The Top 10 Films of 2010

It’s that time of year once again. A year of movies have come and gone and after many hours of blood, sweat, and popcorn, I have decided on the films which I believe are the best of the year- a hodgepodge of foreign films you’ve never heard of, award winners that will most likely be taking home several more golden paperweights before it’s all said and done and, of course, the occasional sleeper cult hit. Enjoy!

Honorable Mentions: Micmacs, The American, Rabbit Hole

Films yet to be screened: The Fighter, L’illusionniste, Winter’s Bone, The Secret in Their Eyes, 127 Hours, Blue Valentine.

10. OSS 117: Lost in Rio

Prat-falling its way from France, this comedy gem stars the hilarious Jean Dujardin as Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath aka OSS 117. Though the original character was created four years before Ian Flemings first James Bond novel, he soon became the French equivalent to 007 and, after years of obscurity, once again arose in the form of parody through 2006′s “OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies” and then “Lost in Rio” (which technically came out in 2009 but was not released in the U.S. till 2010, making it eligible for this list).

I could tell you the plot of this spy tale but what will peak your interest (and your funny bone) more is a simple description of the things which appear throughout the story- Nazis for the Fifth Reich, Alligators, Hippies, Mexican Wrestlers, Asian hitmen, a Robin Hood costume, and a Swan shaped paddle boat. Need I say more?

9. Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky outdid himself on this one- a genuinely terrifying phycological thriller about…ballet. A deeply disturbing cautionary tale about artists and their ever seeking desire for perfection, Aronofsky allows the camera to roll long and hard on Natalie Portman’s Nina Sayers, a fragile, naive woman, who has been chosen to play the Swan princess in the New York ballet’s rendition of Swan Lake- fufilling a life long dream. But when fellow dancer Lily (Mila Kunis) proves better suited for the darker aspects of the lead role, Nina sees her dream threatened and will take whatever means necessary to transform herself into the perfect person for the role.

Honestly, the scariest aspect of this film comes from the subtle meltdown you witness Portman go through as her character’s mind slowly cracks like a China doll. If this doesn’t get her at least an Oscar nomination then I don’t know what will.

8. True Grit

There is nothing like a good Western and the Coen Brother’s adaptation of Charles Portis’ most famous novel sure is one of them. Of course most people still associate this simple story of justice with an earlier film attempt starring John Wayne (which won him an Oscar) but, in my opinion, as someone who has read the book, the Coen’s lay out both the plot and characters far better than their predecessor, giving it both the grittiness and humor you find in Portis’ pages.

Props must also go to both Jeff Bridges and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld for the roles they play. Taking on a character revered as “The Duke’s” greatest role, Bridges makes his portrayal of U.S. Marshal Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn all his own- a drunken, stench ridden fool, who can shoot straight even when he can’t walk the same. And Steinfeld’s take on the stubborn “old soul” Mattie Ross is a wonder to behold. I can only hope her career continues with how well it has beautifully begun.

7. Exit Through the Gift Shop

Easily the best documentary of the year, the mysterious street artist Banksy delivers a story about a French immigrant named Thierry Guetta, living in Los Angeles who, after picking up a video camera, finds himself unable to put it down. As his obsession for film grows, he dives head first into taping the world of street artists, whose idea of expression has been called both art and graffiti . As these illusive artists take him under their wing, his presence is made known to Banksy, the most popular name in street art, who gives away his identify to Guetta so he can tape his exploits.

What follows is a very humorous, dangerous, white knuckle ride, which ends with Guetta getting more than he ever bargained for and Banksy suddenly realizing what his power of influence can do.

6. The Town

Welcome back Ben Affleck, we’ve…sort of missed you. After proving his worth as a director with 2007′s “Gone Baby Gone,” Affleck returns this time both in front and behind the camera, giving us a heist movie with a heart. Set deep in the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown, Affleck plays Doug MacRay, the leader of a gang of bank robbers, who must keep an eye on a possible witness to his latest theft, an assistant bank manager named Claire. Soon, he finds himself interacting with the woman and eventually falling for her, which brings him heat from both his best friend and partner in crime James Coughlin, given a real sense of mean by Jeremy Renner, and FBI Agent Adam Frawley, played by “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm.

What works here is the sincerity Affleck brings to his characters even though they are surrounded by a bleak and urban portrait of Boston. Though MacRay is technically the “bad guy” you can’t help but hope him the best as his backstory proves he could have turned out a whole lot worse.

5. Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 is the final chapter in a series that chronicled, not only the story of a Cowboy and his Space Ranger best friend, but also the growing up of their owner Andy, who my generation aged right along with. When I watched the first one as a kid, I held my Buzz and Woody toys tight and, as this final film’s credits roll, I, like Andy, find myself leaving them behind for adulthood. This of course strikes a chord and the film is easily the most mature of the three, hinting at such concepts as loss, grief, and even death. Pretty heavy stuff for an animated film but, once again, Pixar delivers.

A special note should be made about the 3D in this film. While normally I consider the third dimension rarely used properly, Pixar has again tamed it to simply give the scene they are portraying an essence of depth, usually rather subtly. When in Los Angeles, I was fortunate enough to see the special 3D conversions of the first two films as well and I can say they too demonstrate how this newly rediscovered gimmick can actually be used to further deepen an audience’s understanding of the story they are watching.

4. The Social Network

A story about the creation of an internet social network sounds about as interesting as paint drying when looked upon at face value. But, “Fight Club” director David Fincher and “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin bring about an almost Shakespearean story of betrayal as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, played like the love child of Charles Foster Kane and Rain Man by Jesse Eisenberg, fights fellow co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) for both creative and business control of their world changing internet sensation.

The script is probably my favorite of the year as its quick and witty dialogue cuts like a knife where it could easily chew through the scenery under different circumstances.

3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

A true gem of a film, “Scott Pilgrim” is like a sponge, which has sucked up every last drop of video game pop culture. Paying homage from Zelda, to the Mario Brothers, to Mortal Kombat, the film follows slacker Scott, who must defeat his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes before she can finally be truly his.

What shines over everything in this film is the editing and effects. The film artfully uses classic Batman like “Pows!” and “Bangs!” as the fights progress and the way the camera cuts back and forth, especially in transitions between scenes, gives the audience a very exciting ride. I can’t say enough of director Edgar Wright as he has proven once again with this, his third film after geek favorites “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, that he is in a class all his own.

2. Inception

This is the kind of film you’re allowed to make after you are responsible for a gigantic box office success. In director Christopher Nolan’s case that hit was his Batman sequel, “The Dark Knight” and now he brings us “Inception,” a heist movie in the most psychological of terms. Starring a hit cast including, Leonardo Dicaprio, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, you can’t ask for a better group of actors to watch for two-and-a-half hours.

Sometimes a film just stands out in both its story and visuals as something we’ve never seen before, which is a very rare thing. “Inception” does this mightily, adding just enough wit and intrigue to make it a film lover’s…dare I say it…dream.

1. Four Lions

The little British film that you’ve never heard of is also one of the most ballsy movies I’ve ever seen. Telling the story of a group of British jihadists who desperately want to prove their worth through a suicide bombing but are a bit to inept to accomplish the task, “Four Lions” is one of those very few films that are so genre bending in their story telling that you are at times unsure if you should cry of laughter or sadness. The tale itself is bittersweet and tragic but brought together with such a weird sense of irony that it’s hard not to being rolling in the aisles.

With heartfelt and amazing performances by Riz Ahmed, Kayvan Novak, and Nigel Lindsay and wonderful cameos by British character actors like Darren Boyd, Kevin Eldon, and “Sherlock’s” own Benedict Cumberbatch, this film causes its audience to think deeply about religious extremism and its affect on both the general public and, more importantly, those who are involved in it themselves. When the credits, you will be left with no easy answers and I think that’s what makes it so amazing.

Update – 1/18/11

The King’s Speech

Though sadly not seen by me until after this list was first posted, I now feel obliged to call  this as my favorite film of 2010 as well as state just how wonderful, touching, and heartfelt I found Tom Hooper’s film on the speaking struggles of King George VI and his hard path through a royal family scandal and finally the beginning of WWII.

In the lead, Colin Firth gives an amazing portrayal of King George (Bertie to his family) as a man of power, who feels he has very little. While under some actors, the task of watching a man stammer throughout an entire film could become laborious in the least, Firth gives each long silence and cut off word a tinge of inner pain, reflecting so well his character’s inner struggle. This is an Oscar performance at its finest. Also, Geoffrey Rush as the King’s speech teacher Lionel Logue and Helena Bonham Carter as Bertie’s wife both add dramatic weight and a pinch of comedy to the performance of the film.

There is also something to be said about how the film carries itself in particular. Rarely does a film show up these days that simply tells a tale. Always there are gimmicks or tie ins or it’s based on the newest whatchamacallit or made to cause nostalgia towards an old whoseawhatsit. But in “The King’s Speech” we are simply given a tale about extraordinary man who needed an extraordinary friendship to lead a country through an extraordinary time- which simply makes this film…extraordinary.

So there you have it, my top 10 films for 2010. I highly recommend you find and watch these films either in the theater or, in the case of the more obscure ones, when they finally reach Netflix.

Now it’s your turn. What films did you find to be the best of the year? What ones would you have added to my list? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments below.