The Lure of Lists

It’s inevitable that there are lists appearing everywhere given that the decade is ending (I almost missed that – probably because in ten years no one managed to decide on a name for it).  The Guardian has revealed 90 of its top 100 films of the decade, tantalising leaving out the top 10 (to be revealed gradually over Chrimbo-tide).

I’ve only seen 18 of the 90, but aside from the order of the films (Memento below House of the Flying Daggers?  Or indeed, below anything?) or the fact that they’ve tried to claim The Bourne Trilogy as just one film, there are films I have seen that are not on the list, so they’re either in the top 10 or not there at all.  Here are the ones I they ought not to miss out.

  • Birthday Girl
  • Charlie Wilson’s War
  • The Constant Gardner
  • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
  • Donnie Darko
  • House of Sand and Fog
  • The Life Aquatic
  • Lost in La Mancha
  • Lost in Translation
  • Red Dust
  • State and Main
  • Time Crimes

And here’s my guess at what will actually be in the top 10:

  • Atonement
  • Batman Begins
  • Borat
  • The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
  • An Inconvenient Truth
  • Little Miss Sunshine
  • There Will Be Blood

The Guardian also have their 10 most underrated.

Update: Today’s is Fahrenheit 9/11.  The terrible thought has also dawned on me that they will include Borat in their top 10.

Update Again: Because I missed out Lost In Translation, Birthday Girl, House of Sand and Fog, The Constant Gardner, Red Dust, State and Main and Donnie Darko.  I realise this takes me to over 10, but there are plenty in the Guardian’s 11-90 that need jettisoning (eg. Far From Heaven or House of the Flying Daggers). Lists updated.

About Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

13 thoughts on “The Lure of Lists

  1. It’s been raved about in the paper, but I don’t know what Xan Brooks thinks about it. It would be a surprise if it doesn’t make the top 100, so maybe that means it will be in the top 10.

    Numbers 9, 8, and (presumably by accident) 7 (now removed again) have been revealed. No. 8. Dogville is the only one I’ve heard of, it’s sitting on a shelf here so maybe now’s the time to watch it….

  2. It’s been raved about in the paper, but I don’t know what Xan Brooks thinks about it. It would be a surprise if it doesn’t make the top 100, so maybe that means it will be in the top 10.

    Numbers 9, 8, and (presumably by accident) 7 (now removed again) have been revealed. No. 8. Dogville is the only one I’ve heard of, it’s sitting on a shelf here so maybe now’s the time to watch it….

  3. OK, I’ve had another look at the list and realise that I’ve seen 10:

    33 Eternal Sunshine…

    42 Vera Drake

    45 Crouching Tiger…

    64 Y Tu Mamá También

    70 Amores Perros

    80 Downfall

    85 WALL-E

    96 Juno

    97 Memento

    98 Pan’s Labyrinth

    The only one that makes me excited to think of it is Memento, and the one that makes me smile to think of it is Juno.

    I’m such a film ignoramus!

  4. So, yes, Gran Torino would make MY top 10. But that’s a bit like saying that the bagel I had this morning was one of the top ten wheat-based foods of the day.

  5. Oh, and I tried to see A Serious Man today, but the cinema was closed.

    (Simon, you’re under strict instructions from my mum to see this too.)

  6. I’ve seen approx 20%:

    10. Fahrenheit 9/11

    14. The Consequences of Love

    15. No Country for Old Men

    33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    35. Far from Heaven

    36. Hidden

    41. Spirited Away

    45. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    51. The Royal Tenenbaums

    61. Shaun of the Dead

    64. Y Tu Mamá También

    69. Chuck and Buck

    84. Sexy Beast

    85. WALL-E

    89. The Bourne trilogy

    93. The Departed

    95. House of Flying Daggers

    97. Memento

    98. Pan’s Labyrinth

    I agree Memento is easily the most exciting of these (how can it be below The Departed!?!) I love Eternal Sunshine, too. Several of the ones I haven’t seen are on my must see list, including Juno which I have right here (also Dogville).

    You mum has emailed me about A Serious Man already 🙂

    My top 10 wheat-based foods of the day include:

    1. The croissant I had for breakfast.

    2. The other croissant I had for breakfast.

    3. The baguette I had for lunch.

  7. I’ve seen approx 20%:

    10. Fahrenheit 9/11

    14. The Consequences of Love

    15. No Country for Old Men

    33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    35. Far from Heaven

    36. Hidden

    41. Spirited Away

    45. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    51. The Royal Tenenbaums

    61. Shaun of the Dead

    64. Y Tu Mamá También

    69. Chuck and Buck

    84. Sexy Beast

    85. WALL-E

    89. The Bourne trilogy

    93. The Departed

    95. House of Flying Daggers

    97. Memento

    98. Pan’s Labyrinth

    I agree Memento is easily the most exciting of these (how can it be below The Departed!?!) I love Eternal Sunshine, too. Several of the ones I haven’t seen are on my must see list, including Juno which I have right here (also Dogville).

    You mum has emailed me about A Serious Man already 🙂

    My top 10 wheat-based foods of the day include:

    1. The croissant I had for breakfast.

    2. The other croissant I had for breakfast.

    3. The baguette I had for lunch.

  8. I’ve seen approx 20%:

    10. Fahrenheit 9/11

    14. The Consequences of Love

    15. No Country for Old Men

    33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    35. Far from Heaven

    36. Hidden

    41. Spirited Away

    45. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

    51. The Royal Tenenbaums

    61. Shaun of the Dead

    64. Y Tu Mamá También

    69. Chuck and Buck

    84. Sexy Beast

    85. WALL-E

    89. The Bourne trilogy

    93. The Departed

    95. House of Flying Daggers

    97. Memento

    98. Pan’s Labyrinth

    I agree Memento is easily the most exciting of these (how can it be below The Departed!?!) I love Eternal Sunshine, too. Several of the ones I haven’t seen are on my must see list, including Juno which I have right here (also Dogville).

    You mum has emailed me about A Serious Man already 🙂

    My top 10 wheat-based foods of the day include:

    1. The croissant I had for breakfast.

    2. The other croissant I had for breakfast.

    3. The baguette I had for lunch.

Leave a Reply