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The Best Movies of 2011: #20 – #1

February 10, 2012

You’ve been patient, you’ve behaved yourselves like the fine young boys and girls you are, and I’m just proud as can be. For those in the know, skip on down, but in case you missed it these past four days:

Day 1: #94 – #81
Day 2: #80 – #61

Day 3: #60 – #41

Day 4: #40 – 21

So without further ado, I now give you the best of the best of the best of the best, as deemed by Aiden.

20. Jane Eyre
Impossible to do the source material justice in a two-hour time span, but this came pretty close. The world would be a better place if more girls read that book.

19. Submarine
Richard Ayoade: remember the name, even if you can’t pronounce it.

18. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
The antithesis of every spy movie we’ve gotten out of the past couple decades, which is exactly why I dug it. Tough novel to adapt, but those Brits sure know how to act.

17. Poetry
An unlikely powerhouse that’s as profound and subtle as it is complex and devastating.
Doesn’t look like much from the outset, but it is something else and then some.

16. Cedar Rapids
Still the funniest movie I saw all year. John C. Reilly for President.

15. Win Win
Laughed, felt, cheered, the whole shebang.
Just can’t beat movies about real people with real problems, and that kid was so damn good.

14. The Artist
Flat-out brilliant and it charmed my pants off.
Couldn’t be happier to see this clean house during awards season.

13. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
One of the best moviegoing experiences of my life.
Still up in the air about whether this or Azkaban is my favorite, but what a perfect ending regardless.

12. Black Death
Right up my alley and makes a strong case for Sean Bean being the most badass man alive.
Makes you wonder how film makers kept screwing this formula up for so long.

11. Catching Hell
Mind-blowing. Chicago owes Steve Bartman one big-effing-apology.

10. Attack the Block
Best characters of the year, #2 best script of the year, straight-up awesome from beginning to end. Have to say that the movie’s been mighty kind to me as well. Trust.

9. Moneyball
#1 best script of the year and the cast ain’t too shabby either.
Still amazed at how well this lived up to one of the best books I’ve ever read.

8. Coriolanus
All that crap I said about Shakespeare in the past, I take it all back. That dude was no joke.
Will someone give Fiennes a freaking Oscar already?

7. Senna
Still not enough to make me watch racing, but what an emotional, incredible, and extraordinary story. Hell of a year for alternative sports movies.

6. Beginners
Beautiful. Magical. Brave.
Doesn’t do it justice, but it truly deserves the ranking.

5. Take Shelter
What Jeff Nichols did here is nothing short of jaw-dropping and Michael Shannon gave a performance without equal. Flipping outrageous how fast this came and went.

4. Bill Cunningham New York
A life-changing movie about a model human being. We should all strive to be like Bill.

3. Midnight in Paris
A wonderful surprise through and through.
Couldn’t have wiped that smile off with pliers and a blowtorch.

2. The Interrupters
If you only saw one movie last year, it should have been this. Required Viewing 101.

1. Bellflower
Folks, some movies just make you want to make movies.

And that’s all she wrote. I repeat: I’m no authority on these matters, but after 188 hours spent watching movies this last year, these are the ones that made it all worth while. If you haven’t seen ’em, I urge you to give ’em a whirl. Not promising anything, but you could do a whole lot worse than most of the shit Hollywood wants you to see.

Alright, climbing off the soapbox now. Thanks a mil for reading and continue to keep it real.

382 Comments leave one →
  1. February 10, 2012 12:06 am

    Nice! That is all I can say! Nice!!!

  2. February 10, 2012 12:38 am

    Absolutely Loved Black Death, so it makes me happy that someone else is as crazy as I am.

  3. February 10, 2012 12:59 am

    Loved Jane Eyre, and I have read the book so I get double points as a fan although I could fit it on my Top 10…it’s a solid 11

    • February 12, 2012 6:38 pm

      Way to earn those double points! That book is one of the all-time greats and glad you liked the movie so much, too. Couldn’t fit it into my Top Ten either, but I think 20 is a pretty choice spot all the same.

  4. February 10, 2012 9:57 am

    Loved this whole list, I totally dig your taste. Consider me a follower.

    • February 12, 2012 6:39 pm

      Thank you much and I dig yours as well! Keep on watchin and thanks for stopping by!

  5. February 10, 2012 11:27 am

    Ah, I was anxiously, I mean patiently!, waiting for this. Loved Jane Eyre, Submarine was way too emo for me, have to see Poetry now, hated Cedar Rapids, liked Win Win (great fucking end song, eh?), and do agree with you on the fantastic script of Moneyball (best adapted screenplay for me, without a doubt, but the best original screenplay goes to Woody Allen in my opinion). Take Shelter I just saw yesterday, kinda slow moving, but boy, does it pay off in the end. Never heard of Attack the Block. Will check it out. Good list, Mr. Aiden. Well, except for putting Beginners on Number 6. That one sucked monkey balls.

    • February 12, 2012 6:45 pm

      Hahaha. Glad you loved Jane Eyre, I can understand the Submarine complaint (even though emo might be a TAD harsh,) Poetry will punch you in the heart, we’ll just have to agree to disagree about how hilarious Cedar Rapids is, that is a great song at the end of Win Win (good call!) and I wouldn’t argue against Woody’s script for a second. Glad you liked Take Shelter, thought the world of that movie (Michael Shannon, the best actor of the year, got ridiculously overlooked.) Hope you like Attack the Block, even the missus loved it, and that is not her cup of tea. Happy to hear you approve of the list, but Beginners was awesome!

  6. Ryan permalink
    February 10, 2012 11:46 am

    Did you even see the Zoo Keeper!? I can’t believe that was left off your list.

  7. Johnny mitchell permalink
    February 10, 2012 12:28 pm

    great list! keep up the good work!! 😉 🙂

  8. February 10, 2012 1:15 pm

    Reblogged this on if you can't say it, write it!.

  9. February 10, 2012 1:18 pm

    I also loved Jane Eyre, MoneyBall and Cedar Rapids. The best thing is that you just gave me a whole new list of “must see” movies! Thanks, great blog and post! 🙂
    -Kristin
    http://www.coupletastic.com

    • February 12, 2012 6:52 pm

      Glad to hear it, they’re up there for a reason! And hope you enjoy the other ones when you get around to ’em, they’re pretty darn good. Thanks for stopping by!

  10. February 10, 2012 1:20 pm

    So agree with Midnight in Paris! :>

    • February 12, 2012 6:53 pm

      How couldn’t you? What a great movie. Thanks for stopping by!

  11. February 10, 2012 1:21 pm

    Great movie reviews here! Cedar Rapids was hilarious!

    • February 12, 2012 6:54 pm

      Thanks! And I totally agree, that movie had me howling like no other.

  12. Vikki blahs permalink
    February 10, 2012 1:25 pm

    Ohh im embarassed…I remember only 2 out of these 20 films,sounding loud,
    here in India :-/

    • February 12, 2012 6:55 pm

      Lol. Don’t be embarrassed, I’m more shocked at how much time I spent watching movies this year. Might be about time to pick up a hobby. Thanks for stopping by and check out those movies if you can!

  13. February 10, 2012 1:30 pm

    Why is it that most of these movies, I’ve never even HEARD OF…does Hollywood keep a tight lid on its best and brightest for some crazy reason?

    I’m going to see The Artist this weekend. Can’t wait!

    🙂

    • February 12, 2012 6:57 pm

      Not to get on a high horse and not to discount some of the great movies that Hollywood rams down our throats (Deathly Hallows: Part II for instance,) but yeah, it’s criminal how many great movies are out there and what little publicity they get in lieu of The Twilight Saga for example. Ugh, I could go on, but it ain’t your fault, Mikalee.

      Hope you like The Artist, though! Certainly lived up to the hype.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  14. February 10, 2012 1:39 pm

    I will have to watch some of these movies! But the ones that I have seen such as Jane Eyre, Harry Potter and Cedar Rapids I totally agree that these movies should be on the list! Thanks for a great post!

    • February 12, 2012 6:59 pm

      Do it to it! They’re all pretty great. Glad you liked those three as much as I did though, they were winners alright.

      Thanks for the kind words and thanks for stopping by!

  15. February 10, 2012 1:41 pm

    Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything this year that particularly inspired me. Coriolanus was about the only thing I found worth watching.

    • February 12, 2012 7:00 pm

      Definitely one of the more disappointing and sporadic years for us moviegoers, but good call catching Coriolanus. That was out of sight.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  16. February 10, 2012 1:43 pm

    Thanks God Tree of Life is nowhere near the top.

    • February 12, 2012 7:02 pm

      Hahaha. It almost broke into the Top 20, but after so many months of talking about those damn dinosaurs, liking that movie became more of a hassle than anything. Still a big fan, but can totally understand why so many were turned off by it.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  17. February 10, 2012 1:47 pm

    Great list! Now I know that I have to see Midnight in Paris. As for HP 7.2 – I completely agree. A fitting end to the series. I’m glad to find a kindred spirit who loves Azkaban (that one’s my favorite, too).

    • February 12, 2012 8:01 pm

      Thanks! Go see Midnight in Paris! You can thank me later. And what’s not like about HP 7.2? Saw it at midnight on opening day and what a way to see it. Azkaban is still so darn good though, not an easy call. Glad we’re on the same page though!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  18. indiraadams permalink
    February 10, 2012 1:51 pm

    You just made me want to see Midnight in Paris really badly! It looks so romantic!

    http://indiraadams.wordpress.com

    • February 12, 2012 8:05 pm

      You gotta see it! Hope it lives up to the hype and thanks for stopping by!

  19. berkeleybob permalink
    February 10, 2012 2:26 pm

    Great list! I’ll start looking to rent them.

    • February 12, 2012 8:06 pm

      Thanks! Hope they live up to the list and thanks for stopping by!

  20. February 10, 2012 2:27 pm

    To my surprise, I only watched #17 out of the 20. #17 was such a good movie, sad to see the reality of our society (Korean where I came from) and the sorrowful and naive life of the main character.

    • February 12, 2012 8:08 pm

      Well said and that was a mighty fine movie to see out of the 20. Wish more people had seen it, but that also goes for a lot of the movies on this list. Spread the word and thanks for stopping by!

  21. Nic permalink
    February 10, 2012 2:27 pm

    Gotta love Attack the Block. Great movie.

    • February 12, 2012 8:10 pm

      Hell yeah! So freaking good. Glad you agree and thanks for stopping by!

  22. February 10, 2012 2:51 pm

    great review dude, the best part:”Folks, some movies just make you want to make movies.” totally agree.

    • February 12, 2012 8:12 pm

      Thanks, man! Bellflower was a gamechanger for me and just the kick in the ass I needed. Did you see it? If not, def give it a go. Thanks for stopping by!

  23. February 10, 2012 3:00 pm

    Wow. I admire your category organization and the way you designed this blog. You sure enjoy what you’re doing.
    I can’t wait to see Beginners; saving it. Midnight In Paris was so much better than I thought. I’m so happy you chose Adrian Brody’s image for the film in your poll right now because that little scene in the film was a memorable highlight and incredibly funny.

    Thank you for introducing me to Bill Cunningham New York. I added it to my ‘watch list’.

    • February 12, 2012 8:16 pm

      Thanks! Yeah, this little project’s been a blast and nothing like geeking out on a big-ass list like this.

      You’re gonna love Beginners, same here on Midnight in Paris, and that scene with Adrian Brody was a freaking riot. Totally unexpected (like the rest of the movie) and one of the best things he’s done in ages.

      And you’re welcome for Bill Cunningham. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!

      • February 13, 2012 12:39 pm

        I’m glad there are other folks who noticed and appreciated the execution of Adrian’s brief scene in the whole film. So well done. And yes, I too did not expect Midnight in Paris to be so much fun and feel-good; I started to watch it with reluctance anyway.
        Keep up the cool reviews!

  24. February 10, 2012 3:01 pm

    Nice collection of movies. I also liked the new Jane Eyre movie, although the older I get the more I realize what a horrible romance story it is. Mr. Rochester keeps his poor mentally deranged wife locked up in the attic and plays himself off as a hero? Sounds like a douche to me.

    • February 12, 2012 8:20 pm

      Hahaha. You gotta cut the guy some slack. Dude got totally duped into marrying her and didn’t have much a choice once things started going south for the gal, as unfortunate as that choice was. You ever read the book?

  25. sickyurity permalink
    February 10, 2012 3:13 pm

    Harry Potter, Poetry and Beginners are the sest ones for me! =)

    • February 12, 2012 8:23 pm

      Some fine picks, man. Loved those three and makes me very happy to know that some folks out there saw Poetry. Spread the word and thanks for stopping by!

  26. February 10, 2012 3:23 pm

    Wow, I really need to get with the times. Of these, I’ve seen only two. Harry Potter and Moneyball. Now I have a list of must-see’s 🙂

    • February 12, 2012 8:25 pm

      But at least those two were awesome! And don’t worry, seeing 94 movies doesn’t get you with the times, it’s madness. Hope you get around to the other 18 though and thanks for stopping by!

  27. February 10, 2012 3:41 pm

    Fantastic choices!

  28. February 10, 2012 4:03 pm

    Nice mix of styles. I’m a big Bill Cunningham fan, and a fan of docs in general, so I’m delighted to find mention here. The Interrupters is getting major coverage this week on NPR. I’m really looking forward to that. Normally I like Woody Allen a lot, but Midnight in Paris, while extravagantly imagined, just didn’t seem to have as much oomph as I thought it might.

    There are so many films here that I’m not familiar with. I like that & I’m curious now to see what they’re all about.

    • February 12, 2012 8:32 pm

      Thanks! Apart from alternative sports movies (a few of which were docs, incidentally,) it was a pretty great year for docs again. So glad to hear that people are spreading the word for The Interrupters, completely dumbfounded as to why it got totally snubbed by The Academy. And I think the elements of constant surprise and pure imagination were a huge part of why I reacted to strongly to Midnight in Paris.

      And definitely check out the others on the list if you can, you’ll be glad you did. Thanks for stopping by!

  29. February 10, 2012 4:47 pm

    I haven’t seen a one, but will check some out thanks to your list. Did you see Higher Ground? Curious as to how you would review that.

    • February 12, 2012 8:33 pm

      Go for it! And I actually haven’t seen Higher Ground even though I heard great things when it was out. Gotta get on that and will let you know when I do. Thanks for stopping by!

  30. February 10, 2012 4:50 pm

    Tree of Life – worst movie of the century so far, what did you think of We Bought A Zoo? I thought it was the best movie of the year but I think I’m the only one who thinks that.

    • February 12, 2012 8:38 pm

      Hahaha. Gonna have to agree to disagree on The Tree of Life, but you’re definitely not alone in that statement. Didn’t catch We Bought a Zoo, but will be checking it out. Thanks for the heads up and thanks for stopping by!

  31. February 10, 2012 4:53 pm

    Reblogged this on The gurubhai and commented:
    Its great list…

  32. February 10, 2012 5:22 pm

    very good blog. I think win win and moneyball should’ve been higher though. Great spotting for catching hell, i felt that one floated under the radar a bit for how good it was.

    • February 12, 2012 8:45 pm

      Thanks! And won’t argue anyone bumping Win Win and Moneyball higher up, loved those two. Glad you liked (and saw) Catching Hell, too! What a freaking movie, huh? Poor Steve Bartman and Bill Buckner. Sports nuts are ruthless, man. Not like us movie nuts!

      Thanks for stopping by!

      • February 12, 2012 11:10 pm

        No problem… Although, being a sports nut, I can officially say that I’ve done some crazy stuff. I’m a die hard Browns fan and during the last football season I decided to boycott Heinz Ketchup (because they’re big sponsers of the Pittsburgh Steelers).

  33. February 10, 2012 5:28 pm

    Wow, I’ve only seen one of these. How pathetic. Looks like I’ve got to fire up the old Netflix queue.

    • February 12, 2012 8:47 pm

      Haha. Not pathetic at all. Seeing 94 movies in a year? That’s a tad pathetic. Anywho, check ’em out if you can, they’re awesome.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  34. February 10, 2012 5:39 pm

    All great movies. Awesome list!

    • February 12, 2012 8:49 pm

      Thanks! Yeah, they make my job easy and sure made up for the bottom of the list.

  35. February 10, 2012 6:22 pm

    i LOVED midnight in paris. what an original idea. yay for woody allen!

    • February 12, 2012 8:50 pm

      Me too! Say what you will about the guy, but damn does he make some good movies. Thanks for stopping by!

  36. We Are Fractions permalink
    February 10, 2012 6:32 pm

    Midnight in Paris top 3, certainly!

    • February 12, 2012 8:52 pm

      Indeed! Wouldn’t have it any other way. Glad you agree and thanks for stopping by!

  37. February 10, 2012 6:41 pm

    i loved Jane Eyre. Mom used to read it to me when i was little. There was very little publicity around that movie though.

    • February 12, 2012 8:54 pm

      Glad to hear it and your mom rocks! Wish I hadn’t realized how great that book is until this past year, but better late than never. A shame about the lack of publicity though, but what else is new, right? Serenity now.

      Anywho, thanks for stopping by!

  38. February 10, 2012 6:50 pm

    Great List!!!!!!!!!!

    Most of these movies are great!!!!!!!!

    But shame I can’t find The Lincoln Lawyer on any of them, that was amazing

    • February 12, 2012 8:55 pm

      Thanks and glad you agree! Somehow didn’t get around to Lincoln Lawyer last year, but will check it out one of these days, heard good things. Thanks for stopping by!

  39. February 10, 2012 7:07 pm

    Great post! Poetry was my favorite from the year.

    • February 12, 2012 8:56 pm

      Thanks! And that’s a fine choice for #1. What a stunner from top to bottom.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  40. bzephyr permalink
    February 10, 2012 7:14 pm

    Being mostly away from movie adverts here in Papua New Guinea, I didn’t know at first if these were mostly the movies that everyone had heard of this last year and I alone had been in the dark. But I’m very pleased to find out that this list is so much more than that!

    • February 12, 2012 8:58 pm

      Haha. These SHOULD have been the movies everyone heard about last year, but alas. Check ’em out if you can and thanks for stopping by!

  41. February 10, 2012 7:20 pm

    nice

  42. numberxii permalink
    February 10, 2012 7:22 pm

    You described Midnight in Paris perfectly man! Must disagree with The Artist being below Harry Potter though, but perhaps that’s just a matter of taste. Cheers!

    • February 12, 2012 9:00 pm

      Thanks! And figuring out where to put The Artist was a tough call, so can’t argue with ya’ there. Cheers to you too and thanks for stopping by!

  43. February 10, 2012 7:59 pm

    Reblogged this on MyFutureBlueCat.

  44. February 10, 2012 8:14 pm

    Reblogged this on dilektosun.

  45. February 10, 2012 8:35 pm

    I had to read this twice. Then I read it again. Then I cleaned my screen and read it again. Attack the Block at #10? I had written off the movie entirely, but now I am going to watch it solely based on your recommendation and high ranking. Here is hoping that this great post doesn’t leave me choking on my popcorn and regretting the decision.

    Beyond that, great list! Thanks for sharing!

    • February 12, 2012 9:02 pm

      Hahaha. It’s really that good and totally deserved the #10 spot. I’d be surprised if I steered you wrong on this one.

      But thanks! Much appreciate it and thanks for stopping by!

  46. familylif permalink
    February 10, 2012 8:44 pm

    These will be great movies to see.

  47. February 10, 2012 9:03 pm

    Wow, a top 94. I don’t even see movies in theaters often enough to do a top 5 right now. I still need to catch up on so many acclaimed films from this year. The only ones I’ve even seen out of this top 20 are “Harry Potter,” “Win Win,” and “Midnight in Paris.” (All three were great, but I’d call “Harry Potter” the best, which is a big deal, considering that I didn’t much care for the other seven.)

    I will also say that I consider “Warrior” to be an underrated great film of this year.

    • February 13, 2012 2:52 pm

      Haha. I think I’m gonna tone it down a bit for next year’s list, even I’m a bit taken aback by 94 movies. Glad you got to see those awesome three from the list though.

      And as much as I thought the cast was out of sight, I still thought Warrior was too formulaic to put it any higher. Then again, I think I’m in the minority on this one.

      Thanks stopping by!

      • February 13, 2012 11:59 pm

        I had some problems with “Warrior” narratively, but I thought there were a lot of interesting things going on thematically. That really elevated it in my view.

        I can definitely agree about that cast, though. Tom Hardy is a talent to watch.

  48. February 10, 2012 9:08 pm

    Really want to watch Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Love love love everything Gary Oldman has been in.

    • February 13, 2012 2:54 pm

      You gotta see it, and right there with ya’ when it comes to Gary. One of the greats.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  49. February 10, 2012 9:32 pm

    Great to see some recognition for “Bellflower!”

  50. suzanneserene permalink
    February 10, 2012 10:15 pm

    Loved Moneyball; many of the rest we haven’t seen. So we may take another look when the dvds come out. Thanks.

    • February 13, 2012 2:56 pm

      Glad you loved it, too! And check out the others if you can, they’re all out of sight.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  51. February 10, 2012 10:23 pm

    I Don’t Know If I Should Trust This List Considering Harry Potter Is On There. I Mean Really? Harry Potter? What Like 6 or 7 Movies Leading Up To A Weak Ending, I’m Sorry But I’m Just Not A Fan But Then Again there Wasn’t many Good Movies In The 2011 year Any O’l Ways Right, Hold On even Thor Was Better Then Harry Potter, There You Go -,0

    • February 13, 2012 3:00 pm

      Oh, man. We’ll just have to agree to disagree about everything you just wrote. That ending couldn’t have been better and Thor was one of the worst scripts of the year (although I know I’m in the minority on that one.) Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

  52. February 10, 2012 10:44 pm

    I really love reading movie reviews, these were really good.

    http://www.thecameraangle.wordpress.com

  53. February 10, 2012 10:54 pm

    Excellent post. But there could have been a few movies in the list and strike out a few others.

    By the way, Midnight in Paris, is AWESOME!

    • February 13, 2012 3:02 pm

      Thanks! Which ones would you have put up there?

      And what’s not to love about Midnight in Paris, right?

      Thanks for stopping by!

  54. February 10, 2012 11:27 pm

    Great selection! I haven’t heard of half of them, but I plan on watching many of your selections. Thanks for the info and great blog!

    • February 13, 2012 3:02 pm

      Thanks! Hope you lik ’em, thought they were pretty fantastic myself.

      And thanks for stopping by!

  55. February 10, 2012 11:48 pm

    I’m so glad you said “Harry Potter” was one of the best moviegoing experiences of your life. I felt exactly the same way! Adored “Midnight in Paris.”

    🙂

    • February 13, 2012 3:09 pm

      Totally worth the lack of sleep that night! So glad I got to experience it the way it was meant to be seen. And glad you liked Midnight in Paris so much, then again, what’s not to like?

      Thanks for stopping by!

  56. February 10, 2012 11:48 pm

    Midnight in Paris at #3… bold move my friend. I thought it was meh. But yeah Bellflower was awesome. Goood list.

    • February 13, 2012 3:10 pm

      What can I say, Woody won me over big time last year. Glad we can agree on Bellflower though, spread the word!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  57. February 10, 2012 11:52 pm

    Thank you very much for this. Know that your time and effort is very much appreciated. – Mús

    • February 13, 2012 3:12 pm

      Thanks! Appreciate the sentiment and thanks for stopping by!

  58. February 11, 2012 12:56 am

    No love for “Drive” huh?

    • February 13, 2012 3:13 pm

      The love is right here, my friend:

      https://ctcmr.com/2012/02/09/the-best-movies-of-2011-40-21/

      Just thought it was too violent for me to love it any more than that.

      • February 13, 2012 11:37 pm

        I meant in the top 10, much less top 20. I got you, though. Drive isn’t for everybody. I thought the violence was well done and understated with the opening half of the movie that included absolutely no violence and then revealed the main character’s true character when it needed to. That type of violence, to me, was done just right in the overall context of the movie and characters. It was about a getaway driver with a past we know he possesses and never truly find out what it entails except in those few short violent scenes. Not to mention the story itself revolves around people who are heavily involved in violence as a way of life.

        Like I said, not for everybody. But certainly one of (if not THE) best movies made in 2011.

  59. February 11, 2012 1:10 am

    They are really good movies, it’s worth seeing

  60. February 11, 2012 2:13 am

    The Beginners was one of my favorite movies this year and now one of my favorite movies of all time. Thank you for putting this on your list!

    • February 13, 2012 4:52 pm

      Totally deserving of that kind of praise and a spot on the list to boot. Glad to hear you liked it so much and thanks for stopping by!

  61. February 11, 2012 2:13 am

    Reblogged this on Ryaandavis.

  62. February 11, 2012 2:15 am

    Really liked Jane Eyre although the book wayyyyy surpasses it!

  63. February 11, 2012 2:52 am

    I was sucking my thumb by the end of Bellflower. I’m sensitive. So what?

    • February 13, 2012 4:55 pm

      Hahaha. It’s some intense stuff, I don’t blame ya’. Glad you saw it though, more folks need to get on the bandwagon.

  64. February 11, 2012 4:27 am

    nice collection of movies

  65. knudsens permalink
    February 11, 2012 4:38 am

    I like Harry Potter, the other names is new to me. A trip to the videostore later.

  66. nodamehime permalink
    February 11, 2012 5:15 am

    agree!!!! Fiennes deserves an Oscar.

    • February 13, 2012 4:59 pm

      You said it! Bad enough he got snubbed for Schindler’s List, now this? For shame.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  67. Louis permalink
    February 11, 2012 5:37 am

    Jeez, I’ve only watched a small selection of those movies. I better go microwave some popcorn and slip into my sweatpants!

    • February 13, 2012 5:01 pm

      Hahaha. Hell of a plan right there and hope you dig ’em!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  68. February 11, 2012 6:00 am

    Reblogged this on youthinkimfunnydontyou.

  69. February 11, 2012 6:07 am

    Very good list, but I must confess that I cannot understand why Melancholia doesn’t make the top 5, at least… Its such a wonderful, wonderful film!

    • February 13, 2012 5:06 pm

      Melancholia was freaking gorgeous in more ways than one, was just a bit too insanely depressing for my taste is all. Can’t argue with anyone who’d put it higher though. Glad you liked it and thanks for stopping by!

  70. February 11, 2012 6:48 am

    Good job!!!

  71. February 11, 2012 7:07 am

    Wow I think I have to go through your whole list to see if there is some goodies i want to see…

    • February 13, 2012 5:08 pm

      Go for it, there are some might good ones in there. Thanks for stopping by!

  72. February 11, 2012 7:24 am

    i like Harry Potter…..though i did not watch the other films, i believe that they have their own strong points

    • February 13, 2012 5:09 pm

      That they do! Give ’em a look if you can, they’re worth it. Thanks for stopping by!

  73. February 11, 2012 7:25 am

    Reblogged this on sky's stalker! and commented:
    this is.. incredible amazing -_-

  74. February 11, 2012 7:38 am

    Jane Eyre is one of the bestest! what about Perfume:The Story of a Murderer movie?

    • February 13, 2012 5:12 pm

      Agreed! I thought Perfume came out years ago? Haven’t seen it either way, will give it a looksee though. Thanks for the heads up and thanks for stopping by!

  75. February 11, 2012 7:58 am

    Great Post nice to have a list of must see movies Thanks.

  76. February 11, 2012 8:11 am

    Glad that twilight isn’t here. Hahaha! nice review though. 🙂

    • February 13, 2012 5:19 pm

      Hahaha. Thank God yours is the only Twilight comment here and that you’re shitting on that godawful excuse for a movie. Serenity now.

      Keep fighting the good fight and thanks for stopping by!

  77. February 11, 2012 8:12 am

    Reblogged this on treatyourlife.

  78. February 11, 2012 8:34 am

    Amazing! My favorite number one was Senna, maybe because I’m nuts about formula 1. Great list, thanks for sharing!

    • February 13, 2012 5:21 pm

      HELL of a #1! I hate NASCAR, never watched Formula 1, and had never even heard of Ayrton Senna before seeing that movie, and now I’m a total convert (except for NASCAR.) Thanks for stopping by and spread the word about that awesome movie!

  79. February 11, 2012 8:38 am

    I agree with Submarine, it was brilliant! I was not impressed with Midnight in Paris though – disappointing I thought! Great blog!

    • February 13, 2012 5:23 pm

      Glad you liked Submarine, too! So well-made and what a wonderfully fresh take on coming-of-agers. Great stuff. And too bad about Midnight in Paris, but hey, can’t win ’em all. Thanks for the kinds words and thanks for stopping by!

  80. Axy permalink
    February 11, 2012 8:39 am

    I HAVE to see The Artist, Midnight in Paris and Bellflower. Great post!

    • February 11, 2012 9:49 am

      DO IT! They’re awesome! Hope you like ’em as much as I did and thanks for the kind words!

  81. February 11, 2012 8:46 am

    As for Harry Potter, I think I liked Azkaban the best. The last one was good, but I still think they did the best job with Azkaban. I still wished everyone would have been a little happier that Voldemort was dead for good and the war was over… couldn’t someone just pat Harry on the back or say thanks? Oh well..

    • February 11, 2012 9:42 am

      I think I’d agree, Azkaban is in a league of its own, but Part II was pretty darn close. And I agree, I would have gone ape after Harry offed Voldemort! You damn wizards, get off your asses!

      • February 12, 2012 4:02 pm

        ahh reading these has made me want to watch HP3 now… it’s actually my favourite book of the series too…

  82. Serega permalink
    February 11, 2012 9:05 am

    Well done!

  83. February 11, 2012 9:07 am

    My husband and I LOVED Midnight in Paris. Probably my favorite of all the Woody Allen movies. It was also nice to see Paris again (we were there in June). So romantic!

    • February 11, 2012 9:37 am

      Same here! I’ve been meaning to go through a Woody marathon for a while now, but I agree, this was definitely one of the greats in his lengthy repertoire. And so jealous you’ve been to Paris! Talk about a boost for their tourism, huh? One of these days…

  84. February 11, 2012 9:10 am

    Have you seen Terri?

    • February 11, 2012 9:35 am

      I loved Terri! Didn’t get around to reviewing it, but it almost made the Top 20 (clocked in at #24 if you’re interested.) What’d you think of it?

      • February 11, 2012 10:49 am

        I think it was great! It was strange, it was touching, it was funny. I fell right into the story, loved all the characters and laughed quite a lot. I liked Reilly in Carnage as well, I think I really have to see Cedar Rapids.

  85. February 11, 2012 10:04 am

    definitely none of in the twentieth I do not like

  86. February 11, 2012 10:41 am

    Just seen Moneyball and loved it. Best inspirational film in 2011!

    • February 13, 2012 1:37 pm

      Glad you liked it! Really is an amazing story about evening the odds.

  87. February 11, 2012 10:53 am

    I thought Bill Cunningham, New York was brillant. It was fascinating how the filmmakers were able to get close enough to Cunningham to introduce the world to his particular mindset but not close enough to break through and reveal what really makes Bill tick. I loved that movie.

    It’s just such a shame that films like that hardly ever get a major release.

    • February 13, 2012 1:40 pm

      Same here, and I also loved the way they allowed him his privacy while unveiling him to the world. Was a very fine line they had to tread, but they did it wonderfully.

      And you’re preaching to the choir, the same can be said about a lot of the movies on this list, unfortunately. But keep spreading the word and thanks for stopping by!

  88. February 11, 2012 10:56 am

    I feel the exact same about Azkaban and Part 2! I can’t decide which is best!

  89. Alice permalink
    February 11, 2012 12:24 pm

    You had me at Potter….

    • February 13, 2012 1:43 pm

      Haha. The folks at WordPress used a pretty clutch pic for Freshly Pressed. What’s not to love about that movie?

  90. February 11, 2012 12:54 pm

    The artist was quite amazing. I loved it, very good Jean Dujardin 🙂

    • February 13, 2012 1:45 pm

      Totally agree, the world could use more movies like that. Such a great return to form.

  91. February 11, 2012 1:19 pm

    Nice list, mine would be pretty similar, except Tree of Life is my number 1. Something about that movie, that I just can’t stop thinking about.

    I get that The Tree of Life is not for everyone, but I’m pretty sick of the superiority people have in thinking its pure garbage. Terrence Mallick made his movie, his way, and shame on anyone for judging someone for being true to their vision. If its not for you, than its not for you, stop jumping on another internet-hate-bandwagon, and show some respect for the craft of art, even if its art you didn’t enjoy.

    For the Record, this blogger had Tree of Life just outside of his top-twenty, so this rant is not directed at the author, just everyone else who seize every opportunity to shit on something, just because it is popular to do so.

    • February 13, 2012 1:50 pm

      Man, you have no idea how good it is to see someone love that movie for all the reasons you listed. I feel the exact same way. So-effing-what if it was ambiguous and didn’t explain the dinosaurs? More movies could afford to be so open-ended and ambitious. Love Terrence Malick, just can’t stand how many times I had to defend the guy last year though.

      Keep on fighting the good fight, man, and thanks for stopping by!

  92. February 11, 2012 2:28 pm

    Nice to see a list devoid of so many mainstream films! Bellflower is on my list now! My personal fave was Senna last year- If you see one doco make it that one. Great to see it on your list as well

    • February 13, 2012 2:27 pm

      Thanks! Just how it worked out this year, but also says quite a bit about what kind of mainstream movies are getting thrown our way. But glad you saw Senna and liked it so much, that was just out of sight, can’t believe I’d never even heard of the guy beforehand. Us Americans…

      Thanks for stopping by!

      • February 16, 2012 2:01 pm

        Dont worry mate, in the UK- Senna is basically the god of F1 (yet he isnt english :S)

        Look forward to your next posts

  93. February 11, 2012 3:08 pm

    Great list Aiden. I definitely have to check out Bellflower since it’s your #1 as well as The Interrupters. I’m surprised to see Black Death at 10 though, I didn’t feel it was anything too special 😉

    • February 13, 2012 2:29 pm

      Thanks, man! Check those two out, they freaking rocked. And I was totally wrapped up in Black Death, impressed the hell out of me but I think I liked it more than most. You put your list together yet?

  94. February 11, 2012 3:13 pm

    Moneyball was all right, but it felt too “Documentary-like” for my tastes. Not sure if I agree with your placement of The Artist, but movies like that remind me of the good ol’ days of American cinema.

    • February 13, 2012 2:33 pm

      Thought the documentary-like feel was very much a strong point of Moneyball’s. So tired of seeing the same old underdog sports movie churned out every year, nice to see things mixed up for a change. Wasn’t an easy novel to adapt, but I thought the whole team did an incredibly good job of bringing it to the big screen.

      And that’s exactly why I liked The Artist, too. Just felt more strongly about the other 13 is all.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  95. February 11, 2012 3:54 pm

    Thank you for not putting the descendants in this list. Just seen like 6 movies from this list, have to see Bellflower and Jane Eyre.

    • February 13, 2012 2:35 pm

      You are welcome! Totally over-praised for such a by-the-books script. And definitely check out Bellflower and Jane Eyre. Both outstanding and hope you like ’em!

      Thanks for stopping by!

      • February 13, 2012 9:05 pm

        Although I enjoyed “The Descendants” (more than the two of you at least), I do feel like it fell short of what I expect from an Alexander Payne film, to the likes of “Election”, and “Sideways” for example.

  96. February 11, 2012 4:13 pm

    Such a happy day… finding your site.

  97. February 11, 2012 5:03 pm

    some of these i havent even heard of. the only ones ive heard of are Harry Potter, Moneyball and Midnight in Paris….

  98. February 11, 2012 5:44 pm

    I really wanted to see The Artist, I review movie trailers on my blog and that is one trailer I have literally nothing to say shit about. Anyone on here who wants to read some of my trailer reviews my site is ThisTrailerSucks.Com, let me know what you think. Or if you have any suggestions on some trailers I should review.

    • February 13, 2012 2:40 pm

      Definitely check out The Artist, one of the year’s best.

  99. realityisalovelyplace permalink
    February 11, 2012 5:59 pm

    i dont really like how people dont appriciate the great movies on that list… and people probably never will……… go to realityisalovelyplace.wordpress.com………..its actually decent…. although this article was very good

  100. troismommy permalink
    February 11, 2012 7:54 pm

    Wow. I need to get out more. The only one I’ve seen is Harry Potter. 😛

    Saying Goodbye Again

    • February 13, 2012 2:43 pm

      Haha. Don’t worry about it, I got out way too much. But at least you saw HP, that one was great.

  101. February 11, 2012 8:36 pm

    Great list and great movies! Thanks for sharing 😉 Im big fan of moneyBall too! :$

    • February 13, 2012 2:44 pm

      Thanks! Glad you liked Moneyball, too. It’s up there for good reason!

      Thanks for stopping by!

  102. Mônica G. permalink
    February 11, 2012 9:31 pm

    Reblogged this on Those yesterdays feelings will all be lost in time..

  103. mackerelskies permalink
    February 11, 2012 10:02 pm

    “The world would be a better place if more girls read that book.”

    Why?

    • February 13, 2012 2:46 pm

      Because Jane is a role model and then some in a world where all too many girls look to The Jersey Shore for inspiration.

      • mackerelskies permalink
        February 13, 2012 11:52 pm

        I’ve thought about reading it but I’ve heard the Bronte sisters in general are, to put it bluntly, downers. Having beaten my head against books like Tess of the D’Urbervilles (I can’t tell you how much I hated Hardy when I was done with that book) and The Scarlet Letter, I can’t really work up the enthusiasm. If I hated those, should I bother?

  104. someone permalink
    February 11, 2012 10:04 pm

    amazing list with awesome movies! ^_^

  105. AdityaBehere permalink
    February 11, 2012 11:17 pm

    Reblogged this on adityabehere and commented:
    good ones…!

  106. February 12, 2012 1:29 am

    The last installment of Harry Potter is here. Alright. My job here is done.

    I kid!

    Honestly, I love many of the films you’ve listed here, but shameful as it is to say, there are quite a number of others that I have not heard, so thank you for giving me some titles to search for in my coming vacation. 🙂 ‘The Interpreters’ is on the top of my list just because you recommended it.

    • February 13, 2012 5:28 pm

      Haha. Seems to be a crowd favorite, not surprised either.

      And no worries about not hearing about some of these, the studios don’t exactly do a good job getting the word out when everyone’s dipping into their savings to see the new Twilight movie. And hope you like The Interrupters, it was far and away the one movie that everyone should have seen last year.

      Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!

      • February 14, 2012 8:45 am

        Ah! It’s a shame that the movies that are not that beautiful or insightful are the ones that get all the publicity and advertisements while those are cool and worth our time not so much.

  107. onemilerunner permalink
    February 12, 2012 1:55 am

    I feel behind the times as I haven’t even heard of half of your top 20! Glad to have some new movie ideas for the rest of the weekend 🙂

    • February 13, 2012 5:30 pm

      Haha. No worries, I spent way too much time in a theater last year. Hope the movies live up to the list and thanks for stopping by!

  108. bipolarthespian13 permalink
    February 12, 2012 5:27 am

    Reblogged this on bipolarthespianfolios and commented:
    Will download the movies I haven’t watched yet.

  109. February 12, 2012 6:24 am

    “Mission Impossible 4” was also OK: http://andreasmoser.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/mission-impossible-4/

    • February 13, 2012 5:31 pm

      Oh I loved Ghost Protocol. What’s not to love about a live-action Pixar movie? Great stuff, couldn’t believe how much fun with that one.

  110. February 12, 2012 6:46 am

    That is a great compilation, my friend.
    I haven’t seen some of them, looks like i am gonna be busy.

    • February 13, 2012 5:32 pm

      Thanks! Hope they live up to their rankings when you get around to ’em. And thanks for stopping by!

  111. February 12, 2012 6:46 am

    Possibly weirdest reason anyone has for wanting to see Black Death:

    That shot of Mr. Bean on horseback reminded me of my favourite lego toy as a child.

    • February 13, 2012 5:34 pm

      I know that Lego, that Lego is awesome. Damn good reason to see Black Death!

  112. February 12, 2012 7:00 am

    Oh snap, thank you so much for this list !!! Now I need to hit the stores and see if I can get my hands on some of them !!!

    Peace!

    • February 13, 2012 5:41 pm

      You’re welcome! Now hop to it and start watching, they’re all awesome! Thanks for stopping by!

  113. February 12, 2012 7:54 am

    I agree with you. The best year for sports movies.

  114. February 12, 2012 9:55 am

    Thank you for sharing. I am not familiar with many of these movies. but am always compiling lists of movies I have yet to see. The one that intrigues me the most is the Artist This because it is a modern-day silent movie. .

    • February 14, 2012 1:46 pm

      Thanks for reading! And The Artist is a great place to start. Great idea, great execution. Thanks for stopping by!

      • February 14, 2012 10:12 pm

        Aiden,
        I have noted the other movies in your list which I have not seen and put them on my que on Netflix. Maybe, shortly, I will see the entire list.

        I have also added your blog to my links.

  115. February 12, 2012 10:32 am

    Thanks for your list! Of your 20, I’ve only seen “The Artist,” “Harry Potter,” and “Midnight in Paris”. I have some catching up to do! I really want to see the Bill Cunningham film. BTW, Aiden is a great name. My daughter is Aedan. Cheers, Denise

    • February 14, 2012 1:50 pm

      Haha! Thanks! Big fan of my name as well, crazy how popular it’s gotten!

      But those are three great movies you’ve seen there, and the same goes for Bill Cunningham New York. Hope you like it and thanks for stopping by!

      • February 14, 2012 5:57 pm

        I just now realized that you are both Aiden/Aedan R. It is wild how popular the name has become. My daughter was born in Dec. ’96, and she was the first I knew of besides Aidan Quinn. Now it’s on the top 10 lists. Cheers, Denise

  116. February 12, 2012 11:49 am

    I’ve added 10 movies to my netflix queue; an alltime high! Thanks!!

  117. Royal Lance permalink
    February 12, 2012 12:03 pm

    I just loves my Harry Potter. I’m really sad that it’s the last one.

    • February 14, 2012 6:00 pm

      Same here, wouldn’t be opposed to a reboot to be honest, which isn’t really out of the realm of possibility either.

  118. February 12, 2012 12:11 pm

    Here is a similar list I did a couple of months ago!

    Ten Excellent Films I Saw This Year

    • February 14, 2012 6:01 pm

      First time seeing Cuckoo’s Nest and The Untouchables? Better late than never! Still need to see 400 Blows myself. I have no excuse.

      Thanks for the heads up!

  119. February 12, 2012 12:17 pm

    You sir, have just earned yourself another subscriber! And by the way, “Midnight in Paris” was my favorite on that list-I was surprised by how good it was!

    • February 14, 2012 6:03 pm

      Awesome! And I was pretty darn surprised by Midnight in Paris as well, definitely played into the ranking it got. Thanks for stopping by!

  120. February 12, 2012 2:02 pm

    Thanks for all your effort to list your favorite (and not) movies. I enjoyed reading your lists!

    • February 14, 2012 6:05 pm

      Thanks and glad you liked ’em! Just glad there were enough good ones to balance out all the garbage.

  121. February 12, 2012 2:27 pm

    Looks like a lot of good stuff on there most of which I haven’t seen. Thank you for the recommendations…I shall be working my way though them over this year!

    • February 14, 2012 6:05 pm

      Happy to recommend and hope they live up to their rankings!

  122. cupcake2eater permalink
    February 12, 2012 2:36 pm

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was epicly awesome, I have it on DVD.

    • February 14, 2012 6:06 pm

      Hell yes it was. As much as I’d love to have it on DVD, something tells me it just wouldn’t be the same as seeing it at midnight on opening day. Regardless, you rock.

      • cupcake2eater permalink
        February 17, 2012 2:14 pm

        They’re showing it again in the UK later this month.

  123. February 12, 2012 2:51 pm

    Overall a good list. I just don’t agree with Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (I’m going to get slaughtered for that opinion) but I don’t think it was very good, in fact I wasn’t really a fan of any of the HP movies post Azkaban.
    Also I don’t tend to agree with Attack the Block being on the list, I found it hard to enjoy a film when I wished an untimely demise on the majority of the characters, I couldn’t sympathize or downright care about any of them.
    Don’t be angry about this, just merely my opinion (as are most things I say) but apart from those two I agree with the rest of the list.

    • February 14, 2012 6:11 pm

      Thanks! At least we can agree on Azkaban, but I thought the franchise was really strong with the exception of Chamber of Secrets and (arguably) Goblet of Fire.

      But as for Attack the Block, that’s actually what I liked most about the movie. I really disliked the characters at first as well being that they totally embraced the negative stereotypes surrounding them, but it was freaking fantastic watching them realize that very fact about themselves and grow into the heroes of the story. By the end, I was right there rooting for Moses with the rest of the block. But like you said, different strokes for different folks.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  124. February 12, 2012 2:59 pm

    Wasn’t too keen on Midnight in Paris. But the last Harrry Potter films have left me gobsmakced. Really good films.

    • February 14, 2012 6:12 pm

      Haha. Well at least we’ll always have HP. What a way to wrap things up, huh?

  125. Bartleby permalink
    February 12, 2012 3:40 pm

    Nice list…there’s some overlap with my own, although I see my personal fave, Tree of Life, just missed being on this segment of the list.

    Nice eclectic list though, and was intrigued to see some of the smaller–but still worthy–films of the year, like Black Death, Cedar Rapids and Senna make the list.

    Wasn’t overly impressed with Bellflower personally, but I agree with that sentiment ‘makes you wanna make movies.’ It does indeed, and its the kind of debut that definitely puts the creators on the film fan’s radar.

    Great stuff…

    • February 14, 2012 6:16 pm

      Was REALLY close to putting The Tree of Life higher, because I completely agree with you, but wasn’t up for all the shit I’d get from everyone else to be quite honest. That has not been an easy movie to defend/recommend since seeing it.

      Also glad you liked Black Death, Cedar Rapids, and Senna. Need to spread the word on those.

      And as for Bellfower, it just really hit home from a DIY standpoint in terms of what I want to be doing with my life and the same goes for the story directed at a twenty-something male viewer who’s also kind of obsessed with the apocalypse.

      And lastly, way to have a freakin’ Brazil Gravatar. One of the Top Ten greatest movies ever made, IMHO.

  126. February 12, 2012 4:14 pm

    Harry Potter is the ultimate win! I’m a fan so I’m quite biased 😉

  127. February 12, 2012 6:19 pm

    Reblogged this on The Fashion Culturalist.

  128. pincushionsandreflections permalink
    February 12, 2012 6:20 pm

    This list is brilliant 🙂

  129. February 12, 2012 6:51 pm

    Great list – definitively going to have to check these movies out!

  130. February 12, 2012 7:29 pm

    I love lists… but, not as much as I love people who enjoy giving films a good, firm talking to! Permission to Reblog?

  131. February 12, 2012 7:29 pm

    Reblogged this on The Filmonista and commented:
    I love lists… but, not as much as I love people who enjoy giving films a good, firm talking to!

  132. February 12, 2012 7:48 pm

    Poetry love!

  133. reinaldobanh permalink
    February 12, 2012 9:51 pm

    Reblogged this on reinaldobanh and commented:
    crazy COOL

  134. February 12, 2012 10:19 pm

    Nice! Love ur list! Moneyball rules though, I think it was a bit better than Hallows 2. Also, Askaban is the best hands down. LOL =P

    • February 15, 2012 10:56 am

      Thanks! And I agree on Moneyball and Hallows 2, even if they are totally different. And I think I might be with you on Azkaban.

      • February 17, 2012 3:50 pm

        Yeah, Azkaban was great because it followed the story the closest, had the best director, but above all else I think it was a better book because it was balanced between being magical and being realistic. But yeah, good point on hallows being way different from moneyball. they are pretty much different in every way! LOL

  135. Jeremy permalink
    February 12, 2012 10:29 pm

    Midnight in Paris was good…

    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was like watching paint dry. Just because it was different doesn’t mean the robotic, monotonous 1:30:00-long dialog scene was even remotely decent. The only thing that could have possibly made this movie interesting was emotion, which the actors utterly put aside.

    The entire Harry Potter series was mediocre bordering on plain bad. The acting was awful, and the entire magic of the novels was lost on the four different directors of the various HP disasters.

    • February 15, 2012 10:58 am

      Hahaha. Well at least we can agree on Midnight in Paris.

  136. Bernardo Triana permalink
    February 12, 2012 11:21 pm

    HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 SHOULD BE NUMBER 1 !!!

  137. kabiraj permalink
    February 13, 2012 12:19 am

    thanks a lot for the post… i love watching movies, going theater but so sad i have watched only six of them next will be watching soon…

  138. February 13, 2012 1:00 am

    Fantastic! I’ve only seen about half of these, so this will give me things to look up. Thanks!

    • February 15, 2012 11:04 am

      You’re very welcome and have fun watching the other half!

  139. filmfellaDarren permalink
    February 13, 2012 2:19 am

    Interesting list of the best films of the year. Glad to see Submarine made your list. It made my list too. Here are the films I consider to be the best of 2011.

    25 memorable films from 2011

    • February 15, 2012 11:19 am

      Thanks! Loved Submarine and glad to see some Trollhunter love on your list, too. Thanks for the heads up and thanks for stopping by!

  140. sam kimble permalink
    February 13, 2012 3:15 am

    Bellflower is a such a smart film . greatest film i’ve seen about badassery and the ups and downs of it. most people will not understand this film, but cheers to those who do. it truly inspired me to make a movie by myself and not to compromise.

    • February 15, 2012 11:24 am

      Couldn’t have said it better myself, man. Love hearing about people who love Bellflower, really is one hell of a movie.

  141. February 13, 2012 4:20 am

    Moneyball and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II are among my favourites 🙂

    • February 15, 2012 11:27 am

      I don’t blame ya’, they’re both pretty darn great. Thanks for stopping by!

  142. February 13, 2012 5:20 am

    Honestly, I’ve never watched any of these. But thanks! I’m gonna start downloading! 😀

    • February 13, 2012 5:21 am

      Well, except for Harry Potter! Haha

      • February 15, 2012 11:29 am

        Haha. Well that certainly was one to see. Have fun with the rest of ’em and thanks for stopping by!

  143. February 13, 2012 5:41 am

    Reblogged this on Shaggygirl and commented:
    I love that I can re-blog when I’m not up to writing myself. There’s a few movies here I want to check out – maybe you’ll find some inspiration too.

  144. February 13, 2012 6:24 am

    Hats off to your efforts!! Super-awesome!!

  145. February 13, 2012 6:29 am

    Reblogged this on Olaoluwakitan Samuel.

  146. lukeknwls permalink
    February 13, 2012 6:30 am

    Reblogged this on lukeknwls and commented:
    A fantastic list, although some of them are not the best movies of 2011, they are all pretty good and you should definitely watch them all. Broaden those horizons.

  147. February 13, 2012 8:20 am

    great list Aidan. well done getting freshly pressed. must check out Catching Hell and Interrupters

    • February 15, 2012 11:31 am

      Thanks, brotha’! A def check those out, they are the bomb.

  148. February 13, 2012 8:34 am

    i have not watched all of them this list appears to be good, i have added them to my list and would soon watch them after my exams

    • February 15, 2012 11:33 am

      Thanks and do it to it! Sounds like a hell of a way to celebrate the end of exams.

  149. riatarded permalink
    February 13, 2012 8:51 am

    I love your choice of movies and those reviews were really to the point! Thanks for not torturing me with long winded, shitty movie reviews :p The world needs you!

    • February 15, 2012 11:34 am

      Hahaha. Thanks! If you click on most of the respective images you’ll be forwarded to the more long-winded reviews, but I assure you they are not shitty.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  150. February 13, 2012 8:53 am

    i think there was a good reason that “moneyball” was put on hold several times. i love baseball, and i love to see baseball movies, but there was no reason to make this movie. i dare anyone to write a synopsis of this film that would make me interested, pretending of course that i had not seen it yet.

    • February 15, 2012 11:38 am

      “Moneyball is based on the true story of one Billy Beane, a former ballplayer who couldn’t cut it in the big leagues, took a job as a scout, and ultimately landed himself a gig as the General Manager of the Oakland A’s, one of the poorest teams in baseball in terms of bank roll and wins. After coming to the realization that he didn’t have the financial resources to compete with big-budget teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, he decided to scrap the old way of building a team by drafting the best body or swing, and instead recruited players by their stats. Though written off by many at the start of the ’02 season as having lost his mind, Billy and his crack squad of Sabermetricians took a team of nobodies that nobody wanted and ended up changing the game entirely.”

      Was a pretty easy sell for me, especially after having read the book.

      • February 15, 2012 3:20 pm

        although i did not read the book, i have followed baseball religiously since the early 70’s. i knew what beane was doing when he was doing it. one of the things that they left out of the movie, and possibly out of the book, is that the team very regularly would get those bargain-basement players, show the rest of the league how good they could be, and then trade them mid-season for more highly-regarded talent.

        as far as “changing the game entirely,” i don’t know about that. i don’t see the entire rest of the league using his tactics.

        the hard sell is that they took a bunch of nobodys, won a lot of games, but that’s all. they got no further than they did before having employed that strategy. if they won a world series, it might be a different story.

      • February 15, 2012 4:20 pm

        A lot of other GMs began using Sabermetrics as soon as they caught wind of what Beane was doing. After his ’01/’02 season where he got the A’s to the playoffs after losing his best players and drafting nobodies that nobody else wanted, the owner of the Red Sox offered him a job as the highest paid GM in the history of baseball (which he turned down.) It’s not the kind of game-changer you’d see watching a game, but in a sport without salary caps, it absolutely changed the way people put rosters together.

        And I get the argument about how it would be an easier sell had they won a World Series, but they also set a record for most consecutive games won in a season during ’01/’02, and nobody expected them to do anything but lose.

        I think we could go back-and-forth here all day, but even if you’re not sold on the movie, seriously, give the book a shot. I read avidly and I’ve never been one to follow baseball, and that’s one of the best books I’ve read in my life. Promise it won’t disappoint.

      • February 15, 2012 9:57 pm

        i will give the book a shot if i can find it on CD. i drive a lot and that’s how i “read.” the consecutive games was impressive, but then we’d have to examine who they played during that stretch. royals and orioles etc. or yankees and red sox etc?

  151. February 13, 2012 8:56 am

    Reblogged this on mercimercyme and commented:
    Maybe not all of these on my list but I support Aiden’s inclusion of the lesser-known films. Would like to have seen “HUGO” make his cut, but I encourage you to try “TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY”, “MONEYBALL”, “MIDNIGHT IN PARIS” and “THE ARTIST” if you have not yet done so.

  152. February 13, 2012 9:34 am

    Thanks. Some great choices, a Redbox to-watch list for several others and nice commenting style.

  153. February 13, 2012 10:12 am

    Of all the films you mentioned I only got the chance to see Harry Potter, and I loved it.

    You should see the list on my blog “and the Winner Is…How Should I know?” so we can compare notes (or maybe just laugh, you’ll see).

    • February 15, 2012 11:44 am

      Haha. Well HP totally rocked. And thanks for the heads up and will check it out!

  154. February 13, 2012 10:47 am

    I would have put Hugo in the top 20 but overall good choices.

    • February 15, 2012 11:49 am

      Thanks! And it sounds like you’re not alone in the love for Hugo. Really liked it a lot, but just didn’t stick with me as much as the others did is all. Wouldn’t knock anyone for bumping it way higher. Thanks for stopping by!

  155. February 13, 2012 11:36 am

    Interesting list. I like seeing you give “Midnight in Paris” and “Take Shelter” so much love. I think “The Tree of Life” and “The Artist” are the best two films of the year (in that order).

    Great & fun list!

  156. February 13, 2012 12:02 pm

    I’m really glad that Bellflower made it to the top of this list.

    • February 15, 2012 11:50 am

      Really glad to hear you say that. Would love to see more folks on the bandwagon.

  157. February 13, 2012 12:16 pm

    Harry Potter is (and always will be) movie gold!

  158. pixelnotation permalink
    February 13, 2012 1:59 pm

    Is Harry potter on the list because of your personal relationship with the story off/on the screen or for the aesthetic/technical aspects of the film or both ..or? Yeah. haha

  159. February 13, 2012 2:42 pm

    225 comments? That’s insane!

    (yay for Bellflower, btw)

    • February 13, 2012 2:48 pm

      Haha. I know, man. Folks seem to love those lists, been quite the undertaking responding to all these.

      And hell yes for Bellflower!

  160. February 13, 2012 3:07 pm

    I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award, check it out http://wp.me/p1Vyml-bl 🙂

  161. February 13, 2012 3:24 pm

    Wow, was not expecting to see Bellflower at #1! I need to check that out quick. Fun countdown, man.

  162. February 13, 2012 4:22 pm

    Nice list! I think the only one we really disagreed on was Hugo – I have it way higher on my favorites of the year. But I’m also a total nerd for old cinema, probably why I liked The Artist so much too 🙂

    This is great because it reminded me of so many I have on my list to see. Take Shelter has been there forever. Happy to see someone loved Beginners as much as I did!

    One film I didn’t see here that I’d recommend is Pariah. Finally got to see it a week ago. Adepero Oduye is really something to see in that movie.

    • February 15, 2012 12:07 pm

      Can’t knock you for lovin’ Hugo so much, like it (and The Artist) for a lot of the same reasons.

      What’s not to like about Beginners and you’ve GOT to see Take Shelter. Great stuff.

      And I heard great things about Pariah. Haven’t been to the theater in ages, but definitely want to check that out.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  163. February 13, 2012 6:10 pm

    Amazing list. I completely agree with you on Moneyball. Best script of 2011 hands down. Sorkin and Zaillian co-writing a screenplay, what more could you ask for in a movie! And I still feel like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 got snubbed at the Oscar’s this year. But I digress. Anyways keep it up man! I’ll be waiting for your 2012 list.

    • February 15, 2012 12:09 pm

      Thanks! Glad you liked Moneyball as much as I did and HP totally got snubbed, but what else is new? Thanks for stopping by!

  164. February 13, 2012 6:54 pm

    Drive is too cool to be out of the Top Ten despite the unexpected violence! Melancholia should be up there too methinks! Attack The Block… noisy nonsense! Bellflower looks interesting! So many movies!!

    • February 15, 2012 12:12 pm

      Haha. Bellflower rocks, man. Check it out. And like you said, way too many movies, was quite the struggle lining ’em all up. We could argue all day! Thanks for stopping by!

  165. sidu8309hy09f8whw98fh permalink
    February 13, 2012 7:27 pm

    suck my cock

  166. February 13, 2012 10:06 pm

    Oh god, I totally agree with you on The Interrupters. Heartbreaking. Loved every minute of it. I’m going to have to go back through the rest of your list, see if Tyrannosaur made it on there.

    • February 15, 2012 12:16 pm

      Still can’t believe I missed Tyrannosaur! Looked great and it was high on my list of Must Sees. Will have to settle for the top spot on my Netflix queue. Glad you liked The Interrupters so much, hard one not to love. Enjoy the rest of ’em and thanks for stopping by!

  167. dhushor permalink
    February 14, 2012 2:26 am

    nice list … didn’t saw any movie yet 😦

  168. February 14, 2012 3:38 am

    great choice of films! need to catch up on the ones i have missed!

  169. brandneworchestra permalink
    February 14, 2012 10:11 am

    Great list! Take Shelter needed and deserved so much more praise and recognition than it received. Michael Shannon was nothing short of brilliant in that movie — the fact that he was snubbed for an Oscar is mindboggling. If you have the time, check out my fledgling blog, “I Could Write It…,”about everything I find entertaining in my life as I write my first novel (including movie reviews from time to time): icouldwriteit.wordpress.com. Thanks and keep up the great reviews!

    • February 15, 2012 12:21 pm

      Thanks and I’m right there with ya’ on Take Shelter. Ridiculous.

      And thanks for the heads up on the blog, will check it out!

  170. altnewsreport permalink
    February 14, 2012 12:39 pm

    Reblogged this on Tigerland888: News, Humor, Culture, Americana, Internet Memorabilia and commented:
    For film buffs like me – a good starting list of popular movies from 2011…

  171. Mark permalink
    February 14, 2012 2:41 pm

    Really like your list. Any chance you’d post what yours would have looked like for 2010? Even if only a Top 10 or 20…

  172. George permalink
    February 14, 2012 6:01 pm

    Reblogged this on WordPress Trends.

  173. February 14, 2012 11:05 pm

    really…none of those movies should be on the list,,,,

  174. February 15, 2012 3:16 pm

    Great list! And congrats on the comment fanfare, very well-deserved.

    • February 15, 2012 3:19 pm

      BTW glad to see another list with Take Shelter in the top five

      • February 15, 2012 4:31 pm

        Thanks! The general lack of love for/the lack of people who saw that movie is horseshit.

    • February 15, 2012 4:12 pm

      Thank you, bud! Yeah, the masses love their lists apparently.

  175. February 15, 2012 10:29 pm

    Man, I would kill for this kind of feedback on my blog…congrats! Glad you are back, saw Safehouse over the weekend. Intrested on your take on that one. Also ole Medusa at number 1, I like it.

    • March 23, 2012 9:31 am

      Hahaha. Yeah, I hit the jackpot this time. Still haven’t seen Safehouse (haven’t seen much this year for that matter), but will hit it up on DVD in due time. And hell yeah for the Bellflower love. Spread the word!

  176. February 16, 2012 2:16 am

    Probably would of had Moneyball higher, but all in all not a bad list. Good work.

    • March 23, 2012 9:28 am

      Thanks! And nothing wrong with giving more love to Moneyball. Great movie.

  177. Ali Hare permalink
    February 16, 2012 3:08 pm

    The fact that you put Harry Potter as #13, far higher than it usually gets, is amazing. I don’t understand why it’s not receiving the recognition it deserves. Great post!

    • March 23, 2012 9:26 am

      Thanks! Really don’t get the lack of love for HP from those asshats at the Academy, but whatever, the rest of the world knows what’s up.

  178. February 17, 2012 2:37 am

    nice blog. I really love Midnight in Paris.

  179. February 17, 2012 1:18 pm

    Nice! Check out my blog- I love singing and movies. I make my own covers! http://spiritpop.wordpress.com/

  180. February 20, 2012 10:53 am

    Reblogged this on cornucopia.

  181. February 20, 2012 12:12 pm

    Reblogged this on Kiara Lane.

  182. February 20, 2012 1:38 pm

    Damn here I was thinking I watched a lot of films last year and then you come along and yuck my yum.

    Thats a solid top 20, Still have to see Attack the block and Coriolanus

    • March 23, 2012 9:22 am

      Hahaha. Yeah, I went a bit overboard last year. And thanks! Definitely check those two out, they were something else, man.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  183. February 21, 2012 8:04 am

    Jolly interesting list. Though I tried sitting through Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy I simply could not get to the end of it. I love a spy movie but it bored me rigid. I’ll give the rest a go though.

    • March 23, 2012 9:20 am

      Thanks! And sorry to hear that about TTSS. Definitely not the kind of pacing we’re used to with spy movies these days, but I don’t know, found it pretty refreshing as a result. But definitely check out the others. They’re good’ns!

  184. February 25, 2012 11:16 am

    OY what a great list you’ve put together. More people need to watch Bill Cunningham New York and Attack The Block, they’re really underappreciated! Is The Artist really that good? Does it live up to the hype? 🙂

    • March 22, 2012 6:24 pm

      Thanks! And I totally agree, both amazing movies that deserve way more attention than they got. And as semi-annoying as all the hype is surrounding it, yeah, I really liked The Artist. There were way better movies this year, but it was still pretty wonderful.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  185. February 27, 2012 6:42 am

    Nice. I Agree But You Forgot a Movie.. I Would Recommend Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance

    • March 22, 2012 6:20 pm

      Thanks! Will definitely have a place for it on the Best of 2012 list.

  186. February 28, 2012 11:49 am

    Nice list. Happy with the great ending of Harry Potter too!

  187. February 29, 2012 6:58 am

    Interesting list.

  188. May 9, 2012 2:03 am

    Here’s my Top 10, in case you want to see…
    http://www.annaimhof.com/post/22702793875/my-10-favorite-movies-of-2011

    • May 9, 2012 11:01 am

      Great list! Actually just saw Tyrannosaur last week, bummed I didn’t see it in time to put it on the list ’cause it was a good one alright. Will get a review up one of these days. Fantastic character study, brutal as all hell though.

  189. September 8, 2012 11:53 am

    When I initially left a comment I seem to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I receive four emails with the exact same comment. Is there a way you can remove me from that service? Many thanks!

    • September 10, 2012 2:20 pm

      Oh man, I have no clue. Sorry about that, as that is certainly a drag. Maybe get in touch with the WordPress support team? Sorry I can’t be of more help.

  190. December 1, 2012 5:48 pm

    Waiting for the “Best Movies of 2012” list!! 😉

    • December 1, 2012 6:14 pm

      Hahaha. Chomping at the bit to write it! Will likely be in a couple months though, still got movies to see and reviews to crank out!

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