Decades of Cinema - 10 Best of 2010 - Present

Previous decades lists are: 1920's, 1930's,1940's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's and 2000's.

Here are my ten favorite films released between 2010 and today.

10. Inside Llewyn Davis 

The Coen brothers have been making amazing films for over 30 years, and their most recent example of this was the underappreciated 2013 gem Inside Llewyn Davis. Yet another movie by them that balances the laugh out loud comedy with a shocking amount of nuance, leaving bits and pieces to dig up with each revisit. 

9. Inception

The movie that single-handedly brought me back out to the cinema again after a multi-year hiatus following the birth of my daughter. One look at the trailer for Inception and I knew it would demand a giant screen, and boy did it. An incredible achievement from Christopher Nolan that is just as fascinating no matter how many times you see it unfold. 

8. Life of Pi

I don't have religion in my life, but every so often I feel like I find God in a film. Life of Pi is one of those experiences (with another one at the top of this list). This is a profoundly beautiful picture.

7. Cloud Atlas

Incredibly epic yet at times painfully intimate. Ambitious almost to a fault, but I forgive it. Cloud Atlas is a superb adaptation of a book that seemed impossible to translate coherently to film, yet it was done. I was blown away the first time I saw this film, and with each subsequent viewing my admiration grows.

6. Take Shelter

Director Jeff Nichols handles the subject of mental illness with grace and class and a stunning level of maturity considering it was only his second feature film. Michael Shannon wasn't even nominated for an Oscar for his lead performance, yet he not only should have been, he should have won the damn award. Take Shelter is brilliant and has one of the great endings in recent memory. 

5. Drive

I am a married heterosexual man, but I am not afraid to use the word sexy to describe Ryan Gosling in Drive. Seriously, Nicolas Winding Refn crafted a masterpiece here that is so damn, for lack of a better word, cool I can barely wrap my mind around it. From beginning to end I am intoxicated by the neon glow, the incredible score and the subtle but perfect performances. Drive is the type of movie that makes me wish I could create one of my own.

4. Boyhood

I never thought a film could capture the authenticity of life in such a way, but Boyhood is moving in its simplicity. It isn't a film about milestones, it is the story of those other days that mean so much but seem to slip through the cracks as time goes by. The underlying message is one that I found very powerful as I watch my own daughter grow up so fast: time is relentless.

3. Gravity

Sure, on the surface it's a film about a woman trying to survive a catastrophe in space, but what is really on display is so, so much more. Gravity is a heartbreaking but life affirming metaphor for grief and just how challenging to overcome it, and to say I was moved by the journey of Dr. Ryan Stone is an understatement.  

2. The Social Network

As a super fan of David Fincher, I don't say these words lightly: The Social Network is his masterpiece. The origin story of Facebook and its rise to internet domination doesn't sound appealing on paper, but it touches on familiar themes of loyalty and betrayal and it does so perfectly. The Oscar winning screenplay from Aaron Sorkin, the Oscar winning score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and the unfortunately not but should have been Oscar winning direction from Fincher, all of it added together is essential cinema.

1. The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life is not only my favorite recently released film, it is my favorite of all time, period. It is profound poetry in motion, a movie that literally taught me to embrace and appreciate the miracle of existence. 

So that's it, the end of my Decades of Cinema lists. I would love to hear some feedback on my picks from all of the decades, find out which ones you love, which ones you loathe and everything in between.

100 Favorite Films - #30 - #21

A continuation of my list of my 100 favorite films of all time.


30. La Jetee (1962)

My Review of La Jetee

An entire narrative told through still images and voice-over, an entire film lasting only 28 minutes, but it is an incredible science fiction film by Chris Marker. This worked served as the inspiration behind Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys, and while I often see people rank that film higher than La Jetee, I am not one of them. If you find an opportunity to check this one out, please do so. You certainly have the time to given its length, and it is a special little slice of cinema.


29. No Country for Old Men (2007)

My Review of No Country for Old Men

My first of two features by the Coen brothers in this very list of ten, No Country for Old Men is a masterful adaptation of the remarkable work of Cormac McCarthy and the film that inspired the name of my blog. An allegorical masterpiece with an ending that infuriated many with its lack of finality, but I not only defend the closing sequence, I think it is truly brilliant. In fact, I can't imagine a more fitting conclusion given it fits with the entire point of the narrative.


28. Cloud Atlas (2012)

My Review of Cloud Atlas

A truly unique, overlooked gem, the Wachowski siblings along with director Tom Tykwer managed to adapt a novel deemed impossible to do so, the work of the same name by author David Mitchell. It would be a shame if this film were remembered as being merely a box office disaster because unfortunately that is viewed as a reflection of its quality. Cloud Atlas is massively ambitious in scope and scale, a master class in the art of film editing as six separate stories are told throughout with fluidity and sublime pacing. Three hours has never moved so quickly, and I hope this is a work destined to gain appreciation with age.


27. Spirited Away (2001)

My Review of Spirited Away

The brush Hayao Miyazaki paints with is one that brings a smile to my face every single time, but none bigger than that earned by his masterpiece Spirited Away. An imaginative animated wonder, so much detail is packed into every single moment of this film that it is impossible to digest it all with one viewing, and not just in terms of storytelling but also the incredible craftsmanship of the animation, some of the finest ever achieved. If you resist animated films because you feel they are designed and directed only at children, stop what you are doing and seek out the work of the legendary Studio Ghibli.


26. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

My Review of Dr. Strangelove

Quite possibly the most accomplished and brilliant satire in cinema history, Dr. Strangelove is yet another film by Stanley Kubrick that has made my list. It's just so damn funny and shockingly relevant even today, as the content remains as clever and meaningful as it did back in the 1960's. Humor is something that can occasionally feel dated, as something that played well long ago may come up dry with a modern audience. Not so for this classic dark comedy.


25. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

At one point years ago, when someone would ask what my favorite movie was, the answer was always The Empire Strikes Back...and The Shawshank Redemption. While no longer right there at the very top of the list, my love for this film still remains, a powerful story about finding hope in a hopeless place and the meaning of freedom beyond the simplicity of whether the prisoners are in serving time or out in a world unknown to them. The last thirty or so minutes of this work will always warm my soul without fail, an experience that never gets old.


24. Take Shelter (2011)

My Review of Take Shelter

One of the finest and most realistic looks at the profound challenges of mental illness, the film Take Shelter by Jeff Nichols showcases a breathtaking lead performance by Michael Shannon along with amazing supporting work by Jessica Chastain in the role of his wife. Much like the previously listed No Country for Old Men, this has a shockingly polarizing ending, and I say shockingly because I find only one interpretation to be valid yet I was surprised to see it debated by many. For me it is a moving moment using intense imagery to demonstrate the importance of comfort and having love by your side when you need it most. One of my absolute favorite closing scenes of a film I have ever witnessed.


23. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Here we are with that second Coen brothers film I eluded to earlier, their comedy classic The Big Lebowski was was just recently selected by the National Film Registry for preservation due to its cultural significance. Well deserved if you ask me, my favorite comedy of all time. So quotable, so memorable, such great characters, such a uniquely perfect script. I could practically watch this film on repeat and never grow tired of The Dude.


22. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Not quite the masterpiece from the filmography of Quentin Tarantino...but close. Inglourious Basterds takes his ingenious script and runs with it, with every performance absolutely on point for the material. Some of the finest moments of this film, from the riveting opening sequence to the showdown in the basement bar, are so perfectly executed and could only be the work of one man. When you see sequences like these, there is never a doubt as to who crafted them. Only Quentin Tarantino could pull it off.


21. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

My Review of The Two Towers

With these fresh in my mind after my recent six film journey through Middle Earth, The Two Towers is still the one that stands atop the rest. I cannot get enough of this installment, as every note is hit with perfection from beginning to end, never a misstep despite its daunting length and epic scope. Just thinking the words "Helms Deep" makes me grin like an idiot.

Only 20 films to go...or perhaps 21. I may just have to include a lame tie as a way to shoehorn in a choice much deserving of the honor. Either way, two more lists to come, and the image above is from a film that will be a part of the next group.

Interstellar Review

My adoration for Christopher Nolan as a filmmaker does not manifest blindly, despite what many people may assume as all I see around the internet is the term "fanboy" thrown out any time a rave Nolan review pops up. My eyes are open while I experience his films and if the time shall come in which his work truly disappoints, I will feel it and accept it. It just hasn't happened yet, and Interstellar certainly isn't the one to let me down. In fact, after my revisit yesterday, this time in front of a majestic IMAX screen, I am confident that this is not only the most ambitious work of his career, it is also his best.

Christopher Nolan does not make flawless films, let's make that clear. I do not believe he is a one man masterpiece machine or that he walks on water, but I love his filmography and the power it has over me because the man is a grand, ambitious entertainer. He is a man of big ideas and big execution, and any flaws that may pop up during films like Interstellar or Inception are easily forgivable because I admire the desire to dream big and present a grand vision at the expense of perceived perfection.

I realized long ago that I am a man who embraces the all important second viewing of a film, because for whatever reason my brain seems to process more of the details once I already know what is coming, once I am allowed to just sit back and lose myself in the ride rather than try to guess what happens next. I had minor issues with aspects of Interstellar initially after one watch, as I found parts of the film to feel rushed despite its nearly three hour running time, wishing we could have had an additional 15 or so minutes on Earth with Coop's family to really let the power of the relationships resonate. I didn't seem to notice this as being an issue this time around, and perhaps it was because I had already taken this journey once before, but I was emotionally invested quickly and the tears of Murph knowing her father may never return home broke my heart.

My other key issue with the film was the tonal shift of their time on the second planet they land on, the Hoth-like beast of a world that feels more like a nightmare than salvation the second we lay eyes on it. I found the direction the film takes while on that planet to be jarring after one viewing, and perhaps it was because I didn't see it coming and I didn't expect it, because now I felt that sequence flowed just as beautifully as the rest of the work, and I understand the significance of what occurred there thematically more than before. The editing that is showcased here, as we follow both the drive of Coop to save himself and humanity and also the similar passion of his daughter back on earth as she cannot give up the fight to rescue both her loved ones and the world, is completely enthralling and beautifully handled. These two worlds are vastly different but the circumstances on them are familiar, both feeling desolate and potentially hopeless, and despite being millions of miles apart from each other, a father and his daughter simply will not give up.

If you read my previous review of Interstellar, you may be surprised to see me mention any flaws at all considering how head over heels in love I was with the film then. I had these minor reservations but I still never questioned how I felt about the complete journey Christopher Nolan took me on in the cinema that night. My love for film cannot be broken down simply with X's and O's like a play design in football, it is a far richer and deeper experience than just pointing to a flaw and deducting points off my final grade of the movie. If you were to look at the trend of my favorite films over the past three years, The Tree of Life in 2011, Cloud Atlas in 2012 and then Gravity in 2013, you will find that I connected with these works on such a deep, profound level that whether or not a performance was a little off or the script could have been tweaked and so on, these issues cannot diminish what I feel internally as I let the experience wash over me.

To me, cinema and art in general is all about a personal connection. You can break down every minute of a film and analyze it to death, and sometimes I am guilty of doing this myself, but for the most part I know whether or not a film worked because I can feel it in my soul. As I sit here and reflect on my second Interstellar trip, I would not be able to find a single moment that left me troubled or baffled or simply feeling off. Does that mean it is a perfect film? Hardly. For me though, for what I am looking for when I take my seat inside that theater, for what whets my appetite when appreciating the medium that has stole my heart, Interstellar is a grand, sweeping work that feels like a dream I might have that I would hope to let play out before I must wake. The incredible imagery of a ship attempting to dock in the depths of space combined with an eerie score by Hans Zimmer that seemed to always match exactly what was needed in that moment, that for me is science fiction. I have always craved exploration, a curiosity resides inside me that wants to know what can be found in every nook and cranny of not only our world, but our universe and beyond, and while no film could ever completely satisfy my desires, at the very least Christopher Nolan certainly tried. His vision lifted me out of my seat and brought me to places far beyond my field of vision, and for that I thank him.

Interstellar is a film about love, and the central relationship is the bond of a father and his daughter. As I absorbed the movie into every pore, I remember thinking that I would do anything and everything, I would travel anywhere and face any danger if it meant saving the little girl that I brought into this world. Try and tell me why I shouldn't love this film, go ahead, your case might be incredibly valid and well reasoned, but in the end it will not work. When cinema speaks to me, I listen. Interstellar has spoken.


5/5

Cloud Atlas Review

In the world of film criticism, the word perfect is tossed around a lot, but honestly, what defines a perfect film? How can one truly gauge something like perfection?

To be clear, I am just as guilty of invoking the word as anyone else, mostly to illustrate that an aspect or an entire work felt perfect to me personally. Even then though, how can I be so sure? The Tree of Life is a cinematic experience that is so sublime, so richly rewarding for my soul that I could never actually find a flaw, but does that mean one doesn't exist? Isn't it always possible something technically could be improved upon, even if we aren't able to spot the imperfection no matter how close we look?

Cloud Atlas isn't a perfect film, not even for me on a personal level. I find the flaws to be minor, but they expose themselves nonetheless. Six stories that take place at vastly different times are weaved together to form a cohesive narrative, and some of these characters and their personal journeys are more interesting and impressive than others, yet as a whole work this is a film that resides inside my top 30 of all time and climbs slowly higher and higher with each revisit. I tend to believe the reason I formed this deep, important connection to Cloud Atlas boils down to a matter of personal preference more than anything else.

Some may admire a more minimalist feature that expertly knows its limitations and embraces them, and that is totally fine and understandable. For me though, if you really want to get my film loving juices flowing, sit me down in front of a work that is willing to make a few mistakes in pursuit of grand, massive ambitions. The scope of Cloud Atlas is on a level I have never witnessed before in cinema, a film that aspires for true greatness and for some I am sure it falls short. Not me though. I passionately connected to not only the concept and thematic messages of the film, but also the fact that it soars to seemingly unreachable heights on a technical level.

When I read the novel of the same name that this film is adapted from, I understood why it was considered by many to be a work that simply could not be translated to the screen. I found the novel by author David Mitchell to be a literary masterpiece, a challenging read that will reward the persistence of those who are willing to commit to its innovative format in the end, but I sensed that an attempt by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer would end up being a rather unfortunate failure. I was wrong, so very very wrong, and I discovered this in an IMAX theater on opening weekend when the fastest cinematic three hours of my life floored me and left me wanting to go back and do it again and again.

This being my fourth viewing overall of the film, I still can't wrap my mind around what an achievement the editing of Cloud Atlas is. The novel separated the six different stories which allowed me to mentally focus on only the one in front of me, only the words I was currently reading, and then I would put the book down to take a minute and piece together the thematic and literal connections that linked one story to the next. The reason it felt nearly impossible for the source material to be coherently adapted was essentially, how do you present such material to those that are not familiar with the stories in advance? If you keep the format the same and focus on one set of characters at a time, you risk losing the audience during the segments that are deemed less compelling, but to attempt to weave through the past, the present and the future all at once seemed destined to befuddle an audience that entered the cinema with no prior knowledge, unprepared for what awaits them. I am in awe of how seamlessly the film is pieced together, as I find from beginning to end it takes on an almost lyrical flow that overwhelms me with joy.

If someone were to ask me for a definition of pacing that I find ideal, I would turn to Cloud Atlas and point to the intimidating running time on paper and challenge them to actually feel any sluggish moments, any fat they would trim due to boredom. I have seen films that are literally half the length of this that bore me to tears, forcing me to check the clock on the wall and beg for the hands to move a bit faster. When I watch Cloud Atlas, clocks don't exist. Time is rendered meaningless. All that matters is what is in front of me, a work that defines epic, a work that even at its silliest lows, it is still utterly fascinating.

Cloud Atlas certainly isn't perfect, but I'm not sure any film really is. Considering its ambitions and the fact that practically every single second of this wonder had me glued to the screen, I don't search for nor need perfection. I am thankful of anything bold, exciting, and unique that will resonate in my mind and heart for the rest of my life, and without a doubt this is a work that has cemented its spot forever.



5/5