Top 25 Movies of 2011

Another year has closed and that means it’s time for year-end lists!
(I reserve the right to amend this list if there is a movie that I DIDN’T catch in 2011 yet – but do later)

First, a couple movies I really dug, but didn’t include on my final list –

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Although it muddled for a bit, it packs a real punch and at the end I was wowed!), The Beaver (People are so anti Mel Gibson they didn’t give this the chance it deserved – and that’s too bad because it’s a good film), My Week With Marilyn (I thought Michelle Williams was great, better than the movie itself), Give Up Tomorrow (The story of Paco was moving and I personally found myself disgusted at his treatment – check out http://freepaconow.com for more), Page One: Inside The New York Times (For a media junkie like myself, this hit it out of the park with a fascinating look at the NY Times), Super 8 (An action movie, a weird crash, kids making movies – all fun)

25 Movies I really dug in 2011

25. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

Ok, virtually no critic will put this on a list, but look – it’s amazing on IMAX or Ultra Screen so get out and see it with the biggest screen and loudest sound you can find. Yes, Tom Cruise is back!

24. Young Adult

Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt are spectactular and not just because they hit my target age group here. Diablo Cody has written a witty and fun script that will have you laughing as well as crying inside for Charlize’s character. And Jason Reitman, well….is still the man.

23. Margin Call

One of those that just wasn’t marketed and distributed very well. This is an amazingly timely and star-studded film dealing with the financial crisis; if you at all like finances you need to see this movie. Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Zachary Quinto and more are featured here.

22. The Artist

Sure I like it; I’m just not overwhelmed with this silent, black and white effort that seems to be taking everyone else by storm.

21. Win Win
Underrated film from early 2011 featuring a stellar performance from Paul Giamatti (but that is expected these days). It’s one of those snapshots of life that will really grab you.

20. The Way
Ok, very few people saw this Emilio Estevez written and directed film starring his father Martin Sheen playing his father. It’s a poignant tale of a father coming to grips with the loss of his son, all while coming to grips with his own personal struggles. A journey both physically and spiritually that is worth checking out.

19. Cedar Rapids

You may have missed it earlier this year, but you shouldn’t have. Ed Helms teams with John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr. to give us a look at small town insurance in the big city of Cedar Rapids. You’ll laugh a lot and won’t be disappointed by this one.

18. Take Shelter

Michael Shannon. Seems like all I need to say about this movie is his name. He’s such a solid actor that anything he touches turns into something special. Here he is dealing with a spiral into mental illness before your very eyes, or is he? Jessica Chastain stars as his wife in just ONE of her great performances of the year.

17. The Help

Speaking of Jessica Chastain she is here alongside a spectacular ensemble including Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Bryce Dallas Howard. This may be the best ensemble in a movie this year. It’s a film that will disgust you when you think of where we were as a society. It will also uplift you in ways you never imagined with the courage of a few to step out of the “norm” of the time.

16. Senna

Why this wasn’t on the short list for the Academy Awards is beyond me. Of course, I like racing, but even if I didn’t this story of driver Ayrton Senna and his rise in Formula 1 plays like a gripping novel. You can’t wait to turn the next page some of which will make you smile, but eventually will break your heart. A man so revered, whose life was cut short way too soon, gets a special film to remember him.

15. 50/50

This one really surprised me. I didn’t expect the depth that I got. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars along Seth Rogen and deals frankly and openly with a startling diagnosis. At 27 he has cancer despite living the “right” life. Coping with cancer at 27 is tough but this is a very straightforward and frank film filled with humor and heart.

14. The Adventures of Tin Tin

I wasn’t the first to call attention to it, but I think it’s true. This is like an animated Raiders of the Lost Ark film. I think that may be some of the reason Steven Spielberg was so passionate about bringing it to the screen. The motion capture works and I can’t wait to see the next stop for Tin Tin.

13. War Horse

Speaking of Spielberg, War Horse is the way filmmaking used to be. Despite being a touch long, it is an emotional story that reminds you of epic films of days gone by.  It is a sharply crafted film that is beautiful to look at and evokes memories of classic American films.
 
12. Martha Marcy May Marlene
Cults are fascinating to me. How one man can have so much control over some lost souls is just amazing. Here Elizabeth Olsen delivers an amazing turn as one of those lost souls trying to break away from the leader of a cult. John Hawkes is patient, calculating and oh so devious as the leader and will make your skin crawl at times which is, of course, a perfect emotion to feel after this film.

11. Hugo

As a film critic I truly adored this film. As a film lover I truly adored this film. But I think it has a hard market to find and that may be its downfall. No matter about that, it still is one of the best films of the year unfolding like a lyrical opera.

And now – to the Top 10…are these films necessarily the best made or technically superior to everything else, maybe not…but these 10 films were the ones that really worked for me.

10. The Muppets

It’s time to start the music; it’s time to light the lights! The Muppets came back this year and were amazing. Jason Segel brings a true love of the characters to his script and Amy Adams just makes you smile no matter what she does. The music works and the smile that was on my face when I left the theater, and even watched after watching it for a second time, were ear to ear.

9. The Ides of March

Ok, I’ve admitted to a lot of things in this list and here’s another one – political movies, when done well, get etched in my memory. George Clooney’s film that stars Ryan Gosling is memorable as a glimpse inside political campaigning. (the good, the bad, and the ugly) With a cast that includes Paul Giamatti, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood and others, Clooney has assembled talent that he lets work. A marvelous political thriller, don’t miss it.

8. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Although many have yet to see this Stephen Daldry film that rolls out in mid-January nationwide, it is a truly special film. A film starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock that really focuses most of the scenes on a young boy is a risk, but works. Thomas Horn as young Oskar may annoy some, but I believe he fits the role here beautifully. That persona is exactly what his father fostered within him and what makes him special. A film dealing with the horrifying realities around life after 9/11 is tough and you will have watery eyes before it ends.

7. Bridesmaids

The funniest film of 2011 by far. I was fortunate to see this one about 3 weeks before it was released to the public and was blown away. The women here do things that have always been reserved for men, and it’s about time. Kristen Wiig leads a funny and talented group of women that will have you laughing for days after the film ends. Original, witty and extremely funny – Bridesmaids is a hit with this groom.

6. The Interrupters

The best documentary of 2011 that I had the pleasure of seeing, period! It’s a film that will live with you for ages after seeing it. The men and women that try to step in between the violence that rips apart family and friends is truly life-changing. There are individuals that are alive today because of their efforts and this film from Steve James (Hoop Dreams) will make you want to thank them, personally. Please, please, please see this film!

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

Is this the best film of the year? No. But it IS the perfect end to such a solid series. Even the lesser Harry Potter films held a bar up that was higher than most films could meet. The conclusion has everything, action, effects, drama and great characters that we know and love. It was the perfect end to the series and what fans wanted to see.

4. Contagion

This is on virtually no radars as I can tell, but Steven Soderbergh’s tale of a virus gone wild is as creepy as anything that I’ve seen this year. With a cast this big, you can only imagine that not all will make it to the end of the movie alive, and it doesn’t disappoint. You will wash your hands more, and look twice at that doorknob you open for weeks and even months after seeing this film.

3. Moneyball

Sure this is a mainstream film starring one of the most popular actors on the planet. Sure it’s got Jonah Hill in a less comedic role than we’ve seen from him before. But it’s got a heart and soul like nothing else this year. Pitt knocks it out of the park as General Manager Billy Beane in his task to be the general manager of the Oakland A’s. Jonah Hill works wonders as the stat man behind the man. Money Ball is not just a successful baseball movie, it’s a great film…period.

2. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

When I left my 2 hours and 20 odd minutes with Lizbeth I just had to breathe. David Fincher delivers something that is absolutely amazing at every turn. Rooney Mara stars in a star making role as Lizbeth. Fincher’s direction left me stunned as one minute I was sickened by what was happening to Lizabeth onscreen. And later – I found myself aroused when I witnessed a much healthier encounter. It’s dark yet sleek. And the story makes you wonder all along just what will be found. If you liked Silence of the Lambs – you will love this film as well.

1. The Descendants

Since the first day I saw this Alexander Payne film, I compared everything to it. The film delivers a range of emotions like nothing else this year. When I laughed, I laughed loudly. When I cried, the tears were real emotion. George Clooney dials his look back just enough that you believe everything he’s going through. On the backdrop of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, even the set pieces are amazing to watch onscreen. I cheered for George to make it through the life changing events that were set on his life. And the revelation here is – Shailene Woodley, as George’s daughter. She deserves every accolade that will come her way as does this film. This is truly amazing and marks another satisfying encounter with Payne.

There ya have it – Hope you enjoyed the list! What would you add? What would you delete? What can’t you wait to see? Let me have it!

Here’s to a wonderful 2012.