So that was... 2010. Maybe not the greatest year in cinematic history but still remarkable in that some fine films were made despite the toughest recession since the 30s.
Which brings me to my top 10 of 2010 that, apart from number one, are in no particular order because how do you compare a documentary about war reporting to an animated feature about toys or a comedy about ageing gangsters? But one thing they have in common is every film on the list is well worth a look.
Brooklyn's Finest
Directed by Antoine 'Training Day' Fuqua this criminally overlooked police drama follows the lives of three cops : Eddie (Richard Gere) a veteran plagued by nightmares of self doubt who only has to survive a few more days to claim his pension; Sal (Ethan Hawke) a corrupt vice cop who needs a chunk of change to buy a new house big enough for his growing family and Tango (Don Cheadle) a flatfoot so far under cover he's lost his way back. With truly outstanding performances and a great script, this picture has all that a great urban thriller needs.
The Road
This deserves a place in the top 10 for John Hillcoat's bravura alone in bringing his incredible adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's apocalyptic tale of filial devotion to the big screen. Man (Viggo Mortensen) and Boy (Kodi Smit McPhee) decide to head south to warmer climes to escape impending Armageddon as temperatures fall to impossible depths and gangs of cannibals roam the land eating anything that moves. A truly remarkable and moving film and one I must watch it again.
44 Inch Chest
An all-star Brit cast is led by Ray Winstone as the unhappy cuckold with John Hurt, Ian McShane, Tom Wilkinson and Steven Dillane as his London gangland pals who kidnap his wife's toy boy. Believe it or not, this features one of the funniest scripts of the year and one of the most comic performances I’ve ever seen from Hurt as Old Man Peanut – an ageing, violent, misogynist, homophobic villain. I laughed out loud throughout.
Avatar
With a plot lifted directly from various old westerns – rapacious prospectors find valuable minerals beneath sacred Indian ground only to be (briefly) hampered then aided by the military under orders from craven politicos. In short, the film reminds us of the US’s outrageous betrayal and genocide of Native Americans. James Cameron deserves praise for making a politically brave blockbuster at a time when US imperialism is still a raging issue. Couple a commendable premise with innovative 3D and special effects and the result is a stonker.
The Disappearance Of Alice Creed
This beautifully crafted thriller – directed by J. Blakeson, featuring just three actors (Eddie Marsan, Martin Compston and Gemma Arterton) and mainly located on one tiny set – is a prime example of British cinema at its best. With a great script, premise and performances and made on a micro budget, this picture embodies the adage, “necessity is the mother of invention”.
Bad Lieutenant
I've never been a big fan of this film’s star, Nicolas Cage, or its director, Werner Herzog (with the exception of Nosferatu) but both excel in this wacky, sleazy cop drama. Set in New Orleans, the film has nothing to do with Abel Ferrara's 80s outing starring Harvey Keitel apart from the fact that the protagonist is a scumbag policeman who loves drugs, hookers and more drugs.
The War You Don’t See
Crusading war correspondent John Pilger brings us this brilliant, confrontational and shocking documentary looking at how the powers that be control what we see from the front line of modern warfare. Mainly looking at television in Britain and the US, he asks why journalists beat the drums of war without questioning the lies of government and traces the history of 'embedded' war reporting from the carnage of the First World War to the disaster in Iraq. As US journalist Dahr Jamali explains: “The war we don’t see is the massive toll on civilians.” A brilliant and enlightening documentary that deserves a category of its own.
Toy Story 3
Those cats at Pixar take some beating and this tale of Andy's toys, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potato Head and new arrivals Ken and Barbie, all of whom end in a children’s day care centre. The joy of this studio's output – Finding Nemo, Up and Wall E – is that their films are a delight for all ages. Me and my five year old loved it.
A Single Man
I was extremely sceptical of this: an adaptation of one of gay author Christopher Isherwood’s most famous works, directed by gay Gucci designer Tom Ford and telling the story of the last day in the life of a gay man. I thought it was going to be too gay. Don't get me wrong: I have nothing against homosexuals, it’s just I dislike films that are too anything. Too heterosexual, too right wing, too left wing, too black or too white. I like a balanced view and this amazingly well helmed picture is exactly that. Regardless of sexual orientation, this is a compelling story of loss and predicament. A singular triumph.
My Movie of the Year:
Un Prophète (The Prophet)
A prison drama with all the power of a latter day Godfather. Directed by the great Jacques Audiard, Un Prophète doesn’t put a foot wrong. Rising star Tahar Rahim and Niels Arestrup are astonishing as the young inmate Malik and the prison daddy Cesar Luciani, the script is remarkable and the sets, story and sentiment beyond reproach. This is the only film of 2010 that I have watched three times of my own accord.
Want more?
- Catch Chris Sullivan’s Popcorn Diaries
- The Must-See Films of 2011 Part One and Part Two
- More movie news on redbull.com
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