Obligatory Top 10 List -- and more from 2010

"What's your favorite movie?" is probably my least favorite movie-related question. What I love about film is its potential for variety. Does it sound reasonable to judge "Clockwork Orange" against "Mary Poppins?"  I think not, which is why I like to name these two fine films as my favorites if I'm pushed to provide an answer. Just imagining Alex and his droogs in the same room as the sublime Ms. Poppins is enough to make my point.

So when it comes time to offer up my Top 10 Films of 2010 list, I'm immediately resistant. Especially after seeing so many other lists that pretty much echo each other. Alas, I give in to peer pressure and give you the ten films that made the strongest impression on me this year. Plus some movies that defied my expectations (both good and bad) and another batch that just plain pissed me off. Here you go -- and Happy New Year! 

* Links go to my original Union-Tribune reviews. No link means I didn’t review it.

Top 10 Films of 2010  (in no particular order, other than alphabetically)

127 Hours


Yes, I have a soft spot for all things Franco, but his performance as trapped hiker Aron Ralston is truly remarkable. Put that together with Danny Boyle’s energetic and imaginative direction and you get a film that elevates a People Magazine cover story to an exciting bit of filmmaking. 

Black Swan

Despite its tendency towards high-gloss camp, director Darren Aronofsky’s visual stylings and Natalie Portman’s notable performance puts this graceful fever dream of a film in my Top 10.

Blue Valentine


Director Derek Cianfrance takes a sideways look at love by weaving a couple’s painful disintegration together with their first falling in love. It’s a sad but beautiful contrast that owes much to Michelle Williams’ terrific performance opposite a fine Ryan Gosling, who’s ill-fitting accent is the only thing keeping me from heaping praise on him as well.

Carlos


The sheer scope of this 5 ½-hour epic about infamous terrorist Carlos “The Jackal” qualifies it for my Top 10 list. But director Olivier Assayas’ ability to juggle so many subplots, languages, characters, and facts, along with Edgar Ramirez’s remarkable performance as the multi-lingual title character, make “Carlos” a must-see movie marathon.

Exit Through the Gift Shop

We saw a lot of films this year that addressed the line between truth and fiction (“I’m Still Here,” “Catfish,” even “The Social Network”), but this “documentary” by renowned street artist Banksy did it best with an entertaining and thought-provoking film that still has us guessing.

I Am Love


A luscious painting of a film starring Tilda Swinton as the Russian-born, porcelain-skinned subject trapped and isolated in a lavish Italian life. A breathtaking experience, and the British Swinton once again amazes – this time by delivering her lines effortlessly in Russian-accented Italian.

Never Let Me Go


Mark Romanek’s haunting yet restrained film, based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, is a quietly creepy tale of a dystopian future. With Rachel Portman’s unique score setting the tone, actors Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley expertly guide us through this somber story.

The Social Network


Though it may take some liberties with the truth, director David Fincher’s film about the controversial founding of Facebook captures the geek-driven, wild west landscape that led to the world dumping their personal lives online –at the command of the socially inept Mark Zuckerberg. Definitely worth two viewings: one to soak up Aaron Sorkin’s snappy script, and the next to appreciate Fincher’s tight storytelling.

Toy Story 3

It took 15 years for Pixar to reach the final chapter for Woody, Buzz and the gang, and this funny, nostalgic and even scary sendoff is just about perfect. I still come to tears just thinking about it. 

Winter’s Bone


Writer/director Debra Granik takes us into the remote Ozark Mountains where chronic poverty and rampant drug use have led to both lawlessness and hopelessness. As the brave teenager who ventures inside this dangerous world to save her family’s home, young Jennifer Lawrence delivers a career-making performance. 

Honorable Mentions

A Film Unfinished 


An important lesson about historical interpretation, this documentary shows how the Nazis staged filmed scenes of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto in a bold (and mostly successful) attempt to hide their atrocities. A history lesson for everyone.

The Kids Are All Right


Terrific performances by all involved, and a wonderfully fresh take on ‘family’ in the modern era.

Nowhere Boy 


No surprise that 40-something director Sam Taylor-Wood ended up married to her 19 year-old star Aaron Johnson, who’s charming portrayal of a young John Lennon will steal your heart as well. Terrific performances also by Anne-Marie Duff and Kristin Scott Thomas.

The Tillman Story 


An eye-opening and heartbreaking documentary that follows the family of former NFL star Pat Tillman on their unflinching quest to find out the truth behind his wartime death.

Unfortunate Omissions

There are only so many hours in a year and, sadly, I missed seeing these two films before time ran out. From what I've read and heard, I suspect they would've made my list.

Another Year – Director Mike Leigh’s latest ensemble film

Inside Job – Charles Ferguson’s documentary about the shenanigans behind the Wall Street collapse.

Biggest Surprises (Good and Bad)


The Crazies 


Horror kitsch and gratuitous gore interest me very little, so I assumed this zombie-style film would be total schlock. So imagine my surprise when I found myself covering my eyes, leaning forward in suspense, and having a hell of a good time – and I went to the screening by myself. That’s saying something.

Jonah Hill in Cyrus 


I expected to like this predominantly improvised film, despite the fact that it starred one of my least favorite actors, Jonah Hill. Well, the presence of his talented costars John C. Reilly and Marisa Tomei must’ve had him on his best behavior – and he comes out the better for it. He is off my shit list….for now.

Inception 


I admit it. I was carried away by the idea of Inception and the excitement around it. Upon first viewing, the film was a mind-tripping visual spectacle and worth the watch. But what surprised me was how quickly it faded from memory – kind of  like a dream that feels vividly real upon waking, but is gone by breakfast.

Kick-Ass 


Comic book movies are not my thing (hence my disinterest in Comicon). But Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl won me over. A blast of a movie -- controversy over its ultra violence and little-girl bad language be damned.

The Millenium Triology on Film (and in Swedish)

Not having read the Stieg Larsson books, the first film from the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, blew me away (particularly Noomi Rapace’s performance as Lisbeth, which damn well better earn her an Oscar nomination). But the two films that followed, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, were an exercise in disappointment.

Salt

I’m not someone who favors Angelina Jolie (I’m putting it very politely here) and action movies fall very far down on my list of preferred genres. Despite these substantial strikes against it, I was thrilled by Jolie’s stunts and happy to a happen upon an example of a Hollywood action-thriller done right.

Unstoppable 


When I first saw the preview, I laughed in the most derisive way possible. Instead of proving me right, this runaway train tale got my adrenaline pumping and had me thoroughly entertained.

Money Better Spent on Rebuilding Haiti

Last and least, here’s a quick list of movies that felt like a waste of my time and, more importantly, a lot of money that could have been put to much better use elsewhere in the world. If you must know more, read my linked reviews and spare yourself actually having to see the films for yourself.

A-Team

Eat, Pray, Love

From Paris with Love

Get Him to the Greek

Greenberg

Grown Ups

I’m Still Here

Sex and the City 2

Somewhere

Valentine's Day

When In Rome

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Review: Carlos (4 out of 4 stars)

Just got home from seeing the 5 1/2 hour  "Carlos" at the Gaslamp Theater. Besides taking up the better part of a mostly sunny vacation day, it was entirely worthwhile-- especially as I put the finishing touches on my Best of 2010 list.

The film follows the exploits of the infamous terrorist Carlos "The Jackal" throughout the 70s, 80s and early 90s, and reveals him to be a charismatic sociopath with a hint of James Bond  -- if 007 fought exclusively for the bad guys.

Of course, Carlos sees himself as a loyal solider in the communist revolution and his ruthlessness earned him a lot of business --and protection--from like-minded regimes. But nothing lasts forever. While we're reveling in Carlos' militant globetrotting, we're also witnessing the evolution of late 20th century geopolitics--or at least its ugly underbelly.

Besides telling an immensely complex and compelling story, director and co-writer Olivier Assayas  deserves recognition for the sheer scope of the project,  shot in nine countries on three continents and featuring 11 languages. And, of course, the hyper-realistic hostage takings and down-and-dirty bombings, some of which reminded me of the bumbling terrorists in the comedy "Four Lions," playing just across the hall.

As Carlos, Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez is simply incredible, turning a shadowy public figure into someone frighteningly real. The role must  have been physically grueling as well, taking the actor from a svelte young soldier, aglow with  high ideals, to a bloated relic of the Cold War, hiding out in the few remaining countries that'll still have him. Oh, and Ramirez delivers his lines with equal strength in English, Spanish, Arabic, German, and who knows what else I'm forgetting. Amazing.

But the character's most compelling transformation happens gradually, as Carlos' extreme political ideals begin to twist and contort over the years, eventually becoming little more than bizarre justifications for cold-blooded murder.

It's understandable that you might be turned off by the film's running time. In fact, it was originally produced for television, so watching it at home over the course of a few nights could be a more convenient option for you. But seeing "Carlos" on the big screen, joined by a smattering of equally brave comrades-in-film, gives this monumental cinematic effort the respect it deserves.

And now to throw in a little playful disrespect, allow me to offer up a potential drinking game to pair with a home viewing of "Carlos."  A terrorist leads a busy life. Changing passports, airplanes and cars like most of us change our underwear. Assayas captures this constant stream of motion in almost obsessive detail, particularly when it comes to cars. Getting in. Getting out. Pulling Up. Driving Away. It's effective and, likely, accurate. But, if you're like me, it might become tiresome by the fourth hour.

This is where the drinking game comes in. One sip for every car door slam. Two sips for every curbside pull-up, driveway arrival or departure. A chug for every rental car driven away. A shot for every car that peels away from the curb. You get the picture. Enjoy. (But don't drink and drive.)

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True Grit; Closing out the Year

This week's review of "True Grit" (3 stars) brings my critical year to a close. Hard to believe I only started with the Union-Tribune  in January! Since then, I've managed to cram in 72 reviews and five feature stories (the final one, about the San Diego Christian Film Festival, is in today's paper). I also appeared in four pre-Oscar TV spots for Channel 10, where I did a spectacularly poor job of predicting the winners, but not too shabby on the teleprompter if you ask me! (This was during the bizarre period of time before the paper hired its new editor-in-chief. I don't think we'll be repeating this strange exercise for 2011, though who knows?)

I also became a member of the San Diego Film Critics Society this year, which meant I took part in my first DVD screener deluge (awesome!) and gave my two cents during our recent voting session, which yielded some interesting results for Best of 2010.

I also found my rhythm as a freelance writer with a full time day job. I don't get to review nearly as many films as I'd like and, now that I have a handle on what I can do without losing my mind, I'm hoping to cover more independent films in my 2011. Hollywood has done little to earn the amount of attention it gets (from me and everyone else) and, although I will still review the mainstream movies when appropriate, I will make the necessary adjustments to my schedule so that I can cover  films that may be more deserving of your attention--even if they don't  have the marketing budget to buy it.

I've also got my eyes and ears open for potential stories about local film festivals, filmmakers and events so drop me a line if you have a suggestion. Looks like the San Diego Black Film Festival and San Diego Jewish Film Festival are first up in the queue and I'm eager to see what they have to offer.

So those are my New Year's resolutions-- when it comes to movies anyway. What are yours?

I'm hoping to get a Top 10 list posted before we say so long to what has been a pretty crappy year (for film and for the world). Here's hoping we've got nowhere to go but up in 2011.

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Reviews: "The King's Speech" & "Tron: Legacy"

This week I reviewed "The King's Speech" and "Tron: Legacy," two films that have one thing in common--neither took top honors in the San Diego Film Critics Society's (SDFCS) 2010 awards, (though "King's Speech" was nominated for several). This was my first year as an SDFCS member and, despite some of the grumbling you'd expect from a roomful of opinionated critics, it was exciting to be a part of a group so willing to consider films outside the normal Hollywood Oscar bait (like "Winter's Bone," "Another Year," "44 Inch Chest" and "Ondine"). Let's just hope that someone out there in Academy-land hears our cries. Doubtful I know, but we did our part.

Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen Mother  

in "The King's Speech" (Laurie Sparham/ The Weinstein Company)

Not that I disliked "The  King's Speech," as you'll see in my review. It was just, well, expected. Enjoyable, yes, but not anything that had me walking out of the theater feeling electrified by brilliant filmmaking. As my mother described it, "It was a really, really good television movie." Still, wonderful performances, a compelling true story, and a good dose of royal gossip.

Jeff Bridges is shown in  "Tron: Legacy"  (AP Photo/Disney)

Then there's "Tron: Legacy," which was certainly discussed during SDFCS's voting, but only because the press screening took place the night before and people needed to vent about the film's assault on everything that is holy in sci-fi movie geekdom. I kept my mouth shut because, well, I didn't entirely hate it.

Granted, I had the lowest of expectations, especially after seeing the original "Tron" only a few days earlier (and falling asleep halfway through after spending the first half mocking its ridiculous story, costumes, dialogue and acting). So when I found myself generally wowed by the effects of its sequel, I went along for the ride and took it for what it was.

Yes, even the recreation of a young Jeff Bridges impressed me, though many are describing it as a "Madame Tussaud's-like death mask." I've still never seen anything like it and am excited to see how much better it'll get down the road. I mean, "Tron" looked cheezy as hell, but it still helped redirect our cinematic imagination.

Still, it would have been nice if the filmmakers had actually tried to improve upon the story--or even, gasp, reinvent it. Instead, they took the easy way out by trying to lure the Gen X audience with nostalgia, while attempting to appeal to a new generation of numbskull kids with visual spectacle and a hell of a lot of marketing. And, as we know, trying to appeal to everyone rarely gets you somewhere good (hear that Obama?).

Oh, and I got so distracted by placing "Tron: Legacy" in the context of its predecessor, that I stupidly neglected to include the following observations in my review. Michael Sheen, an actor I really admire, delivers a Tim Curry/Rock Horror-esque performance that is simply painful to watch. Perhaps he was directed to inject as much energy and silliness as he could muster to give an overly dreary film at least some sort of energy, but he just comes off as desperate and pandering.

On the other hand, Jeff Bridges (the 62-year old version) does give us a few giggles every time he channels the beloved Dude (because, well, The Dude abides). But each Dude-ish moment just pulls you out of the world that "Legacy" tries so hard to create. Let's just have the Coen brothers do a Lebowski remake instead, shall we?

Next Friday I review "True Grit" and profile the first ever San Diego Christian Film Festival (what else would a nice Jewish girl be working on during the Christmas season?)

Speaking of, Happy Holidays!

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