Best of the Decade (Jake) (cont.) (Essay)

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): Contrary to what history books might tell you, some of the greatest films are also the most modest. Having only a brilliantly written screenplay by the highly celebrated Charlie Kaufman and the direction of Frenchman Michel Gondry to its name, Eternal Sunshine looked to change our minds about hurt feelings and serendipitous (or defeatist?) lovers and managed to become one of the best films of the decade. Its topsy-turvy, discombobulated approach made the film hard to follow through its first run; like one of those patterned images that relates a 3D object in time, if you tried too hard to see this film, you never could. The story of a man, Joel Barish, portrayed marvelously by the still untapped Jim Carrey, who decides to erase all of his memories of his ex-lover, Eternal Sunshine is a showcase of masterful editing, as the film weaves in and out of Joel's past, memories being unburied and erased with Joel fighting it all the while. Jon Brion's original score was sullen and deep, accenting the film's roller-coaster of emotions perfectly when garnished with tracks from The Polyphonic Spree. Eternal Sunshine was not an epic by all means, nor did it have epic success at the box office, but almost six years later it remains to be an unforgettable example of great film. Why this film was important: Unique in its style and approach, this film is one of the greatest portrayals of love and hurt exhibited in movie history.

Best of the Decade (Jake) (cont.) (Essay)

5. The Departed (2006): Just because it's predictable list material does not mean it should go uncredited. My favorite Scorsese film to date, The Departed was brilliantly written and played, as suspenseful as it was hilarious. This film, in my eyes, an instant classic, deserves to be studied alongside Chinatown and The Godfather as one of thee most layered, even if preposterously so, crime thrillers in cinema. Why this film was important: Won Scorsese the Oscar, finally; gave a nod to Hong Kong cinema (the film was based off of Alan Mak and Wai-keung Lau's 2002 Infernal Affairs) in a huge way.

Best of the Decade (Jake) (cont.) (Essay)

NOTE: Screw the two at a time.

8. Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance (2002): The first film in Chan-wook Park's “revenge trilogy” (best known for its second film, Old Boy), Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance was a powerful representation of vengeance in its most cruel and unfortunate state. The satisfying and invigorating vengeance of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series was no where to be found, as Park blended right and wrong into one and pitted his characters against one another despite the good intentions each of them lived by. When his dying sister needs a kidney transplant, deaf Ryu resorts to kidnapping his former boss's daughter and holding her for ransom; a series of misfortunes and heinous retributions ensue. The quiet of the film played key to the intensity of Mr. Vengeance, whose tragic story was alone enough to make it one of the best of the decade. Park's trilogy turned the world's gaze toward Korean film, and Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance was a leading example of the amazing talent going little noticed in the region. Why this film was important: For me, Park's film solidified my yearning for foreign film, setting in motion a desire to experience further unknowns, little-knowns or distant films. For everyone else, it was simply one of the most affecting films of the decade.

Best of the Decade (Nate) (Essay)

Note: Like my sibling’s list, mine is made up of representatives of genre, mainly to avoid one genre taking up the whole list. My eye also tends to center on technical breakthroughs and life-changing event films. I’ve also tried to stay away from films that everyone has on their lists, and I’ve succeeded for the most part.

10. Wet Hot American Summer (David Wain, 2001)


David Wain’s first feature, is, at first glance, a normal comedy. But on second (and third, fourth, and fifth), it’s actually the best comedy of the decade and up there on the all-time list. Wall-to-wall wackyness is all there is to be found, with new jokes and gags to be discovered on every viewing. Unlike many many other comedies, there’s no relationship B-story drama or anything else getting in the way of the funny. There’s also not much motivation behind the jokes other than they’re funny. What this movie did for me on a personal level was negate everything I learned in film school (everything in movies has meaning), and inspire me to make movies in the same vain. This concept, only-there-for-funny, unfortunately went over the heads of my film professors.

Best of the Decade (Jake) (Essay)

NOTE: The following list is an effort to quantify and order the films of the recent decade. Most of the films I have chosen are figure-heads of their respective "type," but I did not disregard a film merely because another of its "kind" already made the list (at least not on more than one occasion). Half of this list is predictable and, yes, down-right boring: at this point we know what was good and what deserves recognition at least if its just that, a nod of the head. However, I've chosen the few that stand out and emphasized them in an attempt to keep things at least somewhat interesting. I will be posting my top 10 two at a time for the next few days, followed by some notable mentions and other random awards of the decade. Enjoy.

10. Children of Men (2006): Alfonso Cuarón's modern sci-fi masterpiece was a shock to the system, a social justice film as subversive in its technique as it was open about its message. Why this film was important: Re-educated us on how to make a sci-fi film: one without monsters or aliens or futuristic weaponry or psychological gimmicks; showcased for folks like Spielberg that technique and story are at the heart of making quality, AND entertaining, cinema.