Meant to post this earlier before the match ups started but what everyone's films that didn't make the cut?
I had Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, The Proposition as action/crime films but was happy enough with my first choices. As a bit of a left field choice, I had Brick in mind as well. Actually, Rian Johnson's earlier work is pretty great, I never expected him to be directing the likes of Star Wars after seeing Brick and The Brothers Bloom.
Was thinking about Once and Dogtooth as some field choices as well. Once is really sweet film with a killer song and Dogtooth is a bit of an oddball but no surprise given it was from Yorgos Lanthimos, the director of The Lobster and Oscar winner The Favourite.
Had a bunch of comedies in mind as well - Zombieland, Napoleon Dynamite, High Fidelity, Best in Show, Tristam Shandy A Cock and Bull Story and could have picked any one of them to be honest.
There's a bunch, but by far the movie I most regret not picking is The Road.
Was mightily conflicted between picking that or The Fellowship of the Ring as my adventure pick. The Road is my favourite of the two, but It just felt like cheating picking it in that category, although Letterboxd and IMDb both had it listed as such. I also was a bit worried that my lineup would look a bit too grim with its inclusion.
I regret not picking it though, although I adore The Fellowship of the Ring. The Road is just a movie that's very important to me, that gets to me on a very visceral level. I've watched it close to a dozen times, and I can't help to cry every time I see it. It's a movie I find so incredibly powerful, both in its direction, writing and performances. The dystopia that it depicts is so well rendered and brutal.
I've never understood how it never got the appreciation it deserves. The most common critique I've heard is that it wasn't as good as the book. It might not be, but it's still an incredible movie in its own right. The other is one that's too grim and depressing. I think that's a very shallow criticism; Firstly, because I don't think it's true, and secondly because even if was, that wouldn't make it any less great. There are countless grim and depressing films, that are widely (and rightly) considered masterpieces. I think there are enough moments of light sparsed throughout all the darkness, that provide a glimmer of hope. It's not a hopeful or optimistic movie, but it's not overly black either. I just find an incredibly moving film and I hope more people would give it a chance.
