DISCLAIMER: I started writing this article back in February and never quite finished it, but I wanted to post it nonetheless. These movies deserve to be seen by more people, so go watch ‘em and enjoy!
With the conclusion of the Oscar ceremony, everyone who made year end lists or attempted to pick the award winners can now see how accurate (or for those with less conservative tastes, how radically off) they were in selecting the best entries from a year packed with phenomenal cinema. Like many others, I began creating a “best of” list in early December, but so many have already been published that I decided to go a different route. I am not writing to gripe about the Oscar’s, although I am upset Christopher Nolan didn’t receive the recognition he deserved, and I am not going to attempt to tell you what the “best” movies of 2010 are. Instead, I will be creating a list of what I believe are The Top 10 Under Appreciated Films of 2010. I am not taking anything away from the Academy Award winners, but there are several fantastic films that were made this year that did not garner the full attention and audience they deserve, and this list is my attempt to make such films known.
The Top 10 Under Appreciated Films of 2010 (In No Particular Order):
1. How to Train Your Dragon
Everyone knows that Pixar is the leader in producing animated content, but Dreamworks (who has had their fare share of success with the Shrek franchise) struck gold with this year’s surprise animated feature, How to Train Your Dragon. The film is based on a children’s book of the same name, but the story has been adapted for a wider audience and more universal appeal. The visuals (especially in 3D) are absolutely captivating and they succeeded in achieving a very ‘live-action’ feel by consulting with Roger Deakins, the frequent Coen brother’s collaborator and upcoming recipient of the American Society of Cinematographer’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The phenomenal voice cast led by Jay Baruchel (She’s Out of My League), Gerard Butler (300), and America Ferrara (Ugly Betty) does a fantastic job of bringing life to these characters and by the end of the film you feel as if you are a part of this animated world. It will probably be the most recognized film on this list as it was nominated for two Oscars, won Best Animated Feature at the Annie Awards, and has grossed nearly $500 at the Box Office, but I still think it deserves to be recognized for it’s mastering of story, dialog, and visual effects that Pixar has dominated the industry with since the release of Toy Story in 1995. Definitely check this out if you have not seen it and keep an eye out for How to Train Your Dragon 2 in the summer of 2013.
2. Kick-Ass
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to dress up as a superhero and fight crime? Well if you want to know, check this movie out and you won’t be disappointed. Though this film garnered mostly positive reviews and has been a relative financial success, it was left off the majority of year end lists and received little to know awards recognition, save for the Teen Choice Awards. Despite its superhero content and graphic novel origins, the film is dark, edgy, and is more than just your average superhero movie. While the acting from Chloe Moretz (Let Me In, 500 Days of Summer) is hysterically over the top, Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy, The Illusionist) really shines in his breakthrough titular role. Kick-Ass features enough violence, hilarity, foul-mouthed teenagers, and epic Nic Cage action sequences to appease even the shortest attention spans and it should definitely not be missed.
3. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
When I think of filmmaking and art in general, I think of creativity and innovation. Those are two traits that are severely lacking in a huge percentage of modern filmmaking, but with Scott Pilgrim, Edgar Wright has done a bang up job in attempting to correct that shortcoming. Never before has a comic been adapted for the screen so perfectly. The story revolves around Scott Pilgrim (played by the always hilarious, yet relatively one-sided Michael Cera) attempting to win the affection of Ramona Flowers (played by the beautiful and talented Mary Elizabeth Winstead) by defeating her “seven evil exes”. The story is fairly generic, but the visuals alone are enough to make this a must see and a repeat one at that. The fight scenes are breathtaking, the dialogue is quick and witty, and the casting of the exes is extremely on-point. Unfortunately, this flick fell short at the box office that could be due to any number of reasons including over-focused niche marketing and an unclear representation of the material that confused audiences and did little to nothing to draw them in. That being said, the majority of people that have seen this enjoyed it thoroughly and it is definitely much more worthy of a view than other, more financially successful films including Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, and The Last Airbender.
4. The Ghost Writer
Personal life aside, Roman Polanski has led a remarkable life. His films Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, and The Pianist have earned him the rank of master filmmaker and have won him several Academy Awards, including a Best Director nod for The Pianist. His most recent effort, The Ghost Writer, deserves to be included in his long list of cinematic achievements. Ewan McGregor plays a nameless ghost writer who is hired to complete the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister (played by Pierce Brosnan) that gets accused of committing war crimes. The flick is part murder mystery, part psychological thriller with a little bit of relationship drama thrown in. It comes at you from all angles, keeps you on your toes, and has an ending that caught me and everyone else I know who has seen it completely off guard. It is definitely a Polanski film and it has a Chinatown feel to it, but it also felt a lot like modern Hitchcock with its creepy chase scenes and dimly lit encounters. The film was somewhat shunned in Britain because of the negative connotation towards Tony Blair, but I don’t believe that should keep people from watching it. In fact, I am surprised the controversy didn’t stir up more interest. Polanski received two Cesar Awards for The Ghost Writer; One for directing and one for writing. Despite these awards from the French equivalent of the Academy Awards, the film has garnered very little critical or commercial success. Regardless, Polanski is a genius and The Ghost Writer, which is probably in my Top 10 of 2010, needs to be seen.
5. Animal Kingdom
This brutal and unflinching family crime drama from first time Australian director, David Michod, was a pleasant surprise and a truly enjoyable watch. Jacki Weaver earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role as the family matriarch and Guy Pearce turns in another strong performance. Joel Edgerton, who will play opposite Tom Hardy in the upcoming MMA flick Warrior, shows flashes of the actor I hope he can be and although his role in the movie is relatively small his performance certainly leaves an impact. Come for the drama and tension in this carefully crafted and realistic glimpse into the criminal psyche and its affect on family dynamics, but be sure to stay for the twists and turns and an ending that will leave you breathless.
6. Enter the Void
Argentinian-born, French filmmaker Gaspar Noe is not afraid to take chances. He pushes filmmaking to the extremes and doesn’t look back. A true revolutionary, his films are very divisive and are certainly shocking. Enter The Void is no exception. The films opening credits are amongst the most visually and sonically exhilarating I’ve ever seen and Kanye West even pulled from them for his “All of the Lights” music video. Characterized by Noe as a “psychedelic melodrama”, this mind bender of a story follows a young American drug dealer named Oscar who experiences an out of body experience when he is shot by police while living in Tokyo. BEWARE: This movie is intense, so be forewarned. You are in for an experience!
7. Buried
An entire movie shot inside a coffin? Come again? I heard the hype about Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Cortes’ claustrophobic thriller starring Ryan Reynolds as an American truck driver who gets kidnapped and buried alive while working in Iraq, but I was very skeptical. How can you shoot an entire movie inside a seven foot box? And even if you can, how are you going to keep the audience entertained for an hour and a half? Not only did Cortes’ accomplish this amazing feat, but in doing so he produced one of the most riveting and nail-biting films of the year. The extremely fast-paced story is brought to life by a fantastic performance from the ever-surprising Reynolds and this film deserves to be seen just to prove that a movie shot entirely inside a coffin can not only work but be entirely enjoyable as well. 127 Hours? It was good, but this similarly styled movie was way more original and left a much larger impression on me.
8. The Book of Eli
This epic, post-apocalyptic thriller from the Hughes Brothers (From Hell, Dead Presidents) stars Denzel Washington as a lone traveler who fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving mankind. This movie hits hard and doesn’t let up. Shot on the RED One Camera, this fast paced and action packed dystopian tale features amazingly bleak and beautiful cinematography, an opening sequence that hooks the viewer, and enough fight sequences to keep even the most battle hungry audience satiated. There isn’t much of a story to be found here, but it succeeds in doing what it set out to do, entertain. Sit back, ogle Mila Kunis, and watch Denzel do what he does best and kick some ass!
9. Leaves of Grass
The always amazing Ed Norton stars as twin brothers, Bill and Brady Kincaid, in this black comedy from Tim Blake Nelson. When Bill, an Ivy League professor, is lured back home to Oklahoma by the supposed death of his drug dealing twin brother Brady, things go terribly wrong when they attempt to scheme against a local drug kingpin. Equal parts dramatic, comedic and thought provoking, this tale of self discovery is much more than it seems at first glance. While it was enjoyable watching the first time, this one certainly gets better with repeat viewings. Watch and watch again!
10. Exit Through the Gift Shop/Inside Job
Admittedly, I do not watch nearly enough documentaries and I imagine most people don’t see too many of them either, but when I see a good one it sticks and I have to recommend them to everyone. Exit Through the Gift Shop was my favorite to win the Oscar and it really is an amazing look into the underground world of street art that is currently growing exponentially. That being said, I had not seen Inside Job before it eventually went on to win the Academy Award , but I was absolutely blown away and infuriated upon seeing it. This carefully edited and fast paced documentary about the current financial crisis is a harrowing look at the travesty that is the U.S. financial system and the signs and warnings that were ignored before the Wall Street collapse. If there was ever a piece of art that could unite and incite change, and by god do we need something to change, Inside Job is it!