****** The Muppets ******
This is the film for the Muppet aficionado or the person who is too young to remember the Muppet mania and is coming a bit late to this party. Made in a nostalgic where-are-they-now fashion, the movie also manages to send up musical movie conventions and stars some really good actors: Amy Adams and Jason Segal. Jim Parsons (Big Bang Theory) has a cameo worth its weight in gold.

****** Puss in Boots ******
The Academy nominations finally got it right with this one. The animation is first-rate, the music is well matched to the characters and the jokes are funny in an awfully coy way. You’d think they would have trouble filling 90 plus minutes with a minor Shrek character, but they built a rather good story around Puss. There’s enough sinister undertones to place the characters is some peril and the moral message (hey, this is a kid’s movie) is well done and not too sentimental.

****** Winnie the Pooh ******
This is the feel-good movie of the year, the equivalent of a warm blanket and a bowl of good oatmeal. With raisins and brown sugar. The world of Pooh is delightfully animated, the characters live up to their defined conventions, the music is cute and the story… well… The story is meandering and circuitous, but engaging at every turn. Besides, Pooh’s universe is just like physical space-time: never-ending and leading us to endings that become beginnings. Just like paging thru a good children’s book over and over again.

****** Fright Night ******
Not all movies were G rated this year. This R-rated vampire fest has a great turn by Colin Farrell as a modern-day bloodsucker that likes to build community, even in a place like Las Vegas where the word community is a bit of an over-reach. There’s Toni Collette and Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) but the reason I really went for this film is David Tennant of Doctor Who fame. His turn as a modern day vampire hunter is outstanding, even is his weapons were bought on eBay. A must-see bloodletting; hold the popcorn.

Movies I still need to see include Rango, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Shame, and The Descendants. My guess is that they’ll rank honorable mention, but not crack the true best-of.

Two immediate action items for me: to see The Guard and Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. And as humanitarian action, I will seek out the American Master’s Woody Allen documentary, perhaps as a prelude to going back to his films. I think the very last of his movies I saw before going on boycott was Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

You never mentioned your favorite line of “Young Adult.” My most memorable scene involves the lead characters drinking “Mos Eisley Special Reserve” bourbon which she interprets as “most easily or whatever.” A very special spirit.

I may add my own list of 2011 Favorites, to include any that you may not have yet seen.

As far as Five Guy’s cajun fries, they are good but Rosemary Fries are still better. Spiciness cannot compete with the subtle flavor of rosemary. Smash Burger does not have sweet fries, but I’ve found them to be a different animal than the regular variety. I would compare them to other sweet fries.

I look forward to testing the Belgian Fry. I’m already sold on the garlic mayo aioli (vinegar aioli is even better).

Curious about Smash Burger. I’d certainly try them over In-N-Out since I’m never far from one of those. I will say, your fry endorsement would carry more weight with me if you didn’t compare them to McD’s Favorite right now are probably Five Guys Cajun fries (unless you can find some real Belgian twice-fried fries).

Sorry to hear about Prime. I shall scratch that off my list.

The Molly Hatchet piques my curiosity, but that line kills it. Get some more locations!

I believe that is correct, since “flix” is just a homonym (??) of “flicks”

The Grammar Nazi has spoken.

So it’s a no-brainer for me also. Thanks for the tip on disc return. I’ll make sure my disc goes in the post the day that I cancel.

I may keep the streaming option for an additional month, but not beyond that.

Surely Amazon, Walmart or some of the other streaming services are fishing for disgruntled Netflixers. I’ll check.

The free t-shirt is a smart idea, and a lot better than all the special edition versions that Blizzard, etc. puts out. I don’t care about posters and books with artwork. Although I know people who enjoyed the CD with the score to WOW, and you also mentioned listening to game music outside the game, so that was a good idea.