Adventures in Netflix: Kick Ass **

I know that I'm supposed to like this movie.  I'm something of a comic book movie apologist.  For crying out loud, I've even defended The Green Lantern in more than one semi-heated debate.

When this movie came out in 2010, I saw the trailers and thought it looked pretty good.  I definitely wanted to see it, but, truth be told, a super-violent super hero movie can be a tough sell with the wife.  That being the case, I just barely got around to seeing Kick Ass today, fully expecting to enjoy it.

But, I didn't.

It might have been the fact that it was poorly made, rife with tone and pacing inconsistencies.  But, let's be honest, I've overlooked that before.  No, the biggest reason I didn't like Kick Ass was that it was morally repugnant.

Best of 2011: #3 Hugo

Most people I know that have either seen or heard about Hugo have come away wondering why on Earth Martin Scorsese decided to make this movie.  There are no gangsters in the movie, there's very little violence, and it has no good roles for Robert DeNiro or Leonardo DiCaprio.  But, when you realize that one of Scorsese's personal passions in the preservation of old movies, particularly silent films, it makes perfect sense.

At it's heart, Hugo is Martin Scorsese's love letter to the cinema.  It just takes a little while to get there.