That being said, I'd like to introduce a new segment (hopefully one of many) here on Film Outsider called An Outsider's Opinion . It will be updated every Saturday with a new list of top 10's in a certain category. Pretty simple. I'll try to keep the lists original and informal, ranging from the essentials of a genre or time period to lists of performances, cinematography, editing, etc. If you have any suggestions, please let me know and I'll consider them. Enjoy!
We'll start off simply with the Top 10 Films of the first six years of the new century.
10. Little Children - The best film from 2006 is a searing, moving depiction of suburban life glimpsed through the eyes of two stay at home parents, one a grad school drop out, another a would be lawyer struggling to pass the Bar Exam and the extra-marital affair that the duo shares. Written and directed by Todd Field, Little Children is a darkly humorous, emotionally wrenching satire of the lives of those left to care for children in a marriage. It brilliantly interweaves in a subplot of a recently paroled pedophile that is as disturbing and emotionally effective as the main narrative. Featuring three not to be missed performances by Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson and Jackie Earle Haley, this is a literate, sophisticated film worthy of every bit of attention it receives.
9. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - A wonderfully rousing look at the lives of British Seamen in the Napoleonic Wars, Master and Commander is an absolute triumph from Peter Weir, who has quietly amassed a devastating filmography of both bona fide and near classics. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany lead a crew of both grizzled veterans and youthful newcomers through a riveting adventure that explores questions of evolution and duty while remaining suspenseful and entertaining. The film moves quickly and features exceptional battle sequences that demand to be viewed with the right set up. The best pure adventure film of the 2000's.
8. Million Dollar Baby - Clint Eastwood's quiet masterpiece, this film sneaks up on you masquerading as another boxing film under its devastating second half in which the film quickly changes into an intelligent and moving social commentary. Eastwood, who directed, starred and composed the score, brilliantly handles the subject matter by keeping the style of the film simple and restrained. Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hillary Swank all contribute spectacular performances, Swank in particular, who underwent an amazing physical transformation. Her acting is an exemplary performance filled with subtlety and emotion. The boxing scenes are well shot and edited and the ending is as emotional as any film on this list.
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - The best of Peter Jackson's triumphant trilogy features spectacular battle sequences and an epic scope only rivaled by the third installment, The Return of the King. As a whole, the cast is astounding as Jackson is able to successfully present smaller, human emotions inside of the monumental journey all of the characters undertake. The climatic battle at Helm's Deep is stunning, a perfect mixture of old-school Studio Era stunts and new wave CGI created by WETA, Jackson's in-house special effects team. It ends on a stirring note, readying the audience for the concluding and moving final chapter of the most accomplished film trilogy of all time.
6. Bloody Sunday - Prior to announcing his American presence with The Bourne Supremacy and more recently with United 93, Paul Greengrass crafted his best film to date, a ground-breaking examination of an Irish protest gone terribly wrong. Tension and a sense of dread permeates the entire film and once the shooting starts, there is a gripping realism present that is, quite simply, riveting. By primarily using a hand held camera during the scenes of chaos, Greengrass engineers a kinetic feeling of being there, ducking and darting with the rest of the terrified Irish protesters. The film never sides with either protesters or military, rather, presents the situation as it happened and allows the audience to come to their own conclusions. A devastatingly effective film.
5. The Fog of War- The best documentary of the new century, The Fog of War is more or less a simple interview with Robert McNamara. However, don't be fooled as Errol Morris presents the information in such an innovative way that it never feels dull or slow, but rather exciting and informative. McNamara has a magnetic presence and exudes an effortless intelligence and wisdom gained from his years in Washington. Upon watching this film, it is easy to see why his image was so poorly presented in the mid to late 1960's as he presents and discusses his successes and mistakes with class and honesty. It becomes clear to the audience that McNamara regrets some of his actions, but he never shies away from them. In doing so, he subverts many mainstream American beliefs with solid, informed arguments that are difficult to ignore. This is a must see for anyone living in the world today in order to avoid previous mistakes made by the US government.
4. Lost in Translation- Sofia Coppola's second film is a restrained, simple meditation on cultural differences that is at turns funny, heartbreaking and bittersweet. No other film in recent memory is so reliant on mood and for that reason, Lost in Translation will undoubtedly alienate some viewers. The narrative is second place to the emotions and thoughts of the two main characters, both played brilliantly by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. It's basic visual scheme is gorgeous, effortlessly capturing the illumination of the urban sprawl of Tokyo. Coppola's choice of music is splendid as Kevin Shields, of My Bloody Valentine fame, contributes new compositions as well as MBV's classic "Sometimes", all perfectly suited the film. This may not be a film for everyone but for those able to tap into its frame of mind will find an endlessly rewarding and entertaining film that will make you think and more importantly, will make you feel.
3. Mulholland Drive- David Lynch's head-trip of a film, Mulholland Drive is one of the most dense and confounding films in recent memory. If you allow yourself into its world though, hang on for the ride of a lifetime. The film runs the gamut of emotions, from terrifying to humorous, from merely nonsensical to downright bizarre. Insides the twisting, turning narrative there are examinations of the Hollywood star system, dreams and sexuality. Lynch's story is based around one woman's search for her identity, a quest that becomes increasingly bizarre with each revelation. The acting by Naomi Watts and Laura Harring is wonderful. The two share a great chemistry and carry the film through its stranger moments. For those brave viewers willing to undertake a viewing, brace yourself for the film's final 30 minutes in which everything you think you know gets turned on its head, identities are confused, characters change roles entirely. However, once you've seen it a few times, its story reveals itself to be a rewarding and exciting brainteaser that will keep you guessing for years.
2. Cidade de Deus (City of God)- One of the greatest crime films of all time, Fernando Meirelles' exciting and engaging feature length Cidade de Deus is an astonishing view into the slums of Rio de Janeiro with a narrative that tracks the rise and fall of a single crime syndicate over the span of 30 years. It characters are flawed, complex and most of all human. The lives many of them are forced to lead are heartbreaking, violent existences filled with death and despair. Meirelles' camera is quick moving and frenetic, capturing the speed of life perfectly. At the center of it all is Rocket, the film's protagonist, and his quest to leave his horrific surroundings and become a world famous photographer. However, the film's tangents are equally fleshed out and together, they all add up to a complete vision of life, equally filled with sadness and joy. The film's music pulses along, adding vitality to the proceedings. Not to be missed.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- For me, Michele Gondry's examination of love and relationships is, hands down, the greatest film in recent memory and one of the best of all time. It is a visually stimulating, emotionally superb look at one couple's failed relationship and the lessons that are learned by the two. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet contribute breathtaking performances that flesh out Charlie Kaufman's brilliantly insane screenplay that despite its eccentricities never moves away from basic human emotion. The science fiction elements of the film only work to enhance the bittersweet feeling of the whole thing, adding layers upon layers of meaning and emotion onto the primary narrative. The film's final half hour features some of the most beautiful and heart wrenching dialogue in history and perfectly captures the feelings one goes through as a relationship nears its end. It is universally applicable; anyone that has loved will find something in it that applies to them. Its conclusion is a wonderfully optimistic refusal to give up, regardless of the costs, emotional or physical.
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