Best Movies of 2011

It should never be easy to say “X is the best movie made this year,” because, presumably, filmmakers should offer us so many quality productions to make it impossible to choose just one from them.

Since this is a brand new year and tradition calls to come up with a year-end list to show the highlights of the one that ended, below is our very own personal list of the best and most awesome films of 2011.

As noted above, it's hard to say which movie is the ultimate best, so we tried to set them apart by category, listing one or two honorees for each one.

Of course, that's not to say that the list is set in stone: in fact, we should mention that it's made based on a mix of ticket sales (i.e. fan reaction), critical reception and, last but not least, a small dose of subjectivity.

By following the links on the titles, you can read our full, in-depth reviews of the film.

Best Superhero Flick - “X-Men: First Class”

2011 wasn't exactly the year of the superhero, but that's mostly because 2012 will be just that. Next year, we have “The Dark Knight Rises” (Batman), “The Avengers” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” coming out, so it's no wonder this year was a bit scarce in comic book-based productions.

However, that's not to say it didn't have any. In fact, 2011 was the year of one of the best reboots we've ever seen, “X-Men: First Class.” Solid acting, great directing, a compelling story and exciting action scenes made this film a must-see on our list.

An honorable mention goes to “Captain America: The First Avenger,” with Chris Evans as the lead. It would have been a tie if the film didn't have rather questionable 3D, which left us feeling a tad cheated when we left the theater – in the sense that the film is just as impressive in 2D, so there was no need for the premium ticket price.

Best Comedy - “Crazy Stupid Love”

This is a film of which you think you know what to expect, but are pleasantly surprised to learn you were wrong. It's funny, it's sweet, it's incredibly relatable and, most importantly, well acted. It also deserves kudos for the twist in the end and, of course, for starring Ryan Gosling.

Best Horror - “Paranormal Activity 3”

The “Paranormal Activity” franchise seemed spent by the time “PA3” came out, but it still managed to do major damage at the box office. Granted, the latest installment wasn't as good as the original film (or even the sequel for that matter), but it definitely rose above average, delivering an interesting story, good acting and plenty of scares.

An honorable mention goes to "Fright Night" with Colin Farrell. Just know that it's not what you'd expect, so let yourself be surprised. 

Best Action - “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”