Best of 2011
My favorite movies of 2011. With comments.
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17 titles
- DirectorTate TaylorStarsViola DavisEmma StoneOctavia SpencerAn aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.A movie that gets better every time I watch it. Flawless performances from the entire cast, with Viola Davis giving one of the most heartfelt, moving performances of the millenium.
Nominations:
Best Picture***
Best Actress- Viola Davis***
Best Supporting Actress- Bryce Dallas Howard***
Best Adapted Screenplay- Tate Taylor
Best Acting Ensemble*** - DirectorSean DurkinStarsElizabeth OlsenSarah PaulsonJohn HawkesHaunted by painful memories and increasing paranoia, a damaged woman struggles to re-assimilate with her family after fleeing an abusive cult.Haunting, chilling, expertly directed and held together by a brilliant performance by Elizabeth Olsen.
Nominations:
Best Actress- Elizabeth Olsen
Best Original Screenplay- Sean Durkin
Best Director- Sean Durkin - DirectorTerrence MalickStarsBrad PittSean PennJessica ChastainThe story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents' conflicting teachings.Stunning, divisive, challenging, difficult, and ultimately dynamic film that features some of the most profound images ever seen on film.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Director- Terrence Malick
Best Supporting Actor- Hunter McCracken
Best Cinematography***
Best Original Score- Alexandre Desplat***
Best Editing - DirectorWoody AllenStarsOwen WilsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesWhile on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.Easily the most charming film of the year, this is Woody Allen in truly top form. Fantastic ensemble.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Original Screenplay- Woody Allen
Best Director- Woody Allen
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Original Score- Stephane Wrembel - DirectorPaul FeigStarsKristen WiigMaya RudolphRose ByrneCompetition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride's best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef.Hilarious, raunchy, fantastically acted all around, but what makes this movie so special is its heart.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actress- Kristen Wiig
Best Supporting Actress- Melissa McCarthy
Best Original Screenplay- Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo
Best Acting Ensemble - DirectorBennett MillerStarsBrad PittRobin WrightJonah HillOakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players.Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor- Brad Pitt
Best Supporting Actor- Jonah Hill
Best Adapted Screenplay - DirectorGlenn FicarraJohn RequaStarsSteve CarellRyan GoslingJulianne MooreA middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars.Great rom-coms are hard to come by, but this one gets everything right. Featuring lovely performances from the whole cast and a witty and original script, this comedy is a winner.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Original Screenplay- John Reque & Glen Ficara - DirectorAndrew HaighStarsTom CullenChris NewJonathan RaceAfter a drunken house party with his straight mates, Russell heads out to a gay club. Just before closing time he picks up Glen but what's expected to be just a one-night stand becomes something else, something special.So much more than meets the eye, this somewhat wistful romance is rather perfect.
Best Original Screenplay - DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMatt DamonKate WinsletJude LawHealthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.Not such a popular film, I enjoyed every minute of it and couldn't tear my eyes from the screen.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Editing - DirectorAlexander PayneStarsGeorge ClooneyShailene WoodleyAmara MillerA land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor- George Clooney
Best Supporting Actress- Shailene Woodley
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director- Alexander Payne
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Cinematography - DirectorBrad BirdStarsTom CruiseJeremy RennerSimon PeggThe IMF is shut down when it's implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin, causing Ethan Hunt and his new team to go rogue to clear their organization's name.Brad Bird's animation roots turned out to be the perfect thing to help reinvigorate the M:I franchise. Miles better than the second or third installment, this one is non-stop action and fun from start to finish.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Director- Brad Bird
Best Cinematography - DirectorPaddy ConsidineStarsPeter MullanArchie LalJag SangheraJoseph, a man plagued by violence and a rage that is driving him to self-destruction, earns a chance of redemption that appears in the form of Hannah, a Christian charity shop worker.Bleak, unmanipulative, and stark, featuring gut-wrenching performances from both leads.
Nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor- Peter Mullan
Best Actress- Olivia Colman - DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsAsa ButterfieldChloë Grace MoretzChristopher LeeIn 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.A moving love letter to the movies by a director who is a true fan.
Nominations:
Best Director- Martin Scorsese
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
Best Original Score- Howard Shore - DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.Nominations:
Best Supporting Actress- Berenice Bejo
Best Cinematography
Best Original Score- Ludovic Bource - DirectorDavid FincherStarsDaniel CraigRooney MaraChristopher PlummerJournalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for 40 years by young computer hacker Lisbeth Salander.Best Adapted Screenplay
- DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsElle FanningAJ MichalkaKyle ChandlerDuring the summer of 1979, a group of friends witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town.Nominations:
Best Actor- Joel Courtney
Best Actress- Elle Fanning
Best Supporting Actor- Riley Griffiths***
Best Original Score- Michael Giacchino - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsMichael FassbenderCarey MulliganJames Badge DaleA sex addict's carefully cultivated private life falls apart after his sister arrives for an indefinite stay.Overly sexual, but still remarkably effective portrait of an addiction with great performances from Fassbender and Mulligan.
Nominations:
Best Actor- Michael Fassbender
Best Supporting Actress- Carey Mulligan