Most definitely 2010 will not go down in the record books as a year of classic cinema. Hollywood, you have failed us all.
When the most exciting thing to come out is based on our cultures most popular time waster, than it's official, movies will continue to snowball into awfulness. Granted, I did end up thinking The Social Network was pretty rad (due to Jesse Eisenberg, David Fincher, a quick witted script, and a heart pounding score by Trent Reznor that surprisingly transformed a simple story into a dramatic thriller). Although, until I saw the nominations this morning, that normally predict who will be up for Academy Awards, I didn't realize how unexciting movies were this year.
It appeared that the Hollywood Foreign press might have even struggled to come up with people to award. Case in point: The Golden Globes feature both comedy and drama categories, so why not nominate Johnny Depp for two terrible movies in the comedy category? Johhny, I love you, but nominations for Alice in Wonderland and that terrible wreck with Angelina Jolie? Come on! This would have been exciting about five years ago or in the 90's. People are never appreciated when they should be.
Plenty of great movies that I love (The Kids Are All Right and 127 Hours especially) are being acknowledged, but this year we are missing that excitement factor. Normally right now I would be falling out of my seat in anticipation to see tons of things, but I mostly just feel...meh, I could see that. One exception is Black Swan, which I am DYING to see.
(CLICK HERE for a full list of both movie and television nominees)
After this rant, I will swerve back to my original point. As quality movies worth your money are coming our way less each year, thankfully we have other sources. First the Emmy's and now the Golden Globes have proven that in order to find the best in entertainment, look no further than your television; TV was king in 2010!
Best of lists are all over the net, and the list enthusiast that I am (they just sum up things so well!), I have been compiling some of my own. I'm not ready to commit my life to a movie list (too much pressure), but I present a list of the things that truly kept me occupied in 2010.
Top Ten Best TV: 2010 (and MANY Honorable Mentions)
1. Friday Night Lights
I discovered this show in 2010, and it will go down in infamy as the year I discovered one of the best things TV has given the world. The final season (Season 5) is currently airing, and then the people of Dillon will live on only in our memories, and reruns. Texas Forever.
(Being as vague about the new season as possible; "Julie Taylor is a Slut", is the new "Donna Martin Graduates".)
2. Lost
It took awhile to get there, but then the final episode blew everyone away (with anger or happiness). At first I was debating including Lost. In the end I had to mention this show, because it was the end of an era, and a HUGE cultural event for 2010. At first how the show ended was hard to swallow, but then the more it sunk in, the smart, heartfelt ending that was written, now seems like the only way it should have ended.
3.NBC Thursday Night Comedy (30 Rock, The Office, Community, Parks and Recreation)
Personally, my favorite night of the week. All of these shows sum up my kind of humor, which is why I can't get enough. After some struggling seasons, from The Office especially, they are all back to the hilarious form which made us all love them from the beginning. It will be sad to see Steve Carrell walk away after this year.
Community and Parks and Recreation, now post first season, have definitely grown into themselves and are now producing some of the funniest work on TV.
4. Project Runway
After several years of not so interesting seasons, and an awkward transition to Lifetime, PR came back in full force this season. Even though Mondo didn't win, he was crucial to making that show a memorable one this year.
5. Conan
He's BACK! How did I ever reach my laugh quotient for the day without Conan for all those months? It was a sad time, but he is back to full force already.
6. Glee
It has its high notes and really low notes (terrible pun I realize), but with my love for music and talented performers (Matthew Morrison, and Chris Colfer particularly) I still think this is a must see show.
7. Parenthood
Without being an active watcher of this show, what I have seen of it, is really great. Do people watch this show? I'm not sure, but if you don't check it out. Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Bland...I mean Ann from Arrested Development, are darn near incredible.
8. Mad Men
After spending over a year catching up on past seasons, I could finally watch Season Four in real time this summer. I caught up just in time to experience the best yet with the rest of America.
9. Dexter
It still surprises me how much I get into this show. Serial killers and murder shows never hit high on my radar as how I would like to enjoy my time, but it's really all about Michael C. Hall and an exciting show. The newest season just finished up, ahh I still have two heart pounding episodes to catch up on!
10. The Big C
When this new show starring Laura Linney premiered this summer, I became OBSESSED! A simple, but hilarious show, about a lady dealing with a cancer diagnosis (sounds grim, but it's not completely) made me only love Linney more (if that is possible). Most episodes had me shedding a tear, but the final two episodes! Man alive!
Honorable mentions: Hoarders, Modern Family, The Walking Dead, The Daily Show, Brian Williams delivering the news, Jeopardy, The Amazing Race, All Cooking shows (Martha, Ina Garten, Top Chef), and Breaking Bad (this would have definitely been in my Top 10, but I'm still catching up).
Wow, it doesn't really become clear until I catalog it all in a list; I watch a lot of TV. As I explained, it's all so great! There is no shame.
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