FIRST OFF!
THESE LISTS PERSONAL. IT HARD SAY ONE MOVIE BETTER THAN ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY WHEN BOTH MOVIE ARE GOOD AND BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT AIMS. THAT BE SAID, HULK TEND TO REWARD FILMS THAT TRANSCEND RATHER THAN EXECUTE THE STANDARD… EXCEPT WHEN HULK… DOESN’T… IT DEPEND.
SECOND OFF!!
HULK STILL HAVE SEE MORE MOVIES. AT TOP LIST: BLUE VALENTINE, ENTER THE VOID, MONSTERS, MCGRUBER, RABBIT HOLE, THE FIGHTER, CYRUS, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, 127 HOURS, THE GHOST WRITER, EXIT THROUGH GIFT SHOP, AND OTHERS… WOW.. THAT LOT… SORRY, BUT HULK GOTTA PAY FOR THIS SHIT UNLIKE LOTS OTHER CRITICS. SO THIS LIST CHANGE
THIRD OFF!!!
HULK PICK 13 MOVIES CAUSE HULK ALWAYS DRAW LINE OF MOVIES IN “TOP TIER” FOR YEAR. IT CAN BE ANY NUMBER. THESE FILMS FEEL LIKE IN CLASS OF OWN.
(NOTE: NOW UPDATED TO 15 AS HULK JUST SEE TWO NEW MOVIE)
FILM CRIT HULK’S TOP 15 FILMS OF 2010:
15. THE KING’S SPEECH (ADDED IN UPDATE)
THE KING SPEECH SEEM LIKE KIND OF OSCAR BAIT MOVIE POISED TO CHARM OLD PEOPLE, AND THEN BORE YOUNGER FOLK WITH DISCERNING TASTE. TRAILER NOT REALLY HELP DISSUADE THAT WITH ALTERNATING WACKINESS FOLLOW BY SWELLING GRAVITAS. BUT THE KING SPEECH ACTUALLY FANTASTIC. IT ASSURED. EVEN-KEELED. WELL OBSERVED. ALL WACKINESS PERFECTLY IN CONTEXT. FIRTH GIVE ONE OF BEST PERFORMANCES OF CAREER (AND HULK NO CAN WAIT FOR HIM TEAM UP WITH COEN BROS). BETTER YET, IT ACTUALLY CHARACTERIZE BOTH CONTEXTUAL IMPORTANCE OF MONARCHY AND SPECIFIC TIME IN HISTORY. IN SHORT, THE KING SPEECH RATHER GOOD.
14. HOWL
IT NOT REALLY A MOVIE. IT REALLY JUST READINGS OF HOWL SET AGAINST ANIMATION AND JAMES FRANCO DOING INTERVIEW/IMPRESSION AS/OF ALLEN GINSBERG. AND IT GREAT. AFTER ALL, THAT ALL IT REALLY REALLY NEED.
13. I’M HERE
THIS FILM SHOULD COUNT EVEN LESS, CAUSE IT ACTUALLY A SHORT. BUT 30 MIN LONG ENOUGH FOR HULK CONSIDERATION ON THIS LIST. SPIKE JONZE CONTINUE TO AMAZE HULK. HULK HAVE GO BACK TO THE KANYE SHORT WHICH SHOWCASE SPIKE’S ABILITY BUILD UP MONOTONY/SEEMINGLY RANDOM EVENTS ONLY HAVE IT CREST INTO POETIC, POIGNANT MOMENTS. KANYE’S SUDDEN, FINAL EMOTIONAL STANDOFF WITH HIS INNER “WILD THING” SHOWCASE JONZE CAPABLE OF SUCH MOMENTS OF UNEXPECTED, SHOCKING HEARTBREAK. AND HE DO SO FROM CONCOCTING THE STRANGEST IMAGES… SO WHEN COMES TO “I’M HERE” WE GET THE SAME IDEA. MORE GLORIOUS STRANGE POETICISM FROM SPIKE JONZE: CHECK OUT ENTIRE FILM HERE ONLINE: http://www.imheremovie.com/
12. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
GOOD FOR DREAMWORKS. READER MAY NOTICE HULK PUT THIS ABOVE TOY STORY 3. SOME SAY THIS BLASPHEMY. THAT FINE. PROBLEM WITH TOY STORY 3 FOR HULK IS IT FEEL LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN REHASH OF AMAZING EMILY SEQUENCE OF TOY STORY 2… ONLY DRAWN OUT TO 2 HOURS. DON’T GET HULK WRONG. HULK ENJOY TOY STORY 3 VERY MUCH. AND HULK APPRECIATE EXISTENTIAL CHUTZPUH OF 3RD ACT AND ALL, BUT PIXAR WAS GOING EXCEPTION AND ORIGINAL DIRECTION BEFORE TOY STORY 3 (WITH WALL-E + UP)… SO WHY GO BACK AND RETREAD? IN END IT JUST FEEL LIKE NAKED CASH GRAB EVEN IF THAT NOT PIXAR M.O. (THO WHEN LOOK UP BOX OFFICE, RATATOUILLE AND RECENT ALL NOT DO AS WELL AS TOY STORY’S + NEMO, ETC… SO PERHAPS NOT UNFOUNDED) … MEANWHILE, DREAMWORKS FINALLY MAKE ACTUAL MOVIE WITH HOW TRAIN DRAGON. THE STORY DONE RATHER WELL AND SOMEHOW IT ORIGINAL FEELING FILM. HULK KNOW, HULK KNOW! IT TAKE TONS FROM OTHER MOVIE BUT THE AMALGAMATION TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL. ANYCRAP, HULK LIKE IT BETTER. SO THERE.
11. THE TOWN
SO FILMCRITHULK MAY OR MAY NO BE FROM AREA OF THIS MOVIE ORIGINALLY. SO SURE, THERE ONE PART OF HULK THAT APPRECIATE ABILITY OF TOWN TO “GET THINGS RIGHT” SO TO SAY… YET THERE OTHER PART OF HULK THAT WORRY ABOUT ROMANTICIZING OF BOSTON MEAT-HEAD TOWNIE GANGSTERISM (AND YES, THIS A THING). BUT TRUTH IS, NEITHER REALLY MATTER. THE TOWN SIMPLY WELL-MADE AND FOCUSED MOVIE. HEIST SCENES REALISTIC YET RATHER INTENSE. CHARACTERIZATION FLUID. MAIN ROMANCE ORGANIC. IT FRAMEWORK IMPECCABLE. IF HULK HAVE ONE WORD USE TO DESCRIBE, HULK SAY “BALANCED” BUT MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, THE TOWN (+ GONE BABY GONE) SHOW AFFLECK DYNAMIC AND HAVE BRIGHT FUTURE. AFFLECK DONE GOOD.
10. SOMEWHERE
HULK DETAIL THOUGHTS HERE. THIS FILM REALLY GROW ON HULK.
9. THE SOCIAL NETWORK
PLACEMENT OF SOCIAL NETWORK ON HULKS LIST VERY TRICKY. IT MOVE AROUND LOTS. SOMETIMES HULK PLACE AS HIGH AS 5. AND HULK DO SO CAUSE FIRST HOUR BEYOND EXCEPTIONAL. IT BALANCE PROPULSIVE FILMMAKING AND CAREFUL ARTICULATION. HULK LOVE IT CAUSE IT DO THINGS WELL MOST MOVIE NOT BOTHER DO AT ALL. LIKE DIALOGUE, ETC… BUT SECOND HALF MOVIE TEND WANDER FOR HULK (EVERYTHING POST-TILT SHIFT RACE SEQUENCE). THERE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY BECAUSE OF REAL NON-FICTION ELEMENT HULK KNOW… BUT HULK FEEL LIKE THEY SPEND SO MUCH TIME SETTING UP ENDING AND THAT TIME COMPLETELY LACK FOCUS OF WHAT COME BEFORE. WORSE, HULK FEEL LIKE SECOND HALF LOSE TRACK OF ZUCKERBERG ALL TOGETHER. THIS SOUND LIKE INANE COMPLAINT CONSIDERING ALL THIS MADE UP WITH POIGNANT, BITING ENDING… HULK LOVE WHAT THE SOCIAL NETWORK HAVE TO SAY, AND HOW IT SAY IT… BUT STILL HULK CAN’T SHAKE SOMETHING ABOUT AIMLESSNESS OF LAST HOUR. SOCIAL NETWORK TRANSCENDENT, YET LIMITED. YEARS FROM NOW WHO KNOW WHERE THIS BE ON LIST? EVEN IN WRITING THIS, HULK FEEL LIKE IT CHANGING HULK’S MIND.
*AND HULK LIKE MICHAEL CERA TOO DAMMIT. EVERYONE STOP COMPLAIN.
8. WINTER’S BONE
THERE THREE THING THAT ELEVATE THIS QUIET, ABSURDLY WELL-MADE OZARK NOIR: 1) JENNIFER LAWRENCE AS REE. SHE INCREDIBLE. SHE CARRY WEIGHT OF ENTIRE MOVIE AND HAVE DO SO MANY THINGS WITHOUT REALLY CHANGING OUTWARD BEHAVIOR. NOW HULK JUST WORRY ABOUT LACK OF GREAT ROLES FOR JENNIFER LAWRENCE CAUSE NO GOOD ROLES FOR YOUNG WOMEN. 2) FILM SO ASSURED. DIRECTOR DEBRA GRANIK HAVE SUCH SENSE FOR ENVIRONMENT. 3) WINTERS BONE MADE TRANSCENDENT BY JOHN HAWKES. HULK MUST GET SPOILERY NOW SO TURN AWAY IF NO SEE MOVIE… THERE NOTHING MORE AMAZING IN FILM THEN WHEN AUDIENCE CONSTANTLY CHANGING ITS MIND ON CHARACTER PURELY THROUGH NATURE OF THE CONTEXT. EVOLUTION OF HAWKES’ CHARACTER KIND OF BALANCING ACT THAT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO. AND IF THAT DON’T WORK MOVIE FAIL ALL TOGETHER… “THIS GOING TO BE END OF THINGS?”
7. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
TRUST EDGAR WRIGHT. IT THAT SIMPLE. AT FIRST, MANY REACT AND UNFAIRLY MALIGN PILGRIM AS “HIPSTER BULLSHIT” (NONSENSICAL TERM THERE EVER WAS ONE). IN DO SO, WHAT THEY MISS IS ENDLESSLY INVENTIVE AND BADASS FILM. IN FACT THIS FILM ABOUT BEATING UP HIPSTERS. SO POTENTIAL AUDIENCE MAY HAVE… MISUNDERSTOOD. BETTER YET, PILGRIM ANCHORED BY SIMPLE FOCUS ON MATURITY IN RELATIONSHIPS AND DO SO IN REALISTIC WAY, FAR REMOVED FROM TRADITIONAL LOVE STORY RHAPSODY. BUT THE EDITING OF OF FILM MAY BE BIGGEST WINNER. IT TAKE DEEPLY EPISODIC NARRATIVE AND TURN IT STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS FLO-MATIC GENIUS. HULK IN AWE… OF COURSE, IN COMICS THERE NICE FOCUS ON MALAISE AND REAL LIFE JOB STUFF AND HULK WISH THAT HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION, BUT THAT MINOR. THE FILM PERFECT COMPANION PIECE TO THE BOOKS… THERE NO HIGHER COMPLIMENT.
6. BLACK SWAN
ARONOFSKY TYPICALLY ON-POINT. THE MAN DIRECT HELL OUT OF MOVIES. BLACK SWAN GET DEEP UNDER HULKS SKIN. IT VISCERAL BODY HORROR + REALISTIC PORTRAIT OF RIGORS OF BALLET. AND IT ESSENTIALLY HAUNTING META-REWORKING OF SWAN LAKE ITSELF. BRILLIANT. BUT REALLY “BLACK SWAN” IS NATALIE. SHE TRANSCENDENT (HULK KEEP USING THAT WORD. HULK KNOW. BUT HULK DOING IT FOR REASON. HULK TRYING CONVEY WHAT MAKE MOVIE MORE THAN GOOD). NATALIE’S WHITE SWAN MORE NATALIE WE SEEN BEFORE, BUT TO WATCH UNRAVEL AND WHEN FINALLY SHE HAVE TRIUMPHANT “BLACK SWAN” MOMENT IT TRULY ENTHRALLING.
5. KICK ASS
HULK FIND THIS MOVIE THE MOST COMPLEX THING COME OUT THIS YEAR BELIEVE OR NOT… LIKELY YOU NOT. WHERE WATCHMEN HAVE LOT TO SAY ABOUT POLITICS, HUMANITY, AND CULTURE. KICK ASS COMMENTARY STAY ALMOST SUPERHERO SPECIFIC. (AND LET HULK TELL YOU, HULK KNOW THING OR TWO BOUT SUPERHERO). KICK ASS ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTOOD ITS MOMENT. IN WORLD WHERE SUPERHERO ORIGINS/DYNAMICS STALE AND ROTE TO AUDIENCE, KICK ASS ELEVATE COMIC VIOLENCE INTO ACTUAL VIOLENCE (GETTING COMIC FAN WORKED UP/ENTRALLED/AMAZED) THEN USE TIMELY INJECTIONS OF GRISLY REALISM TO TURN MOMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS ON HEAD (THINK THE STABBING, THE VIDEO, ETC). THIS NOT TO “FUCK WITH AUDIENCE” OR COME WITH SOME INNER MOTIVATION TO “GO DARKER” THIS BRILLIANT WAY OF ACTUALLY GETTING CYNICAL COMIC AUDIENCE TO REACT. TO CARE. THE AUDIENCE NOT LIKE “OH AWESOME!” THEY ACTUALLY SAY “OH NO!” KICK ASS HAVE ACTUAL HUMAN GRAVITY. KICK ASS ACTUALLY GET JADED COMIC NERDS TO CARE. AND IN END THEY CREATE MOVIE THAT ULTIMATELY SUPERHERO AFFIRMING PIECE OF WORK. IT VERY MODERN+ADULT TAKE ON SAME MESSAGE THAT COMICS GIVE YOUNG KIDS. THAT REMARKABLE TO HULK… PLUS DOUBLE BONUS FOR MATTHEW VAUGHN CAUSE HE GET RID OF RIDICULOUS SEXISM/RACISM OF COMIC AND CLARIFYING MESSAGE HULK STATED ABOVE. COMIC NO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT SAYING. MOVIE DID… MARK MILLAR SUCKS.
4. TRUE GRIT
THE COEN BROTHERS HUMBLE HULK. THERE WORK ALL TOO GOOD. THERE NOT SINGLE NEGATIVE THING SAY ABOUT THIS FILM. IT FLAWLESS. COENS WRITE “AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE” HERE ACCORDING TO BARRY PEPPER AND HULK AGREE. EVERY SINGLE PERFORMANCE COULD BE CONSIDERED BEST IN FILM. SERIOUSLY, HULK CAN MAKE ARGUMENT FOR BRIDGES, STEINFELD, DAMON, BROLIN, PEPPER, THE COL., AND EVEN BEAR MAN ALL HAVING BEST PERFORMANCE… [HULK SHAKES HEAD]… IT JUST TOO GOOD… ONLY REASON THIS MOVIE NOT HIGHER CAUSE… CAUSE… IT NOT TRANSCENDENT LIKE SOME THERE OTHERS? MAYBE CAUSE IN END IT JUST STRAIGHT-UP WESTERN? (UNLIKE, SAY, 3RD ACT INVERSION/POETICS OF NO COUNTRY?) … MAYBE CAUSE HULK KNEW COENS COULD MAKE THIS MOVIE IN THEIR SLEEP? … WHICH INCREDIBLY UNFAIR TO THEM AND ALL OTHER FILMMAKER… BUT… BUT THEY JUST TOO GOOD!
3. GREENBERG
EVERYBODY SEEM MISS THIS. THAT SHAME. NOAM BAUMBACH OFTEN MAKE FILM THAT LIKE DAGGER TO HULK’S HEART (WHICH MEAN DAGGER PRETTY STRONG, CAUSE HULKS GREEN SKIN TOUGH). HE MAKE SCATHING YET PERFECTLY FAIR FILMS. AND THERE SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC THIS FILM CAPTURE. SOMETHING ALMOST WITHOUT DEFINITION: THE PAIN OF GROWING UP AND FEELING YOU MISS OUT ON SOMETHING DEEPER WITHOUT EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS. OR THE FEELING OF WATCHING OWN LIFE PASS YOU BYE EVEN WITH BEST INTENTIONS. NOW, THIS SOMETHING LOTS OF CHARACTERS EXPRESS IN MOVIES ALL THE TIME (USUALLY BEFORE STARTING AFFAIR OR CHANGING LIFE OR SOMETHING) BUT NEVER IT FEEL REAL. NEVER IT FEEL EARNED. IT MERELY PRESENTED AS JUSTIFICATION FOR MOST DUMB PLOTS TO BEGIN. BUT IN GREENBERG. ALL TOO REAL. BAUMBACH KNOW TREAT MALAISE NOT EXISTENCE OF SADNESS (OR, LIKE, DRUG INDUCED COMA). AND BETTER YET BAUMBACH KNOW MOVIES WITH THESE AFOREMENTION “LIFE CHANGES” MOVIES JUST ATTEMPT FOR WRITER TO JUSTIFY SELFISHNESS. BECAUSE BAUMBACH KNOW IN END MATURITY ABOUT THE EMBRACING THE SADNESS OF SIMPLE DEVOTION TO OTHER PEOPLE. ABOUT THE PAIN OF SELFLESSNESS. IT CAPTURE A KIND OF REALISM HULK NEVER REALLY SEE IN MOVIES. STILLER REALLY, TRULY DELIVER. AND GRETA GERWIG JUST PHENOMENAL. SHE HAVE EXACT UNDERSTANDING OF HER CHARACTER. THIS EASILY ONE OF HULK’S FAVORITES OF YEAR.
2. FOUR LIONS
YES. THIS FILM ABOUT TERRORISTS. THIS NOT REALLY MATTER. HULK NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THAT VALID. (ASKING WHY SOMEONE MAKE FILM LIKE THIS ANSWER TO IT OWN QUESTION) BESIDE IT NOT “WHAT” FILM ABOUT. IT “HOW” IT ABOUT. AND “HOW” OF FOUR LIONS = REALLY, REALLY FUNNY. HULK LAUGH HARD. HULK LAUGH CONSISTENTLY WHOLE WAY THROUGH (LUCKILY, HULK NEVER WATCHED TRAILER. IT SPOIL LOTS). BUT ALL THIS JUST REQUIREMENT FOR BEING GOOD COMEDY (WHICH FOUR LIONS IS). WHAT PUSH THIS MOVIE TO DIFFERENT LEVEL THAT IT HAVE SOMETHING SAY ABOUT WHY SOMEONE SUBJECT THEM SELF TO HARDCORE IDEOLOGY. FOUR LIONS UNDERSTAND THE MOTIVATIONS BE ANYTHING REALLY. AND THEY NO HAVE BE OVERT. FROM FEELING LIKE OUTCAST. TO FAMILIAL. TO REPRESSED SEXUALITY. TO JUST BEING STUPID BEYOND COMPARE. AND OFTEN WHAT PUSH PEOPLE FROM BEING IDEOLOGUE TO OUTRIGHT TERRORIST, IS SIMPLY MATTER OF CIRCUMSTANCE AND TIMING. SO WHEN FILM REACH WHIMSICAL/HAUNTING FINALE (SET TO APHEX TWIN’S AVRIL 14!) IT ALL BECOME SURREALLY POIGNANT. IF YOU THING HULK EXAGGERATING, YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH CHRIS MORRIS. THIS NOT JUST A FUNNY/GOOD FILM. THIS IMPORTANT FILM.
1. INCEPTION
HULK NOT NOLAN FAN BOY. HULK APPRECIATE ELEMENTS OF HIS WORK. BUT HULK HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS TOO. SO TRUST HULK WHEN HULK SAY HULK NOT PREDISPOSED TO LIKE INCEPTION… YET WHEN HULK SIT DOWN TO SEE, HULK ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY BY THIS STAGGERING ACHIEVEMENT. HULK THINK INCEPTION A LANDMARK FILM AND VERY DEFINITION OF THAT WORD HULK KEEP REPEATING: “TRANSCENDENT.” INCEPTION WORK AS STYLISH THRILLER. IT WORK AS HEIST MOVIE. IT WORK PSYCHOANALYTIC FRENCH NEW WAVE FILM. IT WORK AS LEONARDO’S BEST WORK. IT WORK AS TOM HARDY SHOWCASE. IT WORK AS JOSEPH GORDON LEVITT BEING DEBONAIR BADASS. IT WORK AS ATTEMPT REMIND HULK TOM BERENGER STILL ALIVE. IT WORK AS ALL THESE THING.
HULK FEEL LOT OF PEOPLE MISTAKE IDEAS IN MOVIE FOR JUST BEING “IS IT ALL A DREAM?” TYPE-BULLSHIT. THEY MISSING FAR BIGGER QUESTIONS. NOLAN NOT INTERESTED IN NATURE OF REALITY, BUT OUR REACTIONS TO NATURE OF REALITY. WHICH WHY MOVIE SPEND SO MUCH TIME ON PSYCHOANALYSIS. NOLAN INTERESTED IN HOW WE DEAL WITH TRUTHS ABOUT SELVES AND HANGUPS. HOW IT PARALYZE US AND SNEAK INTO DAILY WORK. ALL THIS FASCINATING, AND PSYCHOANALYSIS OF EACH CHARACTER TIE DIRECTLY INTO THEY PLOT MOTIVATIONS. NOLAN WANT KNOW WHAT DRIVE U?. WHAT DRIVE AN IDEA? WHAT DRIVE HIS OWN FILMMAKING? WHAT DRIVE NARRATIVE AND EXCITEMENT? AND HE ADDRESS ALL AND MORE SO.
AND FOR RECORD, HULK FIND ARGUMENT ABOUT WHOLE MOVIE/WHICH PARTS “IS REAL” VS “IS NOT REAL” TO BE BAFFLING. NOLAN DOING VERY CLEAR THING. NOLAN DOING OLD MATHETMATIC TRICK OF “ALL ANSWERS WITHIN SET X”… MEANING NOLAN CREATE MOVIE WHERE BOTH EXPLANATIONS (“REAL” / “NOT REAL”) WORK ENTIRELY (NO EVIDENCE SO STRONG AS TO OUTWEIGH OTHER). THE MUCH-TALKED-ABOUT-ENDING JUST HAMMER THIS POINT HOME. IT NOT ONE OR OTHER. IT BOTH. AND THAT THE REAL TRICK.
BUT BACK TO PSYCHOANALYSIS BEING FOCUS OF MOVIE (NOT DREAMS), SOME SAY NOLAN CHEAPEN FILM BY MAKING THE THEMATICS LITERAL MCGUFFINS, BUT HULK THINK THAT THE GENIUS! NOLAN TURN PURELY ABSTRACT CONCEPT OF SYMBOLIC IMAGERY, SON/FATHER RELATIONSHIP, AND GUILT/REGRET INTO COMPELLING-AS-HELL-HEIST FOR MULTIPLEX AUDIENCE! HOW THAT NOT SOMETHING TO BE CELEBRATED? HULK FEEL LIKE THAT REALLY NOT BEEN ACHIEVED SINCE HITCHCOCK KNOCK EVERYONES ASS OUT OF WATER DOING SAME THING.
THE LOVE FOR THIS ONE SORT OF DISSIPATE LATELY… HULK NOT SURE WHY.
HULK THINK INCEPTION A “NEXT LEVEL” FILM.
AND THE BEST OF YEAR.
FILM CRIT HULK! HULK BLOG! 