You can never have too many of these, right? Right?
Right?
1. “Mulholland Drive”
2. “There Will Be Blood”
3. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
4. “Brokeback Mountain”
5. (tie) “No Country for Old Men” and “Zodiac”
6. “Yi Yi”
7. (tie) “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” and “The Lord of the Rings”
8. “Spirited Away”
9. (tie) “United 93” and “Y Tu Mama Tambien”
10. “Sideways”
Comments
27 responses to “LAFCA picks the top 10 films of the decade”
It’s not a top 10, when there’s 13 (and actually even 15) films on it. But still, there can’t be too many lists that include “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”.
Good list…
I actaully like how it is a list of 10 spots, and that the ties do not take up more than 1 spot…
Ditto, Chris.
By the way, Guy (and Kris, and Chad), I know you didn’t write this, but you’re bound to see my comment anyway. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” was absolutely phenomenal in every way possible. I can’t fucking believe I never saw it, and will be watching it again very, very soon. That’s all I’ll say now, since I haven’t stopped thinking about it since last Thursday night and have no way to form words about it. Might be my pick for best of the decade.
How can you have a tie on such a list? It’s a little silly, unless it’s 2 remakes or sequels.
It’s certainly mine, Joel.
There Will Be Blood absolutely deserves its high-up spot on this list. From Daniel Day Lewis, to Paul Dano (It’s always exciting to see such mature and skilled actors who are my peers), to the sharp, chilling score with lots of violin. GOD.
And I wouldn’t call Lord of the Rings a film so much as a life-affirming, cinematical experience. I sobbed at the end of the third installment. SOBBED. People were turning around and looking at me.
I saw ROTK four times in theaters and sobbed all four times.
And of course I love No Country for Old Men. Bardem immortalized himself as one of the finest villains, ever, and I was fascinated how a movie could be so tense and compelling with almost a complete absence of music.
The proper way to write it would be “LAFCA picks the top “10” films of the decade”, sheesh. Who was the LA Times critic who always had like 20 films on his top “10” list?
Not too many surprises there. Pretty much reflects how a great many of these lists have panned out, but then again all the films mentioned are there for justifiable reasons.
This is a great list!
So glad to see The Lord of the Rings, Brokeback Mountain, and No Country For Old Men on the list!
I continue to not understand the love Mulholland Drive gets whatsoever.
“There Will Be Blood” is overrated. Fantastic, to be sure, but the ending felt all wrong to me. Thus, overrated. Just my opinion.
That may be the best top ten list I’ve seen thus far. I can’t disagree with a single one.
“Yi yi” is such a great film. Glad to see it wasn’t overlooked here.
great list i’ve always liked the LAFCA’s choice in movies
Is Mulholland Drive the most overrated film of all time? I cannot think of a comparison.
Glad to see the continued love for “United 93.”
“Is Mulholland Drive the most overrated film of all time? I cannot think of a comparison.”
Star Wars
“Mulholland Drive” is my favorite movie on this list. I’ve seen it at least five times, and every time it makes me super-excited again. I remember dragging my friend to see it when it first came out: he turned to me as the credits rolled at the end and said, “That guy’s a magician.” I agreed completely.
Aspect Ratio,
That would be Kenneth Turan. He always tries to pair up movies with similar themes.
The numbering of this list really irks me. If you have two movies at number five, then the next film should be at seven. If two guys tie for silver at the Olympics, ain’t no one getting the bronze.
Interesting to see Sideways pop up here. It seems like it’s been largely absent from these lists after being such a critical darling in ’04.
“Is Mulholland Drive the most overrated film of all time? I cannot think of a comparison.”
Goodfellas
The Godfather
Lawrence of Arabia
Oh, I went there.
Finally some LOTR love. Wish there was more to go around. I sometimes feel like those films came out a couple years too early.
“Is Mulholland Drive the most overrated film of all time? I cannot think of a comparison.”
There Will Be Blood.
And Eternal Sunshine.
And Brokeback Mountain.
And… actually the rest of the list is ok except for Zodiac and 432.
“Is Mulholland Drive the most overrated film of all time? I cannot think of a comparison.”
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Sideways
Goodfellas
Gangs of New York
Slumdog Millionaire
The Big Lebowski
Titanic
Gladiator
Lost in Translation
I really like the inclusion of Zodiac, United 93, Mulholland Drive and Brokeback Mountain
I love how Eternal Sunshine is now way above Sideways at #3, even though back in 2004, this group (along with everyone else) voted Sideways the year’s best film.
Sunshine was totally ahead of its time. And critics, I think, were a bit blinded by their identification with Paul Giamatti’s wine snob. Glad to see some of them are coming around.
Interestingly, only one Best Film Oscar win among them.
Great shout-out for “Yi-Yi”, talk about hidden gems.
And a good mention for “United 93”, one of the most chilling experiences I’ve ever had at a cinema. (And conversely, one I don’t care to relive.)
1. Oldboy
2. LOTR
3. Where the Wild Things Are
4. Children of Men
5. Munich
6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
7. Mulholland Drive
8. District 9
9. Into the Wild
10. Catch Me if You Can