I should probably wait until after the Festivus movie releases...I mean Avatar and Red Cliff and Sherlock Holmeslook incredible. (if they are...I'll add them to the list) But I'm too excited to start work on this list. The following are movies that I believe are very very good especially and despite their genre. (does that make sense as a qualifier heh heh)
It's not like I've seen every movie made this decade...but I watch more movies than your average bear. I watch a shitload of movies. I love all genres of film and find valuable lessons, scenes and characters even in the lowliest of movies. All of the movies in this list are "high end" movies though. I haven't listed anything that sucks. But you may disagree...isn't that fun?! I also think that all of the movies on my list locked horns with the history of filmmaking on some level. I believe all of them have in common an accomplishment of using the narrative opportunties in filmmaking sometimes in innovative ways as well as exploring characters. Plus they are all damn entertaining or compelling emotionally which is probably the most important quality in movie making.
This decade of the 00's had a tough act to follow. Not only did the 1990's produce some amazing movies...the year 1999 had some of the best movies period. And about ten of those outstanding movies of 1999 all dealt with the nature of reality...which boosted their stature in my opinion.
:)
I'm not putting these movies in a hard order of preference I simply wrote a list as movies came to my mind. I also may have forgotten some movies that blew me away and I will add them accordingly...in fact if you think I've missed one please add it in the comments and why you believe it should be on my list and I will take your views very seriously. I'll take your objections to my list very seriously too...so here goes...
Basically, I feel these are all movies both excellent and worth your time to sit, let go of your ego and watch...
:)
Eastern Promises
Mulholland Dr.
Little Miss Sunshine
Hotel Rwanda
Last King of Scotland
Grizzly Man
Donnie Darko
I'm Not There
Inland Empire
Wall-E
Up
Dogville
A History of Violence
Casino Royale
Doubt
Shottas
Mesrine
No Country For Old Men
American Gangster
Borat
Irreversable
The Departed
Somethings Gotta Give
High Fidelity
Kill Bill Vol.1 and 2
Inglorious Basterds
Michael Clayton
Cache
The Descent
Waltz With Bashir
Sin City
American Psycho
Shawn Of The Dead
Brokeback Mountain
Let The Right One In
The Bourne Identity
Amelie
The New World
Apocalypto
Wendy and Lucy
Unbreakable
Cast Away
Cloverfeild
Star Trek
28 Days Later
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Life Aquatic
The Royal Tenebaums
The Dark Knight
Badder Santa
There Will Be Blood
City Of God
Zodiac
The Lives of Others
Ghost Dog
Pan's Labyrinth
Oh Brother Where Art Thou
Almost Famous
Slumdog Millionaire
Elephant
Memento
Lost In Translation
Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind
Adaptation
Farenheit 9/11
Battle Royale
Bowling For Columbine
Gladiator
Crash
Gangs Of New York
Master and Commander
Frost/Nixon
Children Of Men
Before Night Falls
Iron Man
The Wrestler
Syrianna
And just for fun...I'd like to add a category of "best double bill". The Passion of The Christ and The Da Vinci Code.
:)
8 comments:
Who starred in American Psycho, Candy? I'm going to be reading the book fairly soon. Have you read it?
Beej, American Psycho is quite a book!
Interesting list, Candy. I've seen a bunch of the movies on the list, but nowhere near all of them. You've listed some excellent movies Candy, and a handful on your list that I didn't think were all that good too.
Beej, American Psycho stars the brilliant Christian Bale (Batman Begins, Empire of the Sun). As Mr.Anchovy says...it's quite a book. It's absolutely perfect in fact, one of the best novels ever written. The novel is actually on my top all time favourite novels ever list with Blood Merdidian, David Copperfeild, Wuthering Heights, 2666, Hotel New Hampshire (and a bunch of others but thats another post, right heh)
Mr. A, thanks for purusing the list. Taking into account your feelings...I looked through the list and I read it again and couldn't see one movie on there that wasn't outstanding. Each has a facet of incredible film making and direction as well as grabbing onto art and shaking it. I can not imagine one movie on that list that you wouldn't enjoy!
Is there one you think I have missed or overlooked?
what about traffic? you put a silly rom/com w/ dian keeton over traffic? i would babel there too. borat give me a break
I've seen most of these. Not seen 22 of them, but of those 22 I want to see the majority. Some good choices, for sure. I think Traffic is strong, to pick up on Anon's comment, but Babel was shit. And Borat was hysterical!
My list would probably be shorter. I would aim for 20 movies max. And Traffic wouldn't be among them.
Here are some of the films that would appear on it, though.
Irréversible
Gangster No.1
INLAND EMPIRE
Mulholland Dr.
Memento
Capote
Gomorrah
California Dreamin' (endless)...
Amelie is one of my favorite "feel good" movies. Audrey Tatou was perfect for that role! The soundtrack is outstanding too.
Hey DTW thanks...I kind of want to narrow this down to a commitmnent of 20 movies. That is a tough one but I just might do it. But there are so many good movies.
one thing I like about making a list like this is we all forget how many GOOD movies there are. I get used to hearing people compalin about no more good movies made...but I watch a lot of movies. Trust me, when you see a bad movie, a really bad movie then movies get more interesting. A failed movie, a cheaply writen movie helps put things in contex.
In the same way an expensive movie that is bad also helps put things in context.
Anon, thanks for your detailed analysis of films. The Diane Keaton movie is very very good. Have you actually seen it? Compared to a movi also in it's genre of "chick flick" or romantic comedy...like "The Proposal"...it becomes obvious how really well made and well-written "Something's Gotta Give" truly is.
Watching Diane Keatona and Jack Nicholson play aging single people is seeing two monsters at the top of their game.
The scene where they are talking and walking is outstanding. It's so simple and yet...they bring so much to it. Look at their faces. I remember when they played lovers way back in the movie "Reds" as Emma goldman and Eugene O'Neil. Some of this new movie has a pleasant riff on that chemistry.. And also...it's just damn fine storytelling with good characters and it's got some fall down funny bits in it. Will it save he world? No. But it's an excellent character study.
I wouldn't put either "Babel" or "Traffic" on this list. Babel had some major problems. It had a good basic idea but it was so self consciously trying to be profound and...the thing is..."Borat" was a far more powerful political movie than "Babel" could ever have been..."Babel" tried too hard and felt hollow. It is worthy for it's aspirations but it fell. Traffic is a good movie. But it had a self-conscious style that wasn't innovative and although much of the dialogue was good and the acting good...it didn't come out overall. I made this list with movies that I felt on some level were not only innovative or pushing to explore a different way to tell a story but excelled in such and offered interesting characters along the way.
the other thing I take into account is the set up...I like a strong emotional risk and emotional trajectory, even in a chick flick, and I want a decent delivery.
I forgot a movie on this list...and I can't believe it. "Lord of the Rings". I don't believe I could have forgot to include it...but it will be added.
I was also torn up about "Ratattoiulle". I was reminded about just how good a movie it is and I will add it too. Looks like I might get closer to 100 than I intended! Oops!
hey Malcolm, I've thought about picking up "Amelie" on dvd. I really should it's so wonderful!
Thanks for your list Candy. I always refer to your lists to get ideas of what to watch next.
I appreciate it so much!
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