20. Before Sunset (2004)
Director: Richard Linklater
Writers: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
One of the most intelligent, natural, and character-driven romantic films of the last decade (or the last two, for that matter), with endearing performances by Hawke and Delpy. The ending sequence is precious, perhaps one of the best in cinema.
19. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
Director: Brad Silberling
Writer: Robert Gordon, based on the books by Daniel Handler
Cast: Jim Carrey, Liam Aiken, Emily Browning, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, Jude Law, Timothy Spall, Catherine O'Hara, Billy Connolly, Meryl Streep
Not having liked the books on which it was based, I wasn't expecting this film to be so much fun and, beyond that, a truly well crafted film on the technical aspects. Great art direction, cinematography, costume, makeup, score. And of course, great acting, including an amusing turn by Streep. Some parts are really touching.
18. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Director: Sam Raimi
Writer: Alvin Sargent, based on the comic books by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco
Easily the best of the trilogy, with spectacular visual effects and a great, well rounded villain in Molina's Dr. Octopus. Still one of the best superhero movies of all time.
17. The Dark Knight (2008)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, based on characters by Bob Kane
Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
THE best superhero movie of all time. Amazing film made even better by the phenomenal performance of the great Heath Ledger. The biggest travesty committed by the Academy in recent years was not having nominated this film and its director.
16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Tom Wilkinson
Gondry at his best, and Winslet at her most endearing (many fans' favorite performance of hers). This is easily one of the most creative and finely made films of the last decade.
15. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Deborah Moggach, based on the novel by Jane Austen
Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn, Rosamund Pike
This is a faithful adaptation of one of the all time wittiest, most romantic novels. The film and its actors are effortless, especially Knightley and Sutherland.
14. Dogville (2003)
Director: Lars von Trier
Writer: Lars von Trier
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Paul Bettany
Spare, austere, horrifying, liberating. Brilliant film by the brilliant oft misunderstood von Trier. A film that uses no sets except lines on the ground to denote where the houses are, it looks bare but the emotion is never so. A great ending sequence that has one thinking if s/he is a little too emotionally invested in the plight of Grace, Kidman's character. This is her best performance, in my opinion.
13. Summer Wars (2009)
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Writer: Satoko Okudera
Cast (voices of): Sumiko Fuji, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Ayumu Saito, Nanami Sakuraba
From the visionary director of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time has come another amazing feat of Japanese animation. Thoroughly engaging and spectacular.
12. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Writer: Satoko Okudera, based on the novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui
Cast (voices of): Riisa Naka, Takuya Ishida, Mitsutaka Itakura, Ayami Kakiuchi
Summer Wars may be the more innovative film of Hosoda's, but The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is the more emotionally resonant. Nice take on the sci-fi trope of time travel, with romance thrown in to make one of the best anime films of all time.
11. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Director: Danny Boyle
Writer: Simon Beaufoy, based on the novel by Vikas Swarup
Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto
An exuberant, emotionally stirring film that I found myself watching over and over without getting tired of it.
Numbers 30-21 here.
Numbers 10-1 soon.
30. Battle Royale (2000)
Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Writer: Kenta Fukasaku, based on the novel by Koushun Takami
Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Takeshi Kitano
One of Quentin Tarantino's favorite films. Excessive on many levels, but it's so unique and so much fun to watch.
29. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Director: Ang Lee
Writers: Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai, based on the book by Du Lu Wang
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Chen Chang
This excellent film made wuxia popular again and made a star of Zhang Ziyi. Thank goodness for that.
28. The Others (2001)
Director: Alejandro Amenabar
Writer: Alejandro Amenabar
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley
This atmospheric film definitely ranks as one of the all-time best ghost stories, with a creepy feel all throughout and a satisfying twist at the end.
27. Atonement (2007)
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Christopher Hampton, based on the novel by Ian McEwan
Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Vanessa Redgrave
Amazing film with great performances and a heart-twisting premise that plays out powerfully.
26. Coraline (2009)
Director: Henry Selick
Writer: Henry Selick, based on the book by Neil Gaiman
Cast (voices of): Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, John Hodgman, Keith David
Neil Gaiman's work deserves such a magical adaptation. Great animation and musical score.
25. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach, based on the novel by Roald Dahl
Cast (voices of): George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe
What quirkiness you've come to expect in an Anderson film, you'll see here animated. Also a fantastic score by Alexandre Desplat.
24. Mean Girls (2004)
Director: Mark Waters
Writer: Tina Fey, based on the book by Rosalind Wiseman
Cast: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Lacey Chabert, Amanda Seyfried
This is such a fun film that I can keep on watching over and over. Lohan's shining moment, and McAdams's breakthrough. This shows what Lindsay is capable of, so I wish her the best.
23. Magnifico (2003)
Director: Maryo J. de los Reyes
Writer: Michiko Yamamoto
Cast: Lorna Tolentino, Albert Martinez, Gloria Romero, Jiro Manio
Quite possibly one of the best Filipino dramas ever, without being a typical melodrama. Very human and very sincere. Can be devastating at certain points, but that's a good thing when you're looking for a film that packs an emotional punch.
22. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Writer: Guillermo del Toro
Cast: Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Doug Jones
Del Toro has given us one of the most hypnotic and involving fantasy masterpieces of all time in Pan's Labyrinth. Not to mention one of the creepier creatures in the Pale Man.
21. Children of Men (2006)
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Writers: Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, based on the novel by P.D. James
Cast: Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Julianne Moore
A true modern sci fi classic. Cuaron expertly directs this gem about a dystopic Earth, perhaps the best such portrayal in decades.
Numbers 40-31 here.
Numbers 20-11 soon.
40. Spirited Away (2001)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
Cast (voices of): Rumi Hiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki
Animation god Hayao Miyazaki deservedly won an Oscar for this mesmerizing, magical (what Miyazaki film isn't) creation.
39. A Tale of Two Sisters (2002)
Director: Ji-woon Kim
Writer: Ji-woon Kim
Cast: Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, Su-jeong Lim, Geun-Young Moon
Captivating, intelligent, creepy psychological thriller that, like most Asian horror flicks, relies more on atmosphere than on cheap scares. Great acting by the principal cast. Korea has got to have among the best child actors in the world.
38. The Science of Sleep (2006)
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Michel Gondry
Cast: Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg
A criminally overlooked adorable, touching Gondry pic starring the adorable Bernal and Gainsbourg. It's classic Gondry with the surreal animation.
37. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)
Directors: Tetsuya Nomura, Takeshi Nozue
Writer: Kazushige Nujima
This is how that other visually great but ultimately flat Final Fantasy film should have been. These are characters we've learned to love in the games, with breathtaking animation and action sequences. What a trip for fanboys!
36. Moon (2009)
Director: Duncan Jones
Writers: Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
Brilliant sci fi flick that's a throwback to the intelligent, human-driven science fiction of the 70s. Rockwell is great in this one-man show.
35. Paris Je T'aime (2006)
Directors: Multiple
Writers: Multiple
Cast: Too many to mention
Ah, the city of love. This omnibus from some of the best filmmakers is a product of love. Touching and emotionally involving. Stand-outs include Gurinder Chadha's "Quais de Seine," Alfonso Cuaron's "Parc Monceau," Vincenzo Natali's "Quartier de la Madeleine" (the only horror segment), Tom Tykwer's "Faubourg Saint-Denis," Nobuhiro Suwa's "Place des Victoires" (in which Juliette Binoche is, as always, amazing), and the winning closing segment by Alexander Payne, "14th arrondissement," which features the lovable Margot Martindale.
34. The School of Rock (2003)
Director: Richard Linklater
Writer: Mike White
Cast: Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack, Sarah Silverman
Black probably hasn't been funnier or more natural than in this fun, music-driven flick. The kids are great and so are the songs. I'd love to see a sequel.
33. A Knight's Tale (2001)
Director: Brian Helgeland
Writer: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Laura Fraser, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk
This could have failed miserably, mixing medieval Europe with modern pop beats. But it soars and delights, thanks mostly to the great chemistry and fantastic humor among the cast, led by the late great Ledger.
32. (500) Days of Summer (2009)
Director: Marc Webb
Writer: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel
One of the best, most well written romantic comedies in recent years. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel are both adorable.
31. The Incredibles (2004)
Director: Brad Bird
Writer: Brad Bird
Cast (voices of): Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee
The title says it all. Great kinetic fun, much better than a lot of live-action superhero movies. How about a sequel?
Numbers 50-41 here.
Numbers 30-21 soon.
It took me a fair amount of time to decide on what 50 films from 2000 to 2009 most excited, intrigued, or impressed me. Some have simply stuck to my memory regardless of overall quality. This is not my list of "Best Pictures" of the last decade. These are instead films that I treasure for many different reasons and that I wouldn't mind watching over and over. This list, my first of its nature, is very important for me, since the cinephile in me was awakened only in 2001, twenty years after my birth and having been at best a casual moviegoer.
Here are #s 50-41:
50. Infernal Affairs (2002)
Directors: Wai-keung Lau, Alan Mak
Writers: Alan Mak, Felix Chong
Cast: Andy Lau, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Sammi Cheng
The movie that directly inspired Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning The Departed. A masterful film, perhaps Hong Kong's finest in the last decade.
49. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Director: Lars von Trier
Writer: Lars von Trier
Cast: Bjork, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Peter Stormare
What a performance from Bjork! Raw, innocent, powerful. The film itself scars and wounds, especially in the last few sequences, and it leaves an indelible mark.
48. Bayaning Third World (2000)
Director: Mike de Leon
Writers: Clodualdo del Mundo, Jr., Mike de Leon
Cast: Joel Torre, Ricky Davao, Cris Villanueva
Of the many Filipino films about national hero Jose Rizal, this is easily the most imaginative. Surreal, bizarre, sometimes bordering on absurd, but never anything less than genius. Mike de Leon, a major player in Philippine cinema's second Golden Age (the 1970s), proves he still has it.
47. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005)
Director: Auraeus Solito
Writer: Michiko Yamamoto
Cast: Nathan Lopez, Soliman Cruz, JR Valentin, Neil Ryan Sese, Ping Medina
The Filipino indie scene is now dominated by gay films, but before that deluge of mostly derivative, exploitative drivel, this true gem of the digital movement impressed viewers here and abroad, even getting a Spirit Award nomination for Foreign Language Film. A very refreshing take on the homosexual Filipino adolescent, in that his very macho father and older brothers love him dearly and dote on him.
46. WALL-E (2008)
Director: Andrew Stanton
Writers: Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon
Brilliant piece of animation and science fiction. Having a silent robot with emotions as the lead character goes a long way.
45. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Writer: Steve Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
This is easily the best in the series. Cuaron's little touches elevate this to a very good fantasy piece. And the three actors are at their best here.
44. Sideways (2004)
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor, based on the novel by Rex Pickett
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh
This film is so smooth and effortless in the way it captures the audience's emotion that it latches on and doesn't let go. I cannot forget the amazement I felt at Paul Giamatti's brilliance...and my vexation at his not having been nominated for an Oscar.
43. Enchanted (2007)
Director: Kevin Lima
Writer: Bill Kelly
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Susan Sarandon
Amy Adams is aces as a Disney princess transported to modern-day New York in this very memorable and highly entertaining film. The songs are contagious, and James Marden plays a hilarious Prince.
42. Doubt (2008)
Director: John Patrick Shanley
Writer: John Patrick Shanley, based on his play
Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis
Just writing that cast list has me thinking back to this powerful film. It's a good story and a well-crafted movie, but it's the cast that got me. All four, including the immortal Meryl Streep, at their finest. What more can you ask for?
41. In Bruges (2008)
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes
This film had me simultaneously in stitches, frightened of Ralph Fiennes, falling in love with Bruges which I had not heard of prior to watching this, and thinking how fantastic an actor Colin Farrell is. He should have been nominated for an Oscar.
Numbers 40-39 soon.
With another Oscar year over, it's time to move on. Predicting nominees has always been much more fun than predicting winners.
Coming soon (sooner than would seem normal, in the third case haha) on this blog:
My 50 Favorite Films of the Past Decade (2000-2009)
Film-Otaku Awards 2009
Predictions on the 83rd Academy Awards
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
The Hurt Locker
Predicted: Inglourious Basterds. The safest best. I just had to change my bet at the last minute to Basterds, thinking the preferential voting would benefit it. Oh well. I loved Avatar and wanted it to win, but while I still believe that it deserved to win, I'm happy for Locker and the people involved.
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
First female winner of this category EVER. Very deserving, though James Cameron's achievements with Avatar are still mind-blowing and should have been rewarded more.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
He finally wins after the fifth nod. Can't say I was crazy about the performance (and as I still haven't seen A Single Man, can't say it's the best either), but the voters could have done much worse. He's a terrific actor.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
Up until the last minute, I was still rooting for Meryl Streep, but there was no denying Sandra Bullock's momentum. Blah. Love her and the speech and the fact that she now has an Oscar, but over those other four? America's sweetheart indeed.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
The most deserving of the five by a mile.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)
Ditto here. Love her speech. It should never be about the campaigning!
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)
Predicted: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). Tarantino's support within the Academy was not enough to have his creative script win over Boal's intense screenplay.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)
Predicted: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air). One of the biggest upsets of the night. Not really happy with the result here, as Up in the Air is easily the superior film.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Pete Docter (Up)
Duh. Though while I was watching the clips of the nominees (and the "interviews" with the leads), I found myself wondering what Princess and the Frog was doing lumped with all those excellent films.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Cove
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Argentina (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)
Less of a surprise than generally thought, as the film has been getting rave reviews and buzz.
ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION
Avatar
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
Mauro Fiore (Avatar)
Predicted: Barry Ackroyd (The Hurt Locker). I'm happy that I'm wrong. Fiore deserves it.
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
Sandy Powell (The Young Victoria)
How utterly predictable. I wish Janet Patterson had won.
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
Bob Murawski, Chris Innis (The Hurt Locker)
Predicted: John Refoua, Stephen Rivkin (Avatar). Come on. They should have given this to the Avatar team. Respect.
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP
Star Trek
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Michael Giacchino (Up)
I realized how great this score is when the nominees were being played.
ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
"The Weary Kind" (Crazy Heart)
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
The Hurt Locker
Predicted: Avatar. This stings.
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
The Hurt Locker
Predicted: Avatar. Again.
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar
BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
"Music by Prudence"
Predicted: "China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
"Logorama"
Predicted: "A Matter of Loaf and Death"
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
"The New Tenants"
Predicted: "The Door"
Score: 14/24. As usual, the shorts got me. The major categories were much more easily predictable.
The powers-that-be have yet to announce who they'll be casting as the iconic titular character in The First Avenger: Captain America, with names such as Chace Crawford (too pretty?) and John Krasinski (umm...nope) popping out. At the earliest stages of speculation, when Brad Pitt's name was being tossed around as the ideal Thor, Leonardo DiCaprio was being mentioned for this role. Leo's my favorite actor, so I wouldn't mind if it came to that, but I don't think they'll go that way.
There's another actor, recently surging in popularity and Oscar-nominated to boot, that I believe would be a very good Captain America. He's American (as the character's actor should be), a good actor, and he starred in an action movie with American sentiments (just something called The Hurt Locker). He's being rumored to be Hawkeye in the Avengers movie, but I'm thinking that might be a decoy...
JEREMY RENNER
And who else to play Nazi villain Red Skull but Christoph Waltz?
At this point, The Hurt Locker still has the momentum (e-mail brouhaha and all), but any of the other big three (Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air) can still take it. It hasn't won anything recently, but I'm beginning to suspect a Basterds "upset." Hmm...
