Pac’s Best/Worst Films of 2010

Yesterday Chris posted his best and worst films of 2010, I decided to give you a day to mull it over, argue amongst friends, leave comments, and/or whatever it is you do.  Today I give you my list of the ten best and ten worst movies of 2010.  Keep in mind, as with Chris’s lists, that these are only the films that I have seen.  We are just fans like you and have to seek out our own means of viewing these films so it was impossible to see every film we would have liked to in 2010 (as well as those we’re forced to or stumble into).  As a bonus though, I’ve included the ten films I wish I would have seen in 2010 both because some of my films overlap Chris’s and I wanted to add something more and because I don’t want anyone saying “how could you have put (blank) over (blank)?” when I didn’t see (blank).

I want to end on a high note so here are my 10 least favorite films from the past year:

10. Let Me In

Right off the bat I’m going with a film that might make most people discredit the rest of my list, it was included in Chris’s 10 best films and it got great reviews, and there are definitely other films I could have put here instead (see honorable mentions) .  Let Me In was saved by great performances from wonderful young actors (and the always enjoyable Richard Jenkins) but the over-the-top cinematography and slow pace ruined any chance of me enjoying this film.  The film was shot way too tight and I spent more time deciphering what I was seeing on-screen and not enough time immersing myself in the film.  I’m a believer that you need to see a film twice to truly gauge its quality (which I haven’t done yet) but for now it remains on my ten least favorite.

9. Alice In Wonderland

Most all Hollywood couples part ways, so why too can’t the “bromances” between actor and director?  Maybe it is time for Tim Burton to move on from Johnny Depp the same way Scorcese moved on from DeNiro to DiCaprio.  I wasn’t able to see this film in 3D (which I heard was disappointing anyway), but none the less the film boasted some great visuals – and nothing else.  Burton’s story of Alice returning to Wonderland lacked substance and character and attempted to disguise it with the awe of visual appeal.  I wasn’t even able to finish this film (meaning it comes in #9 despite me not seeing the infamous dance sequence), and that almost never happens.

8. Leap Year

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the romantic comedy genre (as evidenced here), but I am always willing to give the newest one a shot given the appropriate company.  While most RomComs have ridiculous premises and over-the-top love stories, Leap Year attempted to top them all with its ridiculous premise about a girl who travels to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Year only to fall in love along the way.  Amy Adams needs to take cues from actresses like Charlize Theron, you have way too much talent to be wasting it on Romantic Comedies.  If I have to see this film once every four years, it’d be too often.

7. Valentine’s Day

When a movie tries to bank off the success of another film in any other method other than a direct sequel (and many times even that doesn’t work), it is almost destined for failure.  Valentine’s Day clearly tried to use the formula of He’s Just Not That Into You, and take it one step further by including a holiday premise sure to draw in couples to the theater.  Unfortunately, they overlooked the one thing about HJNTIY that actually made it an enjoyable film to watch, a good story.  Valentine’s Day just grabbed as many billable actors as possible, cut them their check and let them check out as they filmed this abomination because they knew the names would be enough to turn a profit.  Hopefully when next years sequel, New Year’s Eve comes to theaters we’ll be a little bit wiser (probably not).

6. My Soul to Take

If Chris gives me credit for convincing him to see The Social Network, then I must too take blame for dragging him to this.  While he and most others would rank this higher on their list of least favorite films of 2010, I saw brief glimpses of what makes Wes Craven the premiere name in the horror genre.  The film lacked so many things including: acceptable performances from its young actors, cohesiveness in the story, and any sort of suspense.  However, after some analysis I determined that it wasn’t the story that was lacking but the execution.  Don’t let me forget that this was the worst 3D that I have seen in any film to date.  Maybe this Wes Craven film will be remade in 20 years like all his others, and this one could actually be improved upon.

5. The Killer Inside Me

I first saw the trailer for this film and immediately thought this was going to be the film that makes Casey Affleck a star.  With two very billable leading ladies (Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson) by his side, the director of a Mighty Heart at the reins, and a compelling story based off a well received book, I had such high hopes for this film.  What I got upon viewing was a shock value film disguised as noir with incredibly slow pacing.  Affleck turns out a good performance in this character piece, as does Kate Hudson but they still couldn’t save this film for me.  However, after spending two hours begging for this film to end I was rewarded with a pretty bad-ass ending, or maybe I was just relieved it was over.

4. Salt

I wasn’t expecting much from this film and didn’t see it til recently, so I can’t say that I was disappointed by it.  Still, Salt was easily the worst of a group of espionage films that were released this year.  Competing with the likes of Knight and Day, Killers, and The Tourist, and trying to live up to the quality of the Bourne series, Salt fell short in almost every aspect.  The performances were weak, the story was boring, the reveal was predictable, and the action was cliché.  Angelina Jolie is quickly becoming an actress whose films I try to avoid; and when Tom Cruise backs out for Knight and Day and is replaced by Liv Shreiber, you’re doomed.

Who Cares?

3. Twilight: Eclipse

The only thing that kept this film from landing any higher was that it did at least feature some pretty cool fight sequences as well as the beautiful Eva Green and Anna Kendrick.  Unfortunately, the rest of the film was littered with unbearable performances from its three main stars, a romance that has become so contrite by the third film that I can’t understand how even tweens can bear it anymore, and unneccessary chest bearing for swooning 12 year olds.  It is disappointing that this saga will be remembered in pop-culture as one of the most popular franchises of our generation, hopefully after the fourth installment reaches theaters the vampire craze will subside.

2. Sex and the City 2

I subject my girlfriend to a lot of bad action and horror movies so I only find it fair that sometimes I suck it up and watch a movie like Twilight: Eclipse and Sex and the City 2.  While Twilight: Eclipse at least boasted a cool fight scene, two very attractive supporting actresses, and some resemblance of a plot; Sex and the City 2 had nothing of the sort.  I strongly considered making this the #1 film on this list but decided against it because I hated the next film just a little bit more.  Take four over the hill women who were only mildly attractive in their prime, send them to the middle east to do absolutely nothing, add some obligatory male nudity, and what you get is this garbage.  Screw you HBO, where is my Sopranos movie?

1. The Last Airbender

What can I say about this film that hasn’t already been expressed in numerous blogs, reviews, and hate mail sent to M. Night Shyamalan?  This movie was terrible and I really don’t have anything else to say about it, I didn’t finish it and I have no interest in watching it all the way through because I genuinely don’t care what happens, hell I don’t even know what was happening during the first 2 acts that I did see.  It is a shame that Shyamalan’s name has been drug through the mud so badly after the release of this film because it caused so many people to dismiss Devil, a decent suspense/horror flick.

Honorable Mentions:  The Wolfman, The Losers, R.E.D., Jonah Hex

 

 Here are my favorite films from 2010:

10. The Ghost Writer

Let me hand it to my favorite website and one of the greatest resources on the web for movie news, reviews, and opinions for influencing me to see this movie.  It if it weren’t for a weekend film recommendation on this very site, I may never have seen The Ghost Writer, but I’m sure glad I listen to those guys at Chris Petersen’s Film Blog, they sure are smart.  A political crime thriller from across the pond, The Ghost Writer boasts superior performances from Ewan MacGregor and Pierce Brosnan, a stellar plot that unravels at just the right pace, and one hell of an ending.  You can call Roman Polanski a lot of things, and one of them should be an outstanding director.

9. Kick Ass

Not many films these days can feature Nicolas Cage and still make my top ten, but Kick Ass was able to do just that.  Blending just the right amount of superhero fantasy with the harsh reality of life, this film was a very smart, fun romp through the world of superhero fanboys.  What took this film to the next level though was the excellent cast supported by the aforementioned Cage, Chloe Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse.  But it was the bold decision to cast the little-known Aaron Johnson as Kick Ass that made this movie great.  Could you imagine how much it would have sucked if they went with, oh say…

This Guy

 8.  Unthinkable

Seriously, read this blog every day, these guys know what they are talking about.  Okay, so it was actually me who wrote the weekend film recommendation for Unthinkable this time, but I did it for a reason.  This film gets a bad rap by some because of its controversial subject matter and torture scene, but make no mistake – this is not torture porn.  Everything shown on-screen is deliberate and important to the purpose of the film, the movie is not supposed to gross you out but rather to make you think, and to question your own morality and the morality of the world we live in.  This film is heavy, and it features Samuel L. Jackson in his best performance from at least the past 5 years as well as Michael Sheen in an Oscar worthy performance.  (This film is available instantly on Netflix for those of you interested).

7. The Town

I’ve put my grievances with the ending to rest and have accepted this film for what it is, a very good heist flick.  Ben Affleck continues to show that he knows how to handle a camera and Jeremy Renner is quickly proving to be one of Hollywood’s heavyweights and they both shine in their respective roles in this film.  Some of their talent even rubbed off on the beautiful Blake Lively who did take a cue from Charlize Theron and disguised her beauty to play Affleck’s drugged out ex-girlfriend.  I wish I could have liked this film more than I did but despite its greatness amongst this years class of film, it doesn’t compare to the greats like Heat, Dog Day Afternoon, and Inside Man.

6. Inception

It was very difficult for me not to rank this film higher on my list but when it came down to it, I wasn’t influenced by all the peer pressure and the media touting this movie as the greatest piece of art ever to grace my eyes.  I do however, give this film all the respect it deserves for a great cast (including a breakout performance by Joseph Gordon Levitt), a great story, incredible special effects and cinematography, and a cliff hanger that will live in cinema infamy.  I truly hope this film will do what many speculate it is capable of and bring some big budget originality back to hollywood in the coming years.  Christopher Nolan truly is a master of his craft and one of three directors (including Martin Scorcese and the director of the #2 movie on my list) whose name alone earns the price of admission from my pockets.

5. The Other Guys

Many posts ago, Chris wrote a post compiling a list of movies that he didn’t like until his second viewing, and earlier in this post I wrote that I believe a movie needs to be seen twice to truly gauge its value.  The Other Guys is the poster child for that theory because when I walked out of the theater after seeing this film I actually disliked it.  A second viewing on DVD changed my mind and this film jumped into my top ten about as effortlessly as Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson jumped off that building.  This movie is hilarious from start to finish, mainly because of its satirical premise and its two leading men: Mark Whalberg and Will Ferrell.  The replay value of this movie is very high (I think I’ve seen it 5x now) and its quotability is just as great, it’s the funniest movie to come out this year and I can’t wait to see Whalberg in more comedic roles.

4. I Love You Phillip Morris

When buzz about this movie started making its way around the internet I thought it was a comedy about cigarettes, much like Thank You for Smoking. I didn’t think much of it past the title til I saw the first trailer and laughed a few times, then saw it after having my wisdom teeth pulled ( I was in need of a good laugh ).  This movie was hilarious from start to finish and was (IMO) the best performance of Jim Carrey’s career, even Ewan MacGregor was great in his supporting role as the titular Phillip Morris.  There seems to be some stigma around this movie for its homosexual content; but the film doesn’t exploit the point that the two men are gay, it simply uses it to supplement to outrageous humor.  I would best describe this movie as a gay Catch Me if You Can.

3. Black Swan

If it weren’t for the first act of this film and its camera work I probably would have ranked this movie higher on my list, but if I’m going to chastise Let Me In for its cinematography I have to hold Black Swan accountable as well.  Despite my issue with the way the beginning of the film was shot, this film delivered on many levels, often in ways that Let Me In could not.  The plot that drove the story was incredibly paced with just enough suspense to keep me attentive without driving me as insane as Nina (Natalie Portman) and I sympathised with each of the characters especially Nina and her mother (Barbara Hershey).  The performances by Hershey, Portman, Cassell, Ryder, and even Kunis were top-notch.  Lastly the climax of the film left me both pondering what I just saw as well as begging for more.  Portman deserves an Academy Award for this performance and she has catapulted herself into superstardom (see her upcoming filmography for 2011, she’s busy).

2.  The Social Network

Like I Love You Phillip Morris there was a stigma surrounding The Social Network that watered down some of the anticipation and respect that this film deserved.  However, that stigma was quickly submerged by critical acclaim and box office success after it was released in theaters.  The Social Network is so much more than “The Facebook Movie”, its a courtroom thriller that doesn’t take place in a courtroom, and it’s a character piece on the now infamous creator of one of the most popular websites in the world.  The performances by young stars such as Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Armie Hammer (who kind of plays both Winklevoss twins) carry this film and it is only supplemented by David Fincher’s outstanding direction and cinematography.  If I had a vote for Best Picture as part of the Academy, I’d vote for this film.

1. Megamind

While I’ve already established that I think The Social Network deserves the Academy Award for best picture, I don’t think it deserves to top my list of favorite movies from 2010.  We go to the movies for many reasons, but the primary reason I go to the theater is be entertained, and Megamind was the most entertaining movie of the year for me – BY FAR.  It may have been a perfect storm that cast this film into the pole position on this list but I loved every second of it.  The movie had a great story (so what if it was mildly similar to Despicable Me), a fun cast with great chemistry (especially between Ferrell and Cross), excellent cinematography (especially for an animated film), and the best 3D that I have seen in any film to date.  So far twice in this post I have written that I believe you need to see a movie a second time to truly gauge its value, well I’ve seen Megamind once and I may purposefully never see it again.  Seeing this movie in 3D in theaters was such an enjoyable experience that I fear subsequent viewings may only diminish the perception I have of this film.  I hope to someday have the capability of recreating the theatrical experience that was Megamind (anyone wanna buy me a 3D TV? and Bose stereo system?).

Honorable Mention: The Crazies, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Easy A

As a small token of my gratitude for reading through this very long post (even if you skimmed it) and making it this far, here is my top ten movies I wish I had seen in 2010, most of which are new or limited releases:

10. Paper Man
9. Winter’s Bone
8. Monsters
7. Toy Story 3
6. Tron: Legacy
5. 127 Hours
4. The King’s Speech
3. True Grit
2. The Fighter
1. Buried

Chris’ Best/Worst Films of 2010

Everyone seems to have their own opinion about what the best and worst films of the year were, and in that regard I am no different. This post comes with the disclaimer that these are only out of the films that I have seen. Unlike the Golden Globes, I don’t want to give films credit based on buzz, even if the chances are that they are pretty good.

 

If you're nominating Golden Globes on name recognition alone, I am surprised Valentine's Day didn't make the list.

 

 

Here are some of my favorite films from this year:

10. True Grit

While this film was good and featured great performances, specifically by Hailee Steinfield, the update seemed unnecessary overall. The technical aspects of the film were great, but failed to find any substance beneath the surface. Jeff Bridges played John Wayne’s classic and Oscar-winning role with bravado, but really only blended into the film rather than stood out like The Duke did. Still, The Coen Brothers definitely know how to make a film, there is no doubt about that.

 

9. Let Me In

The success of this film hinged heavily on the strength of its young leads (Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee) and they came through in spades to deliver a vampire film for adults and people with more than an I.Q. of 75. Richard Jenkins, one of the best kept secrets in Hollywood, also gives a strong performance as the protector of Moretz. I was thoroughly impressed with this film overall, and while I cannot comment on how it compares to the Swedish original, it still stands on its own as one of the best of the year.

8. Megamind

The first of two animated films on here, this was one of the most underrated films of the year. It did decent with the critics, but failed to find a strong fan base, even with the most spectacular 3D on display this year (that I saw). The script was strong and Will Ferrell and David Cross had an outstanding rapport and made this quite a treat for those that took the time to see it.

7. Toy Story 3

This ranking might incite some rage by people who think that should win best picture, and they have quite a following. To those people I say, wait…what? Pump the brakes here. This film is good, don’t get me wrong, but it is nowhere near Best Picture quality. It is entertaining, but lacked some of the humor of the first two and while it was in 3D, it did nothing with it other than jack up the prices of admission. Sure, it brought a tear to the eye of many as we said goodbye to some old friends, but in the end, the overall depth was far short of anything that should win top honors. Again, don’t crucify me, I liked it, it made this list, but I enjoyed so many other films more than this one.

6. The Other Guys

Will Ferrell definitely had some dud comedies in the last couple of years.

 

I'm looking at you Semi-Pro.

 

 

But, The Other Guys almost makes up for them and, like a lot of Will Ferrell films, gets better after repeat viewings and line quoting sessions. Mark Wahlberg made a great jump to comedy this year in both this film and Date Night, and he provided an intense foil to Will Ferrell’s bumbling. It was nice to see Ferrell tone it down a bit as well, letting Wahlberg share the spotlight. I couldn’t justify putting this film in the Top 5, but it was one of my favorites this year.

5. The Town

Ben Affleck is a decent actor when he really buckles down, but he is an incredible director and makes it seem easy. He compiled a great cast for his sophomore directorial production and wrote a superb script to boot, with fully fleshed out characters and realistic dialogue. He seems to bring out the best in everyone around him, even an unlikely Blake Lively, who you could barely recognize as a drug addict. High praise to Affleck and I hope that he stays behind the camera more often than not.

4. Inception

Christopher Nolan garnered the most buzz this year, releasing one of the highest grossing original productions this year. He brought a breath of fresh air to the summer season, which was bereft of entertaining films that aren’t dumbed down for the popcorn crowd. Nolan salvaged the summer blockbuster and paved the way for other budding directors to get the funding they need for their original projects, rather than having it shelled out to worn out sequels and reboots which flopped. This is another film that die hard fans argue should win best picture, but while this grand film succeeded technically and in the “that was so cool” department, it didn’t have the depth to move it any higher than the other films that round out the top 3.

3. The Social Network

When I wrote my article about The Five Most Anticipated Films of the Fall Season, this one didn’t even get honorable mention. I thought it looked like a film that was geared at trying to bank on the facebook craze. Man, was  I wrong, and I owe it to Pac for getting me into seeing this on. This scathing portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of facebook, and the people that surrounded him on his meteoric rise, provided one of the most intriguing characters on screen this year, even if some of the “facts” were a bit fabricated. David Fincher should at least get a nomination for directorial work and Aaron Sorkin should get recognition for his smart screenplay adaptation as well.

2. Buried

I kind of saw this film by accident, after my fiance and I’s car broke down in Maryland. We ended up being in the wrong place at the right time and caught this hard to find film in the theater. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time. I had heard about the premise of this film online and really wondered how they could film a whole movie inside a coffin (and I mean the whole movie). Ryan Reynolds carried the weight of this film on his shoulders and in the dim light portrayed the utter desperation of this man buried alive and held for ransom. I expected it to be intense, but I didn’t expect the strong emotional aspect of the film and it stuck with me for several weeks after watching it. I encourage everyone to see this film, unless they are extremely claustrophobic.

1. Black Swan

This was one of the most hyped films of the year, sporting a notable cast (Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassell, Mila Kunis) and a director, Darren Aronofsky, at the top of his game. I expected to be a little disappointed, but instead was completely captivated by this film, the only psycho-horror-ballet-thriller that I know of. Natalie Portman should definitely win Best Actress after this and I can forgive her for taking on lighter fare for a little while after this, which must have required her, like her character in the film, to be completely immersed in the artistic process. High marks for Barbara Hershey and Vincent Cassell as well, and a tip of the cap to Mila Kunis for their performances as well. It was beautifully dark and infinitely entrancing.

Movies I Wish I Had Seen for this List:

127 Hours

The Fighter

Worst Films

10. Due Date

Not a bad film necessarily, but come on, RDJ and Galifianakis can do better than that. If you want to see a funnier Todd Phillips road trip film, I suggest Road Trip.

9. Alice in Wonderland

Disappointed is the best word to describe my opinion about this film. Burton did a stellar job with the visuals and completely flopped developing a compelling story and Johnny Depp was more annoying than entertaining as the Mad Hatter.

Pardon me, sir, but could you spare some crack?

8. Predators

Adrien Brody as an action star is just not believable. The film had one of the best openings of the year and then dissolved into increasing ridiculousness and idiocy. If they knew mud was how they could beat them halfway through the film, why wait until the end, when they are almost all dead, to try it?

7. The Wolfman

Who would have thought that a film with great actors and a great premise would be one of the most boring films of the year. Please don’t bring this back…ever. I finally found an Anthony Hopkins film that I didn’t even enjoy watching in the least. I was hoping that day would never come.

6. Get Him to the Greek

I am still confused at how this film did so well with the critics. I was really excited about this sequel that wasn’t a sequel. It had great writers and a given chemistry between its two leads. But, it failed on just about every level, meandering for punch lines and a point for an hour and a half.

5. The Last Exorcism

I am going to repeat the joke that many people said about this film, let’s hope the title is accurate. While the film started off very well, the ending left a bitter taste in my mouth and the entire audience at the theater seemed disgruntled.

4. Valentine’s Day

How did they get this cast? How? This was by far one of the dumbest films of the year. This film was not funny and it wasn’t romantic. Ashton Kutcher and Jennifer Garner were the worst on screen couple I have seen in a while.

 

Okay, maybe not the worst.

 

 

3. MacGruber

I am always hoping SNL films will do well because I like the show, but they keep giving more ammo to people to hate them. This film was no different. I loved MacGruber on the show and got really excited about this film coming out, especially with Jorma Taccone directing and some serious talent associated with it. However, the gags were dumb and overly vulgar and the film made absolutely no sense. I was sorry to see Ryan Phillipe and Val Kilmer get tied up in this one.

2. My Soul to Take

Why did Wes Craven decide that this would be the film to make a come back with? Why not wait for Scream 4? I have serious doubts about the already shaky premise of the fourth installment after watching this piece of cinematic excrement. Not only did it have the worst story and terrible acting, it had pointless 3D that wasn’t even used. The one part that might have been cool to watch in 3D, wasn’t in the film, only in the preview. I think I died a little inside when I watched this film.

 

Well, at least no one can claim the title was false advertising.

 

 

1. The Last Airbender

M. Night Shyamalan, what happened to you? He is an easy target for this film and should be. He has plenty of money, why not wait and pick his projects more carefully. Why not hire someone else to write his scripts? Why not choose a better, less offensive child actor to play the lead? Why not bring a little bit of depth to your characters instead of putting cardboard cut outs around razzle dazzle special effects? I seem to recall a young director who said that he wanted to shy away from special effects anyway. Mr. Shyamalan, please refrain from directing any movies for at least five years and stick to helping people out with the Night Chronicles, because Devil was 10 times better than anything you made in the last 8 years.

 

So your movie is getting remade…Deal with it.

By Brian Pac Sostak

Total Film reported today that Niels Arden Oplev, the director of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is unhappy that his film is being remade in the United States.  In the guise of defending his lead actress, Noomi Rapace, Oplev had this to say about the David Fincher version:

“The Sony PR machine is trying to make their Lisbeth Salander the lead Lisbeth Salander, that’s highly unfair because Noomi has captured this part and it should be all her.  That’s her legacy in a way I can’t see anyone competing with it.”

Niels Arden Oplev, you are entitled to your opinion but I am also entitled to mine, and I would like to humbly express my opinion as a general movie-goer and enthusiast.  Deal with it.  First of all, you may have a genuine concern for the legacy of your lead actress in your film, but I’m skeptical about your honorable defense and believe you are more concerned with the legacy of your film.  Regardless, you shouldn’t be so concerned, you should be appreciative of all the extra attention that is given to your film and how it will enhance its legacy.

Consider some of the other recent foreign films to be remade in Hollywood and how their status in global pop culture was enhanced by American adaptations.  Ju-On (The Grudge), Ringu (The Ring), Mou Gaan Dou (The Departed), Let the Right One In (Let Me In) were all films remade for Hollywood and their legacies have all been enhanced because of this.  Maybe my opinion can be dismissed as “American Ignorance”, but I would not have heard of or seen  most (if not all) of these films if it were not for their American remakes.

A film by Niels Arden Oplev. Heard of it?

If you still want to chalk my opinion up to “American Ignorance” consider this, I think American filmmakers who are having their films rebooted should be appreciative too.  As a case study, take A Nightmare on Elm Street for example.  That film was remade earlier this year and with its theatrical release came a Blu-ray release of the original, DVD box sets, television broadcasts and additional merchandise sales that otherwise would not have happened.  A remake is a promotional tool for your original film, a way to bring your legacy to an audience that may otherwise never acknowledge your film.  Remakes don’t destroy the legacy of good films, they enhance them. 

Also, don’t say that no other actress can compete with the legacy your actress has established then complain when they attempt to.  That’s like saying you make the best Frikadeller in the world but then refuse to enter a cook-off because you consider it a slap in the face.   Besides, you have no right to be miffed at Hollywood for making The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because it isn’t your intellectual property in the first place.  Your film is an adaptation of a book by Stieg Larsson.  Is Tim Burton publically bashing Warner Bros and Christopher Nolan for making the Batman films?  Is John Wayne rising from the grave, pistol in hand, to challenge Jeff Bridges to a duel?  Neither you nor Noomi Rapace created the legacy of Lisbeth Salander so it isn’t yours to protect.

Proof that even terrible remakes cannot destroy legacies

We’ll have to wait another year for Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to appear on the big screen and I bet during that year you’re going to welcome every cent the “Sony PR Machine” produces for you, directly or indirectly.  After reading your comments I’m privately hoping your film’s legacy over time is reduced down to “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a remake?”

I’ve clearly expressed my opinion; but what do you, the reader think?  Was Niels Arden Oplev justified in his comments?  Will David Fincher’s version of the film tarnish the legacy of its predecessor?

Take Two: Let Me In (2010)

Let Me In (2010)

Rated: R

Starring: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Director: Matt Reeves

Chris’ Take:

Let me first start off by saying that I have regrettably not seen the original Swedish version, Let the Right One In, that this film is based on. I have heard great things about it, but haven’t been able to see it yet. When I saw that this version was coming out, I was cautious because it seemed like a quick turnaround for a remake, but from what I have heard this film follows very closely to the original.

Let Me In is the story of Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a gruesomely bullied middle school boy, who meets a mysterious new neighbor, Abby (Chloe Moretz), and someone he assumes is her father (Richard Jenkins). She provides much needed companionship for him and even begins to give him strength to face his fears. Owen soon finds out that Abby is a blood-depraved vampire and that the person he thought was her father is her protector; hunting and killing people to provide Abby with the blood she needs to survive. When Abby’s protector dies the police begin to ask questions and Owen is caught in between helping the police or protecting his new found friend.

This film exceeded my expectations, since there have been so many terrible remakes in the recent past. After so many cheesy vampire shows and movies that overdo the sex appeal and mortality of vampires, this one focuses on the truly disturbing details and implications of vampires, and does not disappoint those who have the patience to sit through a slower vampire movie.

The cinematography is very interesting, choosing to leave many details out of focus and therefore up to the imagination of the viewer. Also, an interesting aspect was that Owen’s mother was not clearly seen throughout the entire film, which symbolized how she was almost absent in his life, except when she called him for dinner, which is when she was shown the most clearly.

Moretz and Smit-McPhee carried the movie on their very capable young shoulders with superb performances by both. Moretz has played some very different roles for an actor of her age, and may need therapy when she grows up, but shows some tremendous promise in almost every film she is in. The characters progressed in such a way that it was easy to see how Owen makes the decisions he does, which is very crucial in making this film believable. Richard Jenkins played a great character as well (as always), being able to let his neurotic tendencies show through.

The pace of the film may be a draw back for some, but I thought it was just right. Matt Reeves, the director and writer, spaced out moments of sharp intensity with just the right amount of character development and story. Those looking for an in-your-face gore fest with prolonged action scenes will not find it here. But for those willing to wait 15 minutes  for very satisfying moments of disturbing pay off, this is a film for you.

This is one of the darkest films I have seen in a while and I thought it was very well done and well directed by Matt Reeves. Unfortunately, it failed to succeed in the box office, which means that films like this will be less and less likely to be made. It is so depressing that terrible movies are, more often than not, rewarded monetarily for being enamel shells of cinematic nothing.

• Characters: A
• Cinematography: A
• Direction: A-
• Performances: A
• Plot: A-
• Overall: A

Pac’s Take:

In most instances when Chris and I do a “Take Two” we generally either both like or dislike the film.  In most instances when I watch a critically acclaimed horror movie I do not leave the end credits disappointed.  This is not most instances.  I did not like Let Me In.

I have seen some of Let the Right One In, but couldn’t get through it because I just couldn’t enjoy the film (I thought this was because of the subtitles, I didn’t really like High Tension either).  That being said, I was optimistic to see this movie because of its strong cast, critical acclaim, and lack of a language barrier.  However, had I not been in the theater I don’t think I would have made it through this movie either.  Chris is not off the mark when he says this is not the typical vampire movie, it does explore a different perspective on the creatures of the night and it doesn’t shy away from the violence and animatistic nature of the original folklore.  I find this fact redeeming, but not enough to make this movie enjoyable for me. 

It was clearly a decision of the filmmakers to do so, but I thought this film was shot way too tight (to a point that it actually gave me a headache).  A lot of the shots were over the shoulder or in the face of the actors, there were not very many establishing shots, and more camera time was spent on Chloe Moretz’s feet than most people’s faces.  I felt suffocated the entire movie, and while I understand that this was a deliberate choice (I want to reiterate that I’m acknowledging this), I hated it.

The plot was a little slow in my opinion and relied too much on the dialogue between the two main characters.  Every once in a while we’d see some action but not enough to recover from the time in between (except for the end, that was awesome).  Additionally, for any movie to be satisfying for the viewer, they have to care in some form for the characters.  I didn’t care about any of the characters in this movie and the only emotion I really felt for any of them was uncomfortable and at times disgust.  I actually was more disturbed by the actions of the boy, Owen, than I was the vampire, Abby, and if she hadn’t appeared in this film it could have easily become Michael Myers’s origin story.  Again, I get that they were trying to establish that the boy was a little off, or else why would he act this way toward Abby, but it still kept me from being interested in what was on-screen.   

This isn’t the first horror movie I didn’t like on first viewing, and maybe upon further viewings I’ll grow to enjoy this movie (though I won’t be watching it again anytime soon).  It did have good performances and I thought the plot of the film was very original (or the plot of its source rather) but I felt that the execution was poor.

Here are my overall scores:

• Characters: C
  Cinematography: D-
  Direction: C-
  Performances: B
  Plot: A-
  Overall: C-

TOTAL TAKE TWO GRADE: B