The 3 Best Films of 2010

So much has been written about these films. I just want to say a few things about each of them. Each was deserving of Best Film of 2010:

The King's Speech: Absolutely brilliant screenplay, made even more brilliant by the top three actors, Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. Each gave nuance where no nuance was probably indicated. And lovingly directed. It's just a joy to watch the story of a true friendship, a rare thing, between a royal and a commoner.

Black Swan: Brilliantly acted and shot, and very hard to watch. If flesh being ripped from bones doesn't upset you, then sit down to watch almost a documentary on what it takes to be a world-class ballerina. The acting is amazing, from Natalie Portman to Mila Kunis (how far she's come from That Seventies Show!), her new friend in this ballet world, to Vincent Cassel, the director who forces his ballerina to reach for her dark side in Swan Lake. The music is haunting, appropriately so, and will sift into your dreams ever after.

The Social Network: I was just stunned by this fictionalized tale of Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. The argument throughout the movie is that Zuckerberg wasn't the only one with this idea, but had to pay off those who had something to do with the concept. It's more a story of modern times, of kids without moral compass. It's a story of how Zuckerberg shafts his friends and fellow college students to be on top. One of the best pieces in laying this foundation of duplicity is his friendship with Sean Parker, who founded a website, Napster, that ripped off music companies and their artists. This is amazing filmmaking by David Fincher. The only thing that may disturb you is that we don't know how much of this story is true, how much we see of Zuckerberg -- a sociopath with no friends -- is true. Oh, and the fact that these guys are taking over the world. That's truly frightening.