Your Top Films Of This Decade 2000-2009

[15step]

no country for old men

there will be blood

royal tenebaums

the pianist

 

not much immediately stands out for me the way these four do

[GtrPlyr]

I'm sure I'm forgetting some that I shouldn't, but here we go nonetheless (in no particular order):

 

Old Joy

You Can Count on Me

Tillsammans (Together)

Lost in Translation

Anvil: The Story of Anvil

Zodiac

Mulholland Dr.

Time Out

Waking Life

Almost Famous

Being John Malkovich

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

Dancer in the Dark

The Gleaners and I

In the Mood for Love

Requiem For a Dream

Yi Yi

Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation!

Encounters at the End of the World

Into the Wild

No Country for Old Men

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Little Miss Sunshine

The Lives of Others

Caché

New York Doll

No Direction Home

Sin City

Before Sunset

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

House of Sand and Fog

Shaun of the Dead

The Pianist

Sideways

American Splendor

Broken Wings

Good Bye Lenin!

Nói Albinói

The Station Agent

Synecdoche, New York

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

28 Days Later

Battle Royale (Batoru rowaiaru)

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Donnie Darko

Ghost World

In the Bedroom

Memento

You're Gonna Miss Me

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

The Road Home

[W(TF)]

The Pianist

Y Tu Mama Tambien

 

Dammit yes x2. Forgot about both of these...loved them.

 

Curse Of The Golden Flower could be added to the list of Chinese classics I posted earlier...I thought the plot and some of the acting were a bit weak, but it was still very worthwhile seeing in HD/Blu-Ray. The budget for flowers must have been in the millions for that film.

 

Also: Requiem For A Dream, Sexy Beast, Persepolis, Coraline, Half Nelson, Secretary, The Prestige, 8 Mile, Maria Full Of Grace, We Own The Night, and Once.

 

Also to add to my docu's: Born Into Brothels, The Fog Of War, Man On Wire, The Corporation, Supersize Me, Jesus Camp

 

Also, for action thrillers (a genre I really don't enjoy much),there were a few more I really liked: Minority Report, Children Of Men, and The TailorOf Panama (John LeCarre novel done more as a spoof of Bond films).

 

I will at some point redact my lists down to something decent. My draft list of very best of 00's might look like, The Departed, Inglorious Basterds, The Pianist, Sideways, Lost In Translation, City Of God, Slumdog Millionaire, Hero. Then again there was Gladiator, Walk The Line, The Bourne Identity...

[Beltmann]

You Can Count on Me

Tillsammans (Together)

Mulholland Dr.

Dancer in the Dark

In the Mood for Love

The Lives of Others

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The Pianist

American Splendor

Broken Wings

All of those missed my list by thismuch. Nice call, especially, on Broken Wings. That movie really got to me. Glad to see you include Lukas Moodysson (I went with Lilja 4-ever, but what I really wanted to include was Fucking Amal [show Me Love], which I saw in 2000 but technically was released in the U.S. in '99). What happened to Moodysson? Six years ago I would have cited him as one of the most exciting filmmakers alive, but since then, not so much...

[W(TF)]

I guess VC'ers had no love for Moulin Rouge or Chicago? What about Brokeback Mtn.?

[Lodestar]

what I really wanted to include was Fucking Amal [show Me Love], which I saw in 2000 but technically was released in the U.S. in '99).

 

I really enjoyed that, too. Stuck with me a long time after watching it.

 

Has anyone mentioned City of God? It's been a while since I saw it, but there are few films that have moved me emotionally like that one.

[mpolak21]

I really enjoyed that, too. Stuck with me a long time after watching it.

 

Has anyone mentioned City of God? It's been a while since I saw it, but there are few films that have moved me emotionally like that one.

 

That's my number two of the decade. Phenomenal movie.

 

--Mike

[Sir Stewart]

I still say anyone that likes Infernal Affairs better than The Departed just says that to seem cool.

 

Friendo, I am in The Departed and I believe Infernal Affairs is the better film. How ya like them apples?

[Sir Stewart]

The Aviator closely beats out The Departed but not by too much in my book.

I really think Leonardo DiCaprio's best performance came in The Aviator. For this reason it sets it higher than The Departed.

 

Edit: Here's a page I found that has a lot of beautiful stills from The Aviator. With examples of both processes I mentioned. I also failed to mention that those processes were done by computer and not film stock.

My link

 

Thanks for that link. The Aviator is and will probably go down in history as the dark horse of Scorsese's great films. I loved it and need to see it again. DiCaprio's greatest work.

[GtrPlyr]

All of those missed my list by thismuch. Nice call, especially, on Broken Wings. That movie really got to me. Glad to see you include Lukas Moodysson (I went with Lilja 4-ever, but what I really wanted to include was Fucking Amal [show Me Love], which I saw in 2000 but technically was released in the U.S. in '99). What happened to Moodysson? Six years ago I would have cited him as one of the most exciting filmmakers alive, but since then, not so much...

I liked those Moodysson films you mentioned too. He was on a roll there for a while. I still haven't seen his last film, but I have it on DVD here somewhere--I didn't hear good things so I haven't been in a hurry to watch it.

 

I saw Broken Wings at a film fest, not too many dry eyes in the house after that screening. I know mine weren't. There's an emotional realism to that film that makes it very powerful and moving. Someday, if I'm feeling brave, I'll have to give it another viewing.

[anthony]

...

Sideways

American Splendor

...

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

...

 

Forgot about these. Love them. Especially Sideways.

[cryptique]

Has anyone mentioned City of God? It's been a while since I saw it, but there are few films that have moved me emotionally like that one.

Yup, that was on my list. Amazing film.

[u2roolz]

My Top Films of 2001 (in release date order).

 

15 Minutes

Memento

Blow

Moulin Rouge

A.I.

Made

Ghost World

The Others

Zoolander

Mulholland Drive (definitely my favorite of this year and will be up in the Top Five for decade)

Waking Life

Donnie Darko

The Man Who Wasn't There

Tape

In The Bedroom

Ocean's 11

The Royal Tenenbaums

Vanilla Sky

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

A Beautiful Mind

Black Hawk Down

 

I guess this was a big year for films for me. 21 seems like a bit much especially if I'm trying to whittle them down to the whole decade. LOL.

Oh well, I felt compelled to list all 21 here since I own them all and cherish them.

 

Honorable Mention: The Million Dollar Hotel, Wet Hot American Summer, Serendipity, Training Day (King Kong ain't got nothin' on me!!!), & From Hell

[Plumplechook]

Bad Santa

[oatmealblizzard]

I haven't posted in a while, but here's my 2 cents:

 

TOP 10 MOVIES OF THE DECADE

 

1) The New World

2) No Country For Old Men

3) Before Sunset

4) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

5) Inglourious Basterds

6) Wall-E

7) Zodiac

8) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

9) Miami Vice

10) There Will Be Blood

 

Next 15:

11) Kill Bill Vol 1

12) Lost In Translation

13) Memento

14) In The Mood For Love

15) Good Night and Good Luck

16) City of God

17) Adaptation

18) Mulholland Drive

19) In Bruges

20) 25th Hour

21) Bad Santa

22) Inland Empire

23) Team America: World Police

24) The Fog of War

25) The Fantastic Mr. Fox

[u2roolz]

I haven't posted in a while, but here's my 2 cents:

 

TOP 10 MOVIES OF THE DECADE

 

1) The New World

2) No Country For Old Men

3) Before Sunset

4) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

5) Inglourious Basterds

6) Wall-E

7) Zodiac

8) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

9) Miami Vice

10) There Will Be Blood

 

Next 15:

11) Kill Bill Vol 1

12) Lost In Translation

13) Memento

14) In The Mood For Love

15) Good Night and Good Luck

16) City of God

17) Adaptation

18) Mullholland Drive

19) In Bruges

20) 25th Hour

21) Bad Santa

22) Inland Empire

23) Team America: World Police

24) The Fog of War

25) The Fantastic Mr. Fox

 

Amazing choice at number 1. Huge fan of Terrence Malick. I personally think The Thin Red Line is one of the best films around. Also, love the Lynch in there too.

And Before Sunset would probably be in my Top Ten too. A lot of stuff here that I agree on.

 

PS I need to get cracking on my list. I left off at 2001.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

Miami Vice, huh? I think you're the only other person (besides myself) that I've ever heard say (admit?) that they like that movie. Not a top ten of the decade for me, but good.

 

I need to do some serious thinking about my list too.

[u2roolz]

Miami Vice, huh? I think you're the only other person (besides myself) that I've ever heard say (admit?) that they like that movie. Not a top ten of the decade for me, but good.

 

I need to do some serious thinking about my list too.

 

I also really really enjoyed Miami Vice. I'm not sure if it makes my list for the decade though.

[u2roolz]

The National Board of Review released their list/awards for the Best of 2009: (go here for individual winners National Board Of Review

 

UP IN THE AIR took home Best Film

 

Ten Best Films

(in alphabetical order)

 

AN EDUCATION

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

THE HURT LOCKER

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

INVICTUS

THE MESSENGER

A SERIOUS MAN

STAR TREK

UP

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

 

Five Best Foreign-Language Films

(in alphabetical order)

 

THE MAID

REVANCHE

SONG OF SPARROWS

THREE MONKEYS

THE WHITE RIBBON

 

Five Best Documentaries

(in alphabetical order)

 

BURMA VJ: REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY

CRUDE

FOOD, INC.

GOOD HAIR

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS

 

Top Ten Independent Films:

(in alphabetical order)

 

AMREEKA

DISTRICT 9

GOODBYE SOLO

HUMPDAY

IN THE LOOP

JULIA

ME AND ORSON WELLES

MOON

SUGAR

TWO LOVERS

 

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award: WES ANDERSON, The Fantastic Mr. Fox

[radiokills]

Milk

Mystic River

No Country For Old Men

There Will Be Blood

Eastern Promises

Zodiac

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

[oatmealblizzard]

Miami Vice, huh? I think you're the only other person (besides myself) that I've ever heard say (admit?) that they like that movie. Not a top ten of the decade for me, but good.

 

I need to do some serious thinking about my list too.

I'll defend Miami Vice to the death!! It very easily could have been higher on my list and actually might just be my most re-watched film of the decade. I know it definitely has its detractors, and I can certainly understand why - it's a very easy movie to quickly dismiss as cheesy or even boring ... and it does have a bit of rather cringe-worthy dialogue. But, in my humble opinion, as a whole, it's really an amazing flick. I'm a big Michael Mann fan, and I see Miami Vice as kind of an aesthetic manifesto on his part and as probably the best example so far of his pioneering use of HD. Here, he uses HD to make images appear not necessarily more "real" as he does more "hyperreal" and abstract. It's also a very loose and unusually structured film ... often times more concerned with mood than plot, while other times very procedural in a flurry of detailed plot exposition. And, all the while, it still manages to touch on many of Mann's favorite themes. Maybe I'm being a bit hyperbolic, but I see it as almost an action film as visual tone poem ... whereas a film like The New World (also INCREDIBLE) very much strikes me as drama as tone poem. I love them both ... but I'm also very much aware that these are two films that many people strongly dislike. But, in the end, this is my list we're talking about.

[oatmealblizzard]

That said, I'd also like to add that I think the DVD release of Vice made some changes that hurt the film a little - adding some scenes (in particular, adding a new opening) and changing some others. I still think it's great, though. Also, I just noticed that Time Out New York put it as #35 on their best of the decade. So, I guess we're not the only ones to like it.

 

Time Out New York's Best of the Decade

 

I'm also glad to see that TONY ranked The New World quite highly ... and also that they gave some solid (top 10) props to Zodiac.

[u2roolz]

That said, I'd also like to add that I think the DVD release of Vice made some changes that hurt the film a little - adding some scenes (in particular, adding a new opening) and changing some others. I still think it's great, though. Also, I just noticed that Time Out New York put it as #35 on their best of the decade. So, I guess we're not the only ones to like it.

 

Time Out New York's Best of the Decade

 

I'm also glad to see that TONY ranked The New World quite highly ... and also that they gave some solid (top 10) props to Zodiac.

 

I remember when I first bought the Miami Vice dvd I noticed that the beginning was different. I never actually watched the dvd version. I only put it on briefly to see the transfer. I think Mann topped himself visually with Public Enemies. I especially loved the look of the film when there was the night time shootout at the hotel and the interior bank robberies. Something about it made it feel real by looking "amateurish". And I mean that in the best way. (having my bachelor's in film I find it hard sometimes to verbalize these thoughts, but it's got to be the HD realism vs. the film look) Also, the scenes with a lot of sunlight looked really gold and yellow and beautiful.

 

I also agree highly with TONY's #1 film of the decade.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I like your defense of Miami Vice. I agree with you. There are a number of movies from this decade that I like more, but I really enjoy Miami Vice. I'm also a big Michael Mann fan.

 

As for that TONY list... Wow, I have a lot of movies to see! I haven't even heard of a lot of those. It's been a while since I've seen Mullholland Drive, but I don't think it would make my top 25, let alone number one. There Will Be Blood holds that spot (for the decade and possibly all time). So I guess I need to watch that one again.

[Sir Stewart]

Nice to see the love for Miami Vice in here! I am a fan.