A conniving computer genius, a crackhead ex-boxer, a stuttering king of an empire, a dream within a dream within another damn dream - you could say last year's movie season ended up being pretty memorable. With the Oscars on the horizon, I count down my five favorite films from last year.
The Social Network\nThe power combo of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin swept the Golden Globes and rightfully so. Fincher directed the film with a razor-sharp eye, using Sorkin's tightly written script. It's a foray into the 21st century, a brilliant story dedicated to the world's 500 million Facebook addicts. But apart from Jesse Eisenberg, who is perfect in embodying pompous jerk Mark Zuckerberg, the movie suffers from poor casting. Justin Timberlake and former Disney tweenybopper Brenda Song were strange choices, and seeing the film for a second time solidified my opinion that Andrew Garfield puts on one of most annoying performances in film history as Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin. Forced pseudo-Latin accents aside, the film is poised for an upset at the Academy Awards.
The Town\nTalk about major snubs in the awards season so far. This rapid-fire, engrossing crime flick set in the gritty Boston suburbs has it all: radiating performances from a top-notch cast; a smart blend of hard-hitting action and nuanced reflections on human relationships; an incredible turn both behind and in front of the camera by director and headliner Ben Affleck. It's the type of film you could watch four times and continue to be entertained, always finding new reasons to love it.
The King's Speech\nThis incredible look at the stammering King George VI (Colin Firth) and his struggles with loyal speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) seamlessly weaves in themes about family, friendship, class, love and all the hidden pressures behind being a member of the British royal family. Firth, his stutter perfected to a t-t-t-tee, shines, and Rush is equally magnificent. There's nothing to hate and everything to love in this inspiring tale - and isn't it great when period pieces enlighten you about stories you had no idea existed?\n\nInception\nYou wonder how Christopher Nolan does it. The guy's directed and written some of the most mind-bending films in history, but you have to admit Inception takes the cake. It features a perfect cast, a resonating score and stellar cinematography which leaves a long-lasting imprint. And no matter if you didn't understand or fully comprehend the dream within a dream within a dream - all credit to Nolan for a bold, beautiful and - most important - original script. Oh, the power of an idea.
The Fighter\nA surprisingly haunting yet heartfelt tale of brotherly love gone bad, The Fighter tells the true life story of once-famous boxer Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale) and his overshadowed younger brother Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg). You'll walk away from the flick in awe of the manic performances of Bale and Melissa Leo, who plays the brothers' overly involved stage mother. This is my sentimental pick for the Academy's Best Picture - will it, like Mickey, overcome the odds?
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