My Favorites of the Decade - the 2000's

Another great decade where I couldn't possibly limit my favorites to only ten selections, the first decade of the new millennium was very movie-centric for me: I spent about eight years working at either a movie theater or video store, so I watched a lot of movies. 2000 is easily one of my favorite years in film history and the rest of the decade was very good, as well. 

Don't forget to check out Kyle's list at his blog, Enter the Movies.

My Top 20 Favorite Films of the 2000's, in alphabetical order:

Year: 2000
Director: Cameron Crowe

Almost Famous is a film that I liked when I first saw it, but have grown to love over the years after multiple viewings - especially the director's cut available on DVD titled Untitled. If you like the film and have only seen the theatrical version, do yourself a favor and check out Untitled - it is well worth your time. There are so many things to love about Almost Famous, but I guess the music would be up towards the top of my list. Cameron Crowe is obsessed with music - often times, he puts together the soundtrack for his films before even writing the script - and his passion comes through to the viewer. Not only are the songs on the soundtrack excellent, but the songs played by the band in the film are great, too. Right up there with the music are the wonderful performances from the whole cast, but especially Patrick Fugit, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. These talented actors take Crowe's words and create layered, passionate characters, characters who seem like real people. It's a simple story, but it's extremely well told. There's an energy to Almost Famous that propels it from scene to scene until the two or two and a half hours (depending on which version you watch) has flown by and you're left wanting to watch it again.

Year: 2003
Director: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini

I don't think I've ever seen a movie quite like American Splendor. It's the story of Harvey Pekar, a depressed file room clerk who gained some celebrity in the 1980's as a writer of the titular comic book series. American Splendor is not your typical biography, though. It's told in three very distinct fashions - first as a regular film with Paul Giamatti as Harvey, then with the real Harvey in a documentary setting, and finally as a moving comic book, where the illustrations come to life. All three of these formats are interwoven to create a dazzling film that shows the struggle of a "regular" guy trying to capture the American dream. Harvey is often times his own worst enemy, but he is also a terrific character - in every sense of the world. Giamatti has given some of the finest performances in the last twenty years and his work here is among his best work. Hope Davis and Judah Friedlander also turn in great performances as Harvey's wife and best friend, respectively. American Splendor is a very funny, but also an emotionally honest and touching, film. If you haven't seen it, I hope you go out and watch it soon!

Year: 2000
Director: Robert Zemeckis

One of my favorite movie going experiences was watching Cast Away in the theater - I can still remember which theater and which auditorium, plus the general seating location. I had wanted to see it but didn't really expect much from the film. I was completely blown away by the story, by the lead performance, by the direction, by the score, by the visuals, by everything. To this day, I think that Tom Hanks' work in Cast Away is the single greatest performance I've ever seen and I easily put it atop my list of Favorite Lead Actor Performances. It takes a certain kind of actor to carry a film like this, a film where a large chunk (nearly an hour) of screen time is spent alone and with very little dialogue. Hanks does the job marvelously, showcasing not only a drastic physical transformation but an emotional one, as well. Robert Zemeckis is a hit or miss director for me, but there's no doubt about it - Cast Away is a hit. It's funny, sad, tense, scary, and inspiring. The 140 minute run time flies by and, at the end, I wanted even more. Cast Away has earned a place in not only my favorite films of the 2000's but in my Top 5 all-time.

Year: 2002
Director: Steven Spielberg

Catch Me If You Can came out on Christmas Day in 2002 and was probably the best gift I got that year - an essentially perfect film from start to finish. The credits ranked among my Favorite Opening Credit Sequences and the film didn't let up from there. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of his best performances ever as the teenager turned con man, Tom Hanks is stellar as the dedicated FBI agent on his tail, and Christopher Walken reaches emotional highs as his father, caught up in the glitz and glamor of his son's fantastical life of crime. Spielberg was on quite a roll during this time period and Catch Me If You Can easily ranks among his best films for me. It's fast paced, funny, thrilling, and has a resonant emotional core. The editing, cinematography, score, and costume/production design are all first rate, as well. Catch Me If You Can is one of those films where if I happen to catch it on TV, I'm instantly sucked in and find myself watching large chunks, no matter what my previous plans were.

Year: 2002

Director: Rob Marshall

Musicals generally aren't my "thing". I can only think of three that I love, Singin' in the Rain,  Hairspray (2007), and Chicago. The latter is an absolute powerhouse of a film. It features great performances, wonderful musical numbers and choreography, and a fun story. The main cast - Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere - have never been better and the supporting cast - notably John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, and Christine Baranski - are exemplary, creating fully realized characters in a small amount of time. Reilly, especially, is fantastic. His "Mr. Cellophane" song and dance is entertaining, but also kind of heartbreaking.  All the musical numbers are exceptionally well done and catchy, to the point that I'm often humming or singing them for days after watching the film. Rob Marshall hasn't made anything I've wanted to see since Chicago, but that's alright by me. Very few people could direct a film like this and have it turn out to be such an amazing piece of work, a musical that I love and consider one of my favorite films ever.

Year: 2005

Director: Ron Howard

I know a lot of people don't like sports movies because they can be a bit cliched and formulaic. I won't deny that Cinderella Man does succumb to those negative aspects at times, but everything else about the film is so magnificent, so well done, and so emotionally gratifying that I give it a pass for not being wholly original. Russell Crowe gives perhaps - as of this writing, at least - his last great performance as Jim Braddock, a boxing star who is hit hard by The Great Depression and has to scrounge his way back to the top of his sport, all while inspiring the nation in a time of need. If it wasn't a true story, it'd be almost too much to believe, but I'm a sucker for these types of stories anyway. Renee Zellweger is great as Braddock's wife, a strong woman who doesn't like her husband having to take beatings in order to put food on their family's table. Paul Giamatti - who you can tell I love from reading this list - is magnetic and charming in his role as Braddock's trainer and best friend. Howard is a hit or miss director, but when he hits - like he does here and with A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, and Rush - he really hits. The fight scenes are easily the best of any boxing film and the score and cinematography are highlights, as well. Cinderella Man features an expected climax, but nonetheless, it never fails to coax the tears from my eyes.

Year: 2006

Director: Martin Scorsese

There are very few films that are entertaining and exhilarating as The Departed. Martin Scorsese has been making fantastic films for almost 50 years, but my favorite film of his is relatively recent. It won him his long overdue Best Director Academy Award - not to mention awards for Best Picture, Screenplay, and Editing - and is his highest grossing film to date. Whatever praise I shower upon the film almost feels unnecessary at this point, but I'll soldier on. I'm not sure what I love most about The Departed. The characters? They are well written, authentic, and engaging. The acting? Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon turn in excellent lead performances and the supporting cast - led by Jack Nicholson, but featuring Mark Wahlberg (never better), Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, and Vera Farmiga, among others - is stellar. The direction? Scorsese seems to have settled into a late career groove where everything he does is magnificent. The soundtrack? The Rolling Stones are, of course, featured, but my favorite bit of music is from The Dropkick Murphys. The action? The drama? The editing? The cinematography? There are just too many excellent aspects to choose from so I won't pick one. I will say that, after several viewings, The Departed has worked its way into my personal Top 10.

Year: 2004

Director: Michel Gondry

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind isn't a film for everyone. In fact, about a third of the people I know in real life who've seen it, can't stand it. I can't quite understand why as I have loved it since I first saw it in the theater and appreciate it more with each viewing. It's funny and heartwarming, but also has the power to break your heart and make you question your own life choices. Jim Carrey has never been better and he makes his character of Joel Barish seem like a regular guy, someone you'd run into and not think twice about. When we meet him he seems sad and lonely, but then he meets Clementine - played by the radiant and intriguing Kate Winslet - and his life is turned upside down. As the plot progresses, both Carrey and Winslet get to showcase the full depth of their talents and both of their characters are fully realized and compelling. The stunning screenplay by Charlie Kaufman is a byzantine maze of memories and love and regrets. The supporting cast - including Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Mark Ruffalo) - is excellent, as well, and they all work marvelously together. As I'm writing this, I'm getting more and more in the mood to watch it again.

Year: 2000

Director: Ridley Scott

Gladiator has been one of my very favorite films since the first time I watched on its opening weekend in May of 2000. I watched two more times that weekend and probably another dozen or so times in the years since and it has never failed to enthrall me. Everything about the film, from the writing, directing, editing, and cinematography to the performances, score, special effects, and overall "epicness" is just sublime. Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors and he gives a truly mesmerizing performance as the noble General Maximus, who is sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, sold into slavery, and eventually becomes Rome's most famous gladiator. With a different actor in the role, Maximus might have become a simple action hero, but Crowe has too much skill to let that happen. Instead, he plays him as a subtle and layered individual who just happens to control an army and then become a gladiator. Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus, the spoiled and whiny son of the Emperor, who steals the throne. Phoenix is one of the best actors of his generation and he really shows his chops here. Again, Commodus could have been a run of the mill character, but Phoenix elevates him to another level. Both Maximus and Commodus ranked very highly on my lists of My Favorite Movie Heroes and My Favorite Movie Villains. I really can't say enough about how much I love Gladiator.

Year: 2003

Director: Vadim Perelman

House of Sand and Fog is not fun nor is it easy to watch. The subject matter is dark and depressing, but it is a film filled with passion and intensity and is easily one of my very favorites. Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly turn in their best performances as two very different people locked in a dispute over the same house. If the premise sounds a little weak, believe me, it's not. Kingsley plays a retired Iranian colonel and it's just another example of how versatile an actor the man is. It seems like he can play any number of different nationalities and be convincing as them all. His role here is a proud, determined, and reserved man, a man who will do anything to protect his family and Kingsley shines. He was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, but inexplicably lost to Sean Penn for Mystic River. Connelly is just as good as a completely different character - a passionate and flighty woman with so many problems that she can't seem to function anymore. To match Kingsley is a spectacular feat, but Connelly does just that. The great supporting cast includes Shohreh Aghdashloo (nominated for Best Supporting Actress), Ron Eldard, Kim Dickens, and Frances Fisher and they all add complexity and depth to the film. House of Sand and Fog was Perelman's first film and he also adapted the screenplay from Andre Dubus III's great novel, accomplishing the rare feat of making a movie better than the novel. I haven't seen anything else from Perelman, but he truly succeeded the first time around, making a film that left such an impression on me.  

Year: 2007

Director: Paul Haggis

In the Valley of Elah was a complete failure at the domestic box office - it earned less than $7 million - and didn't do much better worldwide, so it's not a film a lot of people know or talk about all that often, but I've loved it since my first viewing. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron both deliver powerful performances, with this being my favorite of Jones' long and distinguished career. As the father of an AWOL soldier who goes looking for answers, Jones carries this film with a mix of gruff outward appearance and soulful emotional outpouring and was awarded a Best Actor nomination. Theron is a local police detective who joins him on his search and the two work extremely well together. The supporting cast is nearly as good, especially with Susan Sarandon as Jones' wife and Jason Patric, Josh Brolin, James Franco, Barry Corbin, and Wayne Duvall all adding depth along the way. Paul Haggis is a filmmaker often maligned (on internet message boards, at least) for his much more popular film, Crash, but I love that one, too. He's also written some fantastic scripts for some excellent Clint Eastwood films - Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters from Iwo Jima. His script for In the Valley of Elah is emotional, suspenseful, insightful, and brings up some good questions on matters relating to the military. His skills as a director aren't anything special, but he is more than capable. I hope to entice a few people to give In the Valley of Elah a chance, as I believe it's a criminally overlooked and under-known film.  

Year: 2005

Director: Shane Black

This is another film that mostly failed at the box office, but in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang's case, it found a home on DVD and Blu-Ray and has a bit of a cult following now. I couldn't be happier for the film or the cast and crew involved, since this is one of the funniest, most well written, and best acted films that I've had the pleasure to see. The jokes come fast and often and if you've only seen it once, you've probably missed a fair number of them due to laughing too hard at the proceeding lines. Shane Black, the writer of the first two Lethal Weapon films, knows a thing or two about creating interesting and detailed characters. His writing is what elevated that series and it does the same for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Robert Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer get the roles of their careers and turn in exceptional performances. The two have amazing chemistry together, whether it's a dialogue heavy scene or an action interlude. The film is a complex murder mystery, but I could watch their two characters simply sit in a room and eat a meal together - I'm sure it would be immensely entertaining. In addition to Downey and Kilmer, the film also benefits from the work of Michelle Monaghan (who is not only beautiful, but also funny and charismatic), Corbin Bernsen, and Larry Miller. My one very small nitpick with the film is that Downey's and Monaghan's characters are supposed to be two years apart in age, but the actors are eleven years apart - and it's obvious that Downey is significantly older. It doesn't really hurt the film in any real way, but I do think of it every time I watch it.

Year: 2004

Director: Clint Eastwood

Million Dollar Baby is one of the best acted and most emotional films I have had the pleasure of seeing. At different points, it's funny, heartwarming, suspenseful, empowering, inspirational, and downright depressing. Any film that can accomplish all that in a little over two hours is something special, in my book. Clint Eastwood pulls quadruple duty as director, star, producer, and music composer and succeeds at all the jobs. I really think he should have won the Best Actor Oscar for Million Dollar Baby - he lost to Jamie Foxx for Ray but did win Best Director - as I absolutely love his portrayal of Frankie Dunn, a hardened boxing trainer with a tough as nails exterior. Frankie is a complex character and Eastwood hits all the right notes, from gruff and sour to tender and caring. Hilary Swank did win the Best Actress Oscar, and rightfully so, and her Maggie Fitzgerald is an equally interesting character. She's dirt poor and from an insensitive hillbilly family, but has a great attitude about life and doesn't let anything hold her back from pursuing her dreams of becoming a professional boxer. When the final act rolls around and the movie takes a drastic and unexpected turn, the payoff is so great because you've learned to love these two characters. It seems unfair to go on for this long without mentioning Morgan Freeman (another Oscar winner - the film also won Best Picture) and his wonderful contribution. His character is somewhere in between both Frankie and Maggie when it comes to personality traits, and Freeman is perfect in the role. The supporting cast, especially Margo Martindale as Maggie's mother, is very good, too, as is the music and dark cinematography. I know some people who have no interest in seeing Million Dollar Baby because they're not into "boxing" films, but this is so much more. The sport of boxing is only the frame work for a much more in depth film about loss, regrets, passion, and relationships.    

Year: 2000

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen

A main component behind the success of O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the hilarious lead performance from George Clooney. I wrote about this in depth during my Favorite Lead Actor Performances segment so I won't go over it again here. Besides Clooney, the rest of the cast is also great - especially John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson as his dim witted co-conspirators. Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Charles Durning, and Wayne Duvall take turns stealing scenes and help to create one of the best-acted comedies I've ever had the pleasure of watching. The magnificent script, wonderful direction, and seamless editing combine with a great soundtrack (from T Bone Burnett) and glorious cinematography (by Roger Deakins) to make my #2 favorite film of all-time, a position it has held for several years now. My favorite aspect of the film is how insanely quotable the dialogue is. I bet I could rattle off 15 or 20 lines with ease. This is partially due to the fact that I've watched O Brother countless times, but it's also because the script is so fantastic and everything flows so well. There is not a character or scene or line of dialogue in the entire film that I don't like. Not a moment anywhere in the 106 minute running time that falls flat. For me, it is a "perfect" film.

Year: 2002

Director: Sam Mendes 

Last year, I placed Road to Perdition as second place on my list of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Films. If for no other reason, this film is worth watching for the cinematography alone. Thankfully, there are plenty of other great aspects. One that always springs to mind after the cinematography is the marvelous score, from Thomas Newman. All the main performances - from Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Tyler Hoechlin - and supporting performances - including Stanley Tucci, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Dylan Baker, and the underused Jennifer Jason Leigh - are all very good. Newman is probably the highlight and has some magnificent scenes in one of his final onscreen roles. The plot, characters, and dialogue are all well written and create an interesting, engaging film. Road to Perdition is essentially a character drama, but it has moments of action, comedy, and a resonating emotional core. Sam Mendes isn't a director I love, but he really knocks it out of the park here.

Year: 2001
Director: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is one of My Favorite Directors and his best film, in my opinion, is The Royal Tenenbaums - a story about a highly dysfunctional family in New York City. Gene Hackman leads the all-star cast as the patriarch of the Tenenbaums, Royal, and gives the best performance of his career and one of the best comedic performances I have ever seen. The fact that Hackman so stands out among this talented cast shows how extraordinary his work is. Angelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow (before she became mostly unwatchable), Ben Stiller, Bill Murray, Danny Glover, Owen Wilson, and Luke Wilson are all very good, as well. Each has a distinct and memorable character and, no matter how unusual or zany they are, each seems like a real person, not just a movie character. Some people criticize Anderson for being too stylized or quirky, but those aspects have never bothered me. I love his style and it's never been put to greater use than it was in The Royal Tenenbaums. The production, set, and costume designs all work together and help to create this whole universe that the Tenenbaums inhabit.

Year: 2004

Director: Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne is one of My Favorite Directors and I believe Sideways is not only his best film but one of the best films of this century. It's a perfect combination of comedy - often times on the very dark end of the spectrum - and drama, with several heart-wrenching moments sprinkled throughout. Paul Giamatti is quite possibly the greatest actor of his generation and turns in his very best performance here as Miles, a depressed wannabe novelist and snobbish wine connoisseur. Giamatti nails every single moment, capturing the tortured lows and fleeting highs of Miles' character. Thomas Haden Church plays Jack, Miles' best friend, and together they go on a combination road trip/bachelor party in advance of Jack's upcoming wedding. Church is excellent as the goofy, narcissistic Jack - who is a polar opposite of Miles. Church received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but Giamatti was snubbed for Best Actor. The other two main cast members, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh, are also in terrific form. It's just an overall marvelously acted, written, and directed film. There's not a flaw to be seen, in my mind. 

Year: 2006

Director: Marc Forster

For most people I talk to, Stranger Than Fiction is a film they haven't seen or even heard of. I am constantly championing it, though, as I think it's got a wide reaching appeal. Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick, a slightly OCD IRS agent who is desperately lonely in life. One day, he starts to hear a woman's voice seemingly narrating his daily life. That woman turns out to be Karen Eiffel, played by Emma Thompson. Last week, I wrote about how much I love Thompson's performance when I listed it among Favorite Supporting Actress Performances, but Ferrell is almost as good. He's always been funny, but he shows his talent for drama as Harold. Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in a very surprising performance, for me at least. I've never been a fan of hers, but she really shines as the love interest of Harold's and, as a really unexpected bonus, she's incredibly sexy in the role. Queen Latifah and the always exceptional Dustin Hoffman round out the main cast. Stranger Than Fiction is a wonderful mix of fantasy, romance, comedy, and drama - it truly has something for everyone - and it's a somewhat rare example of a film that handles all these different aspects equally well.  From the opening scene - which ranks among my Favorite Opening Scenes - to the satisfying and clever conclusion, Stranger Than Fiction is nothing short of sublime.

Year: 2005

Director: Jason Reitman

Thank You for Smoking is a rare example of a film being better than the source material, here a novel by Christopher Buckley. Buckley is an author I really enjoy, but Jason Reitman's film improves on most aspects and even changes some characters and plot points for the better. Thank You for Smoking is a dark comedy and biting satire and every aspect of the film is first rate, from the performances and writing to the soundtrack and direction. Aaron Eckhart is an actor who seems to do more bad films than good ones, but he's perfect here as Nick Naylor, a lobbyist for the tobacco industry. Naylor is a despicable character, but one you can't help but love and root for. Eckhart is surrounded by a talented cast which includes JK Simmons, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, Robert Duvall, Sam Eliot, David Koechner, William H. Macy, and Cameron Bright, who manages to hold his own despite being a youngster surrounded by veteran actors. The script gives each character and actor their moment (or several moments) to shine and none of the actors waste any opportunities. There are a lot of great lines of dialogue, but one of my favorites is delivered by Macy, as a Senator from Vermont: "The great state of Vermont will not apologize for its cheese!" Out of context, that line might sound absurd, so if you haven't seen the film, I urge you to check it out and I'm sure you'll love the scene when it pops up. Reitman has written and directed some of my favorite films - in addition to Thank You for Smoking, he also made Juno and Up in the Air - but this one is his best, and comfortably sits in my Top 20.

Year: 2000
Director: Curtis Hanson

Most of my favorite films are anchored by their writing and performances and Wonder Boys is no different. It features a sensational script - from Steve Kloves, who adapted the best selling novel by Michael Chabon - and fantastic performances across the board. Michael Douglas is at his best in the lead role as Grady Tripp, a drug addled and slacking novelist who can't seem to follow up his debut success with another book. It's the role of a lifetime and I'm sure many actors would have loved to take on the character, but I'm happy Douglas got the part. The supporting cast features career best work from Tobey Maguire and Katie Holmes, plus great turns from Robert Downey Jr. and Frances McDormand. Curtis Hanson appeared on my 90's list with L.A. Confidential and this film couldn't be any more different, so it goes to show how versatile Hanson was as a filmmaker. In addition to everything else, Wonder Boys also has a phenomenal soundtrack and features one of my favorite Bob Dylan songs, Things Have Changed, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song. I've often considered reading the original novel, but sometimes that can effect how I look at an adaptation and I don't want to risk anything spoiling how much I love this film.

Year: 2007
Director: David Fincher

Zodiac didn't impress me much when I first saw it back in 2008, but a few years ago I decided to give it another chance and it really blew me away. I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the mood for it back then, but upon the second viewing, everything just clicked with me. The story, characters, dialogue, performances, music, cinematography, and brilliant (and unnoticeable) use of CGI all combine to make a film that I've revisited several times and each time I like it a little bit more. The above-the-line stars - Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Robert Downey Jr. - shine and the rest of the cast features some of my favorite supporting actors - including Brian Cox, John Carroll Lynch, Elias Koteas, Donal Logue, and Philip Baker Hall - all of whom turn in excellent performances. Fincher is one of My Favorite Directors and Zodiac might very well be his best film. There are so many wonderful scenes, moments, and lines and all these little bits add up to a fantastic, deep, and layered film that rewards paying close attention and multiple viewings.

There's my list! Do you love or hate any of my picks? Did I miss any of your favorites from the 2000's? Let me know in the comments!

Up next, my list of Favorite Best Picture Winners!