Films made in the last 10 years that have made you think "wow"

[mauvais]

'Jusqu'ici tout va bien'

 

[Cid]

I dunno, there're plenty of films that had 'wow' factor when I saw them but that wouldn't hold up so well today (Blade, Matrix etc)...

The fountain was definitely wow though. Never watched it sober, but when you're fucked... WOW!

Agreed on La Haine, superb.

 

[lobster]

le haine came out in 1995, that's 12 years ago

 

[_pH_]

le haine came out in 1995, that's 12 years ago

La Haine is the best film of the last 12 years

Yes we know, but time is merely an illusion so nerr

 

[lobster]

i somehow missed that

Some films that had a good edge to them.. in the last 10 years.

Avenge But One Of My Two Eyes
Czech dream
Goodbye lenin
The banishment
Sophie Scholl
Grandhotel
Hartia Va Fi Albastra
the take
the bridge
The King And The Clown
Amelie
Underground

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Lord of the Rings
Batman Begins
Truman Show
Donnie Darko
Nang Nak
Hana Bi
28 Days Later
City of God
The Prestige
fight club

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Reading the thread, have to add some rather glaring omissions that I forgot (as always when making these lists:

Dead Man's Shoes
This is England
Children of Men
Pan's Labyrinth

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

The Matrix in 1999 was really a WOW.

Yes, and I believe it would feature a lot more prominently in these lists if they hadn't made the sequels.

I once went into a room at a squat party and a bunch of fuckheads were sitting around at 10 am talking about the Matrix! How many other films were so widely discussed outside of the realm of 'film buffs'? The sequels wrecked it though

 

[butchersapron]

Yes, and I believe it would feature a lot more prominently in these lists if they hadn't made the sequels.

I once went into a room at a squat party and a bunch of fuckheads were sitting around at 10 am talking about the Matrix! How many other films were so widely discussed outside of the realm of 'film buffs'? The sequels wrecked it though

It's a total rip off of Fassbinders World on a Wire of course, but that's outside the time frame.

 

[Detroit City]

Batman Begins

that was very good but it didn't make me think "wow"

 

[Reno]

It's a total rip off of Fassbinders World on a Wire of course, but that's outside the time frame.

I never made that connection and you are so right.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

that was very good but it didn't make me think "wow"

Yeah to be fair it might belong just below the 'wow' bit...

 

[MikeMcc]

Apart from The Matrix, there's no single film that's made me go wow. But there's certain loads of sequences of films that have blown me away.

The first half an hour of 28 Days Later, especially the scenes of a deserted London.
The first half of Children of Men building the scene of a society that's slowly losing it's marbles and not giving a fuck any more.

On TV shows the best absolutely has to be Band of Brothers, absolutely stunning from beginning to end.

 

[London_Calling]

As well as the usual stuff, I tend to get excited about structure and writing so there’s a bit of that in there as well. Many already mentioned – off the top of my head:

Closer
The Hours
The gay cowboy one
Fight Club

 

[CharlieAddict]

A Tale of Two Sisters.
Atonement.
C.R.A.Z.Y
Donnie Darko.
Courching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The Machinist.
Last Life in the Universe.
Mysterious Skin.
Dog Bites Dog.
Kill Bill Vol I.

 

[lobster]

As well as the usual stuff, I tend to get excited about structure and writing so there’s a bit of that in there as well.

I agree , effects is not a wow for me.

To make my self clearer...

Avenge But One Of My Two Eyes

This documentary film is about the way Palestinians are treated by the Israeli army, the film is shot entirely with them, it has a real frighting reality to it.
There is also a discussion with the producer over the phone with a Palestinian which happens every few segments.

Czech dream

This is a documentary about a pretend hypermarket opening , they used real advertising agents.. the reaction to this from the 2000 or so who went to a opening and found nothing but a front that was just scaffolding was interesting, this was before Czech republic joined the EU.

Goodbye lenin

A ostalgie film , nostalgia for life in the former East Germany. The tragic side was well written.

The banishment

A Russian film set in the pastoral countryside of Russia , where a family have a vocation. The husband of the family finds out his wife is having a baby, however its not his , so he wants a abortion. The abortion dr comes and goes and then the wife turns really ill only a short time after he goes, another dr comes and declares she is dead... Later on she manages to phone back the person she is having an affair with and he gets her back and they talk.
That's a very brief description of the film, lots of slow takes and shot beautifully in the countryside.
Reminds me of Andrei Tarkovsky's The Mirror at least the way its shot.

Sophie Scholl

This is about the trial of Sophie Scholl and White Rose peaceful nazi resistance movement. It seems very well portrayed by the actors.


Grandhotel

A Czech comedy .. taken from the official site as its well written.

Grandhotel is a place between the sky and earth. A place flowing with clouds and human desires. This metaphorical tale is set in a famous hotel overlooking Liberec. In it, Vlasta Fleischman is working as a guard and a prisoner at the same time, as both a repairman and an amateur meteorologist who wants to get as close to the skies as his life will permit. But he has reached its limit. Only birds and fools can get any higher and Fleischman constantly wishes to be a bird someday. For Fleischman, Liberec is both a cage and a place which binds him to an old promise, keeping him from surpassing its borders. Every day Fleischman thinks about just one thing – how to take off and fly away from the hotel, from Liberec, from his far-from-successful life. A fool would construct wings but Fleischman is sewing a hot air balloon to fly away in. He is no fool. The day would have quickly arrived if Ilja had not entered his life. This silent chambermaid draws Fleischman’s thoughts back to earth because this is where his heart belongs. But Ilja is not single, she has long been suffering in her relationship with Patka, an arrogant waiter who is the perfect reason to hide in the clouds. Patka doesn’t want to let Ilja go, confident that everything he does in his life is done for the two of them. And for her. For happiness on earth. However, Ilja is attracted, upwards, to Fleischman.
"A film about people amidst clouds."

Hartia Va Fi Albastra

taken from imbd ...

Out of enthusiasm, a Militia soldier abandons his platoon and decides to fight for the cause of the Revolution. His Lieutenant and the rest of the crew look for him during the confused night of 22-23 December 1989.

I have heard when this was showing in Romania there would be empty seats, its a very difficult subject to watch.


the take

This is about the Argentina works occupying and running factories instead of there bosses, ive spoken to someone from Argentina recently and its sad how people still have faith in them as there have basically disapeared, it was a documentary about courage.

the bridge

This film is about suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge , its a sad film, the film does not in any way gratify suicides, its a compassionate look at suicide.

The King And The Clown

taken from imbd

Two clowns living in the Chosun Dynasty get arrested for staging a play that satirizes the king. They are dragged to the palace and threatened with execution, but are given a chance to save their lives if they can make the king laugh.

One of the clowns is openly homosexual and the way the king treats him is totally different to what i thought. Its a light-hearted film about south Korea history with a twist.


Amelie

I don't think i need to explain what this film is about, I just enjoyed the atmosphere,the music and Amelies passion to make everyone happy. Its like a fairy tale .

Underground

taken from imbd

The story starts from an underground manufacture of weapons of Belgrade, during the WWII, and evolves into fairly surreal situations. The black marketeer who smuggles the weapons to partisans forgets to mention to the workers that the war is over, and they keep producing. 50 years later, they become suspicious, and break out of their underground "shelter" --- only to convince themselves that the guy was right: the war is still going on. Written by Anonymous

This movie reflects the history of Yugoslavia since the beginning of WWII (and similar to all ex-communist countries) to the last horrible events in Balcanian countries. Behind the comedy is hidden the pain of whole generations, which have suffered WWII, The Cold War, the war in Yugoslavia, the communism, the treachery of their own leadership, the fall. The film shows us the reality, as seen by those who feel unlimited love for their country and culture. Marko and Blacky represent the true leaders of country, the soul of nation and not without controversies.

Its a very surreal film, like anything from Emir Kusturica, i also recommend Time of the Gypsies which both give a good example of this Sarajevo director. His films are instant arthouse classics.