I remember I used to do the same when I first herd of the laugh tracks.
Glad to hear you guys share my disdain for stock laugh/aww/clap tracks on sitcoms. 
Yes, they’re dreadfully annoying.
They can be annoying if they’re played about 100 times in a show.
Ides of March - This is defintely one of my favorite movies of 2011. I have already mentioned I loved the score. The struggles the character goes threw are amazing. George Clooney was a fantastic director. I defintely recommend it for those with an understanding of the modern US political system and can see rated R movies.
I give it an A.
Updated rankings for year:
50/50 - 10/10
Drive - 9.5/10
Rango - 9.5/10
Source Code - 9/10
Captain America: The First Avenger - 9/10
Fast Five - 8.5/10
Thor - 8.5/10
X-Men: First Class - 8.5/10
Midnight in Paris - 8.5/10
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10
Unknown - 8/10
Rio - 8/10
Contagion - 8/10
The Help - 8/10
Fright Night - 8/10
Crazy Stupid Love - 8/10
The Lincoln Lawyer - 8/10
Moneyball - 7.5/10
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 7.5/10
Bridesmaids - 7/10
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - 7/10
Horrible Bosses - 6.5/10
Kung Fu Panda 2 - 6.5/10
The Mechanic - 6/10
Super 8 - 5/10
Hanna - 5/10
Cars 2 - 4/10
The Little Princess - This is based of one of my favorite books, and is one of my favorite Shirley Temple movies. It is a great story, a classic, and has a lot of charm. I give it an A
Despicable Me: This was probably one of my least favorite animated films from last year. It’s one of those rare films for me that can really irritate me. I mean, some of the characters just felt annoying. The movie reminds me of the old Looney Tunes cartoons with all the wackiness like Over the Hedge was. I really didn’t like Steve Carell’s performance in this. It’s just that I didn’t like his accent in it. Overall, this movie wasn’t that great but wasn’t terrible either. C-
Oh yeah, this was one of my favorites when I was younger. I love the character Bertie played by Arthur Treacher.
I really didn’t care much for this movie either. However, the scene where Edith says “It was your cousin’s idea!” and then one of the Minions says “Whaaat?” makes me crack up every time. It’s just the way he says “what”. I can sit through the whole rest of the movie just to see that one scene.
I admit that scene did manage to get a chuckle or two out of me. I just hope that the planned sequel is an improvement on the first film.
Battling Butler: This is one of my favorite Buster Keaton movies. This film is 90 years old, but the slapstick comedy is still hilarious. It’s a classic mixup screwup comedy. I give it an A-.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Not as good as the Wonka version was but this movie was pretty good. The visuals were great as Tim Burton usually knocks it right out of the park with them. I will admit the Oompa Loompas have a good variety of music from different time periods when they sing about each kid. My biggest complaint about this film is the Wonka character. For some reason, that character is the main focus of the film instead of Charlie. I also didn’t like Depp in this film as he annoyed me. B-
The Saphead: Yet another Keaton movie, this one exactly 90 years old. This movie wasn’t as funny as the last one, but it was even more heartwarming. I really enjoyed it! I give it an A.
50/50 This was a great movie. It’s in my top three that I’ve seen this year in a theater. I was suprised at how emotional it made me feel. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I almost cried three or four times. The only thing negative I can say about it is that Seth Rogen’s shtick is tired. But when he wasn’t doing what he he’s done in a majority of the movies he’s played in, and was being the supportive friend, I thought he was great. Anjelica Huston was great as the smothering mom. I know how annoying it can be to have a smothering mom, but it broke my heart to see her be pushed away by her son and not have her husband to talk to. I love Anna Kendrick! The only other movie I’ve seen her in was Up in the Air, but I love her already. It was a nice suprise to see Michael Giacchino’s name come up on the screen. Some of the music played during 50/50 sounded similar to some of my favorite music from Super 8. So that was another nice suprise.
Deathtrap This is a movie about a famous playwright who has written a string of flops. One of his old students, from a past seminar he’s given, sends him a copy of his first play. He thinks it’s brilliant and would be the perfect play to put him back on top. After discussing possible play ideas with his always nervous wife and not coming up with anything as good as his former students play, he desides to invite him to his house, kill him, do the play and take full credit for it. His wife is against the idea, but he goes through with it anyway. There are a lot of suspense, twist and turns in the plot after the murder all the way up until the end. It was a very good movie and if you have Netflix Streaming you should check it out.
Capote I had to watch this movie after reading In Clod Blood recently, and I’m glad I did. What was shocking to me was how manipulating Capote was. I actually felt kind of sorry for Perry Smith by the end of the movie.
50/50 - 10/10
Drive - 9.5/10
Rango - 9.5/10
Source Code - 9/10
Captain America: The First Avenger - 9/10
Fast Five - 8.5/10
Thor - 8.5/10
X-Men: First Class - 8.5/10
Midnight in Paris - 8.5/10
Rise of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10
Unknown - 8/10
Rio - 8/10
Contagion - 8/10
The Help - 8/10
Fright Night - 8/10
Crazy Stupid Love - 8/10
The Lincoln Lawyer - 8/10
Puss in Boots - 8/10
Moneyball - 7.5/10
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - 7.5/10
Bridesmaids - 7/10
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - 7/10
Horrible Bosses - 6.5/10
Kung Fu Panda 2 - 6.5/10
The Mechanic - 6/10
Super 8 - 5/10
Hanna - 5/10
Cars 2 - 4/10
Dolphin Tale - 4/10
Paprika: Watched this at a sleepover and was quite impressed! I’d been meaning to see one of Satoshi Kon’s films since his passing and if this any indication of his filmmaking style, I’m definitely interested in seeing more. The animation is also some of the most lifelike 2D animation I’ve ever seen. It’s very quirky and creepy and not for everyone, but worth a try! (As for the R rating–there’s some violence, nothing too strong, no language whatsoever, but some brief, non-sexual nudity. Nothing explicit at all) A-
Puss in Boots - I was really impressed by this movie! It was funny and entertaining. It was also a lovely movie scenery wise. I give it an A.
In Good Old Summertime - This is the first movie I’ve seen Judy Garland in besides The Wizard of Oz. It is a classic mixup movie, and quite funny. I give it a B.
I was starting to wonder if I was the only person watching movies! I updated my post a few times before somebody else posted something.
Real Steel It was a decent way to kill the afternoon, but I wasn’t I wasn’t all that impressed with the movie. I didn’t feel anything while watching the father son relationship grow like I thought I would. But that’s what I get for letting what people were telling me and the reviews I read raise my expectations. I understood what the movie was trying to do with the way Atom looked and the shots on his face that were held for a while. You know, try to get the audience to feel something for the small underdog. It didn’t work on me.
American Gangster I watched the three hour extended cut of this movie. I was never bored, but I was so dissapointed by the anti climactic ending. Russell and Denzel were great.
Law Abiding Citizen It was ok. But it got so…out there, sometime during the second half. I wonder if this would have been a stronger movie if it cut down on the violence and some of the ridiculous stuff that happened. Or maybe changed what happened to Russell and making his job and how he was able to do what he did less out there.
Anastasia This was a fun movie that I think could have been a Disney movie post Katzenberg. Rasputin’s song was great. And so was Anastasia’s I want song. I really enjoyed Dimitri. The only thing that I couldn’t get into like I normally do in these kinds of movies was the banter between Anastasia and Dimitri. It kind of came off as mean to me. I ususally think that the banter between the two soon to be lovers is cute.
The Red Violin A beautiful movie about a violin that was created in the 17th century by a violin maker for his unborn child. The story is about the violin and how it’s become an important part of different owners it’s had throughout the centuries. The story is told through flashbacks throughout the movie during a present day auction. There is some beautiful music throughout this movie. Samuel L. Jackson is in it. And it was shocking to see him not overract most of the time.
Little Shop of Horrors: I know, it took me long enough to see this! I loved how it was directed, and Menken’s music and Ashman’s lyrics were delightful. I give it a B+
Oh, yes, it has very good direction by Frank Oz (who is Yoda, by the way)