Wednesday, January 5, 2011

I'll Buy the Popcorn, Okay?

I have a confession to make. I only saw 13 movies in theatres in 2010. And I only caught up on three 2010 releases on DVD. For those who don't know, my boyfriend makes movies... and blogs about them. So at this risk of stepping on his toes (or him disowning me because I haven't kept up!), I have ranked all of the movies I saw this year. This is the first time I've ever been able to do this... since usually I have well over 20 and just get confused. So... yay?

Also... there's some spoilers. So just beware.

16. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Directed by Chris Columbus, Written by Craig Titley
Starring a bunch of kids you've never heard of, with cameos by a bunch of famous actors that didn't know what they were getting themselves into.
Although I have my complaints about the book series, I generally think they're fun, easy reads that please my inner Greek mythology nerd. I hate to be one of those "THE MOVIE WASN'T ANYTHING LIKE THE BOOK" people, but this movie must not be based on the same book I read. They make up all of these rules that don't exist, yet they completely neglect the rules that DO exist in the Percy Jackson book universe. Also, this film completely changes the ending to the point where the whole plot of the series is gone. Imagine if at the end of the first Harry Potter book, it all turned out to be Prof Quirrell's doing and Voldemort had nothing to do with it. Yeah. F


15. Iron Man 2
Directed by Jon Favreau, Written by Justin Theroux
Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwenyth Paltrow & Scarlett Johansson
This movie sets the women's movement back two generations. Also, the superhero doesn't deal the final blow. I just don't even want to talk about it. D

14. Predators
Directed by Nimrod Antal, Written by Alex Litvak and Michael Finch
Starring Adrien Brody, Topher Grace & Lawrence Fishbourne
I forgot I saw this movie until today. D

13. Valentine's Day
Directed by Garry Marshall, Written by Katherine Fugate
Starring EVERYONE.
"Holy crap look at all of those celebrities!" It was cute. It was a nice, bubbly double-date movie. It was the most predictable thing I've ever seen in my entire life. Why are they making a sequel. What is wrong with Hollywood. C

12. Alice in Wonderland
Directed by Tim Burton, Written by Tim Woolverton
Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter & Anne Hathaway
This movie was beautiful. The costumes were stunning. Every time Alice got a new dress I wanted it. And I didn't hate it nearly as much as my boyfriend did. But Johnny Depp was awful. And Mia Wasikowska looked like a dead fish the whole time. And the plot was just ridiculous. But Helena Bonham Carter was absurd in a good way. C+

11. The Other Guys
Directed by Adam McKay, Written by Adam McKay & Chris Henchy
Starring Will Ferrell & Mark Wahlberg
I love both of these actors. And I love Adam McKay. And I love peacocks. And I expected to really love this movie. But I've found myself pretending to like it a lot more than I actually did. Maybe it's because the theatre we saw it in was completely empty and I need a crowd to laugh out loud. Maybe it's because I wasn't in the right mindset for a buddy cop comedy. Or maybe it just wasn't their best work. B-

10. TRON: Legacy
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Starring Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde & Creepy CG Jeff Bridges
I paid $15 to see this movie, which began with a warning that some scenes were not filmed in 3D. Hey Disney, when you warn your audience, your audience becomes alert. If I pay for a 3D movie, I expect more than half of the movie to be filmed in 3D, and that did not seem to be the case with TRON... I felt kinda ripped off. The plot was kinda silly, the technology made no sense (it's not the 80s anymore guys, maybe it's time to come up with some new explanations for how computers work), and Creepy CG Jeff Bridges still haunts my dreams. But Wilde and Hedlund were solid, the costumes were fun, and the action was good. And holy crap Michael Sheen. B-

9. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Directed by Mike Newell, Written by Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton & Ben Kingsley
I. Love. Jake. Gyllenhaal. And in this movie, he looks like this:
I really don't need to give more reasons than that. This movie is ridiculous but it knows it's ridiculous. It is, without a doubt, the most fun I've ever had at a movie, and I'm sure that colors my interpretation of it. It's good fun. And Jake was good I guess. I wasn't really listening to him. B+

*Note: I loved the rest of the movies I saw. They all get A's. Deal with it.*

8. Get Him to the Greek
Written and Directed by Nicolas Stoller
Starring Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elisabeth Moss & Sean Combs
Before I saw this movie, I really didn't like Russell Brand. I thought he was a one-note actor who just kind of played the same obnoxious dude. In this movie, he plays the same character as in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (where I first saw and disliked him), but he's so much more dimensional. Jonah Hill is at his least annoying as well. And I always enjoy Elisabeth Moss. And Diddy was hilarious. Anyway, it rocks. And now I like Russell Brand! A

7. Inception
Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard & Cillian Murphy
Holy crap Christopher Nolan is a genius. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you may have been living in a cave all year. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a ballerina. Ellen Page is awesome, as always. And Leo struts. I mean he doesn't in the movie but he struts around the internet because of this movie, so that's good. A


6. Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Directed by Edgar Wright, Written by Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and a slew of awesome people that I love
This movie has a niche market, and I am totally in it. Sci-fi, comic book, video game, angry nerd rockers rejoice, because you have found your film. We all know I would marry Michael Cera, so it goes without saying that I loved him. All of the evil exes were great - and it was nice to see George Michael and Ann reunited. A

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
Directed by David Yates, Written by Steve Kloves, Based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson & Rupert Grint, along with all your other faves.
Perfectly done. The right stopping point, the right touches added in. I have no complaints. And that scene - that beautiful, beautiful animated vignette about the Deathly Hallows - BRILLIANT. Every casting choice is perfect. Everything is perfect. I flove Harry Potter. Accio July 15. A+

4. The Social Network
Directed by David Fincher, Written by Aaron Sorkin, Based on the book by Ben Mezrich
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield & Justin Timberlake
I protested seeing this movie from the minute I started seeing trailers. "But you love David Fincher! You have Aaron Sorkin! You love nerdy Jewish boys AND suave British ones!" I know. But I basically got my undergraduate degree in "Facebook is the Savior of Marketing and It's Up to Your Generation to Tell Us Old Farts How to Utilize It." I should've trusted my boyfriend's excitement from the beginning, but it wasn't until everyone I know started telling me how wonderful it was that I knew I had to see it. Y'all, this movie is straight up funny. And edgy. And not boring for people who know everything about Facebook (hi Kayla!). And Andrew Garfield rocks... and is pretty sexy. A+

3. Easy A
Directed by Will Gluck, Written by Bert V. Royal
Starring Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes & Penn Badgley
Brilliantly Featuring Patricia Clarkson & Stanley Tucci
Let's be honest here. Emma Stone is hot. And if you don't think Emma Stone is hot, there is something wrong with you. Also, she's hilarious. This movie is witty and fun, and there wasn't a single cast member that wasn't perfect. Also, Stanley Tucci and Patty Clarkson are the world's greatest parents. Obsessed. A+

2. Tangled
Directed by Nathan Greno & Byron Howard, Written by Dan Fogelman
Starring Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi & Donna Murphy
When my good friend Ben saw this movie, he Tweeted that it was classic Disney, and I wasn't sure if I should believe him. I was excited about it when it was called Rapunzel and Kristin Chenoweth was the voice of the princess and the style was based on French Rococo paintings, but based on the trailers, I wasn't sure they had stuck to that. Disney is CONVINCED that princesses don't make money and no one wants to see 2D animation (which is wrong but whatever), so this was supposed to be an edgy-yet-pretty 3D tale. You did done good, Disney. Rapunzel is a kick-ass modern princess who uses a household tool as a weapon (symbolism!). Flinn Ryder is a devil-may-care anti-hero who learns a lesson in the end (after school special!). The sidekick animals don't talk but have more personality than some animated speaking characters (Dreamworks!). Everything is beautiful! Also I cried like a baby. I could write a whole blog about how much I love this movie. Suffice to say, if you didn't see this movie or don't plan to see this movie, I no longer want to know you. A++

1. Toy Story 3
Directed by Lee Unkrich, Written by Michael Arndt
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Ned Beatty & my favorite toys
Unlike the last few movies, I KNEW I was going to love this all along. I grew up with Buzz & Woody. And I loved the new characters introduced in the sequel... but the threequel, oh man. Pixar has outdone themselves. The villains are villainous. The heros are heroic. The stuffed animals are cuddly. The dinosaurs are dinoriffic. This movie is perfect. Thanks for teaching us how to end a series, Pixar. It's a shame you won't really be making a movie next year since I refuse to acknowledge Cars as a part of your magnificent body of work. (I'm assuming I don't need to tell you more about TS3 because you've all seen this movie. If not, proceed directly to Redbox.) A+++

What were your favorite movies of the year? Any disagreement? Because if so you're WRONG. Just kidding. Kind of.

5 comments:

  1. And yet you didn't want to watch Love and Other Drugs, which is naked Jake Gyllenhaal having naked sex? With naked Anne Hathaway? andadiseaseorsomething

    There are two here I haven't seen: Percy Jackson and Tangled. Maybe I'll walk over to the movies today to see the latter. I have to seeeee it!

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  2. Yea see it's that last part that makes me not care. And the crappy song in the trailer. It's a Netflix maybe.

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  3. I think that dating a film kid has made you lower your self confidence as a movie blogger (nothing at all against you walter). This is wonderful. And 99% of the world goes to movies to be entertained, not to learn something or critique it. So your comments are totally valid and respectable. I love this and agree with everything you said about all the movies that I also saw, although I admit I was being naive and did not figure out the Julia Roberts storyline in Valentines Day like everyone else and sobbed like a baby during the end. I probably would have ranked it a little higher).

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  4. Love and Other Drugs was interesting. I could never do this though... I can't remember what I did last week let alone all the movies I have seen in a year.

    However, as much as I love movies, I am so incredibly behind. I have never important or classic movies that everyone loves. I tried to catch up more over break but now there are even more movies I want to see. I have a list of everything I want to see but it is not up to date.

    Also, I hate to admit it but I liked Percy Jackson. Granted, I have never read the books.

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  5. Out of these you listed, I've only seen (though this comment is way behind) Iron Man 2, Alice in Wonderland, The Other Guys, Get Him to the Greek, Inception, Scott Pilgrim, The Social Network, Easy A, and Toy Story 3.

    Iron Man 2 - Though it disappointed me, I wouldn't go as far as giving it a D rating. Though the end fight did annoy me as well.

    Alice in Wonderland - People seem to either love or hate this movie, and it's mostly hate. I more agree with you, and am in the "eh, it was okay" range. It was a visually beautiful movie, but the acting could have been better.

    The Other Guys - Apparently I'm the only person in the world who dislikes Will Ferrell. Since he had a leading role, I wasn't expecting to like it too much. But, it turned out to be better than I expected. I'm not giving it an A either, though some parts made me crack up, but I'd give it a slightly better B.

    Get Him to the Greek - Here's where I disagree with you. I don't like Russell Brand either, and this movie made it worse. It was awkward, not funny, and it bored me. Every once in a while I chuckled at a joke, but overall I'd give it something like a C-.

    Inception - UH-MAZE-ING. Absolutely loved it. Brilliant. I've loved Joseph Gordon-Levitt since his 3rd Rock from the Sun days, and I'm thrilled to see how much he's grown and evolved.

    Scott Pilgrim - I am not in this market. Though I play video games and have read some comic books, this was not one of them, so watching this movie without knowing the story beforehand was out of my element. Not my style.

    The Social Network - Like you, I protested seeing this for the same reasons, and I doubted its success. But, after watching it on Netflix, it was most definitely better than I expected.

    Easy A - Loved it! I wasn't expecting much from this either, but, I love Emma Stone, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Awesome! Funny and fun.

    Toy Story 3 - Oh my GOD. Completely, totally, fully, truly, magnificently, wonderfully SPECTACULAR. Everything about this movie is utterly perfect. Pixar couldn't have done it better. Amazing.

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