2010 got off on a good start, with everyone excited for the advent of 
3-D after James Cameron’s masterpiece, Avatar. However, once Hollywood got their polished, manicured hands on the technology, it all went downhill. After Avatar (the epitome of a great 3-D movie), movie audiences were treated to an onslaught of mediocre extra dimensions, with the likes of Clash of the Titans and Step Up 3.
Mainstream movies were uninspiring, with many directors and producers choosing to rehash old films and “give them a fresh spin”. Sequels dominated the theatres (Sex and The City 2, Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, Twilight: Eclipse), with mixed reviews. While a select few managed to bring new life to older, established stories; a majority of sequels failed to live up to the standards of their predecessors.
3-D after James Cameron’s masterpiece, Avatar. However, once Hollywood got their polished, manicured hands on the technology, it all went downhill. After Avatar (the epitome of a great 3-D movie), movie audiences were treated to an onslaught of mediocre extra dimensions, with the likes of Clash of the Titans and Step Up 3.TOP 5 BEST MOVIES OF 2010
Inception
One of the most talked-about movies of 2010, director Christopher Nolan knew how to push all the right buttons with his sci-fi action film, Inception. The story- about a thief who extracts information from people’s dream- was intriguing enough. Add an excellent cast and thrilling action scenes, and you’ve got a blockbuster in your hands. The star-studded cast (Leonardo diCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe and Marion Cotillard) didn’t hurt either.
Kick-Ass
Adapted from the 2008 Marvel Comics series, Aaron Johnson stars as the titular Kick-Ass, ordinary teenager Dave who decides to become a superhero. In the process, he actually becomes somewhat of a superhero and encounters fellow “superheroes” such as Hit-Girl, Big Daddy and Red Mist along the way. Nicholas Cage and Chloe Moretz appear as former cop turned superhero, Big Daddy and the foul-mouthed child vigilante Hit-Girl. Exciting action scenes with jetpacks and rocket launchers, and the audaciously humorous performance from Moretz, made for a kick-ass film.
Toy Story 3
Since 1995, the adventures of Andy and his toys have enthralled audiences. The third film in the franchise is no different, giving fans a chance to relive their childhood with the beloved characters. New adventures await Woody, Buzz and their friends are mistakenly delivered to a day-care centre, where the gang now have to deal with rough children and rogue toys. Toy Story 3 cleverly blended comedy and adventure, with an emotional plot. It may be about plastic playthings, but it is truly a film with heart and emotion. Toy Story 3 is currently Pixar’s highest-grossing film, and is also the only animated film to have made over US$1-billion.
Despicable Me
Audiences rooted rooted for supervillain Gru (voiced by comic talent Steve Carell) in Despicable Me, a movie that had everything backwards. It was an insight into the underside of supervillainy, where supervillains have to get bank loans to finance their projects of evil. A family-friendly film that was intelligent and thoughtful, Despicable Me easily found fans with the bumbling, softie-at-heart, evil genius Gru, his little yellow minions and cute orphan girls. And who can forget the line, “It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!”?
Iron Man 2 
Billionaire superhero Tony Stark lights up the screen again as Iron Man. Having revealed his identity as Iron Man, Stark now faces pressure from the government and public, and has to confront new, powerful enemies. Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle are the witty foils to Robert Downey Jr, returning in all his self-confident and sarcastic glory. Mickey Rourke was excellent as the new villain, Whiplash. Offering an abundance of thrills, laughs and drama, Iron Man 2 was a polished sequel featuring plenty of action and solid performances by the cast, Scarlett Johanssen’s action sequence being one of the highlights.
Shutter Island
Inception’s unpopular little brother, Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as US Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who is believed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. Packed with thrilling details, surreal asides and masterful set-ups, the psychological thriller has all the right twists and turns to leave you breathless. Requiring multiple views to fully understand the artistic and intellectual brilliance of the story, it proves that Scorsese is no doubt, one of the greatest filmmakers.
Billionaire superhero Tony Stark lights up the screen again as Iron Man. Having revealed his identity as Iron Man, Stark now faces pressure from the government and public, and has to confront new, powerful enemies. Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle are the witty foils to Robert Downey Jr, returning in all his self-confident and sarcastic glory. Mickey Rourke was excellent as the new villain, Whiplash. Offering an abundance of thrills, laughs and drama, Iron Man 2 was a polished sequel featuring plenty of action and solid performances by the cast, Scarlett Johanssen’s action sequence being one of the highlights.
Shutter Island
Inception’s unpopular little brother, Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as US Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who is believed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island. Packed with thrilling details, surreal asides and masterful set-ups, the psychological thriller has all the right twists and turns to leave you breathless. Requiring multiple views to fully understand the artistic and intellectual brilliance of the story, it proves that Scorsese is no doubt, one of the greatest filmmakers.
TOP 5 WORST MOVIES OF 2010
Shrek Forever After
The beloved Shrek franchise returned for the fourth time. Shrek is now a father with a mid-life crisis, who is tricked by Rumpelstiltskin into erasing his existence. Together with his trusty Donkey, Shrek sets out to restore the world to its original time. Mildly funny and a pleasant enough farewell from the familiar characters, Shrek 4 did not live up to the standards of its predecessors. Having grown to love Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and gang over the years, the characters were as amazing as ever despite the pointless and bland script lacked the usual spark and zing. There’s a reason why all good things come in threes; the franchise should have ended with Shrek the Third.
The Last Airbender
Widely panned for their casting choice of a mostly-Caucasian cast portraying Asian characters, The Last Airbender was off to a bad start even before it was released in the cinemas. The story follows the adventures of Aang, the young successor to the long line of Avatars, who must now stop the Fire nation from world domination. Fans of the original animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, were sorely disappointed by the screen adaptation. With the poor script and clunky acting, the action scenes were the only things that saved The Last Airbender from being a complete flop.
Twilight: Eclipse
The third movie of the Twilight series does not do much for non-Twihards, but it was bearable to watch. Stuffed with cringe-worthy dialogue and dull scenes, the romance action-fantasy film is a listless affair. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner take turns to deliver long smouldering gazes; whilst still angsting over their messed-up love triangle. Thankfully, director David Slade keeps the action brisk and brings his own take to the story. Still bad, but maybe mildly less bad than the previous two films.
The Last Song
Oh Miley, why do you do this to us? We try to like you, we do, but when you churn out such wooden acting, it’s hard not to dislike you. The Last Song is a screen adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, centring on a troubled teenager who is sent to spend the summer with her estranged father in a Southern beach town. Cue plenty of family drama, all the clichés in the book, a summer romance with the resident cute guy and Miley showing off her piano-playing skills. Marketed as a star vehicle for the Disney princess to break out of her family-oriented movies, the movie should come with a consumer warning as well - best for fangirls (and boys) of Miley Cyrus only.
Sex and The City 2
The first Sex and The City movie was a perfect mix of froth, fun and fashion. The second was a train wreck of excessive materialism with a thin plot. The film was particularly criticised for its portrayals of the Middle East and gay men. Facing pressures from work and family life, Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte join Samantha for a trip to Abu Dhabi. Charlotte faces potential marital infidelity, while Carrie is tempted to cheat on Mr Big and their not-so-happily ever after. Samantha and Miranda barely have storyline, except to look pissed or excited at random moments. A fun excuse for a movie night out with the girls, the movie does not hold up well in terms of plot, writing and dialogue.
Shrek Forever After
The beloved Shrek franchise returned for the fourth time. Shrek is now a father with a mid-life crisis, who is tricked by Rumpelstiltskin into erasing his existence. Together with his trusty Donkey, Shrek sets out to restore the world to its original time. Mildly funny and a pleasant enough farewell from the familiar characters, Shrek 4 did not live up to the standards of its predecessors. Having grown to love Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and gang over the years, the characters were as amazing as ever despite the pointless and bland script lacked the usual spark and zing. There’s a reason why all good things come in threes; the franchise should have ended with Shrek the Third.
The Last Airbender
Widely panned for their casting choice of a mostly-Caucasian cast portraying Asian characters, The Last Airbender was off to a bad start even before it was released in the cinemas. The story follows the adventures of Aang, the young successor to the long line of Avatars, who must now stop the Fire nation from world domination. Fans of the original animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, were sorely disappointed by the screen adaptation. With the poor script and clunky acting, the action scenes were the only things that saved The Last Airbender from being a complete flop.
Twilight: Eclipse
The third movie of the Twilight series does not do much for non-Twihards, but it was bearable to watch. Stuffed with cringe-worthy dialogue and dull scenes, the romance action-fantasy film is a listless affair. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner take turns to deliver long smouldering gazes; whilst still angsting over their messed-up love triangle. Thankfully, director David Slade keeps the action brisk and brings his own take to the story. Still bad, but maybe mildly less bad than the previous two films.
The Last Song
Oh Miley, why do you do this to us? We try to like you, we do, but when you churn out such wooden acting, it’s hard not to dislike you. The Last Song is a screen adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, centring on a troubled teenager who is sent to spend the summer with her estranged father in a Southern beach town. Cue plenty of family drama, all the clichés in the book, a summer romance with the resident cute guy and Miley showing off her piano-playing skills. Marketed as a star vehicle for the Disney princess to break out of her family-oriented movies, the movie should come with a consumer warning as well - best for fangirls (and boys) of Miley Cyrus only.
Sex and The City 2
The first Sex and The City movie was a perfect mix of froth, fun and fashion. The second was a train wreck of excessive materialism with a thin plot. The film was particularly criticised for its portrayals of the Middle East and gay men. Facing pressures from work and family life, Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte join Samantha for a trip to Abu Dhabi. Charlotte faces potential marital infidelity, while Carrie is tempted to cheat on Mr Big and their not-so-happily ever after. Samantha and Miranda barely have storyline, except to look pissed or excited at random moments. A fun excuse for a movie night out with the girls, the movie does not hold up well in terms of plot, writing and dialogue.
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Here's hoping that the new year will bring greater cinematic creativity and triumphs, and less sequels, alright Hollywood? For myself, I'm looking forward to movies like Natalie Portman in three movies, Waiting for Forever, I am Number Four, Water for Elephants and X-Men:First Class, and alright, one sequel - The Hangover 2. (But hey, The Hangover was a great comedy so you can't fault me for that one.)
See you guys in 2011!
[Photo Credits: Toy Story 3, Kick-Ass, Step-Up 3, Shutter Island from AllMoviePhoto; Avatar: The Last Airbender from Filmstage; Iron Man 2, Avatar, Sex and the City 2, Inception from Filmofilia; The Last Song, Despicable Me, Shrek 4, Twilight: Eclipse from Fanpop]
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