I'm a big fan of "At the Movies." For those of you who don't know, it's a movie review show hosted by two of the best film critics (Michael Phillips and A. O. Scott) out there. They discuss movies in an academic way rather than just concentrating on the fluff like most critics do. For the past few weeks, they've been counting down their top 10 movies of the decade. While most of their picks were obscure foreign fare or rated R movies I have yet to see on TV, I was pleased to see "Ratatouille" make Phillips' #2 spot and "Wall-E" nab Scott's #1 spot. You can't argue with amazing storytelling and Pixar always tells amazing, original stories.
I thought it would be fun to make a list of my top 10 of the decade. Now, most of this is totally personal and really has more to do about my reaction to the movies than whether they are "good" or not. (Some of them aren't good and I fully own up to it!) My list isn't comprehensive, of course . . . I don't watch R rated movies, so obviously, there's not a whole lot of range.
10. "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." I'm not a LOTR fan in any shape or form. But, I can't deny the power of the movies and how well made they are . . . well, the first one is. The first one is the only one I think is a good film. The others are way too long, too labored and too over the top. In my opinion, the third one is unwatchable. The first movie is amazing. The acting, the special effects and the storytelling is excellent. The other two movies I can live without. I'm just not a Peter Jackson fan . . . don't get me started on "King Kong." Bleech. Anyway, this movie introduced a whole new style and several new technologies that have taken filmmaking to an all new level. Not all of it is good, in my opinion, but it is definitely a great epic movie.
9. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." I went to see this movie in the theater four times. That's a record for me! I was SO excited to see this movie, since I loved all the books. It totally lived up to all my expectations. I wished they had gotten a better Dumbledore (Richard Harris is great, but he wasn't goofy enough), but other than that, I think the first movie is the only one that gets closest to the spirit of the books. I just remember that exciting feeling I had when I first heard the theme music. I love that feeling!
8. "Juno." If you haven't seen it, RENT IT! I really love this movie. The dialouge is a bit much. There are several lines that I would've edited in the first draft if I had written it. But the cast (probably the best cast movie of the decade) has so much fun with the lines that I can't object too much.
I went to see this movie a few months after I had Charlie. I had postpartum depression BIG TIME ("You down with PPD? Yeah, you know me!"). I was really struggling. But the movie really moved me in a positive way. I left the theater so excited to go home and see my baby. That meant a lot to me, because that was such a dark time in my life. Sometimes it's the little things that help the most. It wasn't long after Mari (my sis-in-law) and I went to see this movie that she got pregnant with her third child, Eloise. I don't think it's a coincidence! The movie is not pro teen pregnancy AT ALL . . . it's more about the power of motherhood, so don't get the wrong idea! This movie is so uplifting and sincere you can't help but like it.
7. "Napoleon Dynamite." It amazes me how polarizing this movie is. You love it or hate it. I've found that it's almost a generational thing. When it came out, everyone my age embraced it and immediately "got" the humor. Tons of critics panned this movie and if you read the negative reviews, it seems like they watched an entirely different movie. Roger Ebert was very against this movie but said that he's willing to give it another chance since so many people told him he missed the mark. I watched it once and had no idea what to think. But as the days rolled by, more and more of the one-liners popped into my head and I found myself cracking up. I think it's become more of a communal event like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." It's not just about the movie . . . it's about reliving the movie over and over again.
6. "Chicago"/"Moulin Rouge." These two movies signaled the return of the Hollywood musical. Both feature big stars showing off their voices and dance talents (Catharine Zeta Jones is just freaking amazing!) in bright, splashy sets and tightly choreographed dance numbers. Why not just pick one? Well, these two movies have what the other lacks. "Chicago" has a lot going for it but for me, it lacks something huge . . . heart. After all the amazing numbers and performances, it feels like an empty exercise. No one changes. No one grows. I didn't like the fact that (spoiler!) both women get away with murder. Frankly, I think it would've been a better movie had they been hanged. I know that sounds awful, but it's true. Not all musicals end well. Look at "Cabaret." Not the most cheerful movie, but it is amazing and it gets the point across. There is no point to "Chicago." There's a little movie from the 1930's called "Roxie Hart." It's the same story of "Chicago" starring Ginger Rogers . . . only with a much more satisfying ending. It's very cute and not nearly as skanky as "Chicago."
"Moulin Rouge," on the other hand, is nothing but heart. It's overwhelmingly sappy and frantic . . . two things that don't mix well. If only Baz Luhurmann could use some restraint . . . but we're talking about Baz Luhrmann here so I know it's too much to ask. If only the rest of the movie had been edited like the "Tango de Roxanne" number . . . THAT'S the movie I want to see. I still think that part of the movie is one of the most brilliantly edited scenes I've ever seen.
5. "Pride and Prejudice." Let's get this over with. It IS the best novel ever written. Period. I loved the BBC adaptation . . . until I saw Joe Wright's version. People argue that the BBC version is more "loyal" to the book. It's slavishly loyal until the climax, where (spoiler!) Darcy aids Lydia's marriage to Wickham. I was so mad when I first saw it because it ruined the best part of the book. When you read the book, it's obvious Darcy has everything to do with saving the Bennett family. But the magic of the book is that we find out from Darcy that he did it all for Elizabeth. In the BBC version, they took the liberty of showing Darcy doing all those things. It so much more romantic and satisfying to learn Darcy's involvement at the same moment Elizabeth does . . . just like in this version. Plus, can you beat that moment when she sees Darcy walking through the meadow? I have goosebumps just thinking about it! Overall, this version is more romantic and more loyal to the heart of the book, rather than just the plot or words. If you have a hard time following the plot of this movie, do yourself a favor and READ THE BOOK! You won't regret it, I promise.
I also like how this film version cast women who were reasonably young enough to play the Bennetts. They giggle and act like teenagers. The country ball at the beginning of the movie, unlike the ones in other Jane Austen adaptations, actually looks like fun. Keira Knightley is "IT" to me. When I found out they were doing a new "Pride and Prejudice" with her in it, I about died. Not to mention, Judi Dench as Lady Catharine, holy cow. This movie has such an amazing cast. I know a lot of people are faithful to Colin Firth as Darcy. I love Colin Firth, but I like Matthew McFayden better! He reminds me a little bit of John Cusack in "Say Anything . . ." (sigh!) only, a 19th century version. Trust me, if they had boomboxes in Regency England, I could totally see Darcy holding one up and blasting Peter Gabriel outside Elizabeth's window.
4. PIXAR. I'm copping out on this one. I couldn't decide which Pixar movie of the decade touched me or wowed me the most. I'll say it's a tie between "The Incredibles", "Ratatouille", "Wall-E" and "Up". Each of these movies first and foremost have amazing scripts (all of these, with the exception of "Up", were nominated for the "Best Original Screenplay" Oscar--"Up" will be nominated for that AND "Best Picture" this year, I promise you). I would give anything to have an ounce of the talent Brad Bird has. All of these movies are so original, touching and gorgeous. They are everything movies are supposed to be. I'm not usually a fan of "kids movies." Even though these are animated films, I think they are more sophisticated than anything else Hollywood has put out in the past three decades. I was excited to see two of these films make the "At the Movies" lists, but I wasn't surprised one bit.
3. "Enchanted." I think this is as close as you can get to a perfect movie. A great idea, great actors and beautiful execution. Everything happens when it should, in the way it should. I have yet to find someone who has seen this movie that didn't like it. I forced John to watch it and even though "it wasn't his thing," he grudgingly admitted that it was "better than he thought it would be." I have a love/hate relationship with Disney. This movie reminds everyone about the genius of Disney. It brought back the innocence, the wonderful music, adventure and romance that only Disney can deliver. Plus, Amy Adams is the biz-omb. It's clear from this movie that she was raised Mormon!
2. "The Dark Knight." I walked out of the theater after this movie feeling absolutely exhausted. I have never felt so tense during a movie . . . and not realized how tense I was the entire time! All superhero movies have some sort of threat to either the world or their hometown (usually New York . . . let it go, already). Never have I seen one where I could actually feel the threat. "The Dark Knight" goes beyond the typical themes of good vs. evil . . . it's about anarchy vs. order. I know a lot of people didn't like this movie because it's so dark. That's why I like it. This movies shows you what's beyond evil . . . and it's freaking terrifying! Not to mention, all the acting in this movie is top notch. There are a lot of actors playing complex characters beautifully.

1. "Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." This movie (even though it was one of the top box office earners of 2008) was universally panned. One of my new favorite shows "Community" even had a running gag in one episode about how awful it was.
I loved it.
You have to understand my connection to Indiana Jones. I grew up with those movies. Those movies are my childhood. I've been in love with Indiana Jones since before I was in kindergarten. For nearly two decades I dreamed that they would make a fourth installment of the series. Rumors came and went. Harrison Ford got older and older. Then, my dream came true. I found myself sitting in an extremely hot and smelly theater (there were a lot of fat guys in fedoras there) at 11 p.m. in May 2008. I was there with my parents and my brothers, which made it even more fun and nostalgic. As the lights went down, I prayed, "Please be good. Please be good." Then, I realized what an amazing moment this was. I was finally seeing the fourth Indiana Jones! Not to mention, the movie had two of my favorite actors, Shia LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett. "Just enjoy it," I thought. And I did. Was it great? No. Was it fun? Absolutely. I doubt there will be a cinematic moment for me that was bigger than the realization of a fourth Indiana Jones movie.
Until I see one of my own scripts come to life on the big screen, of course.
Honorable Mentions: "Casino Royale", "Signs", the "Hellboy" movies, "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl", "Iron Man", "The Queen."


