Geeks on Film: Dan’s Top Films of 2010

Another year has come to a close, and it’s time for my best and worst list of 2010. We’ll take a look at the top films of 2010, as well the hits and misses in theater and home video. Not only will I do my top films 2010 I will also hit some of my other likes and dislikes in both the theater and home video for the year as well. So enjoy and if I missed something feel free to comment away.

10. Rubber – This was by far on of the most insane and creative films of the year, it broke every wall there is to tell a story about a serial killer… a serial killing tire. Yes you heard me. A tire.

This film was hilarious and probably one of the most original things I have seen in a long time… and that is saying a lot. I can’t wait for this to hit home video because I really think this will become one of those films that spreads like a plague by word of mouth.

9. Let Me In – I followed this film all year, from the announcement to the viral campaign and finally the release. This was one film that proved me wrong for the whole domesticating of foreign films for an American audience. Let Me In was a great film that I really feel got a raw deal. It never truly found its audience. If you’re a fan of the original I highly suggest you check this out when it hits Blu-ray and DVD next month.

More Below!

8. Robogeisha – This film set out to do the impossible… live up to one of the most batshit-insane trailers ever committed to the interwebs and surprisingly it did. This is by far one my favorite theatrical experiences of the year seeing this at the Danger After Dark Film Festival back in October.

Robogeisha is best described as a heavy dose of WTF, like a live action anime turned up to 11. It is simply amazing.

7. Catfish – In a time where everyone’s live are slowly migrating more and more online Catfish shows us what can happen if you’re not careful. Probably my favorite documentary of the year and one of the biggest surprises for me personally Catfish is definitely required watching for anyone about to post an online dating profile.

6. Machete -Machete is pure fun plain and simple and brought me back to a simpler time when all you needed was a lot of explosions and a larger than life protagonist and you had a really great action flick.

5. Iron Man 2 – This was probably my favorite blockbuster, tent pole, popcorn-popping film of the year. I love Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and writing this really makes me sad… as this will probably be the last time Jon Favreau and Downey will be working together on this franchise.

This was a film that had a tremendous amount to live up to and somehow they managed to make lightning strike twice for Marvel, who rewarded Favreau by making him somehow tie his film into every franchise they planned on releasing for the next 3 years. Hopefully Marvel will come around because without Favreau and Downey it just wont be Iron Man and unless your Pixar that third sequel could be a doozy.

4. Toy Story 3 – I was just talking to a friend about this last Friday night, about how Toy Story 3 is one of the few films it’s OK for a man to admit he cried during – or at least admit he got a little teary.

Thank you Pixar for showing us not only are animated films are not just for children and but that sequels do not have to suck either. This was a film that transcended so many things to tell a story that resonated with so many age groups on so many levels, which just like their track record is an amazing feat.

3. The Social Network – So they made a film about Facebook, and it was one of the best films of the year, who would have thought? I really enjoyed this film primarily because it has some of the best direction and dialog of any film this year.  Fincher and Sorkin showed us that even making something that to most would be a movie of the week, can be one of the best films of the year if you have the right people behind the camera.

2. Black Swan – Being a big horror fan Black Swan definitely has to be my number 2 this year. I was a huge fan of it when I got to see it at the Philadelphia Film Festival and I enjoyed it even more the second time around on its theatrical release. This film is a tremendous emotional and psychological journey that proved Natalie Portman is still one of the greatest leading ladies out there – no thanks to George Lucas.

1. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – I could have easily put Black Swan at the top of my list just like every other film critic, but I have to be honest here. This film was by far my favorite film of the year and while it may not be the best made or most prestigious, this is simply the film I will remember this year by.

It’s sad what happened to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World when it first came out, but it hasn’t even been a year and the film has already turned into a cult phenomenon and I am glad this film finally found its audience.

Now for some other Best of 2010s:

Best sequel that didn’t suck as bad as the last 3 before it surprisingly: Saw 3D – I really liked this film and quite honestly you really could just watch Saw 1,2 and 3D and you would have a pretty decent story.

Best  use of 3D in a film: Piranha 3D – In a film that was hard to believe it was a R rated film, Piranha really took 3D back to its campy roots and showed us some things that can never be unseen. I wont go into details but if you were lucky enough to catch this in theaters you know exactly what I am talking about.

Best title of a film in 2010: Big Tit Zombie 3D – God bless the Japanese! While the film itself was not the greatest thing I’ve seen, the title alone wrapped a line around 2 blocks at the North American premier of the film here in Philadelphia!

Worst Comic Book Film of the Year: Jonah Hex – Not even Megan Fox’s cleavage could save this film. This DOA film proved that short of the Batman franchise the DC universe has yet to have a real hit on their hands, who knows the Green Lantern could go either way.

Best Video Game Film of the Year: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – I still think this was a very fun film and holds up on repeated viewing.  I mean Jake Gyllenhaal and his “situation” tearing up the Persian Empire, you really can’t lose.

Worst Video Game Film of the Year: Tekken – Yes I saw it, and yes it was that bad. They will probably give it away with the next Tekken game, that is about the only way to get people excited about a film that rivals Street Fighter: the Legend of Chun Li in horribleness.

Worst film of the year PERIOD: Skyline – This abortion on celluloid is proof you can’t trust a trailer, I really think this film taught me a lesson; when even the principal actors involved haven’t seen the film a week before its release, that is a really bad sign.

The film that made the most fanboys cry in 2010: The Last Airbender – This is the film will forever go down as the film that was the straw that broke M. Night’s career. I still remember sitting in the Scott Pilgrim screening when the trailer for Devil came up and hearing most of the audience boo when they saw his name.

The Last Airbender was the film that raped one of the most beloved contemporary animated properties and then promised to be back for 2 more sequels. See you in 2012!

Best Blu-ray of 2010: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – This could honestly be the only Blu-ray I have purchased in the last 2 years where I feel pretty damn sure I wont have to buy it again in the next 6 months. This Blu-ray has everything a fan of the film could want and even more. From an alternate ending that is truly an alternate ending to some great documentaries that really captured the production process of this great film this is definitely the must have disc of the year.

Honorable Mention: Grindhouse: The Theatrical Cut - It’s great to FINALLY see this on Blu-ray only 3 years after it was released in Japan in a 6 disc DVD special edition. Now when are we getting Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair? I am crossing my fingers for 2013.

Worst Blu-ray Double Dip/Cash-in by a film of 2010: Avatar – Ok, so Fox releases a bare bones DVD and Blu-ray, that doesn’t even play in some people’s machines only to then re-release the film a few months later back into theaters as an extended edition with more footage.

After that only a few months later an even longer cut is released on DVD and Blu-ray so you have yet another version of the film you have to pay again to see.  I am not even going to touch on the exclusivity deal of the 3D version of Avatar that you have to buy a freakin TV to own, I will simply say this sucks Fox.

Best Film of 2010 Where a Japanese School Girl Battles with a Chainsaw that comes out of her rear end. Mutant Girl Squad.

Have a great 2011!