Here’s my list of the top 20 movies of 2010, as well as some predictions for major Academy Awards. Nearly all my favorites are story-driven; I prefer them to special effects and animation. My favorite trio of films, starring the magnificent Noomi Rapace as Lisbeth Salander — The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest — were not eligible because they were first released in 2009.
Starting from number 20, we’ll work our way down to number one.
20. Made In Dagenham. This uplifting British ensemble story is about a group of stubborn female factory workers who go on strike against Ford Motor Company and refuse to go back to work until the gender wage gap is closed. Although predictable in its story arc, Sally Hawkins does a very good job pulling the film along as the union’s stubborn and determined leader. A well made “feel good” story about an important milestone in British labor history.
19. True Grit. This is a good western, the first true western we’ve had to enjoy for too many years. Joel and Ethan Coen pull back on their normal eccentricities and bring to the screen a very straightforward adaptation of the original novel by Charles Portis. Jeff Bridges is excellent as a flawed and filthy Rooster Cogburn. Young actress Hailee Steinfeld is good but not great as 14-year-old Mattie. Matt Damon is okay. A good movie slightly diminished at times by sketchy sound.
18. The Ghost Writer. A very solid movie written and directed by Roman Polanskii, The Ghost Writer features strong performances by Pierce Brosnan as a scheming, high-profile British politician and Ewan McGregor as the ghost writer hired to pen Brosnan’s memoirs. Perhaps due to America’s ongoing Polanski prejudice, the film grossed only $15 million domestically; it earned three times that amount overseas.
17. Secretariat. John Malkovich steals the show as horse trainer Lucien Lauren. Diane Lane is excellent as Penny Chenery, Secretariat’s strong-minded owner. This feel-good family film is uplifting and fun to watch. Not a classic film but a very good one; Disney played it close to the vest and took no chances, so it should play well for years.
16. Inside Job. This perfectly made documentary explains how a small circle of greedy men took down the U. S. economy. Bitter medicine to watch, but the best, unbiased version of what really happened you’d ever hope to see.
15. Nowhere Boy. This low-budget British independent about John Lennon’s teen life captures the interesting essence of the legend’s formative years and spins us into his conflicted world that holds us like a spider web. I enjoyed this film very much and was sorry it ended when the newly formed Beatles head off to Hamburg, Germany. One of the few films this year I went back to see a second time, I liked Nowhere Boy just as much the second time, too.
14. Easy A. A wonderful surprise treat, this beautifully made coming of age comedy went from a good film to a wonderful film thanks to a sterling performance by Emma Stone, amply backed by the always solid Stanley Tucci. Emma’s work was noticed and rewarded; she’s currently filming the new Spiderman 3-D project.
13. I Love You Phillip Morris. A love story about two gay men whose checkered lives are off-center and doomed from the get-go, excellent performances by Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor carry this well-made film. Phillip Morris may very well struggle to find a mainstream audience because of its story — but not because it’s not an excellent movie. I saw it on a rainy Sunday afternoon in San Francisco and loved the energy, enthusiasm, and receptivity of the heavily gay audience’s reaction.
12. Winter’s Bone. This intense small budget arthouse film stars unknown Jennifer Lawrence in a breakout performance as a terribly poor teenage girl who’s determined to find out what happened to her vagrant, runaway father. A very compelling movie, regardless of its budget ($2 million) or box office ($6 million).
11. Blue Valentine. An intense character study about the gut-wrenching emotions of a man and woman whose once loving relationship is steadily crumbling toward an inevitable, painful break-up. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are terrific together and both had great faith in the story by director Darren Cianfrance — they patiently waited five years to make it as Cianfrance struggled to find the money despite its limited budget. The wait was worth it for all involved; this is an outstanding movie that deserves to be seen.
10. 127 Hours. Director Danny Boyle did a nice job with a dull subject: the protagonist (James Franco as Colorado rock hound Aron Ralston) gets his arm stuck between a rock wall and an immovable boulder. Franco will earn an Oscar nomination for his work. As simple as the premise is, Boyle still spent $18 million making it.
9. Chloe. This great little indy film suffered from sparse, scattered distribution (roughly 50 theaters, on average), which cost many filmgoers the chance to see Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore do battle with the head games that mushroom from wondering about (and doubting) spousal fidelity. Into the middle of their doubts drops lovely seductress Chloe (Amanda Siefried), who tempts, teases, and tests both husband and wife. A very underrated film by Atom Egoyan.
8. Alice In Wonderland. A creative, colorful movie with great performances by Helena Bonham-Carter and Johnny Depp, being second to market with 3-D technology (after Avatar) cost the film hundreds of millions in novelty viewing. But Alice performed admirably at the box office: $334 million domestically and $700 million more worldwide. Another giant success for director Tim Burton, his wife (Bonham-Carter), and his trusted, go-to leading actor (Depp).
7. Inception. There are high concept films, and then there is Inception. Having taken 10 years to write, the work paid off for writer/director Christopher Nolan. His big budget, special effects film about dreams and dream manipulation cost $160 million to make but did $300 million in the U. S., and its worldwide gross is reported to be $1 billion. I liked the film but didn’t love it. It’s so complex that many viewers need multiple viewings to figure out what the heck is going on. This is great news if you’re selling movie tickets; not so great news if you’re one of those paying for them. A clever concept and fine, unique film.
6. The Social Network. Jesse Eisenberg will earn an Oscar nomination for his superb performance in this solid effort about the birth of Facebook and the bitter legal arguments and imploding friendships that ensued. I thought the script was way too wordy at times, but Eisenberg’s work refused to let the film slow down. A tremendous effort by a very talented young actor.
5. The Kids Are All Right. A wonderful cast led by a powerhouse performance by Annette Bening, this story is about a lesbian couple who is forced to meet the biological donor father of their children. The storyline cuts to the bone of emotions tied to trust, fidelity, love, longing, curiosity, and doubt. Mark Ruffalo as the sperm donor and Julianne Moore (as Bening’s partner) are superbly cast. An underrated but outstanding movie, beautifully written, shot, paced, and edited.
4. Black Swan. A Best Actress Oscar looms for the richly deserving Natalie Portman, who is superb as the tortured dancer whose life revolves around ballet. Made for $13 million — pocket change for a holiday season film — the most impressive thing about Black Swan is the obvious hard work of everyone involved in this Darren Aronofsky production. There was no shortcut taken when making this film this good for the money they had to spend. One of 2010’s best films, Black Swan is beautifully crafted, executed, and produced.
3. Never Let Me Go. This little independent British film stayed in my head for three days after seeing it. It’s got a high concept premise, wonderful ensemble performances led by Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield, plus a perfect hook ending. I loved it.
2. The King’s Speech. Colin Firth will earn a Best Actor Oscar for his tremendous performance in this low-budget ($15 million) British story about the desperate struggle for King George VI to stop stuttering as World War II rushed upon Western Europe. Supported by the Weinsteins and the U. K. Film Council, Firth’s magnificent work is bookended by a perfect foil (Jeffrey Rush as his speech coach) and Helena Bonham-Carter as his wife. Firth’s performance is the best I saw this year and further proves his brilliant work in last year’s “A Single Man” was no fluke. I also expect Firth’s performance to lift The King’s Speech to a Best Picture Oscar.
1. The Secret In Their Eyes. Produced in Spain but filmed in Buenos Aires, I loved everything about this perfect film. As the story unfolded and the plot thickened, I wished it would continue forever. If you appreciate great movies and don’t let subtitles diminish your interest, this one is a “must see.” While The Secret’s U. S. box office receipts were only $7 million, virtually all of that came by word of mouth to art houses in very limited release. The best film of the year, by a clear margin.
I wish all of you a safe, happy, and ultra-fun New Year’s. See you at the movies!