The Insider.com

The Top 11 Movies of '11:

By DAVID WEINER

Believe it or not, 2011 was a solid year for film. The diversity of choices and range of creativity was apparent in between the expected yield of sequels and generic fare, and while films such as Drive and Terrence Malick's high-profile, very experimental The Tree of Life didn't make my "best of" list, they definitely deserve recognition for originality and pushing the boundaries of mainstream cinema.

A "top 11" of the year is better than "top ten" because I get to squeeze in one more worthy title, but if there were room for more, I'd surely include the following honorable mentions; fueled by the performances within: Moneyball, The Ides of March, The Help, The Artist, Beginners, The Trip, The Iron Lady, X-Men: First Class, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and 13 Assassins.