Best movies of the 2000s - Yearly Top 5 lists

[John]

My relationship is actually underpinned by a mutual dislike of films more than anything else, so I've actually enjoyed the scathing reviews more than the positive ones.

You're tempting me to write a review of The Lazarus Effect.

[Bill]

Oh, THAT Edge of Tomorrow.....I forgot I saw that. Actually, I just forgot what the name of it was. I would agree, it was better than I expected. I liked Emily Blunt a lot more than Tom Cruise.

I'm so behind. I haven't seen Gone Girl, American Sniper, or Selma - all of which are on my list. Though I did partake in the Spongebob Movie (in 3D, no less...), which I do not expect to see on John's 2015 list.

And yeah, who isn't looking forward to Mad Max - that should be awesome sauce.

[Lions]

You're behind? I went to the theater to see a movie in January and used some gift cards I had been given three years prior.

[richard_v]

You're tempting me to write a review of The Lazarus Effect.

That one sentence of plot tells me all I need to know.

[John]

I am thrilled to reports that Neill Bloomkamp's Chappie, the first of my "Most Anticipated of 2015" films to hit theaters, is a smashing success. "Chappie" is the name taken by a police robot after it (he?) gains sentience. I was moved nearly to tears by Chappie's troubled journey from "infancy" to self-discovery. We've all seen our share of coming-of-age stories and after a while they begin to blend together. Chappie is a refreshingly original take on an old story motif.

This is a great example of how science fiction can open doors that might otherwise remain closed. You could tell this same story about a human child growing up in a Johannesburg ghetto and perhaps I wouldn't dip my toe into the water. "Too depressing," I might think, or possibly "too melodramatic." So instead, you suck me in with police combat droids and armored mechs and the next thing you know, you're telling me an honest-to-goodness human story and I'm more interested in the fates of these people (flesh and metal) than all those flying bullets. Very clever.

My group was a bit split, to be fair. Some of us adored it, and I was firmly in that camp, to the level that I'm giving it a straight "A." Those who were less impressed suggested the film was little more than a melding of Short Circuit, RoboCop, Bloomkamp's own District 9. I don't agree with that. Every story under the sun has been told, yet a clever spin on an old tale can create something totally new and wonderful. And as I said, Chappie is quite clever.

Chappie earns its "R" rating with heavy foul language and a few scenes of serious violence so it's probably just for the adults, but I definitely recommend giving it a watch while it's in its theatrical run. The film opens this Friday in theaters everywhere.

[klewis]

I might get a chance to see Chappie tonight. I'm hoping I will enjoy it as well. I will definitely keep your review in mind while I watch it just to see if it resonates the same feeling.

[John]

I might get a chance to see Chappie tonight. I'm hoping I will enjoy it as well. I will definitely keep your review in mind while I watch it just to see if it resonates the same feeling.

Fair warning: I am decidedly in the minority with me positive view on Chappie. That has actually been a topic of interest between my friends and me since seeing the film: how should you react when your view is totally out of alignment with everyone else? Do you backtrack on the assumption that you must be wrong? Do you go on the attack to justify your position? Do you simply accept that you're an oddball? How do the biases we bring into the theater impact what we take from the experience? How do existing narratives (e.g. "Bloomkamp is a one-trick pony") play in? How much reaction is based on bandwagon jumping and how much is straight from the heart?

I know I loved Chappie. I also know that I brought a great deal of Bloomkamp love into the theater with me (I even stuck up for his last film, which Blookmamp himself says he f'd up). So it's tough to argue that I'm impartial. I seem to particularly dig his work, reason be damned. But I don't think I have to surrender my stance on Chappie because the masses have spoken and decreed that Blookmkamp is a no-talent poseur. I might be easily moved, yet it moved me all the same. That's enough for me to be willing to absorb the eye-rolls from my friends when I proclaim it one of my favorite films of the last few years. Ultimately, I have to be true to my (tasteless) self.

[klewis]

@ John - I was not able to squeeze in a movie that Friday evening. So, I have yet to watch Chappie. I did, however, paid attention to the reports that Chappie along with a few other movies were not faring well. I wonder if that's due to the early reviews/word of mouth or lack of marketing.

Personally, my tastes are a hit and miss with Rotten Tomatoes. When it comes to reviews, I usually refer to user reviews on the IMDB (while ignoring the critic reviews). In that regard, user reviews seem to like Chappie (at least when I checked a week ago). So, you are not alone, John!

I will definitely have to catch Chappie some time. I am afraid it might not be this week. I'm already being pushed to watch It Follows.

[John]

Heard It Follows is great. This review in particular put it squarely on my "want to see" list.