A blog currently wondering which of the One Direction boys will take him home. Other obsessions: hot boys, Britney Spears, the Disney pop princesses, French New Wave cinema.
As you may have noticed, 2010 has been over for nearly eight months, yet I'm still rolling out my Diva Cup Awards honoring the best in film from that year. I'm not one for deadlines, especially when it comes to this, but it's time to finish this up. The problem is, I don't really have the time or the energy to do a long write-up defending my choices at the moment. So, what I'll do is give you my nominees for Best Actor & Actress and my Top 10 Films of the year with the promise that I will write about these more in the future. I realize only a few people will actually care about that but it would be more for myself than anyone. Without further ado, here are the final awards:
Best Actor
Aaron Eckhart, Rabbit Hole
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Édgar Ramirez, Carlos
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter
And the Diva Cup Award Goes to: Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Best Actress
Katie Jarvis, Fish Tank
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Lesley Manville, Another Year
Emma Stone, Easy A
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Emma Stone, Easy A
Top 10 Films of 2010
10. Catfish (Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman)
09. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg)
[Micheal Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Alisson Pill, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Mark Webber, Johnny Simmons, Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Brandon Routh]
The Social Network
[Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Justin Timberlake, Max Minghella, Rooney Mara, Joseph Mazzello, Brenda Song]
And the Diva Cup Goes to: The Social Network
Best Scene
Blue Valentine
The "Sex" Scene
I wrote about this scene more in depth right after seeing the film. Dean wants to have sex with his wife but only wants it if she's a willing participant. A scarily intense moment.
Easy A
Sharpening Your Pencils?
There are far more clever moments in Easy A, but this is the scene I watch repeatedly on YouTube and laugh my ass off at every time.
For Colored Girls
Opera/Rape
Tyler Perry gets a lot of flack for not being a "real" artist, a minstrel show creator who caters to the lowest common denominator. I disagree strongly and would point anyone to this masterful scene in For Colored Girls. Perry crosscuts between a woman have a dramatic moment of catharsis while watching an opera while another is raped by an acquaintance. In a movie full of heavy moments, this is both the heaviest and the one that has the biggest impact on the film.
The Social Network
Eduardo's Bad Night
Andy Garfield is at his best when he's juggling 14 emotions at once, so watch him deal with a lack of sleep, a stalker girlfriend, an angry Mark on the phone berating him for freezing their bank accounts and a small fire all in a matter of two minutes.
Toy Story 3
Pit of Hell
I may or may not have laughed completely inappropriately during this moment in the theatre. Looking back, I realize that this happened not because it was a cheesy or over-the-top moment. Rather, seeing the toys face their own mortality in such an honest and straightforward way was such a dark, twisted and unexpected moment that I started laughing in shock.
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Blue Valentine
Best Musical Scene
Blue Valentine
"You Always Hurt the Ones You Love"
Cute and fun in the moment, a dark foreshadowing once the movie has ended.
Burlesque
"Welcome to Burlesque"
It's Cher, motherfuckers.
Easy A
"Knock on Wood"
I think a better question is how I can't not nominate a musical sequence that involves Emma Stone in a red feather boa and Penn Badgley covered in blue body paint?
Easy A
"Pocketful of Sunshine"
Everyone has had a moment in their life when they couldn't get a song they hated out of their head and ended up loving the song. This was a hilarious slice-of-life moment.
The Runaways
"Cherry Bomb"
If you didn't take Kristen and Dakota seriously as legitimate rockers before this scene, you certainly did afterwards. Captures the fun of the girls while proving they could rock as hard as the boys.
And the Diva Cup Goes to: The Runaways
Best Quote/Line Reading
Black Swan
"I'm the Swan Queen!"
I'm 95% sure Portman and Aronofsky didn't mean for this line to turn out as campy as it sounds hurling out of Portman's mouth, but I can't help but giggle every time I think about this scene. And you don't know how many times I've resisted shouting this out loud for no reason.
Blue Valentine
“So there’s a child molester and a little boy walking into the woods. The child molester and the boy keep walking further and further and it is getting darker and darker and they are going deeper and deeper into the woods. And the little boy looks up at the child molester and says, ‘Gee, mister, I’m getting scared!’ The child molester looks down at him and says, ‘You think you’re scared, kid? I gotta walk out of here alone!’”
To say this was unexpected would be an understatement. Both Dean and the audience are left to re-evaluate Cindy after she drops this joke; who knew she had it in her? And I'd be lying if I said I didn't laugh inappropriately at it.
Easy A
"He got a Coke Zero again? Oh that Roman. Incorrigible!"
It's an inconsequential one-liner, but besides the sharpening the pencils scene and her facial expression when her lobster comes at the restaurant, it's my favorite Emma Stone moment in the film. With her tinge of sarcasm, I feel like we would be great friends.
Inception
"You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling."
The sexual tension between Eames and Arthur was one of the few sparks that made Inception's 2-D characters come alive. It's rather fitting that this quote is said during a "Who's got the bigger gun/cock?" contest between the two.
The Social Network
"You better lawyer up, asshole, because I'm not coming back for 30%. I'm coming back for everything."
The Social Network is full of snappier one-liners, but I absolutely love the way Andy reads this line. He's so fucking fed up and revenge is the only way to satiate that anger.
And the Diva Cup goes to: Easy A
Breakthrough Performance
Cam Gigandet
Burlesque
Gigandet has been on my radar for a couple years now, but, sadly, it has never been for his acting. The boy has a body to die for, yet his personality has never been as fascinating on-screen. However, in Burlesque, of all films, Gigandet finally proved that he could turn up the star mojo while saving the film from complete unwatchability. The Famous Amos scene, rightly so, became the most notorious scene in the movie and will hopefully turn this pretty boy's career around.
Armie Hammer
The Social Network
I didn't think Armie was anything more than serviceable the first two go-arounds with The Social Network. Suddenly, however, on my third viewing everything fell into place. This massively built, gorgeous young man with a hulking presence also had impeccable comedic timing (some guys really do have all the luck). The fact that he decided to follow up The Social Network's success with an Eastwood-directed biopic where he plays a gay-leaning man instead of a dumb action film, which he's well-suited for given his frame, is proof that Armie's in it for the long haul.
Josh Hutcherson
The Kids Are All Right
Although I'm unfamiliar with his work, Josh has been around for years as a go-to child actor in films such as Bridge to Teribitha and Zathura. The Kids Are All Right proved that he has the talent and drive to move into more adult roles. And it was this drive that landed him the role he so desperately wanted in the upcoming blockbuster Hunger Games. I can't wait to see what he chooses after that.
Jennifer Lawrence
Winter's Bone
Jennifer was a revelation as the tough, woman on a mission in Winter's Bone. What surprised me even more, though, was the fact that the same woman who played Ree was also this bombshell who showed off her ample bosom at the Oscars. If there was a role that would somehow combine these two aspects of herself, I have a feeling Jennifer would be unstoppable.
Tahar Rahim
Un Prophète
After such a brave and unassuming (meant in the best way possible) debut, I'll be interested to see if Rahim will stay in Europe or move on the Hollywood. Either way, I think he'll continue to pick interesting projects that will his unusual gifts to their full effect.
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Armie Hammer, The Social Network
Best Diva
Cher
Burlesque
Diva Moment: Cher, in all her Cher-ness, introducing herself and the theatre in the 'Welcome to Burlesque' number.
Marion Cotillard
Inception
Diva Moment: Continuously invading Cobb's sub-conscious, distracting him from accomplishing the task on hand.
Thandie Newton
For Colored Girls
Diva Moment: Throwing down with legends Phyllicia Rashad and Whoopi Goldberg.
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Diva Moment: The whole film really is a testament to what a diva Joan is. This woman has had so much shit thrown at her but each time she's rebounded stronger (and bitchier) than ever before.
Winona Ryder
Black Swan
Diva Moment: "Did you suck his cock?"
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
Best Sexpot
Michael Fassbender
Fish Tank
Fuck Me Moment: I have to pick just one?! That's impossible. But I can narrow it down to two key moments: his shirtless introduction to both Mia and the audience and the scene where he spanks Mia.
Andrew Garfield
Red Riding: 1974
Fuck Me Moment: Andy had me at the Sexhair, but the moment where he walks around in the smallest briefs possible after boning some chick didn't hurt.
Cam Gigandet
Burlesque
Fuck Me Moment: Lord knows I love Famous Amos cookies, but even I was saying, "Drop the box!" during that scene.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Love & Other Drugs
Anne Hathaway
Love & Other Drugs
Fuck Me Moment: The part where they lie around naked. Oh, right, that's the whole damn movie! Lucky us!
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Michael Fassbender, Fish Tank
Best Cameo/Limited Performance
Bianca Hunter, Jenna Lamia, Erica McDermott, Melissa McMeekin, Kate B. O'Brien, Jill Quigg and Dendrie Taylor
The Fighter
Without these ladies classing the film up, The Fighter would not have felt as authentic and true-to-life as it did and its success counted on. The casting director deserves major kudos for finding this classic "Army of Skanks".
Brie Larson
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
It was nice to see Larson move from the super-stylized world of Diablo Cody into the the different super-stylized world of Scott Pilgrim without missing a beat.
Juliette Lewis
Conviction
A full-blown performance in only two short scenes. Lewis adds on baity mannerism after baity mannerism, but she also manages to convey the hurt, anger, pride and smarts of this woman--all while in a drug-induced haze. Brilliant, brilliant work.
Winona Ryder
Black Swan
Another two-scene wonder with Ryder portraying the downfall of a vulgar, has-been, alcoholic ballerina with legitimate star power. Is her comeback imminent?
Douglas Urbanski
The Social Network
A hilariously unexpected treat. I never would have guessed this minor moment would bring so many laughs.
And the Diva Cup Goes to: Juliette Lewis, Conviction
