So this is the time of year where everybody from well-known nationally syndicated critics to hole-in-the-wall no-namers (like ME!) come out with their Best Movies, Top 10 Movies, Worst Movies, etc. So here goes my Top 10 movies of 2010. Keep in mind, these movies are in no order, although I may indicate in the review how much I loved that particular film. You can seed them accordingly.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – OK, I guess if I have to pick a movie that I absolutely loved, it would have to be this movie. After all, I’ve watched six times since it came out and I’m sure there are many more viewings in my future. From the ADHD special effects to the great one-liners, humor and Ellen Wong looking cute and kickin’ butt, this movie really had it all for me. Action, humor, some romance, some drama and a cute Asian girl. In my world, that’s a home run.

Check out this interview with Ellen as she drops props on two awesome martial arts movies – Ong Bak and Chocolate!!

Despicable Me – The minions make this movie. If it were just the main story of Gru and Vector and the little girls, it wouldn’t have been as good. But then throw in these little Twinkie-sized trouble makers who’ve sucked up a bit too much helium and you’ve got some pure comedy. and how can you resist the “It’s so FLUFFY!” line.

Minion + Can of Cow. ‘ Nuff said.

Inception – OK, time to get serious. From the second this trailer dropped, I was SO ready to watch this movie. And knowing Chris Nolan’s track record, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be disappointed. And frankly, I wasn’t just not disappointed, I was freakin’ amazed. This movie left me dizzy, confused, enthralled and amazed all in one shot. Thank you Mr. Nolan. In a perfect world, the best picture Oscar winner is right here.

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

Get Low – This is one of those indie movies that kind of fell under the radar. Robert Duvall and Bill Murray give a hell of a performance though and, once again, in a perfect world, they would earn themselves some award nominations. If you want to see some great acting and a well-directed story, watch this movie.

“Bought time for me to get low…”

Tangled – I’m not gonna lie. I had my doubts about this movie. Being the 50th Disney animated movie, you kind of already knew how it was going to end. And the trailers that promoted this movie weren’t that interesting. I watched this movie at a screening, thinking that if anything, I got a free movie out of it. But the humor and the animation in this movie are great and it’s easily one of the best Disney movies in recent memory. Sure, it has the contrived Disney happy ending, but everything leading up that moment is a load of fun.

“Frying pans… who knew?”

The Ghost Writer – Another criminally under-rated movie. This thriller came out around the same time as The Green Zone starring Matt Damon. There was room for only one of these movies in the thriller genre and with the major studio support, Green Zone won. (Although that movie turned out to be a bit of a flop as well.) Anyway, I highly, highly recommend this movie. It’s one of the smartest and well-written movies in recent memory. If you like Chris Nolan movies but with a nice twist at the end, then you’ll like this movie. Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor deliver great performances as well.

“You didn’t tell me there was another writer… What have you gotten me into?”

Four Lions – I can understand why this movie didn’t catch on. I mean, a comedy about Jihadist terrorists? In this day and age, most people probably just didn’t get the concept. But for those who did watch this movie, well, they were treated to some great rapid-fire (pardon the pun) dialogue and great comedic pieces. Watch out for the sheep and make sure you swallow your SIM card. (Watch the movie and you’ll know what I’m talking about.)

“You covered your beard? How?”

The Social Network – OK, I’m not putting this movie on the list because everybody else is adding it to theirs. This movie is well-written, well-directed and well-acted. No question. I didn’t LOVE it like a lot of the critics did, but it was certainly a smart and well-executed movie. Is it the Best Picture of 2010? See above (Inception).

Drop the “The”

True Grit – Jeff Bridges is just great. This man was born to act. He dives into the role of Rooster Cogburn so perfectly. And Matt Damon atones for The Green Zone mis-fire with a nice turn as a Texas Ranger. But the true breakout performance (and it would be a damn shame if she doesn’t get nominated) is Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. Steinfeld delivers such a great performance and there’s a certain magnetism to her acting in her scenes. It’s that “it” factor that you hear a lot about.

“I’ma Texas Ranger” :-p (I got goosebumps watching this)

Tron: Legacy – From the get-go I was amped to see this movie. And on an IMAX screen, no less. This movie is getting slammed for the storyline being weak, but honestly, if you’re going to watch this movie for a deep, engrossing drama, well, that’s like going to watch Pride and Prejudice for great action sequences. This is a pure popcorn movie. A virtual 3D CGI eye-gasm that left me thrilled and wanting more!

10 Questions in 60 Seconds. Agree with the last answer. 🙂

So yes, you might be saying, where is Black Swan or The Fighter? Frankly, I have no interest in seeing either of those movies. Particularly Swan since I have a pretty negative track record with Darren Aronofsky movies (which doesn’t bode well for the upcoming Wolverine movie). As for The Fighter, eh, really, it just feels like I’ve seen it before. Mark Wahlberg playing a down-and-out character who achieves success and Christian Bale losing a ton of weight again. (Let’s hope they don’t make a sequel to The Castaway).

As for Kick-Ass and Toy Story 3, don’t get me wrong, they were good movies. Toy Story just felt like we’d been on that ride before. Toys get lost, toys need to find their way home. And the ending was kind of sappy. Kick-Ass was another strong movie, but it just kind of lost steam toward the end. It’ll be interesting to see what the sequel brings. At least Lyndsy Fonseca is back. 🙂