Looking back on the films of 2011, what stands out most is how the year’s best movies became showcases for their leading actors, often in ways that subverted or reinforced their established personas. Brad Pitt and George Clooney, for example, shed their usual charm to play middle-aged men grappling with personal and professional crises in Moneyball and The Descendants, while Daniel Craig and Tom Cruise doubled down on the kinetic intensity that made them action icons in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.
The diversity of 2011’s offerings is striking, with films spanning a wide range of genres and tones. From horror to animation, foreign-language gems to sports dramas, and even an ambitious Terrence Malick epic, the year had something for everyone. It was also a year that reflected a fascinating dichotomy: it delivered some of the most joyously entertaining films of the decade while simultaneously offering some of the most heart-wrenchingly bleak.
My list here leans personal, showcasing movies that resonated deeply with me rather than mirroring the Oscars’ choices, which celebrated films like The Artist, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, and War Horse. While those titles captured the industry’s attention, they don’t feature here, as my selections represent what I believe truly defined the year in cinema.
So, here are my picks for the 10 best movies of 2011:
10. Oslo, August 31st
9. The Tree of Life
8. Rango
7. The Cabin in the Woods
6. Margin Call
5. Kill List
4. The Descendants
3. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is not just one of the best entries in the franchise—it’s one of the best action films of the 2010s. It reenergized the series with a bold new direction by Brad Bird, brought in a fresh ensemble, and delivered set pieces that rival anything else in modern blockbuster cinema. Tom Cruise returns once again as Ethan Hunt.
Read our review of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
1. Moneyball
