1. The Social Network
It's really not even close. From the opening scene of Mark Zuckerberg getting dumped by his girlfriend, to the haunting last shot, The Social Network is as perfect as any movie was in 2010. Jesse Eisenberg, who had two movies on my top 10 of 2009, delivers the best performance of his career as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Everything about his performance, from hand gestures, to eye movements, is absolutely brilliant. Of course, it always helps an actor when he is working with an absolutely impeccable script. The script was written by Aaron Sorkin, and it delivers quick as a whip dialogue and a wonderful story telling scheme. David Fincher directs his best movie since Fight Club, and supporting performances by Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake just add to the movie's brilliance. It defines a generation and feels like a modern day Citizen Kane; if Shakespeare were still alive, this is the kind of thing he would be writing. Betrayal, revenge, greed...this movie has everything.
2. Toy Story 3
If a bunch of animated toys can make people cry, then the movie that they're in must be good. I'll admit it, I choked up at the end, just like everyone else who saw Toy Story 3. It's really a grand achievement in storytelling, as it is hilarious and heartbreaking, and there are no real people in the movie. Kids will love it, adults will probably love it more, if you can't appreciate the genius of this movie, then you simply don't get movies. Quentin Tarantino said this was the best movie of 2010; I think if it wasn't for The Social Network it would be.
3. Exit Through the Gift Shop
All the controversy surrounding the legitimacy of this fascinating documentary, just makes the movie more fascinating. Whether it's all a hoax or actually true, there's no denying that its an amazing look at the world of street art and and brings forth a fascinating debate about what is actually art. The mysterious street artist Banksy is credited with directing the movie and he does a hell of job taking the movie places you never see it going. Oh, it's also super entertaining and very funny. It's the best documentary of a year filled with great documentaries, and everyone should seek this movie out and watch it.
4. The Kids are All Right
This is an outstanding look at a modern family living in California and the issues they face. The family also happens to have two moms. When the kids track down their sperm donor biological father (Mark Ruffalo) hilarity and heartbreak ensue. Annette Bening has received much critical acclaim for her role as one of the mothers and will rightfully be nominated at the Oscars, but Julianne Moore is equally as awesome, looking just as hot as she did over a decade ago in Boogie Nights. Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, who happens to be gay, the film doesn't harp on the fact that the family has two moms but instead focuses on the problems that every family faces, no matter who the parents are.
5. Black Swan
Genious director Darren Aranofsky delivers again, and while this is not as good as Requiem for a Dream or The Wrestler, Black Swan is pretty damn amazing. It might be the most polarizing film of the year, with some people absolutely loving it, while others hate it, but there's no denying the perfection of Natalie Portman's performance. Unfortunately Portman met her fiance while making this film, which means she's off the market, but besides that everything about her in this movie is stunning. The audience sees her transformation throughout the movie as the pressure her character is under starts to overtake her mind; her art starts to invade her life. Rounding out the excellent ensemble cast is Mila Kunis (really sexy), Vincent Cassel (really eerie), Barbara Hershey (really scary), and Winona Ryder (really whoa!). It's essentially an art house horror flick, with some of the coolest cinematography I've ever seen. If you can handle it, see this movie.
6. The Fighter
One of the best sports movies of all time, but it's really not about sports. The Fighter is really more about family and relationships than it is about boxing, and it's all centered around a very good, subtle performance by Mark Wahlberg. Overshadowing Marky Mark though, is Christian Bale who is utterly dumfounding as the crack addicted brother of Mark Wahlberg's Mickey Ward. Bale will almost certainly win his first Oscar for this role, and he definitely deserves to. The strong female characters though, are really what sets this film apart as Amy Adams and Melissa Leo do a superb job as Mickey's girlfriend and mother respectively. I was especially impressed with Adams who gives the best performance of her career. It's a crowd pleaser, it's inspirational, and it's really funny at times as well. I loved The Fighter.
7. The King's Speech
Incredibly powerful and moving, The King's Speech is a period piece that puts all other period movies to shame. Yes, it's historical and about the royal family of England just before WWII, but make no mistake this movie is much more than just a fancy historical biopic. Essentially it's the story of a friendship as Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush play the King and his speech therapist, respectively. Both actors do an amazing job, and both will be nominated for Oscars, with Firth a good bet to win best actor. It's very inspirational and touching, but not without dashes of brilliant comedy. The movie is at its best when Firth and Rush are given the chance to go one on one with each other, as the two powerhouse actors show how it's done.
8. 127 Hours
James Franco is a force of nature, as he plays Aaron Ralston, in the true story of a mountain climber who was stuck under a boulder for 127 hours and forced to cut off his arm to survive. Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) puts his signature touches on a story that essentially stays in one place for basically the whole movie, making it enthralling for a feature length film. The finale scene is gut wrenching and people passed out in theaters when it debuted, as it is incredibly intense and captivating. I mean, the guy cuts off his arm. The movie simply would not work without the best performance of James Franco's career, but he gives it and will be awarded with an Oscar nomination for it.
9. Inception
Despite have some glaring flaws and some minor plot holes, Christopher Nolan's epic piece of Hollywood filmmaking is an awesome, spectacular movie. While it steals here and there from films like The Matrix and 20o1: A Space Odyssey, it is mostly completely original. It is absolutely entertaining, demands multiple viewings, resisted the temptation of 3D, and has the sickest special effects of 2010. The floating fight scene in the hotel hallway is worth seeing the movie alone. Leonardo DiCaprio is great as always and the rest of the cast does a worthy job, but the strength of Inception lies in its story and structure. People will be talking about this movie for years to come, and it has already become a major piece of American popular culture.
10. Please Give
For some reason this small gem of a movie has been completely ignored by end of the year awards, but it won't be by me. This film hits you hard, with brutally funny comedy and deeply personal drama. Amazing performances all around , especially by Catherine Keener and Rebecca Hall, and a great screenplay by Nicole Holofcener make this one of the best movies about people living in New York City since Woody Allen was in his prime. It's a tough film to swallow and it really makes you think about the society we live in, I wish this movie was getting more award attention because it really deserves it.
The next 10 best movies from 2010:
How To Train Your Dragon
The Town
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Leaves of Grass
Holy Rollers
Kick-Ass
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Shutter Island
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Lebanon
