The Best Movies of the 2000s: Jane Schoenbrun, Radu Jude, Zia Anger, Bill Hader, and More Share Their Favorites (2024)

Pamela Adlon (director: “Babes”)

I know this is 11. I didn’t know how to cut myself off, so I gave myself a Top 10 Baker’s Dozen.

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
“Moon”
“Children of Men”
“Almost Famous”
“Spirited Away”
“Brokeback Mountain”
“Cache”
“Inglorious Basterds”
“Memories of Murder”
“Let the Right One In”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Zia Anger (writer/director: “My First Film”)

The 2000s span 9th grade to high school graduation to freshman year through college graduation and my first year out in the world. In this time I was a three season athlete, lost my virginity, quit sports, got in to drinking and trying drugs, started smoking a lot of cigarettes, began making films, had a number of serious and not so serious boyfriends and made lifelong friends, and got my first abortion. Although I’ve never really been a big film watcher these are the films that resonate with that time. That I watched over and over. Or maybe just once but have never forgotten. The films are arranged in no particular order.

“Morvern Callar”
“Mean Girls”
“Donnie Darko”/”Southland Tales”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Mulholland Drive”/”Inland Empire”
“Grizzly Man”/”Bad Lieutenant 2”
“In the Cut”
“Moulin Rouge”
“Trouble Ever Day”
“Best in Show”
“The Dreamers”
“Silent Light”
“Adaptation”/”Punch Drunk Love”

Gregg Araki (writer/director “Mysterious Skin”)

“Mulholland Dr.”

Joanna Arnow (writer/director/actor: “The Feeling that the Time for Doing Something Has Passed”)

“Bright Star”
“Adaptation”
“The Piano Teacher”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“In the Mood for Love”
“The Man Without a Past”
“Minority Report”
“Something’s Gotta Give”
“The Taste of Tea”
“Synecdoche, New York”

David Arquette (actor: “The Good Half”)

Not ranked:

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Inglorious Basterds”
“Old Boy”
“Sexy Beast”
“American Psycho”
“The Wrestler”
“Oh Brother Where Art Thou”
“The Dark Knight”
“City of God”
“Little Mrs. Sunshine”

Sean Baker (writer/director: “Anora”)

“Yi Yi” (2000)
“Malèna” (2000)
“Together” (2000)
“Dog Days” aka “Hundstage” (2001)
“Oasis” (2002)
“Morvern Callar” (2002)
“Dogville” (2003)
“Oldboy” (2003)
“4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days” (2007)
“Import/Export” (2007)

runner ups:

“Amores Perros” (2000)
“Y tu mamá también” (2001)
“Irreversible” (2002)
“The Brown Bunny” (2003)
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
“The Child” (2005)
“Workingman’s Death” (2005)
“Secret Sunshine” (2007)
“Slumdog Millionaire” (2007)
“Love Exposure” (2008)

Hank Bedford (writer/director: “Eugene the Marine”)

1. “Yi Yi” – Edward Yang (2000)
2. “The Piano Teacher” – Michael Haneke (2001)
3. “The Royal Tenenbaums” – Wes Anderson (2001)
4. “Biggie & Tupac” – Nick Broomfield (2002)
5. “A History of Violence” – David Cronenberg (2005)
6. “Caché” – Michael Haneke (2005)
7. “Hustle & Flow” – Craig Brewer (2005)
8. “Old Joy” – Kelly Reichardt (2006)
9. “Zodiac” – David Fincher (2007)
10. “In Bruges” – Martin McDonagh (2008)

Ryan Martin Brown (writer/director: “Free Time”)

Despite being the decade I Came to The Movies in a real way, it’s also the decade I’ve gone back the least to explore. That being said, here are ten movies I love:

“Dave Chapelle’s Block Party”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“Morvern Callar”
“No Country For Old Men”
“Old Joy”
“The Piano Teacher”
“Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Together”
“Zodiac”

Marco Calvani (writer/director: “High Tide”)

1- “ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF A SPOTLESS MIND” – Michel Gondry
2- “MYSTERIOUS SKIN” – Gregg Araki
3- “IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE” – Wong Kar-wai
4- “THE PIANO TEACHER” – Michael Haneke
5- “Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN” – Alfonso Cuaron
6- “MOULIN ROUGE” – Baz Luhrmann
7- “THE HEADLESS WOMAN” – Lucrecia Martel
8- “THE EDGE OF HEAVEN” – Fatih Akin
9- “TALK TO HER” – Pedro Almodóvar
10- “RESPIRO” – Emanuele Crialese
——————————
Runners Up:
11- “SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER… AND SPRING” – Kim Ki-duk
12- “REQUIEM FOR A DREAM” – Darren Aronofsky

Dave & John Chernin (writers/directors: “Incoming”)

“There Will Be Blood”
“No Country For Old Men”
“Sideways”
“Knocked Up”
“Meet The Parents”
“Apocalypto”
“Borat”
“Best In Show”
“Memories Of Murder”
“In Bruges”

Durga Chew-Bose (writer/director: “Bonjour Tristesse”)

“Birth”
“Yi Yi”
“La Ciénaga”
“Michael Clayton”
“A Christmas Tale”
“Mulholland Drive”
“Daddy Longlegs”
“Secret Sunshine”
“The Gleaners and I”
“Fish Tank”

Zach Clark (writer/director: “The Becomers”)

“The Brown Bunny” (Vincent Gallo, 2003)
“Dancer in the Dark” (Lars von Trier, 2000)
“The Devil’s Rejects” (Rob Zombie, 2005)
“Friends Forever” (Ben Wolfinsohn, 2001)
“Last Days” (Gus Van Sant, 2005)
“Marie Antoinette” (Sofia Coppola, 2006)
“Margot at the Wedding” (Noah Baumbach, 2007)
“Mister Lonely” (Harmony Korine, 2007)
“Viva” (Anna Biller, 2007)
“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” (Francois Ozon, 2000)

Barnaby Clay (writer/director: “The Seeding”)

“A Prophet” (2009) – Powerful muscle movie (not in an Arnie or Tom of Finland kind of way).

“Control” (2003) – If someone suggested making a film about Ian Curtis, the obvious answer is NO, but Anton Corbin did it anyway and crafted one of the best biopics I’ve seen.

“Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” (2000) – Master Ang Lee sweeps us off our feet in a dreamy bamboo forest of romance and immaculate choreography.

“Grizzly Man” (2005) – Herzog, collector of extraordinary people and their stories, gave us the best documentary of the decade – no shade to Dig! which was also excellent.

“In The Mood For Love” (2000) – Maybe the most romantic film of the century? While also being the most stylish.

“Let The Right One In” (2008) – Not fan of aughts horror, but this cried out. A tender, frightening, extremely well-executed and original taken on vampires.

“Lord Of The Rings” trilogy (2001-3) – I’m still filled with joy that they gave the man responsible for Bad Taste the job of bringing this to life – and he f*cking nailed it.

“Lost In Translation” (2003) – I saw Bill Murray in a hotel elevator once, in his bathrobe – it was great but not as good as Coppola’s quiet gem.

“Morvern Callar” (2002) – Lynn Ramsey’s beguiling existential odyssey, floating through grief and re-birth. Samantha Morton is magnetic.

“Mulholland Dr.” (2001) – ”She’s the girl”… The most stinging, funny and frightening Hollywood commentary since Sunset Boulevard.

“No Country For Old Men” (2007) / “There Will Be Blood” (2007) – The year two actual classics went head to head at the Oscars (which hasn’t happened since the 70’s).

“Oasis” (2002) – Purest distillation of love and humanity. Incredible.

“Oldboy” (2003) / “The Host” (2006) – Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho ushering in the new wave of awesomeness that was about explode from South Korea.

“Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) – Minnie and Moskowitz for the new millennium.

“Spirited Away” (2001) – The most perfect animated film ever?

“The Piano Teacher” (2001) / “Cache” (2005)/ “The White Ribbon” (2009) – In the arthouse world this was the decade of Haneke.

“The Wrestler” (2008) – Immaculate character study, loaded with pathos. I’ve never been so behind an actor reaping every award as I was with Mickey Rourke.

“Werkmeister Harmonies” (2000) – Belá Tarr opened a fresh portal in my mind, a cosmic zone of darkness and magic, where it rains a lot.

“Zodiac” (2007) – Fincher at his best. No frills, just perfect, absorbing work on every level.

Special mention for Best Title Sequence of the decade (actually probably the best since Saul Bass): “Enter The Void”

Also, maybe not ‘best’ but I have to mention “Idiocracy.” Forget “2001” or “Blade Runner” this is (sadly) the most prescient vision of where we are now – right down to the Crocs.

Lily Collias (actor: “Good One”)

“Punch-Drunk Love” – Paul Thomas Anderson
“Old Joy” – Kelly Reichardt
“Y Tu Mamá También” – Alfonso Cuarón
“Daddy Longlegs” – Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
“Superbad” – Greg Mottola
“Amélie” – Jean-Pierre Jeunet
“35 Shots of Rum” – Claire Denis (for India)
“Sexy Beast” – Jonathan Glazer
“Fish Tank” – Andrea Arnold
“Brick” – Rian Johnson

Brady Corbet (writer/director: “The Brutalist”)

“Dancer in the Dark”
“Dogville”
“Caché”
Shinji Aoyoma’s “Eureka”
“The White Ribbon”
“Three Times”
“Inland Empire”
“Werckmeister Harmonies”
“La Commune”
“L’intrus”
“Birth”
“Mulholland Drive”
“Silent Light”
“Uncle Boonmee”
“The Headless Woman”
“In the Mood for Love”
“Spirited Away”
“Enter the Void”

Nadine Crocker (writer/director/producer: “Continue”)

The year is 2000, I am 12, and the year prior 1999 exposed me to a newfound drug, cinema! In2000, I was a full-blown addict, soaking up films for the high of inspiration and possibilities.These years, from 1995 to 2010, were transformative for me. They were the years when Iwatched many of the films that would shape me as a creator and lead to me dropping out of
school to pursue my dreams in Los Angeles. This list is nearly impossible to narrow down, butluckily, 1999 and 2010 didn’t make the cut. This is the transformative power of cinema; itinspires and grooms the next generation of renegades! Thank you to these filmmakers whosework changed my life and continues to inspire me!

1. “Requiem For A Dream” — One of my favorite films of all time, it ignited a burning desireinside of me to create. I learned how we could affect people and make them feel likethey’re in the film!! We could make them physically uncomfortable. This film is not justgenius, it’s a part of me.

2. “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind” — Is a film like no other, a true masterpiece. KateWinslet’s performance is perfection in every way, and Jim Carrey’s portrayal is a testamentto the dramatic potential of comedians. This film, with its groundbreaking storytelling, hasset a high standard for me in terms of the dramatic work I aspire to create and appreciate.

3. “Memento” — Bow down to the king; what can I add that you don’t already know? Nolan is agenius, and this film is our first glimpse into his mind. This is why original films are Gold andwhat we need to return to. Enough remakes. I crave the next generation of genius, and wecan’t discover that if Indies and original stories aren’t made.

4. “Zodiac” — Fincher is tattooed on my arm. The level of technicality and perfection in everyframe of his films is awe-inspiring and taught me so much. The color and cinematographytaught my mind to look at so much more than just the actors and performances.Everywhere you look, there is someone’s art and craft at the highest level.

5. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” — What I said above, but on another level. The VFX,makeup, and everything about this film is inspiring. But I also love that it’s the least Fincherof all his films. It’s so different and beautiful, and it made me realize we can do whatevermakes us passionate as filmmakers. We can make Seven/ Fight Club AND films like this!.

6. “No Country For Old Men” — Unbelievable. It’s a perfect film and villain, but the color,lighting, and imagery win the show! It’s one of the films I hold all other films up to.

7. “Winters Bone” — It was the first time I saw a woman tell this kind of story; it made me realizethere could be a place for me to make films in this industry! The performances made mewant to be an actress! I did scenes and monologues from this film in acting classes. It ispure grit and indie filmmaking at its best! Not only did I fall for J Law, but it also blossomed
my love for Dale Dickey, who I was lucky enough to work with on my first film!

8. “Hunger” — Is still one of my favorite films by Steve McQueen! It’s art meets brilliantstorytelling, performances that leave you awestruck, and an incredible true story. I usedimages from this film on EVERY mood board for my first film, Continue! Incredible longoners, simple visuals, but STRONG. Showing you can have minimalism and impact.

9. “Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2” — Endlessly inspired as I watch these films. I rewatched these a weekago, and they hold up as firmly as they felt when I first watched them. When the moviefinished, I had a whole pitch for a sequel that I wanted to make. Tarantino makes you feelalive, as if you need to create, or you’ll die! So good, highly recommend.

10. “Inglorious Bastards” — This is a bold statement to make, but I think this might be my favoriteTarantino film. Incredible, intense, unbelievable characters! His films are always such a funride, and this film is Tarantino at his best.

12. “The Wrestler” — Darren Aronofsky is one of my favorite directors. He constantly reinvents theindie film, and his casting choices are above all else. He makes choices most of us can’t orwould be too afraid to make. He revitalizes careers and shows us a side of actors we didn’tknow existed. I love this film; it’s cinematic and unbelievable storytelling.

13. “The Dark Knight” — Nolan is King, Ledger is at his best; these Batmans were the reinvention andrevitalization of comic book movies. He made us realize how badass Batman and comicbook films could be. He brought darkness and grit to these films and, in my opinion, madethe best Batman films ever. I only wish we could have seen the next work Ledger would
have unearthed after this performance.

13. Thirteen — Catherine Hardwicke is Queen, was the first indie film that felt gritty and real life.Like the beginning of the feeling films like Blue Valentine evoked, a fly on the wall ofsomeone’s real life. It was the roles I dreamt of playing as a teen, films I dreamt of making.

14. “A Beautiful Mind” — One of the best films of all time, huge and brilliant reveals that shockedyou. I am the person who figures out every movie before it really begins. This movie wasunpredictable and beautiful. Much of the feeling I had when I watched The Sixth Sense forthe first time.

15. “Seven Pounds” — This movie is the epitome of what I long to create; it affected me, rocked me,and made me smile and ugly face cry. It’s the whole emotional rollercoaster experience thatI want to share with my audience.

16. “The Pursuit of Happyness” — My husband and I quote this film all the time. It inspired us throughall of our broke, hard days. We’d talk and dream of the day our moment would come. Thatmoment he screams in the street because he made it! This is a film everyone who has everstruggled or dreamed of something bigger than their reality can relate to. No matter your
journey, it will leave you inspired.

17. “The Assassination Of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford” — Brad Pitt is not only mychildhood muse but one of the most talented actors who can emote without saying a word.This film is filled with that. But the imagery is God; every frame is poetry. I don’t know howDeakins didn’t win an Oscar for his work! I am a member of the Roger Deakins’ fan club 4
Life!

18. “Children of Men” — I love a post-apocalyptic sci-fi future world film, especially worlds that feelreally F’ing possible to come true one day. This is one of those films. A film like thisexpanded my mind on screenwriting and thrills. It’s an amazing film.

19. “Mystic River” — I mean, come on, Sean Penn? This cast? It’s genius, a must-see, and keepsyou guessing.

20. “28 Days Later” — Cillian Murphy has been one of my favorite actors from this far back. I couldsay nothing more than his name; you should know to watch it. But it was also a terrifyingzombie film because they were actually capable and fast, and I just remember being scaredsh*tless watching this film. It made me want to create horror films.

21. “Man on Fire” — I have always loved Tony Scott and his style. This is classic Tony Scott, but itwas also one of the most brilliant performances by a little girl I have ever seen. But purepoetry by Denzel, if you didn’t fall in love with him so deeply, none of this journey wouldmean anything. It’s a fantastic film!

22. “Training Day” — Legendary film; everyone knows at least one quote from this film; in ourhouse, we know them all! Denzel at his best, Ethan Hawke at his best! Antoine Fuqua is athis best! Genius and gritty! King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me!!!

R.J. Cutler (director: “Martha” and “Elton John: Never Too Late”)

R.J. Cutler 10 Best/Most Influential Films 2000-2009 (plus one) (chronological)

“Almost Famous”
“Capturing the Friedmans”
“School of Rock”
“Fog of War”
“Lost In Translation”
“Some Kind of Monster”
“Squid and the Whale”
“Diving Bell and the Butterfly”
“Man On Wire”
“Synecdoche, New York”
“Zombieland”

Nia DaCosta (writer/director: “The Marvels”)

Some 2000s films that make me very, very happy:

“Gosford Park”
“Bridget Jones’ Diary”
“Dogtooth”
“Fish Tank”
“Wendy and Lucy”
“Black Swan”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
“Sexy Beast”

Joe Dante (director: “Gremlins”)

No order

“Mulholland Drive”
“The Children of Men”
“Pan’s Labyrinth”
“Idiocracy”
“Speed Racer”
“Shaun of the Dead”
“Inglorious Basterds”
“Ratatouille”
“Battle Royale”
“Gangs of New York”

India Donaldson (writer/director: “Good One”)

“Punch-Drunk Love”
“In the Mood for Love”
“Y tu mamá también”
“35 Shots of Rum”
“Wendy and Lucy”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“La Ciénaga”
“About Elly”
“Brokeback Mountain”
“4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days”

Brian Duffield (writer/director: “No One Will Save You”)

I started the ’00s living in rural Ireland and because of the movies of the following ten years ended up living in LA, very broke but still desperately hoping I too could make movies for a living, as unlikely as that might have seemed to be for a missionary kid like me. People screwed up and let me in the following decade, but when asked to do this list I thought instead of ranking them with 2024 eyes, I’d just list the ones that hit me between the eyes in real time.

“A.I. Artificial Intelligence”
I saw it on a summer vacation with family in New Jersey and it rewired me. Would be easy to pick a few Spielbergsbut this was the one that got its hooks deep into me. I remembered the tops of my feet were sunburned and it hurt and I did not care.

“The Lord of the Rings”
I’m counting all of them. I saw all three in Ireland, multiple times, and I don’t think enough can be said about how those 4 disc DVDs were film school for so many of us.

“Punch-Drunk Love”/”Spirited Away”
Weird combo but there’s a reason. I spent a few weeks one summer with my grandmother in PA, my first real overseas excursion without myparents. She took me to Blockbuster and all of a sudden a world of movies was available to me. I rented both and watched them back-to-back. For a kid who was scrounging off whatever the two tv channels we had in Ireland could provide to suddenly having access to movies (and kicking it off with THESE two) really cemented the addiction.

“Signs”
Growing up as a Pennsylvania native, Shyamalan was king. And he still is! This is a perfect summer popcorn movie and it’s just gorgeously directed and written. I remember seeing it and thinking, that’s the kind of movie I want to make. I think about Joaquin watching TV in the closet all the time, how that scene should absolutely not work or be scary (he’s just… watching the news… in a closet…) but in Shyamalan’s hands it’s one of the most iconic scenes of the decade.

“Birth”
In the same vein as my Blockbuster story, my first Netflix disc was “Birth” (and “Angels in America pt 1” but that doesn’t count) while I was in college. I didn’t have my license at the time so all of a sudden I could rent movies and they would come to my mailbox – revolutionary. And for some reason I had incredible luck with my first rentals. I’m just built different.

“Brick”
Hearing about this playing at Sundance, it sounded like the coolest movie ever. And then I had to wait months and months and months to see it. And then it was the coolest movie ever. It was small and scrappy but so clear and clean, and it was a real turning point for me in thinking,oh, people can just go find some money and make cool movies. Making something still felt impossible, but Brick made the goalposts seem closer and wider.

“The Fall”
Similar to “Brick,” Tarsem’s The Fall was this little magic trick that made our world seem somehow bigger and more magical than you thought it was before the movie started playing. Hearing how Tarsem made it was inspiring, and then seeing how he did a similar thing for the ginormous Benjamin Button a few years later made it seem all the more exciting.

“Dracula Pages from a Virgin’s Diary”
I talked about this movie a bunch on the “No One Will Save You” press tour and pretty much no one knew what I was talking about, which I get, but this silent ballet adaptation of Dracula by madman Guy Maddin is intoxicating. I had never seen anything like it when I first saw it in college, and quickly went down the Maddin rabbit hole, who makes movies no one else could ever make. I’m glad that I’ve introduced it to a bunch of people, and now hopefully I’m introducing it to you, too.

“War of the Worlds”
I lied, bitch, here’s a second Spielberg. I was putting the list together and it felt weird not to include the movie that I think about every day, both because I love it, but mostly because it introduced me to Scott Wampler. Scott and I met on twitter because we were nerding out about WotW (specificallyhow in the published screenplay the tripods used their ray guns to boil the water in the ferry scene to kill everyone in the water) and we became friends after that. And for years after that, we talked about WotWall of the time. When he passed away a few months ago, right after we had talked about the movie on his podcast, I was/am heartbroken. But recently I’ve thought about how wonderful it was that movies (and godforsaken twitter) could bring people together to share some life with for a while. I’ll never think of the movie without thinking of him, and vice versa, and honestly, what a lovely thing.

Anirban Dutta & Anupama Srinivasan (Directors: “Nocturnes”)

1. “In the Mood for Love” (2000) by Wong Kar-wai
Evocative, atmospheric, deeply moving, unforgettable. A love story like no other.

2. “I don’t want to sleep alone” (2006) by Tsai Ming-liang
Masterful in its restraint with a stunning use of long takes; a film full of empathy for working-class immigrants.

3. “Ten” (2002) by Abbas Kiarostami
The brilliance and confidence of creating cinema with minimal resources! An unsentimental and clear-eyed take on Iranian society.

4. “Syndromes and a Century” (2006) by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Tender, quirky, and surreal, traversing different periods of time with ease.

5. “Talk to Her” (2002) by Pedro Almodavar
The courage to take on the complexities of human relationships, to provoke questions that have no easy answers.

6. “Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!” by Dibakar Banerjee
A biting critique of consumerism done with heart, wit, and flair.

7. “Uzak” (2002) by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
A poetic and personal expression of alienation and despondency.

8. “The Namesake” (2006) by Mira Nair
An aching and authentic expression of the Indian diasporic experience in America with fine performances.

9. “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) by Lars von Trier
Searing and gut-wrenching. A musical that breaks your heart.

10. “Nostalgia for the Light” (2010) by Patricio Guzman
Brings together the personal, political, scientific, and historical into an astounding creation.

Adam Elliot (writer/director: “Memoir of a Snail”)

1. “Capote”
2. “Napoleon Dynamite”
3. “Best in Show”
4. “A Single Man”
5. “Monster”
6. “Little Miss Sunshine”
7. “Lost In Translation”
8. “Punch Drunk Love”
9. “Brokeback Mountain”
10. “Doubt”

Julian Farino (director: “The Union”)

1) “A Prophet” (France, 2009)
Tough prison drama by the incredibly versatile Jacques Audiard, great on morality of crime.

2) “You, The Living” (Sweden, 2007)
Unique vision of Roy Anderson, heightened realism with a sad/funny point of view. The episode with the wedding dream on the train is one of my favourite sequences in the whole of cinema, watch it on Youtube

3) “Children of Men” (US/UK 2006)
When I started watching action movies before taking on The Union, the first one I went to – and maybe the best

4) “Atanarjuat, Fast Runner” (Canada, 2001)
First ever released film by Inuits on both sides of the camera, an absolute wonder. If cinema is meant to transport, then go no further

5) “Letters From Iwo Jima” (US, 2008)
Amid so many war movies from America telling of young rookie experiences, loved that this told the story from the Japanese perspective

6) “Pa-Ra-Da” (Italy, 2008)
A lyrical film about street kids in Bucharest, Romania made by Marco Pontecorvo, son of the great Gillo

7) “Together” (Sweden, 2000)
Lukas Moodyson’s joyous film both sending up and embracing a commune, hard to beat for feel-good ending

8) “My Summer of Love” (UK, 2004)
Truthful, beautifully observed coming of age drama that made young Emily Blunt a star in UK

9) “Step Brothers” (US, 2008)
Broad comedy is underrated as an art form! Can stand many a re-watch

10) “The Kid Stays in the Picture” (US, 2002)
All such lists should include a documentary – entertaining portrait of Hollywood legend Robert Evans

Michael Felker (writer/director: “Things Will Be Different”)

Hey hey! Not only did the aughts rule for movies, but they were also super formative in my teenage years. Here are 10 of my favorite ones (in chronological order) with a little coming-of-age context tied to each of ‘em:

“THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS”
Saw this in theaters during a crowded holiday rush. I was already a Wes fan having seen Rushmore on cable, but holy hell seeing this big in a pitch black room just rocked me. Listened to the soundtrack on repeat for another good year after that (“The Fairest of the Seasons” always makes me tear up on the spot). Still to this day my favorite Wes Anderson film.

“SPIRITED AWAY”
I believe my sister discovered this on DVD while scouring for anime at our local Barnes and Noble. In all honesty, it befuddled my tiny middle school brain back then. Nowadays it’s my Rosetta Stone for movies that perfectly balance doling out information and letting the audience swim for their catharsis. It gets better with age and could be my favorite movie of all time when it’s all said and done.

“THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING”
I was part of that last batch of high school kids who had to read the LOTR books for school while the movies were coming out at the same time. So naturally our tiny high school rented out a couple of screens at our local theater and packed the entire school in to watch Return of The King on release day. It was one of the last times I recall a movie feeling like a genuine cultural moment. And it was awesome. I ate up every last second of that hour long curtain call ending. Just incredible.

“ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND”
I was already a fan of Kaufman with “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation.” But after seeing this, I fully realized how special a great idea can be. I didn’t think a movie could just BE about memories and regret, let alone visualize such concepts in fascinating ways. But after this, everything changed. I wrote so many bad copy cat scripts that year because I wanted to chase that eternal sunshine high haha.

“THE AVIATOR”
Saw this in theaters with my dad. I distinctly remember him whispering to me before it started, “Any time you see a Martin Scorsese movie, you may be seeing the greatest movie ever made.” And for awhile, this was the greatest. Everything I learned about crafting a compelling but flawed protagonist came from this film. The brief white flashes into Howard Hughes’ obsessive psyche and crippling anxiety genuinely still move me to this day.

“RATATOUILLE”
Saw this on a date, and we both genuinely fell for it in the most surprising of ways. I mean we spent hours talking about it in the parking lot after. I can’t believe it works as well as it does. It’s magic. Anyone can cook; any movie can be incredible.

“SUPERBAD”
This is a special one. I saw this the night before my first day of college. My mom and sister were moving me into my dorm room and I was about to be alone for the first time ever. On a whim, my sister and I went to a midnight screening at the biggest theater on campus. The screening was a sold out crowd FULL of other upcoming freshman. And it was electric. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that much laughter in my entire life. It was so funny and sooooo relatable to what we were all feeling at the moment. Gave me the closure I needed to muster up a bittersweet good bye the next day.

“THERE WILL BE BLOOD”
Probably a very common answer here, but I can’t deny its impact. A tectonic movie for me. Saw this by myself back in ’07 during my first year at Florida State. My jaw was on the floor throughout the credits. It rewrote every rule I had about making movies in a way no other movie has since. Today, I rewatch it at least once every couple years, still completely spellbound in so many ways.

“RUSSIAN ARK”
Saw this in my New Russian Cinema Class (basically on a small TV in a sterile white classroom). And yet I had no idea it would hit me this hard. I’ve only seen it once but its images and moments have been vividly painted and hung up in the walls of my skull. I’m not usually into one shot movies, but this is the ultimate one shot movie with an amazing sense of place and an unforgettably haunting ending.

“THE DARK KNIGHT”
I saw a ton of midnight movies with my friends in high school and college, and this was the last one I saw in my home town (wouldn’t come back home in between summer semesters again). No amount of teaser trailers or leaked Heath Ledger photos could deter how insanely awesome that movie was to us. I mean we couldn’t get enough. We’d sneak into showings weeks later, mid-screening, while we waited for “Tropic Thunder” or “Pineapple Express” to start. Surprisingly rewatchable and a damn good time.

Honorable Mention:

“OCEANS ELEVEN”
Had to include this as #11. First saw it on HBO when I was 13, but I’ve seen it so many times, all my rewatches kind of blur together. It’s my go to throw-this-on-in-the-background-while-I-edit-till-3AM movie. It’s also the ultimate comfort movie when you feel a little lonely in the world.

Parker Finn (writer/director: “Smile”)

“Requiem for a Dream” (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)

Emotionally involving and shocking, Aronofsky’s second feature felt like a defining moment in independent film in the aughts.

“Catch Me If You Can” (Steven Spielberg, 2002)

Spielberg firing on all cylinders — about as close as you can get to a perfect movie.

“The Ring” (Gore Verbinski, 2002)

Verbinski’s masterful remake knocked my socks off the first time I watched it, and every time since. A horror movie so effective it caused people to throw away their VCRs.

“24 Hour Party People” (Michael Winterbottom, 2002)

Michael Winterbottom’s deliriously entertaining romp through the Manchester music scene is an absolute delight.

“A Tale of Two Sisters” (Kim Jee-Woon, 2003)

A visually stunning and deeply frightening South Korean masterpiece.

“Children of Men” (Alfonso Cuaron, 2006)

Virtuosic filmmaking from start to finish — quite possibly Cuaron at his very best.

“Zodiac” (David Fincher, 2007)

Fincher is in full control here — by the time we’re in the basem*nt in the third act he has us right in the palm of his hand.

“There Will Be Blood” (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

I drink your milkshake!

“Rachel Getting Married” (Jonathan Demme, 2008)

Demme’s family melodrama is sad, funny, beautiful, and so full of life.

“Enter the Void” (Gaspar Noe, 2009)

An utterly singular and visceral experience, Gaspar Noe jammed his finger deep in my brain with this one.

Nora Finghschneidt (writer/director “The Outrun”)

The 2000s are the decade in which I probably watched more films than in all other decades of my life together. I just finished high school, started directing first short films and later entered film school where I met my most important creative collaborators until today. The films we discovered together back then have such a massive creative impact until today because, apart from being amazing pieces of cinema, they found us at a point in life where we were so open and full of enthusiasm. Creating this list makes me nostalgic and I want to rewatch all of them (and many more from that decade). The order has no priority.

“A PROPHET” (Jacques Audiard, 2009) a prison movie, the combination of realism and poetry, the camera work is perfection, the acting and the whole cast, it´s a perfect movie.

“SILENT LIGHT” (Carlos Reygadas, 2007) this film about love and betrayal in a Mennonite community in Mexico is such a trip for the mind, like a different sense of time and space, yet it feels so human and has such an incredible ending.

“3 IRON” ( Kim Ki-Duk, 2004) what a beautiful and poetic, yet brutal film about the love of two lost souls and about a very unique way of learning how to become invisible.

“THIS IS ENGLAND” (Shane Meadows, 2007) this 80´s punk coming of age film is a crazy balance of funny and sad, honest and violent, soothing and shocking and a time travel at the same time. What an ensemble, what great storytelling.

“ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND” (Michel Gondry, 2004) one of the most beautiful love stories ever put on screen, surreal and wild, just thinking about how they hide and run away in their childhood memories makes me laugh and cry at the same time.

“WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES” (Béla Tarr, 2000) this black and white scene in the pub where a bunch of drunk people imitate the solar system together is the best movie beginning I have ever seen and I could rewatch it 1000 times, it will always get me.

“THERE WILL BE BLOOD” (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007) oil hunt in the early 20th century California, a story about greed and the decay of a man, wow – the acting and the visual storytelling of this film are so powerful and haunting, it will always be my favorite PT Anderson film.

“HEAD-ON” (Fatih Akin, 2004) this wonderful film about a young couple who enter an arranged marriage so she can have more freedom from her conservative Turkish family, it is so raw and wild and honest, such a beautiful and sad love story but also something very personal about being lost between cultures. One of my favorite German films ever made.

“HUNGER” (Steve McQueen, 2008) a film about a political hunger strike – what an impressive movie, how bold, what a unique structure and images that I will never forget. I have never seen anything like that before. This film really opened my horizon about what cinema can be.

“DARK HORSE” (Dagur Kári, 2005) this very unique story about love, friendship, growing up and taking responsibility from Scandinavia is a little gem, it is weird and funny, so moving and so beautiful.

Other films of that decade that cannot go unmentioned: REPRISE (Joachim Trier, 2006), THE RETURN (Andrei Petrowitsch Swjaginzew, 2003) , I KILLED MY MOTHER (Xavier Dolan, 2009), THE WHITE RIBBON (Michael Haneke, 2009), THE SQUID & THE WHALE (Noah Baumbach, 2005), THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese, 2006)

Shatara Michelle Ford (writer/director: “Dreams in Nightmares”)

This list, like all lists, is deeply subjective and indicative of my own liminal space — and therefore in my opinion, useless without context.. So here is my context: I came of age in the 2000s, as a midwestern AMC stubs carrying, Blockbuster video frequenting kid with all the movie channels and only one art house theater. These are the films that captivated me, surrounded me, and influenced me. These are the films I always watched when they were on, that I maybe saw in the theatre more than once, and still love to think about. They are listed in no particular order, beyond what popped into my head first.

“Ghost World”
“Zodiac”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”
“35 Shots of Rum”
“Volver”
“American Psycho”
“Lust, Caution”
“Two Lovers”
“Yi Yi”
“Collateral”

Emily Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick”)

EMILY:

“Lost in Translation”
“Ghost World”
“Royal Tenenbaums”
“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
“28 Days Later”
“Shaun of the Dead”

KUMAIL:

“LOTR: The Two Towers”
“Before Sunset”
“Shaun of the Dead”
“Zodiac”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”

BenDavid Grabinski (“Scott Pilgrim Takes Off”)

1. “FISH STORY”
2. “PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE”
3. “MULHOLLAND DRIVE”
4. “MIAMI VICE”
5. “MICHAEL CLAYTON”
6. “MAN ON FIRE”
7. “ZODIAC”
8. “OPEN RANGE”
9. “SEXY BEAST”
10. “24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE”

HONORABLE MENTIONS: ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, HOT FUZZ, SUNSHINE, OCEAN’S TWELVE, TIME AND TIDE, AVATAR, SCHOOL OF ROCK, SPARTAN, SOLARIS, and BLADE 2.

Bradley Rust Gray (writer/director: “I’ll Be Your Mirror”)

“Cafe Lumiere” – Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan/ Japan, 2003
“Mulholland Drive” – David Lynch, USA, 2001
“Oasis” – Lee Chang-dong, S. Korea, 2002
“Syndromes and a Century” – Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand, 2006
“Treeless Mountain” – So Yong Kim, S. Korea/ USA, 2008
“The Son” – Dardenne Brothers, Belgium, 2002
“Howl’s Moving Castle” – Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2004
“A Bride of the Seventh Heaven” – Anastasia Lapsui & Mark Lehmuskallio, Finland, 2004
“Elf” – Jon Favreau, USA, 2003
“The Wayward Cloud” – Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan, 2005

If 10 had a tie:

Distant– Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey 2002
Punch Drunk Love– Paul Thomas Anderson, USA, 2002
Police, Adjective– Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania, 2009
The Piano Teacher– Michael Haneke, France, 2001
Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks– Wang Bing, China, 2002
Police, Adjective– Corneliu Porumboiu, Romania, 2009
Elephant– Gus Van Sant, USA, 2003
The Sun- Alexander Sokurov, Russia/ Japan, 2005
Silent Light– Carlos Reygadas, Mexico, 2009
The Man Without A Past– Aki Kaurismäki, Finland, 2002
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith– George Lucas, USA, 2005
Into Great Silence– Philip Gröning, France/ Switzerland/ Germany, 2005
The White Ribbon– Michael Haneke, Germany, 2009
Old Joy– Kelly Reichardt, USA, 2006
Beeswax– Andrew Bujalksi, USA, 2009
Goodbye Solo– Ramin Bahrain, USA, 2008
Y tu mamá también– Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico, 2001
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest– Gore Verbinksi, USA, 2006
Noi the Albino– Dagur Kari, Iceland, 2003
The Host– Bong Joon-ho, S. Korea, 2006
Go Get Some Rosemary– Safdie Brothers, USA, 2009
The Hangover– Todd Phillips, USA, 2009
Dark Days– Marc Singer, USA, 2000
Hunger– Steve McQueen, UK, 2008
District 9– Neill Blomkamp, South Africa, 2009
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban– Alfonso Cuarón, 2004
Spare Parts– Damjan Kozole, Slovenia, 2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring– Peter Jackson, New Zealand, USA, 2001
Lost in Translation– Sofia Coppola, USA, 2003
Werckmeister Harmonies– Béla Tarr, Ágnes Hranitzky, Hungary, 2000
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days– Cristian Mungiu, Romania, 2007
Blackboards– Samira Makhmalbaf, Iran, 2000
La Ciénaga– Lucrecia Martel, Argentina, 2001
Ballast– Lance Hammer, USA, 2008
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind– Michel Gondry, USA, 2004
Goodbye Dragon Inn– Tsa Ming-liang, Taiwan, 2003
In the Mood for Love– Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong, 2000
Nobody Knows– Kore Eda, Japan, 2004
Fat Girl- Catherine Breillat, France, 2001
Not One Less– Zhang Yimou, China, 2000

Josh Greenbaum (director: “Will & Harper”)

This decade of films was incredibly influential to me, as it marked the period when I decided to become a filmmaker and started making my own films. I hesitate to call this a “Best Of” list, as ranking art competitively feels very odd to me. So instead, this is a list of my personal favorite films from that era (it’s secretly 13 because I couldn’t cut any, shhh) presented in no particular order…

“Amélie” – Visually my favorite movie of all time. It has a fun, whimsical, and magical tone, complemented by an incredible score that reminds me of the beauty in the world any time I listen to it.

“Little Miss Sunshine” – A brilliant character study with a beautiful score and incredible performances from its ensemble cast. Michael Arndt’s script taught me how to weave themes into a film without being preachy or heavy-handed.

“Spellbound” – A brilliant, hilarious, and nail-biting documentary about the national spelling bee. It has as much drama as the best sports films and was a huge influence on my first documentary, “The Short Game.”

“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” & “Superbad” – Judd Apatow captured what I loved about John Hughes movies from my childhood and added a refreshingly modern layer of swearing and sex jokes. Yet, he never lost sight of the honesty, heart, and humanity that made Hughes’ movies so impactful.

“Ratatouille” – My favorite of all Pixar masterpieces. It’s a beautiful story with a moving message and a tribute to all who try to create. One of my favorite cinematic moments is when critic Anton Ego tastes Remy’s dish and is transported back to his childhood. His subsequent monologue is an inspiring defense of creativity.

“Wet Hot American Summer” – A film that reinvented tonal possibilities. Though it feels like a distant cousin to Airplane! and Monty Python, it stands uniquely on its own. Its utter absurdity is brilliantly balanced with moments of genuine investment in the plot and love stories. This movie was a significant influence on my first narrative feature, “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.”

“School of Rock” – Jack Black at his best. This film combines all his talents into a near-perfect blend of humor and sweetness.

“Tropic Thunder” – Ben Stiller has always been great on camera, but he’s also a remarkably talented director, as more people are starting to notice with “Severance,” “Escape at Dannemora,” and other projects. This film showcases his big, bold approach to comedy filmmaking. It’s a brilliant satire of the movie industry and features my favorite Tom Cruise performance ever.

“Wonder Boys” – An under-appreciated gem. Curtis Hanson was a director with a diverse filmography, which is perhaps why he never became a household name. From “Wonder Boys” to “LA Confidential,” “8 Mile,” and “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” he consistently demonstrated his mastery of the craft. For me, this is his best work.

“King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters” – A hilarious look inside the ultra-competitive world of arcade games. One of the first documentaries to brilliantly adopt a narrative film format, focusing not on the general world of arcade champions, but on the specific, dramatic, and stranger-than-fiction rivalry between two sworn enemies.

“You Can Count on Me” – A beautiful, simple story that feels emotionally massive thanks to its incredible writing and performances. It also beautifully captures the look and feel of the Northeast, where I am from.

Best In Show – It’s hard to pick a favorite Christopher Guest movie, but this one stands out for me. The committed performances from everyone involved make it a master class in comedy. When I had the chance to work with the brilliant Michael Hitchco*ck on Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, I immediately warned him, “There’s gonna be a lotta khaki down there.”

Anvil: the story of Anvil – One of my favorite documentaries. It’s hilarious, full of heart, and big hair. An uplifting and inspirational underdog redemption story, highlighting the power of never giving up on your teenage dreams and the enduring strength of friendship.

Robert Greene (writer/director/editor: “Procession”)

1. “Frownland” (Bronstein)
2. “Bamboozled” (Lee)
3. “Below Sea Level” (Rosi)
4. “Miami Vice” (Mann)
5. “Blackboards” (Makhmalbaf)
6. “Punch-Drunk Love” (Anderson)
7. “The Gleaners and I” (Varda)
8. “Y tu mamá también” (Cuarón)
9. “Trouble Every Day” (Denis)
10. “Mysterious Object at Noon” / “Syndromes and a Century” (Weerasethakul)

Long movies that are kinda more like series:THE CENTURY OF THE SELF, LOS ANGELES PLAYS ITSELF
Most Re-watchable:OCEANS TWELVE, MINORITY REPORT
Most personally influential:45365, LA COMMUNE
Probably shouldn’t rewatch, but still adore:BULLY, DOGVILLE
Required David Lynch: MULHOLLAND DRIVE, INLAND EMPIRE

22 Nonfiction HM’s (in no particular order)
AS I WAS MOVING AHEAD…, METALLICA: SOME KIND OF MONSTER, TO BE AND TO HAVE, STEVIE, LAST TRAIN HOME, DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE, WEST OF THE TRACKS, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS, OUR DAILY BREAD, BEETLE QUEEN CONQUERS TOKYO, FROM THE OTHER SIDE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DIG!, MAN ON WIRE, WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE, GRIZZLY MAN, IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS, WORKINGMAN’S DEATH, 24 CITY, AN INJURY TO ONE, THE MOTHER, JACKASS NUMBER TWO

Bill Hader (actor/writer/director: “Barry”)

“Best in Show”
“Children of Men”
“Chopper”
“City of God”
“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Fog of War”
“Grizzly Man”
“Kung Fu Hustle”
“Memories of Murder”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Tokyo Sonata”
“A Serious Man”
“Sexy Beast”
“Songs from the Second Floor”
“Wet Hot American Summer”
“Yi Yi”
“Y tu mamá también”

Annie Hamilton (actor: “Between the Temples”)

“The Squid and The Whale”

This movie explains me to myself.

“La Vie en Rose”

People like to rag on me for this being my favorite movie of all time, but f*ck ‘EM. The film that most embraces the way life goes up and down. I saw it at the Paris Theatre when it came out on a double date with my mom and my best friend and her mom. Sincerity prevails.

“Spider-Man”
The best end-of-school summer-break movie of my youth. Life felt so big. Kirsten Dunst should be the only actor allowed in any super hero movie.

“The Gangs of New York”/”The Aviator”
Can watch these two cuties any day any time. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous entertainment. I had a great “Aviator” poster, but I wasn’t allowed to hang posters in my room, so I kept it under my bed and would pull it out to view it before I went to sleep.
“Catch Me If You Can” should be on here too – I know I’m cheating – but I cant put it on the header cus it’s Spielberg’s not Scorsese’s. My friends like to joke that it’s the only movie I’ve ever seen start to finish (at one point, this might’ve been true..)

“Superbad”

Anyone who doesn’t put this on their list is a humorless moron ❤️

“An Education”

“Studying is hard and boring. Teaching is hard and boring. So, what you’re telling me is to be bored, and then bored, and finally bored again, but this time for the rest of my life?” Sob. (I tried using this monologue to audition for Juilliard… it didn’t work. Pretty sure those folks have a no-movie rule— joke’s on them.)

“The White Ribbon”

Do not watch this whilst vacationing in Europe.

“The Notebook”

Poisoned me and my romantic relationships forevermore – as good as Dr. Zhivago, Reds, The Way We Were — LET TIME PROVE THE NOTEBOOK’S VALIDITY. LET IT STAND THE TEST OF TIME!!!!

“Brick”

The crème de la crème of punky-ass charm. I know this is a noir, but Brick is *my* kind of holy sh*t “action” movie, and Joseph Gordon Levitt is *my* kind of Holden Caulfield. One of the few movies I watched while I wrote my first script, cus the dialogue is striking as all hell and inspires me to create my own kind of language, too.

“Punch-Drunk Love”
It took me 30 years to see this film, I fought hard against it, as most of the men who have underestimated me in my life site it as their all-time fave. Turns out, these men had a right to underestimate me — how genuinely underdeveloped I was for not having watched. Go off PTA etc.

Chad Hartigan (director: “The Threesome”)

I couldn’t do less than 11 favorites, each with a ready-to-step-up alternate on any given day of the week. In alphabetical order:

“A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” (alternate: “Moulin Rouge!”)
“All the Real Girls” (alternate: “You Can Count on Me”)
“Before Sunset” (alternate: “Nights and Weekends”)
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (alternate: “Punch-Drunk Love”)
“Gerry” (alternate: “Elephant”)
“Hunger” (alternate: “Dancer in the Dark”)
“Me and You and Everyone We Know” (alternate: “Dogtooth”)
“Superbad” (alternate: “Wet Hot American Summer”)
“There Will Be Blood” (alternate: “Zodiac”)
“Wedding Crashers” (alternate: “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy”)
“Y tu mamá también” (alternate: “Lost in Translation”)

Julien Hayet-Kerknawi (co-writer/director: “The Last Front”)

As I reflect on the films that have shaped me as a filmmaker, it’s clear how the style and themes of movies from the early 2000s illustrate the death of 90s naivety, coinciding with the societal shifts post-9/11.

This period marked a transformation in cinema, where darker, more complex narratives and visual styles began to dominate, reflecting the evolving anxieties and realities of the new millennium. I believe this transformation was completed with the release of “The Dark Knight.”

These ten films not only influenced my cinematic style but also resonated deeply with me on a personal level, showcasing how storytelling evolved to mirror the world’s changing landscape.

10. “The Patriot”
Believe it or not, I watched this at the age of 6 in theaters. Watching Roland Emmerich’s “The Patriot” deeply influenced me as a filmmaker. I saw it when I was young, and its portrayal of personal revenge amidst the grand battles of the American Revolution left a lasting impact on me. The film’s emotional core and depiction of sacrifice for freedom resonate with the themes in “The Last Front.”

9. “Der Untergang” (Downfall)
Oliver Hirschbiegel’s “Downfall” is a harrowing film that I watched during my formative years, being only 10 years old at the time. Its intense portrayal of the final days of the biggest monster of the 20th century inside his bunker is both chilling and historically significant. The film’s unflinching look at despair and delusion influenced my approach to depicting raw human emotions in “The Last Front.”

8. “Public Enemies”
Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies” is a film that captivated me with its style and precision. Watching Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, and the film’s use of digital cinematography, inspired me to bring a modern edge to historical narratives. The meticulous attention to period detail in “Public Enemies” is something I appreciate fondly in this film.

7. “Children Of Men”
Alfonso Cuarón’s “Children of Men” is a dystopian masterpiece that profoundly impacted me. Its immersive world-building and long takes create an intense, gripping experience. The film’s exploration of hope and humanity’s future deeply resonated with me, inspiring elements of survival and resilience in “The Last Front.”

6. “Battle Royale”
Kinji f*ckasaku’s “Battle Royale” is a provocative film that left a significant mark on me. Its raw depiction of a dystopian survival game and its critique of societal pressures influenced my storytelling approach, encouraging me to delve into the darker aspects of human nature and societal conflicts.

5. “K-19: The Widowmaker”
I vividly remember watching Kathryn Bigelow’s “K-19: The Widowmaker.” The intense submarine thriller highlights the heroism and tragedy of Cold War tensions. Its claustrophobic setting and moral dilemmas are handled with precision.

4. “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance”
Park Chan-wook’s “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance” is a stylistic tour de force. Its nonlinear narrative and stunning visuals / musical choices create a uniquely gripping experience. This film influenced my approach to combining brutal revenge with poetic justice, as seen in some of the more intense scenes in “The Last Front.”

3. “Spider-Man 2”
“Spider-Man 2” is a peak reminder of childhood Hollywood glory. It indulged me and left me feeling satisfied for so long, encapsulating the perfect blend of heroism and personal struggle.

2. “The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King”
Peter Jackson’s epic conclusion to the Lord of the Rings trilogy is a masterclass in storytelling. I was mesmerized by its grandeur and intimacy, which inspired me. The emotional depth and visual spectacle set a high standard.

1. “The Dark Knight”
“The Dark Knight” is a pivotal film that, for me, encapsulates the completion of the death of ’90s naivety and the impact of 9/11 on cinema. The visual style, characterized by its gritty realism and dark tones, mirrored the post-9/11 societal shift. The film’s exploration of urban terrorism and moral ambiguity reflected the newfound complexities of the world, moving away from the simplistic narratives of the ’90s. Watching it in cinemas as a child of the 90s, it marked a turning point in my understanding of what cinema could achieve. After seeing this film I knew it, the good days were over.

These films have not only shaped my tastes but have also deeply influenced my work, particularly in “The Last Front.”

Their unique styles, thematic depths, and groundbreaking storytelling techniques continue to inspire me as a filmmaker.

Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit (co-creators/co-showrunners/executive producers: “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy”)

1. “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” – Time, devourer of all things, has also devoured all skepticism about the Star Wars prequel trilogy. UNLIMITED POWER!

2. “Pitch Black” – The apotheosis of 2000s pulp cinema and one of the great star-making performances by Vin Diesel as Riddick, whose chronicles are now legendary.

3. “The Lives of Others” – The most devastating film of the 2000s. All copies should be locked in a sealed container and buried deep in Yucca Mountain, only to be opened when you simply must contemplate the resilience of the human spirit.

4. “Sin City” – The purest comic book adaptation to yet hit the silver screen. Where DID Marv get that jacket?

5. “Grindhouse” – If you want to say anything can rival the absolute theatrical exuberance of seeing “Grindhouse” in its uncut, purest form on opening night, DON’T.

6. “The Emperor’s New Groove” – The funniest Disney animated feature of all time. Throw off the Emperor’s groove at your own peril. No touchy!

7. “Taken” – Now that we are fathers ourselves, we understand in our blood there is no greater testament to the power of being Dadly.

8. “28 Days Later” – Somehow both the scariest movie of the 2000s while also being the most poetic.

9. “Children of Men” – Filmmaking on a scale simply unrivaled.

10. “There Will Be Blood” – Except by this. In the end, we all have a competition in us, don’t we?

George Huang (director: “Weekend in Taipei”)

“TAKEN” (2008) = Put an Oscar-nominated actor in an action film? At the time, the idea seemed unthinkable. And it was – no one wanted this movie, it was headed straight-to-video. But the movie’s success with international audiences convinced 20th Century Fox otherwise. And now we have a whole sub-genre of Liam Neeson action films to thank for it. But this will always be the one that everyone quotes from — “I have a very particular set of skills…”

“OCEAN’S ELEVEN” (2001) = This decade saw Steven Soderbergh working at the height of his powers. 2000 saw him being nominated for best director twice (ERIN BROKOVICH and TRAFFIC). But this movie remains for me, the most re-watchable in terms of film technique, charm, and just loads of fun.

“CHILDREN OF MEN” (2006) = A dystopian future thriller about infertility seems like homework. And in anyone else’s hands it might have been. But Alfonso Cuaron’s filmmaking long, single takes really put you right in the heart of the movie and makes you feel its emotional urgency.

“OLDBOY” (2003) = This was the film that opened up Korean Cinema for me. Its bizarre storyline is matched only by Park Chan-Wook’s cinematic flair. Sure, everyone remembers the one-take hammer fight. But that ending!! Yikes!!

“MAN ON FIRE” (2004) = Long before he was the Equalizer, Denzel was Creasey…
“Creasey’s art is death. He’s about to paint his masterpiece”. Denzel and Tony Scott doing what they do best together.

“SHAOLIN SOCCER” (2001) = A kung fu master with a great kick gets recruited to play soccer. Easily sounds like an Adam Sandler movie, but it was my introduction to Stephen Chow’s signature mash-up style of martial arts, wacky humor, and heartfelt redemption.

“BETTER LUCK TOMORROW” (2002) = Justin Lin’s breakout movie challenged stereotypes of Asian-Americans. Model students who are also capable of murder? The buried cell-phone scene is a perfect blend of macabre and humor.

“SIN CITY” (2005) = Robert Rodriguez’s loving re-creation of Frank Miller’s iconic comic book was revolutionary in its use of CGI filmmaking. Every frame of this movie feels like you could hang it on your wall.

“TROPIC THUNDER” (2008) = Sold as a satire of the movie industry. But sadly, for me it feels like a documentary.

“LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING” (2001) = the decade would be defined by this massive epic trilogy. I shot Elijah Wood’s audition for the movie. He didn’t want to send in a tape of him reading lines in a fluorescent-lit room, so we did our best to create Middle Earth with costumes, props, and rain-drenched locations. It was hard. So to see the world that Peter Jackson created with such loving, painstaking detail is still jaw-dropping and a testament to the commitment and hard work of that crew.

Azazel Jacobs (writer/director: “His Three Daughters”)

In no particular order:

“The Headless Woman” – Lucrecia Martel
“Frownland” – Ronald Bronstein
“Drama/Mex” – Gerardo Naranjo
“Romance and Cigarettes” – John Turturro
“How The Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer” – Georgina Garcia Riedel
“Let’s Rock Again” – Dick Rude
“Duck Season” – Fernando Eimbcke
“The Anniversary Party” – Alan Cumming & Jennifer Jason Leigh
“Tarnation” – Jonathan Caouette
“Broken Flowers” – Jim Jarmusch

Greg Jardin (writer/director: “It’s What’s Inside”)

This is the most difficult task I’ve ever completed, and I’ve finished the NYT Saturday crossword at least, like, twice.

In alphabetical order:

“Children of Men”
“The Dark Knight”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Kill Bill”
“Minority Report”
“Mulholland Dr.”
“Oldboy”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Requiem for a Dream”
“Sexy Beast”

Vicky Jenson (director: “Spellbound”)

This was actually very difficult, the 2000s were filled with so many riveting and extremely original films! I suppose what sets these apart, along with the amazing stories and characters, are the evocative, palpable worlds they create allowing us not just a glimpse into but to actually feel what it’s like to live in these worlds.

“Gladiator”
“Spirited Away”
“Amélie”
“The Prestige”
“Pan’s Labyrinth”
“Children of Men”
“The Incredibles”
“In Bruges”
“Lost In Translation”
“Whale Rider”

Evan Johnson (co-writer/co-director: “Rumours”)

“La Cienaga”
“A.I. Artificial Intelligence”
“Los Angeles Plays Itself”
“Mulholland Dr.”
“Songs From the Second Floor”
“Deanimated”
“Elegy of a Voyage”
“Goodbye Dragon Inn”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Syndromes and a Century”

Radu Jude (writer/director: “Don’t Expect Too Much from the End of the World”)

1. “As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionaly I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty” by Jonas Mekas – (we can add here his “365 Days” internet project, plus some of the videos on the Jonas Mekas website)

2. “Eloge de l’amour,” “Notre musique,” “Film socialisme” (plus his short films) – all by JL Godard (I put them all here because they seem like one film told in fragments)

3. “Star Spangled to Death” by Ken Jacobs

4. “Tale of Cinema” by Hong Sang-soo (actually his entire work, I choose this maybe because Dennis Lim used it as the model-film in his beautiful book about Hong Sang-soo)

5. “Inland Empire” by David Lynch (a film that showed that cinema could be like a notebook with sketches)

6. “Police, Adjective” by Corneliu Porumboiu (I loved it when I first saw it, then less and less; I saw it again recently and now I consider it a masterpiece)

7. “Oh! Uomo” by Yervant Gianikian & Angela Ricci Lucchi

8. “The Lady and the Duke” by Eric Rohmer (he proved he can use technology in more original ways than much younger filmmakers)

9. “West of the Tracks” by Wang Bing

10. “Austerlitz” by W.G. Sebald – I cheat a bit, it is a book, but it contains more cinema than most of the films, in my opinion

Jennifer Kent (writer/director: “The Babadook”)

In the mood for love – Wong Kar Wai
Elephant – Gus Van Sant
Mulholland Drive – David Lynch
The White Ribbon – Michael Haneke
Memories of murder – Bong Joon Ho
Pan’s Labyrinth – Guillermo Del Toro
You, The Living – Roy Andersson
No Country For Old Men – The Coen Brothers
Let The Right One In – Tomas Alfredson
L’Enfant – Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne

Robert Kolodny (director: “The Featherweight”)

This list presumes that “In the Mood for Love,” “Mulholland Dr.,” “Yi Yi” and “There Will be Blood” are unimpeachable masterworks of the form and therefore don’t need to be incorporated. I’ll also list a top 13 since that is the formative age I turned at the start of this decade and only seems appropriate.

01. “The Gleaners and I” (Varda)

Achingly playful and heartfelt, every time I revisit it reaffirms that cinema is personal, that it is expression. To this day, a heart shaped potato makes me emotional. Varda forever.

02. “Lilya 4-ever” (Moodysson)

One of the most emotionally harrowing films I have ever seen, the first time I saw it I left absolutely devastated by Oksana Akinshina’s performance. So bleak, yet its deep well of hope and humanity shine through so brightly.

03. “Prince of Broadway” (Baker)

My producer Bennett Elliott and I saw this in theaters while we were still in college. We exited completely electrified. Finally, it felt like seeing the New York we saw every day, on screen. Somehow, Sean Baker making this film meant that we could make our films too.

04. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (Mitchell)

I must have first seen this on the IFC channel, which was the bastion of cinematic education when I was in high school. Hedwig kind of blew my mind, truly everything about the production and John Cameron Mitchell’s writing/directing/acting is utterly stunning and dripping with wonder. One of the works that first taught me what independent film was.

05. “Head-On” (Akin)

From the opening scene you know you’re involved in a no-holds-barred collision course of raw, messy human emotion. I’m innately drawn to love stories about severely fractured people, like Carax’sLes Amants du Pont-Neufand Beineix’sBetty Blue. Birol Ünel and Sibel Kekilli’s performances in this film are arrestingly astounding and heart-wrenching.

06. “The Five Obstructions” (Von Trier)

In college, myself and my two brothers in cinema, Rodrigo and Phill, became obsessed with this film. Unlike anything we’d ever seen, it was so active, so actionable! We began challenging each other to create small films with obstructions imposed by one another- a fantastic pastime and challenge.

07. “25th Hour” (Lee)

One of the greatest New York City films and the first (at least that I remember) that felt like post9/11cinema, which in the moment was vital. The way Spike conceived of and put together Monty’s vitriolic rant scene alone classifies it as amongst his best.

08. “Talk to Her” (Almodóvar)

Almodóvar, a master in every sense – this is one of the films that exist at the very height of his powers. Deeply peculiar, agonizingly beautiful. I’m just astounded by his complete command of form, ability to wield the passionate and perverse and manifest a language of cinema fully his own.

09. “Coffee and Cigarettes” (Jarmusch)

I saw this at a small movie theater in or around Rockport Maine when I was 16. It was my first Jarmusch and I went on a whim. So deeply was I affected by this viewing experience that I immediately bought a Chinese bootleg boxed set of all his films off of Ebay (sorry) and became enamored.

10. “Y tu mamá también” (Cuarón)

One of the great portraits of youth, masculinity, friendship and loss, this film blew me away when I saw it. All three stars burn so brightly in this. Also, the editorial convention of cutting to complete silence is an overwhelmingly effective tool and never done as elegantly or potently as in this film.

11. “The Aviator” (Scorsese)

Spiritually, Scorsese is my personal saint of cinema and it would be disingenuous to not include him here. “The Aviator” is a staggering film in so many ways, so fully grandiose and echoing with adoration for the history of cinema. It also belongs to a personal favorite sub-genre of “power hungry eccentric geniuses going over the edge”. Other entries in that genre include: “The Red Shoes,” “There Will be Blood,” “Tár,” and “Citzen Kane.”

12. “We Own The Night” (Gray)

This film came out during my freshman year of college and James Gray felt like a true discovery for me. I saw in his work a reverence that I deeply shared for the history of east coast American cinema; his lighting, casting, camera movement and tone. Along with “The Yards” and “Two Lovers,” made in this year span as well, Gray put his stamp on the decade.

13. “Trash Humpers” (Korine)

I saw this movie opening weekend at 10am with a coffee and popcorn for breakfast, there was one other person in the theater. I went back three separate times with friends. Honestly a work of profound beauty and pure expression.

Rachel Lambert (writer/director: “Sometimes I Think About Dying”)

Since getting my list down to 10 wassodifficult, I ultimately chose films that I believe inflected cinema with new forms of cinematic language or broke new ground with its tone.

“Mulholland Dr.”
“In the Mood for Love”
“Memories of Murder”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Fish Tank”
“American Psycho”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“No Country for Old Men”
“28 Days Later” (though, I’d like to see the original ending released in theaters one day…..)
“Adaptation”
* Honorable mention: “Wall-E”

Caroline Lindy (writer/director: “Your Monster”)

In no particular order!

“Bridget Jones’s Diary”
“Pan’s Labyrinth”
“About a Boy”
“The Royal Tenenbaums”
“Best in Show”
“Billy Elliot”
“Something’s Gotta Give”
“School of Rock”
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
“Bewitched”

David Lowery (writer/director: “Mother Mary”)

“ELF”
Because the scene with Mr. Narwhalis one of the most magical moments in all of cinema.

“GERRY”
Because it introduced slow cinema to American audiences, thus changing the motion picture landscape forever (didn’t it?).

“CREMASTER 3”
Because the concept of movies being the byproduct of a greater form of expression gives me great comfort,especially when said byproduct is shown briefly in cinemas and then encased in lucite forevermore (bootlegs on YouTube notwithstanding).

“MARIE ANTOINETTE”
Because Sofia Coppola didn’t address George Lucas’s one big note.

“THE FOUNTAIN”
Because death is the road to awe.

“OLD JOY”
Because of how the title pays off,and also because Kelly Reichardt’s description of her filmmaking process as being akin to sewing has been a north star for me ever since.

“THE NEW WORLD”
Because of that closing montage, which is the reason nonlinear editing systems were invented.

“SPIRITED AWAY”
Because when I revisited it nearly two decades after it was released I discovered how much I’d grown as a person.

“HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH”
Because I saw it with my mom.

“THERE WILL BE BLOOD” / “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” / “ZODIAC” / “THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS”
Because you have to.

Joe Lynch (director: “Suitable Flesh”)

Ah, the “aughties” or whatever we’re calling this strange, transitional decade for all, including the arts like Cinema which has always been a mirror of sorts to our times. It was a weird, kinda wild decade for movies, a decade after the advent of Indie Cinema becoming mainstream, the hangover from 1999’s Most Epic year (as many have claimed, one of the best ever for film) and the sobering aftermath of 9/11 affecting us all and making audiences question if they can even enjoy entertainment anymore. It was also the decade where I can claim to have contributed to the cause having directed my first film “Wrong Turn 2” in 2007, so at the very least I have that going for me, which is nice. But overall, the first decade of the Millennium saw Cinema at a crossroads of sorts but still produced some fantastic stories, memorable characters, killer sequences and movie memories that continue to entertain, instigate and even inspire.

Anyway, thanks to that handy-dandy app Letterboxd, I was able to sift through each year’s worth of cinematic titles and pick out the films that resonated the most for me. I’m sure you’ll disagree with many of these but hell, it’s my list, get your own favorites list!

“BATTLE ROYALE” (Kinji f*ckasaku, 2000) – An absolute power-keg of a film and one hell of a way to start a decade unsure of its own identity. I can’t remember another film in this decade that felt so subversively dangerous without calling attention to itself…as if f*ckasaku is saying “this is our future, get ready”…less as a cautionary tale and more matter-of-fact. Just taking the taboo of kids killing kids in a post-Columbine era (which is why the film wasn’t released in US theaters at the time) is as ballsy as it gets and even two decades later still HURTS…but with a devilish grin.

“THE WAY OF THE GUN” (Christopher McQuarrie, 2000) – Chris McQuarrie’s directorial debut got little love when it was first released post-USUAL SUSPECTS glow (and Oscar win) but its always been an absolute favorite of mine, from the unbelievable cast chewing the dialogue to the Peckinpah homages (that climax is pure WILD BUNCH) to THE SLOWEST CAR CHASE EVER, this is a Neo-noir worth rediscovering especially how he thought his career was over after (and that clearly wasn’t in the cards thanks to Tom Cruise). It takes a certain level of confidence to take the kind of wild swings WAY does, and McQuarrie seems to be giggling playing with action thriller conventions the whole time.

“SPIRITED AWAY” (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001) – My first Miyazaki – even when I was an Anime fan I was late to his game, likely due to the lack of blood and tentacle p*rn, to be fair – and still maybe my favorite experience watching in the theater or at home, discovering new details as Chihiro tries to save her parents in this strange, magical, dangerous. That Miyazaki never panders to kids is clearly how his films appeal to audiences big and small and play so wonderfully years later, yet never sugar-coating the stakes of death and consequence. All of his films are rife with wonder and dark beauty, but this one always takes my breath away.

“AMELIE” (Jean Pierre Jeneut, 2001) – Maybe the most romantic film ever? I loved Jeneut’s darker, more gorgeously grotesque collaborations with Marc Caro (DELICATESSEN, THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN), but this lush, sweet, funny and amber-glowing confection that made Audrey Tattu an “It’ star of a moment and made LA HAINE director Mathieu Kassovitz’s sexy is his best work by far. The running garden gnome gag alone is worth giving the film a whimsical whirl but this is just one “délicieux repas” of a film that will leave you swooning.

“WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER” (David Wain, 2001) – Our generation’s AIRPLANE! Director David Wain, along with future hot director Michael Showalter and THE STATE comedy crew (along with non-members like Bradley Cooper, Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce and a VERY game Chris Meloni) throw every joke in the book at this absurdist play on summer camp movies and to me, pretty much every one sticks. I saw this movie two weeks after 9/11 in a Times Square theater and even if the cinema was empty, it was the laugh therapy I needed and still holds up today especially if you grew up in the 80’s and either went to Summer Camp (or watched a lot of MEATBALLS movies). The “Let’s go to town” sequence may be their most genius moment.

“28 DAYS LATER” (Danny Boyle, 2002) – Sure it ushered in the rise of digital cinematography and reminded people that “zombie” movies were still (always were?) scary as hell, but its Danny Boyle’s direction and Alex Garland’s script that resonated to me that, like Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD, it’s not always the undead that pose the greatest threat. The first 30 minutes is perfect horror.

“LORD OF THE RINGS – THE TWO TOWERS” (Peter Jackson, 2002) – Peter Jackson was a hero of mine from the moment I saw BAD TASTE and MEET THE FEEBLES and to see his journey from Splatterpunk to Serious filmmaker was very exciting. I’d put the whole series on here but feel like THE TWO TOWERS is the literal peak of the cinematic version of Tolkien’s tale, a true culmination of so much carefully built plot and character leading to one of the most epic war scenes ever filmed. It was kinda all downhill from The Battle of Helms Deep but that feels true…no character is the same after it and it may be Jackson’s finest sequence he’s crafted thus far.

“OLDBOY” (Park Chan-wook, 2003) – Korean cinema was starting to infiltrate our shores by now but NOTHING could prepare me for this twisted, sublime film. Sure, it may have the most simple-yet-dynamic action set piece of the decade with the Hallway scene that has influenced many a one-take but Choi Min-sik’s performance makes you feel every moment of O Dae-su’s pitch black quest from schlub to captor to Angel of Vengeance. The (hammer) swings the director takes in this are big, bold and not for everybody, but I was blown away and still am.

“KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR” (Quentin Tarantino, 2003/2004)- Separately, I may enjoy VOL 1 more for its visual kinetics and that final fight scene with the Crazy 88’s and O-Ren Ishi, but I was lucky to see Tarantino’s rarely-screened edit of both films at his New Beverly Cinema (aka my Church of Film) and combined, this revenge epic will always play best as one large story with no break for anyone, the audience included. Tarantino’s love letter to Eastern Cinema and “Revenge-O-Matics” is crazy, funny, bloody, emotional, musical, scary…everything I want in any movie. If this edit of the film is ever re-released, its worth

“WINDY CITY HEAT” (Bobcat Goldthwait, 2003) – THE funniest film of the decade, in my opinion. I love Bobcat Goldthwait’s transformation from comedian/actor to one of the sharpest satirists in film with WORLD’S GREATEST DAD and GOD BLESS AMERICA, but this elaborate prank/mockumentary about the making (and breaking) of a “Hollywood Star” during a fictional film shoot is maybe the one I laugh at and with the most. Is it cruel? Yeah but Perry kinda deserves it and you’ll agree as the ruse unfolds. It was an infamous bootleg for a while after just one airing on Comedy Central once the “Lead” pushed to sue the channel, but you can find it on YouTube now. Absolutely worth watching if you love cringe humor which seemed to be all the rage in the aughts.

“MASTER AND COMMANDER” (Peter Weir, 03) – While adventure films were having a renaissance of sorts with the PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN films and the LOTR trilogy, along comes Peter Weir to make a true seafaring odyssey where you truly feel like you’re a member of the crew of the “HMS Surprise” as they survive and battle through the Napoleonic Wars. The attention to detail is exquisite, every member of the crew feels lived in and it boasts one of my favorite Russell Crowe performances. A shame we didn’t get more of these tales and that this was Peter Weir’s film film before retiring, but man…what a way to go.

“THE INCREDIBLES” (Brad Bird, 2004) – The combination of Pixar ability to foster pure creativity while advancing storytelling tech and Brad Bird’s retro-cum-progressive sensibilities made for their classiest entry yet in a decade where they pretty much ruled movies and became a true brand. During a period where Superhero movies were on the “uncool” side of the pendulum, this throwback family film made SuperFamilies cool again (and confirmed that capes kinda suck). Plus it meant we got RATATOUILLE too, which was just as delicious.

“THE DEVILS REJECTS” (Rob Zombie, 2005) – It’s mean, it’s brutal, it’s gnarly, nasty and yet…this weird sequel to a much-maligned and misunderstood HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES is also hilarious and sweet at times too. That Zombie stripped down his 90’s music video fetishes seen in CORPSES to make a more 70’s grind house/AIP drive in flick cranked up to 11 is just one of the elements that makes this his best film. That he could make such cold-blooded killers into endearing characters you (almost) shed a tear for by the end is a near miracle.

“THE DEPARTED” (Martin Scorsese, 2006) – At the time I thought the film was lower-key Marty, itself a remake of the fantastic Japanese thriller INFERNAL AFFAIRS. But it’s that moment when he and editor Thelma Schoonmaker abruptly cut the iconic Dropkick Murphy’s track after a montage to start a casual conversation with an old lady at a doorstep, I knew they were taking the studio star-vehicle potboiler to avant-garde heights only Scorsese could get away with. Seriously, any other director making the shot and edit choices he does in this would have been kicked off the lot or kicked out of the edit room. It’s a Hollywood “One For Them” that kinda backfired in that he made one of my favorite films in his filmography. Of the movies Scorsese directed in the 00’s, this is the one I revisit at least once a year.

“CRANK” (Neveldine/Taylor, 2006) – “Gonzo” gets used a lot in movies but this movie is like when people say “look up [word] in the dictionary”…CRANK is THE GONZO movie of this decade. Anyone who shoots a Statham action film on roller skates with a bunch of prosumer digital cameras already has my attention but the film just keeps escalating the madness till the very last frame and even into the 8-bit credits.

“THE MIST” (Frank Darabont, 2007) – I love Stephen King. I love Frank Darabont. I love the story of THE MIST. This is the absolute best rendition of the short story that I personally wanted to adapt since I was a kid but when you watch a master filmmaker “having fun” with a TV crew and a lower budget so he could have more creative control, you can’t help but admire what he sacrificed to pull off and keep THAT ending, one no one will ever forget but will live on as one of the bleakest, post 9/11 reactive climaxes ever.

“NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007) – I’m a Coen devotee/apologist (I watch BLOOD SIMPLE before I start every film I direct) and this is definitely their closest attempt at a true horror film. It almost feels like a comeback of sorts from their studio flicks like THE LADYKILLERS failed and this film Every shot is carefully constructed, every detail absolutely intentional, down to Anton Chigur’s scuff marks on the floor when he chokes that poor cop. Bleak? Absolutely. My favorite Coen? Maybe.

“DEATH PROOF” (Quentin Tarantino, 2007) – ANOTHER Tarantino? Yep. I loved DEATH PROOF’s blatant 70’s exploitation fan-service when it was part of GRIND HOUSE, loved its crazy indulgent craft more when Tarantino released his director’s cut, and despite popular opinion, think it’s one of my favorite QT movies, especially the balls in the last 20 minutes. But then again…I’m not a JACKIE BROWN fan so go figure.

“PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” (Oren Peli, 2007) – This decade’s THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT takes the convenience of prosumer cameras as a plot device/character and haunted house tropes and created a phenomenon for audiences and inspiration for anyone with a camera and a nightmare. I was at one of the first screenings of PA and will never forget the random woman sitting next to me asking if she can squeeze my arm at the scary parts, which there were many (I can still hear that 3am “rumble” sound effect) and then driving home with my car interior lights on.

“TROPIC THUNDER” (Ben Stiller, 2008) – In the late 90’s/early 00’s Ben Stiller transformed from cinematic/pop-culture satirist with THE BEN STILLER SHOW and CABLE GUY to “Everyone’s Favorite Schmuck” in comedies like THERE’S SOMETHNG ABOUT MARY and all those FOCKER movies. But with TROPIC THUNDER it felt like he was back in his element, cashing in on all that box-office good will to make one of the funniest and most scathing films ever to spend SO much of a studio’s money. The fact he hired BRAVEHEART/THE THIN RED LINE DP John Toll alone shows his attention to the illusion of this VERY loose remake of THREE AMIGOS (or that’s what Landis would tell you) and his wit as a craftsman has never been sharper. The fact the preview audience I saw it with had no clue the commercials and trailers in the beginning were part of the film until well into it is proof positive he had a knack for using cinema for his humor. And Tom Cruise as the slimy exec? A performance for the ages.

“THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX” (Wes Anderson, 2009) – I was starting to tire of the Wes Anderson “twee” aesthetic but this utterly charming adaptation of Roal Dahl reinvigorated my love for his unique vision, performance direction and sense of wry whimsy as well as the stop motion aesthetic he uses in ways I’ve never experienced before; it was like he was using the Brundle Transporter from THE FLY and merged with Aardman and this was the symbiosis of the two merging. It feels new but is CLEARLY a Wes Anderson joint. Never thought this would be in my top 3 of his films but once the rogue wolf in the distance thrusted its fist in the air, I was in love.

Billy Magnussen (actor: “Coup!”)

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Little Miss Sunshine”
“Sideways”
“Children of Men”
“No Country for Old Men”
“City of God”
“The Prestige”
“Superbad”
“Minority Report”
“There Will Be Blood”

Neil Marshall (co-writer/director: “duch*ess”)

“GLADIATOR”
Ridley Scott returned to form with this seminal sword and sandal revenge epic. Just goes to show what he can do given the right material.

“THE LORD OF THE RINGS”
(the entire trilogy, but if I had to pick one it would be “Fellowship”) The ultimate fantasy saga brought to spectacular life by Peter Jackson. With this trilogy Jackson finally gave the fantasy genre respectability.

“THE DARK KNIGHT”
Christopher Nolan took the superhero genre to a whole new level with a movie that quickly joined the limited pantheon of sequels that surpass the original.

“INCEPTION”
Perhaps the first intellectual blockbuster of the modern age. Christopher Nolan dared to try something new, dense and complex, challenging audiences to think for themselves in a time of largely being spoon-fed. And they loved him for it.

“APOCALYPTO”
Mel Gibson’s visceral, foreign language and totally unique action thriller is utterly compelling and relentless. Nobody does screen violence quite like Gibson.

“CASINO ROYALE”
Bond returned to our screens after a long absence with not only a new Bond (Daniel Craig) but also one of the best movie in the series, if not the very best, brilliantly directed by Martin Campbell.

“ZODIAC”
While I don’t think it is as gripping or shocking as “Se7en,” this is David Fincher’s most mature work, brilliantly directed, performed and paced, and a lovingly crafted homage to all the greatest movies from the 70’s such as “Dirty Harry” and “All the Presidents Men.”

“THE BOURNE SUPREMACY”
While Doug Liman’s excellent “The Bourne Identity” certainly set the tone and layered in the authenticity, it was Paul Greengrass’s relentlessly kinetic sequel that raised the bar and redefined the action thriller for the next 20 years.


“LAKE MUNGO”
I’m often asked what horror movies have actually scared me. Well this scared me. And more than that it unsettled me. Joel Anderson’s understated mockumentary style is utterly compelling and convincing, from its performances to its narrative twists and turns, and holy sh*t…that ending!

“MASTER AND COMMANDER”
Coming full circle back to Russell Crowe again, only this time on the high seas. Peter Weirs criminally underrated epic is his final masterpiece in a career of great movies. The care and attention paid to accurately recreating the era is staggering.

Also ran…..

“MAN ON FIRE”
I know this is 11, but I couldn’t not include a Tony Scott movie, and this one is his best work. Everyone involved was on fire for this one.

Ian McDonald (writer: “Woman of the Hour”)

“Wendy & Lucy” (Kelly Reichardt)

Have always been struck by how few films — which are ostensibly about poverty — explore the anxiety ofspendingmoney. Wendy’s notebook of expenses (e.g. “$1.50 for hotdog”) serves as a kind of ticking clock as we watch her meager savings slip away. It’s also a perfect distillation of what makes the this great. Precise and well-observed and deeply empathetic.

“The Piano Teacher” (Michael Haneke)

An absolutely gutting film which, on the surface, seems to be about sexual obsession and perversion, but which is really about loneliness. Isabelle Huppert’s performance is one of my favorites, and I love the way she and Haneke are able to make us care for this deeply troubled, (occasionally) vicious person. The final shot is simply jaw-dropping.

“No Country For Old Men” (Joel Coen & Ethan Coen)

I saw this in the theaters six times when it came out. It’s one of those films whose bleakness seems to speak to something true, and thus feels cathartic — almost cleansing — as opposed to merely oppressive.

“Zodiac” (David Fincher)

One of only two movies that I watched and, then, when I was finished, immediately started over and watched again (the other isWhen Harry Met Sally). Have always especially loved the ending (“On a scale of one to ten, how sure are you?”) which allows for a level of uncertainty rarely permitted in these kinds of films.
“Ratcatcher” (Lynne Ramsay)

Yes, this premiered in 1999, but it wasn’t released theatrically until 2000, so I’m counting it. I love Ramsay’s depiction of children learning to make moral decisions, and failing along the way. The film is, at times, oppressively grim, but it also carves out space for lightness, gentleness, and play. The story of Kenny and “Snowball” the mouse is — like the rest of the film — simultaneously playful and crushingly sad; a strange little narrative cul-de-sac that, in some ways, itmakesthe movie.

“Happy-Go-Lucky” (Mike Leigh)

Yes, Sally Hawkins is a revelation, as is Eddie Marsan. But what’s always interested me about this movie is how its impacted by the inclusion of two scenes — one involving a homeless man, and Eddie Marsan’s final scene. Without these scenes, the film would still be very good. Butwiththem, the film becomes great; deeper and richer and more mysterious. An important reminder of how one or two key moments in a film can allow it to transcend its own ambitions and power.

“American Psycho” (Mary Harron)

Kind of amazing how well this has aged. Once considered unfilmable, theAmerican Pyschonow feels necessary and sadly prescient. Few satires have such a perfect grasp of tone. In a world that prioritizes “grounded” cinema (and to be clear, I like grounded cinema), its sometimes overlooked just how excruciatingly hard this is to pull off, and Harron, Turner, and Ellis do it beautifully.

“Fish Story” (Yoshihiro Nakamura)

Good god, how does one even begin to describe this? One of the most relentlessly creative movies I’ve ever seen.Fish Storyis jam-packed with stylistic fireworks, and yet it never loses its emotional tether to its characters. For fans ofRun Lola RunandEverything Everywhere All At Once,this is a must. How this hasn’t been released on an American blu-ray is beyond me.

“Persepolis” (Marjane Satrapi&Vincent Paronnaud)

Such a smart, well-observed film that’s both a lovely coming-of-age story, and a cautionary tale about the importance of freedom and the dangers of religious fundamentalism. Has become more relevant with each passing year. Tough and incisive and visually beautiful. Wish more animated films dared to be this stylistically/thematically interesting.

“49 Up” (Michael Apted)

It feels wrong to isolate any one installment of the 7 Up series since its power lies specifically in its series-ness — in the accumulative power of each successive entry. And yet, 49 Up contains one scene that seems to serve as a kind of rosetta stone, not merely for the series, but also for art and maybe even life itself. It’s a short story told by Neil — a man who we’ve watched transform from a precious boy to a troubled man adrift in the world. Here’s what he says:

“I see that life comes once and it’s quite short and you have to appreciate what’s good in it. And if I could just tell a short story: I was sunbathing and a butterfly landed quite close to me. Beautiful wings, deep red colors, with white circles on them. These creatures don’t last very long. But it landed very close to me. It didn’t seem frightened. It just seemed to delight in opening and closing it’s wings, and just being beautiful for that period of time, and enjoying the sunshine. And perhaps there really isn’t any more to life than that. To just being what you are, realizing that life goes on all around and that there are millions of other living creatures who have to find their path aswell.”

I cry every time I watch that scene or (who am I kidding) even just read the words. The wisdom contained in them — like in the series as a whole — is both plain and profound, and the beauty overwhelming.

RUNNER UPS:Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind(God it hurt to leave this one off),Pan’s Labyrinth, Lost In Translation, Morvern Callar, Mother, Monster, I Think We’re Alone Now, Capturing The Friedman’s, The Royal Tenenbaums, Martyrs, Trouble Every Day.

Wendi McLendon-Covey (actor: “St. Denis Medical”)

My Top Movies from 2000-2009

“Best in Show” (2000) – often imitated, but impossible to duplicate at this level. Improv comedy at it’s finest; impeccable casting.

“Snatch” (2000) – Brad Pitt’s character speaking in “pikey” and lamenting the loss of his mother is so endearing you hope he gets away with everything. Guy Ritchie’s direction elevates the fight scenes into performance art.

“The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001) – My favorite Wes Anderson movie of all time. I loved this crazy family and wished I could be a second cousin or something.

“Chicago” (2002) – I’ve always loved this musical, and the movie version was perfection because of the casting (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah) and because of Rob Marshall’s excellent direction.

“Meet the Parents” (2000) – I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to watch this movie whenever it comes on. It’s a genuinely funny family movie, and I think we’ve all felt like Greg Focker with our in-laws at some point.

“A Mighty Wind” (2003) – Another genius film by Christopher Guest about folk musicians. If you haven’t heard Michael McKean sing the folk version of “Start Me Up” by the Rolling Stones, you haven’t lived.

“Tropic Thunder” (2008) – This is one of the funniest movies of all time. There can be no debate about this. I wish Ben Stiller would make a sequel.

Hallie Meyers-Shyer (writer/director: “Goodrich”)

My first thought was, what a peculiar era to single out. But then I dug in and now I am overcome with adoration for this epic decade of filmmaking. Holy moly. An absolute golden era. My chaotic list, in no particular order…

1. “The Lives of Others”
2. “Munich”
3. “Lost In Translation”
4. “Michael Clayton”
5. “Sideways”
6. “Punch-Drunk Love”
7. “Almost Famous”
8. “Bridget Jones’s Diary”
9. “Adaptation”
10. “Best In Show”

McG (director: “Uglies”)

In no particular order….

“The Dark Knight”
“Amélie”
“Gladiator”
“The Royal Tenenbaums”
“There Will Be Blood”
“Casino Royale”
“Snatch”
“The Incredibles”
“The Departed”
“Slumdog Millionaire”

Daisuke Miyazaki (writer/director: “Plastic”)

In order of the year released:

“In Vanda’s Room” (2000, Pedro Costa)
If there is no outside, you just have to dig deeper into where you are now. That’s where your film is buried.

“Suzhou River” (2000, Lou Ye)
If there is nothing certain, people can only go mad or believe in something. Alongside “Vertigo,” this film made me a twin fetishist.

“Mystic River” (2003, Clint Eastwood)
For me, the 2000s marked the beginning of the era of terrorism starting with 9/11. I think this film represents the critical point of thinking about how cinema and art can respond to terrorism.

“Elephant” (2003, Gus Van Sant)
A film about a time when not unreachable heroes, but everyday people, are all heroes and dark heroes.

“Kings and Queen” (2004, Arnaud Desplechin)
The Nouvelle Vague was not a thing of the past, but a continuing phenomenon. 21st-century cinema is so light and free.

“War of the Worlds” (2005, Steven Spielberg)
A pinnacle of human imagination.

“Me and You and Everyone We Know” (2005, Miranda July)
In a world where sincerity and facade are shattered, how can people live while constantly missing each other? What if life itself was a work of contemporary art?

“Wendy & Lucy” (2008, Kelly Reichardt)
I felt something similar with my film. So, I started to raise a dog.

“Cloverfield” (2008, Matt Reeves)
Having moved past the indelible memory of terrorism, cinema was freed from tripods and image quality.

“Fish Tank” (2009, Andrea Arnold)
To live and make a film in the post-capitalist suburban landscape.

These are the 2000’s films that made me.

Below are other films that made me as well:

Yi Yi (2000, Edward Yang)
Code Unknown (2000, Michael Haneke)
The Yards (2000, James Gray)
Eureka (2000, Aoyama Shinji)
Millennium Mambo (2001, Hou Hsiao-Hsien)
Pulse (2001, Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001, Shunji Iwai)
Ghost World (2001, Terry Zwigoff)
The Pledge (2001, Sean Penn)
Punch-Drunk Love (2002, Paul Thomas Anderson)
Oasis (2002, Lee Chang-Dong)
A Snake of June (2002, Shinya Tsukamoto)
Memories of Murder (2003, Bong Joon-hoo)
Gozu (2003, Takashi Miike)
Spider man 2 (2004, Sam Raimi)
The Eternal Sunshine Of My Spotless Mind (2004, Michel Gondry)
Marebito (2004, Takashi Shimizu)
Before Sunset (2004, Richard Linklater)
Brokeback Mountain (2005, Ang Lee)
A History of Violence (2005, David Cronenberg)
Lady in the Water (2006, M. Night Shyamalan)
The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006, Ken Loach)
Déjà vu (2006, Tony Scott)
Black Book (2006, Paul Verhoeven)
No Country For Old Men (2007, Joel & Ethan Coen)
Zodiac (2007, David Fincher)
REC (2007, Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza)
Margot at the Wedding (2007, Noah Baumbach)
Gran Torino (2008, Clint Eastwood)
The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Noran)
District 9 (2009, Neill Blomkamp)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009, Wes Anderson)
The Limits of Control (2009, Jim Jarmusch)
A Prophet (2009, Jacque Audiard)
Whip It (2009, Drew Barrymore)

Rachel Morrison (director: “The Fire Inside”)

Top picks:

“City of God”
“Children of Men”
“Lost in Translation”
“A Prophet”
“Amelie”
“The Wrestler”
“4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days”
“In the Mood for Love”
“Michael Clayton”
“Edge of Heaven”

Honorable Mentions:

“Let the Right One In”
“Diving Bell and Butterfly”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”
“The Lives of Others”
“The Secret in their Eyes”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“The Dark Knight”
“Gamorrah”
“The Hurt Locker”

And from 2010 – “The Fighter”

Claire Mundell (producer: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”)

In no particular order:

AMERICAN PSYCHO [2000]
MORVEN CALLAR [2002]
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING [2002]
ELF [2003]
RED ROAD [2006]
THE LIVES OF OTHERS [2006]
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE [2006]
THERE WILL BE BLOOD [2007]
MAN ON WIRE [2008]
A PROPHET [2009]

Eric Newman (producer: “Rebel Moon”)

“Spirited Away”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Fog of War”
“The Lives of Others”
“City of God”
“Children of Men”
“Michael Clayton”
“Toy Story 3”
“Lost in Translation”
“The Good, The Bad, and the Weird”

George Nolfi (director: “Elevation”)

Organized by date

1. “Requiem for a Dream” 2000
2. “Black Hawk Down” 2001
3. “City of God” 2002
4. “Finding Nemo” 2003
5. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” 2004
6. “Children of Men” 2006
7. “There Will be Blood” 2007
8. “Let the Right One In” 2008
9. “The Dark Knight” 2008
10. “Iron Man” 2008

Shaye Ogbonna (writer: “Fight Night”)

“City of God”
“A Prophet”
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”
“Zodiac”
“The Dark Knight”
“Sideways”
“No Country for Old Men”
“There Will Be Blood”
“Little Miss Sunshine”
“Ocean’s Eleven”

Megan Park (writer/director: “My Old Ass”)

“Now & Then”

“My Girl”

“Camp Nowhere”

“The Parent Trap”

“It Takes Two”

“13 Going on 30”

Nicol Paone (director: “The Kill Room”)

“Kill Bill: Volume 1” – Female Revenge is done right in every way—the writing, cinematography, the anime, and the over-exaggerated sound effects. And to that ICONIC yellow leather jacket, I wore while directing my second film.

“Kill Bill: Volume 2” – The visuals, the acting, and the opening sequence with that score, mixed with the slower-paced, character-driven story, explain the pathos that was only hinted at in Kill Bill 1. These two movies are near perfection to me.

“Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” – Female revenge AND romance?? I’m dead.

“Requiem for a Dream” – I am still haunted by the last twenty minutes of this film.

“Dancer in the Dark” – This movie was gutwrenching. Bjork’s performance was heartbreaking, and the ending didn’t hold back the way most movies would.

“American Psycho” – A movie about men’s vanity and grim rivalries expressed through salaries and business cards. Yes, please.

“Hedwig, the Angry Inch” – It’s both hilarious and touching, which is surprising given its complex identities and message of self-love instead of the usual “it gets better” narrative. JCM is a God.

“Idiocracy” – Because, basically, we’re living in it right now.

“Team America” – It’s still relevant, and the movie has a ‘sex scene’ between puppets. INSTANT CLASSIC!

“The Dark Knight” – Because it’s a masterpiece. There are times in this movie when it doesn’t feel like a superhero movie.

Alex Ross Perry (writer/director: “Pavements”)

The 2000s were, for me, a transformative decade of movie watching habits. My decade began in high school, watching double features at the multiplex every weekend, and ended traveling around as a filmmaker – my first feature “Impolex” premiered at festivals in 2009.

What I wanted to highlight are pairings of films that retroactively represent moments where my eyes were opened to new possibilitiesof cinema at the time where I needed it the most, either as a spectator or as wannabe filmmaker on the cusp of achieving that goal.

“Cremaster 3″ (Matthew Barney)/”Reflections of Evil” (Damon Packard) – The two times I saw “Cremaster 3” in the theater (both at midnight, I used to go hard) and seeing “Reflections of Evil” at Walter Reade were staggering moments of cinematic immersion where I watched every rule of narrative, craft and form be broken to thrilling results.

“Some Kind of Monster”/”Dig!” – I probably saw “Dig!” 3 times in theaters and countless more on the Palm Pictures double DVD. It’s sort of the apex to me of the 90s/00s “wacky character who the filmmaker found at the right time” doc. “Some Kind of Monster” is of course the polar opposite in most respects, but I think watching these films back to back would highlight that no matter how much fame and fortune a musician has amassed, they all have similar problems.

“Gerry”/”Last Days” – both of these were hugely inspirational to me, gerry on “Impolex” and “Last Days” on “Her Smell.” i couldn’t believe the experimentation and artistic freedom i was witnessing, with movie stars, a palme d’or in the middle and next to no commercial returns. then van sant starts talking about alan clarke and bela tarr…and i was off to the video store.

“The Brown Bunny”/”Primer” – a moment for “problematic faves.” I probably saw primer 7 or 8 times in it’s initial release and immediate cult revivals. of course, every generation needed a “this was made for $7,000” movie (that is, until my generation came along and most movies were made for about that) but equally important was the essay shane carruth wrote in the magazine they gave out for free at landmark called – if memory serves – “you can’t make a movie for $7,000” which detailed the later costs once a film has been shot, post-production, etc. it’s possible i never would have made impolex or the color wheel were it not for my love of these films, and the influence their minimalism had over me. they couldn’t be more different, but both of them told me that i could go for it with basically nothing, so i did.

“Los Angeles Plays Itself”/”A Decade Under the Influence” – it’s kind of silly to compare these two. los angeles plays itself is my favorite documentary of all time – a complex, formalist masterpiece of academia, history and cinema – and a decade under the influence is standard talking head stuff by comparison. but both of these gave me a list of dozens of films i had to track down immediately. my afi-top-100 obsessed self would not have found cassavetes and countless others as quickly as i did without decade.

i even bought the poster of a decade under the influence from the ritz five in philadelphia where i saw it and later hung it up in my dorm, which, if any film major can top that, i’m all ears.

“Fallen”/”Birdsong” – a great benefit of finally getting to travel to film festivals was going in to a new movie by an unknown – to me – director and maybe discovering one of my new favorite artists. albert serra has had a wonderful career but barbara albert is someone i feel people do not talk about these days. fallen and her previous feagture free radicals were distributed by kino, so they’re not obscure. both masterpieces. she then didn’t make a feature for 11 years, and returned with licht/mademoiselle paradis, which i was able to catch at the viennale and maybe was never released in america. she was underrated to me over 15 years ago, and still is.

“Daft Punk’s Electroma”/”Southland Tales” – electroma was hugely influential to me for impolex, southland tales will likely be cited by others but both gonzo sci-fi nonsense that delighted me to no end as the decade drew to a close.

[“Rec.]”/”Inside”/”Martyrs” – i prefer french extreme horror over the asian extreme horror of the same period. it was an extreme time.

Austin Peters (writer/director: “Skincare”)

It is my humble opinion that making lists like these is (for me) basically impossible. They take a ton of time and thought and inevitably I always feel I left something crucial out afterwards. It doesn’t help that the list of my favorite movies is constantly changing (not to mention the ones I haven’t seen yet) so this list will be different tomorrow than it is today. That being said, I also love making lists like this and am more than happy to share a few of my favorites from the aughts at this exact moment (Sunday, August 11th).

Morvern Callar
No Country for Old Men
Mulholland Drive
There Will Be Blood / Punch-Drunk Love
Birth
The White Ribbon / Caché
Yi Yi
Zodiac
Michael Clayton
Rachel Getting Married
Y tu mamá también / Children of Men
Volver
Grizzly Man
The New World
Syndromes and a Century
Beau Travail

Pitof (director: “Catwoman”)

No particular order

“City of God”
“Oldboy”
“Spirited Away”
“Gladiator”
“Amores Perros”
“Amélie”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“The Notebook”
“Avatar”
“WALL-E”

Pascal Plante (writer/director: “Red Rooms”)

1. “Y tu mamá también” (2001, Alfonso Cuaron)
2. “La Commune (Paris, 1871)” (2000, Peter Watkins)
3. “Mulholland Dr.” (2001, David Lynch)
4. “The Best of Youth” (2003, Marco Tullio Giordana)
5. “The New World” (2005, Terrence Malick)
6. “Kill Bill Saga” (2003/2004, Quentin Tarantino)
7. “The White Ribbon” (2009, Michael Haneke)
8. “Fish Tank” (2009, Andrea Arnold)
9. “The Holy Girl” (2004, Lucrecia Martel)
10. “There Will Be Blood” (2007, Paul Thomas Anderson)

James Ponsoldt (co-writer/director: “Summering”)

In no particular order…

“There Will Be Blood” (Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
“Old Joy” (Dir. Kelly Reichardt, 2006)
“Synecdoche, New York” (Dir. Charlie Kaufman, 2008)
“Tropical Malady” (Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2004)
“Killer of Sheep” (Dir. Charles Burnett, re-release in 2007; originally 1978)
“Dig!” (Dir. Ondi Timoner, 2004)
“Inside Man” (Dir. Spike Lee, 2006)
“Songs from the Second Floor” (Dir. Roy Andersson, 2000)
“Friday Night” (Dir. Claire Denis, 2002)
“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” (Dir. Adam McKay, 2007)

This is madness. I love this decade of films so much, and ranking them seems impossibly hard. There was a lot of life in the 2000s for me: in 2001 I moved to New York City for graduate school, and by the end of the decade I was married and living on the opposite coast.

My list includes ten films that mean a hell of a lot to me, but there are dozens of others that I equally love (and remember exactly where I was — and who I was with — when I saw them for the first time). Some of those films include: Tillsammans/Together, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, Saraband, You Can Count on Me, No Country For Old Men, A.I., Frownland, Lost in Translation, Werckmeister Harmonies, Happy-Go-Lucky, Great World of Sound, Medicine for Melancholy, George Washington, Team America: World Police, Rescue Dawn, Russian Ark, The Death of Mr. Lazarescu, Collateral, Donnie Darko, Funny Ha Ha, Prince of Broadway, A Mighty Wind, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Dancer in the Dark, In the Mood for Love, Superbad, Sexy Beast, Goodbye, Dragon Inn, Children of Men, City of God, Mulholland Drive, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Ford, Before Sunset, Pan’s Labyrinth, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Nobody Knows, Gosford Park, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, My Summer of Love, Spirited Away, Zodiac, Old Boy, Memories of Murder, Forty Shades of Blue, Almost Famous, Memento, Junebug, Training Day, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Unbreakable, Brokeback Mountain, Zoolander, The Return, Spider Man 2, Howl’s Moving Castle, Little Children, Minority Report, WALL-E, The Royal Tenenbaums, Mother, Ballast, The Devil’s Backbone, Fish Tank, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Control, Munich, Friday Night Lights, Dogville, American Psycho, Tropic Thunder, Ghost World, Idiocracy, This is England, The Piano Teacher, The Wrestler, Coraline, Where the Wild Things Are, A Prophet, The Incredibles, Adaptation, Borat, Up, Punch Drunk Love, Grizzly Man, Elephant, The White Ribbon, Man on Wire, High Fidelity, L’Enfant, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring, A Serious Man, The Departed, Battle Royale, The Fog of War, The Station Agent, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Squid and the Whale, Humpday, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, 25th Hour, Rachel Getting Married, and The Guatemalan Handshake.

Also, largely because of the kindness of Scott Macaulay and “Filmmaker” magazine, I was fortunate enough to interview directors who made some of my favorite films of the 2000s (these include Paul Thomas Anderson, Kelly Reichardt, Charles Burnett, Mike Leigh, Jonathan Demme, Werner Herzog, and Charlie Kaufman).

Toby Poser & John Adams (writers/directors: “Where the Devil Roams”)

“Let the Right One In” (2008):Toby Poser:My go-to vampire flick.Never fails to chill – and yet it’s about love and lost innocence and an ultimate, if strange, acceptance.Brutal. Unapologetic.Heart aching (in an “Ouch, that fang in my beating heart kind of hurts but I like it” way).

“The Ring” (2002):John Adams: The first time I saw it I just loved the coloring.Plus the young actor was so genuine and total perfection.

“The Descent” (2005):TP:Never gets old.Those women – what athleticism. And between the claustrophobia and high creep factor, it’s as terrifying now as the day I first saw it in the theater.I’d taken a friend who, 5 minutes in, grabbed me and whispered, “Toby!This is a HORROR MOVIE!I don’t DO horror movies!” And it was the first time I realized there are folks who simply don’t do horror movies.I hadn’t a clue. I assumed everybody loved being scared crapless.

“The Mist” (2007):JA:The confusion about who’s right or wrong is really fun because at the end some of the more despicable characters turn out to be right.And come on, the best ending ever.

“Dogtooth” (2009):TP:I discoveredthis movie doing my favorite thing in the world: I walked into an arthouse cinema and got a ticket for whatever was playing next.I had the place to myself, and when I left it was as if my creative DNA had changed ever so slightly.What a masterpiece of originality; just mutinous in every way!I think of this film often, especially when we question our filmmaking choices.Is it too weird, too “wrong?”Yes?Ok good, we’re on the right track.

“The Proposition” (2005): JA:I just love how genuine and brutal and dirty it is.Some of the darkest violence.A great movie that must have been incredibly difficult to make.

“Morvern Callar” (2002):TP:This film is so slippery it’s hard to even define it.I love a film that makes me feel uncomfortable, that doesn’t leave me with answers, but has made me feel so many jagged emotions along the way.Ramsey’s films alwaysfeel like walking a razor’s edge while looking through a kaleidoscope – and I’m always game.

“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006):JA:Great because of how dysfunctional and touching the family is.None of them are your classic heroes but by working through all their own damage they become heroic.

“Valhalla Rising” (2009):TP:Another blind walk-in find and another triumphant day at the movies.The sheer power of imagery and sound (or lack of it) in this film … The red violence in tandem with the gorgeous, rugged stark greens and greys… The utter lack of sentimentality …. The mind trip.And then there’s Mads Mikkelsen.

“The Wrestler” (2008):JA:Great because this broken damaged man somehow finds his heroism despite his inadequacies.

Rodrigo Prieto (director: “Pedro Páramo”)

In no particular order. Some of these I happened to shoot.

“Amores Perros” (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
“In the Mood for Love” (Wong Kar Wai)
“Brokeback Mountain” (Ang Lee)
“Lost in Translation” (Sofia Coppola)
“No Country for Old Men” (Ethan and Joel Cohen)
“Punch Drunk Love” (Paul Thomas Anderson)
“Children of Men” (Alfonso Cuarón)
“Almost Famous” (Cameron Crowe)
“Babel” (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (Michel Gondry)

Matthew Rankin (writer/director/actor: “Universal Language”)

“Trouble Every Day” (Claire Denis, 2001) – This is the most frightened I have EVER been watching a movie and definitely the best-ever use of Vincent Gallo’s face.

“The Subconscious Art of Graffiti Removal” (Matt McCormick, 2001) – I think about this film’s resolutely stone-faced manifesto, and its hypnotic narration by Miranda July, whenever I go for a walk in Montréal’s downtown condoscape.

“Cowards Bend the Knee” (Guy Maddin, 2003) – Such an inspired decade for Maddin, here at his most personal and unbridled. I first watched this movie with rapt fascination in total silence. Guy eventually released an alternate version with a musical score but this movie really WORKS in absolute silence.

“The Sex of Self-Hatred” (Solomon Nagler, 2003) – A massive influence on me and a major achievement in the “Let’s Annoy Our Parents” approach to experimental filmmaking.

“Lights in the Dusk” (Aki Kaurismäki, 2006) – My favourite of all Kaurismäki’s films and also the most mystifyingly under-distributed.

“The Boss of It All” (Lars von Trier, 2006) – Von Trier’s only comedy. I was on the FLOOR positively shrieking with laughter all the way through this, but at a certain point realized I was the only person laughing in an otherwise very sullen Winnipeg Cinémathèque.

“Continental: un film sans fusil” (Stéphane Lafleur, 2007) – Ecstatic banalities of the highest order. A Québécois masterpiece. It’s like a more rigourously-emplotted You, the Living (Roy Andersson, 2007) with some modest glimmer of hope for the future.

“There Will Be Blood” (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007) – “Bastard in a Basket” is a phrase I find myself repeating for no reason alone in my room sometimes.

“Che: Parts I & II” (Steven Soderbergh, 2008) – My favourite Soderbergh after “Schizopolis” (1996) and perhaps the most radical biopic since “Naked Lunch” (Cronenberg, 1991)

“Wendy & Lucy” (Kelly Reichardt, 2008) – I wish to make a holy pilgrimage to the Walgreens parking lot in Portland where this immortal and infinitely mysterious masterwork was filmed.

Adam Rifkin (director: “Last Train to Fortune”)

Tasked with picking my favorite 10 films from the aughts, I naively thought I was going to have a difficult time filling up such a list as I was co*ckily certain, upon a cursory reflection, that the first decade of the 20th century was cinematically fallow. I’m thrilled to report I was completely wrong. Turns out, after deep diving into all of the films to come out between 2000 and 2009, there were so many great movies made that I completely failed the assignment and wasn’t able to narrow it down to a mere 10. Apologies for my lack of discipline…

“Dancer in the Dark” (2000 – Writer/Director Lars von Trier)

“Wonder Boys” (2000 – Writer/Director Curtis Hanson)

“Love & Sex” (2000 – Writer/Director Valerie Breiman)

“Mulholland Drive” (2001 – Writer/Director David Lynch)

“Ghost World” (2001 – Writers Daniel Clowes/Terry Zwigoff – Director Terry Zwigoff)

“City of God” (2002 – Writers Paulo Lins / Bráulio Mantovani – Directors Fernando Meirelles/Kátia Lund)

“Adaptation” (2002 – Writer Charlie Kaufman – Director Spike Jonze)

“Monster” (2003 – Writer/Director Patty Jenkins)

“Kill Bill: Volumes 1&2” (2003/2004 Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino)

“Kung Fu Hustle” (2004 – Writers Stephen Chow/Tsang Kan Cheong/Lola Huo/Man-Keung Chan – Director Stephen Chow)

“A History of Violence” (Writer Josh Olson – Director David Cronenberg)

“Apocalypto” (2006 – Writers Mel Gibson/Farhad Safinia – Director Mel Gibson)

“Zodiac” (2007 – Writer James Vanderbilt – Director David Fincher)

“There Will Be Blood” – (2007 – Writer/Director Paul Thomas Anderson)

“Synecdoche, New York” (2008 – Writer/Director Charlie Kaufman)

Haroula Rose (director/co-writer: “All Happy Families”)

“Nowhere in Africa” (2001) Caroline Link
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) Michel Gondry
“Waking Life” (2001) Richard Linklater
“About Schmidt” (2002) Alexander Payne
“Wendy and Lucy” (2008) Kelly Reichardt
“Adaptation” (2002) Spike Jonze
“A Prophet” (2009) Jacques Audiard
“Fish Tank” (2009) Andrea Arnold
“City of God” (2002) Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
“Amélie” (2002) Jean-Pierre Jeunet
“The Beaches of Agnès” (2008) Agnès Varda

Also memorable and very much beloved:
“Away from Her” (2006) Sarah Polley
“The New World” (2005) Terrence Malick
“Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) Paul Thomas Anderson
“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” (2006) Tom Tykwer
“Unfaithful” (2002) Adrian Lyne
“Thirteen” (2003) Catherine Hardwicke

Bill & Turner Ross (directors: “Gasoline Rainbow”)

35 Shots of Rum
Children of Men
City of God
Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
Iraq in Fragments
Jackass
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Metallica Some Kind of Monster
Miami Vice
My Winnipeg
No Country for Old Men
Shape of the moon
Silent Light
Stranded in Canton
The Century of the Self
The Five Obstructions
The Kid Stays in the Picture
There Will Be Blood
Y Tu Mama También
Zodiac

Trevor Roth (chief operating officer: Roddenberry Entertainment)

TOP TEN

“There Will Be Blood”
“Almost Famous”
“Minority Report”
“The Prestige”
“Iron Man”
“Unbreakable”
“District 9”
“Big Fish”
“Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers”
“Thank You For Smoking”

HONORABLE MENTIONS

“Casino Royale”
“The Dark Knight”
“Thirteen Days”

Chuck Russell (writer, director: “Witchboard”)

Top ten lists are interesting. Do we name the hidden gems that might be the most thought-provoking? Or the blockbusters that have become part of pop culture so deeply, they become part of us. My list includes a bit of both, but ten choices are far too few for this decade.

“Shadow Of the Vampire” (2000)
A performance so disturbing by Willem Dafoe as Max Shrek, its unforgettable. A tale about a method actor who may have gone a bit too far, in this film within a film, inspired by the classic silent film Nosferatu.

“Gladiator” (2000)

Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe bring back a genre that had not been seen in decades. You can taste the dust in the arena. Amazing performances, breathtaking stunt work, an instant classic.

“The Lord of The Rings” (2001-2003)
This project was originally considered risky by studios, but Peter Jackson did not give up his quest to get his dream project to the screen. Great direction, cast and design work, while remaining honorable to the classic novel. A huge physical undertaking.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
Because it’s one of Jim’s best performances, funny, touching, poignant…and from uniquely original filmmakers Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry.

“Oldboy” (2005)
I still can’t get over the locked-room mystery of the first act, which has such a great, twisted character-based payoff. The intensity of Choi Min-shik’s performance and the brutal hand-to-hand action is unforgettable.

“Layer Cake” (2005)
Simply one of the coolest movies ever made, about how dangerous it is for a successful gentleman drug dealer to quit on his superiors. Introduces Daniel Craig in a stunning lead role. No surprise he became the new James Bond after this edgy, restless performance.

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006)
For sheer imagination combined with solid storytelling. (not so easy to find both) A sense of magical realism and dark fantasy, underpinned by solid drama… and of course, flat-out great creature design and execution. A deeply original film by Guillermo Del Toro.

“No Country for Old Men” (2007)
Noire contemporary western with unforgettable characters and a mind-blowing ending that we still can’t help but debate. Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin deliver epic, “mano a mano” performances rarely done so effectively. One of the Coen Brother’s best.

“The Hangover” (2009)
Comedy is often underrepresented in “greatest” lists. The Hangover from director Todd Phillips introduced a killer cast including Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis. A rare thing, an edgy, but good-hearted comedy with solid laughs.

“Avatar” (2009)
Groundbreaking 3-D visuals so innovative they required re-thinking the filmmaking process. A huge technical achievement of deep world-building with a new level of CGI character performance. Cameron’s commitment to every frame is evident.

Alex Saks (producer: “It Ends with Us”)

1. “Almost Famous” This quote and Seymour-Hoffman’s delivery of it, has lived in my mind rent-free for over 20 years. “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.”

2. “Charlie Wilson’s War” Nichols, Sorkin, Hanks, Roberts, Seymour-Hoffman, need I say more?

3. “The Departed” Watch this film every Christmas, by myself, since it came out. Can’t explain why. Do not read into that.

4. “Erin Brockovich” I dream of rattling off speeches like hers…

5. “The Dark Knight” The ultimate superhero movie, to me.

6. “The Devil Wears Prada” This movie is the only reason I was a decent assistant and I can still quote most of it.

7. “Gladiator” This film transported me in a way very few ever have.

8. “Into the Wild” The reason I wanted to make independent films. And Eddie Vedder.

9. “No Country for Old Men” Watching this for the first time was like swallowing a cruise missile. Tonal perfection, relentless violence, flawless pace and all driven by some of the greatest masters of our respective crafts, in front of and behind the camera.

10.“Something’s Gotta Give” Jack and Diane, just Jack and Diane in one of Nancy Meyer’s very best.

Alphabetical Order:

“Almost Famous”
“Charlie Wilson’s War”
“The Departed”
“Erin Brockovich”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Gladiator”
“Into the Wild”
“Mean Girls”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Something’s Gotta Give”

ALTERNATES!!!

Devil Wears Prada
Training Day
Michael Clayton
You Can Count on Me
Legally Blonde
Oceans 11
Big Fish
Anchorman
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Little Miss Sunshine
Chicago
Blood Diamond
Children of Men
There Will Be Blood
Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Dark Knight
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wedding Crashers
Wall-E
An Education

Rob Savage (director: “The Boogeyman”)

Ginger Snaps(John Fawcett, 2000)
Werckmeister Harmonies(Béla Tarr, 2000)
Unbreakable(M. Night Shyamalan, 2000)
Bully(Larry Clark, 2001)
Metropolis(Rintaro, 2001)
Solaris(Steven Soderbergh, 2002)
Lilya 4-Ever(Lukas Moodysson, 2002)
Morvern Callar(Lynne Ramsay, 2002)
In This World(Michael Winterbottom, 2002)
Sweet Sixteen(Ken Loach, 2002)
The Triplets of Belleville(Sylvain Chomet, 2003)
The Return(Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2003)
The Aviator(Martin Scorsese, 2004)
Mysterious Skin(Gregg Araki, 2004)
Cache(Michael Haneke, 2005)
Lady Vengeance(Park Chan-wook, 2005)
Wolf Creek(Greg McLean, 2005)
The Hills Have Eyes(Alexandre Aja, 2006)
Red Road(Andrea Arnold, 2006)
Requiem(Hans-Christian Schmid, 2006)
Silent Light(Carlos Reygadas, 2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford(Andrew Dominik, 2007)
Rec(Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza, 2007)
Lake Mungo(Joel Anderson, 2008)
Where the Wild Things Are(Spike Jonze, 2009)

Jeremy Saulnier (writer/director: “Rebel Ridge”)

“NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” (2007)
An all-time favorite. Aside from the CG herd of antelope in the opening scene, a flawless film.

“MICHAEL CLAYTON” (2007)
Dialogue, character work, camera blocking and score– all pure class. Traditional storytelling techniques fuse perfectly with cool, modern elegance. My favorite directorial debut, featuring my favorite Tom Wilkinson performance.

“THERE WILL BE BLOOD” (2007)
The opening sequence in particular had a profound effect on my filmmaking. The naturalism, the dust, the wordlessness. PTA took a big swing here, representing the heyday of epic “how the f*ck did they get the studio to pay for that” art. The level of filmmaking attains both period authenticity and state-of-the-art craft.

“ZODIAC” (2007)
A true-crime procedural like no other. Only Fincher can make this level of minutiae and bureaucracy play like pulse-pounding drama. Also, and counter to critical trends, I dig long movies.

“DONNIE DARKO” (2001)
A singular achievement. Complex, atmospheric, moving and fun. Defined cool in its day and has managed to stay cool all these years. Also my daughter’s favorite film and she’d give me guff if I didn’t include it.

“CITY OF GOD” (2002)
A stunning film. Singling out the lasting impact of its vivid, high contrast visuals. César Charlone’s reflective lighting techniques are among the most groundbreaking and subsequently imitated aesthetics of the decade.

“THE BOURNE IDENTITY” / “SUPREMACY” / “ULTIMATUM” (2002-2007).
Perhaps my favorite studio trilogy, although the first installment shattered my career ambitions. I wanted to be the one to re-define franchise action cinema like that, dammit. The filmmakers proved that downscaled action, hyper-real stunt work and a true investment in character can elicit more thrills than world-ending spectacle.

“LET THE RIGHT ONE IN” (2008)
Horror as high art. Another flawless film — aside from those damned CG cats.

“IN THE BEDROOM” (2001)
Understated and intimate, but in a way that heightens the tension and drama to levels beyond what I thought possible. A huge influence on my second film, “Blue Ruin.”

“THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA” (2006)
Shhhhhhhh.

Noah Schamus (writer/director: “Summer Solstice”)

In Chronological Order:

1. All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 2000)
2. The Gleaners & I (Agnes Varda, 2000)
3. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
4. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
5. Adaptation (Spike Jonze, 2002)
6. Josie and the puss*cats (2001)
7. TIE: Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2002) // Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright,2007)
8. Birth (Jonathan Glazer, 2004)
9. Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki, 2004)
10. Everyone Else (Maren Ade, 2009)

Aaron Schimberg (writer/director: “A Different Man”)

In chronological order.

Narrative

“Ghost World” (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
“Mulholland Dr.” (David Lynch, 2001)
“Goodbye, Dragon Inn” (Tsai Ming-liang, 2003)
“Last Days” (Gus Van Sant, 2005)
“Death Proof” (Quentin Tarantino, 2007)
“Don’t Touch the Axe” (aka “The duch*ess of Langeais”) (Jacques Rivette, 2007)
“Smiley Face” (Gregg Araki, 2007)
“The Headless Woman” (Lucrecia Martel, 2008)
“Our Beloved Month of August” (Miguel Gomes, 2008)
“My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done?” (Werner Herzog, 2009)

Documentary

“The Gleaners and I” (Agnès Varda, 2000)
“Domestic Violence” (Frederick Wiseman, 2001)
“The Century of the Self” (Adam Curtis, 2002)
“The Odds of Recovery” (Su Friedrich, 2002)
“Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks” (Wang Bing, 2002)
“Small Town Ecstasy” (Jay Blumenfield, 2002)
“Los Angeles Plays Itself” (Thom Andersen, 2003)
“Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” (Joe Berlinger & Bruce Sinofsky, 2004)
“Our Daily Bread” (Nikolaus Geyrhalter, 2005)
“Running Stumbled” (John Maringouin, 2006)

Special mention/curios: “Trash Humpers” (Harmony Korine, 2009), “Final Flesh” (Ike Sanders & Vernon Chatman, 2009), “After Last Season” (“Mark Region”, 2009), various films by Giuseppe Andrews.

Adam Schindler & Brian Netto (directors: “Don’t Move”)

“Children of Men” – Cuaron’s dystopian vision of the future is premonitionary and the cinematography is sublime. A film we return to quite frequently.

“Gladiator” – Are you not entertained? Well… we sure as hell were.

“No Country For Old Men” – Masterful in its simplicity. And Bardem’s haircut…
frightening.

“Dawn of the Dead” (remake) – Still to this day, one of the greatest in-theater film viewing experiences we have ever had. It has everything a crowd pleaser needs.

“WALL-E” – The first thirty or so minutes is an absolute masterclass in visual storytelling.

“Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance” – Park Chan Wook’s first entry in the Vengeance trilogy.
His trademark morally grey characters and pitch black humor were on full display. A
stunning, brutal piece of work.

“There Will Be Blood” – You won’t be able to take your eyes off Daniel Day-Lewis and you won’t want to. Nor will you ever view milkshakes the same way.

“Donnie Darko” – A pastiche of every ’80s film genre you ever loved and a few you never
knew you did. Please make more movies, Richard Kelly.

“Zodiac” – Fincher at the top of his game, and that’s saying something.

“District 9” – A popcorn film with something to say.

Jane Schoenbrun (writer/director “I Saw the TV Glow”)

My Top Ten (alphabetical order, with apologies to “Freddy Got Fingered”)

“A.I. Artificial Intelligence”
“Elephant”
“Funny Haha”
“Goodbye Dragon Inn”
“Mulholland Dr.”
“Old Joy”
“Southland Tales”
“Stepbrothers”
“The World”
“Yi Yi”

Nathan Silver (co-writer/director “Between the Temples”)

“Dancer in the Dark” (2000)
“Fat Girl” (2001)
“Small Town Ecstasy” (2002)
“The Forest for the Trees” (2003)
“Kings and Queen” (2004)
“Innocence” (2004)
“Secret Sunshine” (2007)
“You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” (2008)
“Happy-Go-Lucky” (2008)
“To Die Like a Man” (2009)

Tilman Singer (writer/director: “Cuckoo”)

“The Darjeeling Limited”
“Kill Bill: Volume 1+2”
“No Country for Old Men”
“Memories of Murder”
“Mulholland Dr.”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“There Will Be Blood”
“Oldboy”
“Matchstick Men”
“Lost in Translation”

Monica Sorelle (writer/director: “Mountains”)

“Amélie”
“Before Sunset”
“Brown Sugar”
“Children of Men”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Fish Tank”
“Lost in Translation”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“The Royal Tenenbaums”
“Yi Yi”

But also:

(500) Days of Summer; Adaptation; ATL; Bring It On; Chicago; City of God; Collateral; Crazy/Beautiful; Down with Love; Ghost World; Holes; In the Mood for Love; Ocean’s Eleven; Paid in Full; Raising Victor Vargas; Shaun of the Dead; The Squid and the Whale; Synecdoche, New York; When the Levees Broke; Wall-E; Y tu mama tambien

Justin Spitzer (co-creator/writer/exec.producer: “St. Denis Medical”)

“Elf” and “Bad Santa”
How crazy that two of the greatest Christmas movies of all time both came out in November of 2003?

“28 Days Later” and “Let the Right One In”
Just when I thought they’d squeezed all the juice out of monster movies, someone decided that zombies could run fast and vampires could be children. And that the real monsters are humans.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Memento”
Two brilliant movies that deal with memory, using unconventional narrative structures. Incredibly intelligent story-telling.

“Zoolander” and “Idiocracy”
One’s about stupid characters in a normal world, one’s about normal characters in a stupid world. Sometimes you just want stupid.

“Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” and “Team America: World Police”
Insane comedies that did stuff I never could’ve imagined on screen. I couldn’t look away. And is it a coincidence that both movies have colons in the title: you tell me.

“Children of Men” and “Minority Report”
Amazing dystopian thrillers about government workers finding themselves having to fight the system. “Minority Report” is set 2054, but “Children of Men” is 2027, so start hoarding resources.

“Lost in Translation” and “Slumdog Millionaire”
Beautiful unconventional love stories set in Asian nations.

“Little Miss Sunshine” and “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” and “Anchorman”
Did the aughts make Steve Carell, or did Steve Carell make the aughts?

“The Dark Knight” and “Gladiator”
For when you’re in the mood for angry, muscled heroes with a thirst for revenge, played by actors who I assume (based on no evidence) are difficult, accompanied by a Hans Zimmer score.

“Dancer in the Dark” and “Requiem For a Dream”
For when you’re in the mood for intensely bleak films that make you want to kill yourself.

“Oceans Eleven” and “Moulin Rouge!” and “Shrek”
Three other movies that I liked.

Riley Stearns (writer/director: “Dual”)

1. “Punch-Drunk Love”
2. There Will Be Blood”
3. “Lost In Translation”
4. “4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days”
5. “Dogtooth”
6. “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”
7. “A.I. Artificial Intelligence”
8. “Birth”
9. “Jackass”
10. “Wendy and Lucy”

Jessica M. Thompson (director: “The Invitation”)

Trying to narrow this down to a “top ten” brought on an existential crisis, so “top fifteen” was the best I could do!

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) – For me, this is as close to “a perfect film” as there can be. It was director Michele Gondry’s sophom*ore film, and it was such a revelation. It is one of those formative movies that cemented (for better or for worse) that I was going to make movies for the rest of my life… It somehow walks that precarious tightrope of being about something so universal but entirely specific at the same time. Who hasn’t wanted to erase a painful memory or a sh*tty ex? To skip over the heartache? Conceptually, it is the pinnacle of near-fi genius, with career defining (and defying) performances from both Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, and it made Charlie Kaufman everyone’s favorite screenwriter.

“Memento” (2000) – Hot take: I think this is Chris Nolan at his best. Not to say I don’t love his recent, equally-cerebral, blockbuster feats, but this one was such a mindboggling Rubik’s Cube filled with so many “ahh” moments. I’m so curious to see what he would do with a sub-$10 million budget again! Also, Guy Pearce gives a staggering performance in every frame.

“Brokeback Mountain” (2005) – This Ang Lee masterpiece broke my heart in two. I was an utter mess, weeping and sniffling in the cinema next to my best friend long after the credits had finished rolling. Everyone says the Joker was Heath Ledger’s most memorable performance, but this… this is the one.

“Amélie” (2001) – Magical heartwarming colorful whimsy. And oh so very French! I believe I have rewatched this film more than any other on this list. Can a film get any more charming?? I’ll wait…

“21 Grams” (2003) – An uncompromising, harrowing headfirst-dive into grief. It was Iñárritu’s highly anticipated first English-language film (after “Amores Perros” (2000), which also deserves a spot on this list), and it hits you right in the gut.

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (2006) – The luscious, dark, adult-fairytale that made me a forever fan of Guillermo del Toro. I went back and watched all of his earlier films after viewing the majesty of this one, and have since paid *visual homage* to him in my own films.

“Donnie Darko” (2001) – I never get tired of re-watching this esoteric, trippy cult classic. But seriously, “why are you wearing that stupid man suit?”

“The Piano Teacher” (2001) – This one still haunts me… I felt like I needed to take a shower after watching it.

“Bowling for Columbine” (2002) – Michael Moore’s magnum opus. I saw it at a chain theatre in the outer suburbs of Sydney, and it received a standing ovation… something I have not experienced before or since. (A thematic nod to “Elephant” (2003) here – both films are sadly still overwhelmingly relevant.)

“Thirteen” (2003) – One of the most revelatory debut feature films in the history of cinema. (“The Virgin Suicides” (2000) and “American Beauty” are the only competitors IMHO). Catherine Hardwick perfectly captures and enraptures the all-consuming (often toxic) young female friendships that seem to pervade the initiation into teenagehood. I am also giving a shoutout to “My Summer of Love” (2004) for the same reason. (Baby Emily Blunt, it’s a must watch.)

“Once” (2007) – Musicals don’t have to be nauseatingly kitsch?! Mind blown. This soundtrack was on repeat in my earbuds for years to come.

“Requiem for a Dream” (2000) – I only watched it once but for some reason, I can recall it in infinitesimal detail. From the stunning performances to the revolutionary editing, it’s a masterpiece that will haunt you forever.

“Stay” (2005) – I stan for his mind-bending, surrealist indie-thriller, written by David Benioff (yes, of “Game of Thrones” fame) and directed by Marc Forster. It was widely panned at the time of its release, but I just don’t think the silly critics “got it”.

“Gladiator” (2000) – I was thoroughly entertained. And cannot wait to see what Ridley does with the next iteration!

“A Beautiful Mind” (2001) – I feel this kicked off a feverish run of biopics (“Ray”, “Walk the Line”, “The Aviator”, “The Queen”, “La Vie en Rose”, “Milk” all quickly followed), and I am here for every single one of them. This was such an illuminating and searing insight into the fractured mind of a genius. (Also, what a one-two Russell Crowe had!)

Very Honorable Mentions

Mulholland Drive
Elephant
Y Tu Mamá También
Cache
City of God
No Country for Old Men
Babel
Closer
Amores Perros
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Oldboy
In the Mood for Love
Dogville
Children of Men
Walk the Line
Ray
Mysterious Skin

Jeff Wadlow (co-writer/director “Imaginary”)

Unlike the films you see when you are a kid that will one day influence your work as a filmmaker, the films of the 2000s were impacting my career and creative process in real time. Below are a few anecdotes about why I loved so many of those iconic films, and how they were having an immediate effect on me.

“KILL BILL Volume 1” (2003)
When I was getting my MFA at USC, I was lucky enough to consider Warren Beatty a mentor. I had interviewed to be his assistant and he took an interest in my burgeoning career (even showing up at one of my classes to do an impromptu guest lecture). What does this have to do with KILL BILL? Well, he was friends with Tarantino and I got a glimpse of the script’s title page in Warren’s office. Warren wouldn’t talk about it with me (he would never break Tarantino’s trust), but to see the movie on the big screen a couple years later, and to feel like I had had the slightest little peek behind the curtain of a modern day Hollywood masterpiece before it was even shot, was one of the biggest rushes of my 20-something year old life at the time.

“GLADIATOR” (2000)
As a die hard Ridley Scott fan, I went and saw GLADIATOR opening weekend at the Cinarama Dome before it became the Arclight (RIP). Not only did the movie affect me on a deeply emotional level, but it moved the audience so much that an actual fight broke out in the sold-out audience. Clearly when Maximus was amping up his men, he was also inspiring a few guys in the crowd. Needless to say, we were all entertained. Hard to believe we are going to get a sequel a quarter of a century later. I’ll be there opening weekend, too, but hopefully there won’t be any altercations this time.

“THE DEPARTED” (2006)
I love Martin Scorsese, but I have a slightly controversial opinion — this is his best movie. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of GOODFELLAS, TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL (the list goes on and on), but if I had to pick one to re-watch right now, it would be THE DEPARTED. It’s just such an amazing concept (based on 2002’s INFERNAL AFFAIRS) and Scorese is at the top of his game. You can feel him bringing to bear all the tools he’s had as a filmmaker over the years, and he assembled a truly jaw-dropping cast. From Leonard DiCaprio giving one of his best performances, to Matt Damon’s awesome turn as a villain (what other director could get Damon to do that?), to all the supporting players (Vera Farmiga, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg — and so many more), and to finally Jack Nicholson, giving arguably his final iconic performance (apologies to THE BUCKET LIST, which came out a year later) — this is Scorsese at his best.

“ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND” (2004)
Some movies imprint on you so fundamentally as a filmmaker that you find yourself referencing them on every single project you touch. For me, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is one of those movies. It’s a perfect mix of the emotional and the comedic, the surreal and the grounded, the high concept and the personal. Purely on a technical level, I’m always trying to pay homage to (i.e. rip off) that uniquely Michelle Gondry trick of moving a piece of scenery to a surprising place, so that as the camera pulls back or pushes in, you have this otherworldly feeling of, “how did we physically get transported here?”

“BEST IN SHOW” (2000)
Believe it or not, I once watched THIS IS SPINAL TAP six times in a row with about two dozen guys for an event we called Tap Night. It was in college when we all had way too much time on our hands, but the strangest part of that story, is that the movie still makes me laugh. While I’m not sure anything will ever compare to the originality of that movie, BEST IN SHOW is Guest at the top of his game. All the greats of his informal comedy troupe are there, including one of my personal favorites, John Michael Higgins. When he was kind enough to be in my movie, THE CURSE OF BRIDGE HOLLOW, I learned that he is one of the most famous actors in America whose name nobody knows — apparently an insurance company once did the market research to prove this.

“BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN” (2005)
From the poetic script, to the haunting direction, to the performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal (not to mention Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams), I think this is an almost perfect film. It’s incredibly moving, staying with you long after it’s over. It was also a powerful example at the time for me of how great storytelling can change the world, as it came out at the height of the same sex marriage debate in California. Twenty years later, it’s easy to forget how many people opposed what is so obviously a basic human right. Thankfully, this movie beautifully depicted both the power and the tragedy of a love denied.

“PAN’S LABRYNTH” (2006)
Every time I make a movie, I pick one film as a sort of touchstone. It might be for overall tone, or color palette, or even coverage style. On my last film, IMAGINARY, the touchstone was PAN’S LABYRINTH. The mix of horror, drama, and comedy was a north star for us, and the way Del Toro combined both practical and visual effects to give the fantasy verisimilitude, offered a blueprint for how we would realize the monsters of the Never Ever. I had this movie playing on a loop in my office during prep, and more than once I found myself getting lost in the labyrinth of this visual tour de force.

“IRON MAN” (2008)
Rarely do you see something that’s going to change everything, and actually know it at the time. I feel like I did know it when I saw IRON MAN in 2008. A life-long comics nerd, I had heard the rumors of a Tom Cruise staring IRON MAN at Fox for years, so I wasn’t sure what I was in for when I finally got to see Tony Stark on the big screen. Needless to say, I was completely floored. The movie represented everything I aspired to as a filmmaker. Characters you loved, action that kept you on the edge of your seat, moments of humor that were laugh out loud, and a feeling that you had just been on the ride of your life. I’ve worked on a few super hero projects since then, but my dream of working for Marvel still has not come to pass — but I’ll never give up on that dream.

“MEAN GIRLS” (2004)
If “high school” was it’s own genre, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a film that’s better than the original MEAN GIRLS. Tina Fey’s dialogue is razor sharp, but the characters never lack heart. It’s funny but never feels over the top. And the casting is spot on. We had cast my first movie, CRY_WOLF two years before, and at the time I had wanted to cast Lindsey Lohan as Dodger. Everyone thought I was nuts (the little girl from THE PARENT TRAP?), but I had seen her on SNL and knew she was going to be a star. Tina Fey did, too, and I could not love this film more.

“MEMENTO” (2000)/”THE DARK KNIGHT” (2008)
Okay, so I’m cheating a bit with this last entry by picking two movies. If one filmmaker defined the 2000s for me, it was Christopher Nolan. His intellectually engaging popcorn films changed everything. He showed that blockbusters didn’t have to pander to an audience, that it was even more thrilling to have big ideas at the center of the spectacle. Although he received most of his accolades in the subsequent decades, his movies defined the 2000s. From his arthouse breakout MEMENTO, that Steven Soderbergh famously endorsed, to THE DARK KNIGHT, arguably the best super hero movie ever made (which is saying something coming from a diehard MCU fanboy), Nolan defined the 2000s for me and so many other lovers of cinema.

Sean Wang (writer/director “Dìdi”)

“Superbad”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Once”
“Spirited Away”
“Better Luck Tomorrow”
“Napoleon Dynamite”
“Donnie Darko”
“Ratatouille”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Where The Wild Things Are”

Malcolm Washington (director/co-writer: “The Piano Lesson”)

In no particular order:

“A PROPHET” [2009, Jacques Audiard]
“CITY OF GOD” [2003, Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund]
“MEMORIES OF MURDER” [2003, Bong Joon-Ho]
“KILL BILL VOL 1 + 2” (it’s one movie y’all) [2003, Quentin Tarantino]
“PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE” [2002, Paul Thomas Anderson]
“LA CIENAGA” [2001, Lucrecia Martel]
“GHOST WORLD” [2001, Terry Zwigoff]
“IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE” [2000, Wong Kar-Wai]
“BAMAKO” [2006, Abderrahmane Sissako]
“CHILDREN OF MEN” [2006, Alfonso Cuarón]

James Watkins (writer/director: “Speak No Evil”)

In no particular order:

“MEMENTO” [2000]
“GLADIATOR” [2000]
“IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE” [2000]
“Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN” [2001]
“TALK TO HER” [2002]
“SCHOOL OF ROCK” [2003]
“OLDBOY” [2003]
“ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND” [2004]
“THE LIVES OF OTHERS” [2006]
“THE HURT LOCKER” [2008]

Lana Wilson (director: “Look Into My Eyes”)

“Bad Santa (Director’s Cut)”
“The Death of Mr. Lazarescu”
“The Man Without a Past”
“L’Enfant”
“Nobody Knows”
“Synecdoche, New York”
“Syndromes and a Century”
“What Time Is It There?”
“Yi Yi”
“You, the Living”

Jason Yu (writer/director “Sleep”)

“A Bitterweet Life” (2005) – Kim Jee-woon
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) – Michel Gondry
“Happy-Go-Lucky” (2008) – Mike Leigh
“In Bruges” (2008) – Martin McDonagh
“Inglourious Basterds” (2009) – Quentin Tarantino
“Lars and the Real Girl” (2007) – Craig Gillespie
“Mother” (2009) – Bong Joon-ho
“No Country for Old Men” (2007) – Joel and Ethan Coen
“Punch-Drunk Love” (2002) – Paul Thomas Anderson
“Zodiac” (2007) – David Fincher

Kit Zauhar (writer/director/actor: “This Closeness”)

In the first decade of the 2000s I went from child to adolescent, a person trying to figure out what she wanted from the world, from herself, from art. When I started compiling this list, I saw a clear pattern emerging. All of the films that shaped me and gave that time in my life its specific texture, itsbuoyancy, its richness, dealt with young people that wanted things direly, desperately, sometimes ecstatically, sometimes foolishly, from life: knowledge, sex, attention, power, booze, vague but compelling forms of self-enlightenment. In short: all the things I wanted too. I was tempted to include one movie here that starts off with a girl dressed as a stuffed olive going to a party (I watched this movie constantly at sleepovers), but as my reputation as a cinephile is already flimsy, I’ll just give it a shout-out and say “if you know, you know.” The movies on this list are ones I revisit often, think about constantly, and were instrumental in shaping my early identities as not only an aspiring filmmaker, but also an aspiring film watcher.

In no particular order:

“Yi Yi”
“Fat Girl”
“Elephant”
“Pride and Prejudice” (2005)
“An Education”
“Fish Tank”
“School of Rock”
“Superbad”
“Me and You and Everyone We Know”
“The Squid and the Whale”

David & Nathan Zellner (writers/directors/actors: “Sasquatch Sunset”)

In no particular order:

“Dogville”
“Irreversible”
“Team America: World Police”
“Mulholland Dr.”
“Morvern Callar”
“Battle Royale”
“Secret Sunshine”
“Code Unknown”
“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Waking Life”

Gints Zilbalodis (writer/director: “Flow”)

“Punch-Drunk Love”
“Children of Men”
“Before Sunset”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
“Y tu mamá también”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
“Memories of Murder”
“A Serious Man”
“Ponyo”