50. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Shane Black really needs to write more since he's at the top of the game if you need a pulpy plot with hilarious dialogue and great anecdotes. Val Kilmer and Robert Downey, Jr. sink their teeth into the wordplay as only 2 old pros can. And Michelle Monaghan takes her star-making role and runs with it.
49. You Can Count On Me
A grown-up film that embraces discussions about faith, with one of the most honest representations of a priest on film (played by writer-director Kenneth Lonergan himself). It's also about all kinds of love - lust, unconditional, God's. And enough really can't be said about Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney and their breakthrough performances as siblings with a traumatic past. I just love the last scene with them on the bench and the way writer Lonergan alludes to the film's title.
48. Kill Bill
Uma Thurman has never been better, easily carrying over 3 hours of screen time on her back. She's amazing in the physical stuff, but equally adept during the second half as her motherly instincts take over. Not everything works, but Tarantino's energy and love of filmmaking is obvious in every scene. The first (Eastern) half is endlessly exciting, but my favorite sequence in the second (Western) half as Uma tries to get out of that grave. It works better if you fast forward through David Carradine's lengthy and lispy speeches.
47. Gosford Park
It looks stuffy and cold with 3 dozen people (mostly Brits) in full period costume, but the Oscar-winning script from Julian Fellowes (no relation to Brian) carves out a surprisingly number of specific characters with minimal screen minutes. Robert Altman made some bad films and a few overrated ones, but he is in complete control of the medium here. This is most evident by the lengthy sequence where Jeremy Northam plays the piano and the dozens of characters go about their business. They give each other glances, make quick snide comments, and reveal different sides of their characters. The sequence then has a terrific, plot-changing climax. It's an amazing juggling act by Altman. Throw in some themes about the class system, family relations, fidelity, and the silly nature of fame and celebrity and you have a great film - maybe Altman's best.
46. The Wrestler
Comeback of the decade Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei dig deep in every scene for every ounce of emotion. But what lands this one so high is Darren Aronofsky's direction. All the Christianity symbolism gives the film much more depth it first appears. And the camera treats Randy the Ram just like his fans do. All the visual references to childhood strengthen the aging themes. Finally, Randy and Cassady are 2 sides of the same coin - she's tired of using and abusing her body; he can't seem to quit.
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
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Best Films of the Decade 50-46
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3 comments:
Mine:
50. Assassination of Jesse James - Not sure if this one is on your list. Andrew Dominik uses a dreamy narration to provide a prescient tale about celebrity with the story of Jesse James. Probably top 20 cinematography.
49. Gangs of New York - DDL's performance and the historic details make me love this, although any Cameron Diaz scene is a letdown because that character is so out of place in the film.
48. Napoleon Dynamite - Amazingly original film with unforgettable characters and about a hundred great lines. "I could throw this football over them mountains."
47. Gran Torino - The film that made me love Clint the actor and Clint the director. A funny and vital film that shows both American values and some liberal orthodoxy, all enjoyable.
46. The Breakup - Criminally underrated romantic dramedy is Vince Vaughn's best (other than Swingers, duh) performance, with one of my favorite dinner scenes of all time ('move yourself'). Also has realistic relationship issues and quotable lines. "Band of Brothers, you should watch it".
Yours:
KKBB - Haven't seen (!)
YCCOM - Great film, probably should be in my list somewhere.
Kill Bill - Haven't seen (!!!!)
GP - Love, love, love your reference to Brian Fellows. Haven't seen the movie. Won't, either. Probably Altman's best film......for me to poop on.
I sort of alluded to Jesse James in the Babel comments. It's climbed pretty high the last few months. I can't stop watching it.
I couldn't sit through a second viewing of Napoleon Dynamite. It probably plays better and better when you add people to the room.
I'm letting Gran Torino sit for awhile and will re-evaluate it in a few months. It still sits at a B.
I loved the "Owner of a Lonely Heart" scene with John Michael Higgins. But I've never understood your love for this. I think Vince was better in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Made, Old School, Wedding Crashers, and Into the Wild. I'll try it again if I catch it on cable.
Does a young Clive Owen playing a pivotal role in Gosford Park put it in your queue? How about Kelly MacDonald's Scottish accent?
By the way, it's almost time to dust off your prepared Eric Bana comments.
I'll give you Wedding Crasher and Old School, but those are 1 dimensional. I enjoy the performances more, but his best acting is in Breakup.
Bana is forgiven for Munich because of his kickboxing character in The Castle "hold it still, trace"
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