours with the introduction of so many new characters…

Preston Barta:
2011’s list of most anticipated films ended up being a slew of hits and misses—“The Hangover Part II,” “The Green Lantern,” and “Cowboys & Aliens” were all films that didn’t quite live up to the hype while others like “The Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Captain America,” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” far surpassed expectations.

So what films of 2012 am I looking most forward to? There are sequels and superhero movies aplenty on the horizon, some of which look promising, while others look like they’ll require vomit bags. Whether the world implodes in 2012 or not, we got some good films to look forward to.

1. “The Dark Knight Rises”
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Gary Oldman, & Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Release Date: July 20, 2012

Eight years following the events of “The Dark Knight,” the terrorist leader Bane (Tom Hardy) has a plan to takeover Gotham City, which forces its former hero Batman (Christian Bale) to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s wrongdoings.

You would be lying if you said you weren’t excited to see what’s going to happen in Christopher Nolan’s epic conclusion to his Batman trilogy. “The Dark Knight Rises” is without a doubt my number one most anticipated film of 2012. I have long been a fan of Christopher Nolan and his artistry since his “Memento,” and when he introduced us to his take on Batman in 2005 with “Batman Begins,” I was blown away by his realistic vision. Then he went a step further with 2008’s “The Dark Knight.” Now all I want to do is see “The Dark Knight Rises,” and see Bane break some bones and Catwoman stretch in leather.

But I need to moderate my excitement so I don’t set myself up for disappointment.

2. “Django Unchained”
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Samuel L. Jackson, & Kurt Russell
Release Date: December 25, 2012

Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” tells the story of a slave (Jamie Foxx) who, with the help of a bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), seeks revenge against his brutal plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Tarantino is a gifted screenwriter and anything with his name tied to it is going to deliver. He has amassed a ridiculously strong cast, here, including Leonardo DiCaprio playing a villain role long awaited by me. He is one of the most talented actors working today, and Tarantino has delivered my wish to see DiCaprio step into the shoes of a villain. “Django” is going to be one violent hell-ride!

Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio was Tarantino’s first choice to play Col. Hans Landa in “Inglourious Bastards,” but he then decided that a German-speaking actor should play the part. Christoph Waltz went on to win the Oscar for the role.

3. “Skyfall”
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Helen McCrory, & Judi Dench
Release Date: November 9, 2012

Martin Campbell rebooted James Bond in 2006 and made “Casino Royale” the best Bond yet. Then director Marc Forster followed with “Quantum of Solace,” the short Bond-flop that resembled the “Bourne” films. But now we have Sam Mendes at the helm, and although he has done his fair share of dramas like Marc Forster (no prior action film experience), he did the impressively good “Road to Perdition.” He’s a director with mad skills and I believe he can put Bond on the right track again. Daniel Craig is in arse-kicking mode once again!

4. “Lincoln”
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Jared Harris, & Jackie Earle Haley
Release Date: December 2012

It’s really difficult not to be excited about a Spielberg film. It helps that his team is returning: composer John Williams, cinematographer Janusz Kaminsi, and editor Michael Kahn. Also Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln? Who wouldn’t want to see that? The resemblance is uncanny.

Side Note: Joseph Gordon-Levitt is everywhere this year. Geez!

5. “The Great Gatsby”
Directed Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maquire, & Isla Fisher
Release Date: December 25, 2012

This marks the fourth adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Long Island-set novel. Baz Luhrmann isn’t one of my favorite directors, but he does have admirable visual style. Plus we have an all-star cast including DiCaprio, Tobey Maquire, and Carey Mulligan. Looks like Oscar gold to me.

Side Note: If Paul Thomas Anderson finishes “The Master” in time I would put that near the top of 5 most anticipated. Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the best directors, and he only makes a film every five years, so you know it’s got to be good.

Honorable Mentions: “Prometheus,” “The Gangster Squad,” “Argo,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Gravity,” “Cloud Atlas,” “Les Miserables,” “The Bourne Legacy,” “World War Z,” “Dark Shadows,” “Red Dawn,” & “The Avengers.”

Dishonorable Mentions: “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 2,” “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” “Rock of Ages,” “GI Joe: Retaliation,” “Battleship,” & “Step Up 4.”

1. The Tree of Life, directed by Terrence Malick, U.S.
“… the film’s core story of childhood is flawless, powerful work…”
2. The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard, U.K.
3. The Mill & The Cross, directed by Lech Majewski, Sweden/Poland

Nine Reasons Why “Formulaic” Can Be Great

1. Captain America: The First Avenger, directed by Joe Johnston, U.S.
“… perfectly combines comic book melodrama and blockbuster action…”
2. Rango, directed by Gore Verbinski, U.S.
3. Super 8, directed by J.J. Abrams, U.S.
4. The Adventures of Tintin, directed by Steven Spielberg, U.S.
5. Source Code, directed by Duncan Jones, U.S./France
6. Hanna, directed by Joe Wright, U.S./U.K./Germany
7. Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, U.S./United Arab Emirates
8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, directed by David Fincher, U.S.
9. The Rum Diary, directed by Bruce Robinson, U.S.

Eight Reasons Why “Small” Can Be Great

1. Bellflower, directed by Evan Glodell, U.S.
“… a very confident piece of work; carries an unnerving, palpable sense of doom…”
2. Septien, directed by Michael Tully, U.S.
3. Red State, directed by Kevin Smith, U.S.
4. Margin Call, directed by J.C. Chandor, U.S.
5. Parked, directed by Darragh Byrne, Ireland
6. Martha Marcy May Marlene, directed by Sean Durkin, U.S.
7. Meek’s Cutoff, directed by Kelly Reichardt, U.S.
8. The Imperialists Are Still Alive!, directed by Zeina Durra, U.S.

Six Reasons Why Documentaries Are Vital

1. The Interrupters, directed by Steve James, U.S.
“… rare is the film that can be called important…”
2. Page One: Inside the New York Times, directed by Andrew Rossi, U.S.
3. Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness, directed by Joseph Dorman, U.S.
4. Bill Cunningham New York, directed by Richard Press, U.S./France
5. Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl, U.S.
6. Into the Abyss, directed by Werner Herzog, U.S.

Ten Reasons To Watch International Films

1. I Saw the Devil, directed by Kim Jee-woon, South Korea
“…a near-perfect composition that strikes equal fear and awe while you wince…”
2. The Yellow Sea, directed by Na Hong-jin, South Korea
3. 13 Assassins, directed by Takashi Miike, Japan
4. The Names of Love, directed by Michel Leclerc, France
5. The Skin I Live In, directed by Pedro Almodovar, Spain
6. TrollHunter, directed by Andre Ovredal, Norway
7. Poetry, directed by Lee Chang-dong, South Korea
8. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, directed by Jose Padilha, Brazil
9. Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life, directed by Joann Sfar, France
10. 3, directed by Tom Tykwer, Germany

Steve’s Top 14 Reasons To Have Spent Time In The Dark (In A Theater)

14. Leap Year, directed by Michael Rowe, Mexico
“… that it never flinches may be its greatest strength…”
13. Film Socialisme, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, France
“…a profound and visually captivating film to challenge all expectations…”
12. Drive, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, U.S.
“… Brooks is so effective on screen, I didn’t even realize he had no eyebrows…”
11. Le Quattro Volte, directed by Michelangelo Frammartino, Italy
“…dust, death, birth and eternity; an astounding film…”
10. Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese, U.S.
“… a joyous, almost religious grasp of the power of early cinema…”
9. The Artist, directed by Michel Hazanavicius, France/Belgium
“… clearly a film borne of a deep affection for that golden age…”
8. The Last Circus, directed by Alex de la Iglesia, Spain
“…a stunning work of madness, passion and the grotesque…”
7. Tabloid, directed by Errol Morris, U.S.
“…Morris repeatedly tops himself, this time with a tale as lurid as it is giddy…”
6. Beginners, directed by Mike Mills, U.S.
“…in romance or heartache, it is pitch-perfect where everyone else falters…”
5. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand
“…lyrical, haunting, quietly contemplative; an enriching film…”
4. Melancholia, directed by Lars von Trier, Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany
“… visually, sonically, emotionally…this sort of cinematic power is elusive…”
3. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, directed by Tomas Alfredson, France/U.K./Germany
“… rewards patient viewers with a complex and winning tale of intrigue…”
2. The Descendants, directed by Alexander Payne, U.S.
“… one of the year’s finest, most emotionally sublime films…”
1. The Trip, directed by Michael Winterbottom, U.K.
“…catches you off-guard with introspection and humanity”

10. Cars 2 (Rated G) – Though they may be the most desired characters of every pre-school boy, I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of the first “Cars” movie and just haven’t carried a soft spot for Lightning McQueen, Mater, and the rest of the gang from Radiator Springs. I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of a second movie and when critics declared it Pixar’s first bust, I didn’t rush out to see it. However, I think possibly Pixar has set their standard entirely too high if *this* is their bad film. “Cars 2″ is a spy film with several new exciting characters, Mater as the double agent, and a sweet message about friendship and being yourself. On DVD and blu-ray now.

9. Mars Needs Moms (Rated PG) – The majority of critics out there believe Robert Zemeckis needs to return to actual human actors instead of his newest obsession with perfecting the art of motion capture, but I find it fascinating. Chalk it up to bad marketing, motion capture, or whatever, but “Mars Needs Moms” is officially one of the biggest flops of all time. If you and your family missed out on this film because of the cheesy title, bad trailer, and/or because of the motion capture, you’ve missed out on one of the more fun, thrilling, heartfelt movies of this year. No seriously. On DVD and blu-ray now.

8. Kung Fu Panda 2 (Rated PG) – When we left Po, he had finally become the kung fu warrior he had always dreamed of becoming, defeated the evil villain Tai Lung, and won the acceptance of his noodle chef father. Of all the original animated movies that are released, “Kung Fu Panda” was the most deserving of a sequel. In the second offering, Po is struggling to maintain his inner peace as a kung fu master while trying to discover who his real parents are. At the same time, an evil villain (voiced by Gary Oldman) threatens to destroy the city and Po and the Furious Five must stop him. With its beautiful animation, gripping story, darker themes, and action packed fight choreography, “Kung Fu Panda 2″ is a perfect example of the ever increasing number of family films that parents can enjoy as much as, if not more than, their kids. On blu-ray and DVD now.

7. Rio (Rated G) – Oh “Rio”, how I wanted so much to despise you. The story seemed so preposterous and the voice cast seemed studded with stars to make the movie poster look good. However, I was quickly swept away with the bright, beautiful colors, the rousing songs, the action, and the sinister, slimy villians. The love story between the two blue macaws (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway) was so much more romantic than even I want to give it credit for. On blu-ray and DVD now.

6. Puss In Boots (Rated PG) – I was over the “Shrek” movies after watching the second one, but for some reason was still optimistic about “Puss In Boots”, the spinoff starring Shrek’s suave sidekick voiced brilliantly by Antonio Banderas. The story is clever enough for adults while entertaining the kids; the deceit by one of the main characters is impressively dark for a kids film. Guillermo del Toro produced “Puss In Boots” along with “Kung Fu Panda 2″, perhaps some of the darker, more adult themes can be credited to him. Both films are totally appropriate for children though, and del Toro should be applauded for brining good quality family films back to the mainstream. In theaters now.

5. Gnomeo & Juliet (Rated G) – “Gnomeo and Juliet” might be the film that you still turn your nose up to, but hear me out. This is a sweet, romantic, funny, effective re-telling of the story you’ve been hearing since you were a kid. Yes they are garden gnomes, yes the movie is full of puns a plenty, yes the score is all Elton John songs, but seriously. Give it a chance. My eleven year old son won’t admit to liking this movie out loud in front of his friends, but if it’s on, he’ll watch the entire thing. “Gnomeo and Juliet” is short on run time, has perfectly cast voice actors (including Ozzy Osborne and Dolly Parton!), and is so irresistibly adorable. My review can be found here, the film can be found on Netflix watch instant – do yourself a favor and watch it already. On blu-ray, DVD and Netflix watch instant now.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (Rated PG-13) – Families with kids of all ages have been following Harry and his adventures for the past ten years. While the last installment may not be appropriate for all children – parents, this is where you use your discretion – Harry Potter has become a household name, beloved by adults sometimes more than kids. Because this year marked the final chapter in a story we’ve followed for so long, it must be included on my list. Harry Potter is the rare franchise that brings families together. On blu-ray and DVD now.

3. Super 8 (Rated PG-13) – When we say they don’t make ‘em like they used to, we’re looking for films like J.J. Abrams’ “Super 8″. He’s taken everything we loved about our favorite movies from the 80′s and turned it into a film that the current generation can love. While making their own movie with a super 8 camera, a band of kids witnesses a train wreck that unleashes a very homesick alien in their small town. Filmed in Ohio and West Virginia, “Super 8″ is family entertainment that doesn’t come around very often anymore. On blu-ray and DVD now.

2. Hugo (Rated PG) – “Hugo” has gotten the reputation of being a kids film, but it really takes a very patient kid to sit through the whole thing. The run time is a little long and it’s slow in spots, but that’s Scorsese. “Taxi Driver” pacing takes a lot of willpower for kiddos, even with the film being set in a glorious rendition of Paris in the 1930′s. Hugo himself is a sweet, relatable little boy who ponders big questions that kids ask, such as finding his place in the world. We get so caught up in Hugo’s world then without us even realizing, the film turns on its ear and becomes a film about filmmaking. Breathtaking and incredibly moving, “Hugo” is a film to see in theaters. In theaters now.

1. The Muppets (Rated PG) – The return of the Muppets has been long awaited and they do not disappoint with their newest movie. A new Muppet named Walter is introduced, as Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, and a host of celebrity cameos round out the talented human cast. Our beloved Muppets have retired their variety show and have scattered across the globe on different ventures. When an evil oil baron threatens to destroy The Muppet Studios, Kermit, Walter, Gary (Segel), and Mary (Adams) must find the Muppets and bring them back to save the studios they built. “The Muppets” is not without its flaws, but overall it’s a lovely, happy, optimistic time at the movies. In theaters now.

Let’s get started, shall we? No need to bring Father Time into all this.

11. “Kung Fu Panda 2″ – While the year wasn’t the most memorable when it came to animated films, there were a few released that featured beardy faces. Starting with May’s “Kung Fu Panda 2″ Dustin Hoffman’s wise red panda character, Shifu, sported a very impressive fu Manchu. As one might expect for an aged alternative panda, the whisker construction is both dignified and rugged. Despite what we know of Shifu’s, er unconventional, teaching methods, his scraggy white moustache almost makes him appear docile rather than scrappy and cunning. Oh, but we should know better now after two movies.

10. “Anonymous” - There is nothing I love more than a historically accurate beard. Throw in some intrigue, a Shakespearacy (All rights reserved, Kate Erbland), and Rhy Ifans as the well-respected Earl of Oxford, who is quickly descending into madness as result of the voices in his head. Not those kinds of voices, but the kinds that any writer understands—the kind that cannot be quieted until each and every word is written out on parchment with delicate attention to detail. I get this. What we also get are delightful scenes upon scenes of the sharp, pointy white beard Oxford’s ink-stained fingers twiddle with whenever his stress level reaches insurmountable peaks. If to be but a hand in that beard… am I right, ladies?

9. “Country Strong” - Tim McGraw is not known for his impressive acting prowess. Nor is he known for having a full head of hair. But what he lacks on his cranium he far than makes up for on his…well…chin. As James Canter, the husband-manager of recovering alcoholic country singer Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow), McGraw’s brash demeanor, disapproving head shakes, and ethically questionable desire to make a quick buck off his sick wife is perfectly complimented by some of the thickest facial scruff in Nashville. I often questioned if the fullness was due to some wig-like enhancements, but I couldn’t bring myself to not fantasize about losing my lipstick somewhere around his left jowl. The film might not be a great work of art, but it’s a guilty pleasure for the sexy music and the even sexier beard.

8. “Martha Marcy May Marlene” - You guys, can we talk about John Hawkes for a second? I mean, that man really knows how to act the crap out of any role he takes on. From “Deadwood” to “Winter’s Bone” Hawkes has proven role after role that he is one of the most chameleon-like players working today. His character Patrick in this October’s unnerving exploration into the questionability of memory, “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” elevated the actor to a new plane: sexy-creepy. And what better way to accept that distinction than with a gnarly cult-leader beard. That’s right dear reader, Hawkes portrays a character so disturbing yet enticing that when you’re not squirming in your seat or mumbling encouragment under your breath for all the followers to flee this crazy man, you’re imagining what it might feel like to wake up with that beard-scruff on your neck. Mind you, when you wake up in that particular circumstance it will be after he drugged and raped you.

7. “Gnomeo and Juliet” - Moving on from cults and rapes and such, let’s take a look at a more darling type of beard. I love an animated 3D beard, but I especially love when that animated beard is painted on a garden gnome. I knew I would love “Gnomeo and Juliet” regardless of how silly the plot or slight the character development (spoiler alert: it’s ADORABLE), but I had no idea just how dizzy I would feel spending 90-plus minutes with two armies of bearded garden gnomes. It was like Christmas, my birthday, and South By Southwest all collided in my living room and I never had to get out of my pajamas to enjoy it (except I saw it in a theater, where I did, in fact, have to put on real pants). The attention to detail is undeniable, as all the gnomey beards looked beautifully hand-painted and unique to each gnome buddy. Gosh, I’m getting giddy again just thinking about it.

6. “Beginners” - Mike Mills’ autobiographical “Beginners” was not only my favorite film of the year, by a landslide, but it was also a beautiful film about sadness, loneliness, commitment phobia, love, and death. Otherwise: the perfect example of “first world problems.” The film gets a bad rap for just that, but even people in the first world can feel sad and lonely after they lose a loved one or scared to fall in love again for the final time. And as Ewan McGregor (Oliver) proved, first world people can also grow some pretty impressive sadness beard. Grouped with his striped shirts, unnecessary-in-LA scarves, and his “talking” dog Arthur, Oliver’s sadness beard is the perfect accessory to this heart-wrenching film.

5. “Bellflower” - Speaking of “first world problems,” may I introduce to you summer’s “Bellflower?” This debut film from writer-director-star Evan Glodell (Woodrow) presents a world where love and hate live in conjunction. Anyone who’s ever had his or her heart snatched, massaged, torn from its chest-home, and then lit on fire in front of everyone can relate to this sad-sad-hipster film. (psst, that’s all of us) But more idyllic than setting your cheating ex’s belongs ablaze on her front lawn is the delicious break-up beard Woodrow sports during the second half of the film. He shields his emotions with his beard, looks tough when driving around Bellflower in his hand-built muscle car, Medusa, and he even lets blood dry in the follicles before the film’s end. For a man whose hero is Lord Humungus, Woodrow really knows how to grow an intimidating chin mask.

4. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″ - As this is the last year (until the inevitable reboot starts filming) that we can talk about a new “Harry Potter” film, I think it’s only fair to doff our caps to hair and make-up artists behind the burly transformation of Robbie Coltrane into Rubeus Hagrid, Gameskeeper of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The man has endured years of beard-wig glue and idolizing in the Bear community, it’s about time he gets a little love for looking so tough yet tender with a beard as long as a person.

3. “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” - One either loves or hates Conan O’Brien, there is virtually no middle ground when it comes to the cooky ginger. Throughout his documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop” the audience is treated to an intimate look in the months following his unceremonious dismissal from NBC’s “Tonight Show” in 2010. He spends the days planning a nation-wide comedy tour and growing one full red beard as his rebellion from two decades playing corporate pony. Coco’s beard got almost as much attention during his hiatus as the man sporting it, and it’s no mystery why. A solidarity beard is even more memorable when it tells the story of a lost man once again finding his way.

2. “The Adventures of Tintin” - And for our final animated beard of the year; ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis). Just look at that lush face bush. I promise you it is worth all the 3D price inflation AMC Theaters demands. While the movie wasn’t one of my particular favorites of the year, I could not keep myself giggling with joy every time our favorite drunk ship captain-turned-hostage-turned-Tintin-accomplice appeared to slur his whiskey-soaked tongue through each scene. What a true hero to all beardist and beard lovers around. Also, the man can rock the heck out of a blue wool nautical embellished turtleneck.

1. “Our Idiot Brother” - I am not going to try to convince you that “Our Idiot Brother” is one of the finer filmic offerings of 2011. On the contrary, it was probably one of my least favorite films (I have trouble with underdeveloped, shrewish women written by men who seem to, in fact, hate women. See also: Katherine Heigl in EVERYTHING). But at its heart “OIB” did have a tender sensitivity that I can’t deny charmed me. It also featured three leading men with three varying length of beard. From star Paul Rudd’s (Ned) full hippie beard to T.J. Miller’s (Billy) patchy mess, to the attractive five-o’clock shadow of TV’s Adam Scott (Jeremy), “Our Idiot Brother” far exceeded even my beardy expectations. Nothing this year can truly compare.

There are a few movies that I would put into what I’m going to call the Miami Heat of the movie world. The first of those would be “Cowboys & Aliens”. That movie is about as similar to the failed three headed monster in Miami. They have LeBron, Wade, and Bosh, while the movie had the what seemed foolproof combo of Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and director John Favreau. The movie made just over 100 million bucks. While that’s a great number for many movies, it’s not when your production budget is in the $163 million range. It covered it’s bases worldwide, but it was a massive disappointment for all involved, especially when you consider the amount of marketing hype that went into it.

Another movie that failed miserably with critics and movie goers is “The Green Lantern”. Just like “Cowboys & Aliens”, it made over $100 million. Alas, the price tag read $200 million. He may be charming and well-liked, but this and the complete failure of “The Change Up” cements the fact that Ryan Reynolds cannot be expected to open a movie to huge numbers. Oddly enough, there are already plans for a “Green Lantern” sequel. Are they hoping for a Bourne-like performance in which the sequels outdo the original?

With a budget around $90 million and only $27 million so far, it looks like “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” is going to underwhelm at the box office. The creepy premise, along with a seriously hard R-rating, made this a tough sell to the Christmas movie going crowd. It’s still in theaters so it has a chance to make a bit more cash, but it’s not looking good for this David Fincher-directed flick. That’s two 2011 bombs for Daniel Craig, who may only be box office star when he’s starring as the world’s favorite spy.

It wasn’t a good year for boxing robots. The Hugh Jackman-starring “Real Steel” reportedly cost just north of $100 million and made about $84 million. Regardless of the ridiculous plot, the trailers alone told you all you need to know about this massive clunker. There is only room in theaters for one fighting robots movie and this one was definitely not it.

Normally, any movie affiliated with Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company guarantees a box office return of $100 million. There were two heavily hyped movies that tanked this year produced by Sandler’s company and they both appeared equally annoying and brain dead. Of course, they are the Kevin James-starring “Zookeeper” and the Sandler-starring “Jack & Jill”. In fact, “Zookeeper” outperformed “Jack & Jill” and probably ended up in the black, while the more reliable Sandler vehicle completely failed all over the world.

While it’s not completely fair to call it a failure, “The Muppets” definitely didn’t have the box office impact that many people thought it would. It will make money for Disney, but the total of $76 million isn’t exactly what many people predicted for it. It doesn’t seem like it reached the age 17 and under crowd as much as it was massively popular with the age 30 and up crowd. It’s hard to be nostalgic for something when you weren’t alive at it’s height of popularity. “The Muppets” just wasn’t kickass enough for the CGI-loving kiddos of today.

There are a handful of movies that are in the same boat as “The Muppets”. Movies like “Rango”, “Super 8″, “Paul”, or “The Green Hornet” were expected to dominate the box office and it just didn’t happen to the extent that many thought it would.

However, there are two movies that may just be the champions of 2011 Box Office Failure. The first is Zach Snyder’s “Sucker Punch”. This was the first movie that Snyder made that wasn’t based on a comic book or another movie and it proved to be a critical and commercial failure. Warner Brothers ponied up over $80 million for this disaster and it only earned $36 million. In it’s opening weekend, it barely squeaked by the Bradley Cooper surprise success “Limitless” to earn the number two spot behind “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid”. It quickly dropped down the charts and, thankfully, out of the public consciousness. Snyder has the Superman reboot coming up and if that fails, it could be the end of big budget Zach Snyder…which I would completely welcome.

The runner up to “Sucker Punch” is easily “The Killer Elite”. How could a movie with such a fantastic trailer, starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert DeNiro experience complete and utter failure? It may have something to do with the fact that the movie is completely horrible and nothing more than another silly action movie starring Statham’s pecs. It opened to $9 million. That means it was in theaters for about 24 hours and everyone involved knew that the $70 million spent on it was completely flushed down the toilet. When it closed up shop, it earned $25 million. That is the kind of failure that ends production studios and costs several people their jobs. Well, if it was the real world and an actual job, it would.

Those are just some of the larger failures of 2011. There were plenty of movies that don’t end up on the good side of the balance sheet that weren’t covered here, such as “New Year’s Eve”. I would spend more time dissecting that one, but typing any more words for such a pitiful, trite, inane piece of trash would be wasteful. In fact, let’s celebrate the fact that movies like “50/50″, “Drive”, “Hanna”, “The Ides of March”, “Midnight In Paris”, and “Moneyball” all made more money than it. It should give us all hope that people will spend their money on the “right” movies in 2012.

Despite this bad start to the year, 2011 ended up with some pretty strong films. It was a varied year that introduced audiences to three new franchise-worthy superheroes and closed out the decade-long Harry Potter series. It had its fair share of remakes and sequels (I count 11 remakes and 29 sequels), some of which were warranted, some of which were outright disastrous. And it also had efforts by some of the biggest names in the business, with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Clint Eastwood all releasing films.

While I think everyone enjoys reading “Top 10″ lists at this time of year, I thought it would be fun to examine the biggest surprises in film this year – whether they were good or bad. Here are the top five elements of film I found most surprising in 2011:

5. “X-Men: First Class” vs. “Green Lantern”: The X-Men series going the prequel-route with an all new cast seemed like a quick cash grab, so expectations were low. Conversely, “Green Lantern” seemed very appealing – it was the first superhero film to utilize a fully CGI costume and its other-worldly settings made it look truly fresh and interesting. Expectations were blown on both of these films. While “First Class” ended up being a highly entertaining origin story with an effective ensemble that begs for a sequel, “Green Lantern” disappointed so badly, that I’d rank it among the worst superhero movies to-date, alongside the likes of “Daredevil” and “Ghost Rider.”

4. The power of “Fast Five”: It’s rare that a film series gets to five entries, and it’s even rarer that the fifth film (fourth sequel?) is the best of the bunch. “Fast Five” did justice to “Fast” fans by bringing back characters from all the previous films in a movie that was grander in scale than any of the previous films. Based on the quality of this entry, there’s still a lot of gas in the tank of this franchise…

3. The success of “Bridesmaids”: The fact that one of the year’s biggest hits was a film about a group of quirky women preparing for a wedding is quite shocking when you consider that it was released in the peak of the summer movie season. For anyone that watches her work on “Saturday Night Live” regularly, there was little doubt that Wiig could carry a film, but to carry one that would go on to gross over $150M was highly unexpected.

2. “Attack the Block”: I began hearing things about this film last spring but never actually got around to seeing in in theaters. Once I finally did, I realized what all the fanfare was about. It was the perfect mixture of sci-fi, horror, and action with compelling characters forced into a bizarre scenario. It also didn’t hurt that it had some of the coolest aliens seen in a movie in quite some time. Compare the creatures in this film with the far less effective mud-dweller in “Super 8″ and you realize how cool they are.

1. The quality of Dramedies: The hybrid comedy-drama is very difficult to get right – it often slants too far to one side and becomes a muddled mess of a film. This year had quite a few comedic dramas that successfully avoided this genre pitfall and they were actually among the best films of the year. Despite their vast differences in subject matter and tone, “50/50,” “Crazy Stupid Love,” “Young Adult,” and “Our Idiot Brother” all did a fantastic job of balancing laugh-aloud comedic moments with well-developed characters navigating some pretty serious issues.

Once again, the top of the yearly box office was dominated by sequels. In fact, the top seven money making movies of the year are all sequels. The first place finisher makes the most sense as it closed out what is probably the most successful movie franchise in history. Of course, that movie is “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 2″. There was really not much doubt that this cultural phenomenon was going to be the big winner this year. It even scored high with critics as a pretty intense, action-filled, emotional ride. As a fan, I couldn’t have wanted a better movie to end the world of Harry Potter.

There were two movies that made $300 million. Harry and his pals was one and the other was filled with talking robots. “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” nipped at Harry’s heels as the second biggest movie of the year. It’s the third movie in the “Transformers” franchise and the second largest gross of the series. As with most Michael Bay movies, it was slaughtered by critics. It definitely didn’t stop audiences and there is a fourth entry in the works.

The other huge sequels that could be ending, “Cars 2″, “Pirates Of The Caribbean”, “The Hangover 2″, and “Fast Five”, also made a ton of cash. There will be one more “Twilight” movie, which is the second half of “Breaking Dawn”. There’s a better than good chance that second half could be the highest grossing movie of 2012. Most of these movies were not well received by critics and stopping the insanity of them is probably for the best.

Not surprisingly, it was another great year for comic book movies. “Captain America”, “Thor”, “X-Men: First Class”, and even “Green Lantern” made over $100 million of your hard earned cashola. Critics even loved these movies…well, other than “Green Lantern”, which was justifiably not liked. This news bodes well for Marvel Studios with their release of “The Avengers” in 2012.

So far, every single movie mentioned here so far had high box office hopes. What about success stories from movies that critics and nerds like myself didn’t think would really make a box office dent? The first one on that list would definitely be “The Help“, a tiny movie with a $25 million budget pulled in just over $169 million. That’s quite the return on investment and it’s even being considered for year end awards, making it a huge win for all those involved.

How about that “Bridesmaids”? A very R-rated movie that most immediately assumed would be a chick flick made just over 169 million bucks. It had the Midas touch of Judd Apatow and made Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy hugely popular comedic stars. Considering all the factors that could have made this movie not perform so well, it’s a massive coup.

There are some other movies that made decent coin based on their budgets. “Horrible Bosses”, another raunchfest, made $117 million on only a $35 million budget. “Bad Teacher” is in the same boat and it hit the magical $100 million mark.

While all of these movies made a bunch of cash, there is one movie that truly made the investors have reason to cheer. The “Paranormal Activity” franchise already has made a Franklin Mint. However, the third installment pulled in $103 million…on a $5 million budget. That is fairly obscene. It leaves no doubt that we will eventually see “Paranormal Activity 4: The Quest For Peace”.

The 2012 box office race is going to be quite impressive. “The Hobbit”, “The Dark Knight Rises”, “The Avengers”, “The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two”, “Prometheus”, “GI Joe: Retaliation”, “The Amazing Spider Man”, and many others will be vying for the top spot.

So that’s a recap of some of the winners this year. Tomorrow, I’ll talk about the bigger losers of the year… which will be a place you can expect much more snark.

It’s been a great year at the movies, especially in the latter half. Here are the best films of 2011 along with my honorable mentions, letdowns, and worst of the year.

1.) “The Artist”

If you are thinking about skipping this film because it’s virtually silent and black-and-white, well, you’re going to be missing out on a very special experience. “The Artist” is the best film of 2011!

Everything about this film is admirable and brilliant. The acting, especially from the two leads Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, is as good as it gets. The narrative itself is exceptionally captivating. Even though this film has no voices (for the most part) or color, my interest in the film was never lost. You can expect this film to be one of the frontrunners at the Oscar race. It’s pure cinema magic!

2.) “Drive”

While “The Artist” may be the best film of the year, “Drive” is my personal favorite of the year. It’s an absorbing and tremendously unique piece of cinema from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (“Bronson”), who deserves the Best Director Oscar. The sad thing is that Oscar will likely dismiss this incredible work of art; it’s just too innovative and violent to console audiences. Grow up! We don’t live in “The Apple Dumpling Gang” age anymore.

It’s a film that will likely become a cult classic; it’s eccentric and it doesn’t really follow the traditional standards of mainstream cinema— that’s what makes it so unique.

“Drive” made me want to drive around town wearing a satin jacket while blasting some 80s tunes. Kudos to Ryan Gosling; he owns the screen.

3.) “Shame”

“Shame” is an unmatchable juggernaut that follows in the footsteps of “Midnight Cowboy” and “Last Tango in Paris.” Michael Fassbender gives the best male performance of the year, hands down! There is no easy wake to shake “Shame.” It gets inside your head.

4.) “Moneyball”

“Moneyball” had me rooting for Oakland A’s and delighting in their triumphs. Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) crafts yet another smart script, and Brad Pitt gives one of his best performances as general manager Billy Beane. It’s a highly entertaining film, especially for ball-fans, but you don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it.

5.) “Take Shelter”

Likely a movie you never heard of, “Take Shelter” is an arresting spine-chilling thriller that will have you guessing until the very end. Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain (“The Help”) both give nomination worthy performances. This is a masterpiece of a film that has a way of getting underneath your skin and frying your nerves.

6.) “War Horse”

“War Horse” is a great achievement in filmmaking. It pays homage to those great films I grew up on (“The Black Stallion” and “Lassie”) as well as classic cinema of the 30s. Spielberg’s direction, the performances, the cinematography, and John William’s beautiful score are all worthy of note. The feel good movie of the year!

7.) “Hugo”

Like “The Artist,” “Hugo” hearkens back to classic cinema; it’s a great reminder of why I love going to the movies. It’s a well-crafted and beautifully executed classic. With every movie coming out in 3D, director Martin Scorsese finally puts that third dimension to good use. Scorsese can do no wrong!

8.) “Hanna”

“Hanna” is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. It’s one of the most original, interesting, pulsating, and mesmerizing films in recent years. The cinematography is a knockout, and the score by the Chemical Brothers is completely hypnotic. Too bad it came out too soon (April); it probably has been erased from Oscar voters’ minds.

9.) “Beginners”

Thankfully this film hasn’t lost its Oscar momentum. “Beginners” is a film about life, and the emotions and experiences that go along with it. Christopher Plummer is monumental; he is one of the frontrunners for the win in the Supporting race. “Beginners” is a joyous result. It captures the deep emotions that people feel for each other. It even lets the audience feel for themselves. We can take the film and relate it to our own experiences— there holds the power of the film.

10.) “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

People’s feelings on this adaptation have been fairly mixed. “Why did they remake a film that came out two years ago?” What people should know is that it’s an adaptation of the novel. The 2009 Swedish film was excellent, but the creative and inventive David Fincher improved upon what was already a great film. Adaptation of novels can never please everyone. “Don’t see it! Just read the novel!” Movies should never be identical to novels; they need to set themselves apart from the source material— otherwise what’s the point? Congratulations, you made a film because people are too lazy to read.

Fincher has a vivid mind for detail; there are certain details in the novel that he incorporated in that completely blew me away. Rooney Mara has my vote for Best Actress of the year. Even though her character has been portrayed before (Noomi Rapace), Mara makes the performance her own. Loved this take!

11.) “Young Adult”

Diablo Cody, writer of “Juno,” has constructed a script with joie de vivre. She deservedly should earn a nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Charlize Theron is absolutely stunning, as is Patton Oswalt. Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) continues with his streak of good films.

12.) “Midnight in Paris”

Woody Allen has been hit or miss lately, but his latest film is one of his best films in a long time. It was charming, magical, and an absolute delight.

13.) “The Descendants”

Likely to make the cut for the 10 films in the Best Picture category, “The Descendants” is a great film with great performances. George Clooney is in top form, and Shailene Woodley gives an Oscar-worthy performance. “The Descendants” is an impressive and authentic feeling film from a director (Alexander Payne, “Sideways”) who has been dormant for too long.

14.) “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2″

For many fans like myself, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2″ is much more than just another film in the franchise. It’s the end of an era, or more simply put, the end of a journey, which lasted for over 10 years. There will never be another “Harry Potter,” and this film knows this. It taps into our deepest self, reminding us about the journey we’ve all taken, and how we’ve all grown up.

15.) “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”

“Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” is the best “Mission: Impossible” thus far. A big high-five to director Brad Bird (“Ratatouille”) and his artistry. It had one of the most unforgettable scenes of the year: the climb of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It’s the most exciting and thrilling film of the year. IMAX is the only way to go when seeing this film.

Honorable Mentions:

“Super 8,” “50/50,” “The Help,” “Like Crazy,” “We Bought a Zoo,” “The Adventures of Tintin,” “A Dangerous Method,” “Warrior,” “The Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Rango,” and “Source Code.”

Letdowns:

“J. Edgar” (probably the biggest letdown of the year, but great performance from DiCaprio), “The Hangover Pt. 2″ (laziest sequel), “The Tree of Life” (but the most beautiful film I’ve ever seen; it deserves Best Cinematography), “The Sitter,” “London Boulevard,” “30 Minutes or Less” (wasn’t served fresh), “Larry Crowne” (Tom Hanks, what happened, man?), and “The Green Hornet” (still funny though).

The Worst Films of 2011:

“The Green Lantern,” “Sucker Punch,” “The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” “Zookeeper,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1,” “Cowboys & Aliens” (went from being fun to ridiculous real quick) “Battle: LA,” and “Your Highness.”