Top Ten Films of 2010
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My first year of regularly going to the movies with a date. I have some movie experiences that stick out to me and I’ll recount one of those.
The Last Exorcism - came out August 27th of this year and I don’t know if I saw it opening night but it was that weekend. I went in expecting another bad exorcism movie and neither of us thought it would do much other than some jump scares. As it started I realized it was about more than just an exorcism. It was about faking it until you make it through faith and belief. It is about a pastor who has been faking exorcisms for years and takes a film crew down south to prove how fake it all is. He is cynical and tired of this life. He is fooling everyone and is stuck in this lie. He slowly learns that what he believed isn’t what he preached and vice versa. It is still not a great movie but I liked it and it got me thinking about things during a time when I was figuring out for myself about hell not being real and then that opening a can of critical thinking and realization that I’ve changed over the years but the basic TENET(directed by christopher nolan)’s are the same. This little movie not many remember is one I’ll always have in my memories. Thanks for being a nudge in a direction I’m happy to be heading now.
Top 25 through 11 ranked
25. Hesher (Directed by Spencer Susser) - Amazon Prime
24. Kick-Ass (Directed by Matthew Vaughn)
23. Rabbit Hole (Directed by John Cameron Mitchell) - Amazon Prime & Hulu
22. Beyond the Black Rainbow (Directed by Panos Cosmatos)
21. Predators (Directed by Nimrod Antal)
20. Insidious (Directed by James Wan) - Netflix
19. The Town (Directed by Ben Affleck) - Netflix
18. Inception (Directed by Christopher Nolan) - Amazon Prime
17. MacGruber (Directed by Jorma Taccone)
16. Unstoppable (Directed by Tony Scott) - HBO
15. Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul) - Criterion Channel
14. Certified Copy (Directed by Abbas Kiarostami) - Criterion Channel
13. The Fighter (Directed by David O. Russell) - HBO
12. Incendies (Directed by Denis Villeneuve)
11. Toy Story 3 (Directed by Lee Unkrich)
top ten
10. The Kids Are All Right (Directed by Lisa Cholodenko) - HBO
A couple of these types of movies come out each year but they are rarely done with such humor and humanity. Actual humanity. Not the type where they just put someone in a tough or humorous situation and you are to project onto it. This is real writing and characters that make me laugh and care about them. The cast is great and if anyone wants Hot Mark Ruffalo then check it out.
9. I Saw the Devil (Directed by Kim Jee-woon)
I love a movie that puts you in a place and circumstance and makes you ask what you would do. This movie is repetitive and over long but it is supposed to be a brutal cycle. A cat and mouse revenge thriller where the mouse becomes the cat and around they go. I love Korean cinema and this was one of my first favorites. It would a great October watch as it’s raining or leaves are falling and you’re in the mood for an adult thriller with edge.
8. The Other Guys (Directed by Adam McKay) - Netflix
One of the POUND 4 POUND funniest movies to me. I think it takes a simple 5 minute sketch comedy idea and lets it run wild until it’s hilarious and has built it’s own world of lion vs tuna metaphors and TLC songs referenced by Michael Keaton. It is one of the most overlooked and underrated comedies of the 21st century and I love it.
7. Shutter Island (Directed by Martin Scorsese) - HBO
One of my favorite movie experiences. I saw it with Matt McPhail and he is not a sit still and don’t talk type of viewer. In most people I found that annoying but Matt had a way to make it fun. He and I talked a little throughout in a theater by ourselves and enjoyed it. He jumped at the jump scares and I enjoyed that immensely. The movie itself was hurt on first viewing by me just guessing the twist 6 minutes in because of a seemingly innocuous comment made by Leo’s character. Matt was mad at me afterwards for leaning over and whispering to him “I hope this isn’t the kind of movie where ________________” and I was right. It was that kind of movie. It always tainted the film but now I look on it impressed that it could take such an obvious twist and still make a long impactful movie of trauma and fear. It covers so much ground and is full of tension as it does it. Not one of my favorites of Scorsese but a weird and interesting entry into his movies.
6. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (Directed by Edgar Wright) - Netflix
This movie is always better than I remember. The level of comic timing between Wright’s editing and Cera’s virtuoso performance is incredible. The graphic novel is full of fun ideas they play with but the cast and editing are the winners here. One of the funniest movies people don’t think of as a full comedy. I love it. Easily could be higher next week or even tomorrow.
5. True Grit (Directed by Coen Brothers) - Amazon Prime & Hulu
The Coen’s most financially successful film and not usually thought of as one of their best I think it should be. Bridges, Damon, Brolin, and Pepper are so damn good. They are one of the best at casting westerns. But the true MVP is Hailee Steinfeld. She is 12 or 13 here and is better than most adult actors ever will be. She is more interested in fashion and being a pop singer now, good for her, but when she shows up in something that thing will be better.
4. Beginners (Directed by Mike Mills)
A beautiful movie that deals with so much but keeps it light enough not to overwhelm. Mills tone setting is so good. He writes fully lived in characters and settings. He gives you more information in one scene than some movies give with 30 minutes of exposition. He is like a novelist with the camera. That is the most pretentious annoying thing I’ve said in these lists I think so I will move on and just say forget what I said and go watch this movie. Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent are so good.
3. Blue Valentine (Directed by Derek Cianfrance)
One of those “I don’t need to see this again” movies but for me that means it is probably a comfort film for me. I think this began my appreciation of Gosling and Michelle Williams. They had done great work before this but this is the one that woke me up. An incredible three act story of a relationship. Heart on its sleeve, pant leg, shoe, glove, and hat. Terribly upsetting at times and uplifting at moments. I think it made me a more empathetic person. It isn’t one to watch maybe during hard times but I think if you want some dark romance check it out.
2. Black Swan (Directed by Darren Aronofsky)
Another theater experience I loved. I saw it at the Mall theater in Carbondale (RIP) and we sat there quiet for two hours just taking it all in. Normally messed up weird movies like this cause walkouts or mumbles or scoffs in our small area but this one left everyone quiet or needing to get out of there out of a sense of discomfort. A rousing success to my mind in moviegoing. There are scenes and acting in this that made me a better film observer. I think it holds up and is a great 31 days of Halloween watch.
1. The Social Network (Directed by David Fincher) - Netflix
This has been written about and praised so much and called the best movie of the decade by many. It is not that for me but it is great and about much more than Mark Zuckerberg. Fincher has a way to avoid emotions in his filmmaking and just let his actors bring all of that. There’s no big over the top oscar moment. Andrew Garfield tries his damnedest to add some, but overall it is Sorkin toned down. My favorite type of Sorkin. He needs someone to chill him out. And as very unchill as Fincher is in his process, his movies always have a chilliness. It made the nerds the soldiers in the war. A war we are all losing.