Best of the Decade

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We're coming to the end of the first decade of the 21st Century. I'm going to post a list of...oh, 25 films, I suppose, that I consider the best among the last ten years. I could tap out a list of the best 100 without breaking a sweat, but we may as well be tough about this. There are two ways to assemble such a list. One is to deliberately exclude excellent films that were commercially popular, and the other, obviously, is to only choose films that were great but which the mob ignored. I may make a list of both kinds. In any case, I'm asking for lists from the readership as a way of starting the process.

Traumatic<< previous | next >>HE's Best of Decade

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 5, 2009 at 2:44 PM

comment #1

DarthCorleone says ...

Nominees off the top of my head...

There Will Be Blood
No Country For Old Men
City Of God
The Lives Of Others
Oldboy
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
The Royal Tenenbaums
Almost Famous
Brokeback Mountain
Zodiac
Adaptation

...and - I promise I'm not looking to start any trouble - but
Inglourious Basterds. :- )

Posted by DarthCorleone at October 5, 2009 3:02 PM

comment #2

Colin says ...

In alphabetical order:

28 Weeks Later(surprise...not Boyle)
Children of Men
Collateral
The Dark Knight
The Departed
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Mist
No Country for Old Men
The Prestige
Thank You for Smoking
There Will Be Blood
Zodiac

And I'm guessing here Up in the Air

Posted by Colin at October 5, 2009 3:07 PM

comment #3

Chase Kahn says ...

"Inglourious Basterds"

yikes.

Off the top of my head:

'Children of Men'
'There Will Be Blood'
'Wonder Boys'
'Zodiac'
'Assassination of Jesse James'
'The Prestige'
'Che'
'The Fountain'
'The New World'
'4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days'

Posted by Chase Kahn at October 5, 2009 3:09 PM

comment #4

Colin says ...

Shit. I forgot Memento & The Fountain

Posted by Colin at October 5, 2009 3:13 PM

comment #5

Jamieson says ...

No particular order
Mulholland Drive
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
There Will Be Blood
Zodiac
The Prestige
The Pianist
In Bruges
Ratatouille
The Lives of Others
In the Mood For Love
Memento
The New World
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
O Brother Where Art Thou
United 93
Brokeback Mountain
The Dark Knight
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Munich
In the Bedroom
Downfall
Memories of Murder
Away From Her
Pan's Labyrinth
Into the Wild
No Country For Old Men
Edge of Heaven
The Hurt Locker
Waltz With Bashir

Posted by Jamieson at October 5, 2009 3:23 PM

comment #6

TulseLuper says ...

There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
This is England
Irreversible
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Mulholland Drive
Spirited Away
Punch-Drunk Love
Elephant
Dead Man's Shoes
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
In the Mood for Love
2046
City of God

Posted by TulseLuper at October 5, 2009 3:28 PM

comment #7

Mike Ock says ...

Dirty Pretty Things
Bully
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Swimming Pool
The Departed
Borat
City of God
Inside (french horror film)
Slumdog Millionaire
Inglorious Basterds

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 3:28 PM

comment #8

mpswain7 says ...

Brokeback Mountain
The Century of the Self
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Rachel Getting Married
Michael Clayton
Zodiac
The Prestige
The Lives of Others
Together (Moodysson)
Munich
4 Months, 3 Weeks...
Requiem for a Dream
The Incredibles
Finding Nemo
Sideways
About Schmidt
Before the Devil...
United 93
Deliver Us From Evil
Enron: The Smartest Guys...
Maria Full of Grace
Capturing the Friedmans
Fog of War
Traffic
You Can Count on Me
All the Real Girls
Bourne Supremacy
Bowling for Columbine

Posted by mpswain7 at October 5, 2009 3:32 PM

comment #9

nightheat says ...

All of these films you guys are listing are obvious lazy choices. Sorrrz

Posted by nightheat at October 5, 2009 3:34 PM

comment #10

Goulet says ...

Not sure about the order, but something like:

Moulin Rouge!
The Lord of the Rings
There Will Be Blood
Kill Bill
Dogville
Signs
Almost Famous
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Fountain
Che

Posted by Goulet at October 5, 2009 3:35 PM

comment #11

Jamieson says ...

Can't believe I forgot Michael Clayton and Before the Devil, those would be on mine as well :)

Posted by Jamieson at October 5, 2009 3:36 PM

comment #12

Jamieson says ...

Calling everyone's choices lazy is even lazier without posting choices of your own, nightheat.

Posted by Jamieson at October 5, 2009 3:37 PM

comment #13

berg says ...

Irreversible
Russian Ark
Almost Famous
Zodiac
I Heart Huckabees

Posted by berg at October 5, 2009 3:38 PM

comment #14

McClaneSveUs says ...

Collateral
There Will Be Blood
City of God
Almost Famous
The Bourne Supremacy
No Country For Old Men
Adaptation
Traffic
Kill Bill 2
The Proposition

Posted by McClaneSveUs at October 5, 2009 3:40 PM

comment #15

Majorian99 says ...

Jamieson's list is mine too. Perfect list IMO Jamieson but I would add CITY OF GOD, THE PIANIST, TRAFFIC and INGLORIOUS BASTERDS too.

So what if it's more great movies on the list...

Posted by Majorian99 at October 5, 2009 3:41 PM

comment #16

Majorian99 says ...

And add SIDEWAYS, ABOUT SCHMIDTand RATATOUILLE too...

Posted by Majorian99 at October 5, 2009 3:43 PM

comment #17

Mike Ock says ...

Actually, here's my revised list:

Dirty Pretty Things
Bully
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Amores Perros
Snatch
Erin Brockovich
Swimming Pool
Training Day
The Departed
Borat
City of God
Farenheit 9/11
Inside (french horror film)
The Cooler
The Good thief
Unfaithful
Hustle And Flow
The Hoax
Slumdog Millionaire
Tyson
Inglorious Basterds

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 3:43 PM

comment #18

Mike Ock says ...

Good call on whoever posted Maria Full of Grace and United 93. Add those to my list as well.

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 3:45 PM

comment #19

Lost_Contacts says ...

Almost Famous
The Royal Tenenbaums
Bowling for Columbine
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Kill Bill
Synecdoche, New York
The New World
The Aristocrats
Borat
Gone Baby Gone
Children of Men
Pan's Labyrinth
Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Sweeney Todd
WALL*E

Posted by Lost_Contacts at October 5, 2009 3:46 PM

comment #20

Rob says ...

Adaptation
There Will be Blood
Borat
Sideways
The Piano Teacher
Up
Morvern Callar
Mulholland Drive
In the Bedroom
Ghost World
Children of Men
The Triplets of Belleville
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Posted by Rob at October 5, 2009 3:47 PM

comment #21

McClaneSveUs says ...

Loved About Schmidt....

Lord of the Rings should get some consideration.

I think I'd include The Dark Knight before The Departed (in my crime epic slot)

Posted by McClaneSveUs at October 5, 2009 3:48 PM

comment #22

lazarus says ...

Gangs of New York (decades after the hype, this won't be a mocked choice)
Spirited Away
The New World
2046
Solaris (Soderberg)
The Man Who Wasn't There
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I'm Not There
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Bad Education
Millennium Actress
The Prestige
The Story of Marie & Julien (Jacques Rivette)
Volver
Kings & Queen
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Heaven (Tom Tykwer)
Mulholland Dr.
Cold Mountain
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Posted by lazarus at October 5, 2009 3:49 PM

comment #23

worrywort says ...

Ones not said
Amelie
Whale Rider
Dear Zachary
Kung Fu Hustle
Diving Bell
Primer

Posted by worrywort at October 5, 2009 3:51 PM

comment #24

great scott says ...

BEST OF THE DECADE:
Watchmen
Inglourious Basterds
Crash
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Munich
Spider-Man 3

WORST OF THE DECADE:
Che
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Up in the Air
Zodiac
The Hurt Locker
Revoltionary Road

Posted by great scott at October 5, 2009 3:52 PM

comment #25

Chase Kahn says ...

I would add:

'Cache'
'Master and Commander'
'Gosford Park'
'Little Children'
'Mulholland Drive'

as honorable mentions...

Posted by Chase Kahn at October 5, 2009 3:52 PM

comment #26

JoC says ...

'The New World'
'4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days'
Hunger
Pan's Labyrinth
Whale Rider
City of God
The Lives of Others
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
You Can Count on Me
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Brokeback Mountain
In Bruges

Just films that made me 1)feel something or 2) envious I didn't make them.

Posted by JoC at October 5, 2009 3:54 PM

comment #27

Lost_Contacts says ...

I forgot City of God and Man on Wire.

Posted by Lost_Contacts at October 5, 2009 3:55 PM

comment #28

Mike Ock says ...

Fuck, how could I forget my favorite comedy! Add Bad Santa to my list!

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 3:55 PM

comment #29

JoC says ...

Add

Grbavica
A Very Long Engagement

Posted by JoC at October 5, 2009 3:55 PM

comment #30

Mike Ock says ...

Ok this is absolutely my last revised list.

Dirty Pretty Things
Bully
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Amores Perros
Snatch
Erin Brockovich
Swimming Pool
Training Day
The Departed
Borat
City of God
Farenheit 9/11
Inside (french horror film)
The Cooler
The Good Thief
Unfaithful
Bad Santa
Maria Full of Grace
United 93
Love Me if You Dare
Hustle And Flow
Closer
The Hoax
Slumdog Millionaire
Tyson
Inglorious Basterds

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 4:03 PM

comment #31

loyal says ...

anyone who includes Slumdog Millionaire should be automatically discounted.

Posted by loyal at October 5, 2009 4:03 PM

comment #32

loyal says ...

and Crash

Posted by loyal at October 5, 2009 4:04 PM

comment #33

Mike Ock says ...

@ loyal - Why for having good taste? Should I replace it with Miami Vice?

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 4:04 PM

comment #34

Balthazar says ...

Spirited Away
There Will Be Blood
Road to Perdition
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Punch-Drunk Love
The Incredibles
Pan's Labyrinth
WALL-E
American Splendor
Erin Brockovich
Ghost World
Capote
The Wrestler
Traffic
Zodiac
Wonder Boys
Almost Famous
A Beautiful Mind

Posted by Balthazar at October 5, 2009 4:05 PM

comment #35

loyal says ...

I don't think taste has anything to do with it. Not sure Tyson (which I loved) would make the grade either. The latter is just too recent and the former, well, its Slumdog.

Posted by loyal at October 5, 2009 4:07 PM

comment #36

DarthCorleone says ...

I forgot some that y'all mentioned, but I don't really feel the need to add them, since these are just nominees for Mr. Wells to consider. In fact, I intentionally left some of my favorites off because I knew there was no way he would consider them.

nightheat >> Sorry we lazy people are not as schooled and erudite in the world of cinema as you are. I listed my favorite films of the decade that I remembered in the moment. End assignment. There's nothing lazy about it just because I happen to agree with many people and don't have the opportunity to see as many lesser-seen films as you.

Posted by DarthCorleone at October 5, 2009 4:09 PM

comment #37

Mike Ock says ...

Well since it is MY list, I feel pretty comfortable putting it there. You're free to put whatever you want on yours.

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 4:09 PM

comment #38

lawnorder says ...

Lives of Others
Oldboy
City of God
Slumdog Millionaire
Sexy Beast
Man on Fire
Apocalypto
United 93
Away From Her
Black Hawk Down
Brick
The Proposition
Stander
Venus
Let the Right One In
The Prestige
Kill Bill(s)
Running Scared
Intacto
Hustle and Flow
Training Day

Posted by lawnorder at October 5, 2009 4:09 PM

comment #39

cof says ...

this is always such an interesting challenge because there are films that are the indisputably great films and the films that are my very favorite. often these overlap but for example i love Raging Bull and it's a near perfect movie but it's not one of my favorites that I love. annie hall and nashville are great movies that are my favorite
i think THERE WILL BE BLOOD is a great movie but i don't love love it.
anyway here are my 15 most favorite movies in the last 10 years - the ones that excited me while i was watching them and that made me love movies
MOVERN CALLAR - Lynne Ramsay
ELEPHANT - Gus Van Sant
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN - Tomas Alfredson
MARGOT AT THE WEDDING - Noah Bombeck
LAST DAYS - Gus Van Sant
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND - Michel Gondry
LOST IN TRANSLATION - Sofia Coppola
KILL BILL 2 - Tarantino
FIGHT CLUB David Fincher
FEMME FATALE - Brian De Palma
SLIENT LIGHT - Carlos Reygadas
INLAND EMPIRE - David lynch
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD - Andrew Dominik
MASTER AND COMMANDER - Peter Wier
WONDER BOYS - Curtis Hanson

Posted by cof at October 5, 2009 4:10 PM

comment #40

Jay T. says ...

A lot of movies listed so far that I like, but for a list like this I'm keeping a narrow focus. For me, three films immediately came to mind...

- There Will Be Blood
- City of God
- Almost Famous (keeps getting better)

And then behind them by quite a bit...

- The Departed
- Traffic
- Mystic River
- Gone Baby Gone
- Wonder Boys
- The Quiet American
- Syriana
- Michael Clayton

There's some other good movies, to be sure, but this makes me appreciate just how good the late 90's were in comparison. This is cheating, but when it comes down to it I'd also include...

- The Wire
- Mad Men
- The Sopranos

I'd argue that all three shows are as good as any movie during this decade.

Posted by Jay T. at October 5, 2009 4:12 PM

comment #41

loyal says ...

Hey, if you can still sleep at night Doc Ock...

I think decade retrospectives should be reserved for, well films that are actually great.

Posted by loyal at October 5, 2009 4:12 PM

comment #42

Jay T. says ...

@cof - Fight Club was 1999 (one of the best years for movies ever). I almost put Lost in Translation on my list as well. It's not as good as some of those other movies, but was great for what it wanted to be, if that makes sense.

Posted by Jay T. at October 5, 2009 4:13 PM

comment #43

Mark says ...

So you can either exclude popular films, or only choose films that were not overly popular? That sounds like the same list.

Balthazar - Congrats. It only took 34 posts of silly Top 50 lists, before someone included Traffic. And i think only one person included an Ang Lee movie.

Posted by Mark at October 5, 2009 4:14 PM

comment #44

Mike Ock says ...

@ loyal - And since you are the authority on great films, where's your list?

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 4:15 PM

comment #45

Jay T. says ...

I can't believe I forgot Bad Santa - great call.

Posted by Jay T. at October 5, 2009 4:15 PM

comment #46

melville says ...

I think the importance of these "Decade in Review" lists is to place movies that one can foresee having a lasting impression of the viewer 10, 20 years from now. I know, someone will take me to task for Inglourious, but I feel at the end of the day, when this year is over with, IB will continue to have an influence on filmmakers, film goers, and critics. So without further adieu --

Best of the Decade:
There Will Be Blood
In The Mood For Love
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Assassination of Jesse James
Babel
Amelie
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance
Cache
Gosford Park
Inglourious Basterds

Posted by melville at October 5, 2009 4:16 PM

comment #47

Alexander says ...

Some titles off the top off my head...

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Minority Report
Catch Me If You Can
War of the Worlds
Munich
In the Mood For Love
2046
Inglourious Basterds
Death Proof
No Country for Old Men
Burn After Reading
Talk To Her
Bad Education
Volver
The Story of Marie & Julien
A Very Long Engagement
Saraband
Everlasting Moments
The Dark Knight
Adaptation
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Synecdoche, New York
Shotgun Stories
Mulholland Drive
Inland Empire
Shattered Glass
Yi Yi
Syndromes and a Century
Broken Flowers
25th Hour
The Fast Runner
Waltz With Bashir
Moolade
Werckmeister Harmonies
Nobody Knows
The Duchess of Langeais
The New World
The Wrestler
Ballast
Va Savoir
Brick
The Brothers Bloom
Breaking News
Election
Election 2
Exiled

Okay, I'll stop, I'll stop!

Posted by Alexander at October 5, 2009 4:17 PM

comment #48

Balthazar says ...

One thing that strikes me -- and maybe it's just that the movies have aged terrifically well -- is that most of the more interesting films seem to be from the first half of the decade. Where are the Wonder Boys, Ghost World and American Splendor of 2009?

Posted by Balthazar at October 5, 2009 4:17 PM

comment #49

Josh Massey says ...

Alphabetical order, and all that.

Apocalypto
The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
The Aviator
Children of Men
City of God
Dawn of the Dead
The Departed
Ghost World
A History of Violence
In Bruges
The Incredibles
Irreversible
Kill Bill: Vol I
Michael Clayton
Mulholland Dr.
Open Range
Rambo
Rocky Balboa
The Royal Tenenbaums
Signs
There Will Be Blood
Wonder Boys
The Wrestler
You Can Count On Me

For the record, not kidding about any of them.

Posted by Josh Massey at October 5, 2009 4:18 PM

comment #50

LexG says ...

In chronological:

Requiem for a Dream
Black Hawk Down
Memento
Mulholland Dr.
25th Hour
Minority Report
About Schmidt
Collateral
Man on Fire
Sideways
Munich
Brokeback Mountain
The Departed
Little Children
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
Assassination of Jesse James
The Dark Knight
The Hurt Locker

Posted by LexG at October 5, 2009 4:20 PM

comment #51

lawnorder says ...

Well, since Miramax has been cut down to just four new films a year, I think it's fairly obvious. Independent distributors and financiers have been bought and dismantled for the most part. There aren't too many people left in the game. Sony Classics and Fox Searchlight, for the most part.

Posted by lawnorder at October 5, 2009 4:21 PM

comment #52

Nick X says ...

in order

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik)
2. Oldboy (Park Chan-wook)
3. (tie) Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky) and There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson)
4. War of the Worlds (Steven Spielberg)
5. seasons 4 and 5 of The Shield, with Forrest Whitaker and Anthony Anderson
6. (tie) Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron) and District 9 (Neill Blomkamp)
7. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch)
8. The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
9. Irreversible (Gaspar Noe)
10. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (Park Chan-wook)
11. (3way tie) The Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum and United 93 (Paul Greengrass)
12. Undertow (David Gordon Green)
13. Grindhouse, theatrical version (Tarantino and Rodriguez)
14. parts of Inland Empire (Lynch)
15. Sideways (Alexander Payne)
16. Miami Vice (Michael Mann) yes I'm serious

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 4:24 PM

comment #53

Mark says ...

sorry, McClaneSveUs mentioned Traffic as well. i like his list because it also includes a Bourne movie, which i find requisite. (though I find Supremacy to be the weakest of the series.)

Posted by Mark at October 5, 2009 4:24 PM

comment #54

Matthew Starr says ...

I guess I am the only one who liked In America and La Vie En Rose (more than just a great performance).

Posted by Matthew Starr at October 5, 2009 4:28 PM

comment #55

Nick X says ...

And you know what, reading these lists makes me happy, because I see that even those right-wing folks whose comments I often vehemently disagree with on political posts have terrific taste in movies and we can mutually appreciate the majesty that is The Assassination of Jesse James. Most pleasing.

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 4:30 PM

comment #56

Mike Ock says ...

@ Matthew Star - Excellent call on In America. I don't know how I forgot it.

Posted by Mike Ock at October 5, 2009 4:32 PM

comment #57

Big G says ...

Traffic
In the Bedroom
The Pianist
Mystic River
Sideways
Brokeback Mountain
The Departed
No Country For Old Men
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Hurt Locker

Posted by Big G at October 5, 2009 4:32 PM

comment #58

Kristopher Tapley says ...

Been putting this list together lately myself. Almost there, just catching up on some things...

Posted by Kristopher Tapley at October 5, 2009 4:36 PM

comment #59

buckzollo says ...

Man on Fire
Man on Wire
Into The Wild
Chopper
Walk The Line
The Lives of Others

Posted by buckzollo at October 5, 2009 4:51 PM

comment #60

YND says ...

I've got a list of 17 films that I think are the truly great films of the 00s and I've been rewatching them with friends to reassess. So far, all have lived up to the challenge:
(alphabetical)

BEAU TRAVAIL
BEFORE SUNSET
CHILDREN OF MEN
DOGVILLE
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
GERRY
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
KILL BILL VOL. 1
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
THE NEW WORLD
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
PAN'S LABYRINTH
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
WALL*E
WENDY AND LUCY
ZODIAC

Posted by YND at October 5, 2009 4:55 PM

comment #61

YND says ...

... and having introduced rooms of people to GERRY and WENDY AND LUCY for the first time, I'm really pleased with how well they played (even to people who "normally wouldn't like" that kind of thing).

Posted by YND at October 5, 2009 4:57 PM

comment #62

carlos alejandro says ...

A "first 22 / second 22". in no particular order (couldn't come up with 50):

The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
Waking Life
In the Mood for Love
Y tu Mama Tambien
Dancer in the Dark
Before Sunset
The Pianist
The Best of Youth
Balseros
The Power of Nightmares
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Paradise Now
Man Push Cart
Deliver Us from Evil
Into The Wild
4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days
Elegy
Control
Before Night Falls
Wendy & Lucy
Hable con Ella (Talk to Her)
Man on Wire

Once
You can count on me
Sexy Beast
Saraband
Solaris (Soderbergh)
The Agronomist
El Clown (film from Puerto Rico)
OldBoy
Rabbit Proof Fence
Whale Rider
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
Shortbus
Hustle & Flow
Dogville
Irreversible
Flash of Genius
L'Auberge Espagnole
There will be blood
Lost in Translation
Lust, Caution
The Kite Runner
Che

Posted by carlos alejandro at October 5, 2009 5:01 PM

comment #63

lipranzer says ...

My top ten of the decade:

Children of Men
21 Grams
Almost Famous
Brokeback Mountain
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Mystic River
The Pianist
There Will Be Blood
In the Bedroom
The Good Shepherd

And then after that, in alphabetical order:

Adaptation
Ali
Amelie
Capote
Cold Mountain
Dirty Pretty Things
Lantana
The Lives of Others
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Memento
Punch Drunk Love
The Royal Tenenbaums
Saraband
Traffic
Y Tu Mama Tambien

Posted by lipranzer at October 5, 2009 5:02 PM

comment #64

arturobandini2 says ...

Looking over everyone's list, I'm stunned how much good stuff I saw this decade that I'd forgotten. And ashamed how much I need to catch up on. My nominees are in two categories:

I. REPEATABLE
Mulholland Drive
Cache
Bad Santa
The House of Mirth
The Piano Teacher
A History of Violence
Kings and Queen
The Corporation
Y Tu Mama Tambien
The Triplets of Belleville
Maria, Full of Grace
Volver
Let the Right One In
Wonder Boys
Sex and Lucia
House of Flying Daggers

II. OBSESSIVE
Morvern Callar
demonlover
In the Mood for Love
Ashes of Time (Redux)
The Live of Others
Friday Night [C. Denis]
Tropical Malady

Posted by arturobandini2 at October 5, 2009 5:06 PM

comment #65

BanksAreForRivers says ...

A few I haven't seen mentioned:

Songs From the Second Floor
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
The Grey Zone

Also,
Ratcatcher had a UK release of '99, but a US release of 2000. Does that count?

Posted by BanksAreForRivers at October 5, 2009 5:23 PM

comment #66

OchoCinco says ...

Breaking the rules here but the best "films" over the past decade are the following:
The Wire
The Shield
The Sopranos
Breaking Bad
Mad Men
Not one movie in the past 10 years can touch these shows in scope, storytelling and character.

Posted by OchoCinco at October 5, 2009 5:24 PM

comment #67

Emmanuel_Goldstein says ...

The Proposition
Road to Perdition
Wall-E
Michael Clayton
Children of Men
Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford
Adventureland
There Will be Blood
The Lives of Others
The Dark Knight
Pan's Labyrinth
Traffic
Che Part 1
Band of Brothers (I know it's not a film but I had to)
Good Night, and Good Luck
Zodiac
Half Nelson
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Lord of the Rings
Hurt Locker
The Bourne Ultimatum
United 93
Oldboy
In America
25th Hour
Milk
A Christmas Tale
No Country for Old Men
Kingdom of Heaven extended cut
Letters from Iwo Jima
Lost in Translation

Posted by Emmanuel_Goldstein at October 5, 2009 5:25 PM

comment #68

Ben C says ...

Capturing The Friedmans
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Triplets of Belleville
Infernal Affairs
Once
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
3-Iron
Head-On

have yet to be mentioned...

Posted by Ben C at October 5, 2009 5:25 PM

comment #69

mtgilchrist says ...

btw great, scott.

Posted by mtgilchrist at October 5, 2009 5:41 PM

comment #70

The InSneider says ...

I am also compiling a list of The Best of the Decade. It will most likely be separated into American and Foreign films. Like Tapley, I'm catching up on what I missed. Got The Pianist and You Can Count On Me on Netflix now. One movie that seems to have gone completely underappreciated, with the exception of Emanuel Goldstein, is HALF NELSON. Definitely in my Top 10 of the Decade.

Posted by The InSneider at October 5, 2009 5:46 PM

comment #71

Tommy Udo says ...

i usually do not participate in posts but this was too much fun to avoid so here goes:

(no order)

No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Squid and the Whale (surprised i did not see this listed)
Let the Right One In
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
LOTR - Fellowship
Paranoid Park
Brokeback Mountain
Assassination of Jessie James
Oldboy
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Almost Famous
Ratatouille
Synecdoche, New York
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
Flight of the Red Balloon
Ghost World
Zodiac
Pan's Labyrinth
Mullholland Dr
In the Mood for Love
Public Enemies

Posted by Tommy Udo at October 5, 2009 6:00 PM

comment #72

Alvy Singer says ...

Thought I'd see more love for Brokeback Mountain.

Persepolis
I Heart Huckabees
Match Point
Milk
Diving Bell & the Butterfly
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
WALL-E
Bloody Sunday

Posted by Alvy Singer at October 5, 2009 6:02 PM

comment #73

vulgar71 says ...

Let me throw my hat in too (in no particular order):

City of God
Children of Men
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
WALL-E & Up
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Pan's Labyrinth
The Dark Knight
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring
The Bourne Trilogy
Match Point
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Dirty Pretty Things
Songs from the Second Floor
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Pianist

And probably a lot more.

Posted by vulgar71 at October 5, 2009 6:07 PM

comment #74

Joe G says ...

Good lord, do I see some consensus forming?

There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Mystic River
Children of Men
Pan's Labyrinth
Before the Devil...
The Proposition
The Incredibles
City of God

I'll throw in a few idiosyncratic picks -

Spirited Away (best cartoon)
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (as the decade of Will Ferrell comes to a close)
The Host (best monster movie)
Capote (best biopic)
Ghost World (teen flick)
Open Range (non-revisionist western)
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (revisionist western)
School of Rock (kids' movie)
Sexy Beast (crime)

Posted by Joe G at October 5, 2009 6:15 PM

comment #75

Discman says ...

You need something by Hou, and my personal favorite, Ceylan.

Posted by Discman at October 5, 2009 6:20 PM

comment #76

Joe G says ...

The Lives of Others - have to add agreement there

Posted by Joe G at October 5, 2009 6:28 PM

comment #77

lehigh says ...

Lots of good stuff here.

In no order:

The Royal Tennenbaums
Michael Clayton
Traffic
The Lives of Others
Ratatouille
Sideways
Man On Wire
The Bourne Series
The Departed
Y Tu Mama Tambien

Also: Gosford Park, Brokeback Mountain, Deep Water, Children of Men, Quantum of Solace, Wonder Boys, Lost in Translation, A Serious Man, Revolutionary Road, Punch Drunk Love, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Knocked Up, Bloody Sunday.

Posted by lehigh at October 5, 2009 6:35 PM

comment #78

great scott says ...

Okay, seriously this time:

The Dark Knight
Million Dollar Baby
The Departed
Little Miss Sunshine
No Country for Old Men
Cinderella Man
Traffic
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The Hurt Locker
The Lives of Others
Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
American Gangster
The Aviator

Posted by great scott at October 5, 2009 6:37 PM

comment #79

COCO says ...

JUST A QUICK LIST....NOT COMPLETE

MOMENTO
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE AVIATOR
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
SIDEWAYS
MICHAEL CLAYTON
CITY OF GOD
SEXY BEAST
IN BRUGES
THE ASSASINATION OF JESSE JAMES
UNITED 93

SOME FINE FILMS....SOME CLUNKERS.....
SOME GENIUS IN A BOTTLE.....THE BEST OF THE BEST....BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN MANY OTHERS.

Posted by COCO at October 5, 2009 6:50 PM

comment #80

nightheat says ...

These are a few films that I can watch over and over, and came at the top of my head...

Mysterious Skin
The Dreamers
13 Conversations about One Thing
Ghost World
I'm Not There
The Fog Of War
Donnie Darko
High Fidelity
Sideways
Syriana

Posted by nightheat at October 5, 2009 7:00 PM

comment #81

WJ says ...

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Devil's Backbone
The Lord of the Rings
Memento
Spirited Away
City of God
Finding Nemo
The Station Agent
Collateral
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Incredibles
The Constant Gardener
Good Night, and Good Luck.
Memories of Murder
Stay
Children of Men
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Zodiac
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
The Dark Knight
Wall*E

Posted by WJ at October 5, 2009 7:07 PM

comment #82

Pinko Punko says ...

I find in incredibly heartening that a film somewhat ignored, The Assination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford seems to be almost universally cited in this thread. I think it was better than There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men, two films I thought were exceptionally strong.

Oddly, I can't shake the idea that Mulholland Drive might be the best of the decade.

I also note that In Bruges has done much better here than it seemed to when it was out. I thought it was fantastic.

Of the films I have seen, I think these are very strong:

Mulholland Drive The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Amelie
Man on Wire
You Can Count on Me
Sexy Beast
Once
No Country For Old Men
In Bruges
There Will Be Blood
Memento
O Brother Where Art Thou
Michael Clayton
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Requiem for a Dream
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
I Heart Huckabees
Adaptation
Russian Ark
Master and Commander
Brick
Punch Drunk Love
The House of Mirth
The Triplets of Belleville
Speed Racer

Traffic I think was poor, as were LOTR films.

Posted by Pinko Punko at October 5, 2009 7:13 PM

comment #83

maxfm says ...

In no order...

The Assassination of Jesse James (#1, actually)
Inglorious Basterds
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
The Diving Bell & the Butterfly
In Bruges
Michael Clayton
The Fog of War
Syriana
Zodiac

Posted by maxfm at October 5, 2009 7:30 PM

comment #84

malibugigolo says ...

The Intruder / Denis
Sexy Beast / Glazer
Los Bastardos/ Escalante
You Can Count on Me/ Lonergan
The Proposition/ Hillcoat
Office Space/ Judge
Battle in Heaven/ Reygadas
Revanche / Spielmann
Oyster Farmer/ Reeves
Ivansxtc/ Rose

Posted by malibugigolo at October 5, 2009 7:37 PM

comment #85

Nick X says ...

Wow, I am honestly so thrilled, like Pinko, to see Assassination of Jesse James on a plurality (almost a majority? i don't have the will to count) of lists. It's absolutely my favorite movie of the decade. After I saw it for the first time I was so affected that I simply canceled my plans for the rest of the night, went straight home, and thought about it for hours. I even wrote a breathless and rambling piece that night (still online: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nick-antosca/the-assassination-of-jess_b_65427.html) about how much I loved it. My admiration has only grown, and I think it'll be one of the movies from the decade that I'll still watch when I'm an old man, or a free-floating consciousness in the cloudnet, or whatever we'll be in 50 years.

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 7:42 PM

comment #86

YND says ...

@Pinko - I think you're right -- and when the well-publicized lists start coming out, I think we're going to see MULHOLLAND and THERE WILL BE BLOOD and A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE very high on the concensus.

The first two might be my personal Top Two... but, while I admire AHOV a lot, it just doesn't quite measure up to the decade's (or Cronenberg's) best.

Posted by YND at October 5, 2009 8:00 PM

comment #87

Scott Mendelson says ...

In general release order -

Wonder Boys
Almost Famous
Unbreakable
The Emperor's New Groove
Memento
The Pledge
Joyride
Fellowship of the Ring
Frailty (best horror film of the decade)
Changing Lanes
Spirited Away
Adaptation
The Two Towers
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (uncut version)
Shanghai Knights (best Jackie Chan film ever)
The Core (great B-movie cheese with great actors)
Open Range (best western of decade)
In America
Return Of the King
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (best comedy of 00s)
The Incredibles
Polar Express 3D (still the coolest 3D movie)
Million Dollar Baby
Sahara (great old-fashioned adventure romp)
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Batman Begins
Dark Water (best Asian horror remake ever)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
King Kong
Munich
Akeelah and the Bee
When The Levees Broke
Deliver Us From Evil
The Prestige
Casino Royale
Meet The Robinsons
Ratatouille
Away From Her
Crazy Love
Hairspray (00's best musical because it doesn't cheat)
Bush's War (5-hour PBS Frontline documentary)
Speed Racer
The Dark Knight
Coraline 3D
Up

And that's it for now.

Posted by Scott Mendelson at October 5, 2009 8:02 PM

comment #88

sumo-pop says ...

The Departed
Dark Knight
The Wrestler
Children of Men
Traffic
The Assassination of Jesse James
Sex and Lucia
Michael Clayton
Dirty Pretty Things
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Zodiac
United 93
House of Flying Daggers
High Fidelity
Collateral
Public Enemies
21 Grams
Fahrenheit 9/11
City of God
The Constant Gardener
Mysterious Skin
Magnolia
Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon

Tomorrow I'll look back on this and think of 5-6 movies that I completely blanked on.

Posted by sumo-pop at October 5, 2009 8:03 PM

comment #89

Scott Mendelson says ...

Crap... forgot Requiem For A Dream

Posted by Scott Mendelson at October 5, 2009 8:04 PM

comment #90

EricGilde says ...

Nobody has mentioned The Return (dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev), which I personally would include on any list of 25. Also:

Amores Perros
You Can Count on Me
The Royal Tenenbaums
Old Boy
Wendy and Lucy
Spirited Away
Irreversible
Children of Men
The 25th Hour
Requiem For A Dream
United 93
American Splendor
City of God
The Fog of War
Talk to Her
Wonder Boys
Amelie
Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
There Will Be Blood
Pixar minus Cars

Posted by EricGilde at October 5, 2009 8:08 PM

comment #91

Satyajit's Son says ...

In the Mood for Love
L'Enfant
Brokeback Mountain
Talk to Her
Waltz with Bashir
A History of Violence
Amores Perros
Traffic
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
You Can Count on Me
A Time for Druken Horse
Open Hearts
Lilya 4-Ever
All About Lily Chou Chou
No Country for Old Men
YiYi
There Will Be Blood
Lantana
Mulholland Dr.
Sprited Away
Elephant
Cache
The Return
The Incredibles
Moolaade

Posted by Satyajit's Son at October 5, 2009 8:08 PM

comment #92

whereisthysting says ...

Syriana
Tropical Malady
Mafioso
Hidden Blade
Twilight Samurai
Bright Star
Letters from Iwo Jima
The Band's Visit
Tell No One
Once
The Royal Tennanmabums
About Schmidt
Don't Be Afraid
Napoleon Dynamite
Little Miss Sunshine
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Monster
Brokeback Mountain
Finding Nemo
Turtles Can Fly
The Blair Witch Project
Revolutionary Road
Atonement
The Lives of Others
Persepolis
Crimson Gold
Offside
Waltz With Bashir
O Brother Where Art Thou
The Return

Posted by whereisthysting at October 5, 2009 8:11 PM

comment #93

DeeZee says ...

My list would include Paprika and/or Millennium Actress, Memento, Kung Fu Hustle, Lust, Caution, Mindgame, Nasu, Ghost World, Batman Begins, Beautiful Boxer, Ichi the Killer, and Danny the Dog. An optional choice to consider is A Scanner Darkly, I guess. And maybe Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, while I'm at it.

Lost: Yeah, Sweeney should be on mine, too. This is the only time Burton's going to give something back to his fans for a while before he goes back to his current tentpole adaptation phase.

Josh: I dug Rambo, too, but I was afraid to include it. Dunno if I consider it the "best", but it's the most refreshing action movie with a non-whiny teenage lead I've seen in a decade.

Anyway, the new Jim Carrey.
http://movies.yahoo.com/news/usmovies.accesshollywood.com/jim-carrey-shows-off-fuller-figure-three-stooges
Apparently, we're the 13th best place to live now.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091005/ts_afp/undevelopmentpoverty_20091005115324
Letterman likes bringing up domestic disputes to tv. He also had a kid with that chick.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3id9b527feb78495413de2f74ada1d3876
Oprah tries her luck at a Crash-like flick.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i29ea94e0c38084720897fa0fbba71601
Carnal Knowledge: The Next Generation?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i03c5991d65201a60659e58ad20b94249
Anyone wanna see a full-length version of "Thanksgiving"?
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3id9b527feb784954111a726b22b3681dc
Bobby's new flick plays @ AFI.
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009598.html?categoryId=2825&cs=1
Clip of "Splice".
http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2010/Splice/trailer.php
Latest Wild Things clips.
http://www.themoviebox.net/movies/2009/STUVWXYZ/Where-the-Wild-Things-Are/trailer.php

Posted by DeeZee at October 5, 2009 8:27 PM

comment #94

whereisthysting says ...

Would also like to add to my list above:

Redacted
A History of Violence

Posted by whereisthysting at October 5, 2009 8:29 PM

comment #95

DeeZee says ...

Correction. The kid was with his wife.

Posted by DeeZee at October 5, 2009 8:31 PM

comment #96

Geoff says ...

Really tough to resist this one, here is my Top Ten:

1. City of God
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
3. Memento
4. Wonder Boys
5. Munich
6. The Departed
7. United 93
8. Slumdog Millionaire
9. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
10. Man on Wire

My top two are really in a continuous battle and the rest of the top ten are agonizingly close. Here is a list of the rest, in no particular order:

The Incredibles
Batman Begins
Casino Royale
Traffic
Erin Brockovich
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Master and Commander
Shattered Glass
Lost in Translation
Bloody Sunday
Stranger than Fiction
The Matrix Reloaded
The Bourne Identity
Once
Touching the Void
High Fidelity
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Bastards
District 9
Milk
Millions
The Bank Job
Children of Men
Brokeback Mountain
The Constant Gardener
Requiem for a Dream
Juno
School of Rock
Inside Man
The Fog of War
One Hour Photo

Posted by Geoff at October 5, 2009 8:41 PM

comment #97

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Where's Inglourious Basterds on your list, DeeZee?

Funny how time changes things. Ten years ago, I simply couldn't envision a list like this without SW: Episode III. Now I find that I'm utterly incapable of taking the one list including it seriously.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 5, 2009 8:42 PM

comment #98

Joe G says ...

Going back to Jeff's original post -

"There are two ways to assemble such a list. One is to deliberately exclude excellent films that were commercially popular, and the other, obviously, is to only choose films that were great but which the mob ignored."

I guess I can see the second criteria, but I am stumped as to the first. Are we doing the top 25, or the "overlooked" thing? (This exercise already has me modifying the Netflix queue.)

Posted by Joe G at October 5, 2009 8:43 PM

comment #99

Geoff says ...

Looking back at my list, I'm suprised to see that there are so few directors repeating, my only ones:

Christopher Nolan - Memento, Batman Begins

Sorry TDK's flaws have become more apparent, really good movie, but I find it does not have the repeatability for me that 'Begins does. Though really, Nolan had a top decade - TDK, The Prestige, and Insomnia (what an underrated movie) were all really good movies.

Paul Greengrass - Bloody Sunday, United 93

Suprisingly, I did not think either of his Bourne films quite measured up to the first one. Look, you cannot dispute the technique and they were both very effective action thrillers, but storywise, I think the only one that stands out is the first one. It's close, though. Regardless, I think 'Sunday and United '93 will hold up as modern classics.

Steven Soderburgh - Erin Brockovich, Traffic

This really surprised me - for years, I thought Traffic would finish in my top five, but after seeing it several times on cable, I think Erin Brockovich has aged better. And I was never a big Julia Roberts fan, but just pure underdog entertainment at its finest.

Fernando Meirelles - City of God, The Constant Gardener

I still haven't see Blindness - I think part of me is afraid it won't even close to living up to these two. City of God is just a masterpiece - I think what got lost in the hype is how damn entertaining the film is. Still get such a kick of out the sequence chonicling the drug dealer's apartment - up there with anything Tarantino or Scorcese have done in recent years.

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire, Millions

Scoff all you want, this guy has a style that no one has matched - truly amazing how mature, engaging and dazzling these films are, even though they mostly revolve around kids. Slumdog deserved all of the awards it got, IMHO.

Posted by Geoff at October 5, 2009 8:59 PM

comment #100

Circumvrent says ...

The Fountain
Chop Shop
Children of Men
The Royal Tenenbaums
Traffic
In the Loop
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Finding Nemo
Traffic
punch-drunk love
Ratatouille
Minority Report
Redbelt
Downfall
Signs
The Departed

Posted by Circumvrent at October 5, 2009 9:03 PM

comment #101

Nick X says ...

I am relieved to see that Juno isn't making much of a showing here.

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 9:04 PM

comment #102

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

So on a related note, who is the director of the decade?

I might have to think this over a bit, but my first instinct is to go with Nolan. The guy made nearly his entire arc from indie darling (Memento) to full-blown summer tentpole blockbuster (TDK) all right within the 00s.

Quality remake? Check. Underrated sci-fi/mystery/novel adaptation? Check. Tight, quality reboot of a then-flailing franchise? Check.

Almost too bad Inception can't be included as his decade capper. To say I'm excited for his first original screenplay (okay, second if you count Following, which is cool as hell) is an understatement of vast proportions.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 5, 2009 9:12 PM

comment #103

Nick X says ...

I'd add The 25th Hour to my list, actually. And I'd add The Lives of Others, except I hated the freeze frame at the end so much.

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 9:14 PM

comment #104

Geoff says ...

Just going crazy, now -

Most Underrated Films of the Decade:

The Matrix Reloaded
Stranger than Fiction
Shattered Glass
Millions
Inside Man

Most Overrated Films of the Decade:

Million Dollar Baby
Sideways
Mystic River
The Wrestler
Oldboy

I am very much on the fence about the greatness of No Country For Old Men - sorry, that last half hour just really hurt it for me. There Will Be Blood features a great performance, but I'm not really sure that makes it a great movie. And I would have called Crash overrated, but honestly, the film has taken such a (deserved) post-Oscar beating, I just don't feel like it's overrated anymore.

Five Supposedly Great Films From the Decade That I Never Got to See, But Wish I Did:

The Assassination of Jesse James
Donnie Darko
Pan's Labyrinth
The Proposition
You Can Count on Me

Five Most Disappointing Films of the Decade:

Kill Bill Volume One
The Matrix Revolutions
AI: Artificial Intelligence
Punch Drunk Love
American Gangster

Posted by Geoff at October 5, 2009 9:20 PM

comment #105

DeeZee says ...

Der Bay 0wns Fox. http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/take5-10-05-09.html

Posted by DeeZee at October 5, 2009 9:21 PM

comment #106

BurmaShave says ...

Kaned, I think Coens own this decade, depends if I love A SERIOUS MAN as much as I expect to. But still, NCFOM and THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE. Not to mention O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU, kind of a classic.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 5, 2009 9:23 PM

comment #107

kleenex87 says ...

Long time reader, first time poster!

Here are 12 of the best in alphabetical order, with a slight emphasis on the unrecognized (and under recognized):

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
About a Boy
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
Finding Nemo
Ghost World
Happy-Go-Lucky
The New World
The Squid and the Whale
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
The Lives of Others
The Wrestler
Year of the Dog

Other films I'm compelled to mention, even though they're not perfecct...

Marie Antoinette
Storytelling
The Station Agent
Sweet Land
Two Lovers

Posted by kleenex87 at October 5, 2009 9:25 PM

comment #108

jimtheindiefilmmaker says ...

I don't think you can have a list of the 10 best films of this past decade without including Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro." Yes, it's still fairly new and it can be dangerous to over-praise newer films, but in my mind, no other movie made in the past 10 years matches "Tetro's" cinematic audiciousness, originality, bold blend of Fellini-like comedy and pathos...and the fine cast's amazing performances.

Posted by jimtheindiefilmmaker at October 5, 2009 9:26 PM

comment #109

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

I also want to say that while looking back on what Soderbergh has done over the past 10 years (in considering him for director of the decade), is it actually possible to do too many movies? Because I think he has.

I mean, normally you will get the opposite problem, but dude has directed 13 feature films (if you count Che as two), along with a short and a string of TV episodes. It will always depend on the person and how they stay creatively engaged, but I just think that's too much. It's okay to say "no" once in awhile.

To play the devil's advocate, I guess saying "no" to the Ocean's franchise probably eliminates the existence of Full Frontal, Bubble, The Girlfriend Experience, perhaps more (and I'm sure there are some out there that would see this as a good thing) . Feast or famine, I reckon...

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 5, 2009 9:29 PM

comment #110

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Re: Burma -- the Coens are never a bad pick. But their output in the 90s (in which I'd consider them an absolute frontrunner for the prize, along with Tarantino and a couple others) seems more vital -- and certainly much more consistent -- to meon a whole than their recent filmography.

NCFOM and OBWOT are certainly stone-cold classics, and I fully intend on loving the shit out of A Serious Man, too, but Ladykillers, Intolerable Cruelty, & Burn After Reading seem awfully....slight(?) for them. Certainly not bad, mind you, I just see the 00s as more of a peak and valley decade, whereas in the 90s they just seemed to be firing on all cylinders with not a single sub-four star film among their releases (and anyone who cites Hudsucker Proxy as a disappointment can fuck right off, I love that film as much as anything they've done!).

And even though I'm not quite as high on it as Jim, I'd agree that Tetro was pretty goddamn fascinating watch. And given the fact that it was Coppola's first original screenplay not from adapted material in 25 years (is that right?)-- criminally underseen. Still trying to digest that one. Almost like a Rumble Fish version of Fellini or something...

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 5, 2009 9:45 PM

comment #111

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Ugh...make that OBWAT. And sorry for the italics spaz.

Posted by CitizenKanedforChewingGum at October 5, 2009 9:46 PM

comment #112

Nick X says ...

Hm, About A Boy and The Squid and the Whale for scrappy underdog picks. I like it.

I'm waiting for someone to name the sugar-water injection that was Love, Actually. I don't like it.

Primer is an interesting call, too. I respect that choice, even though I wouldn't quite put it on the list.

Also:

The Escapist

I did love that one.

And maybe You the Living

Posted by Nick X at October 5, 2009 10:13 PM

comment #113

YND says ...

Oddly, Tarantino *does* make a pretty strong claim for Director of the Decade. Though KILL BILL: VOL 1 is the only one of his films that I think is truly a masterpiece, IB is certainly the closest thing I've seen so far this year to that mark. Throw in the flabby-but-still-pretty-damn-good KB:V2 and the admirable DEATH PROOF... it's a pretty good batch.

Although... despite the fact that I don't think he's made his masterpiece yet, I'd probably go with Soderbergh for best of the decade. I think TRAFFIC is one of his weakest, but when his decade output is large and varied enough to include experiments like BUBBLE and THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, Hollywood entertainments like BROCKOVICH, THE INFORMANT! and the OCEAN'S movies and ambitious, near-masterpieces like CHE and SOLARIS... yeah, I think he takes the crown.

Posted by YND at October 5, 2009 10:14 PM

comment #114

Kevin says ...

1. 2046
2. Y Tu Mama Tambien
3. 25th Hour
4. Waking Life
5. The Royal Tenenbaums
6. Wet Hot American Summer
7. Brick
8. Chopper
9. The Aristocrats
10. Michael Clayton

Honorable mentions: Requiem for a Dream, Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire, The Man Who Wasn't There, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Shaun of the Dead, Secretary, Chuck and Buck, CQ, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Storytelling, Sin City, Z Channel, The Virgin Suicides, Wonder Boys, Donnie Darko, Owning Mahoney, Ghost World, Bad Santa, Before Night Falls, Fahrenheit 9/11, Before Sunset, 24 Hour Party People, Spider, Bad Education, Talk to Her, City of God, Team America: World Police, The Fog of War, Kill Bill, Death Proof, Notre Musique, In the Bedroom, Little Children, Grizzly Man, Borat, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, When the Levees Broke, United 93, Children of Men, Pan's Labyrinth

Posted by Kevin at October 5, 2009 10:16 PM

comment #115

coxcable says ...

Mulholland Dr
AI: Artificial Intelligence
Adaptation
Cast Away
Bad Santa
The Lives of Others
There Will Be Blood
United 93
The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers
In America

Posted by coxcable at October 5, 2009 10:26 PM

comment #116

televisiontears says ...

Off the top of my head.

In no particular order:

No Country For Old Men
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Children of Men
Memento
Zodiac
Punch Drunk Love
There Will Be Blood
Donnie Darko
Adaptation
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
21 Grams
Mulholland Drive
Inland Empire (please watch it again)
Requiem For a Dream
The Fountain
I'm Not There
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Traffic
Solaris
Watchmen (not joking)
The Royal Tenenbaums
Irreversible
Wall-E
Pan's Labyrinth
Bowling For Columbine
Last Days
Waking Life
Let the Right One In
Brokeback Mountain
[REC]
Kill Bill
The Dark Knight

Posted by televisiontears at October 5, 2009 11:05 PM

comment #117

DarthCorleone says ...

Good point about Soderbergh. Maybe you don't think any of his films make a 25 best list for the decade, but the guy sure has given the old college try to pleasing absolutely every single person - all the way from Eloi to Planet-Of-The-Apes orangutan - with at least one of his films, usually with interesting if not well-received results. He's a credit to the business and the art.

Posted by DarthCorleone at October 5, 2009 11:09 PM

comment #118

mpneeb says ...

Subject to change at will of course...

Zodiac
Requiem for the Dream
Lord of the Rings (counts as one)
4 months, 3 weeks, 2 days
Children of Men
WALL-E
Traffic
Pianist
Sideways
Hero

Lots of others of course... but these are the ones that stick.

Posted by mpneeb at October 5, 2009 11:15 PM

comment #119

DeeZee says ...

Kane: If I'm gonna include a WW2 movie on there, I'd rather it be Windtalkers.

Posted by DeeZee at October 5, 2009 11:20 PM

comment #120

DeeZee says ...

Well, that, or Only the Brave.

Posted by DeeZee at October 5, 2009 11:22 PM

comment #121

BurmaShave says ...

Also here is my Wells conniption pick:

Spielberg. In the 2000s he made:

A.I. a deeply divisive but in my estimation underrated film that is much colder than its haters give it credit for.

MINORITy REPORT, maybe the most purely successful Philip K. Dick film, kind of stunning.

CATCH ME IF yOU CAN, a breezy effortless crime comedy. It can be watched endlessly. Try it. Much more arch and expressive but kind of a proto MAD MEN stylistically.

WAR OF THE WORLDS, certainly a genre picture but also one of the great 9 11 response films. Let down by the ending somewhat sure but also some of the most inventive and brutal imagery of his career.

And of course MUNICH, his magnum opus, just an awesome piece of work. Uncompromising. Give the sex scene another chance it's crucial.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 5, 2009 11:23 PM

comment #122

BurmaShave says ...

Though I've said it on other threads, I think its the Three Amigos in tandem for director of the decade.

Posted by BurmaShave at October 5, 2009 11:27 PM

comment #123

EdHavens says ...

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see The Dark Knight is only on about a dozen lists so far.

My quite eclectic list so far...
Adaptation
Almost Famous
American Splendor
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Bad Santa
The Beat That My Heart Skipped
Children of Men
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Departed
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Fulltime Killer
Ghost World
Good Night, and Good Luck
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
High Fidelity
Hero
House of Flying Daggers
The Incredibles
Infernal Affairs
It Might Get Loud
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
The Lives of Others
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Man on Wire
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Munich
Requiem for a Dream
Spirited Away
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
WALL-E
What We Do is Secret
Wonder Boys
Zodiac

Posted by EdHavens at October 5, 2009 11:44 PM

comment #124

Daniel Tayag says ...

My ten of the decade (in no particular order):

Infernal Affairs
Oldboy
A Bittersweet Life
Memento
Requiem for a Dream
No Country for Old Men
City of God
Memories of Murder
Sideways
Ratatouille

Posted by Daniel Tayag at October 5, 2009 11:48 PM

comment #125

fortunesfool73.wordpress.com says ...

Most memorable films off the top of my head:

1. Kingdom of Heaven (extended version)
2.Master and Commander
3.Diving Bell and the Butterfly
4.Gran Torino
5.The Wrestler
6. Assassination of Jesse James etc
7.Shaun of the Dead
8. There will be blood.
9. Wall.E
10. Kiss Kiss, bang bang
11.Memento
12. United 93
13. Lost in Translation
14. The Counterfeiters
15.Inglourious Basterds (welcome back Quentin)

Sure there's some obvious ones i'm overlooking. But

The Dark Knight seems to be making a lot of lists??? Who'd have thought that the Batman movie everyone was waiting on was a overlong, slightly pretentious one where the dialogue consists of statements and it has an act too many. Go figure.

Posted by fortunesfool73.wordpress.com at October 6, 2009 1:03 AM

comment #126

Alexander says ...

Eric, excellent call on The Return. I can't believe I didn't include it in my earleir post.

Also, Tropical Malady is an excellent choice.

Some of my picks for most overrated films of the decade--City of God, Children of Men, United 93, There Will Be Blood (sensational lead performance but the film creaks more every time I revisit it), The Departed (though I like much of it a great deal), Lost in Translation, Oldboy, Brokeback Mountain (exceedingly well-acted across the board, though), Babel and Milk.

Just a few favorite directors of the decade in no order particular: Lynch, Almodovar, Spielberg, Wong, the Coens, Nolan, Tarantino and To.

Posted by Alexander at October 6, 2009 1:06 AM

comment #127

fortunesfool73.wordpress.com says ...

Take the 'gay cowboys' out of Brokeback and you're left with a really bad TV movie. Anne Hathaways ' look folks, its a different decade' hairstyles should automatically dismiss it from any list of great films.

Posted by fortunesfool73.wordpress.com at October 6, 2009 1:20 AM

comment #128

bridgeman says ...

Hopefully there have been enough posts that nobody will notice my list and take issue with it.

Wait, I mean, go to hell if you have issues with my list! Yeah!

In no real order except for the order in which they come to me, which means it's by no means a definitive top ten for me:

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
City of God
Children of Men
Adaptation
Bad Santa
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Inglourious Basterds
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

There was a tenth but I got logged out when I posted. Damn me and my irregular posting! So that's my top 9.

Posted by bridgeman at October 6, 2009 1:43 AM

comment #129

DeeZee says ...

Surprised how many Spirited Away devotees there are, since I consider Ponyo the better fick.
Anyway, first 5 mins. of Princess and the Frog online.

http://www.totalfilm.com/news/disney-puts-the-princess-and-the-frog-online

Posted by DeeZee at October 6, 2009 1:46 AM

comment #130

LexG says ...

THERE IS NO DOUBT:

BAY is the director of the decade. It is useless to resist. People will be rewatching THE HARBOR and BAD BOYS II and TF 1&2 a dozen times a year for the next 100 years... NO ONE is ever going to watch Good Night, Good Luck or Capote again, EVER.

Too bad his best movie, Armageddon, was from last decade, but there's no doubt he's the most influential and awesome director of the 00s.

Soderbergh? Really? I love the guy, but NO ONE rewatches Erin Brockovich. Traffic has that OFFENSIVE AND RACIST "white rich chick getting banged in the hood" subplot. And four people saw the other great and interesting movies (Bubble, TGE, Che, Informant.)

I guess Nolan is a good runner-up to Bay for best of the decade, but his style is never quite flamboyant enough, is it? Kind of cold and subdued for a master.

Posted by LexG at October 6, 2009 1:52 AM

comment #131

LexG says ...

And to anyone who refutes my BAY THEORY:

How many times do you think TOP GUN gets rewatched and rebroadcast every year?

Okay, now how many times do you think people gather round the telly to rewatch SILKWOOD every year?

Winner: BRIGHT COLORS, ACTION, SEXINESS, BRUCKHEIMERIAN OVERKILL.

Loser: Politicized boredom.

Posted by LexG at October 6, 2009 1:55 AM

comment #132

LFF says ...

Some stats so far: (my math may not be exact, so dont freak if im off)

The clear winner of the thread is THERE WILL BE BLOOD with over 30 mentions, and more than 10 more than the next most CHILDREN OF MEN

Most mentions in descending order:
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
CHILDREN OF MEN
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
CITY OF GOD
TRAFFIC
ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES
THE INCREDIBLES
ZODIAC
THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Things I find interesting:
*Incredibles is the clear favorite of the pixars
*Munich is the favorite of the Spielbergs
*Mulholland dr, polled much stronger than I thought it would
*Kill Bill edges out Basterds
*Memento edges Dark knight, with Prestige only slightly behind
*Suprisingly few mentions of CROUCHING TIGER, AMELIE, and HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, which I thought would get more mentions
*The top films are mostly dark: greed, drugs, famous killers, oppresive government, decaying society.
*No mention at all (that I saw) for THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS

Posted by LFF at October 6, 2009 2:43 AM

comment #133

Markj74 says ...

In alphabetical order:

1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2. Amelie
3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
4. The Bourne Supremacy
5. Catch Me If You Can
6. Children of Men
7. City of God
8. Collateral
9. The Constant Gardener
10. The Departed
11. Donnie Darko
12. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
13. A History of Violence
14. The Hurt Locker
15. Inglourious Basterds
16. Into The Wild
17. Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut
18. Lilya 4-Ever
19. Lost in Translation
20. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
21: Memento
22. Miami Vice
23. Michael Clayton
24. Minority Report
25. The Mist
26. The New World
27. Open Range
28. Pan's Labyrinth
29. Public Enemies
30. The Return (dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev)
31. Solaris
32. There Will Be Blood
33. Traffic
34. United 93
35. Zodiac

Posted by Markj74 at October 6, 2009 3:19 AM

comment #134

Markj74 says ...

Add The Wrestler. And I still haven't seen Let The Right One In

Posted by Markj74 at October 6, 2009 3:22 AM

comment #135

LexG says ...

Not seeing enough DEVIL'S REJECTS on these lists.

I forgot it on mine, despite it being maybe the SECOND best of the decade...

after 25TH HOUR or There Will Be Blood, obviously

Posted by LexG at October 6, 2009 3:31 AM

comment #136

actionman says ...

the new world
domino
grizzly man
city of god
you can count on me
black hawk down
made
femme fatale
punch drunk love
the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford
no country for old men
there will be blood
miami vice
elephant
collateral
team america
oldboy
sin city
children of men
united 93
the good shepherd
the diving bell and the butterfly
the fall
the dark knight
synechdoche, ny
district 9
the hurt locker
gomorrah
up

those are the ones that immediately leap to mind

Posted by actionman at October 6, 2009 4:25 AM

comment #137

dggunz says ...

Instead of a general list, I'll just say that I think the collected work of PIxar represents the best achievement the decade has to offer. "Ratatouille," "The Incredibles," Wall-E," "Up," "Finding Nemo" - as far as I'm concerned, PIxar had the best overall storytelling and imagination of any studio of the past 10 years.

If I had to pick 3 non-animated films, I'd go with -

Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World
There Will Be Blood
Memento

Posted by dggunz at October 6, 2009 4:51 AM

comment #138

Bob Violence says ...

Top 30, alphabetical order because I'm too lazy for anything else

2046
Big Bang Love, Juvenile A
Big Man Japan
Bright Future
Cafe Lumiere
Collateral
Distance
Geo-Lobotomy
The House of Mirth
I Heart Huckabees
Inland Empire
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Memories of Murder
Michael Clayton
The New World
The Piano Teacher
Platform
The President's Last Bang
Public Enemies
Punch-Drunk Love
A Scanner Darkly
Shanghai Dreams
Syndromes and a Century
Tale of Cinema
Tokyo Marigold
Tony Takitani
Tropical Malady
Unknown Pleasures
Vera Drake
Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors

Posted by Bob Violence at October 6, 2009 5:22 AM

comment #139

MeekayD says ...

I'm not entirely sure why I'm so delighted at Children of Men's strong showing in this thread, but am I just the same.

Posted by MeekayD at October 6, 2009 6:19 AM

comment #140

Mighty Kornholio says ...

I would have many of the popular, pretentious, and serious selections mentioned and add

Fido
Planet Terror
Knocked Up

Posted by Mighty Kornholio at October 6, 2009 6:26 AM

comment #141

pozzo says ...

No Country For Old Men
You Can Count on Me
Cache
Master and Commander
Spirited Away
Lives of Others
Slumdog
Wendy and Lucy
Le Petite Voleur (2000 in US)
Eternal Sunshine

Posted by pozzo at October 6, 2009 6:27 AM

comment #142

DeafEars says ...

THERE WILL BE BLOOD
ZODIAC
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES
A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT
IRREVERSIBLE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
ADAPTATION
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
BAD SANTA
A SCANNER DARKLY
CHOPPER
Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
MASTER AND COMMANDER
KINGS AND QUEEN
MYSTERIOUS SKIN
ELEPHANT
DOWNFALL
SEXY BEAST
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
ALMOST FAMOUS
THE HURT LOCKER
BLACK SNAKE MOAN
SPIRITED AWAY

Posted by DeafEars at October 6, 2009 6:50 AM

comment #143

pchu says ...

This is tough. It's not easy to do a best of year list, let alone best of decade. Here are some candidates (I probably will forget some).

Almost Famous
Requiem for a dream
Mulholland Drive
Amelie
Spirited Away
Adaptation
Lost In Translation
You Can Count On Me (though I only seen it once)
Downfall
Sin City
In America
City of God
Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind
Pan's Labyrinth
Munich
Borat
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
High Fidelity
About a Boy (really grow on me)
Punch-Drunk Love
WALL-E
The Dark Knight
Inglorius Basterds
Minority Report
Lord Of the Rings (The whole trilogy)

Posted by pchu at October 6, 2009 7:05 AM

comment #144

kleenex87 says ...

Not my personal choice, but I'm guessing some might consider Clint Eastwood to be director of the decade (even though his films aren't showing up on very many lists here). He's been one of our most prolific directors these past few years...Oscar loves him; the cinema elite, not so much. But his high-profile films are hard to ignore: Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, and that pair of WWII dramas, Flags of our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima.

I wish Ang Lee could be considered a serious contender for the title. Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon are two of the more newsworthy films of the decade. But the tepid responses to his recent work really hurt his standing...If only the Ice Storm were made a few years later!...Or maybe if Taking Woodstock just didn't suck!

Posted by kleenex87 at October 6, 2009 7:11 AM

comment #145

Discman says ...

If you're still reading, Jeffrey, don't forget the Dardennes brothers.

Posted by Discman at October 6, 2009 7:19 AM

comment #146

Floyd Thursby says ...

Beyond the usual suspects, I'm very fond of 36 Quai des Orfevres, a procedural with touches reminiscent of J-P Melville. It was never released theatrically in the US but was shown at FSLC.

I also like Patrice Leconte's The Man on the Train and The Widow of St. Pierre. Many dismiss Leconte because he does something different each time out, but that may not necessarily be a defect.

Hot Fuzz is very entertaining.

Enchanted is not the kind of film I like, but it works as both charming entertainment and as deconstruction of both Disney and rom-coms.

I could easily compile a list of 100 very good-to-excellent films from the decade, something I could not say about, for example, the 80s.

Posted by Floyd Thursby at October 6, 2009 7:55 AM

comment #147

Nick X says ...

Incredibly, LexG actually reminded me of one I forgot--Devil's Rejects.

Posted by Nick X at October 6, 2009 8:05 AM

comment #148

the sordid sentinel says ...

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
No Country for Old Men
Children of Men
Zodiac
Master and Commander
Collateral
Sunshine
The Prestige
Memento
The Fountain

Other faves: LOTR:FOTR, Casino Royale, The New World, Miami Vice, Into the Wild

Posted by the sordid sentinel at October 6, 2009 8:23 AM

comment #149

kilowog says ...

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Incredibles
Zodiac
Master and Commander
Casino Royale
LOTR (The whole thing)
Almost Famous
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind
The New World

Posted by kilowog at October 6, 2009 8:41 AM

comment #150

maxfm says ...

I'm an idiot. I don't know what planet I was on when I made my previous list. I can't put Basterds on that thing.

Here's my revised to add to the pile:

In no order...

The Assassination of Jesse James (#1, actually)
Munich
Gerry
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
The Diving Bell & the Butterfly
Pan's Labyrinth
Mulholland Drive
Lost in Translation
Solaris
Collateral
Michael Clayton
The Fog of War
Syriana
Zodiac

Posted by maxfm at October 6, 2009 9:54 AM

comment #151

ErrantElan says ...

1) The Fog of War
2) The Lives of Others
3) About a Boy
4) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgunday
5) Sideways
6) LOTR: Return of the King
7) Kill Bill Vol. 2
8) Michael Clayton
9) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford
10) Sideways

Posted by ErrantElan at October 6, 2009 10:05 AM

comment #152

ErrantElan says ...

oops, meant "This is England" at no. 10

Posted by ErrantElan at October 6, 2009 10:07 AM

comment #153

GonePostal says ...

Throwing in because I love a good list:

There Will be Blood
Collateral
Children of Men
The Dark Knight
The Royal Tennenbaums
City of God
The Prestige
United 93
No Country for Old Men
Lord of the Rings Trilogy (If I had to pick one, "The Two Towers" was the most satisfying, IMO)
Shaun of the Dead

Many More, but these are my favorites for repeat viewing.

Posted by GonePostal at October 6, 2009 10:16 AM

comment #154

DeafEars says ...

BLACK BOOK, HOT FUZZ and REQUIEM FOR A DREAM might make my list if I did it again.

Not a bad decade for film, all in all. I'm a little surprised CHOPPER didn't get more mentions, everybody I know loves it, even the people who despise violent movies.

Posted by DeafEars at October 6, 2009 10:36 AM

comment #155

ErrantElan says ...

Oh, I forgot about The Others! Best horror film I've ever seen.

Posted by ErrantElan at October 6, 2009 11:21 AM

comment #156

James Kang says ...

Here's my tentative best of the decade so far:

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Squid and the Whale
Cache
There Will Be Blood
The Dark Knight
In Bruges
Amores Perros
Hero
Memento

But I think you'll find this next bit much more useful. There's a site that has compiled best of the year and best of the decade so far lists and ranked the top 250 greatest films of the 21st century. The lists they used to create this uber-list were from critics and filmmakers from around the world.

http://www.theyshootpictures.com/21stcentury_allfilms.htm

You can also find their list of the 1,000 Greatest Films of All Time. But be warned, you could quickly lose an hour or two reading these long lists. That happened to me. It's a great resource, though.

Posted by James Kang at October 6, 2009 12:20 PM

comment #157

pchu says ...

I am not crazy about Chopper. Though Eric Bana did give a great performance and he hasn't done anything as good since then.

Posted by pchu at October 6, 2009 12:25 PM

comment #158

pchu says ...

Also would like to add Million Dollar Baby and Black Hawk Down to the list.

Posted by pchu at October 6, 2009 12:26 PM

comment #159

StoneFan1 says ...

2008
The Reader
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
In Bruges

2007
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Zodiac

2006
Notes on a Scandal
Apocalypto
Black Book
Letters from Iwo Jima

2005
The New World
Cinderella Man
Match Point

2004
Alexander
The Terminal
Before Sunset

2003
Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World
Open Range

2002
The Pianist
Minority Report
Chicago
Road to Perdition
Talk to Her
Bloody Sunday
The Quiet American

2001
A.I. : Artificial Intelligence
Gosford Park
Black Hawk Down
The Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring
Y Tu Mama Tambien

2000
The House of Mirth
Gladiator
The Princess and the Warrior
Tigerland

Posted by StoneFan1 at October 6, 2009 12:31 PM

comment #160

Momus says ...

1. The House of Mirth
2. Mulholland Drive
3. Red Road
4. The Swimming Pool
5. The Station Agent

I would have loved to include "The Ninth Gate", but it was released in 1999.

Honourable mentions go to:
Donnie Darko
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Kontroll
Spirited Away
Gosford Park

Posted by Momus at October 6, 2009 1:49 PM

comment #161

DeeZee says ...

Forgot to include Silent Hill on my list.

Posted by DeeZee at October 6, 2009 2:20 PM

comment #162

Emmanuel_Goldstein says ...

Love Bridgeman's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang shout out... I live that film as well. I didnt put it on my best of the decade list but it might be on my 'favorite' list of the decade. Totally rare gem of a black comedy. Good call

Posted by Emmanuel_Goldstein at October 6, 2009 5:14 PM

comment #163

lipranzer says ...

Ocho - excepting Breaking Bad (which I haven't seen yet, hope to soon), and substituting Brotherhood for The Shield (Chiklis is as good as advertised, but I find the show too self-conscious about being hard-boiled), that's an excellent list, and point.

Posted by lipranzer at October 6, 2009 6:52 PM

comment #164

mpneeb says ...

Just a note or two...

Films that are NOT making a large impact Here:

A Beautiful Mind.
Chicago
Million Dollar Baby
Crash
Slumdog Millionaire

Less than five mentions (if that) each, as taken from the above lists. Fair to say AMPAS blew it this decade?

Posted by mpneeb at October 7, 2009 3:35 PM

comment #165

Guillaume says ...

Some of my favourite films of this decade:

Ali (Michael Mann)
Collateral (Michael Mann)
The Insider (Michael Mann)
Miami Vice (Michael Mann)
Waking the dead (Keith Gordon)
The Card Player (Dario Argento)
Mother of Tears (Dario Argento)
Avalon (Mamoru Oshii)
Bubba ho tep (Don Coscarelli)
Fucking amal (Lukas Moodysson)
Ghost world (Terry Zwigoff)
House of sand and fog (Vadim Perelman)
Jesus's son (Allison MacLean)
L'emploi du temps/Time out (Laurent Cantet)
Almost famous (Cameron Crowe)
The pianist (Roman Polanski)
Lady chance (Wayne Kramer)
Libero (Kim Rossi Stuart)
Requiem for a dream (Darren Aronofsky)
Unbreakable (MNight Shyamalan)

Posted by Guillaume at October 8, 2009 12:56 PM

comment #166

kayleenxoxo says ...

Requiem For A Dream
Moulin Rouge!
Spirited Away
Amelie
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Memento
Camille
Battle For Terra
Gomorrah
The Orphanage
Pan's Labyrinth
Sunshine Cleaning
Push
Thirteen
V For Vendetta
Taken
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Count Of Monte Cristo
Pursuit Of Happyness
Love, Actually
August Rush

Posted by kayleenxoxo at October 10, 2009 12:51 AM

comment #167

benwoulds says ...

1. Brokeback Mountain
1. The Pianist
3. City of God
4. Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring
5. Water
6. Almost Famous
7. There Will Be Blood
8. Wall-E
9. The Lives of Others
10. Atonement
11. Bad Education
12. In the Mood for Love
13. Volver
14. The Werckmeister Harmonies
15. 4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days
16. Sunshine (2000, d. Szabo)
17. Fellowship of the Ring
18. Mulholland Drive
19. House of Sand and Fog
20. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
21. Cache
22. 2046
23. United 93
24. Edge of Heaven
25. Oldboy

Posted by benwoulds at November 17, 2009 8:24 PM

comment #168

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comment #169

arentin says ...

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Posted by arentin at February 1, 2010 1:41 AM

comment #170

Krish says ...

Man this is one long thread. I need a back massage after reading this.

Posted by Krish at February 4, 2010 11:27 AM

comment #171

winson says ...

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Posted by winson at February 8, 2010 5:59 PM

comment #172

gaintwee says ...

Force-of-nature big shot Harvey Weinstein was the big winner this morning with the announcement that Nine and Inglourious Basterds had won 10 nominations each (including one each for Best Picture) from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which does out the Critics Choice Movie Awards. The Weinstein Co. is the principal producer/distributor of both films. Engineering school AND doctoral degrees AND Online Interior Design degree AND Online Nursing school AND social service school

Posted by gaintwee at February 8, 2010 11:00 PM

comment #173