Tuesday, April 3, 2012

My top 100 films of the decade (That I watched) 31-40


40. The Fountain 

– Weird? Very, but this beautiful film had a very lasting effect on me and when I have to sit down and reflect upon life, then I’m pretty sure the movie has quite a lot of worth to it. Aronofsky hasn’t let me down with one film he’s done yet. Every single time he puts out a movie I have to watch and pay attention. The Fountain was no exception. If you didn’t get it, then cool, but if you did, then the wonderful imagery coupled with one of the best scores I’ve ever heard allowed you to truly experience the life and death of Xibalba.

39. Million Dollar Baby 


– A movie dealing with boxing that need not appeal to boxing aficionados. This movie is a little on the odd side because Hillary Swank was so good in it while having appeared months before in The Core. How the same actor/actress can do such a good movie while providing such crap fodder in another is beyond me, but it just goes to show that a great director will help a good actor become stellar. Thanks Clint, for nurturing this baby to help it make millions.

38. Up 


– if anyone knows how to make a gut wrenching intro to a movie to engage viewers and later reward them with a great movie, it’s Disney. Up starts off with the story of Carl, a man who has lived a full life and is one of those lucky few who find the love of their lives AND spends his life with that person. After a very warm and beautiful intro, his wife is shown to pass away, leaving him alone, embittered and at a loss for what to do next… so when a large company wants to evict him, he does the only sensible thing, he buys thousands of balloons, fills them off and flies off to fulfill one of the pending wishes of his wife. Just writing about it gets me to choke up a bit because the intro is quite simply spectacular and the movie definitely has some priceless moments and a supremely satisfying ending. Add to the mix a dog with a collar that lets him speak (I shall forever use the phrase “Squirrel!!!!” thinking of this film), and a weird crazy bird that reminds me of one of the crazier avian characters from the Three Caballeros, and a sweet chubby boy scout you can’t help but want to pinch his cheeks. The movie is honestly a great ride, you won’t be disappointed but a couple of debatable plot points hold this film from being higher on the list. Regardless, it is magnificent and even though it is inspired by a Down in the life of Mr. Carl, you end up with a very pleasant lighthearted Up  feeling.



37. Wedding Crashers 


– Vince Vaughn comes from a school of actors which you either love or hate. Like his brothers in Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Will Farrell and Adam Sandler, some people don’t like the guy or his acting. That’s all fine and dandy but when you get down to it, this movie is hilarious. Typical ending? So what. Will Farrell makes one of his epic cameos and that’s enough of a reason to be on this list.


36. Brokeback Mountain 


– Two cowboys turn lovers… after you deal with your homophobia, you can see that this movie is exceptionally well acted and edited to a score that truly does rip your heart to pieces. Powerful, different, and responsible for introducing the word Brokeback into everyday vernacular.


35. Cars 


– A great CGI movie featuring talking vehicles including Cheech Marin and George Carlin. That it’s a Disney Pixar movie shouldn’t surprise anyone that it’s exceptionally well made, but it did. Light effects and reflections were on full display and when you see an animated film with texture, you probably won’t be able to take your eyes off the screen, and I didn’t.


34. Kill Bill Vol 2


– An excellent film in and of itself, but not as good as the first one. Regardless of this difference, we get to see the faceoff between Miss Kiddo against Bill, and Elle. You also get to see the master of the entire Deadly Viper Squad and what became of him. Kung fu is a dish best served bloody.



33. Kung Fu Hustle 


– Funny? Check. Well shot? Check. Great effects? Check. Best wire work ever done? Quite possibly. Some of the best fight scenes ever made? Check. Good story? Check. Memorable characters? Check. Simply put, Stephen Chow has my attention for as long as he lives.


32. Ocean’s Eleven 


– Not since Sneakers had I seen a heist movie that was so feel good. A delightful affair from start to finish and with a huge cast of memorable characters and you got yourself a classic. So what if the other two movies came up short? We have the first ocean eleven, a truly revamped remake that feels fresh, original and fun. Stage design, editing, music, acting, script, flow and dialogue all contribute to this movie being in the top 20 movies of the last ten years.


31. The Hangover 


– Party movies normally don’t have the best premise in the world. They just have great writers writing funny stuff. The entire formula for The Hangover is just classic and the ending picturesque ending truly takes the movie up even further after having pulled out all the stops. Plus, there’s a chicken, a mysterious baby, a tiger, a naked Chinese guy in the trunk and Mike Tyson.

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