2011 featured lots of good movies but no great ones. Some critically acclaimed films failed to deliver to our tastes, including The Tree of Life and Meek’s Cutoff. Some lesser known films not on our list, like Martha Marcy May Marlene and Melancholia, show great promise for emerging films. We admit our preference is for great stories, rather than artistic renderings. From that perspective, here are our favorite films of 2011.
1) A Separation - culture and conflict combine to bring a good family to their knees.
2) Hugo - a street-wise boy learns that everyone has a place and purpose.
3) The Descendants - no matter how dysfunctional, there's no place like home.
4) 50/50 -day-to-day trivia becomes less important when serious illness comes to life.
5) Midnight in Paris - lost soul finds himself in the dream streets of Paris.
6) Drive - No matter how clearly you define the rules, life takes its own road forward.
7) Crazy Stupid Love - dumped man and straight woman dabble in the dating scene.
8) Moneyball - Low budget ball manager discovers low cost way to build a winner.
9) Source Code - Sci fi thriller where the answer resides in a dead man's memory.
10) Rango - Existential lizard seeks meaning in a meaningless desert of life.