Best of the Decade Lists

• 1.  As you look over the lists, especially the top ten films listed on multiple sites, are there any films you've seen already?  Do you think these rightly deserve to make it on these lists of "Best of the Decade," or do you think this/these film(s) are over-rated?  Explain.

On AV Club, the film critics ranked La La Land as the 54th best movie of the decade. It's the most beautiful movie I've ever seen and it's my favorite by far, so I personally think it deserves a higher ranking -- regardless, it definitely deserves to be on a "Best" list. Between the use of rich colors, really vibrant and moving music, and a bittersweet ending that diverges from the more common and palatable "Hollywood ending," it's genuinely art. 

Rolling Stone ranks Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood as 49/50. While I agree it should be on the "Best" list, I also think this film deserves to be higher on it! Setting aside the fact that the audience was completely immersed in total 1969 LA life for the 2 hours and 40 minutes that this movie ran because of the meticulously planned bits of pop culture and memories from his childhood (comic books he read in store windows, etc.) that were integrated into the movie, it blended what I think is the perfect combination of humor, sentimentality, historical info and context, and action. 

2.  As you reviewed these lists, are there two or three movies that stand out to you that you might want to try to make the effort to watch as we remain in coronavirus isolation?  Which movies?  Why these?  Explain.

I've wanted to see Eighth Grade for a while because I've heard a lot about how accurately Bo Burnham captures what it feels like to be an insecure little modern eighth grader. I also really like his stand-up and hope that some of his blunt, realist humor has made its way into the movie. Another movie that was on a list was Paterson, which has been on my movie list for over a year. It seems like a very sweet, sort of quiet movie, which is a style I've always liked. The plot by itself is also really intriguing: a bus driver who writes poetry. It seems like it could be a very unique movie, and definitely something that differs from the more mainstream action-packed go-go-go style movie we're seeing more and more of. 

3.  Based on reviewing these lists, can you recommend 1 or 2 movies that you think the WHOLE class should watch (like we did for Citizen Kane and The Godfather/Chinatown)?  What do you think?  Why this/these movie(s)?

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood could be a really cool movie to watch as a whole class just because there's soooo much to unpack. Like I mentioned above, there's the historical components that would require some reading beforehand if people aren't familiar with Charles Manson and Sharon Tate. There's also the "easter eggs" of the movies playing at the drive in and at the theaters, and the comic books in the store windows, and the cars, and radio stations, and more. Cinematically, it's also so cool. I'm thinking of when Cliff speeds down the highway at night listening to music, and a particular torch incident, and at the very end with the crane shot. There's also fantastic acting, especially on the part of Leonardo DiCaprio -- I'm thinking of the trailer scene, of course. It's also just so funny, so the class would really enjoy it, I think. This would be a great movie for us to watch, albeit long. 

I'll also mention La La Land because of all the reasons I listed above. Visually it's breathtaking, and it also tells a very poignant and touching story. Also, cinematically, it's great, like when Seb jets off to the right of the screen and we're still staring at a long shot of the empty street until we hear car honks and screams and they come zipping back the other way, followed by a truck, or when the camera shakes a bit like a handheld when Mia and Seb fight over dinner to capture the rawness and vulnerability of the moment, or when the camera follows Mia out the window as she looks out to see a long shot of Seb with his hand on the car horn. There's a lot to analyze, and nothing is really in your face except for the beautiful use of color (when they tap to "A Lovely Night" in front of the bright blue and purple sky or when Seb sort of waltzes down the boardwalk singing "City of Stars" in front of a similarly colored sky or when the sit at the piano singing the duet to "City of Stars" enveloped in this green glow). It's just delightful to watch and I think the class would really enjoy it.