I have a lot going on in my head and in my heart today. Writing helps me cope. I have things I want to write about my dad, but now isn't the time. Right now I want to write about something else, just a small break from reality.
Movies are a big part of my life. Meg and I watch a lot of movies with the girls, and I have to say, some of the best movies being made nowadays are the "kid" movies. Meg and I watch a lot of movies after the kids go to bed, and when we do go out, it's usually dinner and a movie. I find it hard to go to sleep on the weekends, and I watch a lot of movies after Meg has gone to bed, usually bits and pieces as I surf channels. Being the dork I am, I actually keep track of how many movies I watch each year. This year I've seen 71 movies, which is down a bit from last year. I only keep track of movies I watch from start to finish. Unlike my top ten books, I've only included movies that were released this year. There are some movies I haven't seen yet that I'm sure would make the list (True Grit, I'm looking at you), but whattayagonnado.
10. Date Night: Meg and I had heard this wasn't very good, but we gave it a chance becasue we love Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. Maybe we were just in the right mood, but we laughed a lot.
9. The Ghost Writer: I know Roman Polanski is a scumbag, but I really enjoyed this movie. The story unravels much slower than your standard thriller, but I found myself enjoying the slower pace.
8. Green Zone: This is an action movie with a poitical tilt. Matt Damon is great as a solider looking for WMDs in Iraq.
7. Despicable Me: Here's one of those "kid" movies. An evil genius is transformed by three little girls. This movie is very funny, and like many of the best animated movies these days, surprisingly moving in spots.
6. Winter's Bone: The first word that comes to mind with this movie: stark. It's the story of a young girl trying to save her family home in the Ozark Mountains. It's a bleak world to be sure, but it feels authentic. It's always good to see a strong female character.
5. The Kids Are All Right: This is the story of two gay women raising a family. The issues they face may be unique to their situation, but as we watch this family struggle, we realize all families have one thing in common: love.
4. The Town: Ben Affleck is becoiming quite the director. I loved Gone Baby Gone a few years ago, and this one is great too. Bank robbery, lots of swearing in Boston accents, what's not to love.
3. Toy Story 3: Another gem from Pixar. This movie is a rollicking good time, but let me tell ya, the ending is a tear-jerker.
2. the social network: David Fincher is a great director, and his masterful telling of the facebook story is mesmerizing.
1. Inception: For me, it doesn't get any better than this. Christopher Nolan has created an action movie that refuses to dumb itself down. The special effects are stunning and the acting is top-notch. Like all great movies, this is one you think and talk about long after you've seen it.
I'd love to hear what other people enjoyed watching this year in the comments, maybe some movies to watch in 2011. Your top movie, top 3, 5, 10, whatever works for you.
I'm too dull and too cheap to go to the movies very often so everything I watch already happened. Last night I watched Boondock Saints (which I really like...I think I might have been a violent person in a past life) and From Dusk Til Dawn (which I found cheesy and predictable...I like cheesy but I despise predictable)
ReplyDeleteI do plan to see True Grit since I loved the first one although I never read the book and would like to do that soon also. I promised my husband we would go see Tron and I will be the first in line to see the Stephanie Plum novel as it comes to the big screen.
As the mother of a college freshman (my eldest), I cried buckets during Toy Story 3. We saw it right before she left for college. Because of that, it would be #1 on my list this year.
ReplyDeleteI, too, had heard the Date Night wasn't good. But on a return flight from Munich as I was waiting for the lavatory to become vacant, the man in the last row was laughing his head off. I looked on the screen and recognized Tina Fey and Steve Carrell and knew it was Date Night. Needless to say, I queued it up when I got back to my seat and laughed my head off just like the guy in the back row.
I watched probably half of Ghost Writer on a plane and then it landed! I still have to watch the rest. I loved what I saw.
ReplyDeleteI didn't read your description of Inception because I want to see it with knowing as little as possible about it!
I haven't watched any of these, but a few are on my list.
ReplyDeleteLeaving for South Africa on Wednesday so will check the movie options on the plane.
I have neglected movies for a while due to losing the Netflix movie for some time. However, the Blind Side has just arrived so we'll get to find out if it's over-hyped.
ReplyDeleteInception was my #1 too!
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of your choices especially The Social Network & Bone. And yeah, my wife and I laughed at Date Night too. I really enjoyed Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, the best film version of the books so far IMO. And one more: Easy A, my teens and I liked this satire. But lastly, I can't wait to see 127 Hours. (True Grit too.)
Everything is DVD for us in our movie cave... so my list will be six months delayed. Just kidding... I have to admit I found "Green Zone" to be slow and preachy, Date Night deplorable, and Annette B's turn in The Kids Are All Right only fair. Now that we've squared off, you can tell me what you think of some of my favorites (some may date back a few years, I tend to come late to parties as well).
ReplyDelete"Kinky Boots"... a lovely cross-dressing English tale
"The Fog of War"... a riveting documentary... could have been subtitled "The World According to Robert S. McNamara" the film is difficult to start, but harder to stop.
"Tyson"... a must see (and enjoyable) lesson in ego control.
"The Good, the Bad, the Weird"... ouch
"Cemetery Junction"... predictable drivel, utterly enchanting. Emily Watson is divine.
"Away We Go"... nice.
"Kick Ass"... a two hour jaw drop.
I have yet to see "True Grit", "Inception", and "The Social Network". I'm hoping for good things.
Nari: With you on Dusk Til Dawn. Hope you enjoy Tron-it's got Jeff Bridges, so how bad could it be?
ReplyDeleteGW: If my girls were the same age as your daughter, I think TS3 would be my number 1 too.
Yat-Yee: You're right about going into Inception with no preconceptions-should make the experience all the better.
Nubian: Have a great time in SA!
David: I enjoyed The Blind Side-mostly because the story is compelling to a football junkie like myself.
dbs: Thanks for the Easy A suggestion-I think we'll make that our next movie. Looking forward to 127 Hours as well.
Munk: Spicing things up in the comment section-nice! I haven't seen most of the movies you mentioned, but I did see Away We Go and Kick-Ass. Love them both. Got my wife AWG last Christmas and Kick-Ass was my last cut for the list.
Inception was easily my favorite movie of 2010. And Toy Story 3 might be second. I'd have to think about it. I haven't seen Social Network or The Town but they are definitley on my list. I love movies, but there is no way I could do 71 a year. You sir are a tru movie buff.
ReplyDelete