Best of THE 248 "BEST" MOVIES OF THE 20-10S~!

[EVA]

BONE TOMAHAWK is one of those films I forgot about that should have made my list.  I remember being impressed by how fleshed out and lived-in that whole town of characters was.  It seemed way above-and-beyond the call of duty for what could have easily been a straightforward, pulp horror show.  You don’t often see that kind of care taken in those movies, and it makes the brutal deaths that much harder to watch.

I liked it better than any of the Jeremy Saulnier movies I saw from this same period.

Edited September 29, 2020 by EVA

[Sublime]

I feel foolish for forgot about LEGO Batman that’s a favorite in my house.

Life of Pi was something I considered but decided against because I missed some parts of it. I feel like I need to view the whole thing but I don’t know if I’ll ever do so cause the ending was rough and knowing what I’m getting into makes me always find something else to watch when I think about it. I liked what I saw and probably could have still justified putting it on my list.

[Curt McGirt]

I knew S. Craig Zahler as a writer for Metal Maniacs of all things, right before their run as magazine ended. If you'd told me he was going to transition into making Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99, Dragged Across Concrete (which I couldn't finish) and... yes... Puppet Master - The Littlest Reich (along with a whole pile of novels) I would have laughed in your face. 

[caley]

2 hours ago, Andy in Kansas said:

I haven't seen Dogtooth, but I trust your reading considering it's in line with Lanthimos riffing on some Euripides in The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

Speaking of which, I'm not sure I found it as darkly humorous as @caley did, and certainly not as darkly humorous as I found his other English language films. My big takeaways: Barry Keoghan is an unpleasant young man (in a good way!), and them Greeks are twisted!

Regarding the mention of Kidman's accent in RIPPA's post, nothing jumped out at me here. I only ever really notice it when the Australian feels like it really wants to get out. I felt like I was waiting for it through quite a few scenes in Big Little Lies.

To be fair, I really only remember laughing pretty hard a few times, a couple times when characters are standing around talking as if they're nonchalantly talking about the weather but the content is all weird and uncomfortable (like this exchange on IMDB: Bob: "Have you got hair under your arms yet?" Martin: "Yes." Kim: "I've just got my first period") and also a REALLY dark laugh when during the climax that's not funny but it's SO dark and absurd that it just hit me right.

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

239) THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (2017)

Director: Chris McKay

107 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: RIPPA (#37) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Hobo Joe

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (90%/80%) : METACRITIC (75/7.6)

 

I low-key LOVED the first Lego Movie (Which I chalk up to the Phil Lord/Chris Williams-esness of it all) but this one left me kinda cold. One thing I know is at 105 minutes, I found it WAY too long for the actual content. I'm finding that with a lot of movies these days...my attention span seems to be shot!

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

https://www.behance.net/gallery/13989319/Life-of-Pi-Alternative-Posters

238) LIFE OF PI (2012)

Director: Ang Lee

107 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: The Z (#25) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Bill S Preston Esq

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (87%/84%) : METACRITIC (79/7.9)

 

NOTE FROM RIPPA - No reviews but Life of Pi was mentioned in an old thread of "Best Looking Films"

I really intend to watch this one day. One time i sat down and watched the first 20 minutes and was enjoying it but never got back to it for some reason.

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

http://metallifestyle.weebly.com/uploads/6/5/9/5/65952583/5d72af44404961-5811b962688b3_orig.jpg

237) BONE TOMAHAWK (2015)

Director: S. Craig Zahler

108 Points (2 Votes + 1 HM) - HIGH VOTE: New Blood (#41) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: KLOS - HONORABLE MENTION: The Z

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (90%/73%) : METACRITIC (72/7.3)

@Lawful Metal wrote

 

I think I wanted this to be more of a Horror/Western with the requisite weirdness/hamminess that that combination would supply. Instead it's actually more of a character-driven Western with horror elements (And boy are they ever when they do show up!). There's nothing wrong with that, it's just not what I was in the mood for when I watched it (It may have something to do me having actually rented it from an actual rental place and having to plow through it in a morning in a rush before it was due).

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

https://alternativemovieposters.com/amp/midnight-special-tomer-hanuka/

236) MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (2016)

Director: Jeff Nicols

109 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: Control (#36) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Caley

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (84%/67%) : METACRITIC (76/6.7)

@Control wrote

 

SHOCKED that I was not the high vote on this one (Had it 57th) but I adore everything Jeff Nichols does. This had an incredible score.

Edited September 29, 2020 by caley

[John from Cincinnati]

53 minutes ago, caley said:

To be fair, I really only remember laughing pretty hard a few times, a couple times when characters are standing around talking as if they're nonchalantly talking about the weather but the content is all weird and uncomfortable (like this exchange on IMDB: Bob: "Have you got hair under your arms yet?" Martin: "Yes." Kim: "I've just got my first period") and also a REALLY dark laugh when during the climax that's not funny but it's SO dark and absurd that it just hit me right.

Visualizing it in my head just now and... Fair. 

Edit: Sorry for the low quality. 

SPOILERS FOR KILLING OF A SACRED DEER:

Spoiler

 

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Andy in Kansas

[Chaos]

2 hours ago, jaedmc said:

Tintin is probably the last Spielberg movie that I've enjoyed. It certainly goes a long way to wiping Indy 4 out of one's mind.

I also didn't realize he put so much out this decade.. I just don't show up for his flicks anymore.

 

I enjoyed both Lincoln and Bridge of Spies a good bit. I actually think people underestimate how good Spielberg has been since 2000.

 

 

1 hour ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

https://alternativemovieposters.com/amp/midnight-special-tomer-hanuka/

236) MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (2016)

Director: Jeff Nicols

109 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: Control (#36) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Caley

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (84%/67%) : METACRITIC (76/6.7)

@Control wrote

 

I hope most of Nichols output makes this list. Only film from the decade I haven't seen is Loving, but I would have had Take Shelter pretty high on a ballot had I submitted one.

[RIPPA]

COWARD~!

[John from Cincinnati]

38 minutes ago, Chaos said:

I enjoyed both Lincoln and Bridge of Spies a good bit. I actually think people underestimate how good Spielberg has been since 2000.

Splitting "since 2000" into two separate decades, there are at least four movies he did in the first decade of the century that I have some real fondness for. This decade, not so much. I feel there's been a drop-off. By the standards of your familiar cold war spy thrillers, I found Bridge of Spies a bit on the middling side. Lincoln is fine just to appreciate Daniel Day-Lewis doing his thing, but doesn't do much for me beyond that. And I actively hated The Post, because Spielberg (like many inert institutions that have been around as long as him or longer...) isn't really equipped to tackle what he's attempting to in this movie with any teeth. 

To each their own of course. Maybe The BFG is really good. That'd be a pleasant surprise. 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Andy in Kansas

[jaedmc]

27 minutes ago, Chaos said:

I enjoyed both Lincoln and Bridge of Spies a good bit. I actually think people underestimate how good Spielberg has been since 2000.

AI thru Munich is solid, with War of the Worlds being my least favorite, but like QT's Inglorious Basterds it has two great scenes.

Indy 4 happened, but he followed it up with the release of Tintin and Lincoln which were good. Warhorse I missed but heard it was good too. I actually haven't watched any of his output since Lincoln. They're movies that I'm sure I'll enjoy okay, but I'm more than fine with pushing them down the queue. Or I forget about them altogether like The Post or Ready Player One.

I'll probably hit up a couple before the end of this year(My october film watching is booked), just so I can continue this conversation.

[odessasteps]

Never been a Spielberg guy so haven't seen most of these recent pictures.

[caley]

1 hour ago, Andy in Kansas said:

Visualizing it in my head just now and... Fair. 

Edit: Sorry for the low quality. 

SPOILERS FOR KILLING OF A SACRED DEER:

  Hide contents

 

 

EXACTLY the part I was thinking about!

[RIPPA]

Spoiler

 

235) LOOPER (2012)

Director: Rian Johnson

111 Points (4 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: The Z (#53) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Hobo Joe, EVA, New Blood

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (93%/82%) : METACRITIC (84/8.2)

 

@supremebve wrote

Quote

Me too, I think Looper is the best sci-fi movie in the last decade, though it was probably the worst marketed movies of all time.  I'm surprised it has taken this long for him to get a big franchise, because Looper should have put him on everyone's radar... The movie took what was a very convoluted concept and made it work in a way that seemed simple.  One of the hardest things to do as a writer is to present complex concepts simply.

http://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/111-all-things-star-wars~/&do=findComment&comment=203929

NOTE FROM RIPPA - First 4 vote movie. Don't get used to it for a bit.

[RIPPA]

I am disappointed I didn't get to Looper before having to finish my ballot since I think I like every single Rian Johnson movie so far.

I am also laughing because when looking for reviews - all the actual ones about Looper on this board are trashing it but then all these people come out of the woodwork in the Star Wars thread to say how good Looper was.

[RIPPA]

Spoiler

 

233) TIM'S VERMEER (2013)

Director: Teller

113 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: Execproducer (#33) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: RIPPA

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (89%/86%) : METACRITIC (76/8.5)

 

[RIPPA]

Yup - forgot how I did my own tiebreakers again.

Just edited Tim's Vermeer to be 233 and I will post 234 next

[RIPPA]

Spoiler

 

234) SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (2012)

Director: Martin McDonagh

113 Points (3 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: Caley (#18) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: KLOS, New Blood

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (83%/71%) : METACRITIC (66/6.9)

@Curt McGirt wrote

Quote

Watched Seven Psychopaths again last night and it's still awesome. It might be incredibly "meta" but I could care less. The Vietnamese killer story at the end tears me up bigtime.

http://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/70-movie-comment-catch-all-thread/&do=findComment&comment=85811

 

[caley]

31 minutes ago, RIPPA said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

235) LOOPER (2012)

Director: Rian Johnson

111 Points (4 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: The Z (#53) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Hobo Joe, EVA, New Blood

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (93%/82%) : METACRITIC (84/8.2)

 

@supremebve wrote

NOTE FROM RIPPA - First 4 vote movie. Don't get used to it for a bit.

I thought I'd watch this one with my brother (who's a big JGL fan) and my dad (who's a big Bruce Willis fan) and my mom (Who just likes to be included!). Five minutes into it, the score/sound effects spooked my parents' rescue dog something awful and he ran over and peed on the leg of the couch. So, my mom, who wasn't THAT interested in the film, offered to take the dog into the bedroom, so he wouldn't pee on anything else so watching the movie I was very conscious of the fact that my poor mom was shut in the bedroom with the dog and it made the film seem like it went on FOREVER. So I probably need to give it another go when I'm not hoping for it to be over so the dog can be let back out.

NOTE FROM CALEY - My brother-in-law got me a promotional pocket-watch from the movie. I have no idea where he got it, it's one of my stranger pieces of promotional items (The other being a baseball cap from that King Arthur movie by Guy Ritchie that was out a couple of years ago, the latter being one of my favourite "Strange things happen to my brother" stories, spoilered below in case you were curious

Spoiler

*My brother has a history of weird things happening to him, whether it be going to a concert and getting to hang out with people from the band (because he knew a guitarist), to making a 18-year-old guy cry during lazer tag when he was about 11, to walking to work and having a woman climb out of a pile of rubble, stare him down and calmly say "Keep walking honkie", life is seldom boring when he is around. So in 2017, he was working in a school as a CEA when his friend who had moved across country to study sound editing for movies messaged him and asked if he would be interested in working a preview screening of 'King Arthur: Legend of the Sword', he would watch the movie, hand out promotional items, and write a quick review of the movie and get paid for it. My brother, being one of those people who say 'Yes!' to weird requests like this, figuring this would be a night for him to watch a movie and get paid for it, enthusiastically agrees. He then shows up to find that the people running it, did not, in fact, show up. The movie theater starts asking him all these questions about the screening (None of which he knows!) and he quickly realizes that, rather than watching a movie and getting paid for it, he has somehow become responsible for running the entire event. So he's checking tickets, handing out memorabilia, compiling a list of what events seemed to be please the audience and some cleaning up. For his troubles he got paid reasonably well, snagged a couple of King Arthur hats and got compliments from movie-goers who assumed he had some hand in making the movie.  And my brother, being my brother, plays right along: "Great movie man, it's gonna make a lot of money!" "Thanks, we really poured our heart into it!" Final note: a week or so later, my brother got an email in which the promotional folks praised the job that the preview folks had done and singled out his crew for how well-run it had been (My brother's reaction was "Dear God! What a disaster those other previews must have been if ours was one of the best!")

 

[RIPPA]

Spoiler

 

232) 20 FEET FROM STARDOM (2013)

Director: Morgan Neville

113 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: RIPPA (#16) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Execproducer

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (99%/82%) : METACRITIC (83/7.4)

My review from the 2019 ERNIE LADD

 

[RIPPA]

@Execproducer and I just stuff documentaries on here left and right

[Octopus]

Spielberg was never one of my guys, but during quarantine revisited some of his classics and really enjoyed them. For his recent movies I’ve skipped a lot of them. I did enjoy Lincoln for the same reason I enjoyed Scorsese’s The Irishman. Captivating old person/ people telling stories at a leisurely pace. 

[odessasteps]

40 minutes ago, RIPPA said:

I am disappointed I didn't get to Looper before having to finish my ballot since I think I like every single Rian Johnson movie so far.

I am also laughing because when looking for reviews - all the actual ones about Looper on this board are trashing it but then all these people come out of the woodwork in the Star Wars thread to say how good Looper was.

Weird. I seem to remember liking it. It 

[RIPPA]

Spoiler

 

231) THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011)

Director: David Fincher

113 Points (2 Votes) - HIGH VOTE: Andy in Kansas (#4) - ADDITIONAL VOTES: Octopus

IMDB : ROTTEN TOMATOES (86%/86%) : METACRITIC (71/8.0)

NOTE FROM RIPPA - I don't have the patience to weed through the posts to see if they are talking this movie or the Swedish one

[RIPPA]

Okay - done for today.

[RIPPA]

1 minute ago, odessasteps said:

Weird. I seem to remember liking it. It 

It was a lot of the other resident grumps

[Curt McGirt]

You found a quote of mine from 2013?!  

Maybe now you understand why I suffer from Cowardice of the Poll-Writing. I don't even remember seeing it a second time... and I probably own it too.