Top 20 of the 2000's

While the 80s saw the rise of "New Hollywood", or the blockbuster film, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future (to name the fab three), the 90s saw it's growth. Jaw dropping, entertaining, boundary defining films, featuring pulse pounding plots and emotional catharses, formulated to put asses in seats and rake in $, gained speed, then crashed and burned around the turn of the century when the audiences yelled, "Mercy!" Although, the last decade dished out a lot of the same tired faire, the movies that resonated either breathed life into an aging genre or "did something a little different," (a phrase heard almost overwhelmingly while leaving a multiplex in the last ten years) giving audiences something fresh to promote on the forums. So here's a look back at my top 20 of the 2000's, all who "did something a little different" as the catch phrase goes.


20) Gladiator (2000) - Ridley Scott helmed this epic historical drama, featuring Russel Crowe as a decorated Roman General, wrongly accused, and enslaved as a Gladiator. A bloody but true glimpse into the culture of "bread and circuses" in Ancient Rome. Wonderful set decoration and overall reconstruction of the time period.

19) Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall, as closeted homosexual lovers living a lie. The film is more than just a "gay cowboy movie" as it speaks volumes about the eternity of companionship. Ang Lee won Best Director.

18) The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) - The best of the trilogy in the Matt Damon amnesiac series, this one boasts visceral camerawork, pulse pounding and well crafted action scenes, and rock solid editing that will leave you breathless. Overall, an exciting and well executed film that re-defined how action movies should be made.

17) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - Although Wes Anderson follow-ups to this film were also noteworthy (Darjeeling Limited, Rushmore, and this years Fantastic Mr. Fox), Tenenbaums best promotes his tounge-in-cheek take on life's dullest and deepest dissapointments. Chronicling the few days in a family of has beens, Anderson's witty writing lays way for brilliant deadpan performances from Gene Hackman, Luke Wilson and Gwyenth Paltrow.

16) Finding Nemo (2003) - After reaching stride with Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Monster's INC., this effort from Disney's Pixar truly hits it out of the park. The cast of sea dwelling charictures is rich and the story teems with humor for children and adults. Unforgettable, is memory impaired and loveable, Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, who kept us "talking whale" even through the DVD release.

15) Amelie (2000) - Audrey Tatou's international breakthrough role as the quirky and love sick Amelie Poulain, and Jean Pierre-Jeunet's masterful direction put both figures on the world cinema scene. How many people didn't pull the gnome prank on someone they knew? As charming and colorful as it was screwy, Amelie delivered a new blend to America's starving foreign film market.

14) Mystic River (2003) - Clint Eastwood films are never short of a swift quick to your crotch, and this one is no exception. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both took home acting trophies for their performances as estranged best friends following two horrifying crimes. Themes of loss, redemption, and revenge make up this drama that set new standards for the "homicide film."

13) Casino Royale (2006) - When Pierce Brosnan dove off an iceberg, parasailing with his ejector seat cover (Die Another Day, 2002), we thought we heard the death rattle of the 007 franchise. Quite the contrary. After a four year hiatus, the producers returned with Daniel Craig, who breathed new life into the character, making him a little less self-assured, yet all the more human. The film itself cut out all the effects crap, and went back to the nail biting, espionage thrillers that worked in the Connery years. Critics and fans agree, this James Bond character study, was not only a fun suspense movie, but one of the better films of the decade.

12) Inglorious Basterds (2009) - According to the advertisements, most of us were expecting a senseless bloody romp, and to our surprise, we got a poignant, tragic, yet funny piece of historical fiction. The script boasts nothing short of Tarantino's brilliant sense of dialog, and Christoph Waltz's portrayal as the "Jew Hunter" will land itself on one of AFI's top villain lists soon.

11) UP (2009) - Pixar proved they could play with the big boys when this well polished CGI feature became the second animation nominated for Best Picture. A grumpy old man, grieving the loss of his wife, goes on the adventure he never had, meeting a slew of off the wall characters and animals. Kids will enjoy the thrill of the plot's ups and downs, while the parents will connect with the film's explanation of what it means to grow old together. Either way, there won't be a dry eye in the house.

10) Avatar (2009) - Reknowned for it's remarkable special effects and enthralling story, the film raised the bar for motion picture technology. It also features a surprisingly good performance for Zoe Saldana, who plays the Navi princess, and herione in the film. The second James Cameron movie to make bank.

9) Chicago (2003) - Rob Marshall dusted off the musical genre and showed everyone just how much they can be enjoyed today. From the films structure, choreography, catchy songs, and editing, all the way to the fine performances by Catherine Zeta - Jones and Renee Zellwegger, this movie re-vamped a dead genre and set off the chain reaction that followed. It has never been topped.

8) Bowling for Columbine (2000) - Michael Moore's second documentary focused his angst on the policies leading up to the Columbine tragedy. He weaves an intricate set of interviews, exposing a culture of fear and bigotry that leads to the American need to own a firearm. He took home the Best Picture oscar, and the footage of Moore berating Charlton Heston in his own home still resonates with viewers.

7) The Dark Knight (2008) - Christopher Nolan's follow up to Batman Begins is more of a crime drama than a comic book movie and features Heath Ledger's chilling performance as Batman's archnemesis, The Joker (for which he won the posthumous oscar). With wicked plot twists and a cast of A-list actors, the story explores the decisive nature of good and evil, and literally set a new standard for "super hero movies."

6) Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - With a heavy heart and a sense for dry, witty comedy, Johnathon Dayton and Valerie Faris put the dysfunctional family sit-com into the perfect "road film." The movie boasts a clever blend of heartbreak, loss, and redemption with perfect moments of slapstick humor, and it launched the careers of Steve Carrell and Abigail Breslin. Alan Arkin took home the Oscar as the beligerent granddad.

5) There Will Be Blood (2007) - The title of the film should be Daniel Day Lewis. Although his accent is a bit obscure, he could act his way into me believing he was wiggling his little toe in a rain boot. His rise as an early century oil tycoon and eventual descent into madness is both comic and horrifying. Paul Thomas Anderson also paints a good picture of an earlier California, now long forgotten.

4) Slumdog Millionare (2008) - On the set of Who Wants to Be a Millionare, a poor boy from the slums of Dubai, relives his life's most terrifying moments, memories that hold the answers to the questions in front of him, all the while searching for the love of his life. Bollywood composer A.R Rahman, contributed the award winning songs, and Danny Boyle carried a small camcorder through the Indian slums for authentic footage. Among questions of love and loyalty, is the ultimate question of fate.

3) The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) - Peter Jackson's trilogy, (the only fantasy film to take home the Academy's most coveted prize), shot over three years in New Zealand, beatifully rebuilds Tolkien's Middle Earth. Entire towns were built, legions of extras were used, a thousand effects people helped develop Gollum, the character who inspired Cameron's Avatar. It was a filmmaking effort of monumental proportions, yet is as poetic, and moving as the source material. Cleaned up shop at the Oscars in 03.

2) City of God (2001) - Fernando Meirelle's first feature shot in the slums of Rio De Janero, follows an aspiring journalist parading through a life of crime and drugs. The expert editing chronicles the bleak and violent truth that is Brazil's City of God.

1) The Departed (2006) - A masterful crime drama, with fine performances from DiCaprio, Jack Nicholon, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg. It's the classic undercover police story flipped back and forth three time too fast, with jarring plot twists, violent shootouts, double crossings and solid editing from veteran Thelma Schoonmaker. The Departed was a return to form for Scorsese, and showed the viewing audiences that all had not been told in the way of crime dramas.