Top 5: Favorite Movies Of 2011

     The last Top 5 of Oscar Week is my 5 favorite movies of 2011.  Once again, the list is limited to the movies I actually saw.  A movie can't be a favorite if you haven't seen it... right?

5)  Midnight In Paris
          I find Woody Allen extremely hit or miss.  I don't know if there is a movie maker whose movies hit the extremes as much as Allen.  His movies are either totally unwatchable or wonderfully amusing.  As far as I can tell, he practices the "throw everything against the wall and see what sticks" theory of film making.  This is one of the good ones.  It is one of those rare films that is able to be incredibly smart and incredibly light at the same time.  Owen Wilson is great in the Woody Allen role that most people turn into an imitation.  Wilson shows the classic Allen neurosis without turning it into a caricature.  It's a well made, well acted fun movie.

4)  Young Adult
          On the other side of the spectrum is Jason Reitman, who granted hasn't made nearly as many movies or had nearly as long a career, but has not made a movie that I didn't love.  This is his latest and the second time his teamed up with writer Diablo Cody.  Their first movie, Juno, is one of my all time favorites.  While this one isn't the classic Juno was, it is a great movie filled with great performances.  Charlize Theron is brilliant as usual and while Patton Oswald is just playing himself, he created a wonderful character who was the perfect spoil for Theron.  There is just something about Reitman's sensibilities that I connect and relate with.  This movie was no exception.

3)  Super 8
          I talked about this in my Top 5 Action Movies Of 2011 list and Top 5 Oscar Snubs 2011, so I won't go on very long here.  A great movie by J.J. Abrams that was able to encapsulate everything that made blockbusters so special in our youth.  It's a love letter to Steven Spielberg, monster movies and every kid who started making movies on their father's super 8 camera.  This movie didn't get nearly the award attention it deserved.

2)  Hugo
          Everyone keeps calling this a kid's movie, but I just didn't see that.  It is a great family movie and would certainly appeal to kids, but calling it a kid's movie just seems to be selling it short.  Other people describe it as a love letter (there were a ton of love letter movies this year) to silent movies, but I think that sells it short as well.  It's really a love letter to storytelling, however the story happens to be told, it's a love letter to all those people who are able to broaden our imaginations.  Everything about this movie was fantastic.  Amazing cinematography, wonderful storytelling, brilliant acting.  I know everyone is crazy about The Artist, but of all the nominated movies this is by far the best movie of year.  Hugo is movie making at it's absolute best.

1)  50/50
          I talked about this one in my Top 5 Oscar Subs Of 2011 as well.  This movie is so amazing, I really have no idea how it wasn't talked about more.  Maybe people are tired of cancer movies.  It's too bad because this movie worked on so many levels.  It was one of the funniest movies of the year, yet the room certainly got a little dusty at the end.  It also did a wonderful job dealing with all the emotions that surround the thought of eminent death.  The relationship between the main character and his parents was absolutely heartbreaking.  Anjelica Huston probably deserved a Supporting Actress nod for her portrayal of Joesph Gordon-Levitt's mom.  The two leads, Levitt and Seth Rogan, were awesome as well.  This movie was everything I look for in a movie and easily my favorite of 2011.  Seriously, rent it today!

Honorable Mentions:  Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, Win Win, The Beaver