The best and worst of movies in 2010
This passing year saw worthy remakes (“True Grit”) and unworthy retakes (“Nightmare on Elm Street”). It saw major talents plunge to career lows, including Kevin Smith (“Cop Out”) and Jackie Chan (“The Spy Next Door”). 3-D pictures didn't get any help with the releases of “The Last Airbender,” “Gulliver's Travels” and “The Nutcracker.”
But 2010 did see some of the best acting (especially in women's roles) in recent memory, plus a return to daring, high-quality movie making.
Here, then, are some inklings of thoughts as we bid adieu to 2010.
Worst movie of 2010: Give this title of shame to “Standing Ovation,” a tweener musical produced by none other than actor James Brolin, aka Barbra Streisand's main squeeze.
“Standing Ovation” is a spiritually bankrupt, morally skewed, ethically unhinged and emotionally vacant musical comedy about a group of tweenies who can't act, sing or convincingly lip-sync.
Oh, still not convinced?
The movie also traffics in gay stereotypes and token black characters. It advocates cheating. It condones revenge. It pushes the idea that money not only can buy happiness, money is happiness.
Jack Abramoff might like it.
Spoiler Alert Award: Given to the studio that ruins its own feature film by revealing narrative twists and surprises in its theatrical trailers and TV commercials.
• Winner: The Weinstein Company for spoiling the “shocking, surprise” final shot of its zany ode to cheesy 3-D monster movies “Piranha 3-D.”
• Runner-Up: Universal Pictures for revealing that Betty White would be a surprise character in the last scene of the comedy “You Again.”
Best Actor: Colin Firth as King George VI in “The King's Speech.” Everybody loves this performance, and it's easy to see why.
Firth lets the pain and suffering and insecurity of his lifetime as a stutterer bleed through his mustered mantle of royal unflappability.
In a year of strong actors linked with excellent roles, Firth's portrait of a king who rose to his occasion stands head and shoulders above the others.
Best Actress: Natalie Portman in “Black Swan.” Not only did the former Queen Amidala train for her role as a ballerina for the better part of a year, Portman brings the drive, the insecurity and the subtle touch of madness to Nina, who has enough mommy issues, sexual issues, body issues and intimacy issues to keep a hospital of shrinks busy 24/7.
Supporting Actress: Amy Adams as Mark Wahlberg's spitfire bartender girlfriend in “The Fighter.”
Adams, usually associated with light rom-coms, packed on a few pounds and whole lot of attitude to transform herself into a blue-collar character who's not afraid to punch someone's lights out, if warranted.
The scene where Adams takes on her ruthlessly protective potential mother-in-law (Melissa Leo, another strong contender for best supporting actress) plus Wahlberg's seven harpy-like sisters is a showdown as big and impressive as “Gunfight at the OK Corral.”
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, whose portrait of an emaciated, drug-addicted boxer in “The Fighter” can't be matched by another supporting actor this year. Bale dropped major poundage, balded up his head and wore decaying addict's teeth to create a character so convincing and real, you forget Christian Bale exists.
Most Memorable Movie Moment: I've already talked about that one, the near-death experience in “Toy Story 3.”
Ah, but the second most memorable moment comes from moviemaker Frank Darabont's made for AMC TV series “The Walking Dead.” It's in the opening segment when cop Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) becomes trapped under an army tank. As the cannibalistic zombies close in on him from all sides, Grimes puts his .357 magnum to his temple, cocks the hammer, says he's sorry to his wife and son, and ...
Hey, did you think I would spoil it? Yes, I know “Walking Dead” isn't a theatrical movie. Fire me.
Movie Car of the Year: The Toyota Prius.
This perky sign-of-the-times hybrid automobile has become a darling of the movie medium, popping up in all sorts of genres. It has been the target of jokes. (Mark Wahlberg issues a running assault of Will Ferrell's manhood for driving a Prius in “The Other Guys.”) It's been a character-telling trait. (“What kind of criminal drives a Prius?” a cop wonders in “The Next Three Days.”) And it's become a car of choice for fuel-conscious protagonists in general.
Special Award of Merit: For the movie that places quality above fads and quickie fixes. The winner: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1,” for abandoning plans to have its footage converted into 3-D. The production didn't have the time to do the conversion properly, so it cut its losses (some of the film had already been converted) and went to market in 2-D.
“Part 1” has earned upward of $270 million so far. Good call, Warner Bros.!
Variety's Top 10 Highest Grossing Movies of 2010:
1) “Avatar”
2) “Toy Story 3”
3) “Alice in Wonderland”
4) “Iron Man 2”
5) “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
6) “Inception”
7) “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”
8) “Despicable Me”
9) “Shrek Forever After”
10) “How to Train Your Dragon”
Special note: To my fans who told me that I would soon be humbled by all the awards and recognitions that would be bestowed upon “Secretariat” — one of the great sports movies of all time, as they said. Then I would see that my negative review of the film's formula script and hammy acting was way wrong.In the immortal words of Dirty Harry Callahan, #8220;That's not going to happen.#8221;=briefhead>Woody Allen toasted>/h3>Join me and James Bond novelist Raymond Benson as Dann Raymond's Movie Club celebrates the films of Wood Allen with clips from movies such as #8220;Annie Hall,#8221; #8220;Hannah and Her Sisters,#8221; #8220;Manhattan#8221; and many others. Free admission, too! It takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Schaumburg Township DIstrict Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg. Go to stdl.info or call (847) 985-4000 for details.ENT27002016Warner Bros. wisely pulled back on plans to convert Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 into 3-D. ENT