MY PICK FOR BEST FILMS OF 2011

BEST PICTURE

Pina

The rest in alphabetical order:

Artist, The

Attack the Block

Drive

Havre, La

Kid With a Bike, The

Midnight In Paris

Of Gods and Men

Poetry

Separation, A

Snowtown

Though the list is in alphabetical order, Of Gods and Men is my second favorite; A Separation my third; and Poetry, my third.

I also liked: Point Blank, The Guard, The Future, Extraterrestrials, Moneyball, 50/50, Oslo, August 31st, Another Earth, Meek’s Cutoff, Elite Squad II, The Princess of Montparsnee

World on a Wire – A special award to the rediscovery of this remarkable two part television film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder

BEST ACTOR

Lambert Wilson – Of Gods and Men, The Princess of Montparsnee

In alphabetical order:

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Payman Moadi – A Separation

Gary Oldman – Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Brad Pitt – Moneyball, Tree of Life

I also liked: Joseph Gorden-Levitt, 50/50, Hasher; Gilles Lelouche, Point Blank; Brendan Gleeson, The Guard; Dany Boon, Nothing to Declare; Andre Wilms, Le Havre; Woody Harrelson, Rampart; Michael Fassbender, Shame; Paul Giamatti, Win, Win, The Ides of March

BEST ACTRESS:

Meryl Streep -The Iron Lady

Sorry, I couldn’t reduce the rest of the category to four, so here are the others:

In alphabetical order:

Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy

Viola Davis -The Help

Leila Hatami – A Separation

Tilda Swinton – We Have to Talk About Kevin

Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn

Jeong-hie Yun – Poetry

I also liked: Rooney Mara, Girl with Dragon Tattoo; Charlize Theron, Young Adult.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Albert Books – Drive

In alphabetical order:

Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill – Moneyball

Shahab Hussein – A Separation

Christopher Plummer – Beginners

I also liked: Armee Hammer, J. Edgar; Jared Harris, Sherlock Holmes; and Patton Oswalt, Young Adult.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Carey Mulligan – Drive, Shame

Again, I couldn’t reduce the number to four:

Berenice Bejo – The Artist

Sareh Bayat – A Separation

Jessica Chastain – Tree of Life

Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaid

Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer – The Help

BEST DIRECTOR:

Wim Wenders – Pina

The rest in alphabetical order:

Joe Cornish – Attack the Block

Asghar Farhadi – A Separation

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive

I also liked: Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life; Fred Cavaye – Point Blank; Xavier Beauvois – Of Gods and Men; Chang-dong Lee – Poetry;

BEST SCREENPLAY

Asghar Farhadi – A Separation

Going for five over four more here:

Woody Allen – Midnight In Paris

Xavier Beauvois, Etienne Comar – Of Gods and Men

Chang-dong Lee – Poetry

Will Reiser – 50/50

Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin – Moneyball

I also liked: Thomas McCarthy, Win Win; J.C. Chandor, Margin Call; John Michael McDonagh, The Guard; Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, The Kid With a Bike; Jochaim Trier, Eskil Vogt, Oslo, August 31^st;Brit Marling, Mike Cahill, Another Earth