The Best Films of the 2000s and more.
Posts tagged Suspense
Inception (2010)
Jul 16th
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page
Director: Christopher Nolan
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller
Perhaps the best movie about dreams ever made.
There aren’t many directors out there, even including Spielberg, who can make such huge towering blockbusters without sacrificing some intelligence of the script. Christopher Nolan is of a very rare breed whose films are luscious to look at, emotionally effecting, and smart in their subversive nature. Inception is one in a long line of films that will certainly go down in history as Nolan’s legacy. Here he blends the dissident commentary of science fiction with the thrilling aspects of big budget action with a story that’s as unique as anything on the indie circuit. The entire cast is well picked, and while it’s not necessarily an ‘actors’ film, each actor contributes something invaluable to their roles. Nolan navigates his trademark tortured lead character through a maze of the mind, body, and soul in what’s certainly one of the most remarkable blockbusters ever made.
City of God (2002)
Jun 22nd
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Country: Brazil
Genre: Foreign, Crime
Best foreign drug war film of the decade.
There is a certain connotation that comes along with the word “foreign film”. The subtitles are a given, but I think generally thoughts of slow moving films about people and topics that American audiences can’t connect with. But City of God is the perfect example of a foreign film that transcends a specific audience. This tale of the rise of the drug wars in Cidade de Deus in the seventies has so much style that takes inspiration from all sorts of international films – from Tarantino-style storytelling to Guy Ritchie-style editing to a soundtrack straight out of seventies exploitation films. It has the same harrowing ping of a Scorsese film with the same flavor of Brazil’s other huge cinematic hit, Black Orpheus. Meirelles’ decision to use non-actors was a brilliant choice, rooting it in a similar realm as the best of international cinema. It’s incredibly stylish and super entertaining.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
May 27th
HORROR PICK:
Starring: Ali Larter, A.J. Cook, Jimmy Olsen
Director: David R. Ellis
Country: USA
Genre: Horror
Yeah, that’s right, Final Destination 2.
Final Destination 2 isn’t a good movie by any means, but it makes good on a promise of a great concept, and in most cases even improves upon it from the first film as it doesn’t get bogged down (all that much) with the “what” and the “why” of things, but rather cuts to the chase showing the audience exactly what they paid for: awful, gruesome, well thought out, inventive, laughable, (dare I say “enjoyable”?) death scenes, which really sets it apart from other generic Hollywood horror. It’s rare for a horror film to take pleasure in its own cleverness. The filmmakers play a game with the audience unlike any other film in the genre, and for the most part it’s incredibly fun and will forever be underestimated – which perhaps adds to its charm.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
May 25th
Starring: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace
Director: Niels Arden Oplev
Country: Sweden
Genre: Mystery
One of the most resonating films of the decade.
Based on the literary phenomena of the same name, the film version of the popular mystery is a triumph of balance between strong storytelling and deep character study. While the mystery itself isn’t all that surprising, it just acts as a catalyst for which the unlikely duo of main characters come together. The techno-goth-like hacker unnervingly portrayed by Noomi Rapace is a performance to behold. Her unlikely pairing with the more conventional, but equally troubled journalist played by with ease by Michael Nyqvist, is possibly one of the more inspired combination of characters in recent years. Oplev’s direction is visually luscious and unflinching. The film’s ability to take on the mystery genre with proper attention paid to the characters gives it a longevity far beyond most films of the genre.
Feast (2006)
May 18th
HORROR PICK:
Starring: Henry Rollins, Judah Friedlander, Navi Rawat
Director: John Gulager
Country: USA
Genre: Horror
The ‘characters-stranded-in-a-house-while-being-attacked-by-creatures’ subgenre never gets old.
This Project Greenlight film definitely fills a void in this decade’s lack of decent creature features. Feast is hyperaware of the stereotypes that tend to bog down other horror films, (whiny female characters, children, unrealistic heroism,) and remedies it with gooey splattery fun. This film’s audacity to hold nothing sacred is its biggest weapon. The unexpected can and does happen creating a complete sense of chaos. Are there loop holes in the plot? Sure. But over analyzing it is missing the point entirely. It’s a barrage of unadulterated grimy tongue-in-cheek horror that Hollywood almost never releases.
Timecrimes (2007)
May 14th
SCIENCE FICTION PICK:
Starring: Karra Elejalde, Candela Fernández, El Joven
Director: Nacho Vigalondo
Country: Spain
Genre: Science Fiction
Apparently Doc Brown’s cautionary tale didn’t reach Spain.
Time travel movies are inherently so interesting. There’s something about the theories behind running into a past self, being able to alter an event that has already happened, and whether or not you actually can change the course of things or if the way they unfold is unavoidable as everything is written – even the time traveling. This Spanish film is quite clever using the theories of time travel and injecting them into the thriller genre. It’s a perfect marriage for the twists-and-turns that make up the latter. Timecrimes doesn’t extend outside of it’s own reach though, keeping the breadth of its story to only a handful of characters in an isolated location, which contributes to the claustrophobic atmosphere. Add in some nice looking cinematography, stylish editing, and a dash of paranoia and you’ve got yourself a pretty decent film.
Enduring Love (2004)
May 10th
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rhys Ifans, Samantha Morton
Director: Roger Michell
Country: UK
Genre: Thriller
Don’t be a hero, Joe.
Roger Michell has certainly crafted himself a diverse body of work from the romantic fare of Notting Hill to the supercharged Changing Lanes and the poignantly hilarious Venus. In Enduring Love he has taken on the thriller genre and explored all that it has to offer. In terms of the script, it’s not anything entirely new, but the events that unfold have a certain freshness to them. This could be in part to the visual style which is absolutely breathtaking. This might also be due to the amazing performances by Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans and by far Daniel Craig who shows he’s far more than James Bond makes him out to be. It’s a surprising and emotionally packed thriller which gives it a longevity over most films in the genre, and it’s sure to satisfy those looking for more than just cheap thrills.
