Al's Top Rated Films: 2010
These are my favorite movies of 2010. I'll add more as I see them.
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- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsMark WahlbergChristian BaleAmy AdamsBased on the story of Micky Ward, a fledgling boxer who tries to escape the shadow of his more famous but troubled older boxing brother and get his own shot at greatness.Outstanding sports biopic from David O. Russell about boxing legend turned trainer, Dicky Ward, and his younger half-brother and aspiring boxing great, Micky Ward. Set in 1993 Massachusetts, Micky learns he must escape the home environment of his unmotivated crack addicted brother and selfishly controlling mother, to focus and earn his shot at the world light welterweight title. Fantastic story from start to finish, and definitely one of my all-time favorite boxing/fighting films. Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Amy Adams all delivered excellent lead performances...arguably the best of all their careers. Melissa Leo, Jack McGee, Melissa McMeekin, Bianca Hunter, Erica McDermott, Jill Quigg, Dendrie Taylor, Kate B. O'Brien, Jenna Lamia, and many others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselNina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.Visually stunning and thrilling drama at every turn. Darren Aronofsky presents a signature touch to his films like no other—bringing so much emotion and dramatization with unique cinematography, lighting, and editing. Superb story about a young and highly determined New York ballet dancer who struggles with her past psychological issues, inexperience, jealousy, and intense desire to succeed after landing the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake". Brilliantly written and acted with so many twists you don't see coming, and an absolutely outstanding ending. Natalie Portman most definitely earned her Oscar with her breath-taking lead performance—definitely my favorite role of hers. Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied, Ksenia Solo, Toby Hemingway, Sebastian Stan, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsClaire DanesJulia OrmondDavid StrathairnA biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry.Incredible historical biopic on the life of Temple Grandin—an autistic woman who became one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry due to her unique ability to read animals, retain information, and visually map out mathematics that nobody else could see. It was amazing to see how many obstacles she overcomes while being completely self-sufficient. Just as powerful is how she became a voice of hope to all those who suffer with autism. Claire Danes delivered an absolutely fantastic lead performance. I'll definitely be seeking out more of her films. Julia Ormond, David Strathairn, and Catherine O'Hara also had very powerful supporting roles. Barry Tubb, David Born, Stephanie Faracy, Richard Dillard, Michael Crabtree, and many others also had nice parts.
- DirectorBarry LevinsonStarsAl PacinoBrenda VaccaroJohn GoodmanA look at the life and work of doctor-assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.Fantastic historical biopic from Barry Levinson on the life of doctor-assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian. Fascinating story set in the 1990s that finds a huge debate occurring between those who feel people should have the right to choose to end their suffering and pain due to a terminal disease, and those who feel it's morally wrong in the eyes of god. Fantastic film all around, with gripping dialogue and acting throughout. Al Pacino delivers one of his all-time greatest lead performances. He rightly won the Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Golden Globe for outstanding lead actor in a TV movie or miniseries (among others). Brenda Vaccaro, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Danny Huston, and several others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsJeff BridgesMatt DamonHailee SteinfeldA stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer.Excellent remake of John Wayne's 1969 western classic. I'd have to say I personally like it even more than the original. Excellent story about a determined teenager who enlists the help of a brash U.S. Marshal with "true grit" to track down the man who murdered her father. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen delivered a superb modern feel and made the story a bit more powerful. Jeff Bridges was just as excellent as John Wayne, and I felt Hailee Steinfeld actually played a better female lead than Kim Darby did in the original. Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews, Paul Rae, Elizabeth Marvel, and many others gave great supporting performances.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsJesse EisenbergAndrew GarfieldJustin TimberlakeAs Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.Excellent biopic from David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin about the life of Mark Zuckerberg—the social networking media sensation who created Facebook in his dorm room while he was a student at Harvard. 6 years later, he would become youngest billionaire in history. Legal battles ensue when some of his classmates claim he stole their ideas. Very nicely done with a perspective from both sides of the story. Jesse Eisenberg delivered and excellent performance as Mark Zuckerberg. Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Joseph Mazzello, Armie Hammer, Rashida Jones, Josh Pence, Max Minghella, Brenda Song, Rooney Mara, Dakota Johnson, Douglas Urbanski, John Getz, Inger Tudor, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckRebecca HallJon HammA proficient group of thieves rob a bank and hold an assistant manager hostage. Things begin to get complicated when one of the crew members falls in love with her.Excellent and thrilling crime drama directed by, written by, and starring Ben Affleck, the follows a skilled group of bank robbers who live in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, and decide to knock off the Cambridge Merchants Bank. The assistant manager as a hostage when things don't go as planned. After they release her unharmed, they become paranoid that she might have learned information about them, so one of the men starts a personal relationship with her, and complicates the story when they fall in love. Ben Affleck delivered one of his best lead performances along with his great writing and directing. Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, and Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, George Carroll, Titus Welliver, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper, and others had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorTony GoldwynStarsHilary SwankSam RockwellMelissa LeoA working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders.Excellent crime drama/biography that tells the story of brother and sister (and all around best friends) Kenny Waters and Betty Anne Waters. They come from a poor and broken home in the 1950s and 1960s, and Kenny has had run-ins with the law his entire life. On May 21, 1980, in Ayer, Massachusetts; Katherina Reitz Brow is horrifically murdered, and Kenny is the Sergeant Nancy Taylor’s prime suspect (who has always specifically despised Kenny). He’s initially questioned and let go, but new evidence and witness testimony takes the case to trial 2 years later, which sends Kenny to prison for life. Betty Anne is heartbroken by the decision, and dedicates the next 18 years of her life to researching ways to prove Kenny’s innocence, which requires going to law school and becoming a legitimate lawyer. Powerful story all around with fantastic drama, dialogue, production design, and a fantastic cast. Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell both deliver excellent lead performances. Minnie Driver, Peter Gallagher, Ari Graynor, Melissa Leo, Clea DuVall, Juliette Lewis, Ele Bardha, Bailee Madison, Tobias Campbell, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDebra GranikStarsJennifer LawrenceJohn HawkesGarret DillahuntAn unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact.Excellent crime drama/mystery that follows a poor 17-year-old girl who takes care of her 2 siblings and mentally ill mother after her crystal meth cooking/dealing father is arrested. When her father skips bail and puts the family's land and house up for collateral for his bond, she has to act fast to locate her father and get him to his court date on time to avoid losing the land. It proves to be far more dangerous than she anticipated, as she runs into ruthless drug dealers and powerful folks that want to silence her, as her desperate quest seems more hopeless by the day. Jennifer Lawrence delivers a lead performances worthy of her Academy Award nomination. She was excellent. The rest of the cast was relatively unknown, and really gave the movie a realistic feel. John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser, Garret Dillahunt, Isaiah Stone, Ashlee Thompson, Shelley Waggener, William White, Kevin Breznahan, Dale Dickey, Sheryl Lee, Tate Taylor, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorLisa CholodenkoStarsAnnette BeningJulianne MooreMark RuffaloTwo children conceived by artificial insemination bring their biological father into their non-traditional family life.Excellent comedy drama that follows a married lesbian couple named Nic and Jules who have two children that were conceived by artificial insemination. When the kids reach ages 15 and 18, they decide they want to meet their biological father and become part of his life. His alluring and carefree personality lands him right in the middle of their unconventional family as he builds relationships with the kids, and commissions Jules to be his landscape designer. Trouble comes into play when they all build great relationships with him accept for Nic, who does not want him infiltrating her family. Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, and Josh Hutcherson all delivered some of their all-time best lead performances. Yaya DaCosta, Eddie Hassell, and Zosia Mamet were also great among the supporting cast.
- DirectorWill GluckStarsEmma StoneAmanda BynesPenn BadgleyWhen Olive lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys, a girl overhears their conversation. Soon, her story spreads across the entire school like wildfire.Hilarious comedy drama from Will Gluck that follows a respectable and introverted high school student who tells a seemingly innocent lie about losing her virginity to her meddling best friend Rhiannon, when an eavesdropper spreads the lustful story throughout the entire school. She soon becomes a target to everyone in school, and thrives on the attention by making secret deals with lesser popular guys and bullied homosexuals by accepting money to allow them to spread rumors that she actually slept with them; which helps them improve their social status. When she starts to take it too far, she realizes she's losing all of her friends and hurting some of peers in the process, and must make things right by exposing the shocking truth on social media. Emma Stone delivered one of her very best lead performances. She was excellent throughout. Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Dan Byrd, Thomas Haden Church, Aly Michalka, Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci, Cam Gigandet, Lisa Kudrow, Malcolm McDowell, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAnna BodenRyan FleckStarsKeir GilchristZach GalifianakisEmma RobertsA clinically-depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward.Excellent comedy drama from Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck that follows a 16-year-old high-school junior named Craig who's very depressed and decides to check himself into the hospital instead of jumping off a bridge and killing himself. He ends up being admitted to the adult psychiatric ward of a hospital where he makes fast friends with an eccentric grown farther named Bobby, a beautiful teen his age named Noelle who has cutting problems, and many others who teach him that life is worth living. Great story that tackles the delicate topics of suicide, depression, and other mental illness very nicely. This is the first film I've seen with Keir Gilchrist, and he delivered a great lead performance. Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts also had excellent starring roles. Zoë Kravitz, Thomas Mann, Jeremy Davies, Viola Davis, Matthew Maher, Adrian Martinez, Lauren Graham, Jim Gaffigan, Dana DeVestern, Bernard White, Daniel London, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsJim SturgessEd HarrisColin FarrellSiberian gulag escapees travel four thousand miles by foot to freedom in India.Excellent historical adventure/drama from Peter Weir set in 1940 Siberia during World War II after the communist Soviet Union invaded Poland. It follows Polish soldier named Janusz Weiszczek who leads a group of prisoners in a seemingly impossible escape from the Gulag labor camp where they would have soon died, through the equally deadly and treacherous Siberian wilderness. While their mission is to reach a peaceful part of Mongolia, they find they are also now under communist control when they get there. They soon realize the only way to find freedom is to travel through the Himalayas to reach India, which is winds up being a perilous journey spanning over 4,000 miles. Powerful story with a great cast. Jim Sturgess and Ed Harris both delivered excellent lead performances. Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan, Alexandru Potocean, and Gustaf Skarsgård also had great starring roles. Mark Strong, Sebastian Urzendowsky, and others also had very nice supporting roles.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsMichael CeraMary Elizabeth WinsteadKieran CulkinIn a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.Excellent action-packed and music-inspired comedy from Edgar Wright set in a magical and fantasy-inflicted version of Toronto, and follows an underachieving 23-year-old bass guitarist named Scott Pilgrim who spends his days rehearsing and playing gigs with his garage band, Sex Bob-Omb. He's in a rut after breaking up with his girlfriend Envy a year earlier, and is currently dating a 17-year-old high school girl named Knives. He soon falls in love with a mysterious girl named Ramona Flowers, and does all he can to be with her. However, her past is littered with 7 evil ex-boyfriends, who appear out of nowhere to kill Scott. Edgar Wright's direction and production is some of the most inventive I've ever seen. Ideas and visuals soar in unique fashion, really giving this film a unique feel. Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead both delivered excellent lead performances. Jason Schwartzman, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Alison Pill, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, Mark Webber, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorAlbert HughesAllen HughesStarsDenzel WashingtonMila KunisRay StevensonA drifter fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity's salvation.Excellent action-packed drama/adventure that follows a man in a post-apocalyptic future—30 years after normal human civilization when the earth was burned so badly that it killed nearly every person and thing that wasn't safely underground. Resources are slim, and violent hierarchies are formed and people are killed over the need for water and basic survival needs. The man caries a bible with him—the last remaining bible left on the planet after all were destroyed in war following the apocalypse. He's destined to travel west, where it will fall in good hands. But an evil and powerful terrorist named Carnegie is one of the few old men still living that remembers the holy book, and will stop at nothing to obtain it to help him rule over all human kind. Denzel Washington delivers one of his finest and most badass lead performances. Gary Oldman and Mila Kunis also had great starring roles. Jennifer Beals, Ray Stevenson, Evan Jones, Joe Pingue, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorLee UnkrichStarsTom HanksTim AllenJoan CusackThe toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.Superb sequel in the Toy Story saga, and arguably the best one yet. Great story which follows the toys as they're supposed to be stored in the attic when Andy is set to leave for college, but are mistakenly donated to Sunnyside Daycare center, where they meet all sorts of new toys that are thrilled to have kids play with them again. It all sounds great until their leader (Lotso) send the gang to the room with a hyper and uncontrollable kids who destroy toys. From there it's a thrilling adventure as the gang plans an epic escape. Great story and fantastic ending. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, John Morris, Jodi Benson, Laurie Metcalf, Blake Clark, Bud Luckey, and many others had great voice performances.
- DirectorRodrigo CortésStarsRyan ReynoldsJosé Luis García-PérezRobert PatersonPaul is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.Intense and gut-wrenching thriller for the entire 90-minute running time. Unique story about an American truck driver who is ambushed by terrorists in Iraq, and buried underground in a coffin with only a cell phone to bargain for his life with the US government and his Iraqi kidnappers. Ryan Reynolds is literally the only face you see the entire film, and he delivers one of his all-time greatest performances. José Luis García-Pérez, Robert Paterson, and Stephen Tobolowsky all had nice supporting voice roles. The film itself makes you feel claustrophobic. Excellent movie, but not for the faint of heart.
- DirectorDerek CianfranceStarsRyan GoslingMichelle WilliamsJohn DomanThe relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.Excellent drama romance from Derek Cianfrance that follows the lives of a young married couple named Dean and Cindy Heller Pereira. While Dean swept Cindy off her feet in their early years, things have gotten quite monotonous and passionless in their later years after having a young daughter. Dean is stuck in a rut as a painter who drinks and smokes too much, while Cindy is a nurse and is upset that Dean doesn't have any motivation or drive to do something better with his life. When a man that had a profound effect on their wavering relationship shows back up in their lives, it heightens tension and produces troubling results. Very nicely done story with great acting and dialogue throughout. Ryan Gosling delivered an excellent lead performance as usual and Michelle Williams arguably delivers her best starring role to date. John Doman, Mike Vogel, Faith Wladyka, Ben Shenkman, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsDenzel WashingtonChris PineRosario DawsonWith an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer and a young conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe.Excellent action-packed thriller from Tony Scott that follows a half-mile-long runaway freight train carrying a toxic and combustible chemical called molten phenol. With the unmanned train exceeding speeds of 80mph, an entire town is likely to be destroyed if they cannot stop or derail the train in time. A veteran train engineer and amateur train conductor are the people's only hope as they chase the train down in a separate locomotive. While it sounds like a straight action flick, the story was actually extremely solid and well written all around. Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, and Rosario Dawson all delivered excellent lead performances. Ethan Suplee, Kevin Dunn, Kevin Corrigan, Lew Temple, Jessy Schram, Kevin Chapman, and others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioEmily MortimerMark RuffaloTeddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, two US marshals, are sent to an asylum on a remote island in order to investigate the disappearance of a patient, where Teddy uncovers a shocking truth about the place.Excellent mystery thriller from Martin Scorsese set in 1954 Boston, and follows a determined U.S. marshal who is appointed to investigate the disappearance of patient from a hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. When a treacherous hurricane takes out communication inland, more criminals escape, and mysterious plot-twists present themselves. Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo both deliver excellent lead performances. Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, and many others had great roles among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorMark RomanekStarsKeira KnightleyCarey MulliganAndrew GarfieldThe lives of three friends, from their early school days into young adulthood, when the reality of the world they live in comes knocking.Excellent coming-of-age sci-fi drama/romance from Mark Romanek set in an alternate reality of 1978 England where select humans are bred specifically to donate vital organs, and are destined to die (or "complete" as they refer to it) in early adulthood. The story follows Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, who all grew up together at a boarding school called Hailsham, which houses hundreds of kids being raised to be perfectly healthy organ donors. While the three are best friends, their relationship is slowly torn apart over jealousy, since both girls love Tommy. 10 years after splitting up, we find Kathy in a delayed donation period to be a care giver to patients dying from organ donation. She is randomly reunited with Ruth and Tommy, who must all face the dramatic truth about their muddled past. Great story all around with an excellent cast. Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield all delivered excellent lead performances. Izzy Meikle-Small, Ella Purnell, Charlie Rowe, Charlotte Rampling, Sally Hawkins, Nathalie Richard, Andrea Riseborough, and others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorEdward ZwickStarsJake GyllenhaalAnne HathawayJudy GreerIn 1990s Pittsburgh, a medicine peddler starts a relationship with a young woman suffering from Parkinson's disease.Excellent comedy drama/romance from Edward Zwick set in 1990s Pittsburgh, and follows a young womanizing TV and stereo dealer turned pharmaceutical salesman named Jamie Randall, who meets a beautiful young woman named Maggie Murdock suffering from stage one Parkinson's disease, while working to peddle Zoloft to a local doctor. They start up a steamy relationship that involves plenty of drama stemming from Maggie's fear of commitment surrounding her illness, and Jamie's feelings of inadequacies surrounding his family and previous life. Jake Gyllenhaal is one of my favorite actors, and he delivers an excellent lead performance. Anne Hathaway was also fantastic as they shared lots of great chemistry (also evidenced by all the seemingly comfortable nudity). Josh Gad, Judy Greer, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Gabriel Macht, George Segal, and many others also had great supporting roles.
- DirectorPhilip Seymour HoffmanStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanAmy RyanJohn OrtizA limo driver's blind date sparks a tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and grace centered around two working-class New York City couples.Excellent drama romance and the only film Philip Seymour Hoffman has ever directed. The story follows an eccentric and socially awkward middle-aged limo driver named Jack who's often greeted with pity by his best friend and co-worker Clyde, and his wife Lucy. They decide it's time for Jack to get a girlfriend, so they setup a blind date with Lucy's equally eccentric co-worker, Connie. While both are hopelessly awkward with each other at first, they end up making a true and lovely connection with each other as they move forward with some true meaning in their lives. Meanwhile, drama builds up between Clyde and Lucy when past problems expose new wounds in their relationship. Great drama, story, and acting all around. Philip Seymour Hoffman delivered and excellent lead performance, and had great chemistry with Amy Ryan. John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega also had great starring roles. Salvatore Inzerillo was also very good among a solid supporting cast.
- DirectorLarysa KondrackiStarsRachel WeiszMonica BellucciVanessa RedgraveA drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex trafficking scandal.Excellent historical biopic set in 1999 based on the story of Kathryn Bolkovac—a Nebraska police officer who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia because she desperately wanted to be transferred to a different out-of-state police department to be be close to her daughter that she lost in a recent divorce. Soon after she arrives, she learns about a horrifying human sex trafficking ring that involves the local police, American contractors, as well as several corporations and branches of government. When she learns that nearly everyone in the system is corrupt, she works with a trusted Internal Affairs agent to get the information out of Bosnia and into the hands of the press. Rachel Weisz delivered an excellent lead performance. Roxana Condurache, Paula Schramm, Vanessa Redgrave, David Strathairn, Monica Bellucci, William Hope, and many others had great supporting roles.
- DirectorDavid SchwimmerStarsClive OwenCatherine KeenerLiana LiberatoA teenage girl is targeted by an online sexual predator.Excellent crime drama about a 14-year-old girl who starts an online relationship with a boy she thinks is 15 years old. As they continue chatting over a couple months time, he confesses he's actually 20, then later confesses he's 25, then he convinces her to meet him, and he's actually closer to 35, and uses every trick in the book to manipulate her. As troubling as she knows the situation is, she's hopelessly in love with him, which causes major turmoil with herself and her parents. Liana Liberato deliver an excellent and complex lead performance as Annie, along with gripping performances from Clive Owen and Catherine Keener. Viola Davis, Jason Clarke, Chris Henry Coffey, Spencer Curnutt, Noah Emmerich, and Zoe Levin also had great supporting roles.