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10- Shutter Island
I have my many beefs with this film which I will undoubtedly always have but considering the fact that I enjoyed most of the film (and considering that I’ve seen a lot of much, much worse films this year) I will clock it in at number 10. The plot twist is shallow (and IMO: a cop out) but the excellent performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, the superb use of isolation and the excellent suspense building atmosphere help to outshine this for the most part.
09- Frozen
Well it’s not as intellectually stimulating as some of the other films on this list but this is one horror film that dares to be different. Three skiers getting stranded on a chair lift for a few days may not sound like anything all that exhilarating but this film is incredibly intense and brutal. There are a few roll-your-eyes type moments given some decisions that are made but overall the film was believable and frightening and had me on the edge of my seat for most of the duration.
08- Toy Story 3
A great cap to a great trilogy. Pixar once again proves that it can master the kid/adult film hybrid. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry which is pretty amazing considering that it’s a film about toys. It’s the darkest out of the three films which can be a little jarring but it matches more of the other work Pixar has done recently. It’s easily the best of the trilogy for its deeper palette of emotions but it still doesn’t live up to some of Pixar’s other latest outings.
07- Piranha 3D
Yes, this film did cater to me specifically given my love for schmaltzy horror films but even putting that aside, I would still say that this was a damn good movie. To be honest, if I was judging these films on shear entertainment value, this would take the number one spot. It’s a gleefully unapologetic B-Monster-Movie throwback loaded with more blood, guts and gratuitous nudity than you could ever want. Not only that, it is incredibly intense with a fair amount of suspense being built up before the big onslaught towards the end. This film is pure entertainment, and for that, I must commend it.
06- Inception
A brilliantly crafted powerhouse. It’s a summer blockbuster that thrills us with its incredible visuals and still manages to offer up an intricate, complex and intellectual plot. The intensity of the last half of the film is unbelievable and it moves with a momentum that has to be seen. The ending will always be a p*ss-off of mine but it doesn’t weigh against the film’s Great cast, excellent soundtrack and absolutely breathtaking action sequences.
05- Black Swan
A delightfully dark and twisted little horror thriller. The film masters the ability to play with your head and keep you on your toes to what’s real and what isn’t as well as inducing the feelings of isolation and alienation of our lead protagonist. It’s an incredibly intense and visceral experience to watch Natalie Portman’s slow descent into insanity and the film will continually challenge with it’s twists and turns. I was only slightly miffed by some of the choices made with where the film went but overall, the film had me in its clutches.
04- Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
It may value style over substance but that doesn’t mean that the substance is non-existent. The script is hilarious and clever and as most Edgar Wright films tend to, it moves at a lightning fast pace. The characters are interesting and endearing therefore actually making us care for them. It may bash you in the face with its general theme/message a little too much but the brillant visuals and stylization, not to mention the amount of fun you’ll have watching it, tend to mask the film’s problems.
03- Despicable Me
The most unexpectedly great movie of the year. The film goes down Pixar’s usual path by serving up humor as well as a touching tenderness that will undoubtedly bring a tear to most. It’s actually quite a beautiful film nestled within a fun and zany kids movie. I was actually disappointed when it ended only because I had fallen in love with the characters and wanted to see more of them. It’s fun, hilarious, touching and a movie for everyone.
02- The Social Network
On paper this film sounded like a very, very bad idea and even after it was being publically advertised, people boycotted ‘The Facebook Movie’. It’s A brilliantly written film with outstanding performances particularly from Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. It really puts Facebook in its place rather than commend it. It shows us the greed and betrayal that was the foundation for the trivial little website we all use everyday and it’s truly fascinating. A wrongly labeled and somewhat misunderstood film that should get the recognition it deserves.
01- True Grit
I was iffy on this as I’ve never been too keen on the Coen Brothers’ other work but I was blown away by ‘True Grit’. The performances are incredible all around (especially from the young Hailee Steinfeld) which are helped even further by the Coen Brothers’ wicked sense of humor. The film is also very emotionally engaging both through its characters and its story of redemption. The ending was a disappointment for many reasons but I suppose it has its purpose and It didn’t bother me enough to really get in the way of the sheer amount of power that the film boasted. An almost perfect film.
I have my many beefs with this film which I will undoubtedly always have but considering the fact that I enjoyed most of the film (and considering that I’ve seen a lot of much, much worse films this year) I will clock it in at number 10. The plot twist is shallow (and IMO: a cop out) but the excellent performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, the superb use of isolation and the excellent suspense building atmosphere help to outshine this for the most part.
09- Frozen
Well it’s not as intellectually stimulating as some of the other films on this list but this is one horror film that dares to be different. Three skiers getting stranded on a chair lift for a few days may not sound like anything all that exhilarating but this film is incredibly intense and brutal. There are a few roll-your-eyes type moments given some decisions that are made but overall the film was believable and frightening and had me on the edge of my seat for most of the duration.
08- Toy Story 3
A great cap to a great trilogy. Pixar once again proves that it can master the kid/adult film hybrid. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry which is pretty amazing considering that it’s a film about toys. It’s the darkest out of the three films which can be a little jarring but it matches more of the other work Pixar has done recently. It’s easily the best of the trilogy for its deeper palette of emotions but it still doesn’t live up to some of Pixar’s other latest outings.
07- Piranha 3D
Yes, this film did cater to me specifically given my love for schmaltzy horror films but even putting that aside, I would still say that this was a damn good movie. To be honest, if I was judging these films on shear entertainment value, this would take the number one spot. It’s a gleefully unapologetic B-Monster-Movie throwback loaded with more blood, guts and gratuitous nudity than you could ever want. Not only that, it is incredibly intense with a fair amount of suspense being built up before the big onslaught towards the end. This film is pure entertainment, and for that, I must commend it.
06- Inception
A brilliantly crafted powerhouse. It’s a summer blockbuster that thrills us with its incredible visuals and still manages to offer up an intricate, complex and intellectual plot. The intensity of the last half of the film is unbelievable and it moves with a momentum that has to be seen. The ending will always be a p*ss-off of mine but it doesn’t weigh against the film’s Great cast, excellent soundtrack and absolutely breathtaking action sequences.
05- Black Swan
A delightfully dark and twisted little horror thriller. The film masters the ability to play with your head and keep you on your toes to what’s real and what isn’t as well as inducing the feelings of isolation and alienation of our lead protagonist. It’s an incredibly intense and visceral experience to watch Natalie Portman’s slow descent into insanity and the film will continually challenge with it’s twists and turns. I was only slightly miffed by some of the choices made with where the film went but overall, the film had me in its clutches.
04- Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
It may value style over substance but that doesn’t mean that the substance is non-existent. The script is hilarious and clever and as most Edgar Wright films tend to, it moves at a lightning fast pace. The characters are interesting and endearing therefore actually making us care for them. It may bash you in the face with its general theme/message a little too much but the brillant visuals and stylization, not to mention the amount of fun you’ll have watching it, tend to mask the film’s problems.
03- Despicable Me
The most unexpectedly great movie of the year. The film goes down Pixar’s usual path by serving up humor as well as a touching tenderness that will undoubtedly bring a tear to most. It’s actually quite a beautiful film nestled within a fun and zany kids movie. I was actually disappointed when it ended only because I had fallen in love with the characters and wanted to see more of them. It’s fun, hilarious, touching and a movie for everyone.
02- The Social Network
On paper this film sounded like a very, very bad idea and even after it was being publically advertised, people boycotted ‘The Facebook Movie’. It’s A brilliantly written film with outstanding performances particularly from Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. It really puts Facebook in its place rather than commend it. It shows us the greed and betrayal that was the foundation for the trivial little website we all use everyday and it’s truly fascinating. A wrongly labeled and somewhat misunderstood film that should get the recognition it deserves.
01- True Grit
I was iffy on this as I’ve never been too keen on the Coen Brothers’ other work but I was blown away by ‘True Grit’. The performances are incredible all around (especially from the young Hailee Steinfeld) which are helped even further by the Coen Brothers’ wicked sense of humor. The film is also very emotionally engaging both through its characters and its story of redemption. The ending was a disappointment for many reasons but I suppose it has its purpose and It didn’t bother me enough to really get in the way of the sheer amount of power that the film boasted. An almost perfect film.