Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Awards Seasoning



A return to the blog for 2011 - and it's my favourite time of year for film.

The January/February run of awards junkets always result in a flurry of 'worthy' movies hitting UK cinemas early in the calendar, and although it's a tall order for even film buffs like myself to see all the contenders on the big screen (don't download kids!), I like to think I do pretty well.

One thing I'm not so keen on in televised coverage of these ceremonies: the Red Carpet. Why anyone would want to watch an hour's worth of Angela Griffin or Fearne Cotton or similar non-entity desperately jockeying for banal interviews in which orange celebrities name-check dress designers and back-slap their mates, all peppered with annoying shouty adverts every five minutes, is beyond me.

Anyway, awards season is really all about making lists. I love lists, although I know that for many people they cause furious outpourings of indignation. Woe betide the list-maker who omits something that one reader loves ("HOW CAN YOU LEAVE OUT VANILLA SKY?" etc) or has included a personal choice that another reader takes exception to ("I THINK YOU'LL FIND VANILLA SKY IS SHIT." etc).
In my opinion, lists are great for making new discoveries, being reminded of how great a forgotten favourite is, and getting a little insight into people via their choices. And if there's an inclusion or omission I disagree with, I politely offer it up or leave it be. Share and suggest, but don't snipe. I'm going to try to list more on this blog this year, starting with a year-by-year idea given to my mate Martin of Corner Tees fame.

Here are my 10 favourite films of 2010 that I've seen to date and are contenders for the current awards season (best to be clear on these parameters; might prevent a furious outpouring or two). I'm not ranking these in any order, other than alphabetical. Follow the links to see what I tweeted or blogged about the movie at the time.

Animal Kingdom - violent Aussie crime thriller with stand-out Jackie Weaver performance.



Another Year - Mike Leigh melodrama full of emotional contrasts; Lesley Manville marvellous.



Inception (review) - superior action movie with added brain training lifts this above the norm.



Kick-Ass (review) - the superhero genre given (apologies) a much-needed kick up the ass.



The Kids Are All Right - sensitive comedy which just happens to be by, for and about liberals.



The King's Speech - expertly-acted royal drama where glottal stop issues add to sense of period.



Never Let Me Go - Garfield's best performance of the year in heartbreaking Ishiguro adaptation.



The Secret In Their Eyes (2010 Oscar winner, but eligible for 2011 Baftas) - thought-provoking Argentinian thriller, containing several stunning scenes which resonate long after closing credits.



The Social Network - minimal Fincher flash but it's a modern tale for modern times, and it's expertly told.



Toy Story 3 - witty, wise, Woody, Buzz and one of cinema's great villains - Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear. Impossible to fault.



I should point out that I'm yet to see * the following movies - many of which are awards contenders - but will hopefully be doing so soon:

127 Hours, The American, Black Swan, Blue Valentine, Carlos, Chico and Rita, The Ghost, House of the Devil, I Am Love, I Love You Phillip Morris, The Illusionist, Iron Man 2, The Killer Inside Me, Let Me In, Made In Dagenham, Of Gods And Men, Ponyo, Somewhere, The Town, True Grit, Whip It, Winter's Bone. Any I've missed?


* Have since seen The Fighter and Black Swan... both excellent...

And here's the other films I saw in 2010, many of which won awards last year so I haven't considered those particular movies for my main list. Follow the links for my tweets or reviews of each, where available.

A ProphetA Single ManBad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New OrleansThe Blind Side (review), Clash of the Titans, Crazy Heart, Date NightExit Through the Gift ShopFour Lions, Gainsbourg, The Girl Who Played With FireThe Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Green ZoneThe Headless Woman, Invictus, The Karate Kid, Monsters, Mugabe and the White African,  Mr Nice, Precious, Scott Pilgrim versus The WorldRare ExportsShutter IslandUp in the AirThe White RibbonThe Wolfman (review).

Finally, here's some of the films I'm looking forward to most in 2011...

January: Black Swan, Barney's Version, Biutiful
February: The Fighter, Brighton Rock, Rabbit Hole, True Grit, Paul
March: The Lincoln Lawyer, Submarine, Country Strong, The Adjustment Bureau, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, The Company Men, Fair Game
April: Sucker Punch, Thor, Hanna, Source Code
May: The Hangover Part II, The Tree Of Life
June: The Green Lantern, X Men: First Class
July: Captain America
August: Cowboys and Aliens, Super 8
September: We Need To Talk About Kevin, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, One Day, War Horse, A Dangerous Method
October: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, The Woman In Black
November: Moneyball
December: Hugo Cabret, Sherlock Holmes 2, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (remake)

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