When I originally wrote this, I had not seen three movies which all were 5-star movies. After looking at the list, I would now have to bump The Passion of the Christ and L.I.E. from the list. The Japanese film, Departures, while a 5-star movie would have just missed the list also. The new list, would look like this.
10. Severance
9. The Contender
8. Lars and the Real Girl
7. Snatch
6. Let The Right One In - the original which was remade as Let Me In. This incredibly subtle vampire tale is gripping, but terribly sad. The location plays as much as character as any of the actors and one is left with a feeling of compassion amidst the craziness of the film. Aside from one absolutely ridiculous scene, it is hands down one of the greatest horror films ever made. While the remake was great in it's own right, it is merely a reproduction of the same thing (with Chloe Moritz).
5. Hero
4. No Country For Old Men
3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- hands down one of the best trilogies ever. This is the one that started it and while, it's head and shoulders above the rest, it truly set the wild tone for the others. Naomi Rapace gives a performance like no other. I mean that. Until this picture, I have always felt that Joan Allen in The Contender was the greatest female acting job. This changed my mind. Lisbeth Salinger will forever be one of film and book lore.
2. Oldboy
1. The Believer
I honestly believe they should have a GWTDT/Oldboy double feature and watch people's skin crawl. I needed a shower after both of these movies, because I felt like I had been through a prize fight.
Recently there have been many magazine an TV shows displaying their lists for the top ten movies of the first decade of the new millennium. We all love lists, but I disagree with one in particular. Rolling Stones list. Now while the magazine that represents pop culture has it's own merits, I stand by my mindset that box office draw should not represent anything when it comes to fine movie making. There is the list as seen in Rolling Stone. 1. There Will Be Blood 2. Children of Men 3. Mulholland Drive 4. A History of Violence 5. No Country for Old Men 6. The Incredibles 7. Brokeback Mountain 8. The Departed 9. Mystic River 10. Lord of the Rings (trilogy.
Let me start by saying that I have not seen every movie on this list or many on other lists that seem to be staples of top ten lists. Believe me,I will. The top spot is a difficult sell. There Will Be Blood is a great single performance by Daniel Day Lewis and his performance might very well be seen as one of the ten greatest of all-time in a decade or two, but the movie is fairly boring. The pace is so slow and methodical that at times I wondered when it would be over. This can't happen in the best movie of the decade. I did not see Children of Men or Brokeback Mountain. One, because I hadn't really heard much about it and the other, because I think Heath Ledger is the single most overrated actor ever to grace the silver screen. I was thrilled that the Dark Knight was nowhere to be found on this list. Mulholland Drive is one of David Lynch's better films, but that's like saying "that was a pretty good punch in the balls." It's getting credit, but it doesn't make it good. History of Violence is a shockingly bad movie, because of the incredible cast. Ed Harris is downright goofy and the ending has one of the worst miscasting ever...unless you read further. No Country For Old Men is one of the better movies I've ever seen, let alone this decade. Javier Bardem delivers a performance that quite possibly is only outdone by the great Anthony Hopkins in portraying a villain. Anton Chigurh made me think of a quarter differently, that's how good the movie is. The Incredibles isn't even in my top ten animated films of the decade. I can't figure out the listing. The Departed is a very good movie, what keeps it from being great is the awful performance by Jack Nicholson. It's not Jack's fault, he was terribly miscast as the Irish mob boss. Otherwise the movie is top notch. Mystic River is one of the more confusing movies on any list. I hate this movie. I hate the casting, hated the acting, despite the names, and hated the story. Tim Robbins can pretty much ruin a movie on his own, but in this he had so much help, I was shocked. Finally "the trilogy." I'll leave it at this. In the words of Randall in Clerk's 2, "there is only one trilogy and that's of the Jedi."
So, I decided to compose a little list of my own. I actually had 12 movies that I consider five star movies from the decade. Unfortunately, Crash and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon missed the cut. Here are my ten.
10. The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Now this controversial movie isn't exactly a pleasure to watch. It really takes some willpower, but if you get past what might be deemed brutal or horrid, it's the story of a man who wouldn't succumb because he was told to. The fact that Christians don't like this movie proves one of my many points about religious hypocrisy. It's OK to believe he died for your sins, just don't show me or tell me about how it happened? Jim Cavaziel is absolutely brilliant. I also thought if nothing else, the casting of the stunning Monica Belluci as Mary Magdalen was quite interesting. How could anyone, including the son of God, turn her charms down? For those of you who got caught up in the hype against Mel Gibson, I suggest watching it again, with a more open mind.
9. L.I.E. (2001) - If even the idea of watching a movie about pedophilia bothers you, you might want to skip it. The opening scene, while nothing to do with the subject matter will pretty much let you know that this movie is not going to pull any punches. What this movie does is tell a tale of loneliness. I feel that it's better watched than dissected, but any movie that can make you empathize with a child molester is strong stuff. There are moments you are sickened and moments that are truly tender. Brian Cox and Paul Dano give performances that are remarkable.
8. Severance (2006) - I rented this movie while seeing a trailer for it on another film. I thought it looked kinda funny and scary and gave it a try. What I found was a movie that was half horror, half comedy, and then half holy shit! I know that's three halves, but trust me, if you watch it, you'll understand. This is a horror movie that is taken to a whole other level. Any movie that can show mutilation and death in a funny and scary way is good stuff. Even the extras on the DVD were excellent.
7. The Contender (2000) - Joan Allen. I could leave it at that. She delivers one of, if not the greatest performance I've ever seen by an actress. What makes this movie so incredible is that it's so political without ever taking a side with parties. It is all about perception versus reality and the pride it takes to maintain one's dignity in moments of great distress. The supporting cast, especially Jeff Bridges are incredible. If you don't want to shoot Gary Oldman during this, you're missing something. There is one scene towards the end of the movie that is so subtle and so powerful you are shaken by it. It defines the movie and defines the performances. Allen lost the Oscar to Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. A very good role, but nowhere near as amazing as Allen's.
6. Lars and the Real Girl (2007) - If you read the snippet on the box cover it explains that a shut-in buys a realistic looking sex doll and develops a relationship with it. The movie is really about true love. Both romantic, family, and general love thy neighbor love. It is so powerful because it's the story of how accepting people could be if they tried. I have seen this movie three times and I have cried my eyes out all three times. Now I will get teased if anyone actually reads this, because of my open man crush on Ryan Gosling, but his performance and especially that of his sister-in-law, played by Emily Mortimer, are so touching it's almost hard to believe that there wasn't a bond before and they are just acting. In the end it's another story about how everyone wants to be accepted and loved.
5. Snatch (2000) - Guy Ritchie's shoot em up follow up to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is much better than it's predecessor. Jason Staitham is wonderful in the lead, but it's all the crazy characters that surround the movie, such as Vinny Jones and especially Brad Pitt that really make this movie what it is. Violent, gritty, and profane, this isn't your grandfather's gangster film. This is craziness personified. The roller coaster that never stops falling. It never dawned on me til now, but I don't even think there is one female character other than Pitt's mother. A joyride in a very fast car!
4. Hero (2002) - Right on the heels of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came this epic film. It's the story of a man who kills three would be assassins in attempts to stop the unfication of China. The movie is done in a very Kurosawa-like way. Very similar in delivery to Roshamon. The story is told with lots of action, but also lots of color. The colors each represent a different story and become characters themselves. Other than Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain, this is probably the most visually stimulating film I've ever seen. Jet-Li, known for his martial arts films is brilliant as is Maggie Cheung and the lovely Ziyi Zhang. This is the kind of movie, you could watch with no sound and still enjoy.
3. No Country for Old Men - When you hear Tommy Lee Jones, you expect a certain kind of gristled tale. Then you add Woody Harrelson and you don't know if you're getting a comedy or something sillier. Throw in Javier Bardem and you expect a love story that is confusing. Nope, this is a story of a killer who will stop at nothing to get back what he wants. A man who found what he wants. A man who wants to kill the killer and a small town sheriff who only wants to be as good as his father. Sounds simple. What it becomes is one of the most intense movies ever made. If you haven't already seen it, you've most likely heard of the coin flip scene. One of the best scenes ever put on film. As I said before, you'll never look at a quarter the same way.
2. Oldboy (2003) - every once in a while we have life experiences that make us change the way we look at things. Oldboy changed the way I watch movies. Since seeing this film, I've probably seen about 100 Asian horror and action films. If you haven't heard, all the American horror films and many of the action films are just bad remakes of Asian, especially Korean cinema. Oldboy starts off simple enough. A man did something wrong and is imprisoned. Only problem is it's in a hotel room for 15 years and he's never told why or who imprisoned him. Once out, he goes for a meal that will make most people turn their heads. It will be one of the most shocking things you've ever seen on film. That is, unless you continue watching. This movie contains more scenes that make you wonder about the craziness of the director Chan-wook Park (who is an absolute genius). The finale is so incredibly disturbing that when I first watched this, I sat alone in the dark for nearly 20 minutes...and then took a shower and tried to scrub away what I felt. It didn't work, so I watched it again.
1. The Believer (2001) - Three years after American History X came out, this little gem starring my man Ryan Gosling arrived. I first saw it about three years ago and only rented it because I liked him in every other movie I had seen him in. It's based on the true story of Danny Balint an anti-Semitic KKK member who revealed to a New York Times reporter that he was actually Jewish himself and that if the reporter ever revealed this fact, he would kill himself. The movie is so incredibly powerful that after viewing it and trying to describe it I told a few people, it makes American History X seem soft. Gosling gives a tour-de-force as the young, confused Balint. I think the thing that is most disturbing about this movie, for someone who grew up in a partially Jewish family is that some of the horrible things that are said, are true. While they are exaggerated to promote the feeling of hate in the movie, there are moments, like when Danny goes to hate counseling and speaks with Holocaust survivors that are shocking on multiple levels. The movie is disturbing, as all movies about hate are, but where American History X is completely one sided in displaying hate, this movie is much more cerebral. Any movie that makes me want to watch it again and again and shows me something new, even when reviewing it in my mind, is important. Definitely my #1 movie of the decade.
10. Severance
9. The Contender
8. Lars and the Real Girl
7. Snatch
6. Let The Right One In - the original which was remade as Let Me In. This incredibly subtle vampire tale is gripping, but terribly sad. The location plays as much as character as any of the actors and one is left with a feeling of compassion amidst the craziness of the film. Aside from one absolutely ridiculous scene, it is hands down one of the greatest horror films ever made. While the remake was great in it's own right, it is merely a reproduction of the same thing (with Chloe Moritz).
5. Hero
4. No Country For Old Men
3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- hands down one of the best trilogies ever. This is the one that started it and while, it's head and shoulders above the rest, it truly set the wild tone for the others. Naomi Rapace gives a performance like no other. I mean that. Until this picture, I have always felt that Joan Allen in The Contender was the greatest female acting job. This changed my mind. Lisbeth Salinger will forever be one of film and book lore.
2. Oldboy
1. The Believer
I honestly believe they should have a GWTDT/Oldboy double feature and watch people's skin crawl. I needed a shower after both of these movies, because I felt like I had been through a prize fight.
Recently there have been many magazine an TV shows displaying their lists for the top ten movies of the first decade of the new millennium. We all love lists, but I disagree with one in particular. Rolling Stones list. Now while the magazine that represents pop culture has it's own merits, I stand by my mindset that box office draw should not represent anything when it comes to fine movie making. There is the list as seen in Rolling Stone. 1. There Will Be Blood 2. Children of Men 3. Mulholland Drive 4. A History of Violence 5. No Country for Old Men 6. The Incredibles 7. Brokeback Mountain 8. The Departed 9. Mystic River 10. Lord of the Rings (trilogy.
Let me start by saying that I have not seen every movie on this list or many on other lists that seem to be staples of top ten lists. Believe me,I will. The top spot is a difficult sell. There Will Be Blood is a great single performance by Daniel Day Lewis and his performance might very well be seen as one of the ten greatest of all-time in a decade or two, but the movie is fairly boring. The pace is so slow and methodical that at times I wondered when it would be over. This can't happen in the best movie of the decade. I did not see Children of Men or Brokeback Mountain. One, because I hadn't really heard much about it and the other, because I think Heath Ledger is the single most overrated actor ever to grace the silver screen. I was thrilled that the Dark Knight was nowhere to be found on this list. Mulholland Drive is one of David Lynch's better films, but that's like saying "that was a pretty good punch in the balls." It's getting credit, but it doesn't make it good. History of Violence is a shockingly bad movie, because of the incredible cast. Ed Harris is downright goofy and the ending has one of the worst miscasting ever...unless you read further. No Country For Old Men is one of the better movies I've ever seen, let alone this decade. Javier Bardem delivers a performance that quite possibly is only outdone by the great Anthony Hopkins in portraying a villain. Anton Chigurh made me think of a quarter differently, that's how good the movie is. The Incredibles isn't even in my top ten animated films of the decade. I can't figure out the listing. The Departed is a very good movie, what keeps it from being great is the awful performance by Jack Nicholson. It's not Jack's fault, he was terribly miscast as the Irish mob boss. Otherwise the movie is top notch. Mystic River is one of the more confusing movies on any list. I hate this movie. I hate the casting, hated the acting, despite the names, and hated the story. Tim Robbins can pretty much ruin a movie on his own, but in this he had so much help, I was shocked. Finally "the trilogy." I'll leave it at this. In the words of Randall in Clerk's 2, "there is only one trilogy and that's of the Jedi."
So, I decided to compose a little list of my own. I actually had 12 movies that I consider five star movies from the decade. Unfortunately, Crash and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon missed the cut. Here are my ten.
10. The Passion of the Christ (2004) - Now this controversial movie isn't exactly a pleasure to watch. It really takes some willpower, but if you get past what might be deemed brutal or horrid, it's the story of a man who wouldn't succumb because he was told to. The fact that Christians don't like this movie proves one of my many points about religious hypocrisy. It's OK to believe he died for your sins, just don't show me or tell me about how it happened? Jim Cavaziel is absolutely brilliant. I also thought if nothing else, the casting of the stunning Monica Belluci as Mary Magdalen was quite interesting. How could anyone, including the son of God, turn her charms down? For those of you who got caught up in the hype against Mel Gibson, I suggest watching it again, with a more open mind.
9. L.I.E. (2001) - If even the idea of watching a movie about pedophilia bothers you, you might want to skip it. The opening scene, while nothing to do with the subject matter will pretty much let you know that this movie is not going to pull any punches. What this movie does is tell a tale of loneliness. I feel that it's better watched than dissected, but any movie that can make you empathize with a child molester is strong stuff. There are moments you are sickened and moments that are truly tender. Brian Cox and Paul Dano give performances that are remarkable.
8. Severance (2006) - I rented this movie while seeing a trailer for it on another film. I thought it looked kinda funny and scary and gave it a try. What I found was a movie that was half horror, half comedy, and then half holy shit! I know that's three halves, but trust me, if you watch it, you'll understand. This is a horror movie that is taken to a whole other level. Any movie that can show mutilation and death in a funny and scary way is good stuff. Even the extras on the DVD were excellent.
7. The Contender (2000) - Joan Allen. I could leave it at that. She delivers one of, if not the greatest performance I've ever seen by an actress. What makes this movie so incredible is that it's so political without ever taking a side with parties. It is all about perception versus reality and the pride it takes to maintain one's dignity in moments of great distress. The supporting cast, especially Jeff Bridges are incredible. If you don't want to shoot Gary Oldman during this, you're missing something. There is one scene towards the end of the movie that is so subtle and so powerful you are shaken by it. It defines the movie and defines the performances. Allen lost the Oscar to Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. A very good role, but nowhere near as amazing as Allen's.
6. Lars and the Real Girl (2007) - If you read the snippet on the box cover it explains that a shut-in buys a realistic looking sex doll and develops a relationship with it. The movie is really about true love. Both romantic, family, and general love thy neighbor love. It is so powerful because it's the story of how accepting people could be if they tried. I have seen this movie three times and I have cried my eyes out all three times. Now I will get teased if anyone actually reads this, because of my open man crush on Ryan Gosling, but his performance and especially that of his sister-in-law, played by Emily Mortimer, are so touching it's almost hard to believe that there wasn't a bond before and they are just acting. In the end it's another story about how everyone wants to be accepted and loved.
5. Snatch (2000) - Guy Ritchie's shoot em up follow up to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is much better than it's predecessor. Jason Staitham is wonderful in the lead, but it's all the crazy characters that surround the movie, such as Vinny Jones and especially Brad Pitt that really make this movie what it is. Violent, gritty, and profane, this isn't your grandfather's gangster film. This is craziness personified. The roller coaster that never stops falling. It never dawned on me til now, but I don't even think there is one female character other than Pitt's mother. A joyride in a very fast car!
4. Hero (2002) - Right on the heels of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon came this epic film. It's the story of a man who kills three would be assassins in attempts to stop the unfication of China. The movie is done in a very Kurosawa-like way. Very similar in delivery to Roshamon. The story is told with lots of action, but also lots of color. The colors each represent a different story and become characters themselves. Other than Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain, this is probably the most visually stimulating film I've ever seen. Jet-Li, known for his martial arts films is brilliant as is Maggie Cheung and the lovely Ziyi Zhang. This is the kind of movie, you could watch with no sound and still enjoy.
3. No Country for Old Men - When you hear Tommy Lee Jones, you expect a certain kind of gristled tale. Then you add Woody Harrelson and you don't know if you're getting a comedy or something sillier. Throw in Javier Bardem and you expect a love story that is confusing. Nope, this is a story of a killer who will stop at nothing to get back what he wants. A man who found what he wants. A man who wants to kill the killer and a small town sheriff who only wants to be as good as his father. Sounds simple. What it becomes is one of the most intense movies ever made. If you haven't already seen it, you've most likely heard of the coin flip scene. One of the best scenes ever put on film. As I said before, you'll never look at a quarter the same way.
2. Oldboy (2003) - every once in a while we have life experiences that make us change the way we look at things. Oldboy changed the way I watch movies. Since seeing this film, I've probably seen about 100 Asian horror and action films. If you haven't heard, all the American horror films and many of the action films are just bad remakes of Asian, especially Korean cinema. Oldboy starts off simple enough. A man did something wrong and is imprisoned. Only problem is it's in a hotel room for 15 years and he's never told why or who imprisoned him. Once out, he goes for a meal that will make most people turn their heads. It will be one of the most shocking things you've ever seen on film. That is, unless you continue watching. This movie contains more scenes that make you wonder about the craziness of the director Chan-wook Park (who is an absolute genius). The finale is so incredibly disturbing that when I first watched this, I sat alone in the dark for nearly 20 minutes...and then took a shower and tried to scrub away what I felt. It didn't work, so I watched it again.
1. The Believer (2001) - Three years after American History X came out, this little gem starring my man Ryan Gosling arrived. I first saw it about three years ago and only rented it because I liked him in every other movie I had seen him in. It's based on the true story of Danny Balint an anti-Semitic KKK member who revealed to a New York Times reporter that he was actually Jewish himself and that if the reporter ever revealed this fact, he would kill himself. The movie is so incredibly powerful that after viewing it and trying to describe it I told a few people, it makes American History X seem soft. Gosling gives a tour-de-force as the young, confused Balint. I think the thing that is most disturbing about this movie, for someone who grew up in a partially Jewish family is that some of the horrible things that are said, are true. While they are exaggerated to promote the feeling of hate in the movie, there are moments, like when Danny goes to hate counseling and speaks with Holocaust survivors that are shocking on multiple levels. The movie is disturbing, as all movies about hate are, but where American History X is completely one sided in displaying hate, this movie is much more cerebral. Any movie that makes me want to watch it again and again and shows me something new, even when reviewing it in my mind, is important. Definitely my #1 movie of the decade.
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