BEETLE NAMES HIS PICKS FOR TOP FILMS OF 2010

HEY THERE BEETLEHEADS!!!!!!

As 2010 nears its close (by the time this is posted it will be 2011) I have been reflecting on the films I sampled this year. There was the Good ( Black Swan, Despicable Me), the bad (Jonah Hex, Legion), and the ugly (Get Him To The Greek, Little Fockers-review coming soon). As I look back there were several films that really rubbed me in the right way.....in such a right way that I dare say that they are the best of the year. Here, right now, I will list them and my initial reaction to them.

Let's start with Shutter Island. Shutter Island was the first great film released this year. As directed by the superb Martin Scorsese (who rarely disappoints) Shutter Island is an engrossing tale of paranoia and mystery that pits two US Marshalls against the possible forces of evil on a remote island that houses an insane asylum. Watching this film in a dark theatre, trying to figure out the mystery for myself only to have the rug pulled out from under me at the last minute (admittedly in retrospect the twist shouldn't be that surprising but by the time it comes around you are so wrapped up in the story that it manages to do what it is meant to) was one of the biggest treats of the year for me. Shutter Island ended up surprising me in that a pretty neat film turned into a true masterpiece upon further viewings, the scope of the performances and the little nuances coming into full view. I noticed little things that I hadn't on the first viewing and continue to do so with each repeated viewing. This film is easily 2nd best of the year for me, rivaling Black Swan for the number 1 spot. Adapted from a novel by one of my new favorite authors, Dennis Lehane (who also wrote the superb Mystic River which was also turned into a fantastic film), it should be no surprise that Shutter Island was as good as a paranoid psychological thriller could be. If Leo's performance as Teddy Daniels doesn't make it into the best actors category for the Oscars it's a damn shame.

127 Hours- The enthralling story of a man who finds his arm crushed under his boulder and the strength he finds within himself to survive against all odds is surprisingly not boring, and whats more, manages to be an imaginative, tear-jerking masterpiece. James Franco is at his best here. SEE IT!!

The Kids Are All Right- The story of a lesbian family holds one of the most realistic and relatable portrayals of a family seen in recent years. Funny and tragic this is yet another film that should not be missed.

The Ghost Writer- All you need to know is 2 words: Roman Polanski. He's back and just as good as we remember him being. In his most recent outing he weaves a convoluted tale of political intrigue, sabotage, and murder starring a ghost writer referred to only as ghost (played by Ewan McGregor). Hired by a politician who has recently come under fire for some war issues he is involved in, it is his job to write the poiliticians biography. He soon becomes a target for some shady individuals who seem determined to prevent him from digging up the truth. It may not be his best work, but Roman easily proves that even after years of forced retirement he's still got it.

Hot Tub Time Machine- I LOVE time travel films, but never before has the time traveling vehicle been a hot tub. The filmmakers took what could have been a one trick pony and fleshed it out into a fun, original, imaginative laugh-fest. This film not only made me laugh (HARD) it also brought back Crispin Glover in one of his most memorable roles he's had recently, the bad-tempered one-armed bellhop that in the past was quite the bad-ass. What more do you need to know about this film to know that it's freakin awesome?!! If you haven't seen this one yet GO RENT IT...NOW!!!!

How To Train Your Dragon in 3-D - Finally, a Dreamworks film that rivals Pixar. It's about damned time. While it still falls victim to some of Dreamworks staples (some cliches), it still shows a surprising depth, maturity, and beauty that was hitherto unseen in Dreamworks films. The simple story of a boy and his dragon succeeds in being both quietly humorous and touching. The film also deals with the themes of being yourself and doing the right thing. As much as it pains me to say it, I still think that Dreamworks beat Pixar at its own game this year.

Tangled- The final Disney animated fairy tale is a mature, beautiful, and touching revamp of the classic tale of a girl with golden locks that has been holed up in a tower for most of her life. With superb animation, character development, and a mature story,Tangled easily emerges as the best (and my personal favorite) animated film of 2010.

Kick-Ass- This film really spoke to me. Who hasn't ever dreamed of putting on a cape and kicking ass in the name of truth and justice. Hello wish fulfillment. While it is ultra-violent and it does get a tad bit serious near the end, all this still does not diminish the fun to be had in watching this film. Be sure to keep your eyes out for a feisty, foul-mouthed 11 year old because she's easily the most memorable part of this film, besides the violence of course.

Iron Man 2- 2010 was the return of Tony Stark. While many I talked to did not care for Iron Man 2, I personally loved the hell out of it. More mature than the last one with better characters, character development, and action scenes ( more action scenes as well), Iron Man 2 in my opinion was better than it's predecessor in all the right ways. It also easily earns the title of best super-hero film of 2010.

MacGruber- Who here doesn't love the SNL sketch featuring that be-mulleted Macgyver wannabe?? Well the film is just as good, if not better. While the story and characters may not be the strongest seen in a comedy, it's the laughs that matter here. Another film that made me laugh (HARD). This is another must-see if you love juvenile antics and grown men acting like idiots. While there may not be as many that appreciate this brand of humor I am proud to stand up and say I am one of the few left. Macgruber is in my honest opinion the funniest film of 2010, and it wears its R rating with honor and pride.

Toy Story 3- 2010 marked the return of Woody and Gang for yet another exciting sequel to the unforgettably imaginative Toy Story and Toy Story 2. It feels good to see the gang back in action once again. This time Woody and gang face unforeseen hardships as Andy prepares for college and has gotten too old to play with his toys (though he still does look upon them with fondness). Through a series of mishaps the toys find themselves trapped in a daycare ruled with an iron fist by the unforgettable Lots-O-Huggins Bear (Voiced by Ned Beatty). The film feels like it's been made for the kids that grew up with the series, most being around Andy's age by now (I grew up with the series and I'm 20). Made with a good amount of nostalgia and reverence, I'll be damned if I didn't tear up at the end. Toy Story 3 is just as good as one and two, a great, rare feat for a trilogy to accomplish.

Cyrus- This film was marketed as another in a long line of Stepbrothers type films. Inappropriate humor, childish antics, etc. So you can imagine my surprise when Cyrus ended up being a surprisingly mature, dark, and disturbing tale about a grown sons attachment to his mother and his reaction when an outsider threatens to come between the two of them. John C. Reiley steals the scene as John, a lonely and neglected divorcee who falls in love with Molly (Cyrus's mom, played by Marisa Tomei). He is instantly relateable and gains the audiences sympathies and support after the first several scenes. Despite the title of the film John really is the focus of the film as the frustrated and befuddled man in love who is stuck with a tough situation when Cyrus (played by Jonah Hill) attempts to tear them apart. This is easily my favorite role that John C. Reiley has had. Cyrus is one of the best of the year because of its status as a decidedly different kind of comedy. How refreshingly fresh.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World- Another film where you only need to know two words: Edgar Freaking Wright!!!!! Ok, thats three words...so sue me. The director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz does not disappoint with this tale of love sick Scott Pilgrim (played by Michael Cera)who plays guitar for indie band Sex Bob-Omb. When he falls in love with the mysterious Ramona Flowers (Played by the incredibly sexy Mary Elizabeth Winstead) he finds himself having to fight off her seven evil exes in order to have a real chance with her and prove his love. With a stellar supporting cast, including Kieran Culkan as Scott's cool gay roomate Wallace Wells who is overflowing with sarcasm and wit. The film is bursting with the same stuff (sarcasm and wit), and also carries a good dose of heart to boot. Based on a comic book series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, don't miss this one since it's easily the most imaginative and original film to come out of 2010.

Piranha 3D- How could I NOT include this film in my top films list? It's got something for everyone (LITTERALLY!!!!). I've already said all I can about this film in my previous review, but let me quickly recap- bare breasts, lots of fun, great performances, keeps the promises it made, no disappointments to be had here. It would be a sin if this one did not make it into my top films list. SEE IT!!!!

Paranormal Activity 2: In a year full of horror films that disappointed, Paranormal activity 2 did not. With a better story and better pacing, Paranormal Activity 2 succeeds where its predecessor didn't...it scares the shit out of you.

The Last Exorcism- One of the best horror films of the year. Love the commentary about religious fanatics and skeptics. It has engrossing themes, memorable performances all around, and some seriously scary shit going down. It all makes for the best horror film of the year...at least, in my opinion.

Easy A- A smart film for smart people (at least, thats how it feels). Easy A wears its influences on its sleeve, and surprisingly that makes it all the more endearing to me . With the drool-worthy Emma Stone helming the lead as well as a stellar cast (Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, Stanley Tucci, Amanda Bynes, Malcolm McDowell), the films got stars and clever humor to boot....how did you NOT expect this one to miss out on my list. If you're smart (and I hope you are) you'll see this film.

The Social Network- What started out being ridiculed before its release, quickly turned into one of the best films of the year. With a stellar script by Aaron Sorkin and a breakout leading performance by Jesse Eisenberg ( finally breaking away from his image as the other Micael Cera) The Social Network was a surprisingly mature, deep, smart, and witty film that was instantly unforgettable.

Black Swan- The best film of 2010 is a thrilling portrayal of a ballet dancer on the edge. Done with plenty of sex, style, and bravura all around, Black Swan is instantly unforgettable, touching, sad, scary, and enthralling all at once. A feat that only master filmmaker Darren Aronofsky could pull off. Oh, and did I mention that it features a scene of Natalie Portman touching herself....now THAT'S class.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Winter's Bone: Originally I had this in my top films list, but on further reflection I realized that the only reason I had put it in was because of Jennifer Lawrence's amazing performance. Unfortunately, a performance does not make a film great. I did not find the story all that noteworthy or amazing....it served its purpose though. In the end, Winter's Bone was a great film, but I did not consider it the best of the year.

Despicable Me- Starring the voice of Steve Carrell as Grumpy Villain Gru. Some of the antics have a Looney Tunes Flair to them. The film doesn't bring much to the table for the older viewers yet manages to entertain both, I guess it's that whole young-at-heart thing. The story is clever, yet recycled (hardened bad guy is softened by a group of rambunctious kids), but thanks to its cleverness (keep an eye out for a Lehman Bros joke) the film saves itself. Despicable Me is a treat for all ages.

And that, BEETLE-HEADS, is my top films of 2010 list. it may not be long, but it's mine. I hope you enjoyed it and here's wishing you all a very merry 2011 movie season.

BLACK SWAN IS THE BEST FILM OF 2010

Black Swan is a beautifully engaging dark mindbender from the warped mind of Darren Aronofsky.

It's the story of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a repressed ballet dancer that lands her dream roles of The White and Black Swan Queens in a production of Swan Lake. The stress that Nina experiences preparing for these roles slowly begins to take a toll on her mental psyche and eventually drives her to the very edge of sanity. I've already said too much as it is, so I won't elaborate any more.

Natalie Portman does an amazing job as Nina; the uber-obsessed and innocent ballet dancer that finds out the hard way that getting what you want ain't all its cracked up to be. Mila Kunis puts on a different performance from her previous ones as Lilly; Nina's friend that may or may not be after her role. Vincent Cassel puts on a decidedly creepy and inspiring performance as Thomas Leroy; the director of Swan Lake. Barbara Hershey is also perfect as Nina's overbearing, obsessed ex-ballet dancer mother that has pushed Nina to land the lead roles.

The cinematography in Black Swan is some of the best and most interesting of the year. Throughout the film the camera trails closely behind Nina and swirls around her as she dances though her rehearsals, sometimes to the point where it may make some with motion sickness, uh, sick. Darren makes some very interesting choices with the movements of his camera and constantly breaks the actors personal space, getting right up in there during some of the crucial and most mind-melding moments of the film. This all helps to suck the viewer right into Nina's world as we become witnesses to her slowly degrading mental state, viewing most of the proceedings from her twisted point of view (yet another interesting choice).

Let's not forget about the choreography seen here because, after all is said and done this film does focus on ballet a good bit. Natalie Portman proves she is not only a great actress, she is also an enchanting ballet dancer as every shot of her dancing is Portman herself and not some double. It's this fact that helps the viewer to greater appreciate the dancing she does here since, let's admit it, ballet does seem like a pretty hard thing to do. The Swan Lake sequences are beautiful in and of themselves and the film explains the story of Swan Lake in the simplest terms so that everyone in the theater can comprehend it. The film itself is almost step for step the story of Swan Lake as well as doubling as a metaphor for Hollywood and a commentary on the art of creativity ....another interesting choice (if you haven't noticed by now, this film is chock full of interesting choices).

The score for the film is a mix of the actual score for Swan lake and an original score for the film. Now, since I'm not a ballet enthusiast I cannot say which is used where but I can say that they mix together quite nicely and I honestly couldn't say where the original score stopped and the Swan Lake score began.

If anything, Black Swan will be sure to leave most viewers with a higher appreciation for the art of ballet and the amount of time, energy and stress that goes into a production. Nina is so obsessed with becoming the Black Swan (hence the title) and is being pushed by so many around her to do the perfect performance that the stress and pressure ultimately drive her insane, and the audience along with her. Throughout the film we are never truly sure of what is really happening and what Nina is actually hallucinating. It's a real treat when you can't trust what is being shown to you, making the whole movie a guessing game until the shocking finale.

Black Swan plays out like a really bad acid trip, and I mean that in the best way possible, as a compliment. All the actors here do a phenomenal job and should be commended for their work, Natalie Portman especially. In the end all the pieces (camera work, chereography, acting, directing, script, Score, etc) come together to form one big confusing puzzle that is never fully completed until the final minutes of the film. Black Swan more than deserves it's place in the Best Picture nominees for the 2010 Oscar Season, I can't remember a single thing wrong with this film. It's very rare where I can't wait to see a film again but Black Swan did exactly that, it took me on a migraine inducing, head spinning joyride and left me screaming for more.

5/5 BETTER THAN SEX

BEETLE REVIEWS JONAH HEX

One of the worst crimes a film can commit is to be so unforgivingly boring and uninteresting. It is this crime that the film Jonah Hex commits constantly during its 81 minute running time. Although I must say this in its defense, it's not as painfully bad as Old Dogs was.

Jonah Hex is the story of an ex-confederate soldier named Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) who, when he disobeys the orders of his corrupt commanding officer; Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich); actidentally causes the death of Quentin's son. Seeking vengence, Quentin ties Jonah to a makeshift cross and forces him to watch as he burns down his house with his family inside, afterwards burning his initials into Jonah's face. Long story short, Jonah almost dies but is rescued by a bunch of indians and comes back with the power to talk to the dead. Several years later, Quentin creates a doomsday weapon which will tear apart the United States and the only person who can stop him is Jonah Hex, who has since found work as a bounty hunter.

There are several weak elements in Jonah Hex. The acting is done with a shrug of "I could care less" (every actor in the film does this), the story is thrown together hurredly, the editing is super-choppy, and even the action sequences had me yawning.

Part of the problem is that we, the audience, are given literally NO REASON to care about the proceedings. Jonah is given a good amount of backstory but it's all fairly standard material (to be fair though, the film is based off a DC comic), guy is forced to watch death of family and seeks revenge against villain who did it. Josh Brolin's acting doesn't help things either. He speaks in a barely audible mumble and has a very monotone emotionless delivery to almost every single one of his lines (the prosthetic that covers half of his face doesn't help things since it basically paralyzes half of his face ). He seems like he isn't enjoying his role here one little bit. The other much touted star of the film; Megan Fox; is given pretty much nill to do here except to stand around and look hot, although lets be honest with ourselves, the chick can't act worth squat so let's consider this a blessing. The only memorable scene she has is when she is in a corset where her breasts are just begging to be set free. Damn PG-13 rating.

The main doomsday weapon seems thrown together with no thought given to it at all. It's basically 5 cannons strapped onto a wheel. Oooh, threatening, BUT WAIT they first shoot out cannonballs and then shoot out a small, orange, glowing ball that makes everything explode....doesn't that sound cool???? No???? I thought so too. Maybe if they took a good few minutes to explain how the thing works it would seem more threatening. Nope! Like everything else in the film they just slap it onto the screen and expect us to care because it's a movie.

Is there any character development??? Little to none. Are the action scenes exciting???? Nope, as I already said I actually outright YAWNED during some of them!! Just about the only good parts of the film are some of the one-liners and sight gags (Jonah shoots a bad guy back into the coffin he hopped out of) and the scenes where Jonah gets to interact with the dead, but there's only three of those throughout the film. For a film that's main hook is a guy that can talk to dead guy's you'd think they'd build on that alot more than they actually do.

Pretty much the filmmakers took us, the audience, for granted. They took the typical rich kid attitude toward the creation of this film: "You should care about this because we said so." Well, they didn't say so. They took a bunch of tired western cliches that they didn't know how to use properly, an uninteresting story, and some pretty dull characters and tried to spice the whole thing up with an interesting trait that they don't even bother to blink at and some uninspired action scenes. Overall, if the filmmakers didn't care when they made this garbage then why should we care about it when we watch it? It's not a terrible film (it is bad though), it's just boring.

1/5 Stars SOME OLE BULLSHIT