Villeneuve. A whopping six archiveable films in the 2010’s—remarkable. Villeneuve is poised to vault up this list in future years—especially if he can put together a 2020’s decade that resembles his 2010’s decade in the slightest. He’s a perfectionist who is also prolific. I can’t wait to see what a few years of preparation produces in Dune. Most other directors that are both this brilliant and prolific work in a smaller milieu. For example, Baumbach had 6 archiveable films in the 2010’s and Soderbergh 7 (and a retirement- haha). Villeneuve makes films on a big scale—his 2015-2017 back to back to back of Sicario, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049 is utterly inexplicable. He’s been compared to Nolan and I see some similarities—but a Nolan film looks and feels like a Nolan film—I’d compare him a little closer a 1970’s and early 1980’s Ridley Scott—and not just because of the Blade Runner connection- a spectacular visual filmmaker, works often in the science fiction genre, that doesn’t have an indefinable signature style– -though I may be remedying that with closer study– Villeneuve’s best work seems to be in silhouette- check out the images on the page here.
Best film: Blade Runner 2049
- there should be praise for Gosling, Ford, Roger Deakins and Dennis Gassner (the product designer who worked on Road to Perdition, Skyfall, O Brother Where Art Thou?) but this is Villeneuve’s show and he’s in total visual command of this brilliant film
- Intelligent reflections and meditations on what it means to be human
- This is amongst the best work for Deakins (only one I think right now is superior is The Assassination of Jesse James)—he has roots in dark sci-fi dystopia with 1984’s 1984 which is beautifully photographed. The entirety BR 2049 is so visually arresting– highlights I’ll mention below but my favorite section may be the orange haze of Vegas
- Gosling is on fire with this and La La Land and going back to Blue Valentine in 2010, Drive in 2011. If he can continue this we’re talking about a run that rivals the run of say Pacino or Nicholson in the early 70’s. Two runs I have always marveled at.
- Speaking of Pacino, gosling gets the “train whistle” Pacino moment in The Godfather when he finds the horse at the orphanage. It’s a spectacular moment for Gosling aided heavily by Villeneuve
- I think I have a casting issue with Sylvia Hoeks as “Luv” the guard dog for Leto’s Wallace and main villain. That role/character should be more potent
- Robin write’s hard-drinking police chief anchors the film in its noir roots- great touch
- I love Leto’s room—it’s one of the films painterly highpoints- but whether it’s the writing or acting or both I don’t love the scenes with Leto. He’s too often talking about what the film is about instead of being a character in the film
- Another top 3 pictorial scene for me is Gosling and Hoeks walking down the hall in Wallace corporate office and we have a Venetian blind like effect with different size light blocking—very similar to The Conformist

Another top 3 pictorial scene for me is Gosling and Hoeks walking down the hall in Wallace corporate office and we have a Venetian blind like effect with different size light blocking—very similar to The Conformist
- Ford rivals Gosling’s achievement—if this is his walk-off into the sunset after such a legendary career then what a feather in his cap it is. He has multiple scenes of silence that are devastating. One with Gosling when he’s drinking and the very end of course.
- That ending is another difference with Villeneuve and Ridley Scott. There’s a heart here- I had tears in 2049—it doesn’t make for a better film but it certainly puts the film more in line with Arrival– Villeneuve’s previous effort
- I see influences of Wall-e (orphanage San Diego dump site) where Deakins was of course a key member of their visual team for that film and Pinocchio with Gosling being a real boy, etc
- I can’t unread the Daily Mirror’s comment saying that this is closer to an epic than Ridley Scott’s original which is closer to a noir—I think there’s truth here. I see influences of Spielberg’s AI and Spielberg adores David Lean and Lawrence of Arabia and clearly I see that too with the ability to handle scope, gorgeous establishing shots
- This film is fattier than the original- I don’t love every scene
- The reflected window in the sewer-like area where gosling meets Hiam Abbass’s Freysa is absolutely stunning—one of my favorite 3 film as still frame art moments—it reminds me of Tarkovsky’s Stalker in its stark beauty
- I could change my mind with a third viewing but I thought there were 2-3 times when Villeneuve gave us a reminder of what a character is thinking or why he’s doing something that he didn’t need to. He does it when gosling gets off the bridge (which is a dazzling scene)—he repeats Freysa’s line about dying for a cause and then Bautista’s line (this is the third time we’re heard this and 2nd repeated in our heads) about witnessing a miracle. He should have a little more faith in the audience to put that together—not a big flaw by any means but still
- Gosling’s “K” achieves earned melancholy- it’s what Rutger Hauer achieves in the original. He sees Joi (who is a breakout star and phenomenally played by Ana de Armas) die twice- once by getting stepped on by Luv and another time, in a great scene- the big hologram scene of Ana de Armas), when he realizes she just calls him “Joe” because she was programmed too and it wasn’t real love. It’s devastating for him and gosling is so damn good. He’s great at the end when he, like Hauer, realizes reverence and supreme appreciation for the natural beauty of the world- this time it’s snow-

silhouette work in Blade Runner 2049
total archiveable films: 6

genius lighting of a simple diner in Prisoners
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 0
top 100 films of the decade: 3 (Sicario, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049)

Villeneuve makes films on a big scale—his 2015-2017 back to back to back of Sicario, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049 is utterly inexplicable.
most overrated: He does not have one. Again, too soon for anything on the normal TSPDT top 2000—but Villeneuve has films in the top 1000 of the 21st century- astonishing. Only Arrival lands in the top 10 its respective year- and it at the #10 spot of 2016. Right about where I’d have it.
most underrated : Enemy. I didn’t know what to make of it the first time, I has grown on me – I find myself looking for it, rewatching it often—I’ve seen it four times now. I think there’s a strong case for it being second behind only Blade Runner. It is currently #44 of 2013 which is absurd. But I’m encouraged- it made its first appearance on the TSPDT 21st century list this year—what does that tell you? It’s been out there for years now and with more films to pull from then ever it makes its debut on the list!
- There is enough here formally to archive for sure—I love the spiders as an ongoing motif and formal construct
- Fantastic silent opening—bizarre and erotic—reminded me of an Eyes Wide Shut meeting
- The green/yellow lighting is a bit like a Fincher film and like the opening of Joe Versus the Volcano– haha– you can feel the lighting sucking the like out of you
- Wonderful use of urban architecture and the city of Toronto as a character with the establishing shots
- Reminded me of Cronenberg’s work—particularly crash—eerie slow-burn also set in Toronto– and Cronenberg’s aptly named Spider from 2002
- Doppelganger, paranoia—largely silent- moody and atmospheric—strong sense of dread the entire film—no narrative drive like Villeneuve’s films like Arrival and Sicario
- The upside down naked woman with spider head is exactly half-way through the film—not a formal coincidence
- Love the windshield broken as a spider web

reoccurring motif in his oeuvre- the silhouette shot– and identity deconstruction here in a gorgeous shot from Enemy

use of architecture and lighting – the walls closing in on Gyllenhaal’s character in Enemy

color tinting throughout Enemy– breathtaking visual work — the more stunning of his 2013 films isn’t the collaboration with Deakins (Deakins worked on Prisoners– not this)– that’s impressive!
gem I want to spotlight : Sicario. Another fine candidate to for the underrated section. The narrative propulsion is almost tangible, Deakins work is better here than in No Country For Old Men (I think the overall quality of the two films is much much closer than the consensus) and don’t forget Jóhann Jóhannsson’s masterful grindhouse score.

a painting– one of the great single images of the 2010’s decade– from Sicario
stylistic innovations/traits:
- Silhouette shots

Blade Runner 2049 contains 30-50 of these– just jaw on the floor beauty
- Helicopter shots—brilliant establishing shots
- Master collaborator—Deakins, Hans Zimmer—but he’s clearly not dependent on any of them as he’s made great work without each and every one of the collaborators, too
- Prolific output but working on a big canvas- virtually unheard of in 21st century filmmaking
- breathtaking visuals, color tinting, a master of lighting
- Cronenberg certainly feels like an influence in Enemy– he’s remaking/sequeling Ridley Scott (which I talk in the opening) and Lynch with Dune
top 10
- Blade Runner 2049
- Sicario
- Enemy
- Arrival
- Prisoners
- Incendies

this is from Incendies– the first of a whopping six archiveable films in the 2010’s—remarkable
By year and grades
2010- Incendies | R |
2013- Enemy | HR |
2013- Prisoners | R |
2015- Sicario | MS |
2016- Arrival | R/HR |
2017- Blade Runner 2049 | MS/MP |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
for anyone on the website. what do you consider the best sets in film.
to me the ship in 2001, Jack Rabbit Slim from Pulp Fiction, Babylon Intolerance. Blade Runners city. those are some
Every single set piece in raiders of the lost ark.
It has to be Tati’s Playtime. He built part of a city from scratch and it was the most expensive French movie ever at the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9xhJrPXop4
Do any of you watch trailers? Or am I just the one who doesn’t? I have never seen the point, it does not show the real quality of the film, they are only small highlights to hook the public
Oddly, some of the best editing you’ll ever see on a screen is in movie trailers. Trailers are good if you’re not sure which movies you want to see because they give you the general feel. They can also show you what to look for in the finished product, such as cinematography, acting, or an intriguing plot. Sometimes, you are correct; they can be money grabs that don’t really showcase the film. Other times, they are entertaining and well-done.
@Aldo- I do upcoming films that i’m excited about- can’t help myself.
@Matt Harris- haha- wow. looks amazing.
Wow, high praise for Enemy. That’s the only one I haven’t seen out of the ones you listed (I also haven’t seen Dune yet unfortunately). Having not seen those, my ranking is:
1. Blade Runner 2049 – MP
2. Sicario – MS
3. Arrival – HR/MS
4. Prisoners HR
Seems I’m higher than most on Arrival, you and Drake have it at R/HR and I’m a grade higher. I only caught it once and it was a couple years ago so I should probably re-evaluate it again. I might have just been high off of that mind-boggling ending.
@Matthew – Enemy is very impressive formally and visually looks like it could have been made by Fincher with the unusual lighting and some David Lynch style surrealism for good measure. Would love to see Jake Gyllenhaal work with Villeneuve again.
Dune has debuted into the Letterboxd Top 250 at #196. Make of that what you will.
Watched Dune on previous Monday. It was probably my most anticipated movie of the year and I’m happy to report that it met those expectations.
Some thoughts:
– It’s feels truly epic. Villeneuve put great care in the worldbilding and he gives us time to breath in the world he created.
– Every department work is top notch. But I especially wanted to mention Hans Zimmer score. It gives so much weight to many moments.
– Greg Fraiser shouldn’t be ignored either. He did a terrific job. Many memorable moments.
– My favorite image is probably bene gesserit reverend mother coming from the spaceship with the light coming from the opened hatch.
– Everybody is perfectly cast but I really don’t have a standout.
– The only thing that felt weak to me was fight choreography. It’s adequate but nothing to write home about.
– You have to be ready that it’s only half of the story. Closest comparison in this regard is LOTR probably. If we will not get the second part, I propose we riot.))
– I’m sure I don’t have to mention it to you folks but I really recommend seeing it in cinema.
– Must see movie for me.
Well I had such a different experience with the movie I see. I couldn’t fully appreciate it upon my first watch my first experience with the movie was an underwhelming one. I couldn’t gave it more than 3.5/5 stars left the theaters kinda disappointed. I was so sure that it wasn’t even close to be on Blade Runner 2049 level. I was determined to claim this was something like 2049 failing hard to be a blockbuster at the expense of lowering the quality standards of his predecessor. I was so wrong; it’s actually better. I went another time with no expectations I went only because someone invited me I mean I could never refuse a trip to the cinema but anyways I don’t how I think I wasn’t ready for it, as soon as the first sequence hit the screen everything clicked for me, I couldn’t resist my self but to be immersed into this world, my Dune. To the point it became an addiction. I won’t say it’s a total Masterpiece but definitely a MS borderline Masterpiece. I’m so happy I gave it another chance.
@Alejandro Glad, you liked it!
Interesting, and what do you think contribute to the underwhelming first experience. Was it only expectations?
I just realized Villeneuve has two archived films in 2013. Personally I think Prisoners is closer to HR but just my 2 cents. None the less it got me thinking what are some examples of an auteur putting out 2 quality films in the same year? I don’t think anyone can top Coppola’s ridiculous one-two punch of The Conversation and Godfather II in 1974
Josef von Sternberg put out two big masterpieces in 1930 with The Blue Angel and The Scarlet Empress, and then followed that up in 1932 with Shanghai Express and Blonde Venus (both HRs in my opinion).
Oops I meant to say Morocco here, not the Scarlet Empress.
In my opinion (my guy) Ingmar Bergman can top Coppola’s two-punch with both Wild Strawberries and The Seventh Seal in the same year.
@M*A*S*H – forgot about that one, I’ve only seen Wild Strawberries once so I got to do a rewatch but yeah that’s quite impressive. I have seen most of Bergman’s highest rated films not not nearly enough (except Persona which is a huge MP).
Spielberg in 1993 of course, but also Cronenberg in 1983 with Videodrome and The Dead Zone (MS and HR for me).
@James Trapp- Declan, MASH and Harry bringing up great examples here. Victor Fleming with The Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind is another.
@Declan, M*A*S*H, Harry, Drake – Interesting picks, still need to get around to Von Sternberg and a rewatch of Wild Strawberries (seen just once). I forgot about Speilberg having Jurassic Park in the same year as Schindler’s List. Still need to get around to Gone With the Wind. So many great movies so little time!
There is also Hitchcock, with Rear Window and Dial M for Murder, and Soderbergh with Traffic and Erin Brockovich. But what Bergman did in 1957 probably cannot be beaten, I agree with @Declan.
Error.
I meant I agree with @M*A*S*H.
@RujK- you are right about Hitchcock.
I have another one. I don’t think these two films are as great as those we just talked about. But I think Oliver Stone had quite a year with both Platoon and Salvador.
@RujK – I like Dial M for Murder much more than the overall consensus although I get why some people are less impressed given that it could be argued that it is far less “cinematic” than most other Hitchcock films and less original given that its an adaptation (both fair point). None the less I think its highly enjoyable.
Another mention, even if I don`t think they are masterpieces of cinema, I still think that Mel Brooks making Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein in the same year, is pretty amazing. Plus, I think is pretty crazy that Bergman also made two great movies in 1963 (Winter Light and The Silence) not just in 1957. And I think it should be mentioned Kurosawa`s Throne of Blood and Lower Depths in 1957.
@RujK- Oh god! I’ll never forgive myself for forgetting this. 😐😐. Both Winter Light and The Silence are masterpieces according to me.
Herzog made two great collaborations with Klaus Kinski in 1979, Nosferatu then Woyzeck.
@Harry- another good one- this seems to have become Spielberg’s move- his famous 1993, tried to recreate it in 2002 (really successful) and 2011 (not as much)… we can sort of retire this idea though for the most part– maybe Soderbergh stands alone but nobody else is this prolific anymore.
Wasn’t even intending on a full blown Villeneuve study but realized I just watched 5 of his 6 films in the archives in the last month
I think I would go
Sicario MS/MP
Enemy MS
Blade Runner 2049 MS
Prisoners HR
Arrival R/HR
I am excited to check out Dune. He certainly has a ways to go but it will be interesting to see if Villeneuve can eventually make a case for being Canada’s GOAT director, an honor which currently belongs to David Cronenberg.
Great quote from this review video (don’t watch it if you haven’t seen Dune yet) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL2y1BydWxk
“Dune isn’t here to spell things out. It’s here to engross you and give you somewhat of a sensory experience so that you feel like you’re lost in a space opera, much like the characters.
Has anyone seen Polytechnique (2009)? If so, is it worth a viewing?
I have seen this, it is absolutely worth viewing. I always thought that it wasn’t until the 2010s that Villeneuve hit his stride but this is something really special – a Highly Recommend I would say. So visually inventive with its use of the school’s architecture to create a sort of labyrinth, camera movements that track corridors on its side and upside down, and the snowy exterior shots have this bleak greyscale beauty. Formally, it keeps pushing boundaries in the way it plays out events from different perspectives, a bit like a Rashomon structure but much more urgent in its pacing and not so much using it to question the truth as it is just understanding how experiences of a single tragedy can vary – maybe Amores Perros is closer in that aspect. It is also just such a devastatingly tense narrative as well. I wrote a review on it a while back you can read here: https://scenebygreen.com/2022/04/05/polytechnique-2009/
@DeclanG – thank you for the response, I was considering checking it out and with your recommendation that put me over the top so definitely will watch. Villeneuve continues to impress me, especially the diversity of his work as well as his ambition (a trait that sadly seems to be disappearing).
I could be wrong but I think his greatest film is yet to come, I think Blade Runner 2049 and Enemy are both near MPs particularly Blade Runner but I am hoping he has a potential top 100 film in him.
New Dune trailer looks really good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_YUzQa_1RCE
@Harry- can’t wait