2010 movies that I saw and decided to tell you about.
So, I haven’t posted much of anything in about half a year or more. Recently, I’ve been looking at various movie critics’ top ten list for recommendations to rent on Netflix. Now, I used to go to more then my fair share of movies, but since my daughter was born, going to the movies has become much less important. Last year, April and I went to the movies a total of 3, yes count them, 3 times. I’ll count them for you: 1) Avatar, 2) Toy Story 3, and 3) HP 7.1.
Instead of the normal top 10 list, I thought I would compile a top 10 (or 11) list of any movie I saw in 2010. It’s a good thing Netflix keeps track of what I’ve rented.
Also, I reserve the right to change my mind on any of these, at any time.
1) Toy Story 3 (2010)
This movie is funny! When I look at critical reviews on this movie, they are always glowing, but I feel it doesn’t get the end of the year credit it deserves (not enough best movie of the year votes) because it’s animated. The movie is great! It’s emotional, it had a fun story line, interesting themes of loyalty and abandonment, and I found it to have a really suspenseful third act. It is a damn near perfect film!
2) Paper Moon (1973)
“I want my 200 dollars!” A wonderful movie. I was going to say a wonderful classic, but I’m not sure how old a movie has to be before it falls into the category of classic. Anyway, the acting is top notch, with a surprisingly satisfactory ending.
3) Winter’s Bone (2010)
A mystery/drama. It has been described as a country noir. Interestingly for me, it was both set and filmed around Forsyth, MO. It’s a strong character driven movie exploring the meth trade, the lives of the people that are desperate enough to turn to such an occupation, and the effect it has on families. It’s a really good movie…sad though.
4) The Hurt Locker (2009)
Intelligent script, intense acting, and beautiful directing.
5) The Hangover (2009)
A hilarious comedy/mystery. The casting made all the difference. If you don’t know, it’s about a bachelor party in Las Vegas in which everyone wakes up the next morning with no memory of what happened the night before and with zero trace of the groom to be. The vulgarity of the language bothered some, but not me so much. I’m bit leery if the sequel. Often with comedies, they try to duplicate the original instead of building on what was already there.
Alan Garner: Can I ask you another question?
Lisa: Sure.
Alan Garner: You probably get this a lot. This isn’t the real Caesar’s Palace is it?
Lisa: What do you mean?
Alan Garner: Did, umm… did Caesar live here?
Lisa: No
Alan Garner: I didn’t think so.
6) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid (1969)
Another classic. Dramatic, well acted, sharp writing, and a bit funny. Ending was odd, didn’t like that part.
Butch Cassidy: [to Sundance] If he’d just pay me what he’s spending to make me stop robbing him, I’d stop robbing him.
7) Up in the Air (2009)
Great writing, good story, and well acted. It’s about a man that travels for a living and doesn’t have any commitments, until he meets that someone that forces him to rethink his own philosophy on life. For my Midwest friends, some scenes were film at the Lambert International Airport.
8 ) How to train your dragon (2010)
Funny and creative. It’s about a Viking community that is always on alert, defending themselves from attacking dragons. The movie focuses on the clan leader’s son, who’s a bit of a disappointment to his father due to his lack of dragon fighting skills. The boy befriends a dragon and soon discovers there is more to dragons than people assume. I had a lot of fun watching this movie.
9) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010)
That’s right, I’m saying HP-7.1 is a better movie than Inception, but only if you’ve read the book. The movie should really be titled: “Harry Potter and, well, you really need to read the book first.” If you watch this movie without reading the book first (and possibly the six books before it), I believe most people will end up totally confused. If you have read the books, I think you’ll find this movie to be highly enjoyable. Oh, is HP 7.1 better than Inception? I might change my mind, but honestly I don’t really care. They’re both fine movies.
10) Inception (2010)
Ultimately, it’s about a man who is dealing with the death of his wife, and had to flee the states because he was framed for her murder. Wanting to return to the states to reunite with his two children, he takes on a dangerous and near impossible job. The plot is complicated and the director, Chris Nolan, wants the audience to keep guessing what is real and what is not. The problem is that the complications of the plot, and the constant effort to keep the audience guessing, forces the story to get kind of lost. Even with those faults, I couldn’t stop watching it. It’s exquisite film art. Especially that fight scene in the hotel with no gravity. Really cool film making!
11) Persepolis (2007)
It gives a perspective of the Iranian revolution and it’s aftermath (about 1970’s-present). It’s a story about a little girl growing up in Iran, her parents forcing her to leave the misogynistic, oppressive theocratical Iranian regime in her early teens, and how she eventually had to struggle with her own thoughts about being a women, and Iranian women, with no home. An all around important and good story, albeit a depressing one. The pacing is extremely slow, thus although the movie is relatively short it feels extremely long.
Here are another 10 movies that I liked. The order isn’t really important, but I thought these movies were entertaining.
12) The Girl with the dragon tattoo (2007)
13) Date night (2010)
14) 500 days of summer (2009)
15) The Blind Side (2009)
16) A Single Man (2009)
17) Funny girl (1968)
18) Where the wild things are (2009)
19) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
20) Zombieland (2009)