The Top 20 Films You Didn't See in 2010
I will now list the twenty best films that no one saw in 2010. None of these films hit a wide audience. Although nobody saw Let Me In or The Ghost Writer, they did hit a large amount of theaters. This list will include a good mix of independent and foreign films, as well as documentaries. Enjoy, and please give these a try!
20. Best Worst Movie (Directed by Michael Stephenson)
This is a documentary that gathers the cast from the "the worst film of all-time," Troll 2. It's simply amazing how bad and confusing that film is. People have since embraced the terrible, yet hilarious film.
19. Greenberg (Noah Baumbach)
It's hard to rank Baumbach's (The Squid and the Whale) films because they're all so different, yet similar in a few aspects. Ben Stiller shows us a side we haven't really seen before, and I give his performance two thumbs up.
18. Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman)
This film features one of Michael Douglas' best performances to date. His character, much like in Greenberg, is in the middle of a mid-life crisis. His depravity has no bounds.
17. The Killer Inside Me (Michael Winterbottom)
Casey Affleck nearly outdoes his performance in The Assassination of Jesse James. It's based on a controversial best-selling novel. How does one choose between Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba?
16. The Extra Man (Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini)
One of the years best surprises. Kevin Kline (Orange County) and Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) have great chemistry going throughout. You don't want to miss an awkwardly hilarious performance from John C. Reilly.
15. Winter's Bone (Debra Granik)
Although I think this film is a bit overrated, it's still very good. Oscar worthy? Probably not. Jennifer Lawrence does turn in a breakout performance.
14. Valhalla Rising (Nicolas Winding Refn)
Refn (Bronson, Pusher) is slowly becoming one of my favorite directors. Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) is the main character but he doesn't speak a word or make a gesture throughout the entire film. All he does is brutally murder people. It may put some people to sleep and confuse some, but the scenery is intoxicating and the fight scenes are extremely graphic.
13. Restrepo (Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger)
This is a short, but extremely effective documentary set in Afghanistan. A small film crew risks their lives to follow a platoon of soldiers as they try to overtake Al-Qaeda, and make nice with the locals. Powerful stuff here.
12. Temple Grandin (Mick Jackson)
Based on a true story about an autistic woman who tries to cope with college life and the pressures of real life. Claires Danes (Brokedown Palace) is simply amazing. Highly recommended.
11. The Square (Nash Edgerton)
This is a smart heart-pounding Australian thriller. It features some breakout performances and some wonderful film-making.
10. Defendor (Peter Stebbings)
Woody Harrelson turns in a hilarious, courageous and sad performance is this "super" hero film. It's very similar to Kick-Ass in more ways than one, but this film was released first. It features a great soundtrack, as well as a wonderful performance by Elias Koteas (Let Me In).
9. Mother (Joon-ho Bong)
I don't watch a lot of Korean films, but I gave this one a chance and it was captivating. There were a few moments early in the film that had me close to giving up on it, but I stuck it out and was rewarded.
8. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 (Julian Jarrold)
The Red Riding films are best seen in succession, but this film can be seen without watching the next two. Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) is Oscar-worthy, in my opinion. This is one of the best trilogies out there.
7. Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy)
It took some thought, but this is the best documentary of 2010. It's truly a treat to watch and be apart of. The art put on display will have your eyes glued to your television. The last half hour goes off in another tangent, and it actually feels like a film within a film.
6. Please Give (Nicole Holofcener)
The wonderful cast and the squeaky-clean script will have you laughing and involved throughout. The majority of the cast are women, and that's A-OK.
5. City Island (Raymond De Felitta)
Andy Garcia (Ocean's Eleven) breaks out one of his best performances in years. The script is extremely funny and the plot intriguing. Garcia plays a prison guard who invites a family-less inmate to live with his family. Things get interesting real quick.
4. Holy Rollers (Kevin Asch)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) can do no wrong. I guarantee you've never seen anything quite like it. There's a fantastic breakout performance from Ari Graynor (Whip It).
3. The Secret in Their Eyes (Juan Jose Campanella)
Yes, the top three on this list are foreign films, but I didn't intend on that. These are truly the three best films you didn't see this year. It starts with this film, which comes from Spain. This film won an Oscar (Best Foreign Language Film) last award season, but wasn't released in the States until April.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Niels Arden Oplev)
This is the first chapter of the hit Swedish trilogy. If there's one to watch, it's this one for sure. Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist have such great chemistry in this one. I'm reaalllly looking forward to David Fincher's (The Social Network, Fight Club) American version, due next Christmas.
1. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)
Easily the best film you haven't seen this year. It was also up for Best Foreign Language Film last Oscar season, but was released in February around these parts. I actually just watched it again the other day (thanks to Netflix Instant Viewing.....shameless plug) and it was once again a treat. Is it hard to focus your eyes on subtitles for 2 hours and 45 minutes? Yes, it sure is. But this one is worth it.
20. Best Worst Movie (Directed by Michael Stephenson)
This is a documentary that gathers the cast from the "the worst film of all-time," Troll 2. It's simply amazing how bad and confusing that film is. People have since embraced the terrible, yet hilarious film.
19. Greenberg (Noah Baumbach)
It's hard to rank Baumbach's (The Squid and the Whale) films because they're all so different, yet similar in a few aspects. Ben Stiller shows us a side we haven't really seen before, and I give his performance two thumbs up.
18. Solitary Man (Brian Koppelman)
This film features one of Michael Douglas' best performances to date. His character, much like in Greenberg, is in the middle of a mid-life crisis. His depravity has no bounds.
17. The Killer Inside Me (Michael Winterbottom)
Casey Affleck nearly outdoes his performance in The Assassination of Jesse James. It's based on a controversial best-selling novel. How does one choose between Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba?
16. The Extra Man (Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini)
One of the years best surprises. Kevin Kline (Orange County) and Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) have great chemistry going throughout. You don't want to miss an awkwardly hilarious performance from John C. Reilly.
15. Winter's Bone (Debra Granik)
Although I think this film is a bit overrated, it's still very good. Oscar worthy? Probably not. Jennifer Lawrence does turn in a breakout performance.
14. Valhalla Rising (Nicolas Winding Refn)
Refn (Bronson, Pusher) is slowly becoming one of my favorite directors. Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) is the main character but he doesn't speak a word or make a gesture throughout the entire film. All he does is brutally murder people. It may put some people to sleep and confuse some, but the scenery is intoxicating and the fight scenes are extremely graphic.
13. Restrepo (Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger)
This is a short, but extremely effective documentary set in Afghanistan. A small film crew risks their lives to follow a platoon of soldiers as they try to overtake Al-Qaeda, and make nice with the locals. Powerful stuff here.
12. Temple Grandin (Mick Jackson)
Based on a true story about an autistic woman who tries to cope with college life and the pressures of real life. Claires Danes (Brokedown Palace) is simply amazing. Highly recommended.
11. The Square (Nash Edgerton)
This is a smart heart-pounding Australian thriller. It features some breakout performances and some wonderful film-making.
10. Defendor (Peter Stebbings)
Woody Harrelson turns in a hilarious, courageous and sad performance is this "super" hero film. It's very similar to Kick-Ass in more ways than one, but this film was released first. It features a great soundtrack, as well as a wonderful performance by Elias Koteas (Let Me In).
9. Mother (Joon-ho Bong)
I don't watch a lot of Korean films, but I gave this one a chance and it was captivating. There were a few moments early in the film that had me close to giving up on it, but I stuck it out and was rewarded.
8. Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974 (Julian Jarrold)
The Red Riding films are best seen in succession, but this film can be seen without watching the next two. Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) is Oscar-worthy, in my opinion. This is one of the best trilogies out there.
7. Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy)
It took some thought, but this is the best documentary of 2010. It's truly a treat to watch and be apart of. The art put on display will have your eyes glued to your television. The last half hour goes off in another tangent, and it actually feels like a film within a film.
6. Please Give (Nicole Holofcener)
The wonderful cast and the squeaky-clean script will have you laughing and involved throughout. The majority of the cast are women, and that's A-OK.
5. City Island (Raymond De Felitta)
Andy Garcia (Ocean's Eleven) breaks out one of his best performances in years. The script is extremely funny and the plot intriguing. Garcia plays a prison guard who invites a family-less inmate to live with his family. Things get interesting real quick.
4. Holy Rollers (Kevin Asch)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) can do no wrong. I guarantee you've never seen anything quite like it. There's a fantastic breakout performance from Ari Graynor (Whip It).
3. The Secret in Their Eyes (Juan Jose Campanella)
Yes, the top three on this list are foreign films, but I didn't intend on that. These are truly the three best films you didn't see this year. It starts with this film, which comes from Spain. This film won an Oscar (Best Foreign Language Film) last award season, but wasn't released in the States until April.
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Niels Arden Oplev)
This is the first chapter of the hit Swedish trilogy. If there's one to watch, it's this one for sure. Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist have such great chemistry in this one. I'm reaalllly looking forward to David Fincher's (The Social Network, Fight Club) American version, due next Christmas.
1. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)
Easily the best film you haven't seen this year. It was also up for Best Foreign Language Film last Oscar season, but was released in February around these parts. I actually just watched it again the other day (thanks to Netflix Instant Viewing.....shameless plug) and it was once again a treat. Is it hard to focus your eyes on subtitles for 2 hours and 45 minutes? Yes, it sure is. But this one is worth it.
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