i mentioned a few posts back that i'd voted in the skinny writer's top films of 2010 poll. while there was a fair amount of match up (in obvious areas like toy story 3 and the social network, but also with less obvious choices like white material), there were, inevitably, points of divergence. i've repeated my top 10 here, and expanded it out to a top 20 since there were a lot of good movies this year. now for the excuses: i didn't see uncle boonmee, dogtooth, the headless woman, carlos, winter's bone, another year and probably a bunch more critically acclaimed flicks, so their absence is unfortunate but unavoidable. i didn't think a whole lot of the kids are alright, the ghost or enter the void, so they're oot too. here's what i did rate:
1. lebanon (dir. samuel moaz)
one of four films in this top twenty that i caught at the glasgow film festival back in february. that trumps berlin (1) and edinburgh (0). not bad considering their respective sizes and reputations. the ryan reynolds showcase buried seems to have ended up in a few best-of-year lists already, but moaz's film is easily the more claustrophobic and unsettling viewing experience.
2. a prophet (dir. jacques audiard)
it always feels strange championing a film that had its moment in the spotlight a full year ago. but uk cinemas only recieved this remarkable film in january, so it's a 2010 film in my book.
3. exit through the gift shop (dir. banksy)
either the best documentary of the year, the best faux-documentary of the year, the best practical joke of the year or just the best comedy of the year. like double take, banksy's film debut explored the divide between truth and fiction, yet it never alienates or bores with high-falutin ways.
4. the social network (dir. david fincher)
i'm sitting with a copy of time magazine beside me. it's emblazened with mark zuckerberg's face: he's their person of the year, the esteemed publication's most important person of 2010. but all i can think looking at his intense, straight-to-camera stare is: 'what a douche'. thanks sorkin...
5. toy story 3 (dir. lee unkrich)
it's just not a top ten list without a pixar entry.
6. double take (dir. johan grimonprez)
here's a review i wrote back in may.
7. how i spent last summer (dir. aleksei popogrebsky)
i had to leave this off the list i submitted to the skinny as it hasn't yet had its uk release. i caught it at berlin, where it's 2 leads jointly won the best actor award. i'm not sure if a release is on the cards, but if it does make it to our isle, you'd be a reet fool to miss it.
8. city of life and death (dir. chuan lu)
another GFF movie, and another film that subsequently seems to have disappeared. it's not an easy film to watch, but nor should it be.
9. inception (dir. christopher nolan)
move over donnie darko: adolescent film buffs have a new favourite film to high-mindedly debate between class.
10. white material (dir. claire denis)
denis's last visit to africa resulted in the indelible puzzle beau trevail. white material is an equally enigmatic creation, tight with tension and boasting an incredibly subtle central performance from isabelle huppert.
11. samson and delilah (dir. warwick thornton)
12. still walking (dir. hirokazu koreeda)
13. bad lieutenent: port of call new orleans (dir. werner herzog)
14. shutter island (dir. martin scorcese)
15. ajami (dir. scandar copti and yaron shani)
16. rare exports (dir. jalmari helander)
17. somewhere (dir. sophia coppolla)
18. kick ass (dir. mathew vaughn)
19. green zone (dir. paul greengrass)
20. monsters (dir. gareth edwards)
close but no cigars for a single man, my son my son what have ye done, the maid, scott pilgrim versus the world, the princess and the frog, let me in, four lions, the killer inside me, we are what we are and the secret in their eyes.
right, i'm off to see tron legacy.
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