Top Ten Films of 2010

1. The Kids Are All Right: So beautiful. So real. Honestly, I went into it thinking it was going to be a heavy-handed message about same sex marriages and ended up with something so much more. Two of the best performances I have seen in ahwile given by two of the great female leads of our generation, Annette Benning and Julianne Moore. Really, go into this one with an open mind, certainly not a happy-go-lucky feature film.

2. Black Swan: Natalie Portman is on point for this one, even if she didn't dance every scene. Darren Arnofsky was robbed of the Best Director nod once again. He made ballet a cool, contact sport, and honestly I didn't think it was possible.

3. The King's Speech: Great movie all around. Good acting, good direction, great cinematography. Uplifiting true story. An absolute discrace that the MPAA decided to rate it R. What happened to viewing something in context?

4. Exit Through The Gift Shop: A great documentary.  If nothing else extremely facinating, tells the story of 'street art'.  There are characters in it too... boy are there characters.

5. The Social Network: A great piece of writing from Aaron Sorkin. Fincher is once again showing why he is one of the best directors around and Trent Reznor on the soundtrack makes it.  As so many critics like to say... Generation defining.

6. The Fighter: One of the better sports movies in recent years. Christian Bale shows why he is regarded as one of the best, in quite possibly his defining role.

7. 127 Hours: A great story of will and triumph. See my earlier blog for a more complete review

8. The Town: One of the best car chases I have witnessed. Ben Affleck shows hes not just some sort of fluke director. And, if you like The Town, you have got to check out Gone Baby Gone... easily the most underrated film in the past decade.

9. Youth In Revolt: Michael Cera as Francois sums this one up. One of the better comedies put out in recent years.

10. Scott Pilgrim VS. The World: Pilgrim makes the list because of its inventiveness. Edgar Wright gets serious points for just having fun with this one and not being afraid to try something new.  Really funny as well.

2011 Oscar Predictions

The super bowl of filmmaking is upon us. Without further ado, my predictions...

Best Picture:
"The King's Speech"

Best Director:
Darren Arnofsky - "Black Swan"

Best Actor:
Colin Firth - "The King's Speech"

Best Actress:
Natalie Portman - "Black Swan"

Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale - "The Fighter"

Best Supporting Actress:
Jacki Weaver - "Animal Kingdom"

Best Cinematography:
"Black Swan"

Best Original Screenplay:
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg - "The Kids Are All Right"

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Aaron Sorkin - "The Social Network"

Best Documentary Film:
"Gasland"

Best Score:
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - "The Social Network"

Best Foreign Film:
"Biutiful"

Best Animated Film:
"Toy Story 3"

Yeah, there are more awards but these are the ones I know you care about.

Movie Review: 127 Hours

Years from now, 2010 will be viewed as a landmark year for motion pictures.  What has been most satisfying for me about 2010 has been seeing a new generation of great directors come into their own.  In my opinion, 2010 signifies a changing of the guard.  While the Coen brothers, who have True Grit nominated for best picture, are most likely in the latter part of their career, almost every other director nominated for best picture (and yes, I understand that technically it is the producers that get nominated for best picture) seems poised for a bright future in the film industry (Honestly, I could get into this in much more detail, but I am going to table this discussion for when I write my 2010 year in review).  Danny Boyle is no exception.  Boyle, whose film credits include Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, satisfies audiences once again with a gripping tale of courage and survival in 127 Hours.  For those that do not know, 127 Hours is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, an expert climber who ended up having to cut off his right arm after it became trapped behind a boulder while he was climbing in Utah.  Even though I just gave away the ending, I am not giving away much.  In all honesty, it is probably best that you are forewarned of the events that are about to unfold on screen, as 127 Hours contains one of the most graphic and disturbing scenes that I have ever witnessed.  In fact, the scene where Ralston severs his own arm is so graphic that some movie goers have had panic attacks during screenings of the film.  While the film is at times almost unbearable to watch, I applaud Boyle's decision to not pull any punches because the film's effectiveness is wrapped up in its graphic nature.  Because of the gruesome depiction, the audience feels the pain with Ralston (portrayed by James Franco) and has a true understanding of the sacrifice that he ends up having to make.  I can't help but think that the ending would have landed flat on audiences had Boyle decided to tone it down.  If people are having panic attacks because of your film, you know your film is pretty damn effective.  Beyond the graphic nature, Boyle's other decisions were right on point.  I was particularly impressed with the film's pacing.  The pace constantly shifts from being frantic, at times employing a technique of splitting the screen into three separate shots showing the action simultaneously from three different angles, to being slow and intimate with close-ups on Franco shot in the style of a home movie camera.  The change of pace really captures the wide range of emotions that a person in that position would feel.  During the frantic scenes, you feel the determination, adrenaline, and borderline hysteria that Aron Ralston no doubt felt when he was trapped.  The intimate, slow portions bring out the contemplation periods that I am sure Ralston went through when he was staring death in the face.  The crisscrossing between the two styles proves to be especially effective.  On to James Franco's portrayal of Aron Ralston.  I believe that this role has solidified Franco as the most versatile actor in Hollywood.  Considering that over half of the movie has only Franco on screen, his performance was the most important element in 127 Hours.  In my opinion, his performance is Oscarworthy.  What I loved most about Franco's performance was he didn't overact.  In a situation like that, his acting could have easily been over the top, but it wasn't.  His coolness throughout the majority of the film is exactly what you would expect from a climber with an understanding of the situation that he has gotten into.  When he does show emotion, it is more effective in conveying the grave situation to the audience.  If he would have b****ed and whined the entire film, it would have been annoying and the audience would not have been emotionally invested in the character.  Also, Franco's coolness throughout the film, shows that Ralston never gave up hope and his determination, which reflects strongly on the audience.  Between Boyle and Franco, the movie is built up beautifully to the end, which is one of most emotionally moving endings that I have seen in recent history.  You have lived and felt Ralston's pain throughout the film, so you feel the triumph as well.

127 Hours Rating: "You have got to see this s**t":  While I cannot see myself watching James Franco cut his own arm off over and over, the film is certainly not to be missed by anyone who considers themselves to be a fan of good filmmaking.  The combination of Boyle and Franco really packs quite a punch and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for two of Hollywood's finest.

A note on my ratings system. Maybe I will have a more elaborate system one day but at this time heres
my different ratings:
"My brain just exploded" - Reserved for tried and true classics, a category dedicated for only the very best
"You have got to see this s**t" - Films that are among the best in a given year, but not quite classics
"Well that was entertaining" - Good films, enjoyable and entertaining from start to finish but no "wow" factor, nothing really sticks out
"I feel like there's something missing" - An OK film, entertaining but something or some things stick out as just not being right, something takes away from the overall effectiveness
"I guess I learned something" - Overall a bad film but has some redeeming qualities that make it bearable to watch
"You have got to be f***ing kidding me" - Terrible from all aspects, leaves you wondering how someone in Hollywood allowed for the film to be made and more importantly allowed the film to be screened by an audience, as an example any Lifetime movie

One more note:  While I have been pleased in the past with the Carousel Cinemas, last night was pathetic.  First, there was noticeable deterioration with the film they were using as three faint black lines were present throughout the film.  Honestly it is beyond me why every theater at Carousel is not digital.  You do not charge 9.50 and show a movie with second rate technology.  It's beyond pathetic.  Second and more importantly, Tron: Legacy was playing in the theater next to us and Daft Punk was an ever present force throughout 127 Hours.  While I enjoyed what Daft Punk did for Tron: Legacy, I did not go to the theater to see Tron: Legacy and the last time I checked Daft Punk did not also score 127 Hours.  If you are going to call yourself an 'upscale' theater and charge the prices you do, you had better shell out the money for f***ing adequate sound proofing.  The next time that a movie is playing there that I want to see, I am going to look elsewhere and suggest to all my Greensboro readers that you do the same.  If not, you may be in for an unpleasant movie going experience.

My Next Review: Exit Through The Gift Shop (A Documentary by Banksy)

A Kerrappy Introduction

To My Future Followers:

My name is Matthew D. Kerr.  After struggling for many years to make ends meet as a professional tambourine player, I have recently decided to forgo my musical career to embark on a new chapter in my life.  While it pains me because I put so much dedication and emotion into my craft, I know that every chapter in life must come to a close and with it comes a new beginning.  For me, the new beginning brings a chance to cultivate another lifelong dream I've had: to become a graphic romance novelist.  Inspired by great contemporary romance authors such as Nicholas Sparks and Tom Clancy, I believe in my heart that there is a seat at the writers' table reserved for Matthew Kerr.  In my persuit to become a great author, I understand the importance of writing on a consistant, daily basis.  For this reason alone, I have given birth to Pieces of Kerrap, where I hope to fine tune my skills as a writer.  I hope you will join me on this journey as I plan update frequently with movie reviews, opinions on sports, and most importantly small pieces of inspiration that will have a profound impact on your life.