Despicable Me
Any other year and Despicable Me would probably be considered one of the best animated movies of the year, but there was simply too much competition from the likes of Pixar and Dreamworks. It wasn't until the 2nd time I saw it that the story of failing supervillain Gru(voiced by Steve Carell), and his inept plan to shrink the moon and reclaim his lost dignity truly won me over. Why? Mainly because of the presence of his little yellow minions who are by far the funniest thing in every single scene. This one comes with 3 mini-movies starring the little yellow bastards, an added bonus most would probably be more than happy to buy separately.
The A-Team
Overkill is underrated. Not only are these Hannibal's(Liam Neeson) words to live by, but clearly the mandate issued forth by director Joe Carnahan. The A-Team is one seriously wild ride, exploding from the campy 1980s TV series and onto the big screen. Neeson perfectly embodies the cigar chomping bravado Hannibal Smith; MMA fighter Quentin "Rampage" Jackson has by far the toughest assignment living up to Mr. T's BA Barcaus, while Sharlto Copley and Bradley Cooper are perfectly cast as Howlin' Mad Murdock and Face.
The Other Guys
Possibly the funniest movie of the year, Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg make an oddball pairing as cops that have a very different interpretation of their jobs. Sick and tired of playing second fiddle to the department's two superstar cops(hilariously played by Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson), the two must put aside their many differences in order to save the city from the crooked schemes of a billionaire investor. Sure the plot is weak, but from the moment Ferrell's sordid past begins to be revealed, you'll be too busy laughing to care.
The Town
Who'd have thought that Ben Affleck could turn out to be a better director than he is an actor? I'm not one of those folks who bashes his ability in front of the camera, it's just he's that damn good behind it. He follows up one of the most unappreciated gems of the last few years, Gone Baby Gone, with an equally gritty crime drama set in the crime riddled town of Charlestown, MA. Affleck stars as a bank robber who makes a cardinal mistake by falling in love with one of his victims(Rebecca Hall). While his relationship with her grows, the tension between him and his crew(in particular his best friend played by Jeremy Renner) only gets worse.
Nanny McPhee Returns
Kinda blew in and out of theaters, strange considering the massive success of the original. Emma Thompson reprises her role as the extremely ugly nanny who makes it her mission to teach kids how to properly behave. SuperNanny's got nothing on her.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Again, it's a circumstance of too many amazing animated films in 2010. Zack Snyder might seem like an odd fit for an adventure based around a tribe of talking owls, but his knack for high velocity action fits in perfectly. Based on the first three volumes of Katherine Lasky's series, Owls is likely the most beautiful animated film you'll ever see, even without the benefit of 3D effects. The story is dark, perhaps best described as a toned down feathery version of The Empire Strikes Back, so perhaps it's not best for kids. Adults should find plenty of reason to get invested, though. I had this as my third favorite animated film of the year.
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Consider the source. That's what I always say. When the legendary, mysterious street artist/social prankster Banksy makes a movie I expect that I'm going to get punked in some way. Such is the case with Exit Through the Gift Shop, a documentary(mockumentary?) about graffiti enthusiast Thierry Guetta. While Thierry is initially content to cover Banksy and the graf art scene, it's his turn towards creating his own art that the film turns itself on it's own ear and starts deconstructing the very nature of their craft. The whole thing is either a spiteful rebuke of the art form Banksy has built his livelihood on, or a very insightful joke at our expense. The best documentary of the year. Period.
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
You think you know Joan Rivers? Think again. Even folks like me who've had no sympathy for the heaps of humiliation thrown her way thanks to her awful plastic surgeries and snarky attitude towards others may find themselves looking at the iconic comedianne in a whole new light. She talks openly about all the criticism she's faced over the years, including her often contentious relationship with her daughter, and her past conflicts with Johnny Carson.
Micmacs
Jean-Pierre Jeunet(Amelie) continues his trend of taking serious real life issues(love and war specifically) and blending them with a healthy dose of the surreal. MicMacs is the story of Bazil, a man who has seen weapons destroy his life. A landmine killed his parents, and now a stray bullet has left him with the object lodged in his head. What's a guy like Bazil to do other than concoct an ambitious(and ridiculous) plan to end the world's arms trade.
Cyrus
John C. Reilly vs. Jonah Hill. Sounds like the perfect setup for some raucous comedy courtesy of the Farrelly Brothers or something, doesn't it? Instead, Cyrus is brought to you by the Duplass Brothers, indie auteurs and veterans of the minimalist style known as "mumblecore". An odd fit? On paper, maybe, but that's until you recall that Reilly is a consummate veteran who made his bones as an indie darling before hitting it big. He stars here as a poor schmuck divorcee who happens upon the perfect woman(Marisa Tomei). It just so happens that she likes him too. The only problem is that she's a single mom.....to an overly dependent, creepily attached 22-year old son with a chip on his shoulder.
Mother and Child
Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, and Kerry Washington make for an impressive starring cast in Rodrigo Garcia Barcha's exploration of maternal instinct. Bening is featured as Karen, who gave up her daughter Elizabeth(Watts) at a very young age, which has had unforseen effects on Elizabeth's ability to forge trusting relationships.
