Okay, time for the fifth and final installment of my fave fifty films of the last decade. Roll out the top 10!
#10: Wall-E
Anyone who would dismiss this as "just a kid's movie" either didn't watch it or didn't get it. It's a visually beautiful, poetic, heartfelt commentary on the direction society is heading, as we focus more and more on instant gratification and entertainment and less on our relationship with each other and our world. How brilliant to have a robot who knows more of what it means to really live than the humans themselves, and from whom the human characters learn the lesson of what really matters in life. It's a story of love, self-sacrifice and taking personal responsibility that truly touches the heart and sticks with you long after you've seen it.
#9: Pan's Labyrinth
Don't be fooled by the title into EVER showing this to your kids. This is a dark, often disturbing and violent, story of a little girl who attempts to escape personal loss, the coldness of a cruel and unloving stepfather, and the brutality of the Spanish Civil War by disappearing into a fantasy world. It's a truly imaginative, visually compelling masterpiece, with some of the creepiest fantasy imagery I've ever seen.
#8: Sunshine
Danny Boyle conquers yet another genre to deliver my favorite science fiction film of the decade. The plot about a mission sent to reignite Earth's dying sun sounds like it could be cheesy, but it's truly a remarkable film. Everything just comes together, from directing, the acting, the cinematography, the imagery, the effects. Truly humbling and even terrifying in the way it portrays the immensity of our awe-inspiring sun. And only brings home the reality of how much greater still the sun's Creator must be.
#7: Slumdog Millionaire
Yet another Danny Boyle masterpiece about a young man from the slums of India who competes on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, not to win his fortune but to find the girl he loves and has lost time and time again. A commentary on the ancient religious and social divisions in India, a redemptive story of a young man who transcends his painful past, and a beautiful love story all rolled into one. And like all of Danny Boyles movies, it has an awesome soundtrack!
#6: Avatar
An absolutely groundbreaking achievement. James Cameron is a storytelling master, and it shows in this movie. He just has a way of making the narrative flow in such a way that you don't even notice the time passing. He never lets the incredible special effects overwhelm the personal stories, keeping the emotional core of the story centered around the two main characters. Although I would argue that the main "character" is the planet Pandora itself, and the majority of the screen time is spent developing this "character" (unfortunately, often at the expense of the other characters). He's also one of the best action directors out there, and this story is concluded by one of the most eye-poppingly dazzling action sequences in recent memory. A sequel has already been green lit (not surprising since the movie is well on its way to toppling Titanic as the number one grossing movie of all time), and given Cameron's history of turning out sequels that consistently rival the originals (Terminator 2 and Aliens), we're in for a real treat.
#5: Memento
This was director Christopher Nolan's breakthrough movie, and my second favorite movie of his. The plot of this film actually unfolds in reverse, with each subsequent scene revealing the events that led up to the previous scene. This narrative device has an important purpose, though: to brilliantly put us in the shoes of the main character. You see, years earlier his wife was killed and he was left with a brain injury that prevents him from being able to form new memories. So every few minutes he forgets everything that transpired in the previous few minutes, which is tough, since he's trying to track down the man who murdered his wife and left him in this state. The way this mystery grabs you and unfolds is nothing short of brilliant, and keeps you guessing until the very end.
#4: The Dark Knight
This one's my favorite Christopher Nolan movie, and the sequel to his previous film "Batman Begins" (see part 4 of my list). Heath Ledger's inspired performance as the Joker really steals the show on this one, but the script, the acting, the directing, the dark story, everything just really comes together to make this a masterpiece. Not so much a "superhero" movie as it is one of the most brilliant crime dramas in a long time.
#3: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Who would have guessed that a live-action Disney movie based on a theme park ride would turn out to be one of the coolest movies of the past decade? I haven't seen a movie with such a carefree sense of fun and adventure since the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones films, and from my very first time watching this in the theater I knew I was seeing a classic in the making. Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is instantly iconic, and really makes the movie.
#2: Gladiator
Oh, I know it's not historically accurate, but it's an amazing work of fiction that single-handedly resurrected the sword-and-sandal epic, bringing to mind such classics as Ben Hur and Spartacus. It really transports you to ancient Rome, bringing to life the interesting combination of culture and brutality. I'm also blown away by the amazing cinematography, musical score by Hans Zimmer, and brilliant performances, especially those of Russel Crowe and Jaoquin Phoenix. Another instant classic.
#1: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Anyone who knows me well will not be surprised to see this at the top of my list. Not only my favorite films of the decade, but also of all time. If any of these movies deserve to be lumped together as one, it's these: one long story filmed as one long movie divided into three parts. Never has there been a cinematic achievement like this one. It really does have everything: amazing story (thanks in no small part to author J.R.R. Tolkien), richly detailed world, groundbreaking effects, awesome action (including the most epic battles ever brought to the screen), brilliant complex soundtrack, fantastic performances, well-developed characters (the story always stays focused on them and their relationships, in spite of all the battles and effects), and deeply resonant themes (self-sacrifice, keeping hope even when things seem hopeless, the reality of Providence, the true unattractiveness of evil, the corruption of absolute power, the importance of mercy, compassion, love and friendship, etc.). It's about as close to a perfect movie that I've seen, and I can't wait for arrival of the Hobbit in just a couple of years!
Well that's it! If anyone's still reading, I'd be interested in hearing some of your favorite films of the last decade, too.
