BEST MOVIES OF 2010 -- so far

[oscar jubis]

*I liked THE DARK KNIGHT a lot and loved AVATAR. It was great to feel this way about movies that casual film-goers were discussing. I liked the first hour of THE MATRIX. Then it collapses, as far as I am concerned. I had high hopes for Scorsese's SHUTTER ISLAND but, for me, it was mostly disappointing. Perhaps I will feel the same way about INCEPTION.

*I went to see I AM LOVE today. I will comment on its own thread; probably will react directly to your review as you seem to prefer.

*My 17 year-old son loved TOY STORY 3 and he made me promise to wait until we can see it together.

*Missed the new Jeunet film, MICMACS (whatever that means). Did you see it?

*I remember having mixed feelings about ROAD TO GUANTANAMO. I watched THE OATH twice. I found the enigmatic central character fascinating ( and I still don't know what director Laura Poitras thinks about him (just an observation not a criticism). Heck, I still have not made up my own mind about him. Her previous film, MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY, is more straightforward.

[Chris Knipp]

Sorry, I deleted this post, which was originally before Oscar's last post, to add something: namely that Chang's review is enticing.

Okay, fine, pass the hype. Don't mind if I do. But this thread was my idea of listing the best films you're seen so far this year. . .. I get the point though. No good movies to see? Let's imagine one. Makes sense.

The possibility that a challenging, cerebral movie may be massively popular is very exciting to me.

It's exciting to any of us. Also the idea of simply a good movie that may be massively popular.

It's true, Justin Chang is a good reviewer and he likes INCEPTION. But is he liking the kind of movie I like, in this case? Is MEMENTO meets MATRIX meets DEMONLOVER meets THE DARK KNIGHT my kind of movie?

You never know, but maybe not. To begin with I tend to prefer a film that cost $1.5 million -- or $15 million -- to make rather than $150; all things being equal in behemoth-land, I now tend to prefer one that's 1 1/2 hours long, not 2 1/2. More is not more in blockbusters; it's just longer -- usually too long.

I hope Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION will be coherent enough to be a movie I can discuss. The was true of MATRIX but not of THE DARK KNIGHT, which it was a struggle for me to sit through to the end of and which seemed largely incoherent. After a while I didn't care. It's encouraging that Joseph Gordon-Leavitt is involved. He's an intelligent young actor who's chosen interesting movies to be in. I guess he's the promising new male face this time. Let's hope he survives to make other movies, unlike his Joker predecessor.

Itt's certainly true that Justin Chang's description sounds very appetizing.

[Chris Knipp]

(Response to Oscar's post above.)

I didn't like THE DARK KNIGHT, as I said; almost everybody did though. Ditto AVATAR. But I think some major film buffs I know would not go near either film.

I haven't seen MICMACS. Not a huge Jeunet fan. Wouldn't you say that AVATAR falls down in the second half, like MATRIX? But the MATRIX ideas are fun to talk about; I used MATRIX RELOADED as a starting point for a piece about Baudrillard and September 11, 2001.

Well I guess if your son liked TOY STORY 3 then it must be a masterpiece. However unlike your daughter, he has not tried out his reviewing skills in these pages.

There was another small documentary that showed Arabs shifting positions, like the guy in THE OATH. It was in the SFIFF 2008 and it was called RECYCLED. Why should you feel an obligation to "make up your mind" about such a person? Is there some obligation to do up some kind of moral evaluation? Try living through similar circumstances. You survive, that's all. The changes of allegiance of figures like the English Restoration's leading poet (and poet laureate), John Dryden show how people have had to shift with the times to stay alive, and hear their voices heard. I think it's a question of survival. However some are more chameleon-like than others. We like to read stories about them and such heroes are called "picaros."
Of course "mixed feelings" are in order re: THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO -- and for most any Michael Winterbottom film. His stuff is nearly always flawed, but stimulating. I just saw his 24 HOUR PARTY people for the first time. It's by far his highest rated film. Review of Metacritic ratings:

WELCOME TO SARAJEVO (1997) 72
24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE (2001) 85
9 SONGS (2004) 43
ROAD TO GUANTANAMO (2006) 64
TRISTRAM SHANDY: A COCK AND BULL STORY (2006) 80
A MIGHTY HEART (2007) 74
THE SHOCK DOCTRINE (2009) XX
THE KILLER INSIDE ME (2010) 53

Actually the quality is pretty even, but people tend to react differently to the material. The sex in 9 SONGS and the sex and the violence in THE KILLER INSIDE ME turned people off big-time. GUANTANAMO is provocative in its denunciation of American War on Terror policies. MIGHTY HEART is a feel-good issue picture. SHANDY is classy, about a literary classic, and probably many film reviewers are of the generation that grew up with the Manchester music celebrated so charmingly in 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE. I am going to watch 9 SONGS now. Had not seen it. When stuff is trashed sometimes one's put off. Funny 24 HOURS PARTY PEOPLE and TRISTRAM SHANDY, which are both openly a shambles, self-reflective, moving in and out of "realism," and incidentally featuring Steve Coogan, did well with critics. You couldn't do a funny, post-modern version of THE KILLER INSIDE ME, or 9 SONGS, so they tanked. Moral: get Steve Coogan back. My conclusion about Michael Winterbottom as a filmmaker: the whole is more than the sum of its parts. I'd like more directors like him, who move around so freely among genres and always stimulate.

[Chris Knipp]

P.s. The odds are (going just by that VARIETY review) that you'll like INCEPTION better than SHUTTER ISLAND. Incidentally, I have yet to see that--its Metacritic rating, incidentally is one point below THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO'S. But I had lots of political reasons to see the latter, whereas no great need to see a mash-up of Fifties melodramas. DiCaprio's presence in INCEPTION might be bad luck for you--or for me. He has not scored so well lately.

[oscar jubis]

[QUOTE=Chris Knipp;24683]Well I guess if your son liked TOY STORY 3 then it must be a masterpiece.
This reads as a sarcastic comment to me. Tell me I'm wrong because sarcasm would be an inappropriate response to my sharing Dylan's love for Toy Story 3 with the readers of this forum.The fact that he wants to watch it again and with me only means I'm going to have to wait until our schedules coincide to check it out.


My conclusion about Michael Winterbottom as a filmmaker: the whole is more than the sum of its parts. I'd like more directors like him, who move around so freely among genres and always stimulate.
He's so versatile I cannot figure out who he is. I have seen all his movies except the two most recent. The ones I liked are: BUTTERFLY KISS,WONDERLAND, A MIGHTY HEART and TRISTRAM SHANDY. Probably in that order of preference.

[Chris Knipp]

Sharing a film that he loves with your son is sacred. I'd never make fun of that. I'd like to discuss the film with him. Can you bring him on board? What I meant was that nobody will convince me TOY STORY 3 is a masterpiece, not even your son. But mine was purely a teasing remark, not sarcastic in the least. I'm impressed that the film appeals to a 17-year-old since Andy is that age. When I was 17 my tastes were very different. They haven't changed much, just new movies have come along. Back when I was your son's age, movies I liked were REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, PICNIC, MARTY, TO CATCH A THIEF, MR. HULOT'S HOLIDAY (an all-time favorite,) RIFIFI (ditto) and THE LADYKILLERS. I did not want to see GUYS AND DOLLS or LADY AND THE TRAMP.

As for Winterbottom, that he can't be typecast is a virtue. Risk-taking is a common thread. Following his passions wherever they lead him. Obviously he is prolific and doesn't hesitate to dive into a new project. It's been noted that most people wouldn't have dared to take on the whole Manchester music scene 1976-1992 at one go. And obviously I think Anton Corbjin's CONTROL about Joy Division and Ian Curtis is a better film; but it does something different, more limited. Winterbottom doesn't fear failure. Tristram Shandy is an impossible book to film. THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO is a provocative and dangerous topic -- to Americans; less so to Brits since the Tipton Three did get out. It's flawed in that it smooths over gaps in the guy's stories.. 9 SONGS contains scene of actual sex so it's sure to be rejected from the mainstream.

I'm sure there is a common thread; several, two of which I've mentioned. but I haven't seen all his films. I see two of your favorites are ones's I've missed, WONDERLAND and BUTTERFLY KISS. A MIGHTY HEART uses documentary again, fictionally, yet seems to me more conventional, but again it's just a subject he came across and couldn't resist, that was important and some thing was Jolie's best performance. Or did that lead to GUANTAMO or vice versa? I forget.

The styles of TRISTRAM SHANDY and 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE are very similar; so is GUANTANAMO, really: self-referential, post-modern pseudo-documentary. BUTTERFLY KISS sounds risk-taking, lurid in the extreme, and unpleasant. Genre-bending. WONDERLAND sounds like it treads on Andrea Arnold territory. Metacritic WONDERLAND 71, BUTTERFLY KISS 61. So WONDERLAND is up there in the critical ratings, the other, not. The subjects may interest you especially. The other ones interest me more, TRISTRAM SHANDY (even though it disappoints me), GUANTANAMO (important to me), 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE (obviously not urgent, since I waited a decade to see it, but I like music scene and band movies). He's out there trying things. A MIGHTY HEART is utterly conventional. Anybody could have done it. Not sure anybody else could have done SHANDY or PARTY PEOPLE. Not sure of course about the ones I haven't seen. Have you seen the ones I've mentioned and just not liked them? Or not seen some of them? I find it hard to catch up. The collective movie blog The Playlist has a recent rundown -- they call it an "appreciation" -- of Winterbottom's films that indicates several more I'd have to see to do a complete assessment. But I don't thik an assessment of somebody like this is possible. They say he's like Soderbergh, though with a bit less successful batting average. That's a possible analogy. Better batting average or no, Soderbergh has his share of misfires. But one of his great virtues is his willingness to try different things. One could twist around Salvador Dali's famous remark, "The only difference between a madman and myself is that I am not mad," and say the only difference between Winterbottom and Soderbergh and a hack is that they are not hacks.

Now it's become too late to watch 9 SONGS tonight. But I've enjoyed our exchanges today on this and I AM LOVE. I am stuck at home sick so it gave me pleasantly distracting to do.

[Johann]

I haven't seen too many movies in theatres this year, so I'm sorta out of the loop on what's good or great so far.
I'm jealous you guys get your butts into so many screenings...

As for INCEPTION, I'm really looking forward to it, as it's been two years in the making, and is the next picture for Nolan since The Dark Knight. (and the cinematography looks very very similar..coincidence? I think not). Wally Pfister is a Master director of photography. I love how he works too: he never knows what the shot is going to look like until they are about to do it- it's very loose, very free- it reminded me of Stanley Kubrick saying that he never knew where he would put his camera, that he would just "try and get the most interesting stuff going" and then the shots find themselves.

I think we're all looking for a "GOOD MOVIE" right now. Something with a good story and is told with some skill and impactful images.
Are those movies rarer and rarer or what?

[Chris Knipp]

I've added another title that I didn't think of at first:

Daddy Longlegs (Josh and Benny Safdie 2009)

I think these boys could turn out to be more interesting than the Duplass brothers. DADDY LONGLEGS is an obscure film you could probably only see if you were nearby the IFC Center in NYC at the right time, or LA, or Sundance, or BAM.

A unique film I'd like to draw people's attention to. Available via Video On Demand.

After so much discussion of I AM LOVE, I will add it to the list, even though it may not make the final cut of my "Best Foreign" films if what comes out in the fall is good.

[oscar jubis]

[QUOTE=Chris Knipp;24688] I'm impressed that the film appeals to a 17-year-old since Andy is that age. When I was 17 my tastes were very different. They haven't changed much, just new movies have come along. Back when I was your son's age, movies I liked were REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, PICNIC, MARTY, TO CATCH A THIEF, MR. HULOT'S HOLIDAY (an all-time favorite,) RIFIFI (ditto) and THE LADYKILLERS. I did not want to see GUYS AND DOLLS or LADY AND THE TRAMP.
Dylan has fairly wide interest in movies. He absolutely loves GUYS AND DOLLS by the way, and appeared in a stage production of it. He loves the Harry Potter films almost as much as the books. He also loves well-made horror films. The last film he really liked was the very adult drama CHLOE. A film I found utterly absorbing. Something that might sneak into my 2010 list. It's by Egoyan so I am not surprised I like it more than most people.

I see two of your favorites are ones I've missed, WONDERLAND and BUTTERFLY KISS.
Dennis Lim aptly describes WONDERLAND as "a bruised romantic's wary valentine to London life" and compares it to WKW's "ravishing Hong Kong nocturnes". What is absolutely undeniable about BUTTERFLY KISS is Amanda Plummer's fierce performance.

Now it's become too late to watch 9 SONGS tonight. But I've enjoyed our exchanges today on this and I AM LOVE. I am stuck at home sick so it gave me pleasantly distracting to do.
I've enjoyed them too. And I hope you get well soon Chris.

*I missed chances to watch DADDY LONGLEGS. It's clear I wouldn't list I AM LOVE.

[Chris Knipp]

Thanks for your good wishes.

You didn't answer my question re Winterbottom:

Not sure of course about the ones I haven't seen. Have you seen the ones I've mentioned and just not liked them?

[Chris Knipp]

The hot end-of-year American releases are upon us and I've recently seen

The King's Speech
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
The Company Men

Coming: Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit, Russell's The Fighter, and more

Here's my original list entered Sept. 19:

-Ajami (Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani 2009) DVD
-Alamar (Pedro Gonzalez Rubio 2010) DVD, some theaters*
-Animal Kingdom (David Michôd 2010), in theaters Aug. 14, 21 ff.
-Anton Chekhov's The Duel (Dover Kosashvili 2009) in theaters
-Daddy Longlegs (Josh and Benny Safdie 2009) VOD
-Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy 2010) in theaters
-Eyes Wide Open (Haim Tabakman 2009) First Run Features reportedly will release a DVD
-Father of My Children, The (Le père de mes enfants, Mia Hansen-Løve 2009) DVD
-Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold 2009) DVD coming
-Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (Michèle Hozner, Peter Raymont 2010) in theaters
-Ghost Writer, The (Roman Polanski 2010) DVD release August 3, 2010
-Greenberg (Noah Baumbach 2010) DVD release July 13, 2010
-I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino 2009) finishing in theaters
-Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (Tamra Davis 2010) in theaters August 2010
-Life During Wartime (Todd Solondz 2010) DVD coming
-Mademoiselle Chambon (Stéphane Brizé 2009)
-Making Plans for Léna (Non, ma fille, tu n'iras pas danser, Christophe Honoré 2009)
-Prophet, A (Un prophète, Jacques Audiard 2009) DVD
-Social Network, The (David Fincher 2010) release coming Oct. 1, 2020
-Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman, David Levien 2010) DVD release September 7, 2010
-Terribly Happy (Henrik Ruben Genz 2010) DVD release July 13, 2010
-Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich 2010) in theaters
-Welcome (Philippe Lioret 2009) DVD release August 1, 2010
-Winter's Bone (Debra Granik 2010) in theaters

Here are some titles coming up on year-end lists that won't go in my top lists:

Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky 2010)
Inception (Christopher Nolan 2010)
Kids Are Alright, The (Lisa Cholodenko 2010)
Lourdes (Jessica Hausner 2009)
Marwencol (Jeff Malmberg 2010)
Please Give (Nicole Holofcener 2010)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Edgar Wright 2010)
Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese 2010)
Wild Grass (Alain Resnais 20

I see Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch and Benjamin Heisenberg's The Robber listed. If that means they are considered 2010 US releases, I might add them because I like both.

No top tens till I've seen all I can of the 2010 US releases.

[Chris Knipp]

The hot end-of-year American releases are upon us and I've recently seen

The King's Speech
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
Rabbit Hole
The Company Men

Coming: Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit, Russell's The Fighter, and more

Here's my original list entered Sept. 19:

-Ajami (Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani 2009) DVD
-Alamar (Pedro Gonzalez Rubio 2010) DVD, some theaters*
-Animal Kingdom (David Michôd 2010), in theaters Aug. 14, 21 ff.
-Anton Chekhov's The Duel (Dover Kosashvili 2009) in theaters
-Daddy Longlegs (Josh and Benny Safdie 2009) VOD
-Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy 2010) in theaters
-Eyes Wide Open (Haim Tabakman 2009) First Run Features reportedly will release a DVD
-Father of My Children, The (Le père de mes enfants, Mia Hansen-Løve 2009) DVD
-Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold 2009) DVD coming
-Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould (Michèle Hozner, Peter Raymont 2010) in theaters
-Ghost Writer, The (Roman Polanski 2010) DVD release August 3, 2010
-Greenberg (Noah Baumbach 2010) DVD release July 13, 2010
-I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino 2009) finishing in theaters
-Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (Tamra Davis 2010) in theaters August 2010
-Life During Wartime (Todd Solondz 2010) DVD coming
-Mademoiselle Chambon (Stéphane Brizé 2009)
-Making Plans for Léna (Non, ma fille, tu n'iras pas danser, Christophe Honoré 2009)
-Prophet, A (Un prophète, Jacques Audiard 2009) DVD
-Social Network, The (David Fincher 2010) release coming Oct. 1, 2020
-Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman, David Levien 2010) DVD release September 7, 2010
-Terribly Happy (Henrik Ruben Genz 2010) DVD release July 13, 2010
-Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich 2010) in theaters
-Welcome (Philippe Lioret 2009) DVD release August 1, 2010
-Winter's Bone (Debra Granik 2010) in theaters

Here are some titles coming up on year-end lists that won't go in my top lists:

Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky 2010)
Inception (Christopher Nolan 2010)
Kids Are Alright, The (Lisa Cholodenko 2010)
Lourdes (Jessica Hausner 2009)
Marwencol (Jeff Malmberg 2010)
Please Give (Nicole Holofcener 2010)
Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese 2010)
Wild Grass (Alain Resnais 20

I see Bruno Dumont's Hadewijch and Benjamin Heisenberg's The Robber listed. If that means they are considered 2010 US releases, I might add them because I like both.

No top tens till I've seen all I can of the 2010 US releases.

[Chris Knipp]

FILM COMMENT ANNOUNCES ITS BEST LISTS FOR 2010

Here come the Film Comment lists from the Film Society of Lincoln Center where I report on the NYFF, the Rendez-Vous, and New Directors/New Films. They were announced today (Dec. 17, 2010). It's a compilation of votes from the magazine's staff and contributors and various others adding up to a total of 100, of whom only a dozen or so were named. Most of the unreleased films are NYFF selections this year and the top released choices had Film Comment articles and features. In other words, no surprises, though I find many of the rankings very surprising. Not the top ones, though I still do not think White Material is Claire Denis' best work, though I love her films, in general. Given the source, I've seen most of the films listed, for once. There are only half a dozen I have not seen, not counting a couple new or coming releases I'm about to see (True Grit, I Love You Philip Morris), and these titles bring back a lot of good 2010 movie-viewing memories.

This list announcement on the FSLC website is here.

I notice a movie listed in the top ten by some, Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, isn't mentioned. I might comment more on these lists later when I make my lists or see other lists.

THE COMPLETE FILM COMMENT 2010 BEST-OF FILMS LISTS

RELEASED 2010 [in the US]

1. Carlos Director: Olivier Assayas
2. The Social Network Director: David Fincher
3. White Material Director: Claire Denis
4. The Ghost Writer Director: Roman Polanski
5. A Prophet Director: Jacques Audiard
6. Winter's Bone Director: Debra Granik
7. Inside Job Director: Charles Ferguson
8. Wild Grass Director: Alain Resnais
9. Everyone Else Director: Maren Ade
10. Greenberg Director: Noah Baumbach

Rankings #11 - #20
11. Mother Director: Bong Joon-ho
12. Toy Story 3 Director: Lee Unkrich
13. Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl Director: Manoel de Oliveira
14. Another Year Director: Mike Leigh
15. The Strange Case of Angelica Director: Manoel de Oliveira
16. The Kids Are All Right Director: Lisa Cholodenko
17. Shutter Island Director: Martin Scorsese
18. Around a Small Mountain Director: Jacques Rivette
19. Our Beloved Month of August Director: Miguel Gomes
20. Ne change rien Director: Pedro Costa

Rankings #21 - #30
21. Dogtooth Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
22. I Am Love Director: Luca Guadagnino
23. Sweetgrass Director: Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Ilisa Barbash
24. Black Swan Director: Darren Aronofsky
25. The Father of My Children Director: Mia Hansen-Løve
26. Boxing Gym Director: Frederick Wiseman
27. Secret Sunshine Director: Lee Chang-dong
28. Bluebeard Director: Catherine Breillat
29. Enter the Void Director: Gaspar Noé
30. Inception Director: Christopher Nolan

Rankings #31 - #40
31. Alamar Director: Pedro González-Rubio
32. The Oath Director: Laura Poitras
33. Exit Through the Gift Shop Director: Banksy
34. World on a Wire Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
35. Animal Kingdom Director: David Michôd
36. Vincere Director: Marco Bellocchio
37. Daddy Longlegs Directors: Ben & Joshua Safdie
38. Lourdes Director: Jessica Hausner
39. Life During Wartime Director: Todd Solondz
40. Fish Tank Director: Andrea Arnold

Rankings #41 - #50
41. Please Give Director: Nicole Holofcener
42. True Grit Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
43. Lebanon Director: Samuel Maoz
44. The King's Speech Director: Tom Hooper
45. I Love You Phillip Morris Directors: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
46. Last Train Home Director: Lixin Fan
47. Blue Valentine Director: Derek Cianfrance
48. Hadewijch Director: Bruno Dumont
49. The Anchorage Directors: Anders Edström & C.W. Winter
50. Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno Directors: Serge Bromberg & Ruxandra Medrea


UNRELEASED 2010

1. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Film Socialisme Director:Jean-Luc Godard
3. Poetry Director:Lee Chang-dong
4. Meek's Cutoff Director:Kelly Reichardt
5. Aurora Director:Cristi Puiu
6. Mysteries of Lisbon Director: Raúl Ruiz
7. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu Director: Andrei Ujica
8. The Four Times Director: Michelangelo Frammartino
9. Certified Copy Director: Abbas Kiarostami
10. Tuesday, After Christmas Director: Radu Muntean
11. Oki's Movie Director: Hong Sang-soo
12. Ruhr Director: James Benning
13. I Wish I Knew Director: Jia Zhangke
14. My Joy Director: Sergei Loznitsa
15. Nostalgia for the Light Director: Patricio Guzmán,
16. Robinson in Ruins Director: Patrick Keiller
17. Black Venus Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
18. Of Gods and Men Director: Xavier Beauvois
19. Tabloid Director: Errol Morris
20. The Robber Director: Benjamin Heisenberg