• Tweet
• 

• Tweet
• 

Compiling this list was more of a personal challenge than anything else. It’s always been a bit difficult for me to keep up with new releases. This year, I aimed to change that, and I think I put forth a valiant effort. There were some films I wasn’t able to get to (The Skin I Live In, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Weekend, Hugo, Martha Marcy May Marlene), and that daunting list is one of the main reasons I probably won’t be doing this next year. So, without further ado, here are my top 10 films released in 2011.

The Tree of Life

Upon first viewing Tree of Life I was pretty lukewarm. It wasn’t until I started talking about it that I realized how taken with the film I was. Both Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt are fabulous. Chastain is simply luminous (and will come up again in this list). It’s nontraditional narrative makes the viewing experience, well, nontraditional. I’m glad I gave myself some time to sit with this film. Over time, it’s proven to be something I had to  experience rather than simply watch.

X-Men: First Class

Yes, it’s overlong. No, it isn’t perfect. But I’ll be damned if this isn’t my favorite superhero film since… maybe ever. Much of that has to do with the time period it’s set in, and the casting. James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence (even though she is a bit wasted) elevate this film from cheesy to genuinely dramatic. I’m purposely not talking about January Jones. First Class does a lot of things right. The film has balance and heart, and it never forgets what it is.

Hobo with a Shotgun

At one point in 2011 I proclaimed this was “the best movie I’ve ever seen!” I came down from my Hobo high, and, although I no longer make such bold proclamations in its honor, it still made a huge impact on me. Vile, gory, and over-the-top, HwaS  sets itself apart and proves it’s more than fodder for gorehounds. Whether you buy into the characters and their emotions has much to do with whether you’ll go along for this ride. This is Rutger Hauer’s film. Yet another entry on this list that owes a lot to its casting.

Beginners

This wasn’t even on my radar until I saw people reblogging stills like mad on tumblr. I’m glad I pushed it to the top of my queue. Sometimes a film will make an impact simply because you find it at the right time. Beginners fell into my lap, grabbed hold of my heart, and ripped me to emotional shreds. 2 weeks earlier I may not have been so deeply touched. I think I forgot how wonderful Ewan McGregor can be. This film is the perfect platform for his awkwardly innocent charms.

Attack the Block

Most folks have already jumped on the bandwagon, but if you’re avoiding it for whatever reason, stop. This film (like many others on this list) has a lot of heart and is so much more than its simple synopsis; much more than an alien invasion flick.

Melancholia

If you keep up with my entries, you probably already know my feelings on this one. Melancholia ruined my day. And I mean that in the best way possible. Here’s my 100 word review. I think it says it all.

Take Shelter

When Michael Shannon and Jeff Nichols get together, amazing things happen. This quiet, meditative film belongs to its leads. Shannon is mesmerizing. His every choice, action, and reaction fills us with anxiety. We know, in our hearts and in our veins, that things aren’t going to end well. Jessica Chastain (there she is again!) helps turn a character that could have been a simple caricature into an empathetic female counterpart to Shannon. Here are 100 more words about Take Shelter.

Another Earth

People really (like, really really) don’t like this film. Co-writer/star Brit Marling spoke to me through this film. The Rhoda character is so weighed down by regret, fear, sadness, and a myriad other completely relatable and understandable emotions that I aligned with her instantly. So on that front, I’m sold. Now on the flip side, the idea of another Earth, with another me on it, scares the shit out of me. The thought alone leaves me frozen in terror. This film forced me to sit there and attempt to wrap my brain around meeting myself. What if you met the other you and didn’t like who you were faced with? (I’m well aware that this irrational fear speaks volumes about me.) The film’s closing shows the exact things I spent the whole run time worrying about: Rhoda meets Rhoda. For me, Another Earth succeed in everything it set out to do.

Young Adult

The second this film ended, I wanted to watch it again. My original feelings can be found here. Since viewing Young Adult I watched United States of Tara in its entirety, and now feel even more confident saying Diablo Cody is fucking amazing. YA has her finger prints all over it. This film ranks so high because of the balance it strikes. It has an immense amount of rewatchability, and is infinitely entertaining. It also manages to dig further below the surface than a Bad Teacher (another film with an unlikable female protagonist) or a 30 Minutes or Less (a dark comedy I thoroughly enjoyed). This film provides a very bittersweet viewing experience. I liked how uncomfortable it was able make me.

Shame

Unlike Young Adult, I will never watch this film again. It haunts me still. I was deeply disturbed by the desperation of the main characters (Fassbender and Mulligan, respectively). Shame isn’t about the sex. The sex is just a means to an end. And that end is such a dark hole or despair and yearning that simply thinking about it leaves a lump in my throat. This film presents you with characters and you have a short window to decide how far you’re willing to go with them. If you hang on for the ride, you come out on the other side weighed down like a lead balloon. Shame is not a fairy story; Brandon and Sissy exist and their arcs are completely believable. Many of the films that spoke to me in 2011 are heavy with sadness and hopelessness. Many of the characters I met were complex, sour, and guilty of poor decision making. Shame is all of the above, and it handles it the best.