As for structure: I'll list my favorite film of the month, and then four or so honorable mentions (in alphabetical order). I'll also list the worst film I saw that month, and then a literal listing (without commentary) of some other notable films I saw that month. Without further ado, let's begin with January.
Film of the Month: Children of Men (2006)
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron.
Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine.
Set in a world where women are unable to conceive children and immigrants are treated like prisoners, Children of Men grips you from the start and never lets go. Clive Owen plays Theo, a man attempting to protect the only known pregnant woman in the world from terrorist groups and government coverup. The film is well-known for its two single-shot action scenes. These scenes deserve every sliver of praise that they get. One of these scenes follows Theo for five minutes as he travels through a bombed building during a government raid against the terrorists, trying to find the pregnant woman who was kidnapped earlier on. The diligence it must have taken to film that in one-take is simply impressive. As soon as I finished watching this film, I knew it was one of the best films I'd ever seen. Children of Men is a unique take on a future dystopia as well as a bold statement about the treatment of immigrants in the present time.
Honorable Mentions:
Animal Kingdom (2010)
Directed by David Michod.
Starring James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, and Jacki Weaver.
One of my top ten films of 2010, Animal Kingdom succeeds on nearly every level. Probably a bit slow-moving for some people, but it's well-worth a look if you're even remotely interested in crime or gangster films.
Buried (2010)
Directed by Rodrigo Cortes.
Starring Ryan Reynolds.
Just missing my top ten of 2010 was Buried, one of the more unique entries from last year. Ryan Reynolds gives easily his best performance to date, somehow turning a film set entirely within a wooden coffin into a nail-biting thriller.
Enter the Void (2010)
Directed by Gaspar Noe.
Starring Nathaniel Brown, Paz de la Huerta, and Cyril Roy.
To describe Enter the Void in a two sentence blurb is impossible. It's one of the most psychedelic, absurd, disturbing, and philosophical films that I've ever seen, and many people will be offended by it. To me, though, it's a brilliant film and the defining piece of art in 2010 cinema.
Heat (1995)
Directed by Michael Mann.
Starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, and Jon Voight.
Michael Mann's best work, Heat is mostly remembered for finally bringing Pacino and De Niro, the two most iconic mobster actors of this generation, together on the screen. Although that was awesome, the film itself is damn good, too, filled with tense shootouts, well-rounded characters, and a great climax on an airport runway.
Worst of the Month:
Directed by Oliver Stone.
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan, and Josh Brolin.
Man, did Wall Street 2 disappoint me. I loved the original, and I loved every new actor brought in for the sequel (LaBeouf, Mulligan and Brolin). Even with all this talent, the film was still an enormous disappointment. Most of the blame lies with Oliver Stone, who apparently thought all he had to do to make a successful film was draw ties to the recent stock market crash and use as many cheesy camera tricks as he could. Blegh. Just skip this movie, please.
Other (Good) Films from January:
Black Snake Moan (2007)
The King's Speech (2010)
Nowhere Boy (2010)
The Other Guys (2010)
Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
Salt (2010)
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