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In Focus |
December 19, 2009Films of the Decade by Ari
I could, of course, compile a list of 100 films. Or 150 or 200. But that's no fun, is it? Instead I've chosen my 25 best films of the decade so we have something to discuss and debate, converse and argue about, wonder what happened to (Insert Film) and so on. I feel there was a great deal of interesting and creative work across the map this decade. International film is still going strong, and several intriguing American voices, some new, some old, offered challenging and rewarding work that pushed familiar sensibilities into daring, uncharted territory. I strongly believe in all 25 films listed below as major artistic achievements regardless of whether a few (or many) of my choices are imperfect. The talented directors and visionaries listed here have all accomplished a unique level of excellence that distinguishes and separates them from the rest of the field. These are my picks:
1. Before Sunset - Richard Linklater . 17. Che - Steven Soderbergh 22. Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino
I'm not too interested in writing extensive notes for each choice, as most of the films here have been discussed and examined at one point or another by either myself or one of the other voices from the site. I will, however, take a moment to add further thoughts to a select few that haven't been mentioned before and some general overall comments about why I find these 25 films to be so outstanding. Numbers 1 - 5, could, in many senses, be a five-way tie for my best film of the decade. Before Sunset stands atop simply because I feel it's the finest example of concise, subtle, nuanced 80-minute filmmaking since David Lean's Brief Encounter. In a decade where bloated tedium became accepted formula, Linklater's masterpiece demonstrates the underrated art of simplicity. It's a beautiful story, a beautiful film, the defining character-piece of the decade. On the other side of the coin: Lynch's Mulholland Drive, a landmark example of cinematic complexity and imagination, where the limits and boundaries of the art-form are shattered by the sheer force of originality. You could say the same for Inland Empire, though I feel Mulholland is still the superior film. It's this same quality of imagination and virtuoso command of visual, experimental storytelling that makes Speed Racer such an important and tragically overlooked entry in the realm of digital filmmaking, which no matter how you look at it is the major technological change that will forever mark this decade. As for CGI, the downfall of the technology and the filmmakers who depend on it is how film after film tries so desperately, and unconvincingly, to create reality. The logic seems backwards to me, and because of that the result almost always feels restricted and empty. The Wachowskis know better though, and what they did with Speed Racer was liberate CGI and the concept of how it can service a story (which I still maintain is a sweet, Pixar-esque narrative in this film's case). CGI can be emotive, expressive, abstract....it can re-write the language of film, as it does in many places here. Is this a kids movie with obnoxious distractions that cater to its child demographic? Yeah, but it still doesn't ruin the experience, not for me, because the innovative technique, visual construction and breathtaking editing on display here is a thing of beauty. Gangs of New York, the last personal Scorsese work, a film about the sweep of history that's commonly mistaken for a shallow revenge story. There are individual sequences, like Leo's introduction to the Five Points, Bill's American Flag covered contemplation about the state of civilization, or the draft riots set-piece, that devastate entire films. I wouldn't dare spoil Imamura's swan song, the great comedy of the decade, Warm Water Under a Red Bridge, so I'll let a different writer fill in (see link). And when I fully grasp all the brilliant layers of the Coens A Serious Man, it may just move up to the top ten. Bab'Aziz is a little-seen wonder that should be discovered by everyone. Catch Me If You Can, a surprisingly personal, classic Spielberg-themed gem with the lightest touch he's demonstrated since.....well.....ever. Requires subsequent viewing to catch (sorry) all the swift directorial touches throughout the story. Flawlessly performed by everyone. Rebel: Steven Soderbergh. The revisionists of the decade: Rivette does screwball-esque comedy and some noir with Va Savoir, and Tarantino re-writes history with Inglourious Basterds, the summation of his influence on film, and how film influences him. Thinking about Woman is the Future of Man. Thinking about it....still thinking about it.....still with me. Why won't this film leave me alone? And who doesn't like spending a couple hours in the land of Miyazaki? That's all I've got for now.
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