No Leaving Shutter Island

In the film Shutter Island, the characters are trapped on a small island in the Boston harbor that is home to a 'mental institution... for the criminally insane'. A monstrous storm pounds the island making it impossible for anyone to leave. But, director Martin Scorsese has crafted the film in such a way, that audiences will find it difficult to leave Shutter Island themselves.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays US Marshal Teddy Daniels, investigating a disappearance on the island with his new partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo). They are offered little to no assistance from the institution's administrator (Ben Kingsely) or doctors (Max von Sydow) and Teddy is tormented with migraines and images of his murdered wife (Michelle Williams). To go anymore further into the plot is to give away clues in a mystery that includes so many subtle nuances that, the ending aside, the film almost demands multiple viewings. Suffice to say that the movie taps directly into the era of the 1950's with it's Cold War paranoia, flashbacks of World War II and just being a simpler time when people still trust in the decency of mankind.

Like in The Departed and The Aviator, DiCaprio's performance carries the film. The character of Teddy Daniels is determined, troubled, clever, suspicious and human all at the same time. He has his own reasons to investigate Shutter Island and his own demons to exorcise. By becoming emotionally compromised, he becomes an unreliable narrator, but it is through his eyes that we view this story. Which makes it all the more compelling because as you identify with Teddy, you want him to be right about everything that is wrong. You want him to break from protocol, avenge his wife's death and unravel the vast conspiracy that evades the innermost secrets of the island. It's a strangely exciting ride, for how dark and macabre the film becomes, but it's a testament to both actor and director that you can care so much for a deeply disturbed and violent man.

The supporting cast in in excellent form as well, including the aforementioned actors, as well as Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas. While most of them only appear for a single scene, they make the most of their time on the screen, in captivating shots lensed by Robert Richardson. Additionally, the flashbacks of Teddy liberating Dachau in World War II only make me salivate at the thought of a Martin Scorsese war movie.

Of course, no review of a Scorsese film would be accurate without mentioning the director. Shutter Island becomes a loving homage to films of the period, from the horror movies of Val Lewton and Jacques Tourner to the suspenseful psychological thrillers of Hitchcock. Replete with references and nods to these films and more, Scorsese gets the most from DiCaprio by utilizing his movie star power to not only mine the richer payoff of DiCaprio the actor, but by bringing to a larger audience his special craft at filmmaking, his respect and affection for cinema history and his knack for keeping it all so very entertaining.

Big Mike's Top Films of the Decade, Part 3

10. About A Boy (2002)

Hugh Grant gives his finest, his favorite and his most natural performance in About A Boy, a film that could have fallen into more than a dozen movie clichés, but instead becomes something very touching by belying it’s story with relatable characters in real situations. A strong British cast and a director who insisted on keeping it British-based like the novel by Nick Horby, combine to make a film would shun conventional wisdom and become a new type of film in the romantic comedy genre. Divorce, suicide and drug use may have been slightly more taboo in 2002, (no rhyme intended) but Will, Marcus, Fiona, Ellie, Rachel and Ali manage to come together and carve out a life for themselves amongst their unique island chain that more closely resembles the familial units of today that perhaps any other movie before or since it.

9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Very few romantic comedies actually get to be funny, touching and realistic all at once which makes Forgetting Sarah Marshall so unforgettable (pun intended.). With a great script and leading turn from Jason Segal made his Peter Brenner such a lovable character, you sympathized with him instantly. But, the performances of the other Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand made a much more profound story of people caught up in each other’s love lives, where nobody is the villain and even our hero needs to work on himself. It’s a very personal and moving film beneath the full frontal male nudity and puppet musicals, Forgetting Sarah Marshall stands as one of the best pure romantic comedies of all time.

8. Iron Man (2008)

The second best comic book movie on this list, for being able to do what The Dark Knight did better. By making Tony Stark a human character with very real flaws and setting the story in a world we recognize, director Jon Favreau blew the lid off of the summer last year for Marvel comics, die hard comic geeks, mainstream audiences, rival studios and oh yea, a little actor named Robert Downey Jr. Although he never really left, Iron Man was his overhand right knockout punch of a comeback that solidified him not only as one of our most talented actors, but a bonafide movie star.

7. Amelie (2001)

Exaggeration aside, it is extremely difficult NOT to fall in love with Audrey Tautou’s Amelie and her fabulous destiny. A romantic fantasy of a movie with a look that goes hand in hand with the main character, Amelie was a movie that made casual moviegoers take a second look at foreign films, but honestly, I just fall to pieces every time that I watch it. Even though the outcome is predictable enough after the first viewing, you fall in love with Amelie and hope for her to find love and find herself all over again.

6. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Combining zombies, British romantic comedies and a fast paced visual style that matched the tone of the picture; Shaun of the Dead was a bit of fried gold in a genre that had long gone stale.Action comedies had died off in the early Nineties, along with horror films, but here was a movie that never took itself too seriously, but was dead on (pun intended) as both a great film and a loving homage to it’s numerous influences. Scary, hilarious and touching, the movie and its creators managed to achieve what many movies fail to even aspire to become and that’s why you find it on most lists for this decade.

5. The Aviator (2004)

The second Scorsese movie on the list already, but it was probably a more personal film than even Gangs of New York. The story of Howard Hughes follows him from a young film director to aviation pioneer and shows us his relentless drive for perfection, the toll it takes on his personal life and what it means to struggle and fight for your vision. Sound familiar? Scorsese also seamlessly weaves in brilliant performances from everyone in the cast including DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, Alan Alda and Alec Baldwin while shooting the film not only in period, but also in the cinematic style of the period from two-strip color film to dazzling Technicolor. One of his many underrated masterpieces, in the end, it might hold up better than a lot of his other films.

4. The Prestige (2006)

This might have been the movie I watched the most times in this decade, if for no other reason than I was determined to discover the secret of Borden’s trick. But, that’s not important in hindsight, because The Prestige is an amazing film that is not only a meditation on cinema itself, but plays with the very idea of entertainers, audiences and the relationship between the two of them. A lot of people talk about seeing something new every time they watch a movie, but The Prestige is a film in which it’s actually true. Chris Nolan made this movie in between both Batman films and matures so nicely as a director, it’s exciting to think about what he will bring in the 10’s with Inception and a third Batman film.

3. Children of Men (2006)

Though Children of Men certainly has its detractors, the movie has made several best of the 00’s lists and for good reason. Coming of the critical success of his installment of Harry Potter, director Alfonso Cuaron co-wrote and directed the science fiction story of a future where humankind is going extinct and made an amazing movie by focusing on the simple plotline of ‘get the girl to the boat.’ Clive Owen gives probably his best performance as Theo, a disillusioned former revolutionary, who becomes the reluctant hero that might just save mankind. But, the movie just pulls you into the story with a stark vision of the future that every day looks more and more likely and combines it with very simple characters trying to change the world and make a new future.

2. The Departed (2006)

The first of a few Scorsese movies on this list, The Departed is unique on the 2000’s because it is the one film that is really Scorsese in his comfort zone. A cop and robbers story set against the backdrop of Boston and Irish Americans (yes, it is important to note that.) he goes back to theGoodfellas style of directing and pulls out all the tricks, winning himself his Academy Award at long last. But, for me the film is all about the performances of the two leads, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon. That both were ignored in the award season that year is more criminal that anything else in the movie. Even when you can start to sense every twist and turn in the story, Leo and Matty keep you on edge and manage to make you fearful for both of their lives, never knowing which one you really want to side with. And isn’t that a great theme for the film?

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

What can I say about this movie a year after its release that I haven’t said over and over again on this blog? Forget about the Academy Awards, the billion-dollar box office, the brilliant performances of Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart, and the amazing talent of Chris Nolan as director and writer, the IMAX images, the breathtaking action sequences and the horrifying realistic themes of the film. The Dark Knight is just pure entertainment, a crime story, a comic book movie, and a political and social commentary and hands down one of the most fantastic movies I’ve ever seen in my life. I said it that morning after I walked out of the theatre and I will stand by it for the next several decades.

Big Mike's Top Films of the Decade, Part 2

20. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Some movies leave your memory almost as soon as you leave the theatre, but Revolutionary Road is a film that stays with you long after you finished it. Hypnotizing you with the beautiful imagery of the “Mad Men” era, (the television series was based on this book), the more in depth you get into the lives of Frank and April, the more crushing it becomes when their world falls apart. And yes, this was Kate Winslet’s best performance of that year.

19. No Country For Old Men (2007)

Not only did No Country make me go back to back with my Best Picture predictions, but also it was one of the most serious films about violence and the human psyche ever made in America.Though I have heard some crazy theories about the film, (not the least of them being that Javier Bardem’s character didn’t actually exist, but he was a figament of Tommy Lee Jones’ character’s imagination, allowing HIM to commit these killings.) I really admire Josh Brolin’s performance above all of the others.

18. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The reason I chose the second Bourne movie over any of the other two is basically because I feel that in the second installment, Jason Bourne has an emotional drive throughout the film that’s not necessitated by survival, but simply by revenge. Yes, Matt Damon kicks ass in all three movies and the Greengrass films are probably superior to Liman’s, but in Supremacy, the origin story is out of the way and we simply watch as Jason Bourne does what Jason Bourne was made to do.

17. Volver (2006)

One of Almodovar’s best films ever and probably Penelope Cruz’s best performance ever, the film took elements of Hitchcock, a brilliant color palette and of course, a love of cinema to make what appears to be an ethereal story about life into a simple story of family and love. And of course, it opened up Cruz to a better range of roles and we’ll all better off for that.

16. Mulholland Dr. (2001)

With the exception of Memento, no other film this decade played more with the narrative structure of a story than Mulholland Dr. David Lynch reminds audiences why every movie he makes is required viewing and the pairing of Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring has been written about ad nauseam, but they are one of the best on-screen couples of all time.

15. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Beautiful. There is no other single adjective to describe this film than that. In terms of visuals, emotions, acting, dialogue, casting and everything else that went into the making of this movie, Ang Lee crafted a film that was so moving and so profound that many people had no choice to ignore it, rather than look inside of themselves and let the film affect them. People will still be watching this instead of reruns of ‘Crash’.

14. Y Tu Mama, Tambien (2001)

One of three foreign films on this list, Y Tu Mama was a huge success in Mexico and a moderate success in America, but it really opened the door for director Alfonso Cuaron (who will appear later on the list) as well as Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal. But, the reason is was so successful it that it was a very touching coming of age story ably told by great acting and wonderful direction.

13. Chicago (2003)

Amongst all the musicals of the decade, there may have been a few I enjoyed more, but Chicago was simply a much better made film than all of them. It opened the door for the new wave of Hollywood musicals while showing shades of the Golden Age musicals and keeping in touch with its roots as a Broadway production. And in case you’re like me and had a hard time paying attention to MORE than Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and John C. Reilly are criminally unappreciated for their supporting roles.

12. The Incredibles (2004)

This is the only Pixar movie on my list, the only cartoon and without out a doubt the best superhero movie (Batman and Iron Man have NO superpowers) of the decade. Spinning the classic superhero genre and comic book setting of retro future by placing the heroes in a litigious, ignorant world that too closely resembled our own, The Incredibles became an instant classic that could be enjoyed by everyone in your family, even when inspiring obnoxious criticism such as this. Oh yea, and with only about five minutes of screen time, Edna Mode goes down as best supporting character of the 2000’s.

11. Gangs of New York (2002)

Martin Scorsese’s labor of love that was considered an impossible project for more than twenty years finally came to pass in 2002, following closely on the heels of the attacks of 9/11. While it certainly remained in many viewers’ minds as they watched, most could not ignore the sheer magnitude of Scorsese’s biggest film ever. Though the film is far from perfect and had a large contingent of critics who were jumping to point them out, even they could not deny the scope of Scorsese’s vision. Huge sets in Rome, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, and a long running time that garnered a lot of media attention were just a few of the elements that helped the movie earn 10 Acadeny Awards nominations and helped re-establish Scorsese as a master filmmaker after a couple of flops, which in turn would lead him to make the movies that follow this one on the list. Personally, this movie helped me rediscover the magic behind making movies and I became fascinated with everything from the cinematography to Day-Lewis’ accent.

Revolutionary Picture

Revolutionary Road is a film that punched me in the gut and stayed with me long after I walked out of the theatre, deeply moved by it.



Based on the Richard Yates novel of the same name, the film tells the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a married couple with children in the mid Fifties who find themselves questioning what to make of their lives up to this point. As April struggles to break from the banality of suburbia, Frank begins to find value in his mundane career and their lifestyle.


Within the first twenty minutes of the film, I was engrossed in it and when Frank uttered the line, "I'm a thirty year old Knox man," I felt as if I had been knocked back into my seat. Amongst all of the film's emotional pulls, I immediately identified with Frank's slightly sorrowful acceptance of what his life had turned out to be. But, later, when he is finally recognized for his work and begins to achieve a sense of validation at the office, he begins to wonder if a life as a supportive husband and father is enough for him. It is a struggle many people must face in life, but Leonardo DiCaprio brings Frank's confusion and frustration to life so vividly, I felt as the film were made just for me.


It was difficult to watch a seemingly loving couple get out of their car to argue on the side on the road. It was uncomfortable to hear try to talk his way out of a secretary's bedroom and back home on his birthday. It was upsetting to watch Frank recall his days as a veteran as a time when he felt alive. And it was heart breaking to watch him try to sustain a dialogue and a relationship with his wife who just tunes him out.


For although the novel is told from Frank's point of view, the movie practically belongs to Kate Winslet. As April, she is never as explosive as Frank, but instead allows her feelings to remain subdued and beneath the surface until she is pushed over the edge by Frank's earnestness and inability to effectively communicate with her. Whether as the beautiful girl meeting eyes across the room at a party, the wife and doting mother or the woman who finally cuts herself off emotionally from everyone around her, Winslet is amazing at making you simultaneously pity her and scorn her. She becomes in front of our eyes, every person you have ever loved that didn't quite turn out to be the same person you fell in love with. Some will say she is selfish, some will say she is honest, but she is a real character with very real human emotions and flaws.


The film itself however, is flawless. Directed by Sam Mendes, it is better than American Beauty and shot beautifully by Roger Deakins, it has the unique quality of making you nostalgic for a time period you did not live in. Although I cannot say it is my favorite movie of the year, I can say that Revolutionary Road is the best film of the year.


I talked about it all night with my friend. We asked ourselves what the other would do in the same circumstances, why had these characters made these choices, what choices would we have made instead. Even now as I write this, I can see Frank in my head and myself in Frank. I can see his struggle as my own and the film makes me wants to try to lead a better life for myself. But, it has not told me which life is better. It has left me to discover it on my own.