Quentin Tarantino's Favorite Films of 2011: 'Midnight in Paris,' 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes,' 'Moneyball'

Quentin Tarantino

First Posted: 01/14/12 11:45 AM ET Updated: 01/14/12 12:05 PM ET

You've read the rest of the year-end critics' lists, now check out the best?

Director Quentin Tarantino has passed along his comprehensive rundown of 2011 films to the aptly named Quentin Tarantino Archives website, and it features enough conversation starters to last at least three rounds at the local bar. His top-eleven (plus one), presented without commentary:

1. "Midnight In Paris"
2. "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes"
3. "Moneyball"
4. "The Skin I Live In"
5. "X-Men: First Class"
6. "Young Adult"
7. "Attack The Block"
8. "Red State"
9. "Warrior"
10. "The Artist" / "Our Idiot Brother" (tie)
11. "The Three Musketeers"

Assuming this list comes from Tarantino's brain -- good assumption, since The Quentin Tarantino Archives has published his best-of lists in 2009 and 2010 -- there are some good conclusions to draw. For starters, QT is loyal to his friends; the inclusions of the roundly panned "The Three Musketeers" (featuring Christoph Waltz) and the middling "Our Idiot Brother" (released by The Weinstein Company) attest to that. QT also loves his genre feasts ("Red State," "Attack the Block," "X-Men: First Class" and "Rise of the Planet of the Apes") and strong directors (Woody Allen).

Interestingly, Tarantino placed "Drive" on his "Nice Try Award" list, this despite -- or perhaps because of -- the way critics compared Nicolas Winding Refn's moody arts-ploitation genre exercise to "Pulp Fiction." Guess in Tarantino's eyes, the student is still the student.

Head over to The Quentin Tarantino Archives to see Tarantino's full list, including honorable mentions, worst films and his choices for best directors of the year.

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You've read the rest of the year-end critics' lists, now check out the best? Director Quentin Tarantino has passed along his comprehensive rundown of 2011 films to the aptly named Quentin Tarantino A...
You've read the rest of the year-end critics' lists, now check out the best? Director Quentin Tarantino has passed along his comprehensive rundown of 2011 films to the aptly named Quentin Tarantino A...
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02:03 PM on 01/22/2012
Our Idiot Brother shouldn't be dismissed as a QT loyalty pick, it's a good movie... I would pick it over several of Quentin's choices (Midnight in Paris, Planet of the Apes, X-Men).
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waldopepper
I'd tell you all about me if you were my friend.
06:12 PM on 01/15/2012
His taste is in his posterior.
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JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin
Where's Mr. Darcy?
05:23 PM on 01/15/2012
Where's The Tree of Life? Truly breathtaking film.
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Margo Arrowsmith
Elizabeth Warren in 2016!
03:48 PM on 01/15/2012
It seems he makes more interesting movies than he watches.
10:53 AM on 01/15/2012
If Tarantino is considered such a great director, I dare him to produce something powerful and effective without blatant physical or sexual violence, hatred and death. Those things are easy.......
11:02 AM on 01/15/2012
Since when does Tarantino film the Bible?
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panichead
Fighting for peace is like screaming for quiet
12:46 PM on 01/15/2012
LOL!
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madbonger618
01:45 PM on 01/25/2012
That's what he's into and that's what he's good at. If they were so easy people would be copying him and being just as successful.

It's the dialogue in his movies that really sets him apart.
10:06 AM on 01/15/2012
I'm glad he included the Skin I Live In, great piece of work
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wilray
50,000 Screaming Fans (Ignore that other number)
09:06 AM on 01/15/2012
I just saw "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" a couple of days ago and it was enjoyable. It is a marvel the effects that they are able to do. The original movies had to do it with people is Ape masks.

So far of the 2011 movies that I have seen, I think "The Help" is the stand out.
11:04 AM on 01/15/2012
The original film looked more realistic than that CGI crap that undiscriminating audiences swallow these days.
02:38 PM on 01/15/2012
chances are you never even saw the new Planet of the Apes, the story line is so strong you don't even notice the CGI....your just making a comment based on ignorance...
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wilray
50,000 Screaming Fans (Ignore that other number)
04:48 PM on 01/15/2012
The brachiation that is seen in the "Rise of The Planet" is quite easy for apes and impossible for even the best human gymnasts or parkour enthusiasts. It would be impossible to do with people in costumes. The scene of Caesar swinging through the scene to avenge the attack on grandpa is one of my favorite scenes in movie. Although, "Rise of the Planet of The Apes" has CGI, Caesar is given life by the incredible Andy Serkis. Ape behavior was researched and imitated for "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." So I don't know how you see a movie that was made with people in rigid masks who were acting as people as more realistic than a movie that tries to authenticate ape behavior and movement.
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charlie v
08:05 AM on 01/15/2012
Moneyball was fun and not at all boring. Next to see: The Descendents.
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Halsey
"There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. T
08:13 AM on 01/15/2012
Charlie, The Descendents has gotten some good reviews. For me (and I'm a Clooney fan, knowing that given the right script;i.e., Michael Clayton (do I LOOK like I'm negotiation..one of the BEST lines EVER! IMHO) and Syrianna..very well acted..but Descendants..I STG..for me..it was almost boring. I'll be anxious to find you someday(on hp) and see if you liked it..
03:13 PM on 01/15/2012
The Descendants is very good.
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charlie v
03:45 AM on 01/17/2012
comes out on DVD soon I hope
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charlie v
08:04 AM on 01/15/2012
Young Adult - first big screen movie seen this year: awful except for the acting by Char Theron. Ending was awful and left the theater very disappointed.
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Halsey
"There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. T
08:19 AM on 01/15/2012
hey again charlie, I've not seen it, but read that the ending was perfect in it's reality..no faux hollywood happy happy ending, but a brave, more honest one. Guess I'd better see it.. :-)
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12:58 PM on 01/15/2012
awful movie. no motivation for CT character to act the way she did at the beginning, the middle had no tension and the ending was ridiculous and, yeah, kinda hollywood. Diablo is fast establishing herself as a one-hit wonder, and no, she still can't write good dialogue.

I'd like my $27 back. (Yes, i paid almost $30 for me and my girlfriend to see this terrible flick.)
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charlie v
05:24 AM on 01/29/2012
Yes, what a dud. Did you see Midnight in Paris? It got nominated for best picture. I rented 3 movies and was trying to tell my daughter 2 days later, what movies I saw. I could not even remember the name of this movie. Unremarkable movie except for the stunning film of Paris at night and Paris during the day. Everyone that I talk to that has seen the movie - "wants to go to Paris" now. But the story was predictable from beginning to end.
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charlie v
08:02 AM on 01/15/2012
Really still haven't seen "Best Movie" this year. Kind of a "dud" year for movies.
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charlie v
08:01 AM on 01/15/2012
Just rented Moneyball, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life - all good but not earth shattering good movies. Midnight was okay because of the scenery but the ending was soooo predictable. Tree of Life was a mix of 2001 A Space Odyessy and a 50's period piece about how different people deal with grief. The worst part of the movie was the Son (Sean Penn) looked 3x older then the Dad (Brad Pitt) and The Mom (?) never aged a day in the movie looking like a teenager Mom of 3 boys.
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kinogod
word farmer
06:32 AM on 01/15/2012
Green lanter and green hornet were both unwatchable but included on his faces of 2011 at he archives. Friend or foe, his dawg don't hunt.
06:26 AM on 01/15/2012
Blasphemy! Quentin would NEVER include a movie on one of his "Best Of" lists out of loyalty to a friend. For anyone to write such tripe strongly suggests they know nothing about Tarantino!
04:42 AM on 01/15/2012
Awesome! Tarantino's #1 pick of the year is also my #1 pick of the year :)

IMHO, "Midnight in Paris" is Woody Allen's best movie since "Annie Hall" in 1977. (And that includes the excellent Crimes and Misdemeanors, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Husbands and Wives, Bullets Over Broadway and Vicky Cristina Barcelona.)
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MikeDu
Both salubrious and lugubrious concurrently.
03:15 AM on 01/15/2012
If that's this year's best that would explain the lackluster ticket sales. I frankly don't know what to think about Tarantino and his work. I hold his film "Reservoir Dogs" personally responsible for America's otherwise inexplicable willingness to torture its prisoners. I recall hearing before the invasion units on the way to the front screened that film and others like it to 'pump them up' for some gleefuly amoral mayhem.