Film Comment Announces Top Ten Lists
Film Comment, the highly respected film magazine that is the publishing initiative of New York's Film Society of Lincoln Center, has thrown its hat into the ring of the current awards season with an announcement this week of its Top Ten Films of the Year. Since the film journal is known for its international and eclectic taste, the list is not a carbon copy of the ones that are the mainstay of the awards roundelay, but point to lesser known titles that are worthy of greater attention.
The list, which is compiled from the suggestions of film critics, journalists, film section editors, and past and present contributors to the publication, reflects the auteur sensibilities of the magazine's publisher and audience. Taking the top three positions on the list are Oliver Assayas' CARLOS, David Fincher's THE SOCIAL NETWORK and Claire Denis' WHITE MATERIAL, all currently in theatrical release. Other films making tthe cut have not yet received North American distribution but have registered strongly on the film festival circuit, including the Film Society's own New York Film Festival held in the Fall. Such titles include Apichatpong Weerasethakul's UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES, Jean-Luc Godard's FILM SOCIALISME and Lee Chang-dong's POETRY.
Film Comment's Top 10 Films Released in 2010 are; 1.Assayas' CARLOS, 2. Fincher's THE SOCIAL NETWORK, 3. Denis' WHITE MATERIAL, 4. Roman Polanski's THE GHOST WRITER, 5. Jacques Audiard's A PROPHET, 6. Debra Granik's WINTER'S BONE, 7. Charles Ferguson's INSIDE JOB, 8. Alain Resnais' WILD GRASS, 9. Maren Ade's EVERYONE ELSE, 10. Noah Baumbach's GREENBERG. In the overall rankings of 100 films in consideration, other titles making strong showings during the awards season are Lee Unkrich's TOY STORY 3 (#12), Lisa Cholodenko's THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (#16), Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN (#24), Christopher Nolan's INCEPTION (#30), Joel & Ethan Coen's TRUE GRIT (#42), Tom Hooper's THE KING'S SPEECH (#44) and Derek Cianfrance's BLUE VALENTINE (#47).
Luckily, the Film Comment survey does not limit itself to films that have found theatrical release but champions those that have made their mark on the film festival circuit and deserve greater exposure. The Top 10 Unreleased Films in 2010 are 1. Weerasethakul's UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES, 2. Godard's FILM SOCIALISME, 3. Chang-dong's POETRY, 4. Kelly Reichardt's MEEK'S CUTOFF, 5. Cristi Puiu's AURORA, 6. Raúl Ruiz' MYSTERIES OF LISBON, 7. Andrei Ujica's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF NICOLAE CEAUSESCU, 8. Michelangelo Frammartino's THE FOUR TIMES, 9. Abbas Kiarostami's CERTIFIED COPY and 10. Radu Muntean's TUESDAY, AFTER CHRISTMAS. The complete lists of films and poll participants can be found and Filmlinc.com and in the January/February issue of Film Comment which hits newsstands January 10.
THE COMPLETE FILM COMMENT 2010 BEST-OF FILMS LISTS
RELEASED 2010
1. Carlos
Director: Olivier Assayas
2. The Social Network
Director: David Fincher
3. White Material
Director: Claire Denis
4. The Ghost Writer
Director: Roman Polanski
5. A Prophet
Director: Jacques Audiard
6. Winter's Bone
Director: Debra Granik
7. Inside Job
Director: Charles Ferguson
8. Wild Grass
Director: Alain Resnais
9. Everyone Else
Director: Maren Ade
10. Greenberg
Director: Noah Baumbach
UNRELEASED 2010
1. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Film Socialisme
Director:Jean-Luc Godard
3. Poetry
Director:Lee Chang-dong
4. Meek's Cutoff
Director:Kelly Reichardt
5. Aurora
Director:Cristi Puiu
6. Mysteries of Lisbon
Director: Raúl Ruiz
7. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu
Director: Andrei Ujica
8. The Four Times
Director: Michelangelo Frammartino
9. Certified Copy
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
10. Tuesday, After Christmas
Director: Radu Muntean
Sandy Mandelberger, Awards Watch Editor
