Sunday, December 13, 2009

My Picks for 25 best Films of the decade

By popular demand, and at Matt's requet, here are my picks for the best movies of the decade (caveat, I haven't seen District 9 or Avatar yet, and they would probably go in here, but I can't include them cause I aint seem em)

25. United 93---Respectfully done and like Schindlers List will most likely be a "one and done" movie for me cause I just can't take the emotion of it...this was probably the hardest movie I have ever had to watch.

24. Touching the Void------A brilliant Documentary about 2 climbers that climbed an impossible peak in the Andes and one climber who struggled back from certain death.

23. Minority Report------One of the most gripping Sci Fi thrillers of recent years that potrays what computers will be like in the future with the "multi gestural" interface that is already coming true

22. Brokeback Mountain----A beautifully done and achingly sad film that is wonderfully paced and acted

21. Pans Labyrinth-----A fantastic Spanish film that takes us on a journey with a little girl who creates an intricate and fascinating fantasy world to deal with her fascist Stepfather who is a lieutenant in Francos Spain.

20. O Brother Where Art Thou?----Another Cohen brothers film that is a remake of the Odyssey which takes place during the dustbowl, total original and brilliant movie

19. Donnie Darko---A cult classic that I only discovered recently....a fantastical trip through time paradoxes as a suburban boy is suddenly told that the world will end in 9 days.

18. The Reader----I won't ruin the big reveal in this one but it plays with your idea of who the good guy and bad guy should be..a great film

17. About Schmidt---Jack Nicholson is at his best here as a man who takes a journey in his motorhome after his wife dies and he retires to try to understand how he got to where he is in his life, and what does it all mean?

16. Michael Clayton----A very smart thriller, the kind of movie that a love, involving corporate operatives and fixers.

15. Downfall----The most accurate and powerful movie ever made about Hitler, it deals with his last days in the bunker as the Russian Army is converging on Berlin

14. The Last King of Scotland----A terrifyingly powerful performance by Forrest Whitaker who portrays Idi Amin....We take a journey along with a reporter who is seduced into Amins inner circle

13. The Departed-------Great thriller about the Irish Mafia, the Boston PD and two undercover guys in each camp

12. The Aviator------Scorcese did this and the Departed back to back and I think the Aviator was a little bit better..."Come in with the Milk, come in with the Milk"

11. Borat-----It takes an amazing amount of talent to pull of the kind of comedy that Sascha Cohen is able to do. He is a genius at what he does.

10. Memento-----I love movies like this....it involves a puzzle for our protaganist who has short term memory..he wasn't hit by a pear, and just wants to know what happened

9. Crash------It is great that this won best picture because it was considered a longshot. Ensemble piece that honestly discusses race in America.

8. Batman Begins----This is a masterpiece of a Superhero movie. Christopher Nolan took the genre and raised it into art. "I need to be something elemental, something terryifying, to use fear against those who prey on the fearful"

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-----Quirky and brilliant film about a couple who impulsively have their memories of each other erased. What a brilliant idea with great execution.

6. Into The Wild---Hal Holbrook gives the best performance in the 3rd act of this movie again with a great portrayal of loneliness

5. The Bourne Ultimatum----The 3rd in the Trilogy is the best as Matt Damon reinvents the genre of the spy thriller....awesome film!!

4. No Country For Old Men-----Basically this is a perfect film..."Call it, what am I betting on? Everything"

3. The Fog of War-------The most brilliant documentary of its kind....it explains so much about why we go to war, as told by Sec Def Robert McNamara

2. There Will Be Blood--------One of the top 5 greatest performances ever caught on film...there are actors and then there is Daniel Day Lewis.....The final scene is so brilliant that you are literally shaking.

1. Mullholland Drive----The best movie of the decade is this mindbendingly genius movie by David Lynch. The film almost goes beyond categorization and description, but it did leave a powerful imprint on me, it is a work of art.

3 comments:

Mike Jacobs said...

Brokeback Mountain! Wooaa.

Sailing Vessel Serenity NOW said...

More great picks from the Riley brothers. We better get busy watching some of them. luv ya

dole2obama said...

A great list of flicks: Fog of War and Touching the Void, how could I forget those flicks? I think you should organize a screening of Brokeback Mountain for Mike in his frat house on your next visit to Colorado.