James' Top 50 Of The Decade So Far (It all ends here...)

[James]

So James is #1 what I think it is?

Well, what is your guess? I won't tell you anyway, but I am curious haha.

[Ethan Hunt]

Well, what is your guess? I won't tell you anyway, but I am curious haha.

Deathly Hallows Part 2

[James]

4. Dorian Gray (2009 / 2010)

 

 

The more I thought about this movie, the more my Top 10 shifted and this got from #7 to #4. Now, regarding the release date, some places had it at the end of 2009 and others in 2010 (and I found no date for the US), so I decided to count it as a 2010 release.

This is a my “guiltiest” pleasure ever, which is kind of ironic since, at the core of it, ‘Dorian Gray’ is all about pleasure: the pleasure of eternal youth, the pleasure of eternal beauty, the pleasure of sex and money, of men and women. The new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel is simply hypnotic,  it draws you in and it’s claws keep you glued to the screen, making you ask yourself some serious questions about morals and their price.

Some scenes are strangely erotic and the score, with sensual violin chords, underlines them even better. Oliver Parker does a marvelous job at directing and Ben Barnes is the perfect incarnation of Dorian. Add in Firth as the hedonistic teacher and there you have it: a perfect movie.

 

***Just freakin listen to this: 

 

 

Grade: 98/100

[Empire]

So that leads to one inevitable conclusion: you need to better your taste mate

Okay, whatever you say.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Empire

[James]

Okay, whatever you say.

 

You reading my list... guess it went like this  :

 

[Empire]

You reading my list... guess it went like this  :

 

Yeah, pretty much you were Jack and I was Will.

[Ethan Hunt]

You reading my list... guess it went like this :

I love that scene so much

[James]

I love that scene so much

Haha, me too. Everythime I see that I start laughing like an idiot.

[Alpha]

 

So that leads to one inevitable conclusion: you need to better your taste mate

 

Like you have much taste.

[Dark Jedi Master 007]

Then why do you have hopes for SW? The source material is much worse

Even if this was true, I would still have more hope for SW cause JJ's style actually fits Star Wars much better than it fits Star Trek.

[James]

Like you have much taste.

 

 

Of course I have a taste. It's my own, very personal and subjective mate.   If you don't agree:

 

[Kalo]

olg too Much Johnny Depp.

[baumer]

Well, I agree with about .5% of your list.  But I'm fascinated by your taste in film and regardless of whether I agree with you or not, you do some really good write ups.  

 

Carry on mate.

[4815162342]

Smaug is the best of the Hobbits. Though that may change if the BOTFA EE fixes a bunch of issues with that film.

Edited February 22, 2015 by 4815162342

[Noctis]

Well, I agree with about .5% of your list.  But I'm fascinated by your taste in film and regardless of whether I agree with you or not, you do some really good write ups.  

 

Carry on mate.

Some interesting choices but James' problem is that he generally actively avoids watching films that don't have large spectacle...

[James]

olg too Much Johnny Depp.

 

 

[James]

Some interesting choices but James' problem is that he generally actively avoids watching films that don't have large spectacle...

As I explained, when there's not a big spectacle for me to watch the characters must carry the movie an for that to happen without me falling asleep I need an interesting character: like Dorian Gray or Tyler Durden. Generally a troubled, dark, twisted character.

[James]

NUMBER 3

 

3. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

 

 

I can’t remember a more hyped movie (for me) than this one. My expectations were so skyhigh and that because I knew this was the last Middle-Earth movie I’ll ever see (or at least for a LONG period of time) in cinemas. The first two ‘Hobbit’ films made me remember why ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is my favourite trilogy. The adventure, the danger, the sorrow, all coming together.

And what a journey it was!

I liked so many things about this. Thranduil was once again the best character, followed by Tauriel and Bilbo. And this time around, the tone was much closer to the one of the original trilogy.

Howard Shore once again created a brilliant soundtrack ad that Billy Boyd song at the end… man oh man, the feelings.

Visually, ‘The Battle of the Five Armies’ was STUNNING. Nothing more to say here. WETA is unequeled when it comes to this type of stuff.

And despite all the criticism he gets, I firmly mentain my opinion that Peter Jackson is the best director around.

 

 

Grade: 99/100

[James]

NUMBER 2

 

2. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

 

 

Despite ‘Prince of Persia’ being one of my all time favourites, I didn’t catch it in theatres and I regret that. The story is a pretty classic  one, combing history and fantasy, and part of why it is so great is the oriental setting (it’s the same reason why ‘Revenge of the Fallen’ is the best ‘Transformers’ flick for me). It is just magnificent.  The VFX is gorgeous and I’d say for a movie designed to be the next ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, it succeeded quite nicely (quality, not box office wise).

The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton so from this POV it couldn’t be any better.

And then you have the score: just like how I adore the oriental background, I also adore the oriental music, and Harry Gregson-Williams brings forward some amazing tracks, completed by Alanis Morissette’s exquisite interpretation of the song ‘I Remain’. 

 

 

 

Grade: 99/100

 

[James]

NUMBER 1

 

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

 

 

And here it is. My No. 1 of the decade so far (and my No. 2 all time, behind only ‘Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’). For some (or for all), this might have been predictable, but it can’t be helped.

It’s the best adaptation of the best (and biggest) series of books ever written. Critically and publicaly  acclaimed, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ is perfectly directed by David Yates and perfectly acted by Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and many others and brings to an end the most popular (and the highest grossing) franchise ever put on screen.

The visuals are mightly impressive, heavily contrasting with ‘Part 1’, that prepared viewers for the final battle.

J.K. Rowling participated as a producer and you can see her involvment as all the ties are tied, ending on a resonant high note.

Alexandre Desplat score has dark themes, fitting for the film’s dark nature: just as the main character matured, so did the themes of the books and movies and this was, in the end, what made of ‘Harry Potter’  such a huge cultural and social phenomenon. 

 

 

 

 

Grade: 100/100

 

Edited February 22, 2015 by 69 Shades of James