Thesis
Christmas is the best time to blog! Merry tidings to you and y'alls.
I have not kept up my movie-going this year. In high school, I'd be catching all the latest flicks. I'd shell out my hard-earned ice cream money for tickets nearly every other weekend. I'd catch the award bait, the hip flicks, the blockbusters, and even the really bad movies. I'd see it all! College has seriously depleted my cash and time reserve. So, this list is totally incomplete.
Notice how decidedly unhip it is: sequels, slapstick, remakes, and 3D. It'll do for now. Welcome, Part 6 of the Year In Review.
Bonus Awards
These won't stop! You can't get enough. These will be film-related, except for a necessary music award.
NEW BEST ALBUM OF ALL-TIME EVER
> S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TnT - Akron/Family
Runner-up: NOTHING EVER
Movie awards now...
> Dinner For Schmucks
Best Trailer
> The Tree Of Life
Best Film Score
> Clint Mansell for Black Swan
Best/Most Special Effects
> Probably Tron: Legacy, but I didn't see it - oops!
Most Meta Writer/Director
> Christopher Nolan for Inception
Best Performance By A Female Actor
> Natalie Portman in Black Swan
Best Performance By A Male Actor
> James Franco in 127 Hours
Top 10 Movies Of 2010
I know, fam, I know. This is not a classy way to start off the list. But it was in 3D and it made me laugh a lot. It was there for me in my time of need - midterms and gf (sorry, babe) stress were getting me down, and this was exactly what I needed to bro out. Often in poor taste, but more often amusing, the latest from the Jackass bros is simple, fun entertainment. It ended up being a lot about family and friendship, and acted as a perfect reminder of the joys of acting a fool with your loved ones. Also, the hallway full of cattle-prods made me LOL like nothing else.
09| Shutter Island
Not quite the year's best movie starring Leo as a crazy man trying to get his wife and kids back, but it was its first! This movie pulled off the whole twist thing pretty well, even if it halted the film for like 15 minutes of explanation. It worked, though, because all of it was founded in the characters, and didn't cheat the audience. A well-executed thriller playing around with a classic formula, the flick delivers on scares and surprises. Scorsese is on top of his game here.
08| Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Edgar Wright pulls the novel off perfectly for about 30 minutes, and then proceeds to make his own exciting and original character-driven action-comedy. If I hadn't read the comics, I doubt the absence of dialogue and light-hearted fun in the latter hour of the movie would be so noticeable. But I did, so it is. Even so, this movie is kinetic and impressive throughout, and creates a visual language that is totally its own. I've never seen anything like it on screen before. Super cool!
07| 127 Hours
Fitting that Danny Boyle's work places right next to Edgar Wright's, both of them visually-minded Brit directors. Here, Boyle deals with decidedly different subject matter than Wright's comic adaptation. Working with the real life story of climber Aron Ralston (a story that everyone knows), he creates an absurdly entertaining movie. Like, the entertainment might even be a flaw here. I never felt totally trapped and hopeless, because the movie is just so fun. Weird, huh? Anyway, James Franco, performance of a lifetime, engages audience, always on-screen, etc.
06| The Karate Kid
Probably my subjective favorite movie of the year, but I don't want people to think I'm crazy. The movie is perfectly put together and stands on its own beside the original. The direction is seriously poised, and the movie is paced like its an Important movie. Awesome! It somehow makes Jaden's transformation into a fighter and an admirable young dude believable. The training with Jackie Chan's Mr. Han is incredibly entertaining, and the bond they develop feels real. They even make the cliche, climactic tournament feel fresh. Also, any movie that can inspire "Never Say Never" is alright by me.
05| The Social Network
Not sure I'm down with how Important this movie is, but it is a really efficient and effective portrayal of a fascinating story. It moves fast and doesn't pull any punches. Weird for Fincher, it only pauses once for a "different" sort of scene, and that's during the masterful rowing sequence, in which rich white people compete for glory. Notice any thematic resonance there? Boom!
04| Inception
Leo, you crazy again? I've seen this movie the most out of all the others released this year, and every viewing reveals another insight or suggestion from Nolan. It's really impressive as a mainstream heist flick, and even more impressive as a big-budget metafictional examination of filmmaking. This movie is so about the movies! It plays with cliches and archetypes. It evaluates film technique. It has lots of trombones. And it manages to be fun, despite its so-serious atmosphere. Plus, it's got Marion in a stunning dress...
03| Toy Story 3
This movie is the reason I kicked off my 20th birthday in tears. I was balling like the little kid I was when the first movie came out. But I was also grinning ear to ear for most of the movie's running time. Pixar has filled this movie with a fittingly ecstatic energy: the pure imagination exhibited in the opening chase sequence is breathtaking, and all of it the result of Andy's love for his toys. Beautiful. This movie might glorify the relationship between toy and child, but it utilizes this relationship to perfectly capture the pain of leaving behind childhood for the challenges of adulthood. That themes this important and fitting for its audience are packaged so colorfully in a lovable product is a testament to Pixar's genius. They even snuck Totoro into this movie! It's the perfect ending for a perfect trilogy.
02| True Grit
Saw this one yesterday, fam. When you know, you know. It's a Great Movie, as everybody expects from the Coens, but it's a pretty chill Great Movie. It doesn't call any attention to itself - makes no flashy moves or sweeping gestures. It achieves its greatness through its writing and the character work from its principles. It tells a simple revenge story, and never wanders from this simplicity. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon are hysterical and touching, both subtly revealing the worth of their characters. And outside of Jaden Smith, no other actor made me cheer for her or his character like Hailee Steinfeld. Her Mattie Ross is an inspiration. So is the movie itself.
But OMG, nothing else this year is even close to Black Swan. Admittedly, I'm an Aronofsky fanboy, but this movie is on another level. Homeboy usually finds a way to balance the gracious with the gruesome, always working toward a startling or rewarding conclusion. And usually they're pretty obviously flawed. But here, everything is perfect. Not a single actor misses a mark. Not any of the effects work falls flat. Not any of the dialogue feels forced. It has this sort of unmatched presence that no other movie had this year. Visceral and confrontational is what this movie is. You face your own dark side as you're subjected to Natalie Portman's twisted Nina Sayers. And I wasn't expecting it to be so scary! It was low-key a bit much at times. It just won't leave me alone.
Conclusions
Those were all great! Not as awake and into writing as I usually am, but I felt I had to blast this list out before I could eat or shower today. Oops.
Gears, they change. Umm, it's Christmas. I was really into giving this year. That doesn't usually happen. I'm not tryna be a saint or nothing, I just gave some good gifts.
GAVE
> Madre | The E.N.D. - The Black-Eyed Peas
> Padre | Cleveland CG15 Wedge
> Broseph | Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World BluRay
> My Girl | Pre-order for Pokemon White, a cute book, and a hat
GOT
> A microphone
> A USB/MIDI cable for my keyboard
> Sweaters
> My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on CD
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