Year-End Lists

J Hoberman: 10 Favorite Films of 2011, plus 2, as published in The Village Voice [see also 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, and the The Village Voice Critic’s Poll 2011]

[as chosen for the indieWIRE poll]

[as chosen for the indieWIRE poll]

NOTE: Except for the additional documentary and undistributed lists, we’ve favored Hoberman’s selections as published in The Village Voice over his slightly different selections found in the indieWIRE poll; the latter has tighter restrictions that made the Marclay, Jacobs, Haynes, and Hark films ineligible, thus making room for Certified Copy in the top ten.

[see also 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2012]

1. The Clock
   Christian Marclay
1. A Dangerous Method
   David Cronenberg
2. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
3. Mysteries of Lisbon
   Raoul Ruiz
4. Aurora
   Cristi Puiu
5. Seeking the Monkey King
   Ken Jacobs
6. To Die Like a Man
   João Pedro Rodrigues
7. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
8. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
9. J. Edgar
   Clint Eastwood
10. United Red Army
    Kôji Wakamatsu
10. Mildred Pierce
    Todd Haynes

A Dozen Runners-Up

• Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame
  Tsui Hark
• Certified Copy
  Abbas Kiarostami
• Film Socialisme
  Jean-Luc Godard
• Le Havre
  Aki Kaurismäki
• Martha Marcy May Marlene
  Sean Durkin
• Meek’s Cutoff
  Kelly Reichardt
• Le quattro volte
  Michelangelo Frammartino
• Octubre
  Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal
• Super 8
  JJ Abrams
• Terri
  Azazel Jacobs
• Tuesday, After Christmas
  Radu Muntean
• Young Adult
  Jason Reitman

Best Documentary

• The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceauşescu
  Andrei Ujica

Best Undistributed Films

• Policeman
  Nadav Lapid
• Las Acacias
  Pablo Giorgelli
• Artificial Paradises
  Yulene Olaizola

Michael Phillips: 10 Best Movies of 2011, as published by The Chicago Tribune

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. Poetry
   Lee Chang-dong
2. Moneyball
   Bennett Miller
3. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
4. The Descendants
   Alexander Payne
5. The Interrupters
   Steve James
6. Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench
   Damien Chazelle
7. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
8. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
   Tomas Alfredson
10. Weekend
    Andrew Haigh

Complex: 25 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
2. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
3. Take Care
   Drake
4. Nostalgia, Ultra
   Frank Ocean
5. Underneath the Pine
   Toro y Moi
6. XXX
   Danny Brown
7. Section.80
   Kendrick Lamar
8. Cults
   Cults
9. LIVE.LOVE.A$AP
   A$AP Rocky
10. Cole World: The Sideline Story
    J. Cole
11. Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
    WU LYF
12. Undun
    The Roots
13. Self Made Vol. 1
    various artists (Maybach Music Group)
14. Relax
    Das Racist
15. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
16. Fear of God II: Let Us Pray
    Pusha T
17. Finally Famous
    Big Sean
18. Radioactive
    Yelawolf
19. The Dreamer, The Believer
    Common
20. Within and Without
    Washed Out
21. Hell: The Sequel
    Bad Meets Evil
22. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
23. Camp
    Childish Gambino
24. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
25. Rolling Papers
    Wiz Khalifa

Dennis Cooper: Favorite Films of 2011

[see also 2019 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
2. The Clock
   Christian Marclay
3. Beloved
   Christophe Honoré
4. Any Ever
   Ryan Trecartin
5. The Turin Horse
   Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
6. Drive
   Nicolas Winding Refn
7. 20 Cigarettes
   James Benning
8. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
9. Outside Satan
   Bruno Dumont
10. Tabloid
    Errol Morris

Maureen Corrigan: 10 Best Novels of 2011 (as aired on NPR’s Fresh Air)

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015]

1. Swamplandia!
   Karen Russell
2. Open City
   Teju Cole
3. The Submission
   Amy Waldman
4. The Art of Fielding
   Chad Harbach
5. The Illumination
   Kevin Brockmeier
6. The Leftovers
   Tom Perrotta
7. The Marriage Plot
   Jeffrey Eugenides
8. State of Wonder
   Ann Patchett
9. Train Dreams
   Denis Johnson
10. The Pale King

    An Unfinished Novel
    David Foster Wallace

James Reed: Top Albums of 2011, as published by The Boston Globe

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Smoke Ring for My Halo
   Kurt Vile
3. Stone Rollin’
   Raphael Saadiq
4. The Harrow & The Harvest
   Gillian Welch
5. 4
   Beyoncé
6. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
7. Bad as Me
   Tom Waits
8. Within and Without
   Washed Out
9. Grown Unknown
   Lia Ices
10. Only in Dreams
    Dum Dum Girls

IndieWire Poll: Best Films of 2011 [as voted by 162 “critics, bloggers and other tastemakers from around the world”] [See IndieWire for full, browsable results and ballots.]

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
2. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. Drive
   Nicolas Winding Refn
5. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
6. Certified Copy
   Abbas Kiarostami
7. Mysteries of Lisbon
   Raoul Ruiz
8. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
9. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
10. Meek’s Cutoff
    Kelly Reichardt
11. Shame
    Steve McQueen
12. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne
13. The Artist
    Michel Hazanavicius
14. Take Shelter
    Jeff Nichols
15. Martha Marcy May Marlene
    Sean Durkin
16. A Dangerous Method
    David Cronenberg
17. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
    Tomas Alfredson
18. We Need to Talk About Kevin
    Lynne Ramsay
19. Film Socialisme
    Jean-Luc Godard
20. Weekend
    Andrew Haigh
21. Poetry
    Lee Chang-dong
22. Nostalgia for the Light
    Patricio Guzmán
23. The Interrupters
    Steve James
23. The Skin I Live In
    Pedro Almodóvar
25. Midnight in Paris
    Woody Allen

Under the Radar: Top 80 Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014]

1. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
2. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
3. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
4. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
5. Skying
   The Horrors
6. Past Life Martyred Saints
   EMA
7. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
8. Yuck
   Yuck
9. Within and Without
   Washed Out
10. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
11. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
12. Hearts
    I Break Horses
13. Ceremonials
    Florence + The Machine
14. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
15. Codes and Keys
    Death Cab for Cutie
16. Build a Rocket Boys!
    Elbow
17. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
18. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
19. Underneath the Pine
    Toro y Moi
20. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
21. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
    John Maus
22. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
23. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
24. Kaputt
    Destroyer
25. Paradise
    Slow Club
26. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
27. Smother
    Wild Beasts
28. Zonoscope
    Cut Copy
29. Days
    Real Estate
30. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
31. True Loves
    Hooray for Earth
32. Parallax
    Atlas Sound
33. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
34. James Blake
    James Blake
35. 12 Desperate Straight Lines
    Telekinesis
36. The English Riviera
    Metronomy
37. Welcome to Condale
    Summer Camp
38. Pala
    Friendly Fires
39. David Comes to Life
    Fucked Up
40. Only in Dreams
    Dum Dum Girls
41. The Whole Love
    Wilco
42. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns
43. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
44. Again Into Eyes
    S.C.U.M
45. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
46. The Stepkids
    The Stepkids
47. Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
    WU LYF
48. Valhalla Dancehall
    British Sea Power
49. Collapse Into Now
    R.E.M.
50. Era Extraña
    Neon Indian
51. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
52. Kiss Each Other Clean
    Iron & Wine
53. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
54. New Brigade
    Iceage
55. I Am Very Far
    Okkervil River
56. Hotel Shampoo
    Gruff Rhys
57. A Creature I Don’t Know
    Laura Marling
58. Player Piano
    Memory Tapes
59. House of Balloons
    The Weeknd
60. Tomboy
    Panda Bear
61. Loud Planes Fly Low
    The Rosebuds
62. The King is Dead
    The Decemberists
63. Gloss Drop
    Battles
64. No Color
    The Dodos
65. BBDLP1
    Big Black Delta
66. C’mon
    Low
67. The Magic Place
    Julianna Barwick
68. Last Summer
    Eleanor Friedberger
69. Gracious Tide, Take Me Home
    Lanterns on the Lake
70. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
71. Creatures of an Hour
    Still Corners
72. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
73. On the Water
    Future Islands
74. Degeneration Street
    The Dears
75. Wolfroy Goes to Town
    Bonnie “Prince” Billy
76. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
77. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
78. Music Sounds Better with You
    Acid House Kings
79. Bliss Release
    Cloud Control
80. The Devil’s Walk
    Apparat

Les Inrockuptibles: 100 Best Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. El Camino
   The Black Keys
2. The English Riviera
   Metronomy
3. Go Tell Fire to the Mountain
   WU LYF
4. E Volo Love
   François & the Atlas Mountains
5. Gentle Spirit
   Jonathan Wilson
6. La Taille de mon âme
   Daniel Darc
7. Forever Dolphin Love
   Connan Mockasin
8. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
9. Crack My Bones
   The Shoes
10. Goblin
    Tyler, The Creator
11. Hotel Shampoo
    Gruff Rhys
12. Cults
    Cults
13. Happy Soup
    Baxter Dury
14. Tamer Animals
    Other Lives
15. James Blake
    James Blake
16. Cat’s Eyes
    Cat’s Eyes
17. Tassili
    Tinariwen
18. Badlands
    Dirty Beaches
19. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
20. SBTRKT
    SBTRKT
21. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
22. Rubber Orchestra
    Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band
23. Safari Disco Club
    Yelle
24. Audio,Video,Disco
    Justice
25. Portamento
    The Drums
26. Space is Only Noise
    Nicolas Jaar
27. Metals
    Feist
28. Creep On Creepin’ On
    Timber Timbre
29. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
30. In the Grace of Your Love
    The Rapture
31. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
32. Take Care
    Drake
33. Colour of the Trap
    Miles Kane
34. Slave Ambient
    The War on Drugs
35. King Night
    Salem
36. Only in Dreams
    Dum Dum Girls
37. Rolling Blackouts
    The Go! Team
38. Skying
    The Horrors
39. Both Ways Open Jaws
    The Do
40. Conatus
    Zola Jesus
41. Anna Calvi
    Anna Calvi
42. Bon Iver
    Bon Iver
43. Le Chant des Sirènes
    Orelsan
44. Will the Guns Come Out
    Hanni El Khatib
45. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
46. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
47. Timez Are Weird These Days
    Theophilus London
48. Nyx
    Mansfield.TYA
49. Chanson Ordinaires
    Miossec
50. Suck It and See
    Arctic Monkeys
51. Yuck
    Yuck
52. Crazy Clown Time
    David Lynch
53. Spellbound
    Jay-Jay Johanson
54. Feel It Break
    Austra
55. Discodeine
    Discodeine
56. Hollie Cook
    Hollie Cook
57. My Wilderness
    Piers Faccini
58. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns
59. Total
    Sebastian
60. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
61. Alesia
    Housse de Racket
62. Coastal Grooves
    Blood Orange
63. Fill the Blank with Your Own Emptiness
    Le Prince Miiaou
64. Jetlag Poetry
    Brazzaville
65. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
66. Living on the Edge of Time
    Yuksek
67. What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
    The Vaccines
68. 101
    Keren Ann
69. We’re New Here
    Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie xx
70. Arabia Mountain
    Black Lips
71. Dedication
    Zomby
72. Notre Silence
    Michel Cloup
73. Pala
    Friendly Fires
74. We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves
    John Maus
75. Fugue
    Mehdi Zannad
76. Maison Cube
    Emmanuelle Parrenin
77. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
78. W
    PLANNINGTOROCK
79. Sports
    Weekend
80. Funny Looking Angels
    Smith & Burrows
81. A Turn in the Dream-Songs
    Jeffrey Lewis
82. Skyscrapers & Deities
    Kouyaté-Neerman
83. The Devil’s Walk
    Apparat
84. I Want That You Are Always Happy
    The Middle East
85. Gloss Drop
    Battles
86. Tha Carter IV
    Lil Wayne
87. There Is
    Jono McCleery
88. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
89. Pourquoi battait mon coeur
    Alex Beaupain
90. Headbangers in Ecstasy
    Puro Instinct
91. Drive Original Soundtrack
    Cliff Martinez & various artists
92. Blood Pressures
    Kills
93. Junk of the Heart
    The Kooks
94. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
95. Rapprocher
    Class Actress
96. Volcanic Sunlight
    Saul Williams
97. The Human Octopus
    Cascadeur
98. Defiant Order
    Birdy Nam Nam
99. Torches
    Foster the People
100. Cannibal Courtship
     Dengue Fever

The Owl Mag: Best Albums of 2011

1. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
2. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
3. Helplessness Blues
   Fleet Foxes
4. Wounded Rhymes
   Lykke Li
5. The King of Limbs
   Radiohead
6. The King is Dead
   The Decemberists
7. Zonoscope
   Cut Copy
8. Nine Types of Light
   TV on the Radio
9. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
10. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls

Honorable Mentions

11. Civilian
    Wye Oak
12. Burst Apart
    The Antlers
13. Take Care, Take Care, Take Care
    Explosions in the Sky
14. Whokill
    Tune-Yards
15. Gimme Some
    Peter Bjorn and John