I will try to put all this into the best display of the top 1o best and worst of 2010…with a few that surprised me along the way. Also, when it comes to the worst movies, I judge them based on hype versus quality of product. Then I compare them to the top movies of the year; most of the time they do not hold very well to the best of the year, thus putting them into the worst category. Keep in mind this is also opinion; please be kind in your comments as you respond to possibly your favorite movie of the year being one my worst.

The Best…

1. Inception

No one can deny the sheer volume of balls it took to get a movie like this made. Christopher Nolan not only succeeded in getting it to screen, but also made a film that didn’t assume its audience was dumb while delivering a tension-driven narrative that could only have been conceived in the mind of the world’s best filmmaker right now. Inception was a movie that took elements from Blade Runner and Total Recall,mixed them into a blender with a Hitchcock-type story coated with some glimmer of the Matrix meets Dark City. All of that while not sacrificing the pivotal element of a good movie, its story. All the characters had a purpose, the story made sense, but built toward something making each moment and action interesting as it was important. This is what a classic good film is and Chris Nolan can’t be denied a top spot in this year’s Best and Worst, nor should he be ignored at the awards time of year either. 

2. The Social Network
I debated putting this into the surprise bin, because this was a movie that shocked me how great it was, especially when all it is at its core is a movie that markets Facebook more than it should. David Fincher directed the shit out of this film and being known as a director who gets the most he can out of his actors may have turned Jesse Eisenberg into a megastar after his performance in the film. More importantly, it was Andrew Garfield who really hit a homerun as Eduardo Saverin, the guy who got screwed the most out of the Facebook situation. I was blown away by his performance. Fincher’s directing can only do so much as the script he had to work from was just as amazing. Aaron Sorkin once again proved he is the only writer in the biz that can make a movie work with a lot of monologues and dialog and not be boring at all. The Social Network is no question one the best movies of the year and awards time will make that fact known.3. 

Winter’s Bone
A bleak, austere film about a girl who must navigate the dangerous and treacherous criminal underground in her Ozark Mountain world. This film isn’t shocking like Deliverance, but paints the same picture of the world that exists in these midwest mountain landscapes. The criminal underground of meth cookers is just as interesting and deadly as other networks in urban areas. Jennifer Lawrence is outstanding and this film doesn’t work at all without a strong performance from her.

4. Easy A
Possibly one of the funniest movies of the year, this comedy film is riffled with amazing and witty dialog that is executed to perfection by the film’s star, Emma Stone. An homage to various John Hughes films with a bit of the Scarlett Letter thrown in for good mix, this movie is one of my favorites of the year. Other than Stone, performances from her parental units in the film, played by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson, were equally as entertaining and fun. I loved this movie and its clever take on a basic teen comedy. Emma Stone is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses after seeing this. So just remember there is not a gnome under there and all Facebook thoughts are in fact not diamonds. If you have seen the movie then you will know what I am saying there.

5. How to Train Your Dragon
It’s hard to imagine a studio that can do animation and story as well as Disney/Pixar, but DreamWorks Animation has proved over the past few years (Shrek, Kung Fu Panda) that they can catch up and create some equally good stuff. Fresh off one my faves with Kung Fu Panda, they managed to bring the best animated film of the year, even better than Toy Story 3. That’s right, this movie in my opinion is this year’s Oscar winner for Best Animated Film. I say this because of the 3D, the voice acting, the animation and the story all fits well and works perfectly, not to mention the story was touching and fun. All these are the recipe for a great animated film. I love the originality as well, this is the kind of movie Pixar used to make until they started doing sequels.

6. Tron Legacy
It was hard to imagine this movie not being on my list, it was more of where I was going to put it was where I questioned myself. I loved this film, it’s the whole reason we go to movies, at least why I go. You get a fun entertaining world, you get immersed into that world, you have a heartwarming father/son story and you get some unbelievable visuals, action and music all rolled into one. This movie doesn’t set the precedent the original one did, because that movie was something special for the time and since Avatar came out last year. Tron Legacy won’t get labeled with the ultimate 3D reception and pioneer status that film did, but this movie is nothing like Avatar, except with a better story. Like that film, it  should make a billion dollars. I am not a 3D fan but this film used it the way it should be and didn’t hurt anything about the movie. This film is truly one of the best movies of the year. Because of the overwhelming entertainment value, it has more than any other movie that has come out.

7.  Morning Glory
I never expected to put this movie in the best or worst or surprise category this year. On the surface it was an average borderline romantic comedy, but that was not the case. This movie was about age versus youth, change versus non-change, and basically rolling with the punches. I loved Harrison Ford’s performance in this film, as it was clear he still has a lot to offer audiences if given the right role and much to my chagrin, Indiana Jones is not Indy anymore. Morning Glory may just be his best film in years and should earn him a best supporting actor nod for his performance. This alone makes it one of the best movies of the year. Now I see what Bad Robot saw in this film, from the makers of Devil Wears Prada. Rachel McAdams wasn’t bad either, neither was her butt.

8. Monsters
This movie is only as good as its director, cinematographer, writer, special effects designer and editor, who are in fact the same guy. Gareth Edwards’ first project as a prosumer filmmaker has hit the filmgoing geeks by storm this year and Monsters is truly a feat in independent filmmaking. I loved the story too, a different approach to sci-fi where we don’t focus on the event itself ( like an invasion), the military stopping it or even the aliens themselves. It’s just a story of people involved, trying to survive and get home. A little commentary on the immigration situation at the border of America/Mexico this film is humanistic, real and special to watch when you consider how it was made. Truly one my favorite and best films of year without question. A director star was born with Gareth Edwards and Monsters.

9. The Fighter
David O’ Russell is turning into one my favorite directors and it’s his ability to get the most out of characters, the actors that play them and taking a generic story and making something slightly different about it. We have all seen Mark Wahlberg kick ass before, we have seen boxing films before, even ones about underdogs. We have seen true sports stories before, but The Fighter is not about those things. It’s about family; it’s about overcoming who your family is and what they have done to achieve your own dreams. An effective and interesting film, and that is where it stands differently among the movies it is similar to. The best performance belongs to Christian Bale. To quote our own Michael Merlob, “Bale is remarkable as Dicky, transforming physically once again, but more importantly transforming his tone, his voice, his eyes – he is completely convincing as a man who is a human livewire and steals every moment he has.”

10. Toy Story 3
I struggled putting this film on the best list. I wanted to put it on the surprise list for surprising me how much I didn’t like the movie but somehow it didn’t seem right. Even though I thought the film was better in 2D, it sucked everything endearing and great about the first two movies and rehashed them into a third story that ended awfully and predictably. I can’t help but still love our little band of toys led by Woody and Buzz. However, the film’s strength lies in villainous teddy bear, Lotso, voiced by Ned Beatty. I loved him and his villainous ring of dastardly bad toys at the perfectly named Sunnyside daycare center. Ultimately,  this movie is still better than most, even with my disappointments, so that does have to say something, especially when you compare it to the other things that came out in 2010. This movie is in the top 10, no matter what you can pick out wrong with it.

The Worst…

1. Skyline
There comes a time almost every year in Hollywood where I put in to question a lot of things and no more was that present when I saw this film. How the hell did it get made? Financed and distributed? I mean, if someone can pitch that film, I feel like I could move to LA and become an overnight success in minutes with some of the ideas I have. A sorry attempt at combining District 9 with Independence Day and somehow convincing bad TV actors that this could be the blockbuster they have waited their whole life to star in, this movie is pure unadulterated crap and more amusing to watch then anything, which is the only thing that makes it bearable.

2.  The Next Three Days
This is a film that should have come out the year before when movies like Taken, Law Abiding Citizen and others were being talked about; I mean, it’s essentially the same movie. I thought it was lame and while others thought it was just plagued by the weekend it came out, going against Harry Potter, and said it’s still a movie you should see. I beg to differ, it’s not the acting either, which boasts good performances from Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. It’s just not an interesting story, since we have seen it before, and I am getting tired of the husband with no special skills somehow thwarting a government, criminal organization and others to get a person back. At least in the aforementioned films from last year, those guys had those “special skills.” All I have to say is this movie is lame, which when you compare it to the top stuff makes, it’s one of the worst of the year.
3.  Faster
I judge disappointment on hype and this movie was one I hyped myself on, because I hadn’t seen “The Rock” in a good action role in a long time. When you watch that 2003 film, The Rundown, you see that nod from Schwarzenegger telling him “good luck” and there it is, the passing of the torch. Unfortunately, Race to Witch Mountain, The Game Plan and Tooth Fairy were not what I had in mind for Mr. Johnson. So back to form with Faster, I thought this was going to be another coming out for the former wrestler and though it had moments of awesome Rock bad-ass-ness. This film was lousy, depressing and sort of boring. As a disappointment, this movie goes in my worst of the year pile. Sorry, big D, I was rooting for you. I really was.
4. Paranormal Activity 2
I thought the first one sucked. The fact they made a second film was beyond me. However, people eat this Blair Witch crap up and while I am sitting in a theater laughing at the on screen bunk, I am simultaneously laughing at all the fear enhanced knuckleheads in the theater. Seriously, this shit got made? My same thought process from Skyline is applied here. If they can sell this and make this movie, then why not any old crap? Truly, a stupid bit of movie making that strangely made money. Maybe ghosts bought some tickets and saw…okay, you know what, I am not even going to try and make a joke; it’s not worth it on this travesty.
5. Salt
This movie is a failure in every way. Not only is it the most predictable pile of crap in the world, but its attempt at delivering a female Bourne character, is an utter failure. I liked the concept of sleeper cold war, Russian agents in various government roles. That was cool, but the film relies completely on the strength of its star, Angelina Jolie, and while she still has those mesmerizing eyes and lips, this movie was not her best. By that, I mean, one of her worst and the action scenes were basic, unbelievable and standard. The only thing I liked about this movie was Liev Schreiber’s acting, which is always top notch.
6. Takers
Not much can be said for a movie that pits Hayden Christiansen, Paul Wallker and Matt Dillion into a world mixed with burnt out rappers and randomly placed good actors like Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba. This movie would have been cool 10 years ago when films like Romeo Must Die and Fast and the Furious were still big, but instead it came this year, and just fit right in with all the other crap. No plot, bad acting and T.I. just don’t make a good film. Sorry, but Takers should take themselves out to a place reserved for other tragedies of film, like anything with DMX in it or something that 50 Cent was in that was considered a good idea. Perhaps it can sit on the shelf next to Gigli. Ooh, now there is a plan these Takers can get behind.
7. Lottery Ticket
Umm…yeah not much to say. They made this movie. It was supposed to be cliché, but instead it was a cliché within a cliché. Little BowWow is still a chump and this movie was pretty bad. Maybe I am just not in the right demo, but I don’t really think that is the problem, do you?
8. Step Up 3D
“I just want to dance!” Okay, not really, but one thing about these films is that they do have really good dancing and that is fine. However, as a story, as characters that are supposed to be interesting, forget it, like Lottery Ticket, I can’t fathom why movies like this still get made and people actually pay to watch them. Still, dancing is a marketable thing right now, and there doesn’t even need to be a story to package it with. Just have Flo Rida on the soundtrack, rejects from So You Think You Can Dance and there you go. You have a winner. Suddenly I find myself realizing that movie with Julia Stiles wasn’t that bad compared to this junk.
9. Despicable Me
Another studio is doing their damn best to try and compete with Disney. Dreamworks is doing a good job, but Universal is still way behind the curve. Despicable Me was just that, despicable animation with bad voice acting and no endearing qualities to speak of. Sure, the children were cute, the minions were pleasant, but as a whole this movie sucked, and when you see a similar film in Megamind, which is good, you realize the differences.
10. The Last Airbender
I wanted to love this movie, from the pure awesomeness that was the Nickelodeon series. I actually thought Shymalan was the right choice to direct the film, even after his abysmal film The Happening. Unfortunately, I was wrong, and when you watch this movie, you wonder what the crap happened. It looked good, the live action world of Avatar: The Last Airbender was nice to see, but the acting and story were all wrong. I think this is the nail in the coffin for the guy who brought us Sixth Sense and Unbreakable.