Films of the Year 2011: Cinematography, Music, Male & Female Cameos/Small Roles

Until the Worst films, Best films and Female and Male Performances posts, here are four brief Tens for cinematography, music and best male and female cameos/small roles. As I was making my acting top tens recently, I noticed a a lot more smaller performances - slightly more substantial than your normal cameo appearance, but not necessarily solid enough supporting roles - that I enjoyed this year. (In some cases the actors' contributions made the film for me.) I wanted to, in some small way, acknowledge that I enjoyed the performances on the peripheries of some films. Also, I selected music and cinematography contributions of all the technical/crew achievements as there were many exemplary examples of these filmmaking attributes during the past year.

Best Cinematography (in alphabetical film title order):

Black Swan Matthew Libatique
Drive Newton Thomas Sigel
How I Ended This Summer Pavel Kostomarov

Julia’s Eyes Óscar Faura
Melancholia Manuel Alberto Claro
Midnight in Paris Darius Khondji
Snowtown Adam Arkapaw
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Hoyte Van Hoytema

The Tree of Life Emmanuel Lubezki
True Grit Roger Deakins

Best Music (in alphabetical film title order):

Another Earth Fall on Your Sword
Black Swan Clint Mansell

Brighton Rock Martin Phipps
Cold Weather Keegan DeWitt
Drive Cliff Martinez
Last Night Clint Mansell
Rubber Gaspard Augé/Sébastien Akchoté/Quentin Dupieux
The Skin I Live In Alberto Iglesias

Snowtown Jed Kurzel
Stone Jonny Greenwood/Jon Brion

Male Acting: cameo/small role (in no order):

left-right: David, Stoll, Lee

Christopher Lee The Resident

Colin Farrell Horrible Bosses

William H. Macy The Lincoln Lawyer

James Franco The Green Hornet

Adrien Brody Midnight in Paris

Andy Serkis Brighton Rock

Corey Stoll Midnight in Paris

Jon Hamm Bridesmaids

Keith David Meet Monica Velour

Hugo Weaving Captain America: The First Avenger

Female Acting: cameo/small role (in no order):

left-right: Mendes, Dern, McGillis

Minnie Driver Conviction

Christina Hendricks Drive

Jennifer Ehle Contagion

Lin Shaye Insidious

Kelly McGillis Stake Land

Eva Mendes Last Night

Frances Conroy Stone

Alison Pill Midnight in Paris

Laura Dern Everything Must Go

Charlotte Rampling Melancholia

Next: Worst films, Top Ten Male & Female Acting and Best Films of the Year.