EDITORIALS
FirstShowing's Writers Choose the Best Movies of the Decade
by Alex Billington
January 1, 2010
It's that time of the year again. Not only is that time of the year, but it's that time of the decade - the end of both. And if you know anything about anything, you know that when something ends, well, you make a list about it. What do you think a eulogy is? It's your life's Top 10 list. Instead of creating one definitive list for this past decade, I asked my best writers - Brandon Lee Tenney, Ethan Anderton, Marco Cerritos - to come up with their own Best of the Decade lists. Below you'll find each of the lists and a brief write-up explaining why they chose the movies that they did. So without further ado, let's find out what they chose!
Before you ask, "Where's your list Alex?" I want to explain, briefly, why I didn't come up with my own Best of the Decade list. Not only did I run out of time, but I simply felt like I hadn't seen enough from this decade (since I only started FS.net in 2006) and I'm still seeing all kinds of movies I haven't seen every single day. But I can tell you that Return of the King would be my #1 followed closely by The Dark Knight and then City of God. Now I leave it to my much more qualified staff to tell you what they think is this Best of the Decade.
Brandon:
So here it is, folks. Here are my ten favorite films of the past decade. The aught's filmic eulogy. Of course, your Top 10 will probably look a lot different than mine. If not, then a) that's creepy and b) if you happen to be a woman who also has film #9 on her list, give me a call. What I mean to say is, please disagree with me. Let me know how shortsighted I am. Show me your Top 10. I'm sincerely interested. And it's only fair; I'm showing you mine. Without further ado, here they are: my Top 10 Films of the Decade, 2000 to 2009.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
3. Closer (2004)
4. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
5. A Very Long Engagement (2004)
6. The Fountain (2006)
7. Gladiator (2000)
8. Atonement (2007)
9. Vanilla Sky (2001)
10. The Dark Knight (2008)
Honorable Mentions: Pan's Labyrinth, Oldboy, Signs, House of Flying Daggers, Stranger than Fiction, Primer, The Incredibles, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Synecdoche New York, Avatar.
There you have ’em. Yes, Vanilla Sky is on the list. I love that movie. It's beautifully shot and even more beautifully written. Cameron Crowe raises some serious questions amid the trippy imagery and twisting plot. Questions of technology and its effect on our temporary, mortal lives. Questions of just what makes a life worth living. Questions of memory and truth and their stranglehold on us all. All questions that another film on my list also asks and does a better job of answering (along with being Gondry's most poignant work to date, a technical marvel, and Charlie Kaufman's most emotionally accessible screenplay to date), hence its position at number one.
Peter Jackson's work on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is self-explanatory. As should be Mike Nichol's emotionally raw film Closer. Jean-Pierre Jeunet is one of my favorite directors, and it was either A Very Long Engagement or Amelie in this decade. Ultimately, A Very Long Engagement made it to number five due to Jeunet's more mature, measured style, Bruno Delbonnel's always-gorgeous cinematography, and the simply resplendent love story. Then there's The Fountain, a film that I return to often, always with bleary eyes, and Gladiator, self-explanatory in its epic scope and Ridley Scott's mastery of the genre. Joe Wright's Atonement is there due to its outstanding direction, its screenplay's story structure, and Dario Marianelli's haunting, novel score.
Which brings me to The Dark Knight. It's effect on the booming sub-genre of superhero adaptations is undeniable. And aside from its importance to the films to which it's a predecessor, Christopher Nolan simply delivered an awesome film. Every piece of The Dark Knight works in harmony, from the score to the performances (Heath Ledger's finest), to the use of mainly practical effects. Its effects will be felt into the next decade.
Make no mistake, this was not an easy task. Whittling my short list of about 50 films (which had already been whittled down from a list of about 100) to the 10 you see above was rough. A lot of great films, deserving films, just missed the cut. Having said that, I've included ten honorable mentions, ten films that are deserving of a mention (as seen above). The one I'd especially like to highlight is Avatar. In my opinion, this is the one film that will be looked back upon as a defining moment of the aughts, though, since it came so late, its affect can't be fully measured for some time. It's not revolutionary yet, but it will most likely prove to be. The rest of the list in no particular order, but the two that found their way in and out of my Top 10 more than once are listed first. And with that, it's your turn. Tell me how wrong I am. I can't wait to see all of your favorite films of this past decade. But if there's one thing on which we can all agree, I hope, it's that the aughts have been a great ten years of film. Here's to ten more.
Marco:
As the decade comes to a close, every film critic who takes their profession seriously is looking back at the last ten years and figuring out which movies stood out in their minds and why. If you're anything like me, this task would be torture since choosing ten films out of the thousands I've enjoyed feels like a cruel joke.
But here we are at the end of 2009 and here is my list of ten movies that moved me more than anything in the ‘00's. There were smaller films I wish I could include like You Can Count on Me, Quills, Baadasssss!, City of God, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Raising Victor Vargas and Shattered Glass. These were the indie gems that took me for a ride and left an indelible impression. Bigger films like Hero, About A Boy, Sideways, State and Main, Inglourious Basterds, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Children of Men and In Bruges also threatened to make their mark on my top ten list. All of them are exceptional movies but only serve as an appetizer for the top ten films I loved this decade. So without any further teasing, here is my list.
1. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)
2. Amores Perros (2000)
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
4. Little Children (2006)
5. No Country for Old Men (2007)
6. Traffic (2000)
7. The Contender (2000)
8. 25th Hour (2002)
9. The Weather Man (2005)
10. The Departed (2006)
The titles on this list range from small nuanced work like The Weather Man, 25th Hour and Little Children to flashy spectacles like The Departed, Traffic and No Country for Old Men. There are two Best Picture winners on my list proving the Academy isn't completely out of touch and there is even the best modern love story of the last several years with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Other current love fables like Before Sunset and Sidewalks of New York could also be seen as front-runners but the gut-wrenching honesty of Eternal Sunshine is what secures its spot on my list.
The two most underrated movies on this list are both independent titles. The political drama The Contender was written and directed by former film critic Rod Lurie and Amores Perros is the ferocious directorial debut of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu who later went on to direct 21 Grams and Babel. Saving the best for last is Kill Bill Vol. 2, a controversial choice for some but time will treat this film well. Quentin Tarantino has always flirted with making a western and this is the closest he's gotten so far. For those who may be curious, Kill Bill Vol. 1 is an entertaining film with pieces of brilliance but Vol. 2 is a completely different animal. It's light on action but heavy on emotional impact. The dialogue (especially in the last third) in Kill Bill Vol. 2 is among the best Tarantino has written and will continue to define the director's unique style well into the new decade.
Ethan:
Deciding the best of the year is always difficult, let alone the best of any given decade. This decade was no exception as I found myself narrowing down a from a large list of favorites from the past ten years. However, it was sad to see how few films in consideration for my personal best of the decade were from the past few years (you'll notice that not one film from 2007 or 2008 made the cut). Just goes to show how quality films are becoming more and more difficult to come by in this remake, adaptation, and sequel ridden industry.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
2. Almost Famous (2000)
3. Children of Men (2006)
4. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
5. Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)
6. District 9 (2009)
7. Lost in Translation (2003)
8. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
9. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
10. Garden State (2004)
Honorable Mentions: Pan's Labyrinth, Minority Report, Once, Stranger Than Fiction, Charlie Wilson's War, The Mist, Gladiator, No Country for Old Men, 40 Year-Old Virgin, Shaun of the Dead, Best in Show.
For me, the most powerful, captivating, and wholly remarkable stories were original scripts not adapted from another medium. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was certainly a unique take on the idea of seemingly star-crossed lovers, albeit dysfunctional ones, as Joel and Clementine move in and out of Joel's memories, attempting to salvage the lives and love they once shared. On a more grim and depressing end of the spectrum, in Children of Men, Clive Owen attempts to salvage humanity's hope for survival in an unborn child somehow conceived in the midst of a reproductive drought that has hit humankind in a gritty future. Aside from a compelling story, mind-blowing single-shot long takes weave us seamlessly through this bleak world as if we're right there in the thick of the chaos. And as someone who truly has a bad taste in his mouth when Clive Owen is on-screen, my loving this film says a lot for its quality and caliber.
Meanwhile, two vastly different films focusing on real-life events have impacted my senses on several levels. First, Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous recounts the days young William Miller spent with the band Stillwater, and surprisingly the story isn't that fantastical or unrealistic as Crowe himself followed a similar path in rock journalism as he found himself touring with Black Sabbath. Not only did the film draw me further into my obsession with cinema, but it also created a strong taste and love for classic rock as the soundtrack is riddled with the majestic sounds of Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and of course Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" in what I consider to be one of the best scenes ever put on celluloid. On a less upbeat note lies a story of fear-mongering and sad history as Good Night, and Good Luck highlights the on-air battle legendary television broadcaster shared with the now infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy. Not only did the film hold social and political relevance in a blind patriotism charged United States, but it also warns of the potential to repeat a sad time in history where fear was our shepherd.
On the same foundation of cultural relevance, albeit in a fictional setting, District 9 was an honest look into the potential future of how our misunderstandings lead to fear-driven hate and malice. A film that not only calls attention to the atrocities of prejudice today, but of history past; a history that from which we have apparently learned no lessons. But of course not all is this bleak, depressing and altogether critical of the human race. There's also affection to be found as love and friendship blossoms in the most unlikely of pairs. A milquetoast business owner finds the courage to proclaim his love in the face of adversity of his cruel and twisted sisters in Punch-Drunk Love. Two complete strangers find solace in each other as they find themselves meandering around Japan in Lost in Translation. And a struggling actor comes to find love in the hometown with which he no longer feels connected. All these stories are touching, hopeful and uplifting.
And then of course, there's the two adaptations that made my list. First, within The Lord of the Rings lies a definitive and impressive achievement in cinema both as an adaptation of a classic and internationally loved piece of literature, and as a testament to the awe-inspiring filmmaking techniques that helped bring such iconic characters to life. To separate these films on a Best of the Decade or any list would be a tragedy as they all feed off another and are only strengthened by the themes, subtexts and metaphors that run through all three installments of this epic tale. On a non-fiction note, Catch Me If You Can is a fantastically woven tale that is both unbelievable and tragic. Based on an autobiography of sorts by the real Frank Abagnale, Jr. the film is evidence that Steven Spielberg is still one of the freshest filmmakers working today. While the actions of Abagnale are remarkable in themselves, even more remarkable are the lengths to which he is willing to go just to hold on to the potential of being reunited with his once ideal family.
And so there you have it. This decade was exciting and progressive for the film industry, and I cannot wait to see what's in store for the next ten years. A resurgence of original stories would be a nice change of pace from the past few years, but alas, only time will tell. What are your Best Movies of the Decade?
141 Comments
1
Why isn't there an Alex section in this list? No offense to the other chaps (all of whom are great guys), but I am also interested in picking on... err... analyzing Billington's picks.
Neil on Dec 31, 2009
2
I agree with some of the choices here, but not all of them. I don't wanna be rude, since everyone has their own taste, so I won't point out the films I believe don't even deserve to be considered. Anyway, just because I felt top ten eliminated many great films, I'll do a top 20. 1. Children Of Men (2006) 2. Gangs Of New York (2002) 3. Mystic River (2003) 4. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) 5. Munich (2005) 6. The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) 7. The Departed (2006) 8. The Last Samurai (2003) 9. The Dark Knight (2008) 10. Gladiator (2000) 11. Eastern Promises (2007) 12. Moulin Rouge (2001) 13. Avatar (2009) 14. La Vie En Rose (2007) 15. Blood Diamond (2006) 16. Moon (2009) 17. Black Hawk Down (2001) 18. Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 19. Phantom of the Opera (2004) 20. Seabiscuit (2003) I know some of these films won't seem like the best of the decade for most people, but these are the films which stood out the most for me. I could watch these for days and days on end, and never get bored. These are the most original, the most artistic, and deserve the most praise. I did order them by their respective places in my heart, but I couldn't leave it only at top ten. Too many in the top twenty would be ignored. I pick these because these are also the type of films I wanna direct myself one day. With that kind of scope, that originality, that drama, that strong sense of character, that aurora of picture, or the celestial music behind the films. For this decade, this is my last. I've watched all the films over and over again, and no other film in this decade tops these films, not when you combine all the categories together. Can't wait for the new decade. Maybe some of my own films will be on those top ten lists 😀
Van Castle on Dec 31, 2009
3
3 lists, none of which include There Will Be Blood...you know what that means! EPIC FAIL!!!!
Kevin on Dec 31, 2009
4
@3 Totally agree
T on Dec 31, 2009
5
Here's my list. 10. The Pianist 09. Children of Men 08. Inglourious Basterds 07. No Country For Old Men 06. The Hurt Locker 05. Let The Right One In 04. Superbad 03. Thank You For Smoking 02. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 01. The Dark Knight
Brad on Dec 31, 2009
6
Well, this is a very subjective issue. We could be all night long arguing about this movie or that movie. We better put our own list and let others with similar points of view check it out!! My list: 1. CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) 2. THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) 3. KILL BILL VOL. 1 (2003) 4. THE PRESTIGE (2006) 5. 21 GRAMS (2003) 6. THE AVIATOR (2004) 7. PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) 8. CASINO ROYALE (2006) 9. MATCHPOINT (2005) 10. THE DARJEELING LIMITED (2007) Happy new year!!!
leinergroove on Dec 31, 2009
7
Such horrible lists. I have yet to see a worthy list, from this site or others.
nem on Dec 31, 2009
8
9
Then what's your list nem?
Makena on Dec 31, 2009
10
Thank god SOMEBODY payed respects to the Fountain.
Pandora Young on Dec 31, 2009
11
my top ten (in no particular order) black hawk down the prestige apocalypto the whale rider the dark knight children of men the hurt locker sunshine up unbreakable
rowdy on Dec 31, 2009
12
Glad to see Eternal Sunshine getting some love! Here's my list: 1) Eternal Sunsine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 2) Garden State (2004) 3) Nolan Batman (2005, 2008) 4) Shaun of the Dead (2004) 5) High Fidelity (2000) 6) Brokeback Mountain (2005) 7) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) 8) Amélie (2001) 9) There Will Be Blood (2007) 10) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)
SC on Dec 31, 2009
13
What I get supremely bored with are the top ten lists that seem to squabble over where to place the big event films...It makes these things boring. However, I mixed in some of the bigger hits with some tasty films I'm sure none of you have ever heard of or seen, but you need to check these out...it'll make you better people, alright? Believe me, my list in 2001 was just like the list you guys have here, I'm not dissing, but watching some of these films below really opened my eyes, check it! 1)City of God tied with Three Times 2)The Hurt Locker 3)In Bruges 4)Demonlover 5)Public Enemies 6)Millenium Mambo 7)Sunshine 8)Clean 9)Brokeback Mountain 10)2046
Linkfx on Dec 31, 2009
14
I'll add more: 11. Atonement 12. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 13. The Prestige 14. Unbreakablen 15. Road To Perdition 16. Black Hawk Down 17. RocknRolla 18. In Bruges 19. The International 20. The Bourne Supremacy.
Xerxex on Dec 31, 2009
15
seriously brandon? vanilla sky came in before the dark knight? i didnt know anybody liked that movie... some good picks such as almost famous, children of men etc.. then some picks that are just out there like vanilla sky, punch drunk love and garden state. suppose ill give my top ten 1. Children of Men 2. LOTR Trilogy 3. Finding Nemo 4. The Dark Knight 5. The Departed 6. O Brother Where Art Thou 7. Black Hawk Down 8. Donnie Darko 9. Super Troopers 10. Avatar
harrison on Dec 31, 2009
16
1. eternal sunshine of the spotless mind 2. inglourious basterds 3. no country for old men 4. gladiator 5. (500) days of summer 6. assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford 7. closer 8. man on wire 9. collateral 10. boy a
troy on Dec 31, 2009
17
Here's my top 10. 1. The Machinist 2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford 3. Pan's Labyrinth 4. 28 Days Later 5. Gangs of New York 6. Snatch 7. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy 8. The 25th Hour 9. Kingdom of Heaven 10. Fight Club
Xerxex on Dec 31, 2009
18
1 - There Will Be Blood 2 - The Diving Bell and The Butterfly 3 - Synecdoche, New York 4 - Good Night, and Good Luck 5 - Me and You and Everyone We Know 6 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless MInd 7 - No Country For Old Men 8 - Children of Men 9 - The Hurt Locker 10 - Little Children
sumonesumtime on Dec 31, 2009
19
Here's mine: 1. Vanilla Sky 2. The Fountain 3. Donnie Darko 4. Collateral 5. American Psycho 6. No Country For Old Men 7. Michael Clayton 8. Batman Begins 9. Memento 10. The Wrestler
CT on Dec 31, 2009
20
1. Kill Bill 2. 28 Days Later 3. Memento 4. Inglourious Basterds 5. Letter's From Iwo Jima 6. The Departed 7. Finding Nemo 8. Big Fish 9. Sunshine 10. Little Miss Sunshin 11. Moulin Rouge 12. Borat 13. Gangs of new York 14. Walle 15. Bubbah Ho Tep 16. The Proposition Couldn't make mine any smaller.
Al on Dec 31, 2009
21
ARRG!!! I forgot about The Fountain and Watchmen!
Xerxex on Dec 31, 2009
22
Hey, Brandon, it's "IngloUrious", not "Inglorious".
blabla on Dec 31, 2009
23
Here is my top 10. Star wars is on here because I am a huge fan. 1. The Departed (2006) 2. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) & Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) 3. Star Trek (2009) 4. Star War Episode III (2005) 5. The Dark Knight (2008) 6. Children of Men (2006) 7. Finding Nemo (2003) 8. Michael Clayton (2007) 9. Minority Report (2002) 10. The Incredibles (2004)
Airik on Dec 31, 2009
24
1.the lord of the rings trilogy 2.the dark knight 3.battle royale 4.kill bill vol 1 5.the departed 6.memento 7.the ringu 8.watchmen 9.the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford 10.district 9 - That was fucking tricky, hopefully picked the rights ones with so many to choose from.
tobi,leader of the akatsuki on Dec 31, 2009
25
1. talk to her 2. city of God 3. adaptation 4. kill bill 1 and 2 5. there will be blood 6. children of men 7. no country for old men 8. the new world 9. in bruges 10. lord of the rings 11. punch drunk love 12. oldboy 13. minority report 14. babel 15. the three burials of... 16. collateral 17. the royal tennenbaums 18. syriana 19. the assasination of richard nixon
chris c on Dec 31, 2009
26
I just wanted to add to my list #14 above, The Boat That Rocked.
Xerxex on Dec 31, 2009
27
Here's a bunch of my favourites this decade... Pan's Labyrinth Spirited Away LOTR Trilogy Wall-E Triplets Of Belleville Finding Nemo Children Of Men Casino Royale Star Trek Inglouroius Basterds Dark Knight Iron Man Hedwig & The Angry Inch Moulin Rouge Dancer in the Dark Sweeney Todd Serenity Sunshine Kill Bill 1&2 Amelie In Bruges Donnie Darko Shaun Of The Dead & Hot Fuzz Devil's Backbone Avatar
Matt on Dec 31, 2009
28
Chris c good list but what about lars and the real girl love that film
Chris r on Dec 31, 2009
29
1. Memento (2000, Christopher Nolan) 2. A History of Violence (2005, David Cronenberg) 3. Letters From Iwo Jima (2006, Clint Eastwood) 4. Munich (2005, Steven Spielberg) 5. Far From Heaven (2002, Todd Haynes) 6. Sideways (2004, Alexander Payne) 7. I'm Not There (2007, Todd Haynes) 8. American Splendor (2003, Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini) 9. Wall-E (2008, Andrew Stanton) 10. Dancer in the Dark (2000, Lars Von Trier)
Andrew on Jan 1, 2010
30
31
In sort of an order: 1. LOTR 2.There Will Be Blood 3. No Country For Old Men 4. Zodiac 5. Kill Bill Vol. II 6. Synecdoche NY 7. Pan's Labyrinth 8. Inglorious Basterds 9. Amelie 10. Moulin Rouge
dinobass on Jan 1, 2010
32
Vanilla Sky?!!!... Compared to the orginal ("Abre Los Ojos" by Alejandro Amenabar) it's just silly! You should definitely watch it!
Joe English on Jan 1, 2010
33
to those in love with There Will Be Blood, cinematically it's good, good characters, good acting. TERRIBLE story, it is just so boring words cannot even describe the torture it was to sit through that. It was like enduring Master and Commander all over again. Absolutely disgusting piece of crap. The only good thing about it was that Daniel Day Lewis did a great job of me hating that character, however it wasn't just him that I hated, I hated everything about that movie. Every year for the Oscars there is one movie that doesn't deserve to be up there, that was it 2 years ago.
movieraider321 on Jan 1, 2010
34
Here is my top 10 movies of the decade. I would first like to start off by saying that I love movies to the max and they are the basis of how I live life. Movies create my joy and some of you may not agree about my selections but I don’t care so here we go: 1. Avatar(2009) 2. Inglourious Basterds(2009) 3. Lord of the Rings Trilogy(2001-2003) 4. District 9(2009) 5. Rec(2007) 6. Sauna(2008) 7. UP(2009) 8. Gangs of New York(2002) 9. Moon(2009) 10. Pan’s Labyrinth(2006) Honorable Mention: The Dark Knight, There Will be Blood, No Country for Old Men, Time Crimes, Boondock Saints 1 & 2, Invictus, The Bourne Series, and so many more that just blew me away. And Alex you are gonna have to send me your Top 10 of the Decade so I can watch the movies that you have seen that you like
Antonio C. on Jan 1, 2010
35
What no Alex? Bummer.
Me on Jan 1, 2010
36
I'll list my favorite films of the decade minus ones already mentioned many times. German films: Lola rennt (Lola run) - music and scenes great Der untergang (the Downfall) - Hitler getting angry at Xbox issue Der Baader Meinhof Komplex - it's like a better version of 24 Korean films: The Host - unique monster film. Mother - son is a murder suspect. Save the Green planet - crazy boy against an alien, ridiculous 3-Iron - Kim ki-duck but calm The Chaser - murder thriller, feels different. Swedish: Let the right one in - what Twilight should have been British: Descent - unique horror film Hollywood: Letters from Iwo Jima - Japanese soldiers against American soldiers Push - fun ride Core - fun ride too Milk - about an interesting gay activist Hellboy 2 - beautiful fable Pan's Labyrinth - beautiful fable too
Duude on Jan 1, 2010
37
Memento should be number 1 on all lists. It's not even included in yours as a mention? 🙁 It's one of the best movies of all time.. of all time... as Kanye West would have said.
mArS on Jan 1, 2010
38
Here is mine 1. Inglourious Basterds 2. Equilibrium 3. Crow 0 Series (Takashi Miike) 4. The Mist 5. A History of Violence 6. Mystic River 7. OldBoy 8. Star Trek 9. Iron Man 10. Black Dynamite
JTilla on Jan 1, 2010
39
1. Children of men 2. Lord of the rings: The two towers 3. Avatar 4. The Dark Knight 5. The Departed 6. Crash (2004) 7. Memento 8. The Bourne Ultimatum 9. V for Vendetta 10. Finding Nemo
var2apo on Jan 1, 2010
40
Anyone who mentions 'No Country fo Old Men' in the same breath as 'Best Movie of the Decade' should be put down. I felt like killing someone with an air compressor myself after watching that piece of crap... namely joel and ethan coen for wasting 2 hours of my life.
Metatasian on Jan 1, 2010
41
I like all lists above, all three are interesting. I would say Marco's is closest to me. However those are only Hollywood movies with few exceptions, and I myself would definitely at least consider putting on my actual top list the following for example: Wo hu cang long (2000) - Sur mes lèvres (2001) - Rois et reine (2004) - Va, vis et deviens (2005) - Rocket Science (2007) - Julia (2008) - Entre les murs (2008) - Un conte de Noël (2008)
Bo on Jan 1, 2010
42
not that anyone really gives a shit what anyone elses top ten movies are heres mine anyway, and this is not in any specific order as to which I think is number one and so on. 1. Avatar(2009) 2. District 9(2009) 3. Lord of The Rings(2001) 4. The Fountain 5. The Departed 6. The Gladiator 7. Star Trek(2009) 8. Donie Darko(2001) 9. Fight Club(2002) 10. both Bond films 11. American Gangster
dubbs on Jan 1, 2010
43
1. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) 2. Kingdom of Heaven (2005) 3. The Bourne Identity (2002) 4. Gladiator (2000) 5. There Will Be Blood (2007) 6. Children of Men (2006) 7. The Good Shepherd (2006) 8. Match Point (2005) 9. The Dark Knight (2008) 10. The Aviator (2004) Honorable Mentions: The Libertine (2004), Casino Royale (2006), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Garden State (2004), Sin City (2005), A Prairie Home Companion (2006), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Bourne Supremacy (2004), Grand Theft Parsons (2003), Sunshine (2007), Eternal Sunshine of the Spottless Mind (2005)
Raphael on Jan 1, 2010
44
Never once a mention of Requiem for a Dream (except #29) although it comes up in numerous other decadelists, remarkable!
Kev on Jan 1, 2010
45
Happy New Year All!!! Its hard to narrow it down to 10. Here's my top 20, in no order. I'm already second guessing myself, ha. I just LOVE movies! Kingdom Of Heaven (Directors Cut) Black Hawk Down Band Of Brothers Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Seabiscuit Cinderella Man The Prestige Unbreakable Batman Begins Sin City Fight Club The Notebook A Beautiful Mind Wonderland Almost Famous The Doors Hitler:The Rise Of Evil Snatch Blow The Departed
K on Jan 1, 2010
46
you guys dont know shit
:) on Jan 1, 2010
47
@ No. 34 THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
crimson on Jan 1, 2010
48
Great lists! Ethan, mad props for including "Catch Me If You Can". Perhaps many people think that movie is just a breezy little caper from Spielberg and forget how rich and painful it is. Not only is it great fun, it's almost a great piece of human drama impeccably shot, written, performed. It's going on my decade list; so I was excited to see it on yours.
Dan on Jan 1, 2010
49
What? No list for Alex? Bummer. Some on my list: - Memento - The Dark Knight - There Will Be Blood - Requiem for a Dream - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
SlashBeast on Jan 1, 2010
50
What? Vanilla Sky is one of the worst remakes I've ever seen. For some people can be good but it doesn't deserve a place in the top 10 of the decade, specially if you already watched the original "Abre Los Ojos", an excellent movie. My top10 of the decade (no particular order): - Good Bye! Lenin - The Prestige - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Me and You and Everyone We Know - Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei (The Edukators) - Sunshine - Oldboy - Martyrs - Into the Wild - Big Fish Also, there should be a list of the most important films of the decade like: - Memento - The Departed - LOTR trilogy - Wall-E - Children of Men - Amelie - REC And by important I mean films that made some change in the industry, or that maybe inspired a new film tendency.
Edward B on Jan 1, 2010
51
First I want to say that my list(s) are incomplete because I don't think I saw more than 500 movies (not only those in the last decade, but all of them. I know... I'm trying to see as much movies as I can, my movie "hunger" began only in mid 2008). Second, I have 2 lists because I can't put a franchise like The Lord of the Rings in the same list with a film that hasn't any sequels/prequels. Both lists are equal in my opinion. But there is an exception: Mongol. 2 more sequels are still to come out, the first in 2010. Until then Mongol is not included in the "franchise" list. Third, in my "franchise" list I wont necessary grade films for how much i liked them, but for what they mean or how popular they are (strange, right?). That's why Transformers and the sequel are there on my list. Fourth, my "franchise" list could contain movies that are made earlier than 2000, but it's sequels/prequels are in the past decade. Blade it's from 1998, but the next 2 sequels are from 2002 and 2004 respectively. My best movies of the decade list: 1. The Prestige (2006) 2. Zodiac (2007) 3. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2005) 4. The Pianist (2002) 5. Catch Me If You Can (2002) 6. Cast Away (2000) 7. The Hurt Locker (2009) 8. Mongol (2007) 9. The Terminal (2004) 10. Valkyrie (2008) Honorable Mentions: There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men, V For Vendetta, Public Enemies, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, The Illusionist, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The Aviator, Unbreakable, Road to Perdition, Capote, Frost/Nixon, Red Eye, Inglourious Basterds, 300, Troy, Gladiator, King Kong, Blood Diamond, The Pursuit of Happyness, Inside Man, Meet the Spartans, American Gangster, Taken, Hitman . (too much?) My best "franchises" of the decade list: 1. Harry Potter (2001-2009) 2. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) 3. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2007) 4. Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (2005-2008) 5. Spider-Man (2002-2007) 6. The Chronicles of Narnia (2005-2008) 7. Blade (1998-2004) 8. Underworld (2003-2009) 9. The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons (2006-2009) 10. Transformers (2007-2009) Honorable Mentions: Ice Age, White Noise, X-Men, "Bourne". #29 Danny King I agree. I didn't enjoy Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind either. #31 "Good, but not a great movie, don't think it should even be in Top 10 of the Decade". You are right, Alex!
me on Jan 1, 2010
52
The Dark Knight Kill Bill Vols. 1-2 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Stardust Gladiator Lord of the Rings Trilogy Inglorious Basterds Million Dollar Baby Battle Royale The Curious Case of Benjiman Button Show some love to Battle Royale. And Stardust is tragically underrated.
Suzy and Elaine on Jan 1, 2010
53
I have to get in on this... Honorable Mentions... Napoleon Dynamite, Pan's Labyrinth, Juno, Star Trek(JJ Abrams), The Royal Tenenbaums, Memento, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 10. Wall-e, This decade was dominated by Pixar 9. The Dark Knight, Nolan redefines the Genre. 8. The Departed, MS gets his Oscar. 7. Lord of the Rings, really needs no comment. 6. Signs, often overlooked, genius of simplicity. 5. Mystic River, Eastwood's best, in his greatest decade of work. 4. Avatar, Give it more time you will respect this pick. 3. The Pianist, A true critics choice for the list. 2. No Country For Old Men, The Coen's at their best, chilling & serious, yet still filled with character's that make you smile and chuckle. 1. Amélie, Heartwarming yarn, melts even the coldest hearts...excellent execution, a classic in every sense of the word.
Kamish on Jan 1, 2010
54
Hey Alex, where's your annual "The best movies you didn't see in 2009"?
Scott on Jan 1, 2010
55
1. Lord of the Rings 2. Battle Royale 3. Requiem for a Dream 4. There Will Be Blood 5. City of God 6. Kill Bill 7. Gladiator 8. Downfall 9. No Country for Old Men 10. Atonement Honorable Mention: Avatar District 9 Sin City Mystic River 21 Grams The Dark Knight The Divingbell and the Butterfly Blackhawk Down Superbad Gomorrah Frozen River Wendy and Lucy
D on Jan 1, 2010
56
Here Goes LOTR Trilogy Save the green planet Fight Club The Descent Howls Moving Castle Napoleon Dynamite Kung Fu Hustle Moon District 9 No country for old men A tale of two sisters The Fall Infernal affairs Survive style 5 Pan's Labyrinth Assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford The Machinist Old Boy Gran torino Seraphim falls Gone baby gone Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Paprika Mulholland Drive Honorable Mention to any film good films that i,ve not got round to watching or forgot to add to my list.
Warren on Jan 1, 2010
57
I love how no one mentioned Troy or Italian Job
EM on Jan 1, 2010
58
#41, if you can't find a way to enjoy/appreciate what No Country For Old Men is, maybe you should kill yourself
CT on Jan 1, 2010
59
1.OldBoy 2.Donnie Darko 3.LOTR 1-3 4.Kill Bill Vol.1 5.Batman Begins 6.No Country for Old Men 7.Ironman 8.Punch Drunk Love 9.Michael Clayton 10.Star Trek
John on Jan 1, 2010
60
My list 10. Superbad 09. Kill Bill vol. I 08. Mystic River 07. Children of Men 06. Juno 05. Doubt 04. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 03. The Lives of Others 02. Lost in Translation 01. Amelie Honorable mention: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Additional mentions: BEST HORROR FILM Tie Breaker: The Ring / Let the Right One in. BEST MUSICAL Chicago BEST ANIMATION Spirited Away BEST BIOGRAPHY Erin Brockovich BEST ROMANTIC COMEDY The Devil Wears Prada MOST OVERRATED PILE OF CRAP Lord of the Rings trilogy WORST FILM Catwoman. Top that, new decade.
George Caltsoudas on Jan 1, 2010
61
George are you just saying LOTR is crap to be the only one who has said it was crap?
Xerxex on Jan 1, 2010
62
1. Amores Perros 2. Ghost World 3. The Royal Tenenbaums 4. Tarnation 5. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind 6. American Splendor 7. There Will Be Blood 8. The Lord of the Rings 9. Pans labyrinth 10. Control Room also... Y Tu Mama Tambien, I'm Not There, Borat, You Can Count on Me, Trouble the Water, Maria Full of Grace, X2, Memento, Happy Go Lucky and there were so many other good ones!
Jeff J on Jan 1, 2010
63
Weather Man ??!!! WTF!!!???Just Cage's miserable and inept performance dictates TOP TEN WORST of the decade, it would be a laughable pick if it was not so sad. Just insane !!!! At least Marco has a credible list.
Clover on Jan 1, 2010
64
"George are you just saying LOTR is crap to be the only one who has said it was crap?" There are a lot of people outside the realm of film fanatics and fantasy fans who feel the Lord of the Rings was an overrated deceit that could have been adapted into a single long film or two (much shorter) films. In hindsight, when one glances at the overall decade, the trilogy did not display the most impressive or competitive lot of special effects, emotional journeys, prolific screenwriting, original production design, or acting performances. The only two things that I've heard endless praise on from anyone that I myself adore as well, are the cinematography and score.
George Caltsoudas on Jan 1, 2010
65
@41 - I felt those EXACT sentiments after watching No Country. Good thing there was no air compressor at hand... My Top 20 Films of the Decade, in no particular order... 1 Avatar (2009) 2 Inglourious Basterds (2009) 3 The Dark Knight (2009) 4 The Incredibles (2004) 5 Spirited Away (2001) 6 500 Days of Summer (2009) 7 Cidade de Deus (2002) 8 Slumdog Millionaire (2008) 9 Good Night and Good Luck (2005) 10 V for Vendetta (2005) 11 The Fountain (2006) 12 Momento (2002) 13 Little Miss Sunshine (2006) 14 Casino Royale (2006) 15 Half Nelson (2006) 16 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005) 17 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) 18 Moulin Rouge (2001) 19 Shaun of the Dead (2004) 20 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) Honorable Mentions: Iron Man, Pans Labyrinth, Constant Gardener, 21 Grams, High Fidelity, Road to Perdition, The Departed, The Bourne Ultimatum, Snatch, There Will Be Blood, Juno, Superbad Happy New Years everyone!
Alan on Jan 1, 2010
66
Irish 1. Once 2. The Magdalene Sisters 3. Hunger Afghanistan Osama - a story about a girl that will break your heart. Osama and Once along with City of God make my top three of the decade. PS. Saw Avatar last night - AMAZING! I would have preferred a less predictable story. Still with this level of visual excellence, the right message, relevance, depth of knowledge of what's really important, cultural awareness and indigenous rights etc. it has my heart.
Tuigim on Jan 1, 2010
67
Top 15 Films of decade fo’ me, Happy New Years everyone! Dark Knight Avatar Inglourious Basterds The Incredibles Spirited Away Casino Royale Lord of the Rings Bad Lieutenant V for Vendetta Good Night and Good Luck Moulin Rouge Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang 40 Year Old Virgin District 9 Coraline Honorable Mention: Pan’s Labyrinth, Wall-E, X-Men 1-2, Ironman, Star Trek, Pineapple Express, Stardust, Beautiful Mind
Ivan on Jan 1, 2010
68
1. Brokeback Mountain 2. In the Mood for Love 3. Man on Wire 4. Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie) 5. Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) 6. Babel 7. Before Sunset 8. Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) 9. Diarios de motocicleta (The Motorcycle Diaries) 10. La Marche de l'empereur (March of the Penguins)
Daniel D. on Jan 1, 2010
69
In no order the movies I enjoyed the most: A History of Violence 13 Tzameti 25th Hour Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Shaolin Soccer A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints The Departed The Prestige Once DiG Bonus: Panic Room
Jason on Jan 1, 2010
70
I love how people keep putting Fight Club in their lists but the movie came out in 1999. Don't get me wrong it is one of my favorite movies of all time but it didn't come out this decade. Food for thought.
SC on Jan 1, 2010
71
George, point taken.
Xerxex on Jan 1, 2010
72
In regards to making a "best decade list" that's like having history majors rank "what's most important in our history." It's near impossible, because it always changes, I guarantee you have not seen every movie that came out in the past 10 years, and if you have rewatch some of them and your list will alter. I'm okay with making year end lists. Like best of 09 or best of '10 but as for the decade it's too damn difficult. Let's just say I love movies and we can leave it at that.
movieraider321 on Jan 1, 2010
73
Where is Avatar?
George on Jan 1, 2010
74
Favorite (Not necessarily my consideration for best) 1. Mystic River 2. Persepolis 3. Waltz With Bashir 4. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind 5. The Man Who Wasn't There 6. Little Miss Sunshine 7. 11:14 8. Sin City 9. Paranoid Park 10.The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Sculthorp on Jan 1, 2010
75
"Closer" is probably the most pretentious movie ever made. With four of the most dispicable and unsympathetic characters to ever hit the screen. I hated every second of that film.
Film Fan on Jan 1, 2010
76
i cant believe #66 is the only person who put Momento on the list!
DoomCanoe on Jan 1, 2010
77
Where is Where The Wild Things Are ?
Willybilly on Jan 1, 2010
78
seems like they dont make them like they used too... Finding Nemo 2003 * The Dark Night 2008 Apocalypto 2006 Vanilla Sky 2001 A Beautiful Mind 2001 Black & White 2000 Hero 2004 Battlefield Earth 2000 Spiderman 2002 Thank You For Smoking 2006 * not necessarily in order
derrick burton on Jan 1, 2010
79
im sorry but i just have to say it "there will be blood" sucked im all for people making movies about whatever they find interesting but that movie just makes me ask why is a heartless and cruel mans life so interesting
rowdy on Jan 1, 2010
80
Ethan's list is definitely the best one.
name on Jan 1, 2010
81
I have yet to see Avatar and Alice in wonderland Even as a 24yr old, My favorite decade of movies is the 70's and parts of the 80's. High Fidelity ( every kind of woman John dates, I know I have dated) Slumdog millionaire ( It was snowing and ended up watching this with my Ex in NYC. I think It brought us back together, after 2 years apart) The dark knight ( The Joker steals the show, my kind of movie.) Almost Famous ( Inspired and motivated me as a teen) Lord of The Rings ( only 2-3 ) 28 weeks later ( My new favorite zombie film . Can't wait for a new one) WALL-E ( disney storytelling warmth that I grew up with, along with a fabulous lesson) Sunshine of the spotless mind (favorite hipster film, garden state was good too but this was smarter) District 9 ( WOW) The whole Judd Apatow crew movies. ( Something about this kind of comedy that just kicked the ass out of the retarded humor and stories from young adult 90's funny films, EX: american pie, bring it on..no) It's more refreshing and relative to a wider audience.
Mark on Jan 1, 2010
82
WALL-E Let the Right One In The New World City of God Avatar Almost Famous Amelie No Country for Old Men The Lives of Others Monsters Ball Adaptation Pans Labyrinth Munich All the Real Girls No Order. These are the 14 most iconic and memorable films of the decade in my mind WALL-E is possibly the most emotionally and intellectually satisfying kids movie I have ever seen, especially considering how little dialogue it employs. Also one of the top 25 Sci-Fi movies ever probably LTROI is such an amazingly original re-imagination of a cliche subject such as vampires, and told with such subtle care. Landmark and unrepeatable. Invented its own genre. Think about how hard that is... The New World is a visual and spiritual symphony - tied to some extent with There Will Be Blood for outstandingly realistic new portrayal of American History (also anti-traditional portrayal) City of God is flawless. Totally flawless. Perfect storytelling. Fascinating subject matter. Subversively moral. Grounded by the fact that it portrays a real place most have never seen in an astonishingly accurate way. Shame this director's follow-up films haven't met the high bar Avatar is one of the most unique and memorable movie-going experiences I have had in my life. Flaws acknowledged and happily brushed aside - film-making exists to produce movies such as this. Cameron is a genius. Almost Famous is the best writing of a very very good writer, Crowe, in the sense that he captures the spirit of human experience in a way few writers can touch. That spark of good conversation. Flawless storytelling, believable relationships between believable characters. And so sincerely funny. Also, followed by Walk The Line - the best music movie of the decade - High Fidelity was awesome, but Almost Famous captures the heart of the music geek better, the rush... Amelie is the feel good imaginative movie of a lifetime. Totally flawless blending of technology into storytelling, creative humor, and the best "world is a little bit brighter" post movie experience I had in the zeros - moviegoing-bliss No Country for Old Men is a new high for the Coens, while Oh Brother was more imaginative, NCfOM left me with more questions to ponder, more perfectly executed scenes and performances to revisit, unforgettable experience, never panders to the audience but doesn't leave them behind either. Suspense doesn't get better than this. Nor does Tommy Lee Jones. The Lives of Others could win on its screenplay alone. The scope of themes, the intersections of art and love and compassion and politics. One of my favorite endings of the decade as well. Monsters Ball is hands down one of the most human movies of all time. Marc Forster's arrival-opus. Flawless and so wonderfully slow. Some of the best character development I have ever seen and one of the best performances (Berry) I suspect I will ever see. (Heath Ledger in Dark Knight, DDL in There Will Be Blood the others of the decade probably) Adaptation is Kaufman's masterpiece. Being John or Eternal Sunshine might be more approachable, I know people seem offended by Adaptation sometimes - but its probably the most original screenplay I've ever seen. Perfect executed by a brilliant cast and director, will be studied forever - how often can something bring Nick Cage out of his self imposed spectacular exile? He's almost unrecognizable in this film. Pan's Labyrinth - a fairy tale to answer facism - Hemmingway meets Alice in Wonderland, the adult's Neverending Story of the decade Munich - included not only because it is one of SS's most affecting and perfect films, and includes a jaw dropping performance by Bana - but because, probably better than any other film this decade (I still havent seen Hurt Locker) it approaches the subject of terrorism in a time period that was defined by it - it successfully outlines the reality that violence probably never leads to a clear sense of victory, that retaliation is an endless cycle, and that the movie was made by the Jewish director of Schindler's List is so deeply fitting All the Real Girls - the most realistic exploration of the raw feeling of love I have probably ever seen, sometimes cryptic in a good poetry kind of way, but still grounded in story, understated performances, as anti-hollywood as a movie can get, "have you ever seen an animal make a mistake?" - Lost in Translation was another masterpiece in this regard -- LOTR is not on my list. It should be but the 3 films aren't. They were incredible, epic films that I enjoyed immensely, but when I looked at them next to these movies - they just were a different kind of movie, where the game was to bring an already well known story to life, to respect the creativity of a great work of storytelling art - and they did this successfully across the board - but while they may have raised the bar for a conventional epic in this regard, again, they just didn't belong among these other films. Top 25, sure.. I wanted The Dark Knight to be in here, I really did, but as a whole film, while a masterpiece, and Ledger was spectacular - it's in the top 25 but not the absolute top - it was better than Begins - which blew away anything Tim Burton did with the franchise - but also Sin City was probably a better comic adaptation. Iron Man captured the fun of comics better than the Spidermans did (altho #2 was gripping stuff) Superman Returns is vastly underrated - tho maybe not as good as X-Men 2, or as interesting as Watchmen The Prestige might be a better film that TDK anyway Best Movies I haven't seen yet: Man on a Wire, My Winnipeg, Up
mightierthan on Jan 1, 2010
83
10: LOTR 1st one 9: LOTR 2nd one 8: LOTR 3rd one 7: Saw 1 6: Saw 2 5: Saw 3 4: Saw 4 3: Saw 5 2: Saw 6 1: Final Destination 4
Ken on Jan 1, 2010
84
1. epic movie 2. date movie 3. meet the spartans 4. superhero movie
Kevin Howard on Jan 1, 2010
85
@ 84 Are you mentally challenged?
Abraham Lincoln on Jan 1, 2010
86
@ 85 You should join Ken up there in the short bus, they just started showing The Brown Bunny.
Abraham Lincoln on Jan 1, 2010
87
01. Children of Men 02. Almost Famous 03. The Departed 04. The Dark Knight 05. Kill Bill Vol 1. & Vol 2. (I consider each volume a part of 1 big movie) 06. The Prestige 07. Inglourious Basterds 08. Snatch 09. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003) (Once again 3 parts of 1 giant movie) 10. Crash 11. Pan's Labyrinth 12. Sin City 13. Fight Club 14. Training Day 15. Slumdog Millionaire 16. Catch Me If You Can 17. Spider-Man 2 18. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 19. Road to Perdition 20. Minority Report I also dont get why everyone loves Eternal Sunshine so much, it wasn't that good if u ask me.
Jonathan on Jan 1, 2010
88
How you guys managed no official votes for Minority Report, by far one of the most imaginative and ingeniously-filmed movies in science fiction history, I'll never know. You must not've seen the *real* ending to it.
Devon Shaw on Jan 1, 2010
89
1. The Lord of the Rings 2. Almost Famous: Director's Cut 3. Moulin Rouge! 4. WALL-E 5. Amores Perros 6. The Dark Knight 7. There Will Be Blood 8. Million Dollar Baby 9. Amelie 10. Munich 11. No Country for Old Men 12. Before Sunset 13. Y Tu Mamá También 14. The Royal Tenenbaums 15. Donnie Darko 16. Adaptation. 17. 25th Hour 18. City of God 19. Ratatouille 20. Into the Wild 21. The Fountain 22. Where the Wild Things Are 23. Tropic Thunder 24. Speed Racer 25. Little Miss Sunshine
chrisg on Jan 1, 2010
90
To whoever said Lord of the Rings did not have great special effects... please. Just please. Gollum looks more realistic than the Navi or anything that has come out so far. I will say District 9 gave them a run for there money but thats the same crew that works with Jackson so i can see why they where that good. But effects of the decade... LOTR. sorry.
Johnny BeGood on Jan 1, 2010
91
OLDBOY
Eric B on Jan 1, 2010
92
Got to love any lists -- as it starts controversy. I HATED Eternal Sunshine. I LOVED Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle. And I'm a screenwriter -- so I fall into that film geek world, but I love mainstream stuff. Boring is the worst offensive any movie can be to me and I find most movies on the "best of" list to be just that. THERE WILL BE BLOOD = great performance, who gives a shit movie? Pointless. Name the point -- people will do anything for money. Wow -- thanks for that. I hate all these lists because they choose from a list of "approved" movies so it's the same 10/20 movies on every list. Be honest. At least Ken (#84) is. He may be joking, but I love the SAW movies. Off the top of my head -- -- UP -- Wall E -- Finding Nemo -- Harold and Kumar -- Iron Man -- The Dark Knight -- Signs -- Old School -- Elf -- Road Trip -- American Pie 2 -- Clerks II -- Gladiator -- Zodiac -- 3:10 to Yuma -- Hot Fuzz -- Star Trek -- The Hangover -- X2 -- Legally Blonde -- Miss Congeniality --Wonder Boys -- Equilibrium -- Finding Nemo -- Children of Men
Bono on Jan 1, 2010
93
I can't say I have a top 10, but I know 1. Half Nelson and 2. The Fountain would be up there on it. Those two movies were amazingly brilliant, and did not get enough attention (in my opinion). I don't think I totally agree with any of the 3 lists posted in the article, but it's your opinions, so I'll give it to you.
Emma on Jan 1, 2010
94
Am I the only one who thought THE MACHINIST and ROAD TO PERDITION were two of the best films of the decade? Surley I'm mistaken!? Right? RIGHT!?
Xerxex on Jan 1, 2010
95
come on #84 the first "saw" was the best
rowdy on Jan 1, 2010
96
1)Into the Wild (why no one is picking this great movie?) 2)(500) Days of Summer 3)Moon 4)Amelie 5)Cashback 6)Stranger than Fiction 7)Donnie Darko 8)Brick 9)Wristcutters A Love Story 10)The Go-Getter And then all the Apatow's movies 🙂
Charly on Jan 1, 2010
97
I love Marco's list the most.
Paulo on Jan 1, 2010
98
I was excited to see both of the honorable mentions lists contained Stranger Than Fiction. It is probably my favorite movie and I have found very little wrong with it in the many times I have watched it. It is a film I have seen very little of on best of the decade lists, but deserves a lot of credit for its absolutely brilliant script, great performances, and fantastic stylization.
Jordan on Jan 1, 2010
99
1. Crash 2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 3. Kill Bill 4. Minority Report 5. Inglourious Basterds 6. The Dark Knight 7. Finding Nemo 8. Frida 9. Pans Labyrinth 10. Ratatouille Runner's Up Munich, The Pledge, Panic Room, Brokeback Mountain, Avatar, Monster's Ball
LukeOz on Jan 2, 2010
100
@ 90 You're quite dumb, District 9's special effects were done by Peter Jackson's Weta company because Neil was a student of his and since not being able to direct Halo Jackson let him use his funding and effects department, so are you saying that Peter Jackson gave Peter Jackson a run for his money? 🙂
Name on Jan 2, 2010
101
@ 100 You're quite dumb, finish the twat 90's comment and see that he said what you said.
John Fargo on Jan 2, 2010
102
I can never come up with a top ten of anything...I'm such a moody little thing and my lists are constantly changing. But I love the fact that "The Fountain" has gotten some credit and it would be on mine if I could do that kind of a thing. That film is soooo moving and gory and beautiful and the score and characters haunt me for days after every viewing. Can't wait for Black Swan, I don't care what critics say about the script.
optic junkie on Jan 2, 2010
103
Here is mine: 1. LOTR Trilogy 2. There WIll Be Blood 3. Amelie 4. Children of Men 5. Snatch 6. Inglourious Basterds 7. Sunshine 8. Darjeeling Limited 9. Dark Knight 10. Brokeback Mountain 11. Pianist Theres some god list here!!! Reminded me of a few good gems I need to watch again.
Tomi on Jan 2, 2010
104
#95 Xerxex I didn't put those 2 films on my list. They're both great (Road to Perdition is greater than The Machinist in my view), but The Machinist isn't the best psychological flick out there (not to mention the best movie of the decade). Memento is as good as The Machinist, maybe just a little better. Road to Perdition. Now here we have a problem... I almost put it on my list (I chose Valkyrie instead). Awesome movie. It should be on some more best of the decade lists, but who makes the list chooses what movies they enjoyed most and maybe Road to Perdition is not one of them (tastes differ). I respect your choices and is good to see some other top 10 (or 20 in your case) than usual. Oh and I'm happy to see Unbreakable on your list, touching movie. And The Prestige of course!
me on Jan 2, 2010
105
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2. Spiderman 2 3. Into the Wild 4. Avatar 5. Toy Story 6. Garden State 7. Oceans Eleven 8. Batman Begins 9. Children of Men 10. Rachel Getting Married Honorable Mentions: The Wackness, Inside Man, The Fountain, V for Vendetta, Thank You For Smoking, The Wrestler
peloquin on Jan 2, 2010
106
Gladiator Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Wall-e Lord of the Rings 3 Almost Famous Crash Finding Nemo Borat Closer The Dark Knight Honorable Mentions: Snatch, Casino Royale, Zombieland, Mean Girls, Babel, Superbad, Knocked Up, A Serious Man, Little Miss Sunshine, The Squid and the Whale, Avatar
Joey on Jan 2, 2010
107
1) The Fountain 2) Pans Labyrinth 3) The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford 4) The Prestige 5) Night Watch 6) Training Day 7) The Dark Knight 8) Moon 9) Children of Men 10) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
kee on Jan 2, 2010
108
Not in order. 1. There Will Be Blood 2. Battle Royale 3. Oldboy 4. Children of Men 5. Let The Right One In 6. Team America World Police 7. Shaun of The Dead 8. Mulholland Drive 9. A History of Violence 10. Anchorman 11. Pan's Labyrinth 12. Memento 13. In The Mood for Love 14. Inglourious Basterds 15. No Country for Old Men
MikeG on Jan 2, 2010
109
Not to knock anyone's opinion, but I don't get the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind thing, either...
RPD on Jan 2, 2010
110
1. Oldboy 2. Avatar 3. District 9 4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy 5. Downfall 6. The Bourne Identity 7. Requiem for a Dream 8. The Host 9. Memento 10. Sympathy for Mr Vengeance
David on Jan 2, 2010
111
@ Me, I forgot all about Memento, I could probably replace a film for that. As The Machinist, the reason I have it on there is the fact I saw it before Memento therefore its higher. Memento is on my top 100 for sure. Now for Road to Perdition I think its a very underrated film, and it is deserves to be in the top 20 best films of the decade. But as you said different tastes, different lists.
Xerxex on Jan 2, 2010
112
can I just add, one of the best documentaries of this decade would have to be "HEIMA: A FILM BY SIGUR ROS."
Xerxex on Jan 2, 2010
113
Xerxex comment got me thinking, why is it that no one ever includes documentaries in their "best of" lists? I'd like to hear what some people's favorite documentaries of the decade were. Some of my personal favorite of the past decade would have to be Why We Fight, American Teen, Ghosts of the Abyss, Second Skin, and Encounters at the End of the World.
peloquin on Jan 2, 2010
114
no love for Gone Baby Gone =(
catpaw on Jan 2, 2010
115
1. Brokeback Mountain 2. The Pianist 3. City of God 4. Water 5. Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring 6. Almost Famous 7. Wall-E 8. There Will Be Blood 9. Sunshine (2000) 10. Volver
Jay on Jan 2, 2010
116
My Top Movies for the decade. There’s no order, none who’s first or second, simply my favourite ten: The Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind Rachel Getting Married The Dark Knight The Fountain 21 Grams Magnolia Children of Men Zodiac Good Night, and Good Luck Watchmen Lost in Translation And I’d like to mention: Stay, My Life Without Me, Lord of the Rings, Half Nelson, Memento, Renaissance, Rescue Dawn.
Frank on Jan 2, 2010
117
IT'S so great to see The Fountain listed as some of your favourite movies of the decade!... it is an underated but brilliant film! An all rounder right down to the soundtrack by Clint Mansell.
leo on Jan 2, 2010
118
My list seems vastly different to many of the others posted above. 10. Batman Begins (2005) 9. Finding Neverland (2004) 8. Enemy at the Gates (2001) 7. Memento (2000) 6. Cast Away (2000) 5. Casino Royale (2006) 4. Sunshine (2007) 3. The Fall (2008) 2. The Illusionist (2006) 1. Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Cory on Jan 2, 2010
119
@34 I wasn't bored once watching There Will be Blood, or on any viewing since.
T on Jan 2, 2010
120
Also, why isn't the cinematic masterpiece known as The Room by the genius that is Tommy Wiseau on any of these lists?? I may have enjoyed watching that movie more than any other movie this year (apart from Avatar and Star Trek)
T on Jan 2, 2010
121
okay what the F. What about Zodiac guys...jesus. in no order. Zodiac Amelie Jesse James Che Part 1,2 Collateral Downfall The Departed Eternal Sunshine Into the Wild Michael Clayton Punch Drunk Love There Will Be Blood Requiem For A Dream Rachel Getting Married Unbreakable The Wrestler Benjamin Button 25th Hour Traffic Bourne Ultimatum Rocknrolla Kill Bill 1,2 Let The Right One In American Psycho Watchmen Hot Fuzz I know its long...but i couldnt leave em out
Go Fincher! on Jan 2, 2010
122
Not in any order...I consider these movies the best movies evermade. American Psycho Donnie Brasco Carlito's Way Sweeny Todd A History of Violence 12 Monkeys Pan's Labryrinth There will be blood Let the Right one in Oldboy District 9 Lord of the Rings Trilogy The Bourne Trilogy The Godfather The Godfather II City of God The Illusionist 21 Grams Children of Men Sunshine Casino Heat Terminator 2: Judgment Day The Prestige Dark Knight Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Mind Star Trek American History X Iron Man Spiderman Spiderman 2 X2- X-Men United Pulp Fiction Saving Private Ryan 28 Weeks Later Training Day Taken Trick r' Treat The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons Scarface The Last King of Scotland Taxi Driver The Count of Monti Cristo Blade Runner The Silence of the Lamb Toy Story Tot Story 2 Ratatouille Wall-E The Shawshank Redemption The Usual Suspects Se7en American Beauty American History X Forrest Gump Requiem for a Dream Rec. V for Vendetta Back to the Future The Matrix The Green Mile Hotel Rwanda Platoon Changeling Into the Wild Golden Eye 007 Blood Dimond Gangs of New York The Departed Pride & Glory Watchmen Casino Royale
A-B on Jan 2, 2010
123
Ahh well, why not add mine, I will list the movie and a blurb on why it belongs there: Gladiator: Fantastic Story, epic battle sequences. I think this movie has some of the best cinematography ever. great music score as well. LOTR trilogy: The epic tale itself it enough to put this movie here. The cinematography, music, effects, all are great. Really this trilogy redefined what an epic is, and has set an impossibly high bar for movies to follow when it comes to creating an all encompassing universe. Black Hawk Down: no movie made to date has been able to capture the intensity and action of modern warfare. This movie is a man's movie, a balls-out action film, and is a favorite of mine when I want to see some awesome firefights. Minority Report: One of the poster above mentioned that this film is missing from a lot of top of decade lists. Spielberg paints a futuristic and excitingly original depiction of the future. The puzzle piece plot of the film works great. City of God: I haven't seen this movie in quite a few years, but I do remember it being a very gritty and no BS portrayal of the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Had a great protagonist who you could connect with. Team America- World Police: One of the best satires ever done by the geniuses behind South Park. V for Vendetta: A legendary performance by Natalie Portman. Sure it's a bit pretentious but it's an amazing story of a dystopian future. The Departed: This movie has an all-star cast to put all-star casts to shame. Mark Wahlberg & Leonardo DeCaprio shine in this. Borat: This one jumped out at me, missing from every other list. This was the genius satire from Sasha Baron Cohen that made fun of the often blatant racism in America today. The Dark Knight: Heath Ledger's Joker: does anything else really need to be said? Inglourious Basterds: Simply amazing script and with Tarantino at the reins this ends up being a very fantastic movie. Honorable mentions: The Patriot, K-PAX, Donnie Darko, Catch Me If You Can, The Bourne Identity, Gangs of New York, Last Samurai, Kill Bill, Shaun of the Dead, Hotel Rwanda, The Aviator, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Catch me if you Can, The Hurt Locker, District 9, 28 Days Later
jman571 on Jan 2, 2010
124
who knew eternal sunshine would be such a hit on this site..i think these best of the decade lists are completely superfluous and unnecessary, but i'm glad to see the writers having different tastes/opinions and the fact that this is all compiled into one convenient list. looking forward to more of brandon's reviews this year
twispious on Jan 3, 2010
125
1. LoTR Trilogy 2. Blood Diamond 3. The Departed 4. The Dark Knight 5. Gladiator 6. Pan's Labrynth 7. The Prestige 8. Inglorious Basterds 9. Black Hawk Down 10. District 9 -MY list from the movies I've seen and can remember at the top of my head at 2:30 in the morning.
Orenc on Jan 3, 2010
126
Crash (2005) anyone?
LukeOz on Jan 3, 2010
127
1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 2. Superbad 3. Spirited Away 4. Slumdog Millionaire 5. The Matador 6. The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 7. Casino Royale 8. Finding Nemo 9. The Pianist 10. Tsotsi 11. Star Trek Yes that's right. Neither of the new Batman movies are on my list.
Luke on Jan 3, 2010
128
In the last decade I've had a few "bad movie" experiences. Most of them while watching movies with my dad. Sometimes he has bad taste... and sometimes we both thought it would be good. Case in point, There Will Be Blood. I loved the soundtrack! It was ominous and foreboding and something important was going to happen. Any Second. Now. Except. It. Didn't. It probably deserves a rewatch by myself. But the general consensus was "This movie was well acted, and shot, and scored... but nothing happened. The lack of clear cut good guy/bad guy didn't make it more interesting and the end was very "Okay then. Huh." It's fail-ness was only superceded by a Silent Hill/The Dark double feature he bought at Wal-mart, and the remake of The Wicker Man. At least with Silent Hill, I had a background in the games, so I could explain what was going on... and glee over the appearances of Pyramid Head. And The Wicker Man was pretty hilarious after a while.
Lana on Jan 3, 2010
129
@130 The good guy/bad guy seemed pretty obvious to me. Daniel Plainview vs. Eli Sunday. Though either could be considered the bad guy 🙂 The most entertaining parts of the movie for me were anytime they were on screen together. Apart from their rivalry, the heart of the movie is the road that Daniel travels down. Not every movie needs to have a clear cut good vs evil story. But thats just my opinnion.
T on Jan 3, 2010
130
I didn't mean to say that I think every movie needs a clear cut good and bad guy. What I meant was, I didn't feel that in this movie the struggle between the two characters was helped by the ambiguity. I didn't find their conflict to be engrossing. I found the ending satisfying, but purely from a love of violence and insanity. The whole movie felt like it was building towards something, and that ending wasn't it. The last 20 minutes or so in fact, felt anti-climatic. I tend to like complicated main characters and relations between the protagonist and antagonist (ie Taxi Driver, Oldboy, the Hannibal Lecter movies even) but I just didn't enjoy this movie. In the end it was a beautiful exercise in tedium.
Lana on Jan 4, 2010
131
The Fountain, really? That was a terrible movie. Sure it was shot pretty well, but it tried too hard to be moving and spiritual and maybe insightful (or something, I don't know...) and utterly failed. I thought the direction was simply aweful. Honestly it is one of my top 10 LEAST favorite movies of the decade. What did people really like about it so much?
Pete on Jan 4, 2010
132
Lost and Delirious (2001) Napola (2004) Heaven (2002) Closer Boy A Moulin Rouge The Life of David Gale Inglourious Basterds Bridget Jones's Diary Inside Im Dancing
nat on Jan 4, 2010
133
my list... 1. Blindness 2. Children of Men 3. Nerakhoon-The Betrayal 4. Once 5. Lost in Translation 6. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 7. The Orphanage 8. Revolutionary Road 9. Almost Famous 10. Into the Wild 11. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan 12. Little Miss Sunshine 13. The Village 14. Friday Night Lights 15. Kill Bill 16. Garden State 17. The Break-Up 18. The Departed 19. Shawn of the Dead 20. Moon 21. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou 22. Punch-Drunk Love 23. The Beach 24. Snatch 25. A Mighty Wind
JSG on Jan 6, 2010
134
1 High Fidelity 2 Kill Bill Vol 2 3 Almost Famous 4 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 5 Kill Bill Vol 1 6 Y Tu Mama Tambien 7 Knocked Up 8 Amores Perros 9 The Aviator 10 Super Bad
Nurifumi Yamamoto on Jan 24, 2010
135
1. talk to her 2. city of God 3. adaptation 4. kill bill 1 and 2 5. there will be blood 6. children of men 7. no country for old men 8. the new world 9. in bruges 10. lord of the rings 11. punch drunk love
led signs on Jan 25, 2010
136
1. transformers 2. the dark knight 3. mr&mrs smith 4. the fountain 5. the prestige 6. the covenant 7. gabriel 8. blade 2 9. twilght 2 0. fearless(jet lee)
sam on Jan 29, 2010
137
I also Forgot Gone baby Gone and In the valley of Elah....they were actually my two most surprisingly good movies of the past decade. I thought Tommy lee Jones was WAY better in valley of Elah than in no country for old men...not that he wasn't good in the movie just loved him in Valley of Elah. I also left off The Dark Knight from my lit by total accident Man heath ledger was AMAZING as the joker and the rest of the movie (despite Christian Bales mega raspy batman voice) was amazing as well. i would also like to mention Hotel Rwanda as another amazing movie.
steve on Jan 29, 2010
138
im only 13 but here are some of my all time favourites of the decade: 1. lord of the rings trilogy!- 2001-2002-2003 cuz theyr perfect in every way 2. king kong- 2005 cuz its epic and i cried at the end 3. the core- 2003 cuz i got upset when the characters died 4. gladiator- 2000 cuz its just great 6. star trek- 2009 cuz the script, acting and cinematography are great 7. batman begins- 2005 cuz the directing and acting are great 8. harry potter- 2001-2011 cuz im very comfortable with the characters 9. slumdog millionaire- 2007 cuz its simple, attention grabbing and the characters are great! 10. school of rock- 2003 cuz its tons of fun to watch!
yumyumfish on Jan 30, 2010
139
Avatar should be in the list!!!
George on Jan 31, 2010
140
number 142....goshdarn i love reading lists, lists of anything, grocery lists, bucket lists, lists of people you hate from highschool and lists of people worthy of death, lists lists lists....i agree with all of you, and i disagree with everyone. First off, i made a top 20. Secondly, total complete BS copout that alex didnt submit a list, and also, though i agree with the inclusion of ESOTSM as a bone of contention, i disagree on its placement as number one two three top movie of the decade. I also fervently, vehemently disagree with those who chose harry potter or LOTR, though i am a huge fantasy/sci fi follower, i cannot in good conscience jump on that bandwagon. Stand alone and on your own. Any inclusion of a foreign film as well cannot make my ultimate decade AMERICAN list of best movies ever, for the small fact that nobody but true film buffs watch them. It should be a seperate category, so that the minority of film snobs cant polish chestnuts such as y tu mama tambian, persepolis, maria full of grace, and oldboy, which clearly are superior films but do not fit into the american best of decade. I exclude them on the grounds that including them is unamerican...lol. Also, in continuation of my disagreement with previous favorites, i have to discount children of men on the grounds that it is not better than gladiator or sin city, which didnt make my top twenty, but i will include clive owen because of his attachment to inside man, which made the grade. Also, Leo comes up three times but i consider each movie a tie. The following 23 movies have made the best of my decade, hope you enjoy it enough to write your own top ten. In no particular order serenity district 9 the incredibles inglourious basterds american psycho 40 year old virgin man on fire almost famous into the wild the departed/blood diamond/the aviator house of sand and fog little miss sunshine shaun of the dead the hurt locker snatch inside man donnie darko eternal sunshine of the spotless mind the dark knight avatar
nate on Feb 7, 2010
141
serenity district nine man on fire inside man the incredibles inglourious basterds american psycho almost famous the forty year old virgin the departed/blood diamond/the aviator
nate on Feb 7, 2010
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