Movie and Theatre Reviews: January 2011

I can't believe how bad I've been at posting on this blog! The only review I've written was back when I saw Kick-Ass on DVD back in the beginning of the fall. One New Year's resolution I can see to is to try to write my reviews more.

Until then, it's time to look back on 2010. I keep pretty busy, so I didn't get to see EVERY movie I wanted to, but the ones I did see were memorable and most were definitely recommendable. This is definitely subject to updates as I catch the ones I missed, but until then see these when you can!

My Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2010

10. TRON: Legacy

Pure fun, plain and simple. While I also enjoyed the story and the performances, THAT is the reason why I loved this long-awaited sequel to the cult classic. This is sheer good-time viewing at its best. Yes, it does suffer from occasional confusing techno-jargon and an unsettlingly creepy CGI Jeff Bridges as the villian, but none of that is enough to keep you from enjoying it. I was still at the edge of my seat by the end of it! Absolutely absorbing and 100% entertaining!

P.S. The score by Daft Punk is exceptionally good as well!

9. True Grit

I must make a confession: I have never seen the John Wayne original, something I always try to do before seeing a remake (hence why I still haven't seen the American Death at a Funeral yet). But this was still very entertaining, maybe even more so for that reason. The Coen Brothers give us the goods straightforward; a good old-fashioned Western that stays faithful to the traditions of the genre. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld give performances true to the title; their chemistry is the best part of the whole movie. While a bit slow and points, the payoff is definitely worth it.

7. How to Train Your Dragon

Heads up, Disney; your competition's catching up. I'm really impressed by Dreamworks Animation's progress; ever since they struck gold with Kung Fu Panda, they've learned that a great animated movie isn't defined by pop-culture references with expiration dates or having big name actors in your voice cast (like I said, it isn't DEFINED by it)...it's by having a strong story and characters you care about. That's definitely what this one has, along with amazing animation and thrilling fantasy action sequences. This was almost a tie with my next pick; that's how good it is.

7. Toy Story 3

While not quite the best of the Toy Story movies (that title goes to Toy Story 2), this is the one with the biggest emotional punch. A great way to send off the franchise, showing that it has grown up with the audience that's been with it since 1995. And that's what the story is essentially about; growing up and moving on, knowing when one stage of life is over and finding what your purpose is in the next stage. This also had not one, but TWO of Pixar's signature "moments;" y'know, the ones that make you feel like you're watching a great movie and forget that it's animated. They're getting good at those.

6. Easy A

Two words: Emma Stone. I will now see this girl in anything. I had always enjoyed her past performances in Superbad, The Rocker, and Zombieland, but her performance here shows how much of a star she can really be. While it is her performance that drives this movie, it's also the supporting cast and the poignant and hilarious screenplay that makes things really enjoyable. This is one of the best teen movies in years, one with just as much heart as laughs. And that's it......fine, and Emma Stone's insanely hot. There! Happy?

5. Shutter Island

The most un-Scorsese movie Martin Scorsese has made. A great mystery with great pyscological depth; even those who saw the ending coming didn't see all the twists and turns it would take to get there. Chilling visuals and a manic overall style add to the tension as you eagerly sit at the edge of your seat.

4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

The biggest box office tragedy this year was the underperformance of this gem. Much like the director of my number one pick, this is Edgar Wright's Citizen Kane; a movie that perfectly defines the style of its director at the top of his game. Perfect ADD viewing, with crazy visuals and spot-on geek references. Best of all, though, is the story; taking the mundane-yet-overdramatic world of relationships among 20-somethings and taking them to the ultimate extreme without losing its heart. And for those of you who complain about Michael Cera playing the same character, it works; I give you his best performance since Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist!

3. The Fighter

I was incredibly surprised by how much I loved this one! Seeing the trailers made me worry I was about to watch Invincible with boxing (the fact that it wasn't was probably why my brothers and uncles didn't like it as much as me), but what I got instead was great character-driven drama, with a strong-well developed cast of characters. It's the same way I felt about Friday Night Lights; a sports movie not just about the games (or in this case, matches) that are won, but about the pressures and struggles outside of the sport. In this case, we see Mark Wahlberg's Mickey Ward struggle between the loyalty to his destructive, suffocating family, and what his heart knows he really wants. Plus, if Christian Bale doesn't win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, there's no justice.

2. Black Swan

Hauntingly twisted and gripping. This is a terrific psychological tale on the dark side of perfectionism with a first-rate cast. Natalie Portman definitely gets my vote for every Best Actress award she can get, creating a a character that earns both the audience's sympathy and terror. The direction of Darren Aronofsky mixed with Matthew Libatique's cinematography creates a visual style that is both beautiful and disturbing, and this highlight of the year will stick with you long after you see it.

And my favorite movie of 2010 is...

1. Inception

Like it was going to be anything else! This is not only my favorite movie of the year, but also one of my top 10 favorites of all-time! Brilliant on every level: story, acting, visuals, etc. Christopher Nolan has made his masterpiece; this cements his status as one of the best new directors in Hollywood. I'll quote myself and say what I tell most of my friends: Some movies get better each time you watch them. INCEPTION gets better each time you think about it.

Honorable Mentions

Dinner for Schmucks
Let Me In
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The Other Guys
Despicable Me
Paranormal Activity 2
Alice in Wonderland
Predators
Shrek Forever After
Devil

Worst Movie of the Year

In one aspect, I guess that I should feel lucky that when it came to bad movies, I saw very little...in fact, only two! Unfortunately, I still saw them, and if any of you did, too, then there should be little to no argument as to which movie earned this title...

The Last Airbender

There's good news and bad news. The good news is, in terms of M. Night Shyamalan's movies, it's not as bad as The Happening, a movie that angered me to the point of wanting to throw things. The bad news...I'm sorry, the really, really bad news: IT'S SO, SO CLOSE! This is a misfire of Battlefield Earth-sized proportions; terrible, clunky writing and horrendous acting, even from the established talents of Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionare) and Asif Mandvi (TV's The Daily Show). This is strike two, Shyamalan; I've held out faith in you because of the greatness of your past work, but I don't know how much longer I can.

Runner-up: Grown-Ups

"Did I Miss Something?": Most Overrated

Note that this is not necessarily for a movie I hated, just for one I thought wasn't as good as my friends seem to think it is...

Kick-Ass

Again, I did like this movie, but I gave it a 3 out of 5 where others have given it a 4 or 5. My review for this is already on the blog, but let me restate my issues with it. The violence at times can be way too brutal to be enjoyable in a comedy, and some of the characters, while well-acted (especially by Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz), are too depraved to root for until the final act. And while containing some funny moments and standout performances, I can't fully join the rest of my friends in singing its praises.

Runners-Up: Salt, Iron Man 2

"Oh, Come ON!": Most Underrated

The reverse of the last one: not so much a movie I love, but definitely better than people are saying it is...

Devil

Okay, I will admit, some of the acting isn't that good, and some aspects of the story are kinda goofy (namely anything involving the Hispanic security guard: the toast!). But this movie has recieved a lot of hate, whereas I thought it was a very effective and entertaining thriller. It was very unfortunate to be released the same year as The Last Airbender, another Shyamalan movie that understandably gave some negative preconceptions on this one (he wrote the story, but didn't write the screenplay or direct). My opinion: go see it and decide for yourself!

Runners-up: Shrek Forever After, Alice in Wonderland

My Favorite Performances

Best Actor