I can’t recall the last time I saw so many good films in one year, especially during the first six months – which, if you know where to look, is not as dead a period as you might think. I present to you now my list of the ten films I feel represent 2011 at its very best. Not wanting to leave anything out, I have also included a sub-list of honorable mentions that represent a wide range of genres, from art house to character studies to animated films to pure escapist entertainment. I hope you enjoy it.
10. Midnight in Paris
Woody Allen’s latest is not only a delightful and funny time-travel fantasy, it’s also a smart and often touching examination of misdirected nostalgia.
9. Bill Cunningham New York
The legendary New York Times fashion photographer becomes the subject of a fascinating, illuminating, and often funny documentary.
8. Shame
Michael Fassbender gives a devastating performance in Steve McQueen’s unflinching portrait of a sex addict and his wayward sister.
7. Trust
A heartbreaking but highly compelling drama about how the aftermath of a rape can actually be more traumatizing than the rape itself.
6. Certified Copy
A surprisingly absorbing romantic drama that challenges the audience by encouraging debate over what is an “original” and what is a “copy.”
5. Johnny Mad Dog
The relentless authenticity of this African children-of-war drama makes it more terrifying than just about any horror movie I can think of.
4. Hugo
Martin Scorsese’s first foray into 3D family filmmaking is not only a beautiful story of friendship, but also a loving and engaging tribute to the history of cinema.
3. The Tree of Life
Terrence Malick’s beautiful spiritual drama plays directly on the emotions like a finely orchestrated piece of music.
2. The Artist
Although it may seem odd to make a black-and-white silent film in 2011, this gloriously old-fashioned melodrama is pure entertainment from start to finish.
1. A Separation
This Iranian masterpiece from writer/director Asghar Farhadi is in part an intrigue story but more so an intelligent, uncompromising examination of culture.
Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order):
The Adjustment Bureau, The Adventures of Tintin, Anonymous, Another Earth, Beginners, Cedar Rapids, Chasing Madoff, Contagion, A Dangerous Method, The Debt, The Descendants, Elektra Luxx, Friends with Benefits, Gnomeo & Juliet, Griff the Invisible, The Guard, Hanna, Happy Feet Two, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Help, The Ides of March, The Iron Lady, J. Edgar, Jane Eyre, Kung Fu Panda 2, Margin Call, Mars Needs Moms, Meek’s Cutoff, Melancholia, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Moneyball, The Myth of the American Sleepover, Of Gods and Men, Our Idiot Brother, Pariah, Rango, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Straw Dogs, Tabloid, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Under Fire: Journalists in Combat, War Horse, Water for Elephants, We Need to Talk about Kevin, Weekend, Win Win, Winnie the Pooh, X-Men: First Class, Young Adult
- Chris Pandolfi
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