Top 50 Movies of the Decade (1st draft)

1 - There Will Be Blood
2 - Adaptation
3 - Punch Drunk Love
4 - High Fidelity
5 - Sideways
6 - Eternal Sunshine
7 - About Schmidt
8 - Donnie Darko
9 - Knocked up
10 - Synecdoche, NY
11 - Life Aquatic
12 - The Royal Tenenbaums
13 - Napoleon Dynamite
14 - Talk to Her
15 - American Psycho
16 - The Science of Sleep
17 - Pride & Prejudice
18 - The New World
19 - 4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days
20 - The Lives of Others
21 - Happily Ever After
22 - Amelie
23 - Memento
24 - This is England
25 - Schulze Gets the Blues
26 - Big Fish
27 - Y Tu Mama Tambien
28 - Bully
29 - Miser Lonely
30 - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
31 - Wall-E
32 - 21 Grams
33 - Adventureland
34 - The Girl in the Café
35 - I heart Huckabees
36 - No Country for Old Men
37 - Wristcutters
38 - The Squid and the Whale
39 - The Weather Man
40 - Super Troopers
41 - Anchorman
42 - 24-Hour Party People
43 - Wet Hot American Summer
44 - (500) Days of Summer
45 - Vicky Christina Barcelona
46 - Children of Men
47 - Family Man
48 - 40-yr-old virgin
49 - American Splender
50 - Brown Bunny

I Spit On Your Grave (1978) 4 STARS

Awesome 70's Grindhouse-esk snuff chick revenge flick. 40 minute rap scene.



Movie critic Roger Ebert wrote that this was the worst movie that he had ever seen, referring to it as "a vile bag of garbage...without a shred of artistic distinction," adding that "Attending it was one of the most depressing experiences of my life."


It's a must see!

A Christmas Tale (2008) (4 STARS)

Arnaud Desplechin, in his directorial debut won best director in the French film awards. A Christmas Tale is on over 20 critics top 10, with several respectable number 1s. I was amazed by the style and elegance of this film. It was 2 and a half hours, giving it time to breath and be. Its constructed by hundreds of tiny moments between family members. Many of which there is no dialoge.

The story is about a strained family. Dysfunctional is what we'd call it, but it's not as simple as that. They come together for the first time in a while for Christmas.

The music was very interesting, using odd instruments from many different places; some sort of Irish bag piping, an auto harp, a harpsichord, Indian percussion and other things I can't think of or noticed.

The use of light was unconventional. The camera was sometimes over exposed, maybe to point out something. The focus was used in an interesting way. The use of soft focus and sharp focus meant something. There was a circle framing in some scenes, maybe seems that pertained to death. There was probably many many things I didn't even catch because I was too busy concentrating on what was going on in the story and reading the French subtitles.

Woyzeck (1979) (3.5 STARS)

Woyzeck (1979) was directed by Werner Herzog and starred Klaus Kinski. It was shot with the entire crew of Nosferatu 5 days after they finished shooting. It consists of many long shots. It took 18 days to shoot and 4 days to edit. Amazing. Kinski seems wiped out but gives every last drop of energy to the film.

This is one of 6 films directed by Herzog and starring Kinski. I've been on a marathon of them. I've now seen Aguire: the wrath of God (76), Fitzcarraldo (82). I've also greatly enjoyed Herzog's The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (74).

It's about a man who is in the military and allows experiments to be done on him for money. He is being pushed around by everyone. He is losing his mind, and losing his wife and kid. Until he goes crazy.

Taking Woodstock (2009) (3.5 STARS)

Taking Woodstock (2009) was directed by Ang Lee (crouching tiger, Hulk, Brokeback Mountain). It's about the guy who was responsible for getting the Woodstock Festival to come to his town. I enjoyed watching this movie. I laughed quite a bit and was really interested the entire time. I hate hippies. Though I love this movie. The movie makes you feel like you'd fit right in had you been to Woodstock in 69. There were some great characters; Micheal, who seems to be the director of the festival, shows up on horseback every so often. He seems angelic at times, it's hilarious. The one security is a muscular ex-marine and dresses in drag. The Earthlight Players bring the biggest laugh was the local theater group. They put on plays that usually end in everyone taking their clothes off. There is a super funny hippie couple who gives him acid and it's an amazing scene. We don't see any bands, we don't hear any music. It's all about the people. Good movie.

The Hurt Locker (2009) (3.5 STARS)

Directed by Kathryn Bigalow (only the 4th woman to be nominated for best director) (also the ex-wife of contending director James Cameron "Avatar")in 2009. The name Hurt Locker comes from when a dude gets blown up, he goes to "the hurt locker". And this movie is about dudes who take care of bombs...defuse them, or whatever. I went into this movie thinking it was going to be amazing. She had made some big action films in the past like Point Break in 1991 and Near Dark in 1987. She is a legitimate action director. But her movies have also gotten a lot of criticism from not action fans and critics alike. Point Break especially and also her last film K19-Widowmaker, the critics called K19-Careerbraker. However, this movie has come out and people are going nuts over it. Nominated several times...best actor, best director, best picture.

So...I watched it last week and...I didn't think it was that great. In no way does it come remotely close to Avatar. I would easily put Up In The Air above it. It's not really saying anything (except for "war is a drug" which is says in the opening credits). The characters are as flat as pancakes (the kind that doesn't need eggs or milk). I didn't like the over used and poor effect of the "shaky cam" hand held thing trying to give a documentary look. I didn't like the digital picture. It was very unappealing. Plus a sort of resented the way the camera cheated with an "omi-opti" point of view to add tension. Speaking of tension, the film had tension. It was tense, but I feel like you can film a guy walking across the street, after putting the idea he might die in your head, and it would be tense. Saying a movie about defusing bombs is tense and suspenseful is very very obvious.

My vote is that, though is it worth watching, The Hurt Locker should not win an Oscar of any sort.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1980)

The director of Up in Smoke and producer of Rocky Horror Picture show. The writer of Slap Shot and Coming Home. Diane Lane at 15 in her first movie, and Laura Dern at 14 in hers are in a late 70's girl punk band who goes on tour with a band containing members of the Sex Pistols and the Clash. It's a movie about the desperation and hypocrisy of punk rock. A movie you have to see to comprehend.

Adventureland (2009)

When I saw the previews for this I was up out of my seat excited to see it. Kristen Stewart, the guy from the Squid and the Wale, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Martin Starr (Bill from freaks and geeks). Set in 1987. The Smiths, Lou Reed, The Replacements, and Husker Du over and over throughout the film. The majority of the film is in a tiny theme park! It's perfect!

So far... my favorite film of the year. I yelled with excitement so many times while watching this.

500 Days of Summer (2009)

The director Marc Webb really has nothing to show for himself until this point. However, hit knocks this film out of the park. The writers too, have nothing before this. The soundtrack is great, the acting is good, the writing is superb, the cinematography is good, and the direction is great.
I'm see this twice now. Once when I shouldn't have (alone, after a split with my wife, the day before my best friends wedding), and then this time (a month later) I was with friends and i was maybe finally coming to grips with whats going on, and I saw the film in a different light. I'd say I enjoyed the film more the second time. See, the movie sort of tricks ya. It puts on a mask similar to how "love" does, then when "love" goes away, the mask is taken off and you see clearly. Going back to watch this a second time...I saw clearly the whole time, similar to if I could go back and subjectively view my former relationship as a hidden 3rd party. It was an eye opener the second time instead of a depressing movie about a breakup.

A must see.

TWILIGHT (2009)

Twilight. Kristen Stewart is cute. I thought she was cute in Panic Room when I couldn't even tell if she was a boy or a girl until towards the end of the movie.

I will say that there is an intrigue here. Something is drawing me in. But everything else dumb.

NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS (2008)

Nights and Weekends (2008) was directed by Joe Swamberg and Greta Gerwig, both also starring in the film. Greta Gerwig played Hannah in Hannah Takes The Stair which was also directed by Joe Swamberg, Nights and Weekends seems then is the follow up.
It deals with a long-distance relationship and a reuniting after a break up. It deals with a few good times and a lot of hard times. As seemingly all "mumble-core" film do, this film plays the awkward card. Hannah Takes the Stairs contains awkward characters, Nights and Weekends contains awkward situations. The awkward character card is played in a few occasions but I felt it was forced. These characters should be capable of dealing with the situations they're in, but they baby out.
Ultimately, I was on of the best "mumble-core" films out there. The story was well thought out and very interesting. It touched on detailed issues that I appreciated. The characters could use some work. But the acting was good and the dialog was much more interesting then the fartin' around kind of business the other films of this nature have.

JACK KNIFE (2.5 STARS)

The redeming quality in this movie is how cool all the truck driver vets look. Also Deniro and the other dude has some really cool scenes within the movie, but overall, this movie is bad. Very phony how it's all set up.

GUILTY BY SUSPICION (2 STARS)

Not good. The Dialogue is not good. The acting is not good. Have you ever wanted to know if there was a movie where Deniro is not good? Guilty By Suspicion.....that and Jack Knife.

THE ROCKER (3.5 STARS)

I really liked the Rocker. I expected to hate it. Or maybe to dislike it a little. But I loved it, and i keep thinking about it. It's definitely somewhat similar to School of Rock with Jack Black, but this has a great heart to it. Rain Wilson does an amazing job pulling off the the huge hearted 80 rock drummer who's biggest talent is his enthusiasm and encouragement.

It's such a great feel-good freakin' movie!

ROBOCOP (3.5 STARS)

I wasn't allowed to watch this when I was a kid. I am now glad. Robocop is surprisingly violent and gory, even disturbing at times. It's really awesome though.

I wanted to watch the second and third one right away but i pulled the VHS out of Robocop 2 and it was Tarzan. So now I own Robocop 1, Robocop 3, and Disney's Tarzan.

Same with Rocky... i have 2, 3, and 5. No 1 or 4.

IN COUNTRY (3 STARS)

In Country is an alright movie starring Bruce Willis and a cute girl who is not a good actress but tries SO hard! You got to respect it for what it's about. The ending is extremely heart felt and touching. Plus Bruce Springsteen has the main song on the sound track "I'm on Fire".

C.H.U.D. 2 (2 STARS)

Sort of a frustrating movie. It has potential to be funny, but it just becomes annoying. The cover of the movie is packed full of funny lines. "Bud the C.H.U.D", "This Bud's for you", "So funny it's scary", "Get chudified".....ect.

There is no mention of the acronym's meaning (childlike, humanoid, underground dwellers). Definitely don't watch this alone.

GOING SOUTH (4 STARS)

Going South is a delightful little film from 1978 starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. Moon is an outlaw who ran with a rough gang. He was on the run from the sheriff, escaping to Mexico on his horse Speed. He got across the boarder safe and was doing a victory dance when the sheriff (Christopher Loyd) and his men just galloped across the boarder and arrested him. He was to be hanged, but there was a law in town due to the number of male deaths during the Civil War that if a woman wants to marry a man on death row than he is to be let loose. Mary Steenburgen steps forward and claims him. She brings him home only to treat him like a slave.
Will Henry Moon put the moves on her with his outlaw bad boy charm? Will they strike gold before the railroad company takes their land? Will Moon's old buddies show up and ruin everything. With the sheriff, who is jealous of Moon, do something to jeopardize everything?
Nicholson is a maniac! Maniac! No youtube. Not that popular of a movie.

SEPTEMBER (3.5 STARS)

September is hard to explain. It's written and directed by Woody Allen. There's only a tiny scrap of humor hidden in this one. It's very much like a later Bergman film. It takes place in one house and it unfolds through dialog like a play. There's no obvious build, but there is a touch of tension with the characters that is then released in the climax, but it's a long, not-so-interesting journey to get there.
Honestly, I liked September. I don't suggest watching it unless you're a true believer in Woody Allen or Bergman. But I thought it was a well written, well acted drama. I'd also like to note that the sound design was superb.

HELLO DOLLY (3 STARS)

I've wanted to watch Hello Dolly ever since I saw Wall-E in the theaters last spring, nearly a year ago. I started it some time before I moved to Kentucky last summer. I didn't like the beginning, that's for sure. Then recently, for some reason, I had the urge to try again. I started from the beginning and yes, that beginning is a rough patch to get through. You sort of need to become desensitized to the annoyance.
I will say, once I got to the parts that are featured in Wall-E, I loved it. Actually, I'll say from the middle to the end I liked.
I really don't like Barbara Streisand.