Best Films of the 00's
Submitted by AfterHours on Sun, 07/05/2009 - 00:04
Tags:
- 9/10
- Inland Empire-Lynch (2006)
- 8/10
- Memento-Nolan (2001)
- 21 Grams-Inarritu (2003)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-Gondry (2004)
- Mulholland Drive-Lynch (2001)
- Requiem For A Dream-Aronofsky (2000)
- 7.5/10
- The Beat That My Heart Skipped-Audiard (2005)
- Hero-Yimou (2002)
- Amores Perros-Inarritu (2000)
- Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring-Ki-duk (2003)
- Southland Tales-Kelly (2007)
- The Science of Sleep-Gondry (2006)
- Amelie-Jeunet (2001)
- Once-Carney (2006)
- The Lives of Others-Donnersmarck (2007)
- Synecdoche, New York-Kaufman (2008)
- Adaptation-Jonze (2002)
- Dogville-Von Trier (2003)
- Cache-Haneke (2005)
- The Duchess of Langeais-Rivette (2007)
- There Will Be Blood-Anderson (2007)
- No Country For Old Men-Coen (2007)
- The Best of Youth-Giordana (2003)
- Nurse Betty-Labute (2000)
- I'm Not There-Haynes (2007)
Author Comments:
My ratings and rankings for best films of this decade. Still have lots of films to view. Suggestions welcome.
I'm undecided about Southland Tales. On the one hand, a fascinating satire of pop culture; on the other hand, what seems like a needlessly convulted narrative with perhaps too many things it wanted to say. I do think Kelly was making some kind of "meta" statement having certain actors play against type (SNL performers as hardened, humorless revolutionaries) or beyond their abilities (Rock playing a serious lead, Timberlake). It's a very interesting film in any case. Like a beautiful wreck and the audience the rubberneckers.
I'd nominate Fog of War (2005), Adaptation (2002), Sin City (2005), and Sideways (2004) and maybe WALL-E (2008) for close to 7.5.
I think Southland Tales is both a fascinating satire and a needlessly convulted narrative with WAY too many things to say. That's what I love so much about it. It is totally brilliant, utterly ridiculous and completely, magnificently awful.
I really liked Sin City, which I'd probably rate a 7/10 (so if I get around to extending the list it will probably make it). And I also liked Sideways which I'd tag with a 6.5/10. I've seen some of Wall-E and it was interesting, but I'll have to finish it to give it a rating, and I don't think I've seen the other 2 yet. Thanks for the suggestions.
Fog of War is by the incomparable documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, arguably the finest talent working in his genre. His masterpiece and one of the greatest films of all time is Thin Blue Line, one of the few films that had demonstrable real world effects (and pioneered an abstract, meditative reenactment method). Ebert believes his first flick Gates of Heaven is one of the top 10 of all time. I'd rate that one at least an 8. Morris's gift (through years of being a private detective) is getting people to really open up on camera and start revealing all sorts of interesting things about themselves, other people, and life in general. Fog of War is an amazing interview with Robert McNamara, defense secretary under Kennedy and Johnson, who just died yesterday.
McNamara goes through his life lessons. From the film:
“We burned to death 100,000 Japanese civilians in Tokyo — men, women and children,” Mr. McNamara recalled; some 900,000 Japanese civilians died in all. “LeMay said, ‘If we’d lost the war, we’d all have been prosecuted as war criminals.’ And I think he’s right. He — and I’d say I — were behaving as war criminals.”
“What makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?” he asked. He found the question impossible to answer.
Adaptation is that Charlie Kaufman film about the scriptwriter writing himself into the movie. A great film about persona and fiction.
Inland
Empire.
I'm not even going to pretend that I fully understand it, but it's truly remarkable. Lynch's technique is flawless as he points the camera directly at his mind. Werckmeister Harmonies is a must see; I found Russian Ark to be very good; but my interest in the subject matter might make me biased; Children of Men had jaw dropping cinematography, A History of Violence and City of God are well worth watching...
I found Synecdoche to be terribly myopic, petty, egocentric and clueless. Kaufman seems to want to utter a universal truth, but he's completely hopeless in his cause. Caden's condition isn't universal, and that's why things fall apart. It doesn't explore the issue of misery; instead, the film is constructed from layers of self-pity. The premise is interesting, but the film is not.
Haven't found the time to finish Inland Empire yet but it was indeed fascinating, as Lynch always seems to be. Dern's performance was one of the greatest I've ever seen--but still, have to finish before I make my final ratings on it. Haven't sen Werkmeister yet but it's on my must-see list. Children of Men barely missed the cut. It would be one of the top 7's if I extended it (after all, it's no Nurse Betty! That one's for Parable). Another one that nearly made it was Pan's Labyrinth. Haven't seen History of Violence or City of God yet but I've heard great things about each.
Re: Synecdoche. I thought it was stunning, featuring the greatest ensemble acting in the history of cinema (with Hoffman's performance a serious contender for best performance ever). I thought Kaufman portrayed the inexplicable feeling of passing time and the odd experience of life, the desire for connection, for something more, to be felt, to be loved, brilliantly. Caden's condition isn't universal which is why he has such a difficult time creating those connections and getting those experiences out of life. I thought Hoffman's struggles were an extension of the director's personality, and the film itself as a struggle was merely an extension of this, not a flaw in particular. It only made it more powerful and strange and confounding and speechless to watch.
Memento is excellent, good choice. At the end of the film, there's absolutely no one you can trust (not even the crooked cop Teddy). What do you think of Magnolia? I think it's slightly better than Blood.
I really like Magnolia. About 8 or 9 years ago I had it ranked as one of the greatest films ever. It's funny you mention it because I've recently been having urges to revisit it, wondering if it could regain that distinction. Currently, in memory it seems better than my last rating of it from a few years ago (7.5/10).
If you're suggesting it for this list, it's from 1999, otherwise it would indeed place in the 7.5 range (and perhaps higher when I revisit it!)
It seems like just about everyone had a huge crush on Paul Thomas Anderson when they were 'younger' (I'm assuming on your part). I remember being tenderly, tragically in love with Punch Drunk Love a few years back (the colours, the music, Adam Sandler's isolation). He's a good director no doubt, but that was also back when I knew relatively little about cinema. And now I'm finding out I still know little, not being aware of Tarkovsky or Dryer or Welles for that matter, among many others. So many directors to check out, oi. Jeez, I sound like I'm complaining about great art that lays ahead, but it's really just kvetching. 7.5 sounds about right. O-ho, you're right I did not realize Magnolia was 90's, nor did I know that PTA is only 40 years old. Looks like he should be able to squeeze out at least another 3-4 films. By the way, did you Death Proof?
Nope. Is it good?
Yes, from what I remember it was Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction. He did a great job of getting into the female psyche on that one.
And if you dig Kurt Russell, it's a must watch!
Very good call on Lives of Others! What an elegant film.
Considering the things here, I've got a suggestion for a recent film I think you might like (although you'll likely have to get a bootleg). Matthew Barney's "Cremaster 3: The Order". It's at least as innovatively insane and inventing-its-own-language as Inland Empire (which i am damn fond of myself). The Cremaster series is worth checking out as a whole, as well. Makes for an interesting five-act 7.5 hour movie 10 years in the making. But Cremaster 3 stands on its own pretty well, at least better than other chapters.
I just read some about #3 and the cycle itself and it sounds interesting, though admittedly more novelty than anything else. Are the films or any parts of it particularly emotional or are they merely very interesting for their novelty? Is there a building of impact, either via the characters performances or by the narrative pull, or both?
Really? Southland Tales had something to say? I must have missed that part.
Yep, must've been too profound for you ( :
It may be a testament to my supreme egotism, but, I doubt that.
Well, the film is very laid back and tentative, it's meanings very hidden and elusive so...
( :
Very laid back....tentative...ha! It was a very decadent and excessive way to impart any kind of message. I think what turned me off most was it's blockbuster-style presentation. It's the kind of offensive film made by a "prophetic" crank who doesn't actually know much about the world around him. I found it incredibly juvenile, yet oddly alluring. I mean, it did have an absurd kind of seriousness to it. It was just overwhelmingly debauched. And even if that was his intention it certainly wasn't my cup of tea.
Irreversible?
Haven't seen it. How does it compare to Memento?
More intense, more philisophical. Equally brilliant in its development of character.
Thanks, I want to see it now.
I just saw Darren Aronofsky's 'The Fountain'. it was brilliant, currently a 8/10 for me.
I agree on its brilliance. Last I rated it I gave it a 7/10.
I recommend 'In the Mood For Love' as the top film of the decade, and only film I would give a 10/10 to. However, Wong Kar-Wai is not everyone's cup of tea, and I would recommend seeing Chungking Express (1994) or even the sequel to 'Mood' , '2046' before taking on his masterpiece - In The Mood For Love.