The MoFo Top 100 of the 2010s Countdown

I haven't seen Ex Machina and have forever been on the fence on whether I want to see it or not. The premise is intriguing but it's just so Sci-Fi heavy. For now I'll stick with a different 2010's movie about a man falling for an A.I. "woman."

I hated Black Swan.

Seen: 31/52
My Ballot:
7. Joker (#60)
11. The Man From Nowhere (#95)
14. Inside Out (#59)
20. Jojo Rabbit (2019) (#89)
25. Kitbull (One Pointer)

Reviews in My 2010s Countdown Preparation Thread

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Black Swan was one of my five last cuts, I haven't seen it in sometime

Haven't seen Ex Machina

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It's more a psychological thriller than anything, MV.
You should definitely give it a go

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I did like both of these, though Ex Machina was more likely to make my ballot. It did not, however, as I went with some more idiosyncratic options.

I was pretty disappointed by Ex Machina.

Given how good Garland is/can be, I really thought we were gonna get a new take on the machines/humanity thing (speaking of, I've got an essay on that topic coming out early next week). I get similarly excited when a talented writer and/or director tackles time travel or any other done-to-death-but-inherently-interesting sci-fi question. But it just felt like a rehash of all the same philosophical questions movies have been asking about this since Blade Runner.

I realize someone might still love it on the strength of its cinematography, acting, mood, whatever, but a big and inextricable part of great sci-fi is exploring the concept, and I didn't think this one had much new to say about the topic.

I like both but neither made my ballot.

50/52

You probably aren’t wrong. I don’t really consider myself a sci-fi guy, so these things probably don’t feel as stale to me.

I would point out that this was our first look at Garland as a director, so maybe he was just getting his feet wet.

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Letterboxd

I really liked Black Swan and generally Aronofsky movies. I can say that I almost forgot Black Swan while I was making the ballot, but when I remember it I put it #12 easily. I watched Ex-Machina and I liked it and think it is really and important value for cinema but I didn't add it to my ballot maybe because I can't see anything common with my type.

My Ballot:
2)A Separation
6)Room
8)The Favourite
12)Black Swan
14)Toy Story 3
23)The Revenant

No votes. I've seen Ex Machina at least twice and my first impression is that it was one of the best films of 2015 - maybe not so much the thought-provoking piece of speculative fiction that it arguably thinks it is, but still an engaging enough mix of chamber drama and psychological thriller (that and the effects being a surprise winner at the Oscars were reasonably well-deserved). Either way, I haven't had much inclination to revisit it. I've seen Black Swan a couple of times and think it's pretty middling - generally not big on Aronofsky, but I'm considering revisiting all his features in the lead-up to seeing The Whale so I guess we'll see if anything changes.

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Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

I just don't watch many films and I know going in that The Hunt will be a tough watch and I'll have to sit and watch it properly in order to know what the hell is going on as I don't speak Danish.

I almost wrote this word for word in my post so you didn't have to. Love ya, honey. Never change. Plus, you know why you like me. I'm good people. Annoying, I'll grant you. But good.

And onto the selection... Of which, obviously, I've seen none.

I'm sure I said it when it turned up in the comedy countdown, but WWDITS reminds me of a script I wrote 20+ years ago, though obviously it wasn't a comedy and, as I've not seen the film, I could be completely wrong. Anyway, that's about all I think of that with the exception of I've seen a few episodes of the TV series and, well, it's just there isn't it? I don't hate it and I'd only turn it off if there was something I actually wanted to see on, but that's not in anyway a recommendation.

I own Nightcrawler but haven't seen it. I think I'll like it as and when I do.

Under The Skin is 50/50. I can see me absolutely loving it or I could think it's a load of crap, but I'd be a little surprised if I was ambivalent about it.

The Revenant seems to be an almost perfect example of a really well made film I have no interest in or intention of seeing. Even the clips I've seen and reading about it bore me.

I feel similarly about The Shape Of Water, but with the added bonus of it being directed by del Toro, who seems to be someone I just don't get. I've only seen his first three films, but the first two should've worked for me and didn't, while The Devil's Backbone I gave a chance because it was supposed to be really good. Again, I just don't see it.

Holy Motors I remember people banging on about when it was released and no one seems to have mentioned it since. I don't know if I'd like it or not. Usually I just look at this stuff and roll my eyes, but on occasion, it does work for me.

Black Swan is another I own but haven't seen, but I only own it as it was the last year in which I set out to see all the Oscar nominees. Aronofsky is another one who I was more interested in at the start (Pi, Requiem...) but less so as he went on and nothing since The Wrestler, which I didn't care much for. but admit I was in a very bad place when I saw it.

Ex-Machina? I'm kind of like MV on this one, though I think I'm slightly more open to it as it's more sci-fi tech than fantasy. That said, I'd still bet on her seeing it before me.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

Neither Black Swan nor Ex Machina made my list, but both of them are good films and I totally get why they're here. Both probably make my list if you asked for a top 50 or 100 of the decade.

It didn't make my ballot, but I really like Ex Machina. I sort of agree with Yoda about it being a relatively basic story about AI, what it means to be human, etc. I find it more interesting as a story that compares and contrasts two of the most maligned, most memed, etc. types of men lately, "dudebro/toxic" types like Nathan and "nice guys" like Caleb and how it reveals that they're more alike than different. My wife feels the same way, but she likes the movie a lot less than I do because of the male gaze-y stuff, whether it's the nudity, the physical abuse, etc. that betrays its feminist intentions. I think it's there to show how much of a monster Nathan is, but all of that could probably be less excessive.

Black Swan is a damn good movie but it’s been forever and I have no desire to watch it again.

Ex Machina is some excellent sci-fi. I wish we got more movies like it.

It's tempting to scrutinize the rampant hatred for Aronofsky that has been growing more and more noticeable throughout cinephilic circles in recent years. The scorn is unanimously aimed at his latest output, but his earlier efforts, including Black Swan, get denigrated, too, perhaps simply by the virtue of a hateful ricochet or perhaps because Aronofsky is the kind of auteur that is just too dumbed down, artistically sterile, and thematically coarse to amaze anybody who's serious about cinema as an art form. Notwithstanding, I didn't dislike Black Swan in 2011 and I will resist the temptation to rewatch it, probably ever.

Ex Machina is one of the many attempts at resurrecting the sci-fi genre in America. A failed attempt, apparently. However, it's been a while, so I can't exactly pinpoint what I disliked about it, my film notes are disparagingly empty about this Garland film, which is telling in itself, but seeing how Garland's films feel very much like those of Aronofsky: insipid, bad taste, and prosaic, I'm not surprised I disliked all three of them, with Men being the new low in his aporic, overrated oeuvre.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

Some remarkably insightful posts about Ex-Machina already posted. This really says something about the film. Mainly that it's quite literally a very thought provoking sci-fi thriller. And I agree with almost every single point made so far. Didn't make my ballot this time but I don't really have a valid excuse for omitting it. Glad it made top 50.

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Letterboxd profile

Ditto.

That was my shortest post on the current two movies ever.

Black Swan is very good, though I haven't seen it in a while. It didn't make my ballot.

I haven't seen Ex-Machina. It's been on my watchlist for some time, but I haven't gotten around to it yet for some reason.

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IMDb
Letterboxd

I hated Black Swan when I saw it. It felt like a pretentious exercise in style which showed horrible things happening, but didn't give you any substantial characters to make you care about it happening to them. Maybe a rewatch would make me be less harsh on it, but reading mark f's review actually reconfirmed my problems with the movie. I prefer Pi and The Wrestler by leagues.

Haven't seen Ex Machina, but I'd probably enjoy it.

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Who needs to arrive at the hints early to be the one to get it right?

Anyway, Black Swan is the highest from my own list to pop up so far. I had it at #6.

I would actually say it’s one of my two favorite films. Not like, top 3 favorite or anything, but just one I really enjoy to watch and think is unique, interesting and well put together. I like Aronofsky and I love the style and atmosphere for this one. And I love how it’s like a drama of sorts but with deeply rooted horror elements. Like, even on IMDb, it’s not listed as horror, but that’s what I like. It just has those enforced thematics, which has a horror vibe. Usually I love my horror when it’s not outright horror.

As for Ex Machina, I really liked it though I’ve failed to revisit it since. I kinda want to though, because that would perhaps cement my thoughts on it. I’m a little unsure if I’ll like it as much as I did the first time. But fine movie, though I definitely agree with some of what Yoda said about it earlier.