2022
Films of the year, with thoughts on each film, plus an essay on the role of mass consumption in art and film.
Part I (click here):
On film and art for everyone
17. The Stranger
16. What Do We See When We Look At The Sky? (Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt?)
15. Blonde
14. Women Talking
13. Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades)
12. Memoria
11. Athena
10. The Fabelmans
9. Petite Maman
8. Bones and All
Part II of II (click here):
7. Mr. Bachmann and His Class (Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse)
6. All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues)
5. The Blue Caftan (Le bleu du caftan)
4. Babylon
3. Happening (L'événement)
2. The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin)
1. TÁR
Runners-up:
A. Close
B. RMN
C. Hold Me Tight (Serre moi fort)
D. Armageddon Time
E. The Radiant Girl (Une jeune fille qui va bien)
F. The Whale
Part I (click here):
On film and art for everyone
17. The Stranger
16. What Do We See When We Look At The Sky? (Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt?)
15. Blonde
14. Women Talking
13. Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades)
12. Memoria
11. Athena
10. The Fabelmans
9. Petite Maman
8. Bones and All
Part II of II (click here):
7. Mr. Bachmann and His Class (Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse)
6. All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues)
5. The Blue Caftan (Le bleu du caftan)
4. Babylon
3. Happening (L'événement)
2. The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin)
1. TÁR
Runners-up:
A. Close
B. RMN
C. Hold Me Tight (Serre moi fort)
D. Armageddon Time
E. The Radiant Girl (Une jeune fille qui va bien)
F. The Whale
2019
Films of 2019:
- Introduction: Why 2019 was the new 1999, and the return of original studio dramas.
- On a Theme of Longing [Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Atlantics, Long Day’s Journey into Night, Photograph, Transit, Ad Astra]
- On a Theme of Survival [1917, Parasite, The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão]
- On a Theme of Goodness [Dark Waters, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Knives Out, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Bombshell]
- On a Theme of Power [The King, Loro, Joker, The Laundromat]
- On Paolo Sorrentino's Loro
- On a Theme of Life [Little Women, Marriage Story, Uncut Gems]
- On a Theme of Forgiveness [Waves, Honey Boy]
- #2 [The Irishman]
- #1 [A Hidden Life]
2016
Nathan Tries to Talk About Films But Mostly Talks About Himself, Part 1 of 4:
Deepwater Horizon
Certain Women
Demolition
Louder Than Bombs
Nathan's Overlooked Films of 2016, Part 2 of 4:
15. Loving
14. Lion
13. A Bigger Splash
12. La La Land
11. The Salesman
Nathan's Overlooked Films of 2016, Part 3 of 4:
10. Jackie
9. Aquarius
8. 20th Century Women
7. Arrival
6. Manchester by the Sea
Part 4 of 4 (Top five):
5. American Honey
4. Tale of Tales (Il Racconto dei Racconti)
3. Silence
2. Moonlight
1. Knight of Cups
Deepwater Horizon
Certain Women
Demolition
Louder Than Bombs
Nathan's Overlooked Films of 2016, Part 2 of 4:
15. Loving
14. Lion
13. A Bigger Splash
12. La La Land
11. The Salesman
Nathan's Overlooked Films of 2016, Part 3 of 4:
10. Jackie
9. Aquarius
8. 20th Century Women
7. Arrival
6. Manchester by the Sea
Part 4 of 4 (Top five):
5. American Honey
4. Tale of Tales (Il Racconto dei Racconti)
3. Silence
2. Moonlight
1. Knight of Cups
2015
Part I of III:
17. Experimenter
16. Diary of a Teenage Girl
15. Hard to be a God (Trudno byt bogom)
14. Gueros
13. The Assassin (Nie yin niang)
12. 45 Years
11. Spotlight
Part II of III:
10. Amy
9. Mad Max
8. Steve Jobs
7. Sicario
6. About Elly (Darbareye Elly)
Part III of III (Top five):
5. Son of Saul (Saul Fia)
4. Carol
3. Macbeth
2. Youth
1. The Revenant
17. Experimenter
16. Diary of a Teenage Girl
15. Hard to be a God (Trudno byt bogom)
14. Gueros
13. The Assassin (Nie yin niang)
12. 45 Years
11. Spotlight
Part II of III:
10. Amy
9. Mad Max
8. Steve Jobs
7. Sicario
6. About Elly (Darbareye Elly)
Part III of III (Top five):
5. Son of Saul (Saul Fia)
4. Carol
3. Macbeth
2. Youth
1. The Revenant
2014
Here I mimic Sight & Sound's famous division into two lists: critics and directors.
Ten Best Films of 2014 (with notes on the content of each):
1. Birdman (Inarritu)
2. Interstellar (Nolan)
3. Ida (Pawlikowski)
4. A Most Violent Year (Chandor)
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Anderson, Wes)
6. Whiplash (Chazelle)
7. Inherent Vice (Anderson, P. T.)
8. Deux jours, une nuit (Two Days, One Night) (Dardenne Bros.)
9. Mr. Turner (Leigh)
10. Foxcatcher (Miller)
Ten Best Directed FIlms in 2014 (with notes on the form of each):
1. Birdman (Inarritu)
2. Gone Girl (Fincher)
3. Blackhat (Mann)
4. Inherent Vice (Anderson, P.T.)
5. Ida (Pawlikowski)
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Anderson, Wes)
7. Interstellar (Nolan)
8. Whiplash (Chazelle)
9. A Most Violent Year (Chandor)
10. Transformers: Age of Extinction (Bay)
Thoughts on other 2014 films, including:
On Nominated films Not on My 2014 lists
-American Sniper (Eastwood)
-Selma (Duvernay)
-Boyhood (Linklater)
-The Imitation Game (Tildum)
-The Theory of Everything (Marsh)
Not Great, but Worth Mentioning
-Begin Again (Carney)
-A Most Wanted Man (Corbijn)
-Under the Skin (Glazer)
-The Interview (Rogen, Goldberg)
-Exodus: Gods and Kings (Scott)
-The Better Angels (Edwards)
-Love is Strange (Sachs)
Ten Best Films of 2014 (with notes on the content of each):
1. Birdman (Inarritu)
2. Interstellar (Nolan)
3. Ida (Pawlikowski)
4. A Most Violent Year (Chandor)
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Anderson, Wes)
6. Whiplash (Chazelle)
7. Inherent Vice (Anderson, P. T.)
8. Deux jours, une nuit (Two Days, One Night) (Dardenne Bros.)
9. Mr. Turner (Leigh)
10. Foxcatcher (Miller)
Ten Best Directed FIlms in 2014 (with notes on the form of each):
1. Birdman (Inarritu)
2. Gone Girl (Fincher)
3. Blackhat (Mann)
4. Inherent Vice (Anderson, P.T.)
5. Ida (Pawlikowski)
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Anderson, Wes)
7. Interstellar (Nolan)
8. Whiplash (Chazelle)
9. A Most Violent Year (Chandor)
10. Transformers: Age of Extinction (Bay)
Thoughts on other 2014 films, including:
On Nominated films Not on My 2014 lists
-American Sniper (Eastwood)
-Selma (Duvernay)
-Boyhood (Linklater)
-The Imitation Game (Tildum)
-The Theory of Everything (Marsh)
Not Great, but Worth Mentioning
-Begin Again (Carney)
-A Most Wanted Man (Corbijn)
-Under the Skin (Glazer)
-The Interview (Rogen, Goldberg)
-Exodus: Gods and Kings (Scott)
-The Better Angels (Edwards)
-Love is Strange (Sachs)
2013
Part V:
14. Blue is the Warmest Color
13. Inside Llewyn Davis
12. Mud
11. Captain Phillips
999.99. Nebraska
Part IV:
6. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. The Past
On Gravity:
4. Gravity
Part III:
7. Her
7. Fruitvale Station
6. Prisoners
Part II:
10. Dallas Buyers Club
9. Before Midnight
8. American Hustle
Part I (Top three):
3. 12 Years a Slave
2. To The Wonder
1. Le Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty)
14. Blue is the Warmest Color
13. Inside Llewyn Davis
12. Mud
11. Captain Phillips
999.99. Nebraska
Part IV:
6. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. The Past
On Gravity:
4. Gravity
Part III:
7. Her
7. Fruitvale Station
6. Prisoners
Part II:
10. Dallas Buyers Club
9. Before Midnight
8. American Hustle
Part I (Top three):
3. 12 Years a Slave
2. To The Wonder
1. Le Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty)
2012 and earlier
Top Ten Films of 2012
Part One (bottom of list):
4. Lincoln
5. Silver Linings Playbook
6. End of Watch
6. Cloud Atlas
6. Killing Them Softly
7. Rust and Bone
8. Magic Mike
Part Two, (top of list):
1. Amour
1. Django Unchained
2. Zero Dark Thirty
2. The Master
3. Anna Karenina
3. Argo
Nathan's 2012 Oscar predictions with discussion and analysis of each category.
The 2007 film landscape:
Nathan's top films, notable films, and worst films.
Part One (bottom of list):
4. Lincoln
5. Silver Linings Playbook
6. End of Watch
6. Cloud Atlas
6. Killing Them Softly
7. Rust and Bone
8. Magic Mike
Part Two, (top of list):
1. Amour
1. Django Unchained
2. Zero Dark Thirty
2. The Master
3. Anna Karenina
3. Argo
Nathan's 2012 Oscar predictions with discussion and analysis of each category.
The 2007 film landscape:
Nathan's top films, notable films, and worst films.
