A couple of days ago, I saw Super 8. Beforehand, I’d read about how this movie was made as an hommage to 70s and 80s scifi movies, like Spielberg’s ET and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Like those movies, and unlike the majority of modern scifi movies, Super 8 kinda works as a drama. It’s a bit overly sentimental, but at least it has actual characters, not just explosions and action. But at the same time it fails miserably at being a scifi movie.

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I watched 233 “new to me” films. 82 of those films were released this year.
Out of those 82 films here is my list of Top Ten films for 2010

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Back in the early days of cinema, simply capturing the arrival of a train was enough to amaze viewers. Nobody had been able to record moving images until the early 1900′s, and audiences would just marvel at the technology. Eventually, things like storylines and acting were introduced, and moving pictures became the artform they are today.

Whith the introduction of 3D, something similar seems to be happening. I saw Despicable Me yesterday, and I noticed there were several shots and scenes that were in there, or lasted longer than expected, to show off the 3D effect (like the rollercoaster ride). They didn’t advance the story, and were purely technologically driven. They were the only fault I could find in an otherwise splendid movie.

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I recently put together a list of my top 100 films of all time. Let me reiterate. I recently was all but unemployed. So between filing out applications and watching reruns of the Twilight Zone, I put together a list of my top 100 films of all time. What I discovered was that 54 of those 100 films were made within the last decade. As a self-described film snob, I was not only surprised but also a bit horrified that my scope of cinema seems to be so small. So with my head hung down I tried to make sense of why I’m so biased to recent films. Then it hit me. My true love for film started in the mid to late 90s. Before then I didn’t pay much attention to what was playing at my local Cineplex, not anymore then the next guy. Any memories of walking out of theaters speechless by what I’d just seen or chattering away to whomever would lend me an ear, started during this last decade. Unfortunately I couldn’t have that for Star Wars or Psycho or Jaws. But I did have it for most of the films you are about to see on my top 10. That said, it was tough to pare down 54 excellent films to 10 that are the crème de la crème. So here’s what I did. The 10 that I chose are films that I recommend to everyone I pass. That would be you.

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I stumbled across this news story this morning. Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle argues that lowering ticket prices will help fight movie piracy. While I agree that the cost of admission is fairly steep, I think Boyle is missing the point. From my experience, people don’t pirate movies to save a few bucks. They do it so they can see the film when, and where, they want. Just like with music piracy, it’s all about convenience.

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I generally skip watching the Golden Globes because I feel the GG are typically hokey from year to year. It could even be argued that the small amount of those who make up The Hollywood Foreign Press. But I made the exception this time, because of the nominees and due to the promise of H’wood to go all out in style. I’m not disappointed with much, just four things, really, and deals with class, or lack thereof. But there were some strong, classic moments in the event as well.
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While the CoP site generally focuses on movie and DVD reviews, every now and then I come by a movie-celeb news article which I feel compelled to share and comment on. This time around, it’s about Lindsay Lohan. There is lots of talk about the February 2009 issue of Interview, some of which has been leaked to the masses. I don’t know if the quotes are taken out of context or other blurbs around them in the article are more defined or less eye grabbing.
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Before the fine year of 2008 draws to a close, it is time for me to do that sad, near traumatic task of composing my annual Lemon List- the worst films of 2008. It should be said that I include, in my list, films that have been released in North America/the U.S.A and not overseas. These are pictures I have seen at one point or another during the past year. Some I have reviewed here on CoP, others…well, my time was robbed enough.
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There seems to be a “Top Ten” list of everything these days, so I figure one more isn’t going to hurt anyone. In this category I have chosen : The The Top Ten Insane Non-Killer Movie Characters. This excludes the homicidal such as Hannibal Lector, and Michael Myers of Halloween, as well as characters pretending to be insane. Or suicide, such as Billy from ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’. By ‘insane’ I mean mentally ill on a psychiatric or mentally troubled level. The characters would have be seeing a therapist or under the supervision of a group of therapists. As with all lists of any kind, it is all subjective.
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You got to hand it to Quentin Tarantino. When the Kill Bill director wants to make a film, it will always be surprising and out of the box thinking. It is widely known that as soon as he’s done filming the WWII action flick Inglorious Bastards he will shortly move on to remaking the cult camp classic Russ Meyer B film Faster Pussycat!Kill!Kill! for mass consumption. Word is getting out on who is actually being considered for one of the Faster roles…none other than that wonderfully gifted thespian… Britney Spears. What?!
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