My Top Ten Movies of 2011: The Finale

Previously on my blog I counted down the bottom half of my list of favorite movies of the year.  Check that post out here, if you please.  As I wrote in yesterday's post, I had originally intended to do just one massive post detailing my favorite movies of the year, but truthfully that task seemed way too daunting.  Plus I figured the ensuing mass of text that would result from such a post would be rather ugly and intimidating to thee, my dear reader.  Anyway, that's enough chatter from me.  Let's finish this.

4.  The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
There were an unusually high number of female performances that I loved this year, many of which I've already written about in my last post.  And yet, even out of this year's crop of stellar leading ladies, Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander stands out as being the baddest in the land.  More than just a black-clad super-heroine, Lisbeth possesses an intriguing mix of both aggressive competence and fragile vulnerability.  But don't get the wrong idea, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is not a one woman show.  The film also displays a stylish coolness (epitomized by the stellar opening credits sequence) and unforgettable moments of trauma (including one awesomely brutal revenge sequence).  And for my money any one who can find a way to make Enya palatable deserves a flurry of praise just for that feat alone.

3.  The Artist

The Artist might be the most adorable and heartwarming movie of the year.  But don't let that fool you.  Below the film's adorable, puppy dog-ridden surface lies a razor sharp wit and an impressive intelligence.  By the time the film was through, my perception of sound in film had been altered in a slight, but significant way.  Add on top of all this two charismatic leads, whose ensuing romance will tug at the heartstrings and you've got a stellar, A+ theatrical experience on your hands.

2.  The Skin I Live In

Okay, I want to make clear now that I had a hard time deciding what order to put these last three movies in.  Honestly, The Skin I Live In in particular is pretty much tied for my number one movie this year.  It really is that awesome.  And I can say that out of all the films profiled in this post, Skin offers the most emotionally complex experience.  At times it is thrilling and shocking.  And yet it is also incredibly stylish with a bold color palate, and chock full of absurd moments and characters.  Like a lot of director Pedro Almodovar's other films, The Skin I Live In's plot cleverly weaves together a group of characters who initially appear distant and distinctly separate.  If I am being vague about the plot that is intentional, for I wouldn't dare give away the wonderfully extreme twist that the film is built upon.  I will say, however, that this movie is also commendable for its unique look at sexuality, morality, and gender identity.  It's also just straight-up awesome.

1.  Hugo

Yup, Hugo.  No surprise, right?  Hugo oozed cuteness and sweetness, yet never ignored the trials that all people go through, kids included.  In other words, it managed to be heart-warming without sugar-coating things.  The film also made for a wonderful tribute to the medium of film, the technology that has allowed the public's dreams to seep out into the daylight and invade our waking hours.  Plus the automaton was kawaii.

Great movies that I loved but couldn't include on my list due to lack of space: Midnight in Paris, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Bridesmaids, and Jane Eyre.  The Darkest Hour takes the cake for the worst movie I saw in theaters last year.