Smizz’s top 10 movies of 2010 PART 1 (10-6)

Yes, there is indeed still a week or 2 left in 2010 – of which  a movie of a high calibre could be released. However, in the UK, we get movies released behind our USA contemporaries… from as little as 1 week to a gapping 1 year gap! I’m a movie fanatic. I’ve seen pretty much everything (with the exception of real crap like Twilight – or ‘twishite’ as I like to call it). I have one of those Cineworld ‘unlimited’ cards – only £13.50 ($20.00) a month for unlimited free movies at the movie theatre. Bargin! Even when I was in America I would still attempt to see at least 1 movie a week or 3 movies a week after I finished working and started traveling. So… wasting no more time… drum-roll please!

We will start with number 10 on the Smizz movie chart.

10 – Winter’s Bone

Admittedly, this movie is probably not for everyone.  Based on the novel, Winter’s Bone is a neo-noir stark, harrowingly poetic depiction of a young girls life who is searching for her missing dad.  She learns that her father, who cooks methamphetamine, had been arrested and put up their house and land for bail bond. If he doesn’t show up for court, they will lose their house, and she must find him.   The cinematography of the film is breath-taking and gripping, and superbly well acted! A real thriller, forget those trashy horrors such as SAW. (yes, even if it is in 3D. )

9 – The Kids Are Alright

A cracking work from Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as feuding lesbian moms, and a bespoke part for Mark Ruffalo (who is super hot, ya digg?!) as the oblivious sperm donor who comes back into their lives. Director and co-writer Lisa Cholodenko has made a spectacular breakthrough with this plum comedy of eye-rolling dysfunctionality.

8 – Inception

So, I put Inception at a 8  because it is kind of over-hyped at the moment. Regardless – Love it or loathe it – and rival sections of the geekosphere did both – there was nothing to match Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending dreamscapes for giddying spectacle and scale this summer. Quite a ride and much needed philosophical mind tipping to fill the void of no Matrix-film-philosophy for a while. (see my big write up on it earlier this month).

7- Despicable Me

I’m not even going to mention how cool the Parrell Williams produced soundtrack was, but this is a CLASSIC for the kids and the grown-ups. The machine behind “Despicable Me” takes the wacky bits from old school cartoons and applies 21st century animation technology to produce a hip and well articulated masterpiece.  The humor is rich, with winks at classic cinema like “Taxi Driver”, “Apollo XIII”, and others. The Bank of Evil is staffed by former Lehman brothers execs, and recurring motifs and jokes create a comic continuity that is sustained through the credits.

6- Wallstreet 2: Money Never Sleeps

I would suspect that this certainly wouldn’t even reach anyones top 25 movies of 2010, never mind no. 6 of the year! BUT. I really enjoyed it to the point that i actually saw it TWICE!  Maybe it’s my age? I saw WallStreet 1 after I saw 2. But felt that the critics were all just showing their age bias.  we’re treated to a vintage Stone history lesson — the stock market meltdown and Fed intervention as seen through the eyes of the conspiracy buff who served up “J.F.K.” Lovely performances surround the leads — LaBeouf and Michael Douglas, back as Gordon Gekko. Terrific moments of regret play out. Let’s not forget what really seduces the Smizz… New York City play’s a fantastic character in the beautiful cinematography of Wallstreet. ‘If you stop telling lies about me, I will stop telling the truth about you.’