My Decade, My Movies

Assuming everyone agrees that the greatest visual narrative achievement of any kind this decade was Deadwood, I have compiled a list of my top movies of the decade (from what films I can remember * making a serious impression on my highly artistic, intuitive, and discerning brain).  They are not really in any order  -- Yet! Maybe I’ll boil this down to 10 … I’ll see what kind of reaction this list gets and if I can remember any more films. And now, a stroll down memory lane:

1. In The Mood For Love (2001) a million dresses
2. Grizzly Man (2005) dedication and delusion: my favorite themes
3. Training Day (2001) see above comment
4. Gangs of New York (2002) I wish this was 8 hours long and reedited without Cameron Diaz but it still is one of the best movies of the decade
5. Kill Bill Vols I&II (2003&2004) this is because I am a girl
6. Overnight (2003) at least I never f-ed up as bad as Troy Duffy
7. Tyson (2009)
8. Lives of Others (2007)
9. Born Identity & Born Ultimatum (2002&2007) and not the second one
10. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2008) and the other desperate female/neorealism classic:
11. Maria Full of Grace (2004)
12. Standard Operating Procedure (2008) for the most uncomfortable theater experience
13. Let The Right One In (2008) I’m a sucker (vampire reference) for snow in movies
14. The Pianist (2001)
15. Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo (2009)
16. Dogville (2003) What does this say about me? Arty or racist?
17. The Saddest Music in the World (2003) Super 8 film and beer legs!
18. No Direction Home (2005)
19. The Dark Knight (2008)
20. The Departed (2006) Perfection of a fading genre
21. The New World (2005)
22. A History of Violence (2005)
23. Adaptation (2002)
24. Miami Vice (2006) directors cut with the go-fast boats of course
25. Memento (2000) Responsible for rise in film school enrollment as well as obnoxious class commentary in film school but I still loved it
26. Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
27. The Prestige (2006) magic and Michael Caine
28. Mullholand Drive (2001)
29. No Country for Old Men (2007) the Cohen bros finally found a place for their detached, heartless/murder-loving filmmaking in the spacious fields of Texas
30. King of Kong (2007)
31. Touching the Void (2003)
32. Eastern Promises (2007) a shower fight scene that was waaaay artier than the other classic of the 200s: Get Rich or Die Trying
33. Minority Report (2002) So what? I liked Vanilla Sky too.
34. Bubble (2005) part of the Soderberg indie filming/distribution movement that I adore – along with:
35. The Girlfriend Experience (2009) the acting in this is what I call “the future”
36. Eros (2004) there should be more mid-length movies put together to make one feature length
37. The Hurt Locker (2008) aka: “the panic attack locker” along with:
38. United 93 (2006) real and real time
39. Shotgun Stories (2007)
40. The Lookout (2007) because I love indie heist movies with heart and physical disability
41. Master & Commander: The Far Side of The World (2003) One of my favorite sea movies, Russel Crow should only be cast as an old time ship mate for ever
42. Collateral (2004) best use of gray hair and Korea Town
43. Best in Show (2000)
44. The Kid Stays in the Picture (2002)
45. The Gift (2000) Cate Blanchett with special powers and dead girls in swamps! Oh Sam Raimi!
46. Black Hawk Down (2001)
47. 24 Hour Party People (2002) and the other “hour” movie:
48. 25th Hour (2002)
49. Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired (2008)
50. Primer (2004) Best use of ministorage and florescent lighting in filmmaking
51. You're Gonna Miss Me (2007) I always blame the mother

Note: List does not include the following films that were very influential in my early decade development: Bring It On (2000), The Fast and the Furious (2001), Drumline (2002), The Notebook(2004), Boiler Room(2000), and Coach Carter (2004)