2010 Top 10 List and Awards

As is tradition, I release my top 10 films of the year (and my annual awards list) the day of the Oscars instead of at the end of the calendar year. This gives me maximum chance to see as many films from the year as possible.

Top 10 Films of 2010

Honorable Mention: 8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan), The Fighter (David O. Russell),  Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy), The Kids Are All Right (Lisa Cholodenko), The King's Speech (Tom Hooper)

10. The Social Network (David Fincher) 

 Compelling story of internet phenomenon told with wit and style.

9. 9500 Liberty (Annabel Park, Eric Byler)

 Powerful doc about a bigoted anti-immigration bill that nearly tore a community apart.

8. 127 Hours (Danny Boyle)

 Uplifting, disturbing climbing disaster story carried by a captivating James Franco.

7. Winter's Bone (Debra Granik)

A girl tries to save her family in this suspenseful mystery set in the Ozarks.

6. Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich)

 

Pixar continues an amazing creative streak with another funny, heartbreaking gem.

5. Please Give (Nicole Holofcener)

Absorbing and funny film that shows Hollywood how female characters should be treated.

4. Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese)

Martin Scorsese's passionate thriller was the most ridiculously underrated film of the year.

3. True Grit (Joel and Ethan Coen)

 The Coens improve on the original by infusing their own wit and an amazing cast.

2. Inception (Christopher Nolan)

This zero gravity fight scene is one of many treasures of Nolan's imaginative film.

1. Blue Valentine (Derek Cianfrance)

 In a great year for movies, this painfully heartbreaking story of a failing marriage is the most memorable.

Awards (Winners noted by an asterisk)

Best Director

Derek Cianfrance, Blue Valentine

Joel and Ethan Coen, True Grit

Nicole Holofcener, Please Give

*Christopher Nolan, Inception

Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island

Best Lead Actor

Jeff Bridges, True Grit

Leonardo Dicaprio, Shutter Island

Colin Firth, The King's Speech

James Franco, 127 Hours

*Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine

Best Lead Actress

Catherine Keener, Please Give

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

*Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter

*Matt Damon, True Grit

John Hawkes, Winter's Bone

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter

*Rebecca Hall, Please Give

Mia Wasikowska, The Kids Are All Right

Michelle Williams, Shutter Island

Olivia Williams, The Ghost Writer

Best Original Screenplay

Blue Valentine (Derej Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne, Joey Curtis)

The Fighter (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy)

Greenberg (Noah Baumbach, Jennifer Jason Leigh)

*Inception (Christopher Nolan)

Please Give (Nicole Holofcener)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Shutter Island (Laeta Kalogridis)

*The Social Network (Aaron Sorkin)

Toy Story 3 (Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich)

True Grit (Joel and Ethan COen)

Winter's Bone (Debra Granik and Anne Rossellini)

Best Animated Film

How to Train Your Dragon

Tangled

*Toy Story 3

Best Documentary Feature

8: The Mormon Proposition (Reed Cowan)

*9500 Liberty (Annabel Park, Eric Byler)

Exit Through the Gift Shop (Banksy)

Restrepo (Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger)

The Tillman Story (Amir Bar-Lev)

Best Editing

127 Hours

*Inception

Shutter Island

The Social Network

True Grit

Best Art Direction

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

*Inception

Shutter Island

True Grit

Best Cinematography

Black Swan

Inception

Shutter Island

The Social Network

*True Grit

Best Costume Design

Agora

*Alice in Wonderland

Black Swan

The King's Speech

True Grit

Best Original Score

Alice in Wonderland

How to Train Your Dragon

Inception

*The Social Network

True Grit

Best Original Song

"Better Days", Eat Pray Love

"Darkness Before the Dawn", Holy Rollers

*"I see the Light", Tangled

"If I Rise", 127 Hours

"We Belong Together", Toy Story 3

Sound Mixing

127 Hours

*Inception

Shutter Island

The Social Network

True Grit

Sound Editing

*Inception

Iron Man 2

Toy Story 3

Tron: Legacy

True Grit

Visual Effects

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

*Inception

Iron Man 2

Tron: Legacy

Best Live Action Short Film

*Ana's Playground (Eric D. Howell)

Cigarette Candy (Lauren Wolkstein)

The Confession (Tanel Toom)

God of Love (Luke Matheny)

Tell Me Who (David Lipson)

Best Animated Short Film

Day & Night (Teddy Newton)

The Gruffalo (Jakob Schuh and Max Lang)

*Prayers for Peace (Dustin Grella)

Ledo and Ix Go to Town (Emily Carmichael)

The Lighthouse (Yelislava Gospodinova)