Our Idiot Brother (2011)

While the beginning of the film was not as strong - some awkward scenes and transitions here and there - I had basically forgotten this fact when I got to the end. What begun as a series of cliched characters ended as some of the better developed characters I've seen in recent film. The performances by Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel were fantastic. In this completely believable family there is an idiot brother who believes that people (and animals) deserve two things: love and the benefit of the doubt. And while he seems like the biggest burden on everyone around them, in truth he is saving them from the lies that they tell themselves and helping them live a better life. He's like a mixture of Jesus and Socrates and that weird friend of yours who always wears hemp. Check out this movie. It's one of the only adult movies that has really inspired me this year. (Comic book and sci fi movies for the win!)

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Wet Hot American Summer could have been titled Not Another Summer Movie, except for two reasons: 1. Not Another Summer Movie is a terrible title, and 2. each of the other Not Another... or related movies were terrible. Meanwhile, Wet Hot American Summer was bizarre and hilarious.

Paul Rudd

Actor Paul Rudd. You may remember him as Peter Klaven in I Love You, Man, Andy in Wet Hot American Summer or Josh in Clueless. He can do comedy. He can do drama. He's kind of one of the best there is at the whole acting thing right now. And most importantly, I need to hug him before I die. It's on my bucket list.