My Favourite Movies of the Decade

20. A Single Man

Achingly beautiful and supremely moving, this vibrant debut from fashion designer-turned-filmmaker Tom Ford is an unforgettable work of breathtaking brilliance. Colin Firth delivers my favourite performance of 2009 as George Falconer, a gay man mourning the loss of his lover, who perished in a car accident eight months prior to the events of the film. The narrative is engaging and insightful, as Ford looks at grief and pain through a rainbow of colour and startling imagery. Shots of a pink sky and an orange moon are visual highlights, but every frame of A Single Man burns with beauty. Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, and Nicholas Hoult all offer solid supporting work to strengthen the movie's already formidable dramatic reach. Ford's directorial debut is a stunner, finding comfort in melancholy and hope in despair.

 

 

19. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Martial arts have rarely been presented in such a visually melodious fashion. Ang Lee's Chinese action epic centres around the theft of a powerful sword known as the Green Destiny, but it is also a tale of loss and heartbreak. Set in a world where those who have mastered the art of fighting can become lighter than air and therefore leap over buildings or balance on bamboo branches, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a smoothly fantastical movie. The fight sequences are breathtaking, thanks to Peter Pau's crisp photography and Yuen Woo-ping's graceful choreography. The acting is fantastic, with Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh each bringing their own unique presence to their roles of martial arts masters. But it is Zhang Ziyi as a young, hot-headed woman who steals the show. She plays Jen, a powerful fighter who has grown impatient with her fight training, and brings such innocence and energy to the role that her character is entirely unforgettable. The combination of solid acting and gorgeous fight sequences make Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon a modern classic of the genre.

 

18. Inland Empire

David Lynch is one of the most unique filmmakers working today. When he sets out to tell a story of a protagonist trapped in a dark netherworld, few cinematic journeys can rival his ability to induce fear and discomfort. Watching his horror movies is like stumbling into a nightmare from which you cannot wake up. Inland Empire is one of his most effectively disorienting works to date and it represents Lynch's first foray into the realm of digital video. Laura Dern gives an astonishing performance as an actress involved in a remake of a doomed Polish movie. Dern goes up against a villain called the Phantom and Lynch turns the screws of tension with nearly unbearable precision. There are even a handful of scenes involving humanoid rabbits trapped in what appears to be a very unfunny sitcom. Only Lynch could make sense of this much craziness.

 

 

17. 2046

This sort-of sequel to Wong Kar-Wai's luminous masterpiece In the Mood for Love is an intoxicating mixture of romance and sci-fi. Tony Leung plays a writer who dreams of a future world and of a room where everything is gloriously static. He wallows in a state of emotional absence, romancing various women without any expectation or hope of resulting happiness. It seems he is greatly damaged by the loss of a past love and it is here that the narrative ties into the world of In the Mood for Love. But whether you view 2046 as a companion piece or on its own, the dazzling effect of Wong Kar-Wai's direction is entirely enchanting. In direct contrast to In the Mood for Love, 2046 features a colour palette awash with sickly greens and yellows. The imagery is coldly haunting, depicting a world where passionate romance has evaporated, leaving behind the dank despair of a loveless life.

 

 

16. Kung Fu Hustle

Stephen Chow is a genius. Such a statement needs no more proof than this raucous kung fu movie that is as funny as it is fun and as imaginative as any martial arts movie I have ever seen. Chow writes, directs, produces, and stars in this wacky movie about two friends, Sing (Chow) and Bone (Chi Chung Lam), who desperately want to join the ranks of the dreaded Axe Gang in 1940s Shanghai. What follows is one of the most hilariously original and astonishingly entertaining movies of the decade. The fight sequences are exciting, the comic timing is perfect, the villains are angry nutcases and the heroes are total oddballs. Chow lends the movie a light and energetic tone that recalls classic Looney Tunes cartoons, while remaining incredibly unique. Everything about Kung Fu Hustle is enjoyable and the movie operates as a glowing reminder of the gleefully silly greatness that Stephen Chow brings to modern cinema.

 

 

15. Spirited Away

Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki bestowed this masterpiece upon the world early in the decade. In the simplest of terms, it is essentially a sweetly adventurous anime version of Alice in Wonderland. But in the hands of Miyazaki, Spirited Away becomes a modern fairytale that stands entirely on its own merits. The luscious hand-drawn animation is filled with spectacular amounts of colourful detail and the vast array of strange creatures and characters provide both a visual and aural treat. The main character, a little girl named Chihiro, is such a lovable person that developing an emotional investment in her journey is very easy. I happily followed Chihiro into this strangely fantastical world and, once there, I didn't want to leave. Miyazaki is a grand tour guide and Spirited Away is one of his greatest achievements. My second favourite animated movie of the decade, this masterpiece can appeal to viewers of all ages.

 

14. In the Mood for Love

One of the most romantic movies of the decade, if not of all time. Wong Kar-Wai's tale of a man (Tony Leung) and a woman (Michelle Cheung), who abandon their doomed relationships with other people in order to experience an unforgettable affair with each other, is so warmly hypnotic that its gravitational pull is impossible to ignore. The movie is bathed in sensual reds that allow the movie's striking imagery to expertly match the exquisite tone. Leung and Cheung are both brilliant, conveying so much emotion and passion through a handful of yearning glances and hopeful facial expressions. The camerawork is almost voyeuristic, as Wong beautifully reinforces a sense of tender intimacy by constantly reminding us that we are eavesdropping on intensely personal moments.

 

 

13. Mulholland Dr.

It took me a while to acclimate myself to the nightmarish vision that drives so much of David Lynch's work. But early in this decade, I finally watched Blue Velvet and I fell in love with Lynch's hypnotic directorial abilities. Viewings of Lost Highway and Inland Empire followed, both of which I loved dearly. My favourite Lynch movie to date is his debut chiller Eraserhead, which I regard as the scariest thing I have seen in my entire life. But Lynch gave us two more masterpieces in this decade and Mulholland Dr. ever so slightly edges out Inland Empire to become my favourite Lynch work of the past ten years. The story for this terrific mind-bender of a movie is focused on a young, optimistic actress (the brilliant Naomi Watts, who happens to be a perfect fit in Lynch's world) whose life is turned upside down when she receives an unexpected houseguest (Laura Harring). Since this is a Lynch movie, that basic synopsis is merely the tip of the narrative iceberg. What follows is a kaleidoscope of head-spinning brilliance, as Lynch's mouth of madness opens wide and threatens to swallow everything whole.

 

12. The Fog of War

This chilling documentary from filmmaker Errol Morris offers a gripping behind-the-scenes look at the United States' history with war. Looking to exorcise some personal demons, former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara sits down with Morris for an interview that covers such harrowing topics as World War II, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. McNamara is a fascinating subject, someone who is finally ready to tell the truth without holding anything back. Morris lets McNamara's confession tell the story, but he also fills the movie with effective imagery that allows The Fog of War to escape being branded as simply a "talking heads" documentary. Unnerving, moving, and amazingly engaging, this is an exceptional dissection of the horrors of war.

 

 

11. Moolaadé

One of the most impressively executed tales of female empowerment that I have seen in a long time. Set in a small, isolated village in Burkina Faso where all females are supposed to undergo a genital mutilation ritual referred to as "purification", Moolaadé tells the story of a woman (played with strength and determination by Fatoumata Coulibaly) who passionately protects a group of young girls who have refused the purification procedure. Since her own daughter is one of the only women in the village to have successfully evaded the ritual, Coulibaly's character Collé is the perfect candidate to keep the group of frightened girls safe. Despite heavy opposition from both the men in the village and the group of women who routinely perform the ritual, Collé stands her ground and refuses to give in. The narrative explores the history of the ritual and the gender divide that has been poisoning the village for many years. The conflict between empowered woman and frustrated man is handled with exquisite care and the story unfolds in dramatically satisfying fashion. Director Ousmane Sembene, who sadly passed away in 2007, has crafted an eye-opening look into a world very rarely viewed from within. Moolaadé is visually attractive, thematically rich, and wonderfully original.