There have been a lot of lists about the best films of the 21st century. IndieWire has been digging through the last two decades one genre at a time; meanwhile, the New York Times’ top movie critics provided their own takes. J. Hoberman, the longtime Village Voice film critic who now works as a freelancer, decided to join the fray. Here’s his take, also available at his site, and republished here with permission.
People have been asking me, so I thought I might as well join (or crash) the party initiated by the New York Times and put in my two cents regarding the 25 Best Films of the 21st Century (so far). I don’t see “everything” anymore and I haven’t been to Cannes since 2011.
There is some overlap but this is not the same as the proposed 21-film syllabus of 21st Century cinema included in my book “Film After Film.” Those were all in their way pedagogical choices. Begging the question of what “best” means, these are all movies that I really like, that I’m happy to see multiple times, that are strongly of their moment and that I think will stand the test of time.
My single “best” film-object is followed by a list of 11 filmmakers and one academic production company (in order of “best-ness”) responsible for two or more “best films,” these followed by another eight individual movies (again in order) and finally four more tentatively advanced films (these alphabetical). I’m sure I’m forgetting some but that’s the nature of the beast.
Christian Marclay: “The Clock”
Lars von Trier: “Dogville” & “Melancholia” (and none of his others)
Hou Hsiao Hsien: “The Assassin” & “Flight of the Red Balloon”
Jean-Luc Godard: “In Praise of Love” & “Goodbye to Language”
David Cronenberg: “Spider,” “A History of Violence,” “Eastern Promises,” & “A Dangerous Method”
David Lynch: “Mulholland Drive” & “Inland Empire”
Ken Jacobs: “Seeking the Monkey King,” “The Guests” (and more)
Cristi Puiu: “The Death of Mr Lazarescu” & “Aurora”
Chantal Akerman: “No Home Movie” & “La Captive” (assuming that 2000 is part of the 21st Century)
Paul Thomas Anderson: “The Master” & “There Will Be Blood”
Kathryn Bigelow: “The Hurt Locker” & “Zero Dark Thirty”
Alfonso Cuarón: “Gravity” & “Children of Men”
Sensory Ethnology Lab: “Leviathan,” “Manakamana,” & “People’s Park”
“The Strange Case of Angelica” — Manoel de Oliviera
“Corpus Callosum” — Michael Snow
“West of the Tracks” — Wang Bing
“Carlos” — Olivier Assayas
“Che” — Steven Soderbergh
“Ten” — Abbas Kariostami
“Russian Ark” — Aleksandr Sokurov
“The World” — Jia Zhangke
“Citizenfour” — Laura Poitras
“Day Night Day Night” — Julia Loktev
“Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” — Nuri Bilge Ceylan
“Wall-e” — Andrew Stanton
Related stories'Transformers: The Last Knight' Review: Here's the Most Ridiculous Hollywood Movie of the Year'En El Séptimo Dia' Review: Jim McKay's First Movie in a Decade is the Summer's Surprise Crowdpleaser'All Eyez on Me' Review: Tupac Shakur's Complicated Life Deserves More Than This Sprawling Biopic...
People have been asking me, so I thought I might as well join (or crash) the party initiated by the New York Times and put in my two cents regarding the 25 Best Films of the 21st Century (so far). I don’t see “everything” anymore and I haven’t been to Cannes since 2011.
There is some overlap but this is not the same as the proposed 21-film syllabus of 21st Century cinema included in my book “Film After Film.” Those were all in their way pedagogical choices. Begging the question of what “best” means, these are all movies that I really like, that I’m happy to see multiple times, that are strongly of their moment and that I think will stand the test of time.
My single “best” film-object is followed by a list of 11 filmmakers and one academic production company (in order of “best-ness”) responsible for two or more “best films,” these followed by another eight individual movies (again in order) and finally four more tentatively advanced films (these alphabetical). I’m sure I’m forgetting some but that’s the nature of the beast.
Christian Marclay: “The Clock”
Lars von Trier: “Dogville” & “Melancholia” (and none of his others)
Hou Hsiao Hsien: “The Assassin” & “Flight of the Red Balloon”
Jean-Luc Godard: “In Praise of Love” & “Goodbye to Language”
David Cronenberg: “Spider,” “A History of Violence,” “Eastern Promises,” & “A Dangerous Method”
David Lynch: “Mulholland Drive” & “Inland Empire”
Ken Jacobs: “Seeking the Monkey King,” “The Guests” (and more)
Cristi Puiu: “The Death of Mr Lazarescu” & “Aurora”
Chantal Akerman: “No Home Movie” & “La Captive” (assuming that 2000 is part of the 21st Century)
Paul Thomas Anderson: “The Master” & “There Will Be Blood”
Kathryn Bigelow: “The Hurt Locker” & “Zero Dark Thirty”
Alfonso Cuarón: “Gravity” & “Children of Men”
Sensory Ethnology Lab: “Leviathan,” “Manakamana,” & “People’s Park”
“The Strange Case of Angelica” — Manoel de Oliviera
“Corpus Callosum” — Michael Snow
“West of the Tracks” — Wang Bing
“Carlos” — Olivier Assayas
“Che” — Steven Soderbergh
“Ten” — Abbas Kariostami
“Russian Ark” — Aleksandr Sokurov
“The World” — Jia Zhangke
“Citizenfour” — Laura Poitras
“Day Night Day Night” — Julia Loktev
“Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” — Nuri Bilge Ceylan
“Wall-e” — Andrew Stanton
Related stories'Transformers: The Last Knight' Review: Here's the Most Ridiculous Hollywood Movie of the Year'En El Séptimo Dia' Review: Jim McKay's First Movie in a Decade is the Summer's Surprise Crowdpleaser'All Eyez on Me' Review: Tupac Shakur's Complicated Life Deserves More Than This Sprawling Biopic...
- 6/20/2017
- by J. Hoberman
- Indiewire
The Most Crucial Art Documents of the Season
Setting from your Zombie Formalism section. It was an eventful year for craft publishing, with a lot of adjustments while in the scenery, as new guides exposed (including this one), or jumped up. or reinvented themselves. But beneath all-the institutional shuffles, what were the suggestions that got people excited? the remaining selection under is clearly an individual one, although I polled peers to attempt to answer that issue. The planet is reflected by it around me, and is weighted towards bits that reflect my own personal spot and my own personal feeling of this year;s troubled features. Regardless, listed below are a number of writing that I think are touchstones of 2014 of the items: Holland Cotter – Sophisticated, New York Times. Jan 17, 2014 It;s a little insane if you ask me that s fretful, condition that is sweeping -of-the-scene part is per year old.
Setting from your Zombie Formalism section. It was an eventful year for craft publishing, with a lot of adjustments while in the scenery, as new guides exposed (including this one), or jumped up. or reinvented themselves. But beneath all-the institutional shuffles, what were the suggestions that got people excited? the remaining selection under is clearly an individual one, although I polled peers to attempt to answer that issue. The planet is reflected by it around me, and is weighted towards bits that reflect my own personal spot and my own personal feeling of this year;s troubled features. Regardless, listed below are a number of writing that I think are touchstones of 2014 of the items: Holland Cotter – Sophisticated, New York Times. Jan 17, 2014 It;s a little insane if you ask me that s fretful, condition that is sweeping -of-the-scene part is per year old.
- 3/31/2016
- by toga
- Scott Feinberg
The Most Important Art Essays of the Entire Year
Setting from the Zombie Formalism screen. It had been an eventful year for craft writing, with a lot of changes while in the panorama, as new publications popped (including this 1), or sprang up. or reinvented themselves. But beneath all of the institutional shuffles, what were? I polled colleagues to try to answer that concern, nevertheless the final choice below is obviously a personal one. The entire world is reflected by it around me, and it is measured towards pieces that replicate my own area and my own personal feeling of the year’s troubled attributes. Regardless, listed here are some of publishing that I believe are touchstones of 2014 of the items: Holland Cotter, Lost in the Gallery – Sophisticated, & quot York Times. January 17, 2014 It’s a bit nuts tome that state that is sweeping, s fretful -of-the-world piece has already been per year old.
Setting from the Zombie Formalism screen. It had been an eventful year for craft writing, with a lot of changes while in the panorama, as new publications popped (including this 1), or sprang up. or reinvented themselves. But beneath all of the institutional shuffles, what were? I polled colleagues to try to answer that concern, nevertheless the final choice below is obviously a personal one. The entire world is reflected by it around me, and it is measured towards pieces that replicate my own area and my own personal feeling of the year’s troubled attributes. Regardless, listed here are some of publishing that I believe are touchstones of 2014 of the items: Holland Cotter, Lost in the Gallery – Sophisticated, & quot York Times. January 17, 2014 It’s a bit nuts tome that state that is sweeping, s fretful -of-the-world piece has already been per year old.
- 3/31/2016
- by toga
- Scott Feinberg
The Oscar-winning director of 12 Years a Slave has pushed back the boundaries of film because of the fearlessness that comes with a background in art
When the director Steve McQueen was an art student learning basic film-making skills at Goldsmiths College, London, he joked he was already aiming for the time when his name would eclipse that of his glamorous namesake, star of The Great Escape and Bullitt. "One day," he told his tutor, Professor Will Brooker, "when people talk about Steve McQueen, I am going to be the first person they think of."
Now, with an Oscar for his film 12 Years a Slave, the transition from Turner prizewinning artist to celebrated director has been made in style. It is a path to cinematography also taken by the British artist Sam Taylor-Wood, nominated for a Turner prize in 1998 and now editing her high-profile film of the erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey.
When the director Steve McQueen was an art student learning basic film-making skills at Goldsmiths College, London, he joked he was already aiming for the time when his name would eclipse that of his glamorous namesake, star of The Great Escape and Bullitt. "One day," he told his tutor, Professor Will Brooker, "when people talk about Steve McQueen, I am going to be the first person they think of."
Now, with an Oscar for his film 12 Years a Slave, the transition from Turner prizewinning artist to celebrated director has been made in style. It is a path to cinematography also taken by the British artist Sam Taylor-Wood, nominated for a Turner prize in 1998 and now editing her high-profile film of the erotic bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey.
- 3/9/2014
- by Vanessa Thorpe
- The Guardian - Film News
Elizabeth: This year has dumped a load of food, fine art, and complete confusion all at once; Hanukkah converged with Thanksgiving for the first time in years sending us all to the trough –- now the Miami Fairs and Santa are on the way. As an art shipper, I'm on a cheap holiday in other people's misery, as the Sex Pistols put it. At the VIP opening of Art Basel, Kate Gilmore caved to Miami sexist traditions and low-balled her performance piece by having the women and men, who smashed ruby colored metal cubes with sledgehammers, perform bare-chested! Really, girl?
David: Unlike you, Elizabeth, I don't wanna holiday in the sun; so instead of Miami, I went to the opening of Michael Zansky's show titled, A Vacation on Mars with God, at Stux Gallery, where I met the artist and had a shot of vodka with Stefan Stux, who introduced me to the artist.
David: Unlike you, Elizabeth, I don't wanna holiday in the sun; so instead of Miami, I went to the opening of Michael Zansky's show titled, A Vacation on Mars with God, at Stux Gallery, where I met the artist and had a shot of vodka with Stefan Stux, who introduced me to the artist.
- 1/9/2014
- by Elizabeth Stevens
- www.culturecatch.com
Your second music-video innovation of the week comes from Pharrell, who went out and made like nine (we're still counting) different music videos for his Despicable Me 2 track "Happy." They are all wound together — with videos from a lot more very happy people, including Magic Johnson, Steve Carrell, and Tyler the Creator — in an interactive video not unlike Christian Marclay's "The Clock": it's 24 hours long; you can start and stop watching it whenever you like; it will teach you something about time and emotions. Our favorite hour so far is 3 p.m., when Pharrell does goofy dance moves in front of a choir, but maybe you will prefer 3 a.m., when Pharrell does goofy dance moves with some animated characters. There is plenty more to like, though — 24 hours' worth.
- 11/21/2013
- by Amanda Dobbins
- Vulture
In 2006, during the initial years of YouTube’s expanding popularity, this mash-up of The Shining went viral. By recasting the tone of Stanley Kubrick’s canonized 1980 horror film as a romantic comedy, complete with a Peter Gabriel song, the video’s act of both subverting and highlighting genre conventions made an incredibly effective case for how audiences can actively rework, rethink, or even contradict some of Hollywood’s most sacred texts. It’s this particular web 2.0-enabled democratic approach – not only to The Shining, but to movies in general – that lays the groundwork for Rodney Asher’s Room 237, a “subjective documentary” that investigates theories around the most notorious adaptation of any of Stephen King’s novels. Room 237 lends a microphone to five select uber-fans of The Shining. We never see these fans, and we only peripherally come to understand a bit about them (one is a history professor, another...
- 3/27/2013
- by Landon Palmer
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Edvard Munch's"The Scream," one of the most recognized images in art history, is set to go on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York for six months, beginning Oct. 24, the museum announced Tuesday. Munch made four versions of "The Scream" between 1893 and 1910. The one on loan to MoMA, a pastel-on-board from 1895, was sold at a Sotheby's auction in May for a record $120 million to an anonymous private collector, reportedly financier Leon Black. Also read: Christian Marclay's 'The Clock' to Screen at Lacma, MoMA The three...
- 9/18/2012
- by Lisa Fung
- The Wrap
Swiss visual artist Christian Marclay's popular video art installation "The Clock" will be screened at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) in the coming months. The 24-hour film, which won the Golden Lion award at the 2011 Venice Biennale, synthesizes thousands of genre-jumping television and movie clips – each featuring a timepiece that tracks every second, minute, hour of an entire day. "It's always a huge hit when we screen it," Lacma spokeswoman Miranda Carroll told TheWrap. "It's screened in real time. When...
- 9/15/2012
- by Danielle Paquette
- The Wrap
For those New Yorkers who, like me, feel like they’ve only scratched the surfaced of Christian Marclay’s enthralling 24-hour installation, The Clock — or, more pressingly, for those who have yet to experience it at all — there is excellent news today.
The Museum of Modern Art has announced that Marclay’s immersive exploration of cinematic time will return to NYC for a month this winter, running from December 21 to January 21. There will be a number of days when the entire film will screen continuously, most notably on New Year’s Eve, an event which promises to be extremely memorable.
Below is the press release:
New York, September 12, 2012–The Museum of Modern Art will show Christian Marclay’s groundbreaking video installation The Clock (2010), from December 21, 2012, to January 21, 2013. Winner of the Golden Lion award at the 2011 Venice Biennale, The Clock is a cinematic tour de force that unfolds on the screen...
The Museum of Modern Art has announced that Marclay’s immersive exploration of cinematic time will return to NYC for a month this winter, running from December 21 to January 21. There will be a number of days when the entire film will screen continuously, most notably on New Year’s Eve, an event which promises to be extremely memorable.
Below is the press release:
New York, September 12, 2012–The Museum of Modern Art will show Christian Marclay’s groundbreaking video installation The Clock (2010), from December 21, 2012, to January 21, 2013. Winner of the Golden Lion award at the 2011 Venice Biennale, The Clock is a cinematic tour de force that unfolds on the screen...
- 9/12/2012
- by Nick Dawson
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Do you remember the moment Marilyn Monroe walked into your life?
To refresh your memory, we are providing you with a supercut video of Marilyn entering and exiting through 100 doors -- including a clip from every one of her movies except "Let's Make it Legal." The video was made by artist Scott Blake, who we featured for his interactive barcode portraits. Blake created the video collage in honor of the 50th anniversary of Monroe's death. If you didn't get a chance to catch Christian Marclay's "The Clock" yet, consider this your chance to get your fix of supercut film magic.
We miss you, Miss Monroe. Although it has been half a century since the blonde siren passed away, she has kept the nation transfixed with her beauty, magnetism and va-va-va-voom.
Also, check out Blake's barcode homage to Monroe below, which is made of 1,944 barcodes from her DVDs:...
To refresh your memory, we are providing you with a supercut video of Marilyn entering and exiting through 100 doors -- including a clip from every one of her movies except "Let's Make it Legal." The video was made by artist Scott Blake, who we featured for his interactive barcode portraits. Blake created the video collage in honor of the 50th anniversary of Monroe's death. If you didn't get a chance to catch Christian Marclay's "The Clock" yet, consider this your chance to get your fix of supercut film magic.
We miss you, Miss Monroe. Although it has been half a century since the blonde siren passed away, she has kept the nation transfixed with her beauty, magnetism and va-va-va-voom.
Also, check out Blake's barcode homage to Monroe below, which is made of 1,944 barcodes from her DVDs:...
- 8/5/2012
- by Priscilla Frank
- Huffington Post
Themes parks are meant to be fun, but moviemakers often have other ideas. All aboard for the ride to the end of your life …
This week's clip joint is by Neil Mitchell, a freelance writer and editor of World Film Locations: London, among other publications. He also writes a film blog, and you can find him on Twitter @nrm1972.
Think you can do better? Email your idea for a future Clip joint to adam.boult@guardian.co.uk
In movie land, an amusement park is often anything but. In the hands of moviemakers, these modern day Rabelaisian playgrounds – spaces that, outside the norm of everyday life, offer the promise of thrills and hedonistic abandonment – have become sites of genuine terror, life threatening danger and unholy activity. Sometimes, the death-defying rides are the least of your worries …
1. Westworld
A theme park populated by androids, you say? Androids you can kill for fun?...
This week's clip joint is by Neil Mitchell, a freelance writer and editor of World Film Locations: London, among other publications. He also writes a film blog, and you can find him on Twitter @nrm1972.
Think you can do better? Email your idea for a future Clip joint to adam.boult@guardian.co.uk
In movie land, an amusement park is often anything but. In the hands of moviemakers, these modern day Rabelaisian playgrounds – spaces that, outside the norm of everyday life, offer the promise of thrills and hedonistic abandonment – have become sites of genuine terror, life threatening danger and unholy activity. Sometimes, the death-defying rides are the least of your worries …
1. Westworld
A theme park populated by androids, you say? Androids you can kill for fun?...
- 7/25/2012
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
We can't say that we're necessarily the biggest fans of the "supercut," those viral videos that take a bunch of examples of a particular thing -- people cussing, or saying a particular line, or whatever -- pull them together with some natty editing, and then just hang around collecting views. Generally speaking, they feel like kind of a waste of time, and are sort of indicative of a depressing pick & mix engagement with culture. But having said that, Christian Marclay's "The Clock," which cuts together moments of instances of time in film over a 24-hour period, is one of the most amazing things we've ever seen, and that's essentially an extension of the supercut principle, so we're certainly open to it. A new video essay by Jason Bailey that just popped up at Flavorwire is no "The Clock," but it's certainly worth a watch; collecting 135 shots from 86 movies that...
- 7/18/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Christian Marclay’s The Clock returns to New York beginning tomorrow, July 13, through August 1 at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. For details click here, and note that on the weekends the installation will run 24 hours. At special Twitter account, @LCClock, will post wait times. The following piece appeared in our Fall, 2011 issue.
Christian Marclay’s The Clock video installation is many things. Structurally it is a 24-hour video installation in which film clips from across the history of cinema are meticulously edited together so that the fictional time inside each clip matches exactly the time at which you are watching it. Culturally, The Clock is an art-world sensation. When it ran last year for several 48-hour stretches at the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York, visitors waited in long lines in the cold weather for the chance to watch part of it. Die-hard fans skipped the lines by...
Christian Marclay’s The Clock video installation is many things. Structurally it is a 24-hour video installation in which film clips from across the history of cinema are meticulously edited together so that the fictional time inside each clip matches exactly the time at which you are watching it. Culturally, The Clock is an art-world sensation. When it ran last year for several 48-hour stretches at the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York, visitors waited in long lines in the cold weather for the chance to watch part of it. Die-hard fans skipped the lines by...
- 7/12/2012
- by Peter Bowen
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
With Georges Méliès as its subject, Martin Scorsese's Hugo – up for 11 Oscars – is a film that gives meaning to the cliché 'the magic of the movies'
Should you stay up for the Oscars, here's a surefire way to be hammered by the end: pour yourself a drink each time you hear the word "magic", and you'll be watching the winner's tearful acceptance speech in an alcoholic haze.
Is there a phrase more hackneyed than "the magic of the movies"? From the moment of their invention at the end of the 19th century, motion pictures have been perceived as simultaneously hyper natural and supernatural. The first films of the Lumiére brothers were simple recordings ("actualities") that established the photographic basis of the medium; those produced by the stage magician Georges Méliès, the subject of Martin Scorsese's impressive 3D spectacle Hugo, were fantastic and predicated on special effects – namely stop-motion,...
Should you stay up for the Oscars, here's a surefire way to be hammered by the end: pour yourself a drink each time you hear the word "magic", and you'll be watching the winner's tearful acceptance speech in an alcoholic haze.
Is there a phrase more hackneyed than "the magic of the movies"? From the moment of their invention at the end of the 19th century, motion pictures have been perceived as simultaneously hyper natural and supernatural. The first films of the Lumiére brothers were simple recordings ("actualities") that established the photographic basis of the medium; those produced by the stage magician Georges Méliès, the subject of Martin Scorsese's impressive 3D spectacle Hugo, were fantastic and predicated on special effects – namely stop-motion,...
- 2/25/2012
- by J Hoberman
- The Guardian - Film News
Our Deaths, in memoriam was the project title of Lav Diaz' Kagadanan sa Banwaan Ning mga Engkanto (2007). For the Ferroni Brigade, it became the motto of Venice 2011—specters of dear lives gone seemed to roam the event, the Mostra internazionale d’arte cinematografica as well as the Esposizione internazionale d'arte, and beyond.
We always commemorate the murder of Nika Bohinc and Alexis Tioseco on September 1st 2009, quietly, invariably in Venice; it was here that we heard about the crime; now, whenever we go to the press room to check our e-mails, deep down something inside us is afraid of getting another message like that one; fittingly, one of the last films we saw this year was Diaz' latest, Siglo ng Pagluluwal (Century of Birthing, 2011), which ends with a dedication to them, and talks about the way our loved ones, just like cherished ideas, notions and visions are essentially eternal,...
We always commemorate the murder of Nika Bohinc and Alexis Tioseco on September 1st 2009, quietly, invariably in Venice; it was here that we heard about the crime; now, whenever we go to the press room to check our e-mails, deep down something inside us is afraid of getting another message like that one; fittingly, one of the last films we saw this year was Diaz' latest, Siglo ng Pagluluwal (Century of Birthing, 2011), which ends with a dedication to them, and talks about the way our loved ones, just like cherished ideas, notions and visions are essentially eternal,...
- 2/7/2012
- MUBI
24-hour artwork using thousands of movie clips to keep real time is acquired by Tate and two other museums
A most useful work of art, Clock 2010, made by Christian Marclay by editing together thousands of clips of clocks, watches and time checks from films so that they tell the actual time as the video runs for 24 hours, has been acquired jointly by the Tate, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
The three museums have agreed that it will be shown in only one at any given time. It is expected to return to the Tate in London this year.
When the piece was shown last year in Britain and at international venues including the Venice Biennale – where it won the Golden Lion award – gallery visitors found themselves hooked, watching it for hours and checking their own watches and mobile phones to confirm it really was telling precisely the right time.
A most useful work of art, Clock 2010, made by Christian Marclay by editing together thousands of clips of clocks, watches and time checks from films so that they tell the actual time as the video runs for 24 hours, has been acquired jointly by the Tate, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
The three museums have agreed that it will be shown in only one at any given time. It is expected to return to the Tate in London this year.
When the piece was shown last year in Britain and at international venues including the Venice Biennale – where it won the Golden Lion award – gallery visitors found themselves hooked, watching it for hours and checking their own watches and mobile phones to confirm it really was telling precisely the right time.
- 2/1/2012
- by Maev Kennedy
- The Guardian - Film News
There were many delights to be found in UK cinemas in 2011 both in wide release and at the wide variety of festivals that still thrive here. I watched a great many films in 2011 and there were a large number that impressed me and below are some of my favourites.
I have divided the films into released and unreleased categories, thereby allowing me to include films seen at festivals that have have not (yet) been released in the UK. Some of these films are still without a distributor (including my number one film) and therefore may never be eligible for inclusion in a ‘released top ten list’.
Released Top Ten
1. 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)
“Who would have thought the age of war would be like this? It’s magnificent.”
Having followed Takashi Miike’s career for a number of years there has been plenty of variety, from fantastical kid’s films to graphically violent experimentation,...
I have divided the films into released and unreleased categories, thereby allowing me to include films seen at festivals that have have not (yet) been released in the UK. Some of these films are still without a distributor (including my number one film) and therefore may never be eligible for inclusion in a ‘released top ten list’.
Released Top Ten
1. 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)
“Who would have thought the age of war would be like this? It’s magnificent.”
Having followed Takashi Miike’s career for a number of years there has been plenty of variety, from fantastical kid’s films to graphically violent experimentation,...
- 1/6/2012
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
An avid podcast listener (like me) could hardly stumble across better news today than this fresh item from the Zellner Bros: "Mike Plante has great taste and a vast knowledge of film. His venture Cinemad has been many wonderful things; a zine, a blog, a DVD almanac, a distributor and podcast. His latest podcast installment interviews the Zb's, hopefully we did it justice. A lot of important issues were covered from Sasquatches to Salo to Chuck Berry."
What's more, this is Cinemad's sixth podcast and, as it happens, for nearly every one of them, there's a relevant upcoming event worth noting. David and Nathan Zellner's new feature, Kid-Thing, for example, will be making its premiere at Sundance in a few weeks. As for the other five:
Nina Menkes. We've got a cinema devoted to her films even now; its virtual doors are open through July.
Azazel Jacobs. His touching...
What's more, this is Cinemad's sixth podcast and, as it happens, for nearly every one of them, there's a relevant upcoming event worth noting. David and Nathan Zellner's new feature, Kid-Thing, for example, will be making its premiere at Sundance in a few weeks. As for the other five:
Nina Menkes. We've got a cinema devoted to her films even now; its virtual doors are open through July.
Azazel Jacobs. His touching...
- 1/2/2012
- MUBI
"Although listed by barely half of the 95 participating voters, Terrence Malick's polarizing Tree of Life sits comfortably atop the 2011 Voice Film Critics' Poll," announces J Hoberman. "Part Brakhage, part Tarkovsky, part Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Malick's cosmic family drama handily outpointed its expected challenger, Lars von Trier's Melancholia (#3), as well as the surprise runner-up, Asghar Farhadi's Iranian courtroom drama A Separation (#2), while Malick himself crushed bad boy von Trier as best director." All well and good, but here's the fun part:
The Passiondex™ is derived by multiplying a movie's average score by a percentage of those voters who marked it first or second or, because passion cuts two ways, declared it the year's worst movie. If the Passiondex™ is applied to the top 10 movies, Tree of Life drops to a temperate sixth place and A Separation to a reasonable 10th, with Melancholia (which garnered far more first- and second-place votes,...
The Passiondex™ is derived by multiplying a movie's average score by a percentage of those voters who marked it first or second or, because passion cuts two ways, declared it the year's worst movie. If the Passiondex™ is applied to the top 10 movies, Tree of Life drops to a temperate sixth place and A Separation to a reasonable 10th, with Melancholia (which garnered far more first- and second-place votes,...
- 12/21/2011
- MUBI
Last week our critics picked their highlights of 2011. Did they get it right? Readers respond with their own highs (and lows)
MattB75
One Man, Two Guvnors was the most fun I've had in a theatre for years – easily the best play of 2011, and James Corden best performer. The National theatre largely misfired for me: A Woman Killed with Kindness, Cherry Orchard, 13, The Kitchen, Frankenstein and Greenland were all largely disappointing.
The RSC's Homecoming was the best revival. Rupert Goold's Merchant of Venice was great fun, even if the inconsistency in Portia's characterisation (from ditzy blond Glee fan to brilliant prosecutor, hm) took the edge off it.
Tom Brooke was my favourite actor of the year – in The Kitchen, and I Am the Wind.
oogin
Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid are still two of my least-admired starchitects. However, credit where it's due. I had the pleasure of wandering Toronto's Ago...
MattB75
One Man, Two Guvnors was the most fun I've had in a theatre for years – easily the best play of 2011, and James Corden best performer. The National theatre largely misfired for me: A Woman Killed with Kindness, Cherry Orchard, 13, The Kitchen, Frankenstein and Greenland were all largely disappointing.
The RSC's Homecoming was the best revival. Rupert Goold's Merchant of Venice was great fun, even if the inconsistency in Portia's characterisation (from ditzy blond Glee fan to brilliant prosecutor, hm) took the edge off it.
Tom Brooke was my favourite actor of the year – in The Kitchen, and I Am the Wind.
oogin
Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid are still two of my least-admired starchitects. However, credit where it's due. I had the pleasure of wandering Toronto's Ago...
- 12/15/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
In film nerds circles, yesterday is what's known as "Super Sunday," when a whole bunch of critics groups all announce their award winners on the same day. Do a couple of press releases qualify the day for an adjective reserved for presidential elections and internationally televised football games? If your movie wins something, absolutely.
Yesterday, the big winner once again with the silent film pastiche "The Artist" which earned Best Picture honors from The New York Film Critics Online and Boston Society of Film Critics. It also got a "special award" from the American Film Institute, a particularly impressive (or suspicious) honor considering the AFI only considers "incontrovertibly American" films and "The Artist" was made by a French cast and crew.
The other major critics groups who announced their winners on Sunday went for two other awards season favorites. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted for Alexander Payne's...
Yesterday, the big winner once again with the silent film pastiche "The Artist" which earned Best Picture honors from The New York Film Critics Online and Boston Society of Film Critics. It also got a "special award" from the American Film Institute, a particularly impressive (or suspicious) honor considering the AFI only considers "incontrovertibly American" films and "The Artist" was made by a French cast and crew.
The other major critics groups who announced their winners on Sunday went for two other awards season favorites. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association voted for Alexander Payne's...
- 12/12/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
The various critics' associations have started announcing their 2011 awards for movies. Sunday (Dec. 11), the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Online, the Boston Society of Film Critics and the American Film Institute all announced their picks.
"The Tree of Life" appears the most times for nominees (not counting runners-up, which the La Film Critics name as well). Brad Pitt and "Moneyball" also make several appears, as does Melissa McCarthy and "Bridesmaids" and French silent film "The Artist."
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Best Picture
The Descendants
(Runner-up: The Tree of Life)
Best Director
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
(Runner-up: Martin Scorsese, Hugo)
Best Actor
Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class
(Runner-up: Michael Shannon, Take Shelter)
Best Actress
Yun Jung-hee, Poetry
(Runner-up: Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia)
Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
(Runner-up: Patton Oswalt, Young Adult)
Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain,...
"The Tree of Life" appears the most times for nominees (not counting runners-up, which the La Film Critics name as well). Brad Pitt and "Moneyball" also make several appears, as does Melissa McCarthy and "Bridesmaids" and French silent film "The Artist."
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Best Picture
The Descendants
(Runner-up: The Tree of Life)
Best Director
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
(Runner-up: Martin Scorsese, Hugo)
Best Actor
Michael Fassbender, A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, Shame, X-Men: First Class
(Runner-up: Michael Shannon, Take Shelter)
Best Actress
Yun Jung-hee, Poetry
(Runner-up: Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia)
Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
(Runner-up: Patton Oswalt, Young Adult)
Best Supporting Actress
Jessica Chastain,...
- 12/11/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Seems that this year nearly every gaggle of critics will be tweeting their awards the moment they decide whom to give them to, and the Boston Society of Film Critics is no different. Their picks for the best of 2011:
Best Picture: Michel Hazanavicius's The Artist. Runners-Up: Martin Scorsese for Hugo and Kenneth Lonergan's Margaret.
Best Foreign Film: Denis Villeneuve's Incendies. Runner-Up: Asghar Farhadi's A Separation and Lee Chang-dong's Poetry.
Best Documentary: James Marsh's Project Nim. Runner-Up: Richard Press's Bill Cunningham New York.
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo. Runner-Up: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist.
Best Screenplay: Moneyball (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin). Runner-Up: Margaret (Kenneth Lonergan).
Best Actress: Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn. Runner-Up: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball. Runners-Up: George Clooney for The Descendants and Michael Fassbender for Shame.
Best...
Best Picture: Michel Hazanavicius's The Artist. Runners-Up: Martin Scorsese for Hugo and Kenneth Lonergan's Margaret.
Best Foreign Film: Denis Villeneuve's Incendies. Runner-Up: Asghar Farhadi's A Separation and Lee Chang-dong's Poetry.
Best Documentary: James Marsh's Project Nim. Runner-Up: Richard Press's Bill Cunningham New York.
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo. Runner-Up: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist.
Best Screenplay: Moneyball (Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin). Runner-Up: Margaret (Kenneth Lonergan).
Best Actress: Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn. Runner-Up: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball. Runners-Up: George Clooney for The Descendants and Michael Fassbender for Shame.
Best...
- 12/11/2011
- MUBI
Penelope Ann Miller, The Artist Best Picture: The Artist Best Foreign-Language Film: Incendies Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball Best Actress: Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids Best Ensemble Cast: Carnage Best Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin for Moneyball Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life Best Documentary: Project Nim Best Animated Film: Rango Best Film Editing (awarded in memory of Karen Schmeer): Christian Marclay for The Clock Best New Filmmaker (awarded in memory of David Brudnoy): Sean Durkin for Martha Marcy May Marlene Best Use of Music in a Film (tie): Drive and The Artist Best Film Series All Roads Lead to Nowhere The Films of Monte Hellman (Hfa) American Punk (Hfa) The Complete Henri-Georges Clouzot (Hfa) Noir Nights (ArtsEmerson...
- 12/11/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
In a busy day that saw the AFI, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the New York Online critics announce their year end awards, the Boston Society of Film Critics chose the silent black-and-white charmer The Artist as its top film for 2011. Brad Pitt picked up best actor for Moneyball, Michelle Williams won best actress for My Week with Marilyn, and Martin Scorsese took home best director for Hugo. Check out the full list of winners below:
Best Picture
The Artist
Best Actor
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Best Actress
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks,...
Best Picture
The Artist
Best Actor
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Best Actress
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks,...
- 12/11/2011
- by Adam B. Vary
- EW - Inside Movies
By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: As if there wasn’t enough going on Sunday afternoon, with the L.A. and New York Film Critics Online handing out their annual awards, the Boston Film Critics Association gathered to nominate their Best of 2011, settling on Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist.”
The Boston critics named Martin Scorsese as the year’s best director for “Hugo.” Top acting awards went to Brad Pitt (for “Moneyball”) and Michelle Williams (for “My Week with Marilyn”).
A full list of awards is listed below:
Best Picture: The Artist. Runner-Up: Hugo and Margaret
Bets Documentary: Project Nim
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo. Close runner-up: The Artist.
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball Runners up: George Clooney for The Descendants, Michael Fassbender for Shame
Best Actress (another competitive one!): Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn.
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids.
hollywoodnews.com: As if there wasn’t enough going on Sunday afternoon, with the L.A. and New York Film Critics Online handing out their annual awards, the Boston Film Critics Association gathered to nominate their Best of 2011, settling on Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist.”
The Boston critics named Martin Scorsese as the year’s best director for “Hugo.” Top acting awards went to Brad Pitt (for “Moneyball”) and Michelle Williams (for “My Week with Marilyn”).
A full list of awards is listed below:
Best Picture: The Artist. Runner-Up: Hugo and Margaret
Bets Documentary: Project Nim
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for Hugo. Close runner-up: The Artist.
Best Actor: Brad Pitt for Moneyball Runners up: George Clooney for The Descendants, Michael Fassbender for Shame
Best Actress (another competitive one!): Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn.
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids.
- 12/11/2011
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
The dream of diversity from the critical groups is showing signs of dying yet again as The Artist is beginning to look like this year's The Social Network as the Boston Film Critics Society follows suit with the New York and Washington D.C. critics in awarding The Artist the best film of 2011. The org also agreed with the D.C. critics giving Martin Scorsese (Hugo) a Best Director nod, Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) a Best Actress nod and a Supporting win for Albert Brooks (Drive). Moneyball also gets a little bump winning again for Best Actor (Brad Pitt) and Screenplay, just as it did with the New York critics. As far as surprises go, there really aren't any unless you count Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) winning Best Supporting Actress, but I think we all assumed she would win at least one somewhere. I have included the complete list of winners...
- 12/11/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The dream of diversity from the critical groups is showing signs of dying yet again as The Artist is beginning to look like this year's The Social Network as the Boston Film Critics Society follows suit with the New York and Washington D.C. critics in awarding The Artist the best film of 2011. The org also agreed with the D.C. critics giving Martin Scorsese (Hugo) a Best Director nod, Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) a Best Actress nod and a Supporting win for Albert Brooks (Drive). Moneyball also gets a little bump winning again for Best Actor (Brad Pitt) and Screenplay, just as it did with the New York critics. As far as surprises go, there really aren't any unless you count Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) winning Best Supporting Actress, but I think we all assumed she would win at least one somewhere. I have included the complete list of winners...
- 12/11/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
would you be so good as to participate in the bean lottery? Please submit your bid for the number of beans in the bottleBeantown critics have assembled today to announce their prizes. Lafca and the Nyfco critics are also announcing later.
Awful lot of bean vote counting going on today. In Boston's case they're being very leisurely about it. We'll see how quickly the other associations move. I only illustrated with Melancholia's wedding bean lottery because I was just watching it last night and here we are this morning and never mind...
The winners!
Picture The Artist (Runner up: Hugo and Margaret)
Director Martin Scorsese for Hugo (Runner up: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist)
Actress Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn (Runner up: La Streep. Guess Boston liked their biographies above all else this year)
Actor Brad Pitt for Moneyball (Runners up The Clooney & Fassy)
Supporting Actress Melissa McCarthy...
Awful lot of bean vote counting going on today. In Boston's case they're being very leisurely about it. We'll see how quickly the other associations move. I only illustrated with Melancholia's wedding bean lottery because I was just watching it last night and here we are this morning and never mind...
The winners!
Picture The Artist (Runner up: Hugo and Margaret)
Director Martin Scorsese for Hugo (Runner up: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist)
Actress Michelle Williams for My Week With Marilyn (Runner up: La Streep. Guess Boston liked their biographies above all else this year)
Actor Brad Pitt for Moneyball (Runners up The Clooney & Fassy)
Supporting Actress Melissa McCarthy...
- 12/11/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Having recently returned from London I was struck by the fact that three new posters on the main page of iTunes Trailers last week all featured that evergreen symbol of Britishness, Big Ben.
Big Ben, or, to be more precise, the Clock Tower that houses the Great Bell that was nicknamed Big Ben, has long been used as a shorthand cliché in movie posters to announce that a film is set in London, or, even more lazily, in England. Usually, as in many of the examples below, it is snuck into the background as a simple tip of the hat. However, two new posters—for The Iron Lady and Garbo: The Spy—feature it much more prominently. Of course, if ever a film had reason to feature of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, it would be a biopic of a British Prime Minister. But its useage in...
Big Ben, or, to be more precise, the Clock Tower that houses the Great Bell that was nicknamed Big Ben, has long been used as a shorthand cliché in movie posters to announce that a film is set in London, or, even more lazily, in England. Usually, as in many of the examples below, it is snuck into the background as a simple tip of the hat. However, two new posters—for The Iron Lady and Garbo: The Spy—feature it much more prominently. Of course, if ever a film had reason to feature of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, it would be a biopic of a British Prime Minister. But its useage in...
- 11/21/2011
- MUBI
You'd think that Team Cinema Scope, having just covered Toronto 2011 more extensively — surely! — than any other single publication has ever covered a film festival in the histories of films and festivals combined, would take a month or two off to recover. But no, here's Issue 48, solid as any other.
Of Thom Andersen's 30 "Random Notes on a Projection of The Clock by Christian Marclay," here's the first: "The Clock is certainly dumb: a 24-hour movie made entirely from other movies in which the depicted screen time corresponds precisely to the actual time of the screening with plenty of clock inserts and shots in which clocks appear, sometimes incidentally. I'm sure I'm not the first to ask, why didn't I think of that? But is The Clock dumb enough?" Marclay, at any rate, is smart enough to have made not one, not two, but six editions of the piece, the last...
Of Thom Andersen's 30 "Random Notes on a Projection of The Clock by Christian Marclay," here's the first: "The Clock is certainly dumb: a 24-hour movie made entirely from other movies in which the depicted screen time corresponds precisely to the actual time of the screening with plenty of clock inserts and shots in which clocks appear, sometimes incidentally. I'm sure I'm not the first to ask, why didn't I think of that? But is The Clock dumb enough?" Marclay, at any rate, is smart enough to have made not one, not two, but six editions of the piece, the last...
- 10/4/2011
- MUBI
When Daniel Bloomfield, an amateur but obviously quite talented photographer, posted the above photo to his Flickr account yesterday, it didn't take long for it to start bouncing across the wires. For many, FirstShowing's Alex Billington among them, it raises all sorts of questions: "It was revealed back in August that [Christian] Bale was up for the lead role in another new Terrence Malick project, to follow his romance with Ben Affleck that's already finished. On Friday this week, Bale was spotted attending shows at the Austin City Limits music festival — with both a full camera crew and Malick himself in tow. Photos, like the one seen above, were taken confirming the two are working together. But what's going on?… [A]re they shooting already?… Or are they just having fun together, as Malick does live in Austin. Either way, this is one of the first good photos we've seen of Terrence Malick in a long time,...
- 9/17/2011
- MUBI
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.