The 25 Best Movies Of 2011
By Matt Barone | Dec 20, 2011 | 12:01 pm | Permalink
Ranking a year’s strongest films in list form is, for all intents and purposes, a celebration, so why does it often feel disheartening, not joyous? OK, we’re being a bit melodramatic here, but it’s tough to ignore the fact that, following tradition, the majority of 2011’s preeminent movies either evaporated at the box office or barely registered as mere blips on the mainstream’s radar. In that sense, the following list is positive, filled with underrated, overlooked, and underperforming flicks that deserve eyes and ears, and, fingers crossed, will gain their rightful followings.
But it’s not all high-brow and art-house. The major studios didn’t completely drop the ball in 2011, with larger budgets and bigger names contributing to memorable films about revolutionary primates, heroic and conflicted mutants, and a Goth computer hacker with pierced nipples and a flair for solving crimes. So where do they all land on amongst the year’s finest? Get ready to hate, adulate, and debate as we count down The 25 Best Movies Of 2011.
Written by Matt Barone (@MBarone)
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Fullmetal December 20th, 2011 at 02:26 PM
no harry potter?
Rich December 21st, 2011 at 04:09 PM
No Tree of Life? That saddens me.
Adeel I Naseem December 25th, 2011 at 06:10 PM
What a terrible film year.
jamarco December 26th, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Where's Super 8?
Dante January 2nd, 2012 at 05:58 PM
Drive Warrior Rise of the planet of the apes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Crazy Stupid Love 50/50 Friends with Benefits these are the only good films this year
Kyle January 3rd, 2012 at 05:38 AM
Fast Five is on here? A few are just horribly boring of course but how could you leave off Melancholia? And why is Insidious on here while a much better haunted house type film The Inkeepers isn't? No Kill List(best horror film of the year that makes Drive look like Sesame Street)and no Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil. Bridesmaids over Horrible Bosses with the brilliant Charlie Day from It's Always Sunny... crazy. 13 Assassins also belongs on here at least in the top 5 since it's a masterpiece.
Ravi January 3rd, 2012 at 02:10 PM
No Harry Potter, but Fast Five makes the list? Really? smh. some of these movies are worse than those on your worst 25 movies list. and Xmen was not that good. Methinks you should read Joss Whedon's run to see what a good X-men story looks like.
Christina Rosetti, the poetess January 3rd, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Too bad more people haven't seen Hugo - just fantastic. And it MUST be seen in 3D to appreciate the magic. Agreed, the last part of the film beautifully pulls it all together: George Melies: "And now, I address all tonight you as you truly are: I address you all tonight as you truly are: Wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, magicians. Come and dream with me." And then he puts the top hat on, the cigarette in his mouth, pulls the curtain and morphs into his younger self in B&W and in the same costume. Much better than Drive, which for me was ruined by the excessive brutality and gore and had an unsatisfying ending.
Christina Rosetti the poetess January 3rd, 2012 at 11:55 PM
Too bad more people haven't seen Hugo - just fantastic. And it MUST be seen in 3D to appreciate the magic. Agreed, the last part of the film beautifully pulls it all together: George Melies: "And now, I address all tonight you as you truly are: Wizards, mermaids, travelers, adventurers, magicians. Come and dream with me." And then he puts the top hat on, the cigarette in his mouth, pulls the curtain and morphs into his younger self in B&W and in the same costume. Much better than Drive, which for me was ruined by the excessive brutality and gore and had an unsatisfying ending.
This Guy February 11th, 2012 at 06:12 PM
Umm, Lincoln Lawyer? I thought it was a shame it wasn't nominated for a single Oscar.