by Jack Garcia
Of the many movies released in 2011, I was able to see and review 95 of them (which is almost two movies a week). And do you know what? There are still more movies that I wish I could have seen like The Beaver, Beginners, The Art of Getting By, The Skin I Live In, Anonymous, Melancholia, The Artist, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Young Adult, Carnage, We Bought a Zoo, In the Land of Blood and Honey and The Iron Lady. I’m sure many of them would have found their way onto this list, but alas, I never got a chance to see them. So, based on the movies I did see this year, here are my favorite fifteen!
Of the many movies released in 2011, I was able to see and review 95 of them (which is almost two movies a week). And do you know what? There are still more movies that I wish I could have seen like The Beaver, Beginners, The Art of Getting By, The Skin I Live In, Anonymous, Melancholia, The Artist, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Young Adult, Carnage, We Bought a Zoo, In the Land of Blood and Honey and The Iron Lady. I’m sure many of them would have found their way onto this list, but alas, I never got a chance to see them. So, based on the movies I did see this year, here are my favorite fifteen!
I tried to include a variety of genres, and not just stick to the typical “serious movies” that most critics will put in their lists. It was tough whittling my list down to fifteen, and even harder to number them since I like them all for different reasons. This is the list I am most satisfied with, but feel free to disagree!
15. Jane Eyre
Directed by Cary Fukunaga
Starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender
Atmospheric and dark, this gothic tale of love was artfully told with cinematic wonder and emotional depth.
14. J. Edgar
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer and Naomi Watts
Terrifically cast, the film brought me to see an entirely new side of J. Edgar Hoover that was both fascinating and tragic.
13. Super 8
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka and Kyle Chandler
A great blend of old-school sci-fi and classic coming-of-age, Super 8 reminded me of the magic of the movies.
12. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore
The best “chick flick” of the year, this delightful movie seamlessly wove together elements of both comedy and drama into a story about the complexities of love.
11. The Ides of March
Directed by George Clooney
Starring George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman
Based on a stage play, the movie and its terrific cast painted a picture of the underhanded practices on the campaign trail in American politics.
10. Warrior
Directed by Gavin O’Connor
Starring Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte
The lives of estranged brothers become intertwined when they both enter a mixed martial arts competition, and the drama unfolds carefully with a mix of honed performances and tough fights.
9. Moneyball
Directed by Bennett Miller
Starring Brad Pitt, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jonah Hill
A sports movie that is less to do with baseball and more to do with going against the grain to discover your life’s worth.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Directed by David Yates
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint
While not as well-crafted as Part 1, the grand finale to the beloved series of books was epic and bold, causing me to shed more than a tear as I said goodbye to my favorite characters.
7. Drive
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan
A gritty film noir, Drive was a vibrant character study with a pulsating score that somehow made violence beautiful.
6. Rango
Directed by Gore Verbinski
Starring the voices of Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher and Ned Beatty
In my opinion the best animated feature this year, Rango has the most visually stunning animation, a wildly clever story and asks us some profound questions along the way.
5. 50/50
Directed by Jonathan Levine
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick
Possibly the funniest movie about cancer there ever was, it’s also the most human and poignant one that never gets preachy or overly sentimental.
4. Midnight in Paris
Directed by Woody Allen
Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates
Enchanting and whimsical, this smart comedy teaches us that the past will always seem more interesting than the present, but it’s the present where we can truly make a difference.
3. Hugo
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Starring Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Mortez and Ben Kingsley
Based on the imaginative book by Brian Selznick, Hugo utilizes 3D in a way that makes sense, tells a touching story of a boy who only wants to belong, and fearlessly champions for the preservation of film.
2. Bridesmaids
Directed by Paul Feig
Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Melissa McCarthy
The greatest comedy of the year, Bridesmaids is a hilarious take on friendship and self-worth that proves women can be just as funny—and raunchy—as men!
1. The Tree of Life
Directed by Terrence Malick
Starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain and Sean Penn
Visually stunning from beginning to end, this innovative film ponders our place in this world and what it means to be “good.”
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