The 25 Best Scenes of the Decade

So many great films, so many great scenes, yet once again I have forced myself to choose only 25 of my favourite scenes of the decade. I had dozens of contenders to choose from, but in the end I went with my gut instinct, focusing on the scenes that moved me the most (whether that be tears, chills, laughs, or some combination of all three). Some interesting patterns emerged. I’m always fond of a good musical moment, but I was surprised at how many of these scenes feature singing, dancing, or excellent needle drops. Clearly I’m a masochistic, because I’ve included at least two scenes that absolutely haunted me and a handful that made me weep. 

As a big believer in show not tell, I’m going to try and include as many videos as possible and keep commentaries to a minimum, so sit back and enjoy the 25 Best Scenes of the Decade.

WARNING: Major spoilers for Captain Phillips, Paddington 2, Phoenix, Inside Llewyn Davis, Her, Whiplash, Hereditary and Frank up ahead. You have been warned!

25.

Folding Paris – Inception

The most visually astonishing moment in Christopher Nolan’s mindbending blockbuster.

The 25 Best Performances of the Decade

Think of how many great films you saw in the last ten years. Think of how many great actors had roles in those films. The brilliant leading men. The talented leading women. The showstealing supporting cast. It’s been a monumental challenge trying to choose just 25 of my favourite performances of the decade, one that I was frankly not equipped for. Even limiting spots to one per actor didn’t help; how do you pick just one brilliant Joaquin Phoenix performance from this decade? To give you an example of how tough this list was, here are some phenomenal performances that I didn’t have room for:

Cate Blanchett in Carol, Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born, Essie Davis in The Babadook, Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread, Rebecca Hall in Christine, Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips, Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out, Vicky Krieps in Phantom Thread, Natalie Portman in Black Swan

All amazing actors and performances, yet I just couldn’t find room for them in this top 25. Instead, I went with these 25 stunning performances. Here are Ford On Film’s 25 Best Performances of the Decade.

25.

Chiwetel Ejiofor – Solomon Northup, 12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave is a harrowing watch, not least for Chiwetel Ejiofor’s gutwrenching performance. Retreating into himself as he becomes increasingly non-verbal, Ejiofor’s upsetting physicality truly embodies the horrors of slavery.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Scene

It’s time for the final film award of the Ford On Film Awards 2019. Tomorrow, we’re turning to Television but before that, we have a great final award to give out: Best Scene of 2019! Last year, no scene played on my mind more than the gruesome accident at the heart of Ari Aster’s Hereditary. This year, we’ve got everything from disturbing violence to emotional breakdowns to the best fight scene of the year. As always, it’s competitive, but one scene stood out above all the rest. Here’s the list…

10.

Doll Freakout – Booksmart

Who would have expected an otherwise straightforward mainstream teen comedy like Booksmart would go off-kilter for a few minutes to showcase a scene as bizarre and out there as this? One thing’s for certain: You’ll never look at a barbie doll the same way again.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Director

It’s day six of the Ford On Film Awards 2019, and that means there are only two film awards left to give up. We’ve already looked at the best films and best performances of the year. Now, let’s turn to those responsible for putting our favourites films and actors on-screen. It’s Best Director time! Last year, Lynne Ramsay took the prize for her nerve-shredding thriller You Were Never Really Here, and deservedly so.

This year, we’ve got directors who swung for the fences, directors whose work with actors was second to none, and directors who put singular visions onto the screen in a big way. As a sign of how competitive it was this year, big names like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese failed to make the cut. Who will be named my Best Director of 2019? Here it is:

5.

David Robert Mitchell – Under the Silver Lake

Sometimes you have to go big or go home, and David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows follow-up certainly went big, ending up as one of the most polarising films of 2019. Some critics admired its ambition and unique vision, whilst others dismissed as self-indulgent and pretentious. Personally, I think it falls somewhere in-between, but I can’t deny that Mitchell’s work here is more daring and out-there than just about any film released in the last year. It’s not perfect, but at least he went for it.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Actor

Another day, another award to give…welcome back to the Ford On Film Awards 2019. After handing Best Actress to Lupita Nyong’o for her sensational dual performances in Us, I’m giving out the Best Actor award today. 2018 saw Bradley Cooper win the award for his boozy, tragic turn in A Star is Born. On the day that the BAFTAs have just announced a strong group of contenders for Best Actor, I’m happy to say at least one of the BAFTA nominees is also about to become a Ford On Film award winner. Let’s find out who:

5.

Eddie Murphy – Rudy Ray Moore, Dolemite Is My Name

When was the last time you saw Eddie Murphy this switched on? Shrek? Bowfinger? Maybe you’d have to go back to his eighties heyday to find a performance as terrific as the one he gives in his passion project Dolemite Is My Name. Astonishingly charismatic and funny, Murphy’s performance as the eternal dreamer and optimist who became a comedy sensation is possibly his most likeable ever.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Actress

Welcome back to another edition of the Ford On Film Awards 2019! Yesterday, Al Pacino won Best Supporting Actor for his turn in The Irishman, narrowly beating last night’s Golden Globes winner Brad Pitt. Today, it’s time to hand out the award for Best Actress. Last year, Toni Collette’s terrifying performance in Hereditary won the top prize. Major awards bodies may not have recognised her genius, but I certainly did. This year, more horror stars are top contenders, along with messy punk rockers and unwitting sleuths. Who will win the top prize and be named Best Actress of 2019? Let’s find out!

5.

Elizabeth Moss – Becky Something, Her Smell

God bless Elizabeth Moss for her fearlessness when it comes to portraying unlikeable characters. No character this year was as badly behaved as Becky Something, a wild punk singer intent on destroying her own legacy by alienating her bandmates, putting her trust in spiritual shamans and publicly melting down onstage. Though Becky is pretty hard to warm to, Moss’ unpredictable performance captures the paranoia and self-loathing that drives her destructive behaviour.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Supporting Actress

Hello, and welcome to the second instalment of the Ford On Film Awards 2019! Yesterday, I named Knives Out as my Best Film of the Year. Today, it’s time to look at the Best Supporting Actresses of the Year. Last year, I somewhat cheekily named Rachel McAdams my Best Supporting Actress of the Year for her hilarious work in Game Night. A year on from that, I am prepared to hold my hands up and admit that Rachel McAdams probably should have been nominated in the Leading Actress category. However, there were too many great actresses last year and I wanted McAdams to win something. I compromised my morals and integrity, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you shut this blog down and never returned. No but seriously, I need the ad revenue, please stay.

Without further ado then, let’s cast our eye over the Best Supporting Actresses of 2019, a category featuring catty divorce lawyers, Hollywood starlets, and ‘breastaraunt’ waitresses. Some big names were considered, but I ultimately went with an actress who was all but unfamiliar to me before my mind was blown by her stunning performance in one of the best films of the year. Here’s the top 5…

5.

Margot Robbie – Sharon Tate, Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood

Playing one of Hollywood’s most tragic figures can’t have been easy, especially given the controversy surrounding Quentin Tarantino’s depiction of the Manson Family in his 60s set Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood. However, even Tarantino’s biggest detractors can’t fault Margot Robbie’s warm, vibrant portrayal of Tate; a sympathetic and respectful performance that shows a rising Hollywood star rather than focusing on the tragedy surrounding her death.

The Ford On Film Awards 2019: Best Film

Hello, and welcome to the Ford On Film Awards 2019! Has it really been a year since A Star is Born was crowned the Best Film of 2018? Though I must admit I’ve seen less films this year than just about any other in the last decade, I still can’t help but feel a little disappointed in the last year of cinema, a year in which I saw many films I liked but precious few I truly loved. Thankfully, there were still enough gems for me to easily make this top ten list.

As with previous years, this is focused on films released in the UK in 2019. While I’m sure Parasite, Uncut Gems and Portrait of a Lady on Fire would all likely make the list, they are ineligible due to the rubbish UK release patterns of all three. Furthermore, I’m once again excluding any Oscar-nominated film due to them being talked about to death. While If Beale Street Could Talk and The Favourite would definitely appear on here in regular circumstances, I think there are other terrific films to talk about. Without further ado then, here are my top ten favourite films of 2019.

10.

Transit (Dir. Christian Petzold)

Back in 2014, Christian Petzold earned plaudits for his Vertigo-riffing World War II mystery Phoenix. While his follow-up Transit is also set in a warzone and riffs on another classic Hollywood story (this time Casablanca), Petzold takes the unusual approach of setting the film in an unrecognisable time and place; merging the modern world with the horrors of the Nazi occupation to suggest an inescapable cycle of violence and war. A haunting tale of a man’s obsession with the devoted wife of a writer whose identity he has stolen, Transit steadily mounts the tension to almost unbearable levels.

Initial thoughts on the 2020 Golden Globes nominations

The nominees for the 2020 Golden Globe nominations have been announced, and it’s a pretty solid year overall! Perhaps the biggest story is the massive success of Netflix, who have received Best Motion Picture nominations for Marriage Story, The Irishman, The Two Popes and Dolemite Is My Name. While Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy seems likely to go to Quentin Tarantino’s stylish Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, both Marriage Story and The Irishman seem like strong contenders to take home Best Motion Picture – Drama. Only Todd Phillips’ controversial Joker seems like a strong threat.