The MoFo Top 100 of the 2010s Countdown

→ in
Tools    





Given the skepticism towards Her and Avengers: Infinity War appearing, it's safe to say this countdown has a trend of movies either ranking way lower than expected or much higher than expected.
Definitely. Just to give two examples, regardless of my thoughts on these films, I never thought something like The Artist would make it, while I would've bet that something like Hereditary would've made it at least into the Top 50, maybe even Top 20.
__________________
Check out my podcast: The Movie Loot!



That's an interesting take. Thereading that resonates with me the most, which may be a rewording of what you said, is that it's a study of what separates humans from animals and that the line between them isn't exactly solid. After all, Freddie is more animal than man for most of the runtime, Lancaster is essentially society, religion, etc. personified, and Freddie's need to be loved, accepted and feel more human by buying what Lancaster is selling and Lancaster's need to have control and the unquestioning devotion of his followers don't always gibe.

With that said, I find the movie interesting and I always get something out of discussing or reading things about it, but I can't say I enjoy it. PTA is a director like Spielberg for me in that the more serious he gets, the less I like the results. The only ones I really like by him are Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love, in other words (I haven't seen Licorice Pizza yet). There's something off-puttingly portentous about this movie, There Will Be Blood, etc., as if PTA is constantly reminding you that what he's doing his super serious and deserving of your respect. If any movies could be described by the old Family Guy joke that they "insist upon themselves," they're his serious ones. Curious if anyone else feels this way.

Throw in some stuff about Quell being one who is prone to be controlled by his base impulses, it'd probably be a hop, skip, and a Herzogian jump away from rephrasing it.


Wrt Licorice Pizza, since someone else asked about it, I'd say it felt like one of his less ambitious films to me. Maybe I'd

ETA: I thought I corrected this when I accidentally hit preview or something prematurely.

Maybe I'd describe it as a hangout, coming of age, teen romance movie. I seem to prefer his more ambitious outings, but based on the ones you said you liked more, this one will probably be more up your alley.

ETAA: scrolling down, I did complete it, but must have hit something that did a quick reply but left the post up to be completed and resubmitted.
Whoops.



A system of cells interlinked
She so over exaggerated all her actions that she seemed like an actress trying way too hard.
That character wasn't played by an actress - most, if not all of the people in the film were not professional actors. Most of the characters in the film had little or no acting experience, sort of like Larry Clark's Kids, from the 90s. Obviously Dafoe is the exception.

And with that I will leave you with a quote from a long lost MoFo, OG.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but some people are just wrong."
__________________
“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” ― Thomas Sowell



That's an interesting take. Thereading that resonates with me the most, which may be a rewording of what you said, is that it's a study of what separates humans from animals and that the line between them isn't exactly solid. After all, Freddie is more animal than man for most of the runtime, Lancaster is essentially society, religion, etc. personified, and Freddie's need to be loved, accepted and feel more human by buying what Lancaster is selling and Lancaster's need to have control and the unquestioning devotion of his followers don't always gibe.

With that said, I find the movie interesting and I always get something out of discussing or reading things about it, but I can't say I enjoy it. PTA is a director like Spielberg for me in that the more serious he gets, the less I like the results. The only ones I really like by him are Hard Eight, Boogie Nights and Punch-Drunk Love, in other words (I haven't seen Licorice Pizza yet). There's something off-puttingly portentous about this movie, There Will Be Blood, etc., as if PTA is constantly reminding you that what he's doing his super serious and deserving of your respect. If any movies could be described by the old Family Guy joke that they "insist upon themselves," they're his serious ones. Curious if anyone else feels this way.

Throw in some stuff about Quell being one who is prone to be controlled by his base impulses, it'd probably be a hop, skip, and a Herzogian jump away from rephrasing it.


Wrt Licorice Pizza, since someone else asked about it, I'd say it felt like one of his less ambitious films to me. Maybe I'd phrase it as a mixture of a hang out movie, teen romance movie? I'm struggling on it. It sounds like it's one you'd probably enjoy more.



For people who like to catalog cross stats (Holden Pike), the BFI released the extended top 250 results of the S&S poll today, and from this countdown, Under the Skin made it. As did, *cough*, Twin Peaks: The Return.


Actually, scrolling through, it's:


243) Nostalgia for the Light
211) Melancholia

Part of a large multi-way tie for 196th
196th) Mad Max: Fury Road
The Tree of Life
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Zama

169) Under the Skin
152) Twin Peaks: The Return


Bolding the ones I believed that showed up on this countdown.
ETA: Unbolded The Tree of Life. Boyhood has shown up, people have only been guessing The Tree of Life a lot for the hints.





Actor stats


5
Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans

4
Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaac, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sebastian Stan, Domhnall Gleeson

3
Emma Stone, Brie Larson, Willem Dafoe, Lakeith Stanfield, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Michael Shannon, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Jeremy Renner, Michael Keaton, Richard Jenkins, Taika Waititi, Tom Hiddleston, Josh Brolin, Maximiliano Hernandez, Lucas Hedges, Shea Whigham





Actor stats


5
Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans

4
Jessica Chastain, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sebastian Stan, Domhnall Gleeson

3
Emma Stone, Brie Larson, Willem Dafoe, Lakeith Stanfield, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Michael Shannon, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Jeremy Renner, Michael Keaton, Oscar Isaac, Richard Jenkins, Taika Waititi, Tom Hiddleston, Josh Brolin, Maximiliano Hernandez, Lucas Hedges, Shea Whigham
If we count voice acting, Oscar Isaac is already at 4 (Drive, Inside Llewyn Davis, Spider-Man Into the Spider-verse, and Ex Machina)



Maybe I need to revisit The Master, but I found it boringly overrated. Great performances, looks gorgeous, but ultimately hollow for me.
I feel the same way!



A system of cells interlinked
I also haven't seen Licorice Pizza yet. Any good?
Annoying main characters that quite possibly the most off-putting leads in any film ever, a fairly boring story, all put together with excellent technical skill and the usual artistic command that PTA is known for. As with most (but not all) of PTA's films, I can't say I really like it, but it is clearly well-made etc.



Society ennobler, last seen in Medici's Florence
I've seen both #14. The Florida Project (2017) and #13. The Master (2012) during their respective award seasons.

• #14. The Florida Project (2017) - I've considered this for my ballot, finally placing it at position #33 on my top 60 list of the decade. Obviously, it hasn't needed my vote.
The film is a good addition to this very fashionable new wave, presenting the other side of the western world. Furthermore, it is always a pleasure to watch Willem Dafoe enriching any production he's in.
(80/100).

---

• I'm a strong follower of both of the Andersons, P.T. and W.
I enjoy most of their productions a lot. Actually, there are only two films I don't like at all, one from each catalog.
Well, I'm sorry but for P.T. the crap is The Master.
What a high hopes we've had seeing the names of Phoenix and Philip Seymour in the company of Anderson. Alas, it turned to be a completely nothing. Pseudo something... Absolute empty movie...
(43/100)
__________________
"Population don't imitate art, population imitate bad television." W.A.
"You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." M.T.



Florida Project was my number 2. Or at least should have been. It is a film that has a firm grasp of both the dream like state of childhood as well how desperately real and vulnerable a time it is. A film I can start crying over when I just vaguely think about it. Am welling up even typing about it in a bar, surrounded by grizzled steelworkers with whiskey for blood, and I don't care. I will cry all over their faces for all I care.


A beyond beautiful film that makes my heart ache years later. That makes living for art a worthwhile thing.



The Florida Project was my #10, such a great film. I love Dafoe's character not just for how kind and helpful he is, but because in him you also see the sorrow of how people with limited power can only help so much. He can shoo away the perverts and look the other way on certain things, but he can't give the children any kind of real stability. And I think that the last sequence is spectacular.

I liked The Master okay, but it wasn't one I really considered for my list.



I liked The Master for the acting from its two stars: Phoenix and Hoffman, with Phoenix getting the juicier part which he knocked out of the park. IMO his acting work here was superior to his recent Joker.

Based upon Scientology, it's nice that they didn't beat us over the head with the philosophy, nor did they portray it in a promoting fashion.

I'm pretty sure that I spaced it for the top 25, but it could be in there for sure.

I'm a big fan of Wilem Defoe's, but after 20 minutes or so of The Florida Project, I bailed. I may go back to continue some day.