Best Films of 2010

As 2010 draws to a close it is time for the obligatory top ten movie list. Without further ado I give you the best of year in movies.

10. Alice in Wonderland
How can you go wrong with Tim Burton directing and Johnny Depp playing the Mad Hatter? Not so much a remake as a re-imagining/sequel, this movie really delivered. Great performances by Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, and newcomer Mia Wasikowska as Alice made this a splendid trip down the rabbit hole. It didn't hurt that the art work was some of the most imaginative I have ever seen. If nothing else, you have to give Tim Burton credit for making some of the most visually astonishing films out there.

9. Secretariat
Despite being a fairly-predictable story, this really was a pleasant surprise. While the racing scenes are not bad to look at, they were not as impressive as Seabiscuit. But Secretariat, despite the title, was just as much if not more about Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, who defied gender barriers in the horse racing world. Diane Lane really brought the spirit of Chenery to life in a stellar performance. And John Malkovich made for a very convincing Lucien Laurin.

8. Morning Glory
These days it seems the hardest things to come by at the multiplex are good comedies and good horror films. Well, Morning Glory was one of the sharpest comedies I have seen in some time. It was a really sharp, funny, and a great look at what life is like in the broadcasting world. Special credit to Rachel McAdams as the spunky protagonist and Harrison Ford as a crotchety old-school reporter.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I
Harry Potter seems to be one of those rare cases like Lord of the Rings where the transition from page to screen has been fairly successful. No, the movies are never going to replace the books. But with the first part of the seventh film Harry Potter the franchise took another step in becoming one of the best film/book sagas of all time. Yes this installment was darker, a little slower, and an emotional roller coaster, but the same can be said of the books. I was already looking forward to part two but that ending made me all the more anxious.

6. How to Train Your Dragon
A film about literally how to train dragons could have been really corny and stupid, but thankfully it wasn't. Great animation and an inventive story about how misunderstood dragons are was one of the most enjoyable experiences of 2010.

5.Black Swan
Black Swan was exciting, creepy, dramatic, and... one of the most original films of 2010! A great performance by Natalie Portman carries this story about an obsessed ballet dancer. This was a return to form for it's director after the disaster that was "The Wrestler." This one belongs alongside "Requiem for a Dream." It's that good!

4. Toy Story 3
Pixar always seems to make at least one film on my ten best list every year. 2010 was no different. The Toy Story franchise is the rare exception to the rule of sequels usually being inferior. Quite the contrary. Toy Story was exciting and groundbreaking, Toy Story 2 was poignant, and Toy Story 3 was all of those things and more.

3. Green Zone
Even though the subject matter about falsified intelligence regarding WMDs in Iraq is not news anymore, Green Zone proved to be an exciting as well as highly-intelligent thriller. Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon who teamed up for the Bourne movies here deliver another winner.

2. Waiting for Superman
Few things are more important than a good education. Sadly the school system in the USA is in a real state of disrepair. If you don't believe me check out this documentary. And afterwords you'll have a whole new appreciation for teachers.

1. Inception
I know this film drove some people crazy because it was so complicated. I relished that. In a year with sequels, remakes, and just outright idiotic movies, this was the cream of the crop. If you want a movie that's imaginative, exciting, and has tour de force performances by the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page then this is the movie for you. Thank you Christopher Nolan for being one of the best and brightest directors in Hollywood. Inception somehow managed to be delightful and challenging all at the same time. Don't plan on watching this movie casually, you can't take your eyes off it or you will miss something important. No wasted screen time is to be found here.