Darkmatters Top 10 Films of 2010

Darkmatters - Matt Adcock's Top 10 Films of 2010

It’s been a good year for film – here are the ones that really counted!!

10. The American (15)
Adapted from a novel by Martin Booth, The American in question is George Clooney acting his manly eyebrows off in a dark role of a good hearted hit-man who wants to escape his violent life.

9. Let Me In (15)
Easily the best horror film of the year. Let Me In (a remake of the excellent ‘Let The Right One In’) does for vampires something that a million Twilights, True Bloods or Vampire Diaries can only hope to – it grips the very soul of the viewer and never lets go. Darkmatters Review

8. The Book of Eli (15)
Through a near future Mad Max style wasteland where law has collapsed comes a traveller by the name of Eli (Denzel Washington), carrying with him the very last copy of the Good Book. Cue quality violent heroics and possible salvation – all set against a fantastic bleached out cinematic vista. Darkmatters Review

7. Four Lions (15)
Four Lions is the darkest, bravest comedy of the year which will leave you dazed and confused, challenged and inspired. It’s a brilliant film that deserves to be seen – prepare to laugh, cry and wince, probably all at the same time!! Darkmatters Review

6. Toy Story 3 (PG)
2010 saw us go to infinity and beyond – one more time… And the animation genius’s at Disney / Pixar saved the best trip till last with this all age feel good artistic masterpiece. Darkmatters Review

5. Somewhere (15)
A hard-living Hollywood actor has to re-examine his life after his 11-year-old daughter surprises him with an extended visit. This is a gorgeous life changing film that really needs to be seen.

4. The Town (15)
Take a trip to The Town with Ben Affleck for a full on, nerve shredding cops and robbers romp, packing some seriously cool shoot-outs which even rival those of the crime epic Heat. Darkmatters Review

3. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (12)
Brit Director Edgar Wright does for romance, video games and super heroes what he did for zombie films with Shaun of the Dead and police action buddy films with Hot Fuzz. Prepare for a dazzling pop culture overload which rocks a cinematic endorphin buzz of pure fun. Darkmatters Review

2. KICK-ASS (15)
Speaking of kick ass action – Kick-Ass is a fantastic new breed of superhero movie, a twisted, action packed megaton of wanton comic book violence quite unlike anything you’ve seen. Darkmatters Review

1. Inception (12)
Inception was without doubt the most exciting, brain frying, pleasure-inducing film of 2010. You don’t need to enter anyone’s dreams to realise that director Christopher Nolan delivered a very cool mind twisting plot, awesome special effects and kick-ass action. Darkmatters Review

Previous lists:

Matt's Top 10 Films 2009

Matt's Top 10 Films 2008

Matt's Top 10 Films 2007

Matt's Top 10 Films 2006

Matt's Top 10 Films 2005

Matt's Top 10 Films 2004

Darkmatters Review: Inception

Inception (12)

Dir. Christopher Nolan

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“What's the most resilient parasite?

…An Idea.

A single idea from the human mind can build cities.

An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.“

Prepare yourself for Inception, potentially the most exciting, brain frying, pleasure-inducing film you’ll see this year. Here’s my review:

Inception is EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT! I could go on but hopefully you get the idea…

Christopher ‘Dark Knight’ Nolan is probably the greatest Director working at the moment – his films have been a string of superbly dark, boundary pushing adventures. Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige and of course Dark Knight… and now Inception which for my money is right up there with his very best.

"someone is going to DIE..."

Imagine The Matrix version 2.0 – a super spy story that takes place inside the mind. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the best of ‘dream thief’ – a guy who can enter people’s dreams and extract their thoughts. But after a double cross situation gets out of control, Cobb is hired to do something that many deem impossible: rather then steal a thought, he has to insert an idea into someone’s mind – a procedure called ‘Inception’.

Caution – in for maximum enjoyment you’ll really need to engage your brain - as this is no thoughtless popcorn movie, Inception is a high brow, endorphin pumping rush of pure imagination.
The worlds of Robert Fischer, Jr. (Cillian Murphy)’s subconscious where Cobb and his crack team must venture are fantastic creations. Each level changes from the grim rainy cityscape which sees one of the best shoot-outs of modern cinema through to an arctic military station that houses the vault of the mind. The cinematography is stunning, whilst the special effects are utterly epic and will literally leave you reeling from the overpowering creativity wrought on screen.

Cobb’s team include his right hand man Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levit), the lovely Ariadne (a never better Ellen Page), Eames (Tom Hardy) and Yusuf (Dileep Rao) – all of whom get moments to shine. Also on hand are powerful business mogul Saito (Ken Watanabe) and there is sterling support from Michael Caine and Tom Berenger. Marion Cotillard plays Cobbs wife ‘Mal’ – a dangerously unstable figure who haunts his dreams and threatens to wreck his mission.

"The girl of your dreams... literally"

Everything about Inception is fantastic – very cool, kick-ass action, deep mind twisting plot, awesome special effects. You owe it to yourself to see this film!!

UNSEEN DELETED SCENE:

Neo from The Matrix turns up in one of the mindscapes and challenges Cobb to a zero gravity duel... It gets all kinds of awesome!?

Darkmatters rating: öööööööööö (10 awesome mind trips out of 10)

Darkmatters quick reference guide: Action 9 / Style 9 / Babes 8 / Comedy 6 / Horror 7 / Spiritual Enlightenment 5