150 Favorite Films from 2000-2015 Pt. 5 (that isn't Lost in Translation)

For the fifth and final part in this list of my 150 Favorite Films of 2000-2015 (that isn’t Lost in Translation) comes the final 30 films from 30 to 1. Before we go into that list, here is a list that I posted of150 more films from that period that unfortunately didn’t make the final cut. It was hard enough to put in 150 films but the past 15 years in cinema brought in a lot of great films. Here are the final 30:

30. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Love stinks as this film ponders what happens if heartbreak wants someone to get rid of memories of the person they just broke up with. That is what Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman came up with in this whimsical yet evocative tale of heartbreak and love. Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as the two both play against type, the film explores the importance of love as Carrey’s Joel character would be inside his head realizing how much Winslet’s Clementine means to her. With a strong supporting cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, and Tom Wilkinson as well as gorgeous visuals by Ellen Kuras. The film is truly one of the most inventive and charming love stories ever told.

29. Under the Skin

In this adaptation of Michael Farber’s sci-fi novel comes one of the most unusual yet enchanting sci-fi films of the 21st Century. While it does have elements of the Walter Tevis novel The Man Who Fell to Earth that was famous adapted in 1976 by Nicolas Roeg that starred David Bowie. Jonathan Glazer and co-screenwriter Walter Campbell would create something that was very different as it played into an alien who pretends to be a woman as she would lure men into a trap in Glasgow, Scotland as she would eventually discover humanity and the world they live. Starring Scarlett Johansson in what is a performance for the ages, the film is a keen study into the world of what an alien would encounter as the film would also feature a chilling score by Mica Levi, Johnnie Burns’ intricate sound design, and the ravishing photography of Daniel Landin.

28. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

After a period of making very dramatic-heavy yet morose films about death, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu would make a big change as his fifth film would explore a film actor’s attempt to make a comeback through a stage play as he contends with ego, disappointment, and impending failure. Shot in a very continuous one-shot shooting style with the aid of cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, the film plays into a man trying to escape his past as a film star who was famous for playing a superhero. Starring Michael Keaton in the performance of his career, it’s a film that plays into a sense of madness as it features a great ensemble that includes Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, and Lindsay Duncan as it is one of the most adventurous and intriguing studies of art and the will to suffer for it.

27. Dogtown and Z-Boys

The world of documentaries in the 21st Century covered a lot of things from the world of Formula One racing, animal attacks, musicians, the environment, art, and all sorts of crazy subjects. Yet, it is Stacey Peralta who would create a documentary that doesn’t just explore the world of skateboarding in the 1970s but also reveal his role in revolutionizing the sport along with a group of surfers-turned-skaters known as the Z-Boys. Featuring narration by Sean Penn, the film plays into the way skating culture when from a simple fad in the early 60s into the extreme sport that would take the world by the storm from the 1980s and beyond. Most notably as Peralta would incorporate a soundtrack that adds not just a sense of visual poetry to the skating but also into the sense of excitement where the Z-Boys took down the skating champions of the 60s like vermin.

26. Laurence Anyways

Most filmmakers by their third film would try to refine their craft or do something challenging. What Xavier Dolan did in his early 20s with his third film would create not just one of the most boldest love stories ever made but also a film that would subvert the ideas of gay-straight love affairs. While it is a simple story about a man who decides to become a woman and the woman who is supporting this decision. It is one that is filled with a lot of complexities in terms of its study of characters as Melvil Poupaud and Suzanne Clement would bring a lot to their respective roles as Laurence and Fred. A film that is also unafraid to be style over substance in terms of its colorful visuals and a mesmerizing soundtrack. The film is truly a landmark film for not just gay/lesbian/transgender cinema but also in the way romantic films can find new ideas.

25. Her

Another strange love story which involves a man and an operating system would turn out to be one of the finest and most touching films of the 2010s. From Spike Jonze comes the story of a man who is going through a divorce falls in love with this operating system who has something that is unexpected in machines which are emotions. With Joaquin Phoenix in the lead role of Theodore and Scarlett Johansson as the voice of the OS named Samantha, the film is very moving as it transcends the concept of sci-fi as Jonze and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoyetema would go for something is strikingly exotic in its visuals where it would feel futuristic but also very present. Along with a supporting cast that includes Rooney Mara, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and Chris Pratt along with a soundtrack that features music by Owen Pallett, Arcade Fire, and Karen O.

24. American Splendor

The 21st Century saw the rise of comics and graphic novels not only come to life on the big screen but it would also pave the way for stories that weren’t about superheroes being told. Among them is the late Harvey Pekar whose titular series of comics would play into his daily struggles as a hospital file clerk as Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman would tell his story in a strange mix of documentary and dramatization. With the real Pekar and his wife Joyce appearing in the film as themselves, the film would also feature Paul Giamatti in a break-out performance as Pekar in the dramatic side of the film with Hope Davis as Joyce. It’s a film that isn’t just very comical at times but also very touching to see how much Pekar’s work managed to touch the common individual proving that even ordinary stories have something to offer for everyone.

23. The Social Network

In this dramatic telling of the founding of Facebook comes one of the most provocative stories about the rise of a few people who started this little idea that would change the world yet would come apart by greed and betrayal. From director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin comes this very unique story that plays into not just the founding of Facebook but also how its founders would screw each other over along the way. Starring Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, the film plays into a group of guys that started something from their own dorm while there’s others who felt their idea was stolen. Add the eerie score music by Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor and collaborator Atticus Ross comes a film that marks as a tremendous tale of greed and power.

22. Oldboy

In the second part of Chan-wook Park’s Vengeance trilogy comes a film that doesn’t just reinvent the revenge film. It would be an exploration into loss and how the past can sometimes never run away from anyone. Starring Choi Min-sik as Dae Su, the film doesn’t just reinvent the idea of action cinema but also in how brutal the violence can be as well as be displayed in a manner that is stylistic but also filled with terror. Most notably the sequence where Dae Su battles a group of men with only a hammer as it adds to the intensity of the violence. The film would also feature one of the most fucked-up twists ever created in cinema as it remains one of the most shocking moments in cinema as well as its aftermath. It is also the film that doesn’t just bring visibility to Park himself but also South Korea as the country would emerge as a country that had new ideas to tell.

21. Never Let Me Go

In this adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel comes one of the most unusual but heart-wrenching sci-fi films of the 2010s. Directed by Mark Romanek and adapted into script by Alex Garland, the film plays into the lives of those whose fates have already been sealed as it is told in three different decades as three young people are tasked to become organ donors for a futuristic dystopia. Featuring a cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Keira Knightley, Sally Hawkins, Andrea Riseborough, Domhnall Gleeson, and Charlotte Rampling. It’s a film that plays into those that try to see if they can have a life outside of their fates but also see if they do mean anything to a world that is very complicated.

20. Gone Girl

From novelist Gillian Flynn comes one of the most fucked up love stories ever made as it’s about a guy who meets a girl. They fall in love and get married but things go wrong as the guy then notices his wife has gone missing and is then accused of killing her. Helmed by David Fincher, the film isn’t just one of the director’s darkest films but it’s also one of his funniest as it’s a mixture of mystery and satire where it makes fun of media coverage and all sorts of things. While it has a great ensemble cast led by Ben Affleck that would also include Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Tyler Perry, Neil Patrick Harris, and Patrick Fugit. The real star is Rosamund Pike as Amy as the woman who is supposedly killed by her husband as she is probably one of the greatest characters in film.

19. Holy Motors

Returning from what had been a long hiatus from the cinema despite a short film and a few minor projects in the 2000s, Leos Carax would return with a bang in what is one of the most surreal yet fascinating portraits about cinema itself. Starring longtime collaborator Denis Lavant comes this strange story in which Lavant plays a man who inhabits many characters to fit into an environment where it’s playing a CGI character, a musician, a singer, or some raging lunatic named Merde. It’s a film that doesn’t just play as a tribute to cinema but also into how whimsical it is as it’s a film that refuses to play by any kind of rules or flesh out any kind of convention as it is a tremendous accomplishment from Carax.

18. Pan's Labyrinth

For anyone that believes fairy tales is for children would think twice as Guillermo del Toro would make something that is far more complex and broader for an audience that was looking for something different. Set during the final days of the Spanish Civil War, the film revolves around a young girl whose love of fairy tales and books has her encountering a fantasy labyrinth world that could help her in the real world. A mixture of horror, war, and children’s fantasy, del Toro’s film is a chilling yet enchanting story that manages to bring so much yet features an air of innocence that is rarely seen in films. Especially for a film that is very dark and not in the English language as it is a major achievement for international cinema.

17. In the Mood for Love

Wong Kar-Wai’s 2000 film is probably one of the most exotic and gorgeous love stories ever told as it is part of an informal trilogy that began with 1991’s Days of Being Wild and 2004’s 2046. Yet, it is a film that stands on its own as it revolves around two people who learn that their respective spouses are having an affair with each other. Starring Tony Leung Chui-Wai and Maggie Cheung, the film plays into two people coping with heartbreak as they ponder how to confront their spouses while spending time of their own. Featuring the dazzling art direction, lush costumes, and sumptuous editing of William Chang, the lush cinematographer of Christopher Doyle and Mark Li Ping-Bin, and a hypnotic soundtrack. The film isn’t just a major highlight in the career of the Hong Kong filmmaker but also a film that says so much about the theme of love.

16. The New World

Though the script was written back in the late 1970s, Terrence Malick’s dramatic account of the founding of Jamestown in the early 1600s is a film like no other. Relying on historical facts and legends, Malick would recreate a period in time where America was a new land but one that was also unstable. Starring Colin Farrell, Christian Bale, Christopher Plummer, and then-new comer Q’orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas, the film showcases a world where a young woman is entranced by the new visitors but also the ways of an old world. Marking Malick’s first collaboration with Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, the film has a look that is intoxicating as well as compelling to play into people trying to live together despite their difference. Though there’s three different cuts of the film, they all manage to tell the same story as it plays into Malick’s mastery in the art of storytelling.

15. Almost Famous

Before Cameron Crowe was a screenwriter and filmmaker, he was a young journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the 1970s where he would use his experience to create a film where a young kid goes on the road with his favorite band to write a piece on them. With a cast that includes Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as the famed music critic Lester Bangs. The film plays into a period where a young kid experience the world of rock n’ roll at a time when he was fun and wild before the age of corporate rock. It’s a film that is very musical as well as very touching as it is Crowe’s crowning achievement.

14. There Will Be Blood

Following a period of making films set in cities and presented in a certain style, Paul Thomas Anderson would take a five-year break between films where he would adapt Upton Sinclair’s Oil! into this intense story of greed and power. Set in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, the film plays into a silver-miner who would find oil in Southern California as he would do whatever it takes to have complete control. Featuring Daniel Day-Lewis in the role of Daniel Plainview as it is a role filled with terror and chew-scenery, it is a film that recalls not just the works of Terrence Malick on a visual scale but also John Huston and Old Hollywood. Featuring an eerie score by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and lush visuals by Robert Elswit, the film is a tremendous feature that would mark a new era for Anderson as a master filmmaker.

13. 24 Hour Party People

Whereas lots of films about music or music scenes tend to talk about things that happened or dramatize everything. What Michael Winterbottom and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce does is say “fuck it” to the rules and go for something that is truly off the wall in the story about the rise and fall of Factory Records. Starring Steve Coogan as Factory Records co-founder Tony Wilson, the film plays into events that involved bands like Joy Division/New Order and the Happy Mondays as they would make Factory Records a key music label for British indie music. The film would also have these moments that are crazy where Wilson often narrates the film as he would claim he is just a supporting character in this story and then at one point would have the camera get a shot at the real Tony Wilson. It’s a film that is truly Mancunian in every sense of the word as it is funny and has a great soundtrack to boot.

12. I'm Not There

The 2000s saw a lot of musical bio-pics on many performers like Ray Charles and Johnny Cash to great success but it would eventually become parody as studios tried to create stories on anything and anyone. For someone like Bob Dylan, a straightforward bio-pic on the music legend wouldn’t work at all as Todd Haynes and co-screenwriter Oren Moverman did something that broke away from convention to create a film that captures the spirit of Dylan. Having one person as Bob Dylan would be impossible so Haynes created an idea where six different people played Bob Dylan in his different incarnations. Marcus Carl Franklin, Christian Bale, Ben Whishaw, Heath Ledger, and Richard Gere would each play different variations of Dylan yet it is Cate Blanchett that would steal the show as the Dylan who goes electric, cause chaos, introduce the Beatles to marijuana, and all sorts of crazy shit. The result isn’t just a film that is essential to fans of Dylan but also what a bio-pic should be in terms of what to tell and what not to tell.

11. Enter the Void

Gaspar Noe’s 2009 film is probably one of the most visually-sprawling yet out-of-this-world film that is really indescribable. While it is a simple story about an American drug dealer who gets killed after a deal gone wrong where he would have an out-of-body experience in the afterlife as he watches what is happening around him. The film is just this strange yet hypnotic film where the camera is always constantly moving around as it plays into something where the audience is the ghost. It is also filled with dazzling visuals courtesy of Benoit Debie that captures the city of Tokyo at his most vibrant. Especially as Noe was willing to see how far he can go as he would also play into the sense of grief as well as bring in a lot of existential themes for a film that refuses to define itself as it is easily the greatest mind-fuck of the 21st Century.

10. Drive

From the novel by James Sallis comes a film that wouldn’t just be a breakthrough for one of Denmark’s finest talents but would also serve as a major stepping stone for its lead actor. Helmed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling in an untitled character, the film plays into the life of a Hollywood stunt driver who works doing stunts by day and works as a hired getaway driver for robbers at night. The film plays into a man who plays by his own rules as he would become attached to a new neighbor and her son as he strives to protect them following a botched robbery that involves her husband. It’s a film that is played with such style and features an amazing ensemble cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, and a mesmerizing performance from Albert Brooks as a crime boss. It also would include lovely visuals, eerie moments of violence, and a hypnotic soundtrack that would captivate listeners.

9. The Wrestler

The world of professional wrestling in the world of cinema is often seen in either eerie documentaries about the good and bad as well as comedies that often portray wrestlers and wrestling fans as buffoons. What Darren Aronofsky and screenwriter Robert D. Siegel create is a touching story of a once-famous professional wrestler who deals with a fading career as well as health issues and regrets. Starring Mickey Rourke as Randy “The Ram” Robinson comes a man who deals with a near-fatal health scare as he deals with not just his estranged daughter but also a fading career with no future. It is a film that is told with a sense of realism as well as showcase the life after being in the spotlight. Even as Aronofsky allows Rourke to present a vulnerability that was rarely seen from the actor as the result wouldn’t just be one of Aronofsky’s best films but also a comeback for Mickey Rourke.

8. Antichrist

After having made a name for himself in the 1980s and 1990s as he arrived into the 21st Century with lots of acclaim and clout. The rest of the 2000s would be a period of difficulty for Lars von Trier as he would end that decade with what is truly his most controversial film to date. The first in a trilogy of films that explored the world of depression, the film revolves around a couple going into a forest to cope with the loss of their child as the man tries to analyze his wife and her fears. What would happen would be a descent into Hell as the film would showcase uncompromising elements of sex and violence as it features amazing performances from Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in roles that have them do all sorts of things and in uncomfortable situations. While the film does serve as a visual tribute to the works of Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky, the film is quintessential von Trier in terms of his willingness to push buttons.

7. The Tree of Life

A project whose genesis dated back in the late 1970s, Terrence Malick’s fifth feature film would be his most personal as it played into the life of a family in 1950s Texas. Starring Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Hunter McCracken, Tye Sheridan, and Laramie Eppler as the O’Briens with Sean Penn as an older version of the eldest son Jack. While it would have a story that is simple, it is presented in a very abstract narrative that includes this intoxicating sequence about the Creation of Earth that features dazzling visual effects work from Douglas Trumbull. Along with the ethereal photography of Emmanuel Lubezki and an inspired use of classical music, the film isn’t just one of the most daring films of the 21st Century but also one of the most spiritual films to ever be shown in the cinema.

6. WALL-E

From Pixar and director Andrew Stanton comes a film that may be sci-fi in its story and setting but it is a whole lot more than that. Set in a futuristic world where Earth is now a dump and the only thing that is living is a robot that was supposed to be turned off and his pet cockroach. Upon meeting a robot named EVE who is trying to find life on Earth, the film becomes a love story with elements of silent comedy until the story moves into outer space where it becomes something much broader. It’s a film that is really a game-changer of sorts in the world of animation in not just for its technical front in terms of its photography and look but also in how it can stray away from conventional narrative and do something more. Especially as Stanton would also explore the dangers of consumerism and technology in the world of humanity where it would take a robot to wake them up and have them return home.

5. Mulholland Dr.

What was supposed to be a TV pilot would end up becoming David Lynch’s most surreal yet evocative film to date. While it maybe inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s Persona in its themes of identity, the film is the second part of a Los Angeles trilogy that began with 1997’s Lost Highway and concluded with 2004’s INLAND EMPIRE as it explores not just the dark side of Hollywood but also the strange beauty of the city. While it is a story where a wannabe actress arrives to Los Angeles where she meets an amnesiac woman at her aunt’s apartment, it would become so much more as well as twist in its third act that blurs the idea of reality and fiction. Armed with gorgeous visuals, an eerie soundtrack that includes a devastating cover of Roy Orbison’s Cryin’, and a breakthrough performance from Naomi Watts.

4. Ghost World

With the world of comic books and graphic novels being very popular as they would turn into feature films in the 2000s. One film managed to stand out for not just being different but also for telling a story that wasn’t about comics nor was it about superheroes. Instead, it’s the story of two teenage girls whose friendship would diverge following a prank on a loner in whom one of the girls befriend. Helmed by Terry Zwigoff and written by the novel’s writer Daniel Clowes, the film explores not just a young woman going through growing pains but also deal with the expectations of post-high school life. Featuring an amazing soundtrack and a great cast that includes Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Bob Balaban, Illeana Douglas, and Steve Buscemi. The film is further proof that stories based on comic books can be about the ordinary person including a young girl.

3. Secretary

From the short story of Mary Gaitskill comes a story about a shy young woman who finds herself through sadomasochism by working as a secretary for an obsessively-compulsive lawyer. Helmed by Steven Shainberg comes this very sensitive yet quirky film that stars Maggie Gyllenhaal in her breakthrough performance as this young woman from a dysfunctional home life who finds not just sexual but emotional fulfillment from the demands of her boss. Featuring an equally great performance from James Spader as the tormented E. Edward Grey is a film that proves to be one of the finest and offbeat love stories of the 2000s. Especially as it also finds a way to make sadomasochism playful and fun without the need to say anything provocative and bit. After all, it’s a love story with an edge and some spanking.

2. Somewhere

Sofia Coppola’s fourth feature film marks a turning point for the filmmaker after a trilogy of films that revolved on alienated young women. By stripping things down to its barest essentials, the film is an exercise in minimalism as it explores the life of a Hollywood film star who goes through an existential crisis while getting a visit from his young daughter. Starring Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning comes this touching tale of a father and daughter spending time together in the Chateau Marmont where Dorff’s Johnny Marco character ponders the life of decadence he had been living in as well as his failures as a father. Featuring mesmerizing yet naturalistic images by the late Harris Savides as well as a moody soundtrack that defies convention. The film would become another example of Sofia Coppola’s mastery as a filmmaker.

1. Morvern Callar

From the novel by Alan Warner comes one of the most entrancing yet odd dramatic films ever created. Helmed by Lynne Ramsay, the film would be this intriguing tale of a woman who finds her boyfriend dead of a suicide as she would become detached and later puts her own name into a manuscript he written. Played by Samantha Morton, the titular character is an unconventional protagonist who is trying to deal with what had happened as well as figure out the decisions she has made in her life. Masterfully composed with unique usage of music that would play into Morvern’s state of mind. The film is a provocative story about death and a woman’s way of coping as well as trying to find herself in a world that is often complicated and with rules.

Well, that is all for the 150 Favorite Films of 2000-2015 (that isn’t Lost in Translation). Hope you all enjoyed it or bitched about it. Let’s see what will happen in a few years from now.

Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2015

Ride the High Country

Directed by Sam Peckinpah and written by Peckinpah, William Roberts, and N.B. Stone Jr., Ride the High Country is the story of two aging gunslingers who are tasked to transport gold from a remote mining town as they deal with new rules in the American West. The film is an exploration of two men who take a job with a young man as they try to maintain a sense of honor in the West. Starring Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, Mariette Hartley, Warren Oates, Ron Starr, Edgar Buchanan, and James Drury. Ride the High Country is a rich and exhilarating film from Sam Peckinpah.

Set in the early 20th Century in the age of automobiles and sideshows, the film revolves a former lawman who asks an old friend to aid him in transporting gold for a bank by going to a remote mining town. With the aid of a young cowboy, the two men go on a two-day trip into the mountains where they would later be joined by a young woman who is going to the same town to be married. It plays into two men trying to do something with what could be the final moments of their lives as well as find some meaning in a world where honor and duty seems to fall by the wayside in favor of a world that is changing. The film’s screenplay that is written by N.B. Stone Jr., with un-credited re-writes by Sam Peckinpah and William Roberts, play into two men who were friends as they served in both sides of the law where money is now what they need.

For the lawman Steve Judd (Joel McCrea), he is asked by a bank to do a job after six miners were killed but Judd couldn’t do the job alone as he runs into his old friend Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott) who works as sideshow artist as he used to be a great sharpshooter. Westrum brings in a young cowboy named Heck Longtree (Ron Starr) to aid them as Longtree is a young man that has a lot to learn as he has won races and is good with a gun but is also very immature. Notably as he tries to pursue a young woman he would encounter in Elsa Knudsen (Mariette Hartley) during a stop at a barn that is run by Elsa’s father Joshua (R.G. Armstrong). That all happens in its first act where the second act is about the journey to this remote mining town where Elsa’s fiancée Billy Hammond (James Drury) lives as they would marry.

Yet, Heck is uneasy about Hammond and his brothers where it would lead to a conflict that would finally come ahead in its third act. Especially as the Hammonds represent everything Judd and Westrum are uneasy with as they try to keep things to themselves. Unfortunately, ideals of what Judd and Westrum are about would come to ahead for each other as Judd is very stubborn about doing the job so he can get a measly reward. Westrum realize the worth of the gold would conspire with Heck about taking the gold which does lead into this conflict until the Hammonds get involved where it’s not about gold but rather about what is what and who does it belong to. The sense of honor and disdain for modern times is evident in the script as there is also some strong dialogue that plays into this old world vs. new world mentality that would eventually collide in its climax.

Peckinpah’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions he creates yet he infuses the film with a lot of wide shots to capture the landscape as it is shot on location in Inyo National Forest, Bronson Canyon, and other locations in California. Peckinpah opens with the film with Judd riding into town thinking he is getting some kind of heroic welcome when there’s a horse race happening as he has to contend with cars and new rules. It plays into that sense of the modern world where old men are treated with a lack of respect as Judd would find Westrum in costume that shows Westrum’s own sense of desperation for money. Peckinpah doesn’t really go for a lot of stylish shots with the exception of a wedding reception involving Elsa and Billy Hammond that plays into the craziness that Elsa is embarking on.

Yet, Peckinpah plays into something that is more of an ode to the Westerns of the past as he brings this sense of conflict on a visual scale to play into what was happening in the modern world. The direction doesn’t include a lot of gunplay until its third act as Peckinpah is more concerned about the journey and what Judd and Westrum would encounter such as Elsa’s very religious father where they sort of agree with his stance on the world but are fully aware that not everything he says is right. There is a bit of tension that goes on but Peckinpah keeps it very restrained as he just lets things play out slowly until its third act where Heck’s suspicions about Billy Hammond not only come true but realizes what he has to do.

Peckinpah’s usage of close-ups are low-key as it does play into the tension that goes which includes Judd and Westrum’s own complicated relationship where they don’t trust each other but they would rather stick together than trust someone else. Most notably as they have to deal with forces who don’t play into this code of honor and duty but rather for their own selfish reasons which forces Judd and Westrum to do what they must do. Overall, Peckinpah creates a very captivating yet thrilling film about two old gunslingers trying to transport gold for a bank and cope with the new world around them.

Cinematographer Lucien Ballard does brilliant work with the film‘s cinematography with its lush and colorful look of the exteriors including some of the interior and exterior scenes set at night as it plays into the beauty of the American West. Editor Frank Santillo does excellent work with the editing as it is very straightforward with the exception of a few rhythmic shots for the scenes set at the wedding ceremony. Art directors Leroy Coleman and George W. Davis, with Henry Grace and Otto Siegel, do fantastic work with the look of the Knudsen family farm and house as well as the camp where the Hammonds live in.

Sound recordist Franklin Milton does nice work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as some of the action that occurs in the film. The film’s music by George Bassman is superb for its orchestral-based score that features elements of country-folk music to play into the tone of the West as it ranges from being playful to being very serious in some of the scenes with its bombastic orchestral themes.

The film’s amazing cast includes some notable small roles from Carmen Phillips as a saloon girl Heck flirts with early in the film, Percy Helton and Bryan Foulger as a couple of brothers who have issues with Heck over a race he won early in the film, and Jenie Jackson as the saloon owner Kate who is a woman that is clearly larger than life. Other noteworthy small roles include Eugene Buchanan as a judge in the mining town as he has a superb moment in officiating the wedding while John Anderson and John Davis Chandler are terrific in their respective roles as Elder and Jimmy Hammond who are just as crazed as their brothers. Warren Oates and L.Q. Jones are excellent in their respective roles as Henry and Sylvus Hammond as they both have a sense of craziness and dark humor to their performances.

James Drury is wonderful as Billy Hammond as the lead brother who is to marry Elsa where it turns out that he is exactly what Heck suspects him to be. R.G. Armstrong is superb as Elsa’s father Joshua as a religious man who tries to protect Elsa as he believes that there are no men worthy of her. Ron Starr is brilliant as Heck Longtree as a young cowboy who is a friend of Westrum who tries to get things his way and flirt with Elsa only to realize the way things are as he would eventually gain Judd’s trust. Mariette Hartley is fantastic as Elsa Knudsen as this farmer’s daughter who is initially excited by the presence of men where she later accompanies them on her way to getting married as she later copes with the realities of marriage and what a woman really needs in a man.

Finally, there’s the duo of Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott in incredible performances in their respective roles as Steve Judd and Gil Westrum. McCrea brings a low-key approach to his role as Judd as someone that is trying to maintain some sense of honor while being stubborn in doing what is right though he’s getting paid more than Gil. Scott brings a more livelier approach to the character of Westrum as well as a sense of conflict into helping his friend or take advantage of what he is transporting. McCrea and Scott definitely have great rapport together as it is clear that they know what their characters are as well as the sense of duty and honor they’re trying to hold on to.

Ride the High Country is a phenomenal film from Sam Peckinpah that features great performances from Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott. With an amazing cast, beautiful cinematography, and a compelling theme on old men adapting to a new world. It’s a film that is enchanting in its study of duty and honor as well as coping with a world where the rules have changed. In the end, Ride the High Country is a spectacular film from Sam Peckinpah.

Sam Peckinpah Films: The Deadly Companions - Major Dundee - Noon Wine - The Wild Bunch - The Ballad of Cable Hogue - Straw Dogs - Junior Bonner - The Getaway - Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - The Killer Elite - Cross of Iron - Convoy - The Osterman Weekend - The Auteurs #62: Sam Peckinpah

© thevoid99 2015

Summer of Star Wars: The Star Wars Holiday Special

Directed by Steve Binder and David Acomba and written by Bruce Vilanch, Pat Proft, Leonard Ripps, Rod Warren, and Mitzie Welch, The Star Wars Holiday Special is 1978 variety show program in which Han Solo is trying to take Chewbacca to his home planet for the Christmas holidays while other things happened. Featuring people from the Star Wars film in Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, and the voice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader. The special also features appearances from Diahann Carroll, Bea Arthur, Harvey Korman, Art Carney, and a performance from Jefferson Starship. The result is essentially one of the most horrific things to ever exist in the history of entertainment.

In the 1970s, variety shows were the thing as it had people do singing and dancing on television and do all sorts of things. Due to the popularity of George Lucas’ 1977 film Star Wars, a variety show was made where it’s main storyline involves Han Solo and Chewbacca trying to return to Chewbacca’s home planet to spend the holidays with Chewbacca’s family in this day known as Life Day. Along the way, there’s performances and all sorts of things that happen in the story where Harvey Korman plays three characters and a lot of things occur. It is clear that those involved in the creation of this abomination were probably under the influence of some nose candy and what they created is one of the worst things ever.

Through its writers, it is clear that they wanted to include everything that is indicative of the variety shows in the U.S. during those times but also include elements that made Star Wars interesting. Unfortunately, the story that involves Chewbacca’s family where they talk in a language that no one understands isn’t just boring but some of the things they do is pretty stupid. The stuff involving the characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo is a total waste as they are put into awfully comical situations where Leia would sing a song at the end of the special about Life Day.

The special under the direction of Steve Binder is typical of these programs yet it involves a lot of cheesy and very dated special effects involving acrobats, dancers, and some special performances from Diahann Carroll and the Jefferson Starship which are just a pain to watch. Notably as they’re in ridiculous costumes and surrounded by cheesy special effects that tries to make it weird but comes across as horrifying. The songs that are used that are written by its score composers Ian Fraser, Ken Welch, and Mitzie Welch that Carroll and Leia would sing are terrible. Even their electronic-based score that is based on John Williams’ score from the film is pretty bad.

Some of the comedy that involves Art Carney and Bea Arthur not only has the two feel like they don’t belong but it never works. The scenes with Harvey Korman as a cook, an Imperial officer, and a robot are not only unfunny but it has Korman look ridiculous to the point that it feels forced. Then there’s the animated sequence that would introduce a major character to the series in the bounty hunter Boba Fett. It has some interesting animation and it is actually sort of the highlight of the special but it doesn’t really much of an interesting story which only serves as a major plot-point for the main story. Then there’s the people in the special where Harrison Ford as Han Solo looks very uncomfortable while Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker looks like a fucking Ken doll with all of the makeup he is given. Then there’s Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia where it is clear she was on cocaine from the look of her face where she tries to look professional but is also high under the influence.

The Star Wars Holiday Special is a fucking travesty. If there’s any reason into why George Lucas and those involved with the franchise deny the existence of this special. This special is a big reason where it’s only for Star Wars completists to see this though it really should have no part with the main series. In the end, The Star Wars Holiday Special is a TV special that lives up to its infamy as one of the worst things ever presented in the history of television.

Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker

Related: Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - Fanboys - The People vs. George Lucas

Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)

George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)

© thevoid99 2015

150 Favorite Films from 2000-2015 Pt. 4 (that isn't Lost in Translation)

As we draw closer to number in this list of 150 Favorite Films of 2000-2015 (that isn’t Lost in Translation), we come to the numbers 60-31.

60. Waltz with Bashir

War is still a subject that isn’t easily told as Ari Folman makes a film that doesn’t just play into his own experiences serving as an Israeli infantry soldier during the conflict with Lebanon back in 1982. The film would be presented as an animated film as it would include a lot of surreal images and stories about the chaos of war. Most notably as it revolves around the horrors of war as well as a man’s attempt to recollect those memories as it is this unusual mix of documentary and animation making this one of the finest animated films ever made.

59. Before Midnight

The third and (maybe) final film of the Before series doesn’t just pick up 9 years where last film left off but show Celine and Jesse as a couple with twin daughters where they’re both at a crossroads. Despite the success Jesse has gained as a novelist, he still feels like he has failed his eldest son who is about to go to high school as Jesse wants to be there for him. For Celine, she wants to take a job that actually means something to her as Richard Linklater creates something that feels very real in the way relationships work and falters. Most notably as it plays to people in their 40s trying to do what is best not just for themselves but their own family.

58. Up

Pete Docter’s adventure story isn’t just one of Pixar’s finest films but it would feature one of the most devastating sequences in cinema. In a montage where a man meets and falls in love with a woman only to lose her at an old age, it is one of the most inventive portions that would set up a film where an old man and a little boy travel to South America in a house with a million balloons. It’s a film about loss but also an old man trying to find something new with this loss with help of this little boy who is a determined boy scout as they would also get help from a dog named Dug.

57. Mother

Bong Joon-Ho’s tale of a mother trying to protect his son after he is accused of murder isn’t just one of the most intriguing thrillers of the 2000s but it is also one of the most fascinating character studies ever. Most notably in Kim Hye-ja’s performance as this old woman trying to protect her mentally-challenged son as she would be forced to investigate the murders herself. It’s a film that has many of Joon-Ho’s entrancing visuals and study of family as well as some dark elements that gives the film an edge as it would be a crowning achievement for the South Korean filmmaker.

56. No Country for Old Men

In this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel is a film that plays into the idea of a new world and new rules where the old have no idea how to comprehend this new world of violence and nihilism. Featuring a chilling performance from Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh who is one of the greatest villains in cinema, the film is a study into a world where Tommy Lee Jones’ Sheriff Ed Tom Bell character tries to do good only to realize that he doesn’t have it anymore. Even as Chigurh is going after Josh Brolin’s Llewelyn Moss character who had stolen money that belongs to Chigurh as it is this very eerie study of violence and terror in the American West.

55. Mad Max: Fury Road

For anyone that thought Mad Max would never return to the big screen not only rejoiced for his return but would be seen in a new adventure that would truly re-shape the idea of what a blockbuster film would be. With Tom Hardy in the role of Max, the film would have its creator George Miller return with a bang as he brings the world of action-cinema back down to Earth with high-octane stunts, realistic special effects, and much more. Most notably, the film would be a feminist film as Charlize Theron would play the role of Max’s new partner Imperator Furiousa who tries to help five women gain freedom from an evil warlord. The result isn’t just a film that goes all-out but has so much more to offer as it is cinema at its most uncompromising and at its most adventurous.

54. Amelie

Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s whimsical tale of a young woman trying to help others in Paris is among one of France’s greatest films of the 2000s. Starring Audrey Tautou in her breakthrough performance as the titular character, the film is an offbeat comedy that plays into many things that happens in Paris while Jeunet strays from convention by shooting the film awash in sepia with the aid of cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. The film also studies the titular character’s own sense of shyness as she struggles to find someone to love as the result is one of the most gorgeous and exhilarating films of the 2000s.

53. The Master

In an age where cinema goes digital, Paul Thomas Anderson says no to the changing times as he would shoot his fifth feature film in 65mm film. In his first collaboration with Joaquin Phoenix and final collaboration with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, the film would explore the world of cults as Anderson follows Phoenix’s troubled Freddie Quell who looks for salvation following World War II as he meets the charismatic Lancaster Dodd who is played by Hoffman. While the film is based on Scientology and its leader L. Ron Hubbard, it is an intriguing story of finding a role in the world and the need to bring hope to people in those troubled times.

52. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Alfonso Cuaron’s 2001 film isn’t just a key film of the New Mexican Cinema of the 1990s and 2000s but it is also one of the finest tales of growing up, sex, and craziness on the road between two young men and an older Spanish woman. Not afraid of being raunchy nor dramatic, the film would feature not just incredible performances from Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Maribel Verdu. It would feature a moment in time where Mexico was in a state of change as it is captured with such realism and beauty by its cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.

51. The Squid & the Whale

Joint custody blows as Noah Baumbach’s 2005 film about two young boys coping with the divorce of their parents in the mid-1980s is one of the finest coming-of-age films ever made. Based on Baumbach’s own personal experiences, the film is a raw yet comical take on the world of divorce as Jeff Daniels plays the most pretentious and awful dads ever while Jesse Eisenberg plays his eldest son who tries to be like his father only to alienate his mother. Add Owen Kline’s chilling performance as the youngest son who copes with the divorce by drinking and masturbating in public places comes one of the strangest but engaging films about the fallacy of divorce.

50. Tarnation

Jonathan Caouette’s own documentary film about his life and his troubled relationship with his mentally-ill mother is one of the most creative yet harrowing documentary films of the 2000s. Shot largely on Super 8 footage, video, and other low-grade footage from his childhood to being a young adult, Caouette’s documentary is really unlike anything that is out there as it acts as something confessional. Most notably as it is not afraid to be very tough or make people very uncomfortable as it does manage to showcase what a documentary film could do.

49. Persepolis

From Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical graphic novel comes an animated film that really told the story of a young Iranian woman and her experience living in Iran during the 1979 revolution and the years that followed. Co-directed with Vincent Paronnaud, the film plays into Satrapi’s life as a child living during the Iranian revolution following the Shah’s forced-exile to becoming an adult in trying to find her identity. The film is a landmark for not just Iranian cinema but also for animated films in allowing stories like Satrapi to be told in a universal fashion.

48. Hedwig and the Angry Inch

John Cameron Mitchell would arrive with a bang by making a film version of his own off-Broadway play about a transgender singer with a botched sex-change who rallies against the protégé who copied his act and became successful. Whereas many musicals are presented with elements of pop or as show tunes, Mitchell just goes for straight-ahead glam rock inspired by David Bowie and Lou Reed while giving a performance that is just full of fire. It is a musical that has a sense of danger but also one that is filled with some humor and drama plus some catchy songs.

47. Before Sunset

The sequel to 1995’s Before Sunrise and the second part of the Before series was sort of unexpected as no one thought a sequel would be made. Yet, it plays into an unexpected reunion between Jesse and Celine as the former is visiting Paris on a book tour where the latter lives as they reconnect for an entire day. Shot in real time, the film plays into the two talking about what happened and see if there’s still a spark which would lead to one of the greatest endings ever in cinema.

46. Fish Tank

Following the tradition of such great British filmmakers like Ken Loach, Andrea Arnold would play into the sense of realism and despair with her sophomore feature that explores a young girl trying to find a better future through street dancing. Featuring a fiery performance from Katie Jarvis, the film plays into a girl looking for a figure to guide and encourage her as she would in her mother’s boyfriend played by Michael Fassbender as it is a harsh yet engaging coming-of-age film. Most notably as Arnold goes for something more old-school in the aspect ratio by shooting it in an Academy 1:33:1 aspect ratio and shoot it on location near Britain’s own version of the projects.

45. School of Rock

Family films don’t get as exciting as this one where Richard Linklater and screenwriter Mike White not only made a film about a musician pretending to be a substitute teacher and teach them the power of rock. It’s a film that showcases the importance of music in a child’s education and development while giving them a chance to have fun Featuring Jack Black in an awesome performance, it’s a film that crosses the board from everyone to the rockers to the parents and their children as it gives them a chance to do windmill guitars and such.

44. Kill Bill

Revenge never tasted any sweeter or any cooler than Quentin Tarantino’s two-part film series about a bride who goes after the four assassins who tried to kill her and the man who put a bullet in her head. Though it was meant to be one film, the result as a whole is just as exciting where Tarantino gives Uma Thurman the performance of a lifetime as she kills everyone in sight and more. At the same time, it’s a love story of sorts between the Bride and a man named Bill as it mixes samurai films, the western, and all sorts of crazy shit.

43. Melancholia

The second part of Lars von Trier’s Depression trilogy comes what is probably one of the most accurate portrayals of depression ever in cinema. The film revolves around a big planet that is to collide with Earth and destroy it for good as two sisters each have different reactions towards the event. Featuring Kirsten Dunst in probably her best performance to date as one of two sisters whose state of depression has her reacting to this event in an apathetic way. The film also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg as the older sister who is filled with worry as it’s a mixture of sci-fi and drama with a dose of realism as it would end up being one of von Trier’s most accessible films.

42. Exit Through the Gift Shop

A documentary about the world of street art that started off as a project made by wannabe filmmaker Thierry Guetta. The film wouldn’t just become a documentary about Guetta himself but also about the famed artist Banksy who would eventually become the director of this project. Whether it was a hoax or something real, the film manages to be so much more as Banksy would capture Guetta’s own rise into the world of street art as it adds to this idea of fiction vs. reality. Nevertheless, the results would end up being one of the finest documentary films ever made.

41. Ratatouille

Brad Bird’s story about a rat who dreams about being a chef isn’t just one of Pixar’s most charming and entertaining foods. It’s also a study into the world of capitalism and criticism where the latter features a brilliant voice performance Peter O’Toole as the notorious food critic Anton Ego. The film plays into a rat who uses a young janitor as his puppet to create great food as the young man is rumored to be the long-lost son of a famous chef. It’s a film that also features dishes that look so good to eat as Brad Bird and Pixar creates something is like the fantasy version of food porn that is accessible to everyone.

40. Blue is the Warmest Color

Abdellatif Kechiche’s adaptation of Julie Maroh’s graphic novel is a mesmerizing yet coming-of-age love story between a young girl and a lesbian art student as it would play into a girl’s young life and exploration of love. Starring Adele Exarchopoulos in her break-out performance as the high school student Adele and Lea Seydoux as the art student Emma. The film isn’t just a very raw and intense depiction of love but also one that wasn’t afraid to be controversial due to its sex scenes as it plays to how real love is no matter if it’s straight or gay.

39. A Separation

Asghar Farhadi would score an international breakthrough in a film that explores a couple divorcing in Iran as a husband struggles to raise his daughter and care for his ailing father. What would happen would spark an incident where his father’s caretaker would lose a child and things go wrong prompting his estranged wife to help him while they deal with their own separation. The film isn’t just a fascinating exploration into dissolution but would also include one of the best endings in film.

38. Spirited Away

Hayao Miyazaki would create not just one of Studio Ghibli’s great films but also one of the finest animated films ever made. The simple story of a young girl who enters a strange fantasy world where her parents turn into pigs as she goes on a journey to get the back as they are. It’s a film with lots of imagination and rich hand-drawn animation as it proves that animators don’t need computers to help tell stories. Especially as it has a lot more to offer to children and adults as well as go beyond the expectations of an animated film.

37. Che

Steven Soderbergh’s four-and-a-half hour and two-part bio-pic on Che Guevara is a film that not many filmmakers were willing to do. Especially in the narrative strategy that Sodebergh and his screenwriters decided to do based as it would play into a rise and fall scenario. With Benicio del Toro in the role of the Argentine-born revolutionary, its first part would play into Guevara’s rise as he aided Fidel Castro in the Cuban Revolution in the late 1950s while speaking to the United Nations in New York City in 1964. Its second part would play into Guevara’s fall in Bolivia as he attempts to start a revolution in South America. Shooting largely on Red 4 digital, the film serves as a turning point for the use of digital as a new medium to make films and this film was that moment.

36. Frances Ha

Part of Noah Baumbach’s oeuvre as a filmmaker is about people growing up and dealing with change as his 2012 film isn’t just an ode to the French New Wave but also a film that explores a young woman emerging into adulthood. Starring Greta Gerwig, the film plays into a young dancer dealing with changes around her life as she would do misguided things as well as cope with trying to find herself. Shot in black-and-white, the film does look and feel like a French New Wave film shot in New York City but it has the energy of something more that includes a great homage to Leos Carax’s Mauvais Sang.

35. The Wolf of Wall Street

If anyone thought Martin Scorsese wasn’t going to top some of the craziness of his past great films wouldn’t just realize how wrong they were but were in for a ride that is totally out of control. In this story of notorious stock broker Jordan Belfort, Scorsese casts Leonardo diCaprio in the role of a lifetime as diCaprio goes to 11 in terms of making the man not just more un-likeable than he already is but make him the fucking party. Add some Quaaludes, a shitload of money, naked women, cocaine, and all sorts of crazy shit including an unforgettable sequence that has diCaprio crawling around to get to his car. What Martin Scorsese bring is the rollercoaster ride of the century.

34. Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession

Xan Cassavetes’ documentary about one of the early pay-cable channels to emerge in television isn’t just about a channel that played all sorts of films. It’s about the man who would be its programming director in its hey day from the late 1970s to the late 1980s in Jerry Harvey. A film about a man’s obsession to bring the kind of films to the people in Southern California that they wouldn’t necessarily see anywhere else. It is truly a film that any film buffs would see as it shows the kind of films Harvey would bring from softcore porn films, art-house documentaries, classic European cinema, westerns, New Hollywood, and films that got a bad rap in their initial releases only to be revived through the channel by Harvey.

33. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Julian Schnabel’s adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby’s biography is a film like no other as it is partially shot from Bauby’s perspective when he is paralyzed with only his left eye to do any kind of movement. With Mathieu Almaric in the role of Bauby, the film is filled with dazzling visuals thanks to the work of cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. Most notably as it plays into a man reflecting on his life following a moment that could’ve killed him as he tries to make amends and such in what would be his final days.

32. Brokeback Mountain

In this adaptation of Annie Proulx’s short story comes one of the greatest love stories ever that is based on two cowboys who meet as they work herding sheep as they fall in love yet hide their relationship from everyone. Helmed by Ang Lee from a script by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, the film is an evocative tale that spans nearly 20 years from the early 1960s to the early 1980s at a time when homosexuality was taboo. Featuring great lead performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger, the film isn’t just a landmark film for gay cinema but it is a film that is definitely a film that shows how powerful love is.

31. City of God

For anyone that thought they had seen it all in the world of drugs and crime would think again in this wild adaptation of Paulo Lins’ novel about the world of Brazilian organized crime. Helmed by Fernando Meirelles, the film is truly unlike anything as it is a landmark for films in Latin America that plays into the lives of young boys going into different directions in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Most notably as one of them becomes one of the baddest bosses in the slum as it is filled with lots of violence and moments that definitely pushes the buttons into what happens in these slums. The result is a film that is high-octane brutality with its stylish images and editing that isn’t afraid to showcase a world that is dark but also very exciting.

Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 5

© thevoid99 2015