The Ten Best Films of the Decade?

Alright, readers, before I publish my own list, let’s get some conversation going. Think back on the last ten years of cinema and come up with your top few films from that era!

Here’s a useful starter, the Academy Awards for each year, with the winner highlighted in all caps:
2000
Picture: 
“GLADIATOR,” “Chocolat,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic” 
Actor:
RUSSELL CROWE in “Gladiator,” Javier Bardem in “Before Night Falls,” Tom Hanks in “Cast Away,” Ed Harris in “Pollock,” Geoffrey Rush in “Quills” 
Actress: 
JULIA ROBERTS in “Erin Brockovich,” Joan Allen in “The Contender,” Juliette Binoche in “Chocolat,” Ellen Burstyn in “Requiem for a Dream,” Laura Linney in “You Can Count On Me” 
Supporting Actor:
BENICIO DEL TORO in “Traffic,” Jeff Bridges in “The Contender,” Willem Dafoe in “Shadow of the Vampire,” Albert Finney in “Erin Brockovich,” Joaquin Phoenix in “Gladiator”
Supporting Actress:
MARCIA GAY HARDEN in “Pollock,” Judi Dench in “Chocolat,” ” Kate Hudson in “Almost Famous,” Frances McDormand in “Almost Famous,” Julie Walters in “Billy Elliot”
Director:
STEVEN SODERBERGH for “Traffic,” Stephen Daldry for “Billy Elliot,” Ang Lee for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Steven Soderbergh for “Erin Brockovich,” Ridley Scott for “Gladiator”

2001

Picture: 
“A BEAUTIFUL MIND,” “Gosford Park,” “In the Bedroom,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “Moulin Rouge” 
Animated Feature Film:
“SHREK,” “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius”, “Monsters, Inc.” 
Actor:
DENZEL WASHINGTON in “Training Day,” Russell Crowe in “A Beautiful Mind,” Sean Penn in “I Am Sam,” Will Smith in “Ali,” Tom Wilkinson in “In the Bedroom” 
Actress: 
HALLE BERRY in “Monster’s Ball,” Judi Dench in “Iris,” Nicole Kidman in “Moulin Rouge,” Sissy Spacek in “In the Bedroom,” Renee Zellwegger in “Bridget Jones’s Diary” 
Supporting Actor:
JIM BROADBENT in “Iris,” Ethan Hawke in “Training Day,” Ben Kingsley in “Sexy Beast,” Ian McKellen in “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” Jon Voight in “Ali” 
Supporting Actress:
JENNIFER CONNELLY in “A Beautiful Mind,” Helen Mirren in “Gosford Park,” Maggie Smith in “Gosford Park,” Marisa Tomei in “In the Bedroom,” Kate Winslet in “Iris”
Director:
RON HOWARD for “A Beautiful Mind,” Ridley Scott for “Black Hawk Down,” Robert Altman for “Gosford Park,” Peter Jackson for “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” David Lynch for “Mulholland Drive”

2002

Picture: 
“CHICAGO,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Hours,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” “The Pianist”
Animated Feature Film:
“SPIRITED AWAY,” “Ice Age,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” “Treasure Planet”
Actor:
ADRIEN BRODY in “The Pianist,” Nicolas Cage in “Adaptation,” Michael Caine in “The Quiet American,” Daniel Day-Lewis in “Gangs of New York,” Jack Nicholson in “About Schmidt”
Actress: 
NICOLE KIDMAN in “The Hours,” Salma Hayek in “Frida,” Diane Lane in “Unfaithful,” Julianne Moore in “Far from Heaven,” Renee Zellweger in “Chicago”
Supporting Actor:
CHRIS COOPER in “Adaptation,” Ed Harris in “The Hours,” Paul Newman in “Road to Perdition,” John C. Reilly in “Chicago,” Christopher Walken in “Catch Me If You Can”
Supporting Actress:
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES in “Chicago,” “Kathy Bates in “About Schmidt,” Julianne Moore in “The Hours,” Queen Latifah for “Chicago,” Meryl Streep in “Adaptation”
Director:
ROMAN POLANSKI for “The Pianist,” Rob Marshall for “Chicago,” Martin Scorsese for “Gangs of New York,” Stephen Daldry for “The Hours,” Pedro Almodovar for “Talk to Her”


    2003

    Picture: 
    “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING,” “Lost In Translation,” “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” “Mystic River,” “Seabiscuit”
    Animated Feature Film:
    “FINDING NEMO,” “Brother Bear,” “The Triplets of Belleville” 
    Actor:
    SEAN PENN in “Mystic River, “Johnny Depp in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” Ben Kingsley in “House of Sand and Fog,” Jude Law in “Cold Mountain,” Bill Murray in “Lost In Translation” 
    Actress: 
    CHARLIZE THERON in “Monster,” Keisha Castle-Hughes in “Whale Rider,” Diane Keaton in “Something’s Gotta Give,” Samantha Morton in “In America,” Naomi Watts in “21 Grams”
    Supporting Actor:
    TIM ROBBINS in “Mystic River,” Alec Baldwin in “The Cooler,” Benicio Del Toro in “21 Grams,” Djimon Hounsou in “In America,” Ken Watanabe in “The Last Samurai”
    Supporting Actress:
    RENEE ZELLWEGER in “Cold Mountain,” Shohreh Aghdashloo in “House of Sand and Fog,” Patricia Clarkson in “Pieces of April,” Marcia Gay Harden in “Mystic River,” Holly Hunter in “Thirteen”
    Director:
    PETER JACKSON for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” Fernando Meirelles for “City of God,” Sofia Coppola for “Lost In Translation,” Peter Weir for “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” Clint Eastwood for “Mystic River”

    2004

    Picture: 
    “MILLION DOLLAR BABY,” “The Aviator,” “Finding Neverland,” “Ray,” “Sideways”
    Animated Feature Film:
    “THE INCREDIBLES,” “Shark Tale,” “Shrek 2”
    Actor:
    JAMIE FOXX in “Ray,” Don Cheadle in “Hotel Rwanda,” Johnny Depp in “Finding Neverland,” Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Aviator,” Clint Eastwood in “Million Dollar Baby” 
    Actress: 
    HILARY SWANK in “Million Dollar Baby,” Annette Bening in “Being Julia,” Catalina Sandino Moreno in “Maria Full of Grace,” Imelda Staunton in “Vera Drake,” Kate Winslet in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”
    Supporting Actor:
    MORGAN FREEMAN in “Million Dollar Baby,” Alan Alda in “The Aviator,” Thomas Haden Church in “Sideways,” Jamie Foxx in “Collateral,” Clive Owen in “Closer”
    Supporting Actress:
    CATE BLANCHETT in “The Aviator,” Laura Linney in “Kinsey,” Virginia Madsen in “Sideways,” Sophie Okonedo in “Hotel Rwanda,” Natalie Portman in “Closer”
    Director:
    CLINT EASTWOOD for “Million Dollar Baby,” Taylor Hackford for “Ray,” Mike Leigh for “Vera Drake,” Alexander Payne for “Sideways,” Martin Scorsese for “The Aviator”

    2005

    Picture: 
    “CRASH,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Capote,” “Good Night, and Good Luck,” “Munich”
    Animated Feature Film:
    “WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride”
    Actor:
    PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN in “Capote,” Terrence Howard in “Hustle & Flow,” Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain,” Joaquin Phoenix in “Walk the Line,” David Strathairn in “Good Night, and Good Luck”
    Actress: 
    REESE WITHERSPOON in “Walk the Line,” Judi Dench in “Mrs. Henderson Presents,” Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica,” Keira Knightley in “Pride & Prejudice,” Charlize Theron in “North Country”
    Supporting Actor:
    GEORGE CLOONEY in “Syriana,” Matt Dillon in “Crash,” Paul Giamatti in “Cinderella Man,” Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain,” William Hurt in “A History of Violence”
    Supporting Actress:
    RACHEL WEISZ in “The Constant Gardener,” Amy Adams in “Junebug,” Catherine Keener in “Capote,” Frances McDormand in “North Country,” Michelle Williams in “Brokeback Mountain”
    Director:
    ANG LEE for “Brokeback Mountain,” George Clooney for “Good Night, and Good Luck,” Paul Haggis for “Crash,” Bennett Miller for “Capote,” Steven Spielberg for “Munich”

    2006

    Picture: 
    “THE DEPARTED,” “Babel,” “Letters From Iwo Jima,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “The Queen”
    Animated Feature Film:
    “HAPPY FEET,” “Cars,” “Monster House”
    Actor:
    FOREST WHITAKER in “The Last King of Scotland,” Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond,” Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson,” Peter O’Toole in “Venus,” Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
    Actress: 
    HELEN MIRREN in “The Queen,” Penelope Cruz in “Volver,” Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal,” Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Kate Winslet in “Little Children”
    Supporting Actor:
    ALAN ARKIN in “Little Miss Sunshine,” Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children,” Djimon Honsou in “Blood Diamond,” Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls,” Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed”
    Supporting Actress:
    JENNIFER HUDSON in “Dreamgirls,” Adriana Barraza in “Babel,” Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal,” Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine,” Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel”
    Director:
    MARTIN SCORSESE for “The Departed,” Clint Eastwood for “Letters From Iwo Jima,” Stephen Frears for “The Queen,” Paul Greengrass for “United 93,” Alejandro González Iñárritu for “Babel”

    2007

    Picture: 
    “NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN,” “Atonement,” “Juno,” “Michael Clayton,””There Will Be Blood” 
    Animated Feature Film:
    “RATATOUILLE,” “Persepolis,” “Surf’s Up”
    Actor:
    DANIEL DAY-LEWIS in “There Will Be Blood,” George Clooney in “Michael Clayton,” Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” Tommy Lee Jones in “In the Valley of Elah,” Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” 
    Actress: 
    MARION COTILLARD in “La Vie en Rose,” Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” Julie Christie in “Away From Her,” Laura Linney in “The Savages,” Ellen Page in “Juno” 
    Supporting Actor:
    JAVIER BARDEM in “No Country for Old Men,” Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild,” Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War,” Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”
    Supporting Actress:
    TILDA SWINTON in “Michael Clayton,” Cate Blanchett in “I’m Not There,” Ruby Dee in “American Gangster,” Saoirse Ronan in “Atonement,” Amy Ryan in “Gone Baby Gone”
    Director:
    JOEL COEN AND ETHAN COEN for “No Country for Old Men,” Julian Schnabel for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” Jason Reitman for “Juno,” Tony Gilroy for “Michael Clayton,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “There Will Be Blood”

    2008

    Picture: 
    “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE,” The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Milk,” “The Reader”
    Animated Feature Film:
    “WALL-E,” “Bolt,” “Kung Fu Panda”
    Actor:
    SEAN PENN in “Milk,” Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor,” Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon,” Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler”
    Actress: 
    KATE WINSLET in “The Reader,” Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married,” Angelina Jolie in “Changeling,” Melissa Leo in “Frozen River,” Meryl Streep in “Doubt”
    Supporting Actor:
    HEATH LEDGER in “The Dark Knight,” Josh Brolin in “Milk,” Robert Downey, Jr. in “Tropic Thunder,” Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt,” Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road”
    Supporting Actress:
    PENELOPE CRUZ in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” Amy Adams in “Doubt,” Viola Davis in “Doubt,” Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler”
    Director:
    DANNY BOYLE for “Slumdog Millionaire,” Stephen Daldry for “The Reader,” David Fincher for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Ron Howard for “Frost/Nixon,” Gus Van Sant for “Milk”

    So what’s catching your eye on that list, dear reader?  What films do you see and say “oh yeah, that one rocked!” ??

    Many thanks, btw, to Filmsite.org, whose Oscar Winners list I cribbed from for this extensive posting.

    2 comments on “The Ten Best Films of the Decade?

    1. You know, Dave, I don’t think I’ve seen any “bad” movies in ages. I don’t go to very many, and I get a bunch of opinions or just know which ones I will like.

      So, of the ones mentioned above, I only saw:

      Chocolat
      Crouching Tiger
      Castaway
      A Beautiful Mind
      Lord of the Rings (all of them)
      (meant to see Moulin Rouge, but haven’t, yet)
      None in 2002 except LotR
      (meant to see Spirited Away (but fan-subbed, not dubbed, please) and “The Pianist, but no)
      Pirates of the Carribean (can I just have Johnnie Depp for breakfast, lunch & dinner, please?)
      Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (I think I saw that)
      (Meant to see Finding Neverland)
      Brokeback Mountain
      Juno
      Slumdog Millionaire
      Dark Knight

      Not a bad one in the lot, but then the list is nominees for the highest film awards in the country.

      So, of that list my favorites are probably Juno, Slumdog Millionaire, Brokeback Mountain and Johnnie Depp… I mean Pirate of the Caribbean. 🙂

      Not so much in any order because they are very different and for different moods and desires.

      (Are computers dominant? They keep telling me to submit!)

      Stacy

    2. Oh wait!

      Harry Potter!

      I was scanning the list of reviews and realized I have seen *all* of these. I don’t have any idea what anyone thinks of them critically. I just want to live at Hogwarts and Hermione Granger comes closer to that side of me than any character in fiction, well, except maybe Harriet the Spy or Nancy Drew, has in a very long time!

      It’s such a favorite. It goes top o’ the list.

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