Let's go to the Movies

TOP 45  FILMS OF 2010
(Released between January 1, 2010 to September 23, 2010)
Listed Alphabetically
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Prophet
A Single Man
An Education
Agora
Antichrist
Avatar: Special Edition
Away We Go
The Boys Are Back
Bright Star
Edge of Darkness
Faubourg 36
The Habit of Art
Hachiko: A Dog's Story
How To Train Your Dragon
Hopeville
Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
Inception
It's Complicated
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 
Letters to Juliet
The Limits of Control
The Lovely Bones
Mao's Last Dancer
The Messenger
Nine
9
Oceans
Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom
Precious: Based on the novel by Sapphire
The Princess and the Frog
Remember Me
The Road
Robin Hood
Shutter Island
Step Up3
Taking Woodstock
Themba: A Boy Called Hope
Toy Story 3
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Up In The Air
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Waltz with Bashir
Where the Wild Things Are
Winter in Wartime

Noteworthy
A Serious Man
Bad Lieutenant: Port of call New Orleans
The Box
Broken Embraces
Brothers
Chloe
Clash of the Titans
The Cove
Creation
Daybreakers
Dear John
Everybody's Fine
The Full Monterverdi
The Ghostwriter
Green Zone
Iron Man 2
The Last Station
Let the Right One In
Men Who Stare at Goats
Mother and Child
Not the Messiah (He's a very naughty Boy)
Outrageous
The September Issue
Skin
White Lion

SEPT 2010 releases

TOP 5
LEGEND OF THE GUARDIANS: THE OWLS OF GA'HOOLE ***** An exquisite masterwork that showcases the genius artistry and craftsmanship of 500 digital artists, a thought provoking screenplay by John Orloff and Emil Stern, and spectacular realization by visionary director Zack Snyder. This is visual storytelling at its best, amplified by the magic of 3D. It is filled with awesome spectacle, thrilling adventure and breathtaking flight and battle sequences that will leave you on the edge of your seat.  The fight sequences between dueling owls are unbelievable, a balletic dance captured in slow motion to underline the perfect unison between sound and image. Undoubtedly one of the best animation films ever made, you will applaud its overwhelming magic.  You will laugh and cry (and even shout) as its feathered heroes take you on an imaginative flight of fantasy you will most definitely revisit and never forget. Based on the beloved Guardians of Ga'Hoole books by Kathryn Lasky, it follows Soren, a young owl enthralled by his father's epic stories of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones.  Young owlet Soren embarks on a quest to follow his dreams…only to discover they're real.  Stepping into the legend that he's faithfully followed through his father's nest-time stories, he becomes a crucial part of the next chapter in the epic tales. Now on a true hero's journey of self-discovery, young Soren and his friends join their mentors in an action-packed battle against the evil Pure Ones to protect not only their freedom, but the very existence of the Guardians of Ga'Hoole, who have sworn an oath to mend the broken, make strong the weak, and vanquish evil. Read more 

OCEANS ***** An exquisite symphonic dance of image, music and sound that celebrates the creatures of the deep blue. Océans is not a documentary, but a wildlife opera. Each underwater director of photography, each cameraman bringing fragments of the score : that of a hymn to the sea.Swirling along at 10 knots an hour in a school of hunting tuna fish, leaping with dolphins in their unruly contortions, swimming shoulder to fin with the great white shark, … Oceans is to be a fish among fishes.After Winged Migrants, Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, with ground-breaking filming resources, lead us into the heart of the oceans to discover unknown or unrecognized marine creatures. Océans queries the impact of the human footprint on wildlife and replies to the question the Ocean.  What is the Ocean?  What is the Ocean ?" asks a child at the beginning of the film.  In order to give him an answer, let us start by forgetting figures, explanations and analyses.  In an attempt to tell the story of the oceans, the filmmakers sought to open doors other than those of statistics :  those of a fantastic and magical tale, the marvels of the little world of the coral reefs, the heroism of dolphins in full charge, the gracious dances of the hump-back-whale and giant squids, the horror of the attacks made on the oceans and to their creatures, the incredible spectacle of the sea unleashed in a titanic storm, the silence of a museum of extinct species…   Read more   

WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS ***** Oliver Stone is an engaging filmmaker that really know how to tell a story on the big screen, bringing the city of New York alive like you have never seen before. Stone draws sterling performances from Michael Douglas who is back in his Oscar-winning role as one of the screen's most notorious villains, Gordon Gekko.  Emerging from a lengthy prison stint, Gekko finds himself on the outside of a world he once dominated. Looking to repair his damaged relationship with his daughter Winnie, Gekko forms an alliance with her fiancé Jacob (Shia LaBeouf).  But can Jacob and Winnie really trust the ex-financial titan, whose relentless efforts to redefine himself in a different era have unexpected consequences.  "In making 'Wall Street,' I really wanted to see the war at home, so to speak, the war in the financial jungle of New York, which is my hometown," Stone says.  In fact, Stone's father was a stockbroker in New York, so the filmmaker was already well acquainted with the Street when he directed the film.    Read more 

WINTER IN WARTIME **** A touching coming-of-age story that explores how a teenager's life is changed through war. The story tells of a young Dutch boy named Michiel van Beusekom who tries to help the resistance during World War II by helping an English pilot stay out of German hands. Michiel feels resentment towards his father, a mayor, seemingly only interested in maintaining the status quo between the town and the German Army. He worships his uncle Ben, an adventurer in contact with the local resistance. During the winter, Michiel's loyalties are tested.  This 2008 Dutch war film was directed by Martin Koolhoven, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mieke de Jong and Paul Jan Nelissen.  It is based on the novel of the same name by Jan Terlouw.The film was hugely successful in the Netherlands out-grossing competing films like Twilight and The Dark Knight. It was the highest grossing film in The Netherlands during Christmas 2008 and the first weeks of 2009.It was also chosen by the Dutch Critics as the best Dutch film of 2008, it won the PZC Audience Award (best movie based on a novel), three Rembrandt Awards and three Golden Calf awards.Read more  Read interview with director Martin Koolhoven   Read interview with writer Jan Terlouw   

HOPEVILLE ***** The uplifting South African story of Amos Manyani, a recovering alcoholic who moves to a rundown rural town in the hope of etching out a new life with his alienated son Themba. "Amos's story is one of a man trying to put his life together and win his son back. It's a journey that will touch a lot of people, as we see somebody trying to put things right," said Themba Ndaba, who plays the lead. In the face of a corrupt municipality, dark community secrets and apparent apathy, Amos finds meaning in his mission to restore the derelict public swimming pool. This is largely a tender bid to also restore the damaged relationship with his son Themba, played by Junior Singo, who is an upcoming swimming star deeply unhappy that he now has to stay with his estranged father after his mother's untimely death. Amos's "service" is initially met with skepticism from both Themba and the community, and frustrating resistance from the authorities, but eventually his perseverance inspires the community of Hopeville to finally act on their convictions. Read more

PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN
SUSANNA VAN BILJON ***  This tender romance will delight fans of Karen Zoid and Afrikaans music. It also features a great performance from Marie du Toit as a retired opera diva who smothers her daughter's (Zoid) dreams and imprisons her in their small town home. The film is also a touching mother-daughter story, with the mother living in past glory and her daughter Rebecca striving to break free and become a super music star. Zoid is ideal as the mousy 'Ugly Duckling' who dreams of a bigger life and reminds strongly of the character created by Tony Collette in Muriel's Wedding. Director Bromley Cawood perfectly captures the atmosphere of small town living and the conflicts of the society, contrasting it with glamourous big city showbiz.  On the romantic front there's David Rees playing a sheep-farmer who falls madly in love with Rebecca, whilst Amanda Davel tries to win him over. The film also features some delightful cameos from Shaleen Surtie-Richards who works with Rebecca in a shop and becomes her second mother; and Wilma Snyman as the town's busy body who meddles in everyone's affairs. The film is a romantic drama spiced with a variety of music which varies from boeremusiek, classical music to contemporary Afrikaans songs. Some of the music, like the theme song, was specially composed for the movie. Please note: The film is released in Afrikaans without English subtitles.  Read more
BAKGAT 2! *** Bakgat 2, written and directed by dynamic 28-year-old filmmaker Henk Pretorius, deliciously celebrates the local youth culture, with a group of college students turning teenage angst into a fun and sexy joyride. Local fans will once again identify with the loveable characters of Wimpie, Katrien, Fanie and Japie, Liezl and Christie with Werner still up to his usual tricks, and a few other hilarious surprises thrown into the mix. The story continues two years later where Bakgat! left off - the group of friends have now left school and are at University. Wimpie (Ivan Botha) is now the U/21 Rugby Hero and is presented with an international opportunity of a lifetime. He gets caught in a tug of war with his love for the game playing against the love of his life, Katrien (Cherie van der Merwe), who doesn't want to travel away from South Africa, as she's found her passion in teaching autistic children. Added to this are the comical antics of the other characters; Fanie (Andrew Thompson) struggles to get used to the new Christie (Ciske Kruger Botha) and Japie (Neil Sharim) is experiencing "size" problems of his own in his relationship with Liezl (Lelia Etsebeth). Muscleman, Werner "Killer" Botha (Altus Theart), joins the Varsity team and threatens Wimpie's place in the U/21 team. Read more  Read an interview with writer-director Henk Pretorius
Also showing
(Listed Alphabetically)
DABANGG (Bollywood) Set in Laalgurj, Uttar Pradesh, Dabangg is a story of Chulbul Pandey (Salman Khan), a totally fearless but corrupt police officer with unorthodox working methods. But even the most fearless at times face a tough fight with their innermost demons. Chulbul has had a bitter childhood. He decides to take control of his destiny and detaches himself from his stepfather and half brother. His sole attachment is his mother. However after his mother's demise and an unsuccessful attempt to mend wounds, Chulbul snaps all ties with his stepfather and half brother. Rajo (Sonakshi Sinha) with her unique perspective of life enters his world and turns life upside down. Chulbul starts to see life more positively and also gets sensitized to the value of a family.But his detractors especially the dubious Cheddi Singh (Sonu Sood) have their own vested interests and emerge as spokes in the wheels, putting one brother against the other. Makhanchan ends up carrying out act oblivious to the consequences. When he realizes he has been used, he turns to Chulbul. Will Chulbul take his extended hand? Will the brothers be able to thwart their detractors? Will this time, Chulbul's fearlessness channel itself positively and reunite him with his family? Directed by Abhinav Kashyap
DORIAN GRAY ** British filmmaker Oliver Parker, who successfully adapted Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest does not manage to breathe live into Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is an uninspiring adaptation for those who are familiar with the 1945 version and the book, but should satisfy the curiosity of discerning fans of classic British cinema. Ben Barnes plays fresh-faced and innocent, Dorian Gray arrives in London to move into the house he has inherited. Almost immediately he falls under the influence of amoral and calculating Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth), leading to a life of increasing debauchery and even violence. Through many years Gray stays as young-looking as ever, while a portrait painted  by Basil Hallward (Ben Chaplin) when he arrived grows old, reflecting his increasing excesses. Eventually the picture, now secreted in his attic, becomes almost hideous to behold. When true love finally enters his life he realises he must guard his secret at all costs.
THE EXPENDABLES A hard-hitting action/thriller about a group of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things aren't quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge - one that threatens to destroy this band of brothers. Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion, he is the leader, the sage and the strategist of this tight-knit band of men who live on the fringe. The team behind him is made up of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a master at close-quarter combat; Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), who has known Barney for ten years and is a long-barrel weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group; and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons. When the mysterious Church offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team embark on what appears to be a routine mission: overthrow General Gaza (David Zayas), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people.  Read more
GOING THE DISTANCE **  A raucous and romantic comedy with both heart and heat, it tells the story of what can happen when a beer-and-barbecued wings-fueled one-night stand accidentally turns into something more.  Erin's (Drew Barrymore) wry wit and unfiltered frankness charm newly single Garrett (Justin Long) over beer, bar trivia and breakfast the next morning.  Their chemistry sparks a full-fledged summer fling, but neither expects it to last once Erin heads home to San Francisco and Garrett stays behind for his job in New York City.  But when six weeks of romping through the city inadvertently become meaningful, neither is sure they want it to end.   Read more    See The Write Stuff
GREENBERG Screenwriter/director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) brings us the funny, touching and poignant story of two souls adrift in Los Angeles, trying to forge a connection. Florence Marr (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring singer, is struggling to find her place in the world. She works as a personal assistant to the Greenberg family, beginning and ending each day tending to other people's needs. In sharp contrast to the Greenbergs' bustling life in their elegant Hollywood Hills home, Florence lives alone in a tiny studio apartment and sings at open-mike nights. When Phillip Greenberg (Chris Messina) takes his wife and children on an extended trip abroad, Florence is suddenly left more to her own devices. Single and fortyish, Greenberg is intelligent, witty, sharp-tongued and, like Florence, something of a lost soul; he is at a crossroads in his life. Roger tries to reconnect with friend and former bandmate Ivan (Rhys Ifans) and old flame Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh), but they've moved on with their lives while Greenberg has been stuck treading water. In trying to restart his life, Greenberg finds that times have changed and old friends aren't necessarily still best friends.
THE KARATE KID 12-year old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could have been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mothers (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate, Mei Ying - and the feeling is mutual - but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land Kung Fu, Dre knows only a little Karate, and Cheng puts 'the karate kid' on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man, Mr Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realises that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.  Cast: Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson and Jackie Chan. Read more  See The Write Stuff  Interview with Jackie Chan   Interview with Jaden Smith
THE LAST AIRBENDER (3D)  ***  Master storyteller, writer/producer/director M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense," "Signs," "Unbreakable") brings the hit animated series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" to the big screen, creating an epic, larger-than-life world that explodes with spectacular special effects, great action and exciting adventure.   For nearly a century, the Fire Nation has waged its deadly campaign for global domination over its fellow tribal nations of Air, Water and Earth.  They offer but one choice to the tribes who fall to their might--complete surrender, or complete annihilation. As the prophesied Avatar--the only one who can control all four of the elements--the young airbender is the lone weapon that can repel the Fire Nation's onslaught and ultimately restore balance to the war-torn world.  Read more       The Write Stuff Read an interview with Dev Patel
THE LIVING FOREST This award-winning Spanish animated movie from 2001 finally gets a cinema release here. Except when there's people around, the mysterious woods of Cecebre resound with the conversation of the various animals and trees. But men plant what seems a leafless tree, actually a telephone pole, which also sprouts a mouth but speaks like his human makers. A scientist decides to catch a mole his research, but his bossy wife takes it and wants more to make fur-coats. Luckily the mole's lover escapes, learns the truth from the trees and sets out to rescue his girlfriend in the human world, where everything natural is abused...
THE OTHER GUYS ***  An entertaining comedy for those seeking escapism filled with action. Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell make fun new 'Laurel and Hardy' as two detectives who always remain in the background  and are not heroes, but 'the Other Guys'. But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into the city's biggest crime.  It's the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff? They cause a lot of headaches and make life extremely difficult for detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson), the baddest and most beloved cops around, who don't get tattoos, other men get tattoos of them.
With just a handful of films, co-writer/director Adam McKay has established himself as one of the most original voices in the current generation of comedy directors.  With Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Step Brothers, McKay's style and sensibilities have not only proved popular with audiences, but made him an attractive creative partner for actors as well.
McKay says that his challenge was to keep the set as open and free to experimentation as he could, while also keeping it grounded enough that the action sequences made sense.  "Obviously, we like to do silly, absurd things," says McKay.  "The Other Guys is an action comedy, and I think it's just as funny as the movies we've made in the past.  But it's also a bit more badass - we really tried to come up with action scenes we hadn't seen before, and I think we came up with some fantastic stuff."  Read more   
RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE  (3D) The fourth installment of the hugely successful Resident Evil franchise is again based on the wildly popular video game series, and will this time be presented in 3-D. It is written, directed and produced by Paul W. S. Anderson, who also wrote, produced and directed the original Resident Evil, as well as writing and producing two earlier sequels. In a world ravaged by a virus infection, turning its victims into the Undead, Alice (Milla Jovovich), continues on her journey to find survivors and lead them to safety. Her deadly battle with the Umbrella Corporation reaches new heights, but Alice gets some unexpected help from an old friend. A new lead that promises a safe haven from the Undead takes them to Los Angeles. As her battle with the creators of the global plague reaches new heights, Alice finds herself trapped in a burned-out Los Angeles overrun by thousands of the undead, facing a threat she never anticipated.  Read more   Shooting in 3D     The Write Stuff
SALT *** You have to let your imagination go as Angelina Jolie slips back into ultra Lara Croft gear as an indestructible superspy and ultimate action ninja on an impossible mission. As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?" "The reason I wanted to make this movie is simple - after reading the script, it was a movie I wanted to see.  I'd pay to see it," says Noyce.  "When I first read Kurt's script, I was overwhelmed by the intoxicating combination of historical fact and popcorn fiction. It seemed like the perfect recipe for that rare film that both pleases the mind and tickles the senses, an edge-of-your-seat adventure to delight the grownup in every teenager and the child in every adult."  Read more   See The Write Stuff
VAMPIRES SUCK *** From motion picture parodists Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, comes a comedy with real bite.  After successfully skewering Hollywood's scariest movie (as two of the writers of "Scary Movie"), romantic comedy franchises ("Date Movie"), Hollywood blockbusters ("Epic Movie"), disaster films ("Disaster Movie") and "300" ("Meet the Spartans"), Friedberg and Seltzer are at it again. This time, they sink their teeth into today's hottest pop culture phenomena: vampires and werewolves. A comedic exploration of teenage romance and angst spoofing many of the recent 'teen' movies. Becca is torn between two boys; the mysterious, moody and ridiculously pale guy, or the stable and sweet one who reminds her of a "little gay brother". In her quest to decide between the two she must survive a family dinner without actually becoming the dinner, made even harder by a group of vampires (who look very much like the black eyed peas) who are also set on eating her! If her romantic entanglements were not enough, she is also trying to deal with her over controlling father, who still sees her as a little girl and insists on carrying her around strapped to him in a baby bjorn! As prom night looms Becca must make some tough decisions, helped along by everyone from Alice (from a mysterious wonderland) to Lady GaGa!   Read more See The Write Stuff