Best movies watched in 2011

The Annual Patricia Awards

I haven't stopped to count how many movies I saw last year. Let us say there were 70. Here are my favorites (and not favorites):

Best series to watch and then immediately invite your MAunts over to watch it so you can watch it again:

Pride & Prejudice (1995)

The movie I over prepared for (read book, saw original) and found disappointing:

True Grit (Cohen Brothers)

Best documentary illuminating the selection process for a Broadway musical:

Every Little Step

Wonderful, delightful tale that managed to completely eviscerate me emotionally in the last five minutes:

The Illusionist

Best random pack of scary sisters I want someone to write a novel about:

The Fighter

Not a movie to watch when trying to wind down after a hard week:

and

Best movie that passed the Bechdel test:

Hannah

Movie that could have gone so wrong, but instead was so very right:

Source Code

Movie that spawned a personal film festival:

Fast Five

Bad, forgettable title (I just had to google it to remind myself what it was) with at least one incredibly funny scene and well developed characters:

and

Good romantic comedy your boyfriend will probably also enjoy:

Going the Distance

Best of the Vin Diesel Film Festival.

(I know! I was surprised too!)

XXX

Unfortunate example of how Hollywood completely erases strong female characters:

(which is ironic, really, because this movie got me started on the book series)

Gone Baby, Gone

Best movie to watch on your boyfriend's birthday after bicycling many miles:

X-Men, First Class

Movie I enjoyed, but not as much as I thought I would:

and

Suffered, I think, from a long delay before the big monster reveal:

and

Most authentic (and hilarious) teenage boy dialogue:

Super 8

Best eye candy of the fashion variety:

Mad Men, Season I

The "man, why don't they make more movies about wrestling?" award:

Win Win

My favorite of the superhero movie this year:

Captain America

The "Please avoid the movie and take the time to read the book. You won't be sorry" award:

The Time Traveler's Wife

Absolutely delightful

(even though I still am squeamish about Woody Allen):

Midnight in Paris

Happy sigh:

Babies

Pretty bad "last" movie, but with entertaining "bonus" interview with the costumer:

The Thing Called Love

The documentary where the "normal" people were more compelling than the celebrities:

and

Even if you just watch the "Will Shortz reads his mail" scene you will walk away happy:

WordPlay

"Old Fashioned" style movie I absolutely loved:

The Good German

The "two hours reading the book will be time better spent" award:

One Day

The movie that was seared onto my brain at age twelve:

Stand By Me

Funny movie we had no idea we would see:

Horrible Bosses

Excellent ensemble effort:

Contagion

Hit the nostalgia button hard:

Pearl Jam 20

Best horror movie concept of the year:

Attack the Block

Excellent acting, all around:

Margin Call

Best reason to start knitting again:

Heroes, Season 1

Well done movie that was very slow, darn it:

Hugo 3-D

Yet another interesting illumination into Broadway:

Life After Tomorrow

Movie that surprised me the most:

Being Elmo

Remake that surprised me the most:

and

A good reason to go into movies with an open mind:

Footloose (2011)

Movie with the most delightful little scenes sprinkled here and there:

The Descendants

Movie where my front teeth dried out because I was smiling so much:

The Muppets

Best movie about baseball and math this year

(and possibly ever):

Moneyball