The best flicks going into Oscar season

Going into the fall Oscar season, it’s clear 2011 shaped up to be pretty similar to 2010 – wholly underwhelming as major studios flocked to big-budget tentpoles, product adaptations… anything with pre-existing source material (not including novels). It’s gotten so bad I found myself giving credit to the makers of “Real Steel” the other day because someone invented the story. Who cares if the movie is somewhat tripey and derivative. (I’m not even sure it makes any sense. The only reason boxing – or any sport – is interesting is because fragile, biological, imperfect human beings are forced to compete. Who the hell would be interested in watching robots punch each other? Where’s the triumph and defeat in that?)

2010: An unbelievably disappointing year for movies

If I were to make a Top 10 list of my favorite movies for 2010, it’d look like this:

CLASSIC REVIEW: ‘Apollo 13′

Part of a continuous series of classic film reviews from some of the most eloquent, hilarious film critics from yesterday and today.

At some point, I’ll do a list of the Top 10 Movies That Celebrate Everything That Was Awesome About the United States, and when I do that, “Apollo 13″ will be on it.

REVIEW: ‘Restrepo’

Since the vast majority of people who see the new war documentary “Restrepo” will never strap on a camouflaged helmet and a flak jacket and whatever other necessary tools of war, its greatest purpose will likely be the way in which it exposes other war movies.

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT No. 6

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT THAT SHOULD NOT BE LITTLE-KNOWN

Shia LaBeouf pooped himself until he was 12 years old.