Top 10 little-known and under-appreciated movies of 2011

As a movie lover I look forward to February. The Oscars, as silly as they are, give me an opportunity to re-visit my movie going experience from the previous year.

With a few notable exceptions, many of the films that I liked did not get nominated by the academy. That's okay. I know that my tastes aren't as mainstream as most, but just to give these films a little more exposure I made my own top 10 list.

The films represented here weren't necessarily my favorites, but they were among my favorites. Many people haven't seen them (as evidenced by their small box office numbers).

To make it easier on the reader I have also given preference to movies that are already available on DVD and (most) are available on Netflix Streaming for immediate viewing^*.

Assuming you didn't just skip all of this and go right to the list, you can do so now.

5 Smart Technologies of 2011

Its one thing to get hyped up on a new site or service (Schemer, anyone?). Its another to hit on new (at least to you) tools you find online that you actually incorporate into your regular life. Be it for work or play, here's a breakdown of sites and apps I've come across this year that I actually use. Some of these are not necessarily new this year, but are all new to me and deserve more users and supporters.