The Best Films of 2010

It’s a testament to what a strong year for film 2010 was that, when the GRTM team began to discuss our first annual list of last year’s best, the debate raged not so much over which movies should be on the list – that part was obvious – but over exactly which of the numerous exceptional films were better.

Alas, many would enter, but few would leave, and after some lengthy and spirited discussion, along with a talent and swimsuit portion of the competition (you should see Inception juggle!), we finalized our definitive list.  Sadly, some movies, while championed by one or two contributors, failed to make the cut.   From the historical drama The King’s Speech to James Franco’s stellar turn in 127 Hours, from the Korean oedipal mystery Mother to the Italian romance I Am Love, from the autopsy of a failing marriage in Blue Valentine to the Australian crime flick Animal Kingdom, these movies ran the gamut of genre and public recognition, but all helped define 2010 as a singular year for original cinema.

So enjoy the list, and join us as the fiery debate continues to rage in the comments section over such important issues as whether Due Date had superior mise-en-scene than Despicable Me, or whether Michael Bay’s Black Swan would have been exponentially deeper.  And creepier.

(Note:  Because we’re so helpful, we are linking to those movies currently available on Netflix via instant streaming, even though Netflix doesn’t give us any money. Now that you mention it, they probably should at this point.  Also, click on the * after a film’s title to link to the original GRTM review.)

10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World *

In many ways, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World had the deck stacked against it from the start. It was all too easy to file away as yet another ineffectual-geek action comedy, putting it in the same category as Kick-Ass and a score of other Michael Cera movies that seem to be facing diminishing returns. However, this was not the case. Adapting Scott Pilgrim from the graphic novel was the brain child of Edgar Wright (of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) and no one else could have handled it the way he did. As with Wright’s other work, Scott Pilgrim doesn’t try to break genre stereotypes by mere self-referential irony, but instead treats geek culture with loving parody, and does so with a purpose that drives the storytelling.  The central romance between Scott and Ramona moves the plot along, but is purposely emotionally stunted by Scott’s excessive idealization of her; she does not really have the opportunity to become a real person until everything is ended and Scott has reconciled himself to her past.  Wright’s incredible comic timing and creative use of the film medium perfectly translates the graphic novel’s visualization of Scott’s juvenile perception and reinforce the distorted reality he lives in.   Aside from being visually stunning, the movie features a rocking soundtrack by Beck and Nigel Godrich, and employs a talented ensemble, including a scene-stealing performance from Kieran Culkin. It is a niche comedy that will not (and should not be expected to) be  suited to every one’s taste, yet what Scott Pilgrim does, it does extremely well, ending up as one of the best comedies of the year.

9. Un Prophete

Combining the journalistic eye of The Wire with the epic scope and pacing of The Godfather, Un Prophete is a fascinating story of an illiterate 19-year-old Arab thug who uses his 6-year prison term to rise through the criminal ranks of the Corsican mafia to establish his own crime kingdom by the time of his release.  The politics of criminal and prison life are explored as thoroughly as the cultural and racial issues are.  Muslims, Egyptians and Corsicans are all battling it out for their piece of the crumb, to paraphrase Rhymefest.  French actor Niels Arestrup is spectacular as the aging Corsican crime lord César, turning in one of the best supporting performances of the year.

8. Shutter Island

If you only saw the trailer to Shutter Island, you might have thought it was going to be Scorsese’s attempt at a horror film. The trailer is full of creepy faces, lights unexpectedly failing, and “jumpy” suspense. Those going to the theater expecting to be scared were destined to be disappointed. Blame this disappointment on the marketing, not the movie. The movie is much more Psycho than Saw, a Psychological Thriller with an added emphasis on the Psychology. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances as Edward “Teddy” Daniels, a U.S. Marshal sent to investigate the disappearance of a patient on Shutter Island, a prison island for the criminally  insane. Throughout the investigation, Daniels is forced to simultaneously process his own haunted past – a past that includes the liberation of Dachau and the death of his wife (played exceptionally well by Michelle Williams). The twists and turns in the plot may or may not surprise you, but by the end of the film, this doesn’t really matter. The deeper questions the film raises about humanity, guilt, and reality will be the real twists that reward, even after multiple viewings.

7. Winter’s Bone *

The opening panoramas of Winter’s Bone immediately establish the eerie, suspenseful tone to this film about cultural mores and the steely kinship circles that keep a young girl and her family bound by them.  The depressed landscape and its taciturn residents are immediately recognizable to anyone who’s been to the Missouri Ozarks. The film is anchored by seventeen year old Ree Dolly, whose search for her meth-cooking father is launched after she learns he’s posted the family home as his bail bond. Desperate to hold on to the family’s singular asset, Ree searches out clues to her father’s whereabouts, and in doing so, begins to push the limits of her community’s patience with her errant steps outside the hard boundaries of the standing social order. It’s hard to decide whether to root for Ree or shake the stubborn out of her, but you can only watch helplessly as her defiance earns swift punishment meted with equal force by family and foe, its quick deliverance a perverse incentive to move forward with the search. There was something admirable and compelling about Ree’s resolve, but you find yourself almost wanting her to give up, as it becomes clear that the loss of the family home, and even the disintegration of her family, might be the least of the imaginable evils that could befall her. And yet you can’t help but feel proud of Ree as she presses on, undeterred by watchful eye of cagey neighbors and the clear threats to her own safety. Ree Dolly wins your heart along with the respect of the kin that set out to undo her. Director Debra Granik doesn’t do her the disservice of making Ree’s character flat and flawless, but allows all of her characters depth and imperfection. She won’t allow the viewer to categorize Ree, her terrifying uncle Teardrop, or the clan elders into dichotomous camps of good and bad. Each of the main characters is surprising, and the depth of the writing, the unflinching cinematography, and the commanding performances by Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, and Dale Dickey make this epic drama of justice and family ties a must see.

6. Exit Through the Gift Shop *

What is art? And who decides? These aren’t the sorts of questions that usually make for a fascinating feature film, which is what makes Exit Through the Gift Shop such an unlikely success. We live in an age of answers, so it’s all the more astounding when we run up against something to which there is no answer.  Is Exit documentary, mockumentary or something in-between? Is the surprisingly heartwarming Thierry (our main character) really a wannabe filmmaker who finds himself transformed into an overnight art world success known as Mr. Brainwash? Or is he an actor, plain and simple? Did infamous graffiti artist Banksy simply create a movie, or did he also create Mr. Brainwash — or maybe Banksy is Mr. Brainwash, with the affable Thierry just a ruse? There’s art here, to be sure, and looming ethical questions about property rights, celebrity, excess and more. But what could have been a colossal bore turns out to be the most interesting nonfiction film since Roger & Me — and this one’s a lot more fun to watch at a party.  Never mind if you’ve never heard of Banksy, because Exit is best viewed through an ignorant lens: Go in without expectations, and find yourself drawn into a touching, entertaining and thought-provoking story told from a few different angles. You’ll be left with questions — about the commercialization of art, and about the fine line between truth and fiction. Just don’t expect any easy answers.  To this day, no one has gotten Banksy to fess up — and in our present age, that’s a feat worth putting on film.

(Note: Aside from streaming via Netflix, Exit is also available to watch for free via Hulu for a limited time – until Feb. 4th to be exact – so catch it while you can.)

5. Toy Story 3 *

Toy Story 3 is the main event for which its predecessors were delightful prequels. Rarely does the closer of a trilogy tie things together so successfully. This is a visually stunning film about belonging, loyalty, friendship, abandonment, fear, tyranny, freedom, love, sacrifice and moving on. It seems like too much to take on in one film, let alone one geared toward kids, but it never seems strained. In his solo directorial debut, Lee Unkrich doesn’t fall into the trap of overly relying on the first two films. Rather, he masterfully (re)introduces the back story in the opening minutes and proceeds to take us on a brand new journey with these familiar and engaging characters. It is a testimony to its universal themes and great storytelling that regardless of your age or how many times you’ve seen Toy Story and Toy Story 2, you will have tears welling up in your eyes as Andy drives away. It is sad, but it couldn’t be any more perfect.

4. True Grit

The Coen Brothers are such accomplished filmmakers that, though they’d never dabbled in the genre before, they could hit a western off a horse’s ass from 50 yards, and with True Grit, they did just that.  It is, at its most basic level, a story of revenge, as teenage girl Mattie Ross (incredible newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) seeks the help of U.S. Marshal “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) and an awkwardly comedic showboating Texas Ranger known only as LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) to catch the petty criminal (Josh Brolin) who murdered her father. What follows is a coon hunt of epic proportions, as the three scour through a beautifully captured landscape, strikingly filmed by go-to Coens cinematographer Roger Deakins, and bathed in the timeless sounds of composer Carter Burwell.  With the memorable characters, the unique ear for language, and a tone that shifts from comic to brutal in a heartbeat, we’re left with an unmistakable Coen Brothers film in the form of a big, brooding western, crusty with True Grit.

3. The Social Network *

Though based upon recent events, The Social Network has a timeless feel to it.  At its core, it’s a story about how ambition and greed can simultaneously push people to great successes and personal failures.  The film was shaped by an ensemble that meshed together perfectly, smoothing over each others’ rough edges.  Director David Fincher is as proficient a director as they come, but his vision of innovation amidst dark and drunken dorm rooms could have felt too heartless or humorless without Aaron Sorkin’s buoyant script.  Conversely, while Sorkin’s script directly and engagingly imparts the nuts and bolts behind Facebook’s founding, it is Fincher’s eye that lends the cinematography and performances the dark stain of human weakness that imbues the film with its weighty themes.  Anchoring the ensemble are brilliant turns by Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, with an especially impressive dual-role from Armie Hammer.  Icing the already dense cinematic cake is Trent Reznor’s haunting ambient score, hovering over the proceedings like stale cigarette smoke lingering in an empty room.  The decision to have him score the film was definitely more than a stylistic choice, given that he’s revolutionized the way that music is produced and consumed as much as Zuckerberg has changed how we interact in this digital age.  With its eternal themes and impeccable craftsmanship, The Social Network will resonate for generations to come, even when the technology at its center has long become obsolete.

2. Black Swan *

For being based on one of the most famous ballets of all time, and treading the well-worn territory of what-is-real/what-is-fantasy/descent-into-madness, Black Swan is a wholly original and one-of-a-kind film.  Director Daren Aronofsky maintains a kinetic tension with claustrophobic sets and hand-held camera that explodes into all-out horror when the freaky shit that had previously occupied the dark corners of the frame is allowed to come front and center into the light.  Even with the startling imagery and Portman’s powerful performance, Black Swan remains restrained where it needs to be.  Its subtle use of limited perspective and jumps in continuity keep us far enough away from it that we can see and be horrified by Portman’s descent, yet be just off-balance enough that we too feel the force of her nightmare.

1. Inception *

One major point about this film that got resounding agreement among the contributors was that it reminded us of the multitude of reasons we go to the movies. It had thrilling spectacle, but the thrill was more than that–Inception pushed the limits of what an audience could accept as plausible or reasonable. It was transporting in the truest sense. Plenty of films have taken place in or dealt with dreams, but this was more of a synthesis of dreaming and reason. Christopher Nolan made us believe that this is what would–must–happen if we could interact with our dreams so readily. It’s a rare film that can combine an elaborate fantasy universe, visceral and exciting action, and a serious and powerful story about regret and loss, wrapped up in a dreadful and rumbling score that is itself part of the overall plot and structure. If nothing else, Nolan should get credit for demonstrating such a complex set of rules with such breathless excitement. This movie clocks in at just under two and a half hours, but it’s hard not to want to watch the entire thing all over again. Nolan again demonstrated that he is a master craftsman, and combined with the seething, dangerous, laser-focus performance that Leonardo DiCaprio always brings to his roles, it’s hard to imagine a future for film that doesn’t bear Inception’s fingerprints.

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