10. “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013)
The greatest brotherly partnership in cinema history? Probably. At the very least, Joel and Ethan Coen set the bar exceedingly high. We’ve been blessed with two Coen films this decade so far, but there’s no doubt which one stands on the same side of the fence with the likes of “Fargo,” “Barton Fink,”and “Miller’s Crossing.” ”Inside Llewyn Davis” introduced the world to Oscar Isaac (currently soaring toward A-list status, deservedly so), and presented the viciously circular life of a starving artist as only expert filmmakers know how. Which is to say, it’s an incredibly well-made film, every frame essential, every chord a heartbreaking peek into the soul of an artist you hate to love. With firecracker supporting turns from the likes of John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Carey Mulligan, and a cat that stole the hearts of even the most ardent dog lovers, “Inside Llewyn Davis” was inspired by Greenwich Village legend Dave Van Ronk, but the film is very much its own miraculous thing. And, oh, what music!
9. “A Prophet” (2010)
If you’re going to rank the greatest prison films of all time — Bresson’s “A Man Escaped,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and many more — you have to speak of Jacques Audiard’s “A Prophet” in the same breath. A towering story of transformation, we follow a young Arab man (the terrific Tahar Rahim) going from scared, fragile inmate in an unforgiving French prison, to crafty mastermind himself. Perhaps on paper, “A Prophet” sounds like a cautionary tale about the prison industrial complex simply breeding better criminals, but it’s really just a breathtaking tale of personal reclamation. Anchored by Rahim’s unflinching, raw-talent performance (which launched his career), the epically sprawling picture is also sustained by a lush score by Alexandre Desplat and the exacting form of Audiard’s effortless and utterly engrossing direction. Audiard, who’s lesser, but still absorbing “Rust And Bone” almost made this list too, has a preternatural instinct towards the secret interior world of others, and coupled with his fascination with the criminal underground, it unites to create an enthralling powerhouse experience.
8. “Inherent Vice” (2014)
Dat PTA, tho. A pretty hip phrase to sum up the collective first impressions of Anderson’s hippie-escapade. He follows up his most critically successful film, “There Will Be Blood,” with an original story of a post WWII wanderer and successfully mind fucks everybody (only for most to come around and realize how revelatory “The Master” is), and then follows that by adapting the infamously unadaptable and reclusive Thomas Pynchon. From the casual filmgoer to the fanatic cinephile, everybody anticipated “Inherent Vice,” and Anderson’s return to lighter fare. Re-teaming with Joaquin Phoenix and populating his surroundings with the likes of Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, and Katherine Waterston was just extra whip. Yet, first impressions felt dazed and confused. While “Inherent Vice” leaves you feeling stoned at first, underneath the warmly shot dawn of the ’70s and through the forest of the dialogue lies Anderson’s third film in a row that excavates the American past in profoundly unique fashion. PS: Beware the Golden Fang.
7. “Certified Copy” (2010)
With three different Iranian directors featured on this list, it’s clear that the Iranian New Wave is something more like a tsunami in international arthouse terms. One of its best-established proponents, Abbas Kiarostami, proved in 2010 that while new talents are emerging all the time, the New Wave’s old guard are still at the height of their powers. Starring a luminous, brilliant Juliette Binoche, alongside opera singer William Shimmel,”Certified Copy” is a perfectly enigmatic, eternally mysterious film that is as in-the-moment simple as it is overall complex. Filmed in English, French, and Italian, it details a couple, who may (or may not) be (or have once been) romantically involved wandering around Tuscany on a trip that is either a giddy first date, a meaningless casual encounter, or a fraught overdue reunion. Dancing through comedy and drama as effortlessly as the pair move through sunshine and shade, the film is stunningly insightful and compassionate: when people talk about the mystery of human relationships, “Certified Copy’ is what they mean.
6. “Blue Is The Warmest Color” (2013)
However much it was afterward mired in the unfortunate back-and-forth between its director and leads, the essence and artfulness of “Blue is the Warmest Color” is unassailable. This Palme D’Or winner blew us away like leaves on a windy day when we initially saw it, and no controversy could sour the experience and engrossing love we still hold for its monumental importance and epic romance. Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux give unfathomably realistic performances as two girls who happened to cross the same intersection one day and locked eyes for a fleeting moment. With seeds of a passionate relationship planted, the film follows Adele and her sexual awakening as she falls into bottomless love with Seydoux’s Emma. The evolution of their relationship from beginning to end is as intimate, painful, and emotionally naked as cinema has gotten in this decade. Director Abdellatif Kechiche had the sophisticated repertoire, what with “The Secret Of The Grain” just behind him, but nobody expected the delicate balance of virtuosity and realism, and core-shaking resonance, he achieves here.
