“Stutter Island”
Forbes.com’s Bill McCuddy has passed along his Top Ten of 2010:
10. True Grit –”I loved every slow, drawn-out, bourbon-infused, sepia-filled breath of this movie.”
9. The King’s Speech — “‘Stutter Island’ feels a little stuffy and claustrophobic in places because it’s basically a stage play, but a brilliant one because Colin Firth‘s “Bertie,” an heir to the throne who can’t rule a complete sentence, feels like the world is caving in on him.
8. Winters Bone — “Moral: If you’re going to make crystal meth, do it in the city. Not the country. The term dysfunctional family saw this movie and tweeted ‘WTF!?’”
7. Rabbit Hole — “Nicole Kidman found a grief stricken role that didn’t require her to wrinkle her forehead.”
6. Waiting For Superman — “The best documentary of the year because it turns into a taut thriller late in the second act.
5. Greenberg — “Why did everyone hate this? Because Ben Stiller is unlikable in the title role? Then explain The Social Network to me. Bonus: Costar Greta Gerwig is a real star in the making.”
4. The Social Network — “This year I discovered it’s possible to like a movie more than anyone in it. Like a party you go to and don’t really know anyone but still have a good time. David Fincher‘s obnoxious gala is one of the best rides of the year. And the Winklevii is a really good actor.”
3. The Ghost Writer — “I can watch Ewan McGregor in anything but this clever thriller has other great assets including the best non-Bond role of Pierce Brosnan‘s career.”
2. Black Swan — “I don’t often audibly gasp at the end of a movie. Natalie Portman gave the performance of the year in the dramatic movie of the year. But on this list, it wasn’t a drama that was my number one.
1. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World — “The most fun I had at the movies this year, period. Game over.”
LOVE this list and totally agree altho haven’t seen Winter’s Bone or Greenberg. Would put Toy Story 3 on this list.
Should I do it, or should I “save” it for someone else to do it? Choices.
“. . . including the best non-Bond role of Pierce Brosnan’s career.”
Wow, talking about a back-handed compliment.
Scott Pilgrim??? Jesus.
Social Network had better dialogue than Greenberg, for starts.
I liked Ghost Writer, particularly the last five minutes, but it’s three-star material.
Loved Scott Pilgrim. Not my #1, but more power to him.
Winter’s Bone’s John Hawkes is to now what Steve Buscemi was ten years ago. No matter what it is, if I hear he’s in it, I have to seek it out.
No love for The Human Centipede? WTF?
I was previously on Jeffrey’s side of the fence re: Winter’s Bone in that the movie became overpraised of late. But I’ve realized that “You’ve seen Jessop?” is the under-the-radar cinema quote of the year, and will be on t-shirts sold at Urban Outfitters 20 years from now. So there’s more going on that sticks with you besides Lawrence’s performance.
“Little Fockers” is better than “Scott Pilgrim.”
Who the hell wrote this? Henny Youngman?
Guessing that McCuddy has studied at the Gene Shalit School of You-Must-Entertain Film Reviewing.
Overall, not a bad list. While I wouldn’t necessarily put those films in that order, it’s a fairly broad and accurate list.
These are the most well-written reviews I’ve ever read from a twelve year old. I see great things in this kid’s future.
Ben, Henny Youngman is funny. Gabe, Bill McCuddy is 13.
I just watched Scott Pilgrim last night and although I wouldn’t personally make it my #1 I thought it was fantastic. It was the closest the Edgar Wright has come to the sensibility of SPACED in his feature films.
Glad to see it getting some top 10 love.
the #1 nod to Pilgrim is obviously because of its poor box office and an attempt to shine some light on it. the reasoning being, if people give it a chance, they’d come to enjoy it, ignoring the fact that its terrible. Its frustrating to see critics give this trite nonsense, Pilgrim, nods like this. Its an incredibly lame film and critics like Wells, that panned Pilgrim, gain credibility and critics that give it a pass, or worse, hype it up as some kind of “masterpiece” deserve open ridicule and mockery. Pilgirm is a shit film. End of story. This forbes guy is a hack. And should be fired immediately.
“Pilgirm is a shit film. End of story.”
How embarrassing for you. Too bad HE doesn’t have an edit function. If it did you could go back and change “story” to “opinion”.
Not embarrassing at all. Cuz I’m over here on this side of the fence, the side that intellectualizes and discusses serious films.. not on your side, which takes comic book garbage seriously.
Yes, your review of ‘Scott Pilgrim’ certainly makes you sound intellectual.
Scott Pilgrim, while far from the #1 film of the year, isn’t “a shit film.”
It’s an incredibly intelligent, well-written look at modern relationships between people in their early 20′s. It’s actually about something, describing something a lot of people can relate to. But I’m sure you would prefer wanking it to The King’s Speech, which is barely about anything, let alone anything new (oh, a man must overcome to realize his full potential, glad I haven’t seen a thousand movies like that before).
Why are critics so afraid of being entertained? Every movie either has to be a deadly serious drama or a slightly deadly serious drama. Anything fun and entertaining must not be too good, because us intellectual types can’t agree with those lowly plebeians, and if they enjoy it, we mustn’t. Life is too short to only want to see Biutful or Black Swan or The King’s Speech or Winter’s Bone every time you step into the theaters. Live life, relax, and have a bit of fun.
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No one is saying you can’t enjoy a crap film. By all means. If you want nerds glorifying your favorite nerd films read Drew McWeeny or Harry Knowles. Wells routinely lambasts comic book films and hypes up dramas, both hollywood and indie, so its kinda weird how nerds still show up here and expect his fans, i.e. serious filmgoers to be different. the reason you don’t understand why some people don’t waste time with garbage like Scott Pilgrim, is the reason why ur dumb. Stop asking me to explain why ur dumb and just stfu.
Wow, nightheat, for someone who considers himself an intelligent man, you sound like a 13 year old girl.