For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to wrap my head around Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, Schrödinger’s cat, and the death of Brittany Murphy. I need a break, so here’s just a list of my favorite movies from this waning decade, 2000-2009, in roughly chronological order. Oh, wait, this is an art blog. Fine. Ahem. Here are outstanding films in recent cinematic history. Better?!? By the way, I thought I’d juxtapose these flicks with sociopolitical events that may have shaped them but, really, I’m tired. So here we go….

Memento (2000) – The temporal thing is all wonky, like in Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, and Go, so you’ve got to see it at least twice. I was going to write that this means you get to see Joey Fatone die not once, but twice, but I just realized it was Larry Holden who played the doomed Jimmy, not our old drumming friend. Oh, well. At least it co-stars Carrie-Anne Moss…. I loved how she took it personally that a guy with Anterograde Amnesia couldn’t remember sleeping with her.

Jake... Gyllenhaal with date and Frank in "Donnie Darko"

Donnie Darko (2001) – Ah, distinctly I remember the first time I couldn’t pronounce Jake Gyllenhaalalllall’s name. And that was one freaky bunny. Anyanka was right about those bunnies.

The Rules of Attraction (2002) – F’ing brilliant casting. Take every squeaky clean actor you can think of and have them hook up or shoot heroin betwixt their toes. Sublime.

The Matrix: Reloaded (2003) – Because they don’t know you really, really meant it until you reload. And it’s got not only Carrie-Anne Moss, but Monica Bellucci! Can I get an amen?!?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – Thought I loved Kate Winslet after Titanic. This sealed the deal. She’s every crazy girlfriend you had in college.

The Incredibles (2004) – “Everyone’s special, Dash…. Which is another way of saying no one is.” I loved it. I am not being ironic.

Hotel Rwanda (2005) – Sniff. I’m a sucker for the true stories.

Serenity (2005) – aka “The Firefly Movie.” You say you know Firefly but didn’t watch the DVD?!? Talk to the hand. The pilot never even aired!

Brittany Murphy as Shellie in "Sin City"

Sin City (2005) – Mickey Rourke’s career comeback is second only to Travolta’s. And the rest of the cast: Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Carla Gugino, Clive Owen and, of course, Brittany Murphy. I mean, come on!

Casino Royale (2006) – Daniel Craig is James Bond! Sean Connery’s edge, Steve McQueen’s eyes, and… my hair.

Juno (2007) – Because nerds rule.

The Dark Knight (2008) – Lived up to the hype. Heath Ledger had a leading man’s charisma, but what a character actor! An unequivocally brilliant performance. And co-starred another Gyllennhhallalllll.

Notice that there was nothing from 2009. Avatar? You mean “Dances with Wolves in District 9”? I hear “Nefes: Vatan sagolsun” was good but where can you see it? I really liked “Star Trek” but obviously the filmmakers were aware that I know everything there is to know about Star Trek and they threw all that softball trivia my way. I will not be pandered to!

Honorable mention goes to Corpse Bride, An Inconvenient Truth, Million Dollar Baby, and V for Vendetta. (And, um, Star Trek.)

Michael Singman-Aste
Postdiluvian Photo

Tags: Brittany Murphy, movies, physics

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 1:33 pm and is filed under Musings, Raves. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.