I am a list-nazi. Some time ago I made very adamant proclamations: No top ten list would ever have ties. Ties are for wusses. And lists were reserved for only regular ole theatrically distributed feature films within the calendar year. No shorts, no miniseries, no documentaries. I remain rigid about this. And rigidity takes a toll. The price this year? The following films are not in my top ten list. In one case I love more than most of those that are. Two of the films cited are very new. The paint is still wet so to speak. I have no distance from them. A year from now I may wish they were higher or feel fine about their placement. But I need films to settle in. In this way I am the polar opposite of other year-end celebrations. My heart grows fonder of films over time. I am always a teensy bit suspicious of the love I hold while walking out of a screening. Is it a fling or a full fledged romance?
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15 comments:
No documentaries?! Now that just seems silly.
well i figure they just have entirely different goals than features. And since I don't see more than a few of them a year i also don't feel like I am an expert at judging their worth. ;)
Will Downfall be eligible for any of the awards this year (ala Hero last year)?
i did not see downfall.
ain't missing much in my opinion.
I'm delighted to see Kings and Queen in your list (as well as Corpse Bride, I didn't think anyone else loved it like I did). Also I still have high hopes for New World and Match Point, so I'm happy you liked them too. So far I'm a fan of the list (even if I wasn't as big a fin of GNAGL as others).
As for the movies you missed - Downfall was overbaked and overrated, Nobody Knows was sweet and not horribly sentimental but overlong (and still about kids, movies about kids need to be extra special to make me a fan).
I despised Elephant too much to see Last Days - I'll watch it on DVD but I don't think I'll like it (I despise Michael Pitt almost as much as I do Elephant). The Best of Youth was never released here, but my Uni Library is importing the DVD so count me super-excited.
Well, on the matter of Last Days it all matters as to WHY you hated Elephant (which was my #2 of 2003 btw). If you didn't like it because of it's lack of plot structure, pro actors, identifiable actions and vague shenanigans then you will equally despise Last Days - moreso even. I personally, gave Last Days a B. Not as good as Elephant, a tad better than Gerry.
Anyway. Great list so far - and I'm fairly certain I have the Top 5 pinned down (the titles, anyway - the placings obviously could swap)
5. Me & You & Everyone We Know
4. Pride & Prejudice
3. Cache
2. A History of Violence
1. Brokeback Mountain
kamikaze, I think the fifth slot could go to any number of films: I have The New World as my prediction at the moment. Your ordering is perfect, though.
I enjoyed Elephant for a good 30 minutes, especially that early sequence where it was just a boy walking through the school and there was piano music on the soundtrack. However, after a while I caught on to the fact that the picture was as manipulative and sensationalist as any movie with a plot, but it was simply pretending to be more concerned and naturalistic. Essentially it was as profound as Urban Legend 2, only a lot more pretentious. That's why I hated Elephant.
arkaan, The New World was in his #13 spot, right before Match Point.
I actually decided it could be M&Y&EWK or The Beat That My Heart Skipped. But a while ago Nat said that M&Y was a definite Top 10 contender. So...
On the matter of Elephant I can't really be bothered defending it because i know it's a very love-it-or-hate-it type of movie. I, personally, love it.
Both Elephant and Gerry were films I admired or liked but neither made the top ten list (Elephant came close). But I didn't hear anything that convinced me that Last Days was above the level of those two films and I ran out of time.
This is what I get for not reading, goshdarnit.
If you get a chance in the future, I would definately recommend seeing Nobody Knows. More proof that the Foreign Language Committee doesn't know what they are doing. Even though I haven't seen it, I heard The World is also supposed to be a very great small gem.
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