# What are your top films of this decade? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556 "2009-10-04T16:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/1 "2009-10-04T16:15:50Z")
Earlier this year, some friends and I were in China. Right around the time, the Chinese government banned the Dark Knight from being distributed there (likely because of the HK accountant/villain.) My group was literally coming off the Great Wall of China and waiting for our pickup when I said that this banning was a shame, as I thought they would be missing the best film of the decade. My group, apparently still drunk from seeing TRUE greatness at the Wall, immediately challenged my statement. Yet no one could come up with a lot of significantly greater films to challenge DK (which everyone DID enjoy greatly). So two questions of this thread: what are your top five or ten films of this decade (it ends soon!) and was this a weak decade for films? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/2 "2009-10-04T16:21:40Z")
The Dark Knight (Obviously. I think I’ll remember Heath’s Joker for a very long time) Probably was a weak decade, because either my memory is crap, or there really haven’t been many memorable films - because I’m struggling to think of 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10. Were the LotR films made in this decade? If so, I include them. at 2. This decade has been more memorable for TV than for films. ETA:Looking at your list middelman. I liked all those films , but for me 3-10 weren’t in the same league as LotR and DK. … Not even BB (Batman Begins) ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/3 "2009-10-04T16:22:08Z")
I forgot to add my top films: 1. DK/Batman Begins (I don’t count sequels as multiple films. YMMV) 2. LOTR trilogy (the only other film/series which was seriously considered)\* 3. The Prestige 4. Iron Man 5. The Bourne Films 6. Memento (Apparently I like CNolan) 7. The Departed\* 8. Ratatouille 9. Gladiator\* 10. Amelie - Best Picture Winner ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/4 "2009-10-04T16:27:34Z")
[A recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=532372). ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/5 "2009-10-04T16:32:25Z")
If someone could compile a list of noteable films of this decade a poll could be made. ETA: Can a thread be retroactively made into a poll? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/6 "2009-10-04T17:03:45Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > If someone could compile a list of noteable films of this decade a poll could be made. Well, looking at the wide disparity of opinion in the thread I posted, any poll, no matter how large, is still going to come up dramatically short for a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/7 "2009-10-04T17:17:04Z")
In chronological order: Top 10 Requiem for a Dream (2000) City of God (2002) The Pianist (2002) Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) Hotel Rwanda (2004) Children of Men (2006) The Lives of Others (2006) The Counterfeiters (2007) WALL·E (2008) The Wrestler (2008) Honorable Mention Spirited Away (2002) Mystic River (2003) Garden State (2004) ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/8 "2009-10-04T17:24:33Z")
See Also: [This thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=532372) It’s only a month old, so I figured it was recent enough to link to should anyone want to post in that one. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/9 "2009-10-04T18:01:13Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > See Also: [This thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=532372) > > It’s only a month old, so I figured it was recent enough to link to should anyone want to post in that one. Why didn’t I think of that? 😛 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/10 "2009-10-04T18:29:59Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Why didn’t I think of that? 😛 😉 Yeah fine, you owned me like a noob. I’ll get my revenge, just you wait. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/11 "2009-10-04T19:00:46Z")
Using my Netflix rankings as a guide, it looks like it would be: Pan’s Labyrinth The Man from Earth Amelie Garden State À la Folie… Pas du Tout Love Actually Garden State The Wrestler The Pianist The Majestic ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/12 "2009-10-04T19:21:57Z")
**Inglorious Basterds** is the most recent film I’ve seen and I thought it brilliantly done. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/13 "2009-10-04T19:35:21Z")
The Fountain Perfume The Miracle at St. Anna Inside Man Bamboozled Traffic Lord of War Apocalypto Solaris Requiem for a Dream It was such a fabulous decade for movies, that I am definitely missing a great number of them. ---
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/14 "2009-10-04T19:36:07Z")
Off the top of my head and in no particular order: Mulholland Dr. City of God Garden State The Squid and the Whale Requiem for a Dream High Fidelity Almost Famous Amores Perros Sin City The Hangover Wall-E Gangs of New York O Brother Where Art Thou Crash That’s what comes to mind at the moment. I’m sure there’s lots more that will come to me two seconds after I post this. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/15 "2009-10-04T19:37:39Z")
Yeah, City of God and City of Men definitely need to be mentioned. Volver is really good as well. ---
**Author:** ![Shig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Shig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shig)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/16 "2009-10-04T20:02:01Z")
Oh damn! Completely forgot “There Will Be Blood.” ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/17 "2009-10-04T22:49:19Z")
The Station Agent Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind No Country for Old Men O Brother Where Art Thou Brokeback Mountain Mystic River Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 28 Days Later High Fidelity Into the Wild ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/18 "2009-10-05T00:49:13Z")
Adaptation Children of Men Children of God Elite Squad (same director as Children of God) Let the Right One In The Wrestler Lilija-4-ever In Bruges Requiem for a Dream Wall-E Million Dollar Baby Dogville Memento The Lives of Others Serenity There are only two movies on this list that aren’t depressing. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/19 "2009-10-05T02:14:12Z")
Beyond the Sea Persepolis Mongol Lost in Translation Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkeban ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556/20 "2009-10-05T02:42:29Z")
I don’t know, compared to the list you could come up with for the '60s, '70s, or '80s this seems like an extraordinarily weak decade for movies, even though a lot of these nominees are interesting, above-average films. But if the likes of _Gladiator_ (which was better in 1964 when it was called _Fall of the Roman Empire_), or _The Squid and the Whale_, or _Apocalypto_ are among the best… _City of God_; _Amores Perros_… those I can see. Maybe something like _Memento_ or _Irreversible_ - the ones that stretch the grammar of film… but I have a hard time accepting a lot of these others as the best of any decade. Hate to be a curmudgeon but I bet some others feel the same. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-top-films-of-this-decade/512556.md?page=2)