TOP 7 Films of the Decade
We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.
Only picking seven films kills me. There are many that will miss this list. But I’m not here to talk about the almosts, the close calls, the could’ve beens. No. Here, we shall only talk about the top seven films of the aughts.
Complete Coverage of Top 7 Films of the Decade
Top 7 Films of the Decade by Jeff Bayer
Top 7 Movies of the Decade by Nick Allen
He Said – He Said … Top 7 Films of the Decade
7. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Recap: A group of Jewish-American soldiers known as the “Inglourious Basterds” are making their way through Nazi occupied France, killing the Germans. But a German Colonel (Christoph Waltz) is out to get them, before they get him.
Reason: It’s really tough to pick a film from 2009 for this list. Have I given it the proper amount of time? Will I feel the same way? Here’s what I thought right after I saw Basterds … best Tarantino film since Pulp Fiction. And since I am a fan of the art he creates, this has to be on the list. The time that he gives each scene isn’t a waste or just filler dialogue. For every minute that passes, the tension is turned up a notch. Plus, it’s killin’ Nazis.
6. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Recap: During the bohemian revolution in France at the turn of the 20th century, a poet (Ewan McGregor) falls for a beautiful courtesan (Nicole Kidman). The problem is, she’s out of his league, and a jealous duke wants her as well. The poet hopes a musical can change everything and love can lift them up where they belong.
Reason: It’s so rare for a musical to have emotions. Just look at Chicago and Nine if you don’t believe me. They get hung up on the performance, the numbers. Not Moulin Rouge! It actually makes me care about Kidman (a rare feat). Plus, this film would not exist if not for others. It borrows in the best way possible.
5. Michael Clayton (2007)
Recap: Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house fixer for a law firm. He takes care of the dirty work for Kenner, Bach & Ledeen, one of the largest corporate firms in New York. He’s unhappy with his job, his divorce and a failed business venture with his brother. But now, he has to focus on dealing with the brilliant Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) who goes off the deep end with a case that could jeopardize more than Michael’s job.
Reason: A killer voice-over by Tom Wilkinson sets the tone for this dramatic thriller, and you’re willing to go on the journey. It’s the closest a thriller has also felt like it could be real life. Clooney has cemented himself as one of the best reasons to go to the theater in this decade, and for me, this is best of his bunch.
4. Memento (2000)
Recap: A man (Guy Pearce), suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife.
Reason: I remember seeing it three times in the theater with different groups of people. Every single time there was hours of conversation afterward. I imagine ten years from now, the same will still be true. Christopher Nolan put himself on the map and continues to make great films like Prestige and Dark Knight. Leonard (Pearce) is so passionate, that you actually get lost in his journey, while oddly loving that you are completely lost.
3. Wall-E (2008)
Recap: Wall-E (short for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is a robot stuck on what is left of Earth. It’s a garbage planet and has been for nearly 700 years. His life suddenly takes a shift from beyond collecting junk when Eve, another robot, makes a trip to the planet. Suddenly Wall-E finds himself trying to save Earth, humanity and the love of his life.
Reason: What looked like a Short Circuit knock-off turned out to be so much more. Saving the world became secondary to the power of holding hands. There is an amazing amount of life and humanity throughout and a quality message to boot. It’s also ridiculous to think a Top 7 list of the decade can be without a Pixar film.
2. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
Recap: In the final chapter of the Lord of the Rings trilogy Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) are led by Gollum toward Mount Doom to destroy the ring. Meanwhile, the rest of the Fellowship wage their last war in Middle-Earth.
Reason: Jaw-dropping special effects and a cast of characters we actually care about. That doesn’t happen as much as it should. Jackson gave us hours and hours of joy with these films and this is the best of the bunch. And I personally needed the 30-minute goodbye at the end.
1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Recap: A man (Jim Carrey) undergoes a procedure to erase the memory of his girlfriend (Kate Winslet), because she did the same thing. As the memories slowly get erased, he starts to realize how much he truly loves her, and starts to fight to keep the love.
Reason: It’s the only film my wife and I have seen twice in the theater together. Sure it was a mistake. The second time we saw it, it was supposed to be Jersey Girl. It was a Sunday afternoon and we were bored OK? But, the theater made a mistake and started playing Eternal. Everyone else left, and it was just the two of us. It was perfect. This is the best romance of the decade. It’s able to turn tragedy and despair into hope.
There’s the Top 7, now what should be in the Top 10?
Last 5 posts by Jeff Bayer
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- Machete - September 3rd, 2010
- The American - September 1st, 2010
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23 Comments
Great choices but again, WALL-E is NOT an environmental film. He was not out to save the world. He was out to win the heart of EVE. The movie is about humanity and love, but NOT about the environment. It had an ecological PREMISES!
my top 7…1. no country for old men 2. o brother where art thou 3. almost famous 4. memento 5. the departed 6. dark knight 7.0 royal tenenbaums my top 7>your top 7 micahel clayton? really? really?!!
no superhero movies? spidey? batman? daredevil?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind…one of the best movies ever! Great choice!
Seven films are too few. Leaves too many gaps.
Where is:
City of God
Almost Famous
Traffic?
Memento is probably my #1. Can’t think of another movie that I exited the theater NEEDING to talk more about it.
The dark knight should be in the top 10.
moulon rouge? your opinion is incorrect
OK, this is not a bad list as a first pass. However, I do have some real issues with it. First of all, Moulin Rouge is horrendous (IMO). Any movie that uses modern music in a period piece (see: A Knight’s Tale, etc.) has gone off the deep end and should be shunned on principle. It doesn’t matter how good the story is, the music throws the whole thing in the toilet because its just not believable in any way. Next up, Wall-E. Seriously? A friggin’ animated movie in the decade’s top 7 list? Cartoons are for kids. Michael Clayton was good, but not great (again, IMO). Inclusion of those three, especially in light of the absence of others leaves me less than convinced. What about: City of God (maybe my favorite movie ever), Almost Famous, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Hotel Rwanda, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Traffic, any Pedro Almodovar film made this decade, Ghost Dog, and Pan’s Labyrinth? Any of those seem to warrant consideration in this list.
Moulin Rouge?
What a lame list.
Yeah, I can’t deny that I should consider many movies, and some of those you mentioned I did consider. Pixar for kids? I’ll let others attack that if they would like. As for Moulin Rouge!.. Why can’t Baz Luhrmann take a chance on manipulating time periods? Especially because there is emotions connected to many of the songs he chose. It’s one of the reasons that movie is so good. If you don’t like musicals, fine, that’s your call. Also, I don’t think Moulin’s main drive was to make it believable, you know, like the realism used in O Brother Where Art Thou?
OK, I do concede that Moulin Rouge is loved by many. Many. Regardless of my own feelings about incongruous soundtracks (which is really my gripe with that film), I maintain that others are more deserving. Also, I did overstep a little by saying that cartoons are for kids. That’s not exactly fair. Adult Swim would certainly take exception with that remark and I myself have enjoyed a great deal of animation this decade. I guess my point for both of these is the same: other films are more deserving. I didn’t even mention documentaries in my list and any of these are worthy of inclusion: Man on Wire, Bowling for Columbine, Jesus Camp, Capturing the Friedmans, Born Into Brothels, Spellbound, Fog of War, etc.
Lists are great fun. I love to read them or watch list shows on TV. The ensuing debates are half the fun. And the truth is that these things are subjective so obviously there’s no single correct answer. Still, ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ was pretty kick ass, realistic or no.
completely agree with wall-e, memento, lord of the rings, and eternal sunshine. i recall moulin rouge having a painful 3rd act, didn’t it? something went wrong there. and michael clayton…i know i’ve seen it…and i couldn’t tell you a thing about it. i remember liking it, but it can’t be on my list if it didn’t affect me. it’s been awhile since i’ve been blown away by a movie, but slumdog millionaire comes pretty close. i think it deserves a spot. other movies that really stuck with me–confessions of a dangerous mind, star trek, children of men, o brother, dark knight, high fidelity, the first 2/3 of the departed, and the last 45 minutes of the kingdom (you don’t have to count those last two, but i just remember how ridiculously locked in and invested i was on those movies during that time).
I’m surprised how much I agree with your list. Not that our opinions are so dissimilar, but when it comes down to the best 7 films of a decade, there have to be a lot of really good films left off. The one I really disagree with up there is Michael Clayton, it was good but didn’t jump out at me as something I’d watch over and over. Also I preferred Ratatouille to Wall-E, though I really enjoyed both. And I second Brian’s recommendation of O Brother Where Art Thou, though it may be surpassed by A Serious Man because that movie really floored me, I’m still trying to work it all out.Oh and Children of Men, cause it was super awesome. A great action/sci-fi/drama.
I like all the movies in your list even though I wouldn’t necessarily pick some of them as my favorites this decade. Firstly I agree with others in that Michael Clayton really didn’t stand out as a memorable movie. It was undoubtedly a *good* movie… but nothing one will remember in the years to come. You got some movies spot on though… Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is absolutely beautiful! Memento remains one of the smartest movies I’ve ever seen! As goes with any other Christopher Nolan projects, including The Prestige and the Batman series. Lord of the Rings – epic movies… people will be watching these for decades to come! Perhaps the best screen adaption of a book ever!
Some of my other favorites this decade – Pirates of the Caribbean (first movie – for sheer entertainment and magnificent acting by Depp), The Dark Knight (need I explain why?!), City of God (simply stunning), Amelie (a joy to watch, my favorite feel-good movie of the decade), Big Fish (Tim Burton at his best!), Pan’s Labyrinth, Gladiator, Donnie Darko, Kill Bill, Bourne Series, Mystic River, The Matrix, Almost Famous
Moulin Rouge is a very good choice it’s the best musical ever at least it’s not borring like some other musicals….
Also Kill Bill,
Big Fish (Tim Burton at his best!), The Men Who Stare at Goats should be on the list and I agree with others in that Michael Clayton really didn’t stand out as a memorable movie at all
Are you a professional? Because this list indicates otherwise. Ever heard of “Le scaphandre et le Papillon”? Or Brokeback Mountain? All those on your list are indeed, good films. In fact, two of the three best films on your list you have ranked lowest – “Inglorious Basterds” and “Michael Clayton.” The third, “Lord of the Rings,” is also excellent, but has no merit for the no. 2 spot.
“Inglourious Basterds” is a particularly hasty choice. It JUST came out. You’re still hyped up about it. You’ve got to let Tarantino films settle a little bit before you proclaim it among the finest films of the decade. “Michael Clayton” is an interestingly provocative thriller, with unique style and remarkable performances. But it is no masterpiece. 20 years from now, we will not be watching Clayton with the regard of an American classic. Instead, we will be watching “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Le Scaphandre et le Papillon,” “City of God,” and “No Country for Old Men.” We will watch them for the stories they tell, the lessons they teach. The power of the screenplay and of their respective directors. Each of these films is a prime example of revolutionary storytelling, in its own respective subject, and is highly indicative of the cinematic era of the early 2000′s. Yes, this decade offers a nomadic trend of computer-generated-imagery. But it is nothing more than an experimental period with the rapidly enhancing technologies that are supplementing our modern society. If the cinema has taught us anything within the last 5 years, it’s that CGI is no more a replacement for storytelling as it is a supplement. Transformers 1 was a decent B film, loaded with visual effects and technical, metallic imagery. Its story was adequately entertaining, spiked with dodgy, clichéd dialogue. The visual effects literally transformed the picture into a extraordinarily visual feast. Transformers 2 was the response to its success. It blew. Other such technological exploits are indicative in ‘G.I Joe: Rise of the Cobra’ and ‘300’. Both were considerable box-office successes, but critical failures.
Most notable of such films is included in your list. “Lord of the Rings” is a fantastic achievement, as it is both stunningly beautiful to the eye and genuinely moving to the soul. It succeeded both critically and financially. But let us consider it as a film, and measure its quality in terms of what the criteria of a great film primarily demands -Character development. It’s got some of this, granted. But the movie is NOT about a single character or of his or her psychology. The film is about a universal triumph over evil by the hands of an accumulation of characters. We are moved in the film because of the visuals, and not so much by the psychological triumphs of the characters. Lord of the Rings is a revolutionary film for its effects and cinematic scope. But in terms of characters, it if deficient of such qualifications to include it in the decade’s top 10 list.
As for the rest, “Wall-E” deserved at the most a spot in the top 40. “Up” “Ratatouille” and “Finding Nemo” are considerably better films. “Moulin Rouge!” – top 30. Nothing about that film is unique. In fact, it is relatively little known, as it whimpers beneath the shadow of “Chicago.” “Memento” is a classic crime thriller. It is highly unique and provocative in terms of how the story is told. But it is not perfect. Among the greatest thrillers of the decade, it earns its merit in the top 10. But in the general pool, it has relatively little to offer. The same goes for Eternal Sunshine. It is provocative and wildly inventive, but is belittled beside the brilliance the aforementioned films (as well as others that didn’t quite make the cut).
MY LIST
1. Le Scaphandre et le Papillon
2. Cidade de Deus
3. Brokeback Mountain
4. No Country for Old Men
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
6. Mulholland Dr.
7. Adaptation.
8. Babel
9. Million Dollar Baby
10. Minority Report
Let me check … Yup, I’m a professional. Love that you are calling me out, but saying almost all of mine are Top 40 choices. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is great, simply not in my Top 7. Babel is a poor man’s Traffic (which also hasn’t aged well). Minority Report would have been one of the best Sci-Fi films ever if it ended with Tom Cruise being put away. Ratatouille is a decent film, but simply an animated “Frasier” episode. And I know you are trying to prove your intellect, so I believe your No. 5 choice should be “El laberinto del fauno.” Right? Plus, throwing out the entire year of 2009 would not be very logical for a Top Decade List. Just a thought. Thanks for reading!
True, true! Good catch. Don’t worry, it’s all in good fun, my friend.
Agreed … so Nick, what makes Diving Bell your #1? I would say it was insanely impressive that they made an almost completely first-person camera angle so engaging, but did it hit at some other level for you? I ask because sharing “Eternal” with my wife is what pushes it to No. 1 for me.
Yes! that’s exactly what struck me first about the movie. That 1st person perspective, with the eyelid camera and the stream-of-consciousness style narration, truly got me involved in the story. For those 100-odd minutes, I essentially was Jean-Dominique. I felt the fear, claustrophobia, and frustration that he endured. I felt the tragedy of his condition so heavily that I found myself crying when he wanted to cry, laughing when he wanted to laugh. I then realized how the film essentially works: Jean cannot express himself, for his body has failed him, and thus his emotions are channeled through to the viewer and expressed that way. We thus become the expressive medium of Jean. What I gained from the film is knowledge of how astonishingly powerful the soul is, and how it is not bounded by anything physical. By sheer power of will, determination, and imagination, Jean overcomes the vanity and character flaws of prior life, and becomes a remarkably strong human being. In being able to relate to the Jean so intimately, I was all the more moved by his eventual spiritual redemption. Everyone’s favorites are bound to differ, since we all have undergone vastly different experiences and we each have a unique way of interpreting things. As you mentioned, “Eternal” hit you especially hard given its romantic undertones and how it relates to what you probably hold most dear in your own life: your wife. Well, “Diving” struck me hard as well, probably because I am particularly fond of introspective themes. My favorite movies tend to be the ones that make me weep, and for the right reasons. “Diving” did that for me. Granted, there are many films out there that are genuinely moving and inspirational. But the brilliant techniques that Schnabel uses to get us involved truly surpass anything I’ve experienced in any other recent film.I should probably mention that I am on the most part not a fan of Jim Carrey. However, his performance in “Eternal” was certainly one of his best. (I loved him in The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, and The Majestic as well– though, that’s not to assume the Majestic is as good a film as the other two.) His portrayal of the loner Joel was comically pathetic, complex, and moving all at the same time. “Eternal” is probably so great because of its opacity and complexity, and because it deals with the psychology of the characters. It both perplexes us and entertains us. And by the end, we are eager to watch it all over again so to pick up on the little details and plot points that we might have missed the first time around. And, of course, the romance. It is the emotional drive that guides us through the tight weavings of the plot and inspires such lofty regard from the both of us. I liked this one very much, but it didn’t strike me as significantly as it did you, apparently. That tends to happen.
I will have more thoughts … the other Nick (the one that writes for our us — Nick Allen) and I will be debating Top 7 lists. He did a Top 7 Movies of the Decade as well. I’ll have more Eternal Sunshine thoughts there, as I just watched it, and ‘Inglourious Basterds’ on Sunday.
I saw Avatar tonight and I want you to start a worst of the 10′s list starting with that one. Anyway, good picks for the last decade – always good to debate lists.
Here are the 7 not mentioned yet (in no particular order)
1) Once – most unpolished (good thing) and honest love story in recent memory. 2) The Hurt Locker – no social commentary on war, just intense and really fine acting. 3) Mine on Wire – no, not technically a movie but one of the most inspiring and beautiful pieces of film I can remember watching. 4) Shaun of the Dead – is it a zombie movie with a buddy movie undertone or a buddy movie set within the context of a zombie – either way, hilarious 5) In Bruges – irish hitmen, stoned little person ranting about race wars and the scene with Harry and Ken talking in the beer garden 6) Brick – noir meets high school – original and maybe the best screenplay of the decade. 7) Cache – most tense movie I can remember watching that didn’t involve music cueing you to get tensed up.
Am I last to the party or WHAT!
Anyway, just wanted to tack on my 3. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Life Aquatic, and 500 Days of Summer.