Year-End Lists

Film Comment: 50 Best Released Films of 2011 [poll of over 120 critics and film journalists]

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
3. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
4. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
5. A Dangerous Method
   David Cronenberg
6. Mysteries of Lisbon
   Raoul Ruiz
7. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
8. Meek’s Cutoff
   Kelly Reichardt
9. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
10. Poetry
    Lee Chang-dong
11. Film Socialisme
    Jean-Luc Godard
12. Le Havre
    Aki Kaurismäki
13. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceauşescu
    Andrei Ujica
14. Le quattro volte
    Michelangelo Frammartino
15. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne
16. Nostalgia for the Light
    Patricio Guzmán
17. A Brighter Summer Day
    Edward Yang
18. Midnight in Paris
    Woody Allen
19. Take Shelter
    Jeff Nichols
20. Margaret
    Kenneth Lonergan
21. Shame
    Steve McQueen
22. Drive
    Nicolas Winding Refn
23. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
    Werner Herzog
24. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    Tomas Alfredson
25. To Die Like a Man
    João Pedro Rodrigues
26. The Interrupters
    Steve James
27. The Artist
    Michel Hazanavicius
28. Tuesday, After Christmas
    Radu Muntean
29. Aurora
    Cristi Puiu
30. Weekend
    Andrew Haigh
31. The Skin I Live In
    Pedro Almodóvar
32. City of Life and Death
    Lu Chuan
33. Contagion
    Steven Soderbergh
34. Of Gods and Men
    Xavier Beauvois
35. Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Sean Durkin
36. Bridesmaids
    Paul Feig
37. The Trip
    Michael Winterbottom
38. Moneyball
    Bennett Miller
39. The Arbor
    Clio Barnard
40. The Future
    Miranda July
41. Incendies
    Denis Villeneuve
42. Super 8
    JJ Abrams
43. United Red Army
    Kôji Wakamatsu
44. Road to Nowhere
    Monte Hellman
45. Tabloid
    Errol Morris
46. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
    Rupert Wyatt
47. Terri
    Azazel Jacobs
48. J. Edgar
    Clint Eastwood
49. Jane Eyre
    Cary Fukunaga
50. Pina
    Wim Wenders

Nick Schager: Top 10 Films of 2011 [also a participant in Slant Magazine’s round-up]

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
2. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. Poetry
   Lee Chang-dong
5. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
6. Tuesday, After Christmas
   Radu Muntean
7. Nostalgia for the Light
   Patricio Guzmán
8. Foreign Parts
   Verena Paravel & J.P. Sniadecki
9. Meek’s Cutoff
   Kelly Reichardt
10. Bellflower
    Evan Glodell

Honorable Mention

• The Adventures of Tintin
  Steven Spielberg
• Carnage
  Roman Polanski
• Cave of Forgotten Dreams
  Werner Herzog
• A Dangerous Method
  David Cronenberg
• Drive
  Nicolas Winding Refn
• Incendies
  Denis Villeneuve
• The Sleeping Beauty
  Catherine Breillat
• Take Shelter
  Jeff Nichols
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
  Tomas Alfredson
• Warrior
  Gavin O’Connor

Ed Gonzalez: Top 10 Films of 2011 [also a participant in Slant Magazine’s round-up]

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2012]

1. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
2. A Brighter Summer Day
   Edward Yang
3. Nostalgia for the Light
   Patricio Guzmán
4. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
5. Tomboy
   Céline Sciamma
6. Polytechnique
   Denis Villeneuve
7. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
8. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
9. Leap Year
   Anand Tucker
10. In the Family
    Patrick Wang

Honorable Mention

• Attack the Block
  Joe Cornish
• Beginners
  Mike Mills
• Bridesmaids
  Paul Feig
• Cave of Forgotten Dreams
  Werner Herzog
• Final Destination 5
  Steven Quale
• Incendies
  Denis Villeneuve
• Mysteries of Lisbon
  Raoul Ruiz
• Poetry
  Lee Chang-dong
• Tuesday, After Christmas
  Radu Muntean
• Sucker Punch
  Zack Snyder

MSN Entertainment [aka MSN Movies]: Top 10 Movies of 2011

1. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
2. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
3. The Descendants
   Alexander Payne
4. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
   Tomas Alfredson
6. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
7. A Dangerous Method
   David Cronenberg
8. The Artist
   Michel Hazanavicius
9. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
10. Meek’s Cutoff
    Kelly Reichardt

Total Film: 50 Best Movies of 2011 [based on UK release date]

1. Drive
   Nicolas Winding Refn
2. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
3. Black Swan
   Darren Aronofsky
4. Blue Valentine
   Derek Cianfrance
5. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
   Tomas Alfredson
6. Kill List
   Ben Wheatley
7. Animal Kingdom
   David Michôd
8. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
9. Bridesmaids
   Paul Feig
10. We Need to Talk About Kevin
    Lynne Ramsay
11. The Guard
    John Michael McDonagh
12. Source Code
    Duncan Jones
13. True Grit
    Joel & Ethan Coen
14. Neds
    Peter Mullan
15. The Fighter
    David O. Russell
16. The King’s Speech
    Tom Hooper
17. The Skin I Live In
    Pedro Almodóvar
18. Tyrannosaur
    Paddy Considine
19. Super 8
    JJ Abrams
20. Take Shelter
    Jeff Nichols
21. Senna
    Asif Kapadia
22. The Artist
    Michel Hazanavicius
23. Hugo
    Martin Scorsese
24. Submarine
    Richard Ayoade
25. Snowtown
    Justin Kurzel
26. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
    David Yates
27. 127 Hours
    Danny Boyle
28. Melancholia
    Lars von Trier
29. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
    Rupert Wyatt
30. Attack the Block
    Joe Cornish
31. Moneyball
    Bennett Miller
32. The Adventures of Tintin
    Steven Spielberg
33. Thor
    Kenneth Branagh
34. Arrietty
    Hiromasa Yonebayashi & Gary Rydstrom
35. The Interrupters
    Steve James
36. X-Men: First Class
    Matthew Vaughn
37. Meek’s Cutoff
    Kelly Reichardt
38. Contagion
    Steven Soderbergh
39. Warrior
    Gavin O’Connor
40. How I Ended This Summer
    Aleksey Popogrebskiy
41. Crazy, Stupid, Love
    Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
42. 13 Assassins
    Takashi Miike
43. The Ides of March
    George Clooney
44. The Help
    Tate Taylor
45. 50/50
    Jonathan Levine
46. Weekend
    Andrew Haigh
47. Project Nim
    James Marsh
48. Essential Killing
    Jerzy Skolimowski
49. The Lincoln Lawyer
    Brad Furman
50. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    David Fincher

Web in Front: Best Albums of 2011

1. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
2. Civilian
   Wye Oak
3. As Bright As Your Night Light
   Nerves Junior
4. Parallax
   Atlas Sound
5. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
6. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
7. Smoke Ring for My Halo
   Kurt Vile
8. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
9. WIT’S END
   Cass McCombs
10. This is a Desert EP
    The Henry Clay People
10. Manhattan Murder Mystery
    Manhattan Murder Mystery

MagicRPM: Top 15 Albums of 2011

1. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
   Girls
2. Kaputt
   Destroyer
3. Happy Soup
   Baxter Dury
4. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
5. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
   John Maus
6. E Volo Love
   François & the Atlas Mountains
7. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
8. Parallax
   Atlas Sound
9. Forever Dolphin Love
   Connan Mockasin
10. Metals
    Feist
11. Joan
    Maison Neuve
12. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
13. Days
    Real Estate
14. Grand Lièvre
    Jean-Louis Murat
15. People
    Skeletons

Noel Murray: Best Films of 2011, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also The 10 Best Documentaries of 2022 • The 10 (or 11) Best Documentaries of 2021 • The Best Films of 2021 • The Best Films of 2020 • The Best Films of 2019 • Top 15 Films of 2018 • Best Films of 2017 • The Best Films of 2016 • The Best Films of 2015 • Top 15 Films of 2014 • 15 Best Films of 2012]

Top 15

1. Martha Marcy May Marlene
   Sean Durkin
2. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. The Future
   Miranda July
5. Weekend
   Andrew Haigh
6. Tabloid
   Errol Morris
7. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
8. Terri
   Azazel Jacobs
9. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
10. Rango
    Gore Verbinski
11. Tuesday, After Christmas
    Radu Muntean
12. The Arbor
    Clio Barnard
13. Winnie the Pooh
    Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall
14. Project Nim
    James Marsh
15. Super 8
    JJ Abrams

The next five

• House of Pleasures
  Bertrand Bonello
• Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
  Apichatpong Weerasethakul
• The Catechism Cataclysm
  Todd Rohal
• Take Shelter
  Jeff Nichols
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes
  Rupert Wyatt

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: Year in Film 2011

Scott Tobias: Best Films of 2011, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

Top 15

1. Meek’s Cutoff
   Kelly Reichardt
2. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
5. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
6. Martha Marcy May Marlene
   Sean Durkin
7. Drive
   Nicolas Winding Refn
8. Weekend
   Andrew Haigh
9. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
10. The Arbor
    Clio Barnard
11. House of Pleasures
    Bertrand Bonello
12. Tabloid
    Errol Morris
13. Hugo
    Martin Scorsese
14. Tuesday, After Christmas
    Radu Muntean
15. The Interrupters
    Steve James

The next five

• Terri
  Azazel Jacobs
• Take Shelter
  Jeff Nichols
• Source Code
  Duncan Jones
• Bridesmaids
  Paul Feig
• Attack the Block
  Joe Cornish

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: Year in Film 2011

Pretty Much Amazing: 40 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. As Bright As Your Night Light
   Nerves Junior
2. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
3. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
4. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
5. Black Up
   Shabazz Palaces
6. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
7. Tomboy
   Panda Bear
8. James Blake
   James Blake
9. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
10. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
11. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
12. Cults
    Cults
13. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
14. Born This Way
    Lady Gaga
15. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
16. Let England Shake
    PJ Harvey
17. Watch the Throne
    Jay-Z and Kanye West
18. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
19. Take Care
    Drake
20. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
21. Kaputt
    Destroyer
22. An Album By Korallreven
    Korallreven
23. Conatus
    Zola Jesus
24. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
25. Arabia Mountain
    Black Lips
26. The Whole Love
    Wilco
27. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
28. You Are All I See
    Active Child
29. In Heaven
    Mr Twin Sister
30. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
31. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
32. Undun
    The Roots
33. Metals
    Feist
34. 4
    Beyoncé
35. New Brigade
    Iceage
36. Space is Only Noise
    Nicolas Jaar
37. Skying
    The Horrors
38. Feel It Break
    Austra
39. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns
40. Smother
    Wild Beasts