“Hmmm, let me get six large popcorns, extra butter, and a small Diet Coke. Thanks.“

The top 10 list for the best movies of the year:

The past year was an odd year in film…a summer blockbuster was redefined with the likes of Inception, Little Fockers proved America could get by with a script based on one word sounding like another word and DeNiro making the DeNiro face for 90 minutes for the third time, while 3D was shoved down our throats like a cock with an unfocused hairy balls background.  Are you not entertained? Tron Legacy dazzled our minds with its visuals and well, I guess that was pretty much it. We also all collectively forgave Christian Bale for Terminator Salvation with his meth induced shaking jaw-pardon me- jaw dropping performance in The Fighter.  All in all, 2010 was an interesting year for cinema.

The best of 2010 list begins with the tenth movie and goes in descending order ending with my favorite film of 2010.

TOP TEN

10. WINTER’S BONE


Like an emotionally chilling pimple, Winter’s Bone oozes at every turn with its bleak Ozark setting and resulting eerie atmosphere that seems to lurk over every character and scene. The story of Ree Dolly, a 17 year old who has been raising  her younger brother and sister while dealing with an absent father and incapacitated mother, Winter’s Bone lets you into their world and takes a hold of you within the opening minutes and doesn’t let go.

When Ree is informed by the local sheriff that her convict father put the house up as a bail bond, she must venture into the thick of it and attempt to find the man-on-the-run while going through the seedy local criminal  organization.  Without ever letting you lose your sense of belief, the movie remains haunting and thrilling throughout. Winter’s Bone is comparable to 2004′s Mystic River in that it blends mystery and family drama which  is then heightened by the strong and excellent performances throughout. In the case of Winter’s Bone, the stellar cast includes John Hawkes as the uncle with Jennifer Lawrence’s Ree being the expectational standout. While Natalie Portman has a very good chance of winning Best Actress at the Oscars for Black Swan, it would also be just as deserving for Lawrence to win as well.

Maintaining its sense of authenticity and culture consistently, Winter’s Bone never goes off the rails but instead takes you deeper into the happenings of this girl and her world. Adapted from the 2006 novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell, this is a film that stays with you long after you have finished watching.

9. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

A moving drama that blurs the line between love, friendships, and family, the Kids Are All Right is also a witty, laugh-out-loud comedy sometimes even in the same damn scene. There are no cheap shots or meaningless gross-out gags here, but warming “dramedy”, if you will, with plenty of heart to go around.

When two teenagers, who were artificially conceived by Mark fuckin’ Ruffalo (well, his character Paul), decide to bring their father back into their lives, they are unaware of  problems that will arise within the family and especially with their parents, lesbian couple Nic and Jules.

The outstanding ensemble cast including Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, and the kids Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson make The Kids Are All Right one of the most well-acted, honest, and touching films of the year.

8. THE TOWN


Oh, Ben Affleck. How far you have come. Had Ben retired from acting  in, let’s say, the end 1995, he would be known for fucking emotionally vulnerable girls in very uncomfortable places (like the back of a Volkswagen, maybe?) in Mallrats,  that  movie School Ties that has every actor on earth in it, being a dick in Dazed & Confused, and that PBS mini-series The Voyage of the Mimi I had to watch in my 5th grade science class among some other work. While that is a much better career than I could ever do (I was, however, cast as “small tree #2″ in The Voyage of the Mimi II: More Voyaging), it wasn’t until 1997s critically and movie-goer acclaimed Good Will Hunting and its numerous Academy nominations (and some wins) that Affleck’s career really took off and people realized he wasn’t just “that guy” anymore.

His choice of roles after the success of co-writing and supporting Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting were uneven, to say the least. Tagged as one of the new leading men in Hollywood, he had financial success in movies such as 1998′s Armageddon, for example, but the quality of his performances (Golden Raspberry, you say?) and the movies soon took a turn for the worse. For every acceptable role, it seemed like we were bombarded with twice as much awful dreck.

A typical night after renting some movies seemed to go like this: “Hey, look, Ben Affleck can be enjoyable in some stuff.  I like him again, I think. Oh, wait. What movies did you say you rented, Pearl Harbor, Gigli, and Reindeer Games? Yeeeeeeeah, I don’t think I can watch. I have to, uh, wake up early and stuff.  Hey, wait, he was pretty damn cool in that scene in Boiler Room. Remember that? That was cool. I think I like him again. Wait, what did you say was the last movie you picked up from Blockbuster? Dare…hmm I can’t seem to make it out. Dare…Daredevil?”

Yup. That actually happened.

Remember Surviving Christmas? Exactly. This is where Ben’s career had gone.

Fast forward to 2007 and something very strange occurred. Ben had decided to mix things up for a change, and Gone Baby Gone was the result. Co-writing the screenplay and directing the movie on his own, the gritty crime-mystery film based on the Dennis Lehane novel of the same name proved that Ben Affleck really is extremely talented, dammit. Affleck had found his true calling, and the film was easily one of my favorites of the year.

Fast forward, one more time, to 2010. Next up on the plate was The Town, a thriller set yet again in crime riddled Boston, adapted from the Chuck Hogan novel, Prince of Thieves. Gone Baby Gone was no fluke, as this new film written, directed, and starring Affleck was so damn awesome it made us forget that we forgot about Surviving Christmas.

Affleck plays Doug, a career criminal with his lifelong friends from the dirty streets of Charlestown where committing heists are as common as taking your dog for a walk. Not long after a badass bank job in which they temporarily hold the bank manager, Claire, hostage, Doug is taken aback by feelings for the very woman he had just totally skeeved out with a crazy mask on while robbing the shit out of her. While trying to start a relationship as a normal dude with Claire, Doug and his friends are being hunted by an FBI agent played by Mad Men’s Jon Hamm.

What The Town does so masterfully is give us scenes as thrilling, action packed, and well done as any movie before it but with characters and resulting situations we actually care about. By fleshing out the stories of not only Doug but the supporting roles as well, we are given a great movie with gripping action scenes, not merely cool action scenes with a shitty story and useless sub-plots thrown in for good measure. This is no easy task, yet The Town somehow delivers on all levels thanks to the same guy who made somebody’s head explode only a few paragraphs before.

7. SHUTTER ISLAND


Ruffalo, again? This list is turning into a Mark Ruffalo love-fest which is fitting, since he is one of the most likable and gifted actors working today. He is one of the few guys who can star in 13 Going on 30 and Just Like Heaven and we don’t really mind, especially because he always comes back to roles in excellent films like Zodiac, You Can Count on Me, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and in the case of 2010, The Kids Are All Right and Shutter Island.

Set in 1954, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo play two U.S. Marshals investigating the disappearance of a woman from a mental hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, which, for the record,  ranks second worst in vacationing destinations losing only to the island on Lost.

The film is based on the mind-blowing 2003 novel of the same name from Dennis Lehane, author of the addicting Kenzie-Genarro detective novels, other standalone works (such as Shutter Island and Mystic River which are not related to the Detective series), and three episodes of quite possibly the best American drama to ever grace television, The Wire. Hollywood is now 3-for-3 on adapting his novels to the big screen (Mystic River; 2003,  Gone Baby Gone; 2007,  and Shutter Island; 2010).

When Shutter Island was initially announced, it was a minor miracle in the making for me. A dream come true, I eagerly anticipated what Martin Scorsese and Leo could do with the novel from perhaps my favorite modern fiction author. After a move from October 2009 to February 2010, the film was finally released. Thankfully, Shutter Island delivered quality in spades.

While the twists and turns were less evident in the book, the film captured the creepy, strange and uneasy paranoia vibe that was so gloriously portrayed on every page of the novel. Shutter Island, as a film, is an orgy of striking visuals, frightening and beautiful music perfectly selected by The Band’s Robbie Roberston, and strong performances throughout all combined together to form a throwback mystery that could even make Alfred Hitchcock smile or better yet, slowly emerge from the shadows and give a stare of approval.

6. TRUE GRIT

And to think, we all thought the American Western was dead. As it turns out, it was only sleeping,  most likely passed out in a drunken stupor in some forgotten saloon somewhere. Thankfully, it snores really loud and woke itself up on December 22nd with the release of True Grit. Not a remake of the 1969 John Wayne classic, the Coen Brother’s True Grit is a  second adaption of the 1968 Charles Portis novel. More faithful to the book than the 1969 incarnation, this version of True Grit relies more on the point-of-view of Mattie Ross instead of putting Rooster Cogburn as the center of attention. And, behold, what a protagonist we have in young Mattie  portrayed by then 13 year-old Hailee Steinfeld. Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn and a supporting cast of Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and a brief but awesomely memorable performance from Barry Pepper give us quite possibly the most solid  modern cast we could ever ask for given the material, but they are all upstaged by Steinfeld’s intelligent and courageous yet stubborn Mattie Ross.

After her father is murdered by the coward Tom Chaney, Mattie enlists resident badass and U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn to track down the man after being told that Cogburn is the most cutthroat and merciless of potential Marshals to do the job. While that was just like, his opinion, man, she is convinced Cogburn is the man who can truly set things right.

With some of the most finely crafted dialogue of the year (the merchant scene, for example, comes to mind), Carter Burwell’s perfectly fitting score and absolutely gorgeous cinematography from Roger Deakins that lets us revel in the beauty of the old West, True Grit doesn’t just revive the American Western by being the best since 2003′s Open Range but is a marvel all its own.

5. 127 HOURS


The true story of mountain climber/adventure seeker, Aron Ralston, who was trapped in Canyonlands National Park in Utah when a boulder crushed his arm, should not work as a full length film. As a story to tell your friends? Sure. As an article in a magazine or paper? Of course. Segment on a news show? Yup. But even with the relative short running-time of 94 minutes, this movie really shouldn’t be good, and especially not this good. Yet, James Franco and director Danny Boyle created one of the most well made, intense, and deeply reflective films in years.

For those that don’t know the outcome of the story, you can skip over to the next movie on the list although I am sure that mostly everyone knows what ended up happening.

The film is a rarity, in which the story can be inspirational without giving the audience a typical hero or really any hero figure at all. Ralston’s actions weren’t meant to be heroic and certainly aren’t glorified here. Instead, he did what he had to do, what had to be done in order to survive. While the cutting off of the arm could be considered the climax (and boy is it brutal), the film shines brightest when Alston is stuck. The physical and mental anguish that Alston endures is shown full force: the sad realization of how much water he has left, his body starting to give out on him and all along what is going through his head: everything from the biggest regret to the tiniest detail in the back of his mind.

Boyle turns all of this into a tale of riveting suspense and self reflection that should surely exceed anyone’s expectations, especially with Franco’s genuine portrayal displaying  just how much the human spirit can take.

4. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Generation Y can be described fairly easily, they just don’t get Reality Bites. What is the deal with Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke? And what does irony really mean?

No, really. Generation Y can be described as having a few key traits: firstly, they are as tech-savvy as can be. While previous generations grew up living through technology advancements-specifically computer, phones and the like-Generation Y was born already holding a Blackberry out of the womb, updating their facebook status to “ok srsly wut the HELL did the doctor just cut off me??”.  This will only continue as more people come into this world with future generations. Computers, phones, and other gadgets aren’t anything special to Gen-Y, they have always been there when growing up. Gone are the days of telling someone off to their face, now you can simply text, e-mail, and post on their facebook wall all at the same time that you think they smell. Y does not see technology as helpful or a bonus, they rely on it for everything.

Secondly, more so than any generation, Y is never truly contented with what they have. They want bigger and better, they want more. That TV is big but it’s not big enough, it’s not 3D enough. You have that phone? That phone sucks. Your phone came out yesterday. My phone came out…tomorrow.

Lastly, they are led to believe, also more so than any other generation, that they can accomplish any goal or achievement they set their minds to. Whether it’s from being nurtured and pampered by parents or something else, they are running around like a bunch of Scarfaces thinking the world is theirs, if they want it. They want it, alright, and they want it by any means necessary.

The Social Network is not merely “that Facebook movie,” but, actually, a film that encompasses all of what defines the  present generation of people making a difference, good or bad. More than a simple story of the founding of a social networking site that became a global phenomenon, it is an examination of the characters and what is inside so many of us and what it all really means: are we really advancing or actually declining?

With a sharp-as-a-knife script by Aaron Sorkin, downright perfect direction from David Fincher, an original score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross so good it’s kind of scary, and very good performances all around especially from Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerburg, The Social Network moves at a rapid fire rate and is as absorbing as any movie this year.  I believe that The Social Network will be held up high for years to come as  one of the movies, if not the movie to define this generation. Pretty damn good, especially for a guy who started off by directing Rick Springfield and Paula Abdul music videos.

3. INCEPTION

If there was ever a way to follow up The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan sure got it right with Inception. At 142 minutes, there is never a dull moment in the film. In fact, Inception doesn’t just want you to pay attention, it is the movie equivalent of getting karate kicked in the face for almost 2 and half hours. Awesome, exciting, and innovative karate kicks. 

Inception and I have a mutual relationship. I want to see it over and over and it begs me to do so. In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Cobb, the master of slicking back his hair. He’s also pretty good at using technology to enter the mind through people’s dreams to implant ideas, I guess. While the movie isn’t as confusing as some make it out to be, it does, however, keep you on your toes throughout all of it, never letting your mind wander. It can be challenging not because it is confusing or doesn’t make sense, but because you are tying to wrap your mind around the fact that this is actually happening on the screen. Inception does not simply blow one’s mind with its bigger than life dream world and dazzling special effects or adrenaline filled action scenes, it first bends your mind, breaks it, then blows it up.

One can’t help but be glued to the screen as the movie unfolds, and then have all of what you saw run around your head, back and forth, long after you finished the film. When walking out of the theater, my immediate thought was that I wanted to see it in IMAX, I wanted to get it on blu-ray, I wanted to take it out to dinner. Fresh and breaking new ground in what an epic blockbuster can be, Inception is in a league of its own.

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR INCEPTION AHEAD

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As for the ending, here is my take. Cobb’s totem, the top, spins then leans a bit before continuing to spin as the end credits cut the scene off. Just like Nolan’s Memento, there is no clear and definitive answer. No final truth or intended answer to be found. You could argue to the death one way or the other about whether it was dream or reality, but the only truth is that  it’s uncertain.  Had Nolan wanted us to know either of them to be true, then that is how it would have been. I could watch the movie 1,000 times and never know and that is the way it was intended to be.

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END OF SPOILERS

2. TOY STORY 3

My most anticipated movie of the year by far, Toy Story 3 did not disappoint which is quite the feat considering as a general rule, second sequels don’t just suck but most of the time are absolutely horrid.

No, really. They are.

Toy Story 3 not only throws that silly rule away like a snake in its boot, but goes to infinity and beyond in-alright I’ll stop with the references now.Toy Story 3 is a fitting finale to, yes, I’ll say it, one of the most consistently great series in cinema. They aren’t just good in their own right, but each installment is arguably the best one of the bunch.

In the third outing, Andy is all grown up and leaving for college. Due to a mix up, the gang of toys are  not put in the attic but instead taken to a tangible hell on earth, a shady day care center that is not how it seems. It is up to Woody, the trustworthy and reliable veteran, to break the fuck out of there and get to the bottom of it all, convincing the other toys that they were not, in fact, abandoned by their faithful owner.

What easily could have been a rehash of the same old shit, Toy Story 3 is  fresh and funny for a person of any age while maintaining an emotional edge that matches and even possibly surpasses the maturity of recent Pixar fare like Up and Wall-E, or any movies, really. Not simply a fun escape story, Toy Story 3 mixes comedy, the excitement of adventure, and most importantly good ol’ fashioned emotions anybody could relate to in order to get its point across. There is indeed an end to everything, and we all, at some point, have to let go of our childhood and the life that is familiar to us. It can live on in our hearts and memories, but life does not wait for us to be ready. We simply have to do the best we can. We have to understand, or better yet, accept what is in store for us. But, then again, at the end of it all is the beginning of something new, something else.

Toy Story 3 truly has it all: humor, heart, characters we love, villains we love to hate, and messages we all can relate to. I couldn’t have asked for a better movie or a more proper send off. Here’s to hoping “Toy Story 4: Andy is Drunk and on Drugs…THE COLLEGE YEARS” never happens.

1. BLACK SWAN


And in one moment, I would like to believe that the whole theater turned to each other after the end to Black Swan and collectively asked, “what the FUCK just happened?”

What the fuck just happened, indeed. While 2007′s The Wrestler let the audience act as a fly-on-the-wall as the events unfolded with gritty and authentic precision, Darren Aronofsky’s follow up, Black Swan, is the opposite. Hypnotic and surreal, each scene in Black Swan melts into the next, keeping you in a trance like you are watching a beautiful car wreck, simultaneously terrifying and fascinating. Each and every scene is more intense and melodramatic than the last, and you get more and more engrossed because you are in a fucking trance. At one point I thought I smelled pee from everybody around who couldn’t help but let it go because they were so on edge. Or it could have smelled like that because I totally peed my pants right before the movie. Either way, there was tons of pee and the film was insane.

Natalie Portman killed it as Nina, a shy but competitive ballerina fighting for the lead role in Swan Lake, attempting to play both the innocent White Swan and sensual and oh so bad Black Swan. While she is perfect for the White Swan, she can’t seem to get a hold of the mind set of the Black Swan, meanwhile Lily (Mila Kunis), another ballerina in the company, has the Black Swan down to a science. Completely consumed with dance and not only trying to get the role but perfect it, Nina’s world is flipped upside down….a few hundred thousand times.

Before she knows it, her life becomes less like the White Swan and mirrors the Black Swan and her ways. Much like Roman Polanski’s  psychological-thriller masterpiece, Repulsion, Nina and the audience aren’t sure what is real or not, and just how far she will go. Blurring  the lines between the surreal, reality, and downright batshit crazy, Black Swan never spells anything out for you but takes your hand, claws the shit out of it, and brings you deeper and deeper into the downward spiral. Black Swan, in the end, can be seen as a cross between the excellent 1948 version of The Red Shoes (if it was made in hell), Polanski’s Repulsion, and the worst fucking nightmare you ever had.

Everything from Portman’s layered performance to the chilling score and explosive ending are virtually perfect, somehow deeply disturbing yet incredibly exciting at the same time. Unlike anything I had seen all year, it is with ease that I recommend Black Swan as my favorite film of 2010.