Oscar 2009: LA Critics Best of the Decade

January 12, 2009 – The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) named Mulholland Dr., from director David Lynch, the Film of the Decade, as announced today by Brent Simon, President of LAFCA. This is the organization’s inaugural survey of the decade in cinema.

“Famously salvaged from a rejected TV pilot, Lynch’s film stands as both a cautionary tale and a mascot for the triumph of art and personal vision in an industry that, from where we sit, often seems actively devoted to the suppression of both,” the organization said in an essay announcing its choice.

 

"Deep love, respect and gratitude to the L.A. Film Critics Association for choosing Mulholland Dr. as the film of the decade," said director David Lynch when informed of the distinction. "I am really thrilled by this honor, thank you."

 

Mulholland Dr. beat out 189 other selected titles, which were chosen by 41 LAFCA members who participated in the vote. In 2001, Mulholland Dr. was the group’s runner-up for best picture, placing second to Todd Fields’ In the Bedroom.

 

“Carving out a Top 10 list in any given year is tough, but picking from a decade's worth of cinematic masterpieces is an especially brutal exercise. David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. is an especially appropriate choice as Film of the Decade. A beautiful, woozy mystery for the id, portions of its meaning are readily apparent, while others dance along its edges, deliciously up for substantive argument and debate — which is part of what we as film critics love, after all, “said Simon.

 

Below please find the top 10 Films of the Decade list from LAFCA:

 

1)         Mulholland Dr.  –  David Lynch

2)         There Will Be Blood –  Paul Thomas Anderson              

3)         Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind  –  Michel Gondry              

4)         Brokeback Mountain –  Ang Lee              

5)         No Country for Old Men  –  Joel and Ethan Coen              

Zodiac –  David Fincher              

6)         Yi Yi   –   Edward Yang              

7)         4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days   – Cristian Mungiu              

The Lord of the Rings    –    Peter Jackson              

8)         Spirited Away   –   Hayao Miyazaki              

9)         United 93   – Paul Greengrass               

Y Tu Mamá También –  Alfonso Cuarón              

10)       Sideways –  Alexander Payne            

 

THE RULES: Each critic was invited to submit a weighted ballot of 10 films. On ranked ballots, the No. 1 choice received 10 points, No. 2 received 9 points, No. 3 received 8 points, and so on. On unranked ballots, each film received 5.5 points. The organization freely allowed votes for franchises (i.e., The Lord of the Rings trilogy), short films (The Heart of the World), films that premiered at festivals in the ’90s but didn’t play U.S. theaters until the ’00s (Audition), films that premiered at festivals in the ’00s but won’t play U.S. theaters until the ’10s (Wild Grass), and even films that were made four decades ago (Army of Shadows).