The year is almost over and if you could just stop eating snow for a minute and read this you might find out which 10 films I think made the biggest impact in 2010. Afterwards you can eat as much snow as you like, see if I care. You’re mad, you are.
I’ve attached links to the ones I reviewed in full so you can check out a lengthier look at them if you like.
There is no particular order to this list.
Violent and irreverent in equal measure, Kick-Ass was the antidote to big, dumb superhero blockbusters and said far more about being a teenager than the Spiderman series ever managed.
Smart as a whip, thrilling and sure to become an enduring classic, I went mad for David Fincher’s deconstruction of the Facebook story.
Pixar peaked in 2010 with Toy Story 3, a film that managed to be funnier and more thoughtful than almost anything aimed at adults.
Four Lions
This film is not just a perfectly judged farce involving bumbling Islamic terrorists but also the reason that sometime recluse Chris Morris came out of his shell and actually did some interviews, which was nice.
Although not quite as clever as it would have you believe, Inception was definitely the best action film of the year and one which removed any complexity from its setup by simply ignoring questions like ‘why is that street upside down?’ and ‘what do you mean “dream within a dream within a dream?”’.
High concept, low budget and starring aftershave salesman Ryan Reynolds, this claustrophobic thriller was a pleasant surprise, showing imagination and realism in a most improbable setup.
Lauded by everyone and arriving at the start of the year, if you haven’t seen this French crime saga you should add it to your Christmas wish list.
Shutter Island
Although not Scorsese’s best work it is nonetheless a well acted, tightly plotted thriller that implores the viewer to revisit its twisty narrative and warped world at least once more.
That’s right, I thought Jackass 3D was one of the best films of the year. Perhaps if I’d seen that Mike Leigh one I might have bumped it off, but I didn’t, so instead I recommend something that features pooh, wee, bums and willies.
Ben Stiller proves that he can do neurotic and socially inept in a way that doesn’t also involve broad comedy. Greenberg is sad, funny and something that you should definitely seek out if you can.
Ooh, and follow me on Twitter if you like @joejwest for more film-based drivel.
donalea
1 year, 5 months ago
what happened to Harry Potter?