Wrapping it all up, here's my list of the top ten favorite movies that I saw this year. As with parts 1 and 2, here is the list of movies I saw this year.
The Best Movies I Saw This Year
I saw a lot of movies this year, and this is an attempt to list my top ten. It slants a bit towards films I've seen more recently, and it could be different tomorrow, but here it is today.
Honorable Mention: Tintin, X-Men: First Class, Horrible Bosses, Death to Smoochy, Goodfellas, Dear Zachary, Black Snake Moan, Network
10) Tucker and Dale vs Evil: I just had to watch this when it popped up on Netflix Instant. It's gotten a lot of buzz from the film geek community, and it's got Alan Tudyk. How could I resist that? It's a great premise, turning the slasher genre on its ear and milking it for tons of laughs. Tudyk and Tyler Labine have tremendous chemistry, and even though the film doesn't quite stick the landing, the two leads at the movie's heart keep it consistently hilarious.
9) Dark City: I've cooled on Dark City a bit since I first saw it. On the first viewing, I was blown away by how well structured the film was, how the puzzle gradually unravels until what seemed so strange at the start is completely clear. I still enjoy it a lot, but it didn't hold up quite as well after a few rewatches. There are parts that feel really dated, particularly the big fight scene. The Strangers are pretty great though, and plenty of the movie works well enough to be a favorite.
8) Attack the Block: Such an awesome little movie. The design of the aliens is really clever, and is a good way to work around the low budget. They're iconic and terrifying. The movie takes the kids seriously, it lets them be jerks and it lets them get killed. It also lets them be complete action heroes too, particularly John Boyega as Moses. The accents are a bit tough to adjust to, but you really should check it out. It's a slick, funny action film that feels completely unique.
7) Before Sunrise/Before Sunset: It doesn't feel right to consider these movies separately. They're just such a perfect pairing. Before Sunrise is the perfect film for the hopeless romantic, whereas Before Sunset finds the two leads having realized that youthful romance doesn't last forever. The movies form a pair of perfectly realized moments that feel completely authentic. Delphy and Hawke are quietly fantastic. These are small movies told not in broad, big strokes, but in the small moments, and the two leads excel in those moments.
6) How to Train Your Dragon: There's a sheer joy to this movie that is infectious. I think this is the first Dreamworks movie I've liked better than the Pixar movie of the same year (Toy Story 3). The animation of Toothless is really great, it's a very emotive character that you end up falling in love with. Love everything about this. It's got heart, humor, and the guts to have some consequences for the characters. One of my favorite animated movies.
5) Carrie: Surprised by how much I loved it. It's very much a spiritual predecessor to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which you all know I like a little bit :). The entire sequence leading up to the pig blood scene is equal parts moving and heart-breaking. You see Carrie's joy at standing up to her mother and coming out of her shell, but you also know what's coming, and the build up is excruciating. It's a really great high school drama which then just happens to turn into a crazy supernatural horror movie at the end.
4) Young Adult: I haven't been a huge fan of Charlize Theron until this film. She gives a fearless performance as a thoroughly unlikeable character. I love the guts that the movie has, making Mavis completely unredeemable. It's a great character piece, but it's also hilarious. It's filled with laugh out loud moments, and small touches (chugging Diet Coke, watching the Kardashians, etc.) that make it consistently funny. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending until I see it again, but I really loved the movie as a whole.
3) The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters: I listed Black Snake Moan as my most pleasant surprise of the year, but this one could have easily taken that spot. It sounds ridiculous: a documentary about a guy who sets the world record in Donkey Kong. How could that possibly be interesting? Every time I tell people how great this movie is, I get that "really?!?" stare. It is a great movie though. I've watched it more times than any other movie this year, and everyone I've shown it to has enjoyed it. The filmmakers stumbled into a fascinating world of competitive gaming, and they found a fantastic villain in Billy Mitchell. Really, you should check it out, you won't regret it.
2) Drive: Strangely compelling. That's the best description I can give of Drive. There are long stretches where not a lot happens, and there isn't much dialogue, but I never lost interest, it had me from the word go. It has such a unique visual aesthetic and kinetic soundtrack that it's constantly interesting. Ryan Gosling does a tremendous job without saying much of anything. He's believable as the quiet, sensitive guy wooing Carey Mulligan, but he's also believable as the stone-cold badass who efficiently and ruthlessly takes care of business. Stylish, entertaining, and unlike anything I've ever seen before.
1) Inglorious Basterds: I really enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but I LOVED it the second time. What I'd forgotten is just how crazy funny it is. Brad Pitt is hilarious, but Cristoph Waltz steals the show with his ability to be both scary and ridiculously funny ("That's a Bingo!"). The movie is just a constant parade of fantastic scenes and great performances. In addition to Pitt and Waltz, there's the always great Michael Fassbender and a truly fantastic turn by Melanie Laurent. Just wall-to-wall greatness.
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