New Year's Eve (2011)

Director of Valentine's Day Garry Marshall has made one more movie in the same pattern. Many stories with many participants on new year's eve in New York. The movie is very predictable which makes it so comfortable and cozy to watch. You already know how will it end and there is no need to involve your little grey cells. Besides, movies has a parade of stars. Where else you gonna see together (except maybe Oscars) Sara Jessica-Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jon Bon Jovi etc. My favorite couple was Pfeiffer and Efron.

Rating 6 of 10

The Artist (2011)

A silent black and white movie made in the spirit of the early cinema. The story happens on a verge of sound in movies. George Valentin (Jean Dejurdin), a well-known silent actor, has a hard time to accept that sound is the future of the cinema. Meanwhile, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a young actress flies into stardom thanks to talking movies. In the beginning of the movie their tracks of both actors cross and it helps Peppy to become recognized and at the end, because of Peppy, George returns to cinema.
"The Artist" is well-done, well-told and in a good style of silent movies.
Rating 8 of 10.

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Woody Allan's movie makes one to fall in love with Paris. It gives beautiful views of Paris and there would be no wonder if you will find many walking in rain through Paris thanks to this movie.
Gil (Owen Wilson) a young writer and his fiance Inez (Rachel McAdams) have joined her parents on a business trip to Paris. Gil dreams of Paris in 20's. One night right in the midnight a cab comes along and brings him to his dream time Paris in 20's(oh, this is so Cinderella like). He meets his idols Hemingway, Scot and Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertruda Stein, Picasso and Dali. His new experience moves him away from his fiance Inez.
A movie that will make one laugh and appreciate life in its beauty whatever time its is.
Rating 8 of 10

The Beaver (2011)

Walter Black (Mel Gibson) is a husband, father and successful business man however he has been depressed for a long time. When he decides to end his life he finds a puppet doll- the beaver. The beaver saves his life and returns to family and business. In time the beaver from a problem solver becomes a problem.
Depression affects everyone around the depressed person.  Walter's son Porter(excellently played by Anton Yelchin) hates himself and his father. His youngest son Henry has become a loner. His wife Meredith (Jodie Foster, also a director of the film) escapes into work. Mental illness is not something that can be cured only by medicine. There is need for healing of affected relationships as well in order to restore a wholesome life.
Rating 8 of 10.

The Help (2011)

I love old style movies, with clear plot outline and without spec effects. The Help is with heart touching storyline, great actor play and beautiful shots.

America in 60's. Young Skeeter (Emma Stone) has returned from a collage and wants to be a writer. She decides to write a book about the help- black ladies who have done most of the work in white families. She finds help in Aibeleen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer). We hear funny, sad, touching stories.

Very emotional and heart touching movie.

Rating 10 of 10

In Time (2011)

The movie is set in the future. People are genetically modified to stop aging at 25 but at that moment their clock starts ticking giving only one more year to live. In order to live longer they have to earn time. Time is the new money. The main character Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) finds himself accused in a murder and time stealing. Will is sought by time keepers lead by Raymond Leon(Cillian Murphy). He begins to work against the system. On a way he meets rich and board Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried). They begin Bonnie and Clyde type of bank robberies, this time time stealing.

The move pictures human society as it always has been: few rich against many poor. Is there way out of it? I don't think there is answer, at least no one has found it. There are some scenes that ask is help always a help, for example, Will gives 10 years to his friend who as a result drinks himself to death on the same day?

Rating 8 0f 10

Melancholia (2011)

Lars von Trier has made a picturesque and thought provoking movie. Two sisters (Kristen Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg) face the end of the world by a planet called Melancholia.

It's interesting that "Melancholia" and "The Tree of Life" have come out at the same time. If the fist one sees world as evil without hope then the second one shows the beauty of the world and evokes hope. In "Melancholia" there is nothing to live for, there is nothing good and redeemable. While Malik's movie seeks for good despite suffering around. There is voice of God in a person itself which is enough for a person to live.

Rating 8 of 10.