| Alphabetical List of All Films Watched in 2010 |
| In 2010 I watched 486 feature length films. |
| All films are rated on a scale of **** (A+), *** 3/4 (A), *** 1/2 (A-), *** 1/4 (B+), *** (B), ** 3/4 (B-), ** 1/2 (C+), ** 1/4 ( C), ** (C-) , * 3/4 (D+), * 1/2 (D), * 1/4 (D-), * (F) |
| Links are to longer reviews on site. A film defined as 70 min.+ visual event. |
| The year included with the film is the year I watched each film. |
| (V) = TV, Video or DVD ( +) = repeat viewing (W/O)= walked out |
| 12 ROUNDS (2010, d. Renny Harlin) V.An action flick of desperate unlikliness with a hero of utter stolidity. But it moves fast enough to be almost tolerable. ** |
| 127 HOURS (2010, d. Danny Boyle) Franco is splendid in a role that he mostly has to play alone (or to a videorecorder); but the film tries too hard. *** 1/4 |
| 1981 (2010, d. Ricardo Trogi) ** 1/4 |
| 2009 ACADEMY SHORT ANIMATIONS (2010, d. various) Some clever stuff (esp. Logorama), but a long Wallace & Gromit shows series is played out. ** 3/4 |
| 2009 ACADEMY SHORT FILMS (2010, d. various) 4 serious message films and one comedy in an average year for this category. ** 3/4 |
| 39 STEPS, THE (2010, d. James Hawes) V. One of the worst BBC Masterpiece's ever. No chemistry, plot holes. Why remake perfection? * 1/2 |
| 3SOME (2010, d. Salvador Garcia Ruiz) *** 3/4 |
| 66/67 - FAIRPLAY WAR GESTERN (2010, d. Ludwig & Glaser) ** |
| 9:06 (2010, d. Igor Sterk; Slovenia) ** 1/2 |
| ACCOMPLICES (Complices) (2010, d. Frédéric Mermoud) . *** 1/2 |
| ACTRESSES, THE (2010, d. E. J-Yong) ** 1/2 |
| ADULTS IN THE ROOM, THE (2010, d. Andy Blubaugh) *** |
| AFTER THE LAST ROUND (2010, d. Ryan Pettey) V. Docu about boxing & brain damage. Definite point of view; but a tad too obviously heart tugging. *** |
| AFTERSHOCK (2010, d. Feng Xiaogang; China) *** 3/4 |
| AGORA (2010, d. Alejandro Amenábar) ** 3/4 |
| AHEAD OF TIME (2010, d. Bob Richman) *** |
| AIR DOLL (2010, d. Hirokazu Kore-eda) ** |
| ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010, d. Tim Burton) Visually inventive, story deficient. ** 1/2 |
| ALL THAT I LOVE (2010, d. Jacek Borcuch; Poland) + *** |
| ALL THAT I LOVE (2010, d. Jasek Borcuch) *** |
| ALTIPLANO (2010, d. Peter Brosens & Jessica Woodworth) *** 1/4 |
| AMER (2010, d. Hélène Cattet) * |
| AMERICAN, THE (2010, d. Anton Corbijn) Art film disguised as thriller. Also a Sergio Leone film in modern drag, only lacking Morricone's score. Slow, but Clooney shines. *** |
| ANGEL (2010, d. François Ozon)V. Ozon's English lang. bodice ripper: great cast; despite Romola Garai's technique in despicable title role film is eye rollingly ridiculous. ** 1/4 |
| ANGEL AT SEA (2010, d. Frédéric Dumont) *** 1/4 |
| ANGEL, THE (2010, d. Margreth Olin; Norway) *** |
| ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010, d. David Michôd) V. Watched again. This time slight downgrade for some plot problems. *** 1/4 |
| ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010, d. David Michôd) *** 1/2 |
| ANOTHER YEAR (2010, d. Mike Leigh) Wonder of wonders, a sensitive, slice-of-life film purely about my age contemporaries. Ending left much unresolved. *** 1/4 |
| ARMORED (2010, d. Nimrod Antal) V. Nicely mounted caper film, but clichéd, predictable script spoils some good action direction. ** 1/2 |
| ARMY OF CRIME (2010, d. Robert Guédiguian) *** 3/4 |
| ART OF THE STEAL, THE (2010, d. Don Argott) V. Docu about public violating the Barnes Found.trust, looting $25B of art. Fascinating, if one-sided & confrontational. *** 1/4 |
| AS GOD COMMANDS (Come Dio comanda) (2010, d. Gabriele Salvatores) *** 1/2 |
| ATHLETE, THE (2010, d. Danny Frankel and Rasselas Lakew) ** 3/4 |
| AU REVOIR TAIPEI (2010, d. Arvin Chen) *** 1/4 |
| AVATAR (2010, d. James Cameron) + Still amazing 2nd time around. No other film in memory provided me with such a pleasurable immersive experience. **** |
| AVATAR (2010, d. James Cameron) +++ Extra 9 min. seamlessly integrated. 1st time in IMAX (not much different). Still amazing, unparalleled experience. **** |
| AWAKE (2010, d. Joby Harold) V. Thriller with a truly absurd claptrap plot, but involving, gotta give it that. I like Hayden Christensen, even if he's remarkably wooden. ** |
| BACK-UP PLAN, THE (2010, d. Alan Poul) J-Lo overacts terribly. Alex O'Loughlin is sexy & wonderful. Film is a clichéd stinker. * 3/4 |
| BALIBO CONSPIRACY, THE (2010, d. Robert Connolly) *** 1/4 |
| BAREFOOT DREAM, A (2010, d. Kim Tae-gyun; South Korea) ** 1/4 |
| BARNEY'S VERSION (2010, d. Richard J. Lewis) Grown-up version of Duddy Kravitz with less wit and altogether unpleasant associations. ** 1/4 |
| BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (2010, d. Michael Rymer)V. 2003 Mini-series. I'm hooked by this serious SF mashup of Star Wars & Star Trek and better than either. *** 1/4 |
| BEARCITY (2010, d. Doug Langway) ** |
| BEAUTIFUL ISLANDS (2010, d. Tamoko Kana) V. Intriguing, non-confrontational, pictorial docu of 3 areas where global warming is causing profound life changes. ** 3/4 |
| BESA (2010, d. Srdan Karanovic; Serbia) *** 1/2 |
| BEST OF TIMES (2010, d. Yongyoot Thongkongtoon; Thailand) ** |
| BEST WORST MOVIE (2010, d. Michael Stephenson) V. Docu about cult film TROLL 2; quite entertaining. Apparently NOT a mockumentary, tho it plays like one. *** |
| BIBLIOTHÈQUE PASCAL (2010, d. Szabolcs Hajdu; Hungary) W/O |
| BIG DREAM, THE (2010, d. Michele Placido) ** 1/2 |
| BIG GAY MUSICAL (2010, d. Andreas & Caruso) *** |
| BIUTIFUL (2010, d. Alejandro González Iñárritu) Bardem is all he can be in this depressing slice of Barcelona life film, written & directed with sensitivity. *** 1/2 |
| BLACK SWAN (2010, d. Darren Aronofsky) Deliriously over the top. Great camera work, esp. hand-held ballet stuff. Portman superb. But crazed script left me cold. *** |
| BLACKS, THE (2010, d. Devic & Juric; Croatia) * 1/2 |
| BLIND SIDE, THE (2010, d. John Lee Hancock) Not a bad film, but Oscar calibre? Polar opposite of Precious, in any case, and quite classist. ** 1/2 |
| BLUE VALENTINE (2010, d. Derek Cianfrance) Gosling is the finest film actor I've ever seen. Beautiful editing structure, emotionally seering, truthful film. *** 3/4 |
| BODYGUARDS & ASSASSINS (2010, d. Teddy Chen) *** 3/4 |
| BOOK OF ELI, THE (2010, d. Hughes Brothers) Another dystopian future post-war road pic. Denzell is really fine; but Bible thumping message a little much. ** 3/4 |
| BORDER, THE (2010, d. Jaroslav Vojtek; Slovak Republic) * 3/4 |
| BORN TO SUFFER (2010, d. Miguel Albaladejo) ** 3/4 |
| BOY (2010, d. Taika Waititi) *** |
| BRAN NUE DAE (2010, d. Rachel Perkins) ** 1/2 |
| BRAND NEW LIFE, A (2010, d. Ounie Lecomte) *** |
| BREATH MADE VISIBLE (2010, d. Ruedi Gerber) V. New Agey docu about octogenarian Marin danseuse Anna Halprin. Lovely sequences of artistic expression & bio. *** 1/4 |
| BRIDE FLIGHT (2010, d. Ben Sombogaart) *** 3/4 |
| BROTHERHOOD (2010, d. Nicolo Donato) ** 3/4 |
| BURIED (2010, d. Rodrigo Cortés) Uncompromising, difficult to watch, uncommercial tour de force. Reynolds is spectacularly right. Is there an audience? *** 1/4 |
| BURZYNSKI (2010, d. Eric Merola) V. Combative, fascinating one-sided (but effectively so) docu about pharma & FDA conspiracy against effective cancer cure. *** 3/4 |
| BUS PALLADIUM (2010, d. Christopher Thompson) *** 1/4 |
| CAIRO TIME (2010, d. Ruba Nadda) ** 1/2 |
| CARANCHO (2010, d. Pablo Trapero; Argentina) ** 1/4 |
| CARGO (2010, d. Ivan Engler) *** |
| CARLOS (2010, d. Olivier Assayas) V. 3-part miniseries, so complex, lucid & excitingly written & directed. Ramirez also excellent. Very impressive achievement. *** 3/4 |
| CASINO JACK AND THE UNTIED STATES OF MONEY (2010, d. Alex Gibney) Fast paced, scattered & unfocused docu about Jack Abramoff & govt. corruption. ** 1/4 |
| CASINO JACK (2010, d. George Hickenlooper) Spacey is convincing as out-of-control real-life lobbyist; but fiction, even imaginatively structured doesn't match fact. ** 3/4 |
| CATFISH (2010, d. Schulman & Joost) Somewhat overhyped docu. Interesting and sad human nature vs. internet account - but nothing remarkable. *** |
| CELL 211 (2010, d. Daniel Monzón) *** 1/2 |
| CENTURION (2010, d. Neil Marshall) ** 3/4 |
| CÉZANNE AFFAIR, THE (L'uomo nero) (2010, d. Sergio Rubini) ** 1/4 |
| CHANGE OF PLANS (2010, d. Danièle Thompson) Uninvolving French dinner party/relationship film about events a year apart. Talky script not saved by good cast. ** 1/4 |
| CHARLIE ST. CLOUD (2010, d. Burr Steers) Ludicrous plot, predictable & insulting; but Zac can act and has film magnitism. Where is the Burr Steers of Igby?! * 1/2 |
| CHEF OF SOUTH POLAR, THE (2010, d. Shuichi Okita) *** 1/4 |
| CHERRY (2010, d. Jeffrey Fine) *** 1/2 |
| CHILDREN OF DIYARBAKIR, THE (2010, d. Miraz Bezar) *** |
| CHLOE (2010, d. Atom Egoyan) Julianne Moore better than ever in.remake of Nathalie with more psychologically sound script. Lesbionics not my thing; but Max Thieriot is! *** |
| CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, THE: VOYAGE (2010, d. Michael Apted) Often annoying, but better than similar Last Airbender, which is damning with faint praise. ** 1/2 |
| CIRKUS COLUMBIA (2010, d. Danis Tanovic; Bosnia) *** 1/2 |
| CITY ISLAND (2010, d. Raymond De Felitta) Family dramedy where everybody lies. Original idea, great script, wonderful acting ensemble. *** 1/2 |
| CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION, THE (2010, d. James Ivory) Well made & acted, if old fashioned romantic melodrama; but plot just meanders & doesn't resolve. ** 3/4 |
| CLASH OF THE TITANS (2010, d. Louis Leterrier) Post-prod. 3D better than expected. Film even worse: repetitive turgid battle scenes, wooden acting. Ugh. * 1/2 |
| CLIENT 9 - RISE & FALL OF ELIOT SPITZER (2010, d. Alex Gibney) V. Informative docu about hubris, almost a whitewash; but Spitzer's cooperation telling. *** |
| COLLISION (2010, d. Marc Evans) V. Intriguing, fairly predictable Brit tv serial of a police investigation into a multi-car hiway accident with twists & turns. ** 3/4 |
| COME UNDONE (2010, d. Silvio Soldini) *** |
| COMPANY MEN, THE (2010, d. John Wells) Leave it to Wells to make the first truthful, if predictable, film about Depression II. Superbly cast and timely. *** 1/4 |
| CONCERT, THE (2010, d. Radu Mihaileanu) *** 1/2 |
| CONFESSIONS (2010, d. Tetsuya Nakashima; Japan) *** 1/2 |
| CONVICTION (2010, d. Tony Goldwyn) Totally predictable (even more obviously than Secretariat), earnest bleeding heart flick. Rockwell & Juliette Lewis esp. fine. ** 1/2 |
| COUNTDOWN TO ZERO (2010, d. Lucy Walker) *** |
| CRAB TRAP (2010, d. Oscar Ruiz Navia; Columbia) * 3/4 |
| CRAYFISH (2010, d. Ivan Cherkelov) * 1/4 |
| CRAZIES, THE (2010, d. Breck Eisner) Convincing bio-eco-disaster flick with one wonderful perf by Joe Anderson and some effectively directed horror tropes. *** |
| CROSSING HENNESSY (2010, d. Ivy Ho) ** 1/2 |
| CYRUS (2010, d. Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass) ** 3/4 |
| DAMNED, THE (2010, d. Isaki Lacuesta) * |
| DATE NIGHT (2010, d. Shawn Levy) Sporadically funny couple-in-jeopardy farce, but just too ridiculous & unlikely for my tastes, Marky Mark's pecs excepted. ** 1/4 |
| DEAR JOHN (2010, d. Lasse Hallström) A little sappy; but Hallström does a good job with Tatum, nice chemistry between leads & good enough romance, if barely. *** |
| DESPICABLE ME (2010, d. C. Renaud, P. Coffin) Hip doesn't always translate to good family oriented animation; but here it plays wonderfully. Pixar watch your back. *** 3/4 |
| DEVIL'S TEARDROP, THE (2010, d. Norma Bailey)V.Lifetime movie watched for Tom Everett Scott, who was fine. Predictable, poorly written thriller with no bite at all. * 1/2 |
| DEVIL'S TOWN (2010, d. Vladimir Paskaljevic) *** |
| DIAMOND 13 (2010, d. Gilles Béat) *** 1/4 |
| DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (2010, d. Thor Freudenthal) Zach Gordon is fine, if not very wimpy. Amusing enough, good animation, just not very original. ** 3/4 |
| DIFFERENT FROM WHOM (2010, d. Umberto Carteni) *** |
| DISAPPEARANCE OF ALICE CREED, THE (2010, d. J Blakeson) Clever & original plot, fine 3-character kidnapping caper which spares nobody & resolves unpredictably. *** 1/2 |
| DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM (2010, d. Patrick Alessandrin) Boy, does Philippe Torreton class up an action flick? This is a more than worthy sequel with *great* parkour. *** 1/4 |
| DOGTOOTH (2010, d. Yorgos Lanthimos; Greece) *** |
| DON'T BURN IT (2010, d. Dang Nhat Minh; Vietnam) ** 1/2 |
| DOPAMINE (2010, d. Mark Decena) V. + I knew immediately that I'd already seen this quietly touching, romantic, truthful 2003 film; but got hooked again. *** 1/4 |
| DOSSIER K. (2010, d. Jan Verheyen) Convoluted Belgian thriller about Albanian Mafia and honor killings. Atmospheric noir; but somewhat confusing. *** |
| DRAFT DODGERS (Réfractaire) (2010, d. Nicolas Steil; Luxembourg) ** 3/4 |
| DRIFTING (2010, d. Ventura Pons) ** 1/2 |
| DRY LAND, THE (2010, d. Ryan Piers Williams) *** 1/4 |
| EAMON (2010, d. Margaret Corkery ) *** 1/4 |
| EAST, WEST, EAST (2010, d. Gjergj Xhuvani; Albania) ** 3/4 |
| EASTERN PLAYS (2010, d. Kamen Kalev; Bulgaria) + *** |
| EASTERN PLAYS (2010, d. Kamen Kalev) ** 3/4 |
| EASY A (2010, d. Will Gluck) Silly, unrealistic story of high school girl's self-sullied reputation. Moments of forced mirth with a couple of good perfs. Not enough. ** |
| EAT PRAY LOVE (2010, d. Ryan Murphy) Romantic & spiritual travelogue. Overlong; but the hot men, and Julia Roberts' charisma & emotional resonance work. ** 3/4 |
| ECLIPSE, THE (2010, d. Conor McPherson) ** 1/2 |
| EDGE, THE (2010, d. Alexei Uchitel; Russia) *** |
| EIGHTEEN YEARS LATER (18 anni dopo) (2010, d. Edoardo Leo) W/O |
| EMMA (2010, d. Jim O'Hanlon) V. Nicely done...yet another Austen adaptation; but ideal casting & gorgeous production got me involved. *** 1/4 |
| ENDGAME (2010, d. Pete Travis) V. Fine, if very low key, historical semi-thriller about negotiations leading to end of Apartheid. Miller & Hurt are especially good. *** |
| ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (2010, d. Lemkin & Sambath) V. Vital, if turgid, docu of Cambodian killing fields from bottom up collected by man whose family died. *** |
| ENRICO MATTEI: THE MAN WHO LOOKED AT THE FUTURE (2010, d. Giorgio Capitani) *** |
| ENTER THE VOID (2010, d. Gaspar Noé) Tour de force doesn't come close to describing this amazing film which completely bowled me over. **** |
| ERSKINEVILLE KINGS (2010, d. Alan White) V. Static '99 Aussi film about 2 brothers mourning their recently passed abusive dad. Hugh Jackman in early good form. ** 1/2 |
| EVEN THE RAIN (También La Lluvia) (2010, d. Icíar Bollaín; Spain) *** 1/2 |
| EVERY DAY (2010, d. Richard Levine) ** 3/4 |
| EXCITED (2010, d. Bruce Sweeney) *** |
| EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP (2010, d. Banksy) Controversial docu about street art & L.A. hipster art scene. I had no idea all this was happening. *** 1/2 |
| EXTRA MAN, THE (2010, d. Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini) ** 1/4 |
| EYES WIDE OPEN (2010, d. Hair Tabakman) *** 1/4 |
| FACING ALI (2010, d. Pete McKormack) Quite interesting docu featuring interviews with fighters who fought Muhammad Ali plus great boxing footage. *** 1/2 |
| FAMILY TREE, THE (2010, d. Vivi Friedman) *** |
| FAMILY, A (2010, d. Pernille Fischer Christensen) *** 1/2 |
| FANTASTIC MR. FOX, THE (2010, d. Wes Anderson) It must just be me; but the whimsey escaped me, the characters annoyed, it all seemed a little silly. ** 1/4 |
| FAREWELL (L'Affaire Farewell) (2010, d. Christian Carion) *** 1/4 |
| FAREWELL BAGHDAD (2010, d. Mehdi Naderi; Iran) * |
| FARSAN (2010, d. Josef Fares) *** |
| FATHER OF MY CHILDREN, THE (Le Père de mes enfants) (2010, d. Mia Hansen-Løve) ** 3/4 |
| FERMAT'S ROOM (2010, d. Piedrahita & Sopeña) V. Overly intellectualized Spanish thriller like Intacto: 4 people trapped in a room forced to solve enigmas or die. ** 3/4 |
| FEW DAYS IN SEPTEMBER, A (2010, d. Santiago Amigorena) V. Subtle French conspiracy thriller based around 9/11. Food for thought, but thin gruel. ** 3/4 |
| FIGHTER, THE (2010, d. David O. Russell) Perfect ensemble acting (Bale, Leo, Adams spectacular) combined with a script which built slowly but powerfully. *** 1/2 |
| FILM UNFINISHED, A (2010, d. Yael Hersonski) V. No end to vital & important Holocaust films with something new: here German docu footage of '42 Warsaw Ghetto. *** 3/4 |
| FIRST BEAUTIFUL THING, THE (2010, d. Paolo Virzi; Italy) *** 3/4 |
| FISH TANK (2010, d. Andrea Arnold) 15 yr.old girl's coming of age in lower class Brit family. Michael Fassbender impressive as mom's boyfriend who crosses line. *** 1/4 |
| FIT (2010, d. Rikke Beadle-Blair) *** 1/4 |
| FLIPPED (2010, d. Rob Reiner) For once omnipresent narration works. Loved the films dual POV structure. Emotionally satisfying and fun whitebread kiddie romcom. *** 1/4 |
| FOR A MOMENT FREEDOM (2010, d. Arash T. Riahi; Austria) *** 1/2 |
| FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS (2010, d. Oskar Santos) *** 1/4 |
| FORTAPASC (2010, d. Marco Risi) ** 3/4 |
| FRANKIE AND ALICE (2010, d. Geoffrey Sax) Split personality story told much better before. Halle Berry's acting seemed calculated as Oscar bait. * 3/4 |
| FREEBIE, THE (2010, d. Katie Aselton) ** 3/4 |
| FREEDOM RIDERS (2010, d. Stanley Nelson) V. Ultimately involving, uplifting docu about '61 bus riders to South who broke Jim Crow. Why wasn't I one?! *** 1/4 |
| FRENCH KISSERS, THE (Les beaux gosses) (2010, d. Riad Sattour) ** 1/4 |
| FROM BEGINNING TO END (2010, d. Aluizio Abranches) + 2nd time (with horrible DVD temp.mix print) not quite as good; but still startlingly controversial & sexy. *** |
| FROM BEGINNING TO END (2010, d. Aluizio Abranches) *** 1/4 |
| FROM TIME TO TIME (2010, d. Julian Fellowes) *** 1/2 |
| GARBO THE SPY (2010, d. Edmon Roch) *** 1/4 |
| GASLAND (2010, d. Josh Fox) V. Yet another effective, scary, muckraking docu about horrendous enviromental affects of drilling & fracking (natural gas in this case). *** |
| GAY DAYS (Hazman Havarod) (2010, d. Yair Qedar) *** also short film THE LIBERATION OF GRIFFITH PARK (2010, d. Matt Spero) *** 1/2 |
| GENIUS WITHIN: INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD (2010, d. Hozer & Raymont) V. Extraordinary live footage makes for an especially fascinating bio docu. *** 1/2 |
| GEORGIA O'KEEFFE (2010, d. Bob Balaban) V. Despite convincing perfs by Joan Allen & Jeremy Irons, sappy Lifetime tv movie is unwatchable. W/O |
| GET HIM TO THE GREEK (2010, d. Nicholas Stoller) Surprisingly tender rock-n-roll road-trip farce from Apatow factory. Jonah Hill & Russell Brand have great chemistry. *** 1/4 |
| GET LOW (2010, d. Aaron Schneider) Fine acting (Duval, Bill Murray & Lukas Black shine here) authentic period; but slender true story fails to live up to promise. ** 3/4 |
| GHOST WRITER, THE (2010, d. Roman Polanski) Since I'd read the book, few surprises; but Polanski knows how to construct an effective thriller. *** 1/4 |
| GIGANTIC (2010, d. Matt Aselton) V. Strange mumblecore romantic comedy. Dano is stolid & Zooey D. wacky. Sort of annoying, but likable. ** 1/2 |
| GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST, THE (2010, d. Daniel Alfredson) Fitting ending to fine trilogy. Interesting simplifications from the book. Well thought out. *** 1/4 |
| GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, THE (2010, d. Daniel Alfredson) Having read the book, this is an amazingly faithrul & skilled adaptation of a complex story. *** 1/2 |
| GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, THE (2010, d. Niels Arden Oplev) *** 1/2 |
| GLORIOUS 39 (2010, d. Stephen Poliakoff) *** |
| GOING SOUTH (2010, d. Sebastien Lifshitz) ** 3/4 |
| GOING THE DISTANCE (2010, d. Natalie Burstein) Strange mixture of raunchy guy and emotional chick flick & doesn't quite gel as either despite amiable cast. ** 1/2 |
| GOOD GUY, THE (2010, d. Julio DePietro) Corruption & sexual hi-jinks among young Wall Street traders? Here well done & creepy. Bryan Greenberg rules. *** 1/4 |
| GORDOS (2010, d. Daniel Sánchez Arévalo) *** 1/4 |
| GRAVITY (2010, d. Maximilian Erlenwein) *** |
| GREEN ZONE (2010, d. Paul Greengrass) Offensively political, overwrought and never believeable. Makes one appreciate The Hurt Locker all the more. ** |
| GREENBERG (2010, d. Noel Baumbach) Stiller's character is so unsympathetic that it skews an otherwise interesting, familiar & authentic L.A. story. ** 3/4 |
| GROWN UPS (2010, d. Dennis Dugan) Silly, poorly directed comedy about 5 families, almost redeemed by its insightful grasp of current American values. ** 1/4 |
| HAMILL (2010, d. Oren Kaplan) *** 1/4 |
| HAPPY FAMILY (2010, d. Gabriele Salvatores) *** 1/4 |
| HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 (2010, d. David Yates) Impeccably made, designed, acted. Fine f/x. But for me a long, one-note, loud bore. ** 3/4 |
| HEARTBEATS (2010, d. Xavier Dolan) *** |
| HEARTBREAKER (L'Arnacoeur) (2010, d. Pascal Chaumeil) ** 1/2 |
| HEDGEHOG (Le hérisson) (2010, d. Mona Ashashe) *** 3/4 |
| HENRY OF NAVARRE (2010, d. Jo Baier) *** |
| HEREAFTER (2010, d. Clint Eastwood) Superbly written & crafted film, subtle, mature, moving and emotionally fulfilling...especially the twin boys' story. *** 3/4 |
| HIDDEN DIARY (Mères et filles) (2010, d. Julie Lopes-Curval) *** 1/4 |
| HIDEAWAY (2010, d. François Ozon) *** 1/2 |
| HIGH LANE (Vertige) (2010, d. Abel Feray) *** |
| HIPSTERS (2010, d. Valery Todorovsky) *** 1/2 |
| HOLY ROLLERS (2010, d. Kevin Tyler Asch) *** |
| HONEY (Bal) (2010, d. Semih Kaplanoglu; Turkey) *** |
| HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (2010, d. Steve Pink) I have no nostalgia for the '80s and this The Hangover wannabe was raucus, homophobic & ugly. * 3/4 |
| HOW DO YOU KNOW (2010, d. James L. Brooks) V. Cookie-cutter romcom with wildly divergent acting styles. Silly set-up, sappy ending. Disappointing. ** |
| HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER (2010, d. Alexei Popogrebsky) Tense, well acted Russian film about conflict between 2 men serving in Arctic weather station. *** 1/2 |
| HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010, d. Sanders & DeBlois) At times thrilling 3D amusement park ride & Baruchel is fine. But story is sketchy & silly. ** 1/2 |
| HOWL (2010, d. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman) *** 3/4 |
| HUACHO (2010, d. Alejandro Fernandez & Almendras) *** |
| HUGH HEFNER: PLAYBOY, ACTIVIST AND REBEL (2010, d. Brigitte Berman) *** 1/2 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES (2010, d. Laurent Cantet)V. Beautifully underplayed labor vs. management, father vs. son drama. Ambiguities abound to the novice director's credit. *** 1/4 |
| HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER, THE (2010, d. Eran Riklis; Israel) *** 1/4 |
| HURT LOCKER, THE (2010, d. Kathryn Bigelow) + Still amazing, definitive war film 1 1/2 years later; but now I notice episodic structure & middle drags a little. *** 3/4 |
| I AM GLAD MY MOTHER'S ALIVE (Je suis heureux que ma mère soit vivante) (2010, d. Claude Miller & Nathan Miller) *** 1/4 |
| I AM LOVE (Io sono l'amore) (2010, d. Luca Guadagnino) *** 1/4 |
| I AM LOVE (Io sono l'amore) (2010, d. Luca Guadagnino) + SIFF crossed me up & switched films. I watched this again, mystified but fascinated. *** 1/4 |
| I AM (2010, d. Igor Voloshin) * 1/2 |
| I KISSED A VAMPIRE (2010, d. Chris Sean Nolan) W/O |
| I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS (2010, d. John Requa, Glenn Ficarra) Weird script even if true. A bomb, of course; but for me a guilty pleasure. McGregor shines. *** |
| I LOVE YOUR WORK (2010, d. Adam Goldberg) V. Crazed actors maybe shouldn't make super-arty films about crazy actors. But Giovanni Ribisi is fine here. ** |
| I MISS YOU (2010, d. Fabian Hofman) *** 1/4 |
| ILLEGAL (2010, d. Olivier Masset-Depasse; Belgium) *** |
| ILLUSIONIST, THE (2010, d. Sylvain Chomet) Silent bittersweet comedy with nice 2D animation from a Jacques Tati script. Typical retro Tati...I just don't get him. ** 1/2 |
| I'M NOT SCARED (Io non ho paura) (2010, d. Gabriele Salvatores) + *** 1/4 |
| IMANI (2010, d. Caroline Kamya) * 3/4 |
| IMMACULATE (Sans laisser de traces) (2010, d. Grégoire Vigneron) *** |
| IN THE BEGINNING (À l'origine) (2010, d. Xavier Giannoli) *** 1/4 |
| IN THEIR SLEEP (Dans ton sommeil) (2010, d. Caroline & Éric Du Potet) * 3/4 |
| INCENDIES (2010, d. Denis Villeneuve; Canada) *** 3/4 |
| INCEPTION (2010, d. Christopher Nolan) Too complex plot makes for fascinating conjectures. Great f/x & driving, propulsive score overcomes too much exposition. *** 1/4 |
| INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (2010, d. Enzo Castellari; 1978) ** 3/4 |
| INSIDE HANNA'S SUITCASE (2010, d. Larry Weinstein) *** 1/2 |
| INSIDE JOB (2010, d. Charles Ferguson) V. Well deserved hatchet job docu on the banks, government & most everybody responsible for the current Depression. *** 3/4 |
| IRÈNE (2010, d. Alain Cavalier) * 1/4 |
| IRON CROSS (2010, d. Joshua Newton)V. Post-Holocaust affect story, ludicrously plotted, poorly acted (poor Roy Scheider, bad way to go.) * 3/4 |
| IRON MAN 2 (2010, d. Jon Favreau) Downey is fine, some good set pieces; but film loses traction and peters out to disappointing climax. ** 1/4 |
| IS IT JUST ME? (2010, d. J. C. Calciano) *** 1/4 |
| IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY (2010, d. Fleck & Boden) Fine, well directed coming of ager with a career making perf. by Keir Gilchrist. Neat montages, absorbing. *** 1/2 |
| JACK GOES BOATING (2010, d. Philip Seymour Hoffman) Unlikable, unattractive people trying to cope. I couldn't get interested or involved. ** |
| JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (2010, d. Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg) *** 1/4 |
| JULIA (2010, d. Erick Zonca) V. Tilda Swinton is amazingly blowzy in this unlikely, unpleasant, if strangely affecting kidnapping story. *** |
| JUST MARRIED (Oggi sposi) (2010, d. Luca Lucini) *** |
| KANIKOSEN (2010, d. Sabu) W/O |
| KATALIN VARGA (2010, d. Peter Strickland) ** 1/2 |
| KAWASAKI ROSE (2010, d. Jan Hrebejk) *** 1/4 |
| KAWASAKI'S ROSE (2010, d. Jan Hrebejk; Czech Republic) + *** |
| KELIN: THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (2010, d. Yermek Zursunov; Kazakhstan) **** |
| KHARGOSH (2010, d. Paresh Kamdar) * 1/2 |
| KICK-ASS (2010, d. Matthew Vaughn) Haven't had more fun in a movie in ages. Impressive script (fresh, unjaded),spot-on direction. *** 1/2 |
| KIDS ARE ALRIGHT, THE (2010, d. Lisa Cholodenko) A perfect acting ensemble, a daringly post-modern family drama. Best film of the year so far? **** |
| KILLER INSIDE ME, THE (2010, d. Michael Winterbottom) Confusing, ultra-violent & misogynistic. Also chilling, repellant, & maybe brilliant. ** 1/4 |
| KING'S SPEECH, THE (2010, d. Tom Hooper) Just about perfect in tone and historical accuracy & import. Firth & Rush are truly wonderful together. Splendid. *** 1/2 |
| KNIGHT AND DAY (2010, d. James Mangold) Absurd plot with predictable surprises, good action & star power, but SO OBVIOUSLY FAKE. * 3/4 |
| LAND OF THE DEAF (2010, d. Valery Todorovsky) ** 1/2 |
| LAST AIRBENDER, THE (2010, d. M. Night Shyamalan) Ambitious concept, mediocre performances, lousy 3D, convincing f/x add up to so so. ** 1/4 |
| LAST TRAIN HOME (2010, d. Lixin Fan) ** 1/2 |
| LEAVING (2010, d. Catherine Corsini) *** |
| LEBANON (2010, d. Samuel Maoz) *** 1/4 |
| LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS (2010, d. Zack Snyder) Looks 10, story 0. Nice 3-D animation. Let's just say I found it overly plotted and unsatisfactory. * 3/4 |
| LEO'S ROOM (2010, d. Enrique Buchichio) *** |
| LET IT RAIN (Parlez-moi de la pluis) (2010, d. Agnès Jaoui) Mildly funny, very French farce with a game Jean-Pierre Bacri playing denser than usual. *** |
| LET ME IN (2010, d. Matt Reeves) Slow and intense reworking of original Swedish film. Fine performances & some of the most consistent vampire lore ever. *** |
| LETTERS TO JULIET (2010, d. Gary Winick) Enjoyable chick flick, even though at times excessively absurd. Vanessa Redgrave is truly wonderful. ** 1/2 |
| LEWIS - "THE QUALITY OF MERCY" (2010, d. Billie Eltringham) V. Murder in Oxford student theatricals; smart, fairly gripping & better than average. *** |
| LEWIS: COUNTER CULTURE BLUES (2010, d. Bill Anderson) V. Murders abound around '60s Brit rock royalty. Interesting characters, contrived plot. ** 1/4 |
| LEWIS: THE DEAD OF WINTER (2010, d. Bill Anderson) V. Hijinx & murder in the lord's manor; unsatisfactory resolution - but Sgt. Hathaway shines here. ** 1/2 |
| LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (2010, d. Greg Berlanti) Berlanti is a fine show-runner; but as a director not so much. Predictable, unrealistic plot & mediocre all around. ** |
| LIFE DURING WARTIME (2010, d. Todd Solondz) *** |
| LIFE OF FISH, THE (2010, d. Matías Bize; Chile) *** 1/4 |
| LIGHT GRADIENT (Rückenwind) (2010, d. Jan Krüger) ** 1/2 |
| LIGHT THIEF, THE (2010, d. Aktan Arym Kubat; Kyrgyzstan) *** |
| LIKE YOU KNOW IT ALL (2010, d. Hong Sang-Soo) ** 1/4 |
| LITTLE BIG SOLDIER (2010, d. Ding Sheng) ** 1/2 |
| LITTLE HELP, A (2010, d. Michael J. Weithorn) *** 1/4 |
| LITTLE THIEF, THE (La petite voleuse) (2010, d. Claude Miller) *** |
| LITTLE TRIP TO HEAVEN, A (2010, d. Baltasar Kormákur) V. Atmospheric insurance con thriller with good cast; but plot had enough holes to drive through! * 3/4 |
| LOOSE CANNONS (2010, d. Ferzan Ozpetek) *** 1/4 |
| LOSERS, THE (2010, d. Sylvain White) Lived up to its title: too frenetic & comic-booky, ridiculous action; more amusing than thrilling - & Chris Evans rules. ** |
| LOTTERY, THE (2010, d. Madeleine Sackler) V. Another sad docu on state of eductation & their savior, charter schools. Not as comprehensive as Superman. *** |
| LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS (2010, d. Alek Keshishian) My fave film of 2006 & maybe the best straight to video film ever made! *** 1/2 |
| LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS (2010, d. Edward Zwick) Jake & Anne have real chemistry. Zwick made a rare uneven film. Pfizer is the bad guy. Haha. ** 3/4 |
| LOVE IN A PUFF (2010, d. Pang Ho-Cheung) ** 1/4 |
| LOVE IS IN THE AIR (Ma vie en l'air) (2010, d. Rémi Bezançon) *** |
| LULA, SON OF BRAZIL (2010, d. Fábio Barreto; Brazil) ** 1/2 |
| MADE IN DAGENHAM (2010, d. Nigel Cole) V. Valiant actors try; but script and direction so pedestrian and predictable even if it is based on real story. ** 1/4 |
| MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON (2010, d. Stéphane Brizé) ** 1/2 |
| MAHLER ON THE COUCH (2010, d. Felix O. Adlon & Percy Adlon) ** 3/4 |
| MAKING PLANS FOR LENA (Non, ma fille tu n'iras pas danser) (2010, d. Christophe Honoré) ** 1/4 |
| MAMA GÓGÓ (2010, d. Fridrik Thor Fridriksson; Iceland) *** |
| MAO'S LAST DANCER (2010, d. Bruce Beresford) *** 1/4 |
| ME TOO (Yo, también) (2010, d. Alvaro Pastor & Antonio Naharro) *** |
| MEDITERRANEAN FOOD (2010, d. Joaquin Oristrell) *** 1/2 |
| MEET MONICA VELOUR (2010, d. Keith Bearden) ** |
| MEGAMIND (2010, d. Tom McGrath) Amusing enough superhero 3D animation with some fine vocal talent. I preferred the similar Despicable Me; but that's just me. *** 1/4 |
| MEMORIES OF ANNE FRANK (2010, d. Alberto Negrin) * 1/4 |
| MERCY (2010, d. Patrick Hoelck) *** |
| MESSAGES FROM THE SEA (2010, d. Daoud Abdel Sayed; Egypt) *** 1/4 |
| MICMACS (2010, d. Jean-Pierre Jeunet) *** 1/4 |
| MIDDLE MEN (2010, d. George Gallo) Overamped, overacted, narration riddled caper flick loosely based on fact...but unlikely and unlikable. * 3/4 |
| MIENTE (2010, d. Rafi Mercado: Puerto Rico) ** 1/2 |
| MIRACLE SELLER (2010, d. Pawica & Szoda) ** 3/4 |
| MISS NOBODY (2010, d. Tim Cox) * 1/2 |
| MONGA (2010, d. Doze Niu; Taiwan) *** 1/4 |
| MONOGAMY (2010, d. Dana Adam Shapiro) ** 1/4 |
| MORNING (2010, d. Joseph Mitacek) ** 3/4 |
| MOTHER & CHILD (2010, d. Rodrigo Garcia) Emotionally satisfying complex story of 3 women/mothers/daughters. Garcia, Benning, Watts all incredibly good. *** 3/4 |
| MOUNT ST. ELIAS (2010, d. Gerald Salmina) *** 1/2 |
| MUNDO ALAS (2010, d. Gieco, Molnar, Schindel) V. Docu about a troup of handicapped artists in Argentina. Gratifying for its humanity, sort of boring as a film. ** 1/2 |
| MY YEAR WITHOUT SEX (2010, d. Sarah Watt) *** |
| MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER, THE (2010, d. David Robert Mitchell) ** 1/2 |
| NEVER LET ME GO (2010, d. Mark Romanek) Likable, attractive "people" trying to cope. I *was* interested & involved; but alternate universe aspect bothered. *** 1/4 |
| NEXT THREE DAYS, THE (2010, d. Paul Haggis) Fairly taut thriller with a premise just this side of absurd. Crowe is fine. ** 3/4 |
| NIGHTGUARDS (2010, d. Namik Kabil; Bosnia-Herzegovina) * 1/4 |
| NOTHING'S ALL BAD (2010, d. Mikkel Munch-Fals) ** 3/4 |
| NOWHERE BOY (2010, d. Sam Taylor-Wood) *** 1/4 |
| NOY (2010, d. Dondon Santos; Philippines) ** 1/4 |
| OCEANS (2010, d. Perrin & Cluzaud) Great nature footage of ocean & shore life, a little too obvious narration...all in all a big screen experience to treasure. *** 1/4 |
| OF GODS AND MEN (2010, d. Xavier Beauvois; France) ** 3/4 |
| OF LOVE AND OTHER DEMONS (2010, d. Hilda Hidalgo; Costa Rica) *** |
| ON THE TOWN (2010, d. Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly) ** 1/2 |
| ONDINE (2010, d. Neil Jordan) ** 1/2 |
| ORDER OF CHAOS (2010, d. Vince Vieluf) Strong, snarky, atmospheric thriller. Fine perfs (Coiro and Ventimiglia). Vieluf is writer/director/composer to watch! *** 1/2 |
| ORDINARY EXECUTION, AN (Une exécution ordinaire) (2010, d. Marc Dugain) *** |
| ORLY (2010, d. Angela Schanelec) ** 1/4 |
| OTHER GUYS, THE (2010, d. Adam McKay) I simply have no tolerance for dumb comedies. I did laugh...but the action sequences were boring & it didn't work for me. * 3/4 |
| OUTSIDE THE LAW (Hors la loi) (2010, d. Rachid Bouchareb; Algeria) *** 1/2 |
| OVER THE HILL BAND (2010, d. Geoffrey Enthoven) ** 1/2 |
| PACIFIC, THE (2010, d. various) Major HBO miniseries, not quite as good & memorable as Band of Brothers, but ultimately moving in its own right with a fine cast. *** 1/2 |
| PARADE (2010, d. Isao Yukisada) *** 1/2 |
| PARIS RETURN (2010, d. Yossi Aviram) *** 1/4 |
| PARKOUR (2010, d. Marc Rensing) *** 1/2 |
| PATAGONIA (2010, d. Marc Evans) *** |
| PATHOLOGY (2010, d. Marc Schoelermann) V. Michael Weston & Milo Ventimiglia are well matched as smart adversaries in this stylish, evil-doing thriller. *** |
| PAULINE AT THE BEACH (Pauline à la plage) (2010, d. Eric Rohmer) *** 1/2 |
| PAULISTA (2010, d. Roberto Moreira) ** 3/4 |
| PEEPLI LIVE (2010, d. Anusha Rizvi; India) ** 1/4 |
| PENITENT MAN, THE (2010, d. Nicholas Gyeney) ** 3/4 |
| PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF (2010, d. Chris Columbus) More fun than Harry Potter 1; but some plot holes detract. ** 3/4 |
| PERRIER'S BOUNTY (2010, d. Ian FitzGibbon) ** 1/4 |
| PETITE CHAMBRE, LA (2010, d. Stéphanie Chuat & Véronique Reymond; Switzerland) *** 1/2 |
| PETYA ON THE WAY TO HEAVEN (2010, d. Nikolai Dostal) * 1/2 |
| PIERREPOINT - THE LAST HANGMAN (2010, d. Adrian Shergold) V. Somber, well acted (Timothy Spahl!) story of man who hung 608 criminals. *** |
| PIERROT LE FOU (2010, d. Jean-Luc Goddard) ** |
| PILLERS OF THE EARTH, THE (2010, d. Sergio Mimica-Gezzan) V. A miracle of novel adaptation to a superb mini-series. Ideal cast & extraordinary prod'n. values. **** |
| PIVELLINA, LA (2010, d. Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel; Austria) *** |
| PLACE OF EXECUTION (2010, d. Daniel Percival) V. 1964 murder investigation revisited by present day docu crew in gripping & surprising policier thriller. *** 1/2 |
| PLAN B (2010, d. Marco Berger) *** 1/4 |
| PLEASE GIVE (2010, d. Nicole Holofcener) Holofcener & her avatar Catherine Keener + Oliver Platt in fine fettle in this NY tale. *** 1/4 |
| PLEASE, PLEASE ME (Fais-moi plaisir!) (2010, d. Emmanuel Mouret) *** 1/4 |
| PRECINCT, THE (2010, d. Ilgar Safat; Azerbaijan) ** (W/O) |
| PRECIOUS LIFE (2010, d. Shlomi Eldar) V. Personal docu of Gaza bubble baby's fight for life in Israeli hospital. Symbolic of mideast situation & emotionally shattering. *** 3/4 |
| PRINCE OF PERSIA (2010, d. Mike Newell) A film of monumental badness, although Jake G. wasn't terrible. Flashy F/X, cringeworthy dialog. * 1/4 |
| PRINCE OF TEARS, THE (2010, d. Yonfan) ** 3/4 |
| PRINCESS AND THE FROG, THE (2010, d. Clements & Musker) Nicely imagined 2D Disney animation & a reasonably amusing musical comedy. ** 3/4 |
| PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER, THE (2010, d. Bertrand Tavernier) *** 1/2 |
| PRIVATE LESSONS (2010, d. Joachim Lafosse) Story of a teen boy's education, both academic and sexual, by an older man. Riveting, shocking, and yes, truthful. *** 1/2 |
| PROPHET, A (Un prophète) (2010, d. Jacques Audiard; France) *** 3/4 |
| QUEEN TO PLAY (2010, d. Caroline Bottaro) ** 1/2 |
| QUEST FOR HONOR (2010, d. Mary Ann Smothers Bruni) V. Straighforward interview docu of women victims of honor killings in Iraqi Kurdistan. Old news; but important. ** 3/4 |
| QUO VADIS, BABY (2010, d. Gabriele Salvatores) *** |
| R (2010, d. Tobias Lindholm & Michael Noer) *** |
| RABBIT HOLE (2010, d. John Cameron Mitchell) Moving film about loss, incredible acting ensemble. Honestly, I thought I was watching a wonderful Todd Field film. *** 1/2 |
| RAISE YOUR HEAD (Alza la testa) (2010, d. Alessandro Angelini) *** 1/4 |
| RAPT (2010, d. Lucas Belvaux) *** 1/2 |
| RATIONAL SOLUTION, A (2010, d. Jörgen Bergmark) ** 1/2 |
| RAZOR (BSG-4) (2010, d. Fé lix Enriquez Alcalá) V. Backstory TV movie covering Pegasus & Adm. Kane's prior loony obsessions. High production values, but confusing. ** 1/2 |
| RED MACHINE, THE (2010, d. Stephanie Argy, Alec Boehm) ** 1/2 |
| REPO MEN (2010, d. Michael Sapochnik) Absurd plot, terribly wrenching surprise ending. Yet production values quite high & all in all a diverting sci-fi dystopia. ** 3/4 |
| RESTREPO (2010, d. Tim Hetheringon & Sebastian Junger) *** 1/4 |
| RETURN TO CRANFORD (2010, d. Simon Curtis) V. Treakly sequel, ows much to Dickens. Pretty & authentic but too sentimental compared to original. ** 1/2 |
| REYKJAVIK-ROTTERDAM (2010, d. Oskar Jonasson; Iceland) *** 1/4 |
| RIVER, THE (2010, d. Jean Renoir) ** 3/4 |
| ROBBER, THE (2010, d. Benjamin Heisenberg) *** 1/4 |
| ROBIN HOOD (2010, d. Ridley Scott) So a-historical, overamped, even boring that some good acting & prod. design are wasted. * 3/4 |
| ROLE/PLAY (d. Rob Williams) ** 1/2 |
| ROOM IN ROME (2010, d. Julio Médem) *** 1/4 |
| ROUND DA WAY (Lascars) (2010, d. Albert Pereira Lazaro, Emmanuel Klotz) * |
| RUINS, THE (2010, d. Carter Smith) V. Even I know better than to wander to a lost Mayan pyramid. The actors, all attractive, pretty good horror flick. ** 3/4 |
| RUN IF YOU CAN (2010, d. Dietrich Brüggemann) *** 1/4 |
| RUNAWAYS, THE (2010, d. Fiona Sigismondi) Loved the music. Dakota was great, Kristen less so; script too typical of biopic genre. ** 1/2 |
| SALT (2010, d. Philip Noyce) Surprisingly effective thriller...preposterous, over-the-top; but Jolie at top of game and Noyce keeps all the balls up in the air. *** 1/4 |
| SASHA (2010, d. Dennis Todorovic) ** 1/2 |
| SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (2010, d. Edgar Wright) Stylization run amok; Cera is perfect, music & f/x weirdly intriguing. But it all spins out of control by end. *** |
| SECRET FESTIVAL #3 (2010 SIFF) ** 3/4 |
| SECRET OF KELLS, THE (2010, d. Tomm Moore) Pretty watercolor animation; but legendary story of monks, Vikings & enchanted forest bored me. ** 1/2 |
| SECRETARIAT (2010, d. Randall Wallace) Old fashioned filmmaking; but enthralling in the way it recalls my memories of the era. I loved this horse. *** |
| SENIOR PROM (2010, d. Nicholas Terry) *** |
| SENTIMENTAL ENGINE SLAYER, THE (2010, d. Omar Rodriguez Lopez) ** 1/4 |
| SEQUESTRO (Kidnapping) (2010, d. Jorge W. Atalla) v. Action docu made like TV series "Cops", often touching stories of Sao Paulo kidnapping squad & victims. *** 1/2 |
| SEX&DRUGS&ROCK&ROLL (2010, d. Mat Whitecross) ** 3/4 |
| SHARPE'S PERIL (2010, d. Tom Clegg) V. Nicely produced tv film about a Brit soldier in India in 1820. Suddenly Luke Ward-Wilkinson (Beautiful People) is a fave. *** |
| SHERLOCK: BLIND BANKER (2010, d. Duros Lyn) V. Rather ordinary who-done-it script based on codes. ** 3/4 |
| SHERLOCK: GREAT GAME (2010, d. Paul McGuigan) V. The game's truly afoot with a fine over-the-top supervillian in "John". Fast moving, gotta say. *** |
| SHERLOCK: STUDY IN PINK (2010, d. Paul McGuigan) V. Clever present day remaking of familiar tropes. Both leads quite well suited. *** 1/4 |
| SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE (2010, d. Jim Field Smith) 1st hour: fun stuff with perfectly cast Jay Baruchel. But film has nowhere to go but predictable. Still enjoyable. *** |
| SHORT FILM COLLECTION - Boys to Men (2010 SIFF, d. var) Average score: *** 1/4 |
| SHORT FILM COLLECTION - Playing Doctor (2010 SIFF, d. var.) Average score: ** |
| SHUTTER ISLAND (2010, d. Martin Scorsese) I got the twist about 5 minutes into the film...well made, of course, & Leo is fine; but ridiculously overwrought plot. ** 1/2 |
| SICILIAN GIRL, THE (2010, d. Marco Amenta) *** 3/4 |
| SILENT VOICES (Qu'un seul tienne et les autres suivront) (2010, d. Léa Fehner) *** |
| SKATELAND (2010, d. Anthony Burns) ** 1/2 |
| SKELETONS (2010, d. Nick Whitfield) ** |
| SMASH HIS CAMERA (2010, d. Leon Gast) V. Entertaining & amusing docu about famed paparazzo Ron Galella. Neat photo montages & well put together material. *** 1/2 |
| SOCIAL NETWORK, THE (2010, d. David Fincher) + Still superb. So impressed by all the actors; but Eisenberg and Garfield are at top of their game. **** |
| SOCIAL NETWORK, THE (2010, d. David Fincher) Scintillating flick, perfectly cast, great writing & direction. I'm still under spell & will probably pay to see it again. **** |
| SOLITARY MAN (2010, d. Koppelman & Levien) V. Saga of a true asshole played convincingly by Michael Douglas. ** 3/4 |
| SOME DAYS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS (2010, d. Matt McCormick) *** |
| SOMETHING'S GONNA LIVE (2010, d. Daniel Raim) Pleasant docu about 6 elderly film artists & their life & work. I knew & worked with Boyle & he shines here at 98. *** 1/4 |
| SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN, A (2010, Hans Petter Moland) Nice turn by Stellan Skarsgard as reformed criminal released from prison. *** 1/4 |
| SOMEWHERE (2010, d. Sofia Coppola) Such a great L.A. movie. Dorff pulls off the difficult role of the Hollywood superstar, and Coppola is a true auteur. *** 1/2 |
| SON OF BABYLON (2010, d. Mohamed Al-Daradji) ** 3/4 |
| SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, THE (2010, d. Jon Turteltaub) Well done for what it is: high concept f/x driven drivel. Baruchel shines, per usual. ** 1/2 |
| SOUL KITCHEN (2010, d. Fatih Akin) *** |
| SOUTHERN ZONE (Zona Sur) (2010, d. Juan Carlos Valdivia; Bolivia) *** 1/4 |
| SPHINX (Gardiens de l'ordre) (2010, d. Nicolas Bookhrief) *** 1/4 |
| SPRING FEVER (2010, d. Ye Lou) * 1/2 |
| SQUARE, THE (2010, d. Nash Edgerton) + Inadvertently watched again. Still pretty clever Aussie film noir. *** |
| STAR TREK (2010, d. J.J. Abrams) + 2nd viewing gives more narrative clarity, but f/x look cheap in new Avatar world. But casting is *outstanding*! By far best Trek film. *** |
| STEAM OF LIFE (2010, d. Joonas Berghäll & Mika Hotakainen; Finland) ** 3/4 |
| STEP UP 3D (2010, d. Jon M. Chu) Clichéd script, mediocre (or worse) actors & weirdly uneven choreography doom this film despite a pulsing music track. * 1/4 |
| STIGMATA (2010, d. Adán Aliaga) ** |
| STONE (2010, d. John Curran) Norton & Jovovich are superb. But I'm at a loss as to what the film adds up to...spiritual mumbo-jumbo? Symbolism gone wild? ** 3/4 |
| STRAYED (2010, d. Akan Satayev; Kazakhstan) *** 1/4 |
| STRING, THE (2010, d. Mehdi Ben Attia) *** 1/4 |
| SUBMARINO (2010, d. Thomas Vinterberg) *** 1/2 |
| SWITCH, THE (2010, d. Josh Gordon, Will Speck) Enjoyable for the cute kid & Justin Bateman who excels at this sort of role. But so predictable. ** 3/4 |
| TAMARA DREWE (2010, d. Stephen Frears) Silly English countryside contempo comedy. What happened to Frears, he used to be such a good director. ** |
| TANGLED (2010, d. Greno & Howard) V. 3D animated musical loosely based on Rapunzel. Terrible songs & clichés abound; but I'm not the intended aud. * 3/4 |
| TEHROUN (2010, d. Nader T. Homayoun) ** 1/2 |
| TEMPEST, THE (2010, d. Julie Taymor) As expected, visually stunning. But I kept phasing out of opaque Shakespearian narrative. Still, loved Ben Whishaw's Ariel. ** 1/2 |
| TEMPLE GRANDIN (2010, d. Mick Jackson) V. Superb perf by Claire Danes sets this one apart. Moving, fascinating true study of autism. *** 1/2 |
| TEMPTATION OF ST. TONY, THE (2010, d. Veiko Ounpuu; Estonia) 3/4* |
| TEN WINTERS (Dieci inverni) (2010, d. Valerio Mieli) *** |
| TENDERNESS (2010, d. John Polson) V. Jon Foster is quite good as young psychopath in this subtle, slow folie a deux drama with touch of terror. *** 1/4 |
| TÊTE DE TURC (2010, d. Pascal Elbé) ** 3/4 |
| THAT EVENING SUN (2010, d. Scott Teems) Fine film, if a downer. Holbrook is wonderful; but I felt for McKinnon's villain, too, surely not intended. *** 1/4 |
| THIRD PERSON SINGULAR NUMBER (2010, d. Mostofa Sarwar Farooki; Bangldesh) ** |
| THIS WAY OF LIFE (2010, d. Thomas Burstyn) V. Docu of New Zealand half-breed family's way of life living off land. Beautiful, but marred by unknowns & accents. ** 3/4 |
| THREE DAYS WITH THE FAMILY (2010, d. Mar Col) ** 3/4 |
| THUNDER SOUL (2010, d. Mark Landsman) *** |
| TILLMAN STORY, THE (2010, d. Amir Bar-Lev) Muckraking docu of army coverup: one heroic family's quest for truth. Not innovative filmmaking; but infuriating. *** 1/4 |
| TOI ET MOI (You and Me) (2010, d. Julie Lopes-Curval) V.+ Started watching & recognized I'd seen before. Not quite as fun as I remembered. ** 1/2 |
| TOPP TWINS, THE: UNTOUCHABLE GIRLS (2010, d. Leanne Pooley) ** 3/4 |
| TOWN, THE (2010, d. Ben Affleck) Nobody has ever directed Ben Affleck as well as Ben Affleck. Remarkable down & dirty crime flick that has it all. *** 3/4 |
| TOY STORY 3 (2010, d. Lee Unkrich) Best of recent Pixar films, splendid action sequences plus emotionally rich evocation of passing childhood. *** 3/4 |
| TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (2010, d. Michael Bay) Nobody ever accused Bay of subtlety & nuance. So glad Cameron kicked his ass. 1/4* |
| TRICK IN THE SHEET, THE (L'imbroglio nel lenzuolo) (2010, d. Alfonso Arau) ** 1/2 |
| TRON: LEGACY (2010, d. Joseph Kosinski) Visually stunning, of course (incredible strides since the '80s); but bombastic & video-gamey with silly, predictable plot. ** 1/2 |
| TROTSKY, THE (2010, d. Jacob Tierney) *** 1/4 |
| TRUE GRIT (2010, d. Joel & Ethan Coen) A remarkably pure, fun western from the Coens, one of my faves from them, quite remarkable performances. *** 1/2 |
| TSAR (2010, d. Pavel Lungin) ** 1/2 |
| TURISTAS (2010, d. Alicia Scherson) *** |
| TWELVE (2010, d. Joel Schumacher) Gossip Girl + Less Than Zero. Over-use of narration to novelize doesn't work; but acting & direction first rate. *** |
| TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE (2010, d. David Slade) Interesting love triangle, lovely to look at with some 1st class action...but mid-section drags & motivations suspect. ** 3/4 |
| TWISTED ROOTS (2010, d. Saara Saarela) *** |
| TWO IN THE WAVE (Deux de la vague) (2010, d. Emmanuel Laurent) V. *** 1/2 |
| UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (2010, d. Apichatpong Weerasethakul; Thailand) ** |
| UNDER THE MOUNTAIN (2010, d. Jonathan King) ** 3/4 |
| UNDERTOW (2010, d. Javier Fuentes-León; Peru) + Appreciated it much more 2nd time. Fine print plus more compassion on my part made big difference. *** 1/4 |
| UNDERTOW (2010, d. Javier Fuentes-León) ** 1/2 |
| UP (3D) (2010, d. Pete Docter, Bob Peterson) Nice concept, great vocal acting (Jordan Nagai is phenomenal), really fine 3D animation. But mid-section dragged. *** 1/4 |
| UPPERDOG (2010, d. Sara Johnsen) *** 1/2 |
| V.O.S. (2010, d. Cesc Gay) ** 1/4 |
| VALHALLA RISING (2010, d. Nicolas Winding Refn) Malick's New World on angel dust. Mads Mikkelsen is superb, it looks great; but message plot too heavy for me. ** 3/4 |
| VENGEANCE (2010, d. Johnnie To) *** 1/4 |
| VICEROYS, THE (I Vicerè) (2010, d. Roberto Faenza) *** 1/2 |
| VIDA UTIL, LA (2010, d. Federico Veiroj; Uruguay) ** |
| VILLAIN, THE (Le Vilain) (2010, d. Albert Dupontel) ** |
| VORTEX (Duburys) (2010, d. Gytis Luksas; Lithuania) *** 1/4 |
| WAITING FOR SUPERMAN (2010, d. Davis Guggenheim) V. Gripping, informative, inventive, frightening, emotionally shattering docu with remarkable point of view. **** |
| WAKING SLEEPIING BEAUTY (2010, d. Don Hahn) Informative, moving docu of the Eisner-Welles-Katzenberg years at Disney animation with home movie feel. *** 1/4. |
| WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (2010, d. Oliver Stone) Entertaining, if cockeyed look at financial meltdown. Questionable motivations mar effect. ** 3/4 |
| WASTE LAND (2010, d. Lucy Walker) *** 1/4 |
| WAY BACK, THE (2010, d. Peter Weir) A terrific film all around, gorgeous cinematography, gripping plot. Sturges & Harris especially outstanding. *** 1/2 |
| WE ALL GET OUR SHARE (Ce n'è per tutti) (2010, d. Luciano Melchionna) * |
| WEDDING CAKE, THE (Pièce montée) (2010, d. Denys Granier-Deferre) *** 1/4 |
| WELCOME TO THE RILEYS (2010, d. Jake Scott) Gandolfini and Leo are fine. The predictable downer story only fitfully involved me & ultimately I lost interest. ** 1/4 |
| WHEN WE LEAVE (2010, d. Feo Aladag) *** |
| WILD GRASS (Les herbes folles) (2010, d. Alain Resnais) Poor title translation, should be called "Loco-weed". Strangely unmotivated goings-on, but fascinating. ** 3/4 |
| WINTER IN WARTIME (2010, d. Martin Koolhoven; The Netherlands) *** 1/2 |
| WINTER'S BONE (2010, d. Debra Granik) *** 1/2 |
| WRETCHES & JABBERERS (2010, d. Gerardine Wurzburg) V. Informative, positive docu of world travels & computer communication of 2 autistic older Vermont men. *** |
| YOU AGAIN (2010, d. Andy Fickman) Derivitive plot of 3 generations of girl high school rivalries. Yet it's surprisingly entertaining farce writing. ** 1/2 |
| YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER (2010, d. Woody Allen) V. Typical late Allen relationship farce, bitter and ironic. Not well resolved; but diverting. *** |
| YOUNGEST SON, THE (Il figlio più) (2010, d. Pupi Avanti) ** 1/2 |
| YUMA, LA (2010, d. Florence Jaugey; Nicaragua) ** 3/4 |
| Return to Ken Rudolph's Movie home page. |