Oscar Season 2011 Roundup (Part II)

Dear readers, it's time to unveil my Top Ten films for 2011. I didn't see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or A Dangerous Method or War Horse yet. But for the sake of argument, here's how I'd rank them today. (I reviewed them all but Weekend, which is a graceful, quiet indie about two gay men sharing three days together, a brief encounter more believable and honest than most romantic dramas. You can--and should--watch it on Netflix.)

Josh's Top 10

1. The Descendants

2. Melancholia

3. Take Shelter

The rest, in no particular order:

4. Bridesmaids

5. Drive

6. Hugo

7. Margin Call

8. Moneyball

9. The Tree of Life

10. Weekend

For some diversity of taste, I pulled strings and got two other Top Ten lists for you readers. The only movie where we three overlap is The Descendants.

Nicholas's Top 10

1. Melancholia     

Lars von Trier’s apocalyptic fairy tale struck a chord with me. Kirsten Dunst gave my favorite performance of the year, playing a depressed yet nuanced young bride fearing her sanity in the beginning of the film, and then asserting her strength at the end. She deserved a nomination in my opinion.

2. Jane Eyre     

Charlotte Bronte’s beloved classic has never looked lovelier or more eerie than in director Cary Fukunaga’s wonderful imagination. The film featured stellar performances from Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, and Dame Judi Dench.

3. The Descendants     

Clooney cries!

4. Bridesmaids     

Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy stole the show. I couldn’t stop laughing.

5. X-Men: First Class     

Let’s just pretend that Wolverine and X-Men 3 never happened and start from scratch with this wonderful period piece of X-Men history, telling the origins of Professor X, Magneto, Mystique, Beast, Havok, Emma Frost, Banshee, and others.

6. The Muppets   

I grew up loving the Muppets and this film was a wonderful tribute to them by Jason Segel. Miss Piggy rules!

7. Weekend   

A lovely and poignant film featuring touching performances from the two leads. Not just a gay movie.

8. Young Adult     

Charlize Theron hates the Midwest and so do I! 

9. Drive   

An '80s noir with pink font for the titles, a killer soundtrack, and Ryan Gosling kicking ass in a scorpion jacket.

10. The Iron Lady   

Despite what some may say, I found this incredibly moving. Meryl Streep deserves every award she gets, even if she won’t get one this year. Damn it, Thatcher!

Suzanne's Top 10

I share this list with mild reservation, because by all accounts, it feels unfinished. I saw about 25 films in 2011, whereas in 2010, I saw nearly 50. I have not seen a single animated film this year. Of the films I did see, some were in jest (Red Riding Hood), and most were simply out of consideration for keeping up with the awards season. I refused to see War Horse or Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I gave in with The Help. But on a few occasions, I saw films that have truly stayed with me. Here are ten of those films:

1. Hugo 
A remarkable visual feast by artist (and film lover himself) Martin Scorsese. 
2. Beginners
A hopeful, honest story told close to the heart. 
3. Win Win
Strong characters and a timely conflict, with the right amount of comedy baked in by writer/director Thomas McCarthy.
4. Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre adaptations may seem a dime a dozen, but Wasikowska delivers maybe the best interpretation of the title character yet.
5. Midnight in Paris
The best of Woody Allen's romantic comedies shows up in Midnight in Paris, and then some.
6. Poetry
This elusive Korean film tells a grim and devastating story with the right amount of restraint. 
7. The Tree of Life
Though Malick continues to make mistakes in the editing room with The Tree of Life, the central portrait of a 1950s Texan conservative family is both haunting and beautiful.
8. Like Crazy
Falls into some sentimental traps, but the improvised dialogue and universally familiar situations yield a potent, emotional romance.
9. The Descendants
George Clooney's best ever. A unique story of loss, betrayal, and uniting those feelings towards grief.
10. Pearl Jam Twenty
Cameron Crowe is no ordinary music fan, and Pearl Jam Twenty packs powerful 1990s nostalgia with rare footage and present-day interviews with charismatic frontman Eddie Vedder.