"I don't have delusions of grandeur, I have an actual recipe for grandeur."

I now present you with a list of my favorite movies from 2011. I do not believe that most of these films will win any awards, but I enjoyed them the most of all the things I saw this year. They were the movies that stuck in my head the most and made me want to watch them again as soon as I walked out of the theater. You may disagree, and that is fine, and I would invite you to share your favorite movies with me in the comments section below.

So now without further ado and in no particular order.....

Limitless
I am a little Bradley Cooper-biased, but I actually really enjoyed this movie a lot. I especially liked that it was not presented as a science fiction movie but more as an exploration of the human mind. You think more about the moral implications of what it would mean to take a drug like NZT. How would it change the way you interact with other people and how you live your life. This movie was engaging and highly entertaining.

Bridesmaids
This was the funniest movie I have seen in a really long time. I have been in six weddings, none were quite this hilarious, but I can definitely relate to many of the situations with which these ladies had to deal. The entire cast was great as an ensemble and even better in their individual roles. Each women adds a different level of hilarity throughout the entire movie. Also, I have said it before and I will say it again, I expect puppies to be given as favors at every bridal shower I go to from now on.

Midnight in Paris
This movie was the biggest surprise for me because I had no idea what to expect going into it and came out loving it. It was kind of quirky but also very charming. It was just a feel good movie that was smart and very well acted. No one else would have been quite as perfect for the main character as Owen Wilson.

Warrior
I was not expecting to enjoy this movie all that much, but it really was fantastic. The story of two brothers who each chose a different parent in the divorce and ended up on two completely different paths in life end up in the championship match of an international mixed martial arts competition. However, the fights are not what drives this movie. The acting and story have a lot of heart and really get you invested in these peoples lives.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
I am not usually a fan of scary movies, but his was more funny and ridiculous than it was scary and I really enjoyed it a lot. I have been a fan of Alan Tudyk since I saw him in 28 Days with Sandra Bullock and he and Tyler Labine are always funny in anything they do, but are particularly excellent as these hillbilly brothers. This movie is hilarious and you should see it right now!

Drive
We all know that I have a deep love for Ryan Gosling. I did see all three of his movies this year and they were all excellent, but this was my favorite. The tone and style are different than anything else you have seen and the soundtrack helped a lot in that regard. It was more violent than I expected it to be, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the film at all. Gosling's acting was, of course, amazing, but so was the rest of the supporting cast. There was not a weak link in the bunch. This movie is not flashy and sexy but extremely thoughtful and creative.

Honorable Mentions: Beginners, My Week With Marilyn, X-Men: First Class and The Ides of March.

I am also working on my list of favorite television episodes and will have that up shortly. Thank you for your loyal readership this year, I would probably still do this without you, but it would not be nearly as fun :o)

xoxo
c
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