Top 12 Movies of the Decade

It is that time of the decade, the time for more lists than Santa gets. Without further ado, here comes my take on this decade's top 10 movies.

12. Team America World Police (2004)- A movie with horribly made puppets should never crack a list like this right? Wrong. Trey Parker and Matt Stone deliver one of the funniest movies of the decade with this satire on America and the rest of the world. When a movie has a song like, America, Fuck Yeah! you know the movie is going to be good.

11. There Will Be Blood (2007)- Daniel Day-Lewis turns in what could have been the best performance of his career in P.T. Anderson's adaptation of Upton Sinclair's novel "Oil." Paul Dano also does a great job in the film. "I drink your milkshake!"

10. Gran Torino (2008)- It had some awkward moments, it had some funny moments, and it certainly had some touching moments. Clint Eastwood turns in a great performance and delivered as a director in this movie. The movie captured the plight immigrants in America even today. It also tackles the problem of getting old, one Eastwood knows personally now, and does a great job making the audience sympathize with Eastwood's character even when he is using every racial slur known to man.

9. Once (2007)- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova star in this low-key, low-budget musically inspired film. The movie was so low key that the two main character's names were Guy and Girl. The movie, shot in Ireland for pretty much nothing, turned into one of the cinderella stories in Hollywood this decade. The movie won an Oscar for Best Original Song and gained the two musicians uncharted popularity.

8. Ratatouille (2007)- Pixar is a machine. Everything they pump out is usually critically acclaimed, publicly admired, and pretty much worshipped. Ratatouille was just that and then some. A great movie for kids, adults, and rodents alike it was well made, well written, and visually stunning. If the Oscars were open to 10 Best Picture Nominations in 2007, Ratatouille would have been nominated for sure.

7. The Dark Knight (2008)-Chris Nolan's second Batman movie was one of the best movies of the decade for several reasons. First and foremost, the job turned in by a star studded cast. From Ledger to Caine to Oldman to Freeman, it was one of the best acted movies of the decade. Next, the effects, from the sound to the visuals were nearly perfect. The movie was given great reviews and the public obviously loved it, landing it on our list.

6. The Visitor (2008)- This indie film is one of the best movies that nobody has heard of. Richard Jenkins turned in the best performance of his career and the rest of the movie followed suit by being awesome. Focused around the Illegal Immigration debate, the movie didn't let politics get in its way of being one of the best movies of the decade.

5. No Country For Old Men (2007)- The Coen Brothers are amazing. Anything they touch seems to turn into Oscar gold. Their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "No Country for Old Men" was no different. The movie moved so slow, which added to the suspense and its lack of a score or really any music at all, made it uncomfortable to watch alone. The scene in the gas station with the coin flip is one of the most haunting scenes I have ever seen. The movie was so well acted I am now afraid of Javier Bardem. Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, and Tommy Lee Jones also turned in impressive performances.

4. The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)- Peter Jackson left no stone unturned in his adaptation of J.R.R Tolkien's masterpiece. His use of extras, CGI, and other visual effects led these movies to Oscar domination in the early millennium. Viggo Mortensen was brilliant throughout the trilogy.

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)- Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star in one of the most creative love stories ever told. The tagline, "I already forget how I used to feel about you," is one of the best taglines I've ever read. The movie touches nearly every emotion and Charlie Kaufman's screenplay is superb.

2. Gangs of New York (2002)- When you put Martin Scorsese and Daniel Day-Lewis together it becomes unfair. Throw in a little DiCaprio here and some Cameron Diaz there and you have yourself the second best movie of the decade. During the Civil War, the country was in utter turmoil. This movie really gave you the sense of how hard it was during the time. The sets, the effects, and the writing were all incredible. All the actors did a great job, and obviously Scorsese came through.

1. The Departed (2006)- Martin Scorsese can make a movie with ants. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, and Matt Damon (not to mention the always breathtaking Anthony Anderson) Martin Scorsese can make a timeless classic, which is exactly what he did with The Departed.


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