The 11 Most Anticipated Movies and TV Shows for 2011 -- Brian's Picks

The Adventures of James Franco

Keep 'em coming, buddy. Keep 'em coming.

A Horrible Way to Die

Take one part Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, add a title so cool it sounds ripped right from the 70s and then a performance by the very talented indie actress Amy Seimetz, and you've got my interest. Then, with the trailer and the acclaim this film won at Fantastic Fest and Toronto, I'm sold.

The Innkeepers

More indie horror, this time from Ti West, who has already become something of a household name with genre fans thanks to his taut, tightly-directed chiller House of the Devil. Word out of a SXSW panel is that this new ghost story is totally insane.

The DVD Release of Treme

Every few weeks or so, I still feel a little sad that I have not gotten to watch David Simon's surely amazing New Orleans saga yet. The DVD release of the first season in March will correct this, and then I can start looking forward to the second season.

Drive

After Nicolas Winding Refn's violent, divisive and totally amazing existential Viking film Valhalla Rising, I was pretty much on board for whatever he felt like sending our way. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan apparently agree, since they are the leads in his first attempt at a more mainstream thriller, which concerns a stuntman with a price on his head. Sure there's always that fear that he'll go the way of John Woo and others before him, but based on the ferocious filmmaking in his previous work, I'm betting against it. I wish the title weren't so boring though.

Genre Surprises

Almost every year I stumble into one or two horror movies or lowbrow comedies with very little buzz from critics or even fanboys and find myself totally floored. Sometimes they're more subversive and inspired than most realize and sometimes they're so bad they are amazing - either way works for me. This year, pickings were a bit slim, though I had no idea when I sat down to watch Hot Tub Time Machine that I'd end up considering it maybe the funniest movie of the year. Previous honors have gone to the diabolical and very well-acted Orphan and the totally insane Running Scared.

Tree of Life

We've spent two or more years talking about wanting to see the long-delayed Terrence Malick film, so let's just keep our fingers crossed that it actually comes out when it's supposed to in May.

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