Scott's Top Ten Films of The Decade #'s 9 and 8

#9 Spirited Away

I don’t fully understand why I love this movie so much.  I suppose that is actually part of the appeal. I honestly did not know what to make of it the first time I saw it. Now that I have seen it multiple times, what strikes me most about this film is the disarming feeling that I have slipped into another person’s dream whenever I watch it. The world is so foreign, the characters so fantastic, and the story so untraditional that I feel I could only have imagined such a place. It is this feeling that has endeared Miyazaki’s masterpiece to my heart. And of course, the key ingredient to its success is the top-notch animation and the haunting soundtrack that works to lull you into the world where the spirits go. (Wow, I wrote that cheese ball).

Favorite moment: The train ride scene. The imagery of a train filled with lost shadowy spirits gliding over the water is one of the many moments in which, instead of simply telling the audience what to feel, the movie uses music and animation to paint a portrait of Chihiro’s loneliness and uncertainty.

#8 Amelie

Amelie is a wholly charming romantic comedy which causes you to see the world from the child-like perspective of Amelie.  Jean-Pierre Jeunet (who has made quite a few excellent movies) imbues his story with so much detail and visual poetry that it feels like it was made from a novel and not a screenplay.  You develop a real sympathy for Amelie and the other rich characters; so much so that you find yourself rooting for all of them to have a happy ending. And the soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal keeping the movie feeling light and whimsical throughout. Almost all the movies on this list have exceptional musical scores, but this one might be one of the best in my opinion.

Favorite moment: When Amelie guides the blind man through the town describing to him the surroundings. The scene moves at a brisk pace and always gives me chills to watch as Amelie helps the blind man see Paris through words for the first time. This scene just makes me want to go out and help a stranger.

- By Scott