The Best Films of Spring 2010
Yeah, so finally some A-grade films in 2010. Only four though, which is perhaps a bit depressing.
Some of these will probably be pretty controversial choices, but I stand by them, particularly my choice for #1, which will probably remain on the top ten for the entire year. Here we have a wide array of five exceptional films that I’ll be buying once their DVD’s roll around.
Honorable mention: Date Night
5. Edge of Darkness
While not a perfect film, Martin Campbell’s powerful thriller from way back in January is the year’s best adult-targeted slow-burn (even better than Scorsese’s mild letdown “Shutter Island” and certainly far more thrilling than Paul Greengrass’s confused “Green Zone”). Mel Gibson gave a searing performance of both grit and heart as a man simply trying to get to the bottom of his estranged, but beloved, daughter’s murder. The direction by Campbell was visceral and hugely appealing and the writing by Scorsese veteran William Monahan dug deeply into the Gibson’s character and his psyche for a good two-thirds of the film. The last act reverts to revenge thriller cliches, but is hugely entertaining still.
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Take a moment to remember what 5th grade felt like: “cooties” were the strange disease that girls give boys when they touch each other, those first little crushes happen, friendships fade in and out due to rivalries and misunderstandings, and life itself is basically a huge cesspool of confusion. All of it is capture in Thor Freudenthal’s savvy and intelligent “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the first adaptation in a planned series of five about a young boy caught in the middle of 5th grade. Freudenthal cut his teeth on the inoffensively average “Hotel for Dogs,” which had the makings of a soon-to-be-cult-classic but dwelled too much on the scatological and not enough on the kids. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” luckily doesn’t fall into that trap, and develops one of the most likable children of the last few years.
3. Kick-Ass
A knowledgeable and thrilling satire of the superhero genre, “Kick-Ass” features some of 2010′s most spot-on writing and direction, and even if it feels derivative of the plot trajectory of “Spider-Man,” perhaps that’s the point. At the center of “Kick-Ass” is the hugely capable Aaron Johnson, fleshing out our title hero’s alter ego Dave Lizewski into multiple dimensions. Christopher Mintz-Plasse and a brilliant Nicolas Cage support Johnson well, but it’s little Chloe Grace Moretz, killing grown men and cussing like a sailor all the way through, that becomes the life-blood of the film; hers is a ballsy, one-of-a-kind, lightning-in-a-bottle performance. To describe it properly in one phrase, here goes: It’s as if Quentin Tarantino and Judd Apatow made “Spider-Man” and sprinkled a little bit of Christopher Nolan’s haunting “The Dark Knight” for good measure.
2. How to Train Your Dragon
The story has indeed been done before, most recently in last year’s box office phenomenon “Avatar.” But “How to Train Your Dragon” is a refreshing and riveting retelling of the same plot thread: an outcast proves that a persecuted species is much gentler and more humane than its attackers realize and sets out to prove this. The animation is stunning, the voice acting is assured and memorable, and the result is destined to be a new classic of the genre. The most astounding aspect, however, is how utterly involving it all is. After the increasingly milder success of the likes of “Kung Fu Panda” and “Monsters vs. Aliens,” as well as the failures of “Madagascar” and “Shrek the Third,” the studio has reached a new height of brilliance that they haven’t quite reached since the heyday of “Shrek 2″ in 2004. In a word: wondrous.
1. Remember Me
Yeah, I said it. I’m on the bandwagon of Robert Pattinson’s fans, simply because he plays Edward Cullen of the “Twilight” films with the correct amount of stilted aplomb and reserved swagger, but his breakthrough role as Tyler Hawkins in “Remember Me,” from director Allen Coulter (whose “Hollywoodland” was an overwrought mess), will silence Pattinson’s naysayers completely. That is, if they see it, and they should. The film is your standard romantic drama stuff for all but the last ten minutes, a period of time I’ll get to in a bit. The romantic chemistry between Pattinson and costar Emilie de Ravin is superior to any so far in ’10, but the film would be nothing if not for their committed, sad-eyed performances. The dialog between them is perfectly honed. Pierce Brosnan (busy this year) is remarkable as Tyler’s disconnected father, and Chris Cooper is a quiet powerhouse as the overprotective cop father to de Ravin’s Ally.
The last ten minutes are when the film completely transforms into something much greater and much more thematically relevant to the specific time period that the film is set in. There is something the film must say in these last moments, and while some took issue with the potentially ruinous decision at the end (I cannot and will not give it away) for being a “gimmick,” I do not. Is the denouement necessary? Yes, it is. Because of what happens, we are allowed to peer into the consciences of the surrounding characters. It is a kick in the stomach, yes, but for me, it made for a richer experience, especially in the second time I saw it.
