I am rightly ashamed for not having seen all that many 2011 films - my current count is a mere 41. I'm a film lover, film student, aspiring filmmaker, yada yada yada, and yet I haven't seen The Tree of Life ('though I haven't yet seen any Malick, and I'm holding off on this one because I want to see his work in order), I haven't seen The Artist, I haven't seen Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I haven't seen A Dangerous Method, I haven't seen Shame, I haven't seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I haven't seen Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I haven't seen Midnight in Paris, I haven't seen The Descendants. Those are the really notable titles that I've missed, but whether I see them in a theater soon or not until DVD/Blu-ray, I will see all of them. Anyway, here's my top 10 from what I have seen.
10. Captain America: The First Avenger
My favorite superhero comics/universes are Batman and X-Men, so as you'd guess from that, my preference skews more toward the more complex, less pure superhero stories. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good old-fashioned superhero adventure, though, and this is it. No deconstruction, no cynicism, just expertly crafted, sincere, human adventure.
9. Rango
What I really appreciated about this one is not just how genuinely - and beautifully - strange it is, but how much of a movie geek's movie it is, and it's a really fun window into the tastes of the people who made it.
8. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
The Bad Lieutenant - Port of Call: New Orleans was my first Herzog film, and I was hooked on that certain Herzog thing right away. This is a fascinating look at some of the earliest visual storytelling; other people could have made it, but no one else could have made it this spellbinding. (If you're reading this, you should be hearing it in the voice of Werner Herzog; it's far more interesting that way.)
7. Super 8
I left this movie knowing that it didn't entirely work - the alien aspect isn't integrated as smoothly as it should have been, and punches were pulled in the backstory of just what led to Joseph's mother's death - and not caring to acknowledge those flaws, because they were such minor quibbles compared to what worked so well for me, namely everything else. Yes, J.J. Abrams is paying homage to Spielberg's late '70s/early '80s best, but "homage" isn't a dirty word when the result is this enjoyable.
6. The Muppets
I've been anticipating this since 2008, shortly after seeing Forgetting Sarah Marshall (before we knew it was seriously going to happen), and watching Jason Segel on How I Met Your Mother since day one, so I was incredibly relieved that this was as charming, hilarious, and true to the spirit and tone to the great Muppet show and movies. It happens to be the best Muppet movie in 30 years, too.
5. Source Code
It's not Moon, but it's still a damn good follow-up from director Duncan Jones. I'm sure there are pages online detailing every continuity error, plot hole, and assorted nitpicks, but what I saw was a smart, exciting sci-fi thriller that hasn't quite received the attention it deserved. (Of course, it did open in April.)
4. Certified Copy
Juliette Binoche has never been better. William Shimmell is outstanding in his feature film debut. The script constantly has you - and ultimately leaves you - not confused, but wondering, in just the right way. I should see this again real soon.
3. X-Men: First Class
Perhaps my enthusiasm for this property, plus my satisfaction with the first really good (let alone great) X-Men movie in 8 years, bumped this higher than it should be, but this was the most pleasant surprise of the year: It's a solid action movie, but it handles its characters even better - not everyone is given equal weight, obviously, but it's a good ensemble piece.
2. Hugo
It's not flawless - I don't think Scorsese's as successful in filling out his world here as he usually is, I don't think he brings as much authenticity as he usually does, I don't think the supporting characters played by Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour, and Emily Mortimer contribute much - but it was a great pleasure to watch. Who doesn't love to see an old pro, a master, like Martin Scorsese, pushing himself into new territory so late in his career by (a) making a family film, and (b) making it in 3D? I'm so fond of the way Scorsese talks about movies, the way he wears his love of his art and its importance on his sleeve, I appreciated Hugo as the love letter to cinema that it is.
1. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
I'm not going to pretend I'm not a huge fan, but that's not all this is (this is the first time a Harry Potter movie has topped my best-of-a-year list). Seeing this series that's had such an effect on me for 10 years come to its end was going to be significant and affecting, but it wasn't necessarily going to be the best movie experience I've had since the first time I saw Pulp Fiction a few years ago. Subsequent viewings haven't changed my feeling that the film is an incredibly satisfying sendoff for a film series that hasn't quite been given enough recognition as a series of films: It's moving, funny, sad, thrilling, and the end of a great movie achievement.
Now, again, I am rightly ashamed of seeing far fewer films than I feel I should. But I'm not ashamed of putting any of those above films on a Top 10 list. I don't believe every film should be held to the same standard of greatness, I think that's ridiculous - those films are all great successes in doing what they tried to do; they're all great movies. And when I do see all of the titles I mentioned I haven't been able to yet, I feel like Deathly Hallows: Part 2 will still be at the top. I'm not being close-minded, that's just how I think things will go.
