Top 10 Movies of 2010

According to Boxofficemojo.com, these are the top movies in North America for 2010.

1. Toy Story 3

2. Alice In Wonderland

3. Iron Man 2

4. Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5. Inception

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

7. Despicable Me

8. Shrek Forever After

9. How To Train Your Dragon

10. The Karate Kid

This was a strong year for computer animation. The fact that so many were box office favorites is a tribute to how much the quality of animation has improved over the last fifteen years. I'm talking more about well written scripts and strong characters than the computer technology, although that's also very impressive. We can all thank Pixar for raising the bar for everyone by putting out a string of near perfect movies, beginning with Toy Story in 1995 and continuing to this year with Toy Story 3. The other animation studios are definitely upping their game with better and better movies. How To Train Your Dragon is possibly the best thing Dreamworks has ever put out. Despicable Me is also extremely good and a favorite of my family. It was put out by Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

Family movies also did very well this year. All but Inception has appeal to families (Eclipse, HP and Iron Man 2 barely make the cut, but they do appeal to families). I hope Hollywood takes note. Why waste money on trash like Love and Other Drugs, Skyline, The Expendables, or any title with the word Saw in it.

My Favorite Christmas Movies

It seems that we now have every Christmas movie imaginable. What with Hollywood re-doing every classic story with modern twists, and the Hallmark Channel giving us a zillion movies about Santa falling in love. It’s easy to get lost in the blizzard of holiday entertainment. If the storm is overwhelming you and you’re ready to say “enough is enough, let’s get back to our usual fair of hopeless, excessive, big-budget movies”, then let me remind you of some of the Christmas movies that are still worth seeing. Here are my favorites.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol
This movie has all the elements of a great Christmas movie. It’s lots of fun with humor added all along the way, keeping it from ever getting too heavy. At the same time, Dicken’s message of redemption is still loud and clear. The songs are catchy. The movie looks and feels old-fashioned, charming, and magical.

2. Home Alone
Besides being a clever story about a boy who is left alone in his home to fend off a couple of bumbling crooks, this is one of the great Christmas stories of our time. What better way for a boy Scrooge to learn what’s important in life than to be suddenly without a family during Christmas. The music in this movie alone is heart-warming and brings me into the Christmas spirit every time.

3. Christmas Vacation
I don’t recommend this one for the kids due to off-color jokes and crass words, but for laugh-out-loud comedy coupled with a great story, you can’t beat this classic. Many other Christmas and non-Christmas movies have tried to duplicate the success of the over-enthusiastic-dad storyline made popular in the vacation movies. Chevy Chase, however, is still the king of that character. His loveable goofiness, coupled with the writing of the National Lampoon wrapped in a family Christmas tale, makes for timeless entertainment.

4. How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Technically, this is not a movie. It’s actually a 26 minute animated Christmas Special from 1966. I had to include it, because it’s my all-time favorite Christmas story. I looked forward to it’s airing every year as a child and teenager. It was and still is funny, creative, and it teaches a wonderful lesson. The live-action version with Jim Carrey didn’t have quite the same magic for me. Dr. Seuss’s original is still one of the best of all time.

5. The Christmas Carol (2009)
I included this version, mostly because it sticks closer to Charles Dickens’ original story. It’s a much darker, and even more frightening telling of the story then, the Muppet version mentioned above. That’s probably how Dickens meant for his story to be taken, as a ghost story. I don’t recommend this adaptation for smaller kids, but for older crowds it’s great entertainment. The computer animated characters and heavy special effects are visually stunning. Because of the darker nature of this movie, the change-your-ways-or-go-to-hell storyline is center stage from start to finish. That’s one of my favorite things about this version of the Christmas Carol. I just wish Dickens hadn’t left out the most important part of the story; salvation only happens through Jesus Christ. Oh well. This story certainly brings us close to that truth. Maybe an occasional viewer will reach that conclusion on their own after seeing this powerful movie.

3D Is Killing Movie Theaters

3D movies have been around since I was a kid. About every 8 to 10 years, it seems, Hollywood would come out with a new 3D movie and proclaim that movies would never be the same. Supposedly, 3D was the next step in movie evolution. Every time it turned out to be nothing but a cheap gimmick and the American public barely even noticed.
Here we are again, in 2010, in the middle of another 3D revolution but this time, 3D has actually made some headway in changing our movies. It's actually expected now, that every big budget movie will be made in 3D. It's become the norm now rather than the cheap parlor trick.
There are two reasons why it's finally succeeding. First, the 3D technology has truly improved by leaps and bounds. Some movies, the ones that are made for 3D, are really fun to watch. The other reason is the powerful marketing machines of the big studios have gotten behind it and convinced us that we have to have 3D for a bigger and better movie experience.
However, the current 3D revolution is only good news for the studios and little kids who don't pay for their own movie tickets. Sure, 3D is fun to watch, but it's not worth paying lots of extra money to see. A few nights ago, I took my wife and two kids to see one of the newest 3D movies and it cost us $48.00 for tickets. Each ticket had $3.00 added for the privilege of watching in 3D. Only, it wasn't a privilege because we weren't given an option of watching that movie in non-3D,. We'd already promised our girls that we'd be watching that particular movie, so we went ahead with it. A stop at the snack bar cost me another $13 for a medium popcorn and a medium drink. By the time I sat down in my theater seat, I felt sick knowing I'd just spent $61 for a movie that I'll be able to rent at the Redbox, in a few months, for $1.
Here's my point. The economy is still way down and money is tight for most of us, and first run movie theaters are the only businesses that don't get it. I understand that their hands are tied. I'm sure big budget movies come with a hefty price tag for the rights to be shown. But, the whole industry is broken if a Mom and Dad have to pay $61 dollars to watch a movie with their kids. Fifteen years ago, movie theaters were justified in raising their prices. The movie experience was fun and unique and way better than VHS movies or watching on TV with all the commercials. Today, we have many more options for our movie entertainment; DVD, Blue-Ray, and Pay-Per-View movies on high-def t.v.'s. Not-to-mention downloadable movies right to your home computer. The competition is intense now, and the movie theaters have responded with over-priced 3D.
How long will this 3D revolution last? I predict not too much longer. Very soon, maybe in 2011, 3D ticket sales will decline as the novelty wears off and the American public realizes it's not worth the cost. We love movies and we love going to the movie theater, but as the price goes up we'll choose the movie theater experience less and less. If theaters want to stay alive, they should give us 3D at the price of the non-3D movie, giving us more reason to come back, and come back again.
Considering all the competition, and the high prices of tickets, I don't see how first run theaters will still be around in 5 to 10 years, at least not in the form they are now. If they do stay around, I expect them to change into some kind of upper class entertainment experience more like a night at a performing Arts center to see a live play.
I hope, before that happens, they'll see the writing on the wall and find a new way of delivering new movies to us in an affordable way so that we can keep going to the movies. If that does happen, I sure hope they'll also figure out a way to bring down the price of a bag of popcorn.

Surprised by Tangled

I had low expectations for Tangled. The trailer made it look like a computer animated B-movie. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The movie was fun and charming with well defined characters that you either love or hate. The story was far more intricate than I expected with lots of action, touching moments and laughs a-plenty. In fact, I will go as far as to say, it's the best thing Disney has put out since Lion King, of course taking all Pixar movies out of the equation (Disney just owns Pixar. They are really two separate production houses, although the head of Pixar, John Lasseter, is now overseeing Disney movies too and it shows.) I believe, with Tangled, Disney is back on their A-game. We even have our first CGI princess. Rapunzel is everything and more that a Princess should be; beautiful, sweet, naive and longing for the life she never had.
One of the many things I liked about Tangled was the relationship between Rapunzel and the leading male, Flynn Rider. Their friendship/romance was more developed than in previous princess movies. Normally, the handsome prince, or love interest character is one-dimensional and exists only as an object for the princess to desire. He becomes a motivation factor to get her to break out of her safe and lackluster existence. The difference in Tangled is that we learn as much about Rider as we do about Rapunzel. He also has a back story, and goals, and weaknesses just like Rapunzel. It makes for an interesting push and pull between the two leads that isn't usually seen in a Disney movie.
Everything else about Tangled was perhaps what you would expect from a Disney movie, but all done with perfection. The villain was just evil enough to make the plot believable but she was never over-the-top like so many kids movie villains today. There were great songs, but not too many. And, one scene involving floating luminaries that was touching and beautiful.
I watched it with my wife and my younger kids. All 4 of us commented afterwards on how good the movie was. I always count it as a plus when a movie is good enough for all ages to enjoy. I'll rate it 235 for entertainment value and 240 for moral character. The total Watcher500 score is 475 (out of a possible 500 points).

Fringe

In this 2010 television season, the show Fringe is the sci-fi action drama to watch. It even has an excellent serial element to keep me coming back week to week to see what will happen next.

I watched Fringe sporadically during it's first 2 seasons, but this year I've watched every show faithfully. This year, the Fringe division has gotten involved with a parallel universe where there are identical people living similar lives. Our heroin Olivia tangled with her counterpart and ended up switching places with her, not by her choosing. For the entire seaon, our Olivia has been trapped in the other world while the shady Olivia #2 is in our world carrying out an evil plan. As the season goes on, we're getting treated to alternate shows between the two worlds; two different Fringe divisions that do practically the same thing but every one is different.

It's been intriguing watching our Olivia struggle to get back to her world. It's been equally fun seeing the bad Olivia acting like the good Olivia while doubting her resolve to follow through, and watching Peter and the gang wonder what's different about her.

The show still gives us a weird crime case to solve each week while continuing the serial drama. I'm very impressed with the writing, the acting, and of course with the show's creator, J.J. Abrams. He gave us Lost, the best series ever and I've heard his show "Alias" was also very good, but I've not yet had a chance to check it out. I also loved his movie "Cloverfield". Keep it up J.J. And keep it up Fringe. It just keeps getting better and better.

My Watcher500 score for the current season of Fringe (so far) is 225 for entertainment value and 180 for moral character. It's definitely not for kids, but it's relatively mild for adults. Just a few gross out effects with very little blood. Three times this season, we've seen people get hit by cars or busses. Those scenes were very disturbingly realistic, but not excessive. The other issue that should be noted is some occasional spiritual talk that assumes God does not exist. Total score = 405.

Horror Movies, My Top 5

I don't watch many Horror movies these days. Mostly because I have kids and I worry about the kinds of images they take into their brains. Kids don't make as clear of a distinction between real and make-believe as adults do. Therefore, I do my best to avoid giving them nightmares about zombies or werewolves.
The other reason is that the standards for today's horror movies are much different than they were even 20 years ago. The blood and gore, satanic elements, and sex have increased to the point that I've generally given up on horror movies.
However, that doesn't mean I don't like horror. In fact It's just the opposite. A well written, well acted, horror flick with plenty of suspense and horror and a sci-fi twist is about as good as it gets for me. So, I've compiled a short list of some of my favorites. I'm not recommending any of these movies for family viewing unless your kids are older. But, if you're a consenting adult who likes a well made horror movie and you're tired of wading through the buckets of blood, guts, and even sex that Hollywood insists on filling every horror movie with, than maybe this list will be of use to you. I'm not saying that the movies on my list are free of blood. etc.. but. rather. these are movies that creatively scare us without depending on the cheap thrills.

1. "Poltergeist" (1982) This is the only movie on my list that has no sci-fi element, just ghosts and the supernatural. This is Steven Spielberg's homage to horror movies. Poltergeist sets the standard for every ghost movie to follow. It's extremely well made and because of that, it's incredibly scary.

2. "American Werewolf in London" (1981) This was the first movie to effectively combine comedy and horror. It also broke ground by using popular songs to score scenes of horror. It's a wild ride of laughing hysterically one second and then jumping from fright the next.

3. "King Kong" (1933) I'm not sure if this truly is a horror movie, but it's definitely a great monster movie so it has to be on my list. I find it amazing that it was made in 1933 and it's still a thrill to watch. The 2005 version was a good remake, but the original is still king in my book.

4. "The Fly" (1986) Well directed by David Cronenberg and Jeff Goldblum gave the performance of his career.

The movie wasn't so scary, but creepy and sad.

5. "Alien" (1979) A horror movie set on a spaceship, what a brilliant idea. Plus, the alien monster was horrifying and like nothing else in movies at that time. The movie took it's time and built suspense. setting every scene up perfectly. Equal parts horror and science fiction, it doesn't get much better than that.

Looking back at my list, I see that I'm dating myself by choosing movies that all came out in the 70's and 80's. To remedy that, I'll mention that I do have a couple of recent favorites that belong on this list. "District 9" and "Cloverfield". I highly recommend both.

Hereafter and Clint Eastwood

The movie Hereafter opens in theatres today. Matt Damon is the star and Clint Eastwood directs, so it’s almost a guarantee that it will be an entertaining, well-crafted movie . I have not yet seen the movie, but I read a recent interview with Eastwood, about Hereafter, that is worth noting.
Hereafter deals with the afterlife, a topic that we all have a vested interest in. However, as we put down our ten dollars at the theatres, we should at least be aware of Clint Eastwood’s personal beliefs on the afterlife before we watch his story. I thoroughly believe that movies are the most powerful medium there is today for influencing the beliefs of their audience. I also believe that every movie is preaching something. What we watch in that dark theatre or in our living room will have some lasting effect on us, good or bad.
The interview is by David Germain, of the Associated Press, posted on 10/13/2010. You can find the complete interview here http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39657139/ns/today-entertainment. Here is an excerpt:

"(Eastwood) attended a variety of churches, mostly Protestant, as a boy but gave up on it early on, disliking the wrathful tone that was preached. "I couldn't believe that God would be a great sadist in the sky, getting pleasure out of, 'If you screw up, I'm going to bust you, boy,'" Eastwood said. "That's a way of keeping people in line, I guess." He does find Buddhism attractive, "because they don't seem to be as mean-spirited, and their idea of God is sort of a heavyset guy who's got a smile on his face, and I thought, hey, that's nice," Eastwood said. "I don't know what I think about it. I probably tend to think, you're here for the time you're here, and you should do the best you can for the time you're here, and appreciate it and move on. That's rather simplistic, but that's where I come out."

I’m not trying to keep people away from this movie. I say, go see it. Clint and Matt are two of my favorite actors and director of all time. But, before you go, arm yourself with an understanding of what the message is that’s being preached. Also, know what you believe in order to defend against the beautiful lies that will be so brilliantly displayed on the screen as truth.
Let’s all remember that no matter how high we place our movie stars on pedastals, and no matter how many great movies they’ve starred in and directed, they will face the same God when they die as we do. The Bible clearly tells us about the choice that each one of us is given about our eternal destiny. We’re all responsible for our own decision. Don’t let Hollywood make that choice for you. And, by all means, let’s pray for Eastwood. He’s been confused about the truth of God and the church is partly responsible. He just turned 80. It won’t be too much longer before he’s standing in judgment, facing the God of this universe who isn’t impressed at all with his long list of great movie accomplishments.

The Hobbit and Peter Jackson

The Hobbit has finally been given a green light to begin production in February of 2011 with everyone’s #1 pick for director, Peter Jackson. He’s the man largely responsible for the classic adaptation of the 3-part Lord of the Rings series (2001 - 2003). This is great news for fantasy buffs everywhere, and possibly for families with older children. I say “possibly because a lot depends on Peter Jackson’s ability to control his love of over-the-top gory detail in his scenes of danger and peril.

I personally loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, I remember when the first movie came out, my two oldest kids were only 8 and 10. We tentatively let them watch that movie, but realized later that it was a mistake when my eight year old had nightmares about the Gorks in the caves. We were more cautious when the 2nd movie came out (fast-forwarding through some scenes). By the 3rd movie, both kids were more mature, and better able to handle the very real and at times gruesome effects. That’s when Lord of the Rings became a family event, at least for me and my two kids. Fantasy is not my wife’s cup of tea.

I am thrilled that Peter Jackson is returning to direct and co-write the two-part Hobbit movie because I'm confident he understands Tolkien’s vision and will give it first class treatment. My concern about Jackson is partly due to his adaptation of another classic, King Kong (2005). That was an enjoyable movie but definitely not for kids. There were two scenes that I could barely watch. One, the giant bug scene, still makes my stomach queasy when I think about it. It was disgusting, painfully long, and served no useful purpose in the story. Somebody should have had the guts to stand up to Jackson and say, “Not good Peter.” I just hope Jackson regains some self control for the Hobbit. I’ve read the book, and it’s a great story that doesn’t need over-the-top gore. A really cool dragon, yes.

Peter, if you ever read this, please just translate Tolkien’s brilliant story to the screen like you’ve done before. That’s all we want. We know you can do it. I’m looking forward to revisiting middle earth. I just hope I’ll be able to bring my kids with me.

Radical Face

Up until today, this blog has been devoted to visual media. However, finding great music in today’s fragmented and leaderless musical landscape is also a passion of mine. When I grew up, the radio stations told us what to listen to. I always saw their playlists as starting points to find what I liked. My tastes usually landed just outside the mainstream. Today, we don’t have a common starting point to find what we like to listen to. We’ve all been left on our own to search for great music. I personally have learned to enjoy the search. As I listen to my Pandora stations and check out samples in the ITunes store, I occasionally stumble upon truly great music. When I find these gems I’ll do my best to communicate my discovery to my readers. Why not? Online communication has replaced radio as the new starting point.

My most recent discovery is Radical Face, out of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Their origins were of particular interest to me as I’m from Jacksonville, Florida. However, I fell in love with this band solely due to their original well-crafted sound. The album is called “Ghost”, released in 2007. It's a concept album about houses and how the things we do in those houses will leave ghosts in the walls. The lyrics are very creative and well thought out. The song are all catchy and brilliant. The thing I love most about Radical Face’s album is the subtle weaving of acoustic guitar, violins, accordion, civil war type drums, flourishes of electric guitars, Ben Cooper’s haunting voice, and a myriad of sound effects. Nothing dominates here, it all works perfectly together to paint images of soldiers marching or chains jangling in the attic. I hope Ben Cooper and Radical Face can find their audience. I’ve been listening to this album for several months now, and it’s turned out to be one of those rare finds that keeps getting better over time.

Lars and the Real Girl

I watched this movie over the weekend after a friend's recommendation. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this movie is. The premise is strange and will probably turn most people off, especially conservative viewers like myself who try to avoid the weird stuff. But, this is a case where a weird premise is played out in such a sweet and thoughtful way that it's actually one of the most moral stories of the last few years.
Lars and the Real Girl is about a guy who is extremely shy to the point that he has difficulty interacting with humans, especially women. He ends up ordering a life-size anatomically correct female doll to be his companion. The guy, Lars, believes his new friend is real. With his new companion at his side, he begins to come out of his shell. Much of the movie's humor comes as Lars' family and friends try to accept his girlfriend and pretend that she's real too, all for the sake of Lars.
From a Christian stand point, this movie has a great message about what would Jesus really do. The cast is excellent, especially Ryan Gosling as Lars. The movie was beautifully written and directed. It never went for the obvious sexual jokes that you normally expect from Hollywood, and the story was low key and thoughtful all the way through.
On my two scales of 1 to 250, I'll give it 235 for entertainment value. and another 235 for moral character. There were a few minor sexual jokes about the doll, but it's hardly worth mentioning. My total score is 470.
It is worth mentioning that Lars made a point of not living in the same house with his girl friend until they were married. Good job Lars, and great job Hollywood for this one.