Best movies watched in 2011

The Annual Patricia Awards
I haven’t stopped to count how many movies I saw last year. Let us say there were 70. Here are my favorites (and not favorites):
Best series to watch and then immediately invite your MAunts over to watch it so you can watch it again:
Pride & Prejudice (1995)
The movie I over prepared for (read book, saw original) and found disappointing:
True Grit (Cohen Brothers)
Best documentary illuminating the selection process for a Broadway musical:
Every Little Step
Wonderful, delightful tale that managed to completely eviscerate me emotionally in the last five minutes:
The Illusionist
Best random pack of scary sisters I want someone to write a novel about:
The Fighter
Not a movie to watch when trying to wind down after a hard week:
and
Best movie that passed the Bechdel test:
Hannah
Movie that could have gone so wrong, but instead was so very right:
Source Code
Movie that spawned a personal film festival:
Fast Five
Bad, forgettable title (I just had to google it to remind myself what it was) with at least one incredibly funny scene and well developed characters:
and
Good romantic comedy your boyfriend will probably also enjoy:
Going the Distance
Best of the Vin Diesel Film Festival.
(I know! I was surprised too!)
XXX
Unfortunate example of how Hollywood completely erases strong female characters:
(which is ironic, really, because this movie got me started on the book series)
Gone Baby, Gone
Best movie to watch on your boyfriend’s birthday after bicycling many miles:
X-Men, First Class
Movie I enjoyed, but not as much as I thought I would:
and
Suffered, I think, from a long delay before the big monster reveal:
and
Most authentic (and hilarious) teenage boy dialogue:
Super 8
Best eye candy of the fashion variety:
Mad Men, Season I
The “man, why don’t they make more movies about wrestling?” award:
Win Win
My favorite of the superhero movie this year:
Captain America
The “Please avoid the movie and take the time to read the book. You won’t be sorry” award:
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Absolutely delightful
(even though I still am squeamish about Woody Allen):
Midnight in Paris
Happy sigh:
Babies
Pretty bad “last” movie, but with entertaining “bonus” interview with the costumer:
The Thing Called Love
The documentary where the “normal” people were more compelling than the celebrities:
and
Even if you just watch the “Will Shortz reads his mail” scene you will walk away happy:
WordPlay
“Old Fashioned” style movie I absolutely loved:
The Good German
The “two hours reading the book will be time better spent” award:
One Day
The movie that was seared onto my brain at age twelve:
Stand By Me
Funny movie we had no idea we would see:
Horrible Bosses
Excellent ensemble effort:
Contagion
Hit the nostalgia button hard:
Pearl Jam 20
Best horror movie concept of the year:
Attack the Block
Excellent acting, all around:
Margin Call
Best reason to start knitting again:
Heroes, Season 1
Well done movie that was very slow, darn it:
Hugo 3-D
Yet another interesting illumination into Broadway:
Life After Tomorrow
Movie that surprised me the most:
Being Elmo
Remake that surprised me the most:
and
A good reason to go into movies with an open mind:
Footloose (2011)
Movie with the most delightful little scenes sprinkled here and there:
The Descendants
Movie where my front teeth dried out because I was smiling so much:
The Muppets
Best movie about baseball and math this year
(and possibly ever):
Moneyball

4 thoughts on “Best movies watched in 2011”

  1. I was forced to watch Fast Five the other week in order to be polite to a guest & I couldn't stand it. It was so implausible. And yet, I love Shoot 'Em Up, which is a movie that's all about the implausible. Perhaps the man (Clive Owen) makes the movie?

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