Marci’s Favorite Things - 2010 - MOVIES

Oprah and I are alike in many ways — we both are worldwide superstars, have our own television shows and give away hundreds of thousands of dollars of amazing gifts to studio audiences once a year. So in the spirit of being just like Oprah, I’ve decided to share all of my favorite things with you fine folks. So here goes!

MOVIES
I have not kept up with movies as much as I would have liked to this year, but I think I saw a fair amount. I will however, be trying to get a lot of movie watching in during the week between Christmas and New Year’s — including Blue Valentine, True Grit, Never Let Me Go, and The King’s Speech (to name a few…)

But out of the films I have seen so far, here’s what I think you should all take the time to see:

The Kids are Alright - This movie was amazing. They portrayed the concept of family and marriage so well; the fact that the story centers around a lesbian couple doesn’t even register as the main theme of the movie. We get to see some very well-developed characters dealing with interesting scenarios, and there were a few scenes of this movie that I felt as if I personally connected to the emotions the characters were feeling (the college drop-off scene, or when Nic puts the pieces of the puzzle together during the big dinner scene). Beautifully acted, written and directed. Check it out.

Inception - We heard the hype before it came out, and it’s safe to say that Inception lived up to everything it was supposed to be. Gripping, imaginative and thrilling, first we learn the rules of the dream world, and then we watch on the edge of our seats as our protagonists are immersed in it. And if that isn’t enough, the mystery behind Leo’s character adds to what is already a cerebral rollercoaster. Props to Nolan and co. for making a film that respects the American public enough to give them something that challenges their minds.

Toy Story 3 - Witty, clever, and nostalgic. The geniuses at Pixar just know how to do it. We get to see the characters we’ve grown to know and love as they try to deal with Andy’s departure from college, and a relocation to a day care with an evil stuffed animal-tator. This one brings laughs, and a few tears as well as we are reminded why the first two movies were such a cultural phenomenon.

Get Him to the Greek - This one surprised me, as I didn’t expect it to be very good, especially since Aldus Snow got on my nerves a bit in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But in this movie, his character really worked for me, and despite a few weird plot twists and turns, I still really enjoyed film. It was entertaining and funny, if a bit vulgar. Extra props to P Diddy for stealing a lot of scenes in this one.

The Town -Ben Affleck’s more than just a pretty face — guy can direct, too. This movie about a bank heist that leads to a love story gives us a gritty view of Boston, and the characters that can’t seem to shake the cycle of violence they were raised into. Even though Blake Lively’s portrayal of a drug-addicted ex-lover seemed a bit off to me (the accent was a bit much, no?), the rest of the cast makes up for it. Makes for an exciting, tense few hours.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - If you’ve been keeping up with this series, it’s only logical that you want to see the latest installment. As we near the end of the story, it’s so interesting to see how grown up the main characters have become, and how creative of a world JK Rowling created in writing the HP books. Though this isn’t the most action packed film yet, it sure sets us up for a crazy ending to the series.

Honorable Mention: The Social Network, Despicable Me, Love and Other Drugs

Again, this is just a short list, and I’m sure I’m missing some great films… it’s tough to keep up with all the newest releases.

Stay tuned for the next installment where my Favorite TV Shows of the year will be REVEALED (collective gasp from audience).