My Favorite Films of 2010

All right – before we all get too excited – I’m probably the least qualified person to come up with a Top 5 list for the past year – thus why I waited so long to post it. Out of the 10 Academy Award nominees for best picture – I’ve seen 5 – don’t even ask about the other categories. So, until I thaw out and get to the theater or some of these films get released and I get them through Netflix – this will be the list. That's not to say I don't stand behind these films - they are all 5-star films - but they happen to be the only 5-star films I've seen of 2010 (as second viewings have not done kindness to other films I considered 5-stars).

#5. The Social Network (directed by David Fincher)

You can see my notes in my review posted sometime this year. In summary – it’s a solid character study – top acting by the lead – interesting story and great direction – worthy of (most) the accolades bestowed on it.

#4. Inception (directed by Christopher Nolan)

Didn’t like this one very much my first viewing – and this is why I don’t generally want to discuss films prior to me seeing them – as I was told that if I blink I will miss too much. I was told that it’s much like PRIMER - I’m sorry that some people feel that way – but it’s no PRIMER. I’m still lost in the maze of PRIMER – but INCEPTION is great in its own right – at its base it’s a highly stylized, high concept, action film wrapped in a puzzle film. So, upon my second viewing – I stopped thinking about it and enjoyed it and really liked it for the film that it is – and will now gladly ponder along with the rest of you.

#3. Winter’s Bone (directed by Debra Granik)

Haven’t seen BLACK SWAN – but how Natalie Portman can be considered the front runner for the awards this season over Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone is beyond me. Lawrence carries this film – brings so much weight to the character in a brilliant performance. The film impressed me so much with its simplicity of the story but technical merit that – the film flows – never drags – it lets the fine performances guide you through the bleak world of backwoods Arkansas and the crank drug culture – it’s a fine piece of filmmaking.

#2. Toy Story 3 (directed by Lee Unkrich)

The people at Pixar are by far the greatest filmmakers of this generation. This time Woody, Buzz and the gang are struggling with feelings of worthlessness – and the plot cleverly plays on heaven and hell and universal themes that strike into the hearts of everyone. It’s a heavy film yet it doesn’t appear to be – because it doesn’t preach – but it’s deep and meaningful and pulls the heartstrings all while you are rooting on a plastic cowboy. It puts a fine conclusion to probably the greatest film trilogy ever - it has a ton of heart and as always has the clever but not overly childish humor that really puts Pixar so far ahead of any other movie studio out there.

#1. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (directed by Edgar Wright)

In a word: Epic.

Boy meets girl.
Villain tries to stop boy from being with girl.
Boy has to fight and grow as a character to be with the girl.

It’s a universal plot from Greek Myths to video games – the hero and the epic journey is ingrained into storytelling – but it’s all about how you address it. Edgar Wright uses the source material from Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic books blends video game elements/comic books and uses it as an action/romantic/musical/comedy to make my film of the year. Not only is this film a visual feast (without it being jimmy-rigged into the film to make the elements fit), the music and sound editing was brilliant, the direction is fast paced, the cinematography is everything I hope for in a film (interesting shot in every frame) – but each character is so well defined and well crafted and fully realized in their performance by an apt cast. I’ve watched this film more than a half-dozen times already – and I laugh and get that tingle up my spine every time - certainly one of my most favorite films of all time.

Epic indeed.