What are the most Canon worthy films of this decade?

[DanielAnoroc 2]

Leviathan (the documentary)

Dogtooth (maybe)

 

Looking over these lists, I'm realizing there is so much I haven't seen.

[T.D. 61]

If we talk about this specific decade, I think it's important that the canon movies reflect the zeitgeist of our times. Therefore, I'd say stuff like... Nightcrawler don't have that much of a chance, since they could've been made 20 years ago and would be just as impactful.

 

Holy cow, completely disagree on this.

 

I literally described "Nightcrawler" in these terms within the past few days in a discussion with a friend on facebook-- I think it IS one of the great zeitgeist films of the early 21st century, and much like "Election" or "Network," it works as a terrifically sharp social satire that is not only relevant now, but is undoubtedly a prescient film that will only continue to grow in its haunting accuracy.

 

It's also an essentially perfect thriller in its own right with expert direction and an impeccable sense of mood, featuring a landmark performance by Gylenhaal-- even aside from its frightening profundity, I would argue that it's a Canon-worthy masterpiece on those grounds alone.

[Head Spin 112]

I actually just saw Nightcrawler the other day, finally. I think it's probably too on-the-nose to be a significant satire, but it's definitely an amazing crime thriller. Lou Bloom is an all-time great character/performance of cinema, and the whole film just flows. The direction, editing, and writing are all near-perfect. I'd vote it in in a heartbeat.

[joel_rosenbaum 1269]

Because nobody's mentioned it yet: What about Cloud Atlas? I loved it when I watched it in the cinema. Having been ignorant about everything surrounding it, I was blown away by it.

I saw it many years after release and was thoroughly underwhelmed.

 

I imagine that movies as specatcular as Cloud Atlas don't translate to the small screen as well.

 

Speaking of which, I'm just glad that no one suggested Avatar.

[AlexChristianLovendahl 34]

These are the ones in my actual pantheon of favorite movies which I've watched more than once, the ones that are never going anywhere.

-A Separation

-Black Swan (Aronofsky's best)

-Django Unchained

-Frank

-Holy Motors

-Inherent Vice (maybe PTA's best)

-Inside Llewyn Davis (the Coens' best)

-Living Stars (Argentinian documentary/dance film)

-Magic Mike XXL

-Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Wright's best)

-Spotlight

-Spring Breakers

-Tangerine

-The Master

-The Tree of Life (Malick's best)

-Whiplash

 

I'd also add the following based on first watches:

-Melancholia

-Snowpiercer

-The Act of Killing/The Look of Silence

-The Assassin

-The Hateful Eight (Tarantino's best)

-The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Takahata's best)

-The Wind Rises (Miyazaki's best)

 

I'm also glad that Fury Road is in the canon.

[Head Spin 112]

-Inside Llewyn Davis (the Coens' best)

 

I absolutely agree that that's their best. And given their filmography, that's a bar so high you'd need a javelin to clear it.

[HoldenMartinson 221]

These are the ones in my actual pantheon of favorite movies which I've watched more than once, the ones that are never going anywhere.

-Spotlight

 

-The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Takahata's best)

-The Wind Rises (Miyazaki's best)

I know Spotlight was pretty significant, winning Best Picture and everything, but it still feels like kind of an undervalued film. It's really terrific. It's the same argument I would apply to Marathon Man: Spotlight is not breaking any new ground, but it inhabits the space carved out by other great films about journalism quite beautifully. It's just a damn well-made picture, which is worth as much discussion. We can talk about influential films all day long, but it's way more interesting to talk about the beneficiaries of great pieces of cinema, that use their influences in interesting ways. This is why we talk about someone like Tarantino, and others that just celebrate film with a rabid passion. I think Spotlight is quieter in that regard, obviously, but is still worth mentioning.

 

As for those other two films, in another world, that would make for a versus episode on par with Thing vs. The Fly. Do you vote for the elegant, fatalistic folktale, or do you vote for the achingly honest portrayal of passion and accomplishment? It's just so hard to choose.

[JosephDaley 26]

I've given it incredible consideration, and there's absolutely a ton of movies I'd personally like to qualify, so I've compiled a list of features I'd love to see considered, in the order of the year of release so as not to betray my preference ;)/>

 

-Black Swan

-The Social Network

-A Prophet

-Drive

-13 Assassins

-Bullhead

-Hugo

-Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

-The Master

-Holy Motors

-Pieta

-Kill List

-Upstream Color

-Pacific Rim

-The Hunt

-Sightseers

-The Babadook

-Started Up

-Snowpiercer

-The Tale of Princess Kaguya

-The Duke of Burgundy

-A Most Violent Year

-Felt

-Ex Machina

[AlexChristianLovendahl 34]

-The Social Network

-Drive

-The Babadook

-A Most Violent Year

-Ex Machina

I didn't mention these, but I'd vote yes for them. The Social Network is the only one that's borderline, but it is such an iconic performance from Eisenberg that I'm willing to pull it along.

[ThomasRobertLee 3]

The Duke of Burgundy, Under the Skin, Upstream Color, Inherent Vice, The Social Network, The Tree of Life, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

[Shrek & Donkey Kong 4336]

The Tree of Life, The Master, The Social Network, Boyhood would be my four picks. not necessarily my four favorites of the decade so far (although all of those would be in my top 15 or so) but the four most important movies in terms of both culture and cinema itself.

[donaldw 2]

Super

The Act of Killing

Under the Skin

Her

Selma

The Lego Movie

Inside Out

Ex Machina

Room

 

Many others I haven't seen yet...

 

[ArlenAHarrow 3]

I think it's a little too soon to be sure but I think the list goes

 

Bridesmaids

Looper

Scott Pilgrim

Moonrise Kingdom

Dawn of The Planet of the Apes*

 

 

*Why? Just why?

[CarlosFerreira 20]

 

Ha! That's a killer analogy.

 

I second this.

 

From my part, three films have really made it for me this decade:

 

- Ex-Machina

- Nightcrawler

- Whiplash

 

I would vote either of those into the canon any day.

[Doah 6]

If we talk about this specific decade, I think it's important that the canon movies reflect the zeitgeist of our times. Therefore, I'd say stuff like Melancholia or Nightcrawler don't have that much of a chance, since they could've been made 20 years ago and would be just as impactful. Therefore, I'd be more in favor of stuff like the Lego Movie, Her, The Social Network, and maybe Scott Pilgrim vs. The Rest Of The World.

 

I see your point, but I would argue that, ironically, both the movies you gave as examples do reflect the zeitgeist of our times. With Melancholia, it is, in my opinion, the best movie about depression, period. Being that 14 million people suffer from depression, and that the movie is a metaphor for it, "Melancholia is hurtling toward us and it's going to be our ruin," I'd say it's a perfect reflection and needs to be considered. Similarly, Nightcrawler captures today's defining mood in the sense that speaks to contemporary journalism and the way that every amateur with a camera is now a potential expert. I'd love to see them both considered.

[Philly Cheesesteak 92]

Just so we're clear, we're talking from 2010 to now, yes? Not 2006 to now?

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

Just so we're clear, we're talking from 2010 to now, yes? Not 2006 to now?

 

 

2010-present!

[Philly Cheesesteak 92]

 

 

2010-present!

 

Sweet! In that case, I nominate Black Swan, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Grand Budapest Hotel (already voted in, I believe), Holy Motors, The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence, Frozen (I'd argue for its candidacy), Her, and The Hateful Eight.

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

Sweet! In that case, I nominate Black Swan, Inside Llewyn Davis, The Grand Budapest Hotel (already voted in, I believe), Holy Motors, The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence, Frozen (I'd argue for its candidacy), Her, and The Hateful Eight.

 

 

Love them all! Devin just placed FROZEN on his best films of the 21st century list. I agree with both of you.

[Philly Cheesesteak 92]

 

 

Love them all! Devin just placed FROZEN on his best films of the 21st century list. I agree with both of you.

 

Django Unchained, Gone Girl, Blackfish, The Lego Movie, Frank, The Babadook, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Anomalisa, Tangerine, Chi-Raq? Yay or nay?

[NathanGordon 1096]

The Duke of Burgundy

 

I'm really surprised Peter Strickland's second film hasn't gotten more recognition, or at least not that I've seen. One of the best films recently about sex and relationships, while also being Greenaway levels of weirdness AND finding time for an homage to Stan Brakhage. Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio was a wonderful little musique concrete giallo, but The Duke of Burgundy is an alien S&M music box that unfolds into a liminal meditation on the way we navigate sexual desire with our partners. The film is so sumptuous and textured you could eat a slice of it, with lavender and honey tea.

[Threshold 93]

RE Nightcrawler- I think the character and performance of Lou Bloom is better than the film as a whole.

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

Django Unchained, Gone Girl, Blackfish, The Lego Movie, Frank, The Babadook, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Anomalisa, Tangerine, Chi-Raq? Yay or nay?

 

 

out of the ones i've seen, I think they'd all be worthy episodes for sure (have not seen: Frank, Tangerine, or Anomalisa....YET!)

[Shrek & Donkey Kong 4336]

 

 

Love them all! Devin just placed FROZEN on his best films of the 21st century list. I agree with both of you.

 

 

where is this list?

[Llewellyn_Wells 47]

 

 

where is this list?

 

here!