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Topic: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

Happy September, to those who celebrate. I have decided to start up a series of YouTube Shorts ranking my picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year, starting from 2001. Links to watch the films will be in the pinned comment on each Short. I was thinking that what I consider to be the essentials that surely everyone has seen are probably actually largely unknown by a couple of generations now, and so I thought YouTube Shorts might be a good medium to quickly talk about each one and potentially introduce them to some new people. If the picks seem obvious to you, that's the idea.

We have recently been a bit more overt in keeping Bricks in Motion positioned as primarily favouring brickfilming as filmmaking, so perhaps there is some value in giving people a quick window into the foundations the community has been built on over the years. As time goes on, the broad perception of what seems "good for its time" gets further away from what this part of the community considered exceptional in each year, and in some cases what hold up as all-time greats that still have the potential to influence brickfilmers to make more impactful films. I plan to release one of these Shorts every couple of days, and I will also post the blurbs here as I release them. To kick things off, still a year in which people were figuring things out, but here are my picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2001:

Number 5: Legos Are Not Enough by 4 Guys, 1 Brain. The first of two lengthy James Bond brickfilms with a parody style that suits the old-school LEGO vibe.

At number 4 is LeGorSIKA by Joona Poikonen and Lauri Mäki. An offbeat action-comedy that is quite bizarre, and ambitious in its scenarios.

Number 3: I'm going to cheat here and include both Also thwacked Zarathustra and The Big Match by Thomas Foote. Released simultaneously, these films each feature amusing character animation and antics, including with the beloved classic LEGO monkeys.

At number 2: Monty Python and the Holy Grail in LEGO by Spite Your Face. Part recreation and part parody, this official brickfilm is one of the best known of the era, and still has a strong aesthetic and fun feel.

And at number 1, of course, is The Gauntlet by Jay Silver. A game-changer that helped pave the way for making brickfilms that actually felt like movies, The Gauntlet was a staple for years to come and remains an unassailable classic that can still be learned from today.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2002:

Number 5: Fast Forward II by Alec Joler and Aristides Zamora. Although not seen by the community until many years later, this film is remarkable in the scale of its action and sets.

Number 4 is Fell in Love with a Girl; the official White Stripes music video with distinct brick-built visuals and montage style, and which is actually real brick photography throughout.

At number 3, Rise of the Empire by Jay Silver. Another game-changer from Jay that blew peoples' minds at the time with the level of digital effects that could be achieved by a hobbyist, and which was hugely influential on the best subsequent Star Wars brickfilms.

Number 2 is Good Company by hali. A story-focused psychological horror classic that brought the influence of literature and ambiguous films to brickfilming.

And Number 1, The Han Solo Affair by Spite Your Face. The first and still the best official Star Wars brickfilm, with wonderful visuals and original music, I still pull this up when I need inspiration for cartoony character animation or framing.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2003:

Number 5 is Prisoner John 3: Back and Pissed! by Elie Zananiri. A cult favourite to some, featuring time travel, crude humour, funny voice acting, and original music.

Number 4: Great Inventors Part 2 by Stefan van Zwam. An inventive caveman comedy with great naturalistic settings and fun scenarios.

At number 3 is Out of Time by Oblong Pictures. An iconic and influential duo film with understated humour and solid technical aspects all around.

Number 2: The Letter by JamesFM. The quintessential brickfilm slapstick comedy about an unfortunate man on a mission to post a letter, this film was noted at the time for its depiction of city streets that really felt alive. Also watch JamesFM's Zero Gravity Rebellion.

And this is my list, so of course I'm putting Taco Trouble at number 1. Somewhat of an outsider brickfilm whose stilted qualities inexplicably make everything funnier, Taco Trouble is a 14-minute Biff and Mario adventure with idiosyncratic humour, a gratuitous battle scene, and a good sequel, too.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2004. A strong year with many staples it's a shame to have to leave off the list, but:

Number 5: Crispy Cheeser by Jeremy Schaulin-Rioux and Ryan Barker. A distinctly cartoony brickfilm with animation unlike other films of the era, and which still holds up.

Number 4 is Totentanz by golego. A gothic horror with standout sets and camerawork, great music, and incredible vibes.

At number 3, I'm cheating again and including both Aladibababad and Star Wars: The Great Disturbance by Leftfield Studios. One a summer contest-winning classic, the other an iconic early feature length brickfilm, each from the sharpest brickfilm comedy troupe of this era.

Number 2: The Peril of Doc Ock. The final magnum opus from Spite Your Face, which technically speaking was simply in a league of its own for this time.

And number 1; no prizes for guessing: it's The Citizen of the Year by Watson Films. With memorably depicted characters, funny scenarios, and excellent line deliveries, once you see the light, it never gets old.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2005:

Number 5: Special Deliverance. Another standout with the comedic stylings of Leftfield Studios, inspired by It's a Wonderful Life.

At number 4: Dr.Jobs and his Scary Laboratory by Fumitaka Anzai. A unique brickfilm from Japan with distinct animation and custom pieces, depicting a classic "machine making breakfast" scenario.

Number 3 is Frankenstein by Nosniborus. When it comes to horror brickfilms, this one has always been regarded as remarkably effective, with notable atmosphere and ability to upset children.

Number 2: Cognizance by Cometgreen. A classic short about a hitman beginning to see the world in a new light, conveyed well visually.

And number 1; a contender for best brickfilm of all time: Robota by Marc Beurteaux. This is more of a legitimate short film that actually had funding, which shows in the distinctive production design and cinematography. I tell people to watch this at any excuse I get. Go watch it!

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2006:

Number 5: Back 2 Skool by James Morr; a comedy short with an iconic central performance.

Number 4 is Triumph of the Empire by Ladon. A clever marriage of Star Wars with propaganda film stylings.

Number 3: Beast by Nathan Wells. I may find it amusingly cheesy now, but I'm still charmed by its ambition, and I remember the impact it made on the people who were new at the time I was.

At number 2, Faithless by Gray Scale. This one has fallen by the wayside, but was big at the time. Although some elements don't entirely land, it's aiming so much higher than most brickfilms, and still looks remarkably good.

And number 1; Grace by Nosniborus. When I was a kid, this seemed like impossible wizardry. Hugely ahead of its time in terms of animation, lighting, and quality of voice acting and original music.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2007. A very stacked year, and I could easily change the order, but:

Number 5, The Franky Job by Dave Pickett. Lesser known but with some devoted fans, this is a unique and surreal detective brickfilm involving a race of characters that are part animal.

At number 4, The Artist by Mirko. A quintessential sort of brickfilm with a nice concept and execution.

Number 3 is Driven by Nathan Wells. A dystopian brickfilm with distinct, standout sets, camerawork, colour palette, and effects.

Number 2: America: Outlawed; Doug Vandegrift's iconic 36-minute western with classic LEGO swag, that is quite well voice acted and maintains a sense of humour throughout.

And number 1, Little Guys! by Paganomation. Not only a standout for the unique brick-built characters and massive scale, but also for the execution of the subtly comedic tone and the old commercial style.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2008. An... eventful year, but another with a strong lineup of films.

Honorable mention due to no English subtitles: La légende de Ben&Jerry's by Rémi Riffard. Check this out anyway, as it contains... everything you could possibly imagine, and more.

Number 5: 30 Years: The Story of the Minifigure by Nathan Wells. Nathan has always been known for his expertise at set design, and this historical montage film was his ultimate showcase in this era.

At number 4, 802.701 by golego. An adaptation of a H. G. Wells story, with golego's signature set design and use of colour and pieces.

Number 3: Gaston's Odyssey by France & Alex. A lengthy adventure in a land with centaur people, this is a quirky brickfilm with a very distinct identity.

Number 2 is Henri & Edmond in The New Neighbour by Maxime Marion; a funny and well made beginning to one of the best ever series' in brickfilming.

And number 1, Unrenewable by Sméagol. When this came out, we knew we were witnessing a future classic. Unrenewable feels like an actual world, with an involving plot, distinct visuals, and fabulous music also by Sméagol.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2009.

Number 5: Nightly News at Nine Chapter 1: New Beginnings by Dave Pickett, most of which was released in '09. The beginning of one the best brickfilm series', chock full of originality and colourful characters.

Number 4 is First Class by MisterMulluc. A 13-minute film about a robot on a quest to deliver a package, with creative and entertaining animation and scenarios throughout, plus well-chosen music.

Number 3: Through the Hatch by namchild. A high-spirited, phenomenal showcase of LEGO vehicles and figures chasing throughout a real house, with explosive practical effects.

At number 2, Days Of Our Pizza by Keshen. A classic brickfilm comedy sketch which follows a situation that gets more ridiculous as it goes along, with standout voice acting.

And number 1; an all-time favourite of mine: The River by Night Owl. The crowning achievement by one of the most singular artists ever in this hobby, The River features unparalleled cinematography that draws you into its ambiguous narrative, and is unlike most anything else in brickfilming.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2010.

Number 5: Zombie: Genesis by Jonathan Vaughan, which follows the making of a zombie movie using real zombies, with a deluded director.

At number 4, The Force Unleashed by Fancy Pants. Winner of a "Lightsaber Duel" animation challenge on Bricks in Motion, The Force Unleashed spread far and wide as a technical showcase.

Number 3 is Printed Circuit - Brick It by Oblong Pictures, who in this era pioneered digital face animation that actually looked like LEGO prints. An official music video that tells a story well visually, with nice set design.

Number 2: The Pilgrim's Son by Captain Bulldog, whose YouTube channel is gone, but whose films can be found on the Brickfilms Wiki. At 25 minutes long, this film is able to depict the distinct personalities of many characters, and is charming overall.

And number 1, both Stranger than Fishin' and The Profession by MindGame; take your pick. Two essentials from one of the most consistent and well-rounded brickfilmmakers, demonstrating intuition for both comedy and action.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2011; this year has some big ones.

Number 5: Jack and Jordan in Abducted by Jack Quincey and Jordan Boettcher; a 35-minute hidden gem with homemade charm, that incorporates claymation and nice original music. Give it a shot.

At number 4 is Virus by Fred Mangan. A unique and visually distinct short film taking place inside a computer.

Number 3 is Country Buildin' by Paganomation. A musical brickfilm created for the LEGO Club Show, with the "Pagano Puppet" figure design and exceptional character animation.

Number 2: Egyptian Holiday by mobdeli. The quintessential adventure brickfilm, with brilliant camerawork, lighting, set design, and voice acting.

And number 1; a brickfilm widely considered one of the very best ever: Copyright by Maxime Marion. A 36-minute adventure with action, comedy, pathos, great scenarios, technical qualities, voice acting, music; everything. It's essential.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2012.

Number 5: The Call of Farqunglu by Something's Awry Productions; a sharply written and solidly made courtroom comedy horror.

At number 4, Foster the People - Houdini by Dylan Woodley. Energetic and dynamically shot, this really captures the feel of a music video.

Number 3, The Taste of Victory by twickabrick. This stands above most war brickfilms as a more varied and accomplished film, and is also a major showcase of brick-built practical effects.

Number 2 is The Duel; more incredible work from namchild taking place in a house and with trademark dedication to in-camera effects.

And number 1, Major Malfunction by MisterMulluc. More people animate LEGO kinda like this now, but it's hard to overstate how mindblowing this cartoony and expressive animation was when this came out, and the pairing with the brilliant music choice makes this one of the most purely fun to watch brickfilms ever.

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Re: Penta's picks for the top 5 brickfilms of each year

My picks for the top 5 brickfilms of 2013.

Number 5: Jeffery and the Old Man in: Jeffery Gets a Voicebox Transplant by Jonni Phillips. This series plus Jonni's other brickfilms were influential in the BiM community for their cartoony and spontaneous style, gleefully rewriting the rules.

Number 4: Day of the Sun; nichtgedreht's farcical brickfilm about North Korea that won the top prize at the Steinerei brickfilm festival in Germany.

At number 3, Bestia by France & Alex. A 22-minute tale with many sets and wonderful design work throughout.

Number 2 is The Front; twickabrick's steampunk war brickfilm with a grounded aesthetic and incredibly precise animation and camera movement.

And number 1, Nightly News at Nine Chapter 2: Robots! by Dave Pickett. This chapter is bigger and better than the first, overflowing with creativity and underpinned with thematic interest. This is some of the best use of the brickfilm medium.

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