No. 10 - “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” works as romantic comedy and science fiction. I can’t say that about any other film I’ve seen. But such is the quality of Charlie Kaufman’s writing, which serves as a hole puncher to allow us to peek into the human soul …
Goddamn! I gotta quit that kind of talk. Let’s just say Kaufman knows the awkward conversations that precede and follow relationships. He also knows good science fiction is built around questions, not maxims and computer-generated spaceships that bore the shit out of me. Sure, maybe the answer to “Should we fuck with our memories to reduce heartbreak?” is simple, but it’s fascinating seeing how the idea plays out.
I have to admit, for a while I was sucking off Kaufman so much that I somewhat dismissed Michel Gondry’s role as director. I mean, is it a coincidence that the Kaufman-scripted “Adaptation,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” and “Synecdoche, New York” remind me of each other visually, despite having different directors? No. But I’ll put money down saying Gondry’s film has the best pacing out of the bunch.
(As a side note, what I like so much about the memory-tampering sequences is how they aren’t just visually engaging—when one watches the destruction of a life via memory swipe, it is irksome. Maybe James Cameron could learn something here.)
Finally, the cast is the main reason “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a pleasure to watch. Jim Carrey delivers his most restrained performance, with Kate Winslet playing the wild card. Regardless of how their characters are scripted, Carrey and Winslet make a strange pair, but their interplay is universal in how it speaks to our …
I’m moving to the next one.
No. 9 - “Caché” (2005)
Man, I would have been pissed off if I had paid to see this bugger in a theater. Director/writer Michael Haneke likes fucking with us and then, to slightly plagiarize a friend, laughing maniacally at the ruckus. Basically, think an evil, thinner Alfred Hitchcock with white hair and beard, glasses, and vicious teeth.
But I really like the bastard, what can I say. But yeah, I missed the ending to this film. Strange idea, isn’t it? Missed the fucking ending. Then you look at the title again, “Caché,” and curse yourself for letting Haneke win again.
You will get no definitive answers to the mystery, but this isn’t “The Birds.” Haneke simply dangles possibilities in front of you.
The crazy thing is I don’t think Haneke gives a shit about what actually happened in this story. He wants you to look at what caused the mystery. Truthfully, it’s a simple ploy, but we are so used to certain conventions that it is devastating. Thank Christ you’re not the protagonist.
Plus, any movie that puts all its opening credits on one screen is admirably cuckoo.
No. 8 - “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)
A few people may see this movie at No. 8 and go, “Sorry, I can’t get into Wes Anderson.” I can help with that. If Anderson’s intentions are that dubious, pretend this entry is about your favorite movie of all time.
Essentially, “The Royal Tenenbaums” is a storybook of a film, complete with obvious typography and a section for the cast of characters. The story is narrated by a calm Alec Baldwin, which is a testament to Anderson’s knack for self-referential contradictions. Clearly, the introduction of this film is an odd way to start a movie. But listen closely. A cover of “Hey Jude” by The Beatles is playing in the background, and the lyric “Take a sad song and make it better” perfectly describes what Anderson is doing with the dysfunctional Tenenbaum family.
For example, instead of presenting Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman in a superb role), the insensitive father, in a totally negative light, Anderson wants us to laugh at him when he lies about having cancer to win his family back. Rereading the previous sentence brings to mind a genuine sadness to this film that Anderson cloaks and reveals ever so well.
But fuck all that. Look at this cast: Hackman, Anjelica Houston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, Bill Murray, and Kumar Pallana.
I believe I have shown there is nothing that difficult to “get” here. If I haven’t, perhaps I should have included “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” in this list like my wacky side suggested.
No. 7 - “The Piano Teacher” (2001)
Close call. I almost listed two movies in a row by the same director twice. (Check out No. 16, “Audition,” and No. 15, “Ichi the Killer,” both by Takashi Miike.)
A question remains, however. Does Michael Haneke deserve to have two movies in a top 10? No, the scheming bastard certainly doesn’t. I am not a Haneke fan in the way one is a Nolan fan. Haneke is a self-important and deceptive person. Having said that, his films are unique, provocative, and unforgettable, and those three adjectives should describe all of the top 10. Otherwise, what the hell am I doing?
I want to switch gears a bit to write about Isabelle Huppert, who plays the titular protagonist. Huppert is a scary actress, much like Daniel Day-Lewis is a scary actor. The depths she is able to convey through both subtle and fierce performing may scar you. I could not remove her character from my mind. Her motivations and secrets are tormenting.
But see, that’s only the excellent actress at work. During the film, you might feel guilty, as Haneke’s camera angles seem more like hiding spots for the most depraved voyeur than visual framing for a story. Like Hitchcock, Haneke is very interested in letting you see nastiness, but the primary weapon in “The Piano Teacher” is sexuality, not violence. If you can handle the violence, Haneke thinks you should be able to handle the sexuality.
(By the way, “Audition” has lost its throne as the most disturbing movie on this list.)
No. 6 - “Oldboy” (2003)
This revenge film from director/writer Park Chan-wook is as visceral as it is intellectual. Don’t let those who praise the hallway fight as cool lead you astray. “Oldboy” is not about heroism or victory. Chan-wook takes the Sophocles approach to tragedy but mixes in enough dark humor and romance to make you think he was the kid burying bodies in the sandbox to make a larger point about—ah, just take my word for it.
This movie is fucked up. That is one claim no one will dispute. The challenge is to take “Oldboy” in a broader context rather than as a film for the sake of itself. If one misses the commentary on the dreary revenge film genre, the movie may resemble unjustified torture. I assure you it is not. Even the infamous squid scene ties into Chan-wook’s critique of revenge flicks. (I’ve read that more than one real octopus had to die for the scene.)
But it’s so addicting! “Oldboy” is immensely rewarding on repeated viewings. Choi Min-sik's lead performance is just as scorching every time (the same can be said for Yoo Ji-tae's antagonist), and his voice-over narration doesn't get tiresome, as it is needed and funny. The flip side is that one also realizes this is an incredibly contrived story, but for a contrived story, it knows how to punch you in the gut.
Damn, I wanted to put this at No. 1.
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