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[Zorin Industries]

As the decade buffers to a close, I thought it cinematically prudent to start a thread for discussing what CNBers thought were the most striking films for them in the last ten years.

This is obviously a list for what you think and quite rightly believe are the best films since Sydney's Millenium fireworks embarrassed everyone's that followed but that doesn't mean they have to tally with what the critics or audiences liked. There is a vast difference between your "best" and your "favourite" (something I am at pains to remind some on CBN from time to time) so don't feel you have to cite the 2004 winner of the Palm D'Or or the Golden Bear winner of such and such a year.

This should be for discussion, not antagonism. If you feel you need to mention the three Bond films that emerged in this decade, then do it. Be brave. But if you don't want to then that is cool too....

And maybe in the months to come we can determine what was the most popular, enjoyed and loved film of the 2000's....

So my starter for ten is a list of ten in no order....(I may change my mind!)


KILL BILL

A film that defines the decade as much as any other film with its balance of nostalgia, celebrating the naff and a very 2000 level of violence. It took Ms Tarantino from cool to intuitive within the first all knowing lets-play-a-retro-cinema-announcement opener. BILL continues Tarantino's often unnoticed skill for centring his films around the struggles of women (JACKIE BROWN, KILL BILL and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) citing Quentin as the new Douglas Sirk.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

Wes Anderson has a skill for finding beauty in the ordinary. An opinion, sentiment, gesture or piece of clothing tell Anderson's stories and this was the first that got him noticed. It is wildly nuts and potentially all over the place but its faux storyteller (and book) gives the film structure and class and demonstrates why a handful of this decade's famous faces (Paltrow, the Wilsons, Stiller) deserve their status. As funny and simultaneously sad as a Peanuts comic strip, TENENBAUMS took the baton from RUSHMORE and paved the path for the sometimes successful likes of NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, IGBY GOES DOWN and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.


THE JACKET

John Maybury's time shift melodrama is an intriguing yarn of redemption alongside medical corruption and the odd subtle dig at war. Pipping THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE to this list by a hair's breadth, both that and THE JACKET cover similiar ground and paint a broad potentially stupid story with intimate, sensible and poignant strokes. An odd cast of Adrien Brody, pre-famous Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson and some newcomer called Daniel Craig give great acting chops to this one - as does the canny decision to pop a Bond cover song over the end credits.


LONDON TO BRIGHTON

Paul Andrew Williams viscious debut is potentially one of the best British films of the decade. Taking its cue from Cassavetes GLORIA, this harsh tale of a 12 year old prostitute and an older call girl with nasty mates and a heart took paedophilia off the tabloid front pages and into cinema with force, depth and commitment. A low budget film with a richly layered tale, LONDON TO BRIGHTON is the cousin of NIL BY MOUTH, MONA LISA and HARRY BROWN. It holds your breath for all of its 90 or so minutes, but oddly allows you to laugh and find sympathy for the most vile of villains. This one is no GENEVIEVE.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

If films have a colour then this one is a bright Californian yellow. This is a beautifully sweet and involving road movie with a rich family of eccentric characters who need each other as much as they don't. Abigail Breslin is stunning in a potentially saccharine role and Alan Arkin rightfully nabbed an Oscar for his cocaine snorting grandad. Not afraid to push a few boundaries, SUNSHINE always stays on the right side of sentimental and leaves its characters as honest at the end as they sadly were at the start.

KING KONG

Narrowly taking THE TWO TOWERS place in this Top Ten, Peter Jackson's 2005 opus is superbly done. Giving the film a physicality that KONG needs and has never seen before, Jackson achived what the previous versions could not and gave the biggest grandeur a heart and soul. Flawless special effects which, whilst photo realistic, are still movie trickery (George Lucas' mouse-matted the heart out of his new STAR WARS trilogy) and work alongside Peter Jackson's great attention to detail. That Manhattan sun as the dawn breaks in the closing tragic scenes is EXACTLY the colour and light you see at that time atop the Empire State Building.

HOLES

In a decade that didn't like to have any character depth to its children's stories, HOLES casts a better spell than HARRY POTTER with greater, more effortless performances and no brand execs to keep smiling. This is not a Happy Meal tie-in of a kid's film. This is a warm, rich yarn where everything you have been told along the way is relevant and brilliantly used to end the story. Sigourney Weaver is brilliant, Shia LeBeouf got noticed and Eartha Kitt thankfully got a great performance committed to film before she died. Like any decent kid's book, HOLES can be watched over and over. I'm not sure I would say that of any of the POTTER instalments.

THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

From the great freeze frame of a post POLICE ACADEMY Leslie Easterbrook alongside a 1970's road movie soundtrack, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS is one sick puppy of a film. But it is also really good, rewards your time and knows its slasher film heritage, runs with it and then trips it up in equal measure.

INTERSTELLAR 5555

Taking DAFT PUNK's Discovery album as its cue, the manga-influenced rock opera is a visual and aural odyssey. Imagine THE BATTLE OF THE PLANETS THE OPERA and you would be someway to imagining what this one is all about. This film was made for kids of the 1970's and 80's who grew up watching cartoon henchmen run towards the screen in brilliant 2-D. Whilst not the strongest of stories, INTERSTELLAR 5555 is a funky treat with feather-cut heroes and lushly orchestrated set pieces (often to the Discovery album).

SIGNS

Tying close with THE VILLAGE, SIGNS is an often dismissed or criticised 12 rated film but one that got under my skin like no other 18 rated alien pic did this decade. M Night Shyamalan astutely centres his global panic on one humble homestead. He knows that a distorted glimpse of some creature on some creaky news footage is as terrifying as an over-designed race of aliens Jim Cameron may or may not have come up with in recent times. SIGNS slowly builds its tension, discarding the impending cheese and Americana along the way with ease and a blatant love of the cinema of Spielberg.

[Conlazmoodalbrocra]

Great thread Zorin

My Top 10:

Casino Royale
Road To Perdition
Munich
Defiance
The Last King of Scotland
This Is England
The Damned United
V for Vendetta
Kill Bill vol. 1
Rambo

[Safari Suit]

These are favourites as opposed to "best", right? That's what I'm going for anyway.

I'm going to avoid franchise fare from my favourite series like the Bonds and what not because I find it hard to compare them with other films, and feel I may rely on them as an easy fall back. Which is not to say any franchise fare would necessarily would have made it on here (though Rocky Balboa stood a good chance)

In alphabetical order:

About Schmidt Seniors rule. Fantastic ending
Adaptation Quirky but mature and surprisingly moving
Club Dread This wont be on anyone else's list, but I guess it came along at the right time/age for me. A nuanced, affectionate slasher parody that's also a very funny and quirky crude comedy, with a "scream" of a finale
Coraline IMO the best American animated film to come out of this decade by a country mile. Dark yet joyously inventive, frankly for me it puts Pixar's much praised efforts to shame
Dogville Bold, unique, provocative and captivating
Eden Lake The best, most effective and most frightening horror film from a decade which has proven to be a turbulant, but ultimately I think interesting and quite exciting one for the genre.
Hard Candy If this counts as horror, this comes straight in at #2 for all the criteria mentioned above. When it comes to the issues, this isn't a smart film. However I found it too engrossing and masterfully executed on all levels to care all that much
Inglourious Basterds The Kill Bills were not quite my cup of tea, so I found this masterwork a delightful surprise
Public Enemies Got a mixed response, but for me it was a film which gave me everything I'd loved about Mann's previous films
Walk Hard: The Dewy Cox Story A hilarious, well observed, well executed and very creative comedy, by some distance the finest and funniest film to come out of the epoch defining Judd Apatow staple. Not only that but it's a parody that has the balls to take on a repected but often highly risible genre in an age when parody has reached an almost undeniable low point of laziness

Nearly made the cut: Far From Heaven, Kung Pow! Enter the Fist, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Final Cut, Shaun of the Dead

Stand a decent chance of making the cut when I actually see them: The Fall, Persepolis, Milk, maybe There Will Be Blood

[Harmsway]

Didn't we have a thread like this not that long ago? Anyway:

2046
A ravishingly beautiful film that deals in mood and emotion rather than plot, and is all the more engrossing for it. One of director Wong Kar-Wai's finest films, which, given his track record, is saying quite a lot.

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
Sadly neglected back in '07, this slow-moving, meditative western rolls by at a rhythm that was likely too relaxed for most moviegoers. But make no mistake, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES is phenomenal stuff. Excellently written, flawlessly acted, and superbly shot, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES is a near-masterpiece, and one of the very best of its genre.

DOGVILLE
Lars Von Trier's DOGVILLE earns a spot on the list precisely because it is so fascinating. DOGVILLE is not perfect, but what it lacks in perfection, it more than makes up for with artistic boldness and a rich emotional texture. As a cinematic artist, the endlessly pretentious Lars Von Trier offers cinematic stunts rather than carefully crafted art (see ANTICHRIST), but DOGVILLE stands as a fine, thought-provoking experience that rises above some of its more uninteresting aspects.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
It's undeniable that Charlie Kaufman is one of the great talents of the current age of cinema, with such films as BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, ADAPTATION, and SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK under his belt. But it's ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND that I believe to be the one film that rises above the rest of his work.

GOSFORD PARK
Altman's psuedo-murder mystery deals in less immediately striking artistic strokes than many of the films on this list, but it's a phenomenal film all the same. GOSFORD PARK's triumph is in its careful attention to characters and story, allowing the work to have its life through them and their interactions with one another.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS presents self-promoter Tarantino at his most refined and substantial, managing to be thought-provoking as well as relentlessly entertaining. With DEATH PROOF, Tarantino seemed to be winding down. BASTERDS proves that Tarantino has plenty of gas left in the tank. At the end of the film, Tarantino lets it be known that he thinks INGLOURIOUS BASTEREDS is his masterpiece. I'm altogether too willing to agree.

MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
Like GOSFORD PARK, MASTER AND COMMANDER is easy to overlook, but remains one of the most perfect films released in these past ten years. The kind of film David Lean would have made were he still around, it's an epic that handles spectacle with an astonishing intimacy and grace.

OLDBOY
OLDBOY... well, there's nothing else quite like it, and trying to explain it wouldn't accomplish much. A dark, strange revenge story with a taste of Greek tragedy that goes its own way, dealing in a set of impressive, unforgettable moments and sequences.

PAN'S LABYRINTH
Guillermo Del Toro's sublime adult fairy tale stands as one of the very best--if not the best--of its genre. His flair for strange, engaging visuals is of course well-known, but the reason this rises above the rest of Del Toro's work is its sharp focus and rich emotional power. Devastating and wonderful.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD
My pick for the best film of the decade, THERE WILL BE BLOOD showcases filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderon's evolution from impressive young talent to breathtaking filmmaker. Visceral, intense, and astonishing, THERE WILL BE BLOOD manages to embody some of the demons that haunt the American spirit.

[tdalton]

My list, in no particular order:

Into the Wild: Sean Penn's masterpiece stands for me as (easily) the best film of the decade, and one of my favorite films of all-time. Terrific performances all around from Emile Hirsch, Catherine Keener, Hal Holbrook, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Stewart, Jena Malone, and Vince Vaughn.

Traffic: An excellent film that easily ranks as the best of the wave of converging storyline films that we saw in the early years of the decade. It's an excellent film in all areas, with excellent performances, a very gripping storyline, and excellent direction from Steven Soderbergh.

Adventureland: The best "comedy" of the decade by a rather large margin, showing that Hollywood doesn't have to make cookie-cutter comedies that all feel as though they're remakes of the films that have come before. Director Greg Mottola crafts a very authentic 1980s setting that really serves as its own character within the film, and Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are nothing short of phenomenal as the film's leads.

Zodiac: David Fincher crafts an extraordinary thriller from the real life case of the Zodiac killer. Despite the fact that we already know the ending of the story going into the film, the fact that Fincher is able to create a sense of dread and some moments in which we are truly fearful for the main characters (despite knowing what ultimately happens to them in real life) is a truly magnificent feat. For instance, the basement scene is one of the more terrifying (or at least a scene that creates a great sense of uneasiness) scenes this decade, period.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist: Like Adventureland, Nick & Norah transcends the typical comedic fare by being something a bit more. Like Adventureland, there's a fantastic romance at the core of the film, and it's done extraordinarily well by Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, the film's two leads. Also, the film treats its audience with a great measure of respect by not trying to be the umpteenth gross-out comedy to come our way this decade. There is a scene or two of that, but nothing that rivals other comedic fare of the decade, and the rest of the film is done in such a kind and sweet way (without being a family film) that the one or two gross-out moments are forgivable, and serve as a reminder of just why this is such a fantastic entry in the genre.

The Bourne Identity: Forget The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum (two of the most overrated films of all-time), The Bourne Identity is the crown jewel of the franchise. Matt Damon creates a worthy alternative to James Bond with his Jason Bourne character, and Doug Liman creates some truly wonderful set pieces in this film, such as the car chase and the excellent "shoot-out" sequence between Damon and Clive Owen.

The Passion of the Christ: Mel Gibson made it clear what the intention of this film was going in, and even the it was a shockingly brutal and painful film to watch. With that said, it's still a wonderful film that shows the final hours in the life of Jesus, and it's one of the very few films in which the extreme nature of the violence actually feels necessary given the point that Gibson was trying to make with the film.

Eden Lake: The transcendent horror film of the decade. As much as I like the original Saw, Eden Lake is the horror film that will (or, at the very least, should) be remembered as the genre masterpiece of the decade. The film features an absolutely unshakable feeling of dread hanging over the entire affair (aided in no small part by the fact that there are no supernatural or otherwise impossible acts going on here) and it features one of the most appalling and nerve-shattering endings that I've ever seen. Truly terrifying.

Munich: This film stands as quite possibly Spielberg's best film since Jaws, ranking as one of the director's five (IMO, at least) masterpieces (the others being Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Schindler's List, and A.I.: Artificial Intelligence). Eric Bana and Daniel Craig are excellent in the film, and it's interesting to see these characters trying to deal with the ramifications (physical and mental) of their assigned mission.

Right At Your Door: A film that, while technically not listed as a horror film, is probably more chilling and more frightening than just about anything from the horror genre in quite a while. The film plays on some of the more primal fears that we face in today's society, and features some truly horrifying and heartbreaking moments as the film slowly creeps towards a conclusion.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Already posted a similiar list in another thread, but here I go again, to the best of my memory with some new entries:

Watchmen (Director's Cut edition. A stunning achievement, as far as I'm concerned near flawless)

The Mist (if you haven't seen this one yet, DO SO NOW. Only beaten by The Shining when it comes to my favourite horror movie of all time)

The Fountain (either you "get" this one or you don't. Truly a love or hate kind of film)

Zodiac (better than Se7en)

Children of Men (why can't all sci fi films be this good?)

A History of Violence (made me realize Viggo Mortensen is one of the best actors working today)

Casino Royale (Bond finally gets cool again)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (in my eyes the best SW movie, by far the most emotionally satisfying)

Sin City (make that bloody sequel already!)

Spider-Man 2 (endlessly rewatchable. An old friend you can come back to again and again)

Other notable films that I've loved this decade:

Pan's Labyrinth, American Psycho, The Machinist, What Lies Beneath, Harsh Times, Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn, Wall-E, The Bourne Ultimatum, Cloverfield, 1408, Hot Fuzz and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.

Movies from the decade that I love but you probably don't:

The Punisher, Punisher: War Zone, Terminator Salvation, Superman Returns (why doesn't this film get more love, and more importantly, a sequel?), The Butterfly Effect.

Worst movies of the decade (that I still remember!):

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Ghost Rider, the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Mission: Impossible 2 would be on this list too if it wasn't for some awesome action scenes.

Edited by The Ghost Who Walks, 10 November 2009 - 04:33 PM.

[DR76]

My top ten films of this decade are:

“Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (2002)

“Casino Royale” (2006)

“Speed Racer” (2008)

“American Gangster” (2007)

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (2006)

“Public Enemies” (2009)

“Munich” (2005)

“Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)

“Changeling” (2008)


Honorable Mention: "Infamous" (2006)

[Safari Suit]

Dogville
Inglourious Basterds

DOGVILLE
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Well I never
I even had one of your choices as a runner up.
Maybe I'll love There Will Be Blood after all.

[Loomis]

There is a vast difference between your "best" and your "favourite" (something I am at pains to remind some on CBN from time to time) so don't feel you have to cite the 2004 winner of the Palm D'Or or the Golden Bear winner of such and such a year.

I'm going with "best" here as opposed to "favourite", which is why I'm not citing the likes of ROCKY BALBOA, a firm fave of mine if ever there was one. However, some films obviously occupy both categories (CASINO ROYALE, for instance).

Nine runners-up, in alphabetical order:

BABEL
(2006, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu)
An intellectual PULP FICTION meeting an issue of National Geographic. Mindblowing.

CASINO ROYALE
(2006, directed by Martin Campbell)
A few years ago, who would have thought that the twenty-second James Bond outing would be not merely the finest film in the series by a considerable distance, but also one of the best mainstream entertainments of its decade? CASINO ROYALE is simply dazzling, thanks to its magical combination of a wonderful Ian Fleming story updated brilliantly, dramatic depths and emotional impact leagues beyond anything else in the series (even the final scene of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE), a towering performance by Daniel Craig, pitch-perfect direction on an epic scale by the normally hacktastic Martin Campbell, splendid cinematography by Phil Meheux and other terrific elements.

CASINO ROYALE is like all of the 1960s Bond films rolled into one and directed by Tarantino with the maturity and technical finesse he displays in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. Of course, it's not exactly like that, but those are the gushing, geeking-out words I'd use to describe its effect on me. It's just stupid that it's as awesome as it is.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
(2009, directed by Quentin Tarantino)
With INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Tarantino is back on top form. Once more, he's the superstar director of the '90s who weaves the sort of blinding magic of a natural born filmmaker with more than a touch of genius. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the work of a breathtakingly self-confident man. But the truly wonderful thing is that he's now dealing in depths and themes we've never seen before from him. He's been around the block these past few years, has lived and thought about things. That the old Tarantino is back would be in itself more than enough cause for celebration, but it's also thrillingly evident that he's evolved and is evolving. For the first time since PULP FICTION, he's a truly surprising director. This film is the real followup to PULP FICTION, the real next stage of Tarantino's growth, that I've been waiting fifteen years for.

Watching INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is like watching an enfant terrible transform into a wise old master.

KENNY
(2006, directed by Clayton Jacobson)
The life and musings of an affable Aussie plumber and self-styled expert on toilets whose cheerful, optimistic disposition is somehow not affected by the fact that his job - and, really, his life - is quite literally just a load of [rhymes with "catcher's mitt"].

Despite the subject matter, this comedy (very convincingly done in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary) does not go for crude, obvious belly laughs. Neither does it make the somewhat worn concept of a working class Australian bloke just being, well, a working class Australian bloke seem in any way contrived, clumsy or patronising.

Instead, KENNY feels 100% fresh and real, thanks to a towering performance as the eponymous hero (assuming, of course, that he's not simply "playing himself", a la Stallone in ROCKY, but even if he is it's still fantastic work) by one Shane Jacobson, whom Wikipedia informs me is an Australian actor and writer. It seems he co-wrote KENNY with his brother, who directed and also co-stars as.... his brother, and also roped in his father and son to play - wait for it - his father and son. That KENNY is a family affair gives it a powerful authenticity, enabling it to remain true and touching even with a couple of CROCODILE DUNDEE-ish plot turns.

This film will have you simmering gently throughout with affectionate chuckles. The humour comes from perfectly-drawn character and from a deep understanding of human nature (Kenny's relations with his grouchy old dad are a particular joy to behold), rather than from a handful of so-called big laugh moments. Never have I seen a comedy that seems to be making less of an effort to make me laugh, less heavy weather of making light. It's not the funniest film I've ever seen (although it's certainly not far off), but it's probably the most assured and (in the best possible sense) smooth comedy I've encountered. There are no lumpy bits, and no points at which you feel you're being sold a bill of goods. It's also beautifully shot and utterly spellbinding from start to finish.

LOST IN TRANSLATION
(2003, directed by Sofia Coppola)
Not sure I've ever seen better acting by two leads in any film - the looks shot by Bill Murray to Scarlett Johansson in the karaoke lounge to communicate his feelings for her are alone worth the price of admission. It's also a masterpiece of screenwriting, directing, cinematography and editing.

NOBODY KNOWS
(2006, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda)
Harrowing yet ultimately strangely uplifting saga of four children who fend for themselves in a shabby Tokyo apartment when their mother abandons them. The subject matter is often hard to bear, but NOBODY KNOWS is never less than mesmerising. Beautifully shot and edited, with amazing performances by the juvenile cast, notably twelve-year-old Yuya Yagira, who won Best Actor at Cannes. Never sentimental, it's an unforgettable hymn to love, resilience and the human spirit.

SIDEWAYS
(2004, directed by Alexander Payne)
Thought-provoking and poignant as well as sidesplittingly hilarious. Brilliant writing and performances.

2046
(2004, directed by Wong Kar Wai)
Roger Ebert contends that 2046 "exists primarily as a visual style imposed upon beautiful faces", and while it's true that it's ravishing to look at (thanks in no small part to the extraordinary images of Wong's regular collaborator, cinematographer Christopher Doyle), Ebert's verdict seems to ignore the film's humanity. 2046 may have a baffling "story", and is best not approached by viewers who merely want to relax and be told a good yarn, but this is far more than just a chic flick, so to speak. Thanks to the fine, touching performances given by those beautiful faces (notably Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi), and to Wong's skill with mood, 2046 is an elegant, playful and moving meditation on relationships and desire, a visionary semi-sci-fi extravaganza with a human heart that beats a mesmerising rhythm lulling the audience into a dreamlike state. More of An Experience™ than A Movie™, 2046 is thankfully rooted in emotional truth, rewarding multiple viewings.

Appropriately for a revered master's film with a gestation so long that wags started claiming 2046 as the release year as well as the title, there are strong echoes of Kubrick, particularly EYES WIDE SHUT and 2001, but Wong shows more compassion than Kubrick ever did, as well as a considerably lighter touch.

UNKNOWN PLEASURES
(2002, directed by Jia Zhangke)
Quietly powerful, and very typical, stuff from Jia Zhangke, a director who seems to specıalıse in fly-on-the-wall, slice-of-life dramas (sprinkled with eccentric touches of magic realism) about average Joes and Josephines who live with their noses pressed urchin-like against the strange and seductive shop window of China's breakneck and painful modernisation, which momentous process seems to simultaneously empower and crush them.

"China," a western journalist opined recently, "has a wallet but no soul", and it would be easy to assume that Jia's very raison d'être as a director is to endorse this point of view. Millions of Chinese have been and are being lifted out of poverty, but spiritual satisfaction remains elusive, as well as sometimes impeded by all this sudden and bewildering newfangled stuff about skyscraper developments and people having their own businesses. Jia dwells constantly on the tremendous changes taking place in his country, but he does not appear to do so in a celebratory way. His is a cynical eye, coming to rest without fail on the innocent, the ignorant and the downtrodden. Which may explain why his films are banned in China.

Unsurprisingly, the westerner viewing Jia's films tends to come away thinking they're "about" today's China (which, of course to a great extent they are - and they also serve as time capsules rich in sociological detail), while viewing the characters in them as being of secondary or even negligible importance. Such an approach does Jia a disservice. At heart, he's a dramatist, not a journalist, and his ability - like a Satyajit Ray or a Mike Leigh - to conjure living, breathing men and women whom we're happy to spend time with even though none of them ever actually "triumphs", is what truly makes his films come to life. Otherwise, they'd simply be didactic and dry affairs. Add to the mix an extraordinary visual fluency and a gift for framing (things that are if anything enhanced rather than diminished by his evident microbudgets), and, son, you've got a heady brew.

My pick for the best film of this decade:

EUREKA
(2000, directed by Shinji Aoyama)
On paper, this is the ultimate "arthouse" flick: not only is it a subtitled affair in black and white, but two of the main characters are mute, meaning that vast stretches of the film go by without a peep of dialogue, and when I say vast I mean vast, for EUREKA also happens to clock in at a whopping three-and-a-half hours. Needless to say, there's next to no action, nothing much "happens", and it's also, shall we say, not exactly a barrel of laughs.

Yet it's utterly riveting from start to finish, packing an emotional wallop as it draws us into the lives of people who seem agonisingly real. It's film that at first glance looks cold and cerebral, but is actually as human and heartbreaking as they come. What's more, it's also a grade A visual masterpiece.

So what's it about? Well, without giving too much away, it's a story of loss and redemption that focuses on three survivors of a brutal bus hijacking: an adult (an exceptional performance by Koji Yakusho, probably best known outside Japan for his roles in BABEL and MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA) and two children.

Part whodunnit (the twist is fairly guessable by about the halfway mark, but by that stage you'll be so deeply invested in the painstakingly-created characters and their world that you won't mind; besides, it's not the main point of the piece), part character study, and part road movie, it's like---- well, if I were trying to be clever I'd probably say it's like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE as directed by David Lynch meeting HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER as scripted by Haruki Murakami.... but EUREKA looks and feels so unlike anything else I've ever seen - and hits home harder - that all comparisons crumble to dust. Unique and hypnotic, it's a true epic, yet an intimate one, unfolding with the ambiguity, grace and power of a great novel. I wonder why Hollywood hasn't remade it (with Nicolas Cage, natch), but perhaps the Tinseltown suits realised for once that any rehash of theirs could never be anything other than a hollow sham.

[dodge]

Already posted a similiar list in another thread, but here I go again, to the best of my memory with some new entries:

Watchmen (Director's Cut edition. A stunning achievement, as far as I'm concerned near flawless)

The Mist (if you haven't seen this one yet, DO SO NOW. Only beaten by The Shining when it comes to my favourite horror movie of all time)

The Fountain (either you "get" this one or you don't. Truly a love or hate kind of film)

Zodiac (better than Se7en)

Children of Men (why can't all sci fi films be this good?)

A History of Violence (made me realize Viggo Mortensen is one of the best actors working today)

Casino Royale (Bond finally gets cool again)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (in my eyes the best SW movie, by far the most emotionally satisfying)

Sin City (make that bloody sequel already!)

Spider-Man 2 (endlessly rewatchable. An old friend you can come back to again and again)

Other notable films that I've loved this decade:

Pan's Labyrinth, American Psycho, The Machinist, What Lies Beneath, Harsh Times, Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn, Wall-E, The Bourne Ultimatum, Cloverfield, 1408, Hot Fuzz and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.

Movies from the decade that I love but you probably don't:

The Punisher, Punisher: War Zone, Terminator Salvation, Superman Returns (why doesn't this film get more love, and more importantly, a sequel?), The Butterfly Effect.

Worst movies of the decade (that I still remember!):

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Ghost Rider, the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Mission: Impossible 2 would be on this list too if it wasn't for some awesome action scenes.

Spot on. VM's career choices since the Rings trilogy is far more interesting than Daniel Craig's. I'd have included Eastern Promises. And I suspect The Road will be another You Go, Viggo film.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Already posted a similiar list in another thread, but here I go again, to the best of my memory with some new entries:

Watchmen (Director's Cut edition. A stunning achievement, as far as I'm concerned near flawless)

The Mist (if you haven't seen this one yet, DO SO NOW. Only beaten by The Shining when it comes to my favourite horror movie of all time)

The Fountain (either you "get" this one or you don't. Truly a love or hate kind of film)

Zodiac (better than Se7en)

Children of Men (why can't all sci fi films be this good?)

A History of Violence (made me realize Viggo Mortensen is one of the best actors working today)

Casino Royale (Bond finally gets cool again)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (in my eyes the best SW movie, by far the most emotionally satisfying)

Sin City (make that bloody sequel already!)

Spider-Man 2 (endlessly rewatchable. An old friend you can come back to again and again)

Other notable films that I've loved this decade:

Pan's Labyrinth, American Psycho, The Machinist, What Lies Beneath, Harsh Times, Grizzly Man, Rescue Dawn, Wall-E, The Bourne Ultimatum, Cloverfield, 1408, Hot Fuzz and Hellboy 2: The Golden Army.

Movies from the decade that I love but you probably don't:

The Punisher, Punisher: War Zone, Terminator Salvation, Superman Returns (why doesn't this film get more love, and more importantly, a sequel?), The Butterfly Effect.

Worst movies of the decade (that I still remember!):

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Ghost Rider, the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Mission: Impossible 2 would be on this list too if it wasn't for some awesome action scenes.

Spot on. VM's career choices since the Rings trilogy is far more interesting than Daniel Craig's. I'd have included Eastern Promises. And I suspect The Road will be another You Go, Viggo film.

I agree with that. I've been dissapointed with Craig's choices post-CR. I'd love to see him make smaller, more interesting movies like Enduring Love rather than hollow, dull "blockbusters" like The Golden Compass and The Invasion (which he probably shot before CR).

Eastern Promises was excellent, but I didn't like it quite as much as AHOV, maybe due to unrealistic expectations because of my love for Mortensen and Cronenberg's first collaboration. I suspect it will be even better on repeat viewings.

Having been deeply affected by the superb novel, I am immensely looking forward to The Road. Mortensen is just perfectly cast (though I might think so because I was seeing him in my head when reading the book, due to his casting being announced almost at the same time), and the mood fo the picture looks just right.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I think I made this thread once...here are my favorites:


Black Hawk Down

LOTR

City of God

Kill Bill

The Bourne Supremacy

Casino Royale

The Bourne Ultimatum

The Dark Knight

Quantum of Solace

Watchmen

[Judo chop]

LOTR
PAN’S LABYRINTH
ROCKY BALBOA
SWEENY TODD
CR
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

For one reason or another, those were the major impact films of this decade for me.

How many is that?
Only six?

Um…

OPEN RANGE, for I can’t get enough of it.

And… um….

I wish I could pick CHINATOWN since I saw it this year. I dunno. I might need some help here. The brain doesn’t go back to the early millennium that easily. There are a bunch of ‘good’ ones. Mel’s APOCALYPTO and PASSION were beautiful. KISS KISS BANG BANG, LAYER CAKE and IN BRUGGES were all pretty slick. I saw LAST KING OF SCOTLAND mentioned here and that sent up a small flag. I agree with Zorin that SIGNS was terrific, but then he also mentioned KING KONG so I won’t be referencing him as a reliable voucher.

I give up.

[Safari Suit]

You could count LOTR as three films, that would bring the list up to nine, or ten with Open Range.

[Zorin Industries]

There is a vast difference between your "best" and your "favourite" (something I am at pains to remind some on CBN from time to time) so don't feel you have to cite the 2004 winner of the Palm D'Or or the Golden Bear winner of such and such a year.

I'm going with "best" here as opposed to "favourite", which is why I'm not citing the likes of ROCKY BALBOA, a firm fave of mine if ever there was one. However, some films obviously occupy both categories (CASINO ROYALE, for instance).

Nine runners-up, in alphabetical order:

BABEL
(2006, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu)
An intellectual PULP FICTION meeting an issue of National Geographic. Mindblowing.

CASINO ROYALE
(2006, directed by Martin Campbell)
A few years ago, who would have thought that the twenty-second James Bond outing would be not merely the finest film in the series by a considerable distance, but also one of the best mainstream entertainments of its decade? CASINO ROYALE is simply dazzling, thanks to its magical combination of a wonderful Ian Fleming story updated brilliantly, dramatic depths and emotional impact leagues beyond anything else in the series (even the final scene of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE), a towering performance by Daniel Craig, pitch-perfect direction on an epic scale by the normally hacktastic Martin Campbell, splendid cinematography by Phil Meheux and other terrific elements.

CASINO ROYALE is like all of the 1960s Bond films rolled into one and directed by Tarantino with the maturity and technical finesse he displays in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. Of course, it's not exactly like that, but those are the gushing, geeking-out words I'd use to describe its effect on me. It's just stupid that it's as awesome as it is.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
(2009, directed by Quentin Tarantino)
With INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Tarantino is back on top form. Once more, he's the superstar director of the '90s who weaves the sort of blinding magic of a natural born filmmaker with more than a touch of genius. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is the work of a breathtakingly self-confident man. But the truly wonderful thing is that he's now dealing in depths and themes we've never seen before from him. He's been around the block these past few years, has lived and thought about things. That the old Tarantino is back would be in itself more than enough cause for celebration, but it's also thrillingly evident that he's evolved and is evolving. For the first time since PULP FICTION, he's a truly surprising director. This film is the real followup to PULP FICTION, the real next stage of Tarantino's growth, that I've been waiting fifteen years for.

Watching INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is like watching an enfant terrible transform into a wise old master.

KENNY
(2006, directed by Clayton Jacobson)
The life and musings of an affable Aussie plumber and self-styled expert on toilets whose cheerful, optimistic disposition is somehow not affected by the fact that his job - and, really, his life - is quite literally just a load of [rhymes with "catcher's mitt"].

Despite the subject matter, this comedy (very convincingly done in the style of a fly-on-the-wall documentary) does not go for crude, obvious belly laughs. Neither does it make the somewhat worn concept of a working class Australian bloke just being, well, a working class Australian bloke seem in any way contrived, clumsy or patronising.

Instead, KENNY feels 100% fresh and real, thanks to a towering performance as the eponymous hero (assuming, of course, that he's not simply "playing himself", a la Stallone in ROCKY, but even if he is it's still fantastic work) by one Shane Jacobson, whom Wikipedia informs me is an Australian actor and writer. It seems he co-wrote KENNY with his brother, who directed and also co-stars as.... his brother, and also roped in his father and son to play - wait for it - his father and son. That KENNY is a family affair gives it a powerful authenticity, enabling it to remain true and touching even with a couple of CROCODILE DUNDEE-ish plot turns.

This film will have you simmering gently throughout with affectionate chuckles. The humour comes from perfectly-drawn character and from a deep understanding of human nature (Kenny's relations with his grouchy old dad are a particular joy to behold), rather than from a handful of so-called big laugh moments. Never have I seen a comedy that seems to be making less of an effort to make me laugh, less heavy weather of making light. It's not the funniest film I've ever seen (although it's certainly not far off), but it's probably the most assured and (in the best possible sense) smooth comedy I've encountered. There are no lumpy bits, and no points at which you feel you're being sold a bill of goods. It's also beautifully shot and utterly spellbinding from start to finish.

LOST IN TRANSLATION
(2003, directed by Sofia Coppola)
Not sure I've ever seen better acting by two leads in any film - the looks shot by Bill Murray to Scarlett Johansson in the karaoke lounge to communicate his feelings for her are alone worth the price of admission. It's also a masterpiece of screenwriting, directing, cinematography and editing.

NOBODY KNOWS
(2006, directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda)
Harrowing yet ultimately strangely uplifting saga of four children who fend for themselves in a shabby Tokyo apartment when their mother abandons them. The subject matter is often hard to bear, but NOBODY KNOWS is never less than mesmerising. Beautifully shot and edited, with amazing performances by the juvenile cast, notably twelve-year-old Yuya Yagira, who won Best Actor at Cannes. Never sentimental, it's an unforgettable hymn to love, resilience and the human spirit.

SIDEWAYS
(2004, directed by Alexander Payne)
Thought-provoking and poignant as well as sidesplittingly hilarious. Brilliant writing and performances.

2046
(2004, directed by Wong Kar Wai)
Roger Ebert contends that 2046 "exists primarily as a visual style imposed upon beautiful faces", and while it's true that it's ravishing to look at (thanks in no small part to the extraordinary images of Wong's regular collaborator, cinematographer Christopher Doyle), Ebert's verdict seems to ignore the film's humanity. 2046 may have a baffling "story", and is best not approached by viewers who merely want to relax and be told a good yarn, but this is far more than just a chic flick, so to speak. Thanks to the fine, touching performances given by those beautiful faces (notably Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi), and to Wong's skill with mood, 2046 is an elegant, playful and moving meditation on relationships and desire, a visionary semi-sci-fi extravaganza with a human heart that beats a mesmerising rhythm lulling the audience into a dreamlike state. More of An Experience™ than A Movie™, 2046 is thankfully rooted in emotional truth, rewarding multiple viewings.

Appropriately for a revered master's film with a gestation so long that wags started claiming 2046 as the release year as well as the title, there are strong echoes of Kubrick, particularly EYES WIDE SHUT and 2001, but Wong shows more compassion than Kubrick ever did, as well as a considerably lighter touch.

UNKNOWN PLEASURES
(2002, directed by Jia Zhangke)
Quietly powerful, and very typical, stuff from Jia Zhangke, a director who seems to specıalıse in fly-on-the-wall, slice-of-life dramas (sprinkled with eccentric touches of magic realism) about average Joes and Josephines who live with their noses pressed urchin-like against the strange and seductive shop window of China's breakneck and painful modernisation, which momentous process seems to simultaneously empower and crush them.

"China," a western journalist opined recently, "has a wallet but no soul", and it would be easy to assume that Jia's very raison d'être as a director is to endorse this point of view. Millions of Chinese have been and are being lifted out of poverty, but spiritual satisfaction remains elusive, as well as sometimes impeded by all this sudden and bewildering newfangled stuff about skyscraper developments and people having their own businesses. Jia dwells constantly on the tremendous changes taking place in his country, but he does not appear to do so in a celebratory way. His is a cynical eye, coming to rest without fail on the innocent, the ignorant and the downtrodden. Which may explain why his films are banned in China.

Unsurprisingly, the westerner viewing Jia's films tends to come away thinking they're "about" today's China (which, of course to a great extent they are - and they also serve as time capsules rich in sociological detail), while viewing the characters in them as being of secondary or even negligible importance. Such an approach does Jia a disservice. At heart, he's a dramatist, not a journalist, and his ability - like a Satyajit Ray or a Mike Leigh - to conjure living, breathing men and women whom we're happy to spend time with even though none of them ever actually "triumphs", is what truly makes his films come to life. Otherwise, they'd simply be didactic and dry affairs. Add to the mix an extraordinary visual fluency and a gift for framing (things that are if anything enhanced rather than diminished by his evident microbudgets), and, son, you've got a heady brew.

My pick for the best film of this decade:

EUREKA
(2000, directed by Shinji Aoyama)
On paper, this is the ultimate "arthouse" flick: not only is it a subtitled affair in black and white, but two of the main characters are mute, meaning that vast stretches of the film go by without a peep of dialogue, and when I say vast I mean vast, for EUREKA also happens to clock in at a whopping three-and-a-half hours. Needless to say, there's next to no action, nothing much "happens", and it's also, shall we say, not exactly a barrel of laughs.

Yet it's utterly riveting from start to finish, packing an emotional wallop as it draws us into the lives of people who seem agonisingly real. It's film that at first glance looks cold and cerebral, but is actually as human and heartbreaking as they come. What's more, it's also a grade A visual masterpiece.

So what's it about? Well, without giving too much away, it's a story of loss and redemption that focuses on three survivors of a brutal bus hijacking: an adult (an exceptional performance by Koji Yakusho, probably best known outside Japan for his roles in BABEL and MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA) and two children.

Part whodunnit (the twist is fairly guessable by about the halfway mark, but by that stage you'll be so deeply invested in the painstakingly-created characters and their world that you won't mind; besides, it's not the main point of the piece), part character study, and part road movie, it's like---- well, if I were trying to be clever I'd probably say it's like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE as directed by David Lynch meeting HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER as scripted by Haruki Murakami.... but EUREKA looks and feels so unlike anything else I've ever seen - and hits home harder - that all comparisons crumble to dust. Unique and hypnotic, it's a true epic, yet an intimate one, unfolding with the ambiguity, grace and power of a great novel. I wonder why Hollywood hasn't remade it (with Nicolas Cage, natch), but perhaps the Tinseltown suits realised for once that any rehash of theirs could never be anything other than a hollow sham.

Interesting list Loomis. Thanks for the effort.

[Loomis]

No problem. Thanks for the thread.

[dinovelvet]

Spot on. VM's career choices since the Rings trilogy is far more interesting than Daniel Craig's. I'd have included Eastern Promises. And I suspect The Road will be another You Go, Viggo film.

I agree with that. I've been dissapointed with Craig's choices post-CR. I'd love to see him make smaller, more interesting movies like Enduring Love rather than hollow, dull "blockbusters" like The Golden Compass and The Invasion (which he probably shot before CR).

Well let's not forget that when Craig signed onto The Invasion, it was originally a more cerebral, psychological thriller directed by Downfall's Oliver Herschbiegel; I'm sure he didn't foresee having to come back a year later and refilm half of it under the Wachowski brothers. And is not Flashbacks of a fool a "smaller, more interesting movie"...? Ditto with A Steady Rain, hardly a conventional choice for an in demand movie actor to make.

He's also gravitated towards projects involving top flight directors like Ed Zwick, Steven Spielberg, and Jim Sheridan (and indeed Marc Forster), so it's not like he's just taking whatever paycheck comes along.

THE JACKET

I love this one. I usually pop on the DVD around Christmas time, it's an interesting 'alternative' festive film

[DamnCoffee]

In no particular order:

1408
Casino Royale
V for Vendetta
The Dark Knight
The Others
Frost/Noxon.
Dorian Gray
The Bourne Trilogy
Layer Cake
District 9

[SecretAgentFan]

I´ve been a movie nerd for almost three full decades now. And maybe it´s my age but this decade I´ve noticed I have not been to the cinema as often as before anymore. Neither have I really been profundly moved or excited as before. You know, the kind of feeling when you´re in the theater and just get sucked into the film. No looking at the watch, no tired ticking of the same boxes (yeah, exposition, yeah, that´s the way the story will go, and yeah, I know how it will all end...).

So, for me, these were the most envolving movie experiences of this decade (no particular order, just off the top of my head):

CASINO ROYALE / QUANTUM OF SOLACE (counting as one long film)

THE LORD OF THE RINGS (all three parts, counting as one long film as well)

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

ROCKY BALBOA

STAR TREK

THE MATADOR

LOVE ACTUALLY

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

THE CLOSET (with Daniel Auteuil, one of the funniest comedies ever)

MARRIED LIFE (yes, the one with Pierce Brosnan - a total surprise to me and a fantastic film)

[O.H.M.S.S.]

Top 10 is a little difficult, I make it a top 30, in alphabetical order, nice thread!

- Alexander
- Angels & Demons
- Australia
- The Black Dahlia
- Casino Royale
- Catch Me If You Can
- Cidade de Deus
- The Dark Knight
- Gladiator
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- In Bruges
- Inglourious Basterds
- Kingdom of Heaven
- Letters from Iwo Jima
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Mar adentro
- Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
- Memento
- Mulholland Dr.
- Munich
- Oldboy
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- Sin City
- Taking Sides
- There Will Be Blood
- Troy
- Der Untergang

[Judo chop]

Add THE MATADOR and CHOCOLAT to my list.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

Top 10 is a little difficult, I make it a top 30, in alphabetical order, nice thread!

- Alexander

Aaaaargh, my eyes!!!

Seriously, Alexander might be the most boring movie of all time in the humble opinion of the Ghost Who Walks.

[Zorin Industries]

Top 10 is a little difficult, I make it a top 30, in alphabetical order, nice thread!

- Alexander

Aaaaargh, my eyes!!!

Seriously, Alexander might be the most boring movie of all time in the humble opinion of the Ghost Who Walks.

We are not calling into question people's reasons here on this thread. OHMSS might love ALEXANDER for all the reasons you don't. This is not about prize winners. This is about what people connected with, enjoyed and remembered.

[Trident]

I'm not able to come up with a list of ten; would be more likely to be twenty or so. But what I feel would have a place amongst the top ten would be Donnie Darko.

[Zorin Industries]

I'm not able to come up with a list of ten; would be more likely to be twenty or so. But what I feel would have a place amongst the top ten would be Donnie Darko.

Thanks Trident.

It doesn't have to be ten. I must admit my ten could have been a twenty, though it was interesting cutting them down on whatever criteria I used.

Pop up your twenty if you want to. In the New Year I might look at the lists and compile a top five or so of the titles that keep being cited here.

[Gabe Vieira]

First off, is it just me, or are there, like, three different threads on this subject? Seriously? Anyways, I couldn't tell if this is a "Best" or "Favorites" list, so I', just gonning to do Best.

1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Along with Little Children, I'm rather surprised that I don't see this this film on any of your lists, and I'm really hoping that's beacuse you haven't seen it. For a little insentive, Mathieu Amalric, who we all know as Dominic Greene, stars as Jean-Dominique Bauby, former editor of ELLE magazine who suffered a severe stroke at age 42. He bacame a victim of the very rare locked-in-syndrom, where he can't move a single part of his body, except for his left eyelid, or talk, but can clearly understand everything that is happening around him. Most of the film is from his perspective, while he narrates (read: thinks to himself). Julian Schnabel does an incredable job of both making every frame of the film utterly heartbreaking, and really immersing us into the life of Bauby. The imagery is spectacular, cinematography incredable, and incredably acted. I cried pretty much throughout the whole thing.

2. Little Children - Again, I really hope this isn't on any of your lists beacuse you haven't seen it. Jackie Earl Haley wiil forever be remembered as "that guy from Watchmen", and it's a shame. Haley gives the best performance in a film filled with great preforances. He managed to turn a child predator, one of the very few things I outright hate and utterly despise, into one of the most symathetic characters of the past ten years, which was the selling point for me.

3. Milk - I'm kind of alarmed that this isn't on more lists as well. I see a pattern here. I beleive this should have won for Best Picture at the Oscars. Again, nothing but incredable acting all around, and the script is one of the best original script of the decade.

4. Kingdom Of Heaven - This has the best original script of the decade. William Monahan (The Departed, which I find over-rated) said in an interview, "I can't remember if it was 186 pages or 168 pages, but I know it scared the our of everybody." Set during the Crusades, it tells the story of Balian of Ibelin, who would eventually surrender Jerusalem to Saladin. Albeit, it is heavily fictionallized, it is still fantastic. Every detail, from the set design, cinematography, costumes - holy , the costumes! - the whole scope of the film, is just mind blowing. Ridley Scott directed it, so you know it's gonna be big. The director's cut is over three hours and is the version that must be scene.

5. Michael Clayton - This is probably my favorite film of the decade. I love everything about it. While I could speak about how everything is pitch-perfect, it is really about the mood of this film. I still can't put my finger on it. It's... a bit melancholy in a way... feels rather simple, though it's really not... it takes place during winter, which reflects it's cold, dry, atmosphere. It's one of those films that is best watched at three in the morning when it's very quiet and you don't have to worry about a thing. I'd compare it's mood to No Country for Old Men, even though I didn't like it that much.

I'll do 6-10 when I have some more time.

[Gabe Vieira]

THE JACKET
John Maybury's time shift melodrama is an intriguing yarn of redemption alongside medical corruption and the odd subtle dig at war. Pipping THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE to this list by a hair's breadth, both that and THE JACKET cover similiar ground and paint a broad potentially stupid story with intimate, sensible and poignant strokes. An odd cast of Adrien Brody, pre-famous Keira Knightley, Kris Kristofferson and some newcomer called Daniel Craig give great acting chops to this one - as does the canny decision to pop a Bond cover song over the end credits.

Nice, some love for The Jacket. Always liked this film. Keira Knightley makes anything better.

Watchmen (Director's Cut edition. A stunning achievement, as far as I'm concerned near flawless)

The Fountain (either you "get" this one or you don't. Truly a love or hate kind of film)

A History of Violence (made me realize Viggo Mortensen is one of the best actors working today)

Nice to see some love for The Fountain and History of Violence as well. But as a massive fan of the Watchmen comic, way before the film came out, I can honestly say that the film is one of the worst pieces of I have ever scene. Hated it. One of the worst pictures of the... forever. It did start out well, I'll give it that, but set a new record for going down hill in the shortest ammount of time. I'm honestly getting so mad about it, just typing this! Everybody said it was un-filmable. They were right.

LOVE ACTUALLY

Another one of my favorites of the decade. Yes, I just admitted that. Shut up.

[Zorin Industries]

First off, is it just me, or are there, like, three different threads on this subject? Seriously? Anyways, I couldn't tell if this is a "Best" or "Favorites" list, so I', just gonning to do Best.

Thanks Gabe. Much appreciated.

There are other threads but none cover the whole decade from the perspective of the end of it and I want this one to be what people liked (be it best or favourite) and what stood out for them.

I haven't seen LITTLE CHILDREN yet. I have seen DIVING BELL. It's great but not a top ten for me. In defence of MILK, it is probably my best film of 2009 but not in the decade's top ten. Not for little old me anyway.

We await your 6-10 in time...

[Tybre]

But what I feel would have a place amongst the top ten would be Donnie Darko.

I'm holding off on making a top ten until late next month, but I will agree with Trident on this here, right now. Donnie Darko has definitely earned itself a spot somewhere in my 10 as well.

[Jim]

1. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - Along with Little Children, I'm rather surprised that I don't see this this film on any of your lists, and I'm really hoping that's beacuse you haven't seen it. For a little insentive, Mathieu Amalric, who we all know as Dominic Greene, stars as Jean-Dominique Bauby, former editor of ELLE magazine who suffered a severe stroke at age 42. He bacame a victim of the very rare locked-in-syndrom, where he can't move a single part of his body, except for his left eyelid, or talk, but can clearly understand everything that is happening around him. Most of the film is from his perspective, while he narrates (read: thinks to himself). Julian Schnabel does an incredable job of both making every frame of the film utterly heartbreaking, and really immersing us into the life of Bauby. The imagery is spectacular, cinematography incredable, and incredably acted. I cried pretty much throughout the whole thing.

I love you.

This is my number one. Being kind to the rest, they all come second. I'm sure that they were all jolly good.