I should point out that for the purpose of this list I’m only including films with a 2010 UK release date as shown on the one and only Internet Movie Database.
10 The Social Network (15/10/10)
I will no doubt come in for some grief placing Fincher’s Facebook movie at the lowest possible point of my top ten but bare in my mind, I’ve watched a lot of films this year so tenth spot is by no means an indictment. Whilst I may not have been entirely on board the Social Network bandwagon I was not blind to its many qualities. Sorkin’s script is as fast paced and nuanced as his seminal tenure on The West Wing and his dialogue is expertly delivered by the likes of Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. What prevented the film from creeping up my list was in its unnerving levels of hypocrisy. Facebook founder Zuckerberg is openly condemned for his plans to compare girls with farm animals yet apparently the entry requirements for Harvard girls of the nineties was ‘Must look good in pants’. Sorkin has himself issued an apology for the depiction of girls but sadly that doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable viewing.
9 Going the Distance (27/8/10)
This year may just have been the best of Drew Barrymore’s career to date. As well as making her directorial debut she also found the time to team up with real life beau Justin Long for the surprisingly warm hearted Going the Distance. Last year’s (500) Days of Summer reminded everyone that rom-coms don’t have to be shit and though Going the Distance clearly underwent some post production tweaking to make it more ‘summery’ the final product was an enjoyable investigation of the much discussed long distance relationship scenario. Crucially, Barrymore and Long are assisted by a nicely comedic supporting cast including Christina Applegate, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. As the film’s story requires our two love birds to spend large portions of the film in different states the non-romantic relationships prove just as vital in selling the film and that is what made Going the Distance one of the best date movies of recent years.
8 Easy A
Yet another surprise entry comes in at number eight although with the benefit of hindsight I really should have seen this coming. Patricia Clarkson, Thomas Hayden Church, Stanley Tucci and Emma Stone (one of 2010’s biggest success stories) all in one movie!
After the death of John Hughes in 2009 there could not have been a more fitting tribute than teen comedy Easy A. Like all of Hughes’ icons Stone’s ‘Olive Prendergast’ is the quintessential movie teen, making wrong decisions for all the right reasons. Literally taking her cues from the residents of Sherma, Illinois Prendergast navigates the mine field that is high school with a charisma beyond her years. Although backed up by the (awesome) aforementioned parental units of Tucci and Clarkson this is unquestionably Stones movie and I would imagine 2011 may see her reap the benefits.
7 Iron Man 2 (30/4/10)
When assembling this year’s top ten I had the benefit of having a website full of reviews to scan through. In the process of doing so I noticed that I had written no fewer than three previews for John Favereau’s Iron Man franchise. Thus, despite my incrementing years I am obviously still a slave to my nerdy urges. Thankfully, I managed to retain a level of objectivity when watching Iron Man 2. With the exception of the Don Cheadle upgrade there are few variables in this second outing and as a result it is equal to its predecessor in almost every way. Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell fill the large, villainous shoes left by Jeff Bridges and the introduction of Scarlet Johansen keeps the patter between Downey Jr and Gwyneth Paltrow fresh. Had Iron Man 2 followed the likes of Spider-man 2 and X2 and improved upon the first film in the franchise it may well have crept further up the chart but as it stands it’ll have to make do with a respectable spot just outside the top 5.
6 Four Lions (7/5/2010)
As the conservative government do everything they can to crush the British film industry it pains me to say that Four Lions is the only real ‘Brit Flick’ that has made it into my top ten. Directed by National Anti-treasure Chris Morris Four Lions told the tale of four hapless, wannabe suicide bombers who put the ‘mental’ in ‘fundamentalist’.
As you’d guess from that description the film garnered high levels of discourse amongst the presses with a number of “reviewers” completely missing the point. Christopher Tookey, our favourite Daily Mail contributor here at This Film Is On had this to say about the film’s climax; “The final descent into death and destruction isn’t funny at all”. The ending isn’t supposed to be funny Douchebag! The heightened poignancy of the film comes from the juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy. Yes, the titular Lions are for the most part tokens of slapstick buffoonery, but this is after all, ‘Morrisworld’. What some people still don’t seem to realise is that only by setting the likes of Brass Eye, Nathan Barley and now Four Lions in a caricatured world can Morris accurately critique the real world. Once you accept this, you will see just how good a film Four Lions really is.
5 Inception (16/7/10)
Like The Social Network, the success and popularity of Christopher Nolan’s Inception has resulted in the standard backlash. As more and more people rebel against the general consensus the ruling opinion of a film can begin to level out and with retrospect, a more grounded conclusion can be reached. Inception burst onto cinema screens in a blizzard of hype and critical praise and as a result audiences flocked to see one of the few 2D blockbusters of the year. Like a lot of people I was blown away by Nolan’s intricate weave of story and ground breaking visuals. As is often the case, from the outset, there were those who trumpeted that this was one of the greatest films of all time. Clearly from its middle rank in this list you can see that I am not of that opinion, I don’t even think it’s Christopher Nolan’s best film (The Dark Knight anyone?). However, that is not to say I don’t think it’s a great film. The now iconic corridor scene featuring a tumbling Joseph Gordon Levitt is without doubt one of the most mid blowing sequences of recent times and that Chris Nolan conceived, wrote and directed the film without any outside aid makes it all the more impressive. Though Inception may clean up in the Academy Awards technical categories I suspect the mass positivity surrounding the film may have subsided slightly come ceremony time.
4Whip It (7/4/10)
This year has seen a number of film makers mining the 80’s for inspiration with varying degrees of success. Whilst The Expendables failed to equate to the sum of its parts Easy A may just have rebooted the teen comedy genre. Another staple of the 80’s multiplex was the sports movie, a genre which has floundered at the box office in recent years. Though Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut may not have proved particularly lucrative for Fox Searchlight it’s reviews were, for the most part very positive.
Documenting the life and loves of roller derby new comer Bliss (Ellen Paige) aka ‘Babe Ruthless’ Whip It is an exciting and uplifting tale of passion and determination. Despite a thirty year career in the business this marks Barrymore’s first stint behind the camera and she has proved herself more than capable. The energy and vitality that flows through the derby scenes are filmed with a level of competency that hints that Barrymore may just be one to watch for the future. On top of the film itself Barrymore has assembled what is probably the soundtrack of the year featuring the likes of The Ramones, Peaches and The Go! Team.
3 Kick-Ass (26/3/10)
With the benefit of hindsight it’s hard to believe that a number of big studios passed on Kick-Ass before Matthew Vaughn took it upon himself to scrape together the funds during a lucrative dinner party. Thankfully Kick-Ass is all the better for it: No studio interference meant that Mark Millar’s masterwork of violence and wit reached the screen without the sticky little poor prints of unskilled executives.
As well as being a great film, Matthew Vaughn’s comic book adaptation had one other weapon in its arsenal, controversy. For some reason the sight of a thirteen year old girl saying “cunt” was too much for some journalists who decided that the film was some kind of abomination. Of course, if they only befriended their own teenage daughters on facebook they’d probably realise a few “cunts” were the least of their worries. Nevertheless, the controversy only leads to more buzz and more buzz has lead to a potential sequel Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall. Pencilled in for a 2012 release, I know I’ll be one of the first in line.
2 Winter’s Bone (17/9/10)
Although you may not think it to look at them, there are a significant number of thematic similarities shared by my top two films. That is probably why I had such a hard time deciding who would clinch top spot. In both films, the leader of a family unit is forced to leave their comfort zone and embark on a hazardous journey in order to keep their makeshift families together. Winter’s Bone was a big hit on the festival circuit and whilst it was unable to achieve the wider release it deserved it has managed to attract enough attention to still be on the lips of judging panels all over the place. Though I suspect it may be over looked for the big three come Oscar time (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay) only an absolute travesty stands between youngling Jennifer Lawrence and a nomination for best Actress. Whether she wins is another matter: The Actress category is proving to be one of the most competitive in years with heady levels of buzz surrounding more seasoned faces like Natalie Portman, Michelle Williams and Keira Knightley. What I hope is that the film generates enough noms for a much deserved, wider release so more people can discover Debra Granik’s hidden gem. Keep your eyes on the site for a full review of the movie when the DVD comes out later this month.
1 Toy Story 3 (19/7/10)
I know, I know. Hardly a controversial choice for the number one spot, but the latest Pixar classic was just that, a classic. Rounding off one of the most consistent trilogies of all time Toy Story signalled the long awaited return of Buzz, Woody and co and in the eleven years since Toy Story 3 John Lasseter and friends have done nothing but hone their already impressive story telling skills. The result? A film that can make you laugh and ball like a hysterical baby, all in one single scene. As I mentioned earlier, it was very nearly a dead heat for first place but the experience of watching TS3 on the world’s largest IMAX screen in Darling Harbour (Australia) seems to have been enough to push Lee Unkirch’s film over the top. Whether the Academy award judges feel the same is another matter. With the new fangled ten best picture nominations idea Toy Story 3 is surely guaranteed a nomination for best picture but whether it can win remains to be seen. Rumour is Pixar may be rewarded symbolically for the whole trilogy much in the same way Return of the King was back in 2004. Whether this happens, we’ll have to wait and see. All I know is that it’s got my vote.
The Also Rans
Cyrus: An intriguing film so horrendously miss marketed it undoubtedly hindered its performance.
Despicable Me: Whilst the little yellow minions were responsible for some of the biggest laughs of the year it still wasn’t enough to elevate the movie to Pixar’s level.
Back to the Future: Enjoying a cinematic release to celebrate its 25th birthday this classic was without question one of the best films I saw this year. Apparently though, it doesn’t count.
