I know most folks cut off their list at 10, 25 or 50, but I just had to keep going. If it bothers you that much, feel free to stop reading whenever you want. I won’t be offended, but you may miss out on some good movies.
A little note: the hardest films for me to rank on this list were the ones released in 2009. Most of the older films are ones I own, or at least have seen multiple times. The 2009 films, on the other hand, have not really had a chance to sink in, I guess is what I’m saying. If I make this list again in a year, or in five years, they’d probably be placed differently. But, them’s the breaks, I guess.
If you guys have anything to say in the way of complains, questions or comments, feel free to give me a shout in the comments section.
And then, without further ado, my 100 favorite films released between Jan. 1, 2000 and Dec. 31, 2009. You’ll find mini-reviews for the top 10, and then titles, directors and years for numbers 11 through 100.
1. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001, dir. Wes Anderson)
Yes, yes, 1,000 times yes. I could write 100 blog entries about why this movie is perfect. But really, if you’ve seen it, there’s a good chance you know what I mean. (There’s also a chance you’re a Wes Anderson hater who didn’t get it, in which case, I can do nothing for you.)
There’s the terrific casting (Ben Stiller never was and never will be better than he is in this film’s final scenes), the pitch-perfect Oscar-nominated script co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson and the amazing soundtrack (I’ll never hear “Everyone” by Van Morrison, “These Days” by Nico or “Fly” by Nick Drake without thinking of this movie).
But, most importantly, is the expert way the film touchingly and hilarious navigates the complicated, confusing, occasionally frustrating and ultimately enriching relationships between family members. It simply does not get better than this.
2. In Bruges (2008, dir. Martin McDonagh):
There were plenty of very good, and even very great, movies released last year, but this was the only perfect one. A haunting and darkly comic study in crime, grief and how every world has its own system of relative morality, this is a brilliant character study enhanced by a gorgeous Belgian setting (wow, never thought I’d type that sentence).
3. Brokeback Mountain (2005, dir. Ang Lee):
Beyond all of the water cooler talk and “wish I could quit you” references lies an achingly beautiful and profoundly American tale of heartbreak, conflict and love. Heath Ledger justifiably got tons of praise for his crushing lead performance, but everyone here brought their A game, and I have no doubt that this is one film that will be seen as a milestone in the history of American cinema. And also, those who still think “Crash” deserved to win the Best Picture Oscar over this can go screw themselves.
4. The Darjeeling Limited (2007, dir. Wes Anderson):
Plenty of films have looked at what life is like for only children, pairs of siblings or giant families. However, few films (other than “The Royal Tenenbaums,” come to think of it) have examined the complex relationship that happens between three siblings.
With “Darjeeling,” Anderson and co-writers Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola captured it perfectly (just ask me and my two sisters some time). Plus, add the Anderson standbys of a perfect soundtrack and a gorgeous location, and you have another masterpiece.
5. There Will Be Blood (2007, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson):
There’s really nothing more I can add to the conversation about this movie. It’s just damn perfect. Johnny Greenwood’s score, Robert Elswit’s cinematography and good God, all of the performances – they add up to so much more than a milkshake-related meme.
Clocking in at more than two and a half hours, it’s a bit of an endurance test, but worth it to experience such a sweeping assessment and ultimate condemnation of American capitalism in the 20th century.
6. Adaptation. (2002, dir. Spike Jonze):
This decade revealed Charlie Kaufman to be one of the finest, and most heart-breaking voices in American film, and it also revealed the role of “Charlie Kaufman” (and his twin brother Donald) to be the perfect part for none other than a pre-“How’d it get burned?!” Nicolas Cage. A near-perfect visualization of the frustrations inherent in the creative process, I’m pretty sure “Adaptation.” caused writers the world over to shudder and smile when they saw commonalities between themselves and Kaufman; I know I did.
7. The Prestige (2006, dir. Christopher Nolan):
Christopher Nolan’s best film of this decade, this is also one I have a sinking feeling will be forgotten, because it’s what he made between the very good “Memento” and “Batman Begins” and the very great “Dark Knight.” Unfortunately, few people will ever realize that his greatest feat is here, a tale of warring magicians that has more secrets than I dare reveal here. See. This. Now.
8. 25th Hour (2002, dir. Spike Lee):
To be totally honest, this one snuck up on me. The only thing I heard about it on release is that it showed Ground Zero, and I didn’t see the movie until now. What the hell was I waiting for?! This movie is downright stunning. Lee, always a consummate New Yorker, captures all of the pained mixed emotions that were felt in the NY/NJ area after 9/11 in a way no other filmmaker ever will, and he did it telling a compelling story with a damn-perfect cast.
You know who’s in this thing? Ed Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, Barry Pepper and God-among-men Brian Cox, whose work in this still gives me chills. Want to know why? Watch for his monologue at the end.
9. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003, dir. Peter Jackson):
I know, I know, they’re three separate movies. But honestly, doing it this way gave me more room on my list for other movies. If you’re watching the extended versions (which is really the only way to go) these three will suck more than 12 hours out of your life, but it’s a ride to another world you’ll be dying to take again and again for years. Thank you, Peter.
And by the way, if I had to pick a favorite, I’d go with “Fellowship,” because it took four hours of back story and set up and made it totally compelling. If there had to be just one “Rings” movie on this list, it would have been that one, so feel free to put that in the #9 spot if that makes you feel better.
10. Shattered Glass (2003, dir. Billy Ray):
You haven’t seen this, have you? Of course you haven’t, why would you? It’s a journalism drama that stars the whiny guy from the “Star Wars” prequels, the guy from “Garden State” whose name no one can spell, the voice of Moe the Bartender and the second-goofiest guy from “That Thing You Do.” Well guess what? It’s amazing. It’s a sharp-edged thriller that uses words as weapons in exposing a shocking and baffling secret. For my money, this beats the “All the President’s Men” film by a mile.
11. Zodiac (2007, dir. David Fincher)
12. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, dir. Michel Gondry)
13.Almost Famous (2000, dir. Cameron Crowe)
14. Kill Bill, Vols. 1 and 2 (2003, 2004, dir. Quentin Tarantino)
15. I’m Not There (2007, dir. Todd Haynes)
16. Children of Men (2006, dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
17. Before Sunset (2004, dir. Richard Linklater)
18. Mullholland Drive (2001, dir. David Lynch)
19. Spirited Away (2001, dir. Hayao Miyazaki)
20. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006, dir. Clint Eastwood)
21. The Dark Knight (2008, dir. Christopher Nolan)
22. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, dir. Guillermo del Toro)
23. Wall*E (2008, dir. Andrew Stanton)
24. Synecdochce, NY (2008, dir. Charlie Kaufman)
25. Oldboy (2003, dir. Chan-wook Park)
26. High Fidelity (2000, dir. Stephen Frears)
27. The Devil’s Rejects (2005, dir. Rob Zombie)
28. American Splendor (2003, dir. Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini)
29. No Country for Old Men (2007, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
30. Shaun of the Dead (2004, dir. Edgar Wright)
31. Volver (2006, dir. Pedro Almodovar)
32. Everything is Illuminated (2005, dir. Liev Schreiber)
33. O Brother, Where Art Though (2000, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
34. Sin City (2005, dir. Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez)
35. Frida (2002, dir. Julie Taymor)
36. Once (2006, dir. John Carney)
38. Moon (2009, dir. Duncan Jones)
37. Let the Right One In (2008, dir. Tomas Alfredson)
39. Frost/Nixon (2008, dir. Ron Howard)
40. The Proposition (2005, dir. John Hillcoat)
41. Doubt (2008, dir. John Patrick Shanley)
42. Star Trek (2009, dir. J.J. Abrams)
43. Amelie (2001, dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
44. Millions (2004, dir. Danny Boyle)
45. City of God (2002, dir. Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund)
46. 28 Days Later… (2002, dir. Danny Boyle)
47. The Fountain (2006, dir. Darren Aronofsky)
48. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005, dir. Jeff Feuerzeig)
49. Match Point (2005, dir. Woody Allen)
50. Inglourious Basterds (2009, dir. Quentin Tarantino)
51. Matchstick Men (2003, dir. Ridley Scott)
52. The King of Kong: A Fistfull of Quarters (2007, dir. Seth Gordon)
53. Hot Fuzz (2007, dir. Edgar Wright)
54. Sweeney Todd (2007, dir. Tim Burton)
55. The Wrestler (2008, dir. Darren Aronofsky)
56. Catch Me If You Can (2002, dir. Steven Spielberg)
57. Punch-Drunk Love (2002, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
58. The Road (2009, dir. John Hillcoat)
59. Donnie Darko (2001, dir. Richard Kelly)
60. The Lives of Others (2006, dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)
61. Milk (2008, dir. Gus Van Sant)
62. GrindHouse (2007, dir. Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez)
63. George Washington (2000, dir. David Gordon Green)
64. A Prairie Home Companion (2006, dir. Robert Altman)
65. No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005, dir. Martin Scorsese)
66. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007, dir. Andrew Dominik)
67. Lord of War (2005, dir. Andrew Niccol)
68. Russian Ark (2002, dir. Aleksandr Sokurov)
69. Cast Away (2000, dir. Robert Zemeckis)
70. Garden State (2004, dir. Zach Braff)
71. Closer (2004, dir. Mike Nichols)
72. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007, dir. Sidney Lumet)
73. Berlin (2007, dir. Julian Schnabel)
74. The Brothers Bloom (2009, dir. Rian Johnson)
75. Ratatouille (2007, dir. Brad Bird)
76. Bowling for Columbine (2000, dir. Michael Moore)
77. Big Fan (2009, dir. Robert Siegel)
78. Collateral (2004, dir. Michael Mann)
79. Casino Royale (2006, dir. Martin Campbell)
80. Little Miss Sunshine (2006, dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris)
81. Jimmy Carter Man from Plains (2007, dir. Jonathan Demme)
82. Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, dir. Steve Box and Nick Park)
83. Bubba Ho-Tep (2002, dir. Don Coscarelli)
84. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005, dir. Shane Black)
85. Cinderella Man (2005, dir. Ron Howard)
86. I Heart Huckabees (2004, dir. David O. Russell)
87. About Schmidt (2002, dir. Alexander Payne)
88. Sideways (2004, dir. Alexander Payne)
89. Charlie Wilson’s War (2007, dir. Mike Nichols)
90. The Cat’s Meow (2001, dir. Peter Bogdanovich)
91. Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005, dir. George Clooney)
92. Mystic River (2003, dir. Clint Eastwood)
93. 21 Grams (2003, dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
94. Vanilla Sky (2001, dir. Cameron Crowe)
95. Moulin Rouge! (2001, dir. Baz Luhrman)
96. Minority Report (2002, dir. Steven Spielberg)
97. Beowulf (2007, dir. Robert Zemeckis)
98. Grizzly Man (2005, dir. Werner Herzog)
99. Cloverfield (2008, dir. Matt Reeves)
100. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002, dir. George Clooney)
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