I was originally going to just list the top 20 alphabetically but that seemed too easy so in the end
I ranked them by number. Admittedly, these rankings are mostly arbitrary so don't read too much into them (how the hell do you really distinguish between the 15th and 16th greatest movies in a decade?) Also, documentaries are not included since it's too hard to compare them to fiction.
Feedback and alternate lists are welcome. Let's get to it.
20) There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
What is it?Daniel Day-Lewis drinks other people’s milkshakes.
Why is it great?
To be honest, I’ve never found the character study of Daniel Plainview fully satisfying. We learn so much about how he is but virtually nothing about why. From his initial hatred of humanity to his final descent into loner hell, we’re never given an understanding as to what’s behind it all, which I think limits the character’s impact. Still, when the movie works it really works. When you’ve got one of the best directors alive working with one of the best actors alive in an early American oil epic it’s almost hard for it not to be great. Anderson’s beautiful, patient shots and the brilliant Plainview vs. Eli Sunday scenes are going to be just as riveting 50 years from now as they are today.
19) Super Troopers (Jay Chandrasekhar, 2001)
What is it?A group of highway patrol officers get up to some shenanigans.
Why is it great?
A lot of people seem to have Anchorman as one of their top movies, and for a while I was thinking of including it. Then my friend Alex shaved his beard into a moustache and I made a crack about moustache rides. Suddenly it hit me – Super Troopers is one of the best films of the decade. It has moments like its brilliant opening that can go toe-to-toe with Anchorman’s best scenes and it did a better job of not slipping into lazy, sit-comy writing. It’s smarter than Harold and Kumar, more consistent than Pineapple Express and more distinct than the pack of Judd Apatow flicks that filled the OOs. Quite simply, it’s the best stoner comedy of the decade.
18) Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
What is it?A little girl stumbles into a ghost world after her parents are transformed into pigs. A modern-day Alice in Wonderland follows.
Why is it great?
This was an enviable decade to be a kid, as many children’s movies stopped relying on clichés and Phil Collins soundtracks and started treating their audiences with respect. But the one that impressed me the most wasn’t made by Pixar. Containing more visual ideas than 10 Disney movies combined along with a universal story about childhood, Spirited Away is the best animated film of the decade.
17) The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
What is it?Nana nana nana nana nana nana nana nana… Batman.
Why is it great?
I almost went with Christopher Nolan’s excellent rival magicians movie The Prestige instead, but ultimately I’ve got to hand it to The Dark Knight. Sure the whole x-ray vision stuff was goofy and there were some problems with the plot, but it deserves a spot for a few reasons. 1) It marked the growing up of super hero movies. In his flick, Spiderman had to choose between saving Mary Jane or a trolley full of people. He pulled some web bullshit and voila, everyone’s fine. Batman was given the same choice and a main character died. 2) Hack movies like Babel get fawned over for insipid themes like “not communicating is bad.” The Dark Knight deals with dark thematic issues most movies never touch, like the West’s responsibility for terrorism, deceiving the masses for their own good, love not saving anyone and the impossibility of living up to heroic expectations. 3) Incredibly memorable moments, like the bank heist opening. 4) Heath Ledger's The Joker. Not just one of the two greatest villains of the decade, he's one of the best all-time movie bad guys.
16) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
What is it?A love story told backwards as it’s forgotten.
Why is it great?
Blah blah blah, Charlie Kaufman, blah blah, Michel Gondry, blah blah. By now everyone knows the praise for the script, visuals, and performances of this movie so I won’t rehash it here. Instead I’ll just say one thing I really respect about Eternal Sunshine is it resisted the urge to romanticize. Instead of waiting for the couple to figure out they’re obviously meant to be together, Eternal Sunshine gives us characters that probably aren’t right for each other and may well be doomed to repeat their mistakes. It’s this heavy dose of reality as much as the script and visuals that made this such a fresh viewing experience. And damn it, we’re all still rooting for Joel and Clementine.
15) 28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2002)
What is it?A brilliantly stylized reinvention of the zombie genre from one of film's most versatile directors.
Why is great?
This is the second most important zombie movie of all time (after Night of the Living Dead, obviously). Where Romero invented the genre as we know it, Boyle reinvented it for the 21st century. But there’s so much more than just the “fast zombies” that makes this movie great. Just watch the beginning and by the haunting scene of Cilian Murphy wandering around an abandoned London you know you’ve got a classic. And yes, 28 Days Later does count as a zombie movie.
14) Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron, 2006)
What is it?Clive Own wanders the streets of a ragged, dying Britain. Children inexplicably stopped being born years ago, the youngest man in the world was just killed in a bar fight, xenophobia has manifested into a militaristic dictatorship and – oh shit, is that chick pregnant?
Why s it on the list?
Man, these ten years were pretty thin on great sci fi movies. The 90s finished off on a high with Dark City and The Matrix then this decade tries to carry the torch with god-awful Matrix sequels and Star Wars prequels. The much championed Minority Report and Stark Trek were too shiny and pretty to be considered classics in my mind. Great sci fi should have some grit. Luckily we got quality mind-benders (Primer), space westerns (Serenity) and of course Children of Men, a story that encapsulates despair as well as any I’ve seen. Intriguing plot and strong acting aside, it’s the incredible cinematography that elevates this film to greatness. The stunning, single-shot car heist and city under siege scenes rank among the best of this generation.
(Note: I’d probably have included Serenity on this list of not for that in my mind it’s inherently linked into the TV show Firefly.)
13) Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
What is it?Good question.
Why is it great?
I debated about whether to include this or the longer, stranger Lynch film Inland Empire. Neither are films you can shake out of your mind but ultimately the nod goes to Mulholland Drive. It’s hard to say how the original plan for a TV show would have gone. Instead Lynch salvaged the stillborn pilot to create an enduring work of art. A lot of movies are weird for the sake of being weird while having nothing of substance underneath (take the paper-thin Donnie Darko, maybe the most overrated movie of the decade) but here Lynch delivers something worth digging into and exploring. In the end it’s really quite a simple story, but half the fun is piecing it all together. The other half is watching it - the scene of the opera singer dropping dead during Roy Orbison’s song Crying, thus revealing everything as an illusion, is a contender for greatest scene of the decade.
12) Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
What is it?Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson star in a surprisingly non-creepy sort of romance story about two tourists in Japan trying to figure it all out.
Why is it great?
The oughts had a bit of an obsession with movies about people ‘finding’ themselves. Lost in Translation was the best of the bunch and set the bar for the Junos, Little Miss Sunshines and Garden States that followed. People tend to gush over, say, holocaust movies because of their heavy subject regardless of whether they’re well made. Yet here is a movie about two upper-class people fighting ennui and through some truly graceful filmmaking we genuinely relate to and care for them. In this case less is more: Long stretches of no dialogue? Instead take in the excellent soundtrack by Air. Having no plot to speak of? Yeah, well neither does real life. Coppola mixes just the right blend of wistfulness and humour so that by the ending fade out you feel truly satisfied.
11) Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku, 2000)
What is it?In a futuristic dystopian Japan, a class of grade nine students is kidnapped, taken to an island, given weapons and told they must fight to the death until only one is left alive.
Why is it on the list?
Uh, did you see the premise? Usually something that sounds that batshit awesome turns out to be a heap of disappointment. Not this time. This is one movie that knows how to follow through. I sill rank the first time I saw Battle Royale in high school as one of the most mind-blowing cinema experiences of my life.
10) Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004)
What is it?Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke reunite 10 years after a one-night romantic tryst.
Why is it great?
1995’s Before Sunrise was a charming film about two young people meeting randomly for one passionate night in Europe. Making a follow-up to its excellent ending – will they or won’t they fulfill their promise to meet one year later? – seemed like a terrible idea. Instead, this sequel bests its predecessor in every way. Delpy and Hawke still have some of the best on-screen chemistry ever seen, but 10 years later life has gotten complicated and their discussions have more weight. Instead of a young fairytale romance, here are two adults trying to recreate a fairytale romance. The beauty is in watching them pull it off. Linklater’s direction couldn’t be better – for a film that is basically one long string of dialogue it’s the sparse use of silence that has the most impact.
9) Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)
What is it?The story of a man with no short-term memory hunting his wife’s killer. Oh, and the movie runs backwards.
Why is it on the list?
I feel a pretty deep connection to this movie. At the time of its release it was my favourite film and in many ways it sparked my love of movies. It’s not the only film to do the backwards chronology thing (2002’s Irreversible, which I painfully couldn’t fit on this list, is a notable example) but it uses it brilliantly. What could have been a gimmick becomes an incredibly fresh way to tell a dark, unforgettable story that is still captivating today. This is raw movie-making gold.
8) Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003/2004)
What is it?Tarantino, master of the literal title, delivers a loving homage to samurai movies.
Why is it great?
First of all, it's one big story so I'm throwing the two movies together. What's striking about Kill Bill is that so much of it is made up of recycled parts. By assembling a mountain of shots and moments and molding them into one Power Rangersesque super movie, Tarantino has surpassed his source material. Only in Pulp Fiction has Tarantino brought style and substance together in such a dynamite package. Plus it rejuvanated David Carradine's career, so huge bonus points.
7) Oldboy (Chan-wook Park, 2003)
What is it?During a night of heavy drinking a man is mysteriously abducted, kept captive in a hotel-style room for 15 years without explanation and then released. He immediately goes on a quest for answers - and revenge.
Why is it great?
Thank god rumours of an American remake seem to have fizzled out. There is just no way to improve upon this breathtaking film. Like Battle Royale, Oldboy takes a wicked premise and doesn't just live up to it but exceeds it. Chan-wook Park challenges you to keep up to his winding story that ventures miles beyond what mainstream western movies would dare to touch. This is revenge cinema at its finest. It's so good that its also having one of the best fight scenes of the decade doesn't even seem fair.
6) Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004)
What is it?A comedy? A horror movie? A zom-com? Who knows?
Why is it great?
Sure, it’s quick and funny enough to be on the list for yuks alone. But beyond that, Shaun is actually quite groundbreaking. How many movies, if any, have managed to so finely walk a line between two disparate genres? A hilarious toss up of zombie films while at the same time being a zombie film, Shaun of the Dead is the ultimate case of having your brains and eating them too.
5) No Country for Old Men (The Coen brothers, 2007)
What is it?The best thriller of the decade.
Why is it great?
Suck it, Stephen Spielberg. Joel and Ethan Coen show that they are the masters of cat-and-mouse thrill ride filmmaking. Everyone brings their A game to this one. You can't ask for better technical camerawork and editing. Its pacing is unconventional but works to a tee. The cast is excellent but the show is stolen by Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh. With the Joker, Chigurh is one two characters that elevated villainhood to new hights. And of course the star behind the screen is Cormac McCArthy, whose faithfully adapted novel this all stems from.
4) Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
What is it?A genre-breaking film about the real life hunt to track down the Zodiac Killer.
Why is it on the list?
Could this be the best serial killer movie ever? I guess it’s not a fair question. While most focus on the mind of the killer (take Fincher’s own Se7en), this movie is about the people hunting him. More truly, it’s about obsession. Fincher puts on an absolute clinic of filmmaking. He juggles an incredible cast of characters (especially Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr.) and a complex, weaving plot that spans decades of dead ends and false starts, yet the movie never stops being gripping. It’s a story that shouldn’t work but Fincher inverts the focus and makes this all about that wing of human nature that refuses – or isn’t able – to let things go. People who derided this film as 'slow' need to go back and see all that's going as they're missing exquisite filmmaking.
3) The Barbarian Invasions (Denys Arcand, 2003)
What is it?A Quebecois professor is diagnosed with cancer and admitted to hospital. As the end of his life nears, his family and friends gather together to see him off.
Why is it great?
Admittedly, the premise makes this movie sound entirely depressing. It’s not. It’s filled with dark humour, off-colour jokes, womanizing and drug use. This makes the moments of poignancy and insight that much more powerful. Clever, debauched and somehow comforting, this is a personal fable about something we all try to do eventually - come to terms with death. This is also my favourite Canadian film, period.
2) The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
What is it?The wily Royal (Gene Hackman) returns to his family of over-the-hill geniuses to try to trick them into loving him again. Paul Simon montages ensue.
Why is it great?
Don’t even get me started. There are so many classic scenes and quotes in this movie that there’s really just too much to take in in one sitting. Repeated viewings begin to peel away a script, cast and direction that fit together so well the end result is, arguably, perfect. Some people dismiss Wes Anderson by throwing him into the “quirky indy filmmaker” camp, but they’re not watching closely enough. Yes, Anderson’s filmmaking is clever, but he doesn’t sacrifice character or story to be so. And as shown by his recent excellent films The Darjeeling Limited and The Fantastic Mr. Fox, he hasn’t slowed down. But Tenenbaums is Anderson’s best film of the decade (as well as my personal favourite film of the decade) and in the end will likely go down as his masterpiece.
1) The Lord of the Rings trilogy (Peter Jackson, 2001-2003)
What is it?Star Wars with elves.
Why is it on the list?
In the end, this is inescapable. The Lord of the Rings movies were the defining cinematic accomplishment of the decade.Whether or not LOTR is your style you've got to be impressed by how it cultivated so many millions of die-hard fans. Yearly 11-hour director's cut marathons are now a commonplace tradition.
But it's not just popularity that earns LOTR the top spot. This is old-fashioned adventure filmmaking - a fun, epic, wild ride. In other words, it truly is the Star Wars trilogy for the next generation. People who thought Avatar was a 'game changer' were way off. More CGI is not the answer. It's about making your special effects enhance reality, not become reality. Jackson had groundbreaking technology too but he anchors the films in real flesh and blood so they never become CGI snooze-fests.
This trilogy could have gone so wrong in so many ways. Instead we got that rare movie magic where a beloved series of books now have equally beloved film companions. More than any other movie, the OOs will be remembered for Lord of the Rings.
128 comments:
So I just found this on stumble and I am pretty blown away. This list is damn near perfect and just about how I would have aligned it. Tenenbaums is my favorite movie of all time, hands down. I also am a die hard Old boy and Battle Royal fan. Just wanted to let you know how impressed I was by this assortment, keep on keeping on. Lets hope the next decade has some movies to rival these.
I have to agree on most accounts here ( I think there are only about 3 I haven't seen)! Also appreciate the dig at Donnie Darko....overrated indeed.
Longevity in Battle Royal? I'd have to disagree with that one. It runs flat in a few areas. I don't think character development was crucial to the storyline, but after the first 3 kills, you're sorta left yawning and not caring who wins or where the plot twist will lead you (let me guess...more killing). I saw it a year ago, so maybe it would have had more impact when I was younger, but that's where I argue the longevity.
All in all, great list, great points and really impressed you could sum up your arguments in such small paragraphs (hard not to gush about The Royal Tenenbaums).
Personal additions:
'Pontypool', although I think its genre kept it from being a sleeper.
'Fantastic Mr. Fox': for reviving the stop animation genre (there is another film about a man who stumbles across his guardian angel, but the title escapes me at this moment), a fluid adaption of a classic child's book (take that 'Where the Wild Things Are'!), and its ability to charm audiences ages 18-99.
My Contention here is with a Lord of the Rings vs. Avatar inequality. I'm not the type to be swept into mass movements of CGI induced awe. My contention is with the sources of inspiration in the fantasy genre. You want a life changing Fantasy experience redefining your ability to become immersed utterly read the goddamn LOTR... and the Silmarilion, if you've got the stones. I agree that Peter Jackson is a genius for finding Middle Earth in New Zealand. I don't believe, however, that the depth of the movie comes anywhere but from JRRT himself. Avatar, on the other hand, I don't find to be an oversold scififantasy fusion with over tones of CGI dependence and a overly simplified conflict (which it is) more so than a visual paean to two dueling facets of our consciousness: logic/mechanical and spiritual/natural. All allegory can be called an oversimplification, but good allegory can still capture enough of the big picture to intrigue us to the marrow, details and verisimilitude be damned. Who cares if a walking stick reptile suddenly starts spinning under a de Vincian helecopter of rainbow phosphorescence? Its damn Beautiful.
This thread reeks of fail.
Super Troopers over There Will be Blood? You suck at film.
One of the best decade wrap-ups I've read so far. Good show, my man. I've seen most of these and now I want to go back and re-watch them.
Pretty solid. I enjoyed reading, and seeing the few on the list that I haven't watched has me on a Netflix frenzy.
However, Super Troopers is smart? Ugggh. Disagree.
Other than that, I can't argue much with this list, or at can at least agree that you presented your opinion well. Sweet.
I've just stumbled upon this and you have made me look forward to the next couple of weeks movie wise.
I cannot wait to watch the 8 or 9 I haven't seen and am so eager.
Thank you so much!!!
I loved your list. Not an exact match with one that I would have made, although I haven't seen all of your nominated films so I suppose I can't judge. I particularly agree with your nomination of Old Boy, the most fucked up and awesome film I've seen in recent times. Anyway, I almost never say this to people, but I think you have great taste.
#8: Before Sunset: they want to meet each other 6 months later, not a year later.
Poor geekish list.
l also found this entry on Stumble. Great list! I don't know if I necessary agree with the ordering, but a lot of my favorites were on here too. Never mind the haters.
Super Troopers? Is that a joke?
This is a great list. Miyazaki, Oldboy and Battle Royale. However, Super Troopers? I wasn't impressed with that movie.
For anyone that hasn't, read the Battle Royale novel. Its a lot better than the movie.
this spirited away movie is the WORST EVER! BHEUAAAAARRRRKH!!!!!!
I agree with a fair portion of this, except and most notably Mulholland Drive, which has been on my Worst Film of All Time list ever since I was subject to that piece of celluloid afterbirth. That movie reeks of pretention and amateur art-school fluff. Its as much art as me crapping on a canvas.
I am glad Primer was mentioned in the description of why Children of Men made the list. Even though it was merely a name drop, I think that movie is deserving of all the credit it can get.
Overall this is a great list, there's a lot of crap to sort though in Hollywood over the decade and I think the author picked out the diamonds fairly accurately.
Fun list. Definitely gives me a few movies to rent.
Quick technical correction, though, regarding Memento: The movie does not run backwards. Black and white scenes run forward while the colour ones are ordered backwards. So about half of the film is backwards. This is pretty important, and if you didn't know this, try watching it again with this knowledge in hand.
Oh, and another movie pops to mind that could have made the list (maybe instead of Super Troopers? will let you know once I've seen it)
The Machinist
What is it?
Dude is REALLY skinny and REALLY creepy.
Why is it great?
Dude is REALLY skinny and REALLY creepy.
Lovely list and great comments. Where's Flesh and Bone. Most underrated film of all time.
James Caan is a stone cold killer. Gwenyeth Paltrow steals from corpses. And they are the bit players. Believe it or not Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan absolutely nail both their rolls. A real sleeper.
absolutely perfect. Tolkien himself would have cried in the theaters had he been able to see the Rings trilogy come to life in the way they did.
Disagree with the LOTR winning, but by far the best list I've come across. Have you seen "Let the Right one In?" Only other movie I would have had in my top 20. Good list.
I would say Howl's Moving Castle by Miyazaki should replace Spirited Away and Super Troopers should be replaced with Amelie.
What about Pan's Labyrinth and O Brother Where Art Thou?
Er, a list topped by a trilogy of walking? Not to quote Clerks 2, but that was all I could think watching it, at least where I could stay awake. This list did not make sense until I saw the comment about a film watched in high school in this decade. Well, I can only hope with age your perspective shall increase. And I agree with another commenter, what about Pan's Labyrinth and Oh Brother Where Art Thou? Or even, dare I say, District 9 which reinvented the who sci-fi genre?
and where exactly is In Bruges?
Not bad, there are a lot of good films on the list. However there are at least three films (There Will Be Blood, Super Troopers, and Tenenbaums) that I don't think should be on any top list ever. Even if it was a list of the top three movies named There Will Be Blood, Super Troopers, or Royal Tenenbaums.
But that's just me.
Wow, I just read through 19 (pretty accurate) film overviews just to get to LotR and find out your really just a giant douche. =[ Thanks for nothing.
I just stumbled on this, and am amazed to find that I've actually seen all but 2 of your movies, and would have aligned them pretty much the same way... Some rewatching is definitely in order for me.
Post author: ignore that Star persons moronic comment. He/She/It is an idiot.
Domino?
The Departed?
A Scanner Darkly?
Into the Wild?
Adaptation?
Sin City?
where are these screen gems, some among the Oscar hopefuls, not to mention the personal favorites that I hesitate to call blockbusters--Bamboozled, Irreversible, 2046, Volver, Amores Perros, Love Me if You Dare, City of God...and perhaps the best overlooked comedy of the decade, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
but no, we have fluff like Supertroopers and 28 Days Later.
Nice list. But I agree that two movies that would have to be included are Pan's Labyrinth and In Bruges.
Hi there folks. I am not a trained movie critic. Nor am I a top scholar. But I am a hard sell when it comes to being entertained. Whether it be music or movies or theater and comedy it has to be pretty damn good to inflate my tire. I agree with most of the reviews and the ones that I havent seen I wiil agree as a leap of faith with the posters description. I just want to ask if any one else feels that Casino Royale with Daniel Craig (yeah I know Bond films are mostly floating in a sea of cheese) but I found the action to be exciting and realistic, the script clever and witty. And really three stories told within the frame of one movie. And Craig who is far from British makes for a great spy / assasin not to mention the lovely accountant sent to watch over the poker game and her majesties money. worthy of the list IMHO. All in all great picks with the exception of 3 or 4.
City of God deserves to be on that list. One of the most mesmerizing movies of the decade.
Interesting! I don’t know you, although I found your list via a mutual friend…
of course, a lot of this kind of thing rests on taste rather than a purely critical accounting, and I wonder about how you define ‘audience impact’ (I’d say your pick leans 18-45 male, yeah?). Anyways, I thought I’d hitch a ride to offer my own list by way of comment (some overlap, but more of a female perspective, perhaps?)
Children of Men, Slumdog Millionaire, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Memento, City of God, Duplicity, The Lives of Others, Lost in Translation, The Triplets of Belleville, Mostly Martha, Intolerable Cruelty, Paprika (a fully realized blow your mind anime), The Barbarian Invasions, Batman Begins, 3:10 to Yuma, Michael Clayton (or Gran Torino can't decide) The Prestige, Ratatouille (or Up or WallE if just for the first 15 minutes... Pixar raises the bar, no doubt about it), Thank You for Smoking, Shakespeare in Love, Batman Begins
Notes on Opinion and Taste:
Once Upon a Time in Mexico beats the Kill Bills
Re the Coens: I guess I just prefer them when they do wit…. No Country was a great film, but I prefer O Brother, Raising Arizona, and The Man who wasn’t There
Agree with some of the comments questioning Starship Troopers (a fun but immediately forgettable genre parody) and Mulholland Drive (never could sit through the thing, and I’ve tried a couple of times). Loved the Firefly series, the movie sucked; the 28 Days Later was cool but other than the revival nostalgia thing, a bit thin… also, why not go with Hot Fuzz over Shaun of the Dead?
Finally: I lean towards intricate caper flicks and I have yet to see In Bruges… am so looking forward to it. I might have included Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (except it came out in 99) or Inside Man… come to think of it, Clive Owen is definitely one of the break out stars of the decade…
Great list.
LOTR Haters, go eat it. He could have put 1 and 3 at the top instead of the whole trilogy in one place...
Lots of stuff in my "to watch" list now, (Thanks to a couple of the numbers, a couple of name drops, and even a few from commenters...)
As to the comment about in "school this decade" maybe I'm younger and fresher than I look, (and that makes me feel good too)
Great list.
way too many Supertrooper haters, i agree that that is at least one of the best comedies of the decade
Thank You for Smoking
I heart Huckabees
The Departed
Casino Royale
Inglorious Basterds
Adaptation
Club Dread
Sonechtoche, New York
i think these may have made my list, but i wouldn't know what to take off yours to replace with hah.
Where the hell is "Gran Torino"? And what about "The Time Traveler's Wife"?
Lists like these are why I love StumbleUpon.
Thanks for this, now I have a bunch of movies to watch.
Funny how people have different taste in movies. I would have titled this "The 20 Worst..." I think the only one on there I liked was Dark Knight. Takes all kinds to make the world go 'round. Thanks for the list!
Super Troopers was a cheap comedy that begged you to laugh at it. Besides that, though, I found this list fairly accurate and unbiased.
Great list. Love your short comments about each movie.
Before Sunset, no. Memento, no. The Royal Tenenbaums? Gawd no. Just a note on LOTR; I'm glad that you put them together in one slot, but this is why they're different from Star Wars. One movie from the trilogy doesn't stand on its own. All three Star Wars movies are great works individually, which is why debate over which is better is warranted. One LOTR movie needs the other two.
Stumbled upon from CA. Thanks for the list, definitely going to be checking out a lot of these movies.
Stumbled upon, I enjoyed your list. I too have a list, albeit a top 10 list: http://robmeetsblog.blogspot.com
Lord of the Rings at #1? Hmm never saw that coming.... how about some originality. And Super Troopers???? Oh my. I agree that The Machinist should be on this list.
Daniel Day Lewis did such a great job in There Will be Blood that I would have to rate it a bit higher. Other than that, and the few I haven't seen, damn good job on picking the ones that are on the list. You have good taste.
There Will Be Blood was terrible! Boring beyond all. What about Zissou? How about Slumdog? Y Tu Mama Tambien?
This list has some good films, but overall, not that well compiled.
Plus, Kill Bill is a film that pays homage not to samurai films, but to Tarantino himself. The dude makes films that are so egomaniacal it makes me sick.
Lovely list and great comments. Where's Flesh and Bone. Most underrated film of all time.
http://justtvlive4u.blogspot.com/
Stumbled here like the most of you. I disagree with a few things on there (LOTR Trilogy, the Donnie Darko dig, and claiming Zodiac to be better than Se7en) but I do agree with some of the things. Memento is by far my favorite movie of all time. Everybody has their own opinions though, and we're all entitled to them.
Also to the person who made a comment saying "This list did not make sense until I saw the comment about a film watched in high school in this decade. Well, I can only hope with age your perspective shall increase.", please get off the internet. That could put him anywhere from 18-28, which is the target audience for 90% of movies. Just because you're old doesn't mean you have better taste in movies.
Just my two cents.
Super Troopers above There Will Be Blood.....you are a fucking idiot.
Instead of being hateful, I like these lists to find hidden gems between film buffs that I might have missed. Why not give a suggestion in lieu of calling people names. No one is ever going to agree completely. I do agree that even though it's a Bond movie, Casino Royale is a really great movie on levels beyond "Bond". Thanks for the suggestions for a couple I haven't seen, hello Netflicks!!
I liked the list, although mine might have been a bit different, as I have not seen all of those movies. For all the people so upset about "Super Troopers" being on the list, I agree with its placement. I think too often the comedic film genre is totally forgotten because we do not commend anything unless it is "deep" and "dramatic". Just look at who all the Oscars go to--very rarely a comedic actor or film. Comedy is a very important part of cinema, and "Super Troopers" is undoubtedly one of the most quotable and loved of the decade. Now "The Hangover" might give it a run for its money, but we'll have to see what happens with regards to the longevity of that film before coming to any conclusions.
Stumbled. I have to agree that most of the movie here mentioned are truly deserving. movies like LOTR, Zodiac, Dark Knight were great and awesome!!!!. some other movies that might have made the list would be :
-Hellboy series ( awesome aliens or..)
-Bourne Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum
-Hot Fuzz
-The Prestige
-Changeling
-The Simpsons
- 300
I think credit should go to Robert Elswit for There Will Be Blood....PTA is a great director, but Elswit really polished that film.
And a note on the memento plot description....it runs backwards....and forwards, at the same time, and the end is at the beginning, the middle is at the end, and the beginning is in the middle.
TRY THIS LIST OUT!
1. DARK KNIGHT
2. PITCH BLACK
3. SOLARIS
4. SEVEN
5. SIN CITY
6. INGLORIUS BASTARDS
7. LOTR
8. SUPERMAN RETURNS
9. STARSHIP TROOPERS
10. REIGN OF FIRE
11. KILL BILL I & II
12. 3:10 TO YUMA
13. APPALOOSA
14. ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO
15. TEMINATOR SALVATION
16. RESIDENT EVIL NEMESIS
17. SUNSHINE
18. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
19. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
20. AVP REQUIEM
21. CHILDREN OF MEN
22. IDENTITY
23. SIDEWAYS
24. V FOR VENDETTA
25. EXORCIST-THE BEGINNING
26. SPARTAN
27. THERE WILL BE BLOOD
28. ELIZABETH GOLDEN AGE
29. MAN ON FIRE
30. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
31. THE WRESTLER
32. ROMEO IS BLEEDING [SPECIAL]
33. FIGHT CLUB [1999]
34. THE SALTON SEA
35. THE HANGOVER
36. THE DEPARTED
37. CASINO ROYALE
38. BOURNE ULTIMATUM/SUPREMACY
39. SPIDERMAN 2
40. IMPOSTER
41. DARKNESS FALLS
42. MIRRORS
43. ZOMBIELAND
44. HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
45. THE PRESTIGE
46. TRAINING DAY
47. THE ILLUSIONIST
48. GLADIATOR
49. HOTEL RWANDA
50. TRAITOR
51. CLOSER
52. AEON FLUX
53. EQUILIBRIUM
54. WATCHMEN
55. AMERICAN PSYCHO
56. MILLION DOLLAR BABY
57. MYSTIC RIVER
58. IN BRUGE
59. CRASH
60. CHANGELING
61. HUSTLE & FLOW
62. HARSH TIMES
63. GRINDHOUSE
64. SERENITY
65. MATRIX RELOADED
66. I AM LEGEND
67. X-MEN LAST STAND
68. HANCOCK
69. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE II
70. AUSTIN POWERS GOLDMEMBER
71. MR. & MRS. SMITH
72. 28 DAYS LATER
73. THE PERFECT STORM
74. OPEN RANGE
75. HITCH
76. A BEAUTIFUL MIND
77. RED DRAGON
78. FAST AND THE FURIOUS
79. CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK
80. THE CONSTANT GARDNER
81. GONE BABY GONE
82. IN THE BEDROOM
83. SUM OF ALL FEARS
84. THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI
85. SHAUN OF THE DEAD
86. MINORITY REPORT
87. PAYCHECK
88. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
89. QUILLS
90. WALK THE LINE
91. RAY
92. CHICAGO
93. EASTERN PROMISES
94. HIDALGO
95. A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
96. CONSTANTINE
97. THE PIANIST
98. DONNIE DARKO
99. THE CAVE
100. HART’S WAR
101. MONSTER’S BALL
102. CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR
103. I’M NOT THERE
104. THE TIME MACHINE
105. FIRST SNOW
106. MEMENTO
107. RESCUE DAWN
108. HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
109. UNDERWORLD
110. LACKAWANA BLUES
111. DÉJÀ VU
112. OUT OF TIME
113. JOHN Q.
114. HEIST
115. BASIC
116. THE CORE
117. ROMEO MUST DIE
118. WONDERLAND
119. NURSE BETTY
120. MULHOLLAND DRIVE
121. THE RECRUIT
122. THE MIST
123. GET CARTER
124. SOLE SURVIVOR
125. BABEL
126. BURN AFTER READING
127. NORTH COUNTRY
128. DREAMCATCHER
129. BLINDNESS
130. LITTLE CHILDREN
131. RENDITION
132. SWEENY TODD
133. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN
134. MOULIN ROUGE
135. PROOF OF LIFE
136. BRIDESHEAD REVISITED
This is a good list, not being too sure about the listings whether they are in order or not, but Children of Men should be considered one of the greatest movies in the last 20 years. Being a director and film maker myself it absolutely blows you away with the amazing shots, and how they build these incredibly elaborate one take shots that are the product of weeks of preparation. If you ever have time to truly watch that movie for just the shots you will simply be dumbfounded, the composition and sheer beauty of them is awe inspiring.
I would probably replace Battle Royal with Ong-Bak, I think martial arts films are going to be moving in a different direction in the coming years. I think it is reasonable to expect a period of excellent films coming out of Thailand to rival the period in the 80's and early 90's when all the good action was coming out of Hong Kong; if this turns out to be true then Ong Bak, Tony Jaa, and Panna Rittikrai are going to be a driving force behind it.
I was interested enough in your list to read each evaluation carefully. I've seen 6 of these movies, and they were so whacked out that I won't go to any of the rest. I'd call this my "avoid" list.
Just stumbled here. I really enjoyed your list a lot. The only movies I haven't seen are Oldboy, Zodiac, Before Sunset, and The Barbarian Invasions. I agree with your choices for the most part except that in my mind High Fidelity would have to be on that list. Also, dude who posted a random list of 130 movies, come on. I would've deleted that.
holy shit you're me.
Well done for sticking your neck out on this list.
You have made your own choices for your own reasons. Whether I agreed or not, you kept me interested enough to read most of your reviews/reasoning. About 4 out of ten of these films would be in my top 20 of the decade. Three of them would be in my Worst list. That leaves three I'm going to have to rent...
Such a list says a bit about Hollywood (and Shepperton) and a lot more about you the writer.
Such a list can only be a FAVORITES list - it's impossible to be objective. That's why so many people hate movie lists.
What are my favorite films of the decade? And why? - Entertainment without insulting or disgusting me.
Dark Knight
LOTR
Oh Brother
Slumdog Millionaire
Fight Club
Crash
Amelie
Bourne Supremacy(if I have to choose one)
Royal Tenenbaums
Babel
Yeah... you hate my list too.
This was a great article, you show great taste and discernment. I think your comments show that you really know the movies you are talking about unlike many of the "top movie lists" I see on the net. Thank you
Ok. So I get that it's a personal top 10 thing. That's understood. There are always going to be quibbles over what's worth the cut and what's not. But let's examine what a movie actually is. It is a piece of entertainment. It is there to entertain. The best ones provoke thought. But they are intended to entertain. You with me so far? Entertainment is key.
Lost In Translation is not entertaining. Sure it's a reasonably accurate representation of what could happen with two lonely people in a city where they don't speak the language. But so what? You want to experience that I suggest going to a city where you don't speak the language, downing a bottle of gin, singing some terrible Jodi Mitchell karaoke and then only talking to other people who speak the same language as you.
Also, No Country for Old Men. Yeah I know why the critics tugged themselves numb over this movie. I get it. Hurrah. The 70's were amazing for film. I am absolutely all for homages to 70's film making. But the biggest problem with NCfOM is Anton Chigur(sp). Don't get me wrong, Javier Bardem is incredible. The problem is in the writing of the character. To my mind there are two kinds of bad guys in movies. You've got your Michael Myers(Halloween) and you've got your Darth Vader(Really? You don't know?). Myers is evil incarnate doing evil deeds for the sake of evil deeds. I am very carefully ignoring Rob Zombie's utterly rubbish turd that he smeared the series with. Vader has a back story that you know. You might not be rooting for the guy but you understand why he does what he does. Chigur(sp) fell kind of in the middle. And for me that's just lazy writing. Either you can't be bothered fleshing out his history or you can't be bothered finding something for a throwaway character to say. Either way. Laziness.
Anywho. That's my 2 cents worth. Otherwise I reckon the list is pretty good. You did miss some classics though. Let the Right One In(which unfortunately isn't missing out an unnecessary American remake. Honestly, America should learn when to let well enough alone) is definitely incredible. If you haven't seen it you need to.
It's refreshing to see a top 20 list that includes movies that are ACTUALLY semi-popular instead of artsy-fartsy no one's heard of 'em flicks people list just to show off their superior film knowledge. I don't know if these are all MY favorite movies of the decade, but they certainly some of the best. Bravo.
i just can't stop loving eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, by far my favorite movie ^^
My top movies (not necessarily in order):
- The Dark Knight
- Bourne Movies (all)
- The Prestige
- Law Abiding Citizen
- LOTR
- Memento
- Fight Club
- Avatar (mostly for effects)
- Gladiator
- V for Vendetta
- The Hangover
- Anchorman
- Slumdog Millionaire (can't believe it wasn't on this list).
- Burn After Reading
A few others that I just can't think of right now too. A lot of the movies on this list are good too, but others are not my cup of tea.
Btw, I saw "Stx" complaining about our lack of appreciation and he needs to take a chill pill. The point of filming these movies is to create something you can share. If you can't take a little constructive feedback or difference in opinion, then you need to find a new business. Preferably one that doesn't involve interaction with others.
Saddle up, because this is going to be a long post.
I agree with a good deal of your list. The inclusion of 28 Days Later, Memento, Old Boy, and Children Of Men is something I very strongly agree with. Though I will say I'm surprised you didn't acknowledge the villain in Old Boy as one of the best of the decade. However, I can't say I agree with the inclusion of Shaun Of The Dead. Personally, I prefer Zombieland. This may just be my American sense of humor talking, but I thought the gags were funnier and the action to be more entertaining. Additionally, I've never been too big of a Lord Of The Rings fan (something that many people have argued with me on). My main issue is that it doesn't feel like an actual movie, so much as a companion to the book. Perhaps the book series is a little too elaborate to do a true-to-every-detail adaptation, and in most ways, Peter Jackson's film trilogy is the best adaptation we could have asked for, but the whole thing just feels disjointed to me. I'm sure many people have strong beliefs to the contrary (including yourself), but that's just my personal opinion.
Personal additions:
Big Fish - I'm not a very big Tim Burton fan, but I think he really struck gold with this one. It was a charming and heartfelt fantasy that was boosted by incredibly charismatic performances from Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, and Albert Finney.
Fight Club - I'm sure this is dismissed as an overrated cult film by many, but everything about the movie was so damn stylish, I couldn't help but fall in love. The story was fascinating and fast-paced, and the tone of the movie found an excellent balance between the dark and the humorous.
Waking Life - I saw you already included another Richard Linklater film, and perhaps Waking Life lacked the focus of many of the movies on your list, but I found this to be an excellent movie. It's incredibly disjointed, but it works very well, and really captures the essence of dreams, which is something that has always fascinated me.
HEY!!! Why isn't (movie I like) on your list??? Why the hell did you put (movie I dislike) on there?? That movie sucks, you're an idiot!!!
Note to morons and trolls: I get the distinct feeling that the author's purpose here was not to compile a list of what he thought everybody on Earth's favorite movies of the decade were. This is his personal opinion. Whoa, you disagree with one or two of his choices? Congratulations, you're capable of abstract thought and developing opinions of your own. Yelling at him and attempting to degrade online shows you as not only completely stupid, but no better than some kind of religious fanatic. Get a life, people, good Lord.
Now that that's out of the way, thanks for the list, man. I'll have to check some of these out.
You've stumbled onto my "not" list. We just don't think alike.
This list was pretty bad, but then I saw lost in translation on the list and it immediately lost all credibility. That was by far the worst movie of all time, I could have made that flaming piece of dog poo
I'm another one off of stumble. I find myself excited that I haven't seen most of these movies, like No Country For Old Men, Tenenbaums, Kill Bill, etc since I can just watch them now and better appreciate them anyhow.
Other comments..
You really put LOTR that high? I know I haven't seen it in a while, but I'm pretty sure I fell asleep. Then again, that was in 8th grade, so maybe it deserves another chance...
Personally, I'd also disagree with Shaun of the Dead. Having seen that one three or four times, including a watch last week, I have to say that I've never been incredibly impressed with it, probably because I really never found it that funny. Idk, maybe I don't have a sense of humor..
So let's get this straight. 28 Days Later, no matter how good of a movie it is... is NOT a zombie movie.
There is an inherent paradox in the phrase "fast zombie," one that's utterly ridiculous when you look at what the zombie is a metaphor for, which is usually one of two things. They are either representing the drugged, slow-but-insistent, consumer culture that mankind has currently become, or they "represent the inescapability of human mortality. Zombies are slow, dreary, lurching, almost pathetic creatures which nevertheless inevitably overcome all obstacles and, one day, while you're asleep, will get you and remove your capability for life and turn you into one of them." (from http://qntm.org/robots)
The whole POINT of a zombie is that it's slow. It's slow and steady and determined. In the latter metaphor, it is determined to end YOUR life, adding to the ranks of the dead, which you cannot escape. In the former, it represents man's slow-steady-determined acquisition mentality, the consumer mindset, which is why so many zombie movies are set in malls.
It is for those reasons, that the infected "creatures" in the "28 * Later" series and other so-called "fast zombie" films DON'T in fact, count as zombies.
These movies have taken the original concept of the zombie and, not actually seeing the whole POINT and PURPOSE of it, just turned it into a flat, empty "shock value monster".
And don't get me wrong, monster movies are completely fine. But you wouldn't call a movie about a man who grows mutated wings, and commits homicide a vampire movie. Sure, he's a mutant monster-thing, and that's effective if "the scare" or whatever else is what you're going for. But it's not a vampire, so don't call it one.
Same thing with zombies and fast-running, infected humans with no higher brain functions. We already do have a name for these creatures: the infected. But don't think that infected = zombie.
Infected != zombie.
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I love seeing other perspectives on best films, always opens my eyes to new movies or new appreciations. Well done!
I really want to thank you for keeping LOTR at 1. It indeed is one of the greatest achievements Hollywood has ever experienced.(I have watched it, well, 25 times, at least.)
i have to say im not loving your list but few movies def should be der.. super trooper seriously ????? ive a list of comedy the lenght of my arm better dan this hang over , due date, yes man,
im shocked u left out some of the more genius film like Shutter Island, Law Biding Citizen and the departed, ans the 1st Saw love or hate the franchise this film is incredible and a thriller needs a massive twist saw delivered. ur list id well round tho something for every1.. nothin like what i would have tho... and its hard to think films off the top of your head.. Reign over me was fantastic as well, Don Cheddle at his best(sorry bout the spellin)i think spot on with No Country for old men. Coen brothers do great work .. PS why are dipshits naming films from 90s an 80 a Decade in 10 years u stupid fucks
Like this thread needs another comment. I'll keep it short.
To the author: cool list. I snagged the ones I missed. Enjoyed both your logic and commentary. Well done.
To the haters: first, have any of the negative commenters ever even read a "best of" list online? They tend to not be so much like science as food for thought with an aim to document something. Thoughtful dissent is one thing, but to call the author names? At least he's capable of independent critical thinking. I'd boldly say anyone who called him an idiot (or youthful, like that's a character flaw?) actually is one.
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Thank you for putting Battle Royal on the list, this movie is classic, and spawned an entire new genre of last man standing. I would have to say Hard Candy with Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson should be on the list
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