TOP 10 OF 2010

Hands down the best movies of 2010. I'm going to keep this short and sweet because I'm sick.

10) "True Grit"

Anything the Coen brothers make is worth your time. "True Grit" is no exception. The old west feel is some of the best I've seen in recent film and there are a lot of good characters and actors to back the story up. This is definitely one of the best movies of 2010, it will range all over many top 10 lists, but I'm keeping it at #10 because I have unrealistic expectations of the Coen Brothers. As good as it is compared a million other movies in 2010, it could have been even better in my opinion.

9) "The Fighter"

"The Fighter" was as good as I thought it would be, but in a different way. I've been following the real Micky Ward for years now and his trilogy with Arturo Gatti are some of the best fights in combat history. Here we have a look at his up and coming years. Wahlberg is pretty good, but Bale steals the show as his crack addict brother. Once again Bale slims down and takes the spotlight with his off the wall characterization of a broken man. The family puts together some good performances and the boxing scenes are realistic.

8) "The Ghost Writer"

2010 started off slow, but "The Ghost Writer" pumped some much need life into the film industry during the early half of the year. While not Polanski's best work, he proves to still be a viable director. He makes films masterfully. He was able to take a subject I'm not particularly interested in and keep my attention the entire time. Great performances by McGregor and Brosnan as well.

7) "Winter's Bone"

One of the smallest films of the year is also one of the best. Also having the best atmosphere of the year really catapulted this slow film for me into the top 10. It has some slow moments, but it always redeems itself with the mood and sense of hopelessness. The surprise of this film is the star making performance by the young lead actress.

6) "Inception"

Everyone saw it. Everyone knows it. "Inception" is just a solid movie made by a master director and exceptional actors. The best "blockbuster" of the year and up there with recent blockbusters in the past few years.

5) "The Town"

I wasn't sure what to think about "The Town" going into the theater, but I'll tell you, I was along with it the entire time. Kind of a "Point Break" meets "The Departed", Ben Affleck does a not so surprising great job as a director, but definitely redeemed himself as an actor in this one. All the performances are good though. This is flat out an exciting movie.

4) "Shutter Island"

While people will agree this was a good movie, it didn't seem to get the fame and recognition it deserved. I actually heard from a lot of people they didn't really like it. I don't know why, but Scorcese put together a creepy mystery with some of the best setting and wonder in 2010 filmmaking. It may not be as good as "The Departed" or "Goodfellas", but what really is? Also this is the better performance of the big 2 by Leo this year in my opinion.

3) "The Social Network"

The surprise hit for me this year. I loved this movie. Every second of it. I knew Fincher was capable of making a good movie, but I wasn't compelled by the subject matter and the actors involved going in. I was wrong, this may be one of Fincher's best movies ever and is a solid top 3 movie of the year.

2) "Black Swan"

Lets get the cliches out of the way. This film is "haunting", "beautiful", and Natalie Portman is "mesmerizing". This movie is nuts and I haven't heard any negative feedback really. Throw in Vincent Cassel for some good old asshole male bravado, a crazy mom, and a slutty Mila Kunis and this film is hard to forget. DA does it again, not surprising in the least. This is the best American film of 2010.

1) "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

I thought I was going to hate this movie for more reasons than one, but I decided to give into the hype and rent it. I was absolutely blown away. Never have I seen a "crime/thriller/drama" movie be so original in recent years. The lead actress puts together an amazing performance. There is a lot of brutality and vile things going on in this movie, but just look past that, it is an excellent example of impeccable film making. I can't recommend this movie enough. The sequel is worth your time, but it doesn't measure up the magic of the first film. Just see it if you haven't.

YEAR END AWARDS: HONORABLE MENTIONS

I saw a lot of movies I liked this year. While I was not completely blown away by anything like in years past (ex: "No Country For Old Men", "Tyson", "There Will Be Blood", etc), I found myself having a hard time limiting my list to a top 10. So here are my honorable mentions of the year, maybe not quite worthy of my top 10, but worth checking out and worth being recognized.

1) "The White Ribbon"

This film is slow. It is in black and white. It is also foreign and classical. A lot of these elements may sway a young audience to avoid it, but the grim life this film portrays is enough to keep me interested. The acting is superb and there is a sense of mystery and uneasiness throughout the whole film. This is your typical film that will be ignored by the American masses, but praised by the critics. You be the judge, but I recommend it based on it's brooding style and the filmmaker's careful analysis of evil.

2) "Let Me In"

This film falls into the category of films I generally have a distaste for. A remake that isn't even a couple years old. An American remake of a excellent foreign film. AND in an even more broad sense, a remake in horror. While I don't like it as much as "Let The Right One In", I was thoroughly surprised at how engaging it was. The film is almost slower than the original, something unheard of in American Hollywood remakes. I think the filmmakers took the best possible approach they could with this film and I believe "Let Me In" is the 2nd best modern day vampire film, only behind the original it is based off of.

3) "Splice"

While I wouldn't call this movie good, it was a shocker for sure. Adrien Brody's career seems to be going down the tubes, but at least he's doing it in style by playing over the top roles that B-movie nerds can get down with. This is the most pure 80's style horror B-movie I've seen in recent years. There are a lot of low budget/B-movies out there right now, straight to DVD or in theaters, but they don't embody the characteristics of the old style B-movie that made these films more watchable and respectable. Horrible/heinous things happen in this movie, but you are right there along with it. You don't hate the characters and there is genuine emotion involved to go along with the disgusting moments. If I had to give a recommendation this year to go along with the bad films I review on this blog, "Splice" is probably the closest recommendation in that department you will get from me.

Other films maybe worth checking out:

"The Girl Who Played With Fire"

"127 Hours"

"Predators"

films I still haven't seen that could possibly make the list (worst of 2010/best of 2010/honorable mention):

"Mesrine: Killer Instinct & Public Enemy #1"

"Valhalla Rising"

"Due Date"

"Cyrus"

"Tron: Legacy"

"Restrepo"

"Collapse"

"Best Worst Movie"

"The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest"

2010 FAIL: "DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS"

Once again, all the makings for a funny movie. 2 funny lead actors. A story based off a unique foreign remake. Hollywood's favorite "new" comedian in a co-support role. Off the wall characters and situations to compel the audience to laugh. I could go on about the possibility of this movie being the funniest film of the year. But where is the fun in making something good? This film is just awkward. Not only in the situations and characters, but in the storytelling and pacing. I found myself laughing a little at one point, then maybe waiting another 45 minutes to laugh at something else. A few decent laughs spread out very far apart in a long comedy movie does not make it worth my time. Steve Carell may be quitting "The Office" to do bigger and "better" movies, but if he keeps producing trash he'll end up the stereotypical comedian that only does movies for cash and never revisits his brief moment of glory. I expected more, even from a "stupid comedy", but "Dinner For Schmucks" is just plain stupid.

*1 and 1/2 Lance Approvals*

2010 FAIL: "THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS"

I don't know what I expected going into this movie. I am a huge Terry Gilliam fan, but I wasn't that fond of his latest works. I knew this was the last picture Heath Ledger had part in before his untimely death, but knew that he didn't finish it which may cause some issues with the story. Luckily, his death and the addition of many other actors playing the role of his character wasn't an issue. Sadly, the rest of the film is an issue in the department of compelling film making.

Is "Imaginarium" original and visually stunning? Of course. But I expect that with any Terry Gilliam film. While it didn't WOW me in visual and storytelling aspects like "12 Monkeys" or "Brazil" it certainly held its own as one of the more interesting looking films of the year. Thats about where the positive feedback ends for me. I was extremely bored and uninterested with the character and stories. I'll usually stick through a bad movie, but I may have drifted off for a minute or two in this one. I understand the order and financing of the film was probably effected by the death of Ledger, and yes he is one of the better things about this film. But just because you know a movie had a problem, doesn't mean you should give it some slack. I wanted "Imaginarium" to succeed, but it just lacks the spark to ignite my imagination.

*2 Lance Approvals*

2010 FAIL: "THE WOLFMAN"

It pains me that this list is dominated by horror, but when you invest a lot in a modern version of your favorite genre that gives you nothing back in return, it is easier to become upset. "The Wolfman" is the latest in a long line of remakes. At least with this film, there was room for an update unlike the remakes of movies no one cared about in the 80s and 90s. Also, "The Wolfman" had the benefit of a huge budget and quality actors. As Hollywood as we knew it was going to be, it had a decent shot at being entertaining and an updated classic. Sadly, we aren't given anything worth our while.

Maybe the fact that we already knew the outcome before even viewing this movie ruined "The Wolfman" for many people. I think that is just searching for a decent reason behind the horribleness that is the 2010 version of this classic monster movie. While the actors/actresses are top notch, they aren't given much to work with. I don't think they really cared even if the script was better. I got the impression that the big 4 involved in this film just made it in between the films they took more seriously for that big pay day. Although the special effects are grand, I don't necessarily think they are that good. Like many movies these days, "The Wolfman" relies too heavily on CGI and not enough on story and suspense. Sure there are cool settings and costumes, but does it really matter when there is nothing of interest inside these settings and costumes. There is no mystery. There is no wonder. All we are left with is a somewhat boring but decent looking picture that could have been so much more.

*2 Lance Approvals*

2010 FAIL: "THE CRAZIES"

It really pains me that my favorite genre usually dominates these bad lists I do. It pains me even more than a Romero film has made it's way twice into this year's list. Although Romero was not as involved with this as he was "Survival of the Dead", it is still a remake of one of his cult classics. Let me start off by saying I am not some biased fan of the original that thinks it can't be beat. I haven't seen the movie in years and frankly, from what I remember, it won't lead me to giving it a second viewing. What I will say about "The Crazies" is that is follows the same cliches that all new horror movies, especially the remakes, use.

Sure there is better graphics. Sure there is some cool gore. But what is missing is something I discussed in an earlier horror/2010 fail (A Nightmare on Elm Street). There is no emotion. There is no character. There is nothing unique to separate it from it's peers. Some overall bad acting and predictability also helps it lead it's way onto this list instead of just simply being forgotten. Although the original may be low budget and hard to watch, it has originality and character. There is nothing unique about "The Crazies". All it is is another sad rip off of "28 Days Later" and all the other recent zombie/apocalypse movies out there. What confuses me even more about "The Crazies" was that it actually had some hype. People on the internet and friends weren't touting it as the best new horror film, but put it a big step above the recent garbage being produced. Critics went so far as to give it a semi-shitty review instead of just a flat out fuck off. I was intrigued, but now I'm just wondering what was wrong with these people? Maybe just the hope of anything better than what has been coming out? There is a serious problem with originality in the horror genre these days, and Hollywood will continue to pump out sub par remakes until someone comes along with something better. Here's to hoping "The Crazies" badness will help end this horrible trend.

*1 and 1/2 Lance Approvals*

2010 FAIL: "SURVIVAL OF THE DEAD"

I usually do my top 10/bottom 10 in film at the end of the year. As I looked through the movies I saw this year, I noticed I did a pretty good job of avoiding the garbage. Obviously there were endless amounts of bad romantic comedies and generic action movies out there, but I somehow avoided the majority of them. This left me with a little problem. I saw a lot of movies I liked and I lot I thought were OK. Not much swayed me into hate territory, at the same time a lot didn't blow me away. I don't even have enough for a bottom 10 that could be justified as the worst of the year so I'm just going to review the movies that I thought had potential and were a letdown for me. This specific film was the biggest blow, not because it's a terrible movie, but because of the history behind the series.

I'm not even going to go into "Night/Dawn/Day", etc. Everyone knows those are amazing movies and not just standards in zombie film, but horror. Romero in his later years has produced 3 other "Living Dead" films. "Land of the Dead", while far less superior than the original 3, is not as bad as critics and fans have made it out to be. Especially after viewing the next 2 films. "Diary of the Dead" was a huge disappointment. The docu-drama style that horror has adopted in these days can work effectively at times, but "Diary" just wasn't that good. In the end, at least I wasn't bored though. In comes "Survival of the Dead". I thought Romero might be able to redeem himself here. I was hugely mistaken. Not only is this film an embarrassment to the series, it is an embarrassment to Romero's horror legacy. Why this film was even made, and why he thought it was a product worth putting out, I'll never know. I never thought "Diary" wouldn't be the worst film in the franchise, but "Survival" proves my theory wrong and makes "Diary" look like "Terminator 3" in that franchise.

"Survival" is low budget. It has no famous actors. It has cheesy special effects. I am OK with all of this. The problem lies in what Romero tried to do with this film. Not only does the bad comedic acting take away from the film, the social commentary is gone, and the zombies aren't even threatening. We have a black comedy that isn't funny and doesn't show any of the hopelessness of the films before it. This is no "Shaun of the Dead". Zombies have made a comeback in recent years, almost to the point of annoyance. Zombies are in. Movies like "Zombieland" have added a comedic look to zombies for the masses. The Walking Dead has provided a dramatic look at human nature and surviving the zombie apocalypse. Even literature and art have jumped aboard the zombie bandwagon. It's a shame that the creator of the genre has put together something so sub par. Romero may have some film making left in him, but hopefully he stays away from the zombies.

*1 Lance Approval*