Rath Awards 2011

I wasn't quite sure if I should do this post because quite honestly I havent experienced everything there is to experience this year in the world of movies, gaming, and music. But I decided, to hell with it! This is my blog! So here are my awards for some of the best aspects of entertainment throughout the year. Enjoy!


MUSIC
BEST ALBUM OF 2011: Take Care by Drake

It's no secret that I like rap/hip-hop but for me, Drake's album is
hands down the album of 2011 that I could listen to the most.
He raps, he croons, he talks about things that matter, and most of
all, he makes you wonder why everyone else in the game is only talking
about bottles, bling, money, and girls. Its got deep meaning and some
great collaborations throughout, making this my favorite album of the year by a mile.

RUNNER-UP: Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West

What could have been an egotistical romp (and it is at times), Watch the Throne ended up
being a milestone in the world of rap with its dual-star approach. On the surface it appears shallow,
but underneath there is a love letter from Kanye and Jay-Z to women, their future children,
rap, and many more. Also features some of the best beats of the year.

BEST DANCE ALBUM: Sorry for Party Rocking by LMFAO

Shallow, void of any deeper meaning, and utter nonsense at times. Sounds perfect
for an album that features some of the most dance-able tunes of the year, not to mention
some of the most fun music videos of the year. It may have zero substance, but my can it
get a party started.

MOST OVERRATED ALBUM: Tha Carter IV by Lil` Wayne

What could have been one of the most legendary releases
of all time was marred by the fact that half the album had
been released as singles for the last year. By the time it came out, every song worth listening to
(besides one or two) was already available. Talk about stupid marketing.

GAMING
BEST GAME OF 2011: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Many people may be surprised that I didnt give this award to Skyrim. But the fact of
the matter is, Skyrim was unacceptably buggy upon launch like many Bethesda released games.
Uncharted 3 on the other hand, came out of the gate flawless. 

With graphics like these, who needs real life movies? Uncharted 3 presented the world
with what are the best console graphics EVER, and rivals if not surpasses graphics of
most PCs. It put developer, Naughty Dog, on the map even more since the release of Uncharted 2.

While this may be a solo picture of Nathan Drake, the series protagonist,
Uncharted 3 also featured addictive multiplayer that keeps people busy with
a plethora of modes and the ability for split screen co-op online. Talk about a complete
package.

But the place where the Uncharted series DOMINATES its competition? Pure adrenaline and
set pieces. Burning French chateaux that you are trapped in? Check. Wave of giant spiders chasing you?
Check. Escaping a sinking and overturned cruise ship in the middle of a violent ocean?
Check. Falling out of a crashing plane? Check. Finding a lo...oh well you get the idea.  

 RUNNER-UP: Batman Arkham City

Topping the sequel in nearly every way imaginable, Arkham City is
Batman's shining moment, even more so than the Nolan films. It allows you to
play in an intricate story driven by daunting villains, roam a large area "riddled" with things to
do and puzzles to solve, and beat up henchman upon henchman. But most importantly of all,
it allows you to BE the Batman. Invoke fear into your enemies. Stalk them. Interrogate them. Investigate.
Everything that Batman is, is captured perfectly in Arkham City.

FLAT-OUT MOST FUN GAME: Saints Row The Third

I dont even know where to start with this game. Its wildly inappropriate,
absolutely hilarious, and quite honestly, the best open world game ever made.
The developers realized that sometimes you just want to play a game and have
copious amounts of FUN. That is Saints Row The Third's objective: to let you , the player,
have as much fun as possible. And I'll be damned if they didnt nail it right on the head because
every time I play this game I have a smile from ear to ear.

MOST UNIQUE MULTIPLAYER: Assassin's Creed Revelations

When you think Assassin's Creed, the last thing that comes to mind
is multiplayer. But somehow, it works. All players are put into a map filled with
NPCs that resemble other players. You are to hunt out a target and kill them.
But someone is hunting you as well. Every character you walk by could be the person trying to
kill you. It makes for some ridiculously intense moments where you are constantly looking over
your shoulder while trying to assassinate your target as well. Talk about multitasking.

MOVIES
BEST SOUNDTRACK: Drive

The soundtrack not only fit the movie perfectly, it helped to make the movie
better. When a soundtrack does that, you know you have a winner. It features
an 80's vibe with a bunch of synthesizers that just want to make you
walk and drive around in slow-motion. Trust me I have tried.

BEST ACTOR: Ryan Gosling in Drive and Crazy, Stupid, Love

Created a stoic, intense, awkward Driver in Drive that may go down as the  most iconic
character of 2011. Not to mention the fact he was hilarious but yet touching in Crazy Stupid Love.

BEST ACTRESS: Rooney Mara in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Not since Heath Ledger's Joker have I been so captivated
by someone's acting ability. Mara nails Lisbeth Salander's complicated
personality all while making her subtly sexy and badass.

FUNNIEST MOVIE: The Muppets

In a year where we had the hilarious Hangover sequel, the outrageous
shenanigans of Bridesmaids, and a fresh movie like Horrible Bosses, The Muppets come
out on top. Funny from beginning to end and appropriate? Who woulda thought?

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Say what you will about Michael Bay's 2.5 hour long action scene. But you cant
deny that it doesnt dazzle. The special effects and 3D were phenomenal in this
movie, even if the plot lines werent.

SURPRISE HIT OF THE YEAR: TIE - Fast Five and Rise of the Planet of the Apes

No one saw this one coming. After the fourth film in the franchise underwhelmed
everyone and excited no one, I had low expectations for this movie. But throw
in a great, new director, a Ocean's Eleven-ish plotline, and Rio de Jinero
and you have a recipe to completely revive a franchise. The only action movie
that beat Fast Five this year was Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

I assumed this movie was going to be horrible. I even laughed at the trailers.
And boy was I wrong. It had an intriguing story driven by the Oscar-worthy
performance of Andy Serkis using motion capture. Not to mention
some incredible action.

DUD OF THE YEAR: Battle L.A.

Pretty much the only thing that this uber-disappointing flick had going
for it was the above average SFX. Such a boring story, such uninteresting
dialogue, such lame action...such a disappointment.

TRAILER OF THE YEAR: Prometheus

Surprised that I didnt pick The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, or The Hobbit?
Me too. But the fact of the matter is, while they had great trailers, I already knew
about them and I knew they would kick ass. The Prometheus trailer introduced me
to a movie I had never heard of and got me excited. That is what I call effective.
Not to mention its the return of Ridley Scott to the sci-fi genre. The trailer is below:

MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIE OF 2012: The Dark Knight Rises

I mean c`mon. It's more Batman. And more so than that, its the
end of Batman, at least in the Nolan films. Will he die?
Will he pass on the cape and cowl to someone else?
Will this movie be anything short of epic? This is about as sure as
a sure thing gets at the movies. I'll be there at midnight on July 20th.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP: Drive

Fast. Furious. Quiet. Awkward. Knock-out. All of these
words and their cousins could be used to describe Drive. A
movie that seduces you into its style, invests you into its characters,
and then erupts with violence that shocks. I was completely mesmerized.

MOVIE OF THE YEAR: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

I really thought that I was going to give this Rath Award to Drive, but then I watched
Deathly Hallows Part II again and realized that any movie that makes me as
sad, but yet appreciative of the Harry Potter series, as this one does on the 4th viewing
deserves to win the award that so many other critics will most likely overlook this year. 

Daniel, Emma (I still love you), and Rupert have portrayed characters that have been with me
since the 4th grade. And this summer, as a senior in college, that story finally came to an end.
I wish them all the best of luckin their future adventures and I thank them for
being part of the greatest story ever told.
Therewill never be another phenomenon like Harry Potter.  

So there ya have it folks! I hope you enjoyed my choices for the Rath Awards of 2011. Feel free to leave your choices and/or comments in the comment section below. Here's to a VERY memorable 2011 in all forms of entertainment and the hope that 2012 carries the torch of excellence.