Top 10 Movies of 2010
The first decade of the 21st century was capped off with a new direction for blockbusters and the steady climb of indies. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the top 10 movies of 2010. For this list, we've looked at the lasting cult status of some of the biggest hits of the year in question, as well as the films that were loved by critics and audiences.
Special thanks to our users Andy Roehl, TheDude, Andrew A. Dennison, sarahjessicaparkerth, Francis FNT and Camden Coblentz for submitting the idea on our Suggestion Tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010)
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This sweet computer-animated story about a boy who just doesn’t fit in his environment made us remember how much we love stories about Vikings. Hiccup aspires to be a dragon slayer, but only because his father and the village chieftain tell him that he has to live up to his name and culture. When he meets the dragon he thinks he has shot down though, Hiccup has a change of heart and sets the Night Fury free. Earning close to $500 million worldwide, the action-fantasy flick was well received by critics and audiences and spawned a successful franchise including sequels, a video game and a TV series.
#9: “The Kids Are All Right” (2010)
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This offbeat comedy about a lesbian couple whose kids want to meet their sperm donor was the indie success of2010. Nic is a successful doctor, while Jules is a stay-at-home mom who is feeling bored with her life. The balance in their family goes off kilter when the biological father of their two children, played by a scruffy Mark Ruffalo, suddenly wants to be involved in the kids’ lives. Starring veteran actresses Julianne Moore and Annette Bening, the film is a heartfelt dramedy about our perception of what a normal family should be and landed three Oscar nominations at the 83rd Academy Awards, including a nod for Best Picture.
#8: “The Town” (2010)
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Our next entry was directed, co-written by and stars, Ben Affleck. Set in Boston, the crime drama sees four childhood buddies rob a bank and take the manager hostage, only to find themselves in a spiral of deceit. It doesn’t help that Doug, one of the robbers, played by Affleck, falls in love with the very person they held hostage. The film proved that Affleck had reinvented himself and showed that he can be a director to be reckoned with. It also landed a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nod for Jeremy Renner’s performance as “Jem,” Doug’s best friend and ultimate nemesis.
#7: “The King’s Speech” (2010)
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Nobody thought that a movie about a member of the royal family with a speech impediment would go anywhere. Fresh off of his Best Actor nomination for “A Single Man,” Colin Firth gave the performance of his life as King George VI in this historical drama. The film worked not so much as a Royal Family story, but rather as a story about a misfit and a man who didn’t feel ready to wear the crown he was meant for. “The King’s Speech” won 4 Oscars that year, including Best Picture and Best Actor.
#6: “True Grit” (2010)
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The timeless novel of the same name, as well as the 1969 movie starring John Wayne, inspired this entry by the Coen brothers. Putting their favorite dude Jeff Bridges in the role of a drunken Deputy U.S. marshal who accepts to help a young girl find the man who killed her father, the Coens’ adaptation is an ode to the western genre. The film marked Hailee Steinfeld’s Hollywood debut and thanks to her performance of Mattie Ross, she earned her first Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category at just 14 years old.
#5: “Black Swan” (2010)
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Who would have expected a movie about ballerinas to be as dark and as twisted as this? Natalie Portman is Nina, a perfectionist who desperately wants to be able to play both White Swan as well as her sensual twin, Black Swan, in a new production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” ballet. Gradually she grows paranoid that newcomer Lily, played by Mila Kunis, is after the role as well. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the psychological thriller caused audiences to squirm uncomfortably in their seats, but they knew they were also simultaneously witnessing genius filmmaking on the big screen. Portman deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar for her role.
#4: “The Fighter” (2010)
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Our next entry is Mark Wahlberg’s third collaboration with director David O. Russell. The biographical drama centers on the lives of Micky Ward and his older half-brother Dicky Eklund - one a rising boxing star, the other struggling with addiction and delusions of grandeur from his days as a boxer. The film was a passion project for Wahlberg, who was close friends with the real-life Ward himself. With an incredible ensemble cast, “The Fighter” received praise for its acting and won both the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Christian Bale’s turn as Dicky, and for Best Supporting Actress for Melissa Leo’s performance as the brothers’ controlling mother, Alice Ward.
#3: “Toy Story 3” (2010)
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2010 was also a great year for animation. When the third instalment of “Toy Story” came out, it was a joyful reunion with favorite characters following a decade-long absence. This time, the story follows Woody, Buzz and co. as they prepare for an indistinct future as Andy is off to college. Will they be thrown out and forgotten? Or will he make room for them in his future life as a grownup? After all, nothing is sadder than a toy that doesn’t get played with. The computer-animated comedy featured a sentimental and memorable conclusion, and it deservedly won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
#2: “The Social Network” (2010)
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People who didn’t like this movie said it was too timely and that it wouldn’t hold up after a couple of years. They were wrong. The story of how Facebook came into being wasn’t timely; it has proven to be timeless. Directed by David Fincher and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, the drama felt like a psychological thriller about a failed friendship and the hunger for entitlement, which surrounded the creation of the world’s biggest social media network. Many critics named it the movie of the year, though it lost the Best Picture Oscar to “The King’s Speech.”
Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions:
- “Shutter Island” (2010)
- “127 Hours” (2010)
- “Winter’s Bone” (2010)
- “Easy A” (2010)
- “Blue Valentine” (2010)
- “Animal Kingdom” (2010)
#1: “Inception” (2010)
Our number one pick was one of the most anticipated movies of 2010. Taking a short break from “The Dark Knight” Trilogy, director Christopher Nolan took us on a mind-bending journey that was probably the most re-watched movie the year of its release. In the sci-fi thriller, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a mind spy who specializes in extracting secrets from corporate magnates. His new mission is the opposite of that though; he has to plant an idea in the head of a big businessman’s son. And that can only be achieved by performing inception within the target’s dreams. The movie received high praise for its script, directing, and talented cast, and grossed over $800 million worldwide, making it the 42nd-highest-grossing movie of all time. Oh, and it won four Academy Awards.
Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite movie from 2010? For more entertaining top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
