10 Best Films of 2011 (That I happened to see) 1. Drive (I have not come out of a film so exhilarated by narrative storytelling and directing since "Reservoir Dogs". My blood never flows fast when I come out of a movie anymore and my blood flowed for this. Nice to see Nicholas Winding Refn remind people what bravura directing is) 2. 50/50 (A comedy about cancer and they pull it off which is kind of amazing because it could easily have fell on its face. Great chemistry here. I think the best thing about 50/50 is reminding people that people do not become angels when they get diseases. They still can have rotten thoughts about other people and do rotten and good things in equal measure. I believed Seth Rogen's friendship with Joseph Gordon Levitt) 3. A Seperation (Iran gives us a view on what it takes to make a drama seem like a thriller) 4. Tree of Life (Terrence Mallick does 2001 in 2011 and the fact that he was allowed to do it and pull it off marvelously personally is a miracle in itself, a genuinely philosophically and spiritually important film) 5. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (A bit of a throw back, ie: see SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD or the BBC series with Guinness, but unbelievably solid. Mainly for employing the overflowing acting talent of Great Britain) 6. Hugo (Martin Scorsese swims outside his safe zone and it's great to see him prove that family cinema does not have to be insulting to children and adult's intelligence alike. 7. Bridesmaids (Kirsten Wiig owned the summer. It's well written. It's funny and it's five women being flat out hilarious which in itself, sadly is rather revolutionary) 8. The Descendants (Alexander Payne continues to be the only American director I get excited about every time he does a film besides Paul Thomas Anderson) 9. We Need To Talk About Kevin (finally Lyne Ramsay lives up to her ten year old promise with RATCATCHER) 10. Shame (finally an honest film about sex addiction. Why has it taken so long?) "Midnight In Paris" is an intriguing film and a good gimmick on it's surface. But it doesn't have any legs and I cannot believe how many people dig it. If you want to see how Woody does this kind of film right see "Purple Rose of Cairo". I have not seen "The Artist" yet but am already prejudiced against it somewhat considering how many people are falling over it. Have we not seen the story of the silent star left in the cold by the advent of sound? Has no one seen "Sunset Boulevard"? I guess no one recently. A Non dialogue cinema throwback seems like a ploy that paid off to me. But I am willing to give it a shot. Despite never having laughed at Jean Dujardin despite the fact that he is in every film in France.