There were some great films released between 2000-2009, but which were my Top 10...? After a LOT of deep thought, I have finally narrowed things down, but this could easily have been a Top 26, as a quick look at the honourable mentions will prove.
Yes, I know this is a couple of years late, but seeing as 2011 was a relatively dire year for films, I was inspired to go back in time a little to compile a 'Best of the Year' (well, decade maybe) list as we look forward to 2012.
As always, please blog your comments below...
Yes, I know this is a couple of years late, but seeing as 2011 was a relatively dire year for films, I was inspired to go back in time a little to compile a 'Best of the Year' (well, decade maybe) list as we look forward to 2012.
As always, please blog your comments below...
10. Amelie (2001)
An endearing film. Both funny and moving, this beautifully shot film never ceases to whisk me away to Paris where I am immediately immersed in Amelie's world of quirky characters and travelling gnomes. As our protagonist Amelie is immensely enchanting, what a shame Audrey Tautou made the Da Vinci Code - an utter shambles of a film. This, however, is fantastic.
An endearing film. Both funny and moving, this beautifully shot film never ceases to whisk me away to Paris where I am immediately immersed in Amelie's world of quirky characters and travelling gnomes. As our protagonist Amelie is immensely enchanting, what a shame Audrey Tautou made the Da Vinci Code - an utter shambles of a film. This, however, is fantastic.
9. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
By far the best film Del Toro has directed and an absolute treat. I was at first quite reticent to watch this, not really being into fantasy films with talking goats and weird creatures, (excepting LotR of course) but the film spends rather more time in the real world of the Spanish Civil War. In doing so it creates an incredible screen antagonist in Sergi Lopez' Captain Vidal. Unconscionably evil. This is a visual treat and a film that surprised me a great deal. I am often so disappointed in films that have been hyped up, but nothing of the sort happened here, quite the opposite in fact. Wonderful.
By far the best film Del Toro has directed and an absolute treat. I was at first quite reticent to watch this, not really being into fantasy films with talking goats and weird creatures, (excepting LotR of course) but the film spends rather more time in the real world of the Spanish Civil War. In doing so it creates an incredible screen antagonist in Sergi Lopez' Captain Vidal. Unconscionably evil. This is a visual treat and a film that surprised me a great deal. I am often so disappointed in films that have been hyped up, but nothing of the sort happened here, quite the opposite in fact. Wonderful.
8. Let the Right One In (2008)
Vampire movies (Twilight - yuck, vomit etc) seem to be very much in vogue of late. And what an interesting take on the genre this is. It is certainly the best vampire film you'll ever see that doesn't mention garlic, stakes or even vampires really. Set in Sweden, director Tomas Alfredson has created a film so bleak and cold and uncompromising on one level, but juxtapose that to the warm, developing friendship between poor bullied Oskar and the intriguing Eli and you get yourself one engaging, original and compelling film.
Vampire movies (Twilight - yuck, vomit etc) seem to be very much in vogue of late. And what an interesting take on the genre this is. It is certainly the best vampire film you'll ever see that doesn't mention garlic, stakes or even vampires really. Set in Sweden, director Tomas Alfredson has created a film so bleak and cold and uncompromising on one level, but juxtapose that to the warm, developing friendship between poor bullied Oskar and the intriguing Eli and you get yourself one engaging, original and compelling film.
7. Collateral (2004)
I'm a big fan of Michael Mann and this is a modern urban masterpiece. I am not the world's biggest Tom Cruise fan, but he gives us something new here, playing antagonist hitman Vincent to perfection. His steely determination plays so well against Foxx' everyman. The camera captures LA at night so effectively, it comes across as a character in its own right. A perfect soundtrack compliments effectively.
I'm a big fan of Michael Mann and this is a modern urban masterpiece. I am not the world's biggest Tom Cruise fan, but he gives us something new here, playing antagonist hitman Vincent to perfection. His steely determination plays so well against Foxx' everyman. The camera captures LA at night so effectively, it comes across as a character in its own right. A perfect soundtrack compliments effectively.
6. Casino Royale (2006)
What makes this film so good is that it could just as easily be the first Bond film as the 21st. Martin Campbell expertly reinvents 007 with style, raw energy and makes him just as relevant now as he ever was in the Cold War. The gritty noir pre-title sequence begins Bond's characterisation off with an edgy hardness, which is superbly built upon during the mother-of-all-chases that sees him scaling cranes and smashing down dry walls with a shoulder barge. A breathtakingly superb sequence. The torture scene, the card playing, the soundtrack, the airport chase, the snappy dialogue, the dark humour... it is all here and it is all very good. Everything works. You can't help but think that this is how Fleming envisaged his alter-ego, albeit a 21st century version of, and would be extremely impressed with the result. As you should be.
What makes this film so good is that it could just as easily be the first Bond film as the 21st. Martin Campbell expertly reinvents 007 with style, raw energy and makes him just as relevant now as he ever was in the Cold War. The gritty noir pre-title sequence begins Bond's characterisation off with an edgy hardness, which is superbly built upon during the mother-of-all-chases that sees him scaling cranes and smashing down dry walls with a shoulder barge. A breathtakingly superb sequence. The torture scene, the card playing, the soundtrack, the airport chase, the snappy dialogue, the dark humour... it is all here and it is all very good. Everything works. You can't help but think that this is how Fleming envisaged his alter-ego, albeit a 21st century version of, and would be extremely impressed with the result. As you should be.
5. Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
I'm a fan of vengeance flicks and they don't get much more bad-ass than this. British film maker Shane Meadows makes a sublimely bleak film of one man (the always good Paddy Considine) who gets even with local bullies who tormented his brother whilst he was away on military service. And boy does he get even. You don't get much harder than Considine in this film. A superb turn from Toby Kebbell as the brother garners real emotion. This is a brutal film, but one that deserves to be seen again and again. If you can stomach it.
I'm a fan of vengeance flicks and they don't get much more bad-ass than this. British film maker Shane Meadows makes a sublimely bleak film of one man (the always good Paddy Considine) who gets even with local bullies who tormented his brother whilst he was away on military service. And boy does he get even. You don't get much harder than Considine in this film. A superb turn from Toby Kebbell as the brother garners real emotion. This is a brutal film, but one that deserves to be seen again and again. If you can stomach it.
4. Oldboy (2003)
Another vengeance flick to follow Dead Man's Shoes? Yes indeed. They are something of a favourite genre of mine. This is another harrowing watch of a man getting even. If you had been kidnapped and locked inside a room for 15 years - and not given a reason - what would your reaction be? Maniacal? Probably. And that is what we get here. And Oh Dae-su does so with a hammer and a pair of scissors. Prepare yourself for a truly astonishing tracking shot, a load of wicked twists, even more blood, and one squirming octopus. Sound random? Well, it is Korean.
Another vengeance flick to follow Dead Man's Shoes? Yes indeed. They are something of a favourite genre of mine. This is another harrowing watch of a man getting even. If you had been kidnapped and locked inside a room for 15 years - and not given a reason - what would your reaction be? Maniacal? Probably. And that is what we get here. And Oh Dae-su does so with a hammer and a pair of scissors. Prepare yourself for a truly astonishing tracking shot, a load of wicked twists, even more blood, and one squirming octopus. Sound random? Well, it is Korean.
3. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
You just cannot have a Best of the Noughties film run down and not have a Lord of the Rings film there somewhere. It was more a case of which one to choose. In the end I went with Fellowship - the one where it all began. I couldn't choose The Two Towers as the Ents annoyed me a bit too much, and neither could I choose Return of the King as I got a bit impatient with its 14 endings (none of which showed the Scourging of the Shire. Boo). So Fellowship it is. And a worthy choice too. I remember coming out of the cinema (not having yet read the books) and being not only absolutely transfixed, but also gutted that I would have to wait one full year before the next installment. Everything about this films scores high marks, but most impressive must be the production design and the level of detail and thought that went into creating Middle Earth. These films are truly the definition of epic. Gandalf's fiery and impassioned "You shall not pass!" surely goes down as one of cinema's great lines.
You just cannot have a Best of the Noughties film run down and not have a Lord of the Rings film there somewhere. It was more a case of which one to choose. In the end I went with Fellowship - the one where it all began. I couldn't choose The Two Towers as the Ents annoyed me a bit too much, and neither could I choose Return of the King as I got a bit impatient with its 14 endings (none of which showed the Scourging of the Shire. Boo). So Fellowship it is. And a worthy choice too. I remember coming out of the cinema (not having yet read the books) and being not only absolutely transfixed, but also gutted that I would have to wait one full year before the next installment. Everything about this films scores high marks, but most impressive must be the production design and the level of detail and thought that went into creating Middle Earth. These films are truly the definition of epic. Gandalf's fiery and impassioned "You shall not pass!" surely goes down as one of cinema's great lines.
2. Memento (2000)
"I have this condition" says Leonard Shelby, and rightly so. He is unable to form new memories and so his entire life is lived in the past with only post it notes, Polaroid shots and tattoos to help him. Director Christopher Nolan shot to fame with this hugely engaging and edgy neo noir. You might have heard of him: he's directed a couple of films about a guy dressed as a bat. They're pretty good too. The asynchronous chronology of this film is both mesmerising and masterful, and the sun bleached cinematography seems to perfectly parallel Shelby's dazed and destabilising condition. A true work of art.
"I have this condition" says Leonard Shelby, and rightly so. He is unable to form new memories and so his entire life is lived in the past with only post it notes, Polaroid shots and tattoos to help him. Director Christopher Nolan shot to fame with this hugely engaging and edgy neo noir. You might have heard of him: he's directed a couple of films about a guy dressed as a bat. They're pretty good too. The asynchronous chronology of this film is both mesmerising and masterful, and the sun bleached cinematography seems to perfectly parallel Shelby's dazed and destabilising condition. A true work of art.
1. City of God (2002)
A decade's No 1 movie has to be many things: original, engaging, different and above all, memorable. This film is all that. And a whole lot more. A Brazilian ghetto gangster movie that charts the lives of various hoods in Rio's famed favela the 'City of God', this is a hard-hitting movie that blazes with frenzied violence. Li'l Ze, the film's antagonist, is surely amongst the most blood-thirsty characters captured on screen: completely devoid of morality, here is a sadist who kills with relish. Everything about this film works, from the funky rhythmic samba beats, to the alluring Angelica (Alice Braga has never been better), the feverish editing and the sun drenched cinematography. You cannot help but be pulled into this world of drug dealing and bloodshed and feel for the plight of those trapped in this slum. And throughout all of this, there is hope. Rocket, our protagonist and narrator, takes us through the slum as a tour guide, introducing us to his world, his dreams (he wants to be a photographer) and his desires (unsurprisingly, Angelica - you can't blame him). His humanity and his hopes are compellingly strong. I have watched this film countless times and it gets better with age. If only the same could be said about the world it is portraying.
A decade's No 1 movie has to be many things: original, engaging, different and above all, memorable. This film is all that. And a whole lot more. A Brazilian ghetto gangster movie that charts the lives of various hoods in Rio's famed favela the 'City of God', this is a hard-hitting movie that blazes with frenzied violence. Li'l Ze, the film's antagonist, is surely amongst the most blood-thirsty characters captured on screen: completely devoid of morality, here is a sadist who kills with relish. Everything about this film works, from the funky rhythmic samba beats, to the alluring Angelica (Alice Braga has never been better), the feverish editing and the sun drenched cinematography. You cannot help but be pulled into this world of drug dealing and bloodshed and feel for the plight of those trapped in this slum. And throughout all of this, there is hope. Rocket, our protagonist and narrator, takes us through the slum as a tour guide, introducing us to his world, his dreams (he wants to be a photographer) and his desires (unsurprisingly, Angelica - you can't blame him). His humanity and his hopes are compellingly strong. I have watched this film countless times and it gets better with age. If only the same could be said about the world it is portraying.
Honourable Mentions
Ray (2004) - Man this guy could play a tune. An epic performance by Jamie Foxx.
Crash (2004) - A wonderful meandering look at racial tensions in modern LA.
Gran Torino (2008) - Clint bows out in style. Was there ever a doubt?
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) - Sword fights mid air made to look humanly possible. Awesome.
Downfall (2004) - A powerhouse portrayal of Hitler's last days. Ganz is phenomenal.
In Bruges (2008) - Hahaha. Very funny. If you have not seen this. Rectify that now. Here's why:
Ken: Your girlfriend's very pretty.
Jimmy: She's ain't my girlfriend. She's a prostitute I just picked up.
Ken: I was not aware that there were any prostitutes in Bruges.
Jimmy: You just have to look in the right places... brothels are good.
Ken: Well, you've picked up a very pretty prostitute.
Jimmy: Thank you.
Bowling for Columbine (2002) - Before Michael Moore was REALLY annoying.
Million Dollar Baby (2004) - Another Clint masterpiece. And an emotional roller-coaster to boot.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007) - A man dates a blow up doll? Hmm. Weird. But strangely tender.
The Notebook (2004) - The best Romance film of the decade.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - Again, hahaha.
Harmony: She's been screwed more times that she's had a hot meal.
Harry: Yeah, I heard about that. It was neck-and-neck and then she skipped lunch.
Batman Begins (2005) - Batman has never been tougher or cooler.
In the Mood for Love (2000) - A beautifully tender look at lost love.
Hot Fuzz (2007) - Hilarious piss take of Hollywood action movies. With British humour. Great.
Shaun of the Dead (2004) - A zom-rom-com. A what? Zombie romantic comedy! Brilliant.
District 9 (2009) - Racism in South Africa (never!). But this time with aliens! What?!
The Prestige (2006) - It's that man Nolan again. Serving up another delight full of twists and turns.
Oh, and as an aside, I would argue that the best year of the noughties was 2004.
Ray (2004) - Man this guy could play a tune. An epic performance by Jamie Foxx.
Crash (2004) - A wonderful meandering look at racial tensions in modern LA.
Gran Torino (2008) - Clint bows out in style. Was there ever a doubt?
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) - Sword fights mid air made to look humanly possible. Awesome.
Downfall (2004) - A powerhouse portrayal of Hitler's last days. Ganz is phenomenal.
In Bruges (2008) - Hahaha. Very funny. If you have not seen this. Rectify that now. Here's why:
Ken: Your girlfriend's very pretty.
Jimmy: She's ain't my girlfriend. She's a prostitute I just picked up.
Ken: I was not aware that there were any prostitutes in Bruges.
Jimmy: You just have to look in the right places... brothels are good.
Ken: Well, you've picked up a very pretty prostitute.
Jimmy: Thank you.
Bowling for Columbine (2002) - Before Michael Moore was REALLY annoying.
Million Dollar Baby (2004) - Another Clint masterpiece. And an emotional roller-coaster to boot.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007) - A man dates a blow up doll? Hmm. Weird. But strangely tender.
The Notebook (2004) - The best Romance film of the decade.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) - Again, hahaha.
Harmony: She's been screwed more times that she's had a hot meal.
Harry: Yeah, I heard about that. It was neck-and-neck and then she skipped lunch.
Batman Begins (2005) - Batman has never been tougher or cooler.
In the Mood for Love (2000) - A beautifully tender look at lost love.
Hot Fuzz (2007) - Hilarious piss take of Hollywood action movies. With British humour. Great.
Shaun of the Dead (2004) - A zom-rom-com. A what? Zombie romantic comedy! Brilliant.
District 9 (2009) - Racism in South Africa (never!). But this time with aliens! What?!
The Prestige (2006) - It's that man Nolan again. Serving up another delight full of twists and turns.
Oh, and as an aside, I would argue that the best year of the noughties was 2004.