I made a list of over a hundred movies that could have gone on this sort of list and this is what I managed to pull out of there. I didn’t want to rank them concretely but the top of the list is sort of like #1 and it sort of trends downward from there. I tried not to lump movies but you’ll notice I cheated for Sofia Coppola and Lars von Trier.
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Mulholland Drive
All About My Mother
The Saddest Music in the World
Let the Right One In
I’ve Loved You So Long
8 Women
Shortbus
Waltz with Bashir
Inland Empire
Doubt
Barbarian Invasions
Lost in Translation or Marie Antoinette
Away from Her
Black Book
Dogville or Manderlay
The Gleaners & I
Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers, if I picked just one)
United 93
Raging Sun, Raging Sky
I don’t know if I’d even agree with this list in an hour, let alone in a week. There are a few movies on all the lists that I haven’t gotten round to seeing yet, like Moolade, Tropical Malady, Caché, or The Piano Teacher, so maybe I haven’t even seen my favorite movie of the decade yet.
I’d second what Matt said and what JR Hudson said.
I feel like the problem with these forums is that people seem to geek out on film in such a way that they lose any real broad view. Think of the history of literature and then think how silly it is to gripe that a story is familiar. I mean, really. Just about every story is familiar. Maybe you might try reading Joseph Campbell?
I found the story adequate and I liked that his critique of American imperialism was so clear.
I think anyone who goes to a James Cameron movie expecting good dialogue and graceful exposition probably should avoid talking about movies in public.
The difference is that there is some enhancing value to the story of Avatar and that The Dark Knight is not only a mess but it’s also morally repulsive. I can understand people reacting tepidly to Avatar but I don’t understand at all the disdain people have for it. It’s sappy but it’s also timely. It addresses the issues we’re dealing with in the world right now in a way that is affirming. I’m personally much happier about people getting off on this movie than wallowing in that other ode to fascism.
My problem with The Dark Knight, aside from the fact that much of events in the film are completely illogical, is that it very overtly seems to be justifying some very ugly approaches to coping social problems. It kind of reminds me of Hero that way. I also think that the problem with the movie, regardless of the source material, is that it isn’t very true. It seemed warped to me. It’s not that I wasn’t entertained by the movie, I just can’t understand why people love it the way they do.
THE AUTEURS BEST OF THE DECADE: FILMS over 2 years ago
I made a list of over a hundred movies that could have gone on this sort of list and this is what I managed to pull out of there. I didn’t want to rank them concretely but the top of the list is sort of like #1 and it sort of trends downward from there. I tried not to lump movies but you’ll notice I cheated for Sofia Coppola and Lars von Trier.
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Mulholland Drive
All About My Mother
The Saddest Music in the World
Let the Right One In
I’ve Loved You So Long
8 Women
Shortbus
Waltz with Bashir
Inland Empire
Doubt
Barbarian Invasions
Lost in Translation
orMarie AntoinetteAway from Her
Black Book
Dogville
orManderlayThe Gleaners & I
Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers, if I picked just one)
United 93
Raging Sun, Raging Sky
I don’t know if I’d even agree with this list in an hour, let alone in a week. There are a few movies on all the lists that I haven’t gotten round to seeing yet, like Moolade, Tropical Malady, Caché, or The Piano Teacher, so maybe I haven’t even seen my favorite movie of the decade yet.
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Top 5 Coppola over 2 years ago
Marie Antoinette
Lost in Translation
The Conversation
The Godfather II
Peggy Sue Got Married
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Avatar and composition and film fans vs reasonably knowledgeable public over 2 years ago
I’d second what Matt said and what JR Hudson said.
I feel like the problem with these forums is that people seem to geek out on film in such a way that they lose any real broad view. Think of the history of literature and then think how silly it is to gripe that a story is familiar. I mean, really. Just about every story is familiar. Maybe you might try reading Joseph Campbell?
I found the story adequate and I liked that his critique of American imperialism was so clear.
I think anyone who goes to a James Cameron movie expecting good dialogue and graceful exposition probably should avoid talking about movies in public.
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Avatar and composition and film fans vs reasonably knowledgeable public over 2 years ago
The difference is that there is some enhancing value to the story of Avatar and that The Dark Knight is not only a mess but it’s also morally repulsive. I can understand people reacting tepidly to Avatar but I don’t understand at all the disdain people have for it. It’s sappy but it’s also timely. It addresses the issues we’re dealing with in the world right now in a way that is affirming. I’m personally much happier about people getting off on this movie than wallowing in that other ode to fascism.
Go to Comment
Avatar and composition and film fans vs reasonably knowledgeable public over 2 years ago
My problem with The Dark Knight, aside from the fact that much of events in the film are completely illogical, is that it very overtly seems to be justifying some very ugly approaches to coping social problems. It kind of reminds me of Hero that way. I also think that the problem with the movie, regardless of the source material, is that it isn’t very true. It seemed warped to me. It’s not that I wasn’t entertained by the movie, I just can’t understand why people love it the way they do.
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Critics Top 10 films of the Year/Decade - If you see anything please post... over 2 years ago
When it comes to The Hurt Locker, I’m with Fandorin. I don’t get it at all.
It’s like Man on Wire: an empty, stupid movie that people are projecting all kinds of things onto, like realism in this case.
I’m happy to see Still LIfe on some of these lists.
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Most violent films you've seen over 2 years ago
I guess I’ve seen other movies where the violence was overpowering but Apocalypto sticks in my mind as on where the violence was unrelenting.
I liked the film but it was something else.
Same thing with Titus, actually.
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What Are your Mexican Favourite Films? over 2 years ago
I liked Erendira (1983), which was also based on a novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
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Waking Life (Film or Meditation) over 2 years ago
I didn’t think there was anything interesting about it but clearly it is a film.
I don’t know that I’d call it pretentious but it certainly takes itself for much deeper than it is.
I thought it was silly. I feel like Linklater makes movies for stoners.
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