5. Where the Wild Things Are
Never in my life have I related to a movie more than when viewing Where the Wild Things Are for the first time. In his film, Spike Jonze has captured the essence of what it means to be a child. Growing up as an only child in a single parent household had a profound effect on me, and seeing this movie made me relate to the feelings I had in my youth, along with the feelings of countless others.
Based on Maurice Sendak's classic book, Where the Wild Things Are gets to the heart of not only the stories content, but its subtext. This is a work not to be taken literally. The symbolism and meaning of the picture can only be felt though the eyes of a child, or at least those that can remember what those eyes feel like. Max (Max Records) is probably the most realistic child I have ever seen on the screen. He is not all about sitting there and looking cute while making comments that no child would make. He is a real kid- rebellious, wild, out of control, desperately seeking attention, more than anything wanting to be loved. His sister has outgrown him, and his mother (Catherine Keener) is too busy either working or snuggling up to her new boyfriend. In a fit or rage Max decides he does not need his mother anymore- and he goes to the place where the wild things are.
The Wild Things are technically amazing. Created by Jim Henson's creature shop, they are large costumes with adult actors in them. The only CGI is used on the Wild Thing's faces. This is the kind of movie that could have easily been done in an animated format, or with fully CGI characters. Jonze is wise in rejecting these concepts. He makes the Wild Things have a certain depth and realism.
The voice acting work is superb. James Gandolfini is the best as Carol, the voice of the head Wild Thing; or the voice of Max's raw emotion, if you'd like. Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O' Hara, Forrest Whitaker, Paul Dano and Chris Cooper also do exceptional jobs. Each Wild Thing is an individual aspect of Max's Id. They all represent his emotions, and being a child, those emotions have a tendency to contradict each other. The soundtrack from Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s) is sublime and beautiful.
I have heard from parents that Where the Wild Things Are is too adult for children. Some have even called the movie depressing. I took my eight year old daughter to see the movie, and she understood every bit of it. She said it was sad- but that it was also very good. I fear that we live in a world where we may be trying to hide too much from our children. Where the Wild Things Are is a spiritual and emotional experience. It is cathartic- and you know what? Kids can handle that.
This is a film that belongs on the shelf right next to movies like The 400 Blows, Stand by Me, and E.T. If there is one thing I am certain of it is that Where the Wild Things Are will be considered a classic for years to come. It will cement itself in history as a true work of art.
4. The Dark Knight
A detective chases a psychopathic serial killer through the streets of Chicago. The serial killer will stop at nothing to cause as much chaos and damage as possible. The killer does not fear death. The detective bends many laws to apprehend the killer and, in doing so, looks into the heart of darkness itself. This could be the subplot of any great thriller, either in the medium of film and literature- the story of The Dark Knight, one of the finest films ever made, and certainly the greatest movie ever made based on a comic book.
I use the phrase comic book lightly. The Dark Knight, at its very essence, is a police drama. Many have compared it to Michael Mann's Heat, and they are right on target. The serial killer just happens to be the Joker and the detective Batman. Batman is, of course, not a super-hero (he has no powers) so it is easy to relate to his struggle with evil in the world. He is the most complex of heroes; the character is worthy of high literature. The joker is the ideal villian, archetypical to a fault- an agent of chaos.
In his film, Christopher Nolan has created a crime thriller with spectacular set pieces and blockbuster production values with the realism of a character drama between (for the most part) two people- the protagonist, Batman (Christian Bale), and the antagonist, Joker (Heath Ledger). It is the most simple of formulas, and it works brilliantly. The special effects are there- but they are all practical. The story is not necessarily epic, but intimate. This is the power of substance over style. You don't have to believe me. Just ask any of the people that made this picture the second largest grossing film of all time.
The film is ranked so high on this list for one reason: Heath Ledger. As the Joker, Ledger gives the single greatest performance of the decade. His character is immediately recognizable to nearly everyone only a year after the film's release. His performance elevates every single scene, and when he is not on the screen we feel his presence. Ledger earned the first posthumous Oscar for his role, and I have little doubt in my mind that this could have been a unanimous decision. The Dark Knight was robbed of several other awards this year as well, including best picture. I guarantee you that if this picture was simply about cops and criminals- sans make up and costumes, The Dark Knight would have won best picture. Instead, it will have to simply reside on hundreds of lists such as this- near the very top.
3. No Country for Old Men
With No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers created a perfect film. Every performance hits its mark. The Texas setting and time frame gives the film a sense of timelessness, and the characters are detailed with fine detail. The three leads, James Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem embody their characters so well that we completely forget that they are all relatively recognizable actors.
There has never been a better examination of violence on the silver screen than in No Country for Old Men. It is truly to the credit of the author of the novel, Cormac McCarthy (possibly the greatest living literary mind today) and the Coen Brothers that this labyrinth work fell together so evenly on the screen. In the story of Anton Chigurh and his mass killing spree to recover some drug money, McCarthy and the Coen’s have crafted a tale that can represent all violence in the world, both currently and in history.
Many have claimed to not understand the meaning of the film. "The hero died!" A friend told me, while discussing the film. "The lunatic just killed everyone off" she said. I replied with a simple, "Yes." The message of the film, though cryptic to some, resonates with me the most. There are no clean getaways; violence begets violence-it has always been this way. Things begin to look better- and then we wake up.
2. City of God
The Cidade de Deus (City of God) is a section in the heart of the slums of Rio De Janeiro, and the film City of God presents the most harrowing depiction of life in a third world country I have ever seen. This may be one of the most dangerous places alive. Rival gangs wage war with each other- killing innocents, women and children alike. The majority of the time it is the children doing the shooting.
City of God, one of the most energetic motion pictures I have ever seen, was expertly directed by the Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardner, Blindness) who is channeling the raw energy of the best Martin Scorsese films here. It has been said that City of God is basically Goodfellas as a foreign film- this analysis is both spot on and horribly off base. This film certainly packs the raw filmmaking energy and skill of Goodfellas, but the emotional payoff here is much more unnerving. There is no resolution, only continued violence and bloodshed.
I have never seen a character so deliberately amoral as Lil Ze (Douglas Siva as a child, Leandro Firmino as an adult). He thrives on bloodlust, carnage and power. At the beginning of the film the hero, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues) is a young boy that makes the wise choice of steering clear from Lil Ze (then known as Lil Dice). This is a wise decision. Ze is a psychopath from a very early age. When Ze and some friends rob a hotel, he goes back and kills every single person staying there. He is roughly eight or nine years old and has already killed dozens of people.
The story is not just about bloodshed, but about doing the right thing. In the City of God this can be tricky. Rocket is a photographer for the local newspaper, a job he earned based on a mixture of luck and skill. Should he print pictures showing the face of Lil Ze? What about the corrupt police officials that he catches on film extorting and buying drugs? It is a decision he makes daily living in this world.
I would be remiss if I did not mention The Runts. The Runts are the small children that inhabit the gang world of City of God- the majority of them are no more than 6. We see them killed, ran over, and kill others. They beat characters to death. In the City of God there is only one way to succeed- murder.
This is an astonishing film. The subject matter, while extremely dark, is carried with jubilance by Merielles. There are moments of almost Dickensien in his quest to live and survive as a child in the darkest place on earth. His hopes and dreams, to be a successful photographer and get the girl, can be applied universally. We care about the character and want him to escape his world.
This film is yet another example of how some of the best filmmaking in the world is south of our border. City of God is a masterpiece. It is a movie that should be seen by everyone, in every culture. It is the kind of movie that makes you empathize with others, and thankful for what you have. In order to realize how great we have it, sometimes we need a wake up call. The movie’s ending tells a simple truth- the City of God is all violent places. The guns are never put down, they just change hands.
1. The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is the cinematic experience of the decade. For three years in a row the world was captivated by the timeless tale of Frodo and his trip to Mount Doom to destroy the one ring. Beginning with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, Peter Jackson's trilogy soon became (and remains) the gold standard for Hollywood Epics. The three films combined were nominated for a total 30 Academy Awards, winning 17. Every single installment of the trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King) was nominated for Best Picture, with The Return of the King finally winning the prize in 2003; For the first time in history the Academy Awards had a clean sweep- a film that won every single award in which it was nominated.
It would have been easy to be pretentious about this list. Certainly there are more obscure titles that I could have put in the Number 1 spot. This would have been a down and out lie. Massive popularity does not mean that this film is anything short of a masterpiece. The Lord of the Rings represents the pinnacle of the American Epic. David Lean (director of Lawrence of Arabia) would probably declare these pictures the greatest of all time.
Jackson accomplished the impossible by making possibly the most faithful adaptation of a major literary work ever. While there are some scenes missing (albeit, fewer in the exceptional Extended Editions) all of the world created by J.R.R Tolkien is there on the screen. The characters are all fully developed and all of the spectacular special effects are done in the interest of the story.
Many images come across my mind when I think about The Lord of the Rings. I imagine a boy reaching up and grabbing a tiny ring as it falls to his fingers. I think about a wizard, yelling at a demon at the top of a bottomless pit. I envision great battles, beautiful scenery, dragons, demons, Gollum’s, volcanoes and walking trees. I see elephantine creatures lumbering through a field, killing all in their path. I imagine giant spiders, all-seeing eyes, hobbits, dwarfs, princesses, elf’s, kings, and foul monsters. I hear the great score by Howard Shore and realize the majesty of the scenery. There is simply nothing like it.
I know that there are some that have never seen these films. Many reject the movies simply on the basis that they are fantasy. Perhaps you think they are too long. My advice would be that a great movie is never too long, they are always just right. The series is not perfect, but it does not need to be. It is what it is, and that is the gold standard of filmmaking. Like Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T and The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings is an instant classic- instantly identifiable to even those that have never seen it. It is a film that over time will undoubtedly be engrained in American culture. This is the kind of experience that people want to celebrate annually. The sense of wonder had left the movies for many years, and The Lord of the Rings brought it back.
|50-46| |45-41| |40-36| |35-31| |30-26| |25-21| |20-16| |15-11| |10-6| |5-1|