The Ten Most Disappointing Movies of 2010

From a very young age I was taught a valuable lifelong lesson, "You take the good with the bad". This timeless adage applies to all facets of life. And although we typically enjoy acknowledging the greats, it's also imperative that we take a step back to address the not-so-great. 2010 had more than its fair share of cinematic duds, and I decided to sort through my list finding the ten most disappointing movies of the year.

Before reading on, it's important to understand my criteria. I'm not finding the ten WORST films of the year, I'm identifying the films that you and I wanted to see, and when we did, they left us perplexed. Whether it's an awesome trailer, an A-List cast, or a great premise, there's always a catch to a hyped film. However, more times than not, we end up being letdown by the final product. In 2010, the following films were no exception:

#10) Alice in Wonderland

Having grossed over $300 million domestically, I may not have much of an argument here. However, I went into the film completely objective. I had very little knowledge of the back story, and I had no recollection of any of the old movies. That being said, the film was strange, creepy, and borderline intolerable. Outside of the vivid visual effects, Alice in Wonderland had very little to offer. I see it as another dull remake added to Tim Burton's resume.





#9) Get Him to the Greek

Let's face it, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a hit. Not only was it a hit, the out-of-nowhere comedy was an instant classic. Therefore when I heard about the spin-off being made, I was as eager to see it as anyone else. Overly raunchy and vulgar, there were definitely some laugh out loud parts in Get Him to the Greek. But with nowhere near as much charm as its predecessor, this second installment of rocker Aldous Snow was too over the top for its own good.





#8) A Nightmare on Elm Street

Freddy Krueger is one of the scariest villains ever created. In 1984, Wes Craven crafted a horror masterpiece. And when I heard they were releasing a re-imagining of the classic film, I was skeptical, yet eager. 2010's A Nightmare on Elm Street focuses intensely on the brutal back story of the child murderer Freddy Krueger. Far too disturbing and graphic, the film falls way short of the spine-chilling fear generated by the original. Unfortunately, the terrible trend of remaking 80s hits continues.





#7) The American

Somewhat quiet in its release, The American stars George Clooney, and it pairs him with up-and-coming director Anton Corbijn. In 2009 Clooney reached all new heights with his brilliant work in Jason Reitman's award winning film Up in the Air. How quickly they fall. The American is beautifully shot and the cinematography is excellent. However, the deep character study is far too slow and non-climactic to experience any sort of enjoyment. The characters are lifeless, and it inevitably makes The American a difficult watch.





#6) Date Night

Two of the most talked about sitcoms on television are The Office and 30 Rock. When the leads from both shows announced they were making a comedy together, all ears perked up. Steve Carell and Tina Fey are two of the hottest names in Hollywood. Yet their stardom alone couldn't keep the laughs coming. Poor dialogue and plot ultimately made Date Night a disaster. Take away a few random laughs, this hyped comedy was easily one of 2010's biggest disappointments.

#5) Robin Hood

I'm still yet to find anyone who truly loved Ridley Scott's take on the classic tale Robin Hood. I know I'm a minority when I say that I wasn't particularly a big fan of Scott and Russell Crowe's big hit, Gladiator. But when word came out that the two would join forces once again, many people anxiously awaited Robin Hood's release. Much to our surprise, we were left baffled by its unoriginality and diluted story. I doubt it will be the last time we see the director and actor paired up again, but perhaps it should be.





#4) Dinner For Schmucks

Once again, Steve Carell happened to let us down in 2010. Dinner For Schmucks offered a hilarious trailer and an all-star cast including Carell, Paul Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis. Unfortunately, it didn't offer much more. Schmucks was incredibly over the top and the humor was all too forced. A jumbling of uncomfortable jokes and erratic plot, the film was certainly a letdown.

#3) Shutter Island

Hopefully by now everyone has seen legendary director Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island. If not, spoiler alert, so stop reading. Teaming up Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time since The Departed, there wasn't anyone on the planet more excited for this film than me. Since this top ten list centers on flops, obviously you can tell I was extremely disappointed in the movie. Shutter Island offers no more than the marginal thrillers we've been exposed to over the past decade. Following almost the exact same formula as The Number 23, the film drags and the twist is overdone (he was crazy all along, how clever). I was immensely displeased with Scorsese's lack of originality. I've come to expect more from a director of his stature. Also, DiCaprio was far from excellent in the movie. Almost impossible to differentiate from his William Costigan role in The Departed, Shutter Island is living proof that even Leo isn't perfect.

#2) Grown Ups

Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Kevin James, and David Spade, need I say more? Probably the most gifted comedic cast of the year, Grown Ups had everyone excited. Having reeled in over $160 million in the box office, people lined up to see this over-hyped comedy. Unfortunately for big time Sandler fans like myself, Grown Ups was a far too "family oriented" film. With recycled jokes and childish potty humor, this comedy fell extremely short of its expectations. If you haven't seen it, believe me, you aren't missing much.

#1) Hereafter

Acclaimed director Clint Eastwood proved to be out of his element when he decided to tackle the posthumous tale Hereafter. With recent hits like Gran Torino, Invictus, Million Dollar Baby, and Changeling, Eastwood's reputation helped build anticipation for the film. Couple that with one of Hollywood's finest, Matt Damon, as the lead, Hereafter was sure to be a hit. However, from beginning to end, the movie felt like a rainy day. It seemed as though it would never end. The 3 separate stories come together in an unsatisfying resolve that ultimately feels unsettling. Rumors circulating the film are that is was rushed. The script was unfinished and thrown together hastily by the director. Eastwood's rare flop has been ignored by everything this awards season, and it's not a surprise. Hereafter is definitely a thought provoking movie, but it's message isn't worth the drub you're required to sit through. And there you have it, 2010's biggest disappointment.