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January 20, 2008
Decade, So Far
Recently from the Huffington Post: this interesting list of the "best American films so far this decade," which surprised and elated me by including Mysterious Skin. Thank you, John Farr!
The list led me to wonder: what are MY favorite American-made films since 2000 began? Answering this turned out to be tough--I soon realized that nearly ALL my favorites from the last 8 years have been foreign-made (some examples: The Color of Paradise; The Return; Bad Education; The Devil's Backbone; Nobody Knows; Y Tu Mama Tambien; Audition; The Lives of Others; Oldboy). Also, I couldn't list favorites like Waiting For Guffman, Happiness, The Ice Storm, or Todd Haynes' genius Safe, because they were released in the years prior to 2000.
So. I've left MSkin off the list, even though I'm admittedly partial to it. But here's my list of American films released since 1/1/2000 that I managed to compile. (I didn't quite do it like Mr. Farr did; I couldn't limit myself to one-for-each-year.) Note movie #4: R.I.P., Brad Renfro.
Also, I'd love to hear yours, too, if you get the chance....
(1) Spellbound (2002)
(2) Mulholland Dr. (2001)
(3) No Country For Old Men (2007)
(4) Bully (2001)
(5) You Can Count On Me (2000)
(6) Sideways (2004)
(7) Lost In Translation (2003)
(8) Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
(9) Best In Show (2000)
(10) Grizzly Man (2005)
(Some Honorable Mentions: Far From Heaven; Requiem For a Dream; Kill Bill vol. 1 and vol. 2; Southern Comfort; My Flesh and Blood; Punch-Drunk Love; Elephant; Ken Park; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But I have a feeling I'll look at this list tomorrow and reconsider.)
Posted by scottheim at January 20, 2008 12:51 AM
Comments
Great site - I've been a fan for a while, but just stumbled on to your blog today.
I'm glad you specified US & post-2000. Top 10s are hard for me. The more narrow the better - fewer options to choose between. In no particular order, with an acknowledged lean towards documentaries & queer films, and knowing I'll likely change my mind often on this one:
Bowling for Columbine
Brick
Brokeback Mountain
Dark Days
Devil's Playground
Hedwig & The Angry Inch
Kissing Jessica Stein
Lost in Translation
Memento
Spellbound
Posted by: Hugh ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://heim.etherweave.com/weblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at February 18, 2008 07:41 PM
i am by no means a movie watcher, so a post like this actually fuels me to go and watch more movies (and put my new netflix account to work!). off the top of my head the only movies i can say without a doubt i enjoyed since 2000 began are donnie darko and brick.
hrm,yeah.
now to watch as much as i can off of everyone's list.
(also, i'd have to say both y tu mama tambien and oldboy are so good. so so so good.)
Posted by: melissa dominic at January 30, 2008 01:35 AM
Farr's list, despite the inclusion of MR and MD, is a tad odd for a "best" list. Insomnia? Really? It seems more like a list of movies he really liked, versus a list of the "best" movies. And I think there's a difference. For instance, I don't like Pulp Fiction, but it's brilliant. And Best in Show seems like a brilliant exercise in editing and improv, but not much else. Anyway, here's my list, and I'll stick to ten (though in no order):
Adaptation
Mulholland Drive
The Lord of the Rings
Spirited Away
Brokeback Mountain
No Country for Old Men
Donnie Darko
Moulin Rouge!
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Posted by: gideonse at January 25, 2008 05:13 PM
OK, this is getting fun. Remember though, ONLY U.S. films, and ONLY those released 2000 and onward...
Posted by: Scott Heim at January 25, 2008 12:30 AM
Ok, I'll play. Off the top of my head:
Half Nelson
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Closer
Garden State
Erin Brockovich
Atonement
Hard Candy
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Beach
Posted by: Mallard at January 24, 2008 11:20 PM
My favorite U.S. made movies from this millenium (as opposed to American-made movies from this millenium, which would include anything made in this hemisphere) do star a lot of people from American countries either south or north of the U. S. border. Here's my list:
SHATTERED GLASS (our Hayden is Canadian, is he not? If it's from 1999, sorry.)
KINSEY (our Peter Sarsgaard is also in SHATTERED GLASS and he's the reason I include the next one on the list.)
THE DYING GAUL
ABOUT SCHMIDT
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
WAITRESS
DONNIE DARKO: DIRECTOR'S CUT
THE 3:10 TO YUMA
DOWN WITH LOVE
Posted by: fred at January 24, 2008 02:45 AM
Yeah, I'm having an unreasonably difficult time coming up with American films, too. I did like all those you mentioned (Mysterious Skin included, of course), as well as ...
Before Night Falls
Secretary
Birth (ridiculously underrated!)
Dogville (If it qualifies as "American")
The New World
Sweet Land
Oh, and I just saw There Will Be Blood this weekend and thought it was amazing. I'm really torn between that and No Country for Old Men (because, you know, my opinion matters so much ...) as "best picture" of '07.
Posted by: Amanda at January 23, 2008 02:18 PM
Considering how many of the movies listed here I have not seen, it would be hubris for me to compile a top ten list. I just have to say that among my top ten movies of all time (not just the past decade), most of them would be foreign. The only two American films from 2000 on that I would put on that list without a flinch would be Donnie Darko and Mysterious Skin.
Well, time for me to go to the video store....
Posted by: Marcelo at January 23, 2008 12:52 AM
Cool-- thanks Jeremy and thanks Vjesci. These are all great, and now I have a few more things to add to my enormous Netflix queue. If you're reading this and feel like posting your list, please do so!
Posted by: Scott Heim at January 22, 2008 04:33 PM
.carnivale would undoubtedly be the greatest television show of the decade.
.I second mulholland drive + elephant + flesh and blood + bad education...was just watching bully (brad on the fone: I want you to suck my big dick) .I am wondering how that ordeal will matter in terms of renfros latest film.if it will deter its release date or if they will edit any thing due to brad being dead.
.american psycho.
.amores perros.
.artificial intelligence: AI.
.before night falls.
.blow.
.bowling for columbine.
.carandiru.
.dancer in the dark.
.dead leaves.
.death note.
.deepwater.
.donnie darko.
.down in the valley.
.the fountain.
.frailty.
.from hell.
.fur: an imaginary portrait of diane arbus.
.gypsy 83.
.hard candy.
.the heart is deceitful above all things.
.hedwig and the angry inch.
.how to draw a bunny.
.intacto.
.inland empire.
.invincible.
.irreversible.
.the legend of leigh bowery.
.the libertine.
.madame sata.
.me and you and everyone we know.
.memento.
.mysterious skin.
.the nomi song.
.northfork.
.palindromes.
.party monster.
.the prestige.
.quills.
.the rules of attraction.
.the saddest music in the world.
.southern comfort.
.sweeney todd.
.tarnation.
.this is england.
.still waiting to see no country for old men.
Posted by: vjesci at January 22, 2008 01:37 PM
.I second mulholland drive + elephant + flesh and blood + bad education...was just watching bully.I am wondering how that ordeal will matter in terms of renfros latest film.if it will deter its release date or if they will edit any thing due to brad being dead.
.I cheated & included some foreigns.
.american psycho.
.amores perros.
.artificial intelligence: AI.
.before night falls.
.blow.
.bowling for columbine.
.carandiru.
.dancer in the dark.
.dead leaves.
.deepwater.
.donnie darko.
.down in the valley.
.the fountain.
.frailty.
.from hell.
.fur: an imaginary portrait of diane arbus.
.gypsy 83.
.hard candy.
.the heart is deceitful above all things.
.hedwig and the angry inch.
.how to draw a bunny.
.intacto.
.inland empire.
.invincible.
.irreversible.
.the legend of leigh bowery.
.the libertine.
.madame sata.
.me and you and everyone we know.
.memento.
.mysterious skin.
.the nomi song.
.northfork.
.palindromes.
.party monster.
.the prestige.
.quills.
.the rules of attraction.
.the saddest music in the world.
.southern comfort.
.sweeney todd.
.tarnation.
.this is england.
.still waiting to see no country for old men.
Posted by: vjesci at January 22, 2008 01:32 PM
Well, Mysterious Skin would definitely be on there. As would Adaptation.
No Country for Old Men, for sure.
Wet, Hot American Summer
The Big Lebowski
Mulholland Drive
INLAND EMPIRE
(man, my tastes are limited)
That's all my dead brain can think of right now.
Oh, but I did want to mention that Cleo from 5 to 7 finally got the Criterion treatment, and if you haven't seen it or its been a while, seek it out. It is a truly great film.
(Now if only we can get them to release Last Year at Marienbad)
Posted by: Jeremy at January 22, 2008 09:21 AM
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