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Blade!?!?!
Somewhere Weslsey Snipes is shaking his head at this list...
Vampires
Oh how I loved Kiefer as David, in all his glorious mullitude. His overall look and demeanor was perfect for the role, and he's got that kind of silky, dark and insinuating voice and manner of speaking that really added to it as well. Let the Right One In is a freaky little flick. There were times that it left me breathless because I couldn't decide whether I was creeped out or on the verge of laughter. The crazy cat scene, for example. Totally agreed about Eric on True Blood. Stepen Moyer is a rather wooden actor (see his work on that silly Debra Messing show that was on USA), which works fine with his kind of uptight character on True Blood. The Eric character though, much more interesting and engaging.
Favorite Vampires
How about Salma Hayek's character in From Dusk 'Til Dawn? Sure the movie was ridiculously silly.... but how do you forget her work in it? If anything, it was pretty memorable...
Meanwhile, Lestat over Louie? Louie was the one with the character arc, the layers, the compassion from the audience. Louie deserves to be at the top of the list, if you ask me.
-Joe
Top 10 Movies of the Decade
1. The Fountain(2006) A sci-fi love story that hit the bulls-eye for me.
2. The Fall(2008) A beautiful fairy tale.
3. Mulholland Dr.(2001) I love Lynch, and this is one of his best.
4. Almost Famous(2000) This one made me wish I was back in the '70's.
5. Kill Bill 1 & 2(2003 & 2004) I had to count this as one movie.
6. The Man Who Wasn't There(2001) A quiet guy who smokes a lot. Makes you see how great black and white film can be.
7. Hero(2004) I'm a sucker for great looking movies.
8. Casino Royale(2006) A different take on Bond.
9. The Saddest Music in the World(2004) By one of the strangest directors in the world.
10. Cache(2005) A haunting picture.
*11. Children of Men(2006) (Couldn't stop at 10)
*12. Sin City(2005)
*13. School of Rock(2003) Made me want to start a band.
*14. Napoleon Dynamite(2004) I usually forget about the good comedies. We had fun with this one for a long time.
*15. Batman Begins(2005) I think it's a better film than The Dark Knight.
*16. Pan's Labrynth(2006)
*17. Millions(2005)
*18. X-Men(2000)
*19. Broken Flowers(2005) I know it frustrates many, but I love open endings
*20. Lars and the Real Girl(2007) I wasn't expecting much from this film from the description, but I loved it.
5 Movies I thought were over-rated:
1. Into the Wild. I was expecting to like this one, with the Eddie Vedder soundtrack, and I was familiar with the story, but I hated it. Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way.
2. Little Miss Sunshine. Maybe I just don't like dark comedies, I was trying to think of some I liked. I'll take Steve Carrell in "The Office".
3. There Will Be Blood. This is one that maybe I should watch again. Maybe I missed something.
4. Lost in Translation. I'll take Broken Flowers over this any day, as far as recent Bill Murray movies go.
5. The Wrestler. I guess it was too much like a documentary for me. Marisa Tomei was good though.
Best Family and Overlooked Films
Not going to rank these, just in alphabetical order. And those included in Best for Decade will not be repeated. All things considered 'family' films in the decade were way ahead of comedies in quality. Could be the golden decade for kids movies?
About a Boy - 2002
Finding Nemo - 2003
Finding Neverland - 2004
Harry Potter franchise
Monsters Inc. - 2001
Nanny McPhee - 2005
Shrek - 2001
Spiderwick Chronicles - 2008
The Incredibles - 2004
In the category for overlooked I'll include some that didn't hit at the box office or awards or both.
Bad Santa - 2003
Black Hawk Down - 2001
Breach - 2007
Capote - 2005
the Great Raid - 2005
Hitler: The Rise of Evil (TV) - 2003
I Walk the Line - 2005
In America - 2003
Last King of Scotland - 2006
The Producers - 2005
Ray - 2004
Shaun of the Dead - 2004
United 93 - 2006
We Were Soldiers - 2002
These I overlooked (honorable mentions for the decade). Just couldn't shoehorn them in.
3:10 to Yuma - 2007
Dark Knight - 2008
Gladiator - 2000
Gran Torino - 2008
Miracle - 2004
Notes on a Scandal - 2006
Pan's Labyrynth - 2006
the Wrestler - 2008
For 2009 List consideration
District 9
Hurt Locker
Invention of Lying
Orphan
Star Trek
Up
Best Movies of the Decade
Wow a lot of heavy movies on these lists. And I can also see why I'm not watching the Academy Awards on TV. Going with movies that I've actually gone back and enjoyed over the years. And I think that movies should have some universal appeal once in a while. Making a film that families can enjoy has to be considered. So while I will later list the 10 for families some are going to creep in to my top 10.
10) Remember the Titans - 2000 - creeped in quickly
9) The Barbershop - 2003 - comedy should have its place.
8) Hot Fuzz - 2007 - not for families, but great fun
7) Hotel Rwanda - 2004 - Don Cheadle was great in this
6) Pirates of the Caribbean - 2003 - more fun than Momento (which I like for an honorable mention, but its listed a few times above)
5) Billy Elliot - 2000 - British film overlooked here
4) Wall-E - 2008 - a classic
3) Best in Show - 2000 - not for everyone but hysterically funny
2) The Lives of Others - 2006 - the Academy should have let this into the best picture category. A Great Unknown in USA.
1) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - 2001-03
Directors, Actors, and Actresses
Directors in Consideration (Best Films)
-Spielberg: Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Munich
-Coen Brothers: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, No Country for Old Men, Intolerable Cruelty, Burn After Reading
-Christopher Nolan: Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight
-Quentin Tarantino: Kill Bill I&II, Inglorious Basterds
-Andrew Stanton: Finding Nemo, Wall-E
-Clint Eastwood: Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwa Jima, Gran Torino
-Todd Phillips: Road Trip, Old School, The Hangover
-Judd Apatow: 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People
-Ridley Scott: Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Matchstick Men, American Gangster, Body of Lies
-Martin Scorsese: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed
My Choice: Christopher Nolan
Male Movie Stars (not best actor for the decade, but biggest and most successful)
Clive Owen: The Bourne Identity, Closer, Sin City, Shoot Em Up, Children of Men, Inside Man
Denzel Washington: Training Day, Man on Fire, American Gangster, Inside Man, Taking of Pelham 123
Russell Crowe: Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, Master & Commander, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster
George Clooney: O Brother, Where Art Thou & Coen brothers work, The Ocean films, Syriana, Michael Clayton
Matt Damon: The Bourne trilogy, The Ocean films, Syriana, The Departed, The Good Shepherd, The Informant
Tom Cruise: Mission Impossible II & III, Vanilla Sky, Minority Report, The Last Samurai, Collateral, War of the Worlds, Tropic Thunder
Will Smith: Ali, MIB II, I, Robot, Bad Boys II, The Pursuit of Happiness, I Am Legend, Hitch, Hancock
Leonardo DiCaprio: Gangs of NY, The Aviator, Catch Me if You Can, The Departed, Blood Diamond
Brad Pitt: Snatch, The Ocean films, Troy, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Babel, Benjamin Button, Inglorious Basterds
Tom Hanks: Cast Away, Road to Perdition, Catch Me if You Can, The Da Vinci Code, The Polar Express, The Terminal, Charlie Wilsons War, Angels & Demons
Johny Depp: Blow, The Pirates films, Finding Neverland, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Public Enemies
Robert Downey Jr.: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Zodiac, Iron Man, Tropic Thunder, Sherlock Holmes
Ben Stiller: Meet the Parents, Zoolander, Royal Tenenbaums, Dodgeball, Anchorman, Night at the Museum, Tropic Thunder
Christian Bale: American Psycho, Batman Begins, Rescue Dawn, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, 3:10 to Yuma, Terminator Salvation, Public Enemies
My Choice: Johny Depp
Not enough time to go through all of the actresses at this time. Some that jump onto the list:
Meryl Streep
Angelina Jolie
Renee Zellweger
Nicole Kidman
Charlize Theron
Natalie Portman
Kiera Knightly
Scarlett Johansson
Penelope Cruz
Reese Witherspoon
Liv Tyler
Directors and "Stars"
Looks like a lot of us would rather talk about who we like! Well, if I had to pick a few actual "stars" I suppose I could think of a few. Let's see, the decade has definitely seen the rise of Angelina Jolie. Sure, some people knew who she was before...but I think she started getting bigger and better roles with more of a box office draw. My Mom likes to see her films anyway. Matt Damon has made some smart role choices, and done well with mainstream fare while still being considered a serious actor. Heath Ledger really became a star, and admirably was also a very good actor. Christian Bale became a lot more of a household name with the Batman franchise. Clooney made films that both mainstream viewers and more serious film-watchers would see. As far as directors go, I maintain my first list. The only thing that I would say different is that you could slap Judd Apatow's name on just about anything, and people would go.
Some Suggestions
Directors
Scorsese â€" (Gangs of NY, The Aviator, The Departed)
Sofia Coppola â€" (The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation)
Ang Lee â€" (Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain, Lust/Caution)
Gus Van Sant (the "death trilogy" was beautifully shot, Milk)
Pedro Almnodovar â€" (Talk to Her, Bad Education, Volver)
Danny Boyle â€" (Slumdog Millionaire)
David Fincher - (Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Clint Eastwood â€" (Mystic River, Gran Torino)
Wong Kar Wai â€" (In the Mood for Love, 2046, and because I like him!)
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
Woody Allen (Match Point, Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill series)
Guillermo Del Toro (Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth)
Actor
Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls, The Sea Inside, No Country, Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Ryan Gosling (The United States of Leland, Half-Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl)
Bill Murray (Lost in Translation)
Viggo Mortensen (Rings Trilogy, work with D. Cronenberg)
David Straithairn (Good Night and Good Luck, and just because I dig him)
Heath Ledger (Brokeback, Dark Knight)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
Tony Leung (In the Mood for Love, Infernal Affairs, Hero, 2046, Lust/Caution)
Daniel Day Lewis (Gangs, There Will Be Blood)
Leo DiCaprio â€" (Gangs, Aviator, Departed)
Actresses
Cate Blanchett (Aviator, Notes on a Scandal, I'm Not There, Benjamin Button, Babel)
Kate Winslet (Little Children, Revolutionary Road, Eternal Sunshine)
Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream)
Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy, Brokeback Mountain)
Naomi Watts (21 Grams, Mulholland Drive)
Penelope Cruz (Volver)
Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent, Lars and the Real Girl)
Laura Linney (You Can Count on Me, The Squid and the Whale, The Savages)
Who are the biggest stars (and director) of the decade?
My top 10 in each category are:
Best Director
1. Clint Eastwood
2. Martin Scorcese
3. Coen Brothers
4. Ang Lee
5. Ron Howard
6. George Clooney
7. Gus Van Sant
8. Peter Jackson
9. Steven Spielberg
10. Steven Soderbergh
Best Actor
1. Sean Penn
2. Heath Ledger
3. Johnny Depp
4. Daniel Day Lewis
5. Joaquin Phoenix
6. Russell Crowe
7. George Clooney
8. Forrest Whitaker
9. Denzel Washington
10. Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Best Actress
1. Kate Winslet
2. Renee Zellweger
3. Cate Blanchett
4. Meryln Streep
5. Reese Witherspoon
6. Charlize Theron
7. Helen Mirren
8. Penelope Cruz
9. Julia Roberts
10. Nicole Kidman
Best of the Decade: Directors and stars
Are you asking for movies stars in general, as in their entire body of work over the course of the past decade, or single performances by actors and actress? Likewise for directors. These can result in entirely different lists....
Top 10 Movies of 2000's
In retrospect, Children of Men would be in my top 5 so bump each film down one spot...
Top 10 Movies of 2000's
Off the top of my head
10. Hotel Rwanda
9. Garden State
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
7. Erin Brockovich
6. No Country For Old Men
5. Memento
4. The Departed
3. Requiem For a Dream
2. Traffic
1. City of God
10 films from the last decade...
Here are some that I like, they are in no particular order:
The Departed (I also like the HK flick it's based on, Infernal Affairs)
Lars and the Real Girl
No Country for Old Men
Donnie Darko
Slumdog Millionaire
Brokeback Mountain
The Machinist
In the Mood for Love
The Devil's Backbone
Half-Nelson
Little Children
Frozen River
The Royal Tennenbaums
There Will Be Blood
Hero
almost anything with Cate Blanchett
Top 10 Movies of the Decade
10- Gran Torino 9- Blow 8- Catch Me if you Can 7- A Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy 6- Apocalypto 5- X-Men 2 4- V for Vendetta 3- Black Hawk Down 2- Dark Knight 1- Lord of the Rings
Black Hawk Down, interesting... and all seem agreed that LOTR is one moive (as is Kill Bill)
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