In a few days Sight & Sound will announce online the full results of its annual critics’ poll, but the poll issue is on news stands this week so we already know the top 11 films thanks to Guy Lodge at In Contention
1. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
2. A Separation (Asghar Farhadi)
3. The Kid With a Bike (Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne)
4. Melancholia (Lars von Trier)
5. The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius)
– 6. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
– 6. The Turin Horse (Béla Tarr)
8. We Need to Talk About Kevin (Lynne Ramsay)
9. Le Quattro Volte (Michelangelo Frammartino)
– 10. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Tomas Alfredson)
– 10. This Is Not a Film (Jafar Panahi & Mojtaba Mirtahmash)
Looking back at the S&S poll, the past couple of years
2010
1. The Social Network (David Fincher)
2. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
3. Another Year (Mike Leigh)
4. Carlos (Olivier Assayas)
5. The Arbor (Clio Barnard)
– 6. Winter’s Bone (Debra Granik)
– 6. I Am Love (Luca Guadagnino)
– 8. The Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu (Andrei Ujica)
– 8. Film Socialisme (Jean-Luc Godard)
– 8. Nostalgia for the Light” (Patricio Guzman)
– 8. Poetry (Lee Chang-dong)
– 8. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard)
2009
1. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard,)
2. The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)
2. 35 Shots of Rum (Claire Denis)
4. The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke)
5. Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson)
– 6. Up (Pete Docter)
– 6. White Material (Claire Denis)
– 8. Bright Star (Jane Campion)
– 8. Antichrist (Lars von Trier)
10. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino)
Craig Z, only stupid people use generalizing statements. 😉
Craig Z, only stupid people use generalizing statements. 😉
When did Sight & Sound become pretentious???
It’s so refreshing to see a list like this. And I must see The Tree of Life asap
When did Sight & Sound become pretentious???
It’s so refreshing to see a list like this. And I must see The Tree of Life asap
Only stupid people use the term ‘pretentious’
Only stupid people use the term ‘pretentious’
Didn’t anticipate Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to be placed on there. I was hoping that Take Shelter would, though apparently it didn’t strike a chord with them.
Didn’t anticipate Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy to be placed on there. I was hoping that Take Shelter would, though apparently it didn’t strike a chord with them.
Loved both “Le Gamin au vélo” and “Melancholia” (and very much looking forward to see “The Artist” and “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”), so I think this is a very fine list.
Naturally, noone agrees 100% with such Best of-lists, so I don´t mind at all that the most pretentious (and over-ambitious) film of the year tops the chart (in fact, I think it´s Malicks weakest effort to date).
Loved both “Le Gamin au vélo” and “Melancholia” (and very much looking forward to see “The Artist” and “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”), so I think this is a very fine list.
Naturally, noone agrees 100% with such Best of-lists, so I don´t mind at all that the most pretentious (and over-ambitious) film of the year tops the chart (in fact, I think it´s Malicks weakest effort to date).
Oh, but FS was from 2010. Well, I still have not seen it. Not interested.
Oh, but FS was from 2010. Well, I still have not seen it. Not interested.
I know I will hate Film Socialisme. Otherwise, this Top 10 list is better than what Academy could ever do.
I know I will hate Film Socialisme. Otherwise, this Top 10 list is better than what Academy could ever do.
Any best of lists with Film Socialisme by jean-Luc Godard is trying to hard. Seriously.
Pretentious is the right word.
Any best of lists with Film Socialisme by jean-Luc Godard is trying to hard. Seriously.
Pretentious is the right word.
Give me a T!
Give me an R!
Give me an E!
Give me an E!
Tree! Tree! Tree!
Give me a T!
Give me an R!
Give me an E!
Give me an E!
Tree! Tree! Tree!
Tree of Life – yes!
Tree of Life – yes!
But seriously, nice list. I get S&S every month, anyone with even the slightest interest in film art should be reading it.
But seriously, nice list. I get S&S every month, anyone with even the slightest interest in film art should be reading it.
Scott must be a big Christopher Nolan fan.
Scott must be a big Christopher Nolan fan.
What a great list!
Hooray for The Tree of Life! I think it deserves it.
Never heard of Le Quattro Volte. What’s that film about?
About Scott comment, at first glance I thought he was just kidding. ^^. It’s just unbelievable comment.
What a great list!
Hooray for The Tree of Life! I think it deserves it.
Never heard of Le Quattro Volte. What’s that film about?
About Scott comment, at first glance I thought he was just kidding. ^^. It’s just unbelievable comment.
Rufussondheim: well said!
Rufussondheim: well said!
“Pretentious” is a word used by someone who doesn’t get it.
“Pretentious” is a word used by someone who doesn’t get it.
WHat a good list! Le Quattro Volte was one of the biggest film experiences for me last year. Melancholia, A Separation, Horse and Kid with Bike – all deserve their places. Tinker,Taylor & The Artist – future classics, surely Top players for OscarBP… but many of my friends say that Once Upon a Time in Anatolia – Is the Best Movie of the Year, That it is unexpected and unforgettible trip, that will stay with u for a long time.. and that’s the only movie from here i haven’t seen yet..
WHat a good list! Le Quattro Volte was one of the biggest film experiences for me last year. Melancholia, A Separation, Horse and Kid with Bike – all deserve their places. Tinker,Taylor & The Artist – future classics, surely Top players for OscarBP… but many of my friends say that Once Upon a Time in Anatolia – Is the Best Movie of the Year, That it is unexpected and unforgettible trip, that will stay with u for a long time.. and that’s the only movie from here i haven’t seen yet..
k-a: The poll includes critics from around the world, so some of them would only have seen A Prophet in 2010. It therefore got enough of their votes to place in that year’s poll. Given international release date inconsistencies, Sight & Sound makes no hard and fast rules about which films contributors can include — if a critic either saw it on release or at a festival, it’s fair game. I like that, personally.
k-a: The poll includes critics from around the world, so some of them would only have seen A Prophet in 2010. It therefore got enough of their votes to place in that year’s poll. Given international release date inconsistencies, Sight & Sound makes no hard and fast rules about which films contributors can include — if a critic either saw it on release or at a festival, it’s fair game. I like that, personally.
I didn’t get A Separation, to me it felt like some artsy soap opera. Forgot it right as the end credits were still rolling.
Great to see The Turin Horse in there, though.
I didn’t get A Separation, to me it felt like some artsy soap opera. Forgot it right as the end credits were still rolling.
Great to see The Turin Horse in there, though.
how can Prophet be first in 2009 and last in 2010?
how can Prophet be first in 2009 and last in 2010?
Scott, It’s not their job to predict the Oscars
Scott, It’s not their job to predict the Oscars
In the article, it said that Attack the Block and Kill List tied for 11th (or 12th, since there’s a tie for 10th). Attack the Block!
In the article, it said that Attack the Block and Kill List tied for 11th (or 12th, since there’s a tie for 10th). Attack the Block!
Glad Le Quattro Volte got some kind of mention, I thought it was an extraordinary movie.
Glad Le Quattro Volte got some kind of mention, I thought it was an extraordinary movie.
@ Scott
How ridiculous. Do you think Sight & Sound have any intention of influencing the Oscar race? They’re no more or less right than any other group which announces a Best Of list. In fact, their independence from the Oscar race perhaps makes them more ‘right’ than those others. Not every such group exists solely to influence proceedings over the next three months.
And they’re not pretentious. It’s quite reasonable to suggest that many of the ten best films of the year might be independent and not in the English language. I’m sure they’ve seen plenty of mainstream films and simply feel the Dardennes, von Trier, Bilge Ceylan and Tarr made better films this year. Up is on their 2009 list. If they were trying to be pretentious, they could do a better job.
@ Scott
How ridiculous. Do you think Sight & Sound have any intention of influencing the Oscar race? They’re no more or less right than any other group which announces a Best Of list. In fact, their independence from the Oscar race perhaps makes them more ‘right’ than those others. Not every such group exists solely to influence proceedings over the next three months.
And they’re not pretentious. It’s quite reasonable to suggest that many of the ten best films of the year might be independent and not in the English language. I’m sure they’ve seen plenty of mainstream films and simply feel the Dardennes, von Trier, Bilge Ceylan and Tarr made better films this year. Up is on their 2009 list. If they were trying to be pretentious, they could do a better job.
Luckily this pretentious group is almost never right and only 2 or 3 at most of their Top 10 are ever even nominees.
Luckily this pretentious group is almost never right and only 2 or 3 at most of their Top 10 are ever even nominees.
A Separation is by far the best movie of the year!
A Separation is by far the best movie of the year!
Wow! 7 of these are from Cannes,2 from Berlin and 2 from Venice I think.
Tree of life is also my favorite of the year. Seeing No. 3 and 4 this week 🙂
Wow! 7 of these are from Cannes,2 from Berlin and 2 from Venice I think.
Tree of life is also my favorite of the year. Seeing No. 3 and 4 this week 🙂