2010 year end lists

http://itsamadmadblog2.blogspot.com/2011/01/indelible-performances-of-2010.html

Friday, January 07, 2011
Indelible Performances of 2010

In no particular order, the performances that moved me during the year:

1 and 2. Michael Fassbender and Katie Jarvis in "Fish Tank"

Andrea Arnold's poignant, somewhat disturbing coming of age story is handled with delicacy and honesty, mostly driven by the ferocious performance of newcomer Katie Jarvis. In the opening scenes, she's followed as she storms about town, fighting with local girls and then trying to free a horse that's tied up in a trailer park. The rest of the film is just as whirlwindish as Jarvis experiences the frustrations and sexual longings of a 15 year old trapped in the dead-end UK. Enter her mom's new boyfriend (Michael Fassbender) and things really get complicated. Fassbender and Jarvis play remarkably well off each other, and never skip a beat as their relationship develops from mutual tenderness to something deeper.

Posted by Joseph B.

http://arccovenant.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-of-rest-of-2010.html

Sunday, January 9, 2011
Best of the Rest of 2010
My opinions on the rest of film in 2010.

UNDERRATED AND UNAPPRECIATED

Actors and Actresses that gave great performances in terrible films and/or in roles with little material and screentime.

Josh Brolin (Jonah Hex, True Grit)
Chris Evans (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Michael Fassbender (Jonah Hex)
Michael Gambon (The King's Speech)
Jackie Earle Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
Rooney Mara (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Social Network)
Barry Pepper (True Grit)
Michael Sheen (Tron: Legacy)
Brenda Song (The Social Network)
Timothy Spall (The King's Speech)
Olivia Wilde (Tron: Legacy)

Posted by A. Conroy at 6:52 PM

http://thesecretthread.blogspot.com/2011/01/duke-altums-best-films-of-year-2010.html

Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Duke Altum's Best Films of the Year - 2010 (with one cheat)
Here are the best movies I saw this past year, along with one cheat (a TV show) because it truly deserves to be listed among any accounting of my favorite viewing experiences of 2010. In fact, if I had to choose the single most valuable viewing experience that I had this year, it would definitely be watching through the entire series of The Wire. Hands down.

But now, on to the list, which is written out here in no particular order:

*******

Inglourious Basterds, directed by Quentin Tarantino (2009)

What it’s about: Basically, the assassination of Adolf Hitler as imagined by the sui generis, film-saturated mind of Quentin Tarantino. A group of Jewish-American soldiers, using Apache warrior techniques and led by a blood-crazed Tennessee redneck, go “hunting Nazis” in Germany, while Hitler’s personally assigned “Jew Hunter” SS officer pursues his own grisly mandate. Meanwhile, a young woman whose family was murdered by said SS officer concocts an ingenious revenge plot of her own, involving the movie theater she owns and operates.

Why it made the list: There’s a TON to admire about this film, not the least of which are its stunning cinematic flair, totally original combination of genres and plot elements (which could only come from one human being alive right now) and a superb performance from Christoph Waltz as the “Jew Hunter” Hans Landa (believe the hype – this guy is incredible from the moment he steps on screen). But what I love most about it is the uninhibited imaginative brio and love of cinema that permeates every single frame of this wild, exuberant, overstuffed film. Tarantino ain’t subtle (though his dialog and camera movements can be surprisingly sophisticated – the first scene is a graduate course in slowly building tension to an almost unbearable level), but his films are full of raucous energy and spilling over with invention – and in that regard, I found myself tipping my hat despite myself at his hilariously cheeky last line: “This might just be my masterpiece.” Sounds ridiculously arrogant, but when you see it in context, you can’t help but laugh… and, I have to say, marvel.

What surprised/stayed with me: The incredibly skillful filmmaking throughout (especially in key scenes, such as the justly famous beginning in the farmhouse or the “bar scene”) and the emotion of the girl Shosanna’s subplot, both of which can be easily overshadowed by the wild gunplay, cinematic verve and towering figure of Hans Landa. Also, Brad Pitt’s purposely cartoonish performance as Lt. Aldo Rayne, which drew fire from some critics but I found to be pitch-perfect in its absurd comedy and exaggeration.

Hunger, directed by Steve McQueen (2008)

What it’s about: The final days of the imprisonment of Bobby Sands and his fellow Irish patriots, including their infamous hunger strike, are depicted in this totally uncompromising, brutal and yet beautifully shot film made by the British visual artist Steve McQueen.

Why it made the list: I’ll say right off that this one is a really tough watch. It does not flinch – ever – in its depiction of human violence and cruelty, whether it be that of the British prison guards towards the Irish rebels they see as no better than vermin, or that of an Irish terrorist gunning down a British official in the middle of a flowered parlor in a nursing home. But if you can make it through the beatings and feces smearing of the first third, you should – because the second act, a long scene of dialog between Sands (a stunning Michael Fassbender) and his priest (Liam Cunningham, holding his own) shot all in one take, is an amazing tour de force of acting. And the last third, in which Sands slowly starves to death, is the visual equivalent of a dream-like trance, filmed with great beauty and almost no dialog at all. If you appreciate the craft of moviemaking, you will find plenty to admire in Hunger.

What surprised/stayed with me: Everyone who’s seen this comments on it, but it’s that second act – the long scene of dialog back and forth that feels like you’re watching a stage play. It’s a fascinating verbal sparring match between Sands and his priest about the morality of dying for a cause, and whether it will ultimately mean anything. It sounds boring when written about on paper but you are glued to the screen when it plays out. It’s a brilliant one-act play sandwiched between a searing prison drama and a visual poem about dying. Bring the popcorn!!

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/726869/the_10_most_underappreciated_movies_of_2010.html

The 10 most underappreciated movies of 2010

Simon Brew & Michael Leader

Looking to discover some of the best films of last year that might just have flown under your radar? Here’s our round-up…

Published on Jan 12, 2011

General consensus seems to be that 2010 was a solid year for English-language films. But, as usual, there were an abundance of movies that didn't quite get the love they deserved.

Granted, our round-up this year kicks off with one that was a solid hit, but given that it's still managed to avoid many people's radar, we felt it deserved another push. As for the rest? Well, let's just say it's worth you digging out any of these...

9. Centurion

It's a toss up between this and Solomon Kane to work out which action-packed historical gore-fest got the nod, but Neil Marshall's film just about prevails for us. His cast serve him well for starters, most notably the likes of Michael Fassbender and Dominic West, but it wins out for just being, quite literally, bloody good fun.

Marshall, it should be said, isn't firing on The Descent's cylinders with Centurion, but he did deliver an entertaining British action movie. And there's really not often that you see those words put together. Well worth checking out. Beer a welcome accessory.

http://themediawitches.blogspot.com/2011/01/2010s-best-films-of-interest-to-pagans.html

Thursday, January 13, 2011
2010's Best Films (of interest to Pagans, Witches, Occultists, et al)

In 2010 there were a number of new films that I think would be of interest to readers of this blog. Some of them played the dodeca-plexes, some came to your neighborhood art house, and some of them may have flown completely under your radar. But let's hope all of them will at least be available on DVD at some point.

I enjoyed CENTURION a great deal. THis historical thriller was about the ancient Picts and their unlikely alliance with a Roman soldier. Written and directed by Neil Marshall (who also wrote and directed Doomsday), this ambitious film combines both large-scale action sequences with intimate, character-driven dialogue to tell the story of Centurion Quintas Dias (Michael Fassbender), the sole survivor of a Pictish raid, bound by oath to a dying Roman commander General Virilus (Dominic West) to help further the Roman goal of destroying the Picts. But along the way, Dias gains respect for these nature-loving mercenaries, including a cool-headed ruthless tracker named Etain (Olga Kurylenko), and a beautiful banished witch named Arianne (Imogen Poots). Unlike most of the historical films that come out of Hollywood, this one is not full of fancy special effects, nor overburdened with long, complicated battle scenes. The onscreen violence feels appropriate to the story, and the story manages to convey a sense of the characters lives and homelands; there is a powerful sense of place at work here.

http://enderzero.net/wp-posts/top-10-films-of-2010/

Top 10 Films of 2010

Filed under: Film, Reviews, Top 10s

While the upcoming Academy Awards will again stir up the debate about quality versus popularity, in my opinion 2010 has been a fantastic year for film – giving us a trove of moving and visceral filmmaking and giving me my favorite movie going experience since Ghostbusters. Without further ado, here are my Top 10 films of 2010:

2. Fish Tank – A surprise late entry to my top 10 list this year came in the last few weeks after I saw this title cropping up on a number of top 10 lists and sought it out. Andrea Arnold’s coming of age story of a poor 15 year old girl in suburban England is hauntingly honest yet ultimately uplifting. Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing, and Michael Fassbender hold nothing back in their stirring performances. Andrea Arnold is a filmmaker on the move and I am a fan.

http://awardsnazi.blogspot.com/2011/01/awards-nazi-award-nominations_15.html

Saturday, January 15, 2011
Awards-Nazi Award nominations: Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor:

CHRISTIAN BALE in The Fighter:
I can't fault Bale for stealing the show away from its own central character, Micky Ward, because he just steals it so well! He delivers a memorable portrait of drug addiction, blind selfishness, and staunch denial that stem from years of living with unfulfilled dreams. He plays brilliantly off of his costars, as they play brilliantly off of him.

MICHAEL FASSBENDER in Fish Tank:
This is a slippery, tightrope-walking performance that constantly shifts and wiggles around in our mind. It's easy for us to love Fassbender's character at first, and it's still hard for us not to love him as the film's sticky sexuality starts to play itself out. It's simultaneously bold and understated work from one of the finest actors working.

JOHN HAWKES in Winter's Bone:
Jennifer Lawrence's star-making turn may be the film's key strength, but let's not forget another strong performance comes from John Hawkes, who plays Ree's uncle. His character actually has more of an arc than Lawrence's, shifting from nastily tight-lipped to oddly noble by the film's end, and Hawkes performs it commandingly.

JEREMY RENNER in The Town:
The live wire of The Town's sprawling ensemble, Renner makes you tighten your grip on your armrest every time he's on screen. The unpredictability of his performance pays off in numerous and surprising ways, from the tensely soft-spoken conversation he has with Affleck and Hall, to his comedic final actions in the climactic shootout.

MARK RUFFALO in The Kids Are All Right:
Ruffalo's performance is relaxed and naturalistic, slipping into the character with a disarming ease that misdirects us from his own insecurities, namely his reluctance to truly grow up and start the family he wants but lacks the commitment to create. His crushing final scenes perfectly convey his character's vulnerability and regret.
Posted by The Awards Nazi at 8:22 AM

http://antagonie.blogspot.com/2011/01/2010-year-in-movies.html

18 January 2011
2010: THE YEAR IN MOVIES
Conventional wisdom tells us that this has been a fairly weak year for American cinema; and I'm not about to tell conventional wisdom that it's wrong. Following a summer of rare ineptitude - I hope it's not just my increasing age that leads me to call it the worst summer movie season in my memory - we received a fall and winter of many perfectly good movies and almost none that are completely stunning; though I'm kind of pleased that this will be the first Oscar ceremony of my life in which I haven't particularly disliked a single one of the Best Picture nominees, I'm nonetheless a bit put out that not even my dog in that fight (that being Toy Story 3, naturally) is a film that I think particularly deserves to win that kind of award.

And yet, when the time came to whittle the year's offerings down to a top 10, and 10 honorable mentions, I found it harder to do than it has been in years; I could happily have added another set of ten without feeling like I was reaching even a little (some of the titles that came closest but just missed the cut include the operatic biopic Vincere, the vast character study Carlos, and Catherine Breillat's strange and marvelous modernist fairy tale Bluebeard). For of course, American cinema's only part of the game; and this year witnessed an exceptionally rich selection of films from around the world (though since I use the eligibility rule of, "first non-festival release in the U.S. between 1 January and 31 December", a lot of these are, strictly speaking, 2009 films. My apologies to non-U.S. readers if this list is old news).

At any rate, the net result is a list that is, beyond question, the most obnoxious, pretentious, and obscure in all my days of assembling a year-end Top 10; for this I apologise, though perhaps I can defend it on the grounds of being my tiny way of praising the diversity of cinema, in this year when there seems to be such heavy-footed consensus on the 8 or 10 films that are the only ones anybody got to enjoy, all year long.

The 10 Best Films of 2010
1. Day & Night
2. Last Train Home
3. The Illusionist
4. Sweetgrass
5. Fish Tank
6. White Material
7. A Prophet
8. Toy Story 3
9. Blue Valentine
10. Another Year

(titles below link to my original reviews)

5. Fish Tank
(Andrew Arnold, UK / Netherlands)

Realist dramas about the agonising life of lower-class British people are a genre just as hidebound as any other; still, there's nothing exactly like Arnold's luminous second feature, anchored by two abnormally gifted performances by Michael Fassbender and first-timer Katie Jarvis. Assembled with a remarkable degree of care belying its ratty appearance, the film presents such a deep and fascinating look at life, just slightly off-kilter enough so it doesn't feel like medicine, that I'm willing to forgive Arnold her sometimes transparent symbolism (that horse!), instead choosing to be grateful for the psychological excellence of this deceptively complex coming-of-age story.

http://kriofske-mix.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-films-of-2010.html

20 January 2011
THE BEST FILMS OF 2010

9. FISH TANK
Tough teenage protagonist Mia (Katie Jarvis) uses her love of hip-hop dancing as a means of escape from her rough housing project home. Tension mounts as Mia and her young, immature mother’s charming boyfriend (Michael Fassbender) develop a mutual attraction. In her second feature, director Andrea Arnold redeems this not entirely original plot with strong performances and an inspired, dense visual composition (shot in an immediate, TV-like 1.33 aspect ratio), but her decidedly feminine point of view fully distinguishes the film from other British working class dramas.

http://armchairaudience.blogspot.com/2011/01/ten-favorite-films-of-2010.html

Monday, January 24, 2011
Ten Favorite Films of 2010
Better late than never.

Even though I didn't necessarily think of this past year as being a stellar one for big screen entertainment, I had trouble making this list, and I feel I left off several movies I really enjoyed. I mention some of them in the Runners Up below.

One decision that wasn't difficult was picking my number one film of the year. I thought it was going to be The Social Network till I saw True Grit. The Coen Brothers have made one of the best films of their career.

Here they are, more or less in order:

9. Fish Tank

A beautiful and scary kitchen-sink drama about a girl in a dead-end housing development and her attachment to her mother's boyfriend (a sinister and sexy Michael Fassbender).

http://claytondillard.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-films-of-2010.html

Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Best Films of 2010

18. f&#! you if you didn’t get Jonah Hex – there, I said it. The film packs more wildly abstract and intelligent visual material into a 10-minute stretch than most films can muster through their entirety. Thematically, this includes a fascinating subtext on individual thought over communal, war-mongering tactics, and lost humanity under nihilistic reign. The credit belongs primarily to scribes Nevaldine/Taylor, whose keen sense of humor, subversive writing style, and masterful thematic structuring are misunderstood as incompetent by those unable to realize their sensibilities. Jimmy Hayward’s compositions are lushly photographed, far more aesthetically sophisticated than the superfluously edited, in-vogue styles of Paul Greengrass and Neil Blomkamp.

10. The antidote to Black Swan’s preference for pain over ironic pleasure, Andrea Arnold’s mesmerizing Fish Tank encapsulate young teen Mia’s (Katie Jarvis) sexual awakening with understated beauty, as her fancying of mum’s boyfriend (Michael Fassbender) leads to bliss, pleasure, heartbreak, confusion, and edification (not death). It’s easier to be riveted by Aronofsky’s ridiculously lurid passion play, but Arnold’s genuine effort is far more emotionally rewarding, and does not shy away from confronting the euphoria of her young protagonist’s sexuality (something critical darling Winter’s Bone didn’t have the courage to integrate). Fish Tank also stays far enough away from the poverty porn baiting nearly every indie succumbs to these days (Winter’s Bone included), making its narrative intelligent and sophisticated by comparison.

http://www.filmblog.auteurmark.com/2011/01/10-favourite-international-films-of.html

Thursday, January 27, 2011
10 Favourite International Films of 2010
As mentioned in my previous blog post, 2010 has been a great year for documentaries. As for the rest, there's been an overwhelming number of films, few great studio blockbusters and a lot of amazing independent films. Here's what worked for me.

Since nowadays film awards are being given by one and all (and to one and all), I believe I should be giving some too. Let's start with a few fun categories that'll put the prestigious Hindi film awards to shame:

Now for some serious categories:
Best Visual Effects: Inception by Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley, Pete Bebb and Paul J. Franklin
Best Production Design: Shutter Island by Dante Ferretti
Best Music (songs): No One Knows About Persian Cats
Best Music (score): Black Swan by Clint Mansell
Best Cinematography: Blue Valentine by Andrij Parekh (Enter the Void and Fish Tank tie as runner ups)
Best Editing: I Am Love by Walter Fasano
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Fassbender, Fish Tank (Andrew Garfield, The Social Network and Christian Bale, The Fighter tie as runner ups. I have to admit, this was the toughest to choose)
Best Supporting Actress: Jackie Weaver, Animal Kingdom
Best Actor: Woody Harrelson, Defendor
Best Actress: Katie Jarvis, Fish Tank and Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine


And finally my 10 favourite international films of 2010.

1. Fish Tank
The best film of 2010 is also the best coming-of-age story of the year. Katie Jarvis (in her first film, with no previous acting experience) makes her character Mia so real and honest. This film is filled with metaphors, symbols and subtext. Mia dancing in a small room is such a beautiful image of her struggle for freedom. The cinematic use of 4:3 letterbox instead of 16:9 widescreen adds to her claustrophobia of living in a dysfunctional family. Always in center frame we see the film unfold from Mia's point-of-view. You have to experience Fish Tank to see how beautiful, brutal reality can be.

That's my top 10. Feel free to post your lists below. 2010 has been a great year for movies, hope 2011 is better with films like Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, The Tree of Life, Biutiful, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and more! Look out for a moving Indie film called Putty Hill it's a great experimental narrative.

Thanks for reading!
Posted by Mihir Desai at 1:39 P

http://cinenthusiast.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/top-30-films-of-2010-15-1/

01 Feb 2011

by Catherine in 2010 list,

8. Fish Tank
From here on out, these numbers are essentially arbitrary. This could easily be in my Top 3. A beautifully photographed, raw portrait of a teenage girl, rooted in the British social realism films from the early 60′s. Katie Jarvis is magnetic and a natural performer, supported by equally admirable work from Michael Fassbender and Kierston Wareing. Unpredictable and poignant, this coming of age drama proudly defies yet at times embraces cliche. An unforgettable sophomore effort by Andrea Arnold.

http://davesmoviesite.blogspot.com/2011/02/2010-best-performances-of-year.html

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
2010: The Best Performances of the Year: Supporting Actor
Normally one of the strongest categories, this year Best Supporting Actor was undeniably the weakest of the four acting categories. All you have to do to see that is that my number 1 performance here was no better than the other two main performances from that movie, and they both ranked lower on their respective lists. However, there was still strong work done here. In addition to the top 10, the following performances deserve recognition as well: Pierce Brosnan in The Ghost Writer, Andrew Garfield in Never Let Me Go, Ben Kingsley in Shutter Island, Armie Hamer in The Social Network, Djimon Hounsou in The Tempest, Bill Murray in Get Low, Edward Norton in Stone, Jeremy Renner in The Town, Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right, Ben Whishaw in The Tempest.

8. Michael Fassbender in Fish Tank
Michael Fassbender has quickly become one of the more interesting actors around. His brilliant performances in Hunger, Eden Lake, Inglorious Basterds and this film show that he has more talent than most other actors around. Here, he takes on the difficult role of a man in his 30s, and his flirtation with the teenage daughter of his latest girlfriend. He seems like such a nice guy at first – but then we catch him looking at the teenager a little too long, a little too intently. What happens next is lowkey, prolonged seduction – and makes this seemingly nice guy turn into an asshole. But Fassbender’s work here is great because he refuses to make it into a cliché – even if we end up hating him, he remains a real performance for the entire movie. This is a performance that makes me want to see even more Fassbender in the future.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2011/02/the_best_art_films_of_2010.html

The best art films of 2010
By Roger Ebert on February 17, 2011 9:59 PM

This is the last of my lists of the best films of 2010, and the hardest to name. Call it the Best Art Films. I can't precisely define an Art Film, but I knew I was seeing one when I saw these. I could also call them Adult Films, if that term hadn't been devalued by the porn industry. These are films based on the close observation of behavior. They are not mechanical constructions of infinitesimal thrills. They depend on intelligence and empathy to be appreciated.


They also require acting of a precision not necessary in many mass entertainments. They require directors with a clear idea of complex purposes. They require subtleties of lighting and sound that create a self-contained world. Most of all, they require sympathy. The directors care for their characters, and ask us to see them as individuals, not genre emblems. That requires us to see ourselves as individual viewers, not "audience members." That can be an intimate experience. I found it in these titles, which for one reason or another weren't on my earlier lists. Maybe next year I'll just come up with one alphabetical list of all the year's best films, and call it "The Best Films of 2011, A to Z."

"Fish Tank." Andrea Arnold's "Fish Tank" is the portrait of an angry, isolated 15-year-old girl who is hurtling toward a lifetime of misery. She is so hurt and lonely, we pity her. Her mother barely even sees her. The girl is Mia, played by Katie Jarvis in a harrowing display of hostility. She's been thrown out of school, is taunted as a weirdo by boys her age, has no friends, converses with her mother and sister in screams and retreats to an empty room to play her music and dance alone. She drinks what little booze she can get her hands on.

And where is her mother? Right there at home, all the time. Joanne (Kierston Wareing) looks so young, she might have had Mia at Mia's age. Joanne is shorter, busty, dyed blond, a chain-smoker, a party girl. The party is usually in her living room. One day, she brings home Connor (Michael Fassbender), a good-looking guy who seems nice enough. Mia screams at him, too, but it's a way of getting attention.

One day Connor takes Mia, her mom and her little sister Tyler (Rebecca Griffiths) on a drive to the country. Connor takes Mia wading ("I can't swim") in the river. Walking barefoot, she gets a ride on his back and rests her chin on his shoulder, and what was in the air from the first is now manifest. Some reviews call Connor a pedophile. I think he's more of an immoral opportunist. Arnold sees everything through Mia's eyes and never steps outside to explain things from any other point of view. She knows who the young girl is, and we are left to assume. Whatever she thinks after the visit to Connor's house, we are not specifically told.

Katie Jarvis herself may have been headed was heading for a life similar to Mia's. Her casting in this film, however, led to Cannes, the Jury Prize, and contracts with British and American agents. She is a powerful acting presence, flawlessly convincing here. And Arnold, who won an Oscar for her shattering short film "Wasp" (2003), also about a neglectful alcoholic mother, deserves comparison with a British master director like Ken Loach.

http://nevernotanerd.com/movies-2010/

The Best Movies of 2010
Posted by Jamie Concepcion On February - 27 - 2011

The Academy Awards air tonight, so I’m kind of forced to finish this now. Well, that and the fact that a couple days ago I finally saw all the films I wanted to see before I made this list. So, without further ado here are what I believe to be the best films of last year.

They are in descending order so…!!

15 – Centurion – A very entertaining movie pitting the Romans against the savage Britons. It wasn’t AMAZING, and the story was a little lacking, but it was damn fun to watch and Michael Fassbender is great, as he usually is.