Happy Birthday to US! This week, Click Communications celebrates 5 years in business. What started as a simple solution for providing online outreach for publicity campaigns has grown to encompass digital marketing efforts and social media strategies as well. As our capabilities have expanded, our commitment to our Work Hard Play Hard ethic has only deepened. Join us in a trip down memory lane as our staff recalls their individual Top 5 Favorite Campaigns or Moments Since Working with Click!

Mac

1. Click’s Comic-Con Survival Guide.  I have been the resident nerd in most companies I worked at for most of my life.  Being able to create this guide was sheer glee for me and it’s something I look forward to creating and sharing with everyone every year.  I’ve already got a list going for this year’s issue!

2. You’re Hired!  Beyond “allowing” interns to work for us in a previous agency, I had never actually interviewed and hired anyone before starting Click.  While sifting through mounds and mounds of ridiculous resumes can be a little disheartening, we have been insanely lucky in hiring such great people throughout our five short years and it’s been a pleasure working with them all.

3. Visiting Pixar, Winston, ILM and the ARL.  When you’re as big a film nerd as me, getting to see where some of the greatest design work is created is spellbinding.  I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Pixar multiple times for UP and Ratatouille, and the miniature work for the UP house was incredible.  At Winston studios, I got to see some of the Hammer Drones and a piece of the War Machine armor long before it was supposed to be seen.  ILM is littered with props from so many favorite childhood films like Innerspace.  The Animation Research Library is one of the coolest places to visit because you can see everything from an original frame from Steamboat Willie to clay maquettes from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

4. Star Trek, LOST, Voltron, Inglourious Basterds.  Red carpets and press events can be exciting, disastrous or boring, depending on a variety of factors, but some of my favorite moments have been meeting the geeks and Hey It’s That Guy actors.  So being able to hang out and talk with folks like Bruce Greenwood, Gregg Henry, Zoe Bell, Michael Emerson, Robert Forster, Kevin McKidd and Seth Green have definitely been highlights.

5. Meeting Optimus Prime.  While working on The Transformers, we were able to secure press for a lunch with Peter Cullen.  I’m not a professional writer, so adequately defining the sense of awe and wonderment when I got to sit with him for a lunch is a challenge.  He was magnificent.

Dinah

Click Turns One!

1. Telling our family & friends that Mac & I were forming a company together and having them all unanimously respond, “It’s about time.”

2. Locking in clickcommunications.com. You never know, when you name your company, if you’re actually going to get the URL you want for your site. We had to bid on ours in an auction, and when we won it I jumped up & did a giddy little happy dance right where we were working… which happened to be in the basement restaurant at the Elliot Bay Book Company in Seattle. It just made things that much more official.

3. Our 1 Year Anniversary celebration. We made t-shirts, drank tequila shots out of limes, saw Iron Man. The first year flew by in a flash, but it still felt epic.

4. Runway for Life 2008. We worked this event with Disney, and it was a pretty typical talent-handling sort of affair. Except at this one, I got to meet Jon Hamm.

5. Click’s Comic-con Survival Guide. Every one of them. It’s highly unusual for a PR agency to create something—we usually just promote things. But we’re a creative, passionate bunch here at Click, and our Survival Guide really shows our clients & press partners what geeks we really are. Making the Guide is my favorite thing we do every year, and it just keeps getting better and better.

Scott

Iron Man

1. Iron Man – Just an enormous campaign for a movie that truly kicked off the Marvel Movieverse. My largest campaign to date and still one of the most fun.

2. Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown – Classic films coming to Blu-ray that gave me the chance to chat with legends like Pam Grier and Robert Forster.

3. Chillerama – My favorite genre (horror) and getting to work directly with the four directors was insanely fun.

4. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – Amazing film and a campaign with tons of awesome features, angles, and talent.

5. Avatar – It was a ton of work, but well worth it for such a great film and campaign.

Emily

Comic-Con 2009

1. Streamy Awards – it was challenging, interesting, and fun; it was such a great experience working so closely with all the Click teamsters on this event.

2. Comic Con 2009 – My first ever Comic Con, it was overwhelming, exciting, fun, and a little magical. We attended parties, spent time with our amazing press and just had a blast being amongst “our people”.

3. Scarface Blu-ray Premiere – It was like being a part of history, 30 years after its initial premiere, seeing the cast/filmmakers sit and tell stories of their experience was a truly wonderful Hollywood moment.

4. Tinker Bell campaign – It involves so much work from so many different people/departments, and is so wonderful to see something succeed so well. Having now worked on all four Tink campaigns to date, it’s fun to know that I’ve been there from the beginning.

5. TV on DVD – I start working on the titles in January, and finish around November; it’s hours upon hours of time spent pushing through title after title, and at the end it’s such an epic sense of accomplishment

Dre

1. Emily performing the Hoedown Throwdown from the Hannah Montana Movie for the very first time at a Click backyard BBQ. (She still knows it! Ask her for a show next time you see her.)

2. Attending Comic Con with the Click Clique for the very first time in 2009 and staying at the Hotel Del Coronado – can you say Adult Pool?

3. Attending the press day at Pixar for the Blu-ray & DVD of Wall-E. They REQUIRE employees to participate in 4 hours of extra-curriculars every week!

4. Getting my groove on during an African Dance lesson with some fabulous mommies during our Lion King blogger day.

5. I am most proud of my dual campaigns for the theatrical 3D and home entertainment releases of Disney’s The Lion King. With an extended timeline, I packaged assets and rolled them out using creative ideas that have since been adapted for other campaigns, and resulted in one of the company’s largest campaigns to date!

Jackie

Back to the Future

1. Back to the Future Trilogy: 25th Anniversary Edition – One of the hardest secrets I have ever had to keep as a publicist was when I first saw the never-before-released Eric Stoltz film footage months before street date. It was like going back in time and in the words of Marty McFly, I knew that “history is gonna change” when we released that clip. Interest was so high online that it temporarily shut down several sites. The campaign culminated with an international press conference and cast reunion event – complete with the ultimate DeLorean cake from Ace of Cakes. Who knew it would be my “density” to help promote one of my favorite childhood films?

2. Scarface Limited Edition Blu-ray – “The world is yours” in PR when you have the opportunity to work with A-List talent and an iconic film. The campaign included a fan art contest limited edition hand-crafted humidor, multiple features and a party with the “Mang,” himself, Al Pacino! From the talent Q&A to a special performance by Ludacris and tasty treats from Border Grill chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, Clicksters, including myself, really enjoyed living large in Tony Montana’s world…for one night.

3. The Big Lebowski Limited Edition Blu-ray –
Achievers united when the cast was brought back together for this special release of the 1998 Cohen Brothers cult comedy at the 10th anniversary of Lebowski Fest Thousands of costume-dressed fans descended on the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York to worship at the temple of The Dude. The love and White Russians were freely flowing at the sold out event where the boisterous crowd did not hesitate to chime in with their favorite quotes and give multiple standing ovations for the cast during the 45 minute chat. For those who couldn’t attend, the campaign included a live feed of the Q&A via LiveStream.

4. Fast Five – Concerts and screaming fans at premieres are nothing compared to the roar of engines revving at Nascar. The campaign included the Fast Five 225 race at the Chicagoland Speedway with Tyrese and Jordana Brewster and has the distinction of being the loudest event I have ever worked. It was as exhilarating, fast and fun as the film, itself.

5. “Lost”: The Complete Collection – A collector’s edition set filled with a hidden disc, a BD-Live master’s degree program for die hard fans at Lost University and the new 12-minute episode “The New Man in Charge” was a fitting way to say good bye to the series that redefined television. The campaign included the box unveiling, interviews with Michael Emerson and the opportunity to watch some of the bonus features at the Lost props auction where fans could take home everything from Dharma Initiative can goods to that creepy Squirrel Baby. However, I still have questions…

Tyler

Scarface

1. Scarface has been my favorite campaign to assist with during my time here at Click. This campaign was a great learning experience on multiple fronts, from targeted research to working my first red carpet event!

2. The Lion King 3D Blu-ray release, working on a giant campaign such as this gave me insight into what Click Communications is capable of doing and trust me it is A LOT!

3. Danny Phantom was my first campaign that I got my feet wet in experiencing being a lead publicist. It was my first opportunity to draft a targeted pitch list and create assets to be pushed out across the web!

4. Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Yo, Ho Mateys Away! My first Disney pre-school title where I was the lead publicist. With help from our senior staffers, they taught me a great deal of how to handle bigger promotional items and proper asset roll out.

5. The Muppets, this was just a fun campaign to assist on, with all the hilarious parody clips, Muppet interviews and other creative assets.

Julie

Click Clique

1. Meeting my fellow Clicksters for the first time. We all got together to wish Brigid a fond farewell (tear), and I was just tickled at how warm and welcoming everyone was. I felt an instant connection to the team, and have since learned so much from all of them. We’re like a little family and everyday I am inspired by their hard work and commitment to one another and our clients. A gal can’t ask for much more than that from her fellow teammates.

2. 2011 Comic-Con Survival Guide. I became a Clicker at the end of June of last year, which meant we were in the thick of prepping our annual Comic-Con Survival Guide and kits. It was my first big project for Click, and it took a lot of work from all of us. I remember looking at the final edition of the guide and thinking, “Wow, I can’t believe my name is tied to such a masterpiece!”

3. Working the Scarface party. This marked my first encounter with a red carpet event, and boy was I over the moon. It was such a fun event to work with the rest of the gang, and being able to enjoy a Q & A with the cast, Scarface-themed cocktails and a performance by Ludacris was pretty much…the bees knees.

4. Scorpion King 3 press junket. I enjoyed working this event because it was my first press junket, and I learned a lot! I even got to sit in on some of the talent interviews, which was both interesting and enjoyable. That Bostin Christopher is a hoot!

5. Working on campaigns like I Don’t Know How She Does It, Lady and the Tramp, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. While my contribution to these campaigns were more administrative, I always enjoy putting together party kits for our press. They’re hard work, and require lots of organization, but seeing posts of kiddos in mustaches and pirate gear makes it all worth it. Adorable!

Kim

Dumbo

1. Dumbo – I wasn’t allowed to watch Dumbo when I was little for some reason (I’ll have to ask my Mom about that one haha) so I wasn’t familiar with the story or the movie. This campaign really allowed me to learn and understand why it was such a beloved classic! We had such great activities I had a “Week of Dumbo” rollout, fun contests and features, and Webex sessions with the restoration team!! This was my first really huge campaign at Click and I enjoyed every minute of it!

2. Prep & Landing – This campaign was like the little engine that could!! We didn’t have much but clips and contests and yet people LOVED this short and cute little DVD. I had MAD requests for it, and it just goes to show you that if people like the story (and it helps that it was holiday season appropriate!) then they will promote it. The clips were hilarious too!!

3. Cars 2 – I had worked at Pixar Animation Studios during the theatrical run of this film so it was nice to be on the other side, and also work on the home entertainment release. I had a TON of assets and Q&A’s and clips and activities and contests and slideshows, and character interviews, and talent interviews… I mean you name it, we HAD it for this campaign. And since it was such a beloved franchise, the press and bloggers were incredibly receptive. It was a lot of work, but it was fun to bookend my time at Pixar by working on the film one last time.

4. I Don’t Know How She Does It – I have no idea how she does it! Haha, the fun things we were able to do with this title from the Best Apps for Mom’s, to the mom kits for the Career Mom and the Mom On The Go (shout out to Julie and Haley for help with those!) made it a truly fun campaign! We had so many responses, I had never seen that many entries for our contests before! One site had over 10,000!! And while I’m still not quite sure how SJP does it, I’m glad we were able to engage our mommy bloggers with a film they ALL completely related to.

5. Texas Killing Fields – This title was a tough subject, with a great cast, and yet it was still at times a tough sell. The main reason why I enjoyed it so much was that it got me back to working in theatrical PR which I remember fondly.

Haley

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Campaign: This was the first campaign where I was able to put my true gift in life to good use: shopping. Finding cost effective yet entertaining items is clealry my calling.

2. I Don’t Know How She Does It: Once again, an opportunity to put together a kit for moms that involved a merchandise hunt. Of course, I am no mother, and I honestly don’t know how they do it, so input from Dinah was crucial.

3. Holiday Gift Guide: Researching sites with holiday gift guides was a ton of work. And while there were times I thought it would never end – you wouldn’t believe the amazing gifts I found while searching through hundreds of Holiday Gift Guides!

4. Lady and the Tramp: There were so many adorable promotional items and widgets being rolled I couldn’t help but fall in love like I was under the influence of my own bella notte.

5. The Hunger Games – Just proposing ideas for this amazing movie had me more excited than I have ever been. I can’t wait to see what comes of it!

Tommy

Phineas & Ferb: The Perry Files

So many cool things have been happening since I started with Click 3 months ago.
1. I’ve really enjoyed working on “Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files”, it’s a really funny show that’s just as appealing to adults as kids.

2. I’ve also really been enjoying working on a lot of the “New to Blu-ray” titles. A lot of them are older movies that I grew up watching, such as High Fidelity, Adventures in Babysitting, and Judge Dredd.

3 & 4. Going to see John Carter and The Hunger Games with the Click team on release day was a great experience as well. It’s great to go see new films with others who are equally enthusiastic about them.

5. Speaking of new films, I can’t wait to go see The Avengers with everyone this Friday. It should be amazing!

Now that we’ve bid a fond farewell to 2011 and rung in the new year, we here at Click thought it would be the perfect time to look back on 2011′s amazing offering of cinematic goodness.

Below you’ll find our favorites, our most anticipated, films we wish we’d seen, and a variety of other movie lists. Enjoy and please let us know some of your favorite movies from 2011 in the comments!

Dinah

Attack the Block

“After much hemming & hawing I’ve finally come up with my Top Ten for 2011. If it was really amazing & not on this list, then I probably haven’t seen it yet.

10. Captain America – My favorite comic book movie of the year gave us great performances, iconic imagery, and Alan Menken’s fantastic “Star Spangled Man.” I’m as tired of “The Origin Story” as any other comic book fan, but I thought this one was really nicely done.

9. Moneyball – I think of this engaging film as either “The Movie That Made Me Actually Like And Admire Jonah Hill As An Actor” or “The Movie That Used Economics And Baseball To Make Me Think Of My Business Differently.” Considering my previous feelings about economics, baseball and Hill, these are high achievements indeed.

8. Drive – I watched a lot of big budget, action-oriented fluff this year that was intended to be basic mind-numbing entertainment—which I generally enjoy—that made me feel impatient and frustrated. Like, I paid a sitter for this? Drive, on the other hand, was slow, deliberate, suspenseful and mesmerizing and I was engrossed the whole time. Add a killer soundtrack and you’ve got one hell of a movie.

7. Bridesmaids – Not the funniest “girl comedy” of the year, but the funniest comedy of the year, period.

6. Hugo – This reminded me so much of a Jeunet film it was a little disorienting that it was actually in English. A beautiful, whimsical love letter to film making and the best 3D I have seen so far. Really lovely.

5. The Adventures of TinTin – The characters were beautifully rendered, the art detailed and surprising, the story was pure adventure fun, and the animation—particularly the physicality of the characters—was nothing short of genius.

4. Rango – The art, animation, characters & story were also brilliant in Rango. On top of this it was dark, sly, silly, cheeky, wicked and clever. Plus, the music actually blew my mind at times. Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” with banjos? YES.

3. Crazy, Stupid, Love – I really loved this romantic comedy for its wit, style and performances. I also thought it offered a perspective on the tired old rom-com formula that was at once fresh and mature, and I really appreciated that.

2. Attack the Block – I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the theater to see this film; I walked out feeling like I’d just gotten off one hell of a ride. This is what a good movie should do—suck you in, get you immersed in a world, then take you on an adventure you never saw coming. Extraordinary.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – In the end, this wasn’t just a movie; it was an EVENT. And how many times can you say that? Return of the Jedi? Return of the King? After 10 years of Harry Potter I didn’t want the adventure to end, but I couldn’t wait to see it all go down. For me, the concluding film delivered in a way that was no less than epic.”

Mac

Drive

“1. Drive – I loved everything about this movie, from the kick-ass soundtrack to the surprising acts of violence. Gosling and Brooks turned in some amazing performances, considering the fact that I’m not a huge fan to begin with.

2. Tucker and Dale vs Evil – I actually saw this in 2010, but it finally released this Fall. This is by far one of the funniest genre-bending horror flicks I’ve ever seen. I thought Behind the Mask was pretty clever, but the chemistry between Tudyk an Labine as misunderstood hillbillies really made this movie outstanding.

3. Rango – This is probably one of the best westerns and animated flicks I’ve ever seen. While we were watching it, I just kept clapping with glee at the excellent inside jokes, inappropriate comments, epic score and superb animation. When the credits rolled, it seems that what made this film so unique was that all of the talent behind it were all best known for their live action work, which really translated well to the medium.

4. The Adventures of Tintin – I have been a fan of the comics for over 25 years. Seeing this get such an amazing adaptation from the minds behind The Goonies, Lord of the Rings, Shaun of the Dead, Doctor Who and so many others was a pure joy. While it wasn’t a straight-up retelling of the Unicorn storyline (no Professor Calculus or shark submarine?!) it had an amazing amount of Easter eggs referencing other adventures. Plus the opening credits are superb!

5. Attack the Block – I love the seedier side of London and taking that genre and inserting some unique alien creatures into it for some creative monster-fighting scenes was a real treat.

Honorable mentions for other thoroughly entertaining flicks include (in no particular order): Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Hugo, Harry Potter: The End, Captain America, Moneyball, Source Code”

Scott

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Top 13 Horror Movies of 2011:
1. We Need To Talk About Kevin – Absolutely terrifying, especially if you’re a parent.
2. Attack The Block – More Sci-Fi than horror, but it totally counts.
3. The Woman
4. Black Death – If you haven’t seen it yet, you should. It’s currently on Netflix Instant.
5. Contagion – If you don’t think this is a horror film, you’re crazy. It’s completely horrifying.
6. Stake Land
7. The Innkeepers
8. Insidious
9. Fright Night
10. Troll Hunter
11. I Saw The Devil
12. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
13. Chillerama

Dre

Skateland

“It’s awful, but I just haven’t gotten to the theater to see too much this year. Really, it’s an embarrassment to admit that the top 5 movies that I’ve seen from 2011 include Fast Five (I think I was having a heart attack for about 75% of the run time) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (SHUT UP. It was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G to watch the bots in slow motion- Thank You, Mr. Bay!). I know I’ve not seen NEARLY enough. I acknowledge that. It is with this acknowledgement that I present:

The Top 10 Movies I Wish I’d Seen in 2011

10. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – This really needs to be seen on a big screen. Not sure my 40′ will do it justice, but I’m still interested. Andy Serkis (“Gollum”) is a monkey, now? Awesome.

9. Soul Surfer – Girl surfs with one arm. I have a hard time trying to paddle out with two arms. These kinds of stories help inspire me to be a more active participant in life. I’m sure AnnaSophia Robb is wonderful, but let’s face it, it’s been WAY too long since we’ve seen Dennis Quaid (and in board shorts, no less!).

8. Bad Teacher – Because I’m ready to see Cameron Diaz as a train wreck, even for a little while. I anticipate some colorful language in this movie, and that appeals to me as well. Jason Segel and JT seal the deal. Is this on Netflix, yet?

7. Friends With Benefits – Yes, I saw it’s not-so-distant cousin, No Strings Attached, so I guess I could say that in a way, I have seen this movie. However, Ashton Kutcher’s little boy bangs hold no candle to the hotness of JT. Patricia Richardson, too? I think I saw the wrong version of this movie.

6. HappyThankYouMorePlease – Totally looks like my kind of love story- eff’ed up, crazy, real people with dreams and misconceptions. Doesn’t hurt that Josh Radnor is totally easy on the eyes and his depiction as a “tortured” writer shouldn’t be too far of a departure from his incredibly endearing Ted Mosby on “How I Met Your Mother.”

5. Skateland – Anyone that has seen my Facebook profile photo knows how seriously I take roller skating. I have no excuse as to why I haven’t seen this movie. I have serious guilt.

4. Crazy, Stupid, Love – Ryan Gosling, I apologize. I hope this won’t change how we feel about each other. I WILL see it. It’s just, well, Emma Stone is awesome, and I just don’t know that I’m ready to see you two together just yet, but I’m getting there. Call me.

3. Beginners – How did I miss a talking dog movie? Seriously, this movie has 3 of my favorite things: a cute dog, a cute boy, and a gay man. Is that a roller skating scene I see in the trailer? Crap.

2. The Ides of March – There might still be one theater in Orange County that is still playing this movie. I’m going to try and see it before the end of the year. I’m sure we have some award-winning performances, here.

1. The Tree of Life – It’s messed up, right? I mean, no one can really explain this movie to me in a way that makes any kind of sense, so I pretty much think I HAVE to see it.

May 2012 make the best show yet- Happy New Year!”

Jackie

Shame

“Here are a few films that impressed me in 2011:

The Tree of Life – Dinosaurs aside, Director Terrence Malick captures the essence of childhood in this hauntingly beautiful metaphysical meditation on existence as seen through the eyes of a family in 1950s Texas. It feels more like a modern art installation than a movie which may leave some audiences frustrated, but the subtlety of sights and sounds in this film is simply moving.

Shame – Michael Fassbender’s arresting performance about a man consumed by his sex addiction pushes the envelope as it takes you on a private journey to hell where pain supplants pleasure in this profound tale of self-abuse from director Steve McQueen. The film also features the acting talents of Carey Mulligan whose rendition of “New York, New York” will leave you raw.

The Muppets – A childhood favorite, director James Bobbin infuses laughter and light back into the beloved franchise that looks at what happened to the Muppets in this latest installement. Life will indeed be a “Happy Song” as you are reacquainted with the cast of characters from Kermit to Camilla the Chicken through snappy songs and dance numbers that keep a smile on your face.

The New York Times documentaries – Page One: Inside The New York Times and Bill Cunningham New York – Both films offer engrossing “fly-on-the-wall” looks at one of the most influential newspapers in the world. Page One starts in 2009 during the demise of daily newspapers throughout the nation and how the Times attempts to adapt into the digital age and maintain its integrity while battling smaller budges and the rise of new media. Bill Cunningham New York showcases the life and work of the irresistibly charming fashion and society photographer for the paper.

Midnight in Paris – This delightfully wistful story from Woody Allen fulfills the dreams of anyliterature lover who has ever wondered what it would be like to go back in time to 1920s Paris. The romantic comedy follows a screenwriter struggling to finish his first novel in Paris when he encounters an antique car that whisks him to a bygone era of parties and cafes frequented by the Fitzgeralds, Hemingway, Gertrurde Stein and Picasso every night at midnight.

War Horse – Spielberg is back to form in this epic tale about a horse’s journey from the green pastures of Devon to the trenches of World War I as he looks to be reunited with the boy who loves him. An instant classic.”

Julie

The Help

“The Help – As a lover of all things vintage, the costumes alone had me drooling the entire way though this early 1960′s-based film. I’m sure I proved to be rather annoying to those who shared this cinematic experience with me, as I was oohing and aahing with each and every wardrobe change. But, even more importantly, I was brought to tears multiple times throughout this film as I marveled at the unyielding spirit and courage of ‘Aibileen’, ‘Minny’, & ‘Skeeter’. Also, do yourself a favor and give the soundtrack a listen: Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, and Bob Dylan. YES, PLEASE.

I’d also like to note how much fun it was seeing Drive with my fellow Click clique. Combine Dinah’s laugh, Mac & Tyler’s delight at the surprising gore-filled scenes, Gosling-induced giggles and squeals with my fellow female Clicksters, and that pretty much equals the best time at the movies all year.

Honorable mentions:
The Tree of Life
Take Shelter

On my “to watch” list:
The Artist
War Horse
The Iron Lady”

Emily

Midnight In Paris

“In no particular order:

Midnight in Paris – despite my general dislike of Woody Allen the actor, this totally made me appreciate him more as a director. Felt wonderfully content and somewhat oddly fulfilled after watching this movie.

Crazy, Stupid, Love – this movie was one marvelously pleasant surprise after another. Nerdy girl-crush on Emma Stone grew immensely, Ryan Gosling proved that he’s hot AND funny, and the whole experience just made me smile.

Like Crazy – went in knowing virtually nothing about this film, came out in love with a movie that proved that happy endings and beautiful movies are not mutually exclusive. It was raw, funny, and heart wrenching; and hit a little close to my tiny, stone heart.

Paul – because Simon Pegg ALWAYS makes me smile; Nick Frost was a fabulous added bonus, and not going to lie, funny alien fart jokes are highly entertaining.

Super 8 – Spielberg, Abrams, aliens, awesomeness, epic train crash….yes please.

Bridesmaids – awkward, funny and touching in so many ways. So many amazing female comedians, and wonderful surprises. ( “You are no longer my number three!”)

Beginners – you had me at Ewan McGregor. One of the most charming love stories I’ve seen in years.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 – an epic finale, it was exactly what I wanted it to be. I laughed, I gasped, I may have even squeezed out a tear or two.

The Help – if you are one of the 12 people in America who has not seen this film, remedy that immediately.

The Debt – this movie kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It was an action movie, a thinking movie, and brilliantly pulled together.”

Tyler

Super 8

“SUPER 8 – Felt like a classic Spielberg flick completed with Abram’s directorial talent. The entire package of why I go to the movies. This is my number one movie of 2011!

Thor – Just a fun action packed flick, good movie if you look past the weak love story.

X-Men – First Class: Very cool to see how my favorite Super Heroes became X-Men.

Drive – This movie is pretty much on everyone’s list, from the opening credits to the edge of your seat action sequences, you can see why Nicolas Winding Refn won best Director at Cannes.

Tree of Life – A solid performance by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain, but the cinematography is what puts this movie as one of my favorites of 2011.

Moneyball – After reading the book it was really fun to see Jonah Hill’s adaptation of Peter Brand, who is actually Paul DePodesta in the book. Hill demonstrates his quality acting chops by progressing from comedic roles to a more serious character. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Brad Pitt give the typically solid performance in this film that stretches your thinking in what constitutes a solid player investment.”

Haley

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

“Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – Naturally, I would have included every single Harry Potter in this, along with books, the audiobooks, the theme park, all my memorabilia, and the actors who played the characters, but since we are limiting this “favorites” list to movies that came out this year, the movie alone will have to do. Not only was it an amazing movie, but also the perfect finale to what has been my happy childhood of Harry Potter. The first book came out when I was nine and the last movie when I was 22… tear. And yes I dressed up for the midnight premiere. Every. Single. One. Not just this one.

Bridesmaids – Unfortunately in the past I have been sexist toward my gender and often thought that most women are, in general, not that funny. But after seeing Bridesmaids I had a renewed sense of pride that there are women out there who are undeniably WAY funnier than men. I apologize to womankind for my previous assumptions and I can only pray that there will be an equally amazing sequel.

Drive – I’m not sure whether it’s my obsession with Ryan Gosling (I like to start each morning by visiting this site, or the bloody head stomping in the elevator that made this movie so memorable, but I might even say I loved it. Or him. I often confuse the two.”

Kim

The Descendants

“Like Crazy – This film was the most beautiful and romantic film I saw this year. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones gave spellbinding performances as a couple who found each other and then tried to make it work after her VISA is revoked and she’s forced to return to the UK. It showed the tough and beautiful parts of a young relationship. I was crazy about this film!

The Descendants – I’m a George Clooney fan. Who isn’t? But this film was incredible. He gave a heartfelt and real performance as a Dad coming to grips with his wife dying all while trying to check back in to his daughter’s lives. Set in Hawaii, the scenery of the islands isn’t at all the star of the film, that honor would go to Shailene Woodard, the oldest daughter with a stubborn streak and a dirty mouth. She needs to win something this awards season. Amazing. And look out for a scene with Judy Greer that will make you cry just looking at her face. That woman can say a line with her eyes. AMAZEBALLS. I’ve seen it 3 times.

Bad Teacher – Hate all you want, but this was Cameron Diaz at her inappropriate comedic best. Given that I’m a TK (Teacher’s Kid) I totally found it funny on a whole other level.

Midnight In Paris – Woody Allen hit it out of the park with this fabulous film set in one of my favorite cities in the world. Owen Wilson is slightly charming, and Rachel McAdams makes you hate her, but its the supporting cast with Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Corey Stoll (unrecognizable!), Alison Pill and Adrien Brody… I was so taken with the way they transported you to a 1920′s Paris. FAB!!

The Ides of March – George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei and Paul Giamatti and Jeffrey Wright. The showdown in the kitchen was pretty great, as was watching as Ryan Gosling’s Stephen slowly lose control and attempt to gain it back, all while losing his political and moral compass. Kinda makes you scared about our politics in this country these days. Truly great acting.

Hanna – I saw this at a special screening this past Spring, and Saoirse Ronan and director Joe Wright introduced it. I had no idea what to expect, but nothing prepared me for what I saw! Set in Europe with crazy action scenes, this vivid and violent film made me never want to cross Saoirse or Cate Blanchett in a dark tunnel or creepy old abandoned children’s theme park in Munich ever in life!

Crazy. Stupid. Love – By the time I got around to watching this film, I had already heard how it ended. But it didn’t ruin the film at all… Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling are such an odd pair, but this film was one of the most enjoyable I saw all year. And I love me some Emma Stone anytime!

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – I wasn’t ready for this. I watched it by myself at like 11:30pm and was frankly rather tired. Boy did I wake the hell up. I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time. The action is outstanding, Simon Pegg is comic relief and Jeremy Renner added just the right amount of bad ass. I normally can’t stand Paula Patton (she annoys me in every bimbo hair-flipping role she’s in), but I fully enjoyed her ass-kicking scenes. So much fun. I have seen it more than once and plan to see it once or twice more. No one makes action films like this anymore!

Moneyball – I’m from the Bay Area so trust me I’d heard this story before. But the film was excellent! Even though I’m a Giants fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this, and predict Brad Pitt will most certainly be nominated for Best Actor!

The Help – This film was powerful, funny and poignant. Viola Davis is heartbreaking, Octavia Spencer is FIERCE, and it’s got my girl Emma Stone and Jessica Chastain (the hardest working actress this year, 6 films!!) “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” (Cue tears, buckets and buckets of tears!)

Also, honorable mention to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you haven’t seen the Swedish version or read the book, you may be lost the first 25 minutes, but things really heat up after Mikhail and Lisbeth meet about 40 min in. Not quite as good as the Swedish version but still really really good. Trent Reznor’s score is RIDICULOUS. I’m buying the soundtrack. Tomorrow.”

Cindy

The Tree of Life

“Drive – Almost everything about this film is cryptic, from Ryan Gosling as the protagonist with no name, to the laconic exchanges he has with love interest Carey Mulligan. It makes the impact of the spikes of violence all the more grisly. Revenge is best served bloody.

The Tree of Life – I won’t claim to understand everything about this movie, and certainly the Sean Penn sequences felt extraneous, but director Terrence Malick and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki are, in my esteem, one of the finest filmmaking duos to grace the visual medium. The experience of watching the film is nothing short of spiritual.

Moneyball – This is great year for Brad Pitt as he turned in two extraordinary performances in Tree of Life and Moneyball. This film got me invested in baseball and sabermetrics. What? Yeah, that’s saying a lot.

Lion King 3D – I’m normally opposed to the 3D craze, but I’ll make exceptions to see one of my favorite childhood films on the big screen again. The story is timeless and the songs just as sing-alongable.

Crazy, Stupid, Love – This is the unexpected gem of the year with some surprise casting (Josh Groban, anyone?) Plus it’s rare for a comedic drama to surprise an audience with such an unexpected twist. If you haven’t seen it yet I won’t spoil it. If you’re still on the fence then I have just six words: Ryan Gosling shirtless and yoked, y’all.

Conan The Barbarian – Ok, this wasn’t my favorite film for the story, if you know what I’m saying. This Dothraki can do no wrong in my book. Especially when clad in merely a loincloth.”

Happy viewing in 2012 from all of your friends at Click!