tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post7341185034093283090..comments2023-10-22T17:40:51.323-04:00Comments on Tativille: The Decade in Film: the 2000sMichael J. Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-9626251898011323662010-01-14T22:08:50.349-05:002010-01-14T22:08:50.349-05:00Jean-Louis,
Thank you for the Cahiers picks and y...Jean-Louis,<br /><br />Thank you for the Cahiers picks and your own fine choices. At some point, I will have to find the time to see "West of the Tracks" in particular, given my admiration for "Fengming: A Chinese Memoir."Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-41727481434885432742010-01-14T19:03:52.430-05:002010-01-14T19:03:52.430-05:00Here are my best films of 2000s: 1 Mulholland driv...Here are my best films of 2000s: 1 Mulholland drive; 2 Tropical malady; 3 Last days; 4 Eureka; 5 The host, Bong Joon-Ho, 2006; 6 Still life, Jia Zhang-Ke, 2006; 7 Inland, Tariq Teguia, 2009; 8 Tokyo sonata; 9 Dernier maquis, Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, 2008; 10 Serbis, Brillante Mendoza, 2008.Jean-Louishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034003868799340047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-85061828093874800572010-01-14T18:56:37.081-05:002010-01-14T18:56:37.081-05:00The French magazine Les cahiers du cinéma recently...The French magazine Les cahiers du cinéma recently listed the 10 best films of 2000s: 1 Mulholland drive; 2 Elephant; 3 Tropical malady; 4 The host; 5 A history of violence; 6 La graine et le mulet, Abdellatif Kechiche, France, 2007; 7 West of the rails,Wang Bing, China, 2002; 8 War of the worlds, 9 The new world; 10 Ten.Jean-Louishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034003868799340047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-70426417581782646432009-11-22T13:33:25.293-05:002009-11-22T13:33:25.293-05:00THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY and MOOLAADE wer...THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY and MOOLAADE were both conscious omissions, though for different reasons. The former as I really don't think it rates - it is for me a film that lacks any surprise whatsoever, a film of conventionality in the worst sense - and the latter simply as I didn't find it to director Sembene's high standard. I suppose I could (and perhaps even should) have noted MOOLAADE as the great director's final feature, but again I don't think it approaches the critical richness of a XALA, CEDDO or GULEWAAR, nor does it equally the importance of say a BLACK GIRL. A decent film , sure, but in my humble opinion, not among the director's better films. (Then again this was a theme for the decade...)Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-42103539372143051402009-11-22T01:40:43.894-05:002009-11-22T01:40:43.894-05:00Wonderful commentary as always, Mr. Anderson, but ...Wonderful commentary as always, Mr. Anderson, but I'm not sure why you decided to completely exclude Ousmane Sembène's <i>Moolaadé</i>. Is it not even worth a mention?Jeremy Nyhuishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17653775779381302557noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-86170754948333418592009-11-20T00:42:39.656-05:002009-11-20T00:42:39.656-05:00I'm from Argentina, so you must imagine I have...I'm from Argentina, so you must imagine I have really enjoyed reading this (you liked "The Headless Woman" that much?? that's great).<br /><br />I think the list and the whole decade review is just great. The only thing, because I loved it and nobody mentioned it -not even you- I wanted to know why you left it behind: "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly". <br /><br />Greetings from the land of Lucrecia Martel :DElChapahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13444870233339940239noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-71831784063401012812009-11-19T19:48:42.960-05:002009-11-19T19:48:42.960-05:00Sebastián, let me return the compliment: excellent...Sebastián, let me return the compliment: excellent choices.<br /><br />Sam, Rodrigues is a director I am going to need to catch up with; I heard good things about TO DIE LIKE A MAN (mostly after its NYFF screening); living in Connecticut, I am a bit limited with which festival screenings I can make it to - meaning that I did not make it to INDEPENDENCIA either. The 2000s for me will not end until well into the next decade, which was also true of the 1990s ten years ago. After all, I would argue that THE WIND WILL CARRY US (1999) was the best theatrically distributed film I saw this decade.<br /><br />Which leads me to Mike Lyon's point: I had to draw the line somewhere, otherwise not only AUDITION but also Oshima's extraordinary GOHATTO would have made my run down.Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-64113970669581561142009-11-19T17:52:20.172-05:002009-11-19T17:52:20.172-05:00Amazing list Michael!
This is my first draft of t...Amazing list Michael!<br /><br />This is my first draft of the decade:<br />1) In the City of Sylvia, by José Luis Guerin<br />2) Mulholland Drive, by David Lynch<br />3) In the Mood for Love, by Wong Kar Wai<br />4) The Regular Lovers, by Philippe Garrel<br />5) Los Angeles Plays Itself, by Thom Andersen<br />6) The Headless Woman, by Lucrecia Martel<br />7) Independencia, by Raya Martin<br />8) Notre Musique, by Jean-Luc Godard<br />9) Shara, by Naomi Kawase<br />10) Millennium Mambo, by Hou Hsiao HsienSebastián Santillánnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-77662020886126909282009-11-19T16:51:21.796-05:002009-11-19T16:51:21.796-05:00Lyon - Red Cliff is superior to Windtalkers, yes. ...Lyon - Red Cliff is superior to Windtalkers, yes. But the deft handling of multiple characters, bouncing from intimate to epic, and organizing masses to express individual moods begins in the earlier film. I wrote an article about this that should pop up next week. It's underrated!<br /><br />It's hard to pick just a couple Johnnie To movies. Along with Exiled and Sparrow, which are tops, I'd go PTU, Breaking News, Triad Election. I'm not a Throwdown guy.<br /><br />ANCHORMAN is in my top ten of the decade, but it stands in for the whole McKay oeuvre. To be honest, STEP BROTHERS is my personal favorite, the purest, but ANCHORMAN is the most influential, important, etc.R. Emmet Sweeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18063859726441944532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-82665139995159843172009-11-19T10:38:43.087-05:002009-11-19T10:38:43.087-05:00AUDITION did screen at a Canadian film fest in ...AUDITION did screen at a Canadian film fest in '99, but its Japanese theatrical release was in 2000, which makes it an aughtie by my convoluted, OCD rules of engagement ^_^<br /><br />[reposted to correct spelling]Mike Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05874528580134539135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-45542820575243682332009-11-19T08:16:44.129-05:002009-11-19T08:16:44.129-05:00Good to see that someone else thinks "Days of...Good to see that someone else thinks "Days of Being Wild" is Wong's best. As much as I love both "In the Mood for Love" and at least half of "2046" (not to mention "Happy Together," "Ashes of Time," pretty much anything that isn't "My Blueberry Nights"), I always come back to 'Days,' which I've seen probably an embarrassing amount of times at this point.<br /><br />I would never suggest this is a blind spot, but did you consider Joao Pedro Rodrigues? One of my favorite new filmmakers, with three films to his name that are all worthy of decade consideration (well, maybe "Two Drifters" isn't quite on that level). His debut, "O Fantasma," in particular, is such a darkly compelling film, and his latest, "To Die Like a Man," is maybe his best yet. I like to describe it as an Almodovar film as directed by Tsai Ming-Liang.<br /><br />Speaking of Tsai: have you seen "Face" yet? Seems to be dividing people, but I can't see a Tsai fan such as yourself thinking it's anything but great.<br /><br />In any case, invaluable piece you've put together here, and a great top 10 to cap it off. We've got 3 overlaps, which is something.Sam C. Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609053589969473116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-39379829393971806292009-11-18T22:48:50.616-05:002009-11-18T22:48:50.616-05:00Mr. Lyon,
I was waiting to hear from you... and I...Mr. Lyon,<br /><br />I was waiting to hear from you... and I could have predicted you would call me on the absence of Miike. I was going to include AUDITION, but upon further review, I found that it was first released in 1999, not 2000 as I had thought, disqualifying it from the list. It is the only of the director's films that I have seen and liked, so I decided to pass on Miike. A blind spot, I guess.<br /><br />I do look forward to Hong's latest. Sometime soon. Also, I stand by THROW DOWN - I do like it better than the majority of To's films - and ANCHORMAN is not my favorite of the Adam MacKay-Will Ferrell teaming; to me, TALLADEGA NIGHTS is their best - a worthy heir to WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-64494089388372511362009-11-18T21:41:00.845-05:002009-11-18T21:41:00.845-05:00Rob, you are a handsome gentleman, please be my ga...Rob, you are a handsome gentleman, please be my gay lover, etc etc, but WINDTALKERS? I say thee nay! Now RED CLIFF, on the other hand...Mike Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05874528580134539135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-16739117863514787162009-11-18T21:39:06.948-05:002009-11-18T21:39:06.948-05:00Look, you did a Top 100 after all! Or Top 200, I ...Look, you did a Top 100 after all! Or Top 200, I didn't count but I expect it's close to that number, and well-organized, to boot!<br /><br />A part of me finds it distasteful to say "Oh, but aren't you forgetting XXXXXX"; and yet:<br /><br />The one major omission I detect in (well hey, it's me here) the Asian film contingent is any work whatsoever from Takashi Miike, who in my estimation is a major and indeed iconic new-millenial director! I can guarantee that some mix of his finest work, potentially including AUDITION, ICHI THE KILLER, DEAD OR ALIVE 2: BIRDS, GRAVEYARD OF HONOUR, GOZU or IZO, will appear on my own list, with potential top-10 placement!<br /><br />To further nit-pick (really I'm just being a dick at this point, it's an inspirationally complete summary, good sir), I think that EXILED and SPARROW are fantastic To choices, but THROWDOWN over either of the ELECTION pictures, or his more abstract comedies like RUNNING ON KARMA or MY LEFT EYE SEES GHOSTS? Madness!<br /><br />And in conclusion, let me just say: no ANCHORMAN? Are you high?<br /><br />Much love for such a cohesive essay! I'm already trying to hunt down a few features I've not yet seen...<br /><br />PS - LIKE YOU KNOW IT ALL is, for my money, Hong's best since TURNING GATE; check it out at your earliest possible convenience! I wish I coulda brought it to you in New Haven this past month, but someone else did the 6 month visit :P Maybe in another 5!Mike Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05874528580134539135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-47798613248249485852009-11-17T21:40:28.910-05:002009-11-17T21:40:28.910-05:00Thanks for all the kind words, guys.
Tim, though ...Thanks for all the kind words, guys.<br /><br />Tim, though it certainly was on my radar, I missed SILENCE BEFORE BACH when it played in NYC (at Film Forum, if I remember?); I will be sure, however, to see it when belatedly I get the opportunity.<br /><br />Nathaniel, I'm very pleased to hear that you MIAMI VICE in such high regard. I certainly agree.<br /> <br />Robert, I do need to see SHIRIN (which, excitingly, a BFI disc will make possible at last) and WINDTALKERS, I suppose. I trust your taste enough to give this one a shot. Lastly, I like CRANK, I really do - it portends a new form narrative exposition, according to my lovely wife - but there are respects (aesthetic, moral) that I don't wish to become normative.Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-81347912569088749202009-11-17T13:59:31.828-05:002009-11-17T13:59:31.828-05:00As far as I'm concerned Code Inconnu is the on...As far as I'm concerned Code Inconnu is the only Haneke worth being in a 00's top ten list(though I also really like Funny Games US and aspects of White Ribbon). To be honest, though, to denigrate something as truly great as Mann's Miami Vice as "middle brow" but yet to champion Cache and not see the irony suggests a particular limit of vision I can't happily accept.Nathaniel Drake Carlsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-88775899738400058592009-11-17T13:45:43.191-05:002009-11-17T13:45:43.191-05:00Like everyone else here, Michael, I just want to s...Like everyone else here, Michael, I just want to say what a great rundown this is. I would add Pere Portabella's <i>The Silence Before Bach</i> to the list of the decade's best films, although it has not been widely seen (or even available) in the U.S.Tim Griersonhttp://timgrierson.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-87489693582929362682009-11-17T11:43:55.912-05:002009-11-17T11:43:55.912-05:00It's hard to quibble with your exhaustive roun...It's hard to quibble with your exhaustive roundup here Mike, but I would urge you to see Kiarostami's Shirin, which the BFI just put out on a nice DVD. It's the best of his experimental works that I've seen, and ultimately quite moving. I have a piece going up on TCM abou it. It'll at least be worth a mention.<br /><br />I would've added 12:08 East of Bucharest as also superior to 4 WEEKS...<br /><br />In the auteur section I would have saved a spot for John Woo's WINDTALKERS, which is severely underrated.<br /><br />And please expound upon your enigmatic "for better or for worse" aside regarding Crank. Our friendship rides upon your answer.R. Emmet Sweeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18063859726441944532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-91814823523183977842009-11-16T18:53:59.478-05:002009-11-16T18:53:59.478-05:00Not a problem, Omar. Though your point calls to a...Not a problem, Omar. Though your point calls to attention to my listing of only a single Haneke, which is perhaps too few. I also liked "Code Inconnu" (2000) and "Time of the Wolf" (2003), and look forward to seeing "White Ribbon" (2009) in early 2010.Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-15700044535876111762009-11-16T18:50:35.203-05:002009-11-16T18:50:35.203-05:00Apologises; just seen your other comprehensive and...Apologises; just seen your other comprehensive and brilliantly summarised lists from the decade and I was wrong, you do rate 'Cache'; this one hell of a film canon to take in - makes me realise how much I have also missed.Omarhttp://omarsfilmblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-29968264032411412762009-11-16T18:45:18.320-05:002009-11-16T18:45:18.320-05:00Neil, thanks for linking to Huber and Peranson'...Neil, thanks for linking to Huber and Peranson's fine piece. <br /><br />I look forward to working my way through your list; unless a list surprises - which yours certainly does - it isn't terribly useful. I hope my does as well... beyond the shock-horror of my Tony Scott advocacy.Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-4939456970689237212009-11-16T18:41:55.083-05:002009-11-16T18:41:55.083-05:00An impressive list; although you overlook Haneke&#...An impressive list; although you overlook Haneke's CACHE/HIDDEN. Otherwise, I do agree that the late Edward Yang came up with one of the great films of the past ten years. Michael Mann's middle brow work also doesn't stand up to his illustrious nineties period.Omarhttp://omarsfilmblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-21311090713063100272009-11-16T18:36:53.907-05:002009-11-16T18:36:53.907-05:00Michael isn't the only one to esteem DEJA VU. ...Michael isn't the only one to esteem DEJA VU. Christoph Huber, the leading Austrian critic (arguably the leading German-language critic) is also a major fan:<br /><br />http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs29/feat_peransonandhuber_scott.html<br /><br />Personally I prefer DOMINO, which I am delighted to see in Michael's rundown as it's easily one of the decades most unfairly-maligned 'films maudits'.<br /><br />Yes, Michael, different sensibilities. And I'd be surprised if you were, say, as knocked out by SATAN (aka SHEITAN) as I was... <br /><br />But I am sure there are certain "hidden gems" on my list that would tickle your palate. <br /><br />For example, I have yet to find anyone who doesn't delight in Ron Lamothe's CALL OF THE WILD (a hard-to-see and, I suspect, semi-suppressed documentary mainly on Chris McCandless of INTO THE WILD fame, but touching on so much more).Neil Younghttp://www.jigsawlounge.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-8514774478180740872009-11-16T18:00:51.240-05:002009-11-16T18:00:51.240-05:00David, I wrote a rather long piece on DEJA VU for ...David, I wrote a rather long piece on DEJA VU for FILM CRITICISM, which they published earlier this year (Winter 2008). You may be able to access the essay here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3076/is_2_33/ai_n35552115/. Forgive me if it sounds as if I am avoiding your criticism; I think I make a fairly strong case for the film in it, and don't really think I can do it justice in the space of the comments section (with the time I currently have).<br /><br />Neil, there is a veritable bonanza of films I missed on your list, and many more that I failed to mention... beyond "L'Intrus." What about my failure to mention "Far from Heaven"? Suffice it to say that we have very different sensibilities.Michael J. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12333893240336518881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13095695.post-32467059317894126062009-11-16T17:23:09.098-05:002009-11-16T17:23:09.098-05:00well, yes, I -was- being a touch hyperbolic for rh...well, yes, I -was- being a touch hyperbolic for rhetorical ends! <br /><br />My own top 30 (shamefully Anglophone- and US-centric, I'm afraid):<br /><br />1. Punch-Drunk Love (Anderson 02)<br />2. casting a glance (Benning 07)<br />3. United 93 (Greengrass 06)<br />4. A History of Violence (Cronenberg 05)<br />5. The Wrestler (Aronofsky 08)<br />6. Elephant (Van Sant 03) <br />7. Who Killed Cock Robin? (Wilkerson 07) <br />8. Los (Benning 01)<br />9. Who Is Bozo Texino? (Daniel 05)<br />10. Dead Man's Shoes (Meadows 04)<br />11. The Call of the Wild (Lamothe07)<br />12. Capturing the Friedmans (Jarecki 03)<br />13. Los Angeles Plays Itself (Andersen 03)<br />14. Satan (Chapiron 06) <br />15. Tropic of Cancer (Polgovsky 04)<br />16. District 9 (Blomkamp 09)<br />17. El Valley Centro (Benning 00)<br />18. Profit motive and the whispering wind (Gianvito 07)<br />19. Volver (Almodovar 06)<br />20. The Intruder (Denis 04)<br />21. With a Girl of Black Soil (Jeon 07)<br />22. René (Trestikova 08)<br />23. Fantasma (Alonso 06)<br />24. Dancer in the Dark (Von Trier00)<br />25. Far From Heaven (Haynes 02)<br />26. Gunnar Goes Comfortable (Jensen03)<br />27. The State I Am In (Petzold 00)<br />28. Revolutionary Road (Mendes 08)<br />29. WALL-E (Stanton 08)<br />30. Ten Skies (Benning 04)Neil Younghttp://www.jigsawlounge.co.uk/film/index.htmlnoreply@blogger.com