Top films of 2010

The Daily’s Life & Arts staff voted on the best films of 2010. Some expected contenders for the list, including “Black Swan” and “True Grit” had not been screened in Oklahoma by press time, which accounts for their absence.

“The Social Network” directed by David Fincher
Fincher’s classically edited and paced film hums along like a well-oiled machine. Propelled by Aaron Sorkin’s tight-as-a-drum script, “The Social Network” excels as both a courtroom drama examining the legal shenanigans behind Facebook’s creation and as a character study of creator Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). Eisenberg captures the sly, passive-aggressive nature of the character with a shifting eye and a set jaw, and he creates a Zuckerberg that is wholly unsympathetic, yet oddly appealing.

— Dusty Somers, journalism senior

“Never Let Me Go” directed by Mark Romanek
“Never Let Me Go” is a beautiful, haunting and spellbinding drama. The film tells the story of Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley) and Tommy (Andrew Garfield), students living in a seemingly tranquil boarding school that curiously conceals the disquieting truth of their existence. Romanek brilliantly adapts author Kazuo Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel of the same name, wringing out the concentrated emotions, demonstrating the story’s timely relevance and showcasing a cast with strong Oscar prospects.

— Laron Chapman, film and video studies junior

“Inception” directed by Christopher Nolan
As this year concludes, it is difficult to think of a more exciting, dazzling entertainment than Nolan’s sci-fi thriller “Inception.” Innovative, intelligent and gloriously deranged, “Inception” is arguably Nolan’s masterpiece. He takes an intriguing premise about the physical intrusion of the subconscious and injects it with mystery and intrigue, steady pacing and stunning special effects. The film truly is the stuff dreams are made of. — LC

“Toy Story 3” directed by Lee Unkrich
“Toy Story 3” proves that sequels can be every bit as imaginative, moving and humorous as their ground breaking predecessors. Woody, Buzz, Slinky and the rest of gang returned for another thrilling adventure, with danger, heartbreak and romance lurking at every corner. With the introduction of some colorful new characters (including Barbie and Ken themselves), clever writing and eye-popping visuals, it’s sure to be a front-runner in this year’s Oscar race for best animated film. — LC

“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” directed by Edgar Wright
Wright directs a film that is as formally inventive as it is breathlessly entertaining, cementing his reputation as perhaps the smartest comedic director working today. Following the tradition of simultaneously embracing and deconstructing genre conventions that he displayed in “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” Wright takes on the worlds of comic books, video games and garage music in “Scott Pilgrim,” and succeeds with visual gags both broad and esoteric. — DS

“The Kids Are All Right” directed by Lisa Cholodenko
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are in prime Oscar-caliber form in Cholodenko’s heartfelt “The Kids Are All Right.” They play a lesbian couple forced to embrace their children’s desire and curiosity to find their estranged, sperm donor father. The film paints an honest portrait of the modern American family, while remaining consistently intelligent, entertaining and hilarious. The film examines the importance of family, no matter how eccentric one’s might be. — LC

“Greenberg” directed by Noah Baumbach
Baumbach has the conviction to create thoroughly unlikable characters, and Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is one miserable asshole. Rather than allowing for a script that constantly reminds viewers that Greenberg really means well despite his misanthropy, Baumbach opts for unblinking unpleasantness. The result is a masterful black comedy, imbued with an effective emotional core by Florence (Greta Gerwig in the best female performance of the year), the woman unfortunate enough to care about Greenberg. — DS

“Mother and Child” directed by Rodrigo García
“Mother and Child” is a harmonious marriage of strong writing, directing and acting. The film follows the lives of three extraordinary mothers suffering from loss and abandonment whose lives intersect in interesting and heartbreaking ways. Absorbingly acted and flawlessly executed, “Mother and Child” touches the heart and the mind, while exposing the painful abyss of regret and the underlying human need for connection. — LC

“Red Riding Trilogy” directed by Julian Jarrold, James Marsh and Anand Tucker
A sprawling, dense trilogy of neo-noir crime films, the three “Red Riding” films were created for British television in 2009 and released theatrically in the U.S. earlier this year. The three films coalesce to create a magnum opus of corruption, plunging viewers into the dirty dealings that accompany a serial killer investigation. The series never coughs up an easy answer and constantly forces viewers to reevaluate the individual morality of any given character. — DS

“Wild Grass” directed by Alain Resnais
A fever dream of a romantic comedy, “Wild Grass” tramples and upends familiar cinematic conventions at every turn. French New Wave master Resnais, now 88 years old, creates a gleefully bizarre and subversive film as he tells the story of the unlikely relationship between a pilot (Sabine Azema) and the unstable man (André Dussollier) who earnestly pursues her. This is exhilarating and disconcerting filmmaking. — DS

The rest of the best

11. “127 Hours” directed by Danny Boyle
12. “I Am Love” directed by Luca Guadagnino
13. “Winter’s Bone” directed by Debra Granik
14. “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg
15. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1” directed by David Yates
16. “Around a Small Mountain” directed by Jacques Rivette
17. “Shutter Island” directed by Martin Scorsese
18. “Easy A” directed by Will Gluck
19. “Hereafter” directed by Clint Eastwood
20. “Exit Through the Gift Shop” directed by Banksy
21. “The American” directed by Anton Corbijn
22. “How to Train Your Dragon” directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders
23. “Let Me In” directed by Matt Reeves
24. “Mademoiselle Chambon” directed by Stéphane Brizé
25. “Catfish” directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman

Laron Chapman

Laron is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as Staff Writer and Life & Arts Reporter.

Dusty Somers

Dusty is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as Staff Writer, Staff Writer and LIfe & Arts Editor .