TWENTY TEN TOP TEN

With the Academy Awards mere days away, it's a prime opportunity to divulge my top ten films of 2010. The new year is actually not so fresh any longer, but with the Oscars acting as the unofficial ending point, it seems like the appropriate time.

Sadly, I couldn't get around to seeing everything. Some notables I missed are Somewhere, Another Year, Rabbit Hole, Please Give, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Fish Tank, Carlos, Last Train Home, Sweet Grass, Inside Job, The Square, among others. I plan on seeing them all in the near future. If they happen to jump into the top ten, I'll perhaps amend the list.

Some "experts" have said that this was a down year for film; they couldn't be more wrong. I'd ask them what the difference was between this one and others past. There was some absolutely exquisite works, just as there was some absolute shit. This rings true for ten years in the past, and will continue to be so ten years in the future. Celluloid has always been a polarizing medium; one man's trash is another man's treasure, as they say. Not strangely, my favourite motion pictures are the ones that stick with me the most. Ones where you may only see them once, but you can recall the most minute details. My best of 2010 covers a wide range: from documentary to foreign, science fiction and American classic. The world is a big place, and film, more than any other art form, can truly capture what it has to offer.

See the runners up and the top ten after the break.

The runners up (in alphabetical order): 

127 Hours

Infinite threat James Franco (who is also the host of this year's Academy Award broadcast), plays the doomed hitch hiker Aron Ralston who famously fell down a crevice, lodging his right arm for five days. This really was a one man show for Franco, and he succeeded marvelously. Don't let the amputation scene scare you away. (Original review here.)

Blue Valentine

A film twelve years in the making. Derek Cianfrance's labour of love brought the best out of Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, as the two chronicle a couple's six year relationship through the brightest days and the darkest hours. A more passionate film you won't likely witness. I loved it, but I never want to see it again. It is that remarkable, and that painful to watch. 

Chloe

The undervalued Canadian director Atom Egoyan's latest investigates family, fidelity and sexuality. Amanda Seyfried is the titular Chloe--a call girl--who gets involved with the Stewart family (Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore). Obsession goes a long way, as do the efforts of the film's three stars. Chloe is a remake of the 2004 French film Nathalie; its director Anne Fontaine has called the latest iteration a stronger version.

The Ghost Writer

He may be a creep, but Roman Polanski (Chinatown) can still spin a web of intrigue and suspense. Pierce Brosnan is British Prime Minister Adam Lang (an implicit representation of Tony Blair), while Olivia Williams and Ewan McGregor (why are these two not more famous?) play Lang's wife and ghost writer respectively.

The King's Speech

Soon-to-be Oscar winner Colin Firth led a phenomenal cast in the mostly unknown historical account of King George VI, and his battle with the Nazis and his own personal speech impediment. A story both touching and often hilarious. Firth and co-Oscar nominee Geoffrey Rush provide the best onscreen duo of the season. (Original review here.)

Let Me In

Matt Reeves did what most thought impossible, and allowed viewers to enjoy his remake of the beloved Swedish film Let the Right One In. The story shifted to U.S. soil; the names and places changed, but the heart remained intact. Kodi Smit-McPhee and Chloë Grace Moretz perfectly captured the eeriness required for this telling of vampire lore. Richard Jenkins largely went unnoticed in a small, but important role. The Scandanavian original still reigns supreme, but Reeves' American version should stand true as a more than acceptable counterpart. (Original review here.)

Mic Macs

A whimsical tale of how a few single moments can lead one down a different path in life. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) mixes humour and satire with the very real threat of the worlds arms trade. The mashing of separate storylines and the hilarious group of supporting characters made this gem truly indeliable. (Original review here.)

Solitary Man

Forget about Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (whomever came up with this title should be fired); it is this vehicle that properly showcases the talents of one Michael Douglas. Douglas' Ben Kalmen is a disgraced former car salesman who has ruined his marriage to Nancy (Susan Sarandon), and his relationship with his daughter Susan (Jenna Fischer). He resorts to sleeping with Susan's friends and other way-too-young women, while influencing the mind of impressionable Daniel (Jesse Eisenberg). 

The Town

Ben Affleck has firmly asserted himself as a future force behind the scenes, as his second feature after the lauded Gone, Baby Gone is just as commanding. The simple heist flick is anything but; it's layered throughout with family ties, not to mention a breathtaking chase scene up and down the streets of Charlestown. Jeremy Renner rightfully received accolades for his performance, while Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm perfectly compliment the larger picture. (Original review here.)

Toy Story 3

Once again Pixar has created an endearing, engaging narrative that incredibly makes you care (and cry) about the fate of old toys. This isn't their greatest effort, but the most consistent company in the business has still soared once more. Why anyone should doubt them now is beyond explanation. (Original review here.)

Most overrated: Greenberg

Someone apparently though that watching Ben Stiller apply lip gloss and complain about every aspect for life for an hour and forty minutes would make for good entertainment. Stiller plays Roger Greenberg, a former musician whose band's rising popularity made him quit the scene and become a freelance carpenter. This is another attempt at the "mumblecore" genre, which basically means a middle-aged person who can't find out what he or she wants in life. The term mumblecore is just as confusing as the fact that Greenberg achieved some level of critical acclaim. 

Most underrated: I Love You Phillip Morris

Happily, after a few years on the sidelines, the story of Steven Jay Russell finally hit theatres. Jim Carrey (Russell) plays a gay con man who lies, cheats, embezzles; anything to uphold his flamboyant lifestyle. Along the way, while in jail, he meets Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), and the story becomes a cat-and-mouse game of staying together, while staying away from the cops. Of course, due to the homosexual subject matter, this film almost didn't see the light of day. With Carrey's physical comedic prowess, and a story so unconventional it had to be true. (Original review here.)

Now the Top Ten:

10. Exit Through the Gift Shop

An engrossing tale chronicling the lives of street artists; soon it morphs into an in-depth report how societal trends are formed, and asks the question 'what really is art?' Banksy, the director, and an artist himself amazingly still owns his anonymity. With his first effort being nominated for best documentary at the Oscars, who knows how long his identity will remain unknown?

9. Dogtooth

A completely bizarre and original story. This Greek work shows the worst-case scenario for home-schooling. A father keeps his two daughters and son at home, essentially trapped. Their only knowledge of the outside world is the skewed version told by their parents. House cats are the most dangerous animals in the world; zombies equal small yellow flowers. You get the picture. Levity soon turns to horror, but not the kind you think.

8. I Am Love

Tilda Swinton, a Britain, plays a Russian with perfect Italian in a sweeping tale of love and honour. When Emma (Swinton) meets her son's friend Antonio, an affair takes place that threatens everything she thought she wanted. This is romance at its best.

7. True Grit

A simple premise, with masterful execution. The Coen brothers remade the tale that John Wayne made famous. This time around it's Jeff Bridges portraying Rooster Cogburn: the man young Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) hired to bring her father's killer to justice. Perfectly cast with Matt Damon and Josh Brolin also helming supporting roles.

6. Monsters

Made for only $15,000, Monsters is a poignant and understated film that illustrates illegal immigration with the help of two unknown actors (Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able) and fifty foot tall crab creatures. We're in the age of hundred million blockbusters, yet here we have something that costs a fraction less, but whose profoundness has no limits. (Find my original review here.)

5. The American

While some found it tedious, I on the other hand was exhilarated. George Clooney puts in his finest performance in years as an assassin trying to get out of the game. Jack's (Clooney) profession allows for no one in his life. A assignation with a prostitute leads to something more, but Jack's past threatens to catch up to him. Practically a silent film for long portions, the scenery becomes just as important as the star walking through it. (Original review here.)

4. Black Swan

Natalie Portman is breathtaking every moment she's onscreen; her performance makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. Striving for perfection, Nina (Portman) will stop at nothing to be the prima ballerina in her company's rendition of the classic Swan Lake. Her sanity and health is threatened the deeper she plunges into her role. Ballet has never been (and never will be) sexier. (Original review here.)

3. Inception

What can be said that hasn't already? Christopher Nolan explored the recesses of the mind, while allowing us to see what a city looked like as it folded onto itself. A revolutionary tale by a revolutionary director. One of the few whose every film is a must-see. (Original review here.)

2. Winter's Bone

A true test of the human spirit. Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) is a seventeen year old who goes far beyond what a girl should ever do. The Ozark hills provide the backdrop to an introduction of an unseen world. Family secrets abound throughout, as does the expectation of what's to come. After watching what Ree goes through every day, you will feel lazy leaving the theatre. (Original review here.)

1. Never Let Me Go

Tragically, Mark Romanek's adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's stunning novel never obtained the respect and acclaim it so richly deserved. It is science-fiction but set in the most realistic way imaginable. Hailsham--a boarding school in England--sets the stage for what becomes a harrowing passage through adolescence and ultimately life itself. Truly a travesty this superior, intense masterpiece was largely ignored. (Original review here.)