My favorite movies of the year 2010

(We made contact with some great movies this year)

The 2010 Oscar nominations were released today and so I guess there's no better day to release my personal favorite movies of 2010. These ten films are in my opinion, the ten movies from the year 2010 that were the absolute best. Some were masterpieces, some were near-masterpieces. All of these films are pieces of art worth watching multiple times and cherishing. They are presented in alphabetical order (because ranking them individually is impossible), followed by a list of movies that were not quite as amazing as the ten, but still most definitely worth your time. For your information, here is my 2009 list.



Disclaimer: I have not seen every 2010 film, though it wasn't for lack of effort. Here are a few that I have a feeling may have been included in the top ten or honorable mention if I had seen them: "Blue Valentine," "Biutiful," and "Enter The Void."

A Prophet, directed by Jacques Audiard:


This phenomenal film chronicles the epic rise to power of one young French Arab criminal in a prison. It's an amazing character study that doubles as a dissection of a society composed of a mishmash of cultures. There's even some fantasy elements that surprisingly fit in very well and enhance the story and the characters even more. An epic French masterpiece and the best prison film I've seen, yes, even better than "The Shawshank Redemption."


Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky:


A tense, uncomfortable film that takes you on an intense ride you will never forget. Natalie Portman gives a truly great performance in this genre-defying piece of art. The journey her character takes is character development at its most intense, and every single character and scene in the film contribute to her transformation. Quite possibly Aronofsky's best film yet.


Exit Through The Gift Shop, directed by Banksy:


A film that serves as quick course on street art at first, but then turns into a film about the battles between commercial art vs. real art. The film is unpredictable, funny, and very well put together. It tells a story with a lesson, and it's a lesson with a story. One of my favorite documentaries of all time and one of the best films about the nature of art in the modern world. I can only hope Banksy continues making great movies.


Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan:


The rare blockbuster with a smart, exciting script that warrants its big budget. The reality-questioning plot is even more important in a world today that is always being penetrated by hoaxes. It's not just smart though, it has an emotional center that is tragic and a main character who is tremendously interesting. It's only a bonus that the film serves as such a great metaphor for filmmaking.


The King's Speech, directed by Tom Hooper:


A very impressive character study that is much more complex than people give it credit for. It includes relevant and important commentaries on media and politics, and shines a light on the forced labor that is the British crown. Every image is composed with intense detail and the directing is top notch. It may seem like Oscar-bait at first glance, but this film legitimately deserves the Oscars it will get.


Never Let Me Go, directed by Mark Romanek:


A film that seems like it was made in another universe and brought to ours. An interesting, and very emotional movie that takes a science fiction concept but treats it seriously with real human emotion. The film is visually beautiful, and emotionally depressing, but its real accomplishment is making you feel for people you didn't think you could feel for. The visual beauty and emotional music by Rachel Portman makes the film truly captivating and one of the most unique science fiction films of all time.


Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, directed by Edgar Wright:


Hands down one of the most fun movies of the year, and also one of the most imaginative. It's life through a video game/comic book fantasy, a film very in tune with our current society. Edgar Wright brilliantly directs this in a way that its fast-paced, witty, immensely clever and one that you can watch over and over again. One of the most tragically under-seen films of 2010 (along with Never Let Me Go).


The Social Network, directed by David Fincher:


When Fincher called this "The Citizen Kane of John Hughes movies", he wasn't exaggerating one bit. Aaron Sorkin's script is filled with tremendously entertaining dialogue yet at the same time it does such an amazing job of giving us the story of Zuckerberg, his personal complexities, and the culture that college culture that surrounds him. The music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross give the film a unique feeling and create the best musical score of the year.

Somewhere, directed by Sofia Coppola:


Similar to "Lost in Translation," this film shines a unique light on the alienation of the rich and famous. It supplies more of a mood than a plot, but Coppola does a great job at creating a mood that helps you get into the movie. The superb cinematography and the refreshingly slow pace makes for a unique American film that impressively will probably end up being one of the lesser-known films of Coppola's sure-to-be illustrious career.


Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich:


Pixar continues to amaze me with their intellectual and emotional animated "kids" movies. This film continues the Toy Story themes of loyalty and friendship, but with this being the last one, it adds accepting, and letting go to the mix, culminating in the now famous and instant classic incinerator sequence. This amazing movie remarkably is as good as the first two classics and might actually be even better. A fitting conclusion to one of the best Hollywood trilogies of all time.




Honorable Mention (other movies that are awesome): Shutter Island, Animal Kingdom, I Am Love, Rabbit Hole, Mother, 127 Hours, Winter's Bone, The American, The Ghost Writer, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Kids Are All Right, Greenberg, I'm Here.