SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 6, 2012 #13 "A magical and moving account of a man living his life resoundingly in reverse...it delivers top-notch moviemaking in every department." –Peter Howell, Toronto Star Films often attempt to capture parts of human life during a specific age category. Some films go so far as to attempt to capture the spirit of life itself over the span of an entire lifetime. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) is such a film, examining a case that is very curious indeed, but whose life from beginning to end looks very similar to the ones we know. The mortality of humanity is ever-present in this film. As Benjamin grows in a home full of old people on death's doorstep, he grows accustomed to tenants dying. He has similar experiences during his time in the war. This theme of mortality makes the film inescapably grim, but it is worth watching for the way it reflects upon our real lives. In fact, take away the detail that Benjamin ages in reverse and the film tells a rather simple story. But the reverse aging provides a wrinkle that make Benjamin's experiences seem new, making the entire film worth watching—and worth admiring. Holding Benjamin Button together for its 166-minute running time are David Fincher's beautiful direction, his astounding camerawork, an exceptionally moving soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat, and Brad Pitt's lead performance. In portraying a man aging backwards, Pitt faces a rare challenge as an actor, but he rises to it and gives one of the best performances of his career. During a crucial moment of the film, Pitt has a look of concern on his face so authentic he reminds us that sometimes the best way for an actor to convey emotion is without dialogue. In Fincher's hands, Benjamin Button is well constructed and beautifully made. Viewers who are bored by the story can still enjoy the film simply for how well it is put together. Being bored with a running time of almost three hours is, of course, a possibility. I admit that the film is very long and at times drawn out. But the story is continuously moving despite very little action. And unlike There Will Be Blood, another lengthy film on this list, I cannot find any scenes that could have been cut without sacrificing the film's sense of broadness, as it tries to capture Benjamin's entire life. Still, viewers may still find this broad scope to be too ambitious. Those who buy into the film's ambition, however, are sure to be satisfied, and sure to be moved. Eric Roth wrote the screenplay for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button based loosely on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Roth takes a creative premise, and the filmmakers make the most of it to create something special. Though Benjamin's condition is fictional, the film's themes and emotions register powerfully for its real-world audience. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted July 6, 2012 I could find like, 10 scenes that could be cut from it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 7, 2012 #12 "A film that’ll have your hands over your face with one eye peeking: the violence sickens but the movie seduces." –Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle Boston seems to be a popular setting for contemporary film. Like Gone Baby Gone, another Boston-based film on this list, The Departed (2006) features total devotion to its setting, though in a different way. Director Martin Scorsese creates a more stylized, less gritty Boston to deliver a crime epic with a spellbinding storyline and captivating characters that challenges the ideas of trust, loyalty, and identity. The plot is intricate, with many characters involved, but the film works because of its actors. The all-star cast is full of fine performances, not least of all from Jack Nicholson. In playing a sadistic crime boss, Nicholson is free to let his acting skills run wild in ways he has not done since his turn as The Joker in Tim Burton's Batman (1989), carrying every scene with his wild charisma and leading each with his fierce intensity. Lead actors Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio are also great, but Nicholson steals the show when on screen. Martin Scorsese has earned a reputation for directing crime flicks, and he once again rises to the occasion here. Scorsese keeps the camera moving in mesmerizing ways that keep things spinning even during casual scenes of non-urgent dialogue; never before has filmmaking of this genre been so seductive and intoxicating. The Departed is Scorsese's best movie since Goodfellas, and it is one of the best crime epics of the 21st century. The film explores the concept of identity through the dual-roles of its lead characters. Costigan must convince everybody he is a criminal, though to succeed he must be a good cop; Sullivan must convince his peers he's a good cop, though to succeed he must be a good informant. Both men pretend to be somebody they are not, both taking a toll on the two men and raising the importance of being the one to discover the other first. The intensity helps the story fly by; the final thirty minutes are as intense a final act as you will see in a crime film, and the twist and turns don’t stop until the very last scene. The Departed features all the classic elements of an undercover cop drama: the infamous crime boss, the informant who nobody suspects, the undercover cop about to crack. As the story unfolds, a tremendous amount of tension accumulates, releasing at certain points along the way until the epic finale. For a film of this genre, The Departed does everything it's supposed to, and then some. This is a rare film in that it provides plenty of violence, but we cannot bring ourselves to turn away because of how good it looks. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 12) Martin Scorsese's The Departed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 8, 2012 #11 "A masterpiece, pure and simple, deep and true." –Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times "Everything in boxing is backwards," the narrator of Million Dollar Baby (2004) tells us. For its audience, our expectations may be a bit backwards. Those expecting a run-of-the-mill boxing story may get that on a very fundamental level, but this film is much smarter than that, and tells a story with much deeper emotional resonance. The film is not about boxing so much as it is about the relationship that develops between Maggie and Frankie. Paul Haggis wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby, and as he did with Crash, he uses clichés to set up much of the plot. In this case, we don't mind at all because the performances are so good and the film feels so fresh. It may draw heavily from clichés we have seen before, but the film dances around them with the exquisite footwork of a well-trained boxer, and the result is an emotional powerhouse. Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are Hollywood legends, but Hilary Swank somehow manages to be the star of the film. Maggie is a character with nothing but heart, wanting nothing but a shot to prove herself, and Swank nails the performance from her boxing technique down to her southern accent. Most importantly, she conveys Maggie's sheer determination and unwillingness to lose. The film takes an unexpected turn for its final act, venturing away from boxing for a new plotline. Some audience members may not like the twist, preferring the film to remain a boxing challenge. But again, this is not a film about boxing; it is about Maggie and Frankie, and their relationship grows beyond that of a fighter and a trainer, especially in the film’s final act. Million Dollar Baby is a first-round knockout, and those who dislike its ending will still consider it a victory by decision. Like a smart fighter, Million Dollar Baby knows when to throw a punch, when to step back, and when to deliver a knockout. This is the type of film that inspires us all, that tells us anything can be possible when given a fighting chance. Though not quite as good as Rocky (1976) or Raging Bull (1980), Million Dollar Baby joins their ranks as one of the greatest boxing films of all-time. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 12) Martin Scorsese's The Departed 11) Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted July 8, 2012 2 for 2 Steven. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 8, 2012 It might be the first Eastwood film on the list, but for some reason, I don't think its going to be the last. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sweetness34 142 Posted July 8, 2012 Benjamin Button would probably go on the list of worst movies I've seen this decade. Way too long and dull. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 9, 2012 #10 "One of the purest and simplest examples ever of a director falling in love with her star's gifts.” –Elvis Mitchell, New York Times The "star" in question is Bill Murray, an actor whose legendary status was etched in stone long before he was cast as Bob Harris in Lost in Translation (2003). In some ways he is playing himself by acting as Bob, an aging movie star past his prime. Perhaps this is why his performance feels so authentic, and he, coupled with outstanding direction by Sofia Coppola, delivers a beautiful meditation on isolation and dislocation. There isn't much else in terms of plot, and this is where some mainstream audiences may find the film to be boring. Except it is far from boring, as it is not a plot-driven film, but a character-driven one. Audience members who constantly ask, "What are the characters going to do next?" are asking the wrong question. If you analyze each scene by wondering what the characters are thinking and what they think they're going to do next, you get a rewarding experience and an intricate character study. The on-screen relationship between Bob and Charlotte is a fascinating one. Lost in Translation is exquisite and profound in its exploration of geographic and emotional dislocation. Bob and Charlotte are different in many ways, but have one inescapable trait in common: they are lost. They are displaced from their American homes, and in some ways they are displaced from themselves. There is a lot of talent on display here, and it starts with Murray. His performance as Bob Harris is neither comedy nor drama; it is real. With every muscle twitch, Murray completely submerses himself in the role, offering a true showcase of his talents. Johansson is no weak link, either; she is the perfect counterpart to Murray on screen and impressively portrays a woman several years older than she was when the film was shooting. Coppola's direction is beautifully tender, and her greatest strength is that she lets her actors do the work. She believes in the strength of her cast and her script. Lost in Translation is a unique achievement, an in-depth look at troubled characters that manages to be enchanting in a dark way. It is melancholy, though at times very funny thanks to Murray's comedic touch. It offers a look at two characters lost in very disconcerting ways and the methods through which they help each other deal with their struggles, even if they cannot overcome them. It is also a unique type of romance. Bob and Charlotte do not have an affair, but to an extent, they do fall in love with each other. They are the only ones who can connect to each other in a world so incredibly foreign, a world where things get lost in translation. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 12) Martin Scorsese's The Departed 11) Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby 10) Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted July 9, 2012 Well at least the end of your list isn't disappointing yet. Lost in Translation definitely deserves to be in the top 10. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 10, 2012 #9 "The movie uses a group of gifted actors who are able to find true human emotion in a story that could have been a whodunit, but looks too deeply and evokes too much honest pain." –Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Like Gone Baby Gone, Mystic River (2003) is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, and the stories are similar, both a Boston-based whodunit. In Gone Baby Gone, director Ben Affleck uses his own history in Boston to generate authenticity into the film; here, director Clint Eastwood uses pure directorial mastery. For this story, its characters are much more important than its setting, and both Eastwood and his actors work at the top of their game to deliver a powerful thriller of gripping emotional intensity. The film tells a story in the present of three friends inevitably connected by a traumatizing event of the past. It is these friends who drive the story, and they are brought to life by incredible performances. Sean Penn's performance is strong beyond words; in at least one scene, he manages to be menacing even when his eyes are blocked by sunglasses. He is complemented by Tim Robbins who, in portraying a mentally injured man, gives the best performance of his career—and that includes The Shawshank Redemption (1994). The entire cast gives gripping performances, and the level of remarkable acting on display is electric. Clint Eastwood deserves equal credit for his masterful direction. He constantly moves his cameras around, constantly changes angles, maximizing the drama and perpetuating the tension. Eastwood is committed to creating a thriller of brutal and visceral realism. When friends and family gather to mourn Katie's death, they dress as the blue-collar workers they are, and they drink cheap beer as any of us would. When Dave and friends have drinks at a dingy bar, a rusty electrical outlet is visible in the background. Eastwood is not only able to capture subtleties of life as few directors can, but he is able to present them in such a way that he gets exactly what he wants out of every scene. With so much stellar filmmaking on display, it becomes easy to forget that the film's story is a whodunit, rather simple in structure. The plot involves Sean and Jimmy attempting to solve the mystery of Katie's murder, yet the film carries on for over two hours without feeling lengthy because the characters draw us in to subplots and conversations that might seem unnecessary in any other film. Consequentially, the emotions run deep and the revelations hit with force. Clint Eastwood's resume as a director speaks for itself. He has made several great films over the years, and he won the Oscar for Best Picture with Unforgiven in 1993. But Mystic River might just be his directorial masterpiece. The emotions are so absorbing, and the characters so spellbinding, the film is an undeniably haunting experience that not only hits you hard—but stays with you. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 12) Martin Scorsese's The Departed 11) Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby 10) Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation 9) Clint Eastwood's Mystic River Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 10, 2012 With 8 spots left... Razor, Socal, and I did some brainstorming... Road To Perdition The Aviator Shutter Island Wall-E A Beautiful Mind Toy Story 3 UP Castaway Master & Commander Slumdog Millionaire King's Speech Gangs of New York Inception Insomnia Memento Some of these are To p10 quality, while others are not... but regardless... SEVEN of these aren't in the Top 50 AT ALL. Yikes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 10, 2012 Some of you really ought to ask for an e-mailed copy of the actual thesis. You'll realize the restrictions on which films were eligible for this list were more narrow than you think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 10, 2012 Why not just list the restrictions? At the beginning of the thread, you gave us just three criteria. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 10, 2012 I figured everybody would just want to get to the list. Didn't count on people like you over-analyzing and nitpicking to such an extreme end. I was counting on some good movie debating but it seems like most people are just sitting around waiting for choices they disagree with. Such is the way of message boards, I suppose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 10, 2012 (edited) I figured everybody would just want to get to the list. Didn't count on people like you over-analyzing and nitpicking to such an extreme end. I was counting on some good movie debating but it seems like most people are just sitting around waiting for choices they disagree with. Such is the way of message boards, I suppose. So instead of giving us the list of your restrictions so we CAN have those debates, you instead decide to hurl insults. Touche. I mean, let's be realistic... You gave us, at the very beginning... THREE criteria. Is it not fair for you to expect us to debate films that aren't on the list or maybe are on the list and shouldn't be based on THOSE criteria? You want debates, yet not nitpicking and over-analyzing. I have a sad realization for you. That's what critics do. When you look at movies... Especially getting to the Top 10 of the last 12 years, the nit-picking is what is going to separate #3 from #5 and #4 from #7. Edited July 10, 2012 by Favre4Ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted July 10, 2012 I'm assuming animated films are out, because film people are snobbish like that. I'm also assuming Slumdog millionaire is out, because I don't think it was american made. Master and COmmander probably won't be on the list (I hated it personally). That leaves: Road To Perdition The Aviator Shutter Island A Beautiful Mind Castaway King's Speech Gangs of New York Inception Insomnia Memento If I had to get rid of two films, A Beautiful Mind would be one, again I didn't enjoy it personally and then I'm not sure. The Aviator or Shutter Island seems like the one that doesn't belong on this list, though I enjoyed both of those films. Maybe one of the Nolan films, but Inception and Memento both deserve to be on here (and Stevo has himself a dirty mancrush on Nolan) Not sure about Insomnia, but I haven't seen it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 10, 2012 (edited) Good catch on Slumdog... Somethign I overlooked. Crazy British films. EDIT: Last King of Scotland is an English produced film as well.. Another one that should be on the list, otherwise. And surpringly, I think Nic Cage has a movie that belongs up there somewhere. Matchstick Men. Although, if comedies are included, animated should be as well. Haha Edited July 10, 2012 by Favre4Ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted July 10, 2012 16/33 so far. I don't think I'm going to make it to half by the time this is done. 22/42 now. Looking better than it did. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SteVo+ 3,702 Posted July 11, 2012 #8 "One of the most intoxicating, challenging and beautiful movies of the 21st century." –Richard Roeper, Chicago Tribune With the levels technology has reached this century, filmmakers have the ability to include top-of-the-line technical aspects as part of their arsenal. In the case of Avatar (2009), 27th on this list, state-of-the-art technology was added to a formulaic script and the result was still a great movie. So what happens when you take those incredible effects and use them on an intelligent, challenging, thought-provoking script? The answer is Inception (2010), the rare sort of film that radiates the eye and challenges the mind. The entire premise of this film, from the rules of shared dreaming to the maze that is the plot, is incredibly clever, confirming that director Christopher Nolan is one of the most creative filmmakers in Hollywood. Even the smallest details come together with beautiful intricacy. Cuts between scenes on different dream levels, for example, often feature slow motion, very appropriate because time slows down in deeper dream levels. You know you have something special when the editing is noticeable. Nolan's creativity with this film is matched only by the length of his reach. Inception features ambition on an epic scale. In constructing dream levels where the laws of physics can be defied and streets can fold on top of one another, the film utilizes some of the most impressive computer generated imagery (CGI) you will find in cinema. In an era where action filmmaking has become dependent on CGI, this is a refreshing achievement. Those not daunted by Inception's complexity may be turned away if they find Nolan's ambition too big for his own good. Even at a running time of 148 minutes, Nolan manages to fit a lot of information and a lot of action between the credits, and the result may seem more jumbled than coherent to some. Additionally, the film occasionally feels more like an action blockbuster than the sci-fi thriller it should be. There is perhaps one too many action sequences, though they are all done well. These flaws prevent Inception from reaching the top five of this list, though its foundation is still so remarkably strong that it manages to be comfortably within the top ten. I have used the adjective "unique" several times in this list, but Inception is a film that truly deserves it; I am not sure there has ever been a movie like it. We walk out of the theater not enchanted by its acting, not buzzing about its dialogue, but astonished by the questions it asks and the intelligence it shows. It is fitting, then, that the film's ending leaves much open to interpretation. A closed ending would not have been true to the film, a story that asks questions with many possible answers. With all its possible interpretations, Inception has the depth of a three-layer dream. 50) George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck 49) Greg Mottola's Superbad 48) Terry George's Hotel Rwanda 47) David O. Russell's The Fighter 46) Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon 45) Edward Zwick's Blood Diamond 44) Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins 43) Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder 42) James Mangold's Walk the Line 41) Christopher Nolan's The Prestige 40) Peter Jackson's King Kong 39) Nicholas Stoller's Forgetting Sarah Marshall 38) Judd Apatow's Knocked Up 37) Peter Berg's Friday Night Lights 36) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 35) Jonathan Levine's 50/50 34) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 33) David Fincher's Zodiac 32) M. Night Shyamalan's Signs 31) Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive 30) James McTeigue's V for Vendetta 29) Ridley Scott's American Gangster 28) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 27) James Cameron's Avatar 26) Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds 25) Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker 24) Ridley Scott's Gladiator 23) Paul Haggis's Crash 22) Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton 21) Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone 20) Gus Van Sant's Milk 19) Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight 18) Alexander Payne's Sideways 17) Bennett Miller's Moneyball 16) Alexander Payne's The Descendants 15) Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can 14) Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood 13) David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 12) Martin Scorsese's The Departed 11) Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby 10) Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation 9) Clint Eastwood's Mystic River 8) Christopher Nolan's Inception Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted July 11, 2012 I've seen 22 of 43 so far, I might end up having seen 50% of these movies by the time this list is done. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BradyFan81 404 Posted July 11, 2012 (edited) Inception's such a great movie, loved everything about that. I love movies like that that make you think and actually require the viewer to use their brains a little bit while they watch. Also, Clint Eastwood is so awesome it's not even funny. Not only as an actor but he's made some terrifically entertaining movies. Mystic River and Million Dollar Baby obviously, but also Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling, Gran Torino, Hereafter, and J.Edgar. I love his directing style. Edited July 11, 2012 by BradyFan81 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 11, 2012 Ya, the feeling you had leaving the theater after seeing Inception is not something that happens with every movie. Not extremely rare, but you realize that you took part in something special. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blotsfan 2,112 Posted July 12, 2012 I thought inception was a decent movie that was trying to seem really smart. Like, the end was shoehorned in to give people something to talk about. It made no sense given what was actually in the movie. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted July 12, 2012 I thought inception was a decent movie that was trying to seem really smart. Like, the end was shoehorned in to give people something to talk about. It made no sense given what was actually in the movie. Why not, exactly? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
