As we continue to roll out our individual lists of our favourites from the past ten years (following our overall list of the best of the decade as chosen by all of the RowThree contributors), I felt I should follow Rot’s list since we share not a single title. Kate Winslet does appear in both our number 1 choices though – so we found some commonality there…
10. You, The Living (2007, Roy Andersson)
Find enjoyment in life where you can and make the most of it. Because time is ticking. Out on DVD in Region 1 next week!
9. The Incredibles (2004, Brad Bird)
Though it’s even more fun to watch Pixar’s multi-hued wonders with kids next to you, it’s by no means a requirement. I had to include at least one them in my list and could have chosen randomly from their productions so far, but I return to The Incredibles the most often due to its great characters, solid story and incredibly fun and well-realized action scenes.
8. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000, Joel & Ethan Coen)
Maybe it’s the music. It wouldn’t be the first time that my feelings toward a film have been radically changed simply due to its music. Whatever the case, I get a grin as wide and as goofy as Everett and Delmar’s whenever I watch this.
7. Punch Drunk Love (2002, P.T. Anderson)
As great a depiction of what love feels like (the wooziness and the invincibility) as I’ve seen.
6. Ocean’s Twelve (2004, Steven Soderbergh)
I’ve talked ad nauseum elsewhere about how I feel about this film. An experimental art film that is hugely entertaining.
5. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001, Wes Anderson)
Some poeple hate Wes Anderson’s stylistic touches. Others are simply tired of them. I love every last one of ‘em.
4. Amelie (2001, Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
A feel good movie for sure, but when it’s made this gorgeously with a main character this enchanting, I’m completely sold.
3. Almost Famous (2000, Cameron Crowe)
My comfort food film. I know the kid in this film. I was very much like this kid. When the needle drops on The Who’s “Tommy”, I can feel the goosebumps he was getting on his arms.
2. Lady Vengeance (2005, Chan-wook Park)
A masterful use of style to convey one woman’s long tortured journey to achieve redemption. Again, the music in the film is a huge contributing factor (positions 2 through 8 all have music as a huge component).
1. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004, Michel Gondry)
The greatest love story of the past decade. A beautiful ode to the importance and joy of the journey of a relationship – it’s not about where you end up, it’s the ride you take on your way there. Michel Gondry’s direction and mix of digital as well as old school effects creates the unpredictable mess of a memory in Joel’s head. A film and story that will never tire me.
And an additional 10:
Memento
Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession
The Taste of Tea
Spellbound
Linda Linda Linda
Synecdoche NY
In the Shadow of the Moon
Brick
A Gentle Breeze in the Village
Mulholland Drive
Lady Vengeance over Old Boy?
Yep. I love all three from the trilogy, but “Lady” tops them all with its truly amazing lead performance, its focus on redemption, style that helps convey the story, the music, etc.
The scene where she brings the parents together is phenomenal and shows the lengths she’ll go to (and guilt she’ll feel) to achieve that end goal.
Or am I over analyzing? B-)
no, just plain wrong.
I agree that Lady has the best style/look (by far) and that lead performance is outstanding. But Oldboy is so much more of a joy to watch. It’s much more fun and much more of an interesting character study.
I do think Lady Vengeance is a better “film” but Oldboy is more fun and extreme. I pick Oldboy over Lady for that reason but if I was actually critiquing the film the Lady would come up higher.
“no, just plain wrong”
Don’t get me wrong, “Oldboy” is a film I hold in high regard (that single take hammer fight is definitely one of the scenes of the decade), but “Lady” just works better for me.
Lady Vengeance >> Oldboy. Agreed Bob.
Er, am I the only one who prefers Sympathy For Mr Vengeance over the lot?
It’s been a while since I saw it, but I found it more powerful than the others. It’s slow moving, but deeply affecting. I still love all three though.
I actually place Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance in 2nd spot…I love how the vengeance acquired in all the different storylines doesn’t go unpunished. It’s very darkly funny too (well, I guess they all are). Oh, and Doo Na Bae is in it. She’s awesome.
My rankings are actually in reverse order to how I saw them – Oldboy first, then Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, then Lady. Not that they have anything to do with each other.
I saw the trilogy in order, but really ranking them is splitting hairs, they are all very excellent in their own ways! I happen to dig the (relatively) restrained approach in Lady (and it is probably the most blackly comic of the lot) the most, and the soundtrack on Lady is all kinds of awesome.
Ocean’s Twelve? ballsy!
I really think Soderbergh is using the heist genre to experiment with technique and form (sorry Mike…). And, of course, to hang with his buddies and have fun. I always felt included in the fun though…
And Kurt, if you want a big budget art film, this would be one of ‘em.
I’m a very large fan of Oceans 12 (my fav of the three, although Out of Sight -aka Oceans 10 – is actually the best straight up soderbergh heist film). And agree with you sentiment. I also think it is one of the great practical jokes of multiplex cinema (that they don’t really bother with the heist, despite that being sort of the point with the Oceans movies. It ranks up there with Freddie Got Fingered and Gus Van Sant’s Psycho shot-by-shot remake as pranks the studios spent money on. Admittedly, Oceans 12 is the most re-watchable of those pranks.
…And Vincent Cassel is the shit! Dude rocks as the Night Fox in O12.
Wow, I really disliked Ocean’s 12 upon first seeing it. You guys might be convincing me to give it another go.
It’s the ONE Soderbergh movie I can’t get on board with. Having said that, haven’t looked at it since the theater. Probably a rewatch at some point is in order.
Oh, I’d love it if you both rewatched and let me know what you thought. Just don’t look at it as a straight heist movie. I think I mostly expressed my thoughts about it in the link I included (which points to my entry in the Film For The Soul “Counting Down The Zeroes” series).
And if you still disagree, that’s cool – I’d love to hear why. You’ll be completely and utterly mistaken, but I’m sure you’ll still somehow manage to lead fulfilling lives…8)
Hi & congrats with the site. Discovered you via your Herzog post, and gave you a mention in mine. As for best films of the decade: great to see Park rank so high in your list – at last ! And yes I do prefer “Sympathy” over the two other of the trilogy. Apart from that, I think your list is very USA tinged
Here’s mine, more Euroflavoured one: http://snaporaz.posterous.com/best-films-of-the-past-decade … warmest!
& great to see a Snaporaz snap here, and to read this discussion on Soderbergh’s Ocean trilogy. Only liked 10 + 11, but bought all four soundtracks. (Where is David Holmes now?) Quite liked The informant as well, and really dug his Tarkovsky re-interpretation. Some of his work may be flops (12 + 13) but at least he does take risks. Ciao !
Nice to see some love for both Cashback and The Alzheimer Case in there. Solid and entertaining films.
David Holmes is still doing soundtracks and other recordings. His last two have been for the terrific Hunger and the equally (though for different reasons) terrific Perrier’s Bounty (which I hope gets a wider release in 2010). You may have also heard his stuff if you’ve heard a soundtrack by The Free Association (e.g. Code 46).
Lady Vengence is paced poorly in my opinion.
Bob wins the most controversial award.
“Bob wins the most controversial award”
Hey, I won something!
Certainly wasn’t shooting for that. They’re just the ones I revisit or think about revisiting most often.
I disagree about the pacing of Lady Vengeance. But I’m so biased towards it now, I probably can’t see any issues with it. I think it moves pretty quickly at first actually (showing back stories of her former prison mates, how she helped them and then how they are now helping her). It slows down as they get closer to the actual “vengeance” piece, but that kinda makes sense – you don’t want to rush through that section.
unfortunatly Bob, the prize is punch larynx.
I really need to give Lady Vengence a full rewatch. Everytime I turn it on I don’t finish it.
“punch larynx”? Uh, I think I’ll be sending a representative in my place (ala Brando) to the awards ceremony.
If you ever make it through Lady Vengeance, let us know…