Even in a somewhat disappointing year I have trouble narrowing it down to a top ten list. So here are all of the films that I thought were somewhat significant in 2010, presented in alphabetical order:
I had my doubts that a film like this could work, being that the majority of the film is about a man trapped alone in small space, but Danny Boyle takes full advantage of those limitations and delivers a visceral experience that will put you through the wringer along side ill-fated climber Aron Ralston. Being based on a true story, most viewers may have already been familiar with Ralston's plight and his decision to amputate to his own arm in order to escape. Boyle doesn't pull any punches in the climax and this scene is responsible for more than a few moviegoers losing their lunch, but at its heart this isn't a gross out movie, just an inspiring tale of a man's will to live.
Black Swan - dir. Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky is a master of psychological horror and seeing him apply that to the insular world of ballet was a treat. Despite using one of the highest arts as his subject, the comparisons to Paul Verhoven's "Showgirls" were warranted. Those expecting an artsy film about ballerinas got something more trashy and exploitative. The film goes a little too over the top for some people but I was pleased to see Aronofsky return to his strengths, a la "Pi" and "Requiem for a Dream". Black Swan is worth watching just for Natalie Portman's portrayal of a dancer striving for perfection but descending into madness.
Carlos - dir. Olivier Assayas
The problem I have with most biopics is that most people's lives can't be contained in two hours. There is a 5½ hour cut of this film out there, originally made for french television. I was only able to see the abbreviated 140 minute version but it left me wanting more. The film spans two decades in the life of international terrorist "Carlos the Jackal". The shorter cut doesn't spend much time on the Carlos' actual politics, instead it focused on the methods of political agitation. This film expects the audience to already have a grasp on radical politics, which is perhaps a more realistic expectation for European audiences than American ones, but the film is so expertly crafted and brilliantly acted that it's hard to dislike. Assasyas has found a real star in Edgar Ramirez, who gives one of the best performances of the year.
Dogtooth - dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
This Greek film is one of the strangest and most memorable films of the year. Dogtooth is the story of three children, now adults, raised in complete isolation from the outside world. The naturally inquisitive kids are taught the wrong words for things (i.e. a "zombie" is a small yellow flower) and conditioned to fear things like the stray cat that wanders into their yard. While the parents' motivations are never quite explained it's clear that their methods will eventually lead to disaster. The film uses a very strict visual framing to heighten tension and create an uncomfortable feeling. Dogtooth is a condemnation of any oppressive regime (China) which constantly feeds its citizens misinformation to maintain order.
Enter the Void - dir. Gaspar Noe
At 154 minutes, this film constantly borders on being self-indulgent but it you can manage to sit with it long enough it will manage to put you under its spell. Like Noe's previous film, "Irreversible", it can be hard to watch at times but also difficult to turn away from. The films narrative is either a bad drug trip or a glimpse into the afterlife, as our protagonist is killed in the first half hour and spends the rest of the film flashing back to key moments in his life as well as hovering above the people he has left behind in the aftermath of his death. Noe makes some very bold cinematic choices, for instance shooting the entire film from either a first person perspective or holding back just behind the shoulder of our subject, rarely showing his face. Due to some overlong psychedelic sequences the film may try your patience but it eventually rewards you for sticking with it. This is the kind of film that you experience rather than watch, although the experience isn't a very pleasant one.
Exit Through the Gift Shop - dir. Banksy / The Art of the Steal - dir. Don Argott
This year saw documentaries at opposite ends of the spectrum on essentially the same subject: the commodification of art.
Banksy, arguably the world's most famous and mysterious contemporary artist, chronicles the rise of street art through footage shot by his friend, Thierry Guetta. When Guetta's planned documentary turns out to be somewhat of a disaster, Banksy turns the cameras on Guetta and chronicles his friend's overnight transformation into "Mr. Brainwash". Guetta's relationship with Banksy and other street artists seems to lend some validation to his art, which goes on to sell nearly a million dollars worth at his first showing. While Mr. Brainwash may or not be a hoax perpetrated by the filmmaker, Exit Through the Gift Shop serves as a statement on the nature of art world, where value is manufactured through artificial means.
The Art of the Steal is a much more formal documentary that deals with the fate of the world's most valuable private art collection. The collection, originally compiled by Albert C. Barnes and housed at The Barnes Foundation, an education institute, is valued at more than $25 billion dollars. The documentary, which has a definite viewpoint, argues that the moneyed establishment essentially stole the collection by relocating it to the Philadelphia Art Museum, despite Barnes' wishes in his will. While the evidence that the film presents is fairly convincing from a legal standing it also raises the question of who art really belongs to. Should a collection consisting of some of the most famous paintings in the world be housed in a private collection or should they be shared with the public? The film doesn't really address this but it pretty clear that some rich and powerful people became more rich and powerful upon the illegal acquisition of this collection.
Four Lions - dir. Christopher Morris
The best comedy often comes from the most uncomfortable places. While this film may be the very definition of "too soon", you have to wonder exactly when it would ever be appropriate to make a screwball comedy about jihadist suicide bombers. Nearly everyone in this film is a bumbling idiot. Despite its seemingly ridiculous concept it's intelligent dissection of fanaticism in the same way that Dr. Strangelove was a spot on examination of nuclear annihilation. Rather than demonize them, Four Lions almost convinces you to sympathize with these guys only because they are clueless and likable. This is bold and risky film making and it stands as the most socially important comedy of the year.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 - dir. David Yates
I generally don't consider the Harry Potter series when making out my year end lists, mainly because they feel like disposable entertainment, or Cliff's Notes versions of the books. But something strange happened during the adaptation of the final chapter of Harry's adventures. As I was reading the novel I suspected that it might be unfilmable. The story breaks from the familiar formula of the previous novels and crams in a lot necessary exposition, which the films tend to gloss over in favor of action. When the decision was made to break the final chapter into two films I cynically thought that they wanted to milk the cash cow for all it was worth. I was wrong. The decision to break it into two films was a blessing. It allows the film to explore all the details, nuance and great character moments that make the book so satisfying. Despite not being a complete story and being the most of bleak of the series to date, it's arguably the best portrayal of the Harry Potter universe to date and one of the most mature fantasy films ever made. If only the entire film series could have been made with this level of dedication....
I Am Love - dir. Luca Guadagnino
Such a beautiful looking movie, even when dealing with such ugly things. Tilda Swinton stars as a Russian-born Italian housewife whose affair with a family friend threatens to destroy her precariously balanced upper class world. The film's plot, dealing with forbidden desire and a rich family, is typical melodrama but Swinton's performance and the gorgeous cinematography elevate it to a very engaging and heart-breaking tale. This film also belongs to a very small sub-genre that I call "Food Porn", in which the preparation and consumption of food on screen is every bit as enticing as the sex scenes.
Inception - dir. Christopher Nolan
As much as I hate to fall in line with mainstream opinion, I have to admit that Inception was probably the best film of the year, and proof that audiences are actually more intelligent than Hollywood generally gives them credit for. Inception is a roller coaster ride for your mind. There was somewhat of a critical backlash, only because of the near universal fervor over this film. Many people wanted to criticize it for what it wasn't, for instance: if you can imagine anything in the dream world why imagine such mundane things as cars and guns, why not dinosaurs that shoot laser beams out of their eyes? Or some wonder why most of the side characters lack depth and only exist to provide exposition to the audience. Or why there seems to be no real villain. People that start thinking down that path don't realize the genius that Christopher Nolan has concocted. It's working within limitations that actually produce the greatest art. Inception is essentially the story of one man's battle within himself and everything else, while seemingly important in the context of the dream, is only window dressing. How many summer movies choose man vs himself as the central conflict? Inception is the kind of film that keeps you thinking about it long after you've seen it and the kind of intelligent idea-driven sci-fi that Hollywood rarely makes.
Mother - dir. Bong Joon-Hoo
Bong Joon-Hoo, along with Park Chan-Wook, have been responsible for putting South Korean cinema on the map by creating some of the most unusual films on the international scene. Bong's previous film, "The Host", was a surprisingly good take on the Godzilla archetype, which at its heart was really just a film about a family's love and will to survive. His new film, "Mother", shares that same family bond but within a different genre. His newest outing owes a lot more to the mystery/suspense films of Hitchcock. South Korean culture might be somewhat foreign to us but a mother's love for her son is something that easily transcends those boundaries. If you were accused of a crime how far would your mother go to prove your innocence? Or cover up your guilt? This is a darkly beautiful and surprising film from one South Korea's auteurs.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - dir. Edgar Wright
The pre-release buzz and positive word of mouth on this film was so enormous and yet it essentially bombed at the box office. Once I saw it I realized why - it's aimed at such a narrow slice of the population - hipsters who grew up on late 80's video games. Finding myself within that demographic, I really enjoyed it. Scott Pilgrim, which is an incredibly faithful adaptation of graphic novel series, is smartly written and an amazing translation of video-game-by-way-of comics comedy action sequences. Michael Cera even manages to play a character other than Michael Cera. It's not a perfect movie - for one thing Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers is positively dull. I think you have to be culturally predisposed to this kind of thing to really appreciate it. If you didn't grow up playing Double Dragon on your NES you may not get it, but those of us who do - we're ok with that.
The Social Network - dir. David Fincher
I remember hearing about this film when it was in development and I scoffed at the idea of "The Facebook Movie" even if it was being penned by Aaron Sorkin. I'm sure much credit will be given to director David Fincher when he picks up his Best Picture Oscsar in a few months but I feel like this is really a Sorkin movie. I desperately wish to live in a world written by Aaron Sorkin, where everyone is quick-witted, intelligent and funny. Thank god this movie was not about Facebook. It's about some very old human conflicts like betrayal, revenge, power, ambition and regret. When I first saw it I was reminded of Oliver Stone's "Wall Street", in which young men cheat the system and exercise some questionable ethics to obtain wealth and power. In this regard, The Social Network is more of a sequel to Wall Street than Stones own sequel, also released this year.
Splice - dir. Vincenzo Natali
I have to single out at least one good sci-fi movie, even if it does go off the rails in the third act. The ethical quandries in this film will make you uncomfortable but I think that's what any good hard sci-fi film will do. A pair of genetic engineers successfully splice human DNA with a number of other creatures, creating something that is recognizably human yet wild enough to be dangerous. The special effects here are minimal but very effective in transforming actress Delphine Chaneac into this hybrid creature and creating instant sympathy with the audience. The conflict arises when her creators start treating her more like a child than an experiment and attempts to hide her from their employers threaten to destroy all of their work. Oh, and Adrien Brody has sex with it. Did I mention uncomfortable? Even though it strays too far into typical horror movie territory at the end, the first two thirds of the film offer some challenging moral and ethical questions.
Toy Story 3 - dir. Lee Unkrich
I'm not ashamed to say that an animated film about toys elicited more strong emotions from me than any other film this year. Toy Story 3 is probably the best of an excellent trilogy of films. Even though it was produced with state of the art technology it's still a great film in a classic sense. There were few films this year that were as terrifying, exciting, suspenseful, funny, or as sad as Toy Story 3. I've heard that Pixar is lobbying hard for a best picture nomination and despite being animated, I think it's going to be hard to deny it. Seriously man, I'm not crying, it's just allergies.
True Grit - dir. Joel and Ethan Coen
I suppose the most surprising thing the Coen Brothers could do at this point is to make a completely straightforward genre film, totally devoid of irony. This isn't one of their best movies and it's not even a great western but it is a solid and satisfying adventure film, the type of which Hollywood has almost lost the ability to make. 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld is the heart of the film and deserves any praise likely to be laid upon her as awards season approaches.
Valhalla Rising - dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
This film owes a lot to Werner Herzog's classic "Aguirre: Wrath of God.", almost to the point of plagairism. If it weren't so damn hynpotizing I would probably be offended. Instead of Aguirre's party of conquistadors we follow a lone norse warrior who joins a group of Christians during the Crusades. It's a journey into madness and violence presents us with some of the most stunning visuals I have seen in a long time.
Winter's Bone - dir. Debra Granik
A lot of fuss has been made about newcomer Hailee Steinfeld's performance in True Grit but I hope it doesn't overshadow that of Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. Lawrence plays a young Ozark girl in search of her meth-cooking fugitive father before her family's house is taken from her. While other actors in the movie seem to be doing their best hillbilly impression, Lawrence plays her part with a natural determination. The film surprisingly veers off into Stephen King short story territory but it stays just this side of realistic to prove that not all horror is make believe.