Modern Movie Masterpieces

[that_dam_cool]

Some of masterpieces of the past few years such as Mullholland Drive, The Departed and The Prestige etc. have been fantastic but does anyone know any other powerful, tragic movies like these of the modern era please I would love to know some great indie movies too

 

[dunno260]

Hmm. Powerful is a little subjective. I didn't find The Prestige to be a powerful movie, though I found it great. I didn't like V for Vendetta at all. It was interesting, but thats about it. It never grabbed me though. 300 was an amazing technical movie, but completely devoid of anything to make you give much of a damn about any of the characters. A movie about a single battle is tough to give any character development too, but 300 just didn't even bother.

But I suggest the following:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Traffic
In the Bedroom
The Pianist
Whale Rider
Adaptation
Almost Famous
Far From Heaven
About A Boy
Wonder Boys
Hotel Rwanda
Insomnia
Crash
The Contender

Those are all 2000 on. Got the list from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes and only included movies I saw and liked and thought filled your criteria.

 

[Apollo]

I would recommend 300 as a modern masterpiece. I really found it a beautiful and captivating film. Also, some of the techniques and fight scenes used where groundbreaking.

 

[Stryfe]

Eternal Sunshine
The Fountain
Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio
Squid and the Whale
The Queen
Pan's Labyrinth
Nobody Knows
Mysterious Skin

a few older films:
Ghostworld
Dancer in the Dark

And I agree with the people who don't like 300. It was just driven by hormones and blood without any heart.

 

[gazzax2]

don't forget Donnie Darko!!!!

Notes on a Scandal was brilliant, i know so many people who have also seen it. and it has the sexy judi dench in it, she makes me moist....

 

[justsimon]

I don't tend to use the word masterpiece, but I recommend all of these: (I'll try to stay within the last 10ish years)

The Constant Gardener
Sophie Scholl
Children of Men
House of Flying Daggers
In the Mood for Love
Anything by Todd Solondz (except Fear, Anxiety and Depression)
Amores Perros
Anything by Almodovar
Richard III (with Ian McKellen)
Titus
The Life Aquatic
Buffalo 66
Twin Falls Idaho
Girl on the Bridge
Dancer in the Dark
Focus
Brick
The Butcher Boy
The Virgin Suicides

 

[coco2006]

Just last year :

Lord of War
The Fountain
Children of men
Pan's Labyrinth
... omg ! I forgot at least 20 titles ! 2006 has been such a great year for cinema !!!

 

[pacz]

don't forget Donnie Darko!!!!

I totally agree!!! My favorie movie of all time!

 

[justsimon]

I'd have to add Sin City.

 

[jcojax78]

Kingdom Of Heaven, it was epic and well-done.
(and no I'm not saying that because of Orlando Bloom, I actually dislike him quite a bit)

300, I have to disagree there was a bounty of Character Development and the cinematography was gorgeous. There were little stories about the spartans thrown in there that were sweet and well done.

X2: X-Men United, it's got a great social commentary and it's well masked by an action driven fantasy plot.

Sin City, it was the first movie styled like that and it was really well done.

Mean Girls. I know I'm goign to get flack for this one, but I think it is a good representation of how most high schools function these days.

I'd agree with you on all those. I would also like to add Batman Begins. Similar to X2 in that it is driven by the fantasy element with the suspense and action to boot.

Gladiator and Braveheart are a couple of good flicks as well.

 

[slobone]

Hmm. Powerful is a little subjective. I didn't find The Prestige to be a powerful movie, though I found it great. I didn't like V for Vendetta at all. It was interesting, but thats about it. It never grabbed me though. 300 was an amazing technical movie, but completely devoid of anything to make you give much of a damn about any of the characters. A movie about a single battle is tough to give any character development too, but 300 just didn't even bother.

But I suggest the following:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Traffic
In the Bedroom
The Pianist
Whale Rider
Adaptation
Almost Famous
Far From Heaven
About A Boy
Wonder Boys
Hotel Rwanda
Insomnia
Crash
The Contender

Those are all 2000 on. Got the list from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes and only included movies I saw and liked and thought filled your criteria.

Good list, I would add:

AI: Artificial Intelligence
Clean -- intense but not really tragic
The Others
and of course Brokeback Mountain -- can't get any more tragic than that.

 

[Irish Queer]

Crash
The Wind That Shakes The Barely
Older The Motocycle Daries
Goodfellows
Figh Club
The Passion of The Christ

 

[coco2006]

"La Môme" (aka "La Vie en Rose") is the last masterpiece I saw...