10 Movies You Have to See in 2011

1. Source Code
It's about time travel and predestination and how Michelle Monaghan can look really hot sometimes, but that's not why you must see this movie. You must see it because it's director (Duncan Jones) made Moon, one of the greatest post-modern science-fiction yarns of all time. He's also David Bowie's son (his birth name is Zowie Bowie). There, now do you feel informed?

2. Your Highness
Take the writing team behind East Bound & Down (the funniest, cruelest show ever to grace pay-cable), add the brilliant indie auteur behind All the Real Girls, and then infuse a sword-and-sorcery epic with bong hits and you have Your Highness. It's like I'm laughing already, and I haven't even seen a trailer.

3. The Beaver
A disgraced ass of a human being who can be an occasionally solid actor (Mel Gibson) tries to resurrect his shambling career by starring in an off-beat indie film about a guy who starts to live vicariously through a beaver puppet occupying his left arm. Directed by Jodie Foster. It could be a total flaming turd, but one that'll burn in a fascinating way.

4. Thor
Yes, I'm a dork for being excited to see a comic book movie, but this is different. Kenneth Branagh, whose name is usually only attached to movies like Fey British Poppycock and Pretentious Shakespeare Recitation Night, is directing a fucking Marvel comics movie. Plus, Gregg Henry's brilliant Agent Coulson character gets more screen time than Anthony Hopkins. Try and deny that you'll be wearing 3-D glasses come the evening of May 6. Just try.

5. X-Men: First Class
After that Brett Ratner abortion that killed Cyclops and squandered Kelsey Grammer as the Beast, this looks like a breath of fresh air. But to be completely honest, I'm going to see this movie for only one reason: January Jones' wardrobe. No shame.

6. Super 8
J.J. Abrams travels back to 1982 and puts on Steven Spielberg's skin. That's pretty much all I know about this movie and I would buy a ticket right now if possible.

7. Captain America: The First Avenger
They should have made this movie two years ago so that we could have a sequel completely involving Cap's transition from WWII to the modern day, but I digress. Every single image or piece of film I see regarding this film just makes me more and more excited. And since The Whedon did a last-minute re-write of the script simply because he wanted to doesn't hurt.

8. Moneyball
How do you take a brilliant book that is essentially 225 pages of sports statistics and turn it into a riveting feature film? You ask Aaron Sorkin to write the script. Sure, Steven Soderbergh was kicked off the project awhile back, but the Sorkin magic is undeniable.

9. The Muppets
If you're not giddy, you're not fucking human.

10. Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol
Brad Bird directs his first live-action film with a script co-written by J.J. Abrams and a supporting cast including Josh Holloway and Jeremy Renner and you have a sweet December surprise.

You can't get those two minutes back. Deal with it.