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The Best Films of the 2020s so far…
- I’m Thinking of Ending Things – C. Kaufman
- Decision to Leave – Park Chan-wook
- The Card Counter – Schrader
- Dune – Villeneuve
- The French Dispatch – W. Anderson
- Mank – Fincher
- Nomadland – Zhao
- The Green Knight – Lowery
- Spencer – Larraín
- John Wick: Chapter 4 – Stahelski
- The Underground Railroad – Jenkins
- The Northman – Eggers
- Pieces of a Woman – Mundruczó
- The Batman – Reeves
- Red, White, and Blue – McQueen
- Copenhagen Cowboy – Refn
- Lovers Rock – McQueen
- Promising Young Woman – Fennell
- Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths – Iñárritu
- Everything Everywhere All at Once – Kwan, Scheinert
- A Hero – Farhadi
- White Noise – Baumbach
- Babylon – Chazelle
- Men – Garland
- Nightmare Alley – del Toro
- Antebellum – Bush, Renz
- Tár – Fields
- Belfast – Branagh
- Blonde – Dominik
- R.M.N – Mungiu
- The Banshees of Inisherin – M. McDonagh
- The Hand of God – Sorrentino
- The Tragedy of Macbeth – Coen
- All Quiet on the Western Front – Berger
- Red Rocket – Baker
- Licorice Pizza – P.T. Anderson
- The Worst Person in the World – Trier
- C’mon C’mon – Mills
- The Power of the Dog – Campion
- Passing – Hall
- Parallel Mothers – Almodóvar
- Happening – Diwan
- Emma. – de Wilde
- Shiva Baby – Seligman
- The Father – Zeller
- Elvis – Luhrmann
- Triangle of Sadness – Östlund
- Top Gun: Maverick – Kosinski
- Mangrove – McQueen
- No Time to Die – Fukunaga
Drake2023-06-09T02:09:19-04:00
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@James Trapp – Your comparsion is almost exactly what I thought myself. Oppenheimer is truly a masterpiece and I’m quite confident that will be a top 100 all-time film in the future. I just don’t understand why critics underrate Nolan so much. Drake here has 4 Nolan films at the top of their respective years but the consensus at TSPDT never has. Even 2023 had Oppenheimer below weaker movies like KOTFM, May December and Anatomy of a Fall.
@Alex-Didn’t realize Oppenheimer is ranked below Anatomy of a Fall. Jeez.
@Drake – Right now, I’m of the opinion of it being in my top 100-125. Inception is in my top 100 and Dunkirk and The Dark Knight in my top 200. I think Oppenheimer can go up higher and even Dunkirk. I started noticing more positives about Dunkirk after reading your article so….let’s see.
@Alex – In regards to your JFK comparison, I actually posted the following on the 2023 page:
“Is Oppenheimer (2023) superior to JFK (1991)? The editing is amazing in both films although JFK is more collage based at times which is fitting as it is even more abstract and harder to follow. Both are fascinating in regards to their subject matter and visual style. They both capture enormously important historical events in the 20th Century. But for me the pulsating energy of Oppenheimer and masterful pacing gives it a slight edge. It is hard to believe the amount of sheer subject matter Nolan manages to cover; physics, war time politics, political corruption, and of course the most powerful weapon human beings have ever created. The film zooms through different timelines using different aspect ratios’s and alternating between color and black and white. Both films are assaults on your senses for 3 hours, both are virtuoso filmmaking. The pacing is amazing in both films and I do prefer Oppenheimer here as it does slow at times for some intimate moments, I love when Robert Oppenheimer, his brother, and Ernest Lawrence (Josh Hartnett) are looking at stars in New Mexico. Scenes like this are great not only for character building but also for contrasting with the faster pace sequences.
Both casts are loaded but another advantage for me that favors Oppenheimer is the use of a focal point with Cillian Murphy. The closest JFK has to a main character is Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison. I like Costner and he is quite good but not on the level of Murphy’s performance. Using Murphy’s Robert Oppenheimer as the lead character sets up some of the most incredible and pulsating sequences which occur from his POV as his guilt and paranoia gradually increase over the course of the film. To be entirely honest I do not know how accurate this film is or intends to be and I also do not care from a critical perspective. So I will just say Robert Oppenheimer as presented in this film (maybe historically accurate maybe not) is such a rich and complex character. Again no offense to Costner but his character was a bit one note. Aside from Murphy, it is Robert Downey Jr who gets the most praise and well deserved. Dialogue has never been Nolan’s strength but it is perhaps the strongest of his career. Dunkirk has almost no dialogue by design but the writing for The Dark Knight Trilogy is solid but I think this hits another level.
At this point I am confident that this is one of Nolan’s two best films along with Dunkirk.”
@Drake – What level of a masterpiece is Oppenheimer? Is it better than something like JFK?
@Alex- I haven’t thought about Oppenheimer in that context yet- but I don’t have that comparison at first glance. What do you think?
@Harry – The Substance was a HR for me. Might be a MS on a rewatch but for now, I thought it was great but the screenplay wasn’t that solid and the oversexualisation of Margaret Qualley made it a bit weak for me. Its great but could have been much better.
The Substance is the best film I’ve seen from 2024 aside from Ripley and Dune Part Two.
@Harry – that’s promising. I’ll be getting to it finally on Halloween
@Drake or anyone else – Did any of you happen to catch any festival movie like Anora, The Brutalist or All We Imagine As Light? This year has been very weak except for Dune 2, Furiosa and Ripley.
@Drake- Nah. Nothing there between 2020-23 that screams MP other than Oppie. Cinema just isn’t hitting any high notes recently.
@AP – right- good phrase with “screams MP” here. I’m hopeful on The Brutalist.
@Drake- Thanks for the reply. Looking forward to it.
@James Trapp: Agree completely. Just gotta hope that the next half of the decade is better. It would be a miracle (disaster) if it is not.
@AP and @James Trapp- what do you two think? Missing any obvious ones?
@Drake – Sadly, I don’t think you are
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) is one of the few times where I significantly downgraded after my 1st viewing. I often mention that films from high level auteurs get better with more viewings with occasional excepts and this is one of those. I was blown away watching in theatres at thought it was at or near MP. I have seen a couple times since and still find it impressive but less so.
Decision to Leave (2022) is a really strong film and for me probably the best film after Oppenheimer. I want to get another viewing of Poor Things (2023). I saw in theatres and it might be a MP.
I do think that Cate Blanchett’s performance in Tár (2022) is one of the best that I have ever seen. I don’t think Tár (2022) is quite a MP, but the performance is the best of the decade male or female aside from Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer (2023)
@James Trapp – this is good stuff here- Decision to Leave is sitting pretty on this page already- and just a brilliant film. And I’m underrating Poor Things on the 2023 page. I had the change to catch it again since.
@Drake-Did you like Kinds of Kindness (2024)?
@Lionel – I did- yes
@Drake- Is Oppenheimer the only film to get a MP title in the 2020s so far?
@AP- looks like it was the only one to get an MP in time for the page for that year – if that makes sense- there are been a few others that have a MS/MP or MP after that first viewing. I may try to put together an update on this page in 2025
@Drake was Oppenheimer a full MP on your first viewing, or did it take a rewatch (or multiple) for you to settle on that?
@DeclanG- I saw it twice in like 10 days at the theater because of the big format — I’m not even sure I tried to give it a grade after the first one because I knew the second one was coming up
@AP – At this rate 2018 and 2019 combined will be superior to this entire 2020s decade. In fact, at this exact moment, 2018 (and certainly 2019) are superior to 2020 to 2024 combined
Could A Haunting in Venice make this list if this is updated? How does stack up compared to say Branagh’s own Belfast which is inside the top 30 here.
@Drake- When are you going to update this list and the Top 250 directors list? Also, where do you think Oppenheimer, Asteroid City and Dune: Part Two would land here?
@Parmeet- Thank you for the comment and interest – I’d love to have the time to do both of these updates- but I do not have any current plans to do this updates at this time.
@Drake-Do you plan to update this list now with films like Oppenheimer and Asteroid City?
Hey Drake! Do you still plan on updating this?
@Matthew- TBD on this page- I made it/updated it last June- so it would be this summer
Has anyone watched Eileen (2023)? It is a Psychological thriller with strong reviews. Its the same director of the 2016 film Lady Macbeth which I have not watched yet
@James-Did you see A Haunting in Venice?
@James – Paul Schrader seems to be a big admirer.
Great bounceback year for Cinema
1. Oppenheimer (Nolan) – MP
2. Killers of the Flower Moon (Scorsese) – MP
3. Poor Things (Lanthimos) – MP/MS
4. The Killer (Fincher) – MS
5. Priscilla (S. Coppola) – MS
6. El Conde (Larraín) – MS
7. Saltburn (Fennell) – HR
8. John Wick 4 (Stahelski) – HR
9. Napoleon Ridley (Scott) – HR
10. Past Lives (Song) – HR
11. BlackBerry (M. Johnson) – HR/R
12. Infinity Pool (B. Cronenberg) – R/HR
13. Beau is Afraid (Aster) – R
14. Silent Night (Woo) – R
cont.
2023 great year and I still have several key ones to watch including Asteroid City, Anatomy of a Fall, The Zone of Interest.
Question for anyone, Any recommendations for any 2023 films not mentioned in above post or this post?
The Beasts (As Bestas) is brilliant. May technically be a 2022 film, but could only get to see it where I am in 2023.
@LeRoi-It’s clearly 2022. Looks good. The Innocent is another French film I’m looking forward to see.
@James-Killers of the Flower Moon a MP? Woah. I think it had the potential to be a MP but too bad about some of the choices Scorsese made. Gladstone’s character is badly underwritten at the end. The finale is very unsatisfying with a radio show that looks like belongs in Wolf of the Wall Street or something. Not here.
@James-From what I have seen I think you need to see A Haunting in Venice. Branagh is a very underrated director and all of his films(especially the most recent ones) are far better than their reputation.
@Malith – yes I’ve been wanting to see that one, will add to my list
The Holdovers, Monster, The Boy and the Heron, Godzilla Minus One are all R or HR imo
My top 2020s would be something like this without giving it too many thoughts.
1. Drive my car
2. Decision to leave
3. Dune
4. Poor Things
5. Oppenheimer
6. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
7. Killers of the Flower Moon
8. Tenet
9. Past Lives
10. Beau is afraid
11. Northman
12. The Card Counter
13. The Worst Person in the World
14. Banshees of Inisherin
15. Another Round
Sibyl and Victoria were both average. Anatomy of a Fall is on a completely different level. Great film by a good director > good film by a great director.
Personal list so far (2020s) – still quite a few to watch (eg Holdovers, Zone of Interest, Past Lives):
1. Anatomy of a Fall
2. Tar
3. Decision to Leave
4. Beasts
5. Petit Maman
6. Killers of the Flower Moon
7. Banshees of Inisherin
8. Another Round
9. Drive my Car
10.The Worst Person in the World
11. Parallel Mothers
12. Boiling Point
13. Godland
14. Nomadland
15. The Father
16. Triangle of Sadness
17. First Cow
18. The Quiet Girl
19. The Lost Daughter
20. The Hand of God
@ LeRoi-I haven’t seen Anatomy of a Fall. But Sibyl is awful.
My list so far…
1. Oppenheimer
2. The Green Knight
3. Saltburn
4. Dune
5. The Card Counter
6. Babylon
7. Tar
8. The Batman
9. Decision to Leave
10. Tenet
11. John Wick: Chapter 4
12. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
13. The French Dispatch
14. The Underground Railroad
15. The Killer
You had a best films of the 2010s decade up at one point and now it seems to have fallen off the site–did you mean to delete it?
@Z- I did, it was 4-5 years old so pulled it down recently in conjunction with putting up the top 1000 list
How many archivable films does Keanu Reeves have now?
@Anderson – 15 I believe
What are these?
@Anderson- I have these internally here as a rough draft – I’d have to spend some time to check on the number
A rough draft is enough. No body is touting Reeves as a very talented actor but he has now remained a star for years. And like Cruise he seems dedicated to this action franchises which gets better with each entry.
@Anderson-
1986- River’s Edge
1988- Dangerous Liasons
1989- Parenthood
1991- My Own Private Idaho
1992- Bram Stroker’s Dracula
1993- Much Ado About Nothing
1999- The Matrix
2000- The Gift
2003- The Matrix Reloaded
2006- A Scanner Darkly
2014- John Wick
2016- The Neon Demon
2017- John Wick: Chapter 2
2019- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
2023- John Wick: Chapter 4
Ridley Scott is directing a Gladiator sequel!
What on earth is going on?? 85 year old Ridley Scott is not only releasing a 2 and a half hour epic on Napoleon (with a near 4 hour diector’s cut) but he is also releasing Gladiator 2 around Thanksgiving 2024. Scoresese is already working on his next film.
Terence Malick who is turning 80 in a couple of weeks has a near 3-hour epic set to be released in 2024
83 year old Brian De Palma as an upcoming murder mystery film titled, Sweet Vengeance.
84 Year Old Francis Ford Coppola has an upcoming film in 2024 titled, Megalopolis, his last film was made in 2011
93 year old Clint Eastwood has an upcoming thriller titled “Juror No. 2” The release date is not clear but it seems like 2024
https://deadline.com/2023/02/gladiator-2-release-date-1235249039/
Better yet 88 year old Woody Allen seems to have delivered his best film in a decade in 2023 going by the surprisingly positive reviews. Did you see it @James?
@Anderson – I actually have not seen any of his work other than Manhattan (1979), Annie Hall (1977), and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989). All 3 very impressive. So many auteurs to cover but I definitely want to get to him, I know he’s extremely prolific
Roughly how many 2023 films (up until this point) do you think would slide onto this list? I see we already had Wick out by the time you put this list together
@Matthew – Feels like a bunch, right? Been a strong year so far. I’ll have the 2023 page up in February hopefully- and then I’ll update this page next summer maybe.
@Drake- When’s you director series coming?
@M*A*S*H – I was originally shooting for 1 month after the top 1000 – which would be about a week from now. We’ll see if I make it- but that was the goal.
@Drake-No top 100 for each decade?
@Anderson- I don’t think so- the mystery of the top 100 for each decade is really on the top 1000 page
Napoleon (2023) just two weeks away, its been a while since I have had such a wide range of expectations for a film. A complete flop wouldn’t suprise me and neither would a near MP level film, okay a near MP level film might surprise me somewhat given that Scott does not have one of those in the last 40 years but for some reason I think it could happen; not sure if this is just foolishness on my part or wishful thinking
@James Trapp- these are my thoughts as well
Where is Wolfwalkers(2020)? It is one of the best animated films I have seen in recent years?
@Anderson – very solid film- wouldn’t get a long argument from me if someone had it tucked in near the bottom of the 50 here
I agree with Anderson. The shot of the canon entering the forest den at the end is such a startling visual, sexual metaphor.