A.V. Club's best films of the '00s

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:00 pm

Silent Toot Wrote:

OPA! Wrote:

I suspect they decided to just include a few foreign films, most likely the ones that made Hollywood studios money. If they had included foreign films without bias, at least half of that list would be non-English speaking movies.

Where are Amelie, Irreversible, The Piano Teacher, Amores Perros, The Motorcycle Diaries, A Very Long Engagement, etc.?

ive not seen the three in bold, but imo, a very long engagement was essentially amelie redux and the motorcycle diaries was basically a 2 hour paul harvey segment...i.e. "and that little boy...grew up to be...CHE GUEVARA

OK, that's kinda true, too.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:36 pm

The Lives of Others not being included on the list is a major flaw. Also, why is it that Eternal Sunshine...has gotten so much recognition in the past 2 years. Its as though someone just found that film. For me, TWBB and City of God are nice 1-2 punch. Also, I'd pick Elephant over Gerry as a Van Sant film from the decade.

shiv · **Posted:** Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:40 pm

Silent Toot Wrote:

can't remember that basement scene...

part of it's at 2:14

i really want to see loog's list so i can have a good laugh.

i predict every oliver stone film from this decade would be on it.

Senator LooGAR · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:14 am

shiv Wrote:

Silent Toot Wrote:

can't remember that basement scene...

part of it's at 2:14

i really want to see loog's list so i can have a good laugh.

i predict every oliver stone film from this decade would be on it.

Funny, I always thought you were smarter than that Jonny.

shiv · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:17 am

Senator Ba HumGAR Wrote:

shiv Wrote:

Silent Toot Wrote:

can't remember that basement scene...

part of it's at 2:14

i really want to see loog's list so i can have a good laugh.

i predict every oliver stone film from this decade would be on it.

Funny, I always thought you were smarter than that Jonny.

I know you own every cut of Alexander.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:40 am

mcaputo Wrote:

No Dancer In The Dark is just wrong. One of the most depresssing movies I've ever seen.

I agree with this. I thought that movie was pretty great.

I think Dogville is much better, though. I've seen it on several other critics' best of the decade lists. Von Trier's best movie, easily, but I'd put DITD second. (Manderlay was kinda disappointing.)

OPA! · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:18 am

I just noticed that L'enfant made the list. Good to see. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it.

Hegel · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:34 am

i am okay with where Children of Men where is at if only for the ridiculously amazing 5 minute single-shot. The DP and cam op should receive a lifetime's supply of BJs for that.

I do agree that I'd prefer to see Synecdoche, NY on the list and maybe replace it with Eternal Sunshine. Forgive my contentious viewpoint from our resident movie critic, Gar, but I am not sure why there's so much animosity toward it. Pretty great movie, IMHO.

Irreversible should not be on this list. Just because it's fucked up means nothing.

Agree that Primer and Amelie should be on the list.

I think I'd have put Sideways on the list as well. Call me a sucker, but I loved that movie.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:41 am

Children of Men is probably one of the best novel to film translations.

Dancer In the Dark was superior, imo, to Dogville.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:49 am

I'll also add 2 more films that personally would make my 00s best of list:

George Washington directed by David Gordon Green

Werckmeister Harmonies directed by Bela Tarr

arthouse or not, they're great films.

OPA! · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 4:43 am

Hegel Wrote:

Irreversible should not be on this list. Just because it's fucked up means nothing.

Putting aside it's subject matter, it's truly a remarkable work of art. The fact that some viewers got up and walked out midway through says more about them than it does about the movie.

jewels santana · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:36 pm **Posts:** 10198

Leon Wrote:

Looking at this list made me realize what a great decade this was for movies, regardless of which ones do and do not belong. That being said Waking Life does not belong on the list, one of the most boring things I've ever seen.

And visually one of the most annoying things i've ever seen. Hopefully it's influence remains on the those terrible financial commercials, and doesn't spread beyond.

paladisiac · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:27 am

thanx to this list i just saw oldboy. good movie. i'm surprised i didn't see the twist at the end coming.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:00 pm

jewels santana Wrote:

Leon Wrote:

Looking at this list made me realize what a great decade this was for movies, regardless of which ones do and do not belong. That being said Waking Life does not belong on the list, one of the most boring things I've ever seen.

And visually one of the most annoying things i've ever seen. Hopefully it's influence remains on the those terrible financial commercials, and doesn't spread beyond.

Yeah, I don't think the passage of time is going to be very kind to that movie.

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:04 pm

Hegel Wrote:

I think I'd have put Sideways on the list as well. Call me a sucker, but I loved that movie.

oh yeah, sideways

:thumbsup:

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:07 pm

It's becoming apparent that we all need to make our own lists.

toots · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:09 pm

movie tenners!

OPA! · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:23 pm

Drinky Wrote:

It's becoming apparent that we all need to make our own lists.

Yes.

Grape Ripple · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:45 pm

Here's my tenner, in no particular order:

Children of Men
City of God
Eternal Sunshine
Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Dark Knight
The Incredibles
Mullholand Drive
The Royal Tennenbaums
Kill Bill
28 Days Later

There are probably one or two that I missed. I almost put Crouching Tiger on there. I saw it about four times in the theater. I have very little desire to ever see it again though.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:08 pm

These would at least deserve their own thread if we're gonna do 'em.

two guns holla · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:23 pm

paper Wrote:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-best-films-of-the-00s,35931/1/

47. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
46. Adaptation (2002)
41. The Dark Knight (2008)
40. City Of God (2002)
39. The Prestige (2006)
37. A History Of Violence (2005)
35. Waking Life (2001)
34. American Psycho (2000)
33. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
32. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
31. In The Mood For Love (2000)
30. WALL-E (2008)
29. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
26. The Incredibles (2004)
23. The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)
22. United 93 (2006)
21. Zodiac (2007)
20.The Squid and The Whale (2005)
19. The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
18. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
17. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
16. Almost Famous (2000)
15. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
14. Talk To Her (2002)
13. Grizzly Man (2005)
12. Before Sunset (2004)
10. Children Of Men (2006)
7. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)
5. Memento (2000)
4. No Country For Old Men (2007)
3. There Will Be Blood (2007)
2. 25th Hour (2002)
1. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

What I've seen from this list. I liked the list for the most part, but haven't begun to think of my favorites of the decade yet.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:54 pm

Drinky Wrote:

These would at least deserve their own thread if we're gonna do 'em.

2nd this idea.

Flying Rabbit · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:58 pm

Drinky Wrote:

jewels santana Wrote:

Leon Wrote:

Looking at this list made me realize what a great decade this was for movies, regardless of which ones do and do not belong. That being said Waking Life does not belong on the list, one of the most boring things I've ever seen.

And visually one of the most annoying things i've ever seen. Hopefully it's influence remains on the those terrible financial commercials, and doesn't spread beyond.

Yeah, I don't think the passage of time is going to be very kind to that movie.

Also, hopefully those who judge such things will judge it on its technological advancements. Rotoscoping was very much an unknown art at that time. The filmmakers/editors had to basically create from scratch programs to animate the scenes in a timely manner. I've done some rotoscoping on my own with a wacom pad and photoshop and its VERY time consuming. I definitely have a respect for them. Also, seeing the technology push forward to Linklater's next rotoscoping film, "A Scanner Darkly" is pretty amazing. Personally, I dig ASD more, but Waking Life is basically philosophy on film. Therefore, it gets more cred.

Dick Meatwood · **Posted:** Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:04 pm

Flying Rabbit Wrote:

Also, hopefully those who judge such things will judge it on its technological advancements. Rotoscoping was very much an unknown art at that time. The filmmakers/editors had to basically create from scratch programs to animate the scenes in a timely manner. I've done some rotoscoping on my own with a wacom pad and photoshop and its VERY time consuming. I definitely have a respect for them. Also, seeing the technology push forward to Linklater's next rotoscoping film, "A Scanner Darkly" is pretty amazing. Personally, I dig ASD more, but Waking Life is basically philosophy on film. Therefore, it gets more cred.

I get what you're saying and agree, but technically rotoscoping is almost as old as movie-making itself. They just developed technology that made it very economical. I've rotoscoped as well (a few different ways), and while it is very time-consuming, even doing it by hand can take less time than actually animating something by hand, from scratch. That's why in several of the old Disney movies they used it for complex scenes with human characters.

jewels santana · **Joined:** Thu Nov 04, 2004 2:36 pm **Posts:** 10198

i don't know that it is how they did it, but a lot of the animation looks like the auto trace filter in illustrator. Which is ugly, and needs hours of massaging. But it looks like they skipped the massaging step.

Also, what Drinky said.

A.V. Club's best films of the '00s

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