Movies I Liked in 2010

I had started a 2010 music post, but realized halfway through that I have a strange taste in music, and so I switched to movies. Ah, that feels better. Also, I warn you that these movies can be from any year, as long as I saw them first in 2010. I know. I'm a huge cheater.

Red Riding Trilogy

I'm a fan of trilogies. Not your standard blockbuster ones, mind you. And Aliens doesn't count, since it's a quadrilogy. No, I'm talking about trilogies like Refn's Pusher trilogy, where we get to follow characters through multiple stories and shifts in perspective. It's the perfect length of time to build an adequate amount of exposition, but not so drawn-out that we couldn't bear a main character's death or have to indulge another filler episode.

The Red Riding Trilogy is loosely based around the times of the Yorkshire Ripper cases in Yorkshire England during the 1970s. What's interesting is that the killings serve as compelling backstory to the main conflict, that is, one or two lonely people in the entire town who are against everyone else, who are either explicity taking part in corruption, or are apathetic toward the general societal decay. Each movie in the trilogy is directed by a different director, but I noticed no change in tone, pace, or quality. Each tale is harrowing, infuriating, and tragic. Once it starts to pick up steam midway through the first story, it is hard to look away from. An amazing set of films.

Brazil

Yes, I am incredibly late to the party on Brazil, but it was a bit before my time. Part of my enjoyment in films like Brazil or Metropolis is seeing what older generations thought the future might look like. It's always unique, intriguing, and rarely accurate. It's difficult to convey the film, besides saying it's dystopian and has elements of 1984. It also has the undeniable touch of Gilliam going for it. This film actually has a commentary I want to listen to, because Gilliam puts so much in the film that would only make complete sense to him. And even better, often times he comments that he has no idea what a certain scene means or where it came from. It's still an imaginative film and makes one contemplate how free they really are in their daily life.

Kick Ass

I don't like superhero movies in general. Which is probably why I enjoyed Kick Ass so much. It deals with how crazy and naive a person would have to be to want to be a superhero, and realistically, what would happen to them. That is, they would be gravely wounded or killed in short order. Despite some problems (like how the film strays from its adherence to quasi-realism at the end), Kick Ass is enjoyable and funny, while never taking itself too seriously.

Flame and Citron

There have been some good films dealing with the French Resistance during WWII, but Flame and Citron focuses on the Danish Resistance, specifically two agents with the handles Flame and Citron. We learn relatively early on that they are not really agents, just two men who stubbornly hold onto the idea of what their country once was, despite the awful things they have to do in order to maintain that idea. The sense of danger and dread in this film is palpable, and it does a remarkable job of not painting the circumstances in strict black-and-white, which is always tempting when portraying Nazis. How the characters deal with moral ambiguity and the sacrifices to their lives and sanity are ultimately the best parts of this excellent movie.

The Baader Meinhof Complex

This film is nothing short of amazing. It is a testament to the notion that real life often gives the best story lines. This film follows a band of revolutionaries, who seek to right the wrongs of the previous generation in Germany. Of course, they overcompensate just a tad. Both sides in the film are quick to result to violence to achieve their aims, making either side an unlikely source of protagonist sympathy. The acting is superb and visceral, and the story always picks up when it seems to be dragging.

The Big Bad Swim

I'll warn you right away that a lot of people won't like this film, which deals with the disappointments in life and how the characters deal with them. I found it to be an engaging drama where I really cared about the characters. The main character was relatable because he dealt with avoidance behavior and anxiety, but some viewers may simply see his character as withdrawn and sulky. Characters like these are hard to portray in movies, because we tend to stick to our archetypes. So with that caveat, you will like this film if you have patience.

Goya's Ghosts

If you see one movie about Spanish painters this year, make it Goya's Ghosts! Seriously though, this film is fascinating. Bardem does his usual job of coming off as intense and vaguely creepy, and his character is a pure mess, a reflection of the world he inhabits. I was surprised I didn't enjoy Natalie Portman's performance more. Her accent was a bit weird, and her crying seemed inauthentic at times. Even so, her character is an interesting one and her acting doesn't get in the way too much. When I first saw some of Goya's works, I wondered how the powers at be thought about them, and what the conflict with the Church was like. This film does a great job of sorting that out, and giving us a nice story with unexpected twists.

So, that's it. I didn't want to include documentaries and Frontline episodes, because I am seriously addicted to those and they are relatively straightforward. Although, I do recommend Heavy Metal in Baghdad. Oh, and TRON was OK. Happy New Year!