Welcome to another Sunday and another addition of A.S.S. Technically, this is the first addition of A.S.S for the new decade,seeing as last Sunday I didn't post a new scene. I'd like to say that the lapse was because I was out doing something terribly important; maybe I was attending some hush-hush Hollywood premiere, or interviewing an upcoming director on his latest project. Unfortunately I can't say it was either of those things; the actual reason is because, well, I just forgot to post one. But let's not dwell on the mistakes of the past, but instead move on into the future.
Actually, let's dwell on the past a little longer. Specifically, the past ten years. Now that we have entered 2010, there are of course a lot of best films of the decade lists popping up. The Large Association of Movie Blogs recently polled it's members (of which I am one), and based on their votes the results came in as follows:
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Mulholland Dr.
8. Children of Men
7. WALL-E
5t. No Country for Old Men
5t. City of God
4. Amile
3. The Dark Knight
2. There Will Be Blood
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Not a bad list I think you'll agree, although there are definitely a few here that didn't make my ballot card. Specifically I need to rewatch Amile, There Will Be Blood and Mullholand Dr; the former two I though were just alright, whilst the later I absolutely despised.
Anyway, my own votes went like this:
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Kill Bill Volume 1
8. Gone Baby Gone
7. American Psycho
6. Up
5. Requiem for a Dream
4. Lucky Number Slevin
3. City of God
2. The Dark Knight
1. Memento
Ok, so why am I talking about this. Am I planning on running down the best scenes of the decade?
No...although that would be pretty sweet. No, the scene I've picked for this week comes from a 2006 film that I just watched this week for the first time; a film I like so much that I actually watched a second time just a day later. And after two viewings, I can say with confidence that had I seen the film before casting my vote, it would have beating out LOTR and taken the spot as my 10th favourite film of the decade.
The film is Jason Reitman's directorial debut Thank You For Smoking. The movie is a biting black comedy about a tobacco lobbyist played by Aaron Eckhart, and I thought it was absolute ingenious. The direction is terrific, the acting is great and the script is filled with brilliant little flourishes (keep an eye out for the flavour of icecream the characters are eating in the final moments of the given scene) and wonderfully satirical dialogue. The scene I've selected wasn't necessarily my favourite in the film, but I think it's the one that probably best demonstrates the philosophy of the films lead character and the moral flexibility he engages in every day.
It's also one of the few I could find on YouTube...so yeah.
What are your thoughts on Thank You For Smoking? Does it really deserve to be in my Top 10 films of the 00's?
Actually, let's dwell on the past a little longer. Specifically, the past ten years. Now that we have entered 2010, there are of course a lot of best films of the decade lists popping up. The Large Association of Movie Blogs recently polled it's members (of which I am one), and based on their votes the results came in as follows:
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Mulholland Dr.
8. Children of Men
7. WALL-E
5t. No Country for Old Men
5t. City of God
4. Amile
3. The Dark Knight
2. There Will Be Blood
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Not a bad list I think you'll agree, although there are definitely a few here that didn't make my ballot card. Specifically I need to rewatch Amile, There Will Be Blood and Mullholand Dr; the former two I though were just alright, whilst the later I absolutely despised.
Anyway, my own votes went like this:
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Kill Bill Volume 1
8. Gone Baby Gone
7. American Psycho
6. Up
5. Requiem for a Dream
4. Lucky Number Slevin
3. City of God
2. The Dark Knight
1. Memento
Ok, so why am I talking about this. Am I planning on running down the best scenes of the decade?
No...although that would be pretty sweet. No, the scene I've picked for this week comes from a 2006 film that I just watched this week for the first time; a film I like so much that I actually watched a second time just a day later. And after two viewings, I can say with confidence that had I seen the film before casting my vote, it would have beating out LOTR and taken the spot as my 10th favourite film of the decade.
The film is Jason Reitman's directorial debut Thank You For Smoking. The movie is a biting black comedy about a tobacco lobbyist played by Aaron Eckhart, and I thought it was absolute ingenious. The direction is terrific, the acting is great and the script is filled with brilliant little flourishes (keep an eye out for the flavour of icecream the characters are eating in the final moments of the given scene) and wonderfully satirical dialogue. The scene I've selected wasn't necessarily my favourite in the film, but I think it's the one that probably best demonstrates the philosophy of the films lead character and the moral flexibility he engages in every day.It's also one of the few I could find on YouTube...so yeah.
What are your thoughts on Thank You For Smoking? Does it really deserve to be in my Top 10 films of the 00's?
