Despite its title, 2001’s Ghost World is not a horror movie but rather is a movie about finding one’s place in the world or moving through the world as a ghost, unable to impact others despite one’s most honest intentions. Thora Birch (American Beauty, The Hole) plays the lead of Enid, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate trying to figure out what to do next in the months following her graduation. She has no plans for college or work. She barely knows what she will do for the day when she wakes up. A key member of her life is her best friend Becky (Scarlett Johansson – Match Point, Lost in Translation), who, at the beginning of the film, seems to share the same brain. Another is Seymour (Steve Buscemi – Reservoir Dogs, Armageddon), a self-proclaimed loser Enid befriends following a mean prank she pulled on him.
Category Archives: Year of Release
The Fighter (2010)
The Fighter is a true story about Mickey Ward, an American former professional boxer that stars Mark Wahlberg (The Perfect Storm, The Departed) and Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Rises, American Psycho). Dickie Eklund, Mickey’s older brother of nine years, taught his younger sibling everything he knew about the sport. The film is directed by David O’Russell, who has to his credits two other movies starring Mark Wahlberg (I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings). The backdrop for the film is the streets of Lowell, Massachusetts, a blue-collar, rundown town where everybody is interested in everyone else’s business, and addiction is rampant.
The King’s Speech (2010)
The King’s Speech is a true story based upon how King George VI became the King of England after his father, King George V, died and his older brother David decided to abandon the throne to be with the woman he loved. George VI (aka Bertie to his closest friend) reluctantly takes over as King of England despite his stammering problem and utter fear of speaking in public.
To help overcome his disability, Bertie (Colin Firth – A Single Man, The Importance of Being Earnest) tries various techniques and visits numerous specialists. It is not until the King meets speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush – Shine, Frida) that he begins to see progress. The two are very different from each other. The King is cold, aloof, often highly stressed, and short-tempered. It makes him unlikeable at times. On the other hand, Lionel is charming, friendly, funny, and patient. You like him from the moment you meet him. The contrast between the two characters makes them work well together.
Black Swan (2010)
Swan Lake director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel – Eastern Promises, Oceans 12) welcomes his production company for the upcoming season with the following little story.
“We all know the story. The virginal girl who is pure and sweet but trapped in the body of a swan. She desires freedom, but only true love can break the spell. Nearly granted is her wish in the form of a prince. But, before he can declare his love, the lustful twin, the Black Swan, tricks and seduces him. Devastated, the White Swan leaps off a cliff, killing herself and, in death, finds freedom”.
It’s short and simple, and we all understand it. And it’s the basis of Leroy’s ballet. As Thomas tells this story to his attentive company, he taps a few females on the shoulder. One of these women will replace an aging Beth (Winona Ryder – Edward Scissorhands, Girl, Interrupted) as the prima ballerina for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake. Nina (Natalie Portman – The Other Boleyn Girl, Closer ) is one of the girls who is tapped and ultimately awarded the role.
127 Hours (2010)
After seeing an episode of I Shouldn’t Be Alive a few years ago that showed the story of Aron Ralston, the adventure seeker who got his arm pinned between a boulder and a rock wall and managed to survive, I didn’t know if there was a need for a full-length feature film. I figured that the only way that Danny Boyle’s (Slumdog Millionaire, Yesterday)127 Hours would be able to affect me was if there was a masterful lead acting performance, some stylish directing, or a combination of the two. Fortunately, that was precisely what happened.