2010 has been a decidedly mixed year for films: The gloomy state of the economy ensured that studios would play it safe and stick closely to formulas; risky, innovative films were far and few in-between; M. Night Shyamalan made the “Last Airbender,” and many of the year’s most acclaimed features were grossly overrated by critics, their enthusiastic reception more indicative of the sorry state of the industry than of the quality of the films themselves. Nonetheless, this is not the time to be cynical. Rather, we have all the more reason to forge ahead with perseverance and innovation, and to recognize and celebrate achievements whenever praise is due. Of all the films I saw in 2010, the following are my favorites. This is, of course, a highly intuitive and thus subjective list:
10. Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky, USA, 2010): Darren Aronofsky’s new work is as flawed and over-the-top as it is entertaining and enthralling. This intense tale about the madness of art features a fearless performance by Natalie Portman and some superb dance and camera choreography. Whether or not the film is merely a pastiche of cinematic influences and a repulsive exercise in high camp is the subject of legitimate debate. But like Scorsese’s “Shutter Island” (see below), it works as a piece of pure cinema- riveting to behold even when the story material is less than appealing.
9. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, USA, 2010): Martin Scorsese’s genre exercise is an erudite tribute to horror classics of the past and an indelible work of pure cinema. The story is at times silly and over-the-top, and the “surprise” ending is unmistakably gimmicky, but the film displays such virtuoso command of cinematic techniques and enthusiasm for film history that the story is almost beside the point.
8. Greenberg (Noam Baumbach, USA, 2010): Noam Baumbach’s keenly observed comedy has the subtle humor and well-drawn characters of a short story. Featuring an unusually restrained (and pitch-perfect) Ben Stiller alongside a wonderfully plain Greta Gerwig, the film is a wryly sympathetic examination of the confusion and aimlessness of the young and not-so-young in the sunny wasteland of West Los Angeles. If you loved Ben Stiller in “Little Fockers”, this is not your movie.
7. How to Train Your Dragon (Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, USA, 2010): Resolutely old fashioned, even clichéd, but also remarkable in its artistry and warm treatment of friendships, tribal demands, and familial bonds. This is, for my money, a more breathtaking 3-D film than “Avatar” and more emotionally satisfying than (the very good but slight) “Toy Story 3”. You heard me.
6. True Grit (Ethan and Joel Coen, USA, 2010): The Coens’ most moving film to date, this variation on the classic 1969 John Waynes Western retains the same biting humor, energy, and sharp dialogues for which the brothers are justly known, but it is also an unexpectedly sincere tribute to a well-worn genre and a wonderful rumination on bonds formed and lost. For once, the ordinarily snarky filmmakers let go of their existential despair and reveal a rugged humanity that is as matter-of-fact as it is ultimately moving.
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Edgar Wright, USA/UK/Canada, 2010): A new cult classic, “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” director Edgar Wright’s A.D.D-infused video game tribute possesses the kind of intelligence, wit, and sincerity that ultimately distinguish it from the other equally noisy films on the mainstream scene. Anyone who’s ever obsessively played a Nintendo game, felt romantically attracted to a too-cool-for-school other, or been moved by an armature rock song, ought to be able to identify with Scott Pilgrim’s coming-of-age journey. Michael Cera is at his hilarious, clueless best, and this under-appreciated film itself is, well, pretty awesome.
4. Mother (Bong Joon-ho, South Korea, 2009): South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s first film since “the Host” is another expert fusion of art and commerce- an acute psychological portrayal masquerading as a suspense murder mystery. The great Kim Hye-ja is riveting as a relentless mother who is ready to do anything to establish the innocence of his mildly retarded son as he becomes the prime suspect in a sensational murder case. Engrossing and darkly humorous, the film also features the year’s best closing shot.
3. Ghost Writer (Roman Polanski, France/Germany/UK, 2010): The controversy surrounding Roman Polanski’s detainment in Switzerland in 2009 largely overshadowed the fine film he was working on at the time. No matter what you think of Polanski the person, Polanski the artist retains the same filmmaking chops that made him famous nearly forty years ago. “Ghost Writer” is as taut and fluid a film as he’s ever made, the proceeding of the engrossing tale aided by an air of impending menace as well-maintained as a Hitchcock film. A great political thriller, with Pierce Brosnan, Olivia Williams, and Ewan McGregor giving performances that rank among their career best.
2. Last Train Home (Lixin Fan, China/Canada, 2010): A searing portrait of a family in crisis and an indispensable document of our time, filmmaker Lixin Fan’s uncommonly cinematic documentary is that rare movie which manages to tell an intimate story while illuminating our understanding about an exceedingly complex phenomenon. In focusing on one Chinese migrant couple’s struggle to maintain the semblance of a family and make their annual trip home for the Chinese New Year, Fan’s film becomes the epic story of the millions of displaced industrial workers in modern-day China and of an entire nation undergoing unprecedented transformation. Urgent, poetic, and deeply moving, this is an essential work of art.
1. Secret Sunshine (Lee Chang-dong, South Korea, 2007): South Korean auteur (and former Minister of Culture) Lee Chang-dong’s 2007 masterpiece about grief, death, and God was screened as part of Reel Spirituality’s fall movie series and finally released in the US in December. If you haven’t seen it, watch it now on IFC’s Video on Demand or save it in your Netflix queue. A story about a woman’s tumultuous spiritual journey in the face of grievous loss and featuring a towering, Cannes-winning performance by Jeon Do-yeon, this is one of the most powerful and psychologically acute portrayals of faith I have ever seen.
Honorable Mentions that could have easily made the list:
Lourdes- A perfect Sylvie Testud. A wonderfully ironic film about miracles (or the lack thereof).
Toy Story 3- Solid conclusion to an exemplary trilogy.
Somewhere- a Beautifully understated poem about loneliness and dislocation.
Carlos- Ambitious and gripping thriller from an erudite and always interesting filmmaker.
White Material- Beguilng mystery of a film from the great Claire Denis.
Vincere- A thrilling cinematic opera.
And Now, the Most Overrated Films of the Year:
Social Network (David Fincher, USA, 2010): A well-made and solidly entertaining film whose verbal dexterity and timely subject matter get mistaken for profundity and relevance. Contrary to popular claims, Aaron Sorkin’s clever but glib script has almost nothing insightful to say about the age we live in, how people relate to one another in this digital age, or how social networking sites like Facebook has shaped our culture. Instead, this is an origin story that relies on facile, reductive pop psychology to make sense of its characters and the profound digital revolution they have instigated. The simplistic (and factually dubious) thesis that Mark Zuckerberg’s drive to create Facebook was fueled by a desire to stick it to privileged jocks and assert himself to girls robs the film of the opportunity to reflect meaningfully on entrepreneurial impulse and the state of the world as we know it. The wonderfully poetic trailer promised more than what the film could deliver.
Inception (Christopher Nolan, USA, 2010): A well-made and solidly entertaining film whose verbosity and manufactured complexity get mistaken for intelligence and visionary greatness. This is instruction-manual cinema at its most excessive, where characters spend a great deal of time explaining, explaining, and explaining the rules of the story, where the inherent inanity of the premise (e.g. guy is haunted by memories of dead wife; rich guy wants to eliminate a cooperate rival) and lack of character development (did Ellen Page’s architect do anything other than asking the right questions at the right time?) get concealed behind the smoke and mirrors of the film’s superficial intricacy and the cast’s agreeable presence. By the time the film reached the tepid James Bond-like snow mountain sequence, I was bored. Masterpiece this is not.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s talk.