Making a "Best Of" movie list is very difficult because many studios release potentially Oscar worthy films very late in the year in hopes that the Academy and its short attention span might remember only the most recent movie releases. I have dealt with this problem the same way as I did last year. First there's my Best Of 2010 list. It is a top ten list of movies that were released in 2010 that I actually got a chance to see in the calendar year. The second list is called Honorable Mention. This is a list of movies that were either not released in 2010, movies that were either leftovers from the previous year or movies that I got to see for the first time despite the movie's release year or just a movie that just missed the Best Of list. This is followed by the Best Players category. This list comprises of actors, directors, animators or anyone else who I felt had a big impact on the world of movies in the past year. Finally there's the ever popular Worst Piece Of Junk Award. I think you can probably figure out what that's all about.
Well, 2010 has come and gone. My favorite film of the year was Inception. It's very rare that I finish watching a movie and say, "Wow that was frickin' awesome!" I did that for Inception. Do I think it will win Best Picture? No. That honor will go to either to The Kings Speech or The Social Network. But Inception is a special film. It's one of those movies that keeps you guessing while you're watching and when it's over you keep guessing and want to continue the roller coaster ride. Did the top fall? I think so but part of me loves the fact that I will never know.
1. Inception - If you haven't seen it, then what are you waiting for? It's a great thrill ride and Leo DiCaprio is in fine form in this awesome Christopher Nolan film.
2. The King's Speech - Fantastic performances and a great story. Odds on favorite for Best Picture.
3. The Social Network - Could be the dark horse in the Best Picture category. It's number three on my list because of the fake steam coming of the actor's mouthes. What was that all about?
4. The Town - There's something wrong about robbing Fenway Pahk! Go Sox!
5. The Fighter - First Fenway and now Lowell. Good to see my home being properly represented.
6. Ghost Writer - This wins the award for the most completely ignored film of the year.
7. 127 Hours - Yeah okay, you know he's going to cut his arm off but boy it looked like it hurt like hell. Great perfomance by James Franco.
8. Black Swan - Padme should win Best Actress. The lesbian love scene wasn't bad either.
9. True Grit - Great western! There needs to be more westerns in the movies.
10. Let Me In - Just as good and creepy as the original.
1. An Education - 2009 - The number one most overlooked film in last year's Academy Awards.
2. Unstoppable - I never thought a silly movie about a runaway train could be so much fun.
3. Secretariat - The greatest racehorse ever in the best movie ever made about the greatest racehorse ever. It was made like a well oiled machine. Oh and Diane Lane
is still pretty hot.
4. I Am Love - Good movie with a great performance by Tilda Swinton.
5. Toy Story 3 - Okay it was good but for the first time ever, a Pixar movie did not make my top 10.
6. The Crazies - Surprisingly good horror movie.
7. The American - Nice thriller with some pretty good looking people.
8. Green Zone - Really good Jason Bourne, I mean Matt Damon movie.
9. Who Killed The Electric Car - 2006 - Great documentary on California's Electric car experiment. Interesting how electric cars are making a comeback.
10. Recount - 2008 - Great documentary on the 2000 presidential election.
1. Christopher Nolan - The best director on the planet. Period.
2. Christian Bale - Bruce Wayne's due for an Oscar. Holy Best Supporting Actor Batman!
3. Hailee Steinfeld - She was terrific in True Grit. Best Supporting Actress?
4. Natalie Portman - Oscar for Natalie?
5. Colin Firth - Front runner for Best Actor nomination.
6. James Franco - That movie cost him an arm...
7. Geoffrey Rush - Only guy to give Christian Bale a run for his money.
8. Tilda Swinton - One of the best actresses in Hollywood.
9. Leonardo DiCaprio - Underrated actor in fantastic films.
10. Pixar - Still the best in the animation business.
A Serious Man - Someone please explain the reason for this film. I know it's going to be a bad film when the popcorn runs out 30 minutes in and I'm more interested in a refill than I am in what's happening on the screen.
5 - Excellent 4 - Good 3 - Fair 2 - Poor 1 - Terrible 0 - What In God's Name Were They Thinking? - (No longer used. Created and used in 2001 only for A.I.) Invictus - 2009 - 4 Pale Rider - 1985 - 3 Knowing - 2009 - 4 Bullitt - 1968 - 3 Lars And The Real Girl - 2007 - 4 Avatar IMAX 3D - 2009 - 5 The Tracey Fragments - 2007 - 2 Daybreakers - 2009 - 3 Kite Runner - 2007 - 3 Book Of Eli - 2010 - 4 A Single Man - 2009 - 3 A Serious Man - 2009 - 1 An Education - 2009 - 4 The Hurt Locker - 2008 - 4 The Messenger - 2009 - 3 The Lovely Bones - 2009 - 3 Crazy Heart - 2009 - 4 The Nines - 2007 - 3 Young Victoria - 2009 - 3 Sherlock Holmes - 2009 - 3 In The loop - 2009 - 3 The Princess and the Frog - 2009 - 4 Who Killed The Electric Car - 2006 - 4 Julie and Julia - 2009 - 3 The Air I Breathe - 2007 - 3 Fantastic Mr. Fox - 2009 - 3 The Last Station - 2009 - 3 Whiteout - 2009 - 3 Coco Before Chanel - 2009 - 3 French Roast - 2008 - 4 Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty - 2008 - 3 The Lady And The Reaper - 2009 - 4 Logorama - 2009 - 4 A Matter Of Loaf And Death - 2008 - 4 Partly Cloudy - 2009 - 4 The Kinematograph - 2010 - 4 Runaway - 2009 - 3 The Door - 2009 - 3 Instead Of Abracadabra - 2008 - 4 Kavi - 2009 - 4 Miracle Fish - 2009 - 3 The New Tenants - 2009 - 3 Sorority Row - 2009 - 2 Rumor Has It - 2005 - 2 Enduring Love - 2004 - 3 Margot At The Wedding - 2007 - 3 Green Zone - 2010 - 4 Ghost Writer - 2010 - 4 Calendar Girls - 2003 - 3 The Real Dirt About Farmer John - 2005 - 4 Iron Man 2 - 2010 - 3 Deck Chair Danny 2003 - 4 Hula Girls - 2006 - 4 Robin Hood - 2010 - 4 Date Night - 2010 - 3 The Dinner Game - 1998 - 4 An American Crime - 2007 - 3 The Karate Kid - 2010 - 4 Toy Story 3 - 2010 - 4 Recount - 2008 - 4 The Crazies - 2010 - 4 Edge Of Darkness - 2010 - 3 Scoop - 2006 - 3 Brooklyn's Finest - 2009 - 3 Inception - 2010 - 5 Despicable Me - 2010 - 3 Salt - 2010 - 3 The Imaginarium Of Dr. Pernassus - 2009 - 2 Dinner For Schmucks - 2010 - 3 Shutter Island - 2010 - 3 The Expendables - 2010 - 2 Boondock Saints 2 - 2009 - 3 Running Scared - 2006 - 3 I Am Love - 2009 - 4 Hot Tub Time Machine - 2010 - 2 The American - 2010 - 4 Carriers - 2009 - 3 The Town - 2010 - 4 Let Me In - 2010 - 4 Secretariat - 2010 - 4 The White Ribbon - 2009 - 3 Push - 2009 - 2 The Excorcist - 1973 - 4 Survival Of The Dead - 2009 - 2 The Social Network - 2010 - 5 Plan 9 From Outer Space - 1958 - 2 Paranormal Activity 2 - 2010 - 4 Unstoppable - 2010 - 4 Married Life - 2007 - 3 How To Rob A Bank - 2007 - 3 Riding The Bullet - 2004 - 2 127 Hours - 2010 - 4 Jodhaa Akbar - 2008 - 3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - 2010 - 4 Tron Legacy 3D - 2010 - 3 It's a Wonderful Life - 1946 - 5 Black Swan - 2010 - 4 The Fighter - 2010 - 4 True Grit - 2010 - 4 The King's Speech - 2010 - 5