(2002)Keisha Castle-Hughes broke onto the scene in this emotional, female empowering fable about a Maori girl destined to lead her male dominated tribe.
39. The Dark Knight
(2008)Christopher Nolan expanded on the dark, brooding world he established in Batman Begins, improving upon that film by leaps and bounds by bringing in a more solid supporting cast, and providing us arguably the greatest and most terrifying screen villain of the decade in the Joker. Why so serious?
38. Ghost World
(2001)Much like it's two main characters, Ghost World is the social outcast of the comic book movie genre. Scarlett Johannson and Thora Birch star as two longtime best friends who's disdain for everybody they meet makes them the scorn of the entire town.
37. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
(2000)The film that catapulted Asian cinema back into the American consciousness, it continues to be one of the most beautifully shot Wu xia films I've ever seen, and Michelle Yeoh's powerful performance opposite Chow Yun-Fat as fiery as ever.
36. X2-X-men United
(2003)I just recently watched X-2 again and it holds up even after all this time. In fact, all it really served to do was make me angry over that whole Brett Ratner X-men United debacle. This one had all the mutant superhero action any fanboy could want, and then they went and put Anna Paquin in leather. Unfair? Yes indeed.
35. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
(2009)Cue the singing iguanas. Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage bring a new meaning to the word "unhinged" in what has to be the craziest dirty cop film of all-time.
34. The Station Agent
(2003)A simple, nearly perfect little film about an introverted, train loving dwarf who finds two friends when he least expects it. One of those movies I throw in when I want something reliable and comforting to enjoy.
33. Troy
(2004)Brad Pitt steals all the glory as the hot headed, semi-immortal warrior, Achilles. I'm a sucker for Greek mythology, and Wolfgang Peterson's realistic take(no gods to speak of) urked me at first, but I was quickly won over by the film's epic scope and remarkable cast. Diane Krueger as Helen? Perfecto. Orlando Bloom as the cowardly Paris? Best role he ever had.
32. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
(2001)"I film this shit, I yell cut and then I get the fuck outta here back to my trailer, because I got more white girls in there than the first lifeboat of the Titanic, and they all want a part in my movie, and I got just the part for 'em!" Best Chris Rock line evah!!! Kevin Smith's funniest, most quotable movie he'll ever make.
31. Watchmen
(2009)Some might say Zack Snyder's big screen adaptation of Frank Miller's classic graphic novel was a flop, but I call it a triumph for anyone who grew up a fan. Miller's gritty real world take on the superhero genre was called unfilmable by most, but Snyder reigned in the story's massive themes into an action-packed, fanboy appeasing masterpiece.
30. The Pianist
(2002)The most memorable film about the Holocaust I've seen, Adrien Brody put on the performance of a lifetime as Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish pianist navigating a treacherous escape from the Nazis in WWII. Often heartbreaking, Roman Polanski's grande tale retains a glimmer of hope as Szpilman clings desperately to his passion for music to maintain his sanity.
29. The Bourne Trilogy
(2002, 2004, 2007)I'm cheating here, but so what? I consider all three of the awesome Bourne films one long, bone crunching narrative. Certainly the franchise took a step into greatness when Paul Greengrass took over for Doug Liman, but it's Matt Damon as the unlikely action star who is the real stand out.
28. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
(2001-2003)Cheating again! Let's put this into proper perspective. LOTR is the 2nd greatest trilogy of all-time, bolstered by Peter Jackson's masterful approach to storytelling and special effects wizardry. If it weren't for the somewhat lackluster third film this would've been higher up.
27. Dawn of the Dead
(2004)Zack Snyder exploded onto the scene with his updated take on the Romero classic, gathering together a typical group of folks and trapping them in the local mall surrounded by brain eating zombies. Do yourself a favor and pick up the director's cut, which features more blood, more gore, and more character moments than any zombie movie has any right to have.
26. Kill Bill Vol. 1
(2003)Part 1 of Tarantino's chop-socky tale of bloody vengeance is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. It also features my favorite Quentin Tarantino character ever, the meteor hammer wielding Gogo Yubari.
25. Slumdog Millionaire
(2008)No other director had a better decade than Danny Boyle, capping off a remarkable ten years with his most crowd pleasing story to date. A fresh, new take on the romance genre, Slumdog Millionaire is a unique tale of destiny and love that stands the test of time.
24. No Country for Old Men
(2007)There's been some backlash against this film lately, mainly due to the head scratching conclusion. But there's no denying this is the Coens' most chiseled film yet. Javier Bardem created the one movie character I ever had nightmares about with his grim faced coin-flipping killer, Anton Chigurh. Those who got beef with this film, I suggest you watch it a second time. And then a third, until you get the point.
23. Superbad
(2007)Prepare to be fucked by the long dick of the law! It's easy to get lost in the raunchy 80s style comedy, but Seth Rogen's sharp script also presents one of the best stories about growing up in years. And need I even mention the character who made nerds chic again? That's right, bitches. McLovin.
22. Brick
(2005)A Philip Marlowe-esque film noir, thrust into the modern era....and set in a high school full of cliqs, drugs, gangs, and murder. Sounds far fetched and certainly a longshot at success, but director Rian Johnson pulls it all together into a perfectly compelling package.
21. Big Fish
(2003)I've admitted it in the past. Big Fish is the only film to ever bring a tear to my eye. I'm not scared to say it. For some reason, I never felt like Tim Burton's fable ever got the credit it righly deserves. Gorgeous, colorfully shot in typical Burton style. Big Fish is the story of a son's earnest attempt to connect with his overly imaginative, adventure-seeking father, played with typical gusto by the great Albert Finney.
