Best of 2010: Our favorite movies

By Wired Oregon in Movies on February 7th, 2011 | 1 comment

Our 10 favorite movies released in 2010, as voted on by Wired Oregon staff and contributors. View some of the individual lists below.

1. The Social Network

Director: David Fincher

Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake

Rated: PG-13

Run time: 120 min.

Genre: Biography/Drama/History

U.S. gross: $96,020,437 through January 2011

Read our review of “The Social Network”

3. Toy Story 3

Director: Lee Unkrich

Screenplay: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Rated: G

Run time: 103 min.

Genre: Animation/Adventure/Comedy/Family/Fantasy

U.S. gross: $414,806,932 through November 2010

5. Black Swan

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Screenplay: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, John J. McLaughlin

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel

Rated: R

Run time: 108 min.

Genre: Drama/Fantasy

U.S. gross: $90,722,310 through January 2011

7. The King’s Speech

Director: Tom Hooper

Screenplay: David Seidler

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Rated: R

Run time: 118 min.

Genre: Drama/History

U.S. gross: $72,179,688 through January 2011

9. Shutter Island

Director: Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: Laeta Kalogridis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo

Rated: R

Run time: 138 min.

Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller

U.S. gross: $127,968,405 through June 2010

ERIC JONES’ TOP 10

1. The Social Network
Directed by David Fincher
What could have easily been a Lifetime movie of the week, The Social Network is my pick for movie of the year. With it’s pitch-perfect cast led by Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, a thrilling, funny screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and masterful direction by David Fincher, this tale of friendship, ambition, social awkwardness and greed surrounding the founding of facebook is stunning. Fincher has made some great movies, notably Seven and Fight Club, this may be his best ever.

2. True Grit
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
The Coen Brothers may be the most diverse filmmakers working today other than Danny Boyle (Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, etc). From comedies like Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski to thrillers like No Country For Old Men and Blood Simple, it was about time that they took on a western. What better way to do it than take a classic novel that was grossly mishandled and interpreted in the 60′s and turn it into what I consider the quintessential genre piece. Not since Unforgiven has the western been this authentic and engrossing. Add in Jeff Bridges, rightfully Oscar nominated for his turn as Rooster Cogburn, and you have a real treat.

3. Black Swan
Directed by Darren Arronofsky
The most original film of the year by far, this twisted, psychological drama/thriller/horror film is hard to describe better than that. Natalie Portman, who should not only be nominated but should win in a heavy rain induced California style landslide, is an ambitious, confused, traumatized ballet dancer trying desperately to be perfect and may or may not be losing her mind. An incredible film on every level.

4. A Prophet
Directed by Jacques Audiard
A thrilling French gangster drama set mostly in a prison, it chronicles the rise of Malik, played incredibly by Tahar Rahim, from small time crook to powerful gang leader. Beautifully shot, acted and directed, one of the best crime films in quite a while. ( This film came out in 2009 but since I was living in Eugene, I never got to see it until it came out on blu ray. The best way to see it as it turns out.)

5. Inception
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Snubbed yet again by the Academy Awards of a Best Director nomination, Nolan delivers the second most original film of the year behind Black Swan. Dreams within dreams within dreams, Inception requires multiple viewings just to attempt to get a grasp on what may or may not be real and happening on screen. Leonardo DiCaprio, in yet another stellar performance, is an expert at entering dreams to steal information as a means of corporate espionage. He takes on the biggest job of his life hoping it will be his last so he can finally return home to his children. Trying to explain or describe the plot more than this is pretty hard so I won’t try. It’s an amazing, labyrinthine thriller that owes quite a bit to The Matrix, while totally outclassing The Matrix.

6. Shutter Island
Directed by Martin Scorsese
DiCaprio again starring in a film that deals with reality, the mind and the blurred line between the two. Here, he is U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels, sent to investigate the disappearance of a woman from a prison for the criminally insane. A massive storm hits and he and his partner are forced to stay. Another movie with a difficult plot to explain. It’s better to see it, watch it two more times, then formulate an opinion. Pick up the blu ray, it is phenomenal.

7. Toy Story 3
Directed by Lee Unkrich
The best Toy Story film, and second best Pixar film behind 2007′s Ratatouille, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and the rest of the great cast are all back for what is not only a wonderful animated movie, but a great movie of any kind. Funny, scary, heartwarming and a bit sad, this almost made my top 3. Andy, the toys owner, is all grown up and off the college. He can’t part with his beloved toys and goes to store them in the attic. Mistakenly, the gang is put in the trash and it’s up to Woody to keep everyone together and get back home after ending up in a daycare where they are not appreciated. The epitome, along with Ratatouille, of what makes Pixar the best in the business.

8. The Town
Directed by Ben Affleck
Affleck the director is two for two. Gone Baby Gone was a tough, gritty crime film set in the mean streets of Boston. It was fantastic. The Town, while set in those same streets, is more slick and polished but no less entertaining. Populated by great actors like Chris Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm and the late, great Pete Postlethwaite, this bank robbery/heist flick is full of great dialogue, brutal action and just the right amount of humor. Kudos not only to Affleck for his great directing eye, but this is also the best performance he has given in quite a while.

9. How To Train Your Dragon
Directed by Chris Saunders and Dean DeBlois
As spectacular as Avatar with 10 times the script and heart. This computer animated film is from Chris Saunders, who created the wonderful Lilo and Stitch, and is one of the most thrilling, funny and just fun movies in years. It’s the story of a viking boy who doesn’t really measure up to his peers. He’s small and thoughtful and a bit of a disappointment to his tribal leader father. He sets out to prove himself by killing the most elusive dragon and instead befriends it and turns his whole life and community upside down. This film has the most amazing flight scenes that I’ve ever seen, made even more impressive in 3D. 3D that outclassed Avatar, by the way.

10. The American
Directed by Anton Corbijn
What seems at first to be a fairly pedestrian hitman on the lam thriller, The American is a thoughtful, meticulously paced character study thanks to the under rated performance of George Clooney. He plays Jack who is hiding out in a small Italian villa awaiting his next assignment. It sounds pretty standard I know, but Clooney is really great and there are nice little touches throughout the film. Jack takes on an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious woman and the scenes of him building this gun is really spectacular. Worth checking out, especially if you have a blu ray player. Great looking film.

All these films are on blu ray with the exception of Black Swan and True Grit. See those two in the theater by all means. But the blu rays of the other eight are all tremendous.

BOE BADLEY’S TOP 10
1. Toy Story 3
2. The King’s Speech
3. The Social Network
4. True Grit
5. Black Swan
6. Inception
7. Rabbit Hole
8. Winter’s Bone
9. 127 Hours
10. The Fighter

ADAM SPARKS’ TOP 10
1. The Town
2. True Grit
3. Toy Story 3
4. The Social Network
5. Inception
6. How to Train Your Dragon
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
8. Alice in Wonderland
9. Book of Eli
10. Despicable Me

Related posts:

1. Best movies of 2009
2. 2010 Boe Badley Awards
3. 2010 Summer Blockbusters: Nine Can't-Miss Movies
4. Plenty of reasons to ‘like’ ‘The Social Network’
5. Best movies of the decade