- Inception
By far the best film of 2010. Nolan gives birth to a film 10 years in the making, which bends any logical understanding of the dream world, giving it new dimension and possibility. Leo Dicaprio is a formidable force to be reckoned with as Cobb, the master of stealing from your dream. The film is not Nolan’s best, but it is a well written, well crafted and executed film. You can tell when Nolan believes in what he is doing, because it works on almost every level.
- Toy Story 3
What a way to end a series! If there is any possibility that there could be a series of films where each was better than the last, then it HAS to be this one. Each film stands on its own as an independent film, but they each go hand in hand. Given that there was a lot of talk prior to its release about what the story would be, it could have been easy to raise an eyebrow and think it was going to be a schmaltzy, namby pamby rehash of another film. It was anything but! I think the furnace scene sums up the entire series and if you did not have a tear in your eye, you have a heart of stone.
- Kick Ass
How this film appeared and disappeared in a matter of weeks is beyond me considering this is probably the most violent generation of our time, raised on a diet of violent video games, TV shows glorifying murder and movies that push the limits of acceptability (see Saw). But Kick Ass is a smart film, even though it is moralistically corrupt (yes people, there is something very wrong with an 11 year old girl having lessons on being “shot” who uses samurai swords like chopsticks and has no problem saying “Fuck” – but that’s besides the point), it ticks all the boxes when it comes to appeal. Here is a nerdy, lanky teenager who decides to become a superhero. This is what comic books have been tapping into for the last 50 years! We all want to be a hero, or at least most of us…ok some of us, and rescue the world from the forces of evil, its just a shame that Kick Ass didn’t realise that there already were normal people out there dressing up as characters, avenging the hard done by. Includes an astonishingly, remarkable performance by Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl/Mindy!
- Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Uh hello?? This is Atari meets MTV! Yes its aimed at the teen audience, but I loved it. Its been a long time since I have seen a film where the humour is so seamlessly written and performed as if it was just ordinary. Its smart, sassy and hilarious. So Scott must defeat the seven evil exes of a girl he likes. The movie plays out like Mario on crack and plays out like a freight train. Its too late when you realise its over and you’re begging for more. Michael Cera proves he IS funny and not just “that lanky kid in those indy films” and Kieran Culkin does a great job playing cool as ice mate Wallace.
- The Town
The next film from Ben Affleck, The Town proves that Ben is soon to be a formidable force in the world of directing. A slow pace in the beginning where the “twist” is revealed early on sets up the rest of the film which moves along at an easy pace interspersed with very realistic car chases which hark back to the French Connection and shoot outs which hark back to James Cagney’s days. A simple heist movie but with much more at stake and more double-crossing than you can poke a stick at. A gripping and gritty film set in Boston, the capital of bank robberies, Ben has assembled a great supporting cast and stepped into the lead role, proving there is more to this actor than meets the eye. A film that is well executed and pieced together with performances that are worthy of award buzz.
- Ghost Writer
One of my favourite films this year is Roman Polanski’s film about a certain “Prime Minister” wanting to author his memoirs. This is a connoisseurs film. You need to digest it purposely, slowly, savouring every nuance, every line. It’s not a quickie movie. It’s a film that has divided critics and film lovers, but I think that’s because Roman has crafted a film that sits in the thriller genre, but actually fills a number of genres. Collaborating with author Robert Harris from his novel "The Ghost" (film title expanded, no doubt, to avoid misleading Polanski fans who would assume a return to the supernatural) Polanski has fashioned a real nail-biter that, thanks to the solid performances and deft plotting, plays extremely well whether you like politics or know much about foreign policy. It’s a political thriller that throws back to his earlier films where “storytelling” was what movies were about.
- Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky, I love you and the way you make movies – without fear and without compromise. To think it was so difficult for you to get funding to make this film is beyond me. Black Swan is a film steeped in the secret pride of ballet. A young rising star Nina, takes the favour of the director of Swan Lake and takes the place of the companies best lead dancer. The question is, who does Nina have to become to be perfect? A stunning performance from Natalie Portman and Barbara Hershey in a film of similar vein to Aronofsky’s 2008 film, The Wrestler, but stands tall on its own.
- Shutter Island
Leo DiCaprio stuck in a world of his own creation, searching for answers to problems he has created but doesn’t know he has. Martin Scorsese pays homage to the 50’s crime movies and does so with a strong level of detail in this psychological thriller that could rival Silence of the Lambs. Dicaprio plays Teddy Daniels, and up and coming US Marshall with issues longer than your arm. He is sent to a misty island-asylum to search for a killer. The film is a wonderful testament to Scorsese’s talent as a film maker and Dicaprio’s talent as an actors actor.
- How to train your Dragon
There may be some snickers that I have dared include this film, but I can’t not. This film has a special place in my heart as I feel it accomplishes what other animations fail at – it has heart! Through Toothless the movie connects with all that is childlike and innocent. The focus and detail in that dragons expressions melt your heart and tap into that desire humans have to have pets like cats and dogs. If I could have a dragon, it would be a Night Fury!
- Tron: Legacy
Could there be no better film than a sequel (but lets say remake) to Tron for electro-pop band Daft Punk to put a soundtrack on? No. Tron: Legacy leaves the original Tron for dust as it spews out a massive band of neon greatness from its light-cycle. Sadly the story is a bit tried and true and could have been so much more. But really, if you’re in to Tron, chances are that you won’t care for a deep story, but I wanted a bit more meat and a bit more action. Tron: Legacy rounds out my top 10, not because it broke boundaries or had excellent performances, nor because it is written well. No, it rounds out my top ten because a man who has never directed a feature film before was trusted with $200 million of Disney’s money to make what is a remarkably well constructed film that will launch Disney into the 3D stratosphere, the same way Avatar launched 3D into actual reality.
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