Oh hey it's films of 2010
Since everyone is doing these, why not. Nothing particularly stood out for me as the "best" film, I didn't see anything I considered amazing as it ended. I did see many good and entertaining ones, so I guess I'll do favourite films in no particular order.
Rare Exports
Frightening, weird, hilarious. Helander's first feature-length is awesome. Dialogue didn't quite have the bite of Ukkonen, but still wonderful stuff, and I hope he gets funding for another film soon.
Inception
It was wholly entertaining and visually impressive. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out to be "just" an action movie with nothing else to it, and the snowy military base thing was far sillier than it needed to be, but it was still a great ride.
Miesten Vuoro (Steam of Life)
A documentary about finnish men and the myth that a finnish man doesn't talk. In the sauna, you wash off your dirt, heal your mind and maybe open a few old wounds you didn't want to. Affecting, beautifully shot and paced. Best bear ever.
Toy Story 3
Not my favourite Pixar movie, but possibly my favourite Toy Story. Very funny, very entertaining, visually wonderful.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
I did a rant on this and I still stand by it. I like the movie, I love the comic. But the movie is still wonderfully entertaining and visually astounding, with a fantastic soundtrack. Fuck Ellen Wong's wig, tho.
These were actually made in 2009, but they never came out over here at the time, so I count them since I saw them all in september this year:
Ondine
"Anything strange and wonderful?"
A dark (half) fairytale about a fisherman who finds a woman in the ocean and starts to think she might be a selke, a sort of water nymph. Fairly grim and depressing at times, but Neil Jordan walks a fine tightrope of something horrifying and beautiful.
Accident
Wonderfully shot and composed thriller revolving around a group of assassins who make their murders look like common (if unusual) accidents. Paranoia and isolation handled expertly.
Evangelion 2.0 - You Can (Not) Advance
Haters gonna hate. Evangelion is still as powerful as ever and 2.0 is even more visually astounding as 1.0. Massive fights, great new scenes and story elements, maximum Anno troll twist at the end. High hopes for 3.0.
Summer Wars
Probably my favourite film at the Love & Anarchy festival, and personal favourite film I saw last year. Certainly not as close to perfection as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, but it's a beautifully animated, wonderfully bizarre and warm tale of family ties and virtual reality.
The Illusionist
More depressing than I was hoping, but another wonderful Chomet animation. A beautiful animated take on an unfinished Jacques Tati script about a magician, it's bittersweet stuff with a superb soundtrack.
Rare Exports
Frightening, weird, hilarious. Helander's first feature-length is awesome. Dialogue didn't quite have the bite of Ukkonen, but still wonderful stuff, and I hope he gets funding for another film soon.
Inception
It was wholly entertaining and visually impressive. I was a bit disappointed when it turned out to be "just" an action movie with nothing else to it, and the snowy military base thing was far sillier than it needed to be, but it was still a great ride.
Miesten Vuoro (Steam of Life)
A documentary about finnish men and the myth that a finnish man doesn't talk. In the sauna, you wash off your dirt, heal your mind and maybe open a few old wounds you didn't want to. Affecting, beautifully shot and paced. Best bear ever.
Toy Story 3
Not my favourite Pixar movie, but possibly my favourite Toy Story. Very funny, very entertaining, visually wonderful.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
I did a rant on this and I still stand by it. I like the movie, I love the comic. But the movie is still wonderfully entertaining and visually astounding, with a fantastic soundtrack. Fuck Ellen Wong's wig, tho.
These were actually made in 2009, but they never came out over here at the time, so I count them since I saw them all in september this year:
Ondine
"Anything strange and wonderful?"
A dark (half) fairytale about a fisherman who finds a woman in the ocean and starts to think she might be a selke, a sort of water nymph. Fairly grim and depressing at times, but Neil Jordan walks a fine tightrope of something horrifying and beautiful.
Accident
Wonderfully shot and composed thriller revolving around a group of assassins who make their murders look like common (if unusual) accidents. Paranoia and isolation handled expertly.
Evangelion 2.0 - You Can (Not) Advance
Haters gonna hate. Evangelion is still as powerful as ever and 2.0 is even more visually astounding as 1.0. Massive fights, great new scenes and story elements, maximum Anno troll twist at the end. High hopes for 3.0.
Summer Wars
Probably my favourite film at the Love & Anarchy festival, and personal favourite film I saw last year. Certainly not as close to perfection as The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, but it's a beautifully animated, wonderfully bizarre and warm tale of family ties and virtual reality.
The Illusionist
More depressing than I was hoping, but another wonderful Chomet animation. A beautiful animated take on an unfinished Jacques Tati script about a magician, it's bittersweet stuff with a superb soundtrack.