A lot of people are unhappy with the changes Netflix has made, but I still think they offer the best service out there (mostly due to their Watch Instantly library). Here’s 10 reasons why:
1. All the Criterion films on Instant. New and old, there’s a lot and they keep adding more.
2. Every season of Mad Men is on Instant. The new season doesn’t start until 2012, you have plenty of time to catch up.
I’m going to go along with my counterparts here and also do my Top 10 List based off of films I saw in 2010, not necessarily films that came out in 2010 (although I think the majority of my picks do qualify as 2010 releases). However, unlike John and Susan’s lists I did not think this was the year that movies died ;). I did see quite a few films this year, and there were some good ones, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was a pretty lackluster year for film. Luckily, the few that were good were really good. Ok, here we go:
10. SONS OF CUBA
I saw “Sons of Cuba” at the Palm Springs Film Festival and was really surprised it didn’t get better distribution. When I saw the film they were having problems with the projector and there were these large green lines that ran vertically across the screen, but this little film was so absorbing that within minutes no one in the the theater even remembered they were there. Five years ago this film would’ve been a hit, unfortunately documentaries aren’t as popular as they used to be since the general public has ended its fleeting love affair with Michael Moore.
This is one of those documentaries where the filmmakers turn their cameras on all the right people and capture all the right moments. Very heartwarming and uplifting–you want to stand up and cheer by the final scene.
9. REVANCHE
(trailer NSFW)
Subtle, but not at all boring. This film slowly draws you in and keeps you in with its beautiful cinematography. There’s enough time with every shot to really take in each frame and appreciate it. While the tone and photography are what I loved most about this film, it’s also a great spin on a familiar genre.
8. THE ROAD
Beautifully bleak. Bleak in its setting, but beautiful in its examination of a father-son-relationship. I really tried seeing this film in 2009, but finally ended up seeing it in early 2010. The acting in this film, all across the board, was just outstanding. I really like John Hillcoat’s direction and am excited to see what he does next. The fact that they don’t explain what caused the apocalypse in this film made it so much more real and relatable.
7. CHILDREN OF INVENTION
This is what independent film is all about: it’s a low-budget original story that is so well-told it seems effortless. I was really impressed with the all-around production of this film, Tze Chun did a great job and I can’t wait to see more from him. I also have to acknowledge the fantastic editing by Anna Boden. I think it really took this film to the next level.
6. COLLAPSE
Chris Smith, who directed my favorite documentary of all time, returns to making docs and introduces us to the brilliant mind of Michael Ruppert. I think this should be required viewing, after seeing this I contemplated joining the Amish community. I wouldn’t say it’s so much chilling as it is informative. Smith goes with an Errol Morris approach here (even down to the Phillip Glass-inspired soundtrack), but it works perfectly and was definitely the right choice.
5. AFTERSCHOOL
Antonio Campos has arrived. This film is daring, full realized, and absolutely horrifying. Probably one of the most disturbing film experiences I’ve had next to Fat Girl, Funny Games, and Irreversible. Yet I’m still recommending it. Why? Because I think it exposes us, while also warning us, of the next generation that we have created: a generation that is so desensitized at such a young age that the things they are capable of is unfathomable. Ezra Miller gives a brilliant performance and Campos makes sure every shot is inspired by the story. For instance, the final shot of the film is so haunting because you realize at that point that you are completely vulnerable and that the unexpected could happen at any moment, and that perfect last shot really epitomizes the film.
4. THE SOCIAL NETWORK
I was one of the first to say, “a Facebook movie? Really?”, but like many others I ended up eating those words. Once Fincher and Sorkin were attached and I found out more about the source material I was definitely less skeptical and suddenly this film became one of my most anticipated of the year. 2010 seemed like a year where most films didn’t live up to the hype, but I felt that “The Social Network” was one of the few that actually delivered. This is a definitive film of our generation and a story that is, as they say, stranger than fiction. Prime movie-making material. I also commend Fincher, who is usually really heavy on effects, for sort of taking a backseat and letting the great script by Aaron Sorkin tell the story.
3. HUNGER
I was first introduced to director Steve McQueen’s work (not the actor) at an art museum where I saw a video installation of his. So, going into “Hunger” I knew McQueen would probably take a more avant-garde approach. He did, but in a way that was totally fitting to the true story he was telling. This film just blew me away, from the powerful subject matter to the truly brilliant direction by McQueen to the physically demanding performance by Michael Fassbender and of course to the well known 20-minute-long, extremely impressive, single-shot take. Especially since it’s used in such a pivotal scene. I can not praise this film enough, just writing about it makes me want to watch it again.
2. SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS
This was my favorite film at SXSW 2010. Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick made an original and beautiful film and I really hope more people can see it. I saw some of McCormick’s short film work when I lived in Portland and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was always hoping he would do a feature, so I was very excited to see that he had his feature debut playing at SXSW. I had my fingers crossed while watching it, hoping his transition to features would be successful, and it absolutely was. With a cast of mostly musicians (The Shins James Mercer and Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein) McCormick subtly intertwines various stories that deal with human connection, loneliness, abandonment, death, and rebirth. I loved everything about this film, it’s currently still playing festivals but I hope it’s available soon.
1. EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
Banksy’s big prank and middle finger to the contemporary art world is both hilarious and significant. What I appreciate most about this film is that it defies genres, it was refreshing to see someone like Banksy come into the film world and give us something we’ve never seen before, just like he did with his artwork.
The first half of the film is a pretty straight forward documentary educating us on the history of the street art scene. The latter half of the film is a sort of mockery of everything that is wrong with the art scene and how it’s all become so overly commercialized. Banksy seemed like he was on a mission and that he had a lot to say, he wanted to shake things up a bit, as he’s been known to do. With “Exit Through The Gift Shop” Banksy did just that, and in a completely unconventional way. I also think this was the best title for a movie this year, with “My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done” being a close second. If you haven’t seen this yet make sure you check it out while it’s still on Netflix Instant. Mr. Brainwash thanks you.
Honorable Mentions:True Grit, The Fighter, and Black Swan. Three films that I saw and really enjoyed, but that I don’t think had enough time to resonate with me to make my list. This year seemed to be a year of expectations. True Grit and Black Swan were about as good as I hoped them to be, with The Fighter being a tad better than expected. Some films like The Social Network exceeded high expectations, while others like Inception were a bit of a letdown.
Yet to see:Toy Story 3, Animal Kingdom, I Am Love, The King’s Speech, 127 Hours, Enter The Void.
Contributing writer Jordan Poss weighs in on his 2010 film experience. Read more of Jordan’s musings at jordanpossblog.blogspot.com.
Not a bad year in film for me. I watched gobs of movies but didn’t see a tremendous lot of new releases, so I was relieved to see that I did a top five last year. Here goes.
Top Five New Releases:
1. A Serious Man
This was definitely the year of the Coens for me. Joel and Ethan Coen have two films in my top five new films and one in my top five “discoveries,” or older films I’ve just now gotten around to seeing. A Serious Man technically came out in 2009 but it never got a wide release, so I’m counting it as a 2010 film. At any rate, I watched it when it came out on Blu-ray and was blown away. Essentially a modern retelling of Job, this film is the story of beleaguered Jewish math professor Larry Gopnik in 1960s Minnesota. Calamity after calamity is piled on poor Larry despite his apparently “serious” life, none of the three rabbis from whom he seeks counsel and comfort give him either, and, as in Job, a seemingly distant God arrives with a whirlwind. The Book of Job has always meant a lot to me, and this retelling of the story stunned me. No one else I’ve shown this to has appreciated it as much as I have, but I’m standing by it.
2. The Secret of Kells
A beautifully-realized animated film that is also historically aware. What more could I ask for? The Secret of Kells tells a fictional story of the Book of Kells’s creation by Irish monks–and, more specifically, a young boy named Brendan–at the beginning of the Viking Age. Said Vikings are systematically raiding and pillaging everything they can reach from the sea, and the monastery at Kells is sure to lie in their path someday soon. When a band of refugees brings the foremost manuscript illuminator in Ireland to Kells, Brendan finds a new friend in him–and a mysterious young girl who lives in the dark forest outside the walls. Brendan Gleeson, one of my favorite actors, voices a pivotal role as Brendan’s uncle, the Abbott. This film depicts the power of art–and art’s Creator–in a life constantly shadowed by death.
3. True Grit
The Coens’ second feature in my top five for the year. This film is less a remake of the John Wayne film than another, independent adaptation of Charles Portis’s excellent novel (which was one of the best books I read all year). A brilliant adaptation with beautiful cinematography, a score woven through with the melodies of hymns, and excellent performances from all involved–this is an all-around excellent film. I’ll be surprised and disappointed if this doesn’t get Oscar attention, specifically for Haillee Steinfeld, who held her own with no less than Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon and made it seem effortless. I’ll also be interested to see if Bridges gets a nomination for his performance as Rooster Cogburn. It’s the only role for which John Wayne ever won an Oscar, and Bridges’s work on the film is certainly deserving; this could be only the second time two actors have won Oscars for playing the same character.*
4. Inception
I won’t weigh in on the wild internet arguments about Inception–and especially its ending–but it was gripping from start to finish, had great performances, cinematography (the amazing Wally Pfister), and special effects, and a story worth stretching over two and a half hours. Leonardo DiCaprio–and here I must finally confess that I’ve liked him in everything I’ve ever seen him in, except Titanic–and his costars Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and Tom Hardy were excellent in what was essentially–and by Christopher Nolan’s own admission–a heist crew. I think Cillian Murphy also deserves credit in his underwritten role as the Mark–it has to be difficult to play someone so clueless for so long. This is another film that should get at least a few nominations come Oscar season.
5. Toy Story 3/The Social Network
I’m splitting the fifth place spot between two vastly different films. Pixar just can’t miss, and Toy Story 3 was another fun, hilarious, and moving entry in their canon. The Social Network was a fast-paced, gripping film about a subject that should have been neither, so props to David Fincher and his crew of very good actors. Jesse Eisenberg in particular deserves an Oscar for his performance as Mark Zuckerberg. How well the film reflects reality remains to be seen, but Eisenberg’s power in its central role is undeniable. Props also to Aaron Sorkin, who crafted a brilliant if sometimes too clever screenplay from a pretty much terrible book.
Honorable Mentions:
Iron Man 2 — I was surprised by some of the negative press this film got when it was released, but it seems any negativity directed toward it is based entirely on the faulty analogy that Iron Man 2 should have been to Iron Man as The Dark Knight was to Batman Begins. Iron Man 2 is just as good as the original and perhaps even better from a purely writing standpoint. And of course the cast was excellent.
Robin Hood — This film is easily the most underrated picture on my list and certainly among the most underrated of the year. What I appreciated about Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood was that–with its attention to detail, great costumes and sets, byzantine politics, and excellent portrayals of historical figures–it felt like it took place in a real, huge, and complex medieval world. Unfortunately, even I have to say the ridiculous beach battle at the end undercut a lot of that feeling, but I liked the film overall.
Top Five Previously Released “Discoveries”:
1. Blood Simple
The Coen brothers’ very first film is as sure-footed, gripping, and grim as any other film from their ever-growing resume. Blood Simple takes Hitchcock’s oft-used idea that ordinary people would be bad, bad, bad at murder and protracts it into an unbearably tense film.
2. A Very Long Engagement
From the same team that produced Amelie, which is easily the greatest romantic comedy ever made, comes this long, grim, and beautiful meditation on love and longsuffering. Part detective story, part war film, and part high romance, this is one of the few films that has made me cry. Ever.
3. Groundhog Day
Not only is this film hilariously funny, it’s some exceptionally chewy food for thought–and it features a live groundhog. (I find groundhogs inherently hilarious, so that may not be a plus for anyone but me.)
4. Roxanne
Another genuinely sweet and intelligent romantic comedy (before this year I would have scoffed at the thought they exist), Roxanne is a modern-day retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. Anyone who has ever felt deeply about someone else but suffered so badly from lack of confidence will be entertained and encouraged.
5. The French Connection
The film that Bullit and Dirty Harry were struggling to be. It’s a typically rough-hewn 1970s film, but director William Friedkin owned that roughness and created a fictional crime thriller that feels like a documentary. Gene Hackman gives the performance of a lifetime, and of course there’s that incredible car chase.
Honorable Mentions:
A Scanner Darkly
Thanks to those infernal Charles Schwab commercials, we’re all familiar with rotoscoping. I wondered whether it would be tolerable for the course of an entire film, and I was surprised–after a few minutes I didn’t even notice it. The story itself is great–another offering from the late, great Philip K. Dick–and I’m glad to say the medium does not detract from its power. A rare good performance from Keanu Reeves and good supporting turns from Woody Harrelson and a pre-comback Robert Downey, Jr.
Amistad
This is a Spielberg epic that came and went and seems to be little remarked upon today–unlike, say, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, or Minority Report. But it’s a powerful and gripping picture and, what’s more, treats the subject of American slavery without being mawkish, preachy, or heavy-handed. It’s a steely-eyed drama that’s well worth watching.
*The first and, to my knowledge, only instance is Marlon Brando and Robert DeNiro, who won Oscars for playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, respectively.
Due to my firm resistance to paying more than ten dollars to see a movie in the theater, my top ten list includes mainly movies that have been released on DVD in 2010 and a few television shows which I think are stronger than many movies that were released this year.
It’s become difficult to sift through the crap that finds its way to movie theaters and television screens. There’s just too much of it. I wish we lived in a time where only good movies with good plots and writing were made. But instead 90% of movies are crap. The budgets are too high and the expectations are almost never met.
So I turn to television–more specifically, television that I can obtain from my Netflix queue. I can’t put my finger on exactly why there are so many bad movies and television shows… but they continue to be made because people are watching them.
Take Dexter, Californication, Nurse Jackie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and of course Mad Men. Cable shows have more room to use profanity and to explore plots that would never been shown on the five major television networks (CBS, NBC, etc.). It’s Always Sunny would never be allowed on ABC–being on FX lets the show be rude and insensitive. But the real gems are on the premium channels, HBO and Showtime. True Blood and Dexter go places that most people find horrifying but the extreme sex and blood are also included with the fine acting and writing. Yes, it’s expensive to pay for premium channels, but given a choice I’d rather have HBO and Showtime rather than the other hundreds of channels. I don’t need another house flipping show or another lame game show or another Special Guest Star Betty White show. Give me something real.
Here’s my list. The following movies and television shows are in not ranked in any particular order.
The Other Guys
It’s not often that I laugh out loud during an entire movie, but the tongue-in-cheek comedy kills and the banter between Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell is the best of the year.
A Single Man
It can be hard to find a movie that cuts as deeply as this one, and makes you want to stop watching for fear that tears will flow. A true story of love and loss.
How To Train Your Dragon
I’m a sucker for animated movies and this one delivers plenty of laughs without overloading on the sappiness that so many children’s movies have these days. How To Train Your Dragon reminded me that Hollywood really doesn’t need to keep making Shrek sequels.
The Messenger
Too many war movies either focus on the violence or have too much of a political slant. I was completely taken back by the character development and my heart ached but I couldn’t stop watching.
Easy A
I refuse to watch teen comedies. The jokes are always the same, and the characters are too often cliché. But then comes Emma Stone, who shows she’s not above self-deprecating humor and can monologue like no other young actress.
Hot Tub Time Machine
Those who know me know that I will watch any movie that has John Cusack. Add Craig Robinson and some 80s jokes and I’m in heaven.
The Kids Are All Right
I was skeptical because of the all accolades. I figured The Kids Are All Right was getting press only because it has two lesbian main characters played by movie stars. But once I got into the movie, I realized it was the quality of the story that must have attracted Annette Bening and Julianne Moore to the script. It’s a film of quality and depth… about looking for the missing piece in your life and learning that everything doesn’t always add together perfectly.
Nurse Jackie (television)
Finally–a show about doctors that doesn’t feel like a soap opera. Addicts are a popular addition to movies and television shows–but here is an addict, an adulteress, and a woman who cares only when she deems necessary. Edie Falco brings on her usual grit, making us cheer for her ecstatic lack of moral boundaries.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (television)
This irreverent comedy has no shame and as long as you put your political correctness aside, this is the best comedy on television. The song and dance numbers are classic.
Bored to Death (television)
This detective show is breezy and silly… and isn’t that what we all need sometimes?
I don’t go to the movies, and haven’t seen any of this year’s Oscar front-runners, other than Winter’s Bone. I can’t even remember ten new films that I’ve seen this year—it’s been busy, and new TV tends to be better than new film lately. I’ve been occupied.
Therefore, I’m skipping the “Ten Best of The Year” list and giving you the ten best movie-watching experiences I’ve had in 2010. They are, in many cases, not masterpiece-level films—but at the end of the day, you’re the one that decides what a masterpiece is, and a critic’s job is just to tell you what he/she likes. Or doesn’t.
Here’s what I liked:
1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Edgar Wright’s geek chic wet dream is a valentine to everything that I am.
It is a valentine to rock. Nigel Godrich scored and produced the musical-esque soundtrack, which contains phenomenal contributions from Beck, Metric,and Broken Social Scene.
It is a valentine to video games. The ninja variation on Dance Dance Revolution is the kind of movie video game you wish was real. Street Fighter and Super Mario references abound.
It is a valentine to love–and a particularly well-handled one at that. The screenplay is rich, rewarding, and hilarious.
The film also produced my favorite song of the year:
2 – Winter’s Bone
Much critical love has been lathered on this backwoods Missouri, neo-noir masterpiece… and for good reason. Just about everything is perfect in this beautiful, haunting, and deeply human detective story. If John Hawkes doesn’t get the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, then there’s no justice in this world.
3 – Up
I’m a sap, and this is the best sappy movie since To Kill A Mockingbird. It is also Pixar’s masterpiece to date. With an outlandish plot that invokes the hallucinogenic early Disney shorts, Up is a film that never fails to delight. And it’s got the funniest variation on the ‘talking dog’ cliché that I’ve ever seen.
4 – A Man for All Seasons
This film had been in my Netflix streaming queue for two years. I clicked on it by accident one night, then spent the next two days fighting a crappy Internet connection just to finish it.
A Man for All Seasons instantly took its place among my top ten best screenplays ever written, among eloquent masterpieces like Network, Wit, and Patton. Paul Scofield’s Sir Thomas More is one of the most complete characters ever fit into a two hour film. It is a must-see.
5 – Vengeance
Johnnie To’s films symbolize everything that is right about Asian film. They are without restraint. They are visceral. They are beautiful. They are extremely offbeat.
This quirky, extremely uneven, maniacally creative Chinese gangster action revenge bonanza is about… some guy who wants revenge, and shoots a lot of people for it. There’s nothing original about the plot. But To’s technical virtuosity (the cinematography is as stunning as Blade Runner at times) and completely whack sense of humor make him a highly distinct voice in world cinema. He is today’s Sergio Leone.
6 – Star Trek
You’ve seen it. I told you I’m a geek, so you know why I like it. Done.
7 – Barry Lyndon
I finally got around to rewatching Kubrick’s underrated masterwork early this year. It is a film that is, initially, quite off-putting. It’s the epoch of long, British costume dramas. Asking you to see the film twice may, at first, seem like a curse—especially given the film’s three hour length. But it’s worth it. This is Kubrick’s greatest film.
8 – The Hurt Locker
Like A Man for All Seasons, The Hurt Locker lays out one of the most complete characters in all of film: Sergeant First Class William James, a fearless bomb technician who can’t get his head out of his job. Easily the most well-written action film ever made, and a film that delivers on all fronts.
9 – The Thin Blue Line
Imagine my surprise that Errol Morris’s decades-old documentary is just as fresh, full of technique, and thought-inspiring as it was when it was released in 1988. Morris’s hypnotic film investigates a late 70s roadside Texas murder. Even when the mystery is finally solved, we’re full of questions, wondering if the American justice system works the way that it should.
10 – The Thin Red Line
Yeah, I know. It’s a coincidence.
Terrence Malick’s 1998 WW2 drama is the odd-film-out when it comes to war movies. It is an introspective, engrossing, and downright weird take on war. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but even its many flaws (especially its distracting cameos) serve only to make the film more fascinating.
death2themovies Do D-Wade & Lebron dress each other? And isn't it odd that every b-ball player wears glasses now but none of them wear goggles on the court?
death2themovies I think Americans have officially adopted "no worries" I'm sorry Aussies, it's ours now. Don't worry though, we will never take "g'day mate"
