Best Films of the Year part 3

Hi there, and welcome to part 3 of my top 10 for 2010. As I got closer to number 1, it got a lot tougher to distinguish which film was better than the rest. Also, I ran out of honorable mentions, but I do plan to play some catch up with films I missed from last year. That being said, here are more of my favorite movies of 2010:

4. True Grit

Jeff Bridges is spectacular, Matt Damon goes out of his safety net and truly delivers, Josh Brolin is quite haunting, but its newcomer Hailee Steinfeld that really makes the film as strong as it is. The film takes a different perspective compared to the John Wayne film, which in my opinion doesn't quite compare to this adaptation. This film, to me, had a great scope and definitely stayed true to the story of a girl seeking redemption for her slain father. The original, to me, felt too John Wayne central that the movie, to me, lost its focus in parts. Also, I would take Matt Damon over Glen Campbell anyday, and I think Hailee Steinfeld is going to be a star, no doubt about it. With a script by the always brilliant Coen Brothers, who also directed and produced, this film is the best Western since Unforgiven (which is one of my absolute favorite films).

3. The Social Network

People often write this film off as the film simply about the creation of facebook. I have a few things to say about this. First, that is only partly true, its also about the lawsuits and the cultural impact facebook had on our generation. If anything, this film is about our generation. Facebook might be considered an invasion of privacy, but think also that it gives you freedom of expression, so who is truly at fault for invasion of privacy? I, personally, understand the risks of facebook and nonetheless accept it not only for what facebook is but also how it defines our generation, and the film explores that very well.

This film, beyond the simple facebook invention, is amazing. The cast is amazing, Andrew Garfield being my personal favorite, David Fincher’s visionary skills as a director are undeniably strong here, but it’s Aaron Sorkin’s script that really elevates this film into the masterpiece that it is. I would be surprised that not only both he and Fincher get nominated, but go for the win, it’s theirs to lose. Also, with the soundtrack, done by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, might be my most favorite film score in a long, long time, this film is great.

2. The Kid’s are All Right

While Aaron Sorkin created the best script of the adapted sort; Lisa Cholodenko created the best “original” script of the year. Her oscar-caliber script, on a family whose parents happen to be a lesbian couple, is funny, powerful and in no way has a preachy message which says a lot. The cast is amazing, particularly Annette Benning, who I believe deserves an oscar for this film. I relate this film a lot of the time to one of my favorite films last year, “The Hurt Locker.” I know that might sound like a bit of a stretch, but there is a reason. That being is these are films that don’t strive to slam some message down our throats, whether it’s a film of war or homosexual relations. These are films that try to simply show a film which involves a specific bomb squad in Iraq, or a family going through marital problems, the parents being a lesbian couple. I think this film definitely works, it is a truly amazing film.

Check back soon for my number one pick of 2010...