Best Film of 2010 - Defend your favourite! *STRICTLY ONE POST, ONE FILM PER POSTER*

johnny_ultimate

A wee experiment here, which shall hopefully be a more in-depth addition to the film awards this year. Here is a thread for you to defend your favourite film of the year in-depth. Inception wow you? A firm defender of Enter the Void? Cried your eyes out at Toy Story 3? Well, tell us why, gosh darnit! Perhaps then we can have a friendly competition to see who has the best write up. We're looking at a word count somewhere that is more than three words, but somewhat less than War and Peace.

Again, we're working on a strict one post per user strategy here for a change. It'll keep the thread tidy and friendly (hopefully). Most importantly: list free! Yay!

Anyway, post on film fans!

krudler

Inception for me, proof that not all movies need to be a sequel, re-imagining, reboot, remake or adaptation of something else, shock horror, there are some ideas left in Hollywood. The notion of another world within the realm of the mind isnt a new one, but Nolan makes his own universe with rules and boundaries, and then crafts a stunningly technical achievement on top of it. If you havent already, watch the making of on the blu-ray/dvd, and marvel at how much of the stunning effects were done for real, in an age where lazy filmmakers can cgi anything they want, Nolan has an entire hotel corridor built on a rotating set, drives a train (well really a truck with a train casing on top of it) through a city street, causes a real avalance, and builds something a Bond villain would love on a mountain. Movie of the year for me.

Fysh

It's tough to pick just one film, but I think the film I most enjoyed in 2010 was Scott Pilgrim. I found it to be a funny and charming film with the most excellently-considered special effects I've seen in a film, integrated seamlessly into the film's world in a way that shames almost any other film that has combined CGI and live-action footage.

As an adaptation of the comics, it's surprisingly good while diverging significantly from it in narrative terms. The fight scenes were great, the jokes were funny and the supporting cast in particular were fabulous. All the 8- and 16-bit gaming references worked far better than I would have expected, in part because they were allowed to just exist as part of the story instead of having unnecessary attention focused on them.

The bands and music in the story were the aspect that could have been the biggest challenge in terms of adaptation, but they were handled fabulously - the soundtrack for the film is better than most in terms of how it relates to the characters and overall narrative, and is also worth checking out on its own merits.

Sad Professor

I've just deleted 7 useless posts. Read the rules, folks, or your post will be deleted. One film only - and explain.

johnny_ultimate

As much as I hate having to pick one film, especially considering the disservice it does to countless other superb films, this year The Social Network was the one film that lingered in my mind long after the credits rolled for the second time (pretty sure it was the only film I saw in the cinema twice this year). And the funny thing is, for the longest time I didn't know why. But that's what made the Social Network so special: it was nigh on effortless, or perhaps more accurately simply comes across as effortless, so confident it is tonally.

David Fincher's usually reliable name had been sullied somewhat IMO after the pretty but distressingly vapid Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and from the beginning a film about facebook of all things filled me with little confidence. But the early reviews (which were borderline hyperbolic) and clever marketing material (TSN also deserves best poster and trailer of the year) got me interested. And in a rare break from tradition, the hype was entirely justified.

What can be said about a film that simply flows perfectly from beginning to end? Fincher's direction and Aaron Sorkin's scripts gel seamlessly, a theatrical piece given a surreal, haunting edge through clever photography and a curious yet largely unobtrusive soundtrack. The performances - from new faces through the eyebrow raising and probably ironic casting of Justin Timberlake as the music industry's worst enemy Sean Parker - are brilliant, bolstered by two particularly hypnotic performances from Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as the closest thing the film has to a hero in Eduardo Saverin.

Does the film bend the truth? Hell yes - approach the Social Network as a primary historical source and you're doing it wrong. But the truth is bent to good cause, the film's goal to examine a thoroughly modern social phenomenon through its origin story. So while the intricacies of facebook and social networking are examined bitingly (you've got to love the scene where Zuckerberg adds 'relationship statuses' to the site) this interpretation of a few strange men's story uses the founding fathers of contemporary social networking to dig deeper into the very nature of the new medium than I personally expected. The key is in the title - while this is superficially the story of Mark Zuckerberg, it's more a cutthroat dissection of the way every one of us interacts in a social world radically altered by a new medium. And few if any other films have had the same thematic depth and flawless delivery as Fincher's masterpiece.

It's funny as **** too, which helps.

In a year with plenty of extremely capable competition (I could certainly write an essay defending Toy Story 3's claim to the title too) The Social Network is a particularly shining gem.

Mickeroo

Inception and Social Network were close for me too but I have to go for Toy Story 3.

I've watched it since and it's just such an amazing film. Calling it a children's film does it a great disservice, the characters, the script, the plot, if most so called adult live action movies were made to this quality we would be spoiled.

The way it dealt with the themes of growing up and accepting change was so mature and heartfelt, it really struck a chord, especially if you were lucky enough to grow up with thesee characters which I was, and thats what sets it apart, it wasn't made as a cheap cash in to sell lunch boxes to kids it was made for the kids who saw the first two that have now grown up and left their childhoods behind. It also goes without saying

the incinerator

was hands down the most emotionally intense scene I've seen in a movie all year and probably the most intense I've ever seen in a mainstream animated movie, i really really thought for a few seconds that that was it. It was a brave scene to have in a film like this.

One of the best sequels ever to top off probably one of the best trilogies ever.

Rabidlamb

Another shout out to Toy Story 3.

The incinerator scene was terrific but the Bonnie scene at the end really pulled at the heart strings.

Pixar can get more emotion from pixels that many directors can get from actors.

humanji

I guess there's going to be a lot of Inceptions on this thread. But it really didn't do anything for me. My pick would go to "Four Lions" by Chris Morris, the story of a group of wannabe suicide bombers in England.

It's a truly bizarre film to watch because the main characters are so likable, yet you know you should hate them. Chris Morris is a master at tricking you into thinking differently about a subject, so much so that it's not until you look back on it that you realise the insanity that you've missed.

I don't want to go into too much detail as it'll ruin the story for anyone who's yet to watch it (and let's be honest, who can resist spoiler tags?). But this is one of the blackest comedies I've seen in years. It'll have you in hysterics until you realise how accurate the portrayal of the stupidity of fanatics is.

Bill2673

I would have no difficulty in picking my favourite movie of the year; but that is partly because I didn't see many.

My favourite movie and the only decent movie i saw all year was A Prophet.

Why? egghhh...I hate this bit. Its a movie for grown-ups; the plot develops very nicely, its full of great actors i'd never seen before......and especially, it doesn't fall back on stereotype and cliche. Its set in a prison but its not a prison movie. The main protagonist is Arab, but its not really about cultural differences. Its just about the story. Hats off.

homerun_homer

I'd hate to be obvious but Inception beat out the Social Network, Scott Pilgrim & TS3 to be my film of the year and deservedly so.

I saw it on opening night and I can't say I was as blown away as I thought I would be. I was very tired, had high expectations and knew this film would further prove Nolan as one of Hollywood's best directors. The story, the plot and the details were all superb, it was in the action I felt underwhelmed on first viewing.

But I saw it a 2nd time 2 nights later and I was in better form, not fighting sleep in the theatre this time and watching it was like watching it for the first time amazingly enough. Details I missed were heard or spotted, the action in the snow scenes I now understood to be generic action because the faceless baddies defending the dreams are just generic projections and not supposed to be master villains or have character.

I like the heart of the story. Cobb's regret over his wife and how he just wants to see his kids. Marion Cottilard as Mal is gorgeous and frightening at the same time. People complain that we don't get to know enough about the supporting characters but I think they are a good ensemble and they come across well, especially Tom Hardy.

When you think back to 2010 and what images sum up that year it will mostly be Inception related, the hallway fight with Joseph Gordon Levitt, the city folding on itself and most of all the spinning top.

Christopher Nolan has an amazing imagination (even if you do want to criticise that Scrooge McDuck got there first with this one) with scripts/movies like this & Memento. I've no doubt that The Dark Knight rises will be the best film of it's year when released as Nolan is on a winning streak.

irishash

I could easily champion any one of the films already mentioned, as I love all of them, but for me the one that really hit it out of the park for me was “Buried”

This was sold to audiences as an hour-and-a-half of Ryan Reynolds in a box, and the beginning is so claustrophobic I actually started to wonder why I was watching it, but it suddenly becomes so gripping I was on the edge of my seat for most of the last half. A tour-de-force from Reynolds who is really starting to show that he can do some seriously good acting along with the faffy stuff he does. Fast becoming one of my favourite actors. The technical aspects of how they made this movie blew my mind, and upon my second viewing I was working out how each shot was done and I am still mystified as to how some of them were acheived. A total surprise and a great ending to boot.

I cannot wait for the home release so I can see a making off just to see what it took to make this movie.

Ironman76

After two viewings Inception does it for me. It is pretty spectacular and the initial struggle to follow the plot is worth it. Incredibly original, youd be hard pressed to find a better movie in 2010.

JP Liz V1

While I did enjoy and loved Inception.

I am going to with The Town

Ben Affleck not only stars, directs and co wrote the captivating screenplay he also assembles an excellent cast. Affleck proves Gone Baby Gone was no beginner's luck.

Frank Bullitt

Inception, was the first film in a long time that had we going "wow, thats seriously cool", might sound like a weird reason but it just hit all the right buttons.

losthorizon

ITs a shoot out between Toy Story 3/ A Prophet/ The Social Network and Mother. So Hard.

The Social Network definitely had the best script and drew you in. Mother superb visuals and fantastic scenes and A Prophet was a great gangster film. And TS3 nearly had me in tears.

So hard but I think I will go for just the Social Network with Mother (Madeo) in second place.

johndoe99

Beneath Hill 60 (2010)

A brilliant WW1 movie based on a True Story, where Australian tunnelers have to detonate TNT to stop a german advance, apparently it was the largest TNT detonation of any war and the explosion was heard as far as way as Dublin.

OutlawPete

For me it has to be Toy Story 3D.

Coming from a viewer who really has hated animated movies now for such a long time, it really does surprise me that my choice for Film Of The Year is animation.

I have seen a lot of animated movies at the cinema over the years for one reason or another (nothing else on, seen everything being screened, dragged along etc etc) and hardly any of them have ever stayed with me. Even 'Up', which was a critically acclaimed, I still felt was useless and painful to watch, same with Despicable Me, just did nothing for me and I couldn't wait 'till it was over.

I suppose Shrek was watchable and somewhat entertaining, as was Cloudly With A Chance Of Meatballs, but none of them ever had the depth and soul of animation that I watched as a kid. Cartoons that to this day stay with me and that had characters that felt life like in so many ways, something that I never seen on the Big Screen.

Well, not until the original Toy Story that is (Jungle Book being the only real exception, but I yet to have the pleasure of seeing it in the cinema) and even then, I was never a massive fan of the first Toy Story and most certainly not the second one either. They were easily the best of their kind for over the last two decades, but I still felt that they never had much depth to them, no real soul for whatever reason, even though I still throughly enjoyed them and indeed have watched them both again many times over.

So, when I went to see Toy Story 3, I expected pretty much the same, seen as I felt TS2 was no where near as good as the original and to be very honest, I was kinda dreading seeing it and in no real mood for an animated movie at all that day, so I made sure I bought a lot of munchies in with me, just to be sure I'd enjoy some aspect of my trip to the cinema.

I needn't have bothered though, as what I witnessed, was pure cinema magic and most of the popcorn I bought, still remained at the end, always a true mark of a great movie.

What I had was that all too rare experience you have nowadays, the feeling of getting totally and utterly lost in a film, lifted up from your seat and transported into the action on the screen. There was no filler here, every second was just as important as the next one and not one moment were I found myself thinking about if I put enough money in the parking meter or left the cooker on or any of the other million pieces of junk that tends to run through your head when there a film dips a little, which let's face is it, is all the more common these days, even with the films we consider to be of quality.

No, with Toy Story 3 you don't get a chance to think about anything else, you just get transfixed on what Woody, Buzz, Potatoe Head and the rest are all saying or doing and where the story is taking them. I swear at times I forgot it was animation at all. Not once did Tom Hanks or Tim Allen come into my head, which I find is always an issue with animated films, the stars voicing the characters being so recognizable, that you can't help but picture them from time to time, well - with TS3, that's wasn't an issue for a second.

Not since I was a kid had I ever felt so engrossed in animation, but it was much more that that, as kids are easily transfixed, much much harder to transfix grown adults and yet that is just what they did. They created a story and script worthy of praise all of it's very own. It is hilariously funny, but also sad, very dramatic, quite horrifying and yet - still just remains suitable viewing for kids, and most aptly, satisfying those that felt they in many ways: grew up with Andy.

Of course it was always going to be an emotional rollercoaster and bring feelings of nostalgia with it and by the bucket load, but it does it all so well and without a even hint of cheeeeeese. It's a marvelous piece of animation, goes without saying now - but it is also, and most importantly: a great great movie, and a timeless and classic one at that.

rednik

Inception for me. I have watched it twice since getting the blu ray and I look forward to watching it again soon. Every time I watch it I get something different from the movie. The cast are excellent as is the direction. I saw it in the cinema and the others I went with were divided as they were for The Dark Knight. I guess that's what Christopher Nolan does!

CiDeRmAn

Yup, Inception was wonderful, although overall I thought the year was weaker than 2009, with Moon, Drag Me To Hell and District 9, not to mention Watchmen keeping the nerd in me well fed!

Cummybaby

I saw Inception 3 times in the first week it was released whilst in America and boy was I blown away. I said to myself afterwards this must've been what it was like seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey when it came out in the 60's: mesmerising yet confusing. And knowing that little CGI ****e was used made the experience that little bit more special.

Toy Story 3, The Social Network, A Prophet are probably better balanced films in terms of plot, pacing and dialogue. Joseph Gordon Levitt floating through the air, Tom Hardy's scene stealing acting and Cillian Murphy's revealation with his father will follow me for the rest of my days.

Pete Postlewaite RIP

Skerries

my film of the year has to go to
A Social Network Inception Toy Story!
because the story was just brilliant!
Woody and Buzz have to go into the mind of Andy to convince him to get off Facebook and play with his toys again, just a delightful film

coconut5

Skerries wrote: »

my film of the year has to go to
A Social Network Inception Toy Story!
because the story was just brilliant!
Woody and Buzz have to go into the mind of Andy to convince him to get off Facebook and play with his toys again, just a delightful film

Your post will prob get deleted, but I laughed.

JP Liz V1

coconut5 wrote: »

Your post will prob get deleted, but I laughed.

Me too

kraggy

Dogtooth

The most deranged movie experience I've ever had. But I didn't love it just for its madness.

It was beatifully shot, the sound made you feel like you were in the house in question and the lighting had the same effect.

The acting was some of the best I've seen in a long time to the extent that it nearly crossed my mind that the characters actually exist and we were onlookers viewing their lives in the guise of a documentary.

If you've never seen it, please do.

Close seconds were A prophet and How to Train your Dragon.

johndoe99

kraggy wrote: »

Dogtooth

The most deranged movie experience I've ever had. But I didn't love it just for its madness. .

yeah that was a great movie, i bought that for a fiver in xtravision (ex-rental).

Harrocks

For me it was Brooklyns Finest and old fashioned cop thriller with a good cast and good performances 2010 was a poor year for movies to many remakes.

Bodhidharma

I'm gonna go for The Town. It was one of those movies that I didn't expect much of when I went to see it and was pleasantly surprised. It reminded me a lot of Heat, which in a year of poor cinematic releases was as good as it got. I liked that the characters in it were somewhat realistic and that the whole thing wasn't about special effects.

Inception was good but I didn't get an emotional response from it, very cold movie. Technically good but cold, like Avatar. No connection to the characters.

The Sparrow

I probably would have said Inception if I was the first poster, but this will be a dull thread if everyone picks it!

So for me, it's Winter's Bone. It basically had everything that a great film should have. A gripping story, great acting performances and the ability to transfer you from your cinema seat to a completely new world. The story managed to combine genuine menace with an eaually genune and touching examination of family loyalty/ duty and the struggle to survive in an isolated community.

The performances from a group of unknown actors (to me at least) were amazing. Jennifer Lawrence was excellent. You immediately identify with her struggle to survive and take care of her family as she harbours dreams of escaping the claustrophobic small town.

As I mentioned above, there is a real sense of menace in this film and I found myself on the edge of my seat for the majority of it, hoping that her family would somehow succeed against the odds. The setting in the Orzak mountains also plays a huge part in creating a sense of dread and claustrophobia as everywhere is surrounded by deep, dark forest that wouldn't look out of place in a Brother's Grimm fairy tale.

I really hope that Winter's Bone follows up on it's Sundance victory with some more awards over the next couple of months. If you have yet to see it, seek out the dvd. You will not be disappointed.

H8GHOTI

Another vote for Inception.

Not only do I think it was the best film of last year, I can't remember a film from the last 10 years that I thought was better. Just thought everything about it was amazing. Great idea, great story, great director, great acting. I loved the way you could tell what 'level' they were in during every scene. Even though it was a complex idea, the way it was shot made it easy to follow. Christopher Nolan is a genius. Really good special effects to boot.

Surprise of the year would be The Social Network. Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Brilliant dialogue.

temply

It has to be Inception for me. Had me gripped right from the beginning and I was on the edge of my seat till the very end. Amazing.

Jako8

I loved Inception and The Social Network but it's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World for me. It's a visual treat from beginning to end filled with little references that, instead of diverting the attention of the narrative onto them, blend seamlessly into the world of the film. Just as the visual effects are very much a part of this world. I know a lot of people criticised the pacing but I like how it thunders along at a quick pace for the most part.
The action scenes were also pretty awesome. Very well choreographed and shot. The music is very good too. I guess that's what you get when you have people like Beck, Broken Social Scene and Metric contributing.

Lirange

Winter's Bone.

First let me say this film probably isn't for everyone although I'd like to think most would find it a worthy and memorable experience. It's more character driven than plot driven. The premise is simple but the characters are not. The lead character Ree is a 17 year old girl that has to locate her father to keep a roof over the head of her family: a catatonic mother and her two younger siblings. Her father, a meth manufacturer put their property up to help finance his bail to get out of prison with a court date pending. But apparently he's gone on the lam. The neighbouring community, some of which are Ree's kin, are also involved in the meth business, and like to keep their heads low. So they're not too keen when she comes around looking for information.

I was somewhat skeptical of it because there's too many low budget films that turn out to be quirky, or vain, or dull, or all of those put together. But this film is sensible and has integrity. The characters are real but often unpredictable because we learn about the characters as we go long. Since they're human and not simple archetypes we cannot get the measure of them straight away from a couple expository scenes. Even the minor characters. Every act by every character is done for a reason. Nothing is random or contrived. It's about protecting livelihoods, love, and family loyalties. The film doesn't really have an overriding political message to drive home. Any that might be taken away from it by the audience are incidental to the story.

The acting was exceptional. Some of the cast were drawn from the local community, such as the little girl that plays Ree's younger sister who it turns out lives in that same home. I don't want to give too much away because it's best to go into this film cold without any preconceived ideas. The trailers for this film tend to be misleading. Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes were outstanding but the entire cast were credible.

Sanjuro

Althought it was difficult to choose between my top 3 (Toy Story 3, The Social Network), for me, the best film of 2010 was Inception. As a big fan of science fiction, it's been a hell of a couple of years for the genre. But Inception was just the icing on the cake. A film that wasn't an adaptation, sequel, or superhero movie. Two and a half solid hours of entertainment, and a concept that while pure sci-fi, was still very believable. And that scene, even after a couple of watches is just as amazing. And to top it all off, it's a physical effect, and not CGI. Awesome.

Dermighty

Toy Story 3

anyone who said this wrote: »

Inception

Completely disagree.

As much as I enjoyed Inception and the Social Network, I have to say that the film of the year for me is Toy Story 3.

It was the perfect ending to a trilogy that captivated people for ten years, with each movie gaining strength over the previous one. How often does this happen, I ask you? Yes, I was awed during Inception and amused during the Social Network, but only Toy Story 3 has left a lasting impression on me.

Diddy Kong

QDog10 wrote: »

1. The Town. I've been waiting for a proper heist movie since Heat and to be fair it delieverd for me. Something about movies set in Boston that appeal to me.
2. A Prophet
3. Zombieland

Zombieland was released in 2009.

For me it was Iron Man 2. I know a lot of people were disappointed with it as they directly compared it to the first movie. But if you take the movie on its own, I thought it was great.

The humour used throughout was very well done and Downey plays the role so effortlessly it is a pleasure to watch him. The CGI was as good as the first if not better in some spots.

The character of Hammer was just so funny, from the way he talked, to the way he danced and then you have the overuse of fake tan.

The movie also stokes interest in other upcoming Marvel projects - The Avengers, Thor, Captain America which is always a nice treat and expands the horizon.

Overall a great sequel with a fantastic cast and spectacular action. Looking forward to number 3.

P.S. makes a change to the Inception love in.

Theboinkmaster

Inception for me.

Brilliant original story, great effects with a limit of CGI used. Hans Zimmer music was awesome.

Chad ghostal

I had a hard time picking between Winters Bone, A Prophet and Animal Kingdom, but since the other two have been talked about, I'll pick Animal Kingdom

On paper this film looked like a really stereotypical family crime drama and when I started it, it didn't seem much different. However the film grows on you; the quality of the acting and writing create a sense of realism that pulls you in, so that you can really taste the tension and paranoia of the characters.

I'd also like to steal Lirange's nicely written second paragraph about character development in Winters Bone, as it applies to this film too and expresses what I failed to; but instead just go read the full post (and watch the film!).

There're probably a few familiar faces here for people who watch Austrailian tv shows or movies. Guy Pierce is the most famous, but he doesn't really stand out; which given the quality of his acting, I think says a lot about the film.

Redr

For me it was Toy Story 3. Great story line, realistic (the bit about Andy growing up I mean), poignant, and clever. One can really identify with the subject - especially if you've a child of Andy's age yourself and you sat with self-same child through TS 1 & 2. After 10 years it's going to be nostalgic.

Inception, though very good, I found hard going. Sheesh! You really have to concentrate. Social Network good too - actors were outstanding.

Snake Plisken

Inception for me Chris Nolan delivers again followed by David Finchers Social Network, so lucky we have these talented filmmakers continuing to make great movies

red dave

"Kick-Ass" is my choice for 2010. Thought some of the scenes were hilarious. Hit-girls opening scene

Nic Cage is not an actor I'd normally enjoy watching but thought he was superb in this (and also thought he was great in bad lieutenant)