The Greatest Movies of the Millennium

Film has not been any good since the introduction of sound but without sound there wouldn't be all the awesome explosions we get to hear or more importantly witty dialogue. Where does the last ten years of film stand in comparison with the "golden age" of Hollywood some 60 years ago or the the 1970s when everything suddenly got very real or very fantastic but looked believable (Star Wars)? Where does the last ten years stand against the 1980s when the teen flick got reinvented and everything was a cold war allegory or the 1990s which was almost something of a lost decade and full of big explosions and spectacle (Titantic, Independence Day), and a new generation of directors who learned from the students of film (Danny Boyle, Quentin Terantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Steven Soderbergh, Kevin Smith) creating the "Independent" movie genre? I can't answer that question because it's too soon and movies have a ways of creeping into the uncontentious and become part of our culture over the years. Fight Club would be a prime example of a movie that critics didn't care for, didn't do very well at the box office but everybody knows ten years later and is even part of some folk's daily lives and philosophies. I don't know the last time I heard somebody talk about watching, "Shakespeare In Love" recently but that could just be the circle I run with. The 2000's continues the 1990's tradition of turning music video directors into Motion Picture directors like David Fincher, Spike Jonze and unfortunately McG. I suppose is a natural progression now especially when nobody has an attention span of more than 3 minutes.
Does a decade's best movies represent that era? Not always, especially when it takes so long to make a film from the time the script is started until opening night could be several years even more than half a decade. So while your movie that you think is quintessencially a 2000s movie may have been inspired and wrote in the 90s.
So Here is my top ten list and let me tell you I'm sure there are a multitude of films that I never saw that might be included but so much for that.

These movies are in no particular order:

In The Mood for Love Dir Wan Kar Wai
Heartbreaking, beautiful to watch and riveting this movie moves me every time I watch it. The sequel 2046 is also very good but a little more . . . out there.




The Departed Dir Martin Scorsese
The most wicked movie of the decade bringing the Irish mob into the light. great performances by all, even though Leo and jack are the weakest things about the movie and I'm not just talking about their accents. Alec Baldwin is very humorous as is Mark Wahlberg.



X-Men Dir Bryan Singer
The rebirth of superhero movies has it's success due to this movie. Bryan Singer isn't an action director but knows how to tell a story and create an allegory very well. He takes comic books and makes the story more accessible to everybody.



High Fidelity Dir Stephen Frears
Ladies and gentlemen, Jack Black! Actually this movie is one that has always spoke to me on an almost embarrassingly personal level. Music and Love. john Cusack does his thing while Catherine Xeta Jones, Lenny Kravitz's ex wife and The Boss all show up for nice little rolls.




Batman Begins Dir Christopher Nolan
Batman is back and the franchise is very, very healthy. Even darker that the Tim Burton movies which in the time were considered dark but that's all due to the 1960s TV show.



Virgin Suicides Dir by Sophia Coppola
This movie may have not really been directed by Sophia Coppola for it could have been her better known father, Frances Ford or her former husband Spike Jonze we will never know. I will say this though, this film moves along like a memory, maybe yours, maybe mine but it captures the idea perfectly. Also Air puts forth a dynamite soundtrack for this movie.



Amelie Dir Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Everybody loves a French girl especially when she is Audrey Tautou and she is too shy talk to the one she loves.



Superbad Dir. Greg Mettola
This was the funniest movie I saw in the past ten years which counts for a lot so screw you. McLovin will be a part of film legend.




Casino Royal Dir. Martin Campbell
Jame Bond is redefined by Daniel Craig as tough as nails spy with a penetrable heart, gone is the effete, suave ladies man with tons of gadgets



Lord Of The Rings (Trilogy) Dir. Peter Jackson
Epic and yes all movies count as one!