Michael Phillips' and A. O. Scott's Ten Best Films of the 2000s

December 26, 2009

On At the Movies for the past ten weeks, Michael Phillips and A. O. Scott have been revealing their favorite films of the past decade one by one. The next marathon I plan to do to begin the new year is to watch the films on their lists that I either haven't seen or haven't seen in a long time.

One of the many things I love about these two brilliant critics is the fact that they're willing to go against the grain and pick films that spoke to them personally more than trying to separate themselves in order to come up with some kind of arch list that judges an inconclusive idea of "greatness" apart from subjective response. The best films of a decade (or of any individual year) must pass the test of informed critical analysis. It's unacceptable to put a film that's not truly "great" on lists like these; however, when dealing with "great" films, ranking them involves forming an argument as to the extent of a film's merit, and as long as valid arguments can be made, then perhaps almost any "great" film within established parameters might appropriately top a countdown of the best.

Therefore, I'm thrilled to see films like Once, Where the Wild Things Are and Ratatouille as among the best films of the last ten years. I almost guarantee that you won't find these three movies on many other decade lists, and because I agree that all three are great films, I have no problem with these choices whatsoever.

Here are their lists:

Michael Phillips' Best of the Decade

1. There Will Be Blood

2. Ratatouille

3. Climates

4. Once

5. Y tu Mama Tambien

6. Zodiac

7. United 93

8. Mulholland Dr.

9. Gosford Park

10. Minority Report


A. O. Scott's Best of the Decade

1. WALL-E

2. A. I.: Artificial Intelligence

3. Brokeback Mountain

4. The Pianist

5. Where the Wild Things Are

6. The Best of Youth

7. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

9. 25th Hour

10. Million Dollar Baby


Here are the films that will be part of my At the Movies Decade Marathon: (Note: I've seen Minority Report, Gosford Park and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but it's been over five years since I've seen all three, and I don't remember any of them that well, so I look forward to watching them again.)

1. Minority Report (2002)

2. Gosford Park (2001)

3. 25th Hour (2002)

4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

5. The Best of Youth (2005)

6. Y tu Mama Tambien (2002)

7. Climates (2006)

2009 Golden Globe Award Nominations

December 21, 2009

It's taken me almost a week to post the nominations for the Golden Globes. This has one real advantage--many films were released this past weekend, so the buzz is much more established today than it was last Tuesday.

Good news for films:

Avatar received a Best Picture nomination, and people are absolutely loving it, which might just give it the momentum it needs to be a serious candidate for the Best Picture Oscar.

The Hurt Locker continues to prove that it is one of the films to beat with nominations in all major categories except for its actors.

Inglourious Basterds not only received a nomination for Best Picture, but also for Best Screenplay and Best Director. I think this guarantees it a place among the ten Oscar Best Picture nominees.

Up in the Air received six nominations including Picture, Director, Screenplay, Actor and two for Supporting Actress. It's going to be in a tight battle with The Hurt Locker for both the Golden Globe and the Oscar. The winner of the Globe will be the established front runner for the Academy Award, so Best Motion Picture Drama is the category to watch (even though Up in the Air is really a comedy).

Sandra Bullock received two (undeserved) nominations which probably makes her a favorite to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for The Blind Side.

Matt Damon and Meryl Streep both earned two nominations each, though Meryl is logically guaranteed to go home a loser the night of the Golden Globes since she's up against herself. On the other hand, she's a lock to win for Julie & Julia so my guess is that she won't be too upset by her loss.

Bad News for Films:

Invictus failed to earn a Best Picture nomination, though Eastwood is nominated for Best Director. However, I think many will agree that nominating Clint Eastwood is almost expected. His nomination speaks more for Eastwood's legacy than it does for the direction within Invictus.

Jeremy Renner did not receive an acting nomination for The Hurt Locker, which makes me believe that he won't be nominated for an Oscar either--unless The Hurt Locker wins Best Picture and gains a great deal of overall momentum.

Here are the nominees:

Best Motion Picture- Drama
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama
Emily Blunt- The Young Victoria
Sandra Bullock- The Blind Side
Helen Mirren- The Last Station
Carey Mulligan- An Education
Gabourey Sidibe- Precious

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama
Jeff Bridges- Crazy Heart
George Clooney- Up in the Air
Colin Firth- A Single Man
Morgan Freeman- Invictus
Tobey Maguire- Brothers

Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy
(500) Days of Summer
The Hangover
It's Complicated
Julia & Julia
Nine

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock- The Proposal
Marion Cotillard- Nine
Julia Roberts- Duplicity
Meryl Streep- It's Complicated
Meryl Streep- Julie & Julia

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy
Matt Damon- The Informant!
Daniel Day-Lewis- Nine
Robert Downey Jr.- Sherlock Holmes
Joseph Gordon-Levitt- (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg- A Serious Man

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Penelope Cruz- Nine
Vera Farmiga- Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick- Up in the Air
Mo'Nique- Precious
Julianne Moore- A Single Man

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon- Invictus
Woody Harrelson- The Messenger
Christopher Plummer- The Last Station
Stanley Tucci- The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz- Inglourious Bastards

Best Animated Feature Film
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
Up

Best Foreign Language Film
Baaria (Italy)
Broken Embraces (Spain)
The Maid (Chile)
A Prophet (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)

Best Director- Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow- The Hurt Locker
James Cameron- Avatar
Clint Eastwood- Invictus
Jason Reitman- Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino- Inglourious Basterds

Best Screenplay- Motion Picture
Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell- District 9
Mark Boal- The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino- Inglourious Basterds
Nancy Meyers- It's Complicated
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner- Up in the Air

Best Original Score- Motion Picture
Avatar
The Informant!
A Single Man
Up
Where the Wild Things Are

Best Original Song
"Cinema Italiano"- Nine
"I See You"- Avatar
"I Want to Come Home"- Everybody's Fine
"The Weary Kind"- Crazy Heart
"Winter"- Brothers

Cecil B. DeMille Award- Martin Scorsese

Tribute to Brittany Murphy (1977-2009)

December 20, 2009

Tribute to Brittany Murphy (1977-2009)

I learned through Twitter earlier today the unbelievably sad news that the charming actress Brittany Murphy died this morning at the age of 32. At the moment I'm typing this post, it's been reported that natural causes are to blame for the cardiac arrest which ultimately killed her. A routine police investigation is underway, so it's possible that more details may present themselves in the upcoming days and weeks.

Born in Atlanta, Murphy was raised in Edison, New Jersey before moving to Burbank at the age of 13. Her breakout role was in the wonderful nineties zeitgeist comedy Clueless in which she played Alicia Silverstone's plain, slightly chubby friend. After losing weight, she gained sex symbol status which helped propel her career in the late nineties and the early 2000s. Other notable film appearances include Girl Interrupted, Summer Catch, Just Married, Happy Feet and Sin City. My favorite Brittany Murphy performance easily belongs to her role opposite Eminem in Curtis Hanson's 8 Mile.

Though her career started fizzling out in the last few years, she did have steady work as the voice of Luanne in the animated television series King of the Hill. Three of her films are in post-production which means that we will all get the chance to see Murphy on screen a few more times, which is slightly reassuring.

I am personally grateful for the wonderful work that I've had the privilege of witnessing, and I look forward to catching up on some of her work which I have missed. Rest in peace.