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

Playstation 3 going to exclusively KICK-ASS

Playstation 3 going to exclusively KICK-ASS in April

Preview by Matt Adcock

This just in… Comic book fans who fancy being ‘Kick-Ass’ (Darkmatters film of the year) won’t have to dress up in wetsuits…

Guys / gals who fancy donning a superhero costume can now look forward to kicking ass / getting your ass kicked exclusively on the PS3.

You won’t need to have superpowers to download KICK-ASS the game from the Playstation Network – you’ll be able to take your own brand of crime fighting to the streets in multiplayer team ups from the comfort of you own home.

Here’s what’s coming:

• 3 playable characters (Kick-Ass, Big Daddy and Hit Girl)
• 8 missions with multiple environments, bosses and mini-bosses
• Facebook integration and Facebook missions – sounds fun
• ‘Frantic superhero action’
• Environment Interaction and Finishing moves
• Multiplayer Local Co-op
• Sub-missions and mini-games

Available on the - PS3 (PSN) also iPhone & iTouch for portable gamers

but not Xbox 360 or Wii - let's hope it kicks more ass than the Watchmen game!

GET READY TO KICK SOME ASS IN APRIL

Click here for the official game site

Darkmatters: KICK-ASS Review

"this is potentially the best movie of 2010"

Kick-Ass (15)

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“With no power, comes no responsibility…”.

Prepare for something different, something that kicks the ass of action films and exceeds the expectations of even the biggest comic book geek’s super powered wet dreams.

Kick-Ass is a fantastic new breed of superhero movie, a twisted, action packed megaton of wanton comic violence quite unlike anything you’ve seen. Created by Mark Millar, author of the excellent ‘Wanted’ and directed by arguably the hottest British director of the moment Matthew ‘Layer Cake and Stardust’ Vaughn – Kick-Ass sets the new benchmark for awesomeness.

This is the story of young Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), he’s your average high school kid whose only super power is being invisible to girls, especially the class hottie Katie Deauxma (a suitably sexy Lyndsy Fonseca).

But thanks to his love of comic books, Dave harbours a secret desire to be a superhero. So despite not having any powers, skills or training, one day he buys himself a wetsuit online and sets out to fight crime as ‘Kick-Ass’. Alas Dave isn’t very tough and his first encounter with some thugs sees him getting beaten to within an inch of his life, stabbed and hospitalised for 6 months!?

Seems that you can’t keep a good nerd down though and after having his nerve endings dulled and metal plates put in his body - which Dave says ‘makes me look like Wolverine’ he hits the street again. What follows is an orgy of destruction as Kick-Ass becomes an unlikely internet phenomenon, inspiring others to put on capes and fight crime such as the enigmatic ‘Red Mist’ (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).

Amongst these wannabe heroes emerge two serious caped vigilantes – the Batman like ‘Big Daddy’ (a pleasingly “not crap” Nicolas Cage) and unquestionably the star of the whole movie ‘Hit Girl’ (Chloe Moretz). Hit Girl is an unbelievable character, foul mouthed, brutally violent, cuttingly funny, cute as you could ask and erm, only eleven years old… A cinematic icon has been born and she’ll rock your world.

Moretz is going to be a huge star, she brings a pitch perfect performance to the role that will antagonise Daily Mail readers and delight comic book fans in equal measure. Cage too deserves praise for out Batman-ing The Dark Knight by playing Big Daddy with the cool camp vocal stylings of Adam West.

Kick-Ass is basically a perfect storm of adrenaline pumping action, heart rending emotion and sneeringly dark comedy. Hats, tights and capes off to Vaughn for bringing such a wild and wonderful tale to the big screen without compromise. Any film that fuses comic and film references as good as to have ‘The Spirit 3’ playing in the cinema is going to become the new favourite of many a generation of superhero fans.

I have seen the future of comic book movies (and potentially the best film of 2010)… and it is Kick-Ass. I’ll leave you with my favourite quote from the ass kicking Hit Girl who responds to Dave when he asks:

“How do I get in touch with you?”

She retorts:

“Just contact the mayor, he has a special signal that shines in the sky… it's in the shape of a giant cock!”

UNSEEN DELETED SCENE:

Kick-Ass and Hit Girl stumble through a dimensional hole and find themselves face to face with various 'real' superheroes such as Spiderman, the X-Men, Superman etc - and they join up to form a super superhero team beyond any yet imagined.

Darkmatters rating: öööööööööö (10 ass kicks out of 10)

Darkmatters quick reference guide: Action 10 (yep - it really is that good) / Style 9 / Babes 8 / Comedy 8 / Horror 7 / Spiritual Enlightenment 12


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"with no power, comes no responsibility..."

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"gangland bosses brutally slaughtered by a foul mouthed 11 year old... the Daily Mail are not happy..."

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"Nic Cage redeems his 'years of rubbish' by out Batman-ing the Dark Knight"

Get ready to KICK ASS!

"Red Mist, nice car"