My 11 Favorite movies of 2010

1. Black Swan (2010)

R | 108 min | Drama, Thriller

8

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79 Metascore

Nina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.

Director: Darren Aronofsky | Stars: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder

Votes: 825,076 | Gross: $106.95M

I love movies with psychologically dark and ambiguous themes. I look forward to watching this again.

2. True Grit (2010)

PG-13 | 110 min | Drama, Western

7.6

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80 Metascore

A stubborn teenager enlists the help of a tough U.S. Marshal to track down her father's murderer.

Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld, Josh Brolin

Votes: 357,592 | Gross: $171.24M

The last 20 minutes or so was stunning and made me reevaluate what had gone on before.

3. Animal Kingdom (2010)

R | 113 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

7.2

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83 Metascore

A seventeen-year-old navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him.

Director: David Michôd | Stars: James Frecheville, Guy Pearce, Joel Edgerton, Bryce Lindemann

Votes: 60,516 | Gross: $1.04M

Effective, atmospheric and thoughtful. Excellent first up effort by the director.

4. The King's Speech (2010)

R | 118 min | Biography, Drama, History

8

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88 Metascore

The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

Director: Tom Hooper | Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi

Votes: 708,068 | Gross: $138.80M

5. Monsters (2010)

R | 94 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance

6.3

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63 Metascore

Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion, a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the U.S. border.

Director: Gareth Edwards | Stars: Scoot McNairy, Whitney Able, Mario Zuniga Benavides, Annalee Jefferies

Votes: 97,648 | Gross: $0.24M

Wow! Given that this was made on a budget of about fifty cents this is one impressive film. This has a tenuously similar theme to Avatar but for me it was much more engaging. Warning: don't expect a "Monster movie" - its more of a romantic/suspense road movie with aliens as a subplot.

6. The Fighter (I) (2010)

R | 116 min | Action, Biography, Drama

7.8

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79 Metascore

Based on the story of Micky Ward, a fledgling boxer who tries to escape the shadow of his more famous but troubled older boxing brother and get his own shot at greatness.

Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo

Votes: 388,970 | Gross: $93.62M

7. The Town (2010)

R | 125 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

7.5

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74 Metascore

A proficient group of thieves rob a bank and hold an assistant manager hostage. Things begin to get complicated when one of the crew members falls in love with her.

Director: Ben Affleck | Stars: Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner

Votes: 415,887 | Gross: $92.19M

Riveting for the first three quarters but I felt it lost momentum (or maybe it's raison d'etre) toward the end.

8. Conviction (II) (2010)

R | 107 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

7.2

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61 Metascore

A working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders.

Director: Tony Goldwyn | Stars: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Melissa Leo, Thomas D. Mahard

Votes: 46,018 | Gross: $6.78M