The best movies of 2010

Years from now, esteemed film scholars will decide the true great films from 2010. Until then, critics' awards and Top 10 lists only give us an impulsive view of cinema in the past year.

A Best-of list so soon after the new year can only be a gut feeling. With limited time and opportunity for repeat viewings, the selections that make up this list are the movies that made the strongest first impressions. Some are technically dazzling. Others explore wrenching human emotions. Some just put a smile on your face - a tall order these days.

Here, out of the 110 films from 2010 I saw last year, are the 20 (ish) movies more than worth a second experience.

1. 127 Hours

Based on the incredible true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston, "127 Hours" is an exhausting moviegoing experience that, by the end, makes you feel lucky to be alive.

Director Danny Boyle, while still utilizing his dynamic photography and editing style, has crafted a more cohesive narrative than his Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire." The script by Simon Beaufoy turns what is essentially 90 minutes of a man stuck on a rock into one of the most enthralling tales of survival to ever be put to screen.

The key to the experience is James Franco in an Oscar-worthy, one-man show. He makes you feel stranded on that rock alongside him, exhausting every last ounce of water, levity and hope. He's so good, you even feel the sting in the arm when it comes time for one final choice.

2. The Kids Are All Right

One of the best and most honest portraits of long-term relationships, the messiness that comes with middle age... and the reappearance of a family sperm donor. Narrow minds will dismiss it as the "lesbian marriage movie," but the gender dynamics are the least important to writer/director Lisa Cholodenko.

And let's just give Annette Bening the Oscar right now for her heartbreaking leading performance. She dances circles around front-runner Natalie Portman ("Black Swan") in all the places it counts. Available on DVD.

3. Toy Story 3

The latest Pixar masterpiece will be remembered for its emotional wallop of a third act. Seriously, it reduces grown men to tears.

But watch it again and focus your attention on the first two acts. It's an expertly crafted thriller filled with as many laughs and visual delights as anything else Pixar has brought to the screen. Those final minutes wouldn't work if not for the story seeds planted in every preceding minute. Available on DVD

4. Inception

A bold reinvention of the heist thriller from Christopher Nolan, who has proven to be a master of both visual spectacle and twisty, character-driven scripting. The film takes audiences into dreams (within dreams within dreams) without losing the key emotional totem. Will it ever stop spinning? Available on DVD.

5. A Prophet

A French crime epic nominated last year for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar made it to America in 2010. Tahar Rahim stars as a man who discovers his greatest skills during a violent, desperate extended stay in prison. Available on DVD.

6. Please Give

A charming indie from Nicole Holofcener that sneaks in some powerful insights on the connection between charity and vanity. Characters played by Catherine Keener and Rebecca Hall are the kind of fresh female voices who rarely get written in the Hollywood system. Available on DVD.

7. tie: Inside Job & Restrepo

2010 was another great year for documentaries. The best included "Inside Job," a shocking and infuriating investigation of the recent financial meltdown. "Restrepo," meanwhile, takes an intimate look at a military unit fighting in the most dangerous stretch of Afghanistan. "Restrepo" available on DVD.

8. The Fighter

A boxing drama that focuses on the dysfunctional family that surrounds a soft-spoken up-and-comer played by Mark Wahlberg. Christian Bale gives a career-best performance as the title character's addict brother and trainer. Now in theaters.

9. True Grit

The Coen Brothers craft a classic Western that blends perfectly with their own signature wit and tone. Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and especially young Hailee Steinfeld are a delight to watch interact. Now in theaters.

10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

A true original from director Edgar Wright ("Hot Fuzz") based on the cult comic series. A whip-smart script compliments the frenzied mash-up of martial arts, video game and slacker culture. Just let go of your irrational hatred of Michael Cera and give it a shot. Available on DVD.

11. The Social Network

Perhaps a bit overpraised as the "Best" movie of the year, David Fincher's origin story of Facebook is still a helluva entertaining movie to watch. "West Wing" scribe Aaron Sorkin is working at the top of his game in a story that would be dull in the hands of anyone else. Available on DVD Jan. 11.

12. The Town

Ben Affleck's second directorial effort is even better than his first. Also serving as co-writer and star, Affleck makes the Boston neighborhood dynamics as important as the large-scale heist sequences. Available on DVD.

13. tie: Exit Through the Gift Shop & Waiting for "Superman"

More excellent documentaries. "Exit Through the Gift Shop" is a surprise-filled exploration of underground art and its blind-followers. "Waiting for 'Superman'" demands more of our education system and even makes room for a Ralph Wiggum cameo. "Exit Through the Gift Shop" available on DVD.

14. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Why wait for the American remake? Noomi Rapace is the definitive Lisbeth Salander in this Swedish version of Stieg Larssen's literary phenomenon. Available on DVD.

15. Winter's Bone

Bleak and enthralling indie about a desperate teenager searching for her missing father. Jennifer Lawrence is another young actress to get excited about this award season. Available on DVD.

16. Get Low

Robert Duvall in a career-best performance as a hated old man who plans his own funeral before he's dead. Good-humored until a surprisingly poignant climax.

17. Greenberg

Ben Stiller takes a break from lazy comedies to play an emotionally-damaged New Yorker searching for redemption while house-sitting for his brother in L.A. Stiller brings much-needed empathy to a miserable character. Available on DVD.

18. Black Swan

Natalie Portman dials up the crazy to play an obsessed ballet dancer. Visually striking with an impressive physical and emotional performance from Portman. Now playing at AMC Theaters in Spokane.

19. Best Worst Movie

Lighter in tone than its fellow documentary compatriots, "Best Worst Movie" pays homage to one of the worst movies of all time, "Troll 2." It's also surprisingly poignant when the film brings the cast and crew together for reunion screenings. Available on DVD.

20. The Ghost Writer

Hate director Roman Polanski for his personal defects. His movies, however, deserve a chance. The latest is a modern noir about a writer hired to dissect the musings of a former British prime minister. He gets more than he bargained for, of course, and every twist and turn piles on top of each other beautifully. Available on DVD.

Honorable Mention: Kick-Ass, Cyrus, Easy A, Get Him to the Greek, Despicable Me, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, Oceans. All available on DVD.