40. The Royal Tenenbaums
Wes Anderson's masterpiece. This is without a doubt one of the most eccentric movies I have ever seen. Anderson's vision is always unique and the skill he puts into his ensemble pictures is considerable, yet few of his films have the heart of The Royal Tenenbaums. We begin the film bewildered and intimidated by the cast of characters. By the end we care about all of them individually. This movie is both funny and heartbreaking. The soundtrack, specifically the Mark Mothersbaugh work, is classic.
39. Letters from Iwo Jima
Letters from Iwo Jima may be the most truthful war picture.. The men in the trenches are there not for political reasons, or even love for their country, but due to a sense of honor. All of the solders know that they are going to die and that their deaths will probably not be quick and immediate, but slow and painful. They stand their ground for the purposes of duty, and nothing more. We hear their thoughts through narration of letters home and we realize the utter futility of war.
I don't necessarily believe that this is Clint Eastwood's finest film, but it is certainly his best directorial work. The idea of creating an American film documenting the Japanese side of the war is nothing short of a stroke of brilliance. This picture came out with a companion, Flags of Our Fathers the same year, but Letters from Iwo Jima has more resonance today. In knowing that our enemies are just like us we learn a greater sense of humanity. This is a beautiful picture.
38. In Bruges
A hidden gem. American audiences did not take to In Bruges the way that some international audiences did, and it is a shame- this is a fantastic motion picture. Colin Farell and Brendan Gleeson are outstanding as two hitmen being exiled to Bruges (its in Belgium) after a hit gone wrong. This film is a stunning work of art with exceptional range. We are laughing like crazy one minute, and then shocked with an act of violence or an emotional climax the next. This is the kind of movie that really does defy genre. The movie is dark, but the humor is superb as are the performances. I love the way the film leaves the villain out until the last third of the story, and when Ralph Fiennes does take the screen, all we do is smile. If you have not seen this you owe it to yourself, it is certainly a favorite of mine.
37. The Lives of Others
This is perhaps the most effective horror movie I have ever seen, if only it were a horror movie. The Lives of Others tells the story of Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Muhe), a surveillance and interrogation expert in the communist regime of East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The opening sequence, in which Wielser is shown interrogating a suspect intercut with teaching a class on the methods of interrogation, is one of the most is cold in its exactness. The reaches of the communist regime was endless, and as we see in the film- abuse of power was common. While the world of George Orwell's 1984 did not necessarily realize itself in America, based on The Lives of Others, it was alive and well in communist Europe. This is an exceptional thriller, with moments of extreme tension. I particularly like Wiesler's inner struggle when he realizes that the work he is doing for the state is not necessarily ethical.
36. Slumdog Millionaire
Here is the feel-good movie of the list. Slumdog Millionaire is such a glorious and eclectic experience. The movie has it all: action, comedy, romance, drama, even a Bollywood dance number. Danny Boyle has taken what could have been a depressing and relentless look at the Ghetto and turned it into a mixture of Oliver Twist and Rocky.
There are scenes here ranging from true horror (the “orphanage” sequences) to delight (the sequences at the Taj Mahal). The film moves along at a breakneck pace, telling story after story within the brilliant framing mechanism of an episode of Who wants to be a Millionaire. The characters of Jamal, Salem and Latika are all fully realized and it is sheer joy to watch the characters grow from children to young adults. The movie, above all else, is about the significance of our life experiences and the importance of our choices. Every choice each character makes in the film is based on what they know, or who they love.
Reports from premieres at film festivals around the world were that audiences verbally cheered at certain moments. I am not surprised. This is a magical movie.
