Best Movies of the 00s -- Part II

Alright, now that you've had a chance to get an idea of where my mind's at with this list, I'm ready to move on. The list gets bigger and badder here in Part II as I go through the middle ten.

20. The Hurt Locker (2009)

I've said enough about this movie in previous blog posts. Read about it here and here. Best movie so far about the Iraq war. Period. Suitable adjectives to describe this movie: crazy, thrilling, heart-pounding, near-perfect, crazy, and good. Really good.



19. Mystic River (2003)

This is the first of three movies directed by Clint Eastwood that will appear on this list. Honestly, I had a hard time ranking it this low (that's how much I like the movies ranked ahead of it). As is the Eastwoodian trademark, Mystic River features an incredible cast, all of whom give career-best or near-career-best performances. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both took home the Oscars they deserved (though, at the time, I have to admit that I was rooting for Bill Murray to win Best Actor that year). Awards could also have been given to Marcia Gay Harden, Kevin Bacon, and Laura Linney.

The story is a relatively simple one -- it's a murder mystery wherein the cops and the victim's father are in a race to find the killer. It is complicated by a series of complex relationships -- family, childhood friendships -- and a horrific event buried deep in the past. The result is one of the most powerful films of the decade that leaves its audience haunted for days after each single viewing. Magnificent.



18. Adaptation (2002)

Another movie written by Charlie Kaufman, featuring the same old Kaufman traits, Adaptation is actually about Kaufman himself, played by Nicholas Cage in one of his trademark performances. Cage actually plays both Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother Donald in this wacky narrative that combines the real life story of Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep), writer for The New Yorker covering the orchid-poaching efforts of one John Larouche (Chris Cooper, in an Oscar-winning performance) with Kaufman's efforts to adapt the story into a screenplay (and to deal with his annoying brother's efforts to become a screenwriter himself). The Orlean story becomes more and ridiculous and convoluted as it eventually merges with the Kaufman storyline and audience gradually realizes that they're watching the movie that the character is trying to write. In the end, it is a triumph of both ridiculous creativity and extremely disciplined structure that keeps the film from drifting into too-weird-to-watch territory.

Cage is at his best when he is able to be his fearless self -- chewing up scenery and just plain being an exhibitionist -- without overstepping the reality of the movie. In Adaptation, he is given ample opportunity to do so, fully displaying all of Kaufman's personal, professional, and sexual insecurities and. In the end, he tendered one of the finest performances of his career. Sadly, he lost out to Adrien Brody for the Best Actor Oscar. Hilarious movie.



17. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

From the twisted and brilliant mind of Guillermo del Toro came this adult (very adult) fairy tale. Set in the fascist Spain during World War II, Pan's Labyrinth tells the story of a young girl with an overactive imagination. She comes to live on an estate with her mother and new stepfather, a sadistic Spanish army officer, wherein she comes across both wondrous and horrific creatures (including an apparently eyeless white giant, which, to this day, still gives me the creeps). Yet, in the end, none of them are as terrifying as the real-life monster who sits at the head of the household.

Del Toro established has himself as a go-to director for adventure and fantasy. This movie was sandwiched in between two Hellboy movies (which were awesome) and he's been tapped by Peter Jackson to direct the upcoming movies based on the The Hobbit. In Pan's Labyrinth, however, he was able to create a universe all his own. At this point, I'd see anything he attached his name to.



16. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Come on. This movie is hilarious.

This movie is typically described as a spoof on zombie movies. But, in fact, it is itself a well-made zombie movie that just also happens to be a comedy. Very few of Shaun's infinite number of laughs come from mocking zombie movie conventions. Instead, they come from the actual storyline, the hilarious characters, and the wittier-than-all-get-out script. Simon Pegg is one of the funniest men alive...and this movie proves it.



15. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

The second of three Clint Eastwood movies on this list and the best war movie of the decade, Letters from Iwo Jima is, quite frankly, an antiwar movie. It is a lot like Wolfgang Peterson's Das Boot in that, in both movies, it is clear from the beginning that the main characters are not the victors. Instead, we see the tragic and dehumanizing aspects of war through the eyes of the soon-to-be-vanquished. In this case, it is the Japanese, fighting a war they've already lost over a piece of earth that no reasonable human could possibly want. While previous American films have characterized the WWII Japanese as fierce, if not too fierce, warriors, Letters is unique in that they are depicted as human -- fearful, doubtful, and even a little angry at their emporor.

I call it an anti-war film not because it says that all wars are immoral or that war is not sometimes necessary. It is because, when we realize that traits such as fear, family, and patriotism are universal and present on the enemy's side as well as our own, we become less cavalier about war as a concept. That, more than anything else, is the point of Letters from Iwo Jima, the second-best movie Clint Eastwood made during the 2000s.



14. The Departed (2006)

Martin Scorsese had a pretty good decade. He scored with Gangs of New York in 2002 and again with The Aviator in 2004. But, while these movies were good, they both fell somewhat short of the great work he'd done in the past. Then came The Departed, the film that finally landed him his Oscar. Featuring one of the most compelling ensembles of actors in any film in any decade, this movie is chock full of powerful moments and soon-to-be-classic scenes.

This scene is my favorite:



13. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

The final Clint Eastwood movie on this list. This Oscar-winning opus about a female boxer further solidified his place as one of America's greatest living directors and demonstrated why, above all, he's an actor's director. Hillary Swank and Morgan Freeman both deservedly took home gold statues for their performances in this film, while Eastwood himself turned in what was possibly the finest acting performance of his long career. But, in the end, he settled for taking home Best Director and Best Picture awards -- both of them well-deserved.

There was some controversy surrounding this movie, particularly among conservatives who believed the film's final act was a political diatribe in favor of assisted suicide. These people, of course, were idiots. The film said nothing about the law or politics regarding assisted suicide and fully explored both sides of the moral issue, depicting discussions between Eastwood's Frankie Dunn and his priest on the propriety of the matter. In the end, the best arguments were given to the cleric and Frankie was left to make his decision -- to euthanize his beloved fighter who had become paralyzed -- knowing full well that he would likely be damned for eternity. The decision was consistent with Frankie's character, as was the desire on the part of Swank's Maggie to end her life. It's a small-minded view that says that a movie is actually advocating the actions of its protagonist. In the case of Million Dollar Baby, it was simply a story...and a damn good one.



12. A History of Violence (2005)

The best movie of 2005 will stand as a monument to director David Cronenberg's unappreciated genius. His follow up, Eastern Promises, which also starred Viggo Mortensen, was almost as good. Sure, the Lord of the Rings trilogy made Viggo a star, but it was these Cronenberg movies that gave him real credibility as an A-List actor.

A History of Violence is about just what the title says -- one man's history of violence as a metaphor for mankind's history of violence. In most movies, heroes kill the bad guys and messes are cleaned up quickly and everything is neat and tidy. But, as this movie demonstrates, violence is messy, it's horrific and has consequences. Mortensen's hitman disguised a small town restaurant owner knows this going into this story -- that's why he's in disguise. But, knowing the consequences doesn't mean he can escape them.

Viggo wasn't the only actor showcased in this film. Ed Harris and Maria Bello also turned in fine performances. And, of course, there was William Hurt, who was nominated for an Academy Award for only one scene.





11. United 93 (2006)

When people look back at this past decade, most will agree that 9/11 was the historic event that had the most impact on the world. Eight years on, very few filmmakers have made an effort in addressing this event head on. Instead, they tend to use other issues as proxies for the events of 9/11 and the aftermath. Only two major films have been released depicting the events of that day and United 93 was the only one that was any good.

Director Paul Greengrass was nominated for an Oscar for this movie, in which he utilized handheld cameras and realistic lighting to give the movie an authentic, almost documentary-like feel. There is not a typical "Hollywood" moment in this film. No one delivers a cheesy line, there is no staged enterences or exits. Instead, it feels like the events of that day must have felt. The result is a movie that is simultaneously heart-breaking and inspiring, a beautiful, glorious piece of work.