Best Films of the 2000s: No 4.

No. 4

Cast Away

I can hear Ben screaming already. Too bad, buddy. I love Cast Away in so many ways.

Cast Away is a story of survival, both physical and mental. It's the story of a busy man who must adapt to being stranded on an island, then re-adapt to society once he escapes.

I was annoyed the first time I saw Cast Away, annoyed that the trailers revealed that Tom Hanks gets off the island, annoyed that not enough time was spent on how he re-adjusted, and annoyed at the nebulous ending. But that was a case of not getting what I wanted from the movie rather than understanding and relishing what the film provided.

Upon a second viewing, I fell in love. I fell in love with the beautiful yet terrifying tropical island, with the roller coaster of emotion that Hanks rode, with his undulating determination. No other actor could have or would have attempted what Hanks did (though Will Smith did an admirable imitation in I Am Legend). Not only did Hanks lose 50 pounds for the role, he spent the entire middle half of the film as the only human on screen, co-starring with rocks, trees, and a volleyball. His was one of the best performances I have ever seen. The only reason Russell Crowe won the Oscar was the Academy's ridiculous unwillingness to give Hanks a third statuette.

The filmmakers ultimately made the right decisions in the final act, allowing Hanks to react with appropriate bewilderment at life's simplicities as he re-enters society. Yes, more such scenes would have worked, but I admit they weren't entirely necessary. Their absence allows for one of the most heart-rending scenes of the decade, as Hanks and his former fiancee Helen Hunt figure out what should happen next. The closing scene is a perfect denouement, an ideal reflection of Hanks' mental state.

Cast Away is filled with nearly as much physical and emotional beauty as anything in the 2000s. The film was riveting, impossible to take your eyes off, lest you miss a priceless moment, of which there are plenty. Perhaps the 2000s had a few other films that were better made (The Dark Knight), but I loved Cast Away more.

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. The Dark knight (2001)
4. Cast Away
3. Coming soon...

Best Films of the 2000s: No. 5.

After creating one of the best origin stories ever with Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan somehow raised the superhero movie to an entirely new level with The Dark Knight. He crafted a film that transcended the genre. It wasn't just a great comic book movie; it was a great film.

Heath Ledger's requiem performormance as the Joker gets all the accolades, and deservingly so. He embodies the villainous role is a possessive way rarely seen on screen, commanding attention with a breath-taking presence. But Christian Bale's titular character should not be overlooked, for he matches Ledger's intensity throughout. As they engage in a raging physical and emotional battle, each rises to meet the other, forming as great a pair of on-screen rivals as I've ever seen. A strong supporting cast adds significant depth, and the brilliantly dark art design holds everything together perfectly.

The Dark Knight is the Godfather of its kind, a sweeping epic that envelopes the viewer in an dramatic new world. As much psychological crime drama as superhero movie, the film is a vivid cinematic display of good versus evil, surpassing even its own mountain-high expectations.

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. The Dark Knight
4. Coming soon...

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...

Best Films of the 2000s: No. 8.

No. 8

Traffic

Traffic was the first "grown-up" movie I remember seeing in a theater. You know...one of those serious and dramatic Oscar-nominated films that teenagers never see. Well, I saw it because it had a good cast and an interesting trailer that promised multiple intertwined storylines.

I walked out wowed by the way that a film could balance three different storylines in a manner effective enough to produce gripping drama without much action. Doing that with one story is difficult, but each of Traffic's layers could easily have been its own movie. With their powers combined, they make ensuing films like Crash or Babel seem like mere wannabes.

Director/cinematographer Steven Soderburgh executed a clinic on how color palettes can play a supporting role, as each arc was imbued with a unique look that enhanced the narrative and functioned as a scene-setter. In telling these three frighteningly realistic stories, Soderburgh also expressed the multi-faceted bleakness that the illegal drug industry spawns at so many levels. Most impressively he did so without preaching or resorting to melodrama. Instead he simply told good, complex stories and told them exceptionally well.

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

Best Films of the 2000s: No. 9.

No. 9

Memento

I wanted to re-watch Memento immediately after the credits finished, because it took the movie's entire running length to figure out exactly what is happening. When it ended, I wanted to see it again to be sure. The film's single story is edited non-linearly, cutting back and forth between two different portions that are moving in opposite direction. The narrative starts at the beginning and end, and the two arcs meet in the middle at the movie's end.

Because of the film's back-and-forth non-linear nature, some decry the film as little more than a gimmick. But this isn't just some twist at the end. The non-linear nature makes the film. You can't separate the method from the story. No one complains that Godfather II is only great because it bounces between two stories that are decades apart. The brilliant interlacing of narratives is part of what makes that film great, and the same thing applies in Memento.

The unusual story-telling works because of Guy Pearce's short-term amnesia. The viewer sees things as he does, largely unsure of what has previously happened. Pearce nails the part with his various tics and habits, and his mindset vacillates beautifully between certainty and uncertainty. He is an ideal conduit through which the audience can experience the movie.

I saw it twice in four days...during Finals Week. That's how intriguing the movie was. No other film this decade bent the mind like Memento. Period. It might even be better than a few movies ahead of it, but I didn't love it with my heart as much as my mind.

Best Films of the 2000s
10. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban
9. Memento
8. Coming soon...

Best Films of the 2000s: No. 10.

Taking a look back at the last decade of movies is an extremely enjoyable yet difficult task. To me, the list is far more than merely ordering the best films from each of the last ten years. For better and worse, the passing of time makes this list more objective, eliminating some of the in-the-moment passion, but also more subjective, as personal connections elevate great movies past others that lacked a connection. Rewatchability is also a factor, making certain films more powerful, memorable and enjoyable. Ultimately, the list emerges from a confluence of the best films and my favorite films.

Before getting to the Top Ten of the 2000s, here are a few movies that won’t be included, because they were released in the 1990s: Saving Private Ryan, The Sixth Sense, The Matrix. I would love to work them into a Best of the Decade list, but their time has passed. I feel old.

Now, on with the show...

No. 10

Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

I still remember the thrilling moment early in Azkaban when I realized that director Alfonso Cuaron wasn't following in Chris Columbus' footsteps by merely telling the book's story with moving pictures. He was making a film, a clinic on how to adapt books to the screen. Take a good story and infuse it with cinematic flair. Use lush visuals, camera movements that breathtakingly sweep through the epic landscape of Hogwarts, vivid transitions that could almost be short films, and heartfelt moments that provide a massive yet concise narrative with a viable and visual soul. This was far more that just the best Harry Potter movie. It was a great film.