Top Ten Tuesday: Best of 2010

With 2010 behind us, it only seems fair to do a recap of the WAMG favorites from the year. There were so many films that came close to being on this list… Please keep in mind that these are just our favorites. There were a ton of great films in 2010, and we just couldn’t include them all.

It’s not you baby, it’s me… I mean us!

So, without further ado… WAMG’S TOP TEN BEST FILMS OF 2010

Honorable Mention: WINTER’S BONE

WINTER’S BONE was directed by co-written by Debra Granik (DOWN TO THE BONE) and is the story of a teenage girl from the Ozarks, who is thrown into adulthood, caring for her mentally ill mother and two young siblings. Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) must track down her father to save her house from being seized to cover the bail bond for her missing father. Filled to the brim with powerfully subtle drama and suspenseful storytelling, WINTER’S BONE features a great folk music score to accompany Lawrence’s stellar follow-up performance to THE BURNING PLAIN and a greatly under-appreciated supporting performance from John Hawkes (DEADWOOD) as Teardrop Dolly, Ree’s uncle who must decide between his family loyalty and doing what’s right. WINTER’S BONE won Best Picture and Best Screenplay from the Sundance Film Festival.

10. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

A young adult’s search for their heritage and identity has been a popular theme for many coming of age motion pictures. This year director and co-writer Lisa Cholodenko gave this subject a very modern spin in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. Jules and Nic are a lesbian couple in a long relationship who have each given birth to children( a son, Laser, and a daughter,Joni) using the same unknown sperm donor. When Joni turns eighteen she decides to seek out this donor and contacts the carefree restaurateur Paul. After he is introduced to the mothers, the real conflicts and complications ensue. Family dynamics are tested as Paul warms to the idea of becoming a family man and tries insert himself into the home these women have made. As the titles states this kids are all right as Josh Hutcherson’s Laser becomes more mature and Mia Wasikowska’s Joni breaks free from to the nest and heads off to college. But it’s the adults that are so much more than all right in this film. Mark Ruffalo creates a complex character that’s conflicted underneath his charming, scruffy exterior. And, the heads of the family, Julianne Moore as the freewheeling Jules and Annette Bening as the sharply focused Nic give, perhaps, the best performances of their impressive careers and make this the outstanding family comedy-drama of 2010.

09. THE KING’S SPEECH

THE KING’S SPEECH is the engrossing film about speech therapy and the relationship between the King of England and his therapist. The number 9 film on our list will surely leave you emotionally affected by Colin Firth’s moving portrayal of George VI and his triumph over a debilitating stammer to become England’s steadfast monarch when the country needed his leadership the most. This king was truly a man for all seasons. Both Firth and the supporting cast of Helena Bonham-Carter and Geoffrey Rush excel in this poignant drama. THE KING’S SPEECH is unlike any period biopic you’ll ever see. It’s brilliant work from director Tom Hooper (HBO’s JOHN ADAMS) with a beautiful score from Alexandre Desplat. Awards season aside, it’s a must-see film for anytime of the year.

08. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PT.1 was by far one of the biggest films of the year. The Potter franchise has a huge cult following, so it is no surprise that it had high box office numbers. The film itself was the perfect way for die hard fans to ease into the final film (and the epic battle ahead). For those who have seen the first six movies, or for those who have read all of the books, this is the perfect build-up to the final showdown. You certainly do not want to see this movie if you are unfamiliar with the story thus-far, because it does not recap anything that has happened up to this point, and it might be hard to follow, or a bit boring without knowing the back-story. Still, the visuals are stunning, and the characters that we have all grown to love really get a chance to develop in this installment. Because they broke the final book into two films, they allowed time for the story to develop, and the tension to build before all of the action happens. My biggest complaint about HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE was that they rushed the entire film, especially the big fight at the end. This time, they are taking their time and doing it right. I cannot wait for the final film, despite it meaning the end of an epic journey.

07. TRUE GRIT

Jeff Bridges leads the cast brilliantly as a federal marshal (Rooster Cogburn), out to track down the killer of a young woman’s father. He is unwillingly accompanied by Matt Damon (LaBoeuf), in pursuit of the ever slippery villain played by Josh Brolin. The Coen brothers have yet again proven that they can tackle any genre and choose their participants wisely. Writing credits are in order here as well due to the seemingly accurate dialect of this era and fast-paced banter that truly enhance the performances of the cast. The surprise of the movie, however, is the outstanding performance of Hailee Steinfeld (Mattie Ross), through her quick tongue and sharp intelligence. Already nominated for many awards with more to come, this is a definite must-see film for everyone regardless if the western variety is not necessarily your go-to film.

06. INCEPTION

INCEPTION is a powerhouse audio/visual experience, an engaging cerebral journey that challenges the viewer without causing mental breakdown. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, INCEPTION is a unique vision for a new kind of sci-fi film. For a movie over two-and-a-half hours in length, the attention deficit in nearly non-existent, continually pulling the audience deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole (so to speak) and never letting go. The ensemble cast, led by Leonardo Dicaprio, shines on every facet, but succeeds most clearly as a team. Tom hardy once again proves he’s an under-appreciated acting powerhouse and Hans Zimmer’s score will, at times, literally blow you away.

05. TOY STORY 3

“Do you really think Andy’s going to take you to college?’ was the question posed to Woody by Stinky Pete the Prospector in 1999’s TOY STORY 2. That question was finally answered eleven years later in the wildly successful follow-up, TOY STORY 3. The film opens with a recreation of the opening sequence of the first film with Andy dreaming up a wild adventure starring his favorite playthings. Time passes quickly and Andy is now a young man getting ready to leave home for college. Which of his pals will go away with him, or be donated to the Sunnyside Daycare Center(or”gasp” into the trash!). Old friends are separated and re-united while new friends(Ned Beatty’s Lotso-Huggin’-Bear,Micheal Keaton as Barbie’s soul mate Ken, and the toys of little Bonnie) are introduced. In a year of exceptional animated features from the hand-drawn beauty of THE ILLUSIONIST to rival Dreamworks’s best effort HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, the Pixar team cemented their reputation as some of the best filmmakers(not just of family films, but of films in general) working today. From the comedy of the daycare center( echoing films like THE GREAT ESCAPE), to the heart stopping horrors of the trash dump furnace(where the gang holds hands in their last seconds together) and finally the heart wrenching conclusion(darned if I didn’t tear up again the second time I watched it), TOY STORY 3 proved not only to be the best animated film of the year, but one of the most moving cinema experiences of 2010.

04. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

How do you make a movie about Facebook interesting? This was a question posed by many when THE SOCIAL NETWORK was first announced. The answer is, you don’t. You make the film about how relationships can be built, destroyed and altered for personal gain. From a rapid fire dialogue that opens the film, THE SOCIAL NETWORK fires off with all guns blazing. Aaron Sorkin’s script is witty, fast paced and just an all out amazing read on its own right. Coupled by David Fincher’s direction and Jesse Eisenberg’s dramatized interpretation of Mark Zuckerberg, it is a film that demands your attention from frame one. Everything in this film is top notch and it never lets you go.

03. THE FIGHTER

The true tale of a family, boxing, and decisions. Christian Bale (Dicky Eklund) is not cast as the lead role, but is undeniably the scene stealer of this well-told account of prize fighter Mickey Ward. Bale is arguably the best male supporting actor of 2010 as the crack-addicted con/boxer/brother. David O. Russell directs Mark Wahlberg (Mickey Ward) though the maze of tough decisions about his career, love, and the choices he makes with his family. The movie is paced well, keeps you engaged, and quietly cheering for any win for Mickey. The prominent female players are Amy Adams (Charlene Fleming) and Melissa Leo (Alice Ward) and their performances are not to be missed. Looking forward, this may be remembered as one of the finest films about a boxer, with even more awards to go along with the belt.

02. 127 HOURS

I hope anyone who has not seen 127 HOURS yet isn’t avoiding it because they’re afraid they won’t be able to stomach the self-mutilation scene near the end. Don’t skip 127 HOURS because it’s about a guy who cuts off his own arm. See it because it’s about a guy who cuts off his own arm to survive. See it because you need to know the answer to what you would do if you were in Aaron Ralston’s predicament. 127 HOURS is an authentically emotional film and by the end of it you want him to cut off that arm and when he finally does, it’s a cathartic experience and you’re cheering him on.

01. BLACK SWAN

BLACK SWAN stars Natalie Portman in what may be her best performance to date, playing Nina, a timid but ambitious ballerina. Nina is sheltered by her mother (Barbara Hershey), unaccustomed to an adult life of excess or the concept of being a free spirit, but her desire to triumph at her dream role as the Swan Queen drives her deeper into a darker side of herself she has suppressed for years. Darren Aronofsky directs this tensely wound psychological thriller, masterfully combining subtle visual devices with superb acting to tell his story. BLACK SWAN is not a chick flick, as I’ve heard some murmurs spread by those who clearly have not seen the film, but is often as humorous as it is terrifying. Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassell also deliver rich supporting performances.