The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com NEW STUDENT EDITION Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - 7D 1k .L...JI I ILIVIJ \ / , ..AJI'J Ifl RFYTSTRIJNAFFF n.2 ByDAILY STAFF i Jan. 5, 2011 Best of TV2010 1. "Toy Story 3" Wayne film, Joel and Ethan Coen take an old fashioned story about Threequels aren't supposed to courage and turn it into some- work. Just ask Francis Ford Cop- thing more. It's not just another p(a, Sam Raimi, Robert Zemeck- washed-up Western with south- is, George Lucas or that guy who ern drawls, ghost towns and gun made the "Blade" movies. But fights. when you learn that our gold star "True Grit" avoids the tra- of the year has been helmed by ditional mold because of the the flawless Pixar - who 16 years strength of the actors. Matt ago took a bunch of hard, plastic Damon adds humor to an oth- faces and breathed not just life, erwise desolate landscape as but love into them - the situation LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger who changes. is proud of what he is and lets So where did it all go right? everyone know it. Newcomer Maybe it was during those old Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal of film reels of Andy's jubilant smart, overconfident Mattie Ross adventures with Sheriff Woody, - a girl on a quest for real justice the evil Dr. Porkchop and a bri- - guides the story with force. gade of swarming monkeys. Or And she manages to hold her own maybe it was the moment when against Jeff Bridges's character, the attic ladder slides shut behind Rooster Cogburn. the unmarked bag of toys beside But creating memorable char- it, dooming them forever to the acters has always been something incinerator. the Coen Brothers have been good 'Toy Story 3" transcends the at. What's particularly impres- ordinary not just because it's a sive is their transformation of the clever parable about commercial- story. They don't try to modern- ism, but because it asks genuinely ize it or jazz it up - none of the stirring questions about aging. characters speak using contrac- What happens when those that tions - but the story does become loved us must let us go? How do edgier and more haunting under we carry the remnants of our past its rendering. The film takes the relationships while preserving audience to a world where the our independence? Woody and boundary between good and evil Buzz might not be part of Andy's isn't clearly defined, which raises college life, but they've certainly questions about the nature of jus- found their way into ours. tice and redemption in the world. - JENNIFER XU - EMILYBOUDREAU acter (Ewan McGregor), meets show - particularly with Bale, his newest client, a former British who delivers the most unsettling Prime Minister who finds him- performance of his recent career. self facing war crimes charges, he From a distance, it doesn't seem quickly finds himself caught ina like the most original picture, web of intrigue. Polanski's direc- but a closer look reveals a more tion ratchets up the tension ina sophisticated, layered story. sweeping crescendo, ending with - ANKUR SOHONI a haunting, poignant reveal. 2. "The Social Network" There's a mesmerizing quality, on current University students and recently graduated alums, to watching a movie about the gen- esis of Facebook. Our generation is as inexorably tied to its success as is Mark Zuckerberg - if he was the nurturing parent, we were the Hollywood agent that realized its potential and made it a society- changing phenomenon. The release of "The Social Net- work" in the midst of Facebook's golden years made for delicious irony, as thousands updated their statuses to profess their love for the film - an expected reaction, since the "The Social Network" was such a supreme amalgama- tion of expert writing, direct- ing and acting that not declaring adoration for the film to the world could result in a minor stroke. Aaron Sorkin's diabolically good script was consistently laugh-out-loud funny, nullifying theinherent drabness of lawsuits, venture capitalism and (shudder) computer programming. Direc- tor David Fincher created each frame with a mama grizzly's care and deserves an Oscar simply for pulling a tremendous perfor- 5. "Black Swan" Acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky's tale of Nina (Natalie Portman), a young ballerina given the lead in Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," turns the delicate art of ballet into something riveting. The best aspect of Aronofsky's work is its enthralling predictabil- ity. Strange as thatmay sound, the imminent demise he constructs for his protagonist demands a nontraditional interpretation that draws our eyes to the light- ing, staging and cinematography rather than the plot. It's another tragic time bomb in the vein of "The Wrestler" and "Requiem for a Dream," and we're helpless to do anything but count the sec- onds until the glorious explosion. No longer will the impression- able masses indulge in heroin, professional wrestling or suicidal ballet routines. However, they may very well continue to indulge in Aronofsky. His vision - paired with Portman's flawless execu- tion - will transform his career, and may winthe pair a few Oscars to boot. - TIMOTHYRABB 6. "The Ghost Writer" - DAVID TAO 7. "Winter's Bone" The best suspense film of the year is a family movie at its core, though its chilly, remorseless tale of children suffering for their parents' actions isn't likely to make your heart feel all warm and fuzzy. "Winter's Bone" sends its protagonist, Ree Dolly (Jen- nifer Lawrence, in an unflinching performance), outcon the hunt for her meth-cooking, authority- ditching father in the heart of the Ozarks, confronting her vicious extended family along the way. There's an uncomfortable truth buried here: The illusion of kin- ship, the love we all count on to get through life, protects no one in a lawless world. - ANDREW LAPIN 9. "The King's Speech" "The King's Speech" is a power- ful, funny and historically accu- rate masterpiece. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush play King George VI and his quirky speech coach, respectively, who at first, couldn't be less compatible. Firth wants a quick, impersonal fix to his impediment, but Rush knows his issues have less to do with his tongue than they do with the King's mind and heart. It's rare that a film so artfully enhances a true story into something this moving, but the performances and writing in "The King's Speech" make it an instant clas- sic. - BEN VERDI 10. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I" By DAILY STAFF Jan. 5, 2011 1. "Community," Season 2 With classes on space flight, dorms with elaborate blanket forts and stop-motion class- mates, Greendale Community College is, without a doubt, the coolest place to get your degree. On the surface, "Community" details the misadventures of a diverse study group at com- munity college. In actuality, the show is a love letter to our favorite movies and TV shows, with episodes recreating "Mean Girls," "The Secret Garden" and zombie flicks. Augmenting the pop culture references is a meta self-referential humor that hasn't been seen since "Arrested Development." As is often typical with televi- sion, the show's ratings haven't reflected its awesomeness. "Community" fights against CBS's powerhouse "The Big Bang Theory" in Thursday's 8 p.m. timeslot. Despite being snubbed at the Emmys, fac- ing regular threats of cancella- tion and struggling through its financial woes (KFC even spon- sored an episode, during which Senor Chang exclaims, "I'm trying to buy us some time with these Doublicious sandwiches"), "Community" has still garnered a cult following of media junkies and pop culture-obsessed col- lege kids. Just like its characters, "Community" is quirky and lov- able. And it's the Daily's pick for the best TV show of 2010. - CAROLYN KLARECKI 2. "Boardwalk Empire," Season 1 Once upon a time, there was a show on HBO that combined gangland violence with symbol- ism, intelligent stylization and incredibly powerful acting. That little fairy tale was "The Sopra- nos," which came to the most ambiguous ending in television history in 2007. This year, "Sopranos" veteran Terence Winter and director Martin Scorsese united to bring this winning formulabackto TV. They shifted "The Sopranos" to the Prohibition era, moved it to Atlantic City and voila, we have "Boardwalk Empire" - a bloody, symbolic peried-correct crime drama. It's "The Sopranos" with a loud pinstripe suit and a tommy gun. Really though, it's a bit "The Sopranos," but almost as much "The West Wing," as central character Nucky Thompson, the treasurer of Atlantic City, toes the line between running the local political machine and supplying the underground speakeasies with booze. His interactions with some of the period's most notorious crimi- nals make for an incredible viewing experience and contrib- ute to some of the most complex stories currently being told on television. - DAVID TAO 3. "HowI Met Your Mother," Season 6 Ted gets the opportunity of his career when asked to design the new headquarters for Goliath National Bank, Barney comes a bit closer to discovering the real identity of his father and Mar- shall and Lily make their first attempts to start a family. The gang gains a member in the form of Zoey (Jennifer Morrison, "House") and a new Robin Spar- kles video is revealed. Sound like alot? Throw in the fact that each episode moves effortlessly from dramatic to slapstick, and it's understandable why these carefully crafted storylines have landed season six of "HowI Met Your Mother" onthe Daily'saBest of 2010 list. The series progressed this past year, but while maintaining the light, playful humor we've come to know and love. Where this beloved series will head remains a mystery, but one thing is certain: Co-creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have succeeded in making a tradition- al sitcom fresh and original - a plot-driven show that strives to serve the story. -JACOB AXELRAD 4. "Mad Men," Season 4 For better and worse, Don Drap- er has gone wild - better for the faithful and verdant "Mad Men" audience; likely worse for its dapper hero. Season four of the hit AMC drama took our favorite angry gents in a new direction, as a new look and new charac- ters gave the series a fresh, if sometimes jarring, start. But of course the alcohol and fornica- tion are along for the ride. With its new beginnings, everything in the series was taken up a notch - the emo- tional highs have soared higher, and the lows have become more depressing and pitiable. In the undeniable triumph that was "The Suitcase," Don Draper's late-night meltdown gave audi- ences a raw look at the troubled boy we always knew was hid- ing behind the aloof faade. But what made "Mad Men" truly great in 2010 is just what made it great in its three past years. The writing is masterful, slowly luring in viewers instead of hit- ting them over the head. The performances are true-to-life, differentiating the series from a caricatured period piece. The stories are complex and volatile while still contained in a small space, both physically and tem- porally. It's one of the smartest shows on television. - JAMIE BLOCK 5. "30 Rock," Season 5 There's a reason why this show continuously wins comedy awards - it just doesn't getmuch better than Liz, Jack, Tracy, Jenna, Kenneth and the rest of the "30 Rock" crew. Over the years, the show has become the gold standard in comedy. Season highlights included Liz Lemon finding her favorite pair of jeans, Matt Damon's kooky airplane pilot character and Tracy Jor- dan's career as a "serious" actor in "Hard to Watch." True, the jokes and situations are often unrealistic, but because of the amazing cast, they work almost every time. When the show chooses to go the route of real- ism, it attacks both conservative and liberal ideas, sparing noth- ing from the line of fire. With Alec Baldwin's retire- mentcfrom playing Jack Donaghy imminent, let's hope that season six is just as good, if not bet- ter, than the rest. One thing is for sure, though - the show is bound to go out with a bang. It's just so hard to pass up the work- place of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. - LINDSAYHURD mance out of Justin Timberlake. To paraphrase Eric Cartman, But when it came to the stellar Roman Polanski may have date cast, Jesse Eisenberg rose above raped an underage model, but all, playing Zuckerberg as a geek he knows how to make a thriller yearning for acceptance in our - keeping his films old-school increasingly disconnected world. despite box office pressure from Wait ... where's the "like" button thrillers filled with shaky-cam. on this newspaper? In "The Ghost Writer," the vet- - KAVI SHEKHAR PANDEY eran director uses subtle cues like beautiful cinematography 3. "Inception" and extended precise takes with the camera to create an anxious Christopher Nolan's auteuristic atmosphere. After the title char- drama-meets-mindfuck thrill- er created a storm of hype in the months before its release, only to be outdone by the social impact of the film itself. "Incep- tion" cemented Nolan's dual status as a virtuoso of the smart blockbuster and our generation's most bankable director. It was start-to-finish captivating, from n.) Pizza the brilliant temporal presenta- tion of the dreamworld to the engrossing compound action sequence that constituted the Tt! VJA1A' second half of the film. The logistics of the film's (o*4 C dream-stealer plot still elude, but figuring it out is half the experi- ence. Despite Nolan's best efforts r54iLXW to deceive the audience, those who switch off for a minute and take the film as what it is - a visual presentation - will notice that the single moment may be I MAAD the most telling. A widower's ringless hand, the persistent -- - spinning of a top - are these keys to the story? Maybe. But if the film left you breathless, you're halfway there. - ANKUR SOHONI 4. "True Grit" In this adaptation of a John 8. "The Fighter" For those who waited anxiously for their Hogwarts acceptance "Raging Bull." "Rocky." "Cin- letters, consolation lies in the derella Man." Boxing has latest "Harry Potter" movie. The become an Oscar-bait sideshow. franchise has tried to capture "The Fighter," however, differs the magic of Hogwarts but, out- magnificently. Managed by his side of bedazzling special effects, pushy mother (Melissa Leo) the movies have disappointed and trained by his crack-addict many fans - which makes the half-brother, a former boxer deeper, more mature "Deathly (Christian Bale), title character Hallows" all the more reward- Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) ing. The film stays true to the struggles to find the sport's book, even if it means watching glamour. Ward struggles toward the emotional aspect of the plot the top while flirting with the unfold ina tent in the middle of idea of quitting altogether. The nowhere while our heroes tryto film focuses as much on the destroy a Horcrux. It's a much family dynamic as the fighters darker movie that's made for a themselves, as Ward searches for generation that can't be dazzled individuality. by Quidditch matches anymore. Wahlberg's endearing per- It gives them exactly what they formance is among his best, but want. it's the ensemble that steals the - EMILYBOUDREAU