Added by Stehako on 28 Dec 2011 03:30

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Best Films of 2011

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Decade: Rating: List Type:

112

6.5

7.4

The Way (2010)

#100

The great Martin Sheen is directed by his son, Emilio, who also plays his son in the film. Sheen has done this before, when he acted with Charlie in 'Wall Street'.

This movie, while dealing with death, is not quite as serious and provocative as Stones' 'Street'. It's set out to be an inspiring journey into the Iberian peninsula, with simple characters and simple dialogue.

Stehako's rating:

7.6

These Amazing Shadows (2011)

This is a subject I am passionate about and love how informative it is, but I feel like this could have been a lot of more extensive. They barely touch on several subjects and issues pertaining to the preservation of film and film as an important modern art form.

Stehako's rating:

684

7.1

7.3

The Lincoln Lawyer

And so begins the resurgence of Mr. McCoughnehey as a real actor.

Stehako's rating:

373

7.1

7.2

Winnie the Pooh (2011)

Nostalgia and a fresh twist to the music helps make this a worthy viewing. However there really isn't too much new here and the writers try a little too hard to replicate the magic of the old animated characters.

Stehako's rating:

6.7

6.9

The Mill and the Cross

An entire film set in a painting. Looking at how a complicated, detailed painting was narratively put together.

Stehako's rating:

274

5.9

6.2

The Big Year (2011)

Not exactly a popular subject, birding, but I usually like movies about hobbies I know nothing about.
Eventhough it has three great comedians as leads there aren't a lot of laughs; but that doesn't mean they weren't entertaining.

Stehako's rating:

1276

6.7

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

What wants to be a smart suspense thriller is just a decently made love story with a familiar premise. Luckily the chemistry between Damon and Blunt is strong enough to make this one to watch.

Stehako's rating:

7.6

Buck (2011)

An interesting documentary about a man who loves his job, gift and life.

Stehako's rating:

158

6.5

6.2

The Future (2011)

A movie so strange that...

Stehako's rating:

128

7.4

7.5

Sarah's Key (2010)

Kristen Scott Thomas does a hell of a job in this specific story taking place during WWII. Lovely cinematography as well.

Stehako's rating:

419

5.7

6.1

Larry Crowne (2011)

Hanks is his usual likable self but Roberts is her usual unlikable self. This movie, trying for the similar success 'Up in the Air' had, does not hit the tones and notes perfectly.

Stehako's rating:

277

6.4

6.7

Machine Gun Preacher

Gerard is good at being a crazy bad-ass Christian.

Stehako's rating:

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011)

7.7

7.6

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey (2011) (2012)

A touching and quite enjoyable documentary

Stehako's rating:

6.7

3 (2010)

The film took several chances. While some didn't pay off I was definitely intrigued throughout and Sophie Rois is a delight.

Stehako's rating:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

3778

7.6

8.1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Well, it is the finale, but it's not the best. I felt more relieved it was over instead of sad.
The actors and visual effects are still top-notch. I suppose I just had enough at this point.

Stehako's rating:

564

5.9

6.4

Our Idiot Brother (2011)

Paul Rudd is glorious as the 'idiot brother', in one of the best female-driven casts ever created. Unfortunately the truly funniest moment in the whole film is when Rudd's character stops to dispense hand sanitizer after an awkward confrontation. But what has the appearance of a slap-stick comedy is really just tempered comedy about family, love, appreciation, honesty and understanding.

Stehako's rating:

442

6.7

7.1

Margin Call (2011)

A dialogue-heavy one-note kind of depressing look at the economic situation of the time.

Stehako's rating:

6.9

The Swell Season (2011)

An intimate look into the backstage life of the most likable duo in music. Sadly the business has shown its ability to get in the way love once again.

Stehako's rating:

283

6.9

The Conspirator

Redford has proven he can still direct a solid pic, too bad this one seemed to gain zero traction, coming and going with merely a whisper at the box office. This is strange considering his huge profile and the popular, albeit miscast, cast. The strongest performer being, no surprise, Robin Wright.
Below the line work is noteworthy as well, but that doesn't sell tickets.

Stehako's rating:

248

6.2

6.7

The Company Men (2018)

A solid cast in a solid and timely story. What's missing here is the playful dialogue and not completely serious look at a subject that is completely serious. If they took a note from 'Up in the Air' perhaps the producers would have made more money... then again, maybe their goal was to make a more serious take.

Stehako's rating:

2024

6.2

6.5

The Hangover: Part II (2011)

Cinematography for a comedy doesn't get better than this; but comedies get better than this

Stehako's rating:

110

7.3

7.8

American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010)

I wasn't expecting much going into this documentary and became pleasantly surprised and now have a new respect for Hicks.

Stehako's rating:

548

5.7

6.1

30 Minutes or Less (2011)

Some truly funny moments in a small comedy with nothing special to enable it to shine from the pack.

Stehako's rating:

7.8

7.4

Project Nim (2011)

Coming from James Marsh I had high expectations and thankfully this documentary is well-done and not a miss from him.

However I still find myself disappointed, but I think that's mainly because I didn't like any of the subjects, which is only Marsh's fault in the fact that he seems convinced they are interesting and/or at least likable.

Nim, however: Likable as fuck. Even when he gets into his hostile stage.

Stehako's rating:

414

7.3

The Guard (2011)

Possibly the best role I've seen Gleason play. His chemistry with Cheadle is great in this dagger of an Irish film.

Stehako's rating:

338

8.5

Senna (2010)

An awesome documentary about racing and life.

Stehako's rating:

288

7.1

Win Win (2011)

Anything with Giamatti is a win win

Stehako's rating:

702

5.7

6.3

The Change-Up (2011)

Bateman and Reynolds play each other really well, to comedic heights. Unfortunately it's a tired story and some of the antics are too much. It's an average comedy bolstered by its four leads (includes Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde)

Stehako's rating:

7.5

All.I.Can. (2011)

One of the best shot skiing film I've ever seen. It begins with a montage akin to a Godfrey Reggio film and continues with plenty of kick-ass shots of back country skiing. It gets a little environment preachy which keeps this from being a truly great skiing doc.

Stehako's rating:

1416

6.3

6.8

Contagion (2011)

An all-star cast can't make this should-have-been modern masterpiece from Soderbergh

Stehako's rating:

522

6.8

6.9

Another Earth (2011)

A dark sort of indie twist to the sci fi genre. The performances are magnetic and the imagery is memorable and it's all sort of... weird.

Stehako's rating:

7.4

Breaking and Entering (2010)

The obsession with being the "best" in the world and getting into the Guinness Book of World Records can be quite entertaining.

Stehako's rating:

3396

6.7

Thor (2011)

An impressive production but the often hokey dialogue gets distracting. I also found it difficult to truly enjoy it, not having any knowledge about the Thor comics and the world of Asgard.

Stehako's rating:

144

7.5

7.7

Life in a Day (2011)

A full-length You Tube commercial... that actually works. It sends a beautiful message and reminds us how we aren't ALL stuck in our own technological world

Stehako's rating:

1415

7.2

Shame (2011)

McQueen has superb controlled direction and Fassbender is intense, but I can't say I enjoyed watching it because of the subject matter.

Stehako's rating:

412

5.8

5.7

Rubber (2010)

The oddest film of the year... in a very good way

Stehako's rating:

6.4

6.5

Blackthorn (2011)

Sam Shepherd plays the older Cassidy very well. I love the concept of the movie and I think the results, while nothing like the classic 'Cassidy' from 1969, are noteworthy. There are same great cinematic moments and the story holds weight. The main issue I have is the production seems amateur at times.

Stehako's rating:

1790

6.9

7.4

Limitless (2011)

Stehako's rating:

2892

6.7

6.9

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

It was almost a great hero film

Stehako's rating:

464

6.7

6.8

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Elizabeth Olsen proves she is a better actress than her sisters in haunting film about backwoods cults

Stehako's rating:

312

6.3

6.4

Everything Must Go (2011)

Ferrell pulls off a controlled, believable performance. Rebecca Hall is her usual perfect self.

Stehako's rating:

934

7.9

8.2

Warrior

A surprisingly effective movie with strong acting and while the story wasn't amazing, it all worked.

Stehako's rating:

7.3

7.6

PressPausePlay (2011)

A spot-on documentary about the current media arts world we live in.

Stehako's rating:

590

6.6

6.9

Troll Hunter

Stehako's rating:

707

6.1

6.2

Young Adult (2011)

Jason Reitman's weakest film but still quite enjoyable

Stehako's rating:

6.4

6.8

Knuckle (2011)

A brutal documentary about Irish family feuds causing decades of bare-knuckle brawls.

Stehako's rating:

818

7.3

7.5

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010)

A very enjoyable farce that may be one-note but keeps you entertained throughout. Katrina Bowden is damn gorgeous.

Stehako's rating:

1626

7.7

8.1

The Help (2011)

Memorable performances and a story that is thoughtfully told.
It’s strange how a movie life this, one that is so emotionally swaying, gets critical acclaim; but a movie that’s just as good, like “Life Itself” gets ripped.

Stehako's rating:

831

6.2

6.5

J. Edgar (2011)

DiCaprio pulls off a powerhouse performance but the movie seems to focus on less interesting aspects of man who led a very interesting life.

Stehako's rating:

1035

7.2

War Horse (2011)

I've never seen so much adoration for a damn horse. People actually risking their lives... A beautiful piece of filmmaking but a little too much on the horsy love.

Stehako's rating:

Load more items (50 more in this list)

This list was created by and in the opinion of Stephen H Koontz
Created January 2012
Updated May 2024
Films Seen: 187

Hugo is quite an achievement, a great topper to another solid year despite what the box office 'experts' tell you as it is one of the most profitable years of all time and the first year in which I have rated at least 100 films a 7/10.

Enjoy!

Also-Seen:
Rated 7/10
Cowboys & Aliens
The Beaver
X-Men: First Class
The Rum Diary
The Debt
Arthur
We Bought a Zoo
Jane Eyre
The Devil's Double
Love Crime
Unguarded
Strongman
Hobo with a Shotgun
The Whistleblower
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Tower Heist
Happythankyoumoreplease
A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt
Super
Bill Cunningham in New York
Rated 6/10
Hall Pass
Carnage
Mars Needs Moms
Scream 4
Gnomeo & Juliet
Page One: Inside the New York Times
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Hop
Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow
Pina
Chalet Girl
The Dilemma
The Green Hornet
Rio
Conan O'Brien Can't Stop
Rabbit Hole
Last Night
The Last Circus
Hesher
The Iron Lady
Chico & Rita
Friends with Benefits
Red State
Miral
Holy Rollers: Story of Card Counting Christians
The High Cost of Living
Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
American Animal
Into the Abyss
The Princess of Montpensier
El Bulli: Cooking in Progress
Cameraman: Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Insidious
The Details
Paranormal Activity 3
Take Me Home Tonight
Eames: The Architect & the Painter
Apollo 18
Sleeping Beauty
Blitz
L'Amour Fou
If a Tree Falls: Story of Earth Liberation Front
Blank City
Happy
Sanctum
Margaret
Rated 5/10
In the Land of Blood and Honey
Dirty Girl
Bellflower
Film Socialisme
Dolphin Tale
Beastly
House of Tolerance
Shut Up, Little Man!
She Monkeys
The Sitter
A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas
I Melt with You
Rated 4/10
Stuck Between Stations
Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview
Cat Run
X: Night of Vengeance
Rated 3/10
The Roommate
12 Dates of Christmas
Elektra Luxx
Rated 2/10
Joe + Belle
Ecstasy
Rated 1/10
Shark Night