“If Oliver Stone moved to Wales and remade Rushmore, he might make something like Submarine. I detest quirk for quirk’s sake, but every surreal embellishment in Submarine exists for a reason, as it tackles the messy sides of being a 15-year-old boy. Fantastic!” – KeanuGrieves

“CC first presents the idea that it is not the object itself but the observer’s perception of it which produces meaning (duh), then cunningly embodies that idea (audience’s interpretations of the actors’ relationship swing wildly from scene to scene), and then finally — in James — exposes the cold, rational solipsism at the heart of that idea, taken to its extreme. An unbelievably slippery film, with camerawork that at once both subtly and strikingly assists the exploration of its themes.” – theficionado

“Intelligent, well-crafted, and deeply affecting, with Brad Pitt giving us one of the best performances of the year (and Hill giving comic relief as the worthy sidekick). Truly, the best films about sports are those that don’t focus too much on the game but on the people behind it. Wisely sidestepping sentimentality, Miller gives us a highly entertaining baseball film that is also about daring to revolutionize and challenge the norms.” – RaymundLi

“This movie is pure magic. It’s engrossing and captivating in such a beautiful Woody Allen type of way. Some great performances and fantastic cinematography, too.” – guscuddy

“A great companion piece to Figgis’ “Leaving Las Vegas”, with on one hand a victim of alcohol and rage and one of oppression and physical abuse on the other, though unlike the aforementioned, although momentarily presented, their bond is marked by friendship rather than love. Despite their differences, compassion is shared mutually; Considdine approaches this unlikely bond with care and subtle aplomb.” – fredericg54

“This film is insanely predictable and very cheesy. And I loved every minute of it. The acting is great – Hardy is nearing the top of my personal favorites. The fighting scenes are probably the best ever and I was heavily emotionally invested in all of Brendan’s fights.” – Ross

“Dark and depressing as all hell. Visually rich while being stylistically unnerving. Swinton gives perhaps the best performance I’ve ever seen from her, with Ezra Miller going toe-to-toe with her in many scenes and doing a fine job as such a contemptuous little shit. Thematically it brings up a lot of interesting questions and doesn’t try and answer them, causing you to – as Eva does – piece through the memories and try to understand Kevin without really knowing for sure why he did what he did.” – bown

“Frankenstein according to Almodóvar? The Spanish excentric’s most intriguing work since ‘Hable con ella’ – and Banderas’ best part since… well, ever?” – Langelund

“If modern filmmaking is the art of compromise, someone obviously forgot to tell Terrence Malick. Not satisfied with merely tackling love, war and similar hefty themes, Malick this time goes for life itself with an elliptically, associative and lyrically rather than causally told story about people and the ties between them. It’s not so much about the O’Brien family specifically as it’s about the idea of family and individual. “The Tree of Life” is equally ambitious and visually breathtaking.” – KMcNeil

“Wow, no way, really, no goddam way I expected such an entertainment like this one, and it turns out that it completely delivers with an enormous package of in-jokes and gags. Best family movie of the year, no doubt of that.” – felipelham

10) Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Avg Tier 7.52

“Not just canny commentary on how this generation’s experiences are inextricably mediated through the prism of pop culture; it captures an attendant myopia, too. Any coincidence the film parallels Scott’s fundamental narcissism w/ the endless parade of exclusionary inside jokes? Or that Scott (and by extension the audience) finds it impossible to separate his culture-saturated inner world from the world at large? It’s all exhilaratingly, uninhibitedly hyperreal: Baudrillard would have a field day” – theficionado

9) The Social Network – Avg Tier 7.76

“You might get wrapped up in the fact that Sorkin writes more for story-telling than 100% factual accuracy but if you do then you’ll miss out on a superb film. More than anything The Social Network captures how ill-equipped every involved was the the explosion of Facebook. The entire cast is superb, the soundtrack is terrifyingly good and Fincher masterfully directs a film about nerds suing one another into a emotionally gripping and tension filled movie. Incredible.” – doctor7

8) True Grit – Avg Tier 7.77

“This movie carries the veneer of light adventure, one which it does deliver upon, but that isn’t what the movie’s really about. This one is about the subtleties and what the characters don’t say – it is a Western after all.” – Bmunise

7) The King’s Speech – Avg Tier 7.89

“A based-on-a-true-story Weinstein-Produced Historical Piece about a protagonist who, when inevitably faced with crisis brought about by a period of immense historical change, is forced to overcome personal adversity against everyone else’s expectations, and, ultimately, learn to believe in himself. In other words, most definitely a Shoo-In for a Best Picture Nomination, for sure.” – CosmicMonkey

6) 127 Hours – Avg Tier 7.92

“This film is an experience as much as a film can be an experience rather than a detached series of scenes. It succeeds putting you in the shoes of Aron, a man with a zest for life and solo adventure. It took me back to a time when I wasn’t too busy to spend all my time biking and hiking. Some parts of this movie (including the part everyone knows about by now) are very difficult to watch unless you have a stomach of steel, but they are all very necessary to complete experience.” – somnivore

5) The Illusionist – Avg Tier 7.96

“Seen in twice in the last 5 days, fearing my local cinema would pull it out to pave way for some Hollywood hogwash. It’s sad to witness this tale of friendship come to an end. Luckily, life is composed of these bittersweet moments, meaning another one is right behind the corner. Chomet’s attention to detail and comedic tone manifest themselves throughout. Recommended and pay close attention during the film, you might miss its nod to ‘The Old Lady and the Pigeons’.” – frederic_g54

4) Exit Through the Gift Shop – Avg Tier 8.00

“A fascinating documentary about an ongoing cultural phenomenon. Manages to be thought-provoking and hilarious at the same time. I can’t say I’d be willing to deface another man’s property in the name of art; nonetheless, I would be very slow to persecute any of these undercover artists for doing their best to make everyone’s life a little less normal in a day and age where mindless conformism seems the norm. Best goddamn movie of 2010 so far” – Stain

3) Inception – Avg Tier 8.31

“Inception is not a lot of things. It’s not a psychological examination into the subconscious nor is it a complex character study. So don’t expect it to be one. Instead, the film aspires to be a mindbending adventure heist film set in the realms of dreams and in this regard, the film is flawless. With jawdropping and visceral sequences, it not only engages the intellect but also the emotions as it deals with guilt and loss and being haunted by your past. The best of the year so far.” – RaymundLi

2) Toy Story 3 – Avg Tier 8.32

“Pixar is the only American animation studio that can take some of our most iconic characters, have them swim in existentialism, get tortured by a villain who refuses redemption, and send them to a literal hell and back – but do it with such undeniable tact, grace and aplomb nobody even bats an eye. Actually, it might make the ending that much more stirring. It’s a good thing there are credits videos for those… um, other people, clearly… who teared up.” – jacobb1313

1) Black Swan – Avg Tier 8.43

“Obsession is Aronofsky’s forte: taking the subtle neuroses destroying a person and holding them in the spotlight for the viewer to be shaken to their very core by. It is clear from the first scene where the film is going, but it’s HOW Aronofsky and Portman reach it that is so remarkable. The surreal metamorphosis of Nina is one of the most mesmerizing character developments I’ve ever seen. An emotional crescendo of how brutal and deranged the life of a dancer can be – it’s all in the details.” – alecec24