I think I posted this on the site last year, although it was decidedly off topic. I’m so so glad that this year I can finally say that this is on topic.
My picks are after the jump. Let me know what were your personal favourite films and performances of the year. Or just shout abuse at my picks. It’s all good.
BEST FILM
20 – Carlos – 79 hours long and worth every minute.
19 – The Ghost Writer – Like one of those airport thriller novels that hits the spot and is much better than it has any right to be.
18 – The Freebie – Will almost make you believe that Dax Shephard can act.
17 – Frozen – Totally sucked me in. One of the real surprises of the year for me.
16 – How To Train A Dragon – Take that, Pixar!
15 – Boy – Imagine Whale Rider. Now remove the whale and replace the tears of sadness with tears of laughter.
14 – Let Me In – It was a terrible year for horror so thank goodness for this film…even if it owes pretty much everything to the original film.
13 – Samson and Delilah – It’s Amelie! No, its Requiem For A Dream! Argh!
12 – Dogtooth – Scary and hilarious. Scalarious. This film may be nuts nuts nuts but boy does it have a good point point point.
11 – True Grit – So much fun. So damn funny. Those Coens might have a future in the biz.
10 – Fish Tank – The second best dance film that isn’t a dance film of the year.
9 – Four Lions – Fearless comedy gold. “How did this film get made?” quickly became “How come this film hasn’t been made before?”
8 – The Social Network – The sharpest dialogue of the year. The most meticulous direction. The best ensemble performance of the year. A rocking soundtrack. One for the ages? Could be. Could be.
7 – Mother – Every year there seems to be at least one Korean film on my top 10. Damn those guys can make movies. Like the best Korean films, this covers so much tonal ground that I wouldn’t even know how to describe what it’s about. With due respect to Animal Kingdom, the best bookends of the year.
6 – Blue Valentine – I’m still recovering. Like falling in love whilst simultaneously having your heart broken. I’m not sure what I feel but I’m glad I’m feeling it.
5 – Rabbit Hole – Films about mourning can be a slog, but this film is so sharp in every aspect that it never pulls you down, rather it lifts you up. Kidman and Eckhart, you guys literally gave me chills.
4 – Black Swan – Too much baggage. Too many expectations. It still lived up and kicked my ass.
3 – Scott Pilgrim vs The World – I didn’t laugh harder nor as often all year. I’m going to be enjoying this one for many years to come.
2 – Inception – Okay, so it dropped a step when I watched it a second time. The winter wonderland is very yawn compared to everything else and Ellen Page…seriously, Ellen Page? But it’s still the most brainy, inventive, narratively exciting blockbuster in years. I can’t even remember the last time I got so energized watching an idea take shape on screen. Oh, and the thing people knock it for, its heart, is still has more of that than all the other big action films of the past few years put together.
1 – Un Prophete – The best film of the year.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
5 – Catfish
4 – The Tillman Story
3 – Inside Job
2 – The Art Of The Steal
1 – Restrepo
WORST FILM
5 – Ninja Assassin
4 – Twilight:Eclipse
3 – Wolfman
2 – Cop Out
1 – The Last Airbender (worst film of the past 10 years. at least.)
BEST ACTRESS
10 – Emma Stone (Easy A)
9 – Marissa Gibson (Samson and Delilah)
8 – Carey Mulligan (Never Let Me Go)
7 – Greta Gerwig (Greenberg)
6 – Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank)
5 – Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone)
4 – Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)
3 – Hye-Ja Kim (Mother)
2 – Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
1 – Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
BEST ACTOR
10 – Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
9 – Mads Mikkelsen (Valhalla Rising)
8 – Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are Alright)
7 – Arnie Hammer (The Social Network)
6 – Robert Duvall (Get Low)
5 – Tahar Rahim (Un Prophete)
4 – John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone)
3 – Aaron Eckhart (Rabbit Hole)
2 – Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
1 – Edgar Ramirez (Carlos)