The Film of my life

So now we move on to my top 10 films of the last decade. To be in the list I have to have seen the film, so if you're reading this going what about this film or that film and it's not in the list, it means that I haven't seen it!!! These are (again in no particular order):-

1. High Fidelity – Two of my best friends (who also both read this!) have owned record shops in the past and this film was homage to them. Try watching it & NOT then wanting to do what I'm doing now, i.e. making lists of your favourite things, it's what we men do!
   
2. Love Actually – has its faults but for the "Emma Thompson scene" alone, where she gets the CD instead of the jewellery, worth an entry. I do also like Richard Curtis films and this has stood the test of countless repeats.
   
3. Sideways – A brilliant film about two friends and a road trip they undertake in to the Wine country of California, before one of them gets married. One wants to give his friend a good send off the other wants a final fling! Funny, sad, thoughtful and a good reflection of two men entering middle age with regrets and trying to face up to the future.
   
4. Gosford Park – a glorious "who dunnit" written by Julian Fellowes, based on an idea from director Robert Altman. It stars the cream of British actors playing both the "upstairs" and "downstairs" staff in an English country house in 1932. A murder takes place & the films deals with both the solving of the crime and the many complicated relationships involved as well.
   
5. Curse of the Were-Rabbit – Nick Park's transfer of Wallace & Gromit to the big screen could have been a disaster, but instead he produced an epic comedy, which looked like a proper film i.e. it was well lit and well filmed.
   
6. School of Rock – Jack Black's finest hour in which he plays a failed rock musician who takes a part time teacher post (illegally) and passes his love of rock music onto a class of "posh kids" with hilarious results. The music used is great and any film that recommends a child listens to a Yes album in it will always get my vote.
   
7. Lord of the Rings - Took "epic" film making into a whole new area with CGI of the highest standard which brought this almost "unfilmable" book to the cinema. Made stars of many of the cast and did New Zealand (where much of it was filmed) tourism the power of good as well!
   
8. Atonement – I hadn't read the book so this was a real treat when I watched it. Wonderfully acted and a great recreation of war time England and northern France. There is one 5 minute steady cam shot of the beaches at Dunkirk which was done in four takes as they only had two days to film the scene and the tides would ruin the continuity if they took any longer. The story is one of lies and betrayal over a number of years involving a rich English family and their eldest daughters love for the son of one of their servants.
   
9. Juno – an American film about a 16 year old school girl who gets pregnant and has to deal with all that follows. It stars Ellen Page and she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as she struggles to know, what to do and understand her feelings for the father of the baby.
   
10. Casino Royale – Bond returns in a performance by Daniel Craig that shows the more human side of the main character. Gone is the humour and bedding of as many women as possible. In its place more of the grit and determination from the original books. Craig was praised for his performance and kept many women happy as he emerged from the sea in one now iconic scene. A good return to form for a franchise that was looking one its last legs.
    

So there they are my 10 best films of the last decade. Next....albums.