2010 was a great year for movies. From Toy Story 3 to Kick-Ass, True Grit to Iron Man 2, there was truly something for everyone. It has now been ten years since those movies were released, so we will examine them and see which of them hold up the best.
Just because they were heavily nominated doesn't mean they made the list. At the 83rd Academy Awards, The King's Speech earned the most nominations of any movie from that year (12), followed by True Grit (10), The Social Network (8) and Inception (8). However, a few of the movies that received a good amount of Oscar buzz and recognition are afterthoughts a decade later.
Shutter Island
When a dangerous criminal escapes from an insane asylum on an island off the coast of Boston, two U.S. Marshals, Teddy Daniels Martin Scorsese directs this noir thriller based on the 2003 novel of the same name. While it didn't receive any recognition for major awards, it is one of the most fun rewatches from that year. Check it out on Amazon Prime or with a Hulu subscription.
127 Hours
This film is based on the book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place. It is the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston (James Franco). While exploring a canyon in Utah, Ralston has a mishap and finds a boulder trapping his arm. He is then faced with a choice. Ralson can either wait it out and likely die, or he can amputate his arm, freeing himself and affording him the chance to make it out of the canyon alive. This Danny Boyle film was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Actor, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Your best bet is to watch this one on Prime or iTunes.
Black Swan
This is the second psychological horror on the list. Unlike Shutter Island, Black Swan was critically acclaimed. It was nominated for five Oscars and Natalie Portman won Best Actress for her portrayal of a ballerina named Nina. Nina is obsessed with her craft, and it pays off. Nina is the first choice for the opening night of Swan Lake, but there is competition.
Lily (Mila Kunis), an up and comer, is perfect for the role of the Black Swan, just the opposite of Nina who is perfect for the White Swan. As rivalry turns to a toxic-friendship, the lily-white Nina becomes in touch with her dark side. It's heavy but worth watchig on Amazon Prime.
Inception
This is the second Leonardo DiCaprio movie to make the list. For this film, it was Christopher Nolan at the helm. In Inception, DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a master thief who can steal people's memories and secrets from their subconscious. A man with his abilities is much sought after by wealthy clients, but if he isn't careful he can become lost in a subconscious forever. A dynamite ing cast consists of Tom Hardy, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard. The film was nominated for eight Oscars and won four of them. It's currently streaming on Netflix.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
This Michael Cera plays Scott Pilgrim, a young man who spends his days playing guitar in a rock band and swinging from girl to girl. When he falls for the lovely Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he must fight off a hoard of her evil ex-boyfriends if he wants to continue to pursue her. The underrated ing cast includes Anna Kendrick, Kieran Culkin, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman and, Chris Evans. Check it out on Netflix.
The Other Guys
In this hilarious outing, Mark Wahlberg are unlikely NYPD partners. Detective Gamble (Ferrell) has a ion for ing and paperwork. Detective Hoitz (Wahlberg) is looking for redemption.
Together they work a case that increases in magnitude the more they uncover. Adam McKay directs and Eve Mendes and Michael Keaton co-star. The Other Guys is near the top of the list when it comes to the most quotable movie, making it a thrill to rewatch. It is currently on Netflix.
The Town
Not only did Jeremy Renner who plays James, MacRay's volatile best friend. After taking the unsuspecting Clare (Rebecca Hall) hostage, Doug seeks her out to see if she will be able to identify them. While picking her brain, they fall in love, leaving Doug with the desire to leave his criminal ways behind. That is easier said than done; he has James pulling him one direction, his ex, Krista (Blake Lively) pulling him in another and FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) breathing down his neck. Renner was nominated for Best ing Actor for his performance in what may be the most re-watchable movie on this list. The Town is available to stream on Hulu.
The Fighter
If not for Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner may have won the Academy Award for Best ing Actor. Unfortunately for Renner, Chrisitan Bale stole the show in The Fighter. The film is a biographical sports drama about Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), and his struggle to become a contender in the 1990s. Micky is torn between putting himself first and putting his family first. This David O. Russell film was nominated for seven Oscars and it swept the ing actor categories as Melissa Leo won for her portrayal of Micky Ward's overbearing mother. This one is worth the three bucks to rent it on Amazon.
The King's Speech
This film dominated the Oscars and received the most critical acclaim. Prince Albert of England (Colin Firth) is thrust on to the throne as King George VI pre-World War II. He is a smart man with potential as a leader, but he suffers from a terrible speech impediment. His wife (Helena Bonham Carter) hires the services of Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Logue is an Australian speech therapist who is relentless in his efforts to fix the King's stammer. In the end, not only does he learn to speak with confidence and authority, but he has the most unlikely of friends. This Best Picture winner was nominated for twelve Oscars. David Seidler won for Cinematography, Tom Hooper won for Directing and Colin Firth won Best Actor. This one is available on Hulu and Netflix.
The Social Network
a near-perfect movie, and it is on Netflix right now!
