20 Must See flims of the 00’s
“Best of” is pretty subjective and while I love lists, there is no way that I’m in any position to put this kind of list together. Not yet anyways. This year, I’ve decided to ignore a 2009 list since there are only so many times you can read about the same movies over and over again (“A Serious Man”, “(500) Days of Summer”, “District 9”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “Star Trek”, “Avatar” etc…) Instead, below, you’ll see my list of recommended must see films from the 00’s (pronounced double O’s). They are culled heavily from my list of favorites and I’ve placed them in chronological order by year of release only. I tried to limit the inclusion of films to 2 per calendar year but some years have multiple entries (2001 & 2003 were great years) and some don’t appear at all (sorry “Spider-Man” of 2002).
I’m going to say this only once now and then once at the end of my rundown: If you haven’t seen any of these films, you need to. Every single one of them is great in their own way.
Without further ado hit the jump to read on!
American Psycho (2000) – Directed by Mary Harmon
What better a film than “American Psycho” to open a decade that we now know has been filled with gross acts of violence, insanity, and fraudulence flying mostly unnoticed right in front of the public’s faces. “American Psycho” which is wonderfully adapted from the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name illustrates in graphic detail that individuals are more interested in themselves, consumerism, and image then noticing the writing that is on the wall right in front of them. Christian Bale plays Patrick Bateman (I originally wrote Jason…) a sociopath murderer balancing a life of opulence in the 80’s with a life of unending violence that he has little control over. Bale does a fantastic job in the first film that I really took notice of him in, and director Mary Harmon paces the film perfectly. Her screenplay does a great job of focusing Easton Ellis’ source material for the screen and balancing the many facets of Patrick Bateman. Add to this a supporting cast which includes Jared Leto, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Reese Witherspoon and “American Psycho” is an easy pick to launch my must see films of the 00’s.
Boiler Room (2000) – Directed by Ben Younger
The cast list of Ben Younger’s “Boiler Room” reads like it was originally destined as a direct to DVD release: Giovanni Ribisi, Nia Long, Scott Caan, Vin Diesel, Ben Affleck, Jamie Kennedy, Nicky Katt, Tom Everett Scott, and Ron Rifkin. At the time a lot of these actors were veritable no names. Each of which had only trace amounts of industry cred. It’s also unfortunate that with the exceptions of Ribisi, Affleck, and Rifkin, I don’t think any of these actors will ever be as good as they were in “Boiler Room”. Nicky Katt needs to do more (his role on Boston Public rocked and if you haven’t seen “The Way of the Gun”, do so) and the rest of the actors on the list are sort of floating around from role to role.“Boiler Room” is another example of early 00 films that deals with issues from this past decade. The story revolves around a fraudulent investment firm and the alpha- males that take people’s money without hesitation. It has great music, a great cast, and is a ton of fun to watch.
Best in Show (2001) – Directed by Christopher Guest
“Best in Show” is one of the funniest, most intelligent, and understated comedies of the 00’s. It is easily Christopher Guest’s best film as director (remove ‘as director’ and the only film that tops it is “Spinal Tap”). Every single time I watch it, I relish every single one of the performances that Guest and his troupe of Hollywood improv superstars bring to the film: Guest, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey, Michael Hitchcock, Catherine O’Hara, Michael McKean, John Michael Higgins, Bob Balaban, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, Ed Beagly Jr., Fred Willard, and Larry Miller to name a few each churn out absolutely hilarious characters and performances. The premise is simple: filmed documentary style, “Best in Show” follows several characters as they travel to an annual dog show to vie for the top prize of Best in Show. Each of the characters have their idiosyncrasies and what makes this film work so well is that none of the characters are over the top and none of the actions by any of the characters are out of character. It’s a testament to the story written by Guest and Levy and the solid grasp the rest of the cast has over their craft. If you don’t laugh at this movie, there is something seriously wrong with you.
Moulin Rouge! (2001) – Directed by Baz Luhrmann
I don’t like movie musicals. Generally, I find that they are never really able to suck me into the film’s world deep enough for me to really see the point of breaking into song. Baz Luhrmann aced this genre when he created “Moulin Rouge!”. The colors, the energy, the production, and the tremendous amount of heart that every member of the cast and crew put into it are visible during each minute of the movie. It’s electric. During every single musical number I feel like standing up and joining into the fun. This is no small feat. I think a lot of the film’s success can be attributed to the popular songs that were used in the musical numbers and in the mash ups. Seeing Nicole Kidman and Ewen McGregor perform Elton John’s “Your Song”, for example, brings all of the audience’s emotional attachment to that song to the already involving experience taking place on screen. It’s almost impossible not to enjoy this movie. Even if you don’t like it, the music is undeniably incredible. So far, it is Baz Luhrmann’s masterpiece.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – Directed by Wes Anderson
“The Royal Tenenbaums” is one of my favorite comedies of all time. Every element that goes into a film is executed impeccably by Wes Anderson and his team. Cast, direction, screenplay, cinematography, music, production design, timing: everything works so seamlessly that at the end of the movie, you have a snapshot in the life of one of the most idiosyncratic families to ever grace the big screen. In the film’s 109 minute runtime, not only do you get a solid story about the death of a family member and the way that the family deals with the event, but each of the Tenenbaum family members are fleshed out perfectly. Everything, and I mean everything, contributes to the depth of the characters. The way the characters interact with each other, they way they dress, their composures, the pictures on the walls, the items throughout each scene and the music playing through the entire movie. Unbelievable filmmaking. This is Wes Anderson at his best and arguably, ‘Royal Tenenbaum’ is one of Gene Hackman’s best roles.
Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain (2001) – Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
At the end of seeing “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain” for the first time, all I wanted to do it jump out of my seat and cheer. The best thing about ‘Amelie’ is that this reaction isn’t diluted with repeat viewings. It is such a simple and uplifting film that in my opinion, is easily the best film of 2001. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s film about love, hope, and happiness is downright beautiful. Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant’s screenplay about a girl that does good things to random people and then ends up finding love herself is so satisfying in its accessible message. Add to this Yann Tiersen’s score (I would want this soundtrack as the soundtrack of my life), mix in some wonderful production design and top notch cinematography and all that’s left is the infectious female lead played by Audrey Tautou. Her wide eyed portrayal of the role tops off the many reasons why everyone can learn a thing about filmmaking and life by watching this movie.
Bad Boys 2 (2003) – Directed by Michael Bay
Who would I be if I didn’t include at least one Michael Bay film in this list. As easy as it would be to include “Transformers”, I’m going to have to go with my personal favorite of his, and his most recent collaboration with producer Jerry Bruckheimer. “Bad Boys 2” showcases everything that is right (or wrong, depending your view of Bay films) about Bay’s films. Clocking in at a whopping 147 minutes, a full two and half hours, it’s full of cheesy one liners, car chases, flying bullets, lens flares, and explosions – and I mean chock full. “Bad Boys 2” is the summer action film to end all summer action films. Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Joe Pantoliano are great together and I would even argue that Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett is his best character ever plus the highway chase sequence is a thing of absolute car chase beauty.
Lost in Translation (2003) – Directed by Sofia Coppola
“Lost in Translation” is one of my favorite films of all time. A lot of this of course has to do with Bill 
Murray (my favorite film: “Ghostbusters”) but the whole movie was so expertly written and constructed by Sophia Coppola as well. Murray’s sad, and depressed man in a foreign city looking for someone to connect with was genius. His interactions with Scarlett Johansson are jarring. Not because they’re no good but because you forget that you are watching Bill Murray. Who knew he was able to be so tender, so serious and understated! He won a Golden Globe for his role in the film and was completely robbed by Sean Penn at the Oscars. He is so comfortable on screen as Bob Harris that he doesn’t need to force the comedy that comes out of his portrayal and this movie reaffirms why I love Bill Murray so much: he’s easily the funniest actor in the business and his comedic maturity is second to none.
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) – Directed by Quentin Tarantino
As ego maniacal as Tarantino can be sometimes, there is always one thing that is indisputable: he fucking loves making movies. He loves playing with genres, he loves constructing scenes, dialogue, 
and characters that make himself giggle with amusement, and he loves a great soundtrack. The reason that this works for him time and time again is that he knows his audience so perfectly. Tarantino is his own audience. He is a film geek. It’s hard for me to describe why any Tarantino film is better than the next but I feel that “Kill Bill Vol. 1” is one of his best and also one of his most accessible films. The revenge story is awesome, Uma Thurman is awesome, the music is better, and it’s the first time we see him play with choreographed action. Samurai action to boot.
Love Actually (2003) – Directed by Richard Curtis
I squirm whenever someone mentions romantic comedy. They are very formulaic and usually don’t stray from what works. Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually” is so great because while it has many comedic elements in it, it really is a romantic movie. The film’s examination of love through eight different angles is a fresh take on the genre. The unbelievable cast of predominantly british actors (Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Emma Thomson, Liam Nesson, Kiera Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Bob Thorton, & Alan Rickman) that Curtis assembled each add their own flair to the film and by the end of it, no matter how funny, sad, tragic, joyous, or unfortunate love is, you realize that without it, human beings would have nothing and that it’s the people that surround you that make like so fulfilling.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) – Directed by Adam McKay
The 00’s have been full of ensemble comedies. “Zoolander”, “Old School”, and “Wedding Crashers” to name a few. “Anchorman” has to take the cake as the best in my mind. It is the most consistently funny and introduced us to director Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, and Steve Carell as big screen comedy heavy hitters. Add to that David Koechner’s funniest role EVER and a cameo list that is too long to mention and you’ve got hands down one of the funniest comedies of the decade. Will Farrell’s choice of roles recently has been suspect but his Ron Burgundy will certainly be remembered as legend.
Saw (2004) – Directed by James Wan
2004’s “Saw” ushered in a new era of Horror that people have labeled “torture porn”. Eli Roth’s “Hostel” films, the numerous “Saw” sequels and various other horror films that have since 2004 ratcheted up the gore and violence can all attribute in some form or another their success to the original “Saw”. I don’t love horror films and my placement of this movie on the list is not a means of condoning the 
ridiculous near annual sequels that have been released since the first. It is simply to acknowledge how unique and unapologetically brutal it was with its violence, gore, and tension. Plus, the twist ending is one of the best and most shocking endings I’ve ever seen. I get shivers to this day every time the awesome score swells as I watch the film’s reveal. Not only does “Lost”’s Michael Emerson appear in the film but Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw is now forever entombed in Horror’s rogues gallery.
Crash (2005) – Directed by Paul Haggis
This is a slightly controversial pick for my list because it always sparks heated debate over whether or not a) it is actually a good movie and b) it deserved all of the Oscars it won that year. “Crash” examines race the way “Love Actually” examines love – several different perspectives on how people, from all different walks of life, interact with race on a daily basis. The reason that I feel “Crash” not only deserves all the acclaim and awards it has received but also a place on this list is because no matter how “easy” it is to make a film that discusses race, it is far harder to create emotion in the audience and I feel that “Crash” was able to do just that. Michael Pena’s character, his daughter, and the cape are just one example of just this. No matter what your opinion is of the film, it certainly is a must see film from the last decade.
The Departed (2006) – Directed by Martin Scorsese
“The Departed” is the best film of 2006. Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, and Jack Nicholson are awesome. The music is great, the twists are great and Martin Scorsese adds another intriguing crime thriller to his already impressive filmography. Nuff said.
Children of Men (2006) – Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
If it wasn’t for “The Departed”, “Children of Men” would be my favorite film of 2006. I cannot for the life of me figure out how it not only got snubbed by audiences at the box office but also how it was not nominated for Best Picture nor Best Director at the Oscars. Even the categories it was nominated in failed to produce a win (Cinematography, Editing, Adapted Screenplay). Alfonso Curaon’s direction and pacing of the film and its action is superb. The one shot sequences that he put together are out of this world incredible and really help enhance the film’s tension. Not only is it one of the must see films of the last decade, it is also one of the most underrated.
Ratatouille (2007) – Directed by Brad Bird
“Ratatouille” is one of Pixar’s best films, and in my opinion is one of the best animated films of all time. The reason I say this is because it is the first of Pixar’s films to combine the best elements of Pixar CGI animated movies with the classic look and whimsical feel of the classic Disney animated films of decades ago. Brad Bird brings the feel of Paris to life on screen and does so from a rat’s perspective without the experience ever feeling like a cheesy animated film made to elicit laughs or wow children with stupid visuals and sight gags. “Ratatouille” is a stellar production filled with so much heart and warmth that you forget that what you are watching was created on computers. Truly it is a film that should be enjoyed by everyone.
No Country for Old Men (2007) – Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen
“No Country for Old Men” is based off of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name and is the best film of 2007. I don’t think McCarthy himself would’ve been able to adapt the book as perfectly as the Coen Brothers did. It follows the tone and feel of the book to a T and even as a stand alone piece of filmmaking it is a taut cat and mouse thriller filled with mood setting scenic vistas, eerie chill inducing quiet, and command performances by Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. The Coen Brothers once again prove that they are incapable of making a decent film. Excellence is now the bar.
Cloverfield (2008)/ District 9 (2009) – Directed by Matt Reeves & Niell Blomkamp respectively
What amazes me about both “Cloverfield” and “District 9” are three things. The first is that both films were made for the same or less than what Arnold Schwarzenegger was paid to star in “Terminator 3”. Arnie made $29.5 million to be in ‘T3’. “Cloverfield”’s budget was $25 million and “District 9”’s was $30 million. Even with these numbers, thanks to the filmmakers ingenuity and creativity, the films were hugely more entertaining and delivered more in the way of action and suspense than ‘T3’ ever could. The second reason is the way the films were shot. Both of them were made via handheld digital cameras. “Cloverfield” from the perspective of someone informally holding the camera as chaos reigns all around and “District 9” from the perspective of a documentary crew. Either way, these perspectives completely immerse the audience into the action as it removes the Hollywood shine from the production and gets us in the thick of the action. The third reason I’m enthralled by these two movies is the seamless overlay of CGI into the handheld look. The effects in both of these movies are insane. I have no idea how it was done for so cheap but the CGI effects in both of these movies look real. Real. Like really real. Impressive.
The Dark Knight (2008) – Directed by Christopher Nolan
Chris Nolan is the man. He single handedly resuscitated the “Batman” film property back to life. Anyone that has seen Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever” and “Batman and Robin” knows that he pretty much killed the comic book movie genre along with the “Batman” film franchise. Nolan gave us a down and dirty origin story with “Batman Begins” and then followed it up with “The Dark Knight” which combines the best elements of the “Batman” mythos, with a crime thriller undertone all the while rooting it all in a gritty reality that is the back bone of why “Batman” is so popular. The look of Gotham is fantastic, all of the characters are handled with fanboy precision including the late Heath Ledger’s now legendary Golden Globe and Oscar winning performance as “The Joker”. “The Dark Knight” is the comic book movie to end all comic book movies. More to the point: it is an extremely well done film that any creative team can learn from.
Avatar (2009) – Directed by James Cameron
People have labeled James Cameron’s “Avatar” a “game changer”. It absolutely is but not necessarily for the reasons originally intended. Yes the visuals are incredible, the colors vibrant, the action awesome,
the world of Pandora extensive, and the 3D is some of the best that has been seen since the format launched but I am talking beyond that. “Avatar” has, in the course of 12 days, changed the entire movie presentation industry. “Avatar” is available in a regular presentation, a digital 3D format, and as an IMAX 3D Experience. The theater near me has all three versions available and the IMAX screenings continue to sell out two days in advance whereas the other presentations are only doing ‘good’ business. Herein lies the “game changer” or “industry changer”: With the matter of one film’s release, James Cameron and FOX have done more to push 3D films into the mainstream than all of the money and time Jeffery Katzenberg has spent over the past few years trying to push the format down our throats. I don’t know anyone that isn’t seeing this film as an IMAX 3D Experience. I also don’t know any people that would settle to see this without 3D. Just imagine how huge “Avatar” would be if there were more IMAX screens to show it. Now that is a game changer.
And with that, the decade comes to an end. I highly recommend you see each of these films and then let me know what you think. Do you agree? disagree? How would you add or change the list?
Leave your comments below or find me on Twitter.
You can also email me at widescreen[dot]wonderland[at]gmail[dot]com.
Want to get notified every time I post something? Sign up for the RSS or email update alert on the right side of the site.
