Seeing as we're getting down to the end of the year, and the decade, it's time to examine the cultural achievements over the past ten years. Of course, this is always a dicey subject-surprisingly, sometimes these discussions can generate the most passion. So, I'd like to give my nominees for the best films of the "Naughties". Feel free to disagree.
- City of God: To me, this film is a masterpiece. The "City of God" was a housing project built in the 1960s in 20 Rio de Janeiro. It became one of the most dangerous areas of the city. It is the true story of two boys (Rocket and Li'l Zé) growing up in the slums who take much different paths: one wants to become a photographer, the other a gangster. It is a violent upbringing, and the film pulls no punches. I once heard this film described as Goodfellas if all the characters were kids. It is not a typical Hollywood story, and it is brilliant.
- There Will Be Blood: I'm a PT Anderson fan, and I while I think Magnolia is his greatest work, this film is a close second. It tells the story of oil magnate Daniel Plainview, played brilliantly by Daniel-Day Lewis. The film has very little dialogue compared to others, but it is mesmorizing none the less. And, even though it takes place at the turn of the 20th century, it's depiction of the process of drilling for oil is quite relevant.
- The Lives of Others: This film came out in 2007 and won the Oscar for best foreign language film, but I only saw it earlier this year. I was blown away. Set in the mid-1980s, it tells the story of an East German Stasi agent who is tasked to spy on a married couple, a playwright and an actress. Just about every character goes under some sort of transformation, and the emotional punch from this film is powerful.
- United 93: The title of this film is pretty self-explanatory. The way it is shot, the acting, the pacing, everything about it is incredibly powerful. It lingers with you. I and the people I watched it with were left silent for a good hour after the film was complete.
- The Departed: Directed by Martin Scorsese, with an all-star cast featuring Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, and Leonardo DiCaprio, this is a throwback to Scorsese's classic gangster films-and it holds up to them very well. But this includes a couple of twists at the end you may not see coming. A brief summary: Nicholson is a gangster, Damon is his mole in the MA State police, and DiCaprio is a cop sent undercover into Nicholson's organization.
- The Dark Knight: I know some will say, "A comic book movie? Really?" Well, this far exceeds any previous comic book movie, so much so that it exceeds the genre. It's actually a pretty interesting discussion about civil liberties and morals. Of course, it was also Heath Ledger's final performance, and he is fantastic.
- Children of Men: In the not too distant future, no children have been born in many years, dooming the human race to premature extinction. It touches on many important themes-government over reach, demonizing of illegal immigrants. It's bleak, a bit disconcerting, but also mesmerizing.
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: A uniquely original romantic dramedy about a recently broken up couple who undergo a procedure that erases each other from their memories. After the procedure, they have second thoughts, and they to realize the enormity of what they really had together.
- The New World: This may be one that only I would put on the list. I love history, and this telling of the John Smith/Pocahontas story is one of my favorites. It is very realistic, and also one of the most visually beautiful pictures I've seen. Terrance Mallick is a genius-too bad he only works once every decade.
- Once: The story of 2 musicians living in Ireland who fall in love, record an album, and say goodbye. The soundtack is great, the movie is realistic. A classic .
Honorable Mention: Little Miss Sunshine
A History of Violence
Match Point
Being John Malkovich
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Almost Famous
Michael Clayton