I admit the blog kind of got away from me in 2010. I hope that I can get it back this year. The hiatus was due to many things. First off, for half of the year I did not have reliable internet on which to post. Secondly, I saw less movies because I did not have the money to see the amount I usually see. And lastly, it was possibly the worst year of my life and I just could never bring myself to find the energy to post. Things have turned around and for now, I work at a movie theater so I get my movies for me. This should make the viewing of movies a lot easier. I am not going to retroactively review the movies I missed, but there are a few of them on this list, so you will get mini reviews. I hope I still have some readers and I hope to get the ball rolling again in 2011.
Kyle's Top 10
10. The Town: Wrapped in Ben Affleck's blue collar sensibilities, this crime heist raises the level of tension by mixing balls to the wall gun fights with moments of quiet tension. When a scene that takes place at a table in restaurant can carry the same level of tension as the final shoot out, you know the director has done a wonderful job. Affleck is going to be nominated for an Oscar for best director some day, this I believe. It was also nice to see John Hamm branch out and he has some killer cop lines.
9. The King's Speech: I did not go all crazy for this movie the way so many have, but I am going crazy for Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush. These two performances give the movie a level of brilliance I am not sure it deserves. The supporting roles, the directing and the script could be improved, in my opinion, but because of the two men this movie is an absolute joy to watch. Every scene between Firth and Rush is a treasure of acting and they play off of each other so well, I want to watch them in other movies together.
8. True Grit: I honestly thought this movie would be top 5 easy for me this year, but even at number 8, I do not consider it a disappointment. The script is one of the Coens' tightest, mixing wonderful language, broad humor/appeal and a pretty gripping character study. Matt Damon is hilarious, the lead girl does amazing work and Jeff Bridges is a wonderfully gruff version of Jeff Bridges. However, the epilogue drags the movie down and I think because it is a Coens' movie, the straight forwardness of the movie was kind of off putting at times. Still, they took a genre I hate and put it in my top 10.
7. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: I would not be surprised, if over time, this movie grows on me even more. I think this movie, more than any other, has been analyzed in my head. I want to teach it, study it and just talk about it all of the time. It is a fantastic feat of direction more than anything else, but it is very much a movie aimed at people like me. I can identify with the characters, the images, the thoughts and the ideas. It is the ultimate coming of age in a digital age story. Like a movie featured later in this list, it is an in-the-moment movie that I think will be more appreciated in years to come.
6. The Kids are All right: Wonderful performances, a great script, a fun and interesting story and interesting direction choices are all one needs to make an engaging intimate movie about real life. This movie features all of those things, especially some very winning performances all the way around. You understand the motives of all of the characters and the ending leaves you wondering what will actually happen to these people because after 2hrs, I began to really feel for them. I think you own life experiences will sway your opinion on the characters, but I think that is intentional.
5. Exit Through the Gift Shop: Best piece of performance art by Banksy, or interesting, gripping documentary? No one really knows, but I do know that I was riveted in a very real way throughout. This movie is getting at what it means to be a celebrity, it speaks to how the masses are easily swayed by a name or by trying to get the next big thing, but ultimately it is an engaging story about this guerrilla style of art that at its best is pure and raw and at its most manufactured is an interesting study on what makes art real.
4. Black Swan: I cannot remember the last time I was this floored by a young woman's performance in a movie. Natalie Portman flat out gives the best performance of the year of any gender. She gets in this movie and becomes everything it is supposed to be. Arronofsky hits another home run in a film about obsession, addiction, insanity and the blurred line between reality and fantasy. it is a gorgeously dark tale with a twisted sense of humor and the most intense moments I have ever seen involving hands. It is hard to watch, but impossible to turn away from. It is controversial, brilliant and is the ultimate mind fuck. If nothing else, it is worth seeing to watch Natalie Portman give the performance of a career. I am not being hyperbolic in any way. It is truly spectacular.
3. Inception: I know this movie has been talked and talked and talked to death, but I do not care if I understand it or not, I loved it. The first half builds us the world and tells us what is going to happen and how it is going to happen, but the second half just shows us and what a brilliant piece of film making it is. Chris Nolan is juggling 4 or 5 balls in the air at the same time throughout the whole picture and he manages to land them all cleanly. The performances are great summer event film performances and the action sequences are among the most interesting I have seen, especially the hotel hallway fight. The movie is a testament to how editing can make or break a movie and honestly, I liked feeling like the rug had been pulled out from under me. People have cooled off on this movie a bit now, but having recently re watched it, I still love it and plan on always loving it.
2. Toy Story 3: Nothing seemed like a worse idea than making a third Toy Story movie. How dare I question Pixar!! This movie is more than just a wonderful cartoon. It is joyful film making at its best. It twists and bends genre conventions, from Film Noir to a jail break movie, to buddy movie to slapstick style comedy. The voice work is beyond top notch and the characterization of Ken from Barbie and Ken is worth the price of admission. It is a scary, sad, dazzling, hilarious, sweet and comforting journey that left me in tears all 3 times I saw it. The ending should choke everybody up and the way the movie unfolds is perfect.
1. The Social Network: This should come as a shock to absolutely no one. I was on this movie from day one and saw it 4 times in theater and tomorrow will be buying it on dvd. It has a perfect, complicated script full of sharp humor, brilliant lines, and great structure. Fincher's direction is flawless, especially the interesting way he lets the movie work for him instead of him working for the movie and the performances all around are perfect. Jesse Eisenberg sheds his "Michael Cera light" tag and even sheds his likable charm and dives head first into playing this asshole who may or may not have cheated 3 people out of millions of dollars. The movie does not point fingers, even less so than the source material, but allows the audience to make up its own mind about what really went on. Sorkin has always been a brilliant writer of dialogue and structure, but in this he outdoes himself by surrounding himself with top notch people across the board. It also features the best score of the year. Yes, even the music is perfection here.
Random thoughts
The A-Team was grossly underrated. It is a wonderfully perfect action movie for the summer months.
Robin Hood and Sex and the City 2 were the absolute worst movie this year had to offer, at least of the movies I saw.
Kick Ass just barely missed the cut of my top 10, but I still think it is wonderful and spawned a great movie conversation between Robbie and I since we disagree on a movie so rarely.
Harry Potter 7 part 1 was excellent, even though almost nothing happened. It makes me crazy excited for the second half.
2010 also saw the rise of movies being released in 3D but the box office draw of those 3D diminishes as the price goes up.
The Fighter also just missed my top 10. Christian Bale is perfect.
