25. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I'
Setting the tone for the final installment of the 'Harry Potter' franchise, 'Deathly Hallows' proved to be the darkest -- and one of the best -- 'Potter' movies thus far. Sure, there were some tears (
RIP Dobby!), and Harry, Hermione and Ron faced their fair share of road blocks (getting tortured by Death Eaters, anyone?). But Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint handled the acting challenge like pros, and the thrills and excitement experienced in 'Part I' has us itching to see 'Part II' next summer. --
GD
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
24. 'Restrepo'
Take 'The Hurt Locker' and make it real; there you have 'Restrepo.' Never before has a documentary taken us so close to the war in Afghanistan. You'll jump out of your seat as the mortars go off, the machine guns fire, and the platoon's comrades fall under enemy attack. When the soldiers in the movie talk about their harrowing nightmares, they're not just paying lip service. After you watch, you might just have those nightmares, too. --
CJ
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
23. 'The Illusionist'
Tender, quiet moments are dwelled upon in this beautiful animated feature based on a post-mortem script by French comedic legend Jacques Tati. Nearly wordless, 'The Illusionist' poignantly illustrates the saddness of old men made obsolete in an increasingly younger, faster world. --
BC
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
22. 'Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work'
This up-close-and-personal look at legendary comedienne Joan Rivers is every bit as funny as you'd expect it to be. But in between jokes, audiences also get to see a rare glimpse of Rivers' serious side, with segments on aging in show business, her fallout with 'Tonight Show' host Johnny Carson and her husband's suicide. One of the best documentaries of the year, 'A Piece of Work' will satisfy fans of Rivers' comedy and win over any lingering skeptics. --
AS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
21. 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'
If you wonder why Stieg Larsson's 'Millennium' trilogy became worldwide bestsellers, check out the first (and best) of the three film adaptations, which also transcended language to deliver universal thrills. The premise -- crusading journalist and hacker team up to expose powerful conspirators -- is familiar. But Lisbeth Salander, with all her psychic damage, cyber-savvy and punk-feminist fury, is an exciting new kind of heroine, and by bringing her to jittery life, Noomi Rapace has become a blazing new international star. --
GS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
20. 'The Town'
After wowing critics and audiences in 2007 with 'Gone Baby Gone,' Ben Affleck returned to the director's chair this year to helm 'The Town,' a tense and wonderfully acted story about a bank robber (Affleck) who falls in love with one of his hostages (Rebecca Hall). With thrilling chase scenes and a frighteningly good supporting performance by Jeremy Renner ('The Hurt Locker'), 'The Town' confirmed Affleck's comeback and established him as one Hollywood's most promising directors. Suddenly, this former punchline is on his way to becoming the next Robert Redford. --
AS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
19. 'I Am Love'
If anything, 'I Am Love' was a wonderful platform for the fabulous Tilda Swinton, who once again delivered an Oscar-worthy performance. In this case, she plays a Russian immigrant who marries into a wealthy Italian family, and later, engages in a steamy love affair with her son's business partner. The movie is a tale of passion -- for food, for color and above all things, for love. And with Swinton at the center, 'I Am Love' sucks its audience into a sweeping world of passion and melodrama not seen since the days of Douglas Sirk. --
GD
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
18. 'The Tillman Story'
This documentary of the true story of Pat Tillman -- the NFL star who was killed by "friendly-fire" in Afghanistan -- is sure to leave audiences angry, upset and confused. As you watch the family's attempts to find out what happened to their son/husband/brother, you'll be shocked to see how the government could cover up what happened to him in his final moments, and you'll feel their frustrations and grief as they watch Tillman's death get turned into media spin for a highly politicized war. The film asks uncomfortable questions, first answering "How did this happen?" in all its depressing truth; however, its the pursuit to discover "Why did this happen?" that will last with you for a long time. --
EL
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
17. 'Rabbit Hole'
At first (or even second) glance, this may look like just another year-end tearjerker tailor-made for the Oscars. But 'Rabbit Hole' is considerably more than your run-of-the-mill melodrama. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play, and brought to the screen with warmth and great confidence by John Cameron Mitchell ('Hedwig and the Angry Inch'), the film stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a formerly happy couple who are dealing with the death of their four-year-old son. Obviously it's a "sad" film, but it's also very touching, sincere, bittersweet and (best of all) hopeful. All that without ever going for the push-button moment, the scene-chomping tirade or the trite and obvious cliché. --
SW
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
16. 'The Secret in Their Eyes'
Winner of the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this Argentine gem was sadly released in the U.S. right after we published
our year-end list last year. Directed by Juan Jose Companella, whose 2002 film 'Son of the Bride' was also nominated for an Oscar, 'Secret' is a spellbinding crime-drama about an unsolved murder case and the possible involvement of a corrupt government. Just as one dark secret is realized, another gets in the way, making every second of the film as thrilling as the last. --
AR
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
15. 'Kick-Ass'
Behold the post-modern comic book movie. A superhero movie -- starring characters who get their training from other superhero movies -- has all the exaggerated violence and black comedy that the subject demands, and is one of the few hard-R-rated films in which the excessive language and gratuitous violence is earned. The film features not one, but two show-stealing performances: Nic Cage, whose manic craziness is harnessed pitch-perfectly as vendetta-crazed Big Daddy, and 13-year-old Chloe "Hit Girl" Moretz, who shocked audiences with an action-packed character far older than her age lets on. The comparisons to Jodie Foster in 'Taxi Driver' are well-deserved. --
EL
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
14. 'Waiting for 'Superman'
Davis Guggenheim's latest documentary should be a must-see for every single American. The film delves deep into the crumbling education system in the U.S., highlighting the grim, uphill battles that most children in this country face. Think you had it bad in school? You should check out some of these teachers, including the gem who just reads a magazine while kids pass drugs to one another at their desks. This movie doesn't just tell a grim story; it's meant to be an incentive for change. --
CJ
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
13. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'
Old fogeys who couldn't wrap their heads around the 8-bit aesthetic will point to 'SP''s box office as proof that it didn't work. But 'Scott Pilgrim' represents the greatest generational divide on the list; this is the first movie to use the narrative language of video games (and comic books and indie rock, too!) to tell a simple story about young love. No movie took a bigger risk at re-writing the movie narrative, or packed each scene with as much color, sound, clever writing and great acting. It's funny, exciting, engrossing and hypnotic -- and not just for "short-attention-spans." It's the future of movies, and that's a good thing. --
EL
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
12. '127 Hours'
Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle ('Slumdog Millionaire') brings his A-game in this harrowing look at real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston, who was forced to amputate his own arm after it became trapped by a boulder in 2003. The heart of the film lies in its brilliant lead performance by James Franco, whose one-man show beautifully captured Ralston's humor, sadness, fear and, finally, his determination to survive. Sure, that amputation scene was tough to sit through, but the film's emotional payoff made '127 Hours' time well spent in the theater. --
AS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
11. 'Blue Valentine'
As their director Derek Cianfrance noted, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are so good (as a couple seen both at the shy, sweet dawn of their courtship and at the bitter collapse of their marriage), they may be too convincing. That realism -- including a discreet *** scene that nearly earned the film an NC-17 rating -- gives the movie a grubby, lived-in feeling that polished Hollywood romances lack and that keeps you rooting for these star-crossed lovers to find common ground. --
GS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
10. 'How to Train Your Dragon'
There are so many cute-but-disposable animated features every year, but there always manage to be one or two that steals just a little of Pixar's (well-deserved) thunder. In 2010, that film was the effortlessly (and unexpectedly) charming DreamWorks release 'How to Train Your Dragon.' Half-comedy, half-adventure, and 100 percent insightful about the morality tales it has to offer, 'Dragon' appeals to a wide array of demographics for a wide variety of reasons. But it all boils down to a simple equation: a film should be good enough for our children, and then it should go a bit further and be good enough for grown-ups, too. Plus, any animated feature that managed to avoid being overshadowed by the (also lovely) 'Toy Story 3' is most definitely worthy of note. --
SW
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
9. 'The King's Speech'
Sure, 'The King's Speech' may seem like your typical Oscar-bait at first, given its principal cast (Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter) and award-winning director (Tom Hooper). But seconds into the movie, you realize it's so much more. Writer David Seidler based the remarkable story around King George VI's real friendship with his speech therapist, Lionel, who helped the monarch overcome his nearly career-ending stammer. It's an endearing and at times funny movie that makes the Royal Family relatable to the average moviegoer. The film is also impeccably acted, especially by Firth, who is a shoo-in to win this year's Best Actor Oscar. --
AR
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
8. 'The Kids Are All Right'
Julianne Moore and Annette Bening turn out two of the year's best performances as a lesbian couple whose two kids throw a dysfunctional curveball at them by tracking down the biological father (Mark Ruffalo) they never met and injecting him straight into their everyday lives. Funny, charming and poignant, this film about learning who you are and why you are stormed our hearts while opening our minds. --
ED
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
7. 'True Grit'
This love letter to the old Western was more an adaptation of the novel than a straight remake of the John Wayne classic. The latest from writer-directors Joel and Ethan Coen follows a whip-smart, hardened 14-year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who teams with a drunken, washed-up U.S. Marshal (Jeff Bridges) and a slightly inept, yet heroic Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) to hunt down the man who killed her father. With breathtaking scenic shots, addictive wordplay and top-notch performances all around (especially from up-and-comer Steinfeld), the Coen brothers once again find themselves at the top of their game. --
ED
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
6. 'Black Swan'
Natalie Portman's performance as Nina Sayers will tie your stomach in knots in this suspense-filled thriller, about a ballerina forced to draw out her evil, seductive side in order to deliver the perfect lead performance in 'Swan Lake.' As her dark side struggles to take control, Nina's grip on reality begins to fall apart, threatening the most important role of her life. If you haven't seen it already, be prepared to talk about it the next day. --
BC
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
5. 'Exit Through the Gift Shop'
Real or fake? Documentary or performance art? Elusive street artist-turned-filmmaker Banksy sure isn't fessing up to the truth behind his latest piece of work. At times laugh-out-loud funny, 'Exit Through the Gift Shop' –- which follows an inept French shop keeper who decides to shoot a documentary about Banksy, only to find himself turning into the kind of celebrated artist he set out to capture –- is surreal, ludicrous and totally a blast to watch play out. You'll laugh as the film ridicules its main character, though he (and Banksy) may be the ones sharing the last laugh at our expense. --
ED
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
4. 'Winter's Bone'
The story of Ree, a teenager trying to track down her wayward father among a network of similarly wayward (and criminal) relatives, seems like the kind of indie that gets acclaim at festivals and is quickly forgotten. But 'Winter's Bone' is a far better, far weightier film than that. Filmed on location in the Ozarks, the film evokes not just a place and a way of life but a fierce sense of loyalty, desperation and pride. John Hawkes as Ree's uncle is explosive with menace and pain -- and Jennifer Lawrence as the headstrong Ree, who comes of age in ways most people will never (thank God) have to undergo, is a revelation, giving us what is certainly one of the best performances and strongest female characters of the year. --
PJC
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
3. 'Inception'
Does the totem keep spinning? Does it matter? Whether or not Christopher Nolan's visually stunning sci-fi mind-bender about a team of "extractors" -- corporate spies who have developed a technique for stealing information from people's dreams -- hired for a risky mission all adds up is secondary to the thrill of tagging along with Leonardo DiCaprio and pals on their wildly inventive ride through the subconscious mind. --
JS
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
2. 'The Social Network'
From Aaron Sorkin's masterfully crafted script to Jesse Eisenberg's stellar and spot-on performance as Mark Zuckerberg, 'The Social Network' easily became so much more than "that Facebook movie." Director David Fincher creates a tight universe of young people careening toward something that will change the world and co-star Andrew Garfield gives a moving performance as the betrayed Eduardo Saverin. The film is crisp and modern and beautifully brought to light the story behind Facebook, the invention that defined a generation. --
GD
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
1. 'Toy Story 3'
Saying 'Toy Story 3' is "just an animated movie" is rather like saying the Taj Mahal is just a building. Or a Ferrari is just a car. Or ... well, you get the point. Hilarious (Mr. Tortilla Head!), heartbreaking, even white-knuckle thrilling, this film introduced terrific new characters and brought us full circle with the ones we already loved. 'Toy Story 3' isn't just for kids -- it's for adults who remember what it's like to be kids. It's both the best film of an already great franchise and our unanimous pick for the best movie of 2010. --
PJC
Rotten Tomatoes Rating
25 Best Movies of 2010
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