The Ten Best Films of 2010 That I Saw
by Scott Hardie on January 2, 2011
10) The Other Guys - An offbeat and frequently hilarious comedy seemingly performed by the seats of the actors' pants. Its randomness may turn off some, but the jokes clicked for me. How nice to have a movie so reminiscent of The Naked Gun in the year of Leslie Nielsen's passing.
9) The Joneses - A funny and likable satire about how far our marketing-driven consumer culture will go. It strays in the second half by investing in drama instead of taking the concept further, but it gets pretty far coasting on David Duchovny and Demi Moore's charm.
8) The Ghost Writer - A low-key suspense picture with Roman Polanski's usual claustrophobia and sense of inevitable doom. That it criticizes Tony Blair's subservience to America's foreign interests is less important than that it stirs emotions that most thrillers aren't even aware of.
7) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - A compelling argument that video games are valid cultural touchstones - familiar sound effects and slogans can communicate deep subtext. The movie is occasionally too hyper, but it's surprisingly thoughtful for a live-action cartoon.
6) Shutter Island - A Martin Scorsese picture trying to be a Darren Aronofsky picture in its go-for-broke portrayal of a desperate man's withering mental state. Some say the plot twists are a let-down; I say that's missing the point, which is to evoke the hero's mood and mindset.
5) Crazy Heart - An understated relationship drama and portrait of the artist as a wasted old drunk. Jeff Bridges didn't just win his Oscar for a lifetime of great performances; he deserved it for this one. There's no need for bad guys or trumped-up melodrama; these are recognizeable human beings.
4) The Book of Eli - A genre thriller with a standard post-apocalyptic plot (and unnecessary twists), this makes my list on the strength of its spectacular photography by Don Burgess. In his camera, New Mexico becomes a breathtaking hellscape in near black-and-white. Worth seeing for the imagery alone.
3) Alice in Wonderland - A triumphant Tim Burton fantasy just when I thought he'd exhausted his potential. (The same could be said of its 3D format.) It's invigorating and endlessly clever from start to finish, a tribute to Lewis Carroll's creativity rather than a theft of it.
2) Inception - A cerebral, original blockbuster just when we needed one most. Christopher Nolan's career masterpiece represents the sum of his talent and ambition. Like its central concept, you can't get it out of your mind once you've experienced it.
1) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - A vicious thriller with raw menace to spare. The lifelong plight of Noomi Rapace's heroine tore a hole in my heart that hasn't healed since. I can't bear seeing the sequels or the upcoming American remake out of fear that they'll tarnish this perfect movie. If you have the stomach for graphic violence, this is not to be missed.
The Full List
It ruled: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Inception, Alice in Wonderland, The Book of Eli, Crazy Heart, Shutter Island, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Ghost Writer, The Joneses, The Other Guys, Hot Tub Time Machine, Date Night.
It was ok: Toy Story 3, The A-Team, Greenberg, Kick-Ass, Winter's Bone, District 13: Ultimatum, The Wolfman, Prodigal Sons, Gigante, The Eclipse, Oceans, The Lost Skeleton Returns Again.
It sucked: Clash of the Titans, The Losers, The Lovely Bones, Happy Tears.
Three Replies to The Ten Best Films of 2010 That I Saw
Scott Hardie | January 3, 2011
Wanted to see it but ran out of time. Same with The Social Network, even though it came before GooCon for crying out loud.
Dave Stoppenhagen | January 4, 2011
"New Mexico becomes a breathtaking hellscape in near black-and-white."
I just drove through New Mexico yesterday, it is a hellscape even in color.
Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
Illinois-a Will Destroy Ya
Today, I was asked to jot down some memories of living in Illinois. I thought about a topic and wrote: Some of what I miss most about Illinois is the delicious, filling food. Loose meat sandwiches at the Maid-Rite in Peru, chocolate shakes at the Steak ‘n Shake in Normal, deep-dish pizza at Pequod’s in Lincoln Park, monte cristo sandwiches at the Sunrise in Macomb, horseshoes at the Field House in Springfield, pecan waffles at the Waffle Company in Mt. Go »Day 14
In lieu of "weight loss Wednesday" since I'm much too busy on Wednesdays even to get online, let me write today that I'm on day 14 of a new diet, which is 13 more days than nearly all of my attempts last. This is, in fact, the second-longest I've ever lasted on a diet, and in a few weeks it will be the longest. This should indicate how lousy my self-discipline is and why I've ballooned to this size, around 450 pounds. Go »Signs and Wonders
Driving through Georgia now. Just passed a plain yellow billboard saying The God with Moral Fault, amazon.com. Hidden agenda? Go »February 10-16
I don't really blog much about my day-to-day existence because it feels too mundane. But life is made up of those little days, and we don't get an accurate picture of each other's lives if we only discuss the big events. Here's a snapshot of my life last week. Go »It's All About Me
I regret if my rantings around this site have come across either whiny, as I coped with illnesses and a busy schedule, or hypocritical, as I griped about Christmas cheer while still participating in the holiday. I don't regret if they came across as self-centered. Go »
Steve Dunn | January 3, 2011
True Grit is really good doodz.