Movie Year 2010: the Best

You can read my comments on the overall year for films of 2010 in Movie Year: 2010.  This is my list for the best films of the year:

5. The King's Speech
This is a truly good film with simply outstanding production value, great acting performances and amazing direction.  For me, it's a very good film, just not a great one.  In that sense, I can consider this one overrated, as you may be surprised to see that my three-star review of this film nevertheless made it to the top five of the year. This is, plain and simple, a good movie.  For me, it's an overrated film that still deserves to have a spot on any best of the year list, and I realize that many people, critics and audiences alike, have come to appreciate this film more then I have.

4. Toy Story 3
One of Pixar's best films in years.  Despite a triumph in 2009's Up, there were lots of Pixar disappointments in Ratatouille, Cars and Wall-E.  Pixar is at least back on track with this pic, which is thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining.  Perhaps the biggest flaw in this animated motion picture is that it relies all too much on both of it's predecessors for the senses of moral value and funny, appropriate jokes that prevail in most of Pixar's movies.  Once again, Pixar's animation is supreme and this is easily a film to be found on a best of the year list.

3. True Grit
The best cinematography of the year is in True Grit, which, while not completely reviving the western genre, brings us back to the good ole days of the western.  Well acted, performed, and directed, True Grit is evenly paced, thoroughly entertaining, and thankfully not too long.  Most importantly, it's a rare remake that prevails over the original on almost every level.

2. Inception
Four star reviews I reserve for the best movies overall.  Inception is not a movie to be found on a best of all time list, at least for me, but it's a movie that does, arguably, deserve a full four-star rating.  Why?  Because, in essence, it's the rare Hollywood blockbuster that succeeds anymore.  We remain emotionally connected with the characters, all while the top of the line action sequences blaze their way through.  Inception is such an exhilarating cinematic expierence: the strong character development, electronic music score and great-looking action sequences make this one of the best action films in years, possibly decades.

1. The Social Network
This is one of two 2010 films I denoted a full four-star rating.  Inception also received the same rating, but unlike the Social Network, Inception is not one of the all-time great movies.  The Social Network is.  In fact, the Social Network is probably the best-made movie of the decade.  It's so well-made because everything about it in every department is so great.  It becomes phenomenal.  A movie that can accomplish so much as this is rare, very rare.  And that makes the Social Network a very unique kind of movie.  It masterfully explains the story, shot through with unexpected humor and moments of surprise.  The Social Network is undoubtedly the best film of the year, and, believe it or not, it becomes one of the all-time greats.