My Top 15 Movies of 2010

I decided to make a list of my favorite 15 films of the year. Keep in mind, this is only my opinion and I've written reasons next to the films themselves. The list shows my 15 most liked films, the top ones being the most liked and the lower being the less liked, but still liked. 15-7 are basically in order of least to greatest, so by the time you get to 6-1, it's pretty much a 6-way tie for best of the year, but not quite. So dont ask me why I liked one over the other, unless they are in the bottom 8.
Thanks for reading. Feel free to post opinions in the comment section.
I also apologize that movies such as the Fighter and The Social Network are not on the list. There is little doubt in my mind that they probably would have made my list over some of the lesser entries, but since I never got around to seeing those films, I cannot rank them.

15. The Expendables
    I love Stallone. I loved Rambo 4. The action sequences in this movie are made for me. I’m a man. I want to see big men beat the living crap out of each other with loud thuds and smashes. But being a man doesn’t mean I don’t expect a story or believable character motivations, or accurate physics in non-fighting scenarios (see my bullet points on this movie). I loved the action sequences in this movie and I would have preferred it if this film had either had more of the soul that Mickey Rourke brought to it, or gone the other way and been a 30-minute short film with just the action sequences and zero context.

14. The Other Guys
    I wouldn’t call myself a fan of Will Ferrell. But I did enjoy this movie. It had more of a plot than Step Brothers (which I enjoyed more than this film), so I’ll give it that. However, when I watch these movies, all I really want out of it is a bucketful of one-liners and dirty jokes. I didn’t mind the plot, and it had plenty of jokes that made me laugh out loud, but I missed that aimless stupidity of McKay’s other comedies. I guess it’s unfair of me to fault this film for being smarter than I thought it ought to be, but I have to play to my expectations.

13.  Despicable Me
    I wasn’t at all taken in by Steve Carell’s weird Eastern European accent, or by the story itself, or even the animation. But I did think the sight gags and jokes of this movie were funny and I’d be lying if I didn’t rank it where it is.

12.  The Town
    I have nothing against Ben Affleck. He seems like a decent guy and he’s a damn decent director. He’s doing well with his crime dramas and I hope he sticks to it for his next film. Solid movie. No real complaints. It just wasn’t amazing. That’s why it’s at #12.

11.   Tangled
    I love Disney movies. I’m not biased towards them, though. I’ll admit when one has missed the mark. This one didn’t miss the mark for me, but it didn’t quite hit it either. I didn’t really like the leading man, but then again, that helped me feel his transformation, so I guess it’s a good thing. The animation was good and the music was alright.

10.   Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole
    Yep. I said it. Owl movie. For all of you guys who think that a movie about CG owls couldn’t possibly be exciting to watch, you are incorrect, in my opinion. I really enjoyed this movie. My first experience viewing it was on a Blu Ray, and this movie was made for high definition viewing. The special effects are INCREDIBLE. Every feather, ray of sunshine, and speck of dirt are crystal clear and honestly the visual effects are what carry the film. Well, that’s not fair to say. It is full of interesting characters voiced by talented actors and a surprisingly coherent plot that keeps you focused, if not to just marvel at how pretty the visuals are. The film kept me engaged and entertained and I’m glad I got to see it for the first time in the best way imaginable. It also helped to have a giggling, owl-loving girlfriend sitting next to me through the whole thing.

9.      Due Date
    That’s right. Due Date. Don’t ask me why. It wasn’t the funniest comedy I’ve ever seen. Or the most original (cough cough Planes Trains and Automobiles). But I enjoyed seeing it. It’s no Hangover, but then again, I didn’t really expect it to be. I won’t buy it. Once is enough for my personal viewing, but if someone wanted to sit down and watch it, I’d be interested in seeing it again.

8.      Predators
    For the 5th movie about a killer species, you might think that this movie is another half-assed entry into the franchise. I enjoyed this film. And I suppose I enjoyed it on a very basic level. There wasn’t much that was spectacular about this film, except for the few action sequences it had. My affinity for this movie comes mostly from the fact that this could have been one of the crappiest movies ever made, with a stupid plot, crap special effects, and horrible actors. But it wasn’t. Everything was solid and I bought the Blu Ray. And I’m glad I did.

7.      Shutter Island
    I could watch this movie over and over again, much in the same way I could with Secret Window. But while Secret Window was more of a guilty pleasure, this is certainly a well-crafted film that is worthy of multiple viewings. If anything, the film is even better upon it’s second and third viewings. It won’t be nominated for anything, but I will proudly continue to watch it on Blu Ray.

6.      127 Hours
    I never would have thought that a film about a guy with his arm stuck in a boulder could be the least bit interesting. Not only was this film interesting, it was amazing. The music was fantastic once again and Danny Boyle managed to inject the story with a high dose of energy and kineticism and make the story of Aron Ralston an exciting tale of triumph.

5.      Black Swan
    I saw this almost two moths ago at the Savannah Film Festival. I’ll be the first to say: this movie is messed up. In a good way. It is no doubt an amazingly visualized and well executed piece of filmmaking. I think the performances, especially by lead actress Natalie Portman, are what make this film truly great and I really enjoyed it.

4.      True Grit
    I wouldn’t consider myself a huge fan of westerns or even a huge fan of the Coen Brothers. But this is a very very great film. Sure, it’s a simple story, but the dialogue is engaging, the directing is superb, and the performances are fantastic all around. I was never bored, and that counts for a lot. No doubt this will be nominated for multiple Oscars.

3.     Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
    I love these movies. I’ve enjoyed watching these characters on their journey against the Dark forces and I loved this movie. Granted, it is only the first half of a larger film, but I believe it contained much more action and drama than most critics gave it credit for. I cannot wait for part 2 and I have every confidence that they will cap off the series with flying colors (on brooms). I’ll buy this on Blu Ray as soon as it comes out.

2.      Inception
    I love this movie. It is definitely the most original movie I saw all year. I’ve been taken in again and again by its intricate plot and high concept storyline. The score is thrilling and the way they pulled off their visual effects is amazing. I own the Blu Ray and I’m immensely enjoying it.

1.      Toy Story 3
    It took me through every emotion. I watched as characters that I grew up with overcame obstacle after obstacle and escape destruction again and again. The music is superb and the animated protagonists were able to make me emote more than any live action character all year. This was my favorite film of the year and I honestly believe it should win best picture.