# Getting an early start on the lists: What are some of the best films of the decade?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166 "2009-03-12T04:18:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/21 "2009-03-14T04:57:10Z")
I disagree that the 40s were a weak decade, but this isn’t that thread. 😉 Another movie that would consider serious consideration is the oft-maligned [Elephant](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_(film)). I really respect this film. And I respect Gus Van Sant because, even though he can create some [horrendous films](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(1998_film)) he at least _tries_ different things. To be honest, I emphasize with a guy who thinks “Hey, let’s make a movie which is largely a bunch of tracking shots, let’s see how that turns out” or “I wonder if it’s possible to do a shot-by-shot remake of a classic and have it be any good?”… and then does it, and puts it out there for us to critique. More directors need to have his courage to experiment. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/22 "2009-03-14T05:02:03Z")
I love, for very different reasons, these wonderful movies: _The Incredibles Memento Iron Man Pride & Prejudice The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Hot Fuzz Master and Commander The Queen Slumdog Millionaire_ ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/23 "2009-03-14T05:25:08Z")
2000 Memento 2002 City of God The Pianist 2003 Kill Bill Vol. 1 2004 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Hotel Rwanda 2006 Pan’s Labryinth 2007 The Kite Runner No Country for Old Men ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/24 "2009-03-14T07:16:56Z")
I think the following are all superb films in their own right, and picking out the ten best would be hard for me. Pan’s Labyrinth City of God Lost in Translation The Vengeance Trilogy (especially Oldboy) The Pianist The Diving Bell and the Butterfly There Will Be Blood No Country For Old Men Slumdog Millionaire Let the Right One In Brokeback Mountain Donnie Darko The Lives of Others Children of Men Dancer in the Dark Requiem for a Dream The Wrestler The Royal Tenenbaums The Lord of the Rings Walk the Line Closer Capote Elephant House of Sand and Fog Maria Full of Grace Match Point Milk Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Inside I’m Dancing The Hours ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/25 "2009-03-14T08:27:11Z")
Batman Begins City of God Hot Fuzz Inside Man Iron Man Kung Fu Hustle Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Pan’s Labyrinth Pitch Black Stardust ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/26 "2009-03-14T08:52:14Z")
I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, but I’ve grown to be a big fan of **Ocean’s Eleven**. I read one review (may have been Ebert) that liked it, but kinda wondered why a director like Steven Soderbergh was slumming by doing a heist film. I don’t see it that way. In fact, the best parts of it aren’t the heist. It’s just great fun to see those people interact, and play off each other. By the end, I almost didn’t care if they got the money or not. I haven’t seen either sequel, and I’ve heard less than stellar things about _Twelve_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/27 "2009-03-14T09:00:09Z")
Just pulling from the Box Office Mojo list… And taking into account that on May 4, 2000 I largely stopped seeing movies in theaters that aren’t animated (parents will get that)… 2000 Cast Away (Which I really liked) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2001 The Fellowship of the Ring Ocean’s Eleven (Astonishingly good ensemble movie) The Princess Diaries (Predictable but Hathaway’s performance is excellent) Moulin Rouge! (If only for MacGregor’s medley in the elephant) A Knight’s Tale (Again, well made and great music) 2002 Spider-Man The Bourne Identity (Though I saw this for the first time in 2008) 2003 Master and Commander (Apparently the only one of the top 50 I managed to see) 2004 The Incredibles Kill Bill Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2005 The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Mr & Mrs Smith 2006 Casino Royale (Could have been a bit shorter but still a great one) Children of Men 2007 Enchanted (Amazing Movie. Simply Amazing.) Nancy Drew (No one will agree with me on this but the script was spot on and the performance of the lead, who’s name escapes me, was just what was needed.) 2008 The Dark Knight Iron Man Cloverfield (A stunt, but an entertaining one) 2009 Watchmen (Apparently the only one on the list I’ve seen this year) Kids, man, they take a lot of time. Y’all are lucky I didn’t end up listing ‘Snow Dogs’ or something. ---
**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2009, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/28 "2009-03-14T09:52:05Z")
[The Last King of Scotland.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_King_of_Scotland_(film)) ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/29 "2009-03-27T03:58:31Z")
Only one mention for _The Wredtler_? What the hell do you guys want in a movie? Not a cop-out in the whole thing, and **Mickey Rourke** should stop now. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/30 "2009-03-27T05:19:11Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Only one mention for _The Wredtler_? What the hell do you guys want in a movie? > Not a cop-out in the whole thing, and **Mickey Rourke** should stop now. > Peace, > mangeorge Erm… The Wre_ **s** _tler has already been mentioned. Personally, I think it was pretty good, but I don’t know if it’ll be in the top 20 or so this decade. Definitely a strong contender, though. No country for old men should be up there somewhere, too. also, I’d prefer A Knight’s Tale over the Dark Knight. but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Hrududu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Hrududu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrududu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/31 "2009-03-27T11:00:02Z")
28 Days Later Amelie Atonement Before Sunset Breakfast on Pluto Bridget Jones’s Diary Brokeback Mountain City of God The Departed Donnie Darko Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Far from Heaven Friday Night Lights Gladiator Gosford Park Juno Kill Bill (both volumes) The Lord of the Rings The Lives of Others Little Miss Sunshine Lars and the Real Girl Moulin Rouge Memento Million Dollar Baby Master and Commander: The Far side of the World No Country for Old Men Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl The Prestige Pan’s Labyrinth Revolutionary Road The Royal Tenenbaums Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Shaun of the Dead V for Vendetta Volver WALL-E Y Tu Mama Tambien Zoolander ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/32 "2009-03-27T11:46:59Z")
A lot of the best have been mentioned, but I’d like to add one: _O Brother Where Art Thou_ - despite some serious competition, it’s still my favorite Coen Brothers film. No other movie this decade makes me feel as _happy_ as this one. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/33 "2009-03-27T12:03:34Z")
From IMDB’s [Top Rated “2000s” Titles](http://www.imdb.com/chart/2000s), those that I have both seen and appreciate are: Top Rated “2000s” Titles Rank Rating Title Votes 1. 8.9 The Dark Knight (2008) 357,448 2. 8.6 Memento (2000) 222,929 3. 8.5 Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) 148,209 4. 8.5 The Departed (2006) 208,837 5. 8.5 The Pianist (2002) 104,250 6. 8.3 The Prestige (2006) 155,117 7. 8.3 Hotel Rwanda (2004) 73,664 8. 8.3 No Country for Old Men (2007) 155,381 9. 8.2 There Will Be Blood (2007) 100,785 10. 8.2 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) 189,777 11. 8.2 Million Dollar Baby (2004) 111,705 12. 8.2 The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) 114,115 13. 8.1 Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) 42,872 ---
**Author:** ![vdgg81](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/3d9bf3/32.png) [@vdgg81](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vdgg81)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/34 "2009-03-27T13:04:05Z")
The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the life of Robert MacNamara Talk to Her - Almodovar’s best film The Incredibles Spirited Away - these 3 were amazingly inventive visually and had incredibly deft storytelling and well-thought stories Wall-E Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - sensitive and visually stunning Brokeback Mountain No Country for Old Men O Brother Where Art Thou - this one was magical Gosford Park Lost in Translation Thank You For Smoking - I laughed from beginning to end both times I saw this movie! Revenge of the Sith - sure, it’s _Star Wars_, but it’s great _Star Wars_! Incredible images. Of the list 3 are cartoons, 1 is a documentary, 1 is a big summer blockbuster and 3 are non-english language films, from a pool of 13. Seems balanced enough, though I probably should make a bigger effort to watch non-american movies. Both _Pan’s Labyrinth_ and _The Bell and the Butterfly_ sound like they could end up in my list, but I haven’t watched them yet. It’s funny that in thinking about the list visual impressions were so important to me in the selection process. The main exception I think was _Thank You For Smoking_, whose humor, and so its appeal, was almost wholly verbal. Even _The Fog of War_ was often a pleasure just to look at. I don’t think of myself as a very visual person but a film’s looks is clearly one of my main criteria in the appreciation of it. _The Departed_ was a tough call but didn’t make it, mostly, I think, because even though I enjoyed it a lot and respected deeply the craft of all involved, I couldn’t picture any of it clearly in my head. On the other hand, _Metropolis_, an anime from 2002, and “Captain Sky and the World of Tomorrow” almost made the list just because parts of them were so gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/35 "2009-03-27T14:02:09Z")
davekhps writes: \> I’ll echo the other comments: this has been a pretty lousy decade for movies. It \> seems to me like we go in 20 years cycles: the 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, and 1990s \> were probably the best decades for movies, while the 1940s, 1960s, 1980s, \> and this decade have been noticeably weaker. \> \> Exceptions to every rule, of course, but there does seem to be a generational \> pattern. . . I think there would be more of a consensus on the best periods for American movies being centered on the early 1940’s and on the mid-1970’s. These periods are a decade (more or less) long, so the first period goes from the late 1930’s through the mid-1940’s and the second period goes from the late 1960’s to the early 1980’s. (Here’s a general rule: Any attempt to define periods by the calendar decades is misguided. Here’s a second general rule: Any attempt to tie things to generations is also misguided.) This only applies to American films. The 1950’s and 1960’s were pretty good for non-American films. So it’s more like a 35-year cycle, which may be closer to a generation anyway. The problem is that you can’t generalize about a cyclic pattern from observing just one cycle. We should be seeing a time of great American films about now, and I don’t see evidence of that. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/36 "2009-03-27T14:15:28Z")
_Spirited Away_ (I prefer _Totoro_, but _Spirited_ is very fine.) Oh Brother Where Art Thou (This has been on rotation on CMT --Country TV-- and repeated watchings have moved it up next to _Fargo_ and _Miller’s Crossing_.) _Big Fish_ (Ebert thinks it doesn’t show how truly obnoxious a man like the protagonist is in real life. I don’t care; Burton’s best. ) _Memento_ (I didn’t love it, but it’s unique.) _The KIll Bills_ (They do stick in your mind.) _The Incredibles_ (My favorite animated movie. The bits of legitimate “conservative” philosophy made it better, even though I’m a left-wing guy.) _Juno_ (After the pharmacy scene the plot and dialog sparkle.) _Pirates of the Caribbean_ (The first one was first class entertainment.) _A Mighty Wind_ (I love the Christopher Guest pseudodocs.) ## _The Queen_ (I don’t care about royalty, and only watched it because I knew, based on the reviews, that it would be good…and yeah, it was good.) The Prestige? Little Miss Sunshine? Waitress? (This seemed like a more formulaic twin of Juno, but there’s some substance in it.) Syriana? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/37 "2009-03-27T15:24:07Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > Erm… The Wre_ **s** _tler has already been mentioned. Yes, on **gladtobeblazed** list. That was the mention I referred to. I just saw it last night. Still mulling it over. \*\* Rourke’s\*\* depiction of a lifelong loser was brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/38 "2009-03-27T15:37:14Z")
It is remarkable that one of the most innovative films of 1999, _The Blair Witch Project_ had no lasting impact at all. And not for lack of trying. Perhaps the most perfect example of something that works exactly once ever. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166/39 "2009-03-27T16:02:49Z")
Children of Men No Country for Old Men There Will Be Blood There’s lot’s of bests, but these are three masterpieces of the last decade. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-an-early-start-on-the-lists-what-are-some-of-the-best-films-of-the-decade/489166.md?page=1)