MY TOP 20 FILMS OF THE DECADE

Disclaimer: It took me long enough to make this list! I started working on it in December but I’ve gotten seriously lazy due to winter. Anyways, I chose these movies each for various and different reasons. Some of them are considered groundbreaking and among the best of their respective release year. Some of them I chose for more personal reasons. I’ve noticed, after having written all this, my language gets increasingly more offensive and laxed as the list continues, so I apologize ahead of time. Also: SPOILER ALERT! I essentially just wrote whatever thoughts emerged in my head about each movie, and I did write some very basic plot summaries, so there may be some spoilers. Enjoy.

1) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004. Directed by Michel Gondry, Starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet)
This movie is colossal on so many levels. It romantic, hysterical, and heart wrenching all wrapped up in one brilliant film. Can you say tri-fecta? The cinematography and effects are immaculate. The dream sequences are fascinating and trippy. Carrey and Winslet give stunning performances as the couple who will go to any lengths to forget one another. It really makes you think about relationships and breakups in a whole new light. The interweaving subplot featuring Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood, Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson is quite entertaining as well. This movie speaks to people on so many levels! I’m lost for words in describing my love of this movie.

2) American Psycho (2000. Directed by Mary Harron, Starring Christian Bale)
This movie was made for sickos like me. It’s gory, grossly hilarious, disturbing, and amazing. Christian Bale delivers what I would say is his best performance as the murderous, self-obsessed, apathetic, greedy and sensationally ripped Patrick Bateman. The script of the film is almost verbatim from the novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. A complete psychological thriller from beginning to very end; it leaves viewers questioning whether Bateman is a psychopathic murderer, or a severely disturbed man suffering from some serious delusions. This is a must-see for those who like smart psychological thrillers and… gore.

3) Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003. Directed by Peter Jackson)
Yes, I am grouping all three movies together into one offering. I’m doing this because what I would consider is the massive achievement that the trilogy presents. It’s really difficult for me to break down all of the fantastic components of these movies. I’m sure just about everyone has seen at least one of these films, so I won’t go into detail. Besides the great performances by the ensemble cast, the film also gave breathtaking shots of New Zealand. The special effects in this movie were groundbreaking, especially for so early on in the decade. The use of miniatures (72 to be exact!) was so detailed, that it is hard to believe that the amazing shots of places such as Helm’s Deep were just scaled down models. And how about the computer generated creatures like Shelob or the Balrog? Not to mention Andy Serkis’s performance as Gollum in his motion capture suit. Gollum still cracks me up. I remember seeing “Fellowship” when I was 12 and it absolutely blew my mind. I also remember technical difficulties during the showing of “Return of the King” which led to many LOTR Super Nerds freaking out in the theatre. Lulz.

4) Spirited Away (2001. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki)
This is a perfect example of an original and beautifully done Japanese animation. The film follows a young girl named Chihiro as she finds herself in stuck in a world of magnificent spirits, while trying to save her parents and make her way back to the “real” world. The animation is so rich in details and the storyline is refreshing and chock full of the “coming of age” theme that we all love. It’s a great movie for both children and adults. I highly recommend this film to everyone, and even more highly recommend viewing it in the original Japanese language with English subtitles.

5) Almost Famous (2000. Directed by Cameron Crow. Starring Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, etc.)
Do I really need to explain why the story of a teen getting to write for Rolling Stone is a great movie? Who doesn’t love this movie? It depicts the 1970s era superbly, gives an in depth and thought provoking look at the rock and roll industry, and obviously has insanely great music.

6) Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson)
Such a great adventure film! It’s a nice period piece; based in Mississippi around the time of the Great Depression It follows a few jailbirds in their quest for some treasure. Throughout their journeys they meet a bunch of crazy characters and have some erratic encounters along the way. It’s loosely based on The Odyssey, and is just a really fun film that I love!

7) Kill Bill (Vol 1 and Vol 2) (2003, 2004. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Uma Thurman)
Again, I’m grouping these two films together; because unlike a movie and a sequal, it’s really just one big story separated into 2 films (originally it was considered to be released as 1 film). Plus, it’s hard to think of one Kill Bill without considering the other. That being said, it’s got tons of bloodshed, violence, revenge, really cool swords, David freaking Carradine, and a seriously ass-kicking chick in a yellow jumpsuit. Girl power?

8) Shaun of the Dead (2004. Directed by Edgar Wright, Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost)
An extremely solid horror/comedy from beginning to end. Every time I watch this movie I cannot stop laughing, and I’ll be dammed if those zombies don’t look fucking real and scary as shit. The scene where they all start bashing the zombie in the bar whilst Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen is playing…yeah that still makes me smile like a kid in a candy shop. I’ve got a lot of friends who HATE horror movies (you know who you are, wimps!) so this is definitely the perfect movie for folks like them, and for comedy/horror lovers alike. Oh, and if you love this film, I recommend the British TV series Spaced (also directed by Wright, and also written/starring Pegg).

9) 28 Days Later (2002. Directed by Danny Boyle, Starring Cillian Murphy)
This is such a freaking great horror flick. I debate whether I should call this a ‘zombie film’ since they’re more so infected with a virus rather than the living dead, but I digress. If you scare easily, don’t watch this. I LOVE horror movies, and this movie scared the crap out of me (which is the highest compliment)! I love the shots of the completely deserted and post-apocalyptic London streets. But you know what really made this movie freak me out? It’s the infected, and how they flipping RUN. It gets me every time. Those who know me best know that what makes a horror film scare me is by the way the antagonist(s) moves. Danny Boyle is a great director, and this, in my opinion, is his best.

10) Donnie Darko (2001. Directed by Richard Kelly. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal)
SHIT’S FUCKED UP! I love this movie. It’s a cult classic! Plus, this movie taught me that Smurfs don’t fuck. This is more of a nostalgic pick for me more than anything else.

11) Best in Show (2000. Directed by Christopher Guest)
Oh how I love a good mokumentary. This absolutely laugh out loud film follows 5 dogs and their owners as they make their way through a monumental dog show to try to win Best In Show. This movie features a comedy star-studded ensemble and is just hysterical. Whenever Fred Willard is on screen I literally cry with laughter. If you’ve never seen this movie: A. I don’t know what’s wrong with you and B. PLEASE SEE IT RIGHT NOW! You’ll thank me later.

12) The Dark Knight (2008. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart)
Yeah, you saw right. The Dark Knight is definitely making my Top 20. Ledger’s tragic death aside, this film is brilliant. I know there are people out there who argue that, had Ledger not died before its release, it would not be as critically acclaimed, but I say that’s codswallop. This movie is raw, fast-paced, in your face, and jaw dropping. I literally had an adrenaline rush when seeing this movie that lasted well after it had ended. The late Heath Ledger literally gave himself over to the role of the Joker. We’ve all see Ledger in lots of good movies, but this performance is like none other. If The Joker didn’t give you the heebie jeebies, then you’ve got to be twisted beyond belief. I think Aaron Eckhart is a bit overlooked when considering this movie since all the focus is on Bale and Ledger, but Harvey Dent was just as great a character and Eckhart delivered a fantastic performance.

13) Finding Nemo (2003. Directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, Starring Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres)
Oh boy I love this movie. Disney / Pixar did a brilliant job with bringing the deep blue to life for audiences. It’s such a great story of how far a father will go to find his son. I think it makes it even more poignant that they just happen to be fish! Ellen DeGeneres is fucking hysterical as Dory. I can’t even tell you how often I quote this movie. It’s fun for the whole family. When this movie came out to DVD, I remember both my little sister and I getting our own copies for Christmas and we were both equally excited! Unless “Up” has surpassed it recently, it is Pixar’s most successful film to date.

14) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003. Directed by Gore Verbinski, Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightly)
I will NOT be grouping the POTC trilogy together, because the first movie was epic and its predecessors were at best sub-par in comparison. Everyone loves pirates. Who doesn’t wish they could be a swashbuckling buccaneer, sailing the seven seas, pillaging, plundering, and drinking mass quantities of rum? POTC: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a really great action/adventure movie that just so happens to feature flipping AWESOME PIRATES. I cannot even think of a pirate movie that can compare (besides maybe Muppet Treasure Island?!) Based on the arguably most awesome Disney theme park attraction, this movie is boss. The plot is extremely exciting, the effects are awesome, the sets are cool, and between looking at Johnny, Orlando, and Kiera…it’s like eye candy galore! Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow is just painfully funny. It’s a great and solid movie.

15) There Will Be Blood (2007. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis)
I’ll start out by saying that Daniel Day-Lewis is a serious Bad Ass. Argue with me if you will, but it’s just a statement of fact. A great period piece around the turn of the 20th century, it looks at the oil boom, and the wealth-hungry and obsessed Upton Sinclair (Day-Lewis). Day-Lewis delivers a powerful performance, which ultimately earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor. It’s a serious film, so I wouldn’t recommend this for folks who have a more light-hearted and comical taste, but for serious movie lovers, this is perfect. “I drink your milkshake. I drink it up.”

16) Pan’s Labyrinth (2006. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Starring Ivana Baquero)
This is an amazing fantasy film. It’s a Spanish language film. I know lots of people who can’t stand reading subtitles. I urge those people to give this movie a chance, because between the rich fantasy story and the insane CGI creatures, this movie is out of this world (literally!) It is just so visually stunning! Go put this on your Netflix queue right this instant!

17) Traffic (2000. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Starring Michael Douglass, Benecio del Toro, Don Cheadle etc.)
I really love this movie for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I love the overlapping storylines that explore drug trafficking and use from numerous and extremely different perspectives. Second, it’s a perfect gritty thrilling crime-drama which is among my favourite of genres. Third, Benecio del Toro. He is a reason all in his own.

18) No Country for Old Men (2007. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem)
Another fantastic crime-drama. After a drug deal gone array, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) finds 2 million drug dollars and subsequently finds himself on the run from the scariest looking motherfucker, hit man Anton Chigurh (Bardem) who kills bitches with a fucking stun bolt gun and rocks a seriously sociopathic hairdo. Meanwhile Sheriff Bell (Jones) is chasing them both. It’s a badass movie.

19) The Prestige (2006. Directed by Christopher Nolan, Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine)
This is one cool movie. I saw it on a whim, and I loved it all the way through. I love a good twist ending, and this movie does not fail to deliver! While it has some predictability (who didn’t see Bale’s character being an identical twin, right?) it still surprised me at the end. A solid mystery drama, it encompasses so many qualities I love: revenge, mystery, magic, and two smoking hot men. It’s a fun movie that I think would interest most anyone.

20) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001. Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Gene Hackman, Anjelica Houston, Ben Stiller)
This is another nostalgic and personal pick for me. This is a smart, satirical, and twisted dark comedy. There are a lot of different aspects of this movie that spoke to me, but what I love most about it are the absurd cast of characters in this. Every actor in this movie does a terrific job at bringing to life this seriously weird and fucked up characters. I love the dysfunctional family genres, since I’ve got one myself! Check this movie out, especially if you’re an Arrested Development fan.

Honorable Mentions:
Just a few movies that I considered strongly when making this list that I just had to point out.
Amelie (2001. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Starring Audrey Tautou)
Gangs of New York (2002. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2003. Directed by Ang Lee. Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang, Ziyi, Chang Chen)