by Jason Lees, MoreHorror.com

Hey, it’s almost the middle of January, so that of course means it’s time for me to post my Top 5 Films of 2011. (Don’t look surprised, I’m still writing ’11 on my checks and I still have lawn furniture sitting outside the garage) The following films are ones that may have snuck out prior to last year but are ones that I just got around to seeing. And when I say “top” I mean they’re the ones that stood out the most. I bet there were some better films released last year, but when I looked back, these are the ones that really burned themselves into my psyche. So, in no particular order:

5. CHILLERAMA (Best Reason to be nostalgic for something that never existed)

This throwback to a time when cinema was… oh, wait, movies were never like this. CHILLERAMA tries to be a time capsule to when drive ins ruled the world, but let’s face it, those old cheapies were never this much fun. A wholly original anthology film from a bunch of guys with too much creativity and not enough impulse control, CHILLERAMA was probably the film that I pushed onto friends the most. This one, complete with carnivorous sperm, a dancing Kane Hodder, and the most gratingly catchy musical numbers ever has earned its place on this list. I think more than any other film on this list, this is the one that I most wish I could’ve seen in a packed theater during its run.

4. DRIVE ANGRY (Best Reason to still love Nic Cage)

Again, I missed this one in the theaters so I never saw it in 3D, but it’s still the most fun I’ve had watching Cage in years. I grew up thinking the man walked on water (Face/Off and The Rock being the reason mostly) but with shots to the ego like The Wicker Man and Ghost Rider, he’d sort of dropped off my radar until this film. I loved DRIVE ANGRY. It’s all piss and vinegar and whenever we get something from Todd Farmer onscreen, I’m not sure why, but I just love the attitude. Perfectly cast and more fun than it has any right to be.

3. INSIDIOUS (Biggest Crowd Pleaser)

When I say crowd pleaser, I mean that this flick had the audience I saw it with scream the most. I thought it was fun when I caught it on DVD. Sharp stuff with a cast who knew how to play it, and James Wan is getting better with each film he does (and the man started out pretty damned good). It was fun and smart, but it didn’t blow me away. That is until I saw it with an audience, and then I started to get it. This flick plays so much better when the people sitting around you belt out the screams from somewhere deep down past their gullets. The crowd I saw it with made the movie for me. Each time ol’ Darth Maul showed up, I had to brush popcorn off my head. I’ve watched INSIDIOUS several times now, both alone and in groups, and each time it’s a different experience, and that’s got to count for something.

2. RED STATE (Best Argument Starter)

I love my zombies and ax murderers, and I’ll go to the grave defending my version of vampires and nothing makes me happier than watching cannibals fueling up their power tools, but at the end of the day I sleep pretty good no matter how much bloodshed I watch. Not true of RED STATE. I’ve had my own run ins with religious zealotry lately, and this movie brought that all home to me. I’m a Kevin Smith fan since Clerks, but this is the first film since Chasing Amy that got me recommending the man to non-fans. No Jay, No Silent Bob, just solid filmmaking and some of the best performances from John Goodman and Michael Parks that you’re going to see. Ignore all the hype and hate around the flick and just watch it for what it is.

1. DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK

This is the film that had the best returns for me. When I recommend movies to people, usually friends and family, I get a lot of mixed results. People roll their eyes and give them a shot, but I can tell when they’re just politely saying they liked the choices or not. I usually bat about .500 as far as picking right by them, but with DEAD HOOKER no one I pushed it on came back professing anything less than pure love for the film. And that’s amazing, because some of my friends just hate to ever admit that I’m right. DEAD HOOKER needs to be better known, and I know I’m preaching to the converted here, but it’s the kind of film we need more of, especially today with all the problems we have with mass produced remakes and cookie cutter mainstream mush. DEAD HOOKER isn’t trying to re-invent the wheel, it just does. Love this film.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Here’s where I apologize to everyone for the films I missed still love from this year. I loved loved loved TUCKER and DALE, but maybe I’ve just seen it too many times lately (it was almost on a loop at our house the last month or so) to put it on here. Endlessly quotable, TUCKER AND DALER VS EVIL is a must see. HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN and STAKELAND both need sequels. Today. Now. A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE is almost too good to put on a list of fun flicks like this. It’s the kind of film you want to analyze and take apart bit by bit. Again, a must. BURIED falls into that category, too. It’s such a well done movie that it almost distracts from its story in how it’s told. Smart, well crafted, and recommended, just be careful who you watch it with. The ending tends to piss some people off. RARE EXPORTS and ATTACK THE BLOCK. Both are so good that you don’t need my procrastinating ass to tell you. If you’ve seen them, you love them. If you haven’t, then you’re missing out.

And as a capper, the films I'm most looking forward to in 2012 (as of right this minute) are YOU'RE NEXT and THE INNKEEPERS.