Best Films and TV of 2010 – Brian Contratto

Best Picture:

1. The King’s Speech: just right

Pete Travers from Rolling Stone already made the best comparison I can think of for Colin Firth’s performance—to Dr. Strangelove, in the extent that he so fully embodies such a singular character.

It’s a refreshing genre for “art film” to tackle, with a story unique enough to entice the uninitiated, and writing spot-on enough to truly move (Colin Firth, proving himself once again). The King’s Speech aims for the canon status enjoyed by the aforementioned film, and is my prediction for Oscar victory.

2. Black Swan: better than I thought it would be.

This is the kind of motion picture worthy of its theater admission price, if only to hear the awesome score in all hi-fi encompassing glory. I’m always dubious with regard to anything associated with the words  “sexy thriller,” but I shouldn’t have worried—Aronofsky is smarter than me.

Everything is right—the sex, the intimations, the abjection—to the point that the predictable finale plays as a hard-won and well-deserved encore to a fairytale film.

So, no begrudging Portman for squandering her talent on No Strings Attached—she's earned a breather.

I consider it a privilege to have followed this fantastic series from the beginning, as it now begins its swan song fifth season, after years of fighting scrappily to legitimize its slot on major network television.

FNL is literary television disguised as a teen sports drama, and this unusual pairing of plot and setting might explain its failure to garner ratings befitting of its rave review. There’s nothing fancy or complicated, just honest acting without gimmicks, and sometimes shocking emotional realism.

Season 5 maintains the unlikely momentum of a show that experienced a major cast turnover in the past year.