Long story short, this was supposed to be a video. It's not now. As this was once a script, please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors, I really didn't intend for this to be seen in text so I didn't worry about it too much. Also, If there are any directions I wrote for myself that I missed, ignore those to.
So it's finally 2011, one year closer to a terrible Mayan death, and what better way to bring in the New Year then to continue living in the past. And Just like everyone who has a camera and watches movies I've got my own ideas of the Top ten films of 2010. So lets take a look at my opinion, and then you can angrily type at me that I ranked Scott Pilgrim too high....Spoiler alert...
Before I get into the list however, I want to take a look at the films that just couldn't make it into a top ten. Either because there was something wrong with it the just edged it out of the running, or because it was just plain out classed.
First up Despicable Me. Despicable me is A Dreamworks films starring Steve Carrel in his first animated role. And I Like anyone who goes into a Steve Carrell film went in with really low expectations. And in spite of that, or maybe because of that, I enjoyed it a lot more then I though I would I laughed, teared up a bit, and most Importantly, I didn't feel like I wasted my money. So if I liked it so damn much, why isn't it on the top ten. Well, Unfortunately, It just got outclassed by the other ones. I'm not saying it was an easy decision. But it was one that had to be made.
Secondly, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One Based on the Novel Push by Precious the Official Movie of the Novel. I've always been a huge Harry Potter Nerd. In fact I've seen every single move in the theatres and read the entire series at least 3 times. And I'm single ladies. And this films is actually the best one in the series, and it freshens up the story line, take it out of Hogwarts and puts the protagonist in what feels to the audience as legitimate danger. So, why didn't this one make it? Because it really did feel like a part one of a story. I know that was the whole point, but I left the theatre feeling unfulfilled somehow Sure it left me wanting to see the next part, but I felt like I was left hanging, and I'm not exactly a fan of that. But all in all it was still a fantastic film. Anyone who considers themselves a fan should go see it.
Now that we got those losers out of the way, it's time to get into the list proper. So what films should you have rushed out to see but didn't because you're a horrible horrible person? This is the top 10 movies of 2011
Number ten- Kick Ass
Kick-ass is an independent film Directed by Mathew Vaughn based on the comic by the same name , in which a teenager, played by Aron Johnson Wonders why no one has ever tried to be a superhero. It's an action comedy, and a really dark one at that. Certain scenes are actually really disturbing, and having them inter spliced with comedy is almost off putting in a way. Like your never quite sure when to laugh. But you do anyway. The star of this movie has to be Chloe Moretz. At only 11 years old she turns in a performance that's both hilarious and touching. Plus she has one of the greatest lines in cinema history. Kick-ass is a film the transends genre. It's comedy, action, satire, a comic book movie, that makes fun of comic book movies, while still being a great one in and of itself
Number 9 The Fighter
The Fighter is a bio films on Irish Micky Ward, in the early stages of his carer before his first title win Directed by David O Russel and Starring Mark Whalberg Micky and Christain Bale as his crack addicted brother Dickie Eckland, the movie turns in a gritty realistic view of Wards life. Shot fantastically, with a script that never feels to wordy or too long. The film flows well except for a little hitch in the second act where it starts to drag a little. While I have no problem with Russel's Directing, The big problem here is in the Lead, Mark Whalberg is a fantastic actor when he plays the right character, this however isn't it. Whalberg doesn't have the emotional depth it takes to play someone as conflicted as Micky Ward What saves this film however is Bales performance as Dickie Ecklund. Bale once again starves himself to get the emaciated look to accurately portray the crack addicted Ecklund Bales mannerisms and speech cadence are pitch perfect in his portrayal and is absolutely Oscar award winning stuff.
Also, real quick,
how do you do a film about Micky Ward and Barely talk about Arturio Gatti? The Hell?
Number 8 Buried
One of humanities biggest fears is being burred alive Slowly running out of air, and no way out.
This is what buries explores, very effectively I might add. Ryan Reynolds stars in the most claustrophobic movie of the year. The entire film takes place in a coffin, 6 feat under with Reynolds slowly running out of air, terrified that he'll never get out. Now this films could of ended terribly, never leaving the coffin, it could of been boring and repetitive. It isn't. You know why? Because Ryan Reynolds is a great actor, and his character is smart, the entire film could be him screaming and trying to break the coffin. But he doesn't. Rodrigo Cortez's direction is fantastic, we only have communication through a telephone. This is one of the few movie that, if I could of, I would of held my breath the whole way through.
Number 7 The A team
Enough of this Oscar Contender stuff. Lets blow some stuff up! In this remake of the Classic 80's show, Liam Neeson, Bradly Cooper, Sharlto Copley and Rampage Jackson star as the titular A team. A group of soldiers convicted of a crime they didn't commit run and try to clear there name.
Not the best acted, not the best scripted, not the best directed, but it is awesome, and is what summer blockbusters should always be fun to watch. It's funny, action packed, sand it stars Oskar Schindler for some reason.
Number 6 Black Swan
Now lets go from a movie that will blow some stuff up, to one that will blow your mind. Black Swan is Darren Arronofsky attempt to make me never want to sleep again. Staring Natalie portman as a ballet dancer, wanting to get the lead in Swan Lake. Now she can pull off the sweet innocent side of the dance, but does she have it in her to let go and tackle the dark side? Well without spoiling anything. Portman pulls of off in one of the best performances of her career as a women slowly going insane. Mila Kunas co stars in the best film of her career as well, and I'm always surprised at the performances she puts in. She is indeed a fantastic actress, making her bit part on family guy all the sadder. Kunis is the Catalyst to the events in the films starting everything in motion. Throughout the film, we're never sure if she's on our side or not. And even now looking back on it, I'm not sure if half of what I saw was even real. Darren Arronofsky once again has flawless direction. Making ever scene tense to the point where you just want it to end, to turn into something good, you want the film to let you breath even for a moment. But it doesn't. Up until the end your on pins and nettles wondering what the hell will happen next but at the same time your not sure if you want to know. Very rarely am I as stuck to the screen as I was for Black Swan. A fantastic film that I'm pretty sure I'll never watch again.
Here's where things get difficult, the top five is about as close as you can get, any one of these films could have over taken the one in front of it if not for one thing or another, albeit personal taste was a major factor in some of these but at any rate.
Number 5 127 Hours
Aka the reason why I don't go outside. 127 hours is a bio pic of Aron Ralston, a man with
the worst luck in the entire goddam world. While Hiking in a canyon one day he took a bit of a fall, into a crevice A thousand pound bolder immobilizing his arm, he's pretty much stuck there. He wouldn't be in so much trouble if he had told people where he was going...he didn't James Franco is perfectly cast as the main character having the emotional depth that Whalberg lacks. Like Buried. 127 hours stays relatively still focusing most of it's attention on Ralston, with occasional flashbacks to times where he wasn't so utterly screwed. The Way Danny Boyle directs this film is masterful, with everything from the sound to the cinematography being some of the best I've ever seen. And Like his previous film Slumdog Millionaire, you know the ending, you can see it coming, and in this case, it was all over the news, but you still wonder, and it's still as tense as ever. As the film goes deeper and deeper, you can see the realization o n Ralston face, that he will probably die here, and Franco plays that with such realism that you almost grow connected to this guy you've never met and probably made the stupidest decision you've ever seen outside of a horror film. The one part of this film the everyone seems to centre in on is when he is forced to amputate his own arm in order to save his own life. PS this isn't a spoiler, it's all over the news. It's shown in very gruesome detail, and is probably the most graphic thing I've ever seen. That includes any horror film you've ever seen. But it's not pointless, it's not thrown in for shock value. It's in there because it actually happened. I always think of the guts it took to do something like that, and whither or not I could. And a lot of people, when posed this question say no, the couldn't, but I imagine if you'd asked the same question to Aron Ralston in 2002 he'd probably say no too.
Number 4 The Social Network.
I'll bet you five bucks that as you're listening to me right now, you're on facebook on another tab, if you said no, your a dirty rotten liar. Facebook has become so ingrained in our culture that its almost a cliche to have one. The Social Network Written by Arron Sorkin and Directed by David Fincher explores the creation on Facebook, and asks the question of whether or not Mark Zuckerberg Stole the idea from the Winklevoss' The film is on neither side. Simply putting it the facts on the table and telling the story as is Although It probably went down a little different then that. Jessie Eisenberg plays Zuckerberg in a big departure from his normal roles. His normal Roles being completely interchangeable with Micheal Cera. But here he plays a brash and cocky personality that's far more insecure then he lets on. In fact the movie starts with him being dumped after contemplating far to hard on what people think of him. And Speaking of departures, Justin Timberlake plays former Napster founder Sean Parker, a paranoid self made billionaireee that was essential in Zuckerberg's turning on His friend anco-foundererr of Face book Eduardo Saverine, Played by new Spiderman Andrew Garfield. It pains me to say that Justin Timberlake comes off as a really good actor in this film. Like Really good. However he kind of dampens that reputation after appearing in yogi bear. Well you can't win 'em all, The social network will be the movie we look back on in 20 years to see a snapshot of how things were back then. A movie that might of been made before it's time, The Social Network shows that you cant get to 5 00 million friends, without making a few enemies
Number 3 Toy Story
This movie will make grown men cry tears of sorrow they have never felt before. Toy story is the quintessential Pixar film in which they use everything they've ever learned and use it to demolish you emotional psyche. Andy is now college age and leaving his home behind him, this of course means that the toys will have to stay. In the course of the movie they go through the most traumatic thing I think a toy can go through. The animation is fantastic in every sense of the word, each character is lovingly detailed, the environments are picture perfect, the voice casting, the art design and the direction all come together in an animated movie that will go down as a classic for years and years to come. And one of the few movies I own on Blu Ray. Unfortunately I will probably never watch it again. I mean I'm not easily emotionally shaken... Okay I have the emotional stability of a little girl, but still.
Number 2- Scott Pilgrim vs The World
Why the hell didn't you go see this you fools? This is by far the funniest film I've ever seen, self referential, witty, and with surprisingly bad ass action scenes. Micheal Cera plays Scott Pilgrim Who...well...is Micheal Cera, lets face it. Scott is in love with Ramona Flowers an American Free spirit who has a little trouble in the whole dating thing. Scott must fight against Ramona's 7 evil ex boyfriends, don't ask just go with it, in order to win her love. Edgar Wright, the director is at his best when directing, every shot is pitch perfect withoutt being over bearing, all the little comic book references are there without being intrusive. And Like his Previous works, Shawn of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz, which by the way If you haven't seen THOSE, what the hell is wrong with you. The movie is a comedy, and a satire, of the genre, while still being a pretty good movie within the genre. Exceptional performances by Cera, Mary Winstead, Ellen Wong and Kieran Culkan tie this thing together to make the best comedy action movie I've ever seen. And I hated putting it at number two.
Bur the only reason it's at number two is because number one is, without a doubt in my mind the best movie I've ever seen, and one of the best ever made. Have you figured it out yet?
Number 1. Inception
You ever have a dream you were so sure was real? Inception takes the mind bending concept of dreams and turns it into an action thriller. Christopher Nolan, who you might know as The Dark Knight guy, you uneducated philistines, takes his first original script in 12 years and makes it one of the best theatre going experiences I've ever had. It's hard to describe this movie. Leo DiCaprio plays Dominic Cobb, a man schooled in the art of entering the dreams of others, he was extradited from the US. Now residing wherever people will hire him. He is commissioned by A Japanese business man played by the horribly underrated Ken Wantanabe, to pull Inception, which is instead of taking an idea, you plant one in, so deep into the psyche that the dreamer fully believes it was his idea. Inception is the one film on this list where I left the theatre shaking. Shaking in anticipation to talk about it, shaking in contemplation at what the ending means. Shaking because I knew that what I just saw was a one and a million million movie that will never be duplicated in any way. There's no way for my description to do it justice. Performances by DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joesph Gordon Levitt, and the criminally underused Cillian Murphy make this the Number one movie of the year.
So that's that ten different movie all fantastic in there own way brought down to there knees by Christopher Nolan. So What will 2011 bring us, well the new Transformers movie is coming out...
So that was that. While you're here go check out Aaron Deneau's youtube channel as he was to be my editor for this thing, but as it is now a text based review, it kind of makes that a moot point, and this is, literally, the least I could do.
He's this guy: http://www.youtube.com/user/CowPublishingInk
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