Waitsel’s Best Movies of 2010
Grab your popcorn and let's talk.
The Oscars are less than a week away, and before those "amateurs" in Hollywood pick the mediocre films upon whom to bestow their highest honors, I want to get my two cents in. 
So here's my "Best of 2010" movie list. Last year, my readers seemed to like it. I hope you will again. It is a labor of love. Among the values I look for in a film are artistic merit; spiritual, cultural and historical relevance; humanity; and just plain good story-telling.
Going in, let me say that the movies this year were a little short on love and laughs; but they made up for it in drama and action. Most of the laughs were in the family arena. After my list of the top ten best movies from 2010, I offer five more that are worth mentioning, and ten films to look forward to in 2010, with some final reflections on the film industry in general. So, without further adieu, roll the film.
The greatest athlete that has ever lived: the horse, Secretariat - greatest Triple Crown winner (1973) in history
MOST INSPIRING - Secretariat
5 Stars
This is The Blind Side for horseracing, with, again, a strong female lead in Diane Lane (Nights In Rodanthe, Must Love Dogs, Under The Tuscan Sun) who plays the owner of racing's most famous thoroughbred. Unlike the unknown company that produced Blind Side and made their budget opening weekend (and ten times that to date), Disney did this one, with less than spectacular boxoffice results. But I really believe this is a dark horse. It has everything that most discerning filmgoers want in a movie: a bigger-than-life hero (there has never been a greater athlete than the horse, Secretariat), a rivetting story (like most movies about athletes, he is discounted by the people who are supposed to know good horseflesh and overcomes incredible obstacles to prove himself), likable characters (with John Malkovich, as his quirky trainer, Lucien Laurin, stealing the show as usual), and a more than satisfying ending. Plus you get some of the finest racing footage ever shot, Seabiscuit not withstanding. What's really amazing is that this well-made, true-life story of the greatest Triple Crown winner in history has been overlooked by all the major motion picture award ceremonies, including the upcoming Oscars. I guess director Randall Wallace, who wrote Braveheart and wrote and directed We Were Soldiers, would agree with his star, Mel Gibson, that the Oscars are a nothing more than a celebration of mediocrity. I certainly do.
If you've never seen Secretariat run, do yourself the favor of looking at the 1973 Belmont Stakes on YouTube.
PG