Favorite films of 2011

Eschewing the tradition of posting a year-end “best of” list before the year actually ends, I have instead opted to see as many films as possible to provide a semi-complete list of my favorites.  Either that, or I became lazy.

2011 was not a particularly good year for film.  2010 may have been generally mediocre, but yielded some truly great films such as Inception, The Social Network, True Grit, The King’s Speech, and Black Swan [thoughts here].  2011 lacks even a few great movies, at least of those I have seen.  Once again I have missed many of the year’s most lauded films, such as A Separation and some other arty/obscure/foreign films.  Suffice to say, of the widely-released studio or “independent” studio product of 2011, very little stands out as extraordinary.  There were a number of good films, and a few very good films.  But such a lack of quality content has made me a bit apathetic this awards season, and makes the completion of a “best of” list a bit silly and trite.  Nevertheless, here are some of the films that stood out to me in 2011, with a very personal choice in the number 1 spot.

10. The Artist
The Artist, along with Hugo, is in the genre of film that celebrates cinema.  I quite enjoyed both films, but decided to give the nod to The Artist, primarily because it feels more like a true film.  Hugo, in a way, bothered me because of the obvious artifice associated with the production; the magic was somewhat dissipated like a digitally enhanced fog.  The Artist remains as a cute love story, a paean to the lost ages of Hollywood when movie stars didn’t need to talk and were fabulously famous.  It may not rise above pure entertainment, but is certainly a solid enough film to land a place on this list.

9. Drive

If Drive had been released while I was in college it surely would have been one of my favorite films ever.  It is sleek and pretty, and occasionally brutal.  It is stylish and cool, elements that would have perfectly attracted a college-age version of me.  There may not be much, if anything, underneath the surface, but I still greatly enjoyed the film.

8. Rango
Rango is one of the earliest releases on my list, and it made an impact back in March.  It is a quirky, odd, beautifully animated film that toys with the tropes of westerns in a unique fashion.  The story might not amount to much, but the detail and odd characters are enough to make it an entertaining animated standout.

7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I didn’t necessarily love David Fincher’s remake of the first part of the Millennium Trilogy, but it’s impossible to deny the film’s impeccable direction, music and sound design, and strong acting.  The story is clearly laid out, the two primary characters are dynamic when they finally meet halfway through, and the film remains a dark and disturbing thrill ride that I quite enjoyed.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The most satisfying ending the series could have hoped for, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is exactly what it needed to be.  Perhaps the climax isn’t as exciting as some might hope, but the thematic culmination of the eight films is perfectly captured.  The movie remains dark and sad, but these are traits that enable it to rise above the rest of the series.

5. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
I saw Crazy, Stupid, Love. twice before it was even released, and I enjoyed it greatly both times.  It stood out as a summer release that was a notch or two above any other romantic comedy.  It has a heart, or at least tries, and has characters with depth.  Plus, there is a remarkable twist that neither audience I saw it with suspected.  It may ultimately celebrate shallowness as it outwardly condemns it, but that doesn’t make the film any less entertaining.

4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
I think that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy might be a great film, but I don’t know why.  It doesn’t seem to care about plot or climax, and perhaps not much about characters or sensibility in general.  But there’s something bewitching about the production.  It features the best cinematography of 2011, and some of the best acting (in part because the editor and cinematographer let the camera linger on faces).  It may not have entirely made sense, but maybe it will with a second viewing.  Even if it doesn’t, there are elements that will still beguile me, I suspect.

3. Martha Marcy May Marlene
Martha Marcy May Marlene has aged well with time and thought.  Immediately leaving the theater I was perhaps unsatisfied, but intrigued and engaged.  But the film demands to be considered in depth, and as my mind has returned to the film its stature has increased.  It is a complex, difficult film, impeccably thought out and with some outstanding performances, and is certainly a film that will need to be re-watched at some point.

2. Melancholia
Lars von Trier had the second place film on my list of favorite films of 2009, with Antichrist, and he returns again with a film that is less angry, and even more depressing.  Melancholia is a beautiful film, with difficult situations and people, not to mention the end of the world itself.  For someone who has experience with depression in some way, it is an immediately identifiable look at the irrationality and crushing weight of sadness and melancholy.  I enjoyed Melancholia in a rather strange way, taking delight in seeing such themes played out in a theater setting, while relishing the masterful filmmaking and acting on display.

1. The Adventures of Tintin
I would understand those who might argue that The Adventures of Tintin is not the best film of the year, and I would probably even agree.  But it was a film that made me sublimely happy in parts, bringing back some of the scarce good memories I have of childhood.  It is an absurdist adventure, filmed beautifully, with a flair for computer graphics that look incredible on the big screen.  After finding only depressing films to be enjoyable for much of the year, The Adventures of Tintin was a wonderful bright spot.