Happy New Year! Here’s a look back at the previous year in film, based on what I’ve seen so far.
Best Trailer: The Social Network, featuring the orchestral rendition of “Creep”
Best Postscript: “[Cherie Currie] is now a chainsaw artist living in the San Fernando Valley,” in
The RunawaysBest Standoff: Teardrop and Sheriff Baskin in
Winter’s BoneBest Outburst of Gunfire: Carlos comes out of the bathroom in
CarlosBest Go-for-Broke Action Climax: The Good, The Bad, The WeirdBest Evidence of the Dangers of Overlong, Momentum-Killing Action Sequences: Scott Pilgrim vs. The WorldBest Actor of the Year (not to be confused with Best Actor in a Leading Role): Andrew Garfield, for
The Social Network and, even more,
Never Let Me GoBest Supporting Actor: John Hawkes in
Winter’s BoneBest Performance by an Ungulate, Individual: Little Blackie crosses the river in
True GritBest Performance by Ungulates, Ensemble: A herd of sheep cross Montana’s Beartooth Mountains in
SweetgrassBest Threatening Lecture: “Anyone who resists will be executed. Anyone who doesn’t obey our orders immediately will be executed. Anyone who panics will be executed. Even if a member of the commando doesn’t obey my orders, or doesn’t follow the instructions outlined in advance, he will be executed,” delivered by Edgar Ramirez as Carlos in
CarlosBest Line: “I’m six-five, 220 pounds, and there are two of me,” delivered by Tyler Winklevoss in
The Social NetworkBest Catchphrase: “Light bulb!” in
Despicable MeBest Word: “Winklevi” in
The Social NetworkBest Steve McQueen Performance: George Clooney in
The AmericanBest Death Scene: Jeremy Renner as James Coughlin in
The TownBest Animated Film: How to Train Your Dragon (note: I didn’t see
Toy Story 3)
Best Euphemism for Masturbation: How to Train Your DragonBest Animated Sequence Within a Live Action Film: The story of the Deathly Hallows, in
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, animated by Ben Hibon
Best Use of Special Effects: (tie) Armie Hammer plays Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in
The Social Network and Nina becomes the Black Swan in
Black SwanBest Evidence that Mickey Rourke is Unfailingly Entertaining: Iron Man 2Best Evidence that Ridley Scott Hasn’t Read Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: Robin’s men voluntarily give up the high ground in
Robin HoodBest Score: The Social Network by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Best Use of a Single Song: Sigur Ros’ “Festival” for Aron Ralston’s triumphant walk back to civilization in
127 HoursBest Use of an Orchestral Cacaphony: The “
BRRRRRRRAAAAAWWWWRWRRRMRMRMMRMRMMMMM!!!” of
InceptionBest Use of Silence: Nic’s discovery of infidelity in
The Kids Are All RightBest 1980s Movie Reference: To
The Karate Kid in
The Social NetworkBest Remake: Matt Reeves’
Let Me In , adapting Tomas Alfredson’s
Let the Right One InBest Historical Recreation: CarlosBest Art Within Art: Marwencol in
MarwencolBest (Almost) Final Scene: The passing of the note in
The Ghost WriterBest Opening Scene: The breakup in
The Social NetworkBest Film About Social Media: The first half of
CatfishBest Performance by a Prop: The spinning top in
InceptionBest Gut Wrenching Reaction to Impossible Horrors: (tie) Leonardo DiCaprio in
Shutter Island and Leondardo DiCaprio in
Inception Best Actress: Natalie Portman for
Black SwanBest Scary-Ass Mother: Jacki Weaver’s Janine in
Animal KingdomBest Scary-Ass Wife: Dale Dickey’s Merab in
Winter’s BoneBest “Oh shit!” Moment: The stop at the gas station in
Let Me InBest “Oh gross!” Moment: A naked woman produces a cell phone from its, um, hiding place in
MacheteBest Moment in an Otherwise Horseshit Film: Aang realizes his potential in
The Last AirbenderBest Performance in a Hastily Made Parody of a Horseshit Film: Hokahey as "
The Last Carbender"
Best Sight for Sore Eyes: Eli Wallach in
The Ghost WriterBest Eye Candy: Violanete Placido as the oft-naked Clara in
The AmericanBest Film No One Is Talking About: Fish TankBest Hope for a Better Year Ahead: The trailer for Terrence Malick’s
Tree of Life (which I haven’t actually watched but don’t need to)
What are some of your Bests of 2010?
