Year-End Lists

David Ehrlich of Movies.com’s Criterion Corner: 25 Best Films of 2011

NOTE: In Boxoffice Magazine, Ehrlich lists Certified Copy (Kiarostami) as tied for first, noted that the Panahi film does not come out in the US until February 2012 (he says it’s available for streaming at Netflix, but as of December 12, 2011, that is not the case), and omits the Loktov and Naranjo films.

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

1. This is Not a Film
   Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
2. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
3. Kill List
   Ben Wheatley
4. The Arbor
   Clio Barnard
5. Melancholia
   Lars von Trier
6. Hugo
   Martin Scorsese
7. The Loneliest Planet
   Julia Loktev
8. Miss Bala
   Gerardo Naranjo
9. The Skin I Live In
   Pedro Almodóvar
10. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    David Fincher
11. The Adventures of Tintin
    Steven Spielberg
12. The Turin Horse
    Béla Tarr & Agnes Hranitzky
13. A Separation
    Asghar Farhadi
14. The Interrupters
    Steve James
15. Footnote
    Joseph Cedar
16. How to Die in Oregon
    Peter Richardson
17. Shame
    Steve McQueen
18. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
    Nuri Bilge Ceylan
19. We Need to Talk About Kevin
    Lynne Ramsay
19. Pina
    Wim Wenders
20. Drive
    Nicolas Winding Refn
21. The Time That Remains
    Elia Suleiman
22. [missing]
23. The Trip
    Michael Winterbottom
24. Buddha Mountain
    Li Yu
25. The Descendants
    Alexander Payne

The Word Magazine: Best Albums of 2011, unordered

• So Beautiful or So What
  Paul Simon
• Smoke Ring for My Halo
  Kurt Vile
• 4everevolution
  Roots Manuva
• Let England Shake
  PJ Harvey
• Long Player Late Bloomer
  Ron Sexsmith
• 101
  Keren Ann
• Metals
  Feist
• Bon Iver
  Bon Iver
• The Whole Love
  Wilco
• An American Trilogy
  Mickey Newbury

Exclaim: 30 Best Pop & Rock Albums of 2011

[see also 2023]

1. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
2. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
3. Metals
   Feist
4. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
   M83
5. Kaputt
   Destroyer
6. Native Speaker
   Braids
7. Feel It Break
   Austra
8. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
9. Creep On Creepin’ On
   Timber Timbre
10. Impossible Spaces
    Sandro Perri
11. Wild Flag
    Wild Flag
12. Transistor Sister
    Shotgun Jimmie
13. Belong
    Pains of Being Pure at Heart
14. The Rip Tide
    Beirut
15. Father, Son, Holy Ghost
    Girls
16. Apocalypse
    Bill Callahan
17. Yuck
    Yuck
18. We’re All Dying to Live
    Rich Aucoin
19. Bad as Me
    Tom Waits
20. Gloss Drop
    Battles
21. Goodbye Bread
    Ty Segall
22. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
23. 21
    Adele
24. Sound Kapital
    Handsome Furs
25. Cults
    Cults
26. Past Life Martyred Saints
    EMA
27. Deformer
    Dog Day
28. Smoke Ring for My Halo
    Kurt Vile
29. The Whole Love
    Wilco
30. Departing
    The Rural Alberta Advantage

Chris Richards: Best Pop Albums of 2011, as published by The Washington Post

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. House of Balloons
   The Weeknd
2. Watch the Throne
   Jay-Z and Kanye West
3. Hell on Heels
   Pistol Annies
4. On A Mission
   Katy B
5. Take Care
   Drake
6. The National Mall
   Bluebrain
7. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
8. Days
   Real Estate
9. James Blake
   James Blake
10. Manshines
    Fauna

Jason Diamond: 25 Records Loved in 2011, as published by Impose Magazine

1. Kaputt
   Destroyer
2. New Brigade
   Iceage
3. Sons of Stone
   People’s Temple
4. Cult of Youth
   Cult of Youth
5. Apokalypsis
   Chelsea Wolfe
6. Widowspeak
   Widowspeak
7. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
8. Howlin’ Gang
   Slug Guts
9. Peer Amid
   The Skull Defekts
10. Blood & Venom
    White Mystery
11. Let the Poison Out
    The Beets
12. Not Nothing
    Xray Eyeballs
13. Some Easy Magic
    Fungi Girls
14. Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
    M83
15. Eye Contact
    Gang Gang Dance
16. Aesthethica
    Liturgy
17. Goodbye Bread
    Ty Segall
18. The Year of Hibernation
    Youth Lagoon
19. You’re Never Going Back
    Coasting
20. Innings
    Nodzzz

Bob Boilen of NPR: 11 Favorite Albums of 2011

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Diamond Mine
   King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
2. The Whole Love
   Wilco
3. Breakers
   Gem Club
4. Chamber Music
   Ballake Sissoko & Vincent Segal
5. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
6. The People’s Key
   Bright Eyes
7. Burst Apart
   The Antlers
8. The Devil’s Walk
   Apparat
9. James Blake
   James Blake
10. Wander / Wonder
    Balam Acab
11. Passenger
    Lisa Hannigan

Stephen Thompson of NPR: 10 Favorite Albums of 2011

[see also 2017]

1. Diamond Mine
   King Creosote & Jon Hopkins
2. Bon Iver
   Bon Iver
3. Civilian
   Wye Oak
4. The Magic Place
   Julianna Barwick
5. Days
   Real Estate
6. We Are the Tide
   Blind Pilot
7. Talk That Talk
   Rihanna
8. The Whole Love
   Wilco
9. Undun
   The Roots
10. Come Back to Us
    Release the Sunbird

Ann Powers of NPR: 10 Favorite Albums of 2011

[see also 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Let England Shake
   PJ Harvey
2. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
3. Black Up
   Shabazz Palaces
4. Hell on Heels
   Pistol Annies
5. Strange Mercy
   St. Vincent
6. Barton Hollow
   The Civil Wars
7. 50 Words for Snow
   Kate Bush
8. Take Care
   Drake
9. Back to Love
   Anthony Hamilton
10. Undun
    The Roots

Peter Bradshaw: Best Films of 2011, as published by The Guardian

[see also 10 Best Films of 2012 • Top 5 Films of 2012]

Best Film

1. The Artist
   Michel Hazanavicius
2. Margaret
   Kenneth Lonergan
3. A Separation
   Asghar Farhadi
4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
   Tomas Alfredson
5. Poetry
   Lee Chang-dong
6. The Tree of Life
   Terrence Malick
7. Le quattro volte
   Michelangelo Frammartino
8. We Need to Talk About Kevin
   Lynne Ramsay
9. The Skin I Live In
   Pedro Almodóvar
10. Bridesmaids
    Paul Feig

Best Documentary

1. Senna
   Asif Kapadia
2. George Harrison: Living in the Material World
   Martin Scorsese
3. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
   Werner Herzog
4. Pina
   Wim Wenders
5. Inside Job
   Charles Ferguson
6. Dreams of a Life
   Carol Morley
7. Bobby Fischer Against the World
   Liz Garbus
8. Waste Land
   Lucy Walker
9. TT3D: Closer to the Edge
   Richard de Araques
10. Project Nim
    James Marsh

Jim DeRogatis: 40 Favorite Albums of 2011, as posted by WBEZ and aired on Sound Opinions

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

1. Sin Sin Sin
   Le Butcherettes
2. Wild Flag
   Wild Flag
3. Relax
   Das Racist
4. Here Before
   The Feelies
5. Rome
   Danger Mouse & Daniel Luppi
6. David Comes to Life
   Fucked Up
7. Birds & Drums
   Bewitched Hands
8. Whokill
   Tune-Yards
9. The King is Dead
   The Decemberists
10. Rolling Blackouts
    The Go! Team
11. Black Up
    Shabazz Palaces
12. The Whole Love
    Wilco
13. Do Whatever You Want All the Time
    Ponytail
14. Stone Rollin’
    Raphael Saadiq
15. Helplessness Blues
    Fleet Foxes
16. When Fish Ride Bicycles
    The Cool Kids
17. Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
    Beastie Boys
18. Nine Types of Light
    TV on the Radio
19. 50 Words for Snow
    Kate Bush
20. The Hunter
    Mastodon
21. What Were You Hoping For?
    Van Hunt
22. Mirror Mirror
    Sons & Daughters
23. Blessed
    Lucinda Williams
24. Go-Go Boots
    Drive-By Truckers
25. The Fall
    Gorillaz
26. Indestructible Machine
    Lydia Loveless
27. Mirror Traffic
    Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
28. Lasers
    Lupe Fiasco
29. The King of Limbs
    Radiohead
30. False Beats and True Hearts
    Damon & Naomi
31. Grace for Drowning
    Steven Wilson
32. For True
    Trombone Shorty
33. Civilian
    Wye Oak
34. Mannequin Men
    Mannequin Men
35. Wounded Rhymes
    Lykke Li
36. Elektrafone
    Beats Antique
37. This Is Only A Test
    Smoking Popes
38. Keys to the Kingdom
    North Mississippi Allstars
39. Anar
    Marketa Irglova
40. Dye It Blonde
    Smith Westerns