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Honorable Mentions:
- The Kings Speech
- The Book of Eli
- Despicable Me
- True Grit
- How To Train Your Dragon
10- Toy Story 3
Well I’m really not surprised by how good this film is. First off, it’s a Pixar film. Second, it’s a franchise that is 2/2 for being good. So it was a no-brainer going in that Pixar would know how to end this franchise off right. This film delivered on all the expectations the audience had, with some tears to go with it. It was a fitting ending to the franchise that made us finally care about our toys.
09- The Fighter
This is a much different film from Rocky but still a great underdog story of a boxer trying to get out of his brother’s shadow. Christian Bale steals the show and sets this film apart from other sport films. The only thing that keeps this film lower on the list is Mark Walhberg, as he never gives his character any depth. Instead, he is more of a device for all the other characters to give great performances. Despite this, I still really enjoyed this story of a family gone wrong.
08- Never Let Me Go
This is a film that never got a wide release, so the general audience missed it; however, this is a truly powerful film set in a dystopian England where humans are cloned for organ harvesting to provide a solution to cancer and other diseases. The film follows three children as they are raised with the knowledge that their lives will end earlier than normal. The three actors give very raw performances, making this a very powerful film.
07- The Town
Ben Affleck shocks us once again with his second directed film, proving that he isn’t the lame actor we thought he was. His crime drama is about a bank robber who falls for a female bank manager that he robbed in his last job. Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm show their skills in this film that makes this a crime film, much like Heat - one to remember.
06- Buried
This film has gotten a lot of praise for the gimmick of using only one location with one actor for 90 minutes in a box, and never being boring. Everything you’ve heard is true. It is amazing how the film gives you all the information that you need to know with just one character in a box. I found it to be a great thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat for the whole time. It’s something I have never seen in a movie and I encourage everyone to see it.
05- Black Swan
This film is getting praise from everywhere, and it totally deserves it. The film is a great character study of a performer who delves into the darker side of her psyche in order to play a role in a ballet. Natalie Portman delivers a stunning performance in this psychological thriller that will keep you guessing ‘til the end.
04- The Social Network
More than just a film about how a website was created, this film offers a look into what a character will do to finally get accepted by his peers. With director David Fincher bringing his dark style and Aaron Sorkin’s quick dialogue, this film is one of my favorites of the year.
03- 127 Hours
Director Danny Boyle’s follow up to the hit Slumdog Millionaire tells the true story of Aron Ralston’s fight for survival. It is a character study that pins him down and makes him realize what’s wrong with his life, forcing him to look deep inside himself for his true desires. James Franco nails the performance, digging deep into the mind of a man fighting for his life. This is a terrific film.
02- Inception
A summer action film that is good for the brain, not just the eyes. This latest by Christopher Nolan is a deep film that opens your mind to the extraordinary possibilities of the dream world. This was the film that saved the summer and was a great experience as a completely original film.
01- Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese looks into the mindset of a mental patient in this thriller about a detective who is called onto an island where criminally insane patients are kept. I really enjoyed this film for its style and substance. I enjoyed the ride as the detective discovers more about himself than he wants to believe. This film had everything that I was hoping a film would have, and with a twist that you didn’t expect.
- The Kings Speech
- The Book of Eli
- Despicable Me
- True Grit
- How To Train Your Dragon
10- Toy Story 3
Well I’m really not surprised by how good this film is. First off, it’s a Pixar film. Second, it’s a franchise that is 2/2 for being good. So it was a no-brainer going in that Pixar would know how to end this franchise off right. This film delivered on all the expectations the audience had, with some tears to go with it. It was a fitting ending to the franchise that made us finally care about our toys.
09- The Fighter
This is a much different film from Rocky but still a great underdog story of a boxer trying to get out of his brother’s shadow. Christian Bale steals the show and sets this film apart from other sport films. The only thing that keeps this film lower on the list is Mark Walhberg, as he never gives his character any depth. Instead, he is more of a device for all the other characters to give great performances. Despite this, I still really enjoyed this story of a family gone wrong.
08- Never Let Me Go
This is a film that never got a wide release, so the general audience missed it; however, this is a truly powerful film set in a dystopian England where humans are cloned for organ harvesting to provide a solution to cancer and other diseases. The film follows three children as they are raised with the knowledge that their lives will end earlier than normal. The three actors give very raw performances, making this a very powerful film.
07- The Town
Ben Affleck shocks us once again with his second directed film, proving that he isn’t the lame actor we thought he was. His crime drama is about a bank robber who falls for a female bank manager that he robbed in his last job. Jeremy Renner and Jon Hamm show their skills in this film that makes this a crime film, much like Heat - one to remember.
06- Buried
This film has gotten a lot of praise for the gimmick of using only one location with one actor for 90 minutes in a box, and never being boring. Everything you’ve heard is true. It is amazing how the film gives you all the information that you need to know with just one character in a box. I found it to be a great thriller that keeps you at the edge of your seat for the whole time. It’s something I have never seen in a movie and I encourage everyone to see it.
05- Black Swan
This film is getting praise from everywhere, and it totally deserves it. The film is a great character study of a performer who delves into the darker side of her psyche in order to play a role in a ballet. Natalie Portman delivers a stunning performance in this psychological thriller that will keep you guessing ‘til the end.
04- The Social Network
More than just a film about how a website was created, this film offers a look into what a character will do to finally get accepted by his peers. With director David Fincher bringing his dark style and Aaron Sorkin’s quick dialogue, this film is one of my favorites of the year.
03- 127 Hours
Director Danny Boyle’s follow up to the hit Slumdog Millionaire tells the true story of Aron Ralston’s fight for survival. It is a character study that pins him down and makes him realize what’s wrong with his life, forcing him to look deep inside himself for his true desires. James Franco nails the performance, digging deep into the mind of a man fighting for his life. This is a terrific film.
02- Inception
A summer action film that is good for the brain, not just the eyes. This latest by Christopher Nolan is a deep film that opens your mind to the extraordinary possibilities of the dream world. This was the film that saved the summer and was a great experience as a completely original film.
01- Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese looks into the mindset of a mental patient in this thriller about a detective who is called onto an island where criminally insane patients are kept. I really enjoyed this film for its style and substance. I enjoyed the ride as the detective discovers more about himself than he wants to believe. This film had everything that I was hoping a film would have, and with a twist that you didn’t expect.