It’s that time of the year again: that brief span of time in between Christmas and New Year’s when journalists, critics, and cultural commentators scramble to define an arbitrary block of time even before that block is over with. To speculate on what 2010 will be remembered for is purely that: speculation. But the lists, summaries, and editorials reflecting on the events, accomplishments, failures, and occurrences of 2010 no doubt shape future debate over what January 1-December 31, 2010 will be remembered for personally, nostalgically, and historically. How we refer to the present frames how it is represented in the future, even when contradictions arise over what events should be valued from a given year. In an effort to begin that framing process, what I offer here is not a critical list of great films, but one that points out dominant cultural conversations, shared trends, and intersecting topics (both implicit and explicit) that have occurred either between the films themselves or between films and other notable aspects of American social life in 2010. As this column attempts to establish week in and week out, movies never exist in a vacuum, but instead operate in active conversation with one another. Thus, a movie’s cultural context should never be ignored. So, without further adieu, here is my overview of the Top 10 topics, trends, and events of the year that have nothing to do with the 3D debate.

June was a rough month for This Week in Blu-ray. Only a few of you actively missed it, judging by the emails, but I’m sure that even more of you felt a hole in your very souls due to the lack of weekly Blu-ray buying advice. By my count I am four weeks behind as of today, four weeks that each had worthy releases — some of which you may have purchased already. So in an effort to be brief, I’ve selected the most prominent releases and mixed them in with the Blu-rays hitting shelves this week. It’s my way of smashing four weeks of release together and wiping away the blood. In the end, it should give you a good road map for what you should have been doing all along.

A town full of Crazies and a standoff between Red and Blue! Someone built a time machine out of a hot tub! Who stole the baby Hamm? Kuchar is a surname not a place! An award-winning White Ribbon! Percy Jackson and the cumblemore road-trip!

Hot Tub Time Machine is one of the most profound mirrors of our postmodern culture to be realized on mainstream cinema screens in quite some time. Discuss.

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, learn the horrifying truth behind the Lincoln presidency and how to train dragons.

It’s not on the same level as Monsters vs. Aliens, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Kung Fu Panda or some other movies, but it’s still $43 million for the much-acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon, in 3-D.

There are two very excellent reasons why you should be interested in the Hot Tub Time Machine soundtrack. Check ‘em out inside.

This week, chubby man about town Kevin Carr takes a look at How to Train Your Dragon, Hot Tub Time Machine (which sounds right up his alley) and Greenberg. You may want to wear a helmet.

It’s shaping up to be an interesting weekend at the box office with a couple of promising-looking new movies How to Train Your Dragon and Hot Tub Time Machine rolling out in an attempt to finally knock off Alice in Wonderland as the top-grossing movie in North America.

Knock back a few beers, snort some coke and hop in the Hot Tub Time Machine! Wait that’s a terrible idea. Better just see the flick.

Trying to talk seriously with a bunch of comedians is like trying to milk a frog. It’s silly and wet. Either way, we got to do so, got very little information, but put it together for you anyways.

John Travolta with an RPG, school children sitting amongst rubble, and a family portrait featuring Labeouf and Douglas round out this week’s posters.

The good news: It’s redband so it features cursing and bared body parts. The other good news: You won’t be waking your neighbors with huge fits of laughter.

In the beginning, there was something kitschy about the next comedy from Accepted director Steve Pink. Now, it just looks dumb.

This week, on a very special episode of Reject Radio, we avoid getting hit by a volcano. By. That. Much.

It’s hard to say when Chevy Chase was last funny on the silver screen. He’s had a few moments, mostly on the popular geek property Chuck, on the small tube, but he hasn’t really done much in the way of cinematic hilarity since well, the nineties.

Another name is attached now to a United Artist project that has just started to make waves in the press, the aptly titled time-travel comedy Hot Tub Time Machine.

Apparently the punch line to this joke is a feature-length script about men, sexual tension, and a magic hot tub.