Developing a “Best of” list seems like the height of arrogance to me. Even my greatest effort to maintain an objective mind in selecting the ten best films of the decade will necessarily be sabotaged by what I have seen. For me, this means documentary, Sci-fi, and horror films will receive short shrift.
Why then develop such a list? Truthfully, because I was flabbergasted by a similar list produced by John Serba, film critic for The Grand Rapids Press. You can read his top ten choices here. For someone who reports seeing thousands of films throughout the course of the decade, Mr. Serba’s list is surprisingly narrow. Clearly he has a bent toward fantasy films and Pixar movies. He has been bedazzled by visuals equating the unique and quirky with the best. With the films selected below, I attempt to balance Mr. Serba’s leanings with character-driven stories.
Of course, the films any reviewer selects for such a list will say much more about that person than he or she would likely care to admit. I’m not sure this is a bad thing. The wonderful thing about film, and the arts in general, is that our taste for certain images and stories is a reflection of our souls and thereby immeasurably helpful in raising our self-awareness and in revealing ourselves to those around us. That said, I wonder what the following best films of the decade say about me?
#1
Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Director: Danny Boyle
Year: 2008
Country: United Kingdom
#2
Film: The Departed
Director: Martin Scorsese
Year: 2006
Country: United States of America
#3
Film: Brokeback Mountain
Director: Ang Lee
Year: 2005
Country: United States of America
#4
Film: Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain)
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Year: 2001
Country: France
#5
Film: Wall-E
Director: Andrew Stanton
Year: 2008
Country: United States of America
#6
Film: The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen)
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Year: 2006
Country: Germany
#7
Film: The Pianist
Director: Roman Polanski
Year: 2002
Country: Poland, France, Germany, and the the United Kingdom
#8
Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Director: Peter Jackson
Year: 2001
Country: United States of America
#9
Film: Tsotsi
Director: Gavin Hood
Year: 2005
Country: South Africa
#10
Film: Lars and the Real Girl
Director: Craig Gillespie
Year: 2007
Country: United States of America
Honorable Mention (In alphabetical order)
Film: Billy Elliot (2000)
Director: Stephen Daldry
Film: The Chorus [Les Choristes] (2004)
Director: Christophe Barratier
Film: Cinderella Man (2005)
Director: Ron Howard
Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Director: Michel Gondry
Film: Finding Neverland (2004)
Director: Marc Forster
Film: In the Bedroom (2001)
Director: Todd Field
Film: Joyeux Noël (2005)
Director: Christian Carion
Film: Ratatouille (2007)
Director: Brad Bird
Film: Seabiscuit (2003)
Director: Gary Ross
Film: Stranger than Fiction (2006)
Director: Marc Forster
We have much in common Andy, even if your glass is half-full and mine will break any minute now. I’ll have to think of what would be on my list, but five of your selections, including the Honorable Mentions, would be on my top ten films of the decade list. Off the top of my head, one glaring absence from your list is “Lost in Translation” which would be toward the top of my list.
Thanks Heidi for your comments. Yes, do give me your top ten of the decade. If you watch Billy Elliot then I’ll watch Lost in Translation . . . although, be forewarned, Billy is a very “glass is half full” type of movie. I’m suspecting yours is far less so! To be continued . . .