The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Into the Past: 2010

Welcome to The Wasteland into the Past! Join this journey backwards in time as I take a cinematic look at years past. Each article will focus on a singular year and my Top 5 films from that year. Turn back the clock with me…and let’s get started! 

2010

True Grit

How do you create an adaptation of a classic western and get out from behind the shadow of the Oscar-winning John Wayne performance at the center of it? You go back to the original material, honor and respect it, and deliver some impeccable filmmaking techniques to craft an infinitely better version of the story. That is exactly what the Coen Brothers did with Charles Portis’ classic novella, True Grit. This is not a shiny, fun western as the 1969 original is. This is a gritty and rich exploration of the West along with what justice really means. The Coens pull no punches in capturing the awkward violence of this lawless frontier as well as the harsh life that both the lawless and lawful must endure. From a visual standpoint, this is a striking film with rich visual texture as well precise blocking (thanks to the incredible work of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins). The setting of the film is perfectly chosen as the rough and tumble frontier makes for great tension and opens the door for some iconic moments in the film. The tale of a spunky young girl who takes it upon herself to hire a Marshall to hunt down the man who killed her father makes for quite the compelling film. Hailee Steinfeld wowed everyone with her strong, confident, and mature performance as young Mattie Ross. This star making performance is rich in skills and emotion for sure. Jeff Bridges had big boots to fill as he took on the role that got John Wayne his Oscar. There are some bold acting choices (including his voice/accent) that Bridges leverages to craft a complex, flawed, and instantly memorable roguish Marshall, Rooster Cogburn. Matt Damon is entertaining as the swagger Texas Ranger, LaBeouf. For his limited screen time, Josh Brolin makes an impact as the deplorable and dastardly murderer, Tom Chaney. As with any other Coens effort, this film is stacked to the top with memorable turns from character actors including Barry Pepper, Dakin Matthews, Paul Rae, Domhnall Gleeson, and Elizabeth Marvel. This music by Carter Burwell perfectly captures the period and delivers an affecting and moving atmosphere around the film. The is an incredibly authentic and effective adaptation and few modern Westerns have made such an impact in the 21^st century.

Inception

What is the film that truly captured all the sensibilities of Christopher Nolan and showed that he was a premiere filmmaker in Hollywood? Some might argue The Dark Knight, but it is hard to argue against the towering, original achievement of Inception. This crazy concept of a film is purely unique in what it is trying to accomplish. A group of criminals team up to implant a specific idea in the head of the heir to one of the wealthiest and most powerful men. This film works on so many different levels (and levels of dreams as well). You have the basic entertainment level as Nolan delivers quite a few moments of thrills and excitement. The runaway train in the streets. The big snowy Bond lair attack. The zero gravity and spiraling hotel sequence. These are expertly crafted and thrilling beats in the film that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The music is big, bold, and bombastic. Hans Zimmer crafted a score that transcended just this film and has been influencing big blockbuster movie scores ever since. This is a big, effects driven film that can keep its thought-provoking and layered narrative and themes without giving up the big scale experience. There are plenty of mind-boggling visuals that warp reality and craft such a unique visual experience. Inception wears its genre trappings on its sleeve as it tackles the idea of invading the dreams of others. There are plenty of complex ideas and Nolan can make the journey accessible and engaging. The concept of the dream layers and the time difference is so clever, and Nolan can leverage that for narrative tension as well as some emotional impact. Then you have the haunting, emotional core of the film. Cobb and the complex dream tango he does with his dead wife make for some thrilling moments but also emotionally devastating moments as well. This expertly crafted blockbuster has the brain of an indie arthouse film but the budget and entertainment value of so many big studio projects. The cast really ties this whole experience together. Leonardo DiCaprio is an excellent leader who brings charm and emotion to the proceedings. Tom Hardy is a real standout in the supporting cast, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ke Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard, and Michael Caine as bring their best efforts as well. This film will have you compelling and engrossed all the way up to its final moments of mystery.  

Black Swan

How far can some push themselves to excel at their career, profession, and passion? Some will destroy themselves trying to become the pinnacle of their craft. They sacrifice everything for their success as they isolate themselves from everyone and everything that could ground them. Darren Aronofsky is the type of filmmaker who does not shy away from the darker elements of the human psyche. Obsession. Mental illness. The horrific combination that causes a young ballerina’s life to spiral out of control. That is the path that Aronofsky takes his audience down in the psychological horror film Black Swan. This tale finds Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) filling the shoes of a once great, now aged out, ballerina (Winona Ryder). This is the opportunity that Nina has always been searching for and now has the chance to lead “Swan Lake”. The struggle? Embodying this dual character. She effortlessly captures the elegance and innocence of the White Swan. But the Black Swan? She must push herself beyond her limitations. There are plenty of tension-building conflicts throughout the film that bring Nina and the audience to some horrific places. Her possessive and controlling mother (Barbara Hershey). The powerful, controlling, and sexually abusive director of the show (Vincent Cassel). A younger rival with a seductive and alluring presence (Mila Kunis). This cast is incredible with Portman delivering the performance of her career. The paranoia, fear, struggle, and heartache all bleed through this powerful turn. Seeing Portman shift between the innocent White Swan to the intense and alluring Black Swan is quite compelling. The atmosphere around this film is filled to the brim with tension and suspense. The body horror elements and occasional visual effects make for some bone-chilling sequences that will haunt you and stick with you for days later. Aronofsky is a bold filmmaker who makes plenty of nuanced and compelling choices both visually and storytelling wise. All those sensibilities are on display in Black Swan which just might be the crown jewel of his career so far.

Shutter Island

What is worse…the truth or the lies we tell ourselves to hide from said truths? This all might come down to just how horrific those truths can be. Shutter Island is a film full of terrible truths and plenty of lies. This compelling and engrossing thriller might seem odd for a filmmaker like Martin Scorsese to tackle but it is a towering and haunting experience that challenges the legendary filmmaker outside of his more natural storytelling sensibilities. Challenging his work on films like Cape Fear and his love for Alfred Hitchcock, Shutter Island is a harrowing journey of an investigator who comes to an island-based psychiatric ward in search of a mysteriously missing resident. But what is unearthed is a greater conspiracy that is much more mysterious, haunting, and terrible than what was once thought. This is the type of film where you want to go in as blind as possible. The story is hard to believe and makes for such a surprising experience. The twists and turns are incredibly satisfying. Scorsese does a great job of bringing Dennis Lehane’s novel to life with plenty of haunting atmosphere. Scorsese forgoes original compositions and instead chooses string heavy music pieces with richness and depth that help craft his unnerving atmosphere. This is certainly a genre flick that has a more B-movie kind of feel, but Scorsese has elevated many such stories (including gangster flicks) to feel more prestigious and artful. This might not be held up against her great films, but it is something that most filmmakers would die to have been their crowning achievement (and instead it is an underappreciated and overlooked thriller for Scorsese). This is another complex and layered leading turn from Leonardo DiCaprio as he channels paranoia, fear, and trauma. He is surrounded by a stacked cast of impressive performers including Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max Von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earl Haley, Ted Levine, John Carroll Lynch, and Elias Koteas. The fracturing of sanity opens the door for some breathtaking and haunting visuals throughout as well as the production design that makes for plenty of haunting sequences. The final lines of the film are so compelling and challenging as it provides the perfect punctuation on this impressive mystery.

Toy Story 3

How many times have you cried watching Toy Story 3? This is one of the most emotionally satisfying and impactful ends to a trilogy in all of cinema. The story might have continued after this third entry, but Toy Story 3 gives a perfect ending to the story of Andy and his toys. A film that brings its audience full circle who grew up with these films and Andy, Toy Story 3 is a perfect film that spins a great story, is visually impactful, and is pregnant with emotion. Andy is now on the verge of leaving for college and must decide what to do with his favorite toys from his childhood. An unexpected donation takes our beloved pals into a nursery school that feels perfect…for a while. The opening sequence of the film shows off just how far animation has come since the release of the first Toy Story. The colors are rich. The toys are so detailed. The imagery spectacle in the opening sequence is full of great action and visuals. From there, we arrive at the realm of Lotso, a teddy bear who smells like strawberries but is a secret fascist leader running this place with an iron fist. You heard that right…an allegory for fascism in a Toy Story movie. His past is tragic like so many of the toys, but he channels that for control. Ned Beatty’s voice performance makes Lotso the top tier Pixar villain for sure. Throw in the hilarious and fun turn of Michael Keaton as Barbie’s Ken and you have some excellent additions to the cast. Tom Hanks’ Woody and Tim Allen’s Buzz lead the way as always to get the toys to their freedom and into the arms of their new owner Bonnie. The humor is sharp as ever (Buzz being Spanish for a while is a hilarious gag). The prison break is expertly crafted and engaging. The monkey is downright terrifying. But it is the climax of the film that makes this an all timer. The furnace sequence is both terrifying and deeply emotional. There was plenty of fear and tears in the theater for this harrowing sequence. But the waterworks start to really flow when we witness Andy saying goodbye to his toys and Bonnie officially becoming their new owner. This film is full of emotion, laughs, excitement, and class. This is why Pixar is one of the true titans of animation and there is a reason Toy Story 3 received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. That was truly earned.