TEN MUST-SEE MOVIES OF DECEMBER 2011

Personally, I could only come up with four:

“Mission Impossible 4” — These have all been good thus far. Especially the last one.

“Sherlock Holmes 2” — The chemistry between Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law is so perfect it made me forget how confusing the first one was.

“Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy” — If only to see The Mighty Gary Oldman in a starring role. Give the man an Oscar already!

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” — While I’m a huge fan of the original “Dragon” trilogy and not normally enamored with remakes, anything directed by David Fincher is worth a look.

6 POP CULTURE VISIONARIES WHO GET TOO MUCH CREDIT

Delicious:

Here’s the general pop culture consensus on George Lucas: He sucks now, but he once wrote and directed the first Star Wars trilogy, which makes him another innovative, rebellious filmmaker whose creative fire has tragically guttered out.

But here’s the truth: Lucas couldn’t lose it because he never had it.

And no, I never get tired of trashing or enjoying the trashing of George Lucas. Read the whole thing and you’ll see why.

NEW ‘EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE’ TRAILER

Ugh. And in a word, cloying.

Remember when movies were about children in this situation becoming men instead of precious little metrosexuals? Where’s the movie about the kid who after his dad dies on 9/11 he joins the military and wastes some jihadists?

I’m pretty sure I said all of this about the first trailer. So, as you can see, this latest one didn’t do much to change my mind.

20 FACTS ABOUT ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY

When Jean Shepherd’s masterpiece (he wrote the original story and narrates) was first released, it flopped in theatres. The subsequent video release coincided with when I was working behind the register of a video rental store in Florida, which is where I made my discovery and ever after did my part to spread the gospel of the film’s greatness (Shepherd’s book is just as worthy of your time).

It’s always nice to see a deserving film finally get its due, especially when everyone involved is still alive to enjoy the redemption. Before I die, both “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” and “Saving Silverman” will be recognized alongside “Some Like It Hot” and “Duck Soup.”

I’m sure of it.

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SCOTTDS’ EPIC LINKTACULAR

POSTER FOR ‘CABIN IN THE WOODS’, PRODUCED BY JOSS WHEDON…

AND A TRAILER FOR THE FILM, TOO

WHY ALL MOVIE POSTERS SEEM TO LOOK THE SAME

NEW LINE DEVELOPING EARTHQUAKE MOVIE ‘SAN ANDREAS 3D

DOCTOR WHO’: SEE THE PREQUEL TO THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL HERE

FIRST IMAGE FROM ‘NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH’, STARRING BEN STILLER AND VINCE VAUGHN

DOZEN FUNNIEST DEATH SCENES IN OTHERWISE SERIOUS MOVIES

TCM TO PREMIERE STANLEY KUBRICK’S RARELY-SEEN ‘FEAR AND DESIRE’ ON 12/14

PETE DOCTER’S NEXT PIXAR FILM IS SET INSIDE A YOUNG GIRL’S MIND

‘BERING SEA GOLD’ TO PREMIERE ON DISCOVERY CHANNEL FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

SUNDANCE 2012: FROM BRUCE WILLIS TO CHIS ROCK, SARANDON, GERE, SPIKE LEE, PAUL SIMON

HOW TO DECORATE YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (ACCORDING TO THE MOVIES)

READ THE FIRST DRAFTS OF ‘STAR TREK’S’ OPENING MONOLOGUE

THE COMPLETE LIST OF UNPRODUCED ALFRED HITCHCOCK PROJECTS

BEST MOVIE ENSEMBLE OF 2011: VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE

A LOOK AT THE POSSIBLE INSPIRATION FOR BEDFORD FALLS IN ‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE

A LOOK BACK AT DANNY KAYE AND ‘THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

THE WORST VEHICULAR VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

TOP 10 UNDERRATED DISNEY SONGS

WHAT IF ‘WEIRD SCIENCE’ HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE?

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CLASSIC PICK FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7

1:00 PM EST: Misfits, The (1961) — A sensitive divorcee gets mixed up with modern cowboys roping mustangs in the desert. Dir: John Huston Cast: Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Montgomery Clift. BW-125 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format.

Here’s your chance to see another film I’ve written a little about recently. Though it’s most famous for being Gable and Monroe’s final film, don’t let that overwhelm what is a sad, smart and pretty remarkable character study, beautifully filmed in black and white.

The performances are not only standouts in the careers of all three stars, but director John Huston does a marvelous job in capturing a sense of place and time.