Werner Herzog never disappoints. Grizzly Man (2005), written and directed by Herzog and starring Timothy Treadwell, is much more than just a doc about some crazy man living with the Grizzlies - it's a study of a man's ambition and determination, of the fine line that separates obsession and insanity, of man's battle against nature - and himself. You may see the end coming, but its power will haunt you for weeks after.
L’Enfant (2005) Written and Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne; Starring Jeremie Renier and Deborah Francois
The best film of the year, perhaps even the decade. Profoundly simple, this harrowing pseudo-documentary account of a low-class young Belgian couple never flinches away from the shocking proceedings, making you wonder to whom, exactly, the title refers. To understand what I mean and to feel the transcendent, spiritually cleansing power of pure cinema, stop reading right now, and watch this lovely masterpiece. (Dare you not to cry at the end.)
The Son (2002) Written and Directed by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne; Starring Olivier Gourmet and Morgan Marinne
Again, the Dardenne brothers (L’Enfant ) deliver. Patient viewers will be richly rewarded - and perhaps even shocked - by the startling conclusion to this examination of a man's remorse. Mouths agape, we are locked on the aging carpenter and the young man he trains, following them to the inevitable redemption. A low-key feature with epic themes, Dardennes' masterpiece will knock you flat.
Away From Her (2006) Written and Directed by Sarah Polley; Starring Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent
Who knew Sarah Polley, the girl from Go, had those directorial chops in her? Away From Her has the directorial assurance of a much older filmmaker; all the more impressive is her precise handling of the actors and setting to accentuate the story of a woman's gradual mental degradation and her husband's loyalty and devotion. Hard to watch and yet unmissable.
The Triplets of Belleville (2003) Written and Directed by Sylvain Chomet; Starring the Voices of Michel Robin and Jean-Claude Donda
The best, most unusual animated feature of the decade, and a refreshing diversion from all the CGI and computer-animated features. To summarize this lusciously drawn cocktail of Tour De France, wine, canines, mafia, ships and deranged gradmothers would be impossible. A throwback to old-school European animation and silent musicals, a genuine oddity, a thriller, a love story, a comedy - Triplets is all that, and much more. Its twisted, hallucinatory, hand-drawn images will both inspire and haunt the imagination in the most subliminal ways. A wholly original species, Triplets belongs on every film buff's shelf.
The Station Agent (2003) Written and Directed by Thomas McCarthy; Starring Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale
This imminently re-watchable little gem once again proves that Peter Dinklage is one of the best actors working today. He plays a disgruntled station agent who inherits a little property in rural New Jersey, and whose only desire is simply to be left alone. There's no such luck, with the likes of a hot-dog stand owner, a distant-but-warm woman and a sexy librarian infiltrating the steady seas of his existence, stirring them up and ultimately melting away the ice... Okay, metaphors aside, this is definitely a non-Christmas, non-Hollywood movie to snuggle up to with some hot cocoa and a Charlie Brown blanket.
Read My Lips (2001) Directed by Jacques Audiard; Written by Jacques Audiard and Tonino Benacquista; Starring Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Devos and Olivier Gourmet
Hitchcock would be proud of this unpredictable French thriller. Emmanuelle Devos uncannily portrays a character about whom you don't quite know how to feel. Erotic and sublime, but also disturbing and dangerous, it's a performance that will stick with you. The plot twists and turns from sexual intrigue to dark comedy to heist thriller, keeping you riveted all the way.
Paprika (2006) Directed by Satoshi Kon; Written by Satoshi Kon and Seishi Minakami; Featuring the Voices of Megumi Hayashibara and Toru Furuya
Tripped-out anime with spectacular visuals from the guy that brought us Millennium Actress. A young woman - the title's protagonist - who makes her living infiltrating people's minds, goes on a quest to find the stolen dream machine. Christopher Nolan, take note - this is how a mind-bending thriller about dreams is done.
The Lookout (2007) Written and Directed by Scott Frank; Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels
Screenwriter Scott Frank's directorial debut is an enthralling, hard-edged thrill ride – Hollywood hack thrillers, take note on how it's done; simplicity is the key sometimes, as it turns out. Gordon-Levitt plays a high school hockey player, whose life is drastically changed after a car accident; next thing he knows, the young man is pulled into a complex heist, and he may not even exactly comprehend what is going on. The main character's inability to rationalize and Gordon-Levitt's charming performance makes it easy to sympathize with the lead, while Jeff Daniels holds his own as the boy's blind mentor. Seek this one out - this atmospheric chilly little gem is one for the DVD library.
Brothers (2004) Directed by Susanne Bier; Written by Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen; Starring Ulrich Thomsen and Connie Nielsen
One of the best Dogme films I’ve seen so far – you will tear up at the middle point, during what is perhaps one of the most gut-wrenching scenes in modern cinema. Watch the original and ignore the ambitious but flawed American remake.
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