I was looking at the movies that came out in 2010 to see if any of them deserved to be added to my best films lists on my media blog. It had not sunk in while I was watching the Oscars, probably because they were so bad, but last year was a horrible year for movies in general. I went through some of the movies that came out and only a handful stood out in terms of the qualities I like to see in films: 1, a great screenplay regardless of whether it follows a convention or not; 2, excellent acting even if it means non acting (Keanu, yes, I'm talking about you); 3, intelligent direction and cinematography that brings something fresh to the screen without obviousness and artistic pretension. So which of the films I saw in 2010 meet this criteria?
I've gone over the many movies that came out last year. TRUE GRIT is a very good movie, probably my favorite from Hollywood. INCEPTION also is well done even though I thought the side story of Dicaprio's wife was considerably more compelling than the main story of placing an idea into someone's mind. When a side story is more interesting than the main story, it signals that an opportunity was lost. I liked THE TOWN as well. But despite its intelligence and the serious treatment of its subject, the screenplay has more than a couple of clichés that rise to the surface, bloated and stinking. WINTER'S BONE is gritty and real and full of excellent tension, but it offers no wisdom, no depth apart from its portrayal. It's a classic exhibit of 'show don't tell' which in the end becomes nothing more than a sketch or a slice of life. Others deserve mention, including: RESTREPO, LET ME IN, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, and even THE OTHER GUYS.
But the best film from 2010 is a Korean film called POETRY. This drama will captivate you and make your heart ache; it is sweet and full of wisdom and beauty. The strange thing about this film is it's a small film but large as well.
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