The following is my list for the 10 best films of 2011. It's entirely my opinion - I wouldn't even pretend to claim that this is a consensus list, as no such thing exists. It's based in part on the ratings I gave the films throughout the year, but the ratings are relative. They're relative based on things like genre, expectations, time of the year, etc.
I saw quite a few movies in 2011, but there are still some that I just haven't gotten around to seeing yet. This is my list as of this moment. In my opinion, 2011 was a really strong year. It must be a strong year when the top two on this list quickly shot into my favorites of all time. Many of the best films of the year are ones that most people didn't see, and possibly didn't hear of. There were some really good big-budget films that will be recognizable to most, but there were many art-house types that aren't as recognizable. It's too bad most people don't get a chance to see them.
Honorable Mentions: The Ides of March, Super 8, Like Crazy, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
10. Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen's latest was the first great film released in 2011. It helped going into it somewhat blind, as the path the film goes down is much more effective as you experience it for the first time. Allen is a director that I've unfairly neglected in my movie watching history thus far, but Midnight in Paris certainly made me rethink this approach. It's nostalgia at its finest, with the magical Paris providing a perfect backdrop. The realizations of Owen Wilson's character as the film progresses are widely relatable, and actually may be more important today than they have been in some time.
9. Bellflower: Here's one of those examples of an awesome film that most people probably don't even know exist. It's an ambitious and audacious debut from director Evan Glodell, who also starred, and made Bellflower on a worse than shoestring budget of $17,000. I said back in August that Bellflower would stick in the minds of viewers for quite some time, and in all honestly, I still haven't shaken it. It's a haunting movie made downright disturbing and unsettling by the fact that we sort of know where we're headed after the foreshadowing in the opening. Bellflower may not be pleasant, but it's impressive as hell, and it carries with it quite an impact.
8. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: I might be just a touch biased, as David Fincher is one of my favorite directors, but I truly believe that his English adaptation of the popular Swedish novel is an excellent film. If for nothing else, Rooney Mara's star-is-born turn as Lisbeth Salander is worth the price of admission alone. It's one of the more fascinating characters I've seen in recent memory (maybe due to my unfamiliarity with the story or the Swedish film), and my favorite female performance I saw this year. It's typically Fincher in that it maintains a dark tension from start to finish, so much so that the near three hour run time goes by briskly. Yes, the now infamous rape sequences are brutal and uncomfortable. But brutality is arguably what Fincher does best.
7. 50/50: Based on writer Will Reiser's real life experience, 50/50 does something that is nearly impossible to do—create laughter out of a moment of great pain. Yet it does so without ever being tacky or losing focus of what the film is really about, which is a young man's journey through a shocking and unexpected cancer diagnosis and the subsequent treatment. Seth Rogen, who was a part of the true story behind the film, is the up-beat comic relief, but it's Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Adam who carries the emotional weight of the film to perfection.
6. Shame: Shame might be the most memorable movie of the year. It is truly a work of art, and one that is unlike anything I've seen before. Michael Fassbender gives one of the most provocative and daring performances I've ever seen as the sex-addicted Brandon, and Carey Mulligan's performance as his troubled sister is an excellent counterpart. The subject matter is displayed in a shockingly graphic manner, and Shame will likely be completely discounted by some for this specific reason. That would be an unfortunate mistake. Yes it's graphic, yes it'll make you uncomfortable to the point of being squeamish, and yes it fully deserved its NC-17 rating, but Shame is a powerful look at the subject of addiction in general. It goes beyond the sex, and into the mind of the addict with disturbing realism.
5. The Descendants: Director Alexander Payne is known for his blend of drama and comedy, and while The Descendants does contain both, it's a bit heavier on the dramatic side. Although the story of a father and his daughters who are struggling with the mortality/infidelity of their wife/mother is a heavy topic that carries with it some depressing moments, it is an ultimately hopeful and rewarding experience. This is thanks in no small part to a stellar cast, including George Clooney in what might be his strongest acting performance to date, and newcomer Shailene Woodley, whose first big screen role is one of the stronger supporting performances of the year.
4. Take Shelter: Michael Shannon gives a powerhouse performance as Curtis, a small town husband and father with increasing realistic visions of an apocalyptic storm. Writer/director Jeff Nichols shifts between dreams and visions to real life sequences so flawlessly that it's difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. It disorients the viewer and puts you squarely in Curtis' shoes as he battles whether or not these visions are real. Throw in one of many great supporting performances this year by Jessica Chastain and you have one of the best film's of the year. The climax and ending are some of the strongest of the year as well.
3. Hugo: Never again will I question the choices of one of the greatest directors that has ever lived. Martin Scorsese completely reinvented himself with his first family effort and put to use some of the greatest 3D technology I've ever seen. Hugo unfolds as a deeply personal film for Scorsese as he takes us through the touching journey of an orphan named Hugo, but also through the history of film as well. We realize through Hugo's journey the impact that film can have on people's lives. We've become accustomed to violence and seedy characters in Scorsese's most well known films, but here he went all sentimental on us. Maybe that's why it was so hard for me to accept it at the outset. It sounds cliche and it certainly is, but Hugo is magical.
2. The Tree of Life: This is so close to being on the top of my list that it's hard for me to even call it #2. Its more like a 1B, if you will. The Tree of Life is a cinematic experience like few others. It's an ambitious look at all things life: from the creation of the universe to the struggles of a small town Texas family in the 1950s. The juxtaposition of their struggles with the grandiose cosmic images make us ponder existence in general. It's about the long lasting impact of parental guidance, as we see most everything through the eyes of a confused youth struggling to reconcile the vastly different teachings of his parents. Enigmatic director Terrence Malick emerged from a decade plus absence to deliver his most personal film yet. There are no easy answers as the ending will just fuel discussion without providing concrete closure, but the beauty of the film lies in part with the fact that, like life, there aren't really any answers. It's a journey. Brad Pitt gives a strong, layered performance as the father who is proof to his children that life doesn't get any easier as an adult. And Jessica Chastain is great as the caring mother, who couldn't be more of an opposite from her husband. It's a challenging film driven by voice overs, little dialogue, and wonderful cinematography. The Tree of Life is a film that no description can do justice. You simply must see it.
1. Drive: As I walked out of the theater at the end of May after seeing The Tree of Life, I was certain that nothing could possibly top it. Then came Drive. Simply put, Drive blew me away. It's a perfect film - perfectly paced, perfectly scored, perfectly shot, and perfectly acted (yes, acting with little dialogue is still acting). Director Nicolas Winding Refn is a force to be reckoned with. He creates an ever-present yet slowly building tension that ultimately explodes into sometimes shocking violence. Evoking the feelings of any number of classic neo noir films, Drive is the epitome of stylized bravado. As the no-named driver, Ryan Gosling is tremendous. He doesn't say much, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a lot to say. Gosling and his love interest, Carey Mulligan, say more through the subtleties of expression than most actors this year actually physically said. Add in the colorful supporting cast led by Albert Brooks, and you have my favorite ensemble cast of the year.
For all my 2011 reviews, visit: http://mastersofourdomain.blogspot.com/