It’s funny. Every year you get to this point, look back and think “well, bugger all stands out.” And then you research it, remember all the good stuff that came out in January and February — and 2010 had a LOT of those — and suddenly you’re struggling to reduce the list to ten. Anyway here, and mostly in no particular order, is my Top Ten. For the record — like anyone cares — it’s a mix of things that I really enjoyed and really admired; in some cases, both.
Toy Story 3 - A film I adored and admired. After that many years, there’s always a concern that memories will be sullied, that things won’t be quite as good as they were... and then they did THAT. Big laughs – Mr Tortilla Head, Spanish Buzz — great new characters — Lotso, Ken — charming observation, astonishing detail and an ending that left me a complete wreck in the cinema and several times since on Blu-Ray. Perfection.
Sex & Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll – As much as I enjoyed A Single Man, admired Colin Firth’s central performance and understood why he’d won the BAFTA, it was impossible to shake the feeling that Andy Serkis was robbed. He didn’t play Ian Dury. He WAS Ian Dury. The film itself was also creative, clever and brutally honest — after seeing early footage, Dury’s family apparently told Serkis he was doing a good job but to make it “more cunty”. A proper biopic, that left you with a greater understanding of its subject.
Oil City Confidential – It was a good year for British music films. Going the straight documentary route was Julien Temple’s look at Canvey Island’s finest , Dr Feelgood. As well as being a cracking story about unfulfilled potential, it’s a great snapshot of British life in the late 70s. It’s also honest, warts and all and, thanks to Wilko Johnson in particular, bloody funny.
Up In The Air – Funny, oddly romantic, fantastically cynical, and with a handful of great performances, Jason Reitman built on the reputation of Juno (that’s the painfully overrated Juno) to deliver a fine, very 21st century comedy. And say what you like about Clooney, the man can pick a script like nobody else in Hollywood.
Precious – A film to admire more than enjoy. Well, obviously. I can’t say I’m in any rush to sit through it again, even if the ending is surprisingly uplifting. The trauma that goes before is, like the 30 Rock piss-take has it, Hard To Watch. Mo’Nique was rightly rewarded with an Oscar for her supporting role, Gabourey Sidibe was cruelly denied by traditional Academy tactics: Sandra Bullock’s been around a while, it’s about time she got one. Thankfully, as Sidibe’s been proving in the excellent The Big C, there’s more to her than you might have thought. Her year may yet come...
Whip It – not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but man what fun! Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut was a sunny, sweet and just plain lovely little film, and brought the sport of Roller Derby to a wider audience. As a lover of puns, the names appealed – Eva Destruction, Bloody Holly – but the film delivered a great deal of heart, and answered the question “what the hell had happened to Daniel Stern?”
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World – while I can understand why some people didn’t enjoy it (you really need more than a passing knowledge of gaming culture to get it), Edgar Wright’s latest film was up there with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. It also halted my increasing apathy towards Michael Cera and his shuffling, navel-gazing “everyman” persona. Lots of fine cameos too: particularly Mae Whitman who, thanks to the rather lovely US TV series Parenthood, I’ve developed something of a crush on.
The Kids Are Alright – Because it’s a sheer joy. Five wonderful performances (plus Julianne Moore being funny), great writing, a totally original story, an unpredictable ending and lovely, subtle direction by Lisa Cholodenko. Life affirming, serious, touching... Star Wars may have prompted my love of cinema, but it was those US indies that kept it going: The Kids Are Alright was very 21st century but also a very good, very welcome throwback to those days.
Catfish – There must come a point when making a documentary when the makers think “oh my god, we’ve got a live one here.” Happily, in the case of the guys behind Catfish, they also had a lead figure who was the perfect foil (who also displayed Rousseau-like levels of honesty), and a subject – purely online relationships – that is as timely as it is disturbing. Somehow, they also manage to make a thoroughly entertaining, non-judgemental film at the same time. And if it is all a fake, that just adds an extra level of satisfaction to proceedings.
The Town – the final place on this Top Ten was reasonably contested. Life During Wartime could have had a look in, How To Train Your Dragon was wonderful, Un Prophet was every bit as powerful as the hype would have you believe, while Brothers featured some of the most underrated acting this year. Also, having met Bobcat Goldthwaite a few years ago (to discuss the similarly excellent Sleeping Dogs Lie), The World’s Greatest Dad almost got a look in — not least as it made Robin Williams act again. However, it’s a similarly unlikely source that gives me my final film: Ben Affleck. Having made more than my fair share of Affleck gags over the years, it's hat eating time. In The Town he delivers a genuinely great lead performance as the career thief struggling with the right decision between loyalty and love and, in his second film as director, shows he’s borderline legendary behind the camera. He’s turning into this generation’s Eastwood in more ways than one.