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.

Three Billboards is the big winner at a disappointingly safe BAFTAs

Last night (18^th February), Hollywood and the British Film Industry’s finest gathered to celebrate the best films of the last year. That’s right, the 2018 BAFTAs have concluded, and honestly? It was a rather tame night. No huge upsets, no underdogs, no ground-breaking achievements. There were a couple of pleasant surprises in the smaller categories (the thrilling The Handmaiden defeating heavyweights Elle and The Salesman in the Best Foreign Language Film category, I Am Not a Witch triumphing over Lady Macbeth in the Outstanding British Debut award), but otherwise, this was about as predictable an awards show as we’ve seen in years.

To nobody’s surprise, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was the night’s big winner. Despite the negative attention in the last few months, it’s still a brilliantly written and performed film that’s struck a nerve (both good and bad) with audiences and critics. That’s mostly down to Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell, two tremendous actors who deservedly took home Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor. Without McDormand’s brittle determination and Rockwell’s swaggering hatred, the film wouldn’t work half as effectively.

The Ford On Film Awards 2017: Best Film

Has it really been a year since Ford On Film crowned Paterson the best film of 2016? Yes, it’s that time of year again when I look back over the last twelve months of film and television, ranking the best films, actors, directors, and everything else of the year. After a slow start to the year, during which many of my most anticipated titles left me disappointed, the second half of 2017 delivered some outstanding titles from new and old directors alike.

Like previous years, I’ve decided to omit any film previously nominated for an Oscar. As much as I loved Oscar favourites like Manchester by the Sea and Toni Erdmann, they’ve already been written about extensively, and I wanted to free up some space for the less talked-about films I loved this year. Sorry The Handmaiden, My Life As A Courgette and Moonlight; you’re brilliant, but you won’t be making my list. 

As per usual, we’re kicking off the Ford On Film awards with the big one: Best Film. It’s been a close race to the top this year, with one film holding out the top spot for months until two very different contenders took over the first and second spot. As diverse as ever, the top ten includes British and Italian romances, pure horror, family adventure, a few laughs and plenty of drama. It’s been a great year, and I’m excited to unveil my list of the ten best films of 2017.

Before we kick off the countdown, there are a few honourable mentions to include. Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer and S. Craig Zahler’s grisly Brawl in Cell Block 99 were two totally different films that inflicted disturbing imagery and unique performances on their audience, while two female directors made powerful directorial debuts in Rungano Nyoni’s I Am Not A Witch and Julia Ducournau’s Raw. Now, let’s get onto the top ten!

10.

Call Me By Your Name (Dir. Luca Guadagnino)

2017’s best romance? Call Me By Your Name, Luca Guadagnino’s languid, passionate tale of a teenager (Timothee Chalamet in a terrific breakout performance) exploring his sexuality with an older student (Armie Hammer, giving his best performance since The Social Network) is subtle compared to most love stories, more interested in the tiny details (a light touch here, a longing glance there) than any grand gestures. Guadagino knows how to create a memorable image (Hammer’s dance moves, the unbroken final shot), but it’s a quiet monologue from the brilliant Michael Stuhlbarg that stands out the most.