Top 25 Films of the New Millenium

This list is in the order they popped into my head. Looking at it now, I do think they are in their true order. The films go from the expected -- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which has topped many people's lists. -- to the unexpected -- Wedding Crashers is genius! I learned a lot about myself making this list. I could tell you what I learned but after you watch these trailers, you'll probably have your own theories:

1. Half Nelson This film is a masterpiece. I have seen it many times and I still am in awe of Fleck’s ability to make a story like this feel fresh and new. Making this film was an absolute act of bravery. The scene below is one of my favorites of all time.

2. Brokeback Mountain Another masterpiece. This film shows you that the act of loving someone, though sometimes difficult and often times painful, is an act of courage. RIP Heath Ledger.

3. Ballast This film is so subtle and beautiful. It is a “real” film about pain and loneliness, not one of the Hollywood kind. (This description makes the film feel like a big downer. Ok, it is but it's still great.)

4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Michel Gondry, Charlie Kauffman, Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey are all geniuses. Period.

5. Keane This is a small, small film that is beautifully shot and really gets into a troubled protagonist’s head. Though the NBC series, Life, was great, here’s hoping that Damian Lewis gets another shot at fame

6. The 25th Hour Movies like this remind me that I am a tried and true New Yorker. Spike Lee irritates me but he is one of the few filmmakers that loves New York to the bone. Though this film has problems – what is up with the random tangential sequences – I was extremely creatively inspired by it.

7. The Departed Another imperfect movie but it is so entertaining and well acted. I’ve easily watched it 10-15 times since I saw it in the movie theater. I may never love Leonardo DiCaprio like this again.

8. Superbad Yes, this film is hysterical. I love it because it truthfully and earnestly depicts the power of a good friendship on the verge of change. Watch the end for Jonah Hill’s look to Michael Cera. It's unexpectedly moving.

9. Y Tu Mama Tambien Another homoerotic movie, yes, I’ll admit it. I love them! What impresses me about this film is how it mixes so many themes and never feels disjointed.

10. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters This movie made me see that making a film about a subject matter that people think is frivolous and crazy can still elicit a great, great film. I guess it was extremely inspirational.

11. Dave Chappelle’s Block Party I was bummed to miss this concert but this documentary made me feel like I was there. It contains some of my favorite musicians at their peak as well as one of my favorite comedians, Dave Chappelle. I know I’ll continue to watch it again and again.

12. Lost in Translation This film is so well directed. Bill Murray mixes sadness and humor effortlessly. Scarlett does her Scarlett thing but it's still a great film.

13. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days This Romanian film really shook me. Truly.

14. Amelie I was surprised when I learned this film came out in the 2000s. I’ve loved it so long. It is simply magical.

15. Capturing the Friedmans This was one of the first documentaries that made me realize the true ability this genre has to create huge, Shakespearean drama.

16. Before Sunset Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy have such effortless chemistry. I loved walking through Paris with them.

17. Examined Life This documentary is one of the more recent films on my list. I’ve always been intimidated/bored by philosophy but this film is an intellectual exercise in the best kind of way. I can’t wait to buy it on DVD in February.

18. Trouble the Water A life affirming film about Katrina. Yes, it is possible.

19. The Notebook Yes, this choice is based on my crush on Rachel MacAdams and Ryan Gosling (who both appear twice on this list -- I'm so silly). Still, a beautiful, epic love story is hard to come by and this one delivers.

20. Forever I discovered Heddy Honigmann this decade and fell in love. A poem about death and love. Beautiful!

21. You Can Count On Me A young Mark Ruffalo (before he became famous) and a flawless script by Kenneth Lonergan. This film is a truthful and beautiful portrait of a bond between a brother and a sister. It hits close to home.

22. Wedding Crashers This movie is on TBS all the time and I can never turn it off. It takes the potty mouthed adult movie to a whole new level. Love it. 23. Murderball Who would've thought that a documentary about a team of paraplegic athletes would be so fun and badass? Loved it. 24. Movern Callar This movie made me fall in love with Samantha Morton. Such a strange, beautiful, brilliant little film. Why don't I own it?

25. The Diving Bell and The Butterfly This film is extremely sad and absolutely hypnotic. One of the few instances where the movie is as good, if not better than, the book. 

Comments

[maggie]

great list! time to update my netflix queue and add some of these to it. and there were a few i hadn't heard of. look forward to those.

[tuckergurl]

Thanks Maggie. I wanted to include a mix of real film that feel more like guilty pleasures (The Notebook) and heady films that sit with me (Diving Bell, etc).

[Lauryn Purtee]

Two years after and I've only managed 1/4 of the list! Eternal Sunshine is one of my all-time faves. It's a bit of a headache when you first watch it, so you may need more than one viewing. But I'm one of those who have that on top of the list!