A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks, Part 2

This second part of Oscar Picks selects the winners in the elemental categories leading to Best Picture. For Reel Speak’s selections in the acting categories, read Part 1 HERE.

As stated in Part 1, predicting the Oscar winners should logically begin with the Guild awards; the actors (SAG), directors (DGA), writers (WGA), and producers (PGA). By looking at those winners and comparing past stats and trends, we have a solid stepping-off point simply because many Guild members are also Academy voters. Studying other major awards such as the Golden Globes, British Academy (BAFTA), and the technical societies honoring editing and visual effects can offer insight as well. 

Also in the past, studying the ballot closely can offer clues to what film will take home the final Oscar of the night. Historically, films that are lacking nominations in Editing, Screenplay, Acting, and Director are automatically ruled out. But this year has the potential to be a little different. Here now are Reel Speak’s selections in those vital categories leading to Best Picture. 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

No film has won Best Picture without a Screenplay nomination since TITANIC in 1997, and eight of the last 11 Best Picture winners also won Screenplay, so it’s safe to say that the Academy takes writing very seriously. Taika Waititi’s JOJO RABBIT was the surprise winner at this year’s WGA and BAFTA and is the favorite. JOKER or THE IRISHMAN could spoil, as could LITTLE WOMEN for its work on re-arranging the old story. JOJO RABBIT stands out as the lone comedy in a field full of drama, and that alone might be enough.

Winner: JOJO RABBIT

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Possibly the most difficult category to pick this year. Sam Mendes’ WWI epic 1917 was simple yet effective, and voters could be tempted to pick the film that has some of the most nominations. Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD is a story about Hollywood, which means voters could be tempted to vote for themselves. But Tarantino does not belong to the Writers Guild, and that could be a factor. South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s boundary-smashing PARASITE won this category at WGA and BAFTA, and seems to be poised to finish the sweep. It’s close, but PARASITE’s strong, twisting, script on social structure and humanity has that wide reach that works with voters. 

Winner: PARASITE

BEST EDITING

How important is editing? Only two films in 41 years have won Best Picture without an Editing nomination. PARASITE won the top prize at this year’s American Cinema Editors awards, and JOJO RABBIT also won there in the comedy category. FORD V. FERRARI could spoil with its high-octane racing scenes, and at over three hours, THE IRISHMAN doesn’t seem to be edited enough. PARASITE has a remarkable building of tension, and its many surprises executed perfectly. 

Winner: PARASITE 

BEST DIRECTOR

PARASITE’s Bong Joon-ho is primed to pull an upset, but 1917 director Sam Mendes has been cleaning house all season long; winning Best Director at the DGA, Golden Globes, and BAFTA. His film, made to look like one continuous take, is a towering technical achievement that is impossible to overlook. No film was better directed in 2019. 

Winner: Sam Mendes

BEST PICTURE

Any film that lacks nominations in Directing, Editing, Screenplay, and Acting…and has little love from the Guilds does not have the odds in their favor, so that practically eliminates FORD V. FERRARI, JOKER, THE IRISHMAN, LITTLE WOMEN, MARRIAGE STORY, and JOJO RABBIT. That leaves 1917, PARASITE, and ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD as the frontrunners…with each film having pros and cons. 

1917 is the favorite going in, having won the top prize at BAFTA, DGA, the Globes, and the all-important PGA…whose Best Film award has matched Oscar seven of the last 10 years. Going against it is the lack of an Editing nomination, but we’ve seen films overcome that before; its filming style is exactly like BIRDMAN in 2014, which overcame that issue to win Best Picture. The real problem is it does not have any Acting nominations, and only three films in the last 25 years have won Best Picture without at least one; SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2011), THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003), and BRAVEHEART (1995). 

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD ticks all the right boxes, with the exception of Editing which is important in this case. At the Guilds, HOLLYWOOD went head-to-head against 1917 and PARASITE and lost every time. What it has going for it is that it’s a Hollywood story, and those Hollywood voters would love to vote for themselves. 

PARASITE has had a remarkable run this season, winning the SAG Ensemble and WGA. It too lacks any Acting nominations, and the fact that it’s a foreign-language film works against it; no non-English speaking film in the Oscars 91-year history has won Best Picture. PARASITE is also nominated for Best International Film (formerly titled Foreign Language), which it’s a shoo-in to win…so it seems unlikely it would end the night with two major wins. 

So who wins? It’s hard to see PARASITE winning when it has its own category, and there are literally zero stats and trends to back up predicting a non-English speaking film to take home the top prize. If anything, the stats and trends work against it. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD speaks directly to the voters in all guilds, but 1917 has that PGA win, which has been the strongest percentage-wise predicter in the last decade. On top of that, in every awards competition this season where 1917 went head-to-head against PARASITE and HOLLYWOOD, 1917 won. A sweep is in the works.

Winner: 1917

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The Oscars will be awarded February 9^th. 

Kirk Douglas 1916 - 2020

Kirk Douglas, one of the last living relics from the Golden Age of Hollywood, has passed away at 103 years old. 

Born Issur Danielovitch Demsky in the industrial town of Amsterdam, he was one of seven children to his Jewish parents who had immigrated from Russia. After going to work to support his family as soon as he was old enough, he put himself through St. Lawrence University by working as a janitor. After earning his Bachelor of Arts degree, he moved to Manhattan where he would earn a scholarship at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts after one single reading. 

After graduating from the Academy, he made his Broadway debut in Spring Again in 1941. A year later he enlisted in the Navy and served on anti-submarine patrol in the Pacific until 1944. Returning home from the war, he went back to Broadway and enjoyed success. In 1946, Lauren Bacall recommended him for a screen test, and he made his cinema debut that year with THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS. 

It would be the start of a career that would span 80 films over the next 46 years. Playing strong-minded characters, he would appear in Billy Wilder’s THE BIG CARNIVAL (1951), DETECTIVE STORY (1951), GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL (1957), PATHS OF GLORY (1957), and THE LIST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER (1963). He would work with some the era’s best directors, including Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949), and John Huston’s THE LAST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER (1963). He would be nominated three times for Best Actor by the Academy, for CHAMPION (1949), THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952), and LUST FOR LIFE (1956). He was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1996. He won the New York Film Critics Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the tormented genius Vincent Van Gogh in LUST FOR LIFE. 

A maverick his entire career and life, he rebelled against the McCarthy era by producing and starring in SPARTACUS (1960), which was written by blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo. The move made Douglas a hero to others who were blacklisted in Hollywood at the time, and SPARTACUS became Universal’s biggest moneymaker. 

He earned several lifetime achievement awards and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is no. 17 on the American Film Institute’s list of Greatest Male Screen Legends. He is the father to actor two-time Oscar-winning actor and producer Michael Douglas. 

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Kirk Douglas was not a direct influence on This Blogger during his formative years, as he had already been around too long. He was the guy that dad watched, and that grandpa always had to see in his beloved cowboy movies. Kirk Douglas was easy to watch, as he was a tough guy but maintained his handsome, chiseled looks…and he always gave the sense that there was a thinking man under the bare-chested, gun-slinging characters he played. He would set a standard that can still be seen today; one of his many legacies. Of all his greatest achievements, his stand against a government that was doing wrong against its own citizens is the one that history will remember; the achievement of standing for those who couldn’t stand for themselves. That was Kirk Douglas. 

A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks, Part 1

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will award their 92^nd Oscars this Sunday, honoring the best achievements in cinema for the year that was 2019. In past years, there was well over a month from the release of the nominations to the ceremony, leaving film bloggers, critics, and experts plenty of time to try and predict the winners. This year, that gap was shortened by nearly three weeks, making it a bit tougher to try and out-guess the Academy voters. 

The good news is, the acting categories look to be the easiest to figure out. The Academy has a large overlap with the Guilds, especially the Screen Actors (SAG), and in the past studying those awards would provide a strong indicator to how Oscar night will unfold. So far, the four categories have been dominated by four actors…and it is rare that any nominee would win big at SAG, the Golden Globes, and BAFTA…and then not complete the sweep on Oscar Night. Barring any sort of major upset (there always seems to be at least one), this year’s acting categories should finish the way the season has started. 

Here now are Reel Speak’s picks in the acting categories. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Laura Dern should complete her sweep for her role in MARRIAGE STORY. Her closest competition comes from her co-star Scarlett Johansson, who was nominated for her role in JOJO RABBIT…a film that has picked up late momentum this season with surprise wins at the Writers Guild (WGA), and BAFTA. Scarlett is a first-time nominee however, and rookies rarely win. 

Winner: Laura Dern

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Brad Pitt should also complete his sweep for his role as a stuntman in Quentin Tarantino’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. Prime for the upset is Joe Pesci for his turn as a notable mobster in Martin Scorsese’s THE IRISHMAN. Pesci could gain a nostalgia-vote, as a win would bring him back on stage for the first time since he won in 1989 for Scorsese’s GOODFELLAS. It would make for a nice bookend, but Pitt’s role as a Hollywood stuntman speaks to the Academy voters…who love to see movies made about themselves. 

Winner: Brad Pitt

BEST ACTRESS

Renee Zellweger should take home her second career Oscar for her stunning transformation into the famed Judy Garland in JUDY. The only worry she may have is that her nomination is the only one JUDY has, which points to a lesser movie. This could open the door for Scarlett Johansson who also has a nomination for MARRIAGE STORY, but with Zellweger’s performance being hailed as the best in her resume of great performances…the odds learn towards her. And again, JUDY is a Hollywood story about one of their own. 

Winner: Renee Zellweger

BEST ACTOR

In any other year, Leonardo DiCaprio would take home another Oscar for his take on an aging action-star in ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD. As a movie that is about making movies, DiCaprio was required to play more than one character, and his short scene as an outlaw in the Old West is simply stunning. But even more stunning is Joaquin Phoenix from JOKER…who lost weight and dug deep for his breathtaking turn as the eventual Clown Prince of Crime which has earned him wins at the Globes, BAFTA, and SAG. His chilling laugh alone is good enough to win. 

Winner: Joaquin Phoenix

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Read Reel Speak's predictions in the elemental categories leading to Best Picture HERE

A Reel Review: The Super Bowl Movie Trailers

The Super Bowl has always been an opportunity for studios to capitalize on the large viewing audience and showcase their big releases for the coming year. With a captive, global audience that won’t turn away from the TV during commercial breaks, the chance is there to capture some eyeballs that normally wouldn’t be there. This year however, many studios sat on the bench for the big game, perhaps due to the ballooning cost of a 30-second spot ($5.6 million this year), but other studios were more than happy to get into the field of play. Here’s how they all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious. 

THE GOOD

-Disney is never afraid to bet on themselves, and once again they showed confidence in their own product. The first big trailer was BLACK WIDOW, with Scarlet Johansson reprising her role as the Avenger who gave her life to save every one of us. The new trailer had a chilling voiceover from Johansson, a lot of new footage which gave us great looks at co-stars Rachel Weisz, Florence Pugh, and David Harbour. 

-Disney also rolled out some new looks at their live-action remake of MULAN, which has an epic, down-and-gritty, feet-on-the-ground feel. Great looking spot with some stunning shots. 

-Back for more fun are the beloved Minions with the first look at MINIONS: RISE OF GRU. This was all new footage with looks at a young Gru, and had everything we’d expect from a MINIONS movie. The spot ended with a promise for a full-blown trailer later this week. 

The FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise unleashed an action-packed, mostly wordless spot for what seems like their 984^th movie. Loaded with car chases, crashes, and ridiculous stunts, it delivers everything that long-time fans would expect from these films. 

THE BAD

-You get negative points for not showing up. Warner Bros. had a chance to capitalize on the goodwill they’ve built up with their Oscar-nominated JOKER, but bafflingly decided to not promote their upcoming BIRDS OF PREY; a film that has audiences scratching their heads over. They did do a short teaser for their upcoming WONDER WOMAN 1984, but it was actually a commercial for laundry detergent. Stupid and worthless. 

-Sony Pictures decided not to bother promoting GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE. 

-Disney made the odd choice of no trailer for their newest Pixar adventure, ONWARD. 

THE GLORIOUS

-It actually ran just before kickoff, but the trailer for TOP GUN: MAVERICK still counts. It’s mostly a re-hash of footage we’ve already seen in the previous two trailers, but a few glimpses of new stuff. Not much to it, but the footage of star Tom Cruise actually in a fighter-jet flipping upside down still takes the breath away. 

-There’s no question that the production for the 25^th James Bond film, titled NO TIME TO DIE, has had its problems; late changes in directors, on-set accidents, awkward announcements, and the question of committal from star Daniel Craig who seemed like he was forced back into the role. They needed a great trailer to get back on track, and they got one a few weeks back…and that new momentum carried over last night. The new trailer gave us some new footage, with the promise that everything changes for 007 this time around. And any time we get to hear the Bond theme is a good thing. James Bond may be British, but his movies are as popular in America as a football. Perfectly timed and executed. 

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Super Bowl LV will be played February 7^th, 2021. 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2020 - Episode II

February has always been one of the worst months for new movies; we’re months away from the fun Summer blockbuster months, and months past the deadline for Awards Season. It’s a dead zone for studios to release their unwanted and unhopeful foul shit, but the good news is it’s a light month, with not many releases on the docket. Here now is a preview for the notable films of this coming month. 

It all flies in with…

BIRDS OF PREY: THE EMANCIPATION OF HARLEY QUINN – Warner Bros. and DC Comics may be on their way to Oscar gold with their recent film JOKER, but that doesn’t stop them from putting out oddball movies. In this release, Margot Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn from the terrible SUICIDE SQUAD, and joins forces with an all-female squad of fighters to combat Gotham City’s newest bad-guy, Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). 

FANTASY ISLAND – The long-awaited film-adaptation of the 1977 TV series, where guests of a luxury island have their fantasies granted, only to have them turn into nightmares which they have to solve in order to leave the island. Michael Pena (ANT-MAN), stars. 

ORDINARY LOVE – Liam Neeson stars in this romantic drama about a couple dealing with cancer. 

VFW – In this exploitation film, a group of veterans has their night at the local VFW turned upside-down when a teen, being chased down by thugs, arrives looking for help. It stars Stephen Lang (AVATAR), William Sadler, Martin Kove (THE KARATE KID), and Fred “The Hammer” Williamson. 

DOWNHILL – Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus play a couple whose marriage goes on the rocks after an avalanche nearly kills them. 

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG – The long awaited big-screen debut of the popular video game character who peaked 20 years ago. James Marsden (X-MEN), plays a small-town sheriff who assists the displaced hedgehog when he arrives from another world. Jim Carrey plays the evil Dr. Robotnik. 

BRAHMS: THE BOY II – The sequel to the 2016 horror film THE BOY. This time, a young family moves into a new estate where their troubled son befriends an eerily life-like doll. Katie Holmes stars. 

THE CALL OF THE WILD – Harrison Ford leads the way in this adaptation of the classic 1903 novel by Jack London. It is the live-action directorial debut of Chris Sanders, who helmed the animated films LILO & STITCH (2002), and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2010). 

THE INVISIBLE MAN – In this re-imagining of the classic horror story, Elisabeth Moss (TV’S HANDMAIDENS TALE), plays a widow who believes her husband is still alive; invisible and tormenting her. It is directed by Leigh Whannell, who has had a hand in creating horror franchises such as SAW and INSIDIOUS. 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of March. 

Reel Facts & Opinions: How Kobe Won an Oscar

The world is still in a state of shock over the news of the untimely death of retired NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. Considered to be one of the greatest to ever play the game, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, won five NBA Championships, two Olympic gold medals, and sits as the league’s 4^th-all-time scorer. 

On top of his massive sporting accomplishments, he also dribbled in the world of film. This dribbling earned him an Academy Award in 2017 for Best Animated Short Film for his film, DEAR BASKETBALL. Historically, he was the first former professional athlete to be nominated and win an Oscar in any category. 

Running just over five minutes, DEAR BASKETBALL is a literal love-letter from Bryant to the game of basketball; a game that he dreamed of playing as a kid and then dedicated his heart and soul to. Far from traditional, the film veers away from the usual story-of-my-life, and instead focuses on Bryant’s deep love for the game; treating the game itself as a living thing. The script reads like a love letter that anyone would write to a lover. But it does have a melancholy to it, as film is based on a letter Bryant wrote to The Player’s Tribune announcing his retirement from basketball. There’s a strong theme at work of letting go something that we love, and it resonates deeply. 

The animation was done by veteran Disney animator Glen Keane, who had worked on classics such as THE LITTLE MERMAID and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The animation style was made to look like a series of hand-drawn pencil drawings, and was layered in a way that was immersive and eye-catching. It retained the classic 2D look, which was a welcome sight in an age of 3D computer-generated imagery that goes out of its way to look too real. The score was provided by another legend, John Williams. 

The film won Best Animated Short Subject at the annual Annie’s, and eventually took home the Oscar at the 90^thAcademy Awards. The win was the first for Keane in his storied career. Today, DEAR BASKETBALL still works for any player who has played any game, and it also works for any one of us who have a passion that we have been pursuing our entire lives. Its non-traditional style shows that film doesn’t necessarily have to be used to tell stories, but also to express feelings. Decades from now, DEAR BASKETBALL will stand as one of Kobe Bryant’s finest achievements, and a tribute to his life. 

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You can watch DEAR BASKETBALL (HERE).

Read Reel Speak’s original review for DEAR BASKETBALL, along with its fellow nominees, (HERE).

A Reel Opinion: The Top 20 Best Films of the Millennium - 2000-2019, Part 2

Over the last month, Reel Speak has been exploring the past 40 years of film history, building rankings of the Best of the Eighties (HERE), the Nineties (HERE), and of 2019 (HERE). This saga now concludes with the Best of the Millennium; 2000-2019. The bottom-half of Reel Speak’s Top 20 of the Millennium can be found HERE.

And now for the Top 10 Best Films released from 2000 through 2019. 

10. HELL OR HIGH WATER (2016)

After spending time in front of the camera for TV’s SONS OF ANARCHY, Taylor Sheridan turned his attention to screenwriting, and has penned some of the best films of the millennium; including SICARIO (2015), and WIND RIVER (2017). His best work turned the old genre of cops-and-robbers upside down, with two brothers (wonderfully played by Chris Pine and Ben Foster), turning to a bank robbing-scheme not for greed but for family survival. It was a simple move set in today’s tough financial world that worked, and gave the cast, which included an always-great Jeff Bridges, plenty of meat to work with.  A modern Western that is timeless. 

9. GLADIATOR (2000)

Sir Ridley Scott’s epic about a Roman general (Russell Crowe), who is betrayed by his king and sentenced to a life as a slave and gladiator. A thrilling spectacle with some iconic moments, GLADIATOR has everything that a Best Picture winner should have; top-notch directing and acting, strong characters, and a balance of intimacy and a grand scale. Classical in nature with the feel of a bygone Hollywood era, it is timeless and hasn’t aged a day. 

8. THE KING’S SPEECH (2010)

Director Tom Hooper’s Oscar-winning story about an obscure, yet important moment in history. Colin Firth plays King George VI, who has to overcome his stammer, helped by his therapist and eventual friend (Geoffrey Rush). An intimate character drama with excellent performances, THE KING’S SPEECH has an elegance to it that makes it feel like a well-composed piece of music; flowing, dipping and rising with the swells arriving in perfect harmony. It is one of those rare films where the personal struggles of the main character has massive ramifications for more than one person…or country. 

7. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (2013)

After dabbling in so many different genres, the directing team of Joel and Ethan Coen turned to the arthouse world with their little drama about a down-and-out folk singer in the 1960’s. Oscar Isaac proves his talent with a guitar and microphone, and the laughs come not with slapstick but with simple, subtle dialogue. It’s a journey that resembles a Greek poem…giving it a personality that works for any generation that watches it. 

6. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (2007)

Andrew Dominik’s introspective look at the final years of famed outlaw Jesse James, as played by Brad Pitt. A unique Western where no more than a dozen shots are fired, Dominik’s character-piece is a wonderful slow burn, patiently revealing plot and character in a style that is just like going somewhere on horseback; a journey that takes a long time to get through but with a fine reward at the end. Pitt and co-star Casey Affleck are excellent, and master cinematographer Roger Deakins films one of the most stunning films of the last 20 years. 

5. WARRIOR (2011)

Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton play estranged brothers with complicated histories, who battle each other at a MMA tournament with eyes on a better life. Sports films always give us someone to cheer for, and WARRIOR changed the game by making us care about both opponents; each with their genuine reasons for competing. Far from cliché, WARRIOR ended with the most powerful wallop of emotion sports films have ever seen. 

4. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)

In 1993, Steven Spielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST pulled the curtain back on the Holocaust. In 2013, director Steve McQueen did the same with slavery in America. Displaying a unique style of disciplined directing, McQueen takes us on a harrowing journey as seen through one man (Solomon Northup, as brilliantly played by Chiwetel Ejiofor). It is so brutal and honest that it is not an easy film to watch…and similar to SCHINDLER’S LIST, not the type of film to be often pulled off the shelf for casual viewing. This is a movie for hardened fans of film, and historically, one of the most important ones. This film had to made.

3. THE LORD OF THE RINGS – THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)

One of the greatest moments in Geek History is when Steven Spielberg announced at the 78th Oscars, “it’s a clean sweep”, as Peter Jackson’s grand finale to his THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy won Best Picture while nabbing every Oscar it was nominated for. Besides the awards and box office success, THE RETURN OF THE KING was an emotional finale which had people weeping in a way not seen since BAMBI. It had the type of epic, large-scale filmmaking reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and was the most significant entry into pop-culture since STAR WARS. And the topper: it brought the fantasy genre into the world of legitimate film.

2. BLACK SWAN (2010)

There is an idea in filmmaking that a director is better off confusing the audience for five minutes than to let them get ahead…and that seems to be the approach Darren Aronofsky took with his psychological mind-bender, BLACK SWAN. Brilliantly filmed and edited with plenty of twists, turns, and WTF moments, Aronofsky takes us through the seldom-explored world of professional ballet while examining a fragile mind…wrapping it up with one of the most perfect endings in cinema.

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s reputation as a master-filmmaker was solidified with his epic tale of greed in THERE WILL BE BLOOD. Loosely based on the novel by Upton Sinclair, this late-19th century piece about an oil-man and his adopted son explores greed and the lengths men take, along with diving into family, faith, and even hints at the early foundations of America. Daniel Day-Lewis, arguably the best actor of our time, stunningly transforms himself, and his battle with a young preacher (Paul Dano) over the souls of a small town is equal to that of the clashing of large armies. It is as Biblical as it is down-and-gritty. Just as the oil-men of old dove deep into the Earth, Anderson and his characters dive deep into their own souls. The result is a multi-layered picture that reveals more on each viewing…as all great films should. 

REEL SPEAK'S TOP 20 BEST FILMS OF THE MILLENNIUM

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD
2. BLACK SWAN
3. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
4. 12 YEARS A SLAVE
5. WARRIOR
6. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
7. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
8. THE KING'S SPEECH
9. GLADIATOR
10. HELL OR HIGH WATER
11. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
12. TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY
13. GANGS OF NEW YORK
14. THE MASTER
15. THE DEPARTED
16. THE SOCIAL NETWORK
17. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS
18. AVENGERS: ENDGAME
19. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK
20. THE DARK KNIGHT

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See you in 2025 for the Top 25 Best of the Millennium. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 20 Best Films of the Millennium, 2000-2019 - Part 1

Twenty years have now passed since Y2K never bothered to show up and destroy us, which is a good thing, as the last 20 trips around the sun have provided us with some most-excellent films…and now is the time to look back and build a stack of the best of the best. 

The early part of the decade continued the trends from The Nineties, with character-driven films taking front and center. CGI was still in its infancy, there wasn’t a superhero in sight, and STAR WARS was just getting re-started with a second trilogy. The first few years saw big-budgeted films enter the Oscar race and win, and change was coming as the events of 9/11 would shake Hollywood into an early age of sensitivity. 

Even before the second-half of the last 20 years, those changes were happening rapidly. Superheroes were suddenly everywhere courtesy of Marvel and parent-company Disney, who also rebooted STAR WARS for a third trilogy. CGI was taking over, and yet the small art-house films were able to push the big-budget films out of the Oscar races. Hollywood began to be more inclusive for women and minorities, and a new thing called streaming was igniting debates over what is cinema and what isn’t. 

Despite all that, it all comes down to what we see on the screen, and here now is Reel Speak’s Top 20 Films of the Millennium, 2000 – 2019, Part 1 (20 through 11). 

20. THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)

Christopher Nolan established himself as one of the best filmmakers of the millennium, and it can be argued that his INCEPTION (2010), or THE PRESTIGE (2006) are his best works. But it’s hard to ignore the impact that his Batman sequel has had on the superhero genre. Grounded and not afraid to take a deep-dive into its characters, THE DARK KNIGHT showed that capes and masks can be taken seriously in cinema, that heavyweight actors could be attracted to them, and be good enough to take home Academy Awards. 

19. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK (2005)

David Strathaim puts in the performance of a lifetime as famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow in George Clooney’s look at the early days of television broadcasting. In the days where TV didn’t really know its place, Clooney poses many questions about the medium which are just as relevant now as they were in 1953. Not all are answered…and they shouldn’t be because there is no final answer. That’s what a great film does, and this is sure to inspire many discussions and lectures in Journalism 101 classes for years to come.

18. AVENGERS – ENDGAME (2019)

There is no doubt that Marvel has owned the box office and the collective consciousness of movie fans for the better part of the millennium. Their epic conclusion to their 11-year series wrapped up plots from over 20 movies with nearly a hundred characters, and sent audiences staggering and weeping out the door. An unprecedented achievement in all of cinema. 

17. THE LORD OF THE RINGS – THE TWO TOWERS (2002)

Peter Jacksons’ second film in his Oscar-winning THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy/adaptation has the disadvantage of not having its own beginning and ending, but it survives by having some of the most epic battle scenes in cinema history, eye-popping visuals and special effects, and a constant focus on character. 

16. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010)

David Fincher arguably is the most successful director of the millennium, with critical and commercial hits such as ZODIAC (2005), THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (2008), THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (2011), and GONE GIRL (2014)…and then he took his talent to upstart studio Netflix for their HOUSE OF CARDS series…which suddenly gave legitimacy to streaming services. Fincher’s best out of this era is THE SOCIAL NETWORK, which was scoffed at upon initial announcement, as the subject matter of the founding of Facebook seemed thin. Fincher, along with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, found the heart and soul of it all, and turned it into a story of betrayal and broken friendships…the kind of Greek tragedy story that always works. 

15. THE DEPARTED (2006)

Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winner about a crooked cop and the undercover looking to out him was a thrilling, cat-and-mouse game which brought out career-best performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. Bloody, fun, with perfectly executed building of tension, THE DEPARTED has all of Scorsese’s trademarks made anew. 

14. THE MASTER (2011)

Paul Thomas Anderson pulled outstanding performances from Joaquin Phoenix and the late great Phillip Seymour Hoffman in this introspective look at a lost man not knowing what to do with himself after coming home from WWII. Structured to mirror the relationship between a canine and his master, the film works as one long metaphor, and reveals more and more with each viewing. Deep and layered and brilliant. 

13. GANGS OF NEW YORK (2005)

Martin Scorsese has spent so much celluloid on organized crime, that it would only make sense for him to go back to where it all began. His Civil War-era tale of revenge in a savage New York City had terrific production design and outstanding performances from Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio. A strong slice of American history that works on a grand and intimate scale. 

12. TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (2011)

In an age where spy films are headlined by young baby-faces with noisy CGI everywhere, this adaptation of the famed spy novel by John le Carre was a unique entry into the genre; where fistfights and car chases are replaced by the maturity, patience, and thinking-power of seasoned spies. It works with layer upon layer of mystery, and Gary Oldman re-establishes himself as one of this generation’s finest actors. 

11. THE LORD OF THE RINGS – THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)

At the time, it was one of the riskiest endeavors ever taken on by a major studio; to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s massive fantasy from the page to the big screen. Often deemed unfilmable, the first entry to the trilogy succeeded on dazzling visuals, breathtaking locations, and a whole lot of heart and emotion. Director Peter Jackson assembled a perfect cast, and his screenwriting partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens did outstanding work in adapting the original text for the screen that was concise and faithful. An Oscar-contender and box office monster, FELLOWSHIP re-wrote the book on blockbuster filmmaking. 

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