So awhile back I was discussing movies that make us feel nostalgic with my roommate Anna, and she revealed something I found to be most shocking. Anna had never before seen any of The Back to the Future films. I must straight up say that the original Back to the Future film is one of my favorite movies of all time. How much do I love it? It's in my top 5 favorites. It is a movie I would take with me on a deserted island. So naturally, I had to indoctrinate the poor girl and show her what she was missing. In doing so, we opted to watch the entire trilogy. It's been years since I saw the two sequels to the original, so I thought I'd share some new insights and feelings that I had on them, as well as fully describe my love for the first film. So for now, let's start with that one. Back to the Future (1985) This film is practically flawless. It truly has it all. It's hilarious and fun...and incredibly tense too. No matter how many times I see it, the final sequence still will capture my full attention. To quote Adam Smith from Empire magazine, "To put it bluntly: if you don't like Back To The Future, it's difficult to believe that you like films at all." I really believe that Marty McFly's journey 30 years to the past to come face to face with his parents when they were his age is one of the cinema's finest adventures. As to the topic that got Anna and I talking about Back to the Future, this is a movie that I have loved since I was a little girl. While its nostalgia gives it a certain place in my heart, the film still holds up every time I revisit it. You see, it stands the test of time because it makes you care about its characters. Each one of the actors plays their part perfectly. I gotta say, Michael J. Fox has the perfect comic timing, and he gets a lot of help from a fantastic script. But honestly, Crispin Glover's George McFly is certainly one of the differences that make the sequels somewhat inferior. You don't really think of his character as being the one that brings the magic that the other ones lack, but most of my favorite moments in the original film he's almost always in! Anyway, every aspect of this film (script, acting, directing, editing, score, etc.) contribute to the love I feel for it, and that's probably enough said. I will leave you with some parting quotes :) I'm George, George McFly. I'm your density. I mean... your destiny. (What I really love is Lorraine's response and delivery of "Oh....") - George McFly Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn't take Lorraine out that he'd melt my brain. - George McFly I can't believe you'd *loan* me your car without telling me it had a blind spot. I could've been killed! - Biff Tannen. This line is a family fave. Good to know: Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson were the same age I am today when they made Back to the Future (boy does that make me feel unsuccessful). This movie ranks #3 on Emily's Top 100. In 2006, Back to the Future was voted the 23rd greatest film ever made by readers of Empire. The film is ranked #78 on IMDB's top 250 and has a Rotten Tomatoes ranking of 96%! In June 2008, the American Film Institute revealed the AFI's 10 Top 10 – the best ten films in ten "classic" American film genres – after polling more than 1,500 people from the creative community. Back to the Future was acknowledged as the 10th best film in the science fiction genre. Back to the Future is among Channel 4's (what channel 4, I don't know) 50 Films to See Before You Die, being ranked 10th. (facts from IMDB and wikipedia...and one from me!) To be continued....this post is getting long enough as it is. Look for parts 2 and 3 soon! P.S. RIP Back to the Future: The Ride @ Universal Studios. This ride was so great :( Seriously. Riding in replica DeLorean time machines was amazing. I know flight simulator rides aren't really the greatest....but come on...it's freaking Back to the Future! Sigh...at least there's still the backlot tour.

It's that time again! Time to look back at the best films 2010 had to offer...so without further ado let's take a look at which movies were my all time favorites of 2010. 10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 This is the best Harry Potter film in YEARS. The last two installments have just seemed so anti-climactic to me and while I still was a fan of the series, those films didn't make you care like this one did. The film was very action packed and exciting, and it definitely made me anticipate the final installment (whereas with all the others recently it's kind of felt "meh") It was also great to see a change from the usual Harry Potter. This is the first film not set at Hogwarts and the difference is refreshing. You can really feel the urgency in this one in the need to stop Voldemort, whereas the last were like "Oh Voldemort is on the loose, not much we can do..." Plus SPOILER ALERT: Dobby dies. How can you not be happy about that? But...I still hate Ginny. Quote: Look away, I'm hideous! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EC2tmFVNNE 9. Toy Story 3 I wasn't totally looking forward to this one last year. I prefer Pixar to make original films...even though I did really love Toy Story 2. I felt like this was a sequel forced on them by Disney and what story is there to tell at this point? Luckily, I was very surprised to see a very thoughtful end to this trilogy that had been made with a lot of care. It was absolute fun and just plain adorable. The Ken and Barbie love story was hilarious. And as someone who, when I was younger, loved the world of toys, the ending was very touching. Though....SPOILER ALERT. The attic would not have been a bad place to end up. Hello!? They'd just have to wait a few years to play again, and this time with Andy's children. How special would that be? Maybe he can get them back from that girl when she's older...Haha! Quote: And this... well, this is where I live. It's got a disco, it's got a dune buggy, and a whole room just for trying on clothes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNMpa5yBf5o 8. The Town This is a story that on paper, seems like it has been done probably a thousand times. But what's great about the film is that the attention to the characters makes it feel fresh. Scenes that we may have seen before only as common heist tropes, are filled with a new suspense in their execution and again because of our attachment to the characters. I also really liked exploring the central relationship and all of its complications. Very well-made and entertaining film. Not sure I'm sold on the ending though. Quote: These guards like to test you though. They wanna get hurt for ten dollars an hour, don't get in the way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXY_JvOK63c 7. Shutter Island I think this was definitely one of the most underrated films of the year. It was tense and thrilling. The acting was all very solid and it featured an incredible ending. Definitely worth multiple views. Great film. The less said about it though, the better. It's one not to be spoiled. Quote: Why are you all wet, baby? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iaYLCiq5RM 6. 127 Hours James Franco carries this film with an unforgettable performance and he definitely earned the oscar nod he got. I loved the editing of the film and the cinematography was also fantastic. This true story of one man's survival against all the odds was incredibly powerful and inspirational...probably the most positive emotional film of the year I'd say. But some of the most crucial scenes are the hardest to watch! Quote: You know, I've been thinking. Everything is... just comes together. It's me. I chose this. I chose all this. This rock... this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlhLOWTnVoQ 5. Black Swan This was probably one of the darkest movies I've seen, but it is SO fascinating! And Natalie Portman gives a mind blowing performance. I just love movies that grab hold of your attention and then after it's done still make you think about it. Black Swan definitely did that. I seriously found myself thinking about it for days afterward. What is so amazing about the movie is that it constantly has you guessing what's real and what's not so that in the end we feel like we've gone almost as crazy as the main character! (Almost) I think it deserves multiple viewings, but I have yet to see it again. Quote: I just want to be perfect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs 4. Blue Valentine When I first heard about this movie it recalled to me similar plot and structure to (500) Days of Summer so I was really excited about that. But, while they shared some similarities they were two very different films. What I loved most about this movie is what it shared with the former film. But though both were heartbreaking, I'd say that Blue Valentine would have been a broken heart that was then subsequently stomped on. There's not the whimsy and wonder of (500) Days, things feel too broken. But I love films that give honest examinations of relationships and show us two flawed characters who both share the blame, but neither are totally at fault. I like seeing relationships that feel real, both in how they were created and how they eventually crumble. It's also important to note that this isn't a film that really lays everything out, there's a lot that's under the surface that you've got to dig for. But it's so heartbreaking to see this relationship develop and you want to root for it, but you can see how ultimately it won't work. Loved the ending too. Very raw and real. Quote: - In my experience, the prettier a girl is, the more nuts she is, which makes you insane. - I like how you can compliment and insult somebody at the same time, in equal measure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oiY7W7nDeE 3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Well since I just wrote a blog a few weeks ago over my love of this film, it's probably not necessary for me to go on and on. But, it's hilarious, non-stop fun with great music and hilarious one-liners. Crazy fights and witty humor, what could be better? Plus, as I said, the editing is fantastic. Quote: Because you'll be dust by Monday, because you'll be pulverized in two seconds; and the cleaning lady, she cleans up dust. She dusts. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_RrNCqCIPE 2. The Social Network This is a surprisingly, gripping film. From the first scene til the last I was captivated by Jesse Eisenberg's (though perhaps factually inaccurate) portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg. There's just so much going on here. Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake also give pretty impressive performances in a movie that really does define the age we live in. My mom mentioned how frenetic the pacing of the film is, almost recalling the website facebook itself. It's a powerful film and was definitely one of the best the year had to offer. Even if it wasn't the most truthful as depicting what really happened, it was certainly good storytelling. Quote: You know, you really don't need a forensics team to get to the bottom of this. If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB95KLmpLR4 And the #1 Favorite Film of 2010 1. Inception When I first saw this I was just blown away. It is one of the most original big blockbuster films (or any film really) I had seen in years. Every single element of the film is just solid. The cast, the action, the direction, cinematography, score....you name it, it was done right. For more praise of the film just go back to the blog that I wrote when it came out because my feelings haven't changed. I know it wasn't the type of film to win best picture, because the academy just doesn't work that way, but it truly is one of the best films to have come around in a long time and every time I watch it I gain even more appreciation for it. It's wonderful. Quote: I'll tell you a riddle. You're waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you don't know for sure. But it doesn't matter. How can it not matter to you where that train will take you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66TuSJo4dZM Honorable Mentions: Tangled, The King's Speech, Youth in Revolt, True Grit, The Figther, Rabbit Hole

Yeah...it's March of 2010 now...but I really wanted to make this list and my motto is "better late than never." Partially to blame for this lateness was that I felt that I couldn't truly complete this list until I had seen some choice films on DVD I was very right in doing so, because some of the last movies I've seen on DVD definitely earned a spot on my list for sure. We'll start from the bottom and go to the top. #10 An Education The film certainly is not one that I would recommend to everyone. You know that scene at the end of Juno when Jason Bateman's character Mark comes on to Ellen Page's Juno? Yeah, that's pretty much the entire tone of An Education. Tastefully telling the story of the seduction of a sixteen-year-old girl definitely is no simple task and the film certainly has no qualms about making the viewer feel pretty uncomfortable. That said, the film definitely has a lot of poignant things to say and features an incredibly strong cast. Carey Mulligan gives a fantastic performance (probably the best of the year by an actress as far as I’m concerned), as does Peter Sarsgaard and the supporting cast, particularly Rosamund Pike. My only gripe is that I feel that the ending is slightly rushed so that the audience doesn’t quite get the reward for their patience as they deserve, nevertheless, the film as a whole remains strong. Again, this movie is clearly not for the faint of heart (at times it's pretty depressing stuff) but it is extremely well made and worth a watch by those who are willing to take the risk. Quote: Action is character. If we never did anything we'd never be anybody. #9 The Lovely Bones Okay, I have to admit, I am a complete sucker for movies that blow me away visually (except Avatar…which I did enjoy to an extent…but not as much as the rest of the world apparently.) So naturally, when I saw the visually dazzling trailer for Peter Jackson’s latest film, The Lovely Bones this film quickly became one of my most anticipated. When I read the reviews, I was very disappointed and kept my expectations low. I was delighted that I kept an open mind (or I don’t know…maybe I went in there determined to love it) because I was completely engrossed the entire time. The film is gripping, heartbreaking, horrifying, and visually stunning all at once. There’s so much going on under the surface as well that it’s a great movie to try and dissect. Also, Stanley Tucci’s performance shouldn’t be missed. I know this movie came out here in Utah in 2010, but as the IMDB lists it as 2009 I’m placing it on my list anyway. Quote: There was one thing my murderer didn't understand; he didn't understand how much a father could love his child. #8 District 9 I heard a lot of hype about this film, but really didn’t know quite what to expect, as I had only seen limited previews. This was a solid sci-fi flick that is set apart from the rest because it was told in a very compelling and unique way. While it took a while for the plot to get going, the ambiance that sets the film up is absolutely necessary to get the audience invested in the events surrounding the characters. Once the film does get moving, it is definitely an intense ride that keeps the viewer's attention constantly until the very end. Quote: When dealing with aliens, try to be polite, but firm. And always remember that a smile is cheaper than a bullet. # 7 Inglourious Basterds This movie is pretty great. The storytelling here is very well done in every way. The movie is very engaging and suspenseful. It also features some pretty great performances too. Tarantino builds an increasing tension throughout the film that culminates in a finale that really should not be missed. I guess hooray for revisionist history films! Who thought I'd ever be saying that? Quote: You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-booming'. # 6 TIE Away We Go I don’t know how John Krasinski does it! Even with a beard and hipster dork glasses, he still is the most alluring male (to this gal) on the planet. Seriously, the guy is so lovable. But he is just one of the reasons I love Away We Go While the film, doesn’t really have the strongest plot (the familiar road movie formula,) it really benefits from the strong performances of both of its leads. Who knew Maya Rudolph had such dramatic acting chops in her? The film is equally hilarious and poignant. When I wasn’t laughing my head off, I was taking a deep look at myself at my ideas of love, marriage, and parenting. Away We Go is a very enjoyable watch from start to finish. Quote: "What's wrong with a stroller?" I LOVE my babies. Why would I want to PUSH them away from me?" #6 TIE Up in the Air This is a very interesting movie. Its characters are real, and its story is important. I don't really have a ton to say because I don't want to give anything away, but it is just a really good movie...It's just solid. The fewer expectations you have, the more you'll understand and enjoy it. Jason Reitman does it again. Quote: If you think about it, your favorite memories, the most important moments in your life... were you alone? Life's better with company. #5 I Love You, Man This movie is just ridiculously hilarious. A movie based entirely on my brother, Clayton’s favorite concept of “friend dating,” certainly has the potential for the amusement of the highest. I Love You Man definitely does not fail to capitalize on the wonderfully awkward and hilarious moments that friend dating offers (and Paul Rudd and Jason Segel have great bromance chemistry) This film is a solid comedy with great writing, and thus definite rewatchability. Quote: If you see a cool looking guy, strike up a conversation and ask him on a man date. #4 Zombieland What can I say? Another movie on my top ten list that I find absolutely hilarious. Could I be more predictable? This movie for me was basically the equivalent of a rollercoaster—it has just as many laughs and thrills. The characters and their dialogue are very memorable, but what I perhaps love most about Zombieland is just how outrageous it dares to be. During a certain subplot of the film, I kept thinking to myself “Is this REALLY happening…Yes yes, it is and it is amazing.” Quote: "I'm not great at farewells, so uh... that'll do, pig." " That's the worst goodbye I've ever heard. And you stole it from a movie." #3 Up It’s no secret that I love Pixar…in fact…I’m a bit of a Pixar snob. So I definitely was pleased to find that Up was yet another triumph. While the film could have perhaps fleshed its villain out some more, the rest of the characters in Up are incredibly portrayed and serve the story well. I always find it to a film’s credit when they are able to touch an audience so quickly and Up had many members of the audience in tears within the first ten minutes (me included, which is definitely a rarity.) Up, put simply, is just a beautiful story about the adventures that life holds. Quote: Thanks for the adventure. Now go have one of your own. #2 Drag Me To Hell What’s this? Another horror comedy on my list? Kent Dunn is right. This is pretty much an awesome genre, and one of my newfound favorites. What I absolutely love about Drag Me To Hell is that it demands your attention and definitely takes it captive until the very end. Like Zombieland, Drag Me To Hell is outrageous, hilarious, and extremely entertaining. I have to give the edge to Drag Me To Hell just for the scene in the parking garage alone... it is so ridiculous it's fantastic. Quote: Here kitty, kitty.... #1 (500) Days of Summer It’s official. I’m in love with this movie. I love its acting, I love its writing, I love its editing, I love its soundtrack, I love the heart-shaped birthmark on the back of its neck..haha wait what? But seriously… I love this movie so much that I’ve allowed it to occupy a spot in my top favorites ten not only of the year…but of all time. Perhaps more than any other film I have seen in my life, this film actually makes the audience feel exactly what the characters do from the extreme highs of the relationship to the utter lows. Don’t even get me started or else I WILL write out an essay-length response about just how perfect this movie really is. But what I love most is that this movie is real and honest. As an experience, seeing this movie for the first time was amazing, but learning from it more and more after each viewing is just as important and why it goes down as an instant favorite. Quote: This is a story of boy meets girl. But you should know upfront, this is not a love story. HONORABLE MENTIONS: Extract, Paranormal Activity, Star Trek, Where The Wild Things Are, Adventureland, Bright Star, The Princess and the Frog.