Monday, January 24, 2011

Priest's Top Ten

1. Social Network
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
3. Inception
4. True Grit
5. The Fighter
6. Let Me In
7. Toy Story 3
8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
9. The American
10. Exit Through the Gift Shop

2, 3, and 4 are pretty much interchangeable. I haven't seen Winter's Bone, 127 Hours, Blue Valentine, or The King's Speech. I did see Black Swan, but just can't get behind it. Maybe another viewing. It was an odd year for movies, to be sure, but I did really enjoy every film on this list, so the year was by no means bereft of good movies. Also, while I don't normally compose a list of favorite performances, Jon Malkovich in Red is my favorite of this year.
And here is the rest of it.

4 comments:

Doctor said...

I think I've postponed your #8 long enough and will check it out later this week (Netflix Instant). Your #9 should be in my mailbox tomorrow. I don't like being patronized so your #10 left me bitter. We don't know if Banksy was fooling us, art enthusiasts, both, or neither. And I don't care. I do have it at a B given the fascinating graffiti footage and the points it scores for originality.

Pilgrim got better the second time through, seeing the fights more as daydreams and mental obstacles to overcome. In a way, it's just as representative of its generation as The Social Network. (Our generation is more Let Me In).

Lawyer said...

Criminal omission of Black Swan. Inception, for me, didn't have the gravitas and is more of a showpiece (and a lot of scifi that doesn't engage me). TS3 is overrated.

Doctor said...

By the way, Priest, since I love every frame of The Social Network, I'm surprised you haven't made me eat some White Stripes crow since Ball and Biscuit is heard before the movie really starts.

Priest said...

that is a criminal oversight on my part (the white stripes). ball and biscuit is probably my favorite song of theirs. counselor, i'm sorry, but the black swan just left me cold. perhaps i'm being obstinate. it would be in the next five should i have made one. i don't think banksy is screwing with us. mr. brainwash really did have a show in LA, it really was on the cover of los angeles magazines, and he really did do Madonna's cover work for her celebration album. even if he is screwing with us some, he's deconstructing the street artist movement that he largely brought to the forefront. it has at least as much historical veracity as the social network.