Best Films of the 2000s: No. 6.

No. 6

Ocean's Eleven

This is the second movie in my Top Ten featuring Steven Soderburgh as director and cinematographer. Ocean's Eleven couldn't be much different than Traffic. Both are beautifully photographed, and the similarities end there.

Ocean's Eleven was pure fun, and no movie in the 2000s was more rewatchable. Clooney, Pitt, Roberts, and all the actors clearly enjoyed making the movie. More importantly, their experiences translate perfectly to the screen, propelling a story that crackles along at a pace that matches the twinkles in their eyes. The star-studded film is superficially a great heist movie, but is laced with sneaky humor, brilliant writing and beautiful underrated images that elevate the film beyond mere popcorn status.

I've seen Ocean's Eleven dozens of times, and nearly every time I notice something different. Perhaps a glance or a throwaway line, a subtle gesture or a breathtaking camera angle. Piling all of these layers on top of a good piece of entertainment makes for a great film that should be regarded as a classic.

Best Films of the 2000s
10. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
9. Memento (2000)
8. Traffic (2000)
7. The Incredibles (2004)
6. Ocean's Eleven (2001)
5. Coming soon...

Best Films of the 2000s: No. 7.

No. 7

The Incredibles

Call this the Pixar representative on the list, as both Wall-E and Finding Nemo were both strong candidates as well. But ultimately, Incredibles won me over the most with a deft combination of action and humor. It's a superhero movie with a Pixar twist, adding clever family dynamics to familiar comic-book action and characters.

The whole film takes known superhero stereotypes and churns them into into a delicious blend of characters that form the foundation of the movie's superb and often subtle comedy. Everyone knows about the practically impervious superhero (Mr. Incredible), but making him a married father of three turns convention on its head. Like Raiders of the Lost Ark, the entire film seems to be winking at the audience, simultaneously paying homage and parodying the superhero genre through all elements, ranging from a witty script containing terms like "monologing" to the wailing horns of the Bond-ian score. For fans of both comic-book movies and animated features (like me), this film hits all the right notes, clearly understanding and utilizing the possibilities of both genres to the fullest extent.

Like all Pixar films, The Incredibles entertains kids with its basic story, but its true achievement extends to all ages, as the film's youthful exuberance and wry sense of humor make it a classic.

Best Films of the 2000s
10. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
9. Memento (2000)
8. Traffic(2000)
7. The Incredibles (2004)
6. Coming soon...