As we begin a brand new year, it's time to take one last look at 2010 and remember some of the best films of the year. I watched over 100 films at the cinema in 2010 and the following are to be inducted into Iain's Class of 2010.
So in no particular order....
If people frown over the many sequels and remakes that came out in 2010, there was one film during the summer period that proved that you can be original and get people talking. Inception was that film. A combination of heists and dreams, Inception seriously blew the competition away. The amount of chatter everywhere after people watched the film, whether they thought it was good or bad, was unbelievable. More importantly, it cements Christopher Nolan as one of the best directors today. His last few films have always been well received, entertaining and fascinating to watch. Brilliantly acted with a talented ensemble, spearheaded by Leonard DiCaprio, Inception was the movie of 2010’s summer period. Period.
The Social Network earns its place here because one, this is the best screenplay of the 2010 and two is a terrific examination of something that is part of our society and culture today. Coupled together with Catfish, it’s been the year of the social network sites at the cinema. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for Facebook: The Movie but when the film hit, I honestly didn’t expect it to be this verbally sharp, engaging, intelligent and quite frankly brilliant. Eisenberg takes the show as the socially inept nerd who would make one of our generations’ greatest piece of electronic social communication with Facebook.
In the mass of world cinema that came to UK screens this year, there was only one that stood head and shoulders above everything else. It even beat a Michael Henke film at the Oscars (Sorry Byron). This detective thriller charting a prosecutors re-examining of a vicious rape & murder is blended so well throughout with a touching human drama. An well known TV serial director before this came out, Juan José Campanella has certainly made a name for himself and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
This had geek written all over it from the get go and as the film was unleashed frame by frame by Edgar Wright’s visual style (obviously guided by Bryan Lee O’Malley’s books), Scott Pilgrim was a visual explosion and wonderfully comedic tale of a true love’s fight…against seven evil exs. It’s strange that coming out of Pilgrim, the audience reaction has been 50-50. For every Pilgrim fan, there was someone who thought it was bollocks. Me, I loved it and it was one of three highlights for the recent summer season. Cult status will follow for this film soon hopefully for all those who just fell in love with the continous video game, manga, anime, rock and punk references. Heck, they even take a piss take at Seagal DTV films with the help of Captain America!
If anyone could do a third film in a popular animation franchise right, it was going to be Pixar. And what a way Toy Story’s hopefully final outing goes. Woody, Buzz and the gang being outgrown by the boy they entertained was a pitch-perfect coming of age tale. Great animation from Pixar that always gives its story the right amount of heart and emotion – but let’s not forget the brilliant laughs along the way too. Out of all the films on the list, Toy Story perhaps has the best ending from 2010's movies. A beautiful full circle ending that is hard not to shed a tear too. Honestly, it was a moving experience that ranks closely to the opening moments of Up.
It’s not out until January but it easily cements a place on the best films I’ve seen in 2010. Me and Byron saw this at LFF and we were practically left speechless and reeling. Darren Arronosky’s twisted tale of a ballerina quest for perfection under the pressure of her piers and family is still hard for me to put into words how stunning this cinematic tale was. It simply has to be seen at a cinema. Natalie Portman produces a career defining performance with good support by Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassell. There are graceful hints of early Polanski meshed into this psychological horror. You will be astonished by this visual and technical masterpiece when it dances onto screens in January. Highly recommend.
I’ve enjoyed Colin Firth playing the abrasive characters in films lately. The Non-“Mr Darcy” ones so to speak. A Single Man is the pinnacle of Firth’s current spate of damaged men. Though with The King’s Speech on the horizon, it could be challenged. A Single Man was a beautiful flourished film about the grief and hurt by bereavement. It may have not be to everyone’s tastes but Tom Ford gives a comfortable film debut behind the camera. Firth should have won the Oscar this year for his role but unfortunately, people rediscovered Jeff Bridges – which in itself wasn’t a bad thing. Regardless, A Single Man was a superb piece of human drama and I heartily recommend it.
I’m a sucker for cinematic tales of assassins. While some may have too dark to watch properly (*cough* Ninja Assassin*), The American was a perfect combination of the genre intermixed with existentialism. It was great to see Clooney drop the charm to place this isolated, closed off, assassin / gun smith for hire all by himself in rural Italy. Some people have complained for a lack of action. Some were confused as to what was going on. This was far from simplistic cinema, photographed beautiful by Anton Corbjin, and (in my opinion) well paced. I loved The American and it was a standout drama thriller.
The comedy of 2010. Period. As In The Loop previously gave the possible frightening child like antics of government. Four Lions, a film in a similar vein, gave the possible idea of some terrorists being…well…thick. Chris Morris’ frequently laugh out loud comedy is a great satire on our perceptions of terrorism in a modern age. The humour raged from the physical and bonkers dialogue complete with a sharp edge which fans of Morris’ brand of humour will lap up.
A terrific alternate musical biopic with Andy Serkis playing Ian Dury. Theatrical, engrossing, entertaining and fuelled by some terrific musical sequences sung by Serkis himself. SDRR was a great look into one of the 80s musical icons of Brit Pop / Rock. Which considering the amount of American biopics being churned out on a yearly basis made a great change to things.
So there you have it, my favourites of 2010 in this handy blog post. If you want to hear more discussion on these films, why not listen to the latest episode of Cinematic Dramatic over at GeekPlanetOnline.
Anyway, enough 2010 talk - let's march in 2011!
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