50. Matchstick Men (2003, Ridley Scott)
49. Let the Right One In (2008, Tomas Alfredson)
48. Super Troopers (2001, Jay Chandrasekhar)
47. Watchmen (2009, Zack Snyder)
46. The Descent (2005, Neil Marshall)
45. Brick (2005, Rian Johnson)
44. Inside Man (2006, Spike Lee)
43. Twilight Samurai (2002, Yoji Yamada)
42. Closer (2004, Mike Nichols)
41. Gladiator (2000, Ridley Scott)
40. High Fidelity (2000, Stephen Frears)
39. A History of Violence (2005, David Cronenberg)
38. Star Trek (2009, J.J. Abrams)
37. 25th Hour (2002, Spike Lee)
36. Zodiac (2007, David Fincher)
35. Requiem for a Dream (2000, Darren Aronofsky)
34. Kung Fu Hustle (2004, Stephen Chow)
33. Battle Royale (2000, Kinji Fukasaku)
32. Enemy at the Gates (2001, Jean-Jacques Annaud)
31. Team America: World Police (2004, Trey Parker)
30. Match Point (2005, Woody Allen)
29. Ocean's 11 (2001, Steven Soderbergh)
28. The Good Shepherd (2006, Robert De Niro)
27. Slumdog Millionaire (2008, Danny Boyle)
26. Hero (2002, Yimou Zhang)
25. Children of Men (2006, Alfonso Cuaron)
24. Road to Perdition (2002, Sam Mendes)
23. Into the Wild (2007, Sean Penn)
22. The Departed (2006, Martin Scorsese)
21. Punch Drunk Love (2002, Paul Thomas Anderson)
50. Matchstick Men - If you told me that Nicolas Cage and Ridley Scott were going to collaborate together, I would probably ask what sort of epic would they be making (The French and Indian War, The Napoleonic Wars, maybe a futuristic WWIII film or the OJ Simpson Trial) and of course what does Cage's wig look like? Instead this is a brilliant little grifting film where cage gives one of his better performances.
49. Let the Right One In - In a time when the worst Vampire films are being made, this is one of the best if not the best. How many lifetimes has this girl lived? How many people have spent their entire lives devoted to her? Best Pool scene since Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
48. Super Troopers - This is the funniest film of the decade. This film introduces us to the Broken Lizard comedy troupe. I am always ready for a "Mustache Ride". After Club Dread, I thought they might be something special for years to come, but Beerfest and especially Slammin' Salmon aren't up to the same caliber as their other films.
47. Watchmen - There are so many comic book films coming out all the time that maybe we don't give enough credit to some of them and their ideals. This film forces us to reevaluate our favorite comic book heroes and what they represent; there is a Superman-like character with a God complex (and after seeing this guy you'll be begging to see a superhero in his underwear), a Batman type character with S&M issues (not that there is anything wrong with that), not to mention a character not unlike Wolverine with psychopathic and schizophrenic tendencies.
46. The Descent - The best horror film of the decade. This is not about a bunch of hot girls going spurlunking. The first hour of this film is intense and horrifying, then the creatures come into the mix and it becomes fun. The main character is much like Ripley in Alien, forced to become a badass to save herself.
45. Brick - This unique film noir takes place in high school and it is a major part of the reason why it is as good as it is. This film is filled with great scenes and dialogue that roll off JoGoLev's tongue as naturally as a sunrise.
44. Inside Man - Spike Lee doesn't get as much credit as he should for being a top notch filmmaker and this film proves he can entertain as well as thought provoke. Lee collaborates yet again with Denzel Washington along with Clive Owen and Jodie Foster to make this intelligent heist film. The focus of this film is entertainment, but Lee still manages to bring attention to rich white war opportunists.
43. Twilight Samurai - I hate to disappoint but this is not a vampire meets samurai film. A film that tackles issues of social class and what integrity really is. This is about a widower samurai who sacrifices a lot to take care of his daughter.
42. Closer - An intense film that pulls you in closer and closer and whispers the secrets to unsuccessful relationships. Clive Owen and Jude Law give the performances of their careers as they fight for the affection of Julia Roberts (you may ask yourself how does Natalie Portman play second fiddle to Julia Roberts, just ignore it, it's a movie).
41. Gladiator - The story as old as time: Brother in love with his sister only to be rudely interrupted by a mischievous gladiator. Crowe wins his Oscar for this role, but he should have won it for The Insider.
40. High Fidelity - One of the best character studies I have ever seen. A neurotic record store owner takes us through a step by step account of his top 5 failed relationships.
39. History of Violence - A family man with a secret and very dark past ("Viggo, Viggo, Viggo, you have been a bad monkey"). Viggo travels across the country, kills a bunch of bad guys, and gets home in time for a nice family dinner.
38. Star Trek - A great origin story. I don't know about "living long" but I certainly "prospered" from seeing this movie. The best sci-fi action film of the decade.
37. 25th Hour - A great ensemble cast including Edward Norton, PSH, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, Bryan Cox and of course the astonishing work of Tony Siragusa. This film is about paying for the sins of your past, or was it running away from them?
36. Zodiac - A police procedural that is in part an indictment on police procedure from the perspective of a cartoonist. The real crime is that RDJ didn't win a supporting actor oscar, although he wasn't even nominated.
35. Requiem for a Dream - This is not the first film to say drugs are bad for you, but comparing it to other drug films is like comparing apples to asses (it just doesn't make sense). The story has such a rhythm and story that presents itself like an old fable.
34. Kung Fu Hustle - The innovative Stephen Chow creates a film that falls somewhere between Gangs of New York, Game of Death and the Roadrunner. Nothing is and no one is what they seem.
33. Battle Royale - If you're a bad kid there are only so many forms of punishment for you; a slap on the wrist (but that is considered too barbaric nowadays and you have to be in Catholic school), detention, suspension, expulsion, and of course a death match with a bunch of kids that are equally naughty on reality television.
32. Enemy at the Gates - A western at heart, Enemy at the Gates is about two gunfighters (Russian - Jude Law and German - Ed Harris) during WWII, but instead of quick-draws relying on their speed they're snipers relying on their wits. The brilliant acting of Ed Harris creates a likable character that makes you forget that he is playing a Nazi, and then one action reminds us that he is a f*cking Nazi.
31. Team America: World Police - Do I love this movie? "F*ck Yeah!" The most original comedy ever made. An actor joins an elite fighting unit that is assigned the task of killing Kim Jong II and outacting his partner in crime, the greatest actor in the world, Alec Baldwin.
30. Match Point - The title is a double entendre involving tennis and something else I think. It deals with a lot of themes of prior films Woody Allen has made, mainly Crimes and Misdemeanors, but the tone and execution is completely different. The film is so intense that it had me squirming the entire time which is why it gets my 30-Love.
29. Ocean's 11 - Cool: definition: 1. slightly warmer than cold 2. neat-o, far out, totally awesome 3. smoking cigarettes 4. Cary Grant 5. James Dean 6. Ocean's 11.
28. The Good Shepherd - Robert De Niro directs this film that blends elements of The Godfather with the FBI (the only thing that is missing is a christening). Matt Damon gives one of his best performances as this understated but very powerful man.
27. Slumdog Millionaire - What would you do for a million dollars? Scratch that, What would you do to meet the host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Jump into a giant toilet? Yeah, me too.
26. Hero - If you are a ruthless emperor and you are going to kill someone's family make sure it is not Jet Li's. Jet Li goes through many trials and tribulations to get close enough to kill the emperor, but things might not end up the way one might think.
25. Children of Men - I want my babies back, babies back, babies back to live. Alfonso Cuaron knows his sh*t combining film noir and a futuristic sci-fi spin on the Nativity Story (with a couple more bullets of course).
24. Road to Perdition - John Rooney (Paul Newman) has a great line in this film, "Natural law. Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers." Mike's (Tom Hanks) family is murdered with the exception of one of his sons, and all because that son witnessed his father as a hitman. Now Mike will kill, pay or steal from anyone to keep that son alive, and the only thing he wants in return is for his son not to turn out like him.
23. Into the Wild - What is the Meaning of Life? I think the answer is different for all of us. Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch) is searching for the meaning of his life, he suspects that it may be being one with nature and is determined to prove it. By the time that he realizes the real meaning of his life it is too late.
22. The Departed - The next time I order a Cape Cod at a bar and someone asks me "do you got your period" I will smash a glass into their head. This is a great movie and probably not in Scorsese's top five, that tells you how good Scorsese is.
21. Punch Drunk Love - This is a lot like many other Adam Sandler films; it has moments where he has uncontrollable fits of rage, where he is overly sensitive, and he and a girl (that is way too good for him) fall in love. There is one thing that is very different, this is a great movie.
"I would say that's that" for now. The top 20 will be posted shortly.
