Why I Liked... Cars 2 (2011)

(Dir. John Lasseter, Brad Lewis Starring: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Cain, Eddie Izzard, Emily Mortimer)

Pixar remains awesome at animation.

Ok, so here’s an unpopular opinion of mine-I really, really enjoyed Cars. More so than The Incredibles, which most people boldly declare is one of Pixar’s best. Frankly, I just wasn’t a fan. Of The Incredibles, I mean. Cars, on the other hand, was charming, genre-following, well drawn, and well-executed.

Why I Liked... Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

(Dir. Jennifer Yuh Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman, Dustin Hoffman)

Can I just? I. Oh god, if I could count the ways this film made me feel all sorts of fuzzy and warm inside...eek!

So despite my anti-orientalism stance, I super enjoyed the original Kung Fu Panda. I was really surprised because, well, hello, Disney’s Mulan, and with a majority American cast, and with Dustin Hoffman putting on an accent, I was a skeptic. But the original proved me wrong, and thus, part two has as well.

Why I Liked... Super 8 (2011)

(Dir. J.J. Abrams Starring: Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning)

I’m watching either: the life J.J. Abrams dreamt about, or I’m watching his autobiography. Either way, I like it.

Oh, and the signature lens flares were nice to look at, too.

Why I Liked... Becoming Jane (2007)

(Dir. Julian Jarrod Starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy)

I really, really enjoyed this. Like, a lot.

Which is weird, because by no means am I a huge fan of Anne Hathaway, and I know the accent she used in this won’t be the same one used in the upcoming One Day, but still-this has given me a teensy bit of hope that a beloved book won’t be unduly massacred.

Why I Liked... Rango (2011)

(Dir. Gore Verbinski Starring: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Abigail Breslin)

Animation made for the 2D screen and nothing else? Fantastic! Plus a fabulous script and great voice acting and superb detailing that makes you go ‘wait-that’s a fake feather, yes, ok, animated, computer, got it.’

This is...one of my favourite animations of the year. Yeah, now that I think about it, yes. It is.

Why I Liked... X-Men: First Class (2011)

(Dir. Matthew Vaughn Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender)

It’s guy love, love between two guys!

Pure comic book fun-it’s amazing how setting a story such as this back in the sixties makes it...so much more believable? I think that’s the word I’m going for. Because I mean well, in the comics and cartoons, we see these characters in yellow spandex and as we’ve seen from previous, more modern incarnations, they like to wear black leather instead. Which just goes to show-those sixties really were swinging...

Why I Liked... Bridesmaids (2011)

(Dir. Paul Fieg Starring: Kirsten Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy)

Um, how about how funny and real this was? Yeah. That’s a positive for you, Judd freakin’ Apatow. Boom.

Just as a preface-please note that I have ovaries and boobs. This review? Is coming from a woman.