Cloverfield
Writer: Drew Goddard
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas and Lizzy Caplan
A post 9/11 monster movie, Cloverfield was easily one of the cinematic experiences of the decade. Up until 2012 it was my favourite use of the found footage shooting style and along with 2008's The Dark Knight, is one of the films responsible for turning me into the ultra film fan I am today. Cloverfield is also one of those films that made me pick up a camera and albeit pathetically start shooting my own, thankfully lost and unseen, pieces of footage. From the mysterious viral marketing to the finished product, Cloverfield was a thrill ride. Oh and it also has one of the best teaser trailers and posters of all time.
Writer: Drew Goddard
Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas and Lizzy Caplan
A post 9/11 monster movie, Cloverfield was easily one of the cinematic experiences of the decade. Up until 2012 it was my favourite use of the found footage shooting style and along with 2008's The Dark Knight, is one of the films responsible for turning me into the ultra film fan I am today. Cloverfield is also one of those films that made me pick up a camera and albeit pathetically start shooting my own, thankfully lost and unseen, pieces of footage. From the mysterious viral marketing to the finished product, Cloverfield was a thrill ride. Oh and it also has one of the best teaser trailers and posters of all time.
Gran Torino
Writer: Nick Schenk
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood and Bee Vang
My second favourite Clint Eastwood film and easily the best film he released last decade. Million Dollar Baby may have won the Oscar but that is more of a comment on the Oscars than it is on Gran Torino. A film about race, revenge, religion, friendship and death, Gran Torino also introduced another movie quote for the ages. Clint Eastwood with a gun, growling to a bunch of gang members, "Get off my lawn"
Writer: Nick Schenk
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood and Bee Vang
My second favourite Clint Eastwood film and easily the best film he released last decade. Million Dollar Baby may have won the Oscar but that is more of a comment on the Oscars than it is on Gran Torino. A film about race, revenge, religion, friendship and death, Gran Torino also introduced another movie quote for the ages. Clint Eastwood with a gun, growling to a bunch of gang members, "Get off my lawn"
Slumdog Millionaire
Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto
It may have become uncool to still like this film following its Oscar triumph, however Slumdog Millionaire is certainly one of Oscar's better rather than worse Best Picture choices. Directed with the usual energy you expect from a Danny Boyle film, Slumdog Millionaire is a visual roller-coaster, transporting us to the slums of India.It also, like every Danny Boyle film, has a superb score and an engaging, relatable, feel-good underdog/love story whilst not shying away from the more brutal elements of Indian life.
Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Director: Danny Boyle
Starring: Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto
It may have become uncool to still like this film following its Oscar triumph, however Slumdog Millionaire is certainly one of Oscar's better rather than worse Best Picture choices. Directed with the usual energy you expect from a Danny Boyle film, Slumdog Millionaire is a visual roller-coaster, transporting us to the slums of India.It also, like every Danny Boyle film, has a superb score and an engaging, relatable, feel-good underdog/love story whilst not shying away from the more brutal elements of Indian life.
WALL-E
Writers: Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon
Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Ben Burt and Elissa Knight
The best animated film of the decade and aside from perhaps the first two Toy Story films, my favourite animated film of all time. WALL-E has a wonderful, silent movement and romance to it which is so much better than this year's fully silent, The Artist. It has the gorgeous animation you would expect but also a good science-fiction edge to it and while many say it loses its way in the second act, for the entire running time I found it to be intelligent, imaginative and by the end moving. Everything I wrote about Up and Pixar can be applied here, except, WALL-E is better. Right up there with Cloverfield and The Dark Knight, as a contender for top ten of the decade, let alone top fifty.
Writers: Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon
Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Ben Burt and Elissa Knight
The best animated film of the decade and aside from perhaps the first two Toy Story films, my favourite animated film of all time. WALL-E has a wonderful, silent movement and romance to it which is so much better than this year's fully silent, The Artist. It has the gorgeous animation you would expect but also a good science-fiction edge to it and while many say it loses its way in the second act, for the entire running time I found it to be intelligent, imaginative and by the end moving. Everything I wrote about Up and Pixar can be applied here, except, WALL-E is better. Right up there with Cloverfield and The Dark Knight, as a contender for top ten of the decade, let alone top fifty.