2000 - 2009: My 30 Favorite Movies
As I said some days before I'm going to post the list of my favorite movies and TV show from the last 10 years. I know there is some confusion about when actually a decade starts, but I will consider that it started in 2000.
And this doesn´t try to be the list of the best movies, just my favorites, something personal and subjetive ;) And because of the post would be very longe, I will post 15 positions today.
30.- INFERNAL AFFAIRS (Wai-Keung Lau, Alan Mark - 2002)
PLOT: A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.
Do you remember the Scorsese movie The Departed? It was the remake of this one.
29 .- 25th HOUR (Spike Lee - 2002)
PLOT: Cornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan (Norton) reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven-year jail term.
I like this movie because it's about friendship, family, love, the things you would miss if you go to jail. The original sountrack (composed by Terence Blanchard) is one of my favorites ever. And movie has one of the best scenes in the last years. If you have 5 minutes, you can watch it HERE.
28.- A.I. (Steven Spielberg - 2001)
PLOT: A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.
I know many people think this movie is boring, but i find it very touching and amazing. A fairy tale for adults.
27.- GOSFORD PARK (Robert Almant - 2001)
PLOT: Multiple storylined drama set in 1932, showing the lives of upstairs guest and downstairs servants at a party in a country house in England.
Only for the casting this movie worth it, but it's much more than that. Great dialogues, good characters, black humor, unsolved misteries, mysteries from the past... The only thing I don´t like it is the never-ending piano scene.
26.- THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISOOU (Wes Anderson - 2004)
PLOT: With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son.
Wes Anderson is one of my favorites directors. He make his films uniques and different and I always fall in love with the characters and stories... really adorables. If you love Cate Blanchet, Bill Murray and David Bowie, you should watch it.
25.- CHICAGO (Rob Marshall - 2002)
PLOT: Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.
For me, the story is the less important thing in the movie. It's all about the show and music... and only for that, I really enjoy this movie everytime I watch it.
24.- CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuarón - 2006)
PLOT: In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
I love movies about a convincing future world and this is one of them.
23.- WAR OF THE WORLDS (Steven Spielberg - 2005)
PLOT: As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival.
I really think this remake worth it. For me, it's one of the most scary movies I've watched ever. It's about surviving, about fear to unknown... Maybe the end is the weaker point of the movie.
22.- AMERICAN GANGSTER (Ridley Scott - 2007)
PLOT: In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East.
I think this is an excellent telling of a true crime story. It's intriguing, entertaining, and certainly serves as a cautionary reminder to remain vigilant in combating drugs. And it has two of the best actors currently.
21.- COLLATERAL (Michael Mann - 2004)
PLOT: A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in LA. He must find a way to save both himself and one last victim.
It has incredible screenplay, incredible directing and above all, great acting. (Foxx and Cruise work together) and I love the way the movie was filmed, it shows perfectly the dark atmosphere in the L.A. nights.
20.- HERO (Zhang Yimou - 2002)
PLOT: A series of Rashomon-like flashback accounts shape the story of how one man defeated three assassins who sought to murder the most powerful warlord in pre-unified China.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was realeaded a couple years ago, but I think this movie is, by far, superior en every detail. Hero is a film that is beautiful in many aspects. The direction and photography is artsy without being pretentious. Every shot is worthy of being a work of art in itself.
19.- LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (Jonathan Dayton - 2006)
PLOT: A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.
Sad, painful, tragic and yet unendingly hilarious. This is atypical road movie where the characters learn some good lessons. I think everybody who has watched this movie will remember the last scene for ever.
18.- RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (Jonathan Demme - 2008)
PLOT: A young woman who has been in and out from rehab for the past 10 years returns home for the weekend for her sister's wedding.
Demme made this dogma movie last year, and like the most of them you can easily love it or hate it. The story, despite the wedding, is really painful and Anne Hathaway makes her best perfomance so far (terrrifc, btw)
17.- THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski - 2002)
PLOT: A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II
Yes, another holocaust movie. But the Wladyslaw story (who Adrien plays in a amazing way) is really worth to watch it.
16.- WALL-E (Andrew Stanton - 2008)
PLOT: In the distant future, a small waste collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.
Well, I guess everybody has watched this movie and maybe I don´t even need to add anything. But I'm not a Pixar fan so...this is praiseworthy for me. It's a really amazing movie. By far, the best PIXAR movie so far (Yes, I liked much more this one than UP)
and now, if you want, you can criticize the list. :P And I will post the last 15 movies probably next week. :)
And this doesn´t try to be the list of the best movies, just my favorites, something personal and subjetive ;) And because of the post would be very longe, I will post 15 positions today.
30.- INFERNAL AFFAIRS (Wai-Keung Lau, Alan Mark - 2002)
PLOT: A story between a mole in the police department and an undercover cop. Their objectives are the same: to find out who is the mole, and who is the cop.
Do you remember the Scorsese movie The Departed? It was the remake of this one.
29 .- 25th HOUR (Spike Lee - 2002)
PLOT: Cornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan (Norton) reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven-year jail term.
I like this movie because it's about friendship, family, love, the things you would miss if you go to jail. The original sountrack (composed by Terence Blanchard) is one of my favorites ever. And movie has one of the best scenes in the last years. If you have 5 minutes, you can watch it HERE.
28.- A.I. (Steven Spielberg - 2001)
PLOT: A highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.
I know many people think this movie is boring, but i find it very touching and amazing. A fairy tale for adults.
27.- GOSFORD PARK (Robert Almant - 2001)
PLOT: Multiple storylined drama set in 1932, showing the lives of upstairs guest and downstairs servants at a party in a country house in England.
Only for the casting this movie worth it, but it's much more than that. Great dialogues, good characters, black humor, unsolved misteries, mysteries from the past... The only thing I don´t like it is the never-ending piano scene.
26.- THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISOOU (Wes Anderson - 2004)
PLOT: With a plan to exact revenge on a mythical shark that killed his partner, oceanographer Steve Zissou rallies a crew that includes his estranged wife, a journalist, and a man who may or may not be his son.
Wes Anderson is one of my favorites directors. He make his films uniques and different and I always fall in love with the characters and stories... really adorables. If you love Cate Blanchet, Bill Murray and David Bowie, you should watch it.
25.- CHICAGO (Rob Marshall - 2002)
PLOT: Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn't going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.
For me, the story is the less important thing in the movie. It's all about the show and music... and only for that, I really enjoy this movie everytime I watch it.
24.- CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuarón - 2006)
PLOT: In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
I love movies about a convincing future world and this is one of them.
23.- WAR OF THE WORLDS (Steven Spielberg - 2005)
PLOT: As Earth is invaded by alien tripod fighting machines, one family fights for survival.
I really think this remake worth it. For me, it's one of the most scary movies I've watched ever. It's about surviving, about fear to unknown... Maybe the end is the weaker point of the movie.
22.- AMERICAN GANGSTER (Ridley Scott - 2007)
PLOT: In 1970s America, a detective works to bring down the drug empire of Frank Lucas, a heroin kingpin from Manhattan, who is smuggling the drug into the country from the Far East.
I think this is an excellent telling of a true crime story. It's intriguing, entertaining, and certainly serves as a cautionary reminder to remain vigilant in combating drugs. And it has two of the best actors currently.
21.- COLLATERAL (Michael Mann - 2004)
PLOT: A cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in LA. He must find a way to save both himself and one last victim.
It has incredible screenplay, incredible directing and above all, great acting. (Foxx and Cruise work together) and I love the way the movie was filmed, it shows perfectly the dark atmosphere in the L.A. nights.
20.- HERO (Zhang Yimou - 2002)
PLOT: A series of Rashomon-like flashback accounts shape the story of how one man defeated three assassins who sought to murder the most powerful warlord in pre-unified China.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was realeaded a couple years ago, but I think this movie is, by far, superior en every detail. Hero is a film that is beautiful in many aspects. The direction and photography is artsy without being pretentious. Every shot is worthy of being a work of art in itself.
19.- LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (Jonathan Dayton - 2006)
PLOT: A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.
Sad, painful, tragic and yet unendingly hilarious. This is atypical road movie where the characters learn some good lessons. I think everybody who has watched this movie will remember the last scene for ever.
18.- RACHEL GETTING MARRIED (Jonathan Demme - 2008)
PLOT: A young woman who has been in and out from rehab for the past 10 years returns home for the weekend for her sister's wedding.
Demme made this dogma movie last year, and like the most of them you can easily love it or hate it. The story, despite the wedding, is really painful and Anne Hathaway makes her best perfomance so far (terrrifc, btw)
17.- THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski - 2002)
PLOT: A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II
Yes, another holocaust movie. But the Wladyslaw story (who Adrien plays in a amazing way) is really worth to watch it.
16.- WALL-E (Andrew Stanton - 2008)
PLOT: In the distant future, a small waste collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.
Well, I guess everybody has watched this movie and maybe I don´t even need to add anything. But I'm not a Pixar fan so...this is praiseworthy for me. It's a really amazing movie. By far, the best PIXAR movie so far (Yes, I liked much more this one than UP)
and now, if you want, you can criticize the list. :P And I will post the last 15 movies probably next week. :)