My Top 30 Films of the 2010’s

The 2010’s saw a significant decline in the number of movies and shows I was watching. I was mostly watching science, history, and nature documentaries at this time. But I still managed to watch some bangers, so here are the 30 best films I saw in the 2010’s.

Number 30

Title: Before I Wake
Year: 2016
Plot: After tragically losing their own son, a man and his wife welcome an eight-year-old foster child into their lives, and soon discover he has a strange ability.
Starring: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Jacob Tremblay, Annabeth Gish, Topher Bousquet, Dash Mihok
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Based on: An original screenplay written by Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard.
Notes: After seeing The Haunting of Hill House, I decided that Mike Flanagan was the one to watch, and promptly watched almost everything he did from that point on. Before I Wake is just a lovely dark fairy tale with just enough creep in it to call it a horror movie.

Number 29

Title: The Blackcoat’s Daughter
Year: 2015
Plot: During winter break, two students stay in an all-girls boarding school in the company of a terrifying presence.
Starring: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, James Remar, Lauren Holly, Greg Ellwand, Elana Krausz, Heather Tod Mitchell
Directed by: Osgood Perkins
Based on: An original screenplay written by Osgood Perkins.
Notes: Oz Perkins (son of the legendary Anthony Perkins) is definitely another one to watch, at least some of the time. I’ve seen only 3 of his films, but have loved 2 of them (I am the Pretty Thing that Lives in the House is a total snore-fest). They’re twisty-turny, and you’re never quite sure where he’s going with the story. I’ve been meaning to watch his 4 other films, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Number 28

Title: World War Z
Year: 2013
Plot: Former United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Peter Capaldi
Directed by: Marc Forster
Based on: The book World War Z written by Max Brooks.
Notes: Now, I never read the book this film is based on. I’ve been told that had I read it, this movie would have insulted me. As it is, I found it a fun, popcorny good time.

Number 27

Title: Eli
Year: 2019
Plot: A boy receiving treatment for his auto-immune disorder discovers that the house he’s living in isn’t as safe as he thought.
Starring: Charlie Shotwell, Kelly Reilly, Max Martini, Lili Taylor, Sadie Sink, Deneen Tyler, Katia Gomez
Directed by: Ciarán Foy
Based on: An original screenplay written by David Chirchirillo.
Notes: This one surprised me. I thought I was in for a standard haunted house fare, which isn’t a bad thing, but then it flipped the switch and became something totally unexpected. Quite a good little film. Even my boyfriend liked it, and he doesn’t do horror.

Number 26

Title: Ouija: Origin of Evil
Year: 2016
Plot: In 1967 Los Angeles, a young girl tries to communicate with her late father through a Ouija board, but unleashes a demon instead.
Starring: Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso, Henry Thomas, Parker Mack, Halle Charlton, Alexis G Zall, Doug Jones
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Based on: An original screenplay written by Mike Flanagan and Jeff Howard.
Notes: There’s some really bad cgi in this, but on the whole it’s really quite good. So much better than the first Ouija film. Mike Flanagan was really starting to show what an awesome filmmaker he is here. The Haunting of Hill House came soon after, and that show just blew me away.

Number 25

Title: The Innkeepers
Year: 2011
Plot: During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel’s haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay.
Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, Alison Bartlett, Jake Ryan
Directed by: Ti West
Based on: An original screenplay written by Ti West, based on his real-life experiences at the supposedly haunted Yankee Pedlar Inn.
Notes: This is definitely a slow burn, but unlike West’s other film House of the Devil, this one actually goes somewhere. There’s a nice, creepy atmosphere, an empty hotel is always a good choice for a haunting.

Number 24

Title: The Vatican Tapes
Year: 2015
Plot: A priest and two Vatican exorcists must do battle with an ancient satanic force to save the soul of a young woman.
Starring: Olivia Taylor Dudley, Michael Peña, Dougray Scott, John Patrick Amedori, Peter Andersson, Djimon Hounsou, Kathleen Robertson
Directed by: Mark Neveldine
Based on: An original screenplay written by Christopher Borrelli and Michael C Martin.
Notes: I wasn’t expecting much when I pulled this out of the bargain bin at WalMart. Imagine my surprise when I actually loved it! No, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a fun, creepy good time.

Number 23

Title: Legion
Year: 2010
Plot: An out-of-the-way diner becomes the unlikely battleground for the survival of the human race. When God loses faith in humankind, he sends his legion of angels to bring on the Apocalypse. Humanity’s only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner with the fallen Archangel Michael.
Starring: Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid, Adrianne Palicki, Charles S Dutton, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Durand, Doug Jones
Directed by: Scott Stewart
Based on: An original screenplay written by Scott Stewart and Peter Schink.
Notes: A great idea executed very well, besides a little bit of questionable cgi. And how hot was Paul Bettany in this era? Whew! fans self

Number 22

Title: Evil Dead
Year: 2013
Plot: Five friends head to a remote cabin to help one of them get clean, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods.
Starring: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci, Elizabeth Blackmore
Directed by: Fede Alvarez
Based on: An original screenplay written by Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues, which is a soft reboot of the film The Evil Dead written and directed by Sam Raimi.
Notes: I loved this film, but I will probably never watch it again. The gore is much more gory than I usually like it, but they did a really good job with this film. I hated the original, so I was hesitant to see this one, but was pleasantly surprised to see that all the silliness of the original was gone, replaced by a dour, bleak atmosphere.

Number 21

Title: Europa Report
Year: 2013
Plot: An international crew of astronauts undertakes a privately funded mission to search for life on Jupiter’s fourth largest moon.
Starring: Sharlto Copley, Michael Nyqvist, Christian Camargo, Embeth Davidtz, Daniel Wu, Karolina Wydra, Anamaria Marinca, Isiah Whitlock Jr
Directed by: Sebastián Cordero
Based on: An original screenplay written by Philip Gelatt.
Notes: Some minor technical issues aside, this film is refreshingly accurate when it comes to science fiction. There was a great attention to detail, and it paid off. Very well done.

Number 20

Title: The Void
Year: 2016
Plot: Shortly after delivering a patient to an understaffed hospital, a police officer experiences strange and violent occurrences seemingly linked to a group of mysterious hooded figures.
Starring: Aaron Poole, Kathleen Munroe, Ellen Wong, Kenneth Welsh, Art Hindle, Stephanie Belding, James Millington
Directed by: Jeremy Gillespie, Steven Kostanski
Based on: An original screenplay written by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie, although they were heavily inspired by HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos.
Notes: When cosmic horror is done right, it can be really awesome. When done wrong, it’s silly and dumb. This movie falls into the former category. So good. And the practical effects were really great. It’s always good to see filmmakers who don’t rely too heavily on cgi.

Number 19

Title: Insidious
Year: 2010
Plot: Josh and Renai Lambert move into their new home with their three children. As a mysterious accident leaves their boy, Dalton, in a science-defying coma for months, blood-chilling occurrences in the house can only mean one thing: something evil has set its sights on robbing the Lamberts of what they hold dear.
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Joseph Bishara
Directed by: James Wan
Based on: An original screenplay written by Leigh Whannell.
Notes: A creepy story written by Leigh Whannell, masterfully directed by James Wan, and a moody-ass, string-heavy score by Joseph Bishara, there was no way this film was going to be bad. I did find the last 20 minutes or so a little silly, but it was still very well done.

Number 18

Title: Incarnate
Year: 2016
Plot: A scientist with the ability to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed must save a young boy from the grips of a demon with powers never seen before, while facing the horrors of his past.
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Carice van Houten, David Mazouz, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Keir O’Donnell, Matt Nable, Emily Jackson, Paul Vincent O’Connor
Directed by: Brad Peyton
Based on: An original screenplay written by Ronnie Christensen.
Notes: I never see anyone talk about this movie, and it’s a damned shame. The idea is so good, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more like this. Aaron Eckhart was great as the broken scientist who’s still doing good in the world despite himself.

Number 17

Title: A Quiet Place
Year: 2018
Plot: A family struggles for survival in a world invaded by blind alien creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing.
Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Cade Woodward
Directed by: John Krasinski
Based on: An original screenplay written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski.
Notes: Such a great idea and executed almost perfectly. Even the cgi aliens didn’t bother me so much, they were really well done.

Number 16

Title: Star Trek Into Darkness
Year: 2013
Plot: After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldaña, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Leonard Nimoy
Directed by: JJ Abrams
Based on: An original screenplay written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. Based on characters created by Gene Roddenberry.
Notes: I know I’m probably in the minority here, but I really loved this movie. It’s just a fun, action packed good time. Now, would I have loved it as much without Benedict? Hm, hard to say…

Number 15

Title: Devil
Year: 2010
Plot: A group of strangers are trapped in an elevator while a detective watches them via the elevator’s security cameras. Soon it becomes clear that they aren’t alone in there, and they begin dying, one by one.
Starring: Chris Messina, Logan Marshall-Green, Caroline Dhavernas, Bokeem Woodbine, Jenny O’Hara, Bojana Novakovic, Geoffrey Arend, Jacob Vargas, Matt Craven
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Based on: An original screenplay written by M Night Shyamalan and Brian Nelson.
Notes: Another one that doesn’t get talked about enough. Such a simple premise, but it’s executed flawlessly. It’s always a gamble to have your entire film set in one location, but this was never boring.

Number 14

Title: Winter’s Tale
Year: 2014
Plot: One night in winter, Peter Lake, orphan and master-mechanic, attempts to rob a fortress-like mansion on the Upper West Side. Though he thinks the house is empty, the daughter of the house is home. Thus begins the love between Peter and Beverly Penn, a young lady who is dying.
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly, Ripley Sobo, Scott Grimes, Graham Greene, Kevin Durand, Finn Wittrock, Will Smith, Novelisto D (Listo) the Horse
Directed by: Akiva Goldsman
Based on: The book Winter’s Tale written by Mark Helprin.
Notes: Movies don’t get much more schmoopy than this, folks. Disgustingly romantic, filmed beautifully, with a haunting score by Hans Zimmer, this movie is simply beautiful. And bring a whole box of Kleenex. You’re gonna need it!

Number 13

Title: Sinister
Year: 2012
Plot: A controversial true-crime writer finds a box of Super 8 home movies in his new home, revealing that the murder case he is currently researching could be the work of an unknown serial killer whose legacy dates back to the 1960s.
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance, Michael Hall D’Addario, Clare Foley, James Ransone, Vincent D’Onofrio, Fred Thompson, Nicholas King
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Based on: An original screenplay written by Scott Derrickson and C Robert Cargill.
Notes: This movie got a 6.8 on IMDb, which is amazing for a horror film. Ethan Hawke gives an amazing performance under Scott Derrickson’s masterful direction. It was a match made in heaven.

Number 12

Title: The Cabin in the Woods
Year: 2011
Plot: Five young people visit a remote cabin and explore its cellar, finding strange items. When Dana reads from a book there, she unleashes zombie killers. But the situation is more complex than it appears.
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White, Amy Acker, Tom Lenk, Dan Payne, Jodelle Ferland
Directed by: Drew Goddard
Based on: An original screenplay written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard.
Notes: I had no intention of seeing this film after watching the trailer. Meh, I thought, another teen slasher, no thanks. But then I saw it: “written by Joss Whedon”. And that changed everything. I was already a huge fan of his from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, so I had to see it. And boy, am I glad I did. This movie is the perfect balance of comedy and horror, and the idea is just so damn good. Sure, Joss Whedon is a piece of shit, but he knows how to write!

Number 11

Title: The Autopsy of Jane Doe
Year: 2016
Plot: Sheriff Burke delivers an unidentified body to Tommy and Austin Tilden. As they perform an autopsy, impossible discoveries emerge. Each new finding deepens a mystery that threatens their survival.
Starring: Brian Cox, Emile Hirsch, Olwen Catherine Kelly, Ophelia Lovibond, Michael McElhatton, Sydney the Cat
Directed by: André Øvredal
Based on: An original screenplay written by Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing.
Notes: I had to wait so long to watch this film because it wasn’t available on any platform in Canada. Finally, I was able to buy it on YouTube, and let me tell you, it was worth all the trouble. This film is tense from start to finish, each new layer more interesting than the next.

Number 10

Title: Warm Bodies
Year: 2013
Plot: After a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world.
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Analeigh Tipton, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Cory Hardrict
Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Based on: The book Warm Bodies written by Isaac Marion, with some inspiration taken from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Notes: Parts funny, parts romantic, and parts tense, this film really delivers. Anyone saying it’s just Twilight with zombies has obviously never seen the film. The book is also good, albeit a bit darker.

Number 9

Title: Warcraft
Year: 2016
Plot: As an Orc horde invades Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war.
Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell (v.o.), Ben Schnetzer, Ben Foster, Robert Kazinsky (v.o.), Ruth Negga, Daniel Wu (v.o.), Clancy Brown (v.o.), Anna Galvin (v.o.), Callum Keith Rennie, Burkely Duffield
Directed by: Duncan Jones
Based on: The Warcraft game series created by Blizzard Entertainment.
Notes: As an avid player of World of Warcraft, I was super excited when this was announced. I waited with bated breath and when it finally came out, I went to see it on opening night, which I never do. And it did not disappoint. Besides engaging characters and clever dialog, this film looks beautiful. I generally don’t like when there’s too much cgi, but they really spared no expense making this movie, and you can see it. The Orcs look absolutely stunning, and the magic is suitably showy. Just wonderful.

Number 8

Title: The Avengers
Year: 2012
Plot: Earth’s mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård, Samuel L Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany (v.o.)
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Based on: The comic book series The Avengers created by Stan Lee for Marvel Comics.
Notes: Before superhero fatigue set in, I was all about the Marvel films, and this first Avengers movie remains the best of them. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, it’s a fun, quippy, action packed good time.

Number 7

Title: Dracula Untold
Year: 2014
Plot: As his kingdom is being threatened by the Turks, young prince Vlad Tepes must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his family, and the families of his kingdom.
Starring: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Sarah Gadon, Art Parkinson, Charles Dance, Diarmaid Murtagh, Paul Kaye, William Houston, Noah Huntley
Directed by: Gary Shore
Based on: A character from the book Dracula written by Bram Stoker (origin story).
Notes: Absolutely wonderful. They did a great job with the origin story of Dracula as Vlad the Impaler. I very much doubt he was as loving and kind as he was portrayed in the film, but that’s besides the point. My only gripe with the film is Dominic Cooper, who’s quite white, as a Turk. Other than that, it’s almost perfect.

Number 6

Title: The Martian
Year: 2015
Plot: An astronaut stranded on Mars must rely on his ingenuity to survive and arrange a potential rescue.
Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Benedict Wong, Mackenzie Davis, Donald Glover
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Based on: The book The Martian written by Andy Weir.
Notes: I was very apprehensive about this movie. The book was one of the best I’d read in a long time, and I didn’t want Hollywood to ruin it. I also wasn’t thrilled at the casting of Matt Damon. Nothing against him, I just didn’t think he could pull off nerdy. Well, I had nothing to worry about. I think this has to be one of the best adaptations I’ve ever seen. Sure, there are parts missing, but that’s to be expected when you want to tell a story in or under 2 hours. Simply marvelous!

Number 5

Title: The Woman in Black
Year: 2012
Plot: A young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds, Janet McTeer, Shaun Dooley, Mary Stockley, Jessica Raine, Liz White
Directed by: James Watkins
Based on: The book The Woman in Black written by Susan Hill.
Notes: Now this is how you do period piece horror! Dripping with atmosphere, it’s suspenseful and sometimes scary. It’s a great ghost story. I haven’t read the book, but I hear this was a good adaptation.

Number 4

Title: Crimson Peak
Year: 2015
Plot: A new bride investigates ghostly visions at a remote gothic mansion that holds dark secrets.
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver, Burn Gorman, Doug Jones
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Based on: An original screenplay written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins.
Notes: I actually wasn’t thrilled with this one the first time I saw it, mostly because it wasn’t entirely what I expected. But subsequent viewings changed my mind, and now I think it’s wonderful. The locations, the costumes, and yes, the actors, are all stunning.

Number 3

Title: Deliver Us from Evil
Year: 2014
Plot: New York police officer Ralph Sarchie begins investigating a series of disturbing and inexplicable crimes. He joins forces with an unconventional priest schooled in the rituals of exorcism, to combat the frightening and demonic possessions that are terrorizing their city.
Starring: Eric Bana, Edgar Ramírez, Olivia Munn, Joel McHale, Sean Harris, Chris Coy, Dorian Missick, Lulu Wilson, Olivia Horton
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Based on: The book Beware the Night written by Ralph Sarchie and Lisa Collier Cool.
Notes: I absolutely love this movie. It’s dripping with atmosphere (literally, it’s always raining), it’s tense and scary. All the actors do a standout job.

Number 2

Title: It
Year: 2017
Plot: In the summer of 1989, a group of bullied kids band together to destroy a shape-shifting monster, which disguises itself as a clown and preys on the children of Derry, their small Maine town.
Starring: Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff, Nicholas Hamilton, Owen Teague, Jackson Robert Scott, Bill Skarsgård
Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Based on: The book It written by Stephen King.
Notes: I have nothing but love for the original 1990 miniseries, Tim Curry was the bomb as Pennywise. But this is clearly the superior film. It’s tense, it’s scary, and it’s heartwarming all at the same time. The characters are wonderfully written (which is no surprise considering they’re Stephen King characters). And Bill Skarsgård really made the character his own and did an amazing job at it.

Number 1

Title: The Conjuring
Year: 2013
Plot: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley Caswell, Joey King, Hayley McFarland, Kyla Deaver, Shannon Kook, John Brotherton, Mackenzie Foy, Sterling Jerins, Steve Coulter, Joseph Bishara
Directed by: James Wan
Based on: The book House of Darkness, House of Light by Andrea Perron.
Notes: Over the years, this has become my comfort movie. Whenever I’m not feeling well, or if I don’t know what to do with myself, I’ll throw this film on. It’s so well done, we really care about the family since they spend time getting to know them. Whatever your thoughts on the real Ed and Lorraine Warren are (cough frauds cough), there’s no denying that their stories make for excellent films!

And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed my list. What are your favourites of the 2010’s? Let me know!

M.

My Top 30 Films of the 2000’s

Before I start, I have to right a horrible wrong in my 90’s list. I don’t know how, but there are 2 glaring omissions that would be in the list. 1995’s Copycat, starring Sigourney Weaver. And 1992’s Batman Returns, starring Michael Keaton. They would both be pretty high on the list, and I have no idea how I forgot them. There’s also one that would be in the honourable mentions, 1996’s Freeway, starring Reese Witherspoon. Seriously, my brain is a sieve sometimes. Ok, now that that’s out of the way, here we go.

By the 2000’s I had already started to watch less movies, so this list was a little easier to make. I still have a few honourable mentions, but not nearly as many as the 90’s list. So without any further ado, here are my top 30 films of the 2000’s.

Number 30

Title: Underworld
Year: 2003
Plot: Selene, a vampire warrior, is entrenched in a conflict between vampires and werewolves, while falling in love with Michael, a human who is sought by werewolves for unknown reasons.
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Shane Brolly, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Sophia Myles, Erwin Leder, Wentworth Miller, Kevin Grevioux
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Based on: An original screenplay written by Danny McBride.
Notes: The 2000’s saw the beginning of the “slick horror” films, and this is a perfect example of that. It’s a goth’s wet dream, all latex and straps and beautiful people. It’s definitely a case of style over substance, but it’s still a fun popcorn movie.

Number 29

Title: The Count of Monte Cristo
Year: 2002
Plot: A young man, falsely imprisoned by his jealous “friend”, escapes and uses a hidden treasure to exact his revenge.
Starring: Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Dagmara Dominczyk, Richard Harris, Luis Guzmán, Henry Cavill, James Frain, Patrick Godfrey, Michael Wincott
Directed by: Kevin Reynolds
Based on: The book Le Comte de Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas.
Notes: What a wonderful retelling of an already wonderful book. Plus, tiny 17 year old Henry Cavill is almost too adorable for words.

Number 28

Title: Zodiac
Year: 2007
Plot: Between 1968 and 1983, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, John Carroll Lynch, Chloë Sevigny, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney
Directed by: David Fincher
Based on: The non-fiction books Zodiac and Zodiac Unmasked by Robert Graysmith.
Notes: David Fincher proves yet again how good he with this type of film. Tense from start to finish, it’s an unflinching look at the horrors perpetrated by the Zodiac killer, and the toll it took on the detectives who worked the case. And after going through all the evidence myself, I have to agree with the film’s conclusion that Arthur Leigh Allen was the killer.

Number 27

Title: Silent Hill
Year: 2006
Plot: Rose Da Silva takes her adopted daughter, Sharon, to the town of Silent Hill in an attempt to cure her of her ailment. After a violent car crash, Sharon disappears and Rose begins a horrific journey to get her back.
Starring: Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Jodelle Ferland, Deborah Kara Unger, Kim Coates, Tanya Allen, Alice Krige
Directed by: Christophe Gans
Based on: The Silent Hill video game series created by Konami.
Notes: This is one of those films that you only watch once, even though it’s really good. At least it is for me, and I’ll tell you why. Little girl barbeque *intense shudder*. But all the best elements of the game are beautifully, and horrifyingly, brought to life. It’s tense, it’s creepy, and better acted than other video game adaptations.

Number 26

Title: Shrek
Year: 2001
Plot: A mean lord exiles fairytale creatures to the swamp home of a grumpy ogre, who must go on a quest and rescue a princess for the lord in order to get his land back.
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Conrad Vernon, Vincent Cassel, Jim Cummings
Directed by: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Based on: The children’s picture book Shrek! by William Steig.
Notes: This film is so much fun. Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy play off each other perfectly, and the result is hilarious. There’s also a ton of slightly off colour jokes that adults will get but not the kids, so it’s fun for all ages.

Number 25

Title: The Mothman Prophecies
Year: 2002
Plot: A recently widowed reporter goes to a small town to investigate strange, possibly supernatural, happenings.
Starring: Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Will Patton, Lucinda Jenney, Yvonne Erickson, David Eigenberg, Debra Messing
Directed by: Mark Pellington
Based on: The non-fiction book The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel.
Notes: A total hidden gem, I never hear people talk about this film, and it’s a real shame. It’s so good, very well acted, and tense. A good time.

Number 24

Title: Gladiator
Year: 2000
Plot: A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Spencer Treat Clark
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Based on: While not based on a true story, it is historical fiction that uses real figures and settings to tell a fictional tale.
Notes: Ancient history is something I eat right up, so even a fictional story set in ancient times is something I’ll likely love (unless they fuck it up completely).

Number 23

Title: Queen of the Damned
Year: 2002
Plot: The vampire Lestat becomes a rock star whose music wakes up the equally beautiful and monstrous queen of all vampires.
Starring: Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah, Marguerite Moreau, Vincent Perez, Paul McGann, Lena Olin, Matthew Newton, Claudia Black, Christian Manon, Bruce Spence, Tiriel Mora
Directed by: Michael Rymer
Based on: The books The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice (more or less…)
Notes: Yes, I’m aware how bad this movie is. But that’s part of its charm! It’s only very loosely based on Anne Rice’s amazing novels, and while I wish they had gotten the same lush treatment that Interview did, I’m not at all upset with how this turned out. The soundtrack is absolutely killer, standouts being David Draiman’s Forsaken and Jay Gordon’s Slept So Long.

Number 22

Title: Jeepers Creepers
Year: 2001
Plot: Trish and Darry are driving home for spring break when they encounter a being who eats parts of his victims to reshape its own body.
Starring: Gina Philips, Justin Long, Jonathan Breck, Patricia Belcher, Eileen Brennan, Brandon Smith
Directed by: Victor Salva
Based on: While not a true story, the opening scene where Trish and Darry witness a man dumping a body is heavily influenced by a case in 1990. Ray and Marie Thornton witnessed Dennis DePue disposing of his wife’s body behind an abandoned schoolhouse. DePue subsequently chased the siblings in his van.
Notes: Ok, I had no idea that the opening scene was based on a true story! It’s amazing what you can find out with a little research, hehe. But this film is so much fun, silly title aside. The Creeper is such a fun villain, and how cute was Justin Long in this??

Number 21

Title: Ice Age
Year: 2002
Plot: Manny the mammoth, Sid the loquacious sloth, and Diego the sabre-toothed tiger go on a comical quest to return a human baby back to his father, across a world on the brink of an ice age.
Starring: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Goran Visnjic, Jack Black, Cedric the Entertainer, Stephen Root, Diedrich Bader, Alan Tudyk, Jane Krakowski
Directed by: Carlos Saldanha, Chris Wedge
Based on: An original screenplay written by Michael Berg, Michael J Wilson, and Peter Ackerman
Notes: This has to be one of my very favourite animated films. It’s absolutely hilarious and heart-warming at the same time. It’s animated beautifully and has a simple yet wonderful message of love and acceptance.

Number 20

Title: Identity
Year: 2003
Plot: Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rain storm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they’re being killed off one by one.
Starring: John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Ray Liotta, John Hawkes, Alfred Molina, Clea DuVall, John C. McGinley, William Lee Scott, Jake Busey, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Rebecca De Mornay, Bret Loehr
Directed by: James Mangold
Based on: The book And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (while not a direct adaptation, it adopts the same “ten strangers in an isolated location” premise and kills them off one by one, incorporating a modern twist).
Notes: The film is so tense, so good, with a killer (pun totally intended) twist before twists were a dime a dozen. The only part of the film I dislike is the very last scene. It’s just over a minute long, and undoes everything the film was trying to do. I always turn it off just before this scene. It doesn’t exist to me.

Number 19

Title: Harry Potter(s)
Year: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009
Plot: The trials and tribulations of Harry Potter and his friends at a wizarding school while they try fight a villain long thought dead.
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Issacs, Julie Walters, David Bradley, Mark Williams, Toby Jones (v.o.), Richard Harris, Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Warwick Davis, Brendan Gleeson, Robert Pattinson, Katie Leung, Clémence Poésy, Fiona Shaw, Evanna Lynch, Natalia Tena, Imelda Staunton, Richard Griffiths, Helen McCrory
Directed by: Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, David Yates
Based on: The first 6 books in the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)
Notes: Ok, so maybe I’m cheating here, but I didn’t want a good chunk of the list to be Harry Potter films, so I lumped them all into one. Sure, the author is problematic, but HP Lovecraft was a raging racist. That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy their work.

Number 18

Title: Mr Brooks
Year: 2007
Plot: Mr Brooks is a well respected businessman who highlights as a serial killer. When he’s photographed at his latest murder site, he must do as the photographer says or he’ll be turned in to police.
Starring: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, William Hurt, Dane Cook, Danielle Panabaker, Marg Helgenberger, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Lindsay Crouse
Directed by: Bruce A Evans
Based on: An original screenplay written by Bruce A Evans and Raynold Gideon.
Notes: I’m a sucker for serial killer films, and I think this is one of the great ones. Except for the last two minutes. They change an otherwise cool and collected character into a blubbering mess, and I hate it. Another one I shut off before the end.

Number 17

Title: A Knight’s Tale
Year: 2001
Plot: After his master dies, a peasant squire, fueled by his desire for food (and glory), creates a new identity for himself as a knight and enters jousting competitions.
Starring: Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany, Laura Fraser, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, James Purefoy
Directed by: Brian Helgeland
Based on: While not a direct adaptation of a specific book, it is heavily inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s 14th-century work The Knight’s Tale from The Canterbury Tales.
Notes: Melding middle ages with hints of the modern age, this film is so much fun. Heath Ledger made me absolutely swoon as William Thatcher, the squire who dreams of greatness. The jousting sequences are absolutely amazing!

Number 16

Title: 1408
Year: 2007
Plot: Author Michael Enslin, who specializes in debunking paranormal occurrences, checks into the fabled room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel in New York City and soon confronts genuine terror.
Starring: John Cusack, Samuel L Jackson, Mary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub, Jasmine Jessica Anthony, Len Cariou, Isiah Whitlock Jr
Directed by: Mikael Håfström
Based on: The short story 1408 by Stephen King
Notes: I actually wasn’t crazy about this film the first time I watched it. I’m not sure why I watched it again, but I’m glad I did. I quite love it now.

Number 15

Title: Pitch Black
Year: 2000
Plot: A transport ship crashes and leaves its crew stranded on a desert planet inhabited by bloodthirsty creatures that come out during an eclipse.
Starring: Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Rhiana Griffith, Claudia Black, John Moore
Directed by: David Twohy
Based on: An original screenplay written by David Twohy, Ken Wheat, and Jim Wheat.
Notes: I might be in the minority here, but I absolutely love this film. It’s such an awesome, tense film with some great characters (plus a few throw away ones, but I suppose that’s par for the course for a horror movie).

Number 14

Title: Wall-E
Year: 2008
Plot: In a future where humans have temporarily abandoned Earth, a trash-compacting robot falls in love with a flying droid and helps her on her quest to restore hope to mankind.
Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver, MackInTalk Digital Performer
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Based on: An original screenplay written by Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon.
Notes: Who knew a film with so little dialog could be so engaging? I recently rewatched this and I loved it just as much as I did back then. Literally perfect film.

Number 13

Title: Signs
Year: 2002
Plot: A widowed former reverend living with his children and brother on a Pennsylvania farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields, which suggests something more frightening to come.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Cherry Jones, M Night Shyamalan, Patricia Kalember, Merritt Wever
Directed by: M Night Shyamalan
Based on: An original screenplay written by M Night Shyamalan.
Notes: I love this film. Sometimes heart-warming, sometimes spooky, it’s so well done. And it has one of the best jumpscares ever.

Number 12

Title: The Eye (Gin Gwai)
Year: 2002
Plot: A blind musician receives a corneal transplant, only to discover she can see ghosts and terrifying supernatural visions, leading her to investigate the donor’s past.
Starring: Lee Sin-Je, Lawrence Chou, Candy Lo, Chutcha Rujinanon, Yut Lai So, Edmund Chen, Yin Ping Ko, Wisarup Annuar
Directed by: Danny Pang, Oxide Chun Pang
Based on: An original screenplay written by the Pang brothers. They were inspired by a newspaper report they read about a girl who committed suicide after a corneal transplant.
Notes: Forget the awful American remake with Jessica Alba, this Hong Kong/Singapore film is where it’s at. Tense and sometimes genuinely terrifying, this one will have you leery of elevators for years!

Number 11

Title: Repo! The Genetic Opera
Year: 2008
Plot: A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. The repossession clause is a killer, however.
Starring: Alexa PenaVega, Anthony Stewart Head, Terrance Zdunich, Sarah Brightman, Paul Sorvino, Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Kevin ‘ohGr’ Ogilvie, Sarah Power
Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Based on: A 2002 stage musical of the same name (originally titled The Necromerchant’s Debt) written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich.
Notes: I generally am not a fan of musicals. The only exceptions, I guess, are animated films, but they don’t really fall under the umbrella of “musical”. But when I saw this, a goth musical starring a bunch of people I knew, I had to give it a try. And boy did I not regret it! This film is absolutely awesome, and all of the songs are amazing! Everyone did a great job with it, even, surprisingly, Paris Hilton.

Number 10

Title: X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand
Year: 2000, 2003, 2006
Plot: In a world where mutants (evolved super-powered humans) exist and are discriminated against, two groups form for an inevitable clash: the supremacist Brotherhood, and the pacifist X-Men.
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Aaron Stanford, Shawn Ashmore, Kelsey Grammer, Ben Foster, Elliot Page, Cameron Bright
Directed by: Bryan Singer, Brett Ratner
Based on: The Marvel comic books created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The superhero team first appeared in The X-Men #1 in 1963, later becoming famous for the long-running Uncanny X-Men series and numerous spin-offs.
Notes: I’m cheating again here by putting 3 films in one spot, but if I didn’t, there’d be 3 entries for X-Men in the list because I loved all three of these films. Yes, even the much maligned third one. I thought it was fun, didn’t get the adverse reaction it got.

Number 9

Title: Center Stage
Year: 2000
Plot: A group of dancers from various backgrounds enroll at the American Ballet Academy in New York to make it as ballet dancers and each one deals with the problems and stress of training and getting ahead in the world of dance.
Starring: Amanda Schull, Sascha Radetsky, Ethan Stiefel, Zoe Saldaña, Susan May Pratt, Peter Gallagher, Ilia Kulik, Donna Murphy, Eion Bailey
Directed by: Nicholas Hytner
Based on: An original screenplay written by Carol Heikkinen.
Notes: I love dance movies, even bad ones, simply cause I love the dancing. This one is about ballet, and they hired actual ballet dancers to star in the film. And surprisingly, the acting doesn’t suffer for it. The dance sequences are amazing, and all the characters are engaging. Simply wonderful.

Number 8

Title: Frailty
Year: 2001
Plot: A mysterious man arrives at the offices of an FBI agent and recounts his childhood: how his religious fanatic father received visions telling him to destroy people who were in fact “demons.”
Starring: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Matt O’Leary, Jeremy Sumpter, Powers Boothe, Luke Askew, Levi Kreis, Derk Cheetwood
Directed by: Bill Paxton
Based on: An original screenplay written by Brent Hanley, although he was heavily inspired by the real-life 70’s serial killer Joseph Kallinger. Kallinger was a religious fanatic who believed he was on a divine mission and forced his young son to help him kidnap and murder people.
Notes: This is such an underrated gem of a film. It’s so tense, so disturbing, and everyone turns in amazing performances. I highly recommend seeing this film if you haven’t already!

Number 7

Title: From Hell
Year: 2001
Plot: In 1888 London, a Scotland Yard investigator searches for Jack the Ripper, and a conspiracy begins to unfold.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Heather Graham, Robbie Coltrane, Katrin Cartlidge, Susan Lynch, Ian Holm, Ian Richardson, Jason Flemyng, Terence Harvey, Lesley Sharp, Annabelle Apsion, Joanna Page
Directed by: Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Based on: The historical-fiction graphic novel From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. Both the movie and the book are based on a specific, largely discredited theory about the Ripper’s identity, which was popularized by Stephen Knight’s 1976 book, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution.
Notes: I actually didn’t love this movie the first time I saw it, although I couldn’t tell you why. It has everything I love in a good serial killer film, plus Johnny Depp to boot. But I love it now, even if this particular theory about the Ripper is horseshit. Crazy conspiracy theories make good cinema, however.

Number 6

Title: The Haunting in Connecticut
Year: 2009
Plot: After a family is forced to relocate for their son’s health, they begin experiencing supernatural behavior in their new home and uncover a sinister history.
Starring: Kyle Gallner, Virginia Madsen, Martin Donovan, Elias Koteas, Amanda Crew, Sophi Knight, Ty Wood
Directed by: Peter Cornwell
Based on: The book In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting by Ray Garton and famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Supposedly based on a “true story”, and I put that in heavy quotations.
Notes: This is only a loose retelling of the Warrens’ book, it’s got a lot of stuff added to it, and the Warrens themselves aren’t even in this movie. But it’s such a great little film. It’s spooky, atmospheric, and very well acted. This is a definite horror gem of the 2000’s. Plus, Kyle Gallner. Meow.

Number 5

Title: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Year: 2003
Plot: An intrepid blacksmith teams up with an eccentric pirate captain to save his love from an undead pirate crew.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook, Zoe Saldaña
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Based on: The classic Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. The screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio took the theme park ride’s atmosphere, iconic animatronic scenes, and pirate lore, and built an original swashbuckling adventure around them.
Notes: When I heard they were making a movie based on a ride at a Disney theme park, I almost died laughing. “They’ve really hit rock bottom” I thought. But then I saw the film and I took it all back. It’s so much fun! Johnny Depp made one of the most iconic characters of the 21st century.

Number 4

Title: Constantine
Year: 2005
Plot: Detective Angela approaches Constantine, a demon hunter, to help her investigate her twin sister’s mysterious death. As he digs deeper, he realizes that demons are trying to enter the human world.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Shia LaBeouf, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Tilda Swinton, Gavin Rossdale, Djimon Hounsou, José Zúñiga, Peter Stormare
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Based on: The Hellblazer graphic novels by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben.
Notes: I saw the movie before reading any of the comics, so imagine my surprise when I saw how different the film actually was. While I did enjoy the books, it’s the movie that I actually revisit. It’s just so good, everyone giving great performances, Keanu’s stoic nature actually perfect for this character.

Number 3

Title: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Year: 2001, 2002, 2003
Plot: A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis (v.o.), Sean Bean, Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, Bernard Hill, Brad Dourif, David Wenham, John Noble, Sala Baker
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Based on: The Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien
Notes: I’m not really cheating here, since this is one long story that was actually filmed all at the same time. But what can I say about this? It’s so very good, the New Zealand landscape looking the part of a magical, lush, beautiful world. Every single character from the mains to the extras are doing their absolute best, and you can really see their dedication. Just amazing.

Number 2

Title: The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Year: 2005
Plot: A lawyer takes on a negligent homicide case involving a priest who performed an exorcism on a young lady that resulted in her death.
Starring: Laura Linney, Tom Wilkinson, Jennifer Carpenter, Campbell Scott, Colm Feore, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Joshua Close, JR Bourne, Mary Beth Hurt
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Based on: The book The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel by Dr Felicitas Goodman. Also based on a “true story”.
Notes: This film is at times poignant, at times tense, and at times downright scary. Jennifer Carpenter gives a tour-de-force performance as the possessed girl.

Number 1

Title: The Ring
Year: 2002
Plot: A journalist must investigate a mysterious videotape which seems to cause the death of anyone seven days after they view it.
Starring: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, David Dorfman, Brian Cox, Rachael Bella, Amber Tamblyn, Daveigh Chase
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Based on: The book Ring written by Koji Suzuki. It is also a remake of the Japanese film Ringu.
Notes: Finally, my absolute favourite film of the decade, The Ring is tense, scary, with buckets of atmosphere. The actors all do a great job. As a side note, the original dvd had a copy of the video that the characters watch in its entirety that you literally could not stop. They made it so that you couldn’t press stop, couldn’t pause, and I almost had a heart attack. I know it’s just a movie, but I really didn’t want to see the full video, haha.

Honourable mentions:

Troy
Ginger Snaps
Donnie Darko
The Dark Knight
Saw
The Grudge
Stardust
Session 9
Inkheart
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
Save the Last Dance
Juno

And that’s it! Are your favourites on the list? Let me know, and stay tuned for the next (and last) in this series, the 30 best of the 10’s. I’ve got a list started for the 20’s, but I won’t be doing it til 2030, so I’ve got some time to think about it, lol. Or maybe I’ll do 2020 – 2025, then 2026 – 2029 when the time comes. We’ll see.

I hope you enjoyed my list!

M.

My Top 10 Biopics

I thought I was going to have trouble choosing only 10 films to put on this list, and actually, the opposite turned out to be true. Looks like I haven’t seen as many biopics as I thought, and liked even fewer of them. But, I guess you could say that’s a good thing, since I enjoyed so few of them, that this list will end up being just the very best. No mediocrity here! hehe

I’m also going to try do a wee bit of research to see just how true the film really is. But I’m not a historian, or a time traveler, nor do I have an all-seeing eye, so please don’t be a jerk if I get something wrong. Google knows a lot, but what it doesn’t know is which articles are the actual truth, and with so much info out there, it’s almost impossible to separate the real truth from the rumours. But I’ll do my best.

I also won’t be including any horror or supernatural “true stories”. Since I already did both top horror and top serial killer films lists, I won’t include any of those in this list, to avoid repetition. And on that note, we’re off!

NUMBER 10

10 The Runaways

Title: The Runaways
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon, Stella Maeve, Scout Taylor-Compton, Alia Shawkat, Riley Keough, Johnny Lewis, and Tatum O’Neal
Released in: 2010
Directed by: Floria Sigismondi
Written by: Floria Sigismondi
Based On a Book?: Yes; Neon Angel: The Cherie Currie Story by Cherie Currie
Who is the Story About?: Cherie Currie, Joan Jett and their short-lived band The Runaways
How Close to the Truth Is It?: What Joan has said about the friction between Cherie, Kim Fowley, and herself: “There was more friendship than was shown. I never really had a falling-out with him, even after the band broke up. Disharmony is natural in any band. But there were times when we were on the same page. Kim and Cherie and I still have an extremely intimate bond.” What Cherie has said about the film depicting them as always being miserable: “And that’s not true at all. How do you shove two-and-a-half years into an hour and a half? That was tough because we had a lot of fun.”
Why I Love It: Such a fun film with great music and really strong acting. Think Kristen Stewart is a bad actress? Then you’ve only seen her in Twilight. Joan Jett herself has said that she was absolutely blown away by her performance. She was recorded as saying “It was like looking in a mirror”.

NUMBER 9

9 The Basketball Diaries

Title: The Basketball Diaries
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Lorraine Bracco, James Madio, Patrick McGaw, Juliette Lewis, Bruno Kirby, and Ernie Hudson
Released in: 1995
Directed by: Scott Kalvert
Written by: Bryan Goluboff
Based On a Book?: Yes; The Basketball Diaries by Jim Carroll
Who/What is the Story About?: The drug-hazed teenage years of writer/musician Jim Carroll.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: What Jim Carroll has said about the film: “I thought it was well made. I thought the performances were fantastic. I thought Leonardo was wonderful; I couldn’t have asked for a better actor. I thought the whole cast was great. Unfortunately, the director had no idea what my book was about. And then the ending was much more ambiguous [originally]. They changed it and re-shot it in LA, so I didn’t know about that until I saw the final version of the film. And so I said, “You’re not gonna like make it fucked up and preachy and stuff??” and they said, “No, no!” But that’s what they did!”
Why I Love It: Despite the fact that it’s pretty far from the truth, it’s still a wonderful, albeit hard to watch, film. Leo turns his performance up to 11, and he really shines.

NUMBER 8

8 Cleopatra

Title: Cleopatra
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Hume Cronyn, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowall, Robert Stephens, Francesca Annis, George Cole, and Kenneth Haigh
Released in: 1963
Directed by: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Written by: Joseph L Mankiewicz, Ranald MacDougall, Sidney Buchman
Based On a Book?: Yes; The Life and Times of Cleopatra by CM Franzero, plus historical texts by Plutarch, Appian, and Suetonius
Who/What is the Story About?: The life, rule and eventual death of Ancient Egypt’s last Pharaoh, Queen Cleopatra, and the two men in her life, Julius Caeser and Mark Antony.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: Wikipedia says: “On the whole, the film followed the history of the period fairly closely, and took fewer liberties with historical accuracy than several other epics. However, there are a few minor inaccuracies:” Click here for the list.
Why I Love It: I don’t think I need to explain. I love everything Ancient Egyptian, and this film is beautiful, lush, and actually quite historically accurate, which is sadly rare in Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor is breath-taking in the lead role, oozing sexuality and power, much as I assume the real Cleopatra would have.

NUMBER 7

7 Braveheart

Title: Braveheart
Starring: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Angus Macfadyen, Catherine McCormack, Brendan Gleeson, Brian Cox, Peter Hanly, Stephen Billington, Barry McGovern, and Tommy Flanagan
Released in: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Written by: Randall Wallace
Based On a Book?: Yes; The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace by “Blind Harry”
Who/What is the Story About?: The life and death of William Wallace, a 13th century Scot who led the First War of Scottish Independence against Edward I of England.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: This is one of the most famously inaccurate films in Hollywood history. I won’t even try to list it all. Click here to see what Wikipedia has to say on the subject. Give yourself some time, there’s a lot there :-p
Why I Love It: Despite it’s glaring inaccuracies, one can’t deny this is a beautiful, powerful film. Shows just what Mel Gibson could accomplish before he went bat-shit crazy.

NUMBER 6

6 Remember the Titans

Title: Remember the Titans
Starring: Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst, Donald Faison, Craig Kirkwood, Ryan Gosling, Hayden Panettiere, Kip Pardue, Ethan Suplee, Nicole Ari Parker, and Kate Bosworth
Released in: 2000
Directed by: Boaz Yakin
Written by: Gregory Allen Howard
Based On a Book?: No
Who/What is the Story About?: Black football coach Herman Boone is assigned to TC Williams High School’s team the Titans, and the first inter-racial school in the United States.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: The core of the story (integration of the races, most of the players and games) seems to be all there, but a lot of the smaller details (or most of them, rather) are fictionalized. Click here to see what Chasing the Frog (a website devoted to uncovering the real truth behind Hollywood’s “true stories”) has to say about it.
Why I Love It: I’m not the biggest fan of sports films, or sports in general for that matter (except hockey, I am Canadian, after all 😉 ), but every so often one comes along that I really love. The story is good, the acting all on point, and it’s so fun to see a bunch of actors who are big now getting their start here, like hunky Ryan Gosling.

NUMBER 5

5 Immortal Beloved

Title: Immortal Beloved
Starring: Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini, Johanna ter Steege, Marco Hofschneider, Miriam Margolyes, Barry Humphries, and Valeria Golino
Released in: 1994
Directed by: Bernard Rose
Written by: Bernard Rose
Based On a Book?: No
Who/What is the Story About?: The life (and loves) of great composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: I actually didn’t know a whole lot (that means nothing) about Beethoven’s life before writing this except for what I’d seen in the film. Doing my Googling now, I can see that I may as well have been watching fiction. In the words of movie critic Lewis Butler: “About the only things they got right were that Beethoven wrote the 9th Symphony and that he died.” Ouch. You can read the rest of his review here.
Why I Love It: Having not known how historically inaccurate it was before now will be my excuse for loving this as much as I did. Bah, who am I kidding? I’d have loved it anyways. It’s beautiful, schmoopy, and Gary Oldman gives a tour de force performance, as usual.

NUMBER 4

4 Party Monster

Title: Party Monster
Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green, Chloë Sevigny, Dylan McDermott, Wilmer Valderrama, Wilson Cruz, Mia Kirshner, and Marilyn Manson
Released in: 2003
Directed by: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
Written by: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
Based On a Book?: Yes; Disco Bloodbath by James St James
Who/What is the Story About?: The rise and fall of legendary 90’s “club kid” Michael Alig.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: When asked if the film retained “the true vibe of it all”, James St James had this to say: “Well, was Cleopatra really like Elizabeth Taylor? Was Erin Brockovich anything like Julia Roberts? Movies are movies. They are meant to entertain. Was it a moment-by-moment depiction of our lives and our relationship? Oh my god no. But it captured the spirit of the times and that’s all you can hope for.” He has also expressed pure love for Seth Green and his performance.
Why I Love It: It’s fun, colourful, with great music and great performances, especially, as James has said, Seth Green’s. He ate up every inch of the screen while he was on it, and it was wonderful.

NUMBER 3

3 Gladiator

Title: Gladiator
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Spencer Treat Clark, Richard Harris, David Schofield, and John Shrapnel
Released in: 2000
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson
Based On a Book?: No
Who/What is the Story About?: An enslaved soldier determined to see the Emperor who murdered his family pay for his crimes.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: Well… Commodus was real, as were all the other members of his family. And that’s about it. Heroic Maximus is fiction. Commodus wasn’t the swellest dude around, but he was nowhere near as gross as he’s played on screen. Here’s a more detailed account of the historical untruths told by the film, on a cool blog called Historical Histrionics. Looks like he only did a few posts, though, which is a shame, because they’re well written.
Why I Love It: It’s actually thanks to this film, historical inaccuracies and all, that I got so interested in ancient history. I mean, I’d always been interested, especially in ancient Egypt, but seeing this really made me want to know more about ancient Rome. I was a little disappointed to find out how inaccurate this film actually is, but it didn’t make me love it any less.

NUMBER 2

2 Chaplin

Title: Chaplin
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Geraldine Chaplin, Paul Rhys, Moira Kelly, Anthony Hopkins, Dan Aykroyd, Marisa Tomei, Penelope Ann Miller, Kevin Kline, Maria Pitillo, and Milla Jovovich
Released in: 1992
Directed by: Richard Attenborough
Written by: William Boyd, Bryan Forbes, William Goldman
Based On a Book?: Yes; My Autobiography by Charles Chaplin, and Chaplin His Life and Art by David Robinson
Who/What is the Story About?: The life and work of legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: I’m actually having some trouble looking stuff up. There’s lots of reviews of the film, but even Wikipedia doesn’t have much on whether or not it’s very accurate. As far as I can tell, it seems to pretty accurate, although there’s a lot cut out (the man lived to 88, you couldn’t get all that into one film), and they seem to gloss over some rather important stuff, while focusing on some more minor things. Gotta highlight the dramatic, I guess. This movie review was the one I found with the most historical information.
Why I Love It: This is the film that made me fall in love with Robert Downey Jr. He was ridiculously perfect for the role, and the rest of the film just falls perfectly into place around him. He should have won the Oscar that year. I’ve no idea who won, but I can tell you that he wasn’t as good as Robert.

NUMBER 1

1 Amadeus

Title: Amadeus
Starring: Tom Hulce, F Murray Abraham, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones, and Charles Kay
Released in: 1984
Directed by: Milos Forman
Written by: Peter Shaffer
Based On a Book?: No, a play :-p Amadeus by Peter Shaffer
Who/What is the Story About?: The life, music, and death of musical prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
How Close to the Truth Is It?: Well… not very actually. In the words of movie critic Alex von Tunzelmann: “A deadly rivalry that never was, a dried-up bachelor who was actually a father of eight, and flops that were hits in reality … even getting Mozart’s toilet humour right cannot redeem it.” She definitely didn’t like the film. You can read the rest of her scathing review here.
Why I Love It: I knew going into it that it wasn’t historically accurate. And do I care? Not a lick. I know a biopic is supposed to tell a true story, and I am sorry that so many people think that this is the way things actually went down, but I’ll be damned if I don’t just love this film to pieces. Fart jokes and all.

 

What are your favourite biopics? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for more!

M.

Mel’s 5 Second Review: Winter’s Tale

Winter’s Tale
(2014) Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, William Hurt, Jennifer Connelly, Ripley Sobo, Eva Marie Saint, Kevin Corrigan, Mckayla Twiggs, Graham Greene, Will Smith, and Listo the Horse

winters-tale

So this film is one giant, obvious attempt to get people to cry. It goes about its business, purposefully pressing every emotional button in our brains, while the breathtaking scenery and actors light up the screen. Based on the book of the same name by Mark Helprin, it’s pure, unadulterated schmoop… and I loved it. Now, I can’t honestly say that I’d have liked it on any other day, but just so happens that the day I watched it was the first day of my period. My hormones were already on the fritz, so this film did exactly what it was made to do, and it did it well. I cried like a baby. Happy tears, sad tears, longing tears, the whole shebang. I started crying about a third of the way in, and barely stopped until after the film was over. If you’re a sucker for uber-romance, then you definitely need to see this one. Just don’t forget the kleenex… I give it a solid 8/10.

This film isn’t currently streaming on Netflix, but it’s still pretty new. I’m sure it’ll get there soon enough.

M.