Movies that were awesome in 2010.

5 January 2011 Movies that were awesome in 2010.

Things you should see/rent in the coming months, culled from the 49 movies I saw this year. Subject to change depending on my mood. Before we begin, EXTREMELY honorable mention to the following:

The Town, for its impressive ensemble cast [especially Chris Cooper, Blake Lively, and Jon Hamm], and poignant screenplay. The kind of action movie Hollywood should be making.

Inception, for its puzzling layers of exposition and [again] strong ensemble. Perhaps the most truly revolutionary film of the year. Deserves mention simply for the zero gravity hallway fight.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, for achieving a sense of pure exhilaration in its endlessly creative story and joyous direction. Michael Cera’s one persona finally fits somewhere.

Okay, enough of that. On to the 10…

10. The Kids are All Right
“Hug her. That’s what she’s there for.”

A lovable film about a typical [and somewhat totally atypical] American family, led by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. Fresh, thoughtful, and very funny writing from Lisa Cholodenko [who also served as director] guides Nic, Jules, Joni, and Laser through their family’s best and worst moments as Joni and Laser’s birth father enters their lives. Also includes some hilariously biting rants about hipster organic culture, which I personally appreciated.

9. Rabbit Hole
“I like that. Somewhere out there I’m having a good time.”

I am fiercely protective of Rabbit Hole, David Lindsay-Abaire’s brilliant play, and had serious doubts about this adaptation. Thankfully, the material found the right hands in director John Cameron Mitchell and producer/actress Nicole Kidman. Both are also passionate about the play, which makes Rabbit Hole a quiet, sensitive, and oddly amusing film, as it should be. Kidman’s performance is the heart of the film and the best of her career. She makes Becca simultaneously sad, frustrating, and likable, often with just a simple glance.

8. Shutter Island
“Do you know what fear does to the mind?”

A mysteriously under-appreciated movie. Scorsese has reached the point in his career where he can take a simple premise, direct it with flair, and the result is magic. Aided by gorgeous photography by Robert Richardson and an ingenious soundtrack, the film retains its suspense in spite of the admittedly predictable plot. Michelle Williams and Patricia Clarkson both give strong supporting performances.

7. Winter’s Bone
“I said I’ll find him.”

A movie oozing with foreboding atmosphere. Jennifer Lawrence is chilling as Ree, a girl desperate to find her father to save her family’s house from foreclosure. The fact that Lawrence was my age when she filmed Winter’s Bone only makes me more jealous and flabbergasted. Ree’s sheer drive and surprising depth draw worthy comparisons to Charlize Theron in Monster or Frances McDormand in Fargo. Stunning cinematography of the Ozark wilderness, too.

6. Never Let Me Go
“We are modeled on trash.”

Another oddly overlooked gem. This strange and haunting film is equal measures science fiction and heavy drama, and the result is a melancholy experience that many similar films have tried and failed to create. Carey Mulligan gets better and better in each new role she takes, and this is no exception. Even Keira Knightley turns in a brilliantly nuanced performance.

5. Toy Story 3
“Now, you gotta promise to take good care of these guys. They mean a lot to me.”

I mean come on. How can anyone ignore Toy Story 3? The final chapter in the series is like saying goodbye to your favorite childhood blanket or something. The toys find themselves in the most severe peril yet in this installment, and the genius of the film is that we actually believe that not all the toys may make it out alive. Michael Arndt, of Little Miss Sunshine fame, was an inspired choice to write this screenplay. It’s also worth noting that the visuals of this film are a vast improvement on the previous films. Look at the lighting in the day care scenes.

4. The Social Network
“You’re going to go through life thinking girls don’t like you because you’re a nerd. And I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart that that won’t be true. It’ll be because you’re an asshole.”

Far and away the strongest screenplay of the year. Aaron Sorkin has been kicking it in Hollywood for ages, and it appears he’ll finally get the recognition he deserves for his “movie about Facebook”. David Fincher makes his best movie in years [after the mushy guilty pleasure of Benjamin Button] and he finds a perfect cast in Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Rooney Mara, Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, and Brenda Song. It’s worth mentioning all of their names, because in twenty years they all will have done amazing things with their careers. I’m not even kidding. It’s like The Godfather in that regard.

3. Exit Through the Gift Shop
“I don’t know how to play chess, but to me, life is like a game of chess.”

The year’s best ‘documentary’. With very heavy quotations. This bizarre little movie feels more like Banksy’s latest practical joke, but saying any more would ruin the whole thing. Banksy is ‘followed’ by a ‘filmmaker’ named ‘Thierry Guetta’ who then makes his ‘own’ ‘art’ and adopts the name ‘Mr. Brainwash’. And the finished product is hilarious, unsettling, and riotously entertaining.

2. Black Swan
“I’m the swan queen. You’re the one who never left the corps.”

Natalie Portman, endless in likability, has been seemingly living her whole life for this performance. Physical preparation aside [she trained for a year to pull off playing a star ballerina] Portman is astounding. She’s in every frame of the film and effortlessly captivates the audience. It’s so difficult to draw comparisons to other performances just because of how damn revolutionary this performance is. Portman’s Nina is an innocent dancer who is cast as the lead in Swan Lake. The role requires her to play not only the white swan, but also the seductive black swan. Needless to say the role takes a toll on Nina, whose mind gradually corrodes until the audience isn’t sure what’s real and what’s in her head. I honestly can’t say enough about this performance.

Okay, moving on to the film itself, a kaleidoscopic horror movie that mirrors Swan Lake itself while also adding fresh twists and turns to a the familiar theme. Darren Aronofsky is at his best, aided by cinematographer Matthew Libatique, whose darting camera work in the dance scenes is particularly beautiful. Black Swan is a dark, disturbing look at obsession with perfection. Special props to Mila Kunis for truly cementing her future as a movie star in the role of Lily, the ‘black swan’ of Nina’s story.

1. Animal Kingdom
“You’ve done some bad things, sweetie.”

I’ve been describing Animal Kingdom to people as ‘the Australian Departed,’ which in retrospect seems like an absolutely terrible way to promote it. Regardless, Animal Kingdom is a crime story set in Melbourne, Australia that follows a family of thieves as they struggle to retain the power they once had. An impressive cast of Aussie actors is headlined by Jacki Weaver as the family’s matriarch. Well-known only in Australia, Weaver is menacing in ways never before shown in film. Her portrayal is layered with hidden wickedness, a seemingly sweet woman who is secretly relentless and diabolical. She is generating some Oscar buzz for her role which, at 64, is pretty remarkable for an actress from halfway around the world.

Animal Kingdom represents the best of Australian cinema. First-time writer and director David Michod manages to create a film that is simultaneously a riveting crime drama and a thoughtful character study. James Frecheville is impressive in a remarkably understated debut as the youngest member of the family. Nerve-wracking in its realism, Animal Kingdom is the kind of movie that stays with you long after the end credits. The best Aussie film since Moulin Rouge, which isn’t as high a compliment as it may seem unfortunately. Hopefully other Aussie filmmakers take note.

Well there you go, kids. I apologize for my repetitive gushing in this post. I really do love all these movies. Before we go, here’s some more VERY HONORABLE MENTION:

The Ghost Writer – Polanski’s best in years. Olivia Williams rocks it.
How to Train Your Dragon – The first Dreamworks animated film that DOESN’T have sassy talking animals.
Marwencol – A beautiful little documentary I saw at Sidewalk this year.
True Grit – Expertly crafted Western. I want to be Jeff Bridges when I grow up.
The Fighter – Purely for the performances. Amy Adams, Melissa Leo, and Christian Bale. Nuff said.
The King’s Speech – Lovely film about George VI. Some brilliant writing.
I am Love – Tilda Swinton learned Russian and Italian for this movie. Seriously worth seeing just for that.
Easy A- A really sharp screenplay and a great performance by Emma Stone.

Worst Films of the Year [Just for funsies.]

Alice in Wonderland – How such great talent made this utter black hole of a movie is beyond me.
Death at a Funeral – For attempting to remake the British original.
The Last Song – For obvious reasons.
Remember Me – For being completely and randomly manipulative. Gets worse in hindsight.

Okay, the end for real. Until next year, peace out cub scout.

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