This column has been the elephant in my living room for months.
Putting together a list of the year’s best films is easy. It’s fresh. It’s in your mind. It’s, in many ways, the expected culmination.
Putting together a list of the decade’s best films is a different chore altogether. Yearly rankings fly out the window as a proper gauge, because tastes shift and impacts either dwindle or deepen. Revisiting films is called for, but fitting in the works you missed along the way is also imperative. It can be maddening.
And the truth is, you can’t see everything. All you can do is try to be as honest about how you feel as you can. And even then, no list can be definitive on a personal level, let alone authoritative.
And so the whittling begins, and in many ways, the process is the reward. The ultimate collective is a mere reminder of the journey through 10 years of film product. But some things stuck out along the way.
For instance, I’m fascinated by the work of Jacques Audiard, Arnaud Desplechin and Ramin Bahrani, but none of their admirable films made the cut. Nevertheless, I think if they stick to it, each will one day give us his own instant classic.
Then there were films that really spoke to me but didn’t come together enough to land on the list. Jean-Luc Godard’s “Nortre Musique,” for instance, or Béla Tarr’s “Werckmeister Harmonies.” The same could be said of Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream.”
Pinning down a “filmmaker of the decade” is somewhat difficult, too…as it would be. Clint Eastwood was certainly prolific, but none of his nine films resonated enough to even crack the lowest tiers of my list. Paul Thomas Anderson knocked it out of the park every time he stepped up to bat, but that was still a grand total of two times. And Martin Scorsese enjoyed an interesting roller coaster of tone, theme and story, but none of his work measured up to the bar he’s already set for himself.
Danny Boyle had a wild ride that ended with a well-deserved Oscar last year. Paul Greengrass stood up and made himself and his talent known. And the Coen brothers kept an even keel, culminating with their best film in well over a decade.
A compelling argument could be made for the Pixar Animation Studio as a whole, but I’d personally like to be more specific than that. And Lars Von Trier’s involvement in three of the decade’s best makes a pretty strong case as well. But the name I came up with was…
Charlie Kaufman.
Granted, Kaufman only directed one film over this stretch — 2008’s “Synecdoche, New York” — but the films he penned throughout the decade were unmistakably of his vision and he made the first legitimate case for an auteur screenwriter.
I have no trouble considering Kaufman the filmmaker of the decade. And he’s the only person to show up twice on my list.
Before getting to my 10, I would like to specifically cite some entries that just missed. We should be allowed that when it comes to a decade of product.
• Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous” was a gorgeous love letter to music and a lovely take on coming of age tropes. Unfortunately it has been all downhill from there for the filmmaker.
• Christopher Nolan’s “Memento” was a wonderful cinematic journey. Along with his 1998 debut “Following,” it announced the sort of psychological themes that would dominate his work throughout the decade.
• Steven Spielberg’s one-two early decade punch of “A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” and “Minority Report” was an unexpected gasp of quality sci-fi cinema. We got another such gasp in 2009, interestingly enough.
• Spike Lee’s “25th Hour” has grown in stature perhaps more than most films mentioned in this column over the years. An intense post-9/11 portrait, it is one of Lee’s finest hours, an expert piece of expressive cinema.
• Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Punch-Drunk Love” was a beautiful portrait of peculiar romance with a vibrant sense of the medium and some really striking performances. It seemed to reveal a true artistry in his work for the first time.
• Gus Van Sant’s “Last Days” was an affecting cerebral take on the final days of musician Kurt Cobain, and ultimately, an intriguing look at the boredom of superstardom. It’s one of those atmospheric heroes of the medium.
• Alfonso Cuaron’s “Children of Men” nailed dystopia and invigorated the spirit with its equally stark and exhilarating mise-en-scene. Cuaron himself should be spotlighted as having had a great decade, in fact.
• John Cameron Mitchell’s “Shortbus,” crafted from material improvised by a cast of unknowns, was a kaleidoscope of the filmmaker’s personality. Metaphor and insight abounded as a truly organic ensemble worked as a living creature of purpose.
• James Cameron’s “Avatar” is a special case designation, I think. It didn’t make the top of my 2009 list obviously but it nevertheless deserves to be mentioned alongside the best of a decade, considering it was the most innovative of a decade.
• And the Coen brothers’ “A Serious Man,” as I’ve mentioned recently, was a potent, resilient effort that crowned their work over the past 10 years. (Though privately, I’m finding it humorous that my favorite year in movies this decade did not, in fact, yield a placement on the list.)
In the end, I guess you have to lay down your cards. And these are mine. I’m trying not to make too big a deal out of this. It is, after all, the kind of thing that could change drastically in a week, in a month. But these are the 10 I feel most represent how I saw a decade of filmmaking, the most compelling ideas, the most engaging work. And I’m happy to share them now…
#10
“MOULIN ROUGE!”
Directed by Baz Luhrmann, 2001
Baz Luhrmann’s wonderfully creative re-invention of the movie musical, “Moulin Rouge!” is alive in ways most films simply are not. It’s reverence for the medium can be charted in any number of homages, both subtle and explicit, but most of all, the film’s borderline assault on the senses becomes an intriguing commentary on the cinema’s vigorous visceral potential. And that’s before we get to the marvelous audacity of some of the film’s song choices and, of course, the penetrating themes on display.
#9
“THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY”
Directed by Julian Schnabel, 2007
Representative of uncommon cinematic vision from the mind of filmmaker Julian Schnabel, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is the result of a consummate artist striving for vastly different things behind the camera than any of his contemporaries. Schnabel created a menagerie that became that rare example of a film less impressive in the sum of its parts than it is in the analysis of each working component. It is masterful in ways it seems critical analysis has not yet considered.
#8
“FINDING NEMO”
Directed by Andrew Stanton, 2003
The optimum Pixar endeavor is, to date, still the most financially successful of the studio’s theatrical releases. “Finding Nemo” is a thrill-ride for all ages, but an engaging, emotional narrative as well, one that signaled the commercial potential for mature animated storytelling long before “WALL-E” or “Up” came along. The film is also quite possibly Pixar’s most beautifully animated effort yet, accompanied by award-worthy voice work from Ellen DeGeneres, one of the better “performances” of 2003, in fact.
#7
“INLAND EMPIRE”
Directed by David Lynch, 2006
Filmmaker David Lynch has been twisting the cinematic medium to fit his whims of fancy for the better part of three decades. But with “Inland Empire,” he seems almost bored with that medium, perhaps even contemptuous of his audience. He dares the viewer to stick with 180 minutes of sheer audacity and a tapestry of narrative innovation. The film exists as a longing for something else, something different, something unequivocally diverse, and he should be applauded for it.
#6
“ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND”
DIrected by Michel Gondry, 2004
Charlie Kaufman’s words on the page have never worked so congruous with a director’s vision of them as with “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Actress Kate Winslet received awards attention, co-star Jim Carrey deserved more, but as usual with a Charlie Kaufman project, Charlie Kaufman is the star. Penning a compelling spin on the love story with more authenticity and genuine empathy than the greatest of the genre, he gets at the heart of a relationship and keeps the audience rich with insight throughout.
#5
“ADAPTATION”
Directed by Spike Jonze, 2002
An intense and often emotional portrait, Spike Jonze’s “Adaptation,” from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, is one of the most successful attempts at relating an artist’s journey on the big screen. But the film’s beauty stretches farther than reflexivity, offering up a universal message inherent in the title: the search for a place in the world, for the terms that work for you, the struggle to adapt and the confusion that struggle manifests is often the most rewarding, significant and revealing journey you’ll ever take.
#4
“THE FOUNTAIN”
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, 2006
Since the release of “Pi” in 1998, it has been clear that director Darren Aronofsky is generally interested in something more visceral in his filmmaking. After years of failed preparation left the director slashing and burning ideas and intentions all along the way to a 90 minute condensation of his original vision, “The Fountain” might be considered an unfortunate failure in some viewers’ eyes. But it is undeniably the trail left by a filmmaker determined to stretch his artistic vernacular.
#3
“IRREVERSIBLE”
Directed by Gaspar Noe, 2003
Both critically panned and critically hailed upon its debut at the 2003 Cannes International Film Festival, “Irreversible,” Gaspar Noé’s grim exploration of the fragility of love ranks as one of the most effectively gripping cinematic events in recent memory. Utilizing a backwards narrative more adequately than we have yet seen, Noé takes the viewer on a hypnotic quest past consequence and into a foreshadowing realm of innocence that is at once heart-breaking and cautionary.
#2
“DOGVILLE”
Directed by Lars Von Trier, 2004
After a typically scandalous bow at Cannes in the summer of 2003, Lars Von Trier’s “Dogville” found itself at once charged and praised as “anti-American.” Abandoning all rules set forth by his “Vow of Chastity” regarding the Dogme95 movement, the eccentric and maverick director reaches depths of symbolism, power and understanding with this film he has never before even skirted. The work is also one of the most effective pieces of political allegory, in any medium, of the modern era.
#1
“THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD”
Directed by Andrew Dominik, 2007
What author Ron Hansen created in his 1983 novel “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” was a unique perspective within a genre too easily given to derivation. A focused examination of celebrity and idolatry, wrapped in the spirit of Shakespearean tragedy, the author’s efforts clearly inspired filmmaker Andrew Dominik. Dominik pieced together a “Victorian western,” as he’s called it, part-elegy in its visualization of a wild west on the march toward domestication. Career-best cinematography from legendary lenser Roger Deakins and a beautiful score from Nick Cave and Warren Ellis are just gravy on this, the finest film to come along since Terrence Malick’s “The Thin Red Line.” It is, for my money, the absolute best film of the decade.
The top 10 films of the aughts:
1. “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
2. “Dogville”
3. “Irreversible”
4. “The Fountain”
5. “Adaptation”
6. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
7. “Inland Empire”
8. “Finding Nemo”
9. “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
10. “Moulin Rouge!”
And that about wraps it up. It’s been a solid decade, if one not nearly as powerful on the screen as the last, but some bold advances were made and more than a few great artists offered up classic, uncompromising visions that will last a lifetime.
What are your thoughts on the best films of the aughts? Have your say in the comments section below!
Comments
160 responses to “The best films of a decade”
My films of the decade would be:
Requiem for a Dream
Amores Perros
The Cooler
City of Men
A Good Day to be Black and Sexy
American Splendor
Barbershop
Talk to Me
Precious
The Hours
Ballast
Hustle and Flow
1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2. Before Sunset
3. Closer
4. Breaking and Entering
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
6. Minority Report
7. Adaptation
8. Once
9. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
10. In Bruges
“Moulin Rouge!” has to be one of the worst films of all times. I thoroughly enjoy, though, how it has duped critics and the blogesphere into believing it is one of the best. It is such overloaded, self-centered pompousity that it deserves a like-minded affirmation.
I’m really impressed to see Irreversible on the list. I’ve seen the film once and couldn’t fault it, but could never recommend it or watch it again, so traumatised was I by it. However, I’ve never forgotten it, and I think that is what makes a great film.
Also trés impressed by Moulin Rouge! in there – it is flawed, but it is so grand. Would have had Diving Bell, Eternal Sunshine and Dogville in mine also. A very solid list, nice work!
1. Howl’s Moving Castle
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
3. Batman Begins
4. LOTR: The Two Towers
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
6. The Departed
7. Catch Me If You Can
8. Hot Fuzz
9. Spider-man 2
10. Departures
Alex, I agree about Swinton, I was shocked, Blanchett really stole the movie amongst some great actors in I’m not there she really moved the role past novelty.
I would like to add my perf. of decade:
Ellen Burstyn in Req. for a dream
Charlize Theron in Monster
Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York
Mo’nique in Precious
Don Cheadle in Talk to Me
Julianne Moore in Far from Heaven
Javier Bardem in The Sea Inside
Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children
Cate Blanchett in I’m not There
Adrianna Barazza in Babel
Unbelievable! You’ve gone and picked Inland Empire over Mulholland Dr.? The Fountain as one of the decades best? Really? Over There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men and even its own director’s Requiem for a Dream? Basphemy!
Plus I feel Finding Nemo doesn’t come close to the magic of Wall-E.
And don’t even get me started on your #1 pick. A well-made, yet highly pale film in comparison to those aforementioned. You’ve let me down.
On the other hand, thanks for including Moulin Rouge! on the list.
1.There Will be Blood
2.Children of Men
3.Pans Labyrinth
4.City of God
5.Wall-E
6.The Fellowship of the Ring
7.Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8.Spirited Away
9.Sideways
10.The Dark Knight
Yikes…couldn’t whittle it down to ten:
In no particular order:
Eternal Sunshine, Gladiator, Monster’s Ball, Cold Mountain, Babel, Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Gosford Park, A Prairie Home Companion, Requiem for a Dream, AI, Capote, Brokeback Mountain, Spider Man, Batman Begins, Ratatouille, Up, Children of Men, Far from Heaven, About Schmidt, Star Trek, Kill Bill, Grindhouse: Planet Terror, Something’s Gotta Give, Vanilla Sky and Vicky Christina Barcelona.
I am pretty sure I would put The Assassination of Jesse James as my #1 as well, or at least damn near close. Nice list.
I recently had a discussion with a couple of film lovin’ friends about the ending of Irreversible. I had always thought it was a positive ending, in that it ends with the present moment of her in the park holding her belly. They thought that was chronologically the first event. My interpretation is why I ended up liking the movie. If it’s really as bleak as my friends interpreted it, I like it less. I don’t really know what the point of it was then. Fatalism?
I am not done with mine yet, but I know that we’ll share “Nemo” and maybe “Adaptation” and “Moulin Rouge”. I think I find a spot for “A Serious Man”, and I know WALL-E is in there.
I loved Revolutionary Road and the Painted Veil, so those probably get in there.
Tops for me is There Will Be Blood, and second is Sideways.
Almost Famous, The Departed, Into the Wild, Juno, Gomorrah are others off the top of my head that I’ve thought about.
I get people love the Lord of the Rings movies and give props to Peter Jackson for pulling off such an ambitious endeavor with aplomb, but I’m not sure if those films have aged that well. They’re solid entertainments but a little too bombastic and melodramatic at times for me (not to mention a wee bit racist, more Tolkien’s fault I suppose, a product of his times). I also feel I’d enjoy them more if they weren’t so overpraised.
I like this list except for The Fountain and Inland Empire. Although I have only seen both of those once. I am more willing to give the Fountain another look because of that awesome score from Clint Mansell.
Kris no love for There Will Be Blood, No Country, Michael Clayton, Pans Labyrinth, Lives of Others? Or even Mulholland Drive…..
Another great read Kris, although I can’t believe you like Shortbus. Straight up F for me.
1)City of God
2)Babel
3)There Will Be Blood
4)Pan’s Labyrinth
5)The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
6)Gladiator
7)Into the Wild
8)The 40-Year Old Virgin
9)Crouching Tiger…Hidden Dragon
10)Sideways
My top 100
100. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Woody Allen, 2008)
99. The Squid and the Whale (Noah Baumbach, 2005)
98. Lust, Caution (Ang Lee, 2007)
97. The Pianist (Roman Polanski, 2002)
96. The 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002)
95. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (Michael Winterbottm, 2005)
94. The Messenger (Oren Moverman, 2009)
93. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Ming-Liang Tsai, 2003)
92. The Others (Alejandro Amenabar, 2001)
91. Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005)
90. Vera Drake (Mike Leigh, 2004)
89. The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)
88. Milk (Gus van Sant, 2008)
87. (500) Days of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009)
86. Hero (Zhang Yimou, 2002)
85. Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog, 2005)
84. The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson, 2007)
83. The Gleaners & I (Agnes Varda, 2000)
82. Y Tu Mama Tambien (Alfonso Cuaron, 2001)
81. I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone (Ming-Liang Tsai, 2006)
80. Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh, 2008)
79. American Splendor (Shari Springer-Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2003)
78. No Country for Old Men (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007)
77. Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
76. Two Lovers (James Gray, 2009)
75. Kings and Queen (Arnaud Desplechin, 2004)
74. Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, 2008)
73. The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)
72. 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai, 2004)
71. Broken Flowers (Jim Jarmusch, 2005)
70. Birth (Johnathan Glazer, 2004)
69. Silent Light (Carlos Reygadas, 2007)
68. The Circle (Jafar Panahi, 2000)
67. Adaptation. (Spike Jonze, 2002)
66. Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009)
65. Notre Musique (Jean-Luc Godard, 2004)
64. The Incredibles (Brad Bird, 2004)
63. Inland Empire (David Lynch, 2006)
62. A Serious Man (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2009)
61. Baadasssss! (Mario van Peebles, 2003)
60. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
59. O’ Brother Where Art Thou? (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2000)
58. Where the Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze, 2009)
57. Far from Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002)
56. Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman, 2008)
55. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Peter Jackson, 2002)
54. Three Times (Hou Hsaio-Hsien, 2005)
53. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
52. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Peter Weir, 2003)
51. Waltz With Bashir (Ari Folman, 2008)
50. George Washington (David Gordon Green, 2000)
49. What Time Is It There? (Ming-Liang Tsai, 2001)
48. Talk to Her (Pedro Almodovar, 2002)
47. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…Spring (Kim Ki-Duk, 2003)
46. Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki, 2004)
45. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000)
44. Ten (Abbas Kiarostami, 2002)
43. Cache (Michael Haneke, 2005)
42. Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008)
41. Gosford Park (Robert Altman, 2001)
40. The Return (Andrei Zvyagintsev, 2003)
39. Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006)
38. Aleksandra (Aleksandr Sokurov, 2007)
37. The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009)
36. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003)
35. Va Savoir (Jacques Rivette, 2001)
34. The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
33. Che (Steven Soderbergh, 2008)
32. Downfall (Oliver Hirschbigel, 2004)
31. City of God (Fernando Meirelles, 2003)
30. United 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006)
29. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson, 2001)
28. WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
27. Elephant (Gus van Sant, 2003)
26. L’Enfant (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, 2005)
25. Werckmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr, 2000)
24. Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron, 2006)
23. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)
22. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
21. Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
20. Dogville (Lars von Trier, 2003)
19. The New World (Terrence Malick, 2005)
18. A Prairie Home Companion (Robert Altman, 2006)
17. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
16. Antichrist (Lars von Trier, 2009)
15. The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
13. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
12. A History of Violence (David Cronenberg, 2005)
11. Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro, 2006)
10. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2002)
9. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2001)
8. AI: Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)
7. Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005)
6. Yi Yi (Edward Yang, 2000)
5. Moolaade (Ousmane Sembene, 2004)
4. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
3. Russian Ark (Aleksandr Sokurov, 2002)
2. Tropical Malady (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2004)
1. In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-Wai, 2000)
My Top 10 (in no particular order)
Where the Wild Things Are
Y tu mama tambien
Mulholland Drive
The Lord of the Rings
WALL-E
There Will Be Blood
City of God
A Serious Man
Pan’s Labyrinth
Dancer in the Dark
I probably won’t finish mine for months as I catch up on releases I think I need to see. However, my working list:
1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2. Lost in Translation
3. Punch-Drunk Love
4. Inglourious Basterds
5. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
6. Head-On
7. You Can Count on Me
8. Sideways
9. The Royal Tenenbaums
10. Elephant
I am curious as to your thoughts on The Dark Knight, since you were one of its biggest champions last year, and yet when you didn’t list it among the Honorable Mentions, I was sure I’d see it among the Top 10.
Otherwise, a great read. I went giddy when I saw your choice of picture for the article, I love that film.
See lots of mentions as to WALL-E not being mentioned. Expect nothing less, Kris has a famous hatred of good mov..err…WALL-E, at least that was my impression last year. WALL-E is fantastic and deserves to be on every decade list, but do not expect that from Kristopher Tapley, he didn’t understand the film.
Great read, Kris. My favorite films of the decade are as follows:
Best Film
“Memento” (Christopher Nolan, 2000)
Runner-up:
“The Lord of the Rings” (Peter Jackson, 2001-03)
Honorable Mentions:
“4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days” (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)
“Amelie” (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
“Children of Men” (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)
“City of God” (Fernando Meirelles, 2002)
“The Departed” (Martin Scorsese, 2006)
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (Michel Gondry, 2004)
“Finding Nemo” (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
“The Incredibles” (Brad Bird, 2004)
“Moulin Rouge!” (Baz Luhrmann, 2001)
“No Country for Old Men” (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007)
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Guillermo del Toro, 2006)
“Ratatouille” (Brad Bird, 2007)
“There Will Be Blood” (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
“United 93” (Paul Greengrass, 2006)
“WALL-E” (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
1. Mulholland Drive
2. Match Point
3. Zodiac
4. Bad Education
5. Inglourious Bastards
6. Team America: World Police
7. Cloverfield
8. Zoolander
9. Brokeback Mountain
10. School of Rock
Very interesting list. Each one took me by surprise. A very artistic list. Very creative. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love reading this shit. And this one was Grade A. Thanks, man.
1) In the Bedroom
2) About Schmidt
3) Under the Sand
4) Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5) The Wrestler
6) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7) Capturing the Friedmans
8) The Class
9) Maria Full of Grace
10) Y Tu Mama Tambien
Your list surprised me quite a bit… but in a good way. There’s much more overlap than I would have anticipated.
I applaud that you chose to leave out the LOTR trilogy. That took some serious balls… I didn’t include it either.
Here’s my list:
1. “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (2007)
2. “Oldboy” (2003)
3. “A History of Violence” (2005)
4. “Gosford Park” (2001)
5. “El Laberinto del Fauno” (2006)
6. “Moulin Rouge!” (2001)
7. “Cidade de Deus” (2002)
8. “The Fountain” (2006)
9. “Memento” (2000)
10. “Wall-E” (2008)
100. 24 Hour Party People/Michael Winterbottom, 2002
99. Habana Blues / Benito Zambrano, 2005
98. Old Boy / Park Chan-wook, 2003
97. Lantana/Ray Lawrence, 2001
96. La marche de l´empereur/Luc Jacquet, 2005
95. Snatch / Guy Ritchie, 2000
94. Vicky Cristina Barcelona/Woody Allen, 2008
93. Yesterday/Darrell Roodt,2004
92. Persepolis/Vincent Paronnaud &Marjane Satrapi, 2007
91. The Constant Gardener/Fernando Meirelles, 2005
90. Promises/Carlos Bolado &Justine Shapiro, 2001
89. The School of Rock/Richard Linklater, 2003
88. Hedwig and the Angry Inch/John Cameron Mitchell, 2001
87. The Filth and the Fury/Julien Temple, 2000
86. Paranoid Park/Gus Van Sant, 2008
85. 28 Days Later/Danny Boyle, 2003
84. Turtles Can Fly/Bahman Ghobadi, 2004
83. American Gangster/Ridley Scott, 2007
82. Princesas/Fernando Leon de Aranoa, 2005
81. Dolls/Takeshi Kitano, 2002
80. Milk/Gus Van Sant, 2008
79. Adaptation/Spike Jonze, 2002
78. The Departed/Martin Scorsese, 2006
77. Wall-E/Andrew Stanton, 2008
76. The Return/Andrei Zvyagintsev, 2003
75. District 9/Neill Blomkamp, 2009
74. Far from Heaven/Todd Haynes, 2002
73. Iron Man/Jon Favreau, 2008
72. Capturing the Friedmans/Andrew Jarecki, 2003
71. The Lord of the Rings: TFOTR/Peter Jackson, 2001
70. (500) Days of Summer/Marc Webb, 2009
69. There Will Be Blood/Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007
68. A History of Violence/David Cronenberg, 2005
67. Y tu mamá también/Alfonso Cuaron, 2001
66. Ghost Dog: the Way of the Samurai/Jim Jarmusch, 2000
65. V for Vendetta/James McTeique, 2006
64. Ratatouille/Brad Bird, 2007
63. The Bourne Supremacy/Paul Greengrass, 2004
62. Rachel Getting Married/Jonathan Demme, 2008
61. About a Boy /Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz, 2002
60. Whisky/Juan Pablo Rebella & Pablo Stoll,2004
59. American Psycho/Mary Harron, 2000
58. Half Nelson/Ryan Fleck, 2006
57. The Edge of Heaven/Fatih Akin, 2007
56. Dancer in the Dark/Lars Von Trier, 2000
55. The Royal Tenenbaums/Wes Anderson, 2001
54. Into the Wild/Sean Penn, 2007
53. Bridget Jones´ Diary/Sharon Maguire, 2001
52. Dogville/Lars Von Trier, 2003
51. Volver/Pedro Almodovar, 2006
My list:
Atonement
Wall-E
Million dollar baby
Moulin Rouge
Pan’s Labyrinth
Lord of the Ringd trilogy
Babel
Revolutionary Road
Changeling
Into the Wild
50. Sin City/Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller, 2005
49. Gomorrah/Matteo Garrone, 2008
48. Irreversible/Gaspar Noe, 2002
47. The Squid and the Whale/Noah Baumbach, 2005
46. Moulin Rouge/Baz Luhrmann, 2001
45. Revolutionary Road/Sam Mendes, 2008
44. Mulholland Drive/David Lynch, 2001
43. Across the Universe/Julie Taymor, 2007
42. Hunger/Steve McQueen, 2008
41. Gladiator/Ridley Scott, 2000
40. Bowling for Columbine/Michael Moore, 2002
39. The Orphanage/Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007
38. Love Actually/Richard Curtis, 2003
37. Late Marriage/Dover Koshashvili, 2001
36. X2: X Men United/Bryan Singer, 2003
35. Inglourious Basterds/Quentin Tarantino, 2009
34. The Hours/Stephen Daldry, 2002
33. Spiderman 2 /Sam Reimi, 2004
32. You Can Count on Me/Kenneth Lonergan, 2000
31. Punch-Drunk Love/Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002
30. Closer/Mike Nichols, 2004
29. Joy Division/Grant Gee, 2007
28. The Lives of Others/Florian Henckel v. Donnersmarck, 2006
27. Sex and Lucia/Julio Medem, 2001
26. Lost in Translation/Sofia Coppola, 2003
25. The Sea Inside/Alejandro Amenabar, 2004
24. Birth/Jonathan Glazer, 2004
23. C.R.A.Z.Y./Jean- Marc Vallé, 2005
22. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days/Christian Mungiu, 2007
21. Pan´s Labyrinth/Guillermo Del Toro, 2006
20. Memento/Christopher Nolan, 2001
19. Billy Elliot/Stephen Daldry, 2000
18. Amélie /Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001
17. Shortbus/John Cameron Mitchell, 2006
16. Talk to Her/Pedro Almodovar, 2002
15. The Princess and the Warrior/Tom Twyker, 2001
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind/Michel Gondry, 2004
13. Le scaphandre et le papillon/Julian Schnabel, 2007
12. Kill Bill ( vol. 1 & 2)/Quentin Tarantino, 2003-2004
11. The Dark Knight/Christopher Nolan, 2008
10. A Prophet / Jacques Audiard, 2009
9. Almost Famous/Cameron Crowe, 2000
8. Let the Right One In / Tomas Alfredson, 2008
7. In the Mood for Love / Wong Kar Wai, 2000
6. Children of Men/Alfonso Cuaron, 2006
5. City of God/Fernando Meirelles, 2002
4. Requiem for a Dream/Darren Aronofsky, 2000
3. Brokeback Mountain/Ang Lee, 2005
2. Waltz with Bashir /Ari Folman, 2008
1. 25th Hour/Spike Lee, 2002
@ Alex,
I agree about Blanchett. Amazing performance. But for me watching Tilda sweating, practicing speeches and (spoiler) loosing to Clooney in that last scene was just… I don’t know. Few performances made me feel that way. Can’t put it into words.
And “Julia” was beyond that. I’m still pissed everyone is ignoring that performance this year.
Thought for a second our Lists would match up very closely… then it got weird :-)
Inland Empire, as great as it is, as inventive and free from any parameters of what has come before it (in terms of narrative and tone and just about anything else) it is… it can not, in my opinion, match the sheer brilliance of Mulholland Dr.
And as your thoughts on the Lord of the Rings trilogy are on record, I’m not surprised they are nowhere to be seen on your wrap up of the decade. Though I disagree whole heartedly.
My (ALMOST LOCKED DOWN) Top 10 of the 00’s:
10. Moulin Rouge!
9. The Diving Bell And The Butterfly
8. Dogville
7. Brokeback Mountain
6. The Hours
5. The Dark Knight
4. There Will Be Blood
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. Mulholland Dr.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
wow, your list ist almost as bas as Eberts best of the year!
I started reading your site in 2005 when you still had a Blogger account, and I somehow never knew what you thought of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, the film which finally turned me into the film geek I am.
I am glad you seem to love it. And even though it’s the only film I have on my own decade top 10, I still think your list really gives a wonderful insight into what the noughties meant on film.
My list (today):
1. I’m Not There (Haynes)
2. Wo hu cang long (Lee)
3. The New World (Malick)
4. Children of Men (Cuarón)
5. Die Unberührbare (Roehler)
6. Sur mes lèvres (Audiard)
7. Adaptation. (Jonze)
8. The Assassination of Richard Nixon (Mueller)
9. No Country for Old Men (Coens)
10. Batman Begins/The Dark Knight (Nolan)
Honorable Mention:
Brokeback Mountain (Lee)
Far From Heaven (Haynes)
Some recurring artists in the list:
Christian Bale (three times)
Judy Becker
Carter Burwell
Todd Haynes
Edward Lachman
Heath Ledger (3x)
Ang Lee
Emmanuel Lubezki (3x)
Julianne Moore (3x)
Michelle Williams
Well, you are the man. A thousand times yes for your inclusion of THE FOUNTAIN and sincere thanks for not bowing to the fine but overrated RINGS trilogy. Very very solid list.
Incidentally, my own:
10. The Departed
9. The Dark Knight
8. City of God
7. Sexy Beast
6. Zodiac
5. In Bruges
4. Almost Famous
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Royal Tenenbaums
1. Children of Men
1. The New World
2. The Lord of the Rings
3. Elephant
4. Cold Mountain
5. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
6. Speed Racer
7. Lost In Translation
8. Moon
9. Bug
10. The Fountain
When I saw the picture of Minority Report, I thought it was your #1 movie of the decade!
No overlap on the Top 10, but 3 of your honorable mentions made my Top 10.
10. Batman Begins/City of God/Traffic
9. The Dark Knight
8. Zodiac
7. The Departed
6. Munich
5. Million Dollar Baby
4. Minority Report
3. Memento
2. Almost Famous
1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
I have them chronologically reversed. except for the Rings trilogy. which has been #1 since Return of the King came out.
I haven’t seen everything so I can’t say that these are the best of the decade… but they are my favourite.
1. There Will Be Blood
2. Little Miss Sunshine
3. The Dark Knight
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
5. Avatar
6. The Wrestler
7. In Bruges
8. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
9. Finding Nemo
10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of ythe Black Pearl
Bravo, Kris, on your inclusion of “The Fountain,” which is probably the second-most misunderstood, unfairly maligned film of the past decade. (The first? “A.I.”) And also on the inclusion of “Finding Nemo,” which, while not as thought-provoking or daring as “WALL-E,” will probably be Pixar’s enduring, popular classic for decades to come.
With all these end-of-the-decade lists, there is one film that seemingly everyone can agree belongs, no matter our personal tastes and distastes: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”
No particular order:
The Dark Knight
Into the Wild
Assassination of Jesse James
Return of the King
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Public Enemies
Tropic Thunder
Catch Me If You Can
Black Hawk Down
25th Hour/Zodiac
Honnorable Mention: Ocean’s Eleven
10. Hot Fuzz
9. Spirited Away
8. Kill Bill vol. 2
7. Inglourious Basterds
6. No Country for Old Men
5. The Dark Knight
4. Little Miss Sunshine
3. There Will Be Blood
2. The Departed
1. Black Hawk Down
Not the most interesting list but I haven’t seen alot of movies from early on in the decade.
I0. Unbreakable
9. Pan’s Labyrinth
8. Diving Bell and the Butterfly
7. Wall-E
6. In America
5. Avatar (saw it twice. f to all who question this)
4. Children of Men
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. AI: Artificial Intelligence
1. Spirited Away
@ Chad Hartigan: Shortbus is an excellent film. Its honesty and emotional impact is plainly there on the screen. It had one of the most naturalistic, convincing ensembles ever, incorporated a very poignant soundtrack and showcased director Cameron Mitchell’s prowess for examining the complexities of human relationships.
I realise it’s probably an underseen little film (I don’t think anyone even mentioned it in their comments except for Kris, but I may be wrong!), but I would definitely urge those who haven’t to do so. It is, without a doubt, a vital, important and ultimately, universal piece of work.
Kiel,
When I saw people putting “Where the Wild Things Are” on their best of 2009 lists, I thought, That makes as much sense as someone putting “Speed Racer” on their best of the decade list. And you did!
I love you forever for naming The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford as your number 1. Your inclusion of The Fountain in your top ten means we’d have a love/hate relationship.
Based on everyone’s list, I think it can be stated that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the best film of the decade.
1: No Country for Old Men
2: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
3: Traffic
4: The Wrestler
5: Sideways
6: Gone Baby Gone
7: Jarhead
8: There Will Be Blood
9: Collateral
10: Adaptation
11: Children of Men
12: Downfall
13: Punch-Drunk Love
14: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
15: The Squid and the Whale
1. Requiem for a Dream
2. Amores Perros
3. A Beautiful Mind
4. The Incredibles
5. Vanilla Sky
6. There Will Be Blood
7. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
8. The Dark Knight
9. Billy Elliot
10. Spiderman
Hon Mentions: Ratatouille, LotR The Return of the King, HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Diarios de Motocicleta, The Edge of Heaven, Children of Men and 21 Grams.
1. No Country for Old Men (USA)
2. Departures (Japan)
3. Doubt (USA)
4. The Wrestler (USA)
5. Sideways (USA)
6. Sophie Scholl: The Final Days
AND Downfall (Germany) TIE
7. Happy Times (China)
8. Apocalypto (USA)
9. Aaltra (France)
10. Nobody Knows (Japan)
But I have not seen Air Doll, The White Ribbon, or Baaria yet and they all look like classics…