My favorite films of 2010 (Part Three)

Four more categories left and I round up last year's lists. Foreign, Animated, Documentaries and Worst of the Year.

FAVORITE FOREIGN FILM OF THE YEAR

BIUTIFUL

Biutiful simply broke my heart into two pieces. Rarely do I keep sitting in my seat, enraptured, way after the credits have rolled. They say true appreciation is when you're so involved, you forget to applaud. Biutiful is one such case.

A film like this suffers from the weight of the director’s previous accomplished efforts like Babel, 21 Grams and Amores Perros (I like them in that order). If you're expecting a movie like that, you are sure to be disappointed . 

Innaritu’s work is primarily made up of four basic ingredients; death, accidents, fate and love. Here it is not accidents bringing people together or four separate stories coming together as fate would have it. It is a linear narrative this time. A first for Innaritu, and he does some wonderful things with it. All these ingredients are there except they are stripped off of the sentimentality and sensationalism.

Here the accident is fate at its cruelest. Here, our protagonist IS death. He can communicate with the dead and he is going to die. As we all are going to one day. The death here is not accidental but inevitable, one that is sure to arrive. Even the communication with the dead is not in the "I See Dead People" kind of a way. He is not like the characters in his previous films who successfully cheated death and are recovering. It is the opposite here, no cheating here. In fact, here he is the "cause" of an accidental death himself, the most devastating in Innaritu’s cannon. The only two "non-linear" aspects of the film are the beginning and ending. When you reach the ending, it all fits and all you can do is marvel at the screen and lament at the same time. This is Innaritu's death poem.

I've made this film sound rather bleak, haven't I? It sure is not an easy film to watch, but its rewards are aplenty. Javier Bardem’s performance is, well… the less said the better. I wouldn’t want to ruin it by putting words like enchanting, enrapturing, compelling; these words would be understating it. Yes, his performance in No Country For Old Men and The Sea Inside are terrific. But this is quite easily his best. I don't think he can ever top this.

My favorite moment in the film is when the father and daughter hug and you can hear two heartbeats. Masterstroke.

 Other foreign favorites:

CERTIFIED COPY: Kiarostami makes Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise/ Before Sunset look like candy floss.

MOTHER: After a stunning monster film in The Host (2006), Bong Joon-ho, makes a mother and son story like no other. Kim Hye-Ja's performance is epic to say the least.

CELL 211: Another gripping prison story after last year's A Prophet (which is a greater film). The way it makes you feel for the characters (good and bad) is ingenious! (Hollywood is remaking this)

I AM LOVE: If you want to know how to shoot a love-making scene, watch this now! Tilda Swinton is such a talent.

IN A BETTER WORLD: This year's Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film. Susanne Bier is wonderful at drama. Her previous films, Brothers and After the Wedding, and this one make a great watch for drama film aficionados.

DOGTOOTH: Arguably, the most warped film I've ever seen. A film that is one of its kind. How it got an Oscar nomination is beyond me but super awesome nonetheless.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO: Two words: Noomi Rapace! (David Fincher is remaking this)

CARLOS: Based on the life of Ilich Ramirez a.k.a The Jackal a.k.a Carlos. A spectacular 5 and a half hour chronicle of one of the world's most notorious terrorist.

FAVORITE ANIMATED FILM OF THE YEAR

  

TOY STORY 3

There is a moment near the end of the film. Woody, Buzz and Co. have had another film full of adventure and the trilogy is about to end. I have cried already as Woody and Buzz and Co. holds hands and are just about to enter the furnace. But they survive that. The time has come for Andy to hand over his toys to a new owner. Andy doesn't care about them anymore, he is all grown up now. He's going to college. Obviously, he can't take them with him, can he? 

Bonnie is the new owner, he is showing her all the toys, he illustrates their characteristics one by one taking them out of the box. Then he takes out Woody, Bonnie is even more excited now, she loves that toy (!) and for a split second... for that tiny little second, he retreats. That one moment where Andy doesn't want to give his toy away made me bawl like a 2 year old baby. Damn that person who said less is more! (This rivals E.T.'s finale for me)

Pixar has consistently delivered great films from Wall-E to Monsters, Inc. to Finding Nemo to Up. The Toy Story trilogy is their diamond in the crown. This third film is easily the best of the lot.

Other Animated Favorites:

THE ILLUSIONIST: This animated film is not for kids. For starters, it's almost entirely silent. It is based on one of Jacques Tati's unproduced scripts about the death of art of magic and the advent of cinema and other visual arts. (Not to be confused with the 2006 Edward Norton film)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: An enchanting thrill ride of a film, especially the scene when Hiccup rides Toothless. I want a dragon, now!

MEGAMIND: A complete surprise. I didn't expect this one to be so funny. With Tina Fey's name attached, I should have expected it.

DESPICABLE ME: Similar to Megamind. Here also the villain becomes the hero. Although, here he becomes a father too.

TANGLED: Maximus, the horse is one of the best non-speaking characters in Disney's cannon. He had me in splits!

FAVORITE DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR

EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP

Okay, it will be tough to explain what this film is about. This film is about a documentary filmmaker who wanted to make a film on street artists. You know, those graffitis you see on the streets. Every city on this planet has them. Banksy is one of the word's most famous street artists. Although, he remains anonymous, his face hidden from the public eye.

Now, while making this documentary Banksy realized this film that the maker has turned out is utter trash. Not knowing what to do now, the filmmaker tries his hand at street art himself under the name of Mr. Brainwash. Following street artists, he must have learned a trick or two. Seems he learned a bit more than we expected. Taking Banksy's help he puts up an exhibition, it a greater success than Banksy's ever had. This is Banksy's film. The filmmaker becomes the street artist and the street artist becomes the filmmaker.

It raises a question that will leave us with a lot to think about: What is art? Is it art because we tell you it is or is it because it actually is? In this commercial world, has art lost its true meaning? Banksy questions. Never answers.

Other Documentary favorites:

INSIDE JOB: A very important documentary. Should be seen by every person on this planet. If I was a more responsible film-watcher I would have picked this as my favorite documentary of the year.

CATFISH: This is the true Facebook movie. I don't know if it's a set up or not. Seems real to me. With a wave of mockumentaries coming out nowadays, I could hardly care. It's just a damn good movie.

WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR

I rarely find movies which I truly hate. I love films more than I hate them. But there are some films which I do hate and when I hate them. I HATE THEM!


THE EXPENDABLES

The dumbest guy film ever made. If a young boy is shown this film, who doesn't have a fully developed brain yet and can't largely think for himself will end up living a large part of his life thinking violence is a way of life. I hope he grows up to watch better films and realize it isn't so. This is exactly why they call it "growing up". 

Sylvester Stallone should retire right now!! Or just stop directing! You are not Clint Eastwood!!!

Now, I'm not saying action films are bad. Or action heroes. I love Arnold Schwarzenegger (the greatest ever), Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson. The Terminator series (the first 3) happens to be one of my favorite film series of all time. Even the Die Hard movies I dig. But boy, The Expendables, is action how action just shouldn't be! A crapfest from begging to end. If you want to see a good action movie from 2010 watch The Town, Unstoppable, RED, or The Next Three Days. Okay fine, watch The A-Team.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

The dumbest chick flick ever made. This girl, Bella, is a major screw-up. And hey, I actually liked the first Twilight movie. But a major best-seller like this, targeting the teenage girl demographic, should know better. Making a whole generation subconsciously think that liking two boys at the same time and feeling good about is absolutely okay.. is well.. majorly fucked up! I would never let my daughter near these books or films. I want her to have a happy romantic life. I'd rather make her dream of a Prince Charming that will never exist than fantasize about a dead guy and/or a shirtless guy.


KITES

This is a good looking bad movie. All those wonderful shots gone to complete waste! The biggest stinker to have come out of the Hindi film industry this year. This is how a film should NOT be made. A textbook in bad filmmaking. I don't even find that Barbara Mori even remotely good looking. Hot? In what universe??? Does our industry really expect to "crossover" with this pile of shit?

VALENTINE'S DAY

I love romantic comedies. Love, Actually is one of my favorites. Multiple love stories, all touching and wonderful. In Valentine's Day, also there are multiple love stories, but it's really hard for me to pick one that I hated the most.


SKYLINE

It is here. The worst alien invasion movie is here! A movie where you want the world to end as soon as it can and all the characters to die the most horrible screen deaths.