Top 10 Films of the Decade

In lieu of a traditional best-of list this year, I thought it more appropriate to showcase my favorites of the closing decade.

Some titles were the best of their given years, others have risen in standing. All are films I've revisited or would watch again down the road.

If you haven't seen or heard of any of the these, seek them out, I think you'll be glad you did.


1. 12 Years A Slave (Director: Steve McQueen; 2013)
2. The Artist (Dir: Michel Hazanavicius; 2011)
3. The Lobster (Dir:Yorgos Lanthimos; 2016)
4. Moonrise Kingdom (Dir: Wes Anderson; 2012)
5. Moneyball (Dir: Bennett Miller; 2011)
6. True Grit (Dir: Joel & Ethan Coen; 2010)
7. Lady Bird (Dir: Greta Gerwig; 2017)
8. Mad Max: Fury Road (Dir: George Miller; 2015)
9. Drive (Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn; 2011)
10. Life Itself (Dir: Steve James; 2014)

Honorable Mentions:

Brooklyn (2015)
Chef (2014)
De Palma (2015)
The Descendants (2011)
Django Unchained (2012)
The Fighter (2010)
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Get Out (2017)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Hugo (2011)
La La Land (2016)
The Martian (2015)
Moonlight (2016)
A Quiet Place (2018)
The Shape of Water (2017)
Super 8 (2011)
Win Win (2011)
Warrior (2011)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

On to the '20s. Happy New Year!

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker A Satisfying Conclusion to a Saga 42 Years in the Making

Walking out of 1983's Return of the Jedi as a twelve-year-old I was pretty sure I'd seen the last of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo.

It had been an incredible six-year, three-movie run, defining my childhood like bookends, but Darth Vader and his emperor were now dead, the second Death Star and pretty much the entire Imperial fleet had been destroyed during the Battle of Endor. Our heroes had won and restored peace to the galaxy.

George Lucas had talked of another trilogy but that would tell the story of young Anakin Skywalker, the fall of the Jedi and rise of the Empire. No, I was pretty sure if I wanted to know the further story of Luke, Leia and Han, I'd have to make it up myself. And I was fine with that.

Flash forward 32 years later to 2015 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters. It's a direct sequel to Return of the Jedi, the beginning of a new trilogy featuring different, younger characters, but also Luke, Leia and Han in supporting roles. I'm skeptical at first, but by time the closing credits role, I'm on board with this next generation of freedom fighters and excited for the revelations to come.

But then 2017's The Last Jedi is released and quickly erodes all the excitement and hope I had felt with its dysfunctional, polarizing storyline, not to mention killing off its two most interesting characters (Luke and Snoke). Leaving the theater, I seriously had lost all interest in the new trilogy going further.

So, even with the promised inclusion of original trilogy stalwarts Lando Calrissian and Emperor Palpatine, it was with great hesitation and obvious trepidation that I returned for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

I purposely stayed away from spoilers, didn't read any reviews. As I walked into my favorite theater last Saturday afternoon and plopped my self down in my regular seat, I admit I looked forward to what awaited me for the next two hours. But to be honest, I didn't expect much.

And to my great surprise, I actually enjoyed the film for the most part. It wasn't perfect, but it was a hell of a lot better than The Last Jedi. I actually cared about the new characters again. Even the wife cried at the end. 

Overall, a satisfying conclusion to a saga that's been a part of my life for 42 years. 

Quick Blu Review: Iceman (1984)

Fred Schepisi's little-seen, long-forgotten 1984 adventure-drama Iceman has always been a nice little reminder of growing up in the '80s.

I was just 13 when I saw it at a local six-plex as a Saturday matinee and the prospect of discovering and then reviving a 40,000-year-old man from an ice cube the size of a Buick seemed pretty cool (no pun intended) back in the day. Still does, come to think of it.

Iceman unfolds at an Artic research base where young anthropologist Stanley Shephard (Timothy Hutton) has been summoned to provide some type of cultural background on whatever lies suspended in a huge icy block recently excavated from the nearby frozen depths.

Shephard and a team of scientists quickly discern they've discovered a prehistoric man, a Neanderthal, perfectly preserved. And if that weren't incredible enough, they re-establish a heartbeat and actually resuscitate the groggy caveman.

Seems our newly thawed friend has something in his blood that can preserve life and that makes him very valuable to the company footing the bill for the research center. But of course Shephard only sees the cultural benefits, the opportunity to learn from our past and convinces the head suit to give him two weeks with the man now called "Charlie."

Soon the two are interacting in a huge indoor vivarium-like habitat, getting to know one another's customs and becoming friends. But it becomes clear "Charlie" is a hunter, a wild soul at heart and not meant to be caged.

Iceman was a vehicle for 23-year-old star Hutton, a hot property at the time after an Oscar win for 1980's Ordinary People. The supporting cast includes Lindsay Crouse, David Strathairn, Danny Glover and John Lone as "Charlie."

While the premise and cast provide all the makings for a worthwhile tale, the film ultimately suffers from lack of character development and a compelling narrative to drive the story. It's always felt like a good portion ended up on the cutting room floor to achieve its svelte 100-minute running time.

Newly released on Blu-ray by specialty label Kino Lorber, Iceman is finally presented in its native 2.35:1 aspect ratio. No new 2 or 4k scan here, but the image is crisp and decidedly more cinematic than the old pan-and-scan DVD from 2004.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track sounds great and both dialog and Bruce Smeaton's memorable score are clear at minimum levels.

Overall a nice presentation for a film that's worth a look if your a student of anthropology, a fan of Timothy Hutton or, like me, just feel like a trip back to 1984 every once in a while.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!