Top 15 Films of the New Millennium
by John NolteUsing reader scores, IMDB ranked their top 15 films produced since 2000. Other than “The Departed,” which along with “Mystic River,” “Crash,” “Crash,” and “Crash,” ranks in the top 5 over-rated films of ever, there’s little to quibble over. Taste is a subjective thing.
My personal Top 15 are ranked as my favorites always are — based on nothing more than re-watchability. “Rocky Balboa” might not be better written, photographed or acted than any number of films not on this list, but I’m going to watch it a helluva lot more, that’s for sure.
1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) – Ever since the lights came up after that first screening, like a drug this lyrical, gorgeously photographed piece of myth-making has tugged me back for another taste. This isn’t easy to admit, but I think I admire Andrew Dominik’s directorial debut even more than John Ford’s “Young Mister Lincoln” (1939), which it resembles in so many ways. Were this also a listing of the greatest performances of the new millennium, Casey Affleck’s portrayal of Robert Ford would rank #1, as well.
2. The Passion of the Christ (2004) – Easily, the purest and rawest emotional cinematic experience I’ve ever had. The Left’s bigoted, venomous attacks combined with the film’s eventual blockbuster success were almost as satisfying as the re-election of George W. Bush.
3. The Dark Knight (2008) - Watching liberal critics gush over a not-so-thinly disguised thank you to President Bush and then harumph and find fault after conservatives calmly explained what this epic of action, character and allegory is really about, was nearly as much fun as the movie.
4. Up (2009) - As far as pure film-making and storytelling goes this exquisite, touching story of the adventure required to help a widower move on after losing the love of his life, is the most perfect picture on the list. In fact, it is perfect. Simply, beautifully perfectly perfect.
5. The Lives of Others (2006) – I’ve read that this unflinching look at the corrosive effects of Big Oppressive Government on the human soul was one of the late great William F. Buckley’s favorites. How’s that for an endorsement? There’s talk of an American remake, which I’m in favor of, because there’s no doubt it will come out as a disastrous failure in every respect. Liberty=good is an idea that no longer computes among those still interested in producing the adult drama. Movies may not be anywhere near as good as they were even ten years ago, but watching Leftist propaganda — which this will surely be twisted into — flop makes for a nice consolation prize.
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6. Mulholland Drive (2001) – Director David Lynch’s masterpiece was reportedly an aborted television pilot, and yet he somehow turned it into something that out-dreams dreams and out-nightmares nightmares. Mesmerizing, sexy, frightening…. and all driven by a visionary director who created a hypnotic puzzlebox unlike anything we’ve seen before or will again. My eternal thanks to my movie-watching buddy Jim Sprader for bringing it over that day…
7. 300 (2006) – God bless director Zack Snyder for not gutting and nuancing Frank Miller’s brilliant take on the Battle of Thermopylae. Hopefully, someday, Hollywood will become a tolerant place where the conservative, pro-Western themes of “300″ won’t have to be disguised in this way. Not that I mind. Visually, “300″ was not only richly rewarding, but proof that in the hands of a genius director CGI can enhance the story as opposed to distract.
8. Once (2006) – A poignant, affecting and unforgettable musical romance made in Ireland for next to no money. The song’s are stirring, the performances impeccable, the script witty… But more than all of that is a tenderness and gentle humanity rarely found in theatres these days. The perfect rainy afternoon comfort food.
9. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - Normally my opinion of quirky is that it’s nothing more than irony gone retarded, but in a remarkable debut, co-writer/director Jared Hess strips the cynicism that usually defines quirk and replaces it with old-fashioned heart and sentiment.
10. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) – Unflustered as he steps from a sinking ship onto a pier, Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow also stepped into cinema lore and earned enough goodwill to carry two lacking sequels to box office glory. At least through 2003, we lovers of classic cinematic adventure could no longer say, “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.”
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11. Ratatouille (2007) – Man, I loves me that little rat. Most people choose “The Incredibles” as their favorite Brad Bird entry in the Pixar canon, but Anton Ego’s monologue about the difference between those in the arena and those, like me, who snipe from the bleachers (”But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so…”) might be the best piece of dialogue since Orson Welles’ take on the cuckoo clock in “The Third Man.”
12. No Country For Old Men (2007) - This Coen Brothers Best Picture winner passes the test of a timeless classic: Each viewing is richer than the one that came before.
13. Shaun of the Dead (2004) – Funny, scary, imaginative and about as original as they come.
14. Gone Baby Gone (2007) – What “Mystic River” wanted to be and its defenders said it was can be found in Ben Affleck’s stunningly mature and emotionally devastating directorial debut. Everything from the character accents, the subtly of the performances and the many, many complicated moral questions raised are handled with precision and confidence. Best of all, Affleck leads us to one final and unforgettable closing shot where Casey Affleck silently proves he’s willing to do more than make the terrible decision which cost him everything, he’s willing to take responsibility for it.
15. Rocky Balboa (2006) – Who would have ever thought writer/director Sylvester Stallone could pull this off? But he did. And I love it more each time I see it.
20 runners up in no particular order: Friday Night Lights, Dawn of the Dead, Kill Bill I & II, Watchmen, Iron Man, Gran Torino, Casino Royale, Pursuit of Happyness, Amelie, In the Bedroom, Million Dollar Baby, Taken, 28 Weeks Later, The Station Agent, A.I., Sexy Beast, Saving Silverman, Monster’s Ball and Match Point.
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220 Comments
Nice list.
Just some random thoughts…
I've seen about half these films. I recently saw The Lives of Others and thought it was excellent. A film school friend of mine hated No Country For Old Men, at least the last twenty minutes or so. My dad caught it on TV and had the same reaction. Oh well. No love for There Will Be Blood?
I was temping at MGM when Rocky Balboa came out and was able to catch an employee screening of it – lot of fun and surprisingly good! Everyone told me to see Shaun of the Dead and I felt it was a rare movie where the hype was actually accurate! Match Point I thought was a great return for Woody Allen and it's a shame he hasn't been able to recapture that lightning in a bottle. The Station Agent has been on my Netflix list since I first became a Netflix subscriber.
Casino Royale was one of the best movie-going experiences I've ever had. While temping at MGM, a few of us were asked to go to the theater across the street. There was to be an employee screening after work and they wanted to make sure the A/V was up to par. So the three of us got to see the film in the theater a.) before everyone else, and b.) with no one else in the theater, just us three. It was great!
And I still have mixed feelings about A.I. It leaves me conflicted to this day…
Definitely down with Pirates: COTB. One of THE most surprising movies I’ve ever seen in a theater.
As a dad with two daughters, I’m also throwing in Monster’s Inc. The ending to that movie was GREAT. Can’t believe they’re going to ruin it with a sequel.
But any list about best movies of the millennium that doesn’t include the Lord of the Rings trilogy is lacking.
Peace.
I would have to include the Lord of the Ring trilogy, probably The Return of the King. As a classic tale of good vs. evil the characters demonstrated so many of the qualities we used to hold in high regard: hope (true hope), freedom over enslavement, duty and honor, friendship, and committment to something larger than ourselves.
My favorite scene is where the army of Rohan arrives before the gates of Minas Tirith and finds the city invested by the army of the dark one. The cinematic beauty and the interplay of light and darkness in that scene was wonderful. Another favorite scene – from The Two Towers – was the decision of the Ents to go to battle even if it might be the last march of the Ents. Just the lesson that apathy is not realistic when confronted with good was well worth the price of admision.
Napolean Dynamite was a dud! Re-watchability? I regretted watching it the first (and only) time. I think I only laughed once. Can you replace it with "The House Bunny"?
I agree with nearly all of these choices… of the ones I've seen (which is most). I champion your pick of "Lives of Others" and "Shaun of the Dead." But I loathe Mulholland Dr with the fire of a thousand suns. What an utter crapfest that was.
I get indescribable rage in regards to 'Crash'. It had the plot and sentiments of a high school production, which is why I hate it, but I guess what really gets to me are the accolades it received, as well as its 2-D thinking fans. As the years pass people seem more willing to speak against it, but damn it when it came out those fans were zealots about it.
I like a lot of the movies on the list. I'm still trying to figure out Mulholland Drive. I'm almost there.
Assassination…? Really, I was totally put to sleep by this one. I love Casey Affleck and think his work in Gone Baby Gone was excellent. Maybe I'll try again. I am in agreement with Up. I laughed more than the three year old I watched it with.
I wish my local RedBox would get "House Bunny." I really want to see it. Of course, I was all excited about "Paul Blart" too and couldn't have been more disappointed.
No Country for Old Men was good only for the performances of the main characters. The plot disappointed, especially at the end. The performance of Javier Bardem was riveting. They missed an opportunity to highlight the confrontation between he and Josh Brolin.
I was so mesmerized by the first screening I didn't trust that it was the movie — could've been the back pill — but I saw it again with no back pill and it had the exact same effect.
I would have to add:
Tony Scott's "Man on Fire"
Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down"
HBO's "Conspiracy"
Scorsese's "Gangs of New York" and "The Departed"
I felt the same way after the first screening, but watching it again helped to make sense of it.
I hated Mulholland Drive first time through as well, but once I understood that it was largely the delusional and paranoid dream of a mentally ill actress (Naomi Watts) this movie became much more interesting, particularly, trying to determine where it slides in and out of reality and picking up the various tells.
Me too. At first, I wasn't even sure Brolin was dead. An odd way to shoot it. Build up to it and then skip ahead.
300 showed that the will of the people (movie goers) is stronger than the will of the establishment (critics, award shows,etc.)
Both are long, but somehow incredibly compelling to watch. Mel does do brutal, he always has, and it is heavily on display in both movies.
Watched "Dawn of the Dead" again this weekend and it gets better evry time I watch it. Maybe its because I have had a crush of Sarah Polley ever since "GO"
And totally agree with "Gone Baby Gone", I was not expecting much from both Afflects but was amazed how truely great movie this was. Ben needs to stop acting and make more movies like this.
I have watched it several times just to enjoy the individual performances and still feel they missed the boat. It just leaves me unfulfilled at the end. It's anti-climatic and the way the Brolin character gets offed after the build-up is just unbelievable.
You mentioned The Incredibles, but failed to list it. Top 15 easily. Also no LOTR love?
Scott – Although a fan of the Coens, No Country is so damned depressing. It's almost nihilistic; Nietchesque {spelling} if you will. I agree with you on Match Point, I'd put it up there with Fracture for not giving away the eventual ending. There will be blood was a great acting performance, but it did move a bit slowly at times. Gotta love the new Bond. That is a return to what a spy movie ought to be and the best Bond since "From Russia with Love."
Out of curiosity, what would your list of the bottom 15 films be?
"Taken"
Absolutely a must-see for conservatives. And for a liberal friend you want to shake out of their stupidituide.
Black Hawk Down really had an impact with the military. A lot of lessons learned in that one. Hopefully, they will be remembered.
The Bill Maher sex tape. : )
One can always quibble over choices- I would have to put Master and Commander right on top – but it´s a fine list. At least I have seen twelve of them.
I´m especially glad to see David Lynch up there. At a time when every halfway competent filmmaker is inevitably called a visionary, Lynch is one of the few who deserve that title. I may be unable to make sense of his vision (is that even the point?) but his work is spellbinding. And he uses darkness like no one else.
Memento?
Black Hawk Down?
Gladiator?
Master and Commander?
Lord of the Rings?
Oh well, to each his own
Thanks to you John, Jesse James is now one of my favorite films.
I loved how the supporting cast members were given near equal time to flesh-out their characters…such as with Paul Schneider's portrayal of "Dick Liddil" and Garret Dillahunt's "Ed Miller"
Given any more screen time and Schneider might’ve completely stolen the film.
But what really did it for me was the music….definitely one of the most exquisitely-haunting movie scores I've ever heard.
I've seen this film over a half-dozen times now and each time I'm more amazed at just how perfectly composed it is.
A true rarity in this age of filmmaking.
Nothing wrong with that! I still think the first fifteen minutes are excellent, especially when the one kids yells, "Caaandy baaarss!!"
John:
A note of thanks. I missed "Jesse James" when it was released and only after I read your rave review did I screen the film. It is a beauty, a cross between Carl Dreyer's contemplative and moral Judeo-Christian landscape and Anthony Mann's deeply pessimistic view of the old west.
By the way, the novel by Ron Hansen, on which the film is based, is brilliant. I also highly recommend Hansen's other great western novel, "Desperadoes," the story of the Dalton gang.
Nothing wrong with that!
I still think the first fifteen minutes (which had been put online before the film was released) are hilarious, especially when the one kid yells, "Caaandy baaarss!!"
Nothing wrong with that!
I still think the first fifteen minutes (which had been put online before the film was released) are hilarious, especially when the one kid yells, "Caaandy baaarss!!"
Pretty good list, though I think there are a few oversights. First of all, I'm amazed that Monsters Inc. has gotten lost in the shuffle. That is Pixar's best movie, with only the original Toy Story and Up approaching it in quality. Also, Gladiator has to be on any list of the best movies of the new millennium. Finally, there are several other quality superhero movies apart from The Dark Knight that are worth mentioning, particularly Batman Begins and Spiderman 2.
I don't watch movies, so… I have to ask, is that a joke?
Dude, i am shocked. As you know, I enjoy watching direct-to-video releases starring former A-talent now slumming it, and last night alone i watched two in that category which wee better than the Brad Pitt bore-fest. Casey Affleck is a great actor, and I agree with you on Gone-Baby Gone, but come on, man
that is a great list.. there are about 5 movies on there I would have included… I think that being that we are only 9 years in…. we should make a shorter list!
Thanks for Napoleon Dynamite–It captured such a vibe and from time to time when my husband and I see a cool tech toy we must sing, "I love technology…but not as much as you you see…but I still love technology…"
That thing is quirky but you're dead right about the big heart.
Now I'm going to have to watch it. I've got it dvr'd, but am not a fan of anyone named Affleck. But I'm guessing Casey is a better actor than his troll brother. And I've heard nothing but good reviews of this movie.
I know that one had to be with himself. Since he loves himself so much.
I know that one had to be with himself. Since he loves himself so much. Ewwww.
Show Girls…….definitely.
Jed is correct, Apocalypto is very compelling and rewatchable. The movie is hated by the Left because it does not portray the pre-Spanish societies as blissful utopias. Surprise, there was actually oppression, depravity, war and murder before Whites moved in.
I have to inject Terrence Malick's "The New World" (2005), Hilary Birmingham's "Tully" (2000), Todd Field's "In the Bedroom" (2001), and Michael Apted's "Amazing Grace" (2006) into the conversation.
I'm with you on LOTR and all my favorite bits are with Rohan. The people of Gondor seem more like a cautionary tale.
I recently re-watched all of them (my son turned 9 and we promised he could watch them then) and I was struck by how conservative the films are–and perfect for the time in which they were made…
Beautiful movie. God, I love that dog. Also, damn you Pixar for making a grown man, a war vet no less, weep in public!!
Looking forward to _Law Abiding Citizen_, at least from the trailer.. Just wondering how Hollyweird is going to fuck it up though :p
I have used that segment where Gandalf tells Pippin why Gondor has fallen into decay as a way to explain the value of learning our western civilization.
I agree with you that Gondor is a cautionary tale about the need for historical perspective, proper priorities, and the right kind of leadership.
Nick Cave's music in The Proposition was one of the highlights of that movie as well. Nice call.
Yes, thank goodness, it is a joke!
I'm a big fan of "New World," another dreamy, mesmerizing experience… In the Bedroom made my runner up list, Amazing Grace is good but not quite up there — haven't seen TULLY.
Ooh, In The Bedroom, yes.
Had to take it that one extra step didn't you? : )
And Sexy Beast Up there in top 15, as well…. ok, back to work for me
Whenever my (50-something year old) parents encounter the word "skills," they usually follow it up with, "You know, like nunchuck skills, bow hunting skills…"
'Cuz chicks dig guys with skills…
I enjoyed Amazing Grace too but it could have been stronger.
I liked 'Napoleon" the same way…I love when he's feeding the damn Llama..he just tosses the "food" over the fence…
I'm with you on that. I had to read interpretations of the story lines and watched it again. It was better after I got it semi-figured out.
Except for the Pixar pics, Muholland drive and Gone Baby Gone I would agree with you. Pixar movies are good, my problem is they always seem to dissapoint my daughter. My daughter is 5 so when I say dissapoint I mean puts her to sleep. Is there some new rule that kids movies have to be close to 2 hours long. Whenever I want my daughter to go to bed I pop in Ratatouille. As far as Gone Baby Gone So I'm suppose to believe that cops are taking kids off the street out of the blue with out thinking hey this could possibly backfire? Really? And the girlfriend leaves casey because he does the right thing? What the f she didnt have anything invested in the childs welfare. I just dont get it. Acting was good story was shight. Im with the thousand sun guy on Muholland dr.
No love for Team America.
No Country for Old Men? Don't get it.
No love for Team America?
No love for Team America? I laughed so hard during the "love scene" I couldn't breath. Literally.
Or, as was said so well on NRO: 'Taken' is 'patriarchy porn'
I think everyone came away with the same experience on first viewing of No Country. I actually did as Richard Roeper recommended and watched a second time and had an altogether different perspective. The film is nihilistic and unfulfilling but is a smart commentary on violence and crime in the present day.
BTW John, good list. I view movies sparingly and I've seen 11 of the movies in your top 15 so I think either you know how to reach your readers or I've been exceptionally lucky in my choices.
Three cheers for "stupiditude!" That one goes in the memory bank.
Memento and Gladiator were released in 2000. The new millenium began in 2001.
I think "You Kill Me" is a better Ben Kingsley flick. IMHO of course.
Blame Cormac McCarthy if you didn't like it. But also remember that it's not a movie about what it seems to be about. On the surface, it's a crime thriller, a chase movie; but underneath, it's about death. The death of everything, including an entire way of the world, a whole lifestyle, the replacement of the old order with the new. Listen to Tommy Lee Jones's voice-overs and his comments to other characters, especially at the end. It'll make more sense if you do that than if you think of it as a Plot Point A-to-Plot Point Z movie.
And the book is just brilliant, as most everything by McCarthy is.
District 9
Uh, Lord of the Rings was in the new millennium. O_o Maybe you forgot. Or maybe you don't like them. In which case…*calls in the town hall mob for reinforcements, but they forget the noose*
Ironically, Mel Gibson was no supporter of W. XD I remember him mocking the lack of WMDs in Iraq in his Diane Sawyer interviews.
Thank you, ya never know these days.
I can't watch the Passion, it made my sister cry and she is a class A hard ass. So for a movie to do that to her I just know what it would do to me, I mean I cry watching Bambi for the 12th time.
Personally, I would've chosen There Will Be Blood over No Country for Old Men.
My other favorites:
Ghost World
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Punch-Drunk Love
Lost in Translation
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Brokeback Mountain
Walk the Line
Anchorman
Superbad
Maybe I read No Country for Old Men wrong, but I thought the ending was sublime.
The sheriff faced a man with twisted morality who blended into society and killed because he judged it the moral thing to do. The sheriff's father would have been of the generation that fought in WWII. When the sheriff sat at that table he would have been the age of his father he remembered in his dream.
The sheriff came up short, but the cautionary message I read in it? There is evil in this world, we either carry the horn with fire in it, or we surrender.
Since 300, The Dark Knight and Sean of the Dead made the list I would like to give an honorable mention to Josh Whedon's "Serenity". I am not sure what Mr. Whedon's political leanings are but it is easy for me as a conservative to see the current political climate reflected in the storyline of this future sci-fi classic.
In all fairness, I am sure if you are liberal you could make a case for "your" side. Definitely worth a watch and most definitely worth a debate.
I saw "Mullholland", "Pirates", "No Country" and "Dark Knight" and liked only "Pirates".
Am I alone in thinking it's too early to make this sort of determination?
WAY too early.
"No Country For Old Men" is my perpetual whipping post. The author of this mess just got lazy, the story just went poof at the end, and the Coen bros. just went along with the mess. What hero status Llewellyn Moss was approaching but was killed off before a suitable ending could be devised, I'm still pissed!!!
I'm surprised you didn't include City of God, a film that deserved to sweep the Oscars in 2003.
D-9 will stand the test of time.
Serenity has already been a featured midnight show many times at the Nuart Theatre in LA. I think that speaks to it's appeal and longevity.
As I've said before regarding District 9, sci-fi movies are a Conservative home run.
I liked Ratatouille… but there's no way I can put it above The Incredibles. I'm surpsied that SHaun of the Dead made your list, John.. (I would probably put it on my list, but i'd have to pick between SotD and Hot Fuzz for my "simon pegg comedy" choice.)
I liked Ratatouille… but there's no way I can put it above The Incredibles. I'm surprised that SHaun of the Dead made your list, John.. (I would probably put it on my list, but i'd have to pick between SotD and Hot Fuzz for my "simon pegg comedy" choice.)
I should have clarified that I have seen Apocalypto. Loved it, for, among other reasons, the way it infuriated the usual suspects with an honest portrayal a pre-Colombian super-power… and to think it wasn't even close to the most brutal one that existed at that time.
It was amazing how in one sweeping arc, from the prisoners' entrance into the city until the protagonist's escape, Gibson managed to show a cross section of an entire imperial city, from the humanity of the lowest and most wretched class to the inhumanity of the decaying, decadent, and manipulative royalty.
Why wasn't "Grand Torino" on the list? Of Course the hero gets killed, but you're okay with it. Now that's an ending that can be lived with, seeing to it the bad guys go down along with "political correctness"…
Anything with Sean Penn that isn't Fast Times At Ridgemont High or Colors.
Agree, Snyder's DotD is OUTSTANDING. The finale still freaks me out.
RamRod…say it, Car RamRod…say car RamRod!!!
When I first heard people raving about new film called Crash, my first thought was, "That can't be right, JG Ballard has never had that kind of mass appeal."
I thought Casey was amazing in The Assassination…. He made me feel uncomfortable as Ford, yet I was very sympathetic to the character. I've never experienced that watching a film. Also the music and cinematography was amazing.
i think the part that misleads most people who don't "get" NCFOM is that Llewyn is NOT the protagonist.
I just have to say that A.I. was the worst movie (big budget) I have ever seen. The first one-third was a dervivative of 2001, the second a derivative of Blade Runner and the third a derivateive of Spielberg's own Strange Encounters…"
Lost in Translation was also terrible. Two self absorbed, uninteresting people saying and doing nothing for two hours. Bill Murry couldn't go to sleep; I couldn't wake up.
Have to agree.
Loved Monster's Inc. when it first came out, but now that I have children, I tear up every time I hear "kitty" and see his face at the end.
A sequel? Oh that's just terrible.
The first Pirates was great. I got almost the same feeling watching it that I did in '77 watching Star Wars for the first time. Shame about the sequels. Shaun of the Dead was great. I also like the 28 Days movies. A lot of conservatives see 28 Weeks Later as anti-American military, but I don't see it that way at all. I think any reasonable person would agree with the free fire decision since it was utterly impossible to distinguish targets at that point. And, people complained about the car being targeted. Well, just look at how that decision was borne out by the ending. Sorry, France.
I thought it was sily, and adolescent (well, base doff of a comic book, so duh), and butchered history.
That having been said, I will give it credit for not making the Persian Empire to turn out to really be the good guys and all that other sort of endless left-wing dialectic we are used to being spoon fed.
I thought it was silly, and adolescent (well, base doff of a comic book, so duh), and butchered history.
That having been said, I will give it credit for not making the Persian Empire to turn out to really be the good guys and all that other sort of endless left-wing dialectic we are used to being spoon fed.
I thought it was silly, and adolescent (well, based off of a comic book, so duh), and butchered history.
That having been said, I will give it credit for not making the Persian Empire to turn out to really be the good guys and all that other sort of endless left-wing dialectic we are used to being spoon fed.
It has been a rather weak decade. The Joker in The Dark Knight, Napolean Dynamite, and Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill are the only iconic performances that will be remembered from this decade in 20 years from now. Perhaps Frodo amd Gandof in The Lord of the Rings might have legs.
"want me to punchisize your face? FOR FREE?"
so many quotes from that movie, so little time
Yes, by God yes! "I will never die" Plus this movie was vastly overlooked in the all important category of "best projectile vomiting by a puppet." D's and AH's sums up current politics perfectly.
That is an extremely interesting, and, how shall I say, eclectic list.
The Assassination of Jesse James was decent enough, but couldn't decide if it was going to be a documentary or feature. As a result, it dragged forty-five minutes too long with these long, lingering shots of the main characters. It was gorgeous, though, and about 75% of it was entertaining.
I still don't get what everyone likes about Napoleon Dynamite. It wasn't quirky, it was just plain stupid. Mulholland Drive? Meh. Up? Meh. Ratatouille? Meh. They were all fine (well, Mulholland Drive was marginal), but hardly worth writing home about. Juno, on the other hand, seems the quirky one I'd put on the list, but honestly I think there are other movies that are better.
Ratatouille was good, but knowing Garafolo's voice gave me a slightly icky feeling watching it. I agree, Incredibles was better
Rataouille may have had Anton's monologue but The Incredibles had more then just a monologue that made it so good.
I agree though about Mulholland Drive. Aside from Angelo Baldamentis score and the spanish cover of Roy Orbison's Crying, the movie was a waste. Isn't it odd that for as perverse a director David Lynch is, his best movie was The Straight Story which was rated G.
Oh, and to the post who mentioned Man On Fire, that is perhaps Tony Scott's best movie. But there is a bootlegged re-cut on the internet called Creasy. It basically cuts all scens that Denzal Washington was not in so the movie is more form his point of view. The movie is tighter but Mickey Rourke's best scens are removed.
I agree with your assessment of "UP!"… the most perfect film this year (possibly years). An amazingly tender movie with solid characters and equal doses of suspense and laugh-out-loud moments. I am patiently awaiting the DVD after seeing it 4 times in the theatre.
But "No Country for Old Men?" The ending of that movie angered me to no end. I will never watch it again. A few of your choices I have not seen, but if this were my list I would've included at least "Fellowship of the Ring" (if not the whole trilogy), and "The Incredibles."
I love lists, and with this decade ending, I knew we were going to see this list sooner or latter here.
I honestly love this list. Didn't expect to see Mulholland Drive ranking here. Glad to see it.
Ratatouille actually has a mean Dick Cheney joke in it, which keeps me from loving it, but the movie definitely is close to great if not great. Especially Anton Ego.
Quite a few I haven't seen yet. I'll definitely get around to it.
And finally, THANK YOU, for not putting any of the "Lord of the Rings" films on there.
you're both right on Bond…
And we've taken exception to Mr Nolte's take on it- he hated "Quantum of Solace'. We recommend watching 'Solace' immediately after 'Casino Royale'; it is truly a sequel and Craig's character comes full cycle.
Like 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' it's a hard core Bond fan's delight…
Here's mine:
1. Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith
2. Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones
- No matter how I defend those, haters will still attack. I don't care what anyone says … these films were everything I expected — and they get better.
3. The Dark Knight: The only thing about this film is now everything in the genre has to live up to it. No other film has had as much to say, and still made AMAZING escapist entertainment.
4. Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
5. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RIng
6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
7. The Incredibles: An objectivist superhero film — are you kidding?
8. The Passion of the Christ: No matter what your beliefs are, this is pure filmmaking.
9. Black Hawk Down: Greatest war film ever — I'll go to my grave saying that.
10. Rambo
11. We Were Soldiers
12. 300
13. Watchmen
14. Friday Night Lights
15. No Country for Old Men
Others: Apocalypto, Memento, Batman Begins, Lost in Translation, The Wrestler, Equilibrium, Cinderella Man, Rocky Balboa, Gran Torino, Taken, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Collateral, Iron Man, Dawn of the Dead, Transformers, The Lives of Others, Gone Baby Gone, Minority Report.
John Adams should also be noted. I think it's the best overall body of work. Also, The Path To 9/11 is the best political thriller I've seen — but there's no chance of seeing that, now, is there.
spot on on 'Master and Commander'; it would top our list as well…
P.S.
That is Titus Pullo, isn't it? Favourite character of the last 10 years!
"he's all BULGY, he's like a moose, it's disgusting!…"
Tell that to Transformers 2. Still sucked.
[...] more from the original source: Top 15 Films of the New Millennium This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
"Fer $20 I'll call him a chickenf—er!"
I agree. This is a film that would benefit from a "directors cut" that goes back and redoes the last forty minutes. This could have been one of the great films of all time, but instead will be remembered for a couple of great performances. The scene near the beginning in the gas station with Bardem is absolutely riveting. He is terrifying in his absolute absence of compassion.
Fellowship of the Rings is best of the three…and maybe the best movie of the decade.
Help me out…how does Almost Famous not get on somebody's list? Am I missing something. Talk about rewatchability…100 out of 100.
And Team America: World Police…not Top 15 or even in the 20 honorable mentions? Puh leze.
Puhleeze, the house bunny blows and not in a good way. Napolean Dynamite was way, way better; the house bunny, pffttgtgttttttftftfttf,
"I'm Not There"
"American Gangster"
"The Cooler"
"We Were Soldiers"
"61*"
Amen brother! Show sucked like a 2 dollar hooker!
Damn — how could I forget 61*?
"Katyn" should have been on this list. It was released in 2007 by Polish director Andrzej Wajda and it is a masterpiece on the lines of 'Tin Drum'. EVERYONE should see this film. It will blow you away. (It's a film on the massacre of 20,000 Polish officers and intelligentsia by the Russians in 1940.)
Please, someone should do a review on this film. If only to give unsuspecting film lovers a chance to see a film that will haunt them with its beauty and perfection. From acting, directing, script, cinematography, sound, pacing, etc., this film is as perfect as it gets. Indeed, I would put it at the TOP of Nolte's list.
Maris should be in the Hall of Fame — 2 MVPs, single-season HR champ (I do not recognize Bonds, McGwire or Sosa) everyday player on 5 pennant-winning teams (played on 2 more with the Cards in '67 and '68) and no steroids.
Not to put too fine a point on it, and it certainly doesn't apply to your list, but the millenium didn't start until January 1, 2001.
Movies are a dying medium. It's best to stop caring now. Soon, they'll be uploading them and we can watch them in little rectangles just like music is uploaded. All I'm saying is it's all over.:)
What about "The Incredibles"? I forget the year, but I believe in was in the decade.
I actually really like this list… excellent choices!! I of course would add all LoTR movies.
May I also propose: Children of Men. Perhaps it was that it portrayed what I viewed as a very real (possible) future for us (the sterility aside) – I dont know. That movie stayed with me for a long time.
Syriana was the movie that put me off of Hollywood forever. For American movie makers to make a movie about the middle east, and end up with the villains being Texas oil men and the CIA, and the heroes to be Hezbellah suicide bombers was the most despicable kind of pandering and cynicism.
There Will Be Blood
Sin City
Apocalypto
Cast Away (released in the last month of the previous millenium, but it ran into the new millenium!)
Stepbrothers
Crash is the worst movie ever to get best picture.
My favorites of the 2000s…united 93, Sideways, and Knocked Up.
what was the dick cheney joke. I have seen the movie multiple times and don't remember any such joke.
Amen, I didn't like 300 much either. I'd much rather see a movie version of Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.
Agree with most of those (That I've seen), but… In Bruges, In Bruges, In Bruges!
Apocalypto was also magnificent. No Country for Old Men was ruined by the ending, but There Will Be Blood was awesome (I was living in Far West Texas where those were filmed at the time, and met the crews when they came to some of my gigs). The film score, with the Arvo Part music, was just out-of-this-world good.
There are so few good comedies being made today so how about a little love for Tropic Thunder? It's nice to see a movie that doesn't bow down to the altar of political correctness.
http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/20...
Like I said its not a big deal(as its very hidden), I like the movie, but a shame when you find out about it(considering Pixar generally avoided politics before Wall-E).
Interesting list and great suggestions. I also would echo the praise of The Dark Knight, 300, Kill NillRatatoullie, and Napoleon Dynamite. Sadly Equiibreum gets looked over because of The Matrix. Personally I'd also mention
Little Miss Sunshine simply for the soundtrack alone but it also had some great acting in my opinion
King Kong for the imagery alone
The Life Aquatic
Completely agree with you concerning Ledger's Joker, Napoleon Dynamite, and Thurman's Beatrix Kiddo. Personally I'd also add Andy Serkis's Gollum performance from The Two Towers the scene where Smeagol and Gollum are battling it out captivated me and I think it gets lost in the shuffle of the whole epic that is LOTR.
I may disagree with your assessment of Star Wars II and III… But with a name like NeoConJedi, I got no complaints – cool name!
Minority Report was Spielberg's last good film. Black Hawk Down – Awesome
1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
What, no mention of the soundtrack? Nick Cave has been songwriting circles around more popular acts for decades.
I've never seen The Passion, how does it compare to Apocalypto?
Nice list.
Just some random thoughts…
I've seen about half these films. I recently watched The Lives of Others and thought it was excellent. A film school friend of mine hated No Country For Old Men, at least the last twenty minutes or so. My dad caught it on TV and had the same reaction. Oh well. No love for There Will Be Blood?
I was temping at MGM when Rocky Balboa came out and was able to catch an employee screening of it – lot of fun and surprisingly good! Everyone told me to see Shaun of the Dead and I felt it was a rare movie where the hype was actually accurate! Match Point I thought was a great return for Woody Allen and it's a shame he hasn't been able to recapture that lightning in a bottle. The Station Agent has been on my Netflix list since I first became a Netflix subscriber.
Casino Royale was one of the best movie-going experiences I've ever had. While temping at MGM, a few of us were asked to go to the theater across the street. There was to be an employee screening after work and they wanted to make sure the A/V was up to par. So the three of us got to see the film in the theater a.) before everyone else, and b.) with no one else in the room, just us three. It was great!
And I still have mixed feelings about A.I. It leaves me conflicted to this day… Oh, and if they release Saving Silverman on Blu-Ray, you should offer to record a "fan commentary track."
I have one thats should count as one through fifteen and its Wanted.
Talk about a god awful movie. Over use of Slow Mo/Bullet time, annoying main character, boring supporting characters, Mark Millar and dull fight sceens. I would sooner sit down to watch Betty White host an orgy with Larry King than ever watch Wanted again.
Thanks for sharing John – I would add "In Bruges." I am so with you on Mulholland Drive. I would also add "We Were Soldiers" since it really gives you the sense of terror involved in being overrun on your own LZ, and Fracture (when was the last time I actually got completely fooled by an ending and great acting to boot.)
Call me an unsophisicated rube (thank you!) but I laughed out loud at "SuperTroopers" (damn burger punk!)
"Hey! hey uh, hey bear f—-er! You need any help?"
I liked "Master" but I'm a boring history wonk…loved "Gladiator"…went to Collessium in Rome in tribute (kinda) reference your pix!
House of Sand and Fog?
Man on Fire?
In Bruges?
Derailed?
The Last Samurai?
Color me perplexed that these gems were omitted…
I have got to watch some more of these movies, John. Two little known ones on your list jumped out at me – love them both – Lives of others and Muholland Drive. I have some friends who are artists and on the left – and I told them to watch Lives of Others. While I can't speak from personal experience I believe that the depiction of life in th "GDR" (German Democratic Republic) was accurately depicted.
Someone once told me – in comparing East and West Berlin, that traveling from East to West was like "seeing a Black and White movie suddenly turn to color". Can't think of a better analogy.
From the hokey play that the Communist govt officials attended to the way artist had to talk in code and hushed tones in a climate of absolute fear – it is a movie everyone in the West should see. Even the scene where a senior Stasi (secret police) official terrifies an underling brings it home. Nobody could feel safe there.
Mullholland drive I like to 2 reasons: First it reminds me of the Los Angeles I knew growing up in the 1950s – I even remember the electric streetcars – and the plot.
I think it is one of Nick Nolte's best. Any relation John?
I couldn't watch it either for seeing the absolute viciousness and cruelty in the way Christ died.
Not me. I loved it the first time around, and although I hadn't read the novel, I felt the ending was just right and appropriate to the movie's theme, which is similar to that of "Crimes and Misdemeanors" and "Match Point." Basically it posits a unierse without God, where — if such a place exists — what we call "evil" is in the end just randomness which will never be held to some ultimate justice. Because in a universe without God, without an ultimate cause, our beginning is just the result of randomness and all that follows is a chain reaction of meaninglessness. The coin flipping motif highlights the theme of cruel randomness in a universe without purpose. The author doesn't say he doesn't believe in God. Like Allen, maybe he claims not to. But like Allen, he says that if there really is no God, it's nothing to celebrate. The ending expresses a hope that there is some sense to it all, and for those of us who can't figure out the ultimate "why" of existence, that hope is what our faith, our love and everything else we have hangs on.
Don't ask me why but I saw "Once." Waste of time and the songs are bland. I was certainly not expecting this to make the list. I'd rather see it replaced with "Honey."
'The Incredibles' is Mr. Birds best Pixar flick hands down in my eyes and his second a close one as well. I can understand most of your picks, but I can't comprehend two of them for the life of me.
'The Assassination of~' was Epic in all that is Dull in any cinema. Have you ever watched 'Once Upon a Time in the West'? That long unspoken opening that went from one man to the other was amazing and I could feel the tension build in every moment. Hard men and perhaps cruel men waiting for someone with malice in their eyes and I felt that.
…Now going back to that lousy limp mess of an opening with a bunch of hillbilly slacker type "cowboys" showing no signs of intimidation or menace to me, are rubbing up against some trees and making stupid conversations and sitting down.. getting up to slowly move to another tree.. and sitting down.. making more stupid mouth movements.. getting up and slowly walking to a fallen tree.. kneeling down.. talking more stupid words and staring blankly at a incoming train…. action(?) ensues.. I guess. Oh my Lord! That was the first fifteen -maybe more but I didn't want to watch it again!- flipping minutes of that awful film! Tension? What tension? Since I was trying desperately to stay awake with many, many scenes of tired slow pans of people on horses trotting from one side of a fricking field to the other end and stopping in front of a house.. of sorts, and slowly getting off their horses to slowly move towards to the door and slowly gather around the door and then the scene cuts to the interior as the door slowly opens with the slowly entering people showing dead faces that somehow terrifies a person for some reason.. sorry, I'm sure someone was talking about what this man did. They must of slowly explained the reasons, but the molasses like speaking must of put me into a daze and I missed it. This and that happens… Slowly. Near the end the titled character.. slowly wanders around a house and slowly inspects the rooms. Maybe he was looking into a purchase of the place? When the "Coward" character slowly crawls behind him and…. slowly gets his gun readied to.. slowly lift it at the inspecting man. ACTION! ..and the assassination is done.
Get it? The movie is slow. Terribly slow and tired and directionless and Boring! Sure there's a "plot". A weak man kills a famous killer. End. You call this art?
'No Country~'.. and sadly, no point. I enjoyed this film up to the last 20 minutes because the plot was imaginative! No spoiler here since why bother to spoil an already piece of junk movie? Seriously, you followed ONE man for most of the film and boom! Never mind him, lets concentrate on the assassin for a few more minutes to finally cap it off with two old geezers who had even less screen time complaining about how America is a terrible place to live in now…What?! This movie got my attention for all the wrong reasons.
Great pulp to stupid pap is what 'No Country~' is. Why can't those two go back and do another great movie in the style of 'Raising Arizona'?! "Never repeat yourselves." is their mantra, but seriously. Why make junk like this? I know, I know. It's because many reviewers than claim it as the second coming of Art!… 'Fargo' had a point for being the way it was and something like 'The Assassination~' can't even carry its offal, but then the Coens come out with 'No Country~' to prove that they can one up everyone else!
'The Assassination~' is Dull, tired, and horrifically slow.
'No Country~' is a rainbow of cool crashing into a spiked wall of disgust.
I'd rather do a Top 20, in no particular order:
DINNER RUSH (the best little film you've probably never seen)
CASINO ROYALE
WE WERE SOLDIERS
APOCALYPTO
PASSION OF THE CHRIST
KILL BILL 1 & 2 (I'm treating these as one film)
SPIDERMAN 2
PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER
SEABISCUIT
WALK THE LINE
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
AMELIE
THE INCREDIBLES
RATATOUILLE
A MIGHTY WIND
SPIRITED AWAY
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?
THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS
Runners-up: MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD, BLACK BOOK, GHOST WORLD, OPEN RANGE, CITY OF GOD, PAPRIKA, WE OWN THE NIGHT, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, THE COOLER, LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy, TOUCHING THE VOID, GRINDHOUSE (theatrical version), BATMAN BEGINS, RUNNING SCARED, BEST IN SHOW, KUNG FU HUSTLE, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, THE FALL, FRAILTY
Ummm…thank you? ; )
damn BURGER PUNK!
"it smells like sex in here"…
"hey Rod, what's the name of that place you like with sleds and crap on the walls, what is it?"
Nolte's love for The Assassination Of Jesse… zzzz, sorry, dozed off for a moment there. Anyhoo, Nolte's love of that movie is simply one of the most bemusing mysteries of our age, like Stonehenge or those really skinny jeans some of the teens wear these days. Better than John Ford? I don't think even Dominki's own mother could say that without blushing. Prediction: Within 10 years' time, Nolte will look back on this film's placement at the top of his list with overwhelming embarrassment.
Btw, the fact that none of the Lord of the rings movies made Nolte's top 25 (In the Bedroom?) only further demonstrates Nolte's lack of good sense.
Nick Cave wrote the soundtrack to AofJJ?
Guess I need to go see it.
John, since you enjoyed "The Assassination of Jesse James…", do you also happen to be a fan of Malick's "The Thin Red Line?"
Nick cave not only wrote much of the soundtrack for The Proposition, he also wrote the screenplay.
Indeed. Pullo and Vorenus were both great, manly characters.
Sorry, but as someone who tried to memorize the trilogy, the fact that the singing and poetry, as oral histories, weren't included troubles me to this day. The Lord of the Rings was a study of language and allegory not just an adventure yarn. Yes, good versus evil but the fact that Sam didn't get to hear a minstrel sing of, Frodo Nine Fingers or that Aragorn didn't retrieve the white tree or sing for Boromir as he drifted toward Rouras Falls? All of this and much more means, to me, they just didn't get what makes this trilogy so beloved.
"The Incredibles" is not on the list? Not even in the runner-ups? Appalling.
You know when you're watching a classic, because anywhere it starts you'll keep watching it. "Shawshank Redemption" was such a film, and by darn "Ratatouille" is as well! Come on it warmed your heart, and reminded you of your favorite food as a kid.
No… To slow. Malick's BADLANDS and NEW WORLD are favorties but TRL just didn't do anything for me. I won the DVD and have given it a few tries, but so far a no go.
I'm a M&C fan. On a different day it might have made runner up along with GLADIATOR… it's all so subjective…
I've only seen APOCALYPTO once, on television. Loved it and were I to see it again in WS on DVD it might have ranked as a runner up. It's no PASSION though.
LOTR = zzzz…. Episodic and too long, though I do like the TWO TOWERS. My wife is a fan ot the trilogy, so I've suffered through them — I mean given them new chances — a number of times.
Walk the Line, Brokeback and Punch-drunk Lover were all considered. I'm a fan of Ghost World and Hedwig, as well…
Can't much stand the others. I admire Lost in Translation but each viewing bores me more and more.
Yes, it has been a VERY weak decade. There were nearly as many great films in 1999 alone as there have been since: Office Space, Sweet Hereafter, Sixth Sense, Toy Story 2, Notting Hill, The Mummy, American Beauty, Boys Don't Cry, 13th Warrior, Blair Waitch, Bowfinger, Deuce Bigalow, Cider House Rules, Deep Blue Sea, Entrapment, Fight Club, Galaxy Quest, Green Mile, The Insider, Magnolia, the Matrix, October Sky, Payback, Run Lola Run, Straight Story, Thomas Crown Affair… All were worthy of a DVD purchase…. There won't be 5 movies I buy from this year.
Haven't seen IN BRUGES. Need to, though. Keep hearing great things about it. Hopefully redbox will carry it soon.
It's his opinion, but I think it's appalling, too.
You are most welcome, John. Mulholland Dr. is still the best experience I've had in a theater, but only because I've yet to see Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen…
and when 'Rome' and 'Deadwood' passed on so did the golden age of cable… wonder if Ray Stephenson will do anything good again?
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on principle, since I used to work with one of the cast members from Napoleon Dynamite. I haven't seen The House Bunny, but I thought it looked pretty dire, personally.
I've been a fan of Casey Affleck's for years. I've always said he was far and away the more talented actor in the family, but Ben proved he's a more than capable director. I thought GBG was excellent. Harsh language, but a very, very good film.
OMG James I forgot about that one! I nearly choked on my morning tea. LOL-
"Lucky guess. I just lost a buck- to myself!"
Add to the list: Disney-Pixar's "Wall-E".
I agree the Incredibles was a movie that caught me off guard by how good it was.
I agree, Black Hawk Down in my opinion was better than "Saving Private Ryan", in the fact that it showed how Americans were still willing to put their lives on the line for thier country in a land where no one wanted them there even their president at the time.
Glad to see that a fellow conservative noticed 28 Weeks Later. Such a grim film, but really well made, and it snuck two conservative themes in under the radar. The first half was a metaphor about marital fidelity, and the second half taught the value of respecting authority in the military.
Failed right-wing nutjob screenwriter says what?
I liked Ratatoille, but I still think The Incredibles was better.
This list is pointless. There aren't 15 films made in the past decade worth listing. Three that are ok to good, maybe.
I thought Apocalypto was great until I watched The Naked Prey on TCM and saw that it was pretty much the same movie but done 40 years ago.
I still love Apoc. but it kind of lacks the freshness that I attributed to it before.
None of those movies showed any political leaning
/300 was as gay as a 3 dollar bill
Gangs of New York and Man on Fire – excellent choices. I think Man on Fire is one of the most underrated films in ages, probably because Tony Scott directed, and critics tend to hate him.
I would add – as another commenter did – Man on Fire. Pick a Bourne film. And Mamet's "Red Belt," tied with "TDK" as the best film I've seen in the last three years.
Not one shout out for Gerard Butler? I guess actors are totally irrelevant to CGI? CGI carries a movie now?
Andrew Dominik directed Chopper 1st. Get your facts straight.
I had no idea you were a huge fan of Jesse James, John. It's my number one, as well. Fantastic film.
The other one I like in an "I'm glad he picked it" way is 28 Weeks Later, which I will probably pair with Children of Men when I write about my favorites. The two are so similar, they seem like companion pieces that come to radically different conclusions about the nature of man.
Superb score.
Not to go back to the whole NCfOM arguments, but Moss' unexpected death is the point of the film. He thought he could outwit death, but in the end it came in a way that he could't foresee. That's what the Sheriff's relative tells him in that conversation in the end. When it's your time, it's your time. And to think that you will have a say in it is vanity.
There's more to it than that, but that's a good starting point. And there are other interpretations and layers.
You, good sir, are an idiot. 28 Weeks Later was a blatant anti-war film against the Bush presidency. If you didn't see that, then you were too busy going "OH MY GOD, THE ZOMBIES! THEY ARE IRAQIS! THEMS AMERICAN SOLDIERS KILLING THEM! I ARE ERECT!"
Seriously, though. Nice right-leaning (read: humping) article. And I hope to Christ you are infected with the slightest bit of objectivity in the near future. Otherwise, you're bound to be upset the second a dog poops near your yard, and you will compare it to a "foreigner" doing something in your country. Ass.
My number one for the new millennium is Children of Men. I started out hating the movie but with each sucessive viewing I grew to love it.
"It'll make more sense if you do that than if you think of it as a Plot Point A-to-Plot Point Z movie."
You don't have to hit every point from A to Z, and I've never been one to buy into the step-by-step templates offered in screenwriting. However, there are a few things I consider necessary for successfull storytelling. One is a climaz, another is a dénouement. "No Country For Old Men," despite otherwise being a great movie, skips the climax and miscarries the dénouement.
I have yet to talk to anyone who wasn't a little disappointed by the ending, though they may have made excuses for it afterward. In the theater, where it counts, I'd bet 90 out of 100 wanted to see Brolin die, wanted something definitive to happen to Bardem, and wanted Tommy Lee Jones' dream to make more sense.
That should be "offered in screenwriting books" and "climax"
"Not to go back to the whole NCfOM arguments, but Moss' unexpected death is the point of the film."
Fine. Whatever the reason for his demise, let us see him die, that's all. I don't think people have a problem with Brolin dying, or with understanding why he did. Nevermind all the stuff about fate and chance, it was pretty clearly established that Bardem was more efficient than him. We just want to experience, in what to that point had been an action movie, with plenty of gripping action sequences, the most important action of the story.
[...] I couldn’t agree more. You can see the entire list by clicking here. [...]
Ironic that Nolte identifies The Assassination of Jesse James etc as "myth making." The Jesse James family itself has long stood in opposition to all films previously made about Jesse James, specifically due to their mythmaking. The James family's only exception is the Assassination of Jesse James etc. which the family claims is the only film from Hollywood to ever capture the essense of the outlaw and his relationships. For more, see the James family's web site and their film review at http://www.ericjames.org
[...] better written, photographed or acted than any number of films not on this list, but I’m going click for more var _wh = ((document.location.protocol==’https:’) ? “https://sec1.woopra.com” : [...]
THAT I did not know. Very interesting. Talented guy.
1. Grow up. 2. It's his opinion. 3. Movies are subjective so people can find different meanings in them just like music and literature. 4. You're an idiot troll. 5. Quit hiding behind profanity and grow a pair.
"Tears of the Sun"–wow, bruce willis
It may interest you to know what the James family had to say about The Assassination of Jesse James etc.
http://www.ericjames.org/Reviews/AssassinationofJ...
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It shows how the right, for all their whining about they hate slavery, fascism and abortion should identify with a brutal totally militaristic and controlled society where 90% of the population were slaves oppressed by the rest who were only soldiers and killers. Abortion is bad, but putting excess females and the deformed out to die is good for the stock, eh?
Right on about the Passion, who cares aboout all those evil Jews, I mean liberals same thing, complaining about the antisemitism of the Passion or its maker?. Christ killers deserve no sympathy. Christ died preaching love and forgiveness so we can be hateful and warlike and not feel guilty about it.
There is evil in the world, freaking profound!
The First Bale Batman move was far better and more watchable.
Yeah we should all start to talk and act like Kowalski, that should solve tons of problems.
Napoleon Dynamite is by far the most oddly realistic comedy I've ever seen. Andy Warhol's "Sleeping" seems like a fantasy romp in comparison. I was born in 1981, and was kind of a nerd. As such, I've never had a movie crawl inside my head and take notes the way Napoleon Dynamite did. Throughout at least a full half of the movie, I was rubbing my temples and thinking, "My God, these people know me…"
Really, to reap the most from ND, you have to either be a hopeless geek or had very close associations with them. Most comedy flicks are essentially extended sitcoms, but ND was almost a documentary.
My rankings
1) Let the Right One In
The Incredibles
2) Oh Brother Were Art Thou
3) The Departed
4) Matchstick Men
5) No Country For Old Men
6) The Dark Knight
7) Ratatouille
9) Memento
10) Fellowship of the Ring
11) The Two Towers
12) The Village
13) Blackhawk Down
14) A Series of Unfortunate Events
15) Watchmen
Honorable mention: Gladiator, Bruce Almighty, Signs, and Serenity
Oh dang, I totally forgot Pan's Labyrinth. Yea, consider that a rough draft list for sure.
Not a bad list. I'd ditch The Village, The Incredibles & one of the Rings for:
Takeshi Kitano's: Zatoichi The Blind Swordsman (beautifully shot & multilayed plot), Blade Runner & Out of Africa. And John Carpenter's; The Thing gets it's own spot just because.
Note to John Nolte-The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is not Andrew Dominik's directorial debut! He hails from Australia and in 2000 helmed the well-received Australian crime drama 'Chopper' starring a bulked-up Eric Bana (worth watching), which caught the eye of Brad Pitt and the Hollywood studios. After disagreements over what would be his second project, he had to wait until 2005 to direct the western, which wasn't released until a couple of years later. Fellow Aussies Nick Cave and Warren Ellis provided the excellent soundtrack.
I'd have included:
Monsters, Inc.
Pan's Labyrinth
Eastern Promises
Hero (w/Jet Li)
I'm really wondering why you have Passion of the Christ at #2. Greatest story ever, told nearly perfectly way–its # 1. Did any people have moral epiphanies after seeing the outlaw Jesse James?– There were several stories about people being so affect by The Passion that they confessed to crimes and turned themselves in — not to mention conversions that took place as well.
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
SCOOP
MR BEANS HOLIDAY
BORAT
@Maul
I agree that it is important to potray the life of Christ, but that wasn't what the Passion was about. Imagine if every World War II movie had to be about one aspect of the War, let's say D day. We wouldn't have Schindler's List, Bridge on the River Kwai, the Sound of Music, Father Goose, the great John Wayne films, Clint Eastwood's two films about Iwo Jima, Battle of Britain etc.
Passion of the Christ was about accurately depicting the suffering that our lord and saviour went through on Good Friday. It was a great emotional experience that made me ever more thank full for God's gift to humanity.
I'm not saying you have to like it but if you don't simply because you're guilty about the anti semitism acusations than I suggest you reconsider.
By the way, isn't it funny that most of the great films of this decade are animated, based on a comic book or comedies?
Hey John, Could you make a list someday of "Top x Cold War Movies"? From Red Dawn to Lives of Others. Great movies referencing the Cold War would be interesting to see.
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