Top Ten of the 2000's

The Critic
Ty Hampton

The Best of the 2000’s

- The following is my late, but great, list of the Top 10 movies that moved audiences and critics alike, held some weight of importance in our world and made an impact on the craft of film-making in the past decade.

10.) Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
- This epic love story from a far off place was expected to hardly make a splash when making its New York, L.A., and European openings initially. The end result was a nationwide and global phenomenon that won the heart of viewers everywhere and went from indie film underdog to Oscar winning masterpiece.

9.) The Dark Knight (2008)
- For a long time superhero or comic book-based films have been cliché’ and not exactly abounding in critical acclaim. The Dark Knight changed all that. Christopher Nolan’s haunting reinvention of Batman was both shocking, visionary, nostalgic, riveting and unforgettable with standout performances from Aaron Eckhardt, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and last, but not least, the late great Heath Ledger.
No one will ever forget Ledger’s iconic performance of the maniacal Joker, and if any living actor ever attempts to take on that role again they will most likely look like fools – that’s how good this guy was.

8.) Hotel Rwanda (2004)
- Africa has problems, everybody knows this nowadays and if you don’t, well, you’re a moron. But most of the world missed the terrible genocide of 1994 where the nation of Rwanda’s majority race (the Hutus), fueled by hate radio (similar to Rush Limbaugh) and a staged government assassination, attempted to wipe the country’s minority people (the Tutsis) off the face of the planet.
The film is set on a family split in race and a hotel owner who takes in and hides refugees who are being pursued by machete wielding civilians fueled with hate. A true story that shows how true human evil reared its ugly head in the middle of that jungle while the rest of the world went along eating their TV dinners and watching Seinfeld thinking the horrors of the holocaust were a long-lost nightmare, incapable of recurring in modern times.
If you missed this one or missed the entire conflict as it happened, I recommend renting this one when you’re in the mood. It’s the kind of important film that everyone should have to see to understand evil and never forget what can happen.

7.) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
- Filmmaker Wes Anderson was one of the true film auteurs that came out of the 2000s and the Tenenbaums was arguably his most poignant and defining work. His vision of the world exposed through his lens into his films is extraordinary, refreshing and artful. Add that to a human story about family and a great cast including Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Seth Wilson, and Gwynneth Paltrow and you’ve got a truly unique mix.
If you haven’t seen any Wes Anderson films I recommend you check one out and start with the Royal Tenenbaums. You will not be able to say you’ve seen anything like it in a move ever before, to say the least.

6.) Mystic River (2003)
- Sean Penn is without a doubt one of the most powerful actors of our time. Between his talents and those of Daniel Day-Lewis, it’s practically a draw when it comes to intensity and emersion in their dramatic craft.
Penn has also been a key role to some of the best films of the decade, starring alongside Tim Robbins, Laura Linney, Kevin Bacon and Forest Whitacker in the Clint Eastwood directed “Mystic River.” This was also the first of author Dennis Lehane’s novels to be made into major motion pictures (see fellow great films “Goney Baby Gone” and “Shutter Island”).
A true human crime story about the varied and sometimes tragic paths our lives take, separating us from childhood friends back in the neighborhood to complete strangers and possible hated enemies in adulthood.

5.) Pan’s Labryinth (2006)
- A lot of people probably gazed at my list and couldn’t fathom how I could leave the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy off the list. Some probably did the same for the Matrix. But this is my pick that soars above both series with triumphant film mastery.
Latin filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is another true auteur who has peaked this decade (so much that in fact he was chosen to direct the “Hobbit” film prelude to the Rings series and make the film in his own style).
Because of Pan’s Labryinth, del Toro is now known for his literary flare, eye for realistic special effects, and knack for sensational and memorable creature characters in his films. This film is far more complex than just a creature movie, it has a lot going on and is one foreign language film that I would have just about anyone watch. It blew me away the first time I saw it and I will watch this one time and time again.

4.) There Will Be Blood (2007)
- Daniel Day-Lewis is a iconic character specialist. Many people who have worked with him have commented how if you give him a role he will fully invest himself into it to the point where there is no more Daniel, only his character. A true master in his craft. He’s weird, yes, no doubt. But he’s a genius.
TWBB is not the most “entertaining” film you’ve ever seen, but from its visual appeal to its eerie soundtrack, to Day-Lewis’s utter dominance of the screen – this is one not to miss if you’re a fan of real film like it’s supposed to be.

3.) 21 Grams (2003)
- Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu is better known for his academy award nominated film “Babel”, but his real masterwork was a few years prior when he, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and Naomi Watts set out to make an indie film project that would start under the radar and remain their for the most part, despite having two oscar nods in 2003.
If another great performance by Penn wasn’t enough, Benicio came into his own and really competes to steal the show in this one. Rich and original storytelling style, great characters, and an ending that resonates make this a “don’t miss” film.

2.) Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
- A winner of two Oscars and the hearts of audiences everywhere, this dark little indie comedy is the most uplifting and joyful of its genre – ever. A truly original comedy that tackles life, death, struggle, loss, fear, hope and the unconditional love of family. If you haven’t seen this one yet, I don’t know what else to say.

1.) No Country for Old Men (2007)
- Unarguably, hands-down the best movie of the decade by some of the best filmmakers of our time – the Coen brothers. These guys can walk the line between hilarious and gut-wrenchingly tense with ease – that’s power!
The only Coen brothers script not created by the duo, an almost direct adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel, has more than the Coens and more than amazing writing and timeless storytelling – there is some of the best acting performances ever in this film. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and a little known Spaniard by the name of Javier Bardem took this thing to the next level and back. Bardem passes Heath Ledger as the most eerie, terrifying and captivating anti-hero on film for the decade. Comparable in resonance to the Alex character in Clockwork Orange…simply unforgettable.


*Honorable Mention Bubble Films:

11.) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
- Some people think of only roles like Ace Ventura when the consider Jim Carrey as an actor, overlooking any dramatic abilities he displays. Those people have never seen Eternal Sunshine, or are too ignorant to understand or appreciate it as a truly original film. Carrey is outstanding and completely different than anything that was imagined to come from him. Kate Winslet, as we all know by now, is a top actress in competition with the likes of Meryl Streep on a yearly basis. They alone are on that level together – no one else is even close, and it’s films like this that cement those facts.
French filmmaker Michel Gondry is a visionary with an eye for making the audience look at an entire film from a different angle and then flip us on our heads. Watch for this guy to continue to do great things, he’s an original.

12.) The Departed/Gangs of New York (2006/2002)
- Martin Scorcese is a master mobster. You can not make a better mob-based piece of film than he. The Godfather films, at least 2 and 3, now look like archaic dinosaurs in comparison to a flashy new Scorcese. They are both classics, just two different eras completely. Taking a young talent like Leonardo DiCaprio under his wing as his Deniro for this new era, Scorcese sculpted three masterpieces in four years (add in the “Aviator” at this point) around the same actor. Of course DiCaprio and Scorcese’s help were in numbers; the likes of Day-Lewis, Liam Neeson, Cameron Diaz, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Marin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin.
Questions anybody? He couldn’t miss with either film, and yet he exceeded my expectations gloriously. And that’s why Martin Scorcese is a GREAT filmmaker.

13.) Requiem for a Dream (2000)
- The only recognizable names in this film when it came out were Jennifer Connors and Ellen Burstyn. The director, Darren Aronofsky, an unknown no-name indie director. The parties involved in this movie have stayed low-profile, despite its genius, other than Aronofsky getting a best director Oscar nod for “The Wrestler.”
Requiem however is a waking nightmare surrounding a group of individuals immersed in drug abuse of different kinds. Basically if you know someone who is thinking about trying hard drugs, show them this movie and they will never think about it again – it horrific, authentic, and absolutely unforgettable. There’s a reason movies like this are not made everyday, because there’s just too much commercial risk in being this kind of honest.
However that’s precisely what the best kind of art is made of.

2010 Oscar Picks

Ty Hampton
The Critic

-- It’s that time of year again – award season. And there is no greater award ceremony for measuring the quality of films over the past year than the Oscars. This Critics Corner Review Academy Awards special edition is my predictions on who will take home the hardware on March 7th and my runner-up nods.

Best Picture
Predicted Winner: “Up in the Air”
- This was the most charming, intelligent, and insightful film of the year that packed a lot of heart and a terrific ensemble cast performance on top of stylistic direction from “Juno” filmmaker Jason Reitman.
My Runner-Ups: “The Hurt Locker” and “A Serious Man”
- Although “Hurt Locker” was a very well-directed, well-acted realistic glimpse into the daily terror that is modern warfare in the Iraqi dessert, it just didn’t resonate with me like “Up in the Air.”
The Coen brothers’ newest dark comedy “A Serious Man” takes us on a ride through the life of a man on an existential breakdown, struggling to find the truth and meaning in life on the verge of tragedy. A virtually unknown cast and a limited big screen audience that only extended to New York and Los Angeles are the only main hold-ups keeping this film from being yet another big Oscar win for the Coens.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Winner: “Up in the Air”
- For all the same reasons this wins best picture, it also must win best adapted screenplay as the film’s writing was what separated it from a monumental impact film like “Avatar.”
My Runner-Ups: “District 9” and “An Education”
- Remember these names – Neil Blomkamp and Carey Mulligan. District 9 was director Blomkamp’s first English-language big screen hit with the production backing from none-other-than Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson. District 9 was top to bottom – screenplay, shooting, acting – the best true sci-fi “alien” film I have seen in a long, long time (yes, that’s right Avatar – your 3-D and effects were awesome, true, but film-wise you just don’t have the chops).
Mulligan is the standout star of the British film, An Education, as well as a stirring reflection of a young Audrey Hepburn. Her on-screen chemistry alongside Peter Saarsgard as a young 20-something actress playing an 18-year-old girl pursued by an older, cultured man shows a true maturity to Mulligan.

Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Winner: “A Serious Man”
- The Coens are a two-headed genius. Put them together and this screenwriter/director/producer team can spin your head around with talent until you no longer know what’s what. This display of mastery rings true again with their newest dark comedy, A Serious Man.
A complex plot dealing with Jewish-American traditions, superstitions, folklore, and existentialism are at the center of a plot about a man who is at a crossroads in his life – on one side lays imminent crisis, on the other the previously unthought and unknown.
This movie is (to me) foreign, alienating and makes the audience feel down right miserable for the protagonist, but that is exactly what the Coens intended. Putting the view smack-dab in the shoes of a film’s main character and feeling what he feels – attaching some level of emotionality to them – is an honest testament to film writing done with great detail and absolute mastery.

My Runner-Ups: “Hurt Locker” and “Inglourious Basterds”
- The story to the Hurt Locker is both compelling and thrilling, but more than that it is eerily realistic. That sort of authenticity can only be captured by either: a.) somebody who has actually been there (in Iraq) or b.) someone with an extreme obsession for research.
Quentin Tarantino is responsible for some of the wackiest, most creative film created in the modern era and this alternative spin to the classically cliché’ war movie genre is a continuation of his genius. Although I didn’t enjoy it as much as Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs – Inglourious Basterds still probably comfortably slides into the latter spot of my top-three Tarantino films list.

Best Director
Predicted Winner: Kathryn Bigelow “The Hurt Locker.”
- Whenever an indie film has as big a splash as the Hurt Locker has (or see an indie film called “Slumdog Millionaire”) a lot can, and should, be attributed to the director. Directors are the godfather filmmakers behind the scenes, pulling all the right (or wrong) strings to make or break a film. The quarterbacks who win the big game.
Over the years Kathryn Bigelow has had a couple of big screen hits to her name (“Near Dark”, “Point Break”, and “Strange Days”) but the Locker is far and away her most mature and intense work.

My Runner-Ups: Jason Reitman “Up in the Air” and Quentin Tarantino “Inglourious Basterds.”
- Reitman’s formalistic shots that put us into the heart and soul of his characters were a key element to the aesthetic of Up in the Air, my favorite of the best picture nominees. And Tarantinos auteur filmmaker prowess is definitely on display in Basterds, showing why film is still a true venue for not just entertainment, but art. I actually liked Tarantino and Reitman’s work better than Bigelow’s in this category, but I feel like it’s her year and I’d put my money on her table for Oscar night.

Best Actor
Predicted Winner: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
- Bridges is a great actor whose Oscar win is far overdue. In Crazy Heart, his performance oozes with soul and the feel of a classic master of the silver screen. All I can say is it’s about time, and if anyone else wins this category it’s an absolute crime.

My Runner-Ups: Jeremy Renner and George Clooney
- Renner and Clooney both had help in their films which demonstrated a great ensemble cast to make their movies great. Still, both leading men dominated in their roles and will be hard-pressed to match that kind of career paramount moment.

Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Winner: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”
- You may not know his name or any other movie he’s ever been in (probably not as he’s an Austrian actor), but Christopher Waltz’s performance as the “Jew Hunter” was in my opinion the best performance of any actor or actress in a leading or supporting role. Unfortunately his was a supporting role, but I liken his legendary villain performance to that of Javier Bardem’s in “No Country for Old Men” a couple of years back.
His maneurisms, voice, rhythm and overall delivery was pitch perfect and down right creepy at times as an embodiment of all the evil the Nazi regime represented. Waltz plays a character you love to hate, but can not take your eyes off of. Bravo!

My Runner-Ups: Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Stanley Tucci is one of those truly versatile actors that can play utter opposite characters with each role they take on…and thrive off of that. Tucci seems to get a lead role, but his characters stick with you. No one could play the meticulous neighborhood serial killer Mr. Harvey from this nightmarish tale with such calm and cold-blooded tact than a talent like Tucci and he was, unfortunately, the only redeeming acting performance in the Lovely Bones.

Best Actress
Predicted Winner: Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
- This 24-year-old actress is one to watch for years to come, while I think she deserves top honors for her breakout performance in An Education. The sophistication and class of Audrey Hepburn with an undeniable dash of innocence and youth that is refreshing. Give her the hardware! She deserves it.

My Runner-Up: Meryl Streep “Julia & Julia”
- Whenever Ms. Streep decides to grace the stage these days, you can count her in on an Oscar race. She’s an iconic talent that has set the bar for actresses of this era.

Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Winner: Anna Kendrick “Up in the Air”
- Clooney was great as the lead in Up in the Air, but his performance was magnified by its parity to another great showing at the hands of Anna Kendrick. Also 24 years of age, Kendrick is another true newcomer with her only other recognizable roles being in the Twilight and New Moon films. After seeing Up in the Air, we’ll forgive her for that though.

My Runner-Up: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Just as Kendrick added to Clooney’s role in their film, I would say the duo of Gyllenhaal and Bridges was right up there as well. Bridges performance over shadows Maggie’s, but that’s her role in the film, and even as it is she plays it with great strength.

Best Art Direction, Best Cinematoraphy, Best Visual Effects
Predicted Winner: “Avatar”
- What can I say, Avatar was the most visually and mechanically stunning film I have probably ever seen…ever. It had a decent storyline but the acting was lacking in some areas. These are why I think it won’t, and shouldn’t, win best picture or any of the other bigger award categories.
Entertainment wise alone though, Avatar was the best of the year. Still that doesn’t speak to the long term quality of the film. Look at some of the best special effects films of all time. They are popular for a decade and then their film tricks begin to look dated and archaic and, let’s face it, the acting and writing is rarely there. Avatar has tendencies toward this same category of film.
Packing wildly entertaining punch after punch, but not enough to be an academy award winning film in any of the major categories.

Best Animated Feature Film
Predicted Winner: “Up”
- This is a romance, a drama, and an adventure film tied into one. Oh yeah, and did I mention it’s an animated film. The best animated film since Wall-E, maybe even better. Either way, far and away takes this category.