Pre-Oscars Special 2: Top 10 Movies of 2010
It’s been weeks since we posted our first top 10 2010 movies list. We decided to postpone publishing the second list for several weeks as we deemed it would be better to do so when the Oscar awards is just days away. So, here we are with the second part of our 3-part series on the best movies of 2010.
If you read our first post, you’ll notice that we mentioned our second list would be from viewmag.com. However, we decided to go first with the New York Times critics’ list.
10 – EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
A documentary about underground art, this film tells the story of Banksy, a street artist. It gives viewers a glimpse of the world’s most “notorious” graffiti artists while they do the thing that they love best.
9 – SECRET SUNSHINE
A South Korean drama directed by Chang-dong Lee, Secret Sunshine tells the story of a widow and single mother Shin-ae. She goes about life with her son, Jun, after moving to a small town called Miryang. She teaches piano lessons, having been a concert pianist before getting married. Everything changes when an unimaginable tragedy happens – something that forces Shin-ae to re-examine her life.
Starring Jeon Do-yeon and Song Kang-ho, Secret Sunshine was first seen at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
8 – LAST TRAIN HOME
A documentary about a Chinese couple and their journey to their home village to visit their children – something that they get to do only once a year. Chen Suquin and Zhang Changhua are one of the 130 million Chinese workers working in industrial cities as factory workers. Their Lunar New Year trip to their home village is their only chance to rekindle ties with their children.
Last Train Home is a moving, heartbreaking humane story helmed by Director Lixin Fan.
7 – 127 HOURS
Directed by Danny Boyle and starring the enigmatic James Franco, 127 Hours is an inspiring, gut-wrenching story about a mountain climber who has no choice but to adopt “desperate measures” in order to survive being trapped under a boulder in Moab, Utah. The movie has been described as “gritty, shocking and exciting”.
Twenty-seven year old Aaron Ralston’s story was described by the New York Times as one that chronicles “accident and determination”. Ralston’s “can-do” attitude was captured by Director Danny Boyle, and this is one of the factors that actually make the film riveting.
Of course, James Franco’s portrayal of Ralston should not be taken for granted. Franco’s performance is one that will leave a lasting impression in your minds (and hearts!).
6 – GREENBERG
Starring Ben Stiller, Jennifer Jason Leigh (who’s also one of the producers), Greta Gerwig and Rhys Ifans, Greenberg is a drama-comedy about a former musician (now a carpenter) who is in the process of picking up the pieces of his life after a mental breakdown. The film’s turning point is when Greenberg babysits for his married brother.
Nominated for Best Film in the Golden Globe, Greenberg is one of Stiller’s best performances. This movie deals with two elements that we can all relate to: heartbreak and humor.
The movie’s most memorable (and famous) line is “Hurt people hurt people”, and this is implicated several times in the movie.
5 – THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Please see the first part of our top 10 2010 movies feature for a description of this beautifully unpredictable comedy featuring Golden Globe winner Annette Bening and Julianne Moore.
4 – SOMEWHERE
Sofia Coppola’s film talks about loneliness, fame and change. It tells the story of an actor (Stephen Dorff) and how everything turns around when his 11-year old daughter (played by the adorable Elle Fanning) arrives.
It’s a “quiet” movie with no hysterics that’ll destroy the momentum (your eardrums!). It has all the things that Sofia Coppola is known for (think Lost in Translation). Winner of the 2010 Venice International Film Festival’s Golden Lion Award for Best Picture, critics describe Somewhere as “poetry set in a movie”.
3 – CARLOS
A film by Olivier Assaya, Carlos brings to life the exploits of the Jackal, a famous international terrorist. Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez so effectively portrays the Jackal that you’ll have to keep reminding yourself that he’s just acting out.
The movie merited a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been described as an active, dynamic and brisk movie – despite its long running time. Carlos is an intriguing, interesting and engaging film that uses a lot of music to bring scenes to life.
2 – TOY STORY 3
Buzz Lightyear and Woody return to the big screen in an adventure that is absolutely more humane than most movies that came out in 2010. Although it talks about consumerism and materialism, it also successfully shows the “emotional logic” of children playing creatively. The best thing about this third installment, though, is that it gives us a perfect picture of what the toys (or commodities) feel about some people’s materialistic tendencies.
Toy Story 3 features the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger¸ Emily Hahn, Michael Keaton, Ned Beatty and Jodi Benson.
1 – INSIDE JOB
Inside Job is a timely film in the true sense of the word. This documentary by Charles Ferguson is actually a different kind of crime story. Its main focus is something that most (if not all) of us can relate to: the 2008 financial crisis.
Narrated by multi-talented actor Matt Damon, Inside Job features interviews with experts in the fields of finance and politics. There are also interesting interviews with journalists and academicians. The fruits of extensive research are seen throughout the documentary, and especially as the film reaches its highest peak and emotions explode. New York Times’ film critics describe Inside Job as a story that showcases an unpunished crime. It’s like a problem that was never given a solution.
Most people would probably veer away from the film as they do not want to recall the difficulties they faced at the height of the global financial crisis. However, Inside Job may probably even help us understand, albeit just a little, about what really brought the United States and the rest of the world into the brink of financial distress.
Nominated for Best Documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, Inside Job was screened at the May 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
There you have it, fellow Kagay-anons! Our second best 2010 movies list is done. The final installment will be published this weekend as we brace ourselves for the 83rd Academy Awards (February 28, Philippine time). Our third installment will feature viewmag.com’s top 10 list, along with several films that didn’t make it to any of the list, but deserve to be recognized as well.
Until then, CDO! Happy movie viewing, everyone!
-Maia Fortich-Poblete-
