The end of another year means that it’s time for another meaningless list of the best and worst films of the year. At least according to me, but really, why would you need to hear anyone else’s opinions once you’ve been graced by mine? As always, I didn’t come anywhere near seeing all of the films released in the last year, but I did hit a pretty good chunk, seeing 65 new theatrical releases. Add to that an additional 43 new back catalogue titles I watched on DVD and Blu-ray and it was a pretty busy year for movies and I.
So, without any further ado, I present: The Lists!
Most Surprising:
Splice – What was most surprising about this film wasn’t the quality, but just how disturbing it was. Going in I knew it dealt with some questionable ethical issues, but this film doesn’t pull any punches. It doesn’t always succeed in what it tries to do, but it is quite thought provoking.
Easy A – Marketed as a teen sex comedy, this is actually quite an intelligent film. The dialogue is witty and fast paced, and there’s nothing cookie-cutter about it.
Tangled – This film had a long and troubled development at Disney, but the result is pretty great. Very much the traditional Disney musical fairy tale, this film just on every level. The best in-house CG film to ever come out of Disney.
Morning Glory – Though it suffered from a poor name and horrible marketing campaign, this is a really good film. Not a romantic comedy, but more a coming of age story, this is a very funny and intelligent film.
Most Disappointing:
Shutter Island – Not a bad film, by any stretch, but just not as good as is expected from Martin Scorsese. The “twist” is easily figured out in the first 15 minutes and the rest of the film is overly long and poorly constructed.
Cop Out – From a technical standpoint, this is probably the best of the Kevin Smith films. The script is adequate, though not overly funny. The main problem here is the lead, Bruce Willis, who looks miserable throughout, making it obvious he’d rather be doing anything else and is only there for the pay check.
Date Night – A very average comedy, but when your stars are Tina Fey and Steve Carell, average isn’t nearly good enough.
Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time – Extremely forgettable film that could have been so much more. The source material offered a lot of potential, but it was squandered here in a boring, bland script.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – The victim of too many cooks in the kitchen, this could have been a good family film, a good fantasy, or a good action film. Instead, it’s forced to be a mediocre combination of the three.
The Expendables – When this many great action stars are gathered together in one film, you expect a lot of great action. Instead, we get to great action scenes, several more average action scenes, and a lot of time spent talking.
The American – An overly long character study of a character everyone is already very familiar with. Great cinematography isn’t nearly enough to salvage this film.
Worst Films:
The Losers – It wanted to be a tongue-in-cheek action film, but the jokes don’t work, the action is weak, and the plot has been done to death.
Shrek: Forever After – Not as bad as the third Shrek, but is still doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Instead, it just recycles all of the same jokes the film makes have been using since the original.
Twilight: Eclipse –Better than the first two films, though that doesn’t require a whole lot. The director keeps things moving this time around, but the terrible dialogue, shoddy action scenes, and stilted acting still manage to sink this film.
Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time - As noted above, this film has few redeeming qualities and manages to squander its potential.
Robin Hood – My original review pretty much sums up my feelings on this film:
A different version of the Robin Hood story, but here different does not mean better. There are two main problems with this film. The first is that it can't decide what type of film it wants to be, as it bounces back and forth from political thriller/commentary to Michael Bay-esque explosion fest to guys-on-a-mission to finally a "Saving Private Ryan" style war film, complete with landing craft and underwater shots. By trying to force all of these elements to coexist, Scott delivers a jumbled, confused feeling mess. The second, and perhaps bigger, problem with the film is that it is simply boring far too often and for too long. Both problems could likely be remedied by cutting around 40 minutes from its 2 hour and 20 minute runtime, resulting in less wasted time and a more focused tone. As it stands, the film is a rambling, bloated affair with a few nice action set pieces. There are worse historical epics to see, but this is one that will likely be quickly forgotten.
Best Films:
Honourable Mention:
How To Train Your Dragon – DreamWorks finally shows it can play in the same field as Pixar with this beautiful, touching, finely crafted film.
Kick-Ass – A different look at the superhero film, Kick-Ass is completely entertaining, well acted and features an excellent script.
10: The Fighter – Wisely focusing on the family drama, this film can make even those who hate the sport care about boxing. Great performances and direction.
9: Let Me In – Easily holds its own against the Swedish original, this is one of the best horror films in decades. The child actors give shockingly good performances and the direction is pitch perfect.
8: 127 Hours – All of the praise for this film goes directly to director Danny Boyle and lead James Franco. A film that spend upwards of 80% of its runtime in one tiny location could easily have become boring in lesser hands, but Franco makes you care deeply about his character and Boyle manages to keep the tension ramped up throughout.
7: The King’s Speech – A great script takes what could otherwise have been a very dull topic and makes it riveting. Add to that a fantastic performance from Colin Firth and you have a terrific film.
6: Black Swan – Natalie Portman gives the best performance of the year in this film. Aronofsky’s lyrical directorial style perfectly fits the subject matter, successfully melding beauty and horror.
5: Toy Story 3 – Another near-perfect film from Pixar. This heart rending story contains everything you’ve come to expect from the studio – great characters, and engaging, emotional story, and fantastic visuals. Best animated film of the year, by far.
4: True Grit – The Coen’s deliver again with this beautifully crafted western. The performances, script, and cinematography all add up to make this a must see.
3: Inception – Nolan’s mind-bending psychological film is one that demands repeat viewing. By refusing to cater to the lowest common denominator, Nolan has crafted an intellectual film which rewards thoughtful viewing and will stand the test of time.
2: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – My personal favourite film of the last year, Scott Pilgrim perfectly captures not only its source material, but also an entire generation. Funny, filled with great performances, great action, and great direction, this film will be influencing future filmmakers for a very long time.
1: The Social Network – At once menacing and enticing, Fincher’s film is irresistible. Backed by Reznor and Finch’s haunting score, the viewer is kept perpetually uneasy, despite the upbeat, often hilarious script by Aaron Sorkin. Though the subject matter may become dated within a few years, the film will continue to hold up to decades.
Films You’ve Never Heard Of But Should See Anyway:
The Runaways – The story of the founding of the band that launched Joan Jett’s career. Great performances by Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart.
The Trotsky – A fascinating Canadian film. Truly funny and unique.
Splice – I talked bout it above. Seek this one out, but be prepared to deal with some disturbing ideas.
The Millennium Trilogy – Not technically 2010 films, though that’s when they received their North American release. The Swedish versions of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest are well worth seeing. Don’t be put off by the subtitles.
Ghost Writer – Ignore Polanski’s personal life. This is a great film that was widely overlooked. A taunt thriller that keeps the viewer guessing until the end.
Well that raps it up for another year. I’ll likely be back here in a few weeks to weigh in with my predictions for the Oscars. I’m sure my impeccable track record for predicting the wins will bring everyone back to check them out. Until then…
Sleep well,
DTE
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Songs of the moment:
Daft Punk – Derezzed; My Chemical Romance – Planetary (Go); Florence and the Machine – Dog Days Are Over
Music while I wrote:
Relient K – Two Lefts Don’t Make A Right; Various Artists – Almost Alice
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