Top 5 Films of 2010

As promised, here are my picks for the five best movies from 2010. Read and enjoy!

(Honorable Mentions - Black Swan, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, How to Train Your Dragon, Kick-Ass, The Social Network, The Town, Toy Story 3, Trollhunter, True Grit, Winter's Bone)

5.) The King's Speech: When watching The King's Speech, it's damn near impossible not to smile. As the scenes unfold, as characters and conflicts develop, your shy smile will blossom into a full-on grin. Back in 2010, critics and moviegoers unanimously agreed: this is an excellent film. Was it a Best Picture shoo-in? Perhaps. It goes down about as smooth as soda in summer, so who can complain? Underdog stories are always compelling (classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and On the Waterfront come to mind), and this one hits all the right notes in stride. Thanks to an exceptionally wonderful cast and crew, the film is practically a buffet of perfect cinema. Endearing characters? Check. Relatable plot? Check. Gorgeous cinematography? Check. Terrific art direction? Check. Humor? Wit? Soul? Check, check, and check. Even if you're not a fan of historical docudramas, The King's Speech is an absolute winner.

4.) Shutter Island: Martin Scorsese is the grand master of American cinema, and practically all of his movies are instant classics. Shutter Island, however, had moviegoers divided. I have no idea why this is. To me, it's utter perfection. First and foremost, this is a compelling film. Murder, revenge, mystery, suspense...what's not to like? The plot bobs and weaves like eels in rough water, and it's a sinister joy to get sucked in (the "twist" ending is sublime). All the performances are stellar, but DiCaprio as the archetypal noir detective is particularly riveting. He is battled, boozed, and broken. The musical score and set design are decadent, conjuring up the gothic days of melodramatic horror, when Christopher Lee's stare or a shadow in a dusky mansion could make audiences shiver. Even better, Scorsese uses these nostalgic horror cliches as a mighty palette on which to paint beautiful images. Honestly, of all his movies, this one ranks as one of his most visually stunning - a tumultuous surf hammers a jagged shore, piles of frozen bodies glisten in the snow, orange flames lick the sky as they wrap around the metal husk of a '47 Roadmaster (followed by one of my all-time favorite movie lines: "You blew up my car. I really loved that car."). Shutter Island is divine - intelligent, suspenseful, intimate, and engaging. It's Scorsese at his finest.

3.) Inception: I am consistently taken aback by Christopher Nolan. All of his films manage to perfectly balance explosive action with intimate drama (and often a dash of humor to soften the delivery). With 2010's Inception, Nolan dared to take us into the dizzying tangle of dreams. Somehow, he succeeded. This is the opposite of a heist movie - not about the theft of something precious, but about the creation (the inception) of it. And the movie is all about "breaking into" a man's subconscious and tinkering with his mind. How cool, right? Now, it's hard to review this movie simply because of its enormous popularity (I may be a touch redundant with this one), so I'll make a series of statements that sum up my opinion:

The action is utterly breathtaking and unlike anything you've ever seen. The pace is breakneck, and you'll be gasping for air as the final credits roll. The script is taut as piano wire (and just about as sharp, too). The set design is innovative and incredible. The performances are soulful and realistic - Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy are sublime. When all is said and done, you'll have watched one of the most exciting, thought-provoking, gorgeous movies of the decade, and certainly of 2010.

2.) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: I'm a massive fan of director Edgar Wright (check out my "Three Flavours Cornetto" trilogy review for the proof), and I think Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is one of the best comedies ever made. Like many of the greats, getting laughs is all about that indescribably perfect blend of witty writing and perfect performances. Here, thankfully, we have both. The dialogue is stylish yet realistic, crafted with just the right amount of sparkle for maximum hilarity. Fortunately, the actors delivering said dialogue have impeccable comedic timing, so the whole thing is pulled off beautifully.

Oh yeah - there's that, too: the entire movie is a visual treat, a razzle-dazzle light show that dances across the screen and tickles the senses. Delightful comic book imagery doesn't always play out well on film, but here it is superb. Wright takes mundane movie moments and amplifies them with charming comic cliches (heck, if he can make watching something as simple as a doorbell ringing fun, then he can do anything). Scott Pilgrim is a sugary shot of entertainment straight to the heart. Give it a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

1.) The Fighter: There are plenty of great boxing movies out there - Rocky, Raging Bull, Million Dollar Baby, yadda yadda yadda - but The Fighter comes out on top. I know I may be losing some credibility with many of you right now, but yes, you read that correctly - I think this film is better than 'em all. Honest.

Why, you ask?

Well, a lot of reasons spring to mind. All the technical aspects are spot on (the design, editing, and cinematography are exquisite), the script is fresh and buoyant, David O. Russell's direction is effortlessly appealing (every scene is powerful, every moment enjoyable), and the performances are some of the best ever put on film. Melissa Leo's jagged portrayal of mother Alice Eklund-Ward is unforgettable, and Christian Bale's triumphant turn as former champ turned junkie Dicky Eklund is astonishing (both won Academy Awards for their roles, by the way). There's just so much to enjoy. I remember being in the theater and seeing people actually stand up and cheer during the finale, as if the characters on screen could really hear them. That's what a perfect movie does - it transcends the screen, and nestles into your heart. The Fighter is smart, soulful, and infused with warmth. It's a cinematic pick-me-up that succeeds on every level. Definitely the best movie of 2010.

The Top 25

Greetings! Since 2014 marked my 25th year on planet Earth, I'm choosing to give you my top 25 favorite books, albums, and movies. I've been around for a quarter century now, and this list didn't come to me easily. I had to do a lot of soul-searching to arrive at each entry on this post, and I sincerely think it reflects me, age 25. Literature comes first, then cinema in the middle, and finally music at the end. Read and enjoy!

Books 

25.) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951)
24.) The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller (1986)
23.) Red Dragon by Thomas Harris (1981)
22.) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (2003)
21.) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (2000)
20.) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1985)
19.) Feed by M.T. Anderson (2002)
18.) Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)
17.) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (2005)
16.) The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism (2nd Edition) edited by Vincent B. Leitch, William E. Cain, Laurie A. Finke, Barbara E. Johnson, and John McGowan (2009)

15.) The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy (1980)
14.) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1937)
13.) 11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011)
12.) Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, and John Higgins (1987)
11.) The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (2001)
10.) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
9.) The Prehistory of The Far Side: A 10th Anniversary Exhibit by Gary Larson (1989)
8.) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee (1962)
7.) The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (2003)
6.) To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960)

5.) Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) 

4.) In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966) 

3.) The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands by Stephen King (1991) 

2.) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) 

1.) The Complete Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson (2012)

Movies
25.) Patton (1970)
24.) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
23.) Inglourious Basterds (2009)
22.) Michael Clayton (2007)
21.) This is Spinal Tap (1984)
20.) The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
19.) Tropic Thunder (2008)
18.) Hot Fuzz (2007)
17.) Halloween (1978)
16.) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

15.) The Godfather (1972)
14.) Back to the Future (1985)
13.) Chinatown (1974)
12.) The Shining (1980)
11.) The World's End (2013)
10.) The Fugitive (1993)
9.) 12 Angry Men (1957)
8.) Jurassic Park (1993)
7.) Rear Window (1954)
6.) Jaws (1975)

5.) The Big Lebowski (1998)
4.) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
3.) The Dark Knight (2008)
2.) Star Wars (Episode IV): A New Hope (1977)
1.) The Departed (2006)

Albums
25.) Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five (1995)
24.) Hammersmith Odeon London '75 - Bruce Spingsteen and the E Street Band (2006)
23.) Illinois - Sufjan Stevens (2005)
22.) Sinatra at the Sands - Frank Sinatra with Count Basie (1966)
21.) The College Dropout - Kanye West (2004)
20.) Comfort Eagle - Cake (2001)
19.) Deja Vu - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970)
18.) Recovery - Eminem (2010)
17.) Morning View - Incubus (2001)
16.) Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters (2007)

15.) Rated R - Queens of the Stone Age (2000)
14.) Infinity - Journey (1978)
13.) The Central Park Concert - Dave Mathews Band (2003)
12.) Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (1968)
11.) Kind of Blue - Miles Davis (1959)
10.) Where the Light Is: John Mayer Live in Los Angeles - John Mayer (2008)
9.) Elephant Eyelash - Why? (2005)
8.) Weezer (aka, The Blue Album) - Weezer (1994)
7.) Somewhere in the Between - Streetlight Manifesto (2007)
6.) Evil Empire - Rage Against the Machine (1996)

5.) Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live! - GRP All-Star Big Band (1993)
4.) ...In Shallow Seas We Sail - Emery (2009)
3.) Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra - Bill Evans Trio (1966)
2.) Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969)
1.) Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006)