Juan’s Top 25 of 2011

5. Beginners (dir. Mike Mills)

One of the many films this year to make me cry like a baby over multiple things. Christopher Plummer gives one of the best performances of his career in Beginners. It really makes you wonder how he doesn’t have a billion Oscars at this point in time. McGregor and Laurent have some of the best chemistry I’ve seen in years, and their story is so refreshing and realistic that one can’t help but fall in love with this simple and heartwarming film. Also, Cosmo is one of the most adorable dogs ever.

4. Drive (dir. Nicolas Winding Refn)

Oh man, where do I start with Drive? Well, aside from the fact that I have the biggest boner for Ryan Gosling (pardon my terminology), this movie was so fucking badass. After watching it three times, I still haven’t gotten tired of it. It features spectacular performances all around, a very-well adapted screenplay, and some of the most gorgeous shots of someone driving around at night I’ve ever seen. And that soundtrack — oh that glorious use of songs and original pieces by Cliff Martinez. Take my word for it, this movie is the perfect mixture of noir and modern filmmaking and you should be watching it right now if you haven’t already seen it.

3. Midnight in Paris (dir. Woody Allen)

After watching every single feature film that Woody Allen has directed, I was lucky enough to watch this over in California with Marya (who had also seen all his films) and Raina. Although he’s made a few flawed films in his lifetime, there is no doubt that Midnight in Paris is one of his top films. The ensemble cast, featuring plenty of well-known and upcoming actors, is one of the best this year and the collection of historical figures is just wonderful. Any person who cares about the arts (especially those of the 1920s) will find themselves extremely pleased with this film, and even those who couldn’t care less might find some magic in Woody Allen’s latest achievement in filmmaking.

2. The Tree of Life (dir. Terrence Malick)

Never have I sat in a movie theater alone so early, seen so many people walk out midway, and cried so much for reasons I can’t physically explain. Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is an experience like no other. You may like it, you may not, but you can’t deny the sheer amount of work that went into creating something this grand. It’s almost impossible to describe this film, so all I can truly say is that you must see it to believe it. If you were unable to watch it in theaters: I’m so sorry for your loss. Please, don’t settle for this in anything but blu-ray or the in-theater experience. Trust me, it’s well-worth the wait. I’d also like to add that Jessica Chastain’s flawless face is in this movie plenty and that on its own is worth watching.

1. The Muppets (dir. James Bobin)

Believe me when I say that I was a skeptic when it came to Jim Henson’s characters being brought back to life after over a decade, but I can firmly say after watching The Muppets that everything is great and everything is grand. Not a single film this year was as genuinely heart-warming and nostalgic as this one. One can’t help but start smiling from the moment that the first musical number starts, and there is no shortage of those in the film (many of which were written by Bret McKenzie and are catchy as can be).

Maybe it’s because I have a very large place in my heart for all of these wonderful Muppets (as well as another large place for Jason Segel), but something about this movie just stands out to me more than anything else this year. For the 100 minutes I was sitting in that theater, not a single thing mattered to me except for The Muppets. It is the perfect example of pure enjoyment and anyone who chooses not to watch this is robbing themselves of one of the most entertaining experiences ever.

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So what were your favorites of 2011? Any matches? Any major disagreements? Feel free to let me know in the comments!