Top 10 Flicks of 2010

Because I like lists, and despite my work schedule (which turned hellish, in mid-July), I managed to catcha goodly number of movies this year. It runs about half & half theater to home-viewing.

Thinking back, there are a couple of days, one in March, one in October, where I had no other obligations, and declared "Movie Day!" Spent those days helping the local economies by catching as many flicks as I could in the theater. Done largely with the help of matinee pricing and a trip each day to the Two Dollah Theatah, and laying off the $9 bag of popcorn, it really wasn't as expensive a day out as I might have thought.

That said, I did manage to drop an Alexander Hamilton on Black Swan last night, and nearly that much for True Grit two nights before. I find that there is a proportional desire to see a movie perform given how much I pay to see it. Conversely, it is easier to be disappointed given that same amount. Funny how the difference of $4 will do that to a man.

Anyway, looking back at 2010, these are what I consider the top 10 flicks. I say this with a qualifying statement: I have not found time to see a few flicks I might have wanted to. These include The Social Network, The King's Speech, The Fighter, and 127 Hours. I'll see them eventually.

1. Winter's Bone

I'm a tremendously big fan of this movie. It's a bleak, bleak flick. And it's Southern without mocking. Though it's not a difficult thing to do, even Indie flicks seem to have a little trouble with that one.

2. Let Me In

One of the best creepy flicks to come down the pike in a long, long time. Very pretty movie, too. And, as good as it is, it's not as good as its basis, Let the Right One In...

3. True Grit

I liked this one even more than I'd have thought. I found myself confronted with my dislike of movies/shows where the children are more of an adult than the adults. But, in the end, my love of movies of retribution washed that little bit away....

4. Toy Story 3

Stupid cartoon movies that make me cry.

5. Jackass 3

I went back and forth on this one, but finally decided that this was pretty much the only movie to make me absolutely horse laugh in the middle of a movie theater. Two favorite moments: Steve-O's horrified anticipation of being hit in the nuts, and the idea of taking a tuba into a pen with a pissed off Ram....

6. The Town

Watch out. Ben Affleck might end up being one of the best directors of his generation. This was a tremendous flick, and the dialog was probably some of my favorite any movie I've seen this year.

"I need your help. I can't tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later, and we're gonna hurt some people."

The reply: "Whose car we takin'?"

7. The Expendables.

You know, I realized that it's a good movie when I stopped thinking of it as an All-Star Jam with Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham & company. This movie did everything it was supposed to do. I know it's not breaking any new ground, but I probably had as much fun at this flick as any movie in 2010.

8. Inception

For all the talk before this flick came out, it just seems like it fell off the Radar. I dug it a lot. It's a well put together flick...

9. Buried

This one was a surprise. Shyam and I went to try to catch a showing of Warrior's Way (which looks very pretty), and couldn't get to an early enough showing. We opted for Buried, at the Two Dollah Theatah, despite of a tremendous dislike of Ryan Reynolds. Still, the flick sets an odd table for itself, but finishes nicely.

10. Black Swan

I'm still thinking on this one--it was just 12 hours ago that I saw it. It could move up the list. Aronofsky's past couple of flicks especially seem to deal in the dangers of the things that drive us. Barbary Hershey's mother character was one of the most dislikeable characters in all of movies this year (and I say that in as much a complimentary way as possible). All in all, it's a well-made horror flick...