by Joel Bocko
Last fall, in response to They Shoot Pictures Don’t They‘s “21st Century” canon, I launched a series exploring the most acclaimed films of the 21st century. Beginning at the top of the list, I set out to watch every film that I hadn’t seen before – and to write about each one along the way. I got through about ten films before, for a variety of reasons, I had to take a one-month break from the series. Now I’m back, and new pieces should be appearing here every week.
I waited, in part, because I knew the website would be updating its results in late January, to reflect end-of-2009 critics’ lists. The fresh list appeared at the end of January, so now I will be starting with the first film I haven’t seen on the new list, which just so happens to be a 2009 movie: The Hurt Locker. The review is planned for one week from today: Tuesday, March 2.
In the mean time, here is the updated list, preceded by my original (slightly) modified intro. From now on, this will serve as a continually updated list of my posts on each film – it will be linked at the beginning of each new review, and films which are reviewed throughout 2010 will appear in bold on this page.
1. In the Mood for Love (2000, Hong Kong/France), dir. Wong Kar-Wai
2. Mulholland Dr. (2001, USA/France), dir. David Lynch
3. Yi yi (2000, Taiwan/Japan), dir. Edward Yang
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, USA), dir. Michel Gondry
5. Lost in Translation (2003, USA/Japan), dir. Sofia Coppola
6. Spirited Away (2001, Japan), dir. Hayao Miyazaki
7. There Will Be Blood (2007, USA), dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
8. Talk to Her (2002, Spain), dir. Pedro Almodóvar
9. A History of Violence (2005, Germany/USA), dir. David Cronenberg
10. Y tu mamá también (2001, Mexico), dir. Alfonso Cuarón
11. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, China/Taiwan/USA), dir. Ang Lee
12. Sideways (2004, USA), dir. Alexander Payne
13. The Hurt Locker (2009, USA), dir. Kathryn Bigelow
14. Far From Heaven (2002, USA/France), dir. Todd Haynes
15. Million Dollar Baby (2004, USA), dir. Clint Eastwood
16. No Country for Old Men (2004, USA), dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
17. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001, USA), dir. Wes Anderson
18. Before Sunset (2004, USA), dir. Richard Linklater
19. Memento (2000, USA), dir. Christopher Nolan
20. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007, Romania/Netherlands/France/Germany), dir. Cristian Mungiu
21. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, Spain/Mexico/USA), dir. Guillermo del Toro
22. Zodiac (2007, USA), dir. David Fincher
23. Brokeback Mountain (2005, USA/Canada), dir. Ang Lee
24. Punch-Drunk Love (2002, USA), dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
25. Caché (2005, France/Austria/Germany/Italy), dir. Michael Haneke
26. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001, USA), dir. Steven Spielberg
27. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003, New Zealand/USA/Germany), dir. Peter Jackson
28. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005, Romania), dir. Cristi Puiu
29. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001, USA/New Zealand), dir. Peter Jackson
30. City of God (2002, France), dir. Fernando Meirelles
31. Adaptation (2002, USA), dir. Spike Jonze
32. The Departed (2006, USA), dir. Martin Scorsese
33. Grizzly Man (2005, USA), dir. Werner Herzog
34. Donnie Darko (2001, USA), dir. Richard Kelly
35. The Incredibles (2004, USA), dir. Brad Bird
36. Mystic River (2003, USA), dir. Clint Eastwood
37. Dogville (2003, Denmark/Sweden/France/UK/Germany/Finland/Italy/Netherlands/Norway), dir. Lars von Trier
38. Syndromes and a Century (2006, Thailand/France/Austria/Netherlands), dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
39. 2046 (2004, China/France/Germany/Hong Kong), dir. Wong Kar-Wai
40. Ghost World (2001, UK/USA/Germany), dir. Terry Zwigoff
41. WALL-E (2008, USA), dir. Andrew Stanton
42. United 93 (2006, USA/UK/Franc), dir. Paul Greengrass
43. Moulin Rouge! (2001, USA/Australia), dir. Baz Luhrmann
44. Children of Men (2006, USA/UK/Japan), dir. Alfonso Cuaron
45. The Squid and the Whale (2005, USA), dir. Noah Baumbach
46. The Flight of the Red Balloon (2007, France/Taiwan), dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
47. Still Life (2006, Hong Kong/China), dir. Zhang Ke Jia
48. Summer Hours (2008, France), dir. Olivier Assayas
49. Requiem for a Dream (2000, USA), dir. Darren Aronofsky
50. The Queen (2006, UK/France/Italy/USA), dir. Stephen Frears
51. Elephant (2003, USA), dir. Gus Van Sant
52. Finding Nemo (2003, USA), dir. Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich
53. You Can Count on Me (2000, USA), dir. Kenneth Lonnergan
54. Capturing the Friedmans (2003, USA), dir. Andrew Jarecki
55. Tropical Malady (2004, Thailand/France/Germany/Italy/Switzerland), dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
56. Dancer in the Dark (2000, Denmark/France/Sweden/Italy/Germany/Norway/Netherlands/Iceland/Finland/UK/USA), dir. Lars von Trier
57. L’Enfant (2005, Belgium/France), dir. Jean Pierre & Luc Dardenne
58. Russian Ark (2002, Russia/Germany/Japan/Canada/Finland/Denmark), dir. Aleksandr Sokurov
59. The Gleaners & I (2000, France), dir. Agnès Varda
60. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002 USA/New Zealand/Germany), dir. Peter Jackson
61. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006, USA), dir. Clint Eastwood
62. The Pianist (2002, UK/France/Poland/Germany/Netherlands), dir. Roman Polanski
63. American Splendor (2003, USA), dir. Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman
64. Kings & Queen (2004, France), dir. Arnaud Desplechin
65. Inglourious Basterds (2009, USA/Germany), dir. Quentin Tarantino
66. The Lives of Others (2006, USA/Germany), dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
67. A Serious Man (2009, USA/UK/France), dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
68. I’m Not There (2007, USA/Germany), dir. Todd Haynes
69. Oldboy (2003, South Korea), dir. Park Chan-wook
70. The World (2004, China/Japan/France), dir. Zhang Ke Jia
71. A Christmas Tale (2008, France), dir. Arnaud Desplechin
72. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009, USA), dir. Wes Anderson
73. Waking Life (2001, USA), dir. Richard Linklater
74. Platform (2000, Hong Kong/Japan/France/Netherlands/Sweden), dir. Zhang Ke Jia
75. Almost Famous (2000, USA), dir. Cameron Crowe
76. Amores perros (2000, Mexico), dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu
77. The House of Mirth (2000, UK), dir. Terence Davies
78. In the Bedroom (2001, USA), dir. Todd Field
79. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007, USA/Canada), dir. Andrew Dominik
80. Synecdoche, New York (2008, USA), dir. Charlie Kaufman
81. The New World (2005, USA), dir. Terrence Malick
82. Wendy and Lucy (2008, USA), dir. Kelly Reichardt
83. Moolaadé (2004, Senegal/Burkina Faso, Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon, Switzerland, Germany), dir. Ousmane Sembene
84. About Schmidt (2002, USA), dir. Alexander Payne
85. The Son (2002, Belgium/France), dir. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
86. Traffic (2000, Germany/USA), dir. Steven Soderbergh
87. Waltz with Bashir, (2008, Israel/France/Germany/USA/Japan/Finland/Switzerland/Belgium/Australia)
88. My Winnipeg (2007, Canada/USA), dir. Guy Maddin
89. Gosford Park (2001, USA/UK), dir. Robert Altman
90. The Headless Woman (2008, Argentina/France/Italy/Spain), dir. Lucrecia Martel
91.Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006, USA/UK), dir. Larry Charles
92. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003, USA), dir. Quentin Tarantino
93. Atanarjuat (2000, Canada), dir. Zacahrias Kunuk
94. In Praise of Love (2001, France), dir. Jean-Luc Godard
95. Let the Right One In (2008, Sweden/Norway), dir. Tomas Alfredson
96. Inland Empire (2006, USA/France/Poland), dir. David Lynch
97. Amélie (2001, France/Germany), dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
98. Shrek (2001, USA), dir. Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson
99. The Aviator (2004, USA/Germany), dir. Martin Scorsese
100. Silent Light (2007, Mexico/France/Netherlands), dir. Carlos Reygadas
__________________________
That’s it for the series – here’s the rest of the list, with links to previous reviews.
• • •
101. 35 Shots of Rum (2008, France/Germany), dir. Claire Denis
102. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003, Taiwan), dir. Tsai Ming-Liang
103. Saraband (2003, Sweden/Denmark/Norway/Italy/Finland/Germany/Austria), dir. Ingmar Bergman
104. Together (2000, Sweden/Denmark/Italy), dir. Lukas Moodysson
105. Holy Girl (2004, Argentina/Spain/Italy/Netherlands/Switzerland)
106. Vera Drake (2004, UK/France), dir. Mike Leigh
107. Werckmeister Harmonies (2000, Hungary/Germany/France/Switzerland/Italy), dir. Béla Tarr
108. The Fog of War (2003, USA), dir. Errol Morris
109. Munich (2005, USA/Canada), dir. Steven Spielberg
110. Up (2009, USA), dir. Pete Docter
111. The Piano Teacher (2001, Austria/France/Germany), dir. Michael Haneke
112. Colossal Youth (2006, Portugal/France/Switzerland), dir. Pedro Costa
113. The Man Without a Past (2002, Finland/Germany/France), dir. Aki Kaurismäki
114. The Dark Knight (2008, USA/UK), dir. Christopher Nolan
115. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003, USA), dir. Peter Weir
116. Good Night, and Good Luck (2005, USA/France/UK/Japan), dir. George Clooney
117. Time Out (2001, France), dir. Laurent Cantet
118. Paranoid Park (2007, USA/France), dir. Gus Van Sant
119. Regular Lovers (2004, France/Italy), dir. Philippe Garrel
120. Hunger (2008, UK/Ireland), dir. Steve McQueen
121. Police, Adjective (2009, Romania), dir. Corneliu Porumboiu
122. The White Ribbon (2009, Austria/Germany/France/Italy), dir. Michael Haneke
123. The Circle (2000, Iran/Italy/Switzerland), dir. Jafar Panahi
124. School of Rock (2003, USA/Germany), dir. Richard Linklater
125. Little Miss Sunshine (2006, USA), dir. Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
126. Happy-Go-Lucky (2008, UK/USA), dir. Mike Leigh
127. Volver (2006, Spain), dir. Pedro Almodóvar
128. Half Nelson (2006, USA), dir. Ryan Fleck
129. Bad Education (2004, Spain), dir. Pedro Almodóvar
130. The Wrestler (2008, USA), dir. Darren Aronofsky
131. The Best of Youth (2003, Italy), dir. Marco Tullio
132. House of Flying Daggers (2004, Hong Kong/China), dir. Zhang Yimou
133. Capote (2005, USA/Canada), dir. Bennett Miller
134. Sexy Beast (2000, UK/Spain), dir. Jonathan Glazer
135. Bowling for Columbine (2002, USA), dir. Michael Moore
136. The Intruder (2004, France/South Korea), dir. Claire Denis
137. What Time is It There? (2001, France/Taiwan/Italy), dir. Tsai Ming-Liang
138. Black Book (2006, Netherlands/Germany/UK/Belgium), dir. Paul Verhoeven
139. Café Lumière (2003, Japan/Taiwan), dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
140. Once (2007, Ireland/USA), dir. John Carney
141. I’m Going Home (2000, Portugal/France), dir. Manoel de Oliveira
142. Gladiator (2000, USA), dir. Ridley Scott
143. Wonder Boys (2000, USA), dir. Curtis Hanson
144. Head-On (2003, Germany), dir. Fatih Akin
145. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004, USA), dir. Michael Moore
146. 25th Hour (2002, USA), dir. Spike Lee
147. Gangs of New York (2002, USA), dir. Martin Scorsese
148. Notre musique (2004, France/Switzerland), dir. Jean-Luc Godard
149. Demonlover (2002, France/Japan/Mexico/USA), dir. Olivier Assayas
150. To Be and to Have (2002, France), dir. Nicolas Philibert
151. Shaun of the Dead (2004, UK/USA/France), dir. Edgar Wright
152. La Commune (Paris 1817) (2000, France), dir. Peter Watkins
153. Eureka (2000, Japan/France), dir. Shinji Aoyama
154.Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004, USA/China), dir. Quentin Tarantino
155. Three Times (2005, France/Taiwan), dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
156. The Triplets of Belleville (2003, France/Canada/Belgium/UK), dir. Sylvain Chomet
157. In the City of Sylvia (2007, Spain/France), dir. José Luis Guerín
158. In America (2003, USA/Ireland/UK), dir. Jim Sheridan
159. Songs from the Second Floor (2000, Sweden/France/Denmark/Norway/Germany), dir. Roy Andersson
160. Eastern Promises (2007, USA/Canada/UK), dir. David Cronenberg
161. Last Days (2004, USA), dir. Gus Van Sant
162. Milk (2008, USA), dir. Gus Van Sant
163. Erin Brockavich (2000, USA), dir. Steven Soderbergh
164. Ten (2002, Iran/France), dir. Abbas Kiarostami
165. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007, France/USA), dir. Julian Schnabel
166. A ma soeur! (2001, France/Italy), dir. Catherine Breillat
167. Spider (2002, Canada/UK/Japan/France), dir. David Cronenberg
168. I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone (2006, Taiwan/France/Austria), dir. Tsai Ming-Liang
169. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000, USA), dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
170. The Hours (2002, USA), dir. Stephen Daldry
171. The Host (2006, South Korea/Japan), dir. Bong Joon-ho
172. Man on Wire (2007, UK), dir. James Marsh
173. Spellbound (2002, USA), dir. Jeffrey Blitz
174. Bloody Sunday (2001, UK/Ireland), dir. Paul Greengrass
175. Distant (2002, Turkey/Netherlands), dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
176. Kinsey (2004, USA/UK/Germany), dir. Bill Condon
177. Ratatouille (2007, USA), dir. Brad Bird
178. George Washington (2000, USA), dir. David Gordon Green
179. Irréversible (2002, France), dir. Gaspar Noé
180. Hotel Rwanda (2004, USA/UK/South Africa/Italy), dir. Terry George
181. Two Lovers (2008, USA/France), dir. James Gray
182. Up in the Air (2009, USA), dir. Jason Reitman
183. Minority Report (2002, USA), dir. Steven Spielberg
184. 21 Grams (2003, USA/Germany), dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu
185. 24 Hour Party People (2001, UK), dir. Michael Winterbottom
186. Offside (2006, Iran), dir. Jafar Panahi
187. Hero (2002, China/Hong Kong), dir. Zhang Yimou
188. Chicago (2002, USA), dir. Rob Marshall
189. Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2003, China), dir. Wang Bing
190. Nobody Knows (2003, Japan), dir. Hirokazu Koreeda
191. In the Loop (2009, UK/Cayman Islands), dir. Armando Iannucci
192. Tarnation (2003, USA), dir. Jonathan Caouette
193. A Prairie Home Companion (2006, USA), dir. Robert Altman
194. Downfall (2004, Germany/Austria/Italy), dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
195. The Sun (2005, Russia/Italy/France/Switzerland), dir. Aleksandr Sokurov
196. Black Hawk Down (2001, USA), dir. Ridley Scott
197. Rachel Getting Married (2008, USA), dir. Jonathan Demme
198. Maria Full of Grace (2003, Colombia/Ecuador/USA), dir. Joshua Marston
199. Crash (2004, USA/Germany/Australia), dir. Paul Haggis
200. Flags of Our Fathers (2006, USA), dir. Clint Eastwood
201. Persepolis (2007, France/USA), dir. Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi
202. High Fidelity (2000, USA/UK), dir. Stephen Frears
203. Femme Fatale (2002, France), dir. Brian De Palma
204. Chicken Run (2000, UK/USA), dir. Peter Lord & Nick Park
205. Monsoon Wedding (2001, France/Italy/Germany), dir. Mira Nair
206. Collateral (2004, USA), dir. Michael Mann
207. Morvern Callar (2002, UK/Canada), dir. Lynne Ramsay
208. I Heart Huckabees (2004, USA/Germany/UK), dir. David O. Russell
209. Casino Royale (2006, UK/USA/Czech Republic/Germany), dir. Martin Campbell
210. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004, Japan), dir. Hayao Miyazaki
211. East of Bucharest (2006, Romania/France), dir. Corneliu Porumboiu
212. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, UK/USA), dir. Nick Park & Steve Box
213. The Duchess of Langeais (2007, France/Italy), dir. Jacques Rivette
214. Before Night Falls (2000, USA), dir. Julian Schnabel
215. Match Point (2005, UK/USA/Luxembourg), dir. Woody Allen
216. Keane (2004, USA), dir. Lodge Kerrigan
217. The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001, USA/UK), dir. Joel & Ethan Coen
218. Unknown Pleasures (2002, Japan/France/South Korea/China), dir. Jia Zhangke
219. Crimson Gold (2003, Iran), dir. Jafar Panahi
220. Bright Star (2009, UK/Australia/France), dir. Jane Campion
221. Slumdog Millionaire (2008, UK), dir. Danny Boyle
222. The Beaches of Agnès (2008, France), dir. Agnès Varda
223. Gerry (2001, USA), dir. Gus Van Sant
224. Gomorrah (2008, Italy), dir. Matteo Garrone
225. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005, UK), dir. Michael Winterbottom
226. The Edge of Heaven (2007, Turkey/Germany/Italy), dir. Fatih Akin
227. Into the Wild (2007, USA), dir. Sean Penn
228. King Kong (2005, USA/New Zealand/Germany), dir. Peter Jackson
229. Woman on the Beach (2006, South Korea), dir. Hong Sang-soo
230. 28 Days Later… (2002, UK), dir. Danny Boyle
231. Monsters, Inc. (2001, USA), dir. Peter Decter, David Silverman & Lee Unkrich
232. Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003, USA), dir. Thom Andersen
233. Old Joy (2005, USA), dir. Kelly Reichardt
234. Late Marriage (2001, Israel/France), dir. Dover Kosashvili
235. Still Walking (2008, Japan), dir. Hirokazu Koreeda
236. Blissfully Yours (2002, Thailand/France), dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
237. Coraline (2009, USA), dir. Henry Selick
238. Kung Fu Hustle (2004, Hong Kong/China), dir. Stephen Chow
239. Code Unknown (2000, France/Germany/Romania), dir. Michael Haneke
240. Paradise Now (2005, Israel/Netherlands/Germany/France), dir. Hany Abu-Assad
241. Of Time and the City (2008, UK), dir. Terence Davies
242. Billy Elliot (2000, UK), dir. Stephen Daldry
243. A Time for Drunken Horses (2000, Iran), dir. Bahman Ghobadi
244. Ballast (2008, USA), dir. Lance Hammer
245. Where the Wild Things Are (2009, USA), dir. Spike Jonze
246. Under the Sand (2000, France/Japan), dir. François Ozon
247. Iraq in Fragments (2006, USA), dir. James Longley
248. Private Fears in Public Places (2006, France/Italy), dir. Alain Resnais
249. Bamako (2006, Mali/France/USA), dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
250. Climates (2006, Turkey/France/Netherlands), dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
(original intro)
As the first decade of the millennium reaches its ends, you are welcome to list your own choices below. Something popular, like Wall-E or The Dark Knight? Something controversial, from the love-it-or-hate-it category, like Mulholland Dr. or Lost in Translation (put me with the love-it crowd on those two, which I would place the near the top of my own tentative list, alongside Wall-E)? Something more unfamiliar? Combinations of all of the above?
For my own part, I’d refrain from making such a list right now, because it seems there are still so many movies – so many acclaimed and/or popular movies – left to see. Where to start? How about with the remarkably thorough website They Shoot Pictures Don’t They, which offers a list of the 250 most acclaimed films of the 21st century? Compiled from critics’ year-end top films lists (as well as all-time lists which include recent films), this contemporary canon is updated through 2009 (updated by author, 1/31). At the moment, Wong Kar-Wai’s lush yet restrained Hong Kong romance In the Mood for Love (2000) leads the pack, with David Lynch’s hypnotic and ethereal Mulholland Drive (2001) close behind, while the mute humanism and quiet beauty of the late Edward Yang’s Yi yi (2000) rounds out the top three. These are all films from very early in the decade; will we see later movies catch up eventually or did the century peak right out of the gate? Only time will tell.
The linked titles are the ones I’ve already reviewed, either as part of this series or in some other arena. The starred films are the ones I have not yet seen, and the countries listed are the ones the website attributes. Hope this helps some of you as well, on your quest for interesting movies:
What of course should be noted here is that the TSPDT approach to voting is tailored massively in the favour of films fromt he early part of the decade as they have had longer on the pool and, thus, need ousting. Out of the top 10 only 2 are after 2003.
True – although I suspect that many of those films may be superior as well. Granted, my paucity of moviegoing in recent years puts me on shaky ground there, but certainly the only really unqualified super-masterpiece I’ve seen from this decade was Mulholland Dr., and that’s 2001 (and shot in the 90s, to boot). Most of the other potential masterpieces (except for Wall-E and Syndromes and the Century, which was still mid-decade) I’ve seen were also from early in the decade, though 2007 was a strong year for Hollywood at least. I don’t like many of the aesthetic trends that took hold this decade and a sharp decline in the quality of American films around 2003 is part of what drew me away from the cinema.
But hopefully this series will stretch out that view. The methodology of the list is far from foolproof, as Stephen has also noted, but it’s a good starting point.
I’ll look forward to seeing your list, Allan, which I’m sure will give me more to work with!
Oh, looking forward to it myself, Joel, just finalising final rewatchings now.
The fact is that with decade polls, people often go for the oldest as they have had longest to see if they last. Raging Bull and La Dérnier Métro winning best American and French films of the 80s being a perfect point.
Also, just take a look at that list and see how much the critical establishment go after such minor talents as Gus Van Sant and Wes Anderson. Gerry? FFS.
You definitely have a point about auteurist attachments. Has its good qualities as well as its bad, but it can definitely lead to an ignoring of genuine accomplishment for the interest of “what’s so-and-so doing now?” I think Wes is a genuine talent, but I’m not his talents are the talents for masterpieces (of course, that’s something Kael said once about Godard too…). He’s certainly had a malign influence in many ways, but none of the Tenenbaum knockoffs capture the wistful, magical charm of that movie. Sometimes I think that’s his best movie – it’s certainly his more representative – but other times I prefer Rushmore, which at least acknowledges the real world and playfully/knowingly sets up its own auteur’s precociousness in tension with such.
Can’t wait for the 00s and I’m racing to keep up with your silent picks. I really liked Scarlet Letter, by the way, which only made your nearlies. Why so low? Did you feel there were already enough Sjostroms in the top 100? (I haven’t seen any others; The Wind was on my DVR before the blasted machine went kaput, but I’ll certainly track it down in the next month or two).
The Scarlet Letter I admire greatly, but just not as greatly as some of his other works. Like all Sjöstrom’s American films, it awaits a decent DVD release.
And as for Gus Van Sant, well Sam knows my likewarm feelings for him. Drugstore Cowboy is his best movie, but even that falls someway short of greatness. Milk was well-acted but mediocre, My Own Private Idaho has a cult reputation because of River Phoenix, nothing more. Good Will Junting makes me want to hurl. Elephant has its fans, I’m not one of them. I actually preferred Alan Clarke’s original, and that was not close to his best work.
Gus Van Sant is NOT a minor talent, and his best film is ELEPHANT, which is one of the greatest films of the new millenium. PARANOID PARK is pretty great too, and a re-viewing has accentuated this point.
Sjostrom’s atmospheric THE WIND is one of the greatest films of the silent era, and Lillian Gish delivers the second best female lead in that era behind Rene Falconetti. As for THE SCARLET LETTER, that’s another great one.
I’m actually with Fish, here. Gus Van Sant’s most enduring contribution to world culture is probably this: http://www.yourethemannowdog.com/
If you think film appreciation is solely genuflecting to the altar of technique, cheap attacks I suppose suffice. If you value attempts to explore issues beyond personal psychosis and crime, Van Sant is more interesting than the likes of Scorcese.
Why?
For one thing Scorsese himself explores issues beyond those; for another, what’s so inferior about those issues? What about Crime and Punishment? Good grief, what about 99% of the films you devote your website too! Not sure why you’re picking on Marty here…
> For one thing Scorsese himself explores issues beyond those.
Like what?
My site and its content is beside the point. Martin Luther King was a womanizer and cheated on his wife, as cross-dresser J Edgar Hoover’s spies found out. So what. And ditto.
Class snobbery, forbidden love, Catholic guilt (how could you miss that one?), race relations, single motherhood, aging, Kafkaesque alienation, insecurity, jealousy, the pressures of personal responsibility (particularly when you’re the son of God or the reincarnation of Buddha), Eastern religion, American popular music, Italian cinema, Hollywood film, perfume (just kidding), immigrant society, and so on.
Besides, he did not just direct Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, and Raging Bull. He made The Last Temptation of Christ, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Kundun, The Age of Innocence, New York New York, The Color of Money, just to name films that don’t really fall under your parameters at all and not the ones which only partially do (like Gangs of New York or The Aviator – if you want to classify Howard Hughes’ early stages of OCD as “personal psychosis”).
And you didn’t address the second point, which is the more relevant one in my opinion.
Joel, perhaps I was a bit rash, but I was responding to the wholesale dismissal of a director, who while not always succeeding has attempted subjects that go outside genre lines and ask questions that look beyond the conventional wisdom. An economist once wrote an essay on JK Galbraith titled ‘The Economist as Gadfly’. In Van Sant’s case an essay on his work could be similarly titled “The Director as Gadfly”.
I singled our Scorsese as I think he is a gifted director who has not been interested in exploring why American society and its imperatives breeds and sustains a dark underside of inequality, violence, and alienation. It all comes about I suppose in modern cinema being obsessed with the psychological and not the social, with individual culpability and not societal dis-function.
“I singled out Scorsese as I think he is a gifted director who has not been interested in exploring why American society and its imperatives breeds and sustains a dark underside of inequality, violence, and alienation.”
Isn’t that what “Gangs of New York” is pretty much about? Or “Taxi Driver”, on a smaller scale?
I see where you’re coming from in regards to most director’s obsession with individual experiences versus societal conflict. Even in broader entertainment, we see more emphasis on the psychological make-up of characters (pretty much all of Michael Mann’s cinema falls into this) instead of any examination of social institutions (say, Tykwer’s “The International” as an action-genre example). When we do see films of the latter category, they’re usually not contemporary, but done instead as period pieces tied to very specific instances in history (Oliver Stone’s “JFK”) or sci-fi/fantasy epics set in partially or wholly imagined settings, and films of that ilk are getting rarer and rarer (I find stuff like “Avatar” and “District 9” to be huge steps backwards, compared to stuff by Lucas & Spielberg or newer guys like Alex Proyas & the Wachowskis).
At any rate, I don’t quite see how Van Sant does any better than Scorsese, in what you’re talking about. If anything, just about all his films only tread water in a handful of social issues (gay rights, with a smattering of drug & school violence) and besides that, nothing but empty indie posturing.
Tony, I hear you but I’m not sure Scorsese is the best target in that regard. If only indirectly (and as Bob points out, it’s not always even indirect) his films say a lot about society and not just individuals.
Anyway I think there’s a reason beyond the ideological for the focus you mention, particularly in narrative films which is what most people go to see (though I’d say that docs have grown MUCH more popular in the past ten years – we haven’t mentioned them yet in this thread, but the TSPDT list is probably too light on docs; and even so there’s more of them on the list than you probably would have seen a decade ago, but I digress).
As dramas, it’s much more difficult to analyze social factors without losing your bearing in slipping into generalities, propaganda, or sterile didactism. It’s much easier to fashion an absorbing work of art, PARTICULARLY if you’re trying to capture mainstream audiences (which most American filmmakers, even Van Sant intermittently, are), when you focus on an individual’s story and create a compelling character who exists within a powerful psychological framework. This is a very cursory, brief explanation for the phenomenon you describe but I think you see what I’m after.
To call Gus Van Sant a minor talent is just WRONG! In my opinion, he ranks among the best living American directors and he has proven it with Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, Last Days, and Paranoid Park. I know a lot of his films are hit or miss, but you can’t ignore the man’s talent. I personally like the TSPDT lists and while i might argue with a few choices, I think the list is pretty accurate. In the Mood for Love is a masterpiece, and my opinion the director’s greatest film, and to have it selected as the century’s greatest film is hard to argue. I’m personally saddened to see Sideways out of the top ten, but I’m happy to see films like Muholland Dr., There Will Be Blood, and A History of Violence still being rightfully honored. To me the list is pretty much on the money.
As always our very good friend and astute writer Anu, is the voice of reason, though I concede as always it comes down largely to taste. Everything you say here about Van Sant and the greatness of IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (a film that deserves to be higher on my Top 50–but I’ll rectify that in April when the WitD poll kicks off–) is dead on as far as I’m concerned.
The criteria for compilation are flawed.
If this is based on end-of-year lists then films that were missed by critics during a theatrical run (or were never released theatrically in their country) and could only be caught on DVD would more than likely not be eligible for inclusion in the following year’s list. Therefore they would have to miss out entirely.
Thus, such an endeavour as this could only really work as a pulping of lists made at the END of the decade, despite the issues that come with some films being stronger in the memory or some having had time to sediment in one’s psyche.
Also, though I can’t disagree per se with the opinions that created the rankings, the fact that 33 of the top 50 are American does make me wonder how far the net is really being cast. It’s like the Oscars all over again.
If I had to give an opinion, there are very few films in that top 50 that impressed me. In fact most of them I actively dislike.
> If I had to give an opinion, there are very few films in
> that top 50 that impressed me. In fact most of them
> I actively dislike.
Why am I not surprised Stephen 🙂
What is surprising is that I too care little for most of the top 50.
In the Mood For Love fully deserves the top spot, and these I think are deserving:
2046
Before Sunset
Pan’s Labyrinth
Zodiac
Oh yes I like Pan’s Labyrinth and 2046.
The New World, A.I., Crouching Tiger, Three Times, Notre Musique, Spirited Away, and Antichrist for me.
I believe Tony also likes FAR FROM HEAVEN, which of course if I’m right is music to my ears.
Yes Sam – I missed FAR FROM HEAVEN. There was a vigorous debate when you reviewed it here: https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/far-from-heaven-sams-choice-for-best-film-of-2002/
Deja vu all over again (you posted this the first time too, Stephen – though I guess if I get to post the list twice, however revised, you get to post your comment twice!)
I’m not going to wait till 2015 to do this exercise, I’m going to do it now, and this list is as good a guide as any. It’s just a starting point not the Holy Bible.
Incidentally, I’m ok with the top 50 (which I’ve seen most of). If I didn’t love many of these films, it’s because I haven’t loved much of anything I’ve seen so far from the 00s. There certainly isn’t much I’d be inclined to swap them out for but hopefully as I make my way down the list I find some stuff I would.
Tony & Stephen,
To supplement my own viewing (though I probably won’t really have time to do so for a little while) what are your own picks for films that missed the list but you feel should have been on it?
And what films do you wish were in the top 50, whether or not they made the larger list?
“Deja vu all over again (you posted this the first time too, Stephen – though I guess if I get to post the list twice, however revised, you get to post your comment twice!)”
I should save my comment somewhere so I can post it whenever this list comes up.
“…what are your own picks for films that missed the list but you feel should have been on it?”
La Captive – Chantal Akerman
Millennium Mambo – Hou Hsiao Hsien
The Descent – Neil Marshall
Dark Water – Hideo Nakata
Pulse – Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Tale of Two Sisters – Kim Ji Woon
“And what films do you wish were in the top 50, whether or not they made the larger list?”
Three Times and Notre Musique.
At least…I’d just started typing ‘at least Eloge de l’Amour isn’t there’ when I realised it is only under an English name! I think it’s quite poor.
Then again, given the amount of crud in the list (The Hurt Locker? Dark Knight? Royal Tenenbaums? Adaptation? Lord of the Rings? etc. etc.) I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised.
How could I forget Revenge of the Sith?
Well, any list that attempted to reflect acclaimed films of the decade would have to include the ones you mentioned, Stephen. They are the films people will remember, for better or worse, years from now – recall this isn’t just a scholarly list of the most artful films from the 00s but the ones that made the biggest splash, critically to be specific, but culturally by default to register on so many critics’ radar. That’s why it’s only a beginning.
Of the films you mentioned, I enjoyed most of them, although the second and third episodes of Lord of the Rings (the third in particular) I found greatly overwrought. Did appreciate the first one however. Adaptation I also wearied of a bit as beneath its brilliantly clever premise, there didn’t seem to be as much going on as in some other Kaufman films.
As for poor Wes Anderson, who seems to be on everyone’s shit list these days, I will say few directors could ever hope to accomplish the level of tone and control he exerts in Tenenbaums, which presents a vision so singular it’s no wonder it influenced everything that came after in the 00s. Great vision does not necessarily equal a great film, though it’s a good indication, and I’ve not been inclined to call the movie a masterpiece but it’s something and I value it greatly.
These lists are great fun but they are still opinions, only lots of them together.
Indeed Stephen! Only 16 films of this Top 50 made my own Top 50 for example.
My own #1, FAR FROM HEAVEN, is #16 on this list. Still, I’ll admit there are a lot of great films here overaqll through the extended list.
Sam,
Your continued championing of Far From Heaven has made me want to see it again. I saw it once on television. I didn’t like it…but I wasn’t paying it my full attention.
I don’t have a Top 50 of the decade but I’d say 7 of those in the Top 50 would make mine.
Stephen: I do hope you get a chance to see it again, as the DVD is solid enough. But I’ll admit that this film is not everybody’s cup of tea, especially those who are not Douglas Sirk fans. But I’d love to hear your updated reactions at some point if time permits.
Everybody’s opinions are vastly different, always will be. Perfect example, barely half of Sam’s top 50 make my top 100 and only 4 of my top 10 made his top 50 (and none of my top 5 made it!)
Joel, I will compile a list as requested. I just wish I was more organised. I have no record of movies watched, and my reliance on memory is a problem.
Some additional points also:
1. As Stephen points out, the TSPDT list is biased towards American product, and most of the films I watched in the ooo’s were foreign.
2. No-one has watched every movie made in the period, and some have seen (many) more than others.
3. The criteria we each of us use is different.
In my case, a film’s claim is based on what it said or tried to say, followed by how successful it was in achieving this aim. Personally, I have little time for most modern features as there is a dearth of movies addressing the substantive social issues of our times. My politics and aesthetics also are not mainstream, so I am on the outer before I start.
So to cut to the chase, as Allan said, a list is always highly personal.
Yes, but that’s part of what I look for from other lists. There’s a place for the canonical to be sure (a notion I differ with some on) but also for highly personal preferences which enrich our experience and tastes. The more “outer” your list the better, in that sense. I did see In the Valley of Elah and enjoyed it by the way though I never got to review it as planned.
Joel, this is a partial list of movies for my top 50 where I readily remember the title (some duplicates):
2046
2 Days in Paris
36 Quai des Orfèvres
Amélie
Bamboozled
Before Sunset
Bend It Like Beckham
Bloody Sunday
Boiler Room
Borat
Bread and Tulips
The Constant Gardener
The Darjeeling Limited
Das Experiment
Der Krieger und die Kaiserin
Don’t Move
Far From Heaven
The Fountain
Good Night and Good Luck
Hamlet (2000)
Happenstance
Harry, He’s Here to Help
Hero
In the Mood for Love
In the Valley of Elah
In Bruges
Insomnia (US)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
The Last Kiss
L’homme du train
Michael Clayton
Milk
Monsiuer Ibrahim
My Brother is an Only Child
Nathalie…
Ordinary Decent Criminal
Pan’s labrynth
The Pianist
The Prestige
Ricordati di me
Slumdog Millionaire
Tais-toi!
Thirteen Days
The Yards
Up the Yangtse
Wonder Boys
Zodiac
‘Shrek’ above ‘Werckmeister Harmonies’ and my favorite Hanake ‘The Piano Teacher’ is laughable. I hope comedy was the point.
For my purposes the ranking is less the point than the overall list. It gives me an arbitrary order with which to progress but otherwise I’m more keen on seeing all the films I haven’t on this list than determining which one’s should be where…
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