15. Master and Commander
Peter Weir's only film this decade had Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany on the high seas in the early 19th century fighting the French. A thinking man's action film, equally successful with action as it is with politics and philosophy. It's rousing and supremely intelligent and unlike any film in decades, exceeding those similar to it.
14. Traffic
Unflinchingly looks at many facets of the drug problem with 3 separate stories seamlessly combined by Steven Soderbergh. His color scheme for each separate story informs on the characters and their relationships. The actors are relaxed and charismatic and there's plenty of humor to relieve the tension and stress from all the depressing subject matter. Benicio del Toro gives the film its beating heart.
13. The Incredibles
After many frivolous lawsuits, superheroes are forced to live amongst common people and hide their special powers. Director Brad Bird has big ideas about individualism and how society's attempts to help often makes things worse inadvertently. There's also an interesting theme about collectivism tearing down the successful people in society to the level of the least common denominator. "When everyone's special, no one will be." The action scenes are exciting and inventive. Throw in the Midas Pixar touch, and you have the best animated film ever.
12. The Lives of Others
In 1984, a Stasi agent for the totalitarian East German government is forced to spy on a couple of artists who are a perceived threat to the state. As he eavesdrops on them, their artistic value becomes apparent and melts his cold exterior. The camera placement and movements are impeccable and the ending is one of the decade's best. As the agent, Ulrich Muhe shows all ranges of emotion proficiently.
11. Children of Men
Alfonso Cuaron took a simple apocalyptic tale about a childless future and applied uninterrupted shots, invisible CGI, and subtle activities and structures in the background to create a classic. Clive Owen was born to play Theo, whose tortured soul and passiveness guide us through the film. Cuaron uses music sparingly to devastating effect, best demonstrated by Theo's breakdown by the tree after Jasper dies.
16. A History of Violence
17. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
18. I'm Not There
19. Almost Famous
20. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
21. Finding Nemo
22. The Dark Knight
23. Sideways
24. Once
25. The Hurt Locker
26. Let the Right One In
27. Cinderella Man
28. Synecdoche, New York
29. Miami Vice
30. Punch-Drunk Love
31. Up
32. Lord of the Rings
33. Erin Brockovich
34. Michael Clayton
35. Lost in Translation
36. Inglourious Basterds
37. About a Boy
38. Public Enemies
39. Amelie
40. Collateral
41. Munich
42. Black Hawk Down & The Constant Gardner
43. Mystic River
44. The Aviator
45. Cast Away
46. The Wrestler
47. Gosford Park
48. Kill Bill
49. You Can Count On Me
50. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
51. 21 Grams
52. Ratatouille & WALL-E
53. Road to Perdition
54. Billy Elliot
55. The Royal Tenenbaums
56. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
57. Downfall
58. Hot Fuzz
59. The New World
60. Knocked Up
61. Inland Empire
62. United 93
63. Babel
64. Pan's Labyrinth
65. In the Bedroom
66. Monsters, Inc.
67. The Pianist
68. Batman Begins
69. 3:10 to Yuma
70. King Kong
71. In Bruges
72. No Direction Home
73. Intolerable Cruelty
74. Little Children
75. Gangs of New York
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Best Films of the Decade 15-11
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2 comments:
Mine:
15. Requiem for a Dream - The best film from Darren Aronofsky is probably the most challenging film of the decade. Part social commentary, part horror film and mostly a tragic tale of drugs, the film is Exhibit A for how drugs can ruin anyone's life and the sordid details of addiction. Aronofsky's shaky drug camera, trippy soundtrack and dreamlike sequences along with great performances from Jennifer Connely, Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto and Marlon Wayans (!) make this one for the ages.
14. Sideways - One of the best 'buddy movies' ever. Echo all of your comments. I love Miles so much and the interplay between he and Church is classic.
13. About a Boy - This shouldn't be as good or resonant as it is. I love the interplay between Marcus' mother (the hippy) and Hugh Grant; they are, together, a fully realized person/parents for Marcus. Weitz's deconstruction of Grant's vacuous lifestyle and the consistent laughs are perfect. This, to me, is the film Up in the Air is aspiring to be, but doesn't get to. More on that later (hopefully tonight).
12. Old School - Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell give us the best comedy of the decade with their male fantasy romp. The characters are just realistic enough to anchor the story. I do not tire of watching this.
11. The Departed - A muscular popcorn film from Scorsese gets everything right. DiCaprio finally earns Doc's respect with a searing and emotional performance. As usual it has a fantastic soundtrack (Pink Floyd, Dropkick Murphys) and a testoterone infused script. So many great characters, so little time.
Yours:
M&C - I saw it once, in the theater and remember it as a B+. It deserves a revisit if you've got it this high. Having said that, your Weir fetish may be inflating your love for the film.
Traffic - Ditto.
Incredibles - Haven't seen (!). Sounds great, I don't like cartoons.
TLoO - Coming right up.
CoM - Coming right up.
Mine so far:
70. Bad Santa
69. Batman Begins
68. Little Children
67. 3:10 to Yuma
66. Knocked Up
65. Meet The Parents
64. Nine Lives
63. Wall E
62. Public Enemies
61. In Bruges
60. Let the Right One In
59. Bourne Ultimatum
58. Oceans 11
57. Milk
56. Slumdog Millionaire
55. The Prestige
54. Borat
53. Up
52. The Wrestler
51. Almost Famous
50. Assassination of Jesse James
49. Gangs of New York
48. Napoleon Dynamite
47. Gran Torino
46. The Breakup
45. The Notebook
44. Zodiac
43. In the Bedroom
42. Hotel Rwanda
41. Revolutionary Road
40. Wedding Crashers
39. Inglourious Basterds
38. Rachel Getting Married
37. Constant Gardner/Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
36. Mystic River
35. Michael Clayton
34. Garden State
33. Miami Vice
32. Pan's Labryinth
31. Bourne Supremacy
30. Syriana
29. Babel
28. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
27. Gladiator
26. United 93
25. Once
24. A History of Violence
23. Royal Tenenbaums
22. Cinderella Man
21. Adaptation
20. The Dark Knight
19. Bloody Sunday
18. Amores Perros
17. Layer Cake
16. Traffic
15. Requiem for a Dream
14. Sideways
13. About a Boy
12. Old School
11. The Departed
Aronofsky was very effective at what he wanted to accomplish with Requiem, but I disliked it while I was watching it (and that was obviously the point).
It took me 5 years to admit Sideways was better than The Aviator.
I really need to see Old School again.
The Departed just got bumped out of the top 5.
Incredibles is PG for violence and there's not a lot of childish jokes. People get murdered, brutally sometimes. There's a bunch of strong family values , family pooling their resources, and family sticking together in it that I think you'll like.
I'll try to work in Master and Commander sooner rather than later. I wanted to watch it before the post, but I've been neck deep in Mad Men Season 1.
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