Top Ten

So last year I made a top ten movies list from 2009 so I thought I would do it again for 2010.

Usually I don't really pay attention to top ten lists but it's more of a reminder for me. Several years down the road I can look back and see what I saw and how I felt about it.

Of course, my schedule didn't allow me to see that many films in the theatre or even DVD so this list is purely from those that I saw. Others that I haven't seen but plan on seeing are Machete, The King's Speech, Tron, The Fighter, Rabbit Hole, Red, 127 Hours, Winter's Bone, The Kids are All Right, Scott Pilgrim, and probably two dozen other ones I'm forgetting.

1: Blue Valentine -- We were lucky to have the writer/director Derek Cianfrance screen this film for us back in February just after it was picked up at Sundance by the Weinstein bros. It wasn't released in theatres until 10 months later in December. This film hit home in so many ways. Cianfrance's script and style of filmmaking defines American independent cinema and what a true method director can do. It's a simple story but with very complex characters that push and push and push the audience. It made me hurt, fall in love, and cry at the end of this film. Watch it, please. This special film deserves viewing.

2: Inception -- I'm not going to say too much about this other than Nolan is the ONLY director that has proven to take a budget and produce a thrilling emotional film that is nothing short of quality. He speaks about wanting this film to focus around the emotional elements that Leo goes through and he succeeded. It's touching, gentle as much as it is intense, and it leaves the audience thinking at the end. Anytime you do that, you've succeeded.

3: The Social Network-- Style, style style. No other film created a world as well as The Social Network. I could go on, but this film is phenomenal. The script is phenomenal.

4: Shutter Island -- A way underrated film from this last year that I thought Leo knocked it out of the park. A true noir that is accessible by a modern audience.

5: Black Swan -- Probably the best performance of the year in this film by Natalie Portman. Aronofsky is the director to beat. He does whatever the hell he wants to when he wants to and he makes it dirty and beautiful. He's a transcendent director that has yet to fail. Black Swan is is not conventional by any means. It's uncomfortable, irritating, and almost perfect. Just when you think the metaphors are going to be predictable it takes you somewhere else. It's haunting.

6: True Grit -- A classic story that doesn't really feel like a Coen Bros. Film. It's upbeat, it's funny, it's charming. A great film with the best cinematographer at the camera. You can't go wrong with that.

7: Toy Story 3 -- Pixar.

8: Kick-Ass -- Lives up to the title. Some of the best action you'll see done on a low budget.

9: The Town-- Ben Affleck delivers.

10: The Ghost Writer-- I felt like this was more of a tone piece than anything. Nothing mind blowing but a very well done film by Polanski


 EDIT: 4/24/12: So looking back and seeing some of the listed films above that I wanted to see at the time of writing this I thought I would update this list.

1: Blue Valentine
2: Inception
3: The Social Network
4: Shutter Island
5: Black Swan
6: True Grit
7: Toy Story 3
8: The Kids Are All Right
9: Rabbit Hole
10: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

 Notable Mentions: The King's Speech, Kick-Ass, The Town, How to Train Your Dragon, Machete, The Ghost Writer, The Expendables, Predators, Iron Man 2, Tron:Legacy, The Next Three Days, Harry Potter