Top 3 Films of the Year:
- Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010) - as amazing as I hoped - intense, brooding, beautifully shot, brilliantly soundtracked, I loved it. I was on the edge of my seat throughout. I've been in love with Leo since I was a 14 year old girl (Titanic of course), but now I can respect him as an actor as well! What fun!
- The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson, 2010) - I am literally in love with this film. And everyone in it. Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody on screen at the same time? - Be still my beating heart! A very-blackly funny conman caper, smart, witty and gorgeously bittersweet. Brothers Bloom was everything I love in a film. Bang on quirky indie. This is the stuff that makes life worth living. And no I would not like to rein that it at all : )
- Inception (Christoper Nolan, 2010) - Oh, what to say that hasn't been said?! This is one of the best films I have EVER seen. I was astounded at just how good it was. The performances are faultless, the cinematography mind-blowing, it swallows you whole and you can't escape even once the credits roll. Both the audience and the characters have no final sense of what is real, what is possible, I love films that end with that sort of argue-about-it-in-the-pub ambiguity. And you actually have to concentrate, not a patronising bit of exposition in sight. In short, like the Matrix of it's time, but with everything the Matrix was missing - e.g. character, competent scripting, non-boring use of slow-mo etc...
Worst 3 Films of the Year:
- Clash of the Titans (Louis Leterrier, 2010) - walking... walking... walking... overdone set-piece... walking... walking... walking... giant scorpions... walking... you get the idea. Gemma Arterton is very pretty though.
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Mike Newell, 2010) - too much sand, a few giant cliches, a bit of hamming. Not a lot else. Gemma Arterton is very pretty though.
- RED (Robert Schwentke, 2010) - This film stars Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren. And it's sh*t. How is that even possible?! What horrible alternate reality are we living in?! Most offensive is the film-school-101 cinematography in the opening scene - it has to be seen to be believed. Has anyone sniper-d Schwentke yet? If not, I'll get on it.
Films I've watched but were so unamazing I have no recollection of what happened in them:
Angels and Demons (Ron Howard, 2009)
The International (Tom Tykwer, 2009)
Night at the Museum 2 (Shawn Levy, 2009)
New Moon (Chris Weitz, 2009)
Other Films I Hated:
- The Mist (Frank Darabont, 2007) - honestly, this guy directed Shawshank?!
- Fermat's Room (Luis Piedrahita, Rodrigo Sopena, 2007) - Disappointing Maths Horror. Now there's a sentence.
Other Films I have Seen and Liked/Loved:
- Fantastic Mr Fox (Wes Anderson, 2009) - see it now if you haven't coz it's bloody brilliant! I saw this on a flight to Dubai, then bought the DVD and have watched it about 6 times this year, it really is that good and benefits repeat viewing. If you're not an Anderson fan, it just might turn you. If you are, why the cuss haven't you seen it already?! Get on it!- Kick Ass (Matthew Vaughn, 2010) - obviously, this kicked ass. Excellent fun, ace scripting (Jane Goldman gets cooler every year), and bless Chloe Moretz, she's a little legend. I must question though what it takes for a film to be an 18 cert these days? Kick Ass was a 15 and I saw someone get tasered, I saw sex in a alley, I saw a man on fire (for ages), I saw a little girl get kicked in the face, said little girl even dropped the C-bomb and STILL a 15?! I mean really! What will Daily Mail readers think the world is coming to?!
- The Frighteners (Peter Jackson, 1996) - this has been a favourite of mine for about 10 years, but still deserves a mentions because it is so AMAZING! And my boyfriend thought it was crap - he is WRONG. This film rocks!
- Role Models (David Wain, 2008) - SO much better than it looks, towards the top of the 'Bromance' pile.
- Atonement (Joe Wright, 2007) - I previously avoided this film on the expectation that it would just make me cry and cry. Well I was right, I cried and cried, but it was totally worth it. Beautiful.
- Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi, 2009) - ignore Spiderman, Raimi's still got the touch. Too much chin sucking though, the mad old cow.
- What's Eating Gilbert Grape (Lasse Hallstrom, 1993) - turns out I could have been respecting Leo as an actor all along! This is one of those wonderful 'small' films that concerns itself with one family, one town, one way of life, and in that says so much about the human condition, our universal joys and sorrows. I thought this was grand.
- In the Loop (Armando Iannucci, 2009) - fast paced, sparky, crackling with wit and finally, finally... someone in the word that swears more than me. It had to happen eventually.
- Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore, 1988) - a true classic, and a crime I've not seen it before. This is a gorgeous fil
m - cinema for cinephiles.- In Bruges (Martin McDonagh, 2008) - so so so much better than it looked. With the most unique joy of hearing Voldemort saying "Is he having a poo or a wee?" - comedy gold.
- Monsters (Gareth Edwards, 2010) - deserves the hype. Really nicely done. A monster-movie that's about anything but, a real slow-burner this, but it will have you before the (slightly abrupt) end.
- Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (Jalmari Helander, 2010) - delightfully mad Finnish kids-horror about the original and evil Santa Claus. With naked old dudes. Yes, you heard correctly. Haven't giggled this much in ages - go see. It's bonkers and brilliant.
Best Unusual Cinematic Experience of the Year Award:
Runner up - Guillermo del Toro all-nighter at the IMAX - 3 films back-to-back starting at 11pm - great night, lots of free tea. Films shown - Cronos, Pan's Labyrinth and Hell Boy 2. Intended to be hosted by the man himself, but he had to cancel at the last minute. Had he been there for real, this would have been the winner.
And the Oscar goes to - One-night screening of Night of the Living Dead at a 'pop-up' cinema, Cineroleum, in a disused petrol station in Clerkenwell - excellent fun! Complete with bar, penny sweets, dry ice and zombie staff - original entertainment - there's a novelty!
Random thoughts for the year:
- Is anyone else so OVER 3D?! I hate it! PG rating - that's Pointless Gimic.
- The time might have finally come for me to get over my no-TV-snobbery and admit that films aren't automatically better just because they're films, and in conjunction, that not all TV is mindless bilge. I've still yet to foray into watching any actual TV yet though. Except Masterchef, but that so doesn't count.
- HP7 part one was a monster letdown. I reckon part two is gonna storm it though.
If you're still reading. Well done. It's over. Go and have a cake or something.
Images half-inched from:
screencrave.com
allmoviephoto.com
bloodygoodhorror.com
With thanks.
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