2010 Top Ten... and Botton 5
So as many of you know all too well, 2011 isn't the first time I've had the Magic Pass as I call. I've had it in 2007, 2009, and 2010 as well. And each year, I try to keep track of the movies I saw (I've actually been doing this for ALL movies I see for the first time- both in the theater and out- since 2002, I believe... it's part of a 1000+, constantly updated movie list I keep... in fact, in the time that I've obsessively tracked my movie viewing, I've seen 452 movies off the list... yeah, I'm weird... but I like it that way.) So, since '09 I've kept track of the movies I've seen on the pass on Facebook and included my reviews (via fb notes... which has now morphed into this blog). Each of the past two years, I've also promised a top ten list. To whom I'm promising this list, I don't know... I never got the sense that many people cared about my musings, but what the hell, why not. So, while 2009 may be a lost cause at this point, 2010 is just far enough in the rear view mirror to make this an acceptable time to put out my top 10 of 2010 movie list. Oh and bottom five. I saw a few movies that sucked... well, at least in my opinion. A quick note on the list that follows: this is a list of the top 10 movies I saw on my 2010 movie pass... a saw a lot of the better winter releases after the turn of 2009 to 2010. So even though these movies were released in 2009, I saw them (in the theater) in 2010 and that's what this list is all about. Also, my brief musing on each will be based on what I remember. I used my original letter grades to parse out which of the 58 made each list, but I wanted to see if I could remember which were the most memorable in order to rank them. So yeah, I haven't reviewed my initial "reviews" So anyway, away we go:
10.) The Lovely Bones
The thing I remember most about this one was some amazing settings and beautiful shots. The acting was pretty damn good too. I thought it was a shame it was neglected at awards time- outside of Stanley Tucci's nomination for best supporting actor. To me, it was a really good movie.
9.) The Town
Hoping this one doesn't get ignored due to some prejudice against a light-weight actor turned director. (Yeah Ben Affleck has had some meaty roles, but really 9/10 of his recent-ish stuff is crap). Good crime/action flick.
8.) Kick-Ass
A whole hell of a lot of fun. Most entertained I had been at the movies in some time. In fact, it had so much going for it that not even the fact that Nicholas Cage was in it could keep it down. Great story, good fun, and an academy awards-worthy performance-in my mind- by Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl. Good times.
7.) Up in the Air
What I remember most about this one was a vibe/tone I fell in love with. That and George Clooney knocking it out of the park. I wasn't so hot on the ending of the movie... well I should say the near-the-ending of the movie. But, in any event, it was a good flick.
6.) The Last Station
Another criminally ignored (by the Academy) movie. Much like this year's The King's Speech. This had everything I look for in a good movie, especially a good historical drama.
5.) An Education
Carey Mulligan was exceptional. She should have won the Oscar for Best Actress. Hands down. Such a breath of fresh air. And everything else about the movie worked too. A must see.
4.) Shutter Island
I love getting mind-f-ed at the movies. Well at least when it's done in such a way that I know it's happening at the end. Good stuff. Another Scorsese winner.
3.) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
This was so. much. fun. Quirky cool. Great story and great performances. It was like the rebirth of Michael Cera. In a good way too. A truly unique movie (done in a way where it didn't seem too be blatantly showy about it's uniqueness.) Loved it.
2.) The Social Network
The star was the dialogue/script. Awesome. Just plain awesome. Great pacing too- an aspect of movies which is often under-appreciated until something goes terribly wrong. It was also a good "of-our-time" movie. Oh and Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake? Flat out awesome.
1.) Inception
Chris Nolan is a master movie-maker. This was such a great movie. Great story. Great Acting. Great effects. It was also a thinker. There was some nice mind- f'ing going on too. And an awesome ending. So much the viewer is left to wonder about. And yet, I wasn't the slightest but frustrated by that either. Sometimes, particularly when it is done well, there is nothing wrong with leaving the theater with more questions than answers. This one stuck with me for a good long while. And honestly, that's hard for movies to do. Big ups, Inception, big ups.
And for every 10 awesome movies, there were duds. I actually generally still like most movies I go see (case in point- I gave out 20 grades of A-,A, or A+ last year whereas I only gave out 9 C- or lower grades) so I decided only to do a bottom five. The fact that I really generally at least see some redeeming value in movies- I really do WANT to like them- means that these five really rubbed me the wrong way. If the top 10 were recommendations, you can consider these as warnings (but again, I would recommend that if you were interested in seeing them, see them anyway, don't take my word for it... all I'd say is that if it came down to one of these and one not on this list... and you generally find yourself agreeing with my tastes... well perhaps this should slide down the ol' priority list.
The Bottom 5
5a.) Brooklyn's Finest
Ok, to cheat a little, I have a tie at 5. I'll explain more about the tie in 5b. As for Brooklyn's Finest... an overblown cookie-cutter of a cop action/drama. Avoided a worse rating due to pretty good-ish performances from Wesley Snipes and Don Cheadle.
5b.) The A-Team
A LOT more people that I know liked this A LOT more than I did. And in fact, maybe my D grade was harsher than it deserved. I do remember going into it hoping for as fun a ride as other action flicks... like Kick-Ass and being sorely, sorely disappointed. The plot was kind of boring to me and the special effects were kind of atrocious. And I also remember feeling like it was some kind of action-movie parody. I'll fully admit that I don't remember watching much of the series. Don't remember it at all really. And if this is an homage to the series, well, it had no where to go with me than clear over my head. That said, disliking this as much as I did, maybe I really wouldn't have found much about the TV show to be excited about either. Let's sum it up this way- it just wasn't for me.
4.) The Wolfman
Hokey. Just plain hokey. Another supposed homage that went well over my head. Yeah hokey was a good way of summing it up... oh and dreary/boring. Despite Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro (two of my favorites). And it certainly was a sad movie for Anthony Hopkins- another former favorite whose star is fading in my mind... say it ain't so Sir Anthony...
3.) The American
As I was saying with The Social Network, pacing is usually not something someone notices unless something goes terribly wrong... it went wrong here. So. damn. slow. A bad attempt at making an artsy movie. It, in fact, turned into a slog. The only thing that elevated it was some beautiful scenery shots... no not George Clooney who usually has enough charm to save virtually any movie in my mind. Nope. Not this time. Although... I guess I still wish I could swap lives with George Clooney.
2.) Grown Ups
Yeah, Adam Sandler may never grow up. The jokes were either bad or strained. The buddy-vibe of the main actors certainly felt...well.. forced. Makes me wonder if any of the folks involved with the movie has a genuinely funny flick left in them.. My guess... probably not.
1.) MacGruber
Worst movie- in my mind- of any of the years I've had the pass. I'm not sure who thought this was going to be funny or good. Not me. I actually didn't want to see it. Went to see it on the off chance that it might be funny-ish. I was wrong. It actually exceeded my expectations...of how shitty it would be. Two things amaze me about it though. 1.) I didn't walk out. (I mean I rarely have the desire to walk out of a movie... especially one I got to see for free... my time isn't that valuable really- but I do wish I had that 90 minutes back) and 2.) Despite staying, I didn't rip my beard out. Hmmm, well done, Kiernan!
Ok, for a real quick bonus, the best and worst that I saw out of theaters during 2010. Not an extensive list because I only saw 4 movies (for the first time) on the small screen. But just for kicks here are the top and bottom of the list.
Top: Forgetting Sarah Marshal
Loved the movie. Just the right amount of quirk and the right helping of typical romantic comedy. Loved both Jason Segel and Mila Kunis in this. Awesome.
Bottom: A Serious Man
Maybe I just didn't get it. But at least now I know for certain that the Coen brothers don't shit gold. I just couldn't believe that a movie this boring could be a Coens flick and that it managed to get Oscar buzz to boot. No, ok, I fully admit that I'm not well-versed on Jewish American home culture so maybe it just was outside of my grasp. But I was disappointed. It wasn't even necessarily a bad movie per se. Just the worst I saw outside the theater in 2010. I think I gave it something like a C grade. Which is about right. But for the Coens? I've come to expect an A. Damn it.
So yeah... that's that. Hope it wasn't a waste of time. May get around to writing up a best of 2009, might not. But hopefully I'll have the goods to do a best of 2011... maybe, anyway.
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