for the last time, 2010

Alright, I'm willing to go with the majority here and consider a film's year based on when it was released in the US. That seems to be the consensus both here and with other critics and list-makers that I've seen. That said, my list is going to be revised one more time to put Prodigal Sons, Alamar and Certified Copy on it. Embarrassingly, I have still not watched Uncle Boonme.

2010 Top Ten: 

1. Blue Valentine
2. Cold Weather
3. Winter's Bone
4. Prodigal Sons
5. Black Swan
6. 180° South
7. True Grit
8. Alamar
9. The Oath
10. Certified Copy

Honorable Mention:

• Never Let Me Go
• Catfish
• Let Me In
• Gasland
• The Social Network

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Jeff and Brandon: While I don't think Drive is a great film, I can recognize what it does well. This makes my dislike of the movie difficult because I cannot attack it based on much besides certain perceived external factors. Similarly, this is the same way I feel about, say, Neil Gaiman. I don't like his books but I do not really have a good or articulate reason as to why. Also, I have to admit that I've softened towards the film since your responses, which prompted me to go back and read all your original posts and the Drive/Cold Weather debate. Anyway, Jeff, great few paragraphs about this whole thing in the beginning for your recent post. 

YES, John, I'm glad you liked Another Earth. I was worried about being the only one around here to defend it (if anyone besides you and I end up seeing it). It is strange that it works; I found myself pretty surprised to be such a fan. I really, really like The Twilight Zone feel you mention. Another Earth, in the end, was a film that made me think. I still stand behind what I said about it earlier:

...it's really a philosophical "what if" story masked as sci-fi. It would be too much to say that it needs to be viewed as a metaphor but not enough to say the audience is expected to buy into it all.

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I watched Miranda July's The Future the other night. For as ridiculous as it is, it's also pretty good. July is an astute observer of the uniquely American condition of many young, smart and underemployed people. She does a great job of taking her characterizations just a slight step over the believable line, which makes the movie quietly funny.

I am still holding out hope that Jerzy is going to write a post about The Ides of March.