Best films of 2010

Darren Aronofsky is my favorite director, he always makes films that express the darkest side of the human nature. "Back Swan" is not the exception actually I would say that this is the darkest film he has done. Natalie Portman and Aronofsky are a perfect team, you can't imagine the movie's excelence without Portman's powerful performance, but you can't imagine Portman's bravura performance without Arronofsky's direction.

It is a powerfull hypnotic film that will keep you watching without being boring or grotesque(actually it is a very beautifull film). It is well written, beautifully shot, and it counts with some of the strongest performances of the year:Portman's Nina is creepy, obsesive and ,at the same time, kind of sweet;Barbara Hershey's overprotective mother is a scary and complex character; Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis make their characters(Nina's cause of obsession) interesting enough to go with Portman; and even Winona Ryder adds some memorable moments to the film with her little character.

The only defect that I found in this film is that the plot is kind of recycled from Aronofsky previous film "The Wrestler". It didn't bothered me at all, actualy I see this two films as the different side of the same coin. like Kiesowsky's trilogy, this two films together express the same topic from different angles of the society. An absolute masterpiece.

"The Social Network" is a film about life. I've talked to many people about it, and many of them didn't wanted to watch it because it was about Facebook. This movie IS NOT about facebook, it is about an ambitious man an extremely competitive world. It is about life nowdays, and that's precisely the reason why it is probably the most important and relevant film of the year. Everything in it is awesome, but not pretentious: The performances, the great screenplay, the direction, the score, etc.

There are films that are remembered because they represent an entire generation, this one is definetly one of those.

I'm a fan of British films. Actually, I ussually have at least one British film in my top 10. The british films about royalty are the best ones. They are funny, intriguing, elegant and lovable. "The King's Speech" is the best royal drama I've seen since "The Queen". It is perfectly acted by Colin Firth, who creates a character who is impossible not to love; Geoffrey Rush, who gives the funniest moments of the film; and Helena Bonham Carter, that allows us to connect with her character through her moving expressions and witty dialogs.

This movie is technically perfect and easy to love, and that's precisely it's greatest flaw. Sometimes it feels like you are watching a predictable easy film that never asks difficult questions. It goes always trough safe territory, it never takes risks. That was the problem for some people who watched this film, but in my opinion, if a film is well made and perfect in every single technical aspect, it is an awesome powerfull film.

This is a movie that broke every single concept I had about dreams, and it also broke every single concept I had about science fiction. This is a movie taht proves(like Avatar and Starwars) that a scify film can be intelligent and well acted. I won't talk a lot about this film because it would ruin it, all I've to say is that if you love Christopher Nolan's films, you will love this one.

I must add that Marion Cotillard gives one of the best and most overlooked performances of the year. Since her Oscar winning film "La vie en rose", all her later films have not been considered for the Oscar, wich is shameful.

I saw this film with low expectations. At the begining it was extremely slow and kind of boring. However, by the time the film finishes, the viewer is so inmersed in it, that it's impossible not to want to watch it over and over again. Everything in this film is wonderful, specially the acting. Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan are absolutely perfect in their roles, giving to the movie the tension it needs. Kim Cattrall gives a surprisingly fine performance, adding elegance and mystery to the film. But the best of them all is Olivia Williams as a wife witha lotmany secrets and who lives in a world of liers.

I undestand why a lot of people have compared this movie to Hitchcock's greatest films. This is one of the best realistic thrillers I've ever seen. The ending may be quite fast compared with the rest of the film for some people. But for me it worked perfectly, it gives the viewer a shocking impression that is difficult to forget.

I was surprised, and I think everyone was, when the Academy decided to prise this film over other stronger and more known european competitors. I think they were right. The secret in their eyes is one of those rare films that keeps the viewer hypnotised till the end, and the handles a totally unpredictable and surprisingly comprensible plot.

Other thing I love about this film is that you are able to know Argentinan culture and ,at the same time, you can follow the film without getting lost in traditions or cultural aspects( a thing that didn't happen in "La teta asustada", which counted with too much cultural details to be understood by anyone who is not familiarised with indian culture in Southamerica).

A really moving and short drama. "127 hours" depends completely on James Franco powerful performance and on Danny Boyle's tipical direction. It is shocking without being painful to watch, something trully dificult nowadays.

The best movie of the Toy Story trilogy, this movie shows the perfect balance between comedy and drama. It would have probably worked better in the year 2011, which was a nostalgia year, but it is such a great film that it is going to be remembered for a long time, no matters its year. It is kind of sad having to say goodbye to Woody and all his friends; we have grown up with them and, just as Andy, we are not ready to let them go.

Thanks to its great cast and direction, "The Fighter" saves from being the typical inspirational story. The movie focuses more on the relationship between Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a real life fighter who fought against adversities to reach success, and his brother (Christian Bale), his mother (Melissa Leo) and his girlfriend (Amy Adams), than in Ward's story itself. Wahlberg was the only member of the cast that wasn't nominated to an Academy Award; and I think it is because his performance is not showy. He allows Bale, Adams and Leo to give all from themselves, to be the center of the show, while he seems less interested in shine. The movie works perfectly in that way and I think this is one of the best ensemble works I've ever seen.

¿Can a supporting female character be the heart and soul of a male centered crime drama? Even when it sounds contradictory, that's the case of "Animal Kingdom". I liked Leo and Adams in "The Fighter", but it was Jacki Weaver the one who deserved the Oscar. She is one of the most sick and evil mothers I've seen in a film, but she allows us to understand her. Letting Weaver's performance aside, the movie is still an interesting drama, and it is a pity that not many people actually saw it. If it would have been an American film, it would have received more attention.

Since she won an Oscar for "The Hours", Nicole Kidman dedicated to do a lot of disappointing films. I began to wonder if she would give an Oscar nominated performance again. Then she brought "Rabbit Hole" and there is no doubt that she is still one of the best actresses ever. She shows us the pain and difficulties of losing a son. This movie is a deep character study, never too painful or showy (as Arronofky's films), but quite realistic and powerful. Another film that didn't receive the attention it deserved.

"Un Prophet" is one of those movies where you get a totally realistic environment. Despite it is a thriller, it is completely different to American ones, which is actually quite refreshing. The most interesting thing about this movie is how easily you get involved in the criminal world it shows. The main character will always be a mystery for us, but he is never a distant one. We feel sympathy for him, even when we can't understand him completely.

This was a great year for animated films. It is actually the first time that I agree with the entire list of animated film nominees. "How to train your dragon" is not only entertaining, but also deep and inspirational. The friendship between the boy and his dragon evolves slowly, and that makes the entire experience more realistic. Animated movies nowadays usually make the friendship just appear, without any character development or realism in it. How to train your dragon is a very special film that never analyzes anything in a superficial way.

As you might have guessed, I love films who are totally realistic, without anything false in them. If there is a director that can capture the essence of everyday life is Mike Leigh. His characters can't be more realistic, they are never glamorized or exceptional people, they are just real people in real world, living their perfectly normal lives. Lesley Manville gives the best performance in the movie. She plays a lonely alcoholic woman who searches for happiness and love, but who has a self-destructive tendency. She is alone, she never fits in and, once the movie is over, we get the impression that it is always going to be in that way.