Top 7 (+ 3) # 3: My Favorite Movies For 2010

Like 2009 with Avatar, 500 Days of Summer, Julie & Julia, Kimmy Dora, Up, Up In the Air and a host of other good films, 2010 was blessed to have similarly good flicks. Below is my top ten favorite movies from the concluding year. Note that this list collects film screened in the Philippines starting December 1, 2009 to November 30, 2010.

10. My Amnesia Girl

Probably the best Filipino film released this year much because of its wit and charm and good directing that's why it got to my list. It beats out another Star Cinema comedy "Here Comes the Bride" by providing a more realistic plot and choosing wit and character development over typically comic characters. I'd also give props to Toni and John Lloyd for their good acting although the chemistry is a bit shaky. Cathy Garcia-Molina sure is shaping up as one of the best commercial director in the country.

9. The Social Network

Practically known as the Facebook movie, The Social Network scores good on my list for its wit and charm, though, I wasn't as engaged in this movie as with the others on this list--I'm not sure why it couldn't have gone any higher on my list. Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook and details his treacherous ways to social network supremacy. Clever screenplay makes this movie shine beyond the limited action in this film.

8. The Blind Side

After the Oscar nods, The Blind Side finally premiered last January 27, 2010 here in the Philippines. Sandra Bullock's performance as a devout Christian living in the more conservative side of America won her awards, including an Oscar. The movie's theme of trust and showing kindness stroke well with me.

7. Buried

What can one actor and a director do, well, "a lot" says this film. Buried features a psychologically tortured Ryan Reynolds as he fights for his way out of being Buried underground in the middle of nowhere. The film may be too psychologically draining for some, but is nonetheless effective in execution.

6. Easy A

From afar, Easy A seems like a typical teenage movie--a girl pretends to sleep with guys when she doesn't--but upon closer inspection, you would realize that it is far better than you could allow it to. It's unpretentious, funny, engaging, witty, and charming. I was pretty surprised by the casting, too: Stanley Tucci, Lisa Kudrow, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Penn Badgley, Cam Gigandet. Emma Stone, who I believe needs more love, shows her charm and wit in this movie and gets the love she deserves. A.

5. Inglourious Basterds

Premiered in the Philippines weeks before the 2009 Metro Manila Film Fest, this film was subsequently re-released near the Holy week times in 2010. Probably now one of my most favorite Tarantino films (Eh, I love all his films, Grindhouse included). Brad Pitt stars as a World War Two American soldier stationed in Germany whose band notoriously scalps German soldiers. Tarantino's penchant for making tasty violent and gritty films remain in tact and lovely, and his storytelling / screenplay always works wonders for his films.

4. Toy Story 3

A franchise finally ends. And unlike Shrek which just got worse over time, Toy Story remains charming and nostalgic to the very end. Pixar has taken care that this last installment won't be disappointing and I think they have done their job, bringing a sad yet hopeful ending to a beloved franchise.

3. Kick-Ass

Don't be dissuaded by this movie just because Nicolas Cage is in it, Kick-Ass is one of 2010's finest. Casted with a bunch of unknowns and awkward heroes, this movie was controversial for one line delivered by a minor (the character Hit Girl who is a 12-year old vigilante), "Ok, cunts, let's see what you can do." The movie is one of the best comic book adaptations I have ever seen and probably one of the most entertaining in its genre.

2. How To Train Your Dragon

A children's fiction book goes to the big screen with a bang--and even adults were drawn in. This movie about a weak lad in a village of muscular Viking men where brawns always win over brains pokes your heart the way most Pixar movie does. In a way, this was last year's "Up." The way the story develops, how the characters are fleshed out and the especially teary ending will make you think this is Pixar material, but no folks, it's all Dream Works giving them a run for their money. Universally praised, How To Train Your Dragon is no simple animated film and it will probably one of the most memorable animated films Dream Works has produced.

1. Inception

Yep, this is probably the most awesome movie 2010 has come up with. Inception stars Di Caprio and a bunch of other cool stars portraying dream thieves who entered Cillian Murphy's character's dream to implant an idea of dissolving his family's business empire. This film was so awesome that it had rivaled Avatar with its fan discussions. Discussions about whether Di Caprio's character is still dreaming or has awaken at the closing scene still rings on for months after the movie has ended its run to the point that Michael Caine needed to step up and say that Di Caprio has actually woken up.

How about you? What's your favorite movie of 2010?

Top 7#1: 2010's Best Songs. So Far

2010 saw my small switch from full pop to alt-pop / indie pop / anti-pop. While I still enjoy pop music very much, I am very much surprised how much I am enjoying non-pop music. There's very little difference between the two, save that anti-pop is crazier--and possibly more artistic as it's not meant to sell but to express. Nonetheless, here are my most fave songs for 2010, and I daresay, they're the best:

1. Dog Days are Over by Florence and the Machine (Lungs, 2009)

What does one need to transition from Indie to Mainstream? An MTV VMA performance, an inclusion to a Julia Roberts film, and a banging sound. Florence + The Machine's debut sound is now finally getting more mainstream attention. The MV for this song also blows, enough to win a Moon man for Best Art Direction in a video.

2. Woohoo by Christina Aguilera (Bionic, 2010)

Released as a promo single for Aguilera's then-upcoming 4th studio album Bionic last May 2010, this song still enjoys moderate playback on my iPod. During it's first month, I have played this song for about 400 plays. The song sings about cunnilingus in a very playful way, all the while boasting the listener's ego. Aguilera really loves fluffing her ego, and this song is one of her many anthems to women empowerment--only this one has the most sexual undertone.

3. XXXO by MIA (/\/\ /\ Y /\, 2010)

With a title of XXXO, you'd wonder what this song is about. And one play is all you need to hook you to it. The simple repetitive chorus and references to popular culture (Twitter, iPhone, and the youtube-laden single cover) lends well to this song's like-ability. That and coupled by the song having a video that parodies MySpace's glitter graphics.

4. Bulletproof by LaRoux (LaRoux, 2009)

Third time's a charm for LaRoux as their third single really hit big both in the UK and the US. Bulletproof first hit top of the UK chart last June 2009. Then it was featured in Cougar Town and Ugly and from there, they just started gaining on US iTunes. Hopefully, we'll get to see more of Ellie Jackson in the future.

5. Tightrope by Janelle Monae (The Archandroid, 2010)

She is the female James Brown, they all call her. But after being signed to P. Diddy's Bad Boy Records, Janelle Monae was called a sellout by critics. Then, this song came out and shut them all up. After her 2010 album The Archandroid came out, Monae gained universal critical acclaim for her musical vision and ambition, affirming that even if she's now in a pop record label, she is still working her own vision.

6. Collapsing Cities by Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly! featuring ShyFX

I do know very little about this band from the UK, to be honest. But what I do know is that all their previous sounds sound nothing like this one, and that's why I like it. GCWCF, as called by their fans, is yet to release a full-length studio album, but judgind by just how cool they sound, I'd best keep an ear open to their stuff.

7. You've Changed by Sia (Hands, 2010)

This song has been around for quite awhile in Australia, and yet the world hasn't still quite catch it. There's a 90's feel to this song that reminds of you Madonna or Cyndi Lauper tracks. But what really made me love this song is the accompanying video which is just soooo cool.