Best of 2011 - Paul's Picks

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   1. War Horse
   Steven Spielberg's beautifully executed, sentimental, emotional drama was was easily the film which most captivated me in 2011.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese's exquisite love letter to film was an absolute joy. While in many ways a complete departure from what we expect from Scorsese, I consider this one of his most personal works.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Adventures of Tintin
   Spielberg's other film, a collaboration with Peter Jackson, was the most pure fun I had with a movie in 2011.
   
   
   
   

    

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Conspirator
   Robert Redford's welcome return to form after the disappointing political science lecture that was Lions For Lambs was, in my opinion, the most under appreciated film of 2011. Extremely compelling.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
   The soulful, dramatic first half of the finale was concluded with a bang, in an action-packed and emotionally satisfying climax fitting for one of the great franchises of our time. I'm going to miss this series a lot.
   
   
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   6. The Muppets
   Hilarious, emotional, and utterly true to the spirit of the beloved characters.
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. Super 8
   J.J. Abrams ode to 70s and 80's Spielbergian sci-fi was sheer magic, especially for those of us who spent out childhood making movies.
   
   
   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
   Without a doubt the biggest and best surprise of 2011. I never predicted that this would be anywhere near as compelling and satisfying as it was.
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. The Artist
    Michel Hazanavicius delivers a unique, delightful (mostly) silent movie that utterly mesmerizes its audience.
   
   
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne's drama is heartbreaking, sometimes uplifting, sometimes funny, and always compelling. George Clooney gives not only the performance of his career, but one of the most touching and expressive I've ever seen.
    
    
    

    

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    11. Moneyball 
    Bennett Miller's drama/comedy is brilliant, insightful and witty, even if (like me) you care nothing about baseball.   The fact that I found a story about baseball so much more compelling than biographies of J. Edgar Hoover or Margaret Thatcher perfectly illustrates that sometimes how you tell the story is more important than the story itself.
    
    
    
    
    Runners-Up: (In no particular order) Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, Winnie-the-Pooh, Captain America: The First Avenger, Contagion, Coriolanus, Arthur Christmas, Thor, X-Men: First Class, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, The Help, Kung Fu Panda 2