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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

More Modern Movie Picks

Any listing of "classic" films, particularly if they were released in the last 10 years, is immediately ripe for debate. Subjectivity can take precedence over real criticism, as can the lack, by default, of historical perspective. Can a film qualify for classic status if it's still making money at the box office? What will we think in five, 10, even 20 years of "the next big thing?" Who knows who will still be relevant to our cinema sensibilities in a generation?That being said, trying to piece together an American film canon for the new millennium is an admirable effort, albeit a complicated one. Precluding any film released in 2008 (why judge a year when it isn't even over yet?), as well as any foreign films - which deserve their own countdown - here is an admittedly tentative list of five classic films since 2000.Big Fish (2003): Steeped in Southern Gothic sensibilities, yet with a wry sense of humor, wide-eyed wonder and a mythic backbone, "Big Fish" is arguably Tim Burton's strongest film since 2000. A father-son relationship told in memories and tall tales, "Big Fish" is a joy to watch and experience. The film shines, sometimes literally, as it tracks Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney) through his storied life. His son, Will (Billy Crudup) is grappling with his father's legend, hoping to find the truth of the enigmatic man who raised him. The film's sense of the unexpected, delight in small moments, and sweeping emotional strength is pitch-perfect.Brokeback Mountain (2005): It's been called revolutionary. Groundbreaking. Historic, even. But what "Brokeback Mountain" really is, at its heart, is simply a love story. It is a tough, powerful love story, told by director Ang Lee with skill and sensitivity. It would be easy to see a film like "Brokeback Mountain" falter in the hands of a lesser filmmaker. The story could be sensationalized, the subject handled with clumsiness or prejudice. But it wasn't; the film's leads, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, were both compelling, complex characters in their own right, turning something "sensational" into something tragically ordinary. Truly an instant standard.Monsters, Inc. (2001): You might think that "Finding Nemo" is a more likely choice among the Disney/Pixar film canon. Sure, the heartwarming tale of a lost clown fish with a malformed fin is compelling, and the voice talent (Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres) is top-notch. Still, its 2001 predecessor, "Monsters, Inc," is more deserving of a top spot. The concept is witty and charming, and the film's style is at times angular and artistic, and furry-soft with blue and purple spots. Heartwarming, but never cheesy - a tricky balance - funny, sweet and just right.Donnie Darko (2001): When was the last time you saw a "teen" film that discussed, among other things, philosophy, family, the search for God, psychology, time-traveling, moral ambiguity and demonic rabbits? This 2001 cult classic starring Gyllenhaal is a touchstone for the thinking filmgoer. With a skilled ensemble cast that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Noah Wylie, Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze, the film is remarkable in its scope and haunting in its style and tone. It raises questions without answers, and almost requires a second, if not a third, viewing to try and grapple with its complexities.Sideways (2004): Based on a Rex Pickett novel, "Sideways" is an existential road trip with a top-notch wine palate and an endearing sweetness at the heart of its cynicism. Miles (Paul Giamatti, excellent as always) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) are touring California wine country before Jack settles down and gets married. The pair meet two women, Stephanie (Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy") and Maya (Virginia Madsen), and alternately bicker and bond as they taste wine after wine after wine. Madsen won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for this film, and her performance is a humble anchor for Giamatti's neurotic Miles. See "Sideways." Relax, maybe with a glass of wine, and enjoy one of the funniest character studies to come out of American film in years.