My Top 20 Favorite Films of the Decade (2000-2009)

20. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) – Sky Captain is a film that I feel is highly underrated. Besides being the first movie to be shot entirely on blue screen, it also happens to have a particularly fun story. The film really captures the zeitgeist of the 1930s and is a very well done tribute to the cheesy episodic serials such as Flash Gordon. Plus there are scenes that invoke the feelings you get when watching the original Star Wars or Indiana Jones.

19. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – This film is nothing short of brilliant. I love how they are able to replicate the feelings of dreams using surreal elements. Plus I love how the story heavily involves each and every character. Even the background characters play a significant role in the story, yet the film never loses focus off the main characters Joel and Clementine. Great script by Charlie Kaufman.

18. Spider-Man 2 (2004) – The fifth best superhero movie of the decade. By far the best of the Spider-Man franchise, I particularly loved Spider-Man 2 because every single action sequence comes from the drama of the story. And, even though the action sequences are spectacular, you can remove them and still have a solid movie. It’s just too bad Spider-Man 3 sucked so much. 

17. Ratatouille (2007) – This movie proves that Pixar can make any premise marketable. I love Pixar movies, and this will definitely not be Pixar’s last appearance on my list. Only Pixar can take a story about a rat who yearns to be a chef and turn it into a stunningly animated feel-good movie. Plus, it takes a lot of talent to make animated food look this delicious. On top of all that, I am a huge fan of Michael Giacchino’s music, and he is at the top of his game here. 

16. WALL-E (2008) – Speaking of difficult premises that only Pixar can turn into animated masterpieces, I don’t think that anyone else can tell the story of a robot who can barely speak and turn it into such a wonderful tear-jerker. I was amazed at how Pixar can tell a story this complex with such little dialogue. It is very emotional, but the fast-paced story is also highly entertaining.

15. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – I am putting Borat on my list simply because I have never laughed so hard during a movie before or since. Sacha Baron Cohen is simply fearless. It is amazing that he didn’t get shot while making this overly politically incorrect film. But I also loved that through a bigoted protagonist, the film exposed a lot of the bigotry of real people. 

14. Iron Man (2008) – The fourth best superhero movie of the decade.  Robert Downey, Jr. is pitch perfect as Tony Stark. This film cemented Jon Favreau as one of my favorite directors. This movie is just a total blast. The dialogue is sharp and witty. The special effects look great and the action sequences are very well put together. Even though Jeff Bridges is way over-the-top as the villain, this film is so much fun that it’s very easy to overlook its few negligible flaws. 

13. Memento (2000) – Memento is another film that works really well because of the brilliance of its script. Once you figure out the timeline this film sets up, it becomes thoroughly engrossing. This film accomplishes the daunting task of telling a story from the point of view of a protagonist with memory loss. The reverse storytelling was brilliantly executed. It is too bad Guy Pearce is not a bigger actor these days because his early work in films such as this and L.A. Confidential are really fantastic. But I do think that the director Christopher Nolan is still finding some steady work. I could be wrong. 

12. Monsters, Inc. (2001) – It’s hard to choose which Pixar movies to put on the list because they’re all so great (except for Cars). But I loved this movie when I first saw it when I was 12, and it still holds up well today. There is some excellent voice work from Billy Crystal and John Goodman, plus the animation is, not surprisingly, flawless. 

11. Sin City (2005) – I have never read any issues of FranK Miller’s Sin City before I saw this movie, but I wish I did. The story (or stories) in this film could have been better, but Sin City makes up for that shortfall by being one of the most visually unique films I’ve ever seen. Watching this movie is like watching a comic book come to life on the screen. The deep black and white mixed with splashes of color looked amazing on the screen. It’s just too bad that Frank Miller’s follow-up The Spirit sucked so much.

10. Watchmen (2009) – The third best superhero movie of the decade. This is by far the most faithful adaptation of any literary work ever made. Everything from the dialogue to Dr. Manhattan’s genitals are taken straight out of the graphic novel. I am a huge fan of the graphic novel, so it was particularly enjoyable to see these characters come to life. I was a bit nervous about Zack Snyder directing because I did not like 300 very much. But he did a great job adapting the book and staying true to both the letter and the spirit. Also, I didn’t miss the giant squid that much.

9. Signs (2002) – I have always been a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan, even after his recent films that haven’t been um, well received. But Signs is an undeniably great film. Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix give great performances, especially since this film was made before they each went off the deep end. This film has great moments of suspense, drama and even humor. Plus, I like the way the film focuses on one family going through a very global event. It also has a great score from James Newton Howard.

8. King Kong (2005) – I was particularly surprised how much I loved Peter Jackson’s remake of King Kong because I was not so crazy about his Lord of the Rings trilogy (sorry). But I loved everything about this film. The set design, the special effects, the cinematography, everything looked fantastic and epic. The action sequences are breathtaking, and King Kong himself looks very realistic. It also has a great score from James Newton Howard.

7. X2: X-Men United (2003) – The second best superhero movie of the decade. I love this movie because it is exactly what a sequel should be. The special effects and action sequences were much better than the first X-Men, and the scope of the story was much greater, while at the same time, the characters continued to deepen. This is by a very wide margin the best installment in the X-Men series.

6. Up (2009) – Up is my favorite of all the Pixar films. The story is very heartwarming and uplifting. The opening montage is 10 of the most beautiful minutes in any film all decade. I have never cried during a movie, but I came closest during that amazing opening. And if the ending does not put a smile on your face, you clearly don’t have a soul. This is animation at its absolute best.

5. The Matrix Reloaded (2003) – I was blown away when I saw the first Matrix film, and to be honest, I think I enjoyed the Matrix Reloaded even more. Just like X2, Matrix 2 is exactly what a sequel should be. The special effects and fighting sequences are some of the best I’ve ever seen. The freeway chase, and the courtyard battle between Neo and the Smiths are classic. This is my favorite sci-fi film of the decade, and even though Matrix Revolutions was not nearly as good, The Matrix Reloaded was undeniably spectacular. Plus, the Matrix Trilogy as a whole has a brilliant story that can be interpreted in countless ways. 

4. The Departed (2006) – This is a pretty hard movie not to love. Great performances, stellar dialogue, and an intriguing premise. Plus, this film has THE most unforgettable ending of any film this decade. This is a perfect crime epic. Plus, it was great to see Martin Scorcese go back to his roots directing mob thrillers. I did not leave the edge of my seat for the entire 2 1/2 hours. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon were perfect foils, while Jack Nicholson was just awesome as the crime boss Frank Costello. I just loved this movie, and its 250+ F-bombs.

3. Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Speaking of Leonardo DiCaprio, he gives another great performance in Catch Me If You Can. This film was just so enjoyable. I was wholly fascinated by the character of Frank Abignale, Jr. I loved the cinematography of the film. All the colors and retro look gave the film the true feeling of the 1960’s. I loved watching the cat and mouse dynamic between the Dicaprio and Tom Hanks characters. Plus, it has one of the best opening credit sequences of the decade.

2. Collateral (2004) – Collateral took me completely by surprise. I was not expecting to love it nearly as much as I did. This film turned me into a huge fan of Michael Mann. I loved the film’s grittiness. I loved the soundtrack. I even loved Tom Cruise. I have always been a fan of Tom Cruise, even after he jumped on Oprah’s couch. But this is my single favorite performance of his. Vincent is one of my favorite big-screen villains, and Cruise makes him so cool. After i saw this movie, I literally wanted to be a professional hitman. The film also has some of the best dialogue of any film I have ever seen. I have seen this film countless times, but I still get chills during some of the conversations between Vincent and Max (played extraordinarily well by Jamie Foxx). 

1. The Dark Knight (2008) – The best superhero movie of the decade, and possibly of all time. This movie is an epic masterpiece. Christopher Nolan’s re-imagining of the Batman franchise is one of the most brilliant thing’s I have ever seen on film. Of course, Heath Leger gives an amazing performance as the Joker, but that is pretty much common knowledge by now. I love how this movie caters so well to the big Batman fans, while at the same time it is a very artistic and cinematic endeavor. I really cannot name a single flaw in the entire film. It is perfect.

Some Enchanted Evening – Season 1, Episode 13

“Some Enchanted Evening” is the finale of the first season of the Simpsons, and in my opinion, it is a pretty good one. The episode focuses on Bart, Lisa and Maggie who end up being babysat by a notorious “babysitter bandit.” This episode was a lot of fun, and in many ways it reminded my of the movie “Home Alone” in how the kids, particularly Bart, caught the bandit through household booby-traps. However, the connection to “Home Alone” had to be unintentional because I found out that this episode aired 6 months before the first “”Home Alone” movie came out. However, this does show that the idea of kids using resourcefulness to escape from perpetrators was a very popular one in 1990.

A lot of the humor in this episode came from the subplot about Marge and Homer’s romantic evening. The relative calm of Marge and Homer’s night work great when juxtaposed to the kid’s more…suspenseful evening.

Penny Marshall plays the role of Ms. Botz a.k.a. the Babysitter Bandit. Marshall makes the character very intimidating and seems to be having fun with it. Also, Ms. Botz is one of the strongest villains I’ve seen on the show as she is purely threatening. Most of the villains later on are a bit more comical. I think what happens later on is that the writers fear that if they have a villain that is too intense or intimidating, without any comical elements, it would drag down the overall humor of the episode. However, they did not show that hesitation here, and I think the episode is all the better for that. I say go ahead. Tie up the kids. The baby too. Villains are supposed to be hated, and I like that the writers embraced that notion with this character.

I also liked how this episode pokes fun of other shows, especially America’s Most Wanted. The kids first learn that their babysitter is the bandit when they see it on America’s Most Armed and Dangerous, a clear take-off of America’s Most Wanted. The clip from the show copies the grainy black and white imagery with the hard-hitting music from America’s Most Wanted, and does a pretty good job at it too. America’s Most Wanted was probably a much bigger show at this time, but I still remember watching it when I was younger, and they captured the mood of it pretty well.

My rating: 4.5/5 – Very fun episode. The humor overall is average, but the story compensates. I liked how the episodes in the first season focus on storytelling more than the humor. I think that is where the focus should be.

Krusty Gets Busted – Season 1, Episode 12

“Krusty Gets Busted” is the episode that finally establishes the character Sideshow Bob as one of the series villains. In the episode, Krusty the Clown gets framed for robbing the Kwik-E-Mart. This leads Bart and Lisa on an investigation to try to uncover the actual culprit. I already knew from later seasons that Sideshow Bob, who was working on Krusty’s show at the time, is a villain. So, this was a pretty good indication that he was behind everything. Of course, I was right, so there was little room for surprise. However, I still enjoyed the ride.

This episode was very well constructed, and I would have loved to watch it without guessing the ending at the beginning. I liked how this whole mystery was put together and I liked the trail of clues that Bart and Lisa follow. For instance, Bart and Lisa deduce that the robber cannot be Krusty because the robber is caught on a security camera reading a magazine, and Krusty is illiterate.

I also thought the pre-evil Sideshow Bob is pretty funny. After Bob inherits the show after Krusty’s arrest, he turns it into an upscale educational/talk show. I thought that using such a high-brow approach to appeal to kids was very funny. But I also thought this episode had one of the funniest lines of the season. Before his arrest, when Krusty opens his show, he says:

Krusty: Hey kids! Who do you love?
Kids (in audience): Krusty!
Krusty: How much do you love me?
Kids: With all our hearts!
Krusty: What would you do if I went off the air?
Kids: We’d kill ourselves!

I thought this was hilarious. I have seen a fair amount of kid shows because I sit through them with my 7-year-old sister. But this was the best opening to any kids show I’ve ever heard.

I think this was one of the strongest episodes of the season. The humor was strong. But what I really liked was how I already guessed the ending, and I still had a good time watching Bart and Lisa figure it out.

My rating: 4.5/5 – A funny episode with a good story that I enjoyed following, even though I already figured out the end.

The Crepes of Wrath – Season 1, Episode 11

“The Crepes of Wrath” was another strong episode that had many laugh-out-loud moments. Unlike the previous episodes, the focus of “The Crepes of Wrath” is not on Homer and Marge’s marital problems, but rather Bart’s behavioral problems. In the episode, Bart is sent to France as part of a foreign exchange program as a punishment for his mischievous behavior (which I will get too later). In France, Bart essentially becomes a slave to two french winemakers who mistreat him, force him to do hard labor, and make him drink anti-freeze.

The highlight of the episode is by far the act that gets Bart into all this trouble. He places a cherry bomb in a toilet in the girl’s bathroom, and it explodes while Principal Skinner’s mother is on it. I would actually go so far as to say that this was one of the highlights of the season so far.

In exchange for Bart, the Simpsons get a young boy named Adil, who is smart, kind, helps around the house, and is actually and Albanian spy. I think I enjoyed this subplot a lot more than Bart’s story. I didn’t find the constant mistreatment of Bart to be all that funny. However, I loved the idea of how the Simpson family, particularly Homer, is completely oblivious to Adil’s hidden agenda. Adil’s mission is to retrieve blueprints of the reactor of the Springfield power plant, which becomes incredibly easy once Homer gladly agrees to give Adil a tour. I know that this episode aired 11 1/2 years before 9/11, so I am sure that security at nuclear plants have been beefed up since this episode, but it seems like the writers are trying to make a point that the security of our nuclear plants is not strong enough.

I thought Bart’s plot line was well told, even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as the Homer/Adil plot line. The episode did not take a particularly hostile stance toward the French in general. Just the two winemakers, who were very strong and unlikable villains, as villains should be.

My rating: 4/5 – A funny and engaging episode that had some very funny moments. I’m finding the episodes this season to be much more story-driven whereas the episodes in later seasons are more humor-driven. For me, I’d say the formula is working.

Homer’s Night Out – Season 1, Episode 10

“Homer’s Night Out” is the second episode in a row that focuses on Homer and Marge’s domestic issues. In this episode, Marge throws Homer out of the house after seeing a picture of Homer dancing with a stripper at a co-worker’s bachelor party. The picture was taken by Bart who was snooping around with his new spy camera. After Bart develops the picture, copies of the picture spread all throughout the town, causing Homer to become the laughing stock of Springfield. I thought this was interesting because this episode aired before the internet became very popular, yet people still had practical ways of spreading things virally.

The episode had many funny one-liners as many of these episodes do. It also had some very funny bigger moments as well. I found that the highlight of the episode was at the end when Homer is hanging from the aforementioned stripper’s cage in the middle of an act, trying to apologize in order to make a good impression on Bart. I also thought the idea of having Homer drag 10-year-old Bart around to countless strip clubs in order to find the stripper in the photograph was very funny. However, I do think that Marge overreacted to the picture. I don’t know if the moral standards of 1990 are that much different from those of today, but I don’t think seeing your husband simply dancing with a stripper at a BACHELOR PARTY, is that big a deal. Maybe I just think this because I am a male, but I found that a bit too over the top. This is especially troublesome because this becomes the impetus for much of the drama of the episode.

Later, Marge says she was only angry because Homer was setting a bad example for Bart. Okay, that may be a bit of a better reason, but I still think Marge’s reaction was a bit too fierce. However, Homer’s stay with his friend Barney during Homer’s exile did lead to some funny one-liners.

I like that the show is starting to become a little more risque. I think the show is at a point where the humor is getting stronger, but the story development is remaining strong.

My rating: 4/5 – An enjoyable and funny episode, even though I thought Marge’s reaction was too strong. I like the direction that the show is headed.

Life on the Fast Lane – Season 1, Episode 9

“Life on the Fast Lane” was an interesting episode because it was the first one so far that has Marge as the central character. In the episode, Marge meets a bowling instructor who becomes infatuated with her after she decides to take up bowling. She then contemplates having an affair. I thought this was episode was particularly strong story-wise and also had many funny moments, even though I wouldn’t call it the funniest episode of the season.

The impetus for the episode is when Homer impulsively buys Marge a bowling ball as a last minute birthday present. I think the idea of Homer buying Marge a bowling ball in itself is hilarious, and also highlights Homer’s selfish nature. I also thought this episode did a great job handling the awkward tension between Homer and Marge throughout the episode. Homer suspects something is wrong but is too scared to say anything about it. The episode does a great job showing the stress on their relationship, but it doesn’t drag down the humor of the episode.

I was also very surprised to learn that the bowling instructor, Jacques, was voiced by Albert Brooks. It didn’t sound anything like Albert Brooks. Plus, I didn’t know Albert Brooks can pull off such a convincing French accent. Jacques was a very interesting character because of how unlikable he is because of his attempts to seduce Marge. However, at the same time, he is also likable because of his charm and his funnier moments.

I thought the strongest part in the episode was the ending when Marge chooses to visit Homer rather than pursue an affair with Jacques. It was a feel-good ending with good music that was corny, yet fun to watch nonetheless. I think it is one of the most feel-good moments of the season so far.

My ranking: 4/5 – This was a well done episode. It had good character development, a strong story, and a great ending. Even though it’s not the funniest episode so far, I think the other story elements compensate to make this episode one of the strongest of the season.

The Telltale Head – Season 1, Episode 8

Like “Bart the General,” “The Telltale Head” is another episode that displays Bart’s vulnerability. The episode follows Bart as he suffers the consequences for decapitating a beloved springfield statue of the town’s founder Jebediah Springfield. The first thing I noticed was that this is the only episode so far to have the name of the episode in a subtitle at the beginning. This episode also plays with story structure as the episode begins at the end and then flashes back to the beginning. While this is not a very original structure twist today, it may have been a much more original idea when this episode first aired in 1990.

I can certainly say that this season has shown off the softer side of Bart. In recent episodes, he pulls pranks with little or no remorse. In this episode, after he cuts off the statue’s head, he acts completely guilt-ridden throughout the rest of the episode.

I always like when the show makes movie references. This episode referenced The Godfather, when Bart wakes up with Jebediah’s head in his sheets. I liked the overall humor in the episode. However, I did not like some of the cheesier moments, especially the end. When Bart puts the head back on the statue, he apologizes to which the statue responds “No problem.” So far, this season has had trouble nailing down happy endings without going overboard on the cheesiness.

The episode title and much of the episode itself is a reference to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Bart’s guilt over his crime, and his daydreams of the head talking to him mirror the story directly. I thought all of that was very well done.

My rating: 3.5/5 – The episode was a bit average. It’s nice to see that Bart has a softer side, but it is being played out very quickly. I enjoyed the various references, but the ending was too cheesy.

The Call of the Simpsons – Season 1, Episode 7

I found “The Call of the Simpsons” to be one of the funniest episodes of the season so far. It is right up there with “There’s No Disgrace Like Home.” The episode follows the Simpsons family as they get stranded in the jungle after buying a dilapidated RV. As the season is progressing, I can see that the humor is getting sharper and wittier as the characters become more defined. Homer is probably at his dumbest in this episode as we see his pathetic survival skills.

This episode also develops the rivalry between Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders, as the only reason Homer buys the RV in the first place is because Flanders did first. This also highlights Homer’s jealous nature.

I found the episode had several highlights. One of the major highlights is Homer’s attempt to catch a wild rabbit in his poorly conceived trap, and ends up flinging it to the other side of the forest. I also thought the subplot about Maggie getting adopted by a family of bears was funny.

I also enjoyed how the end of the episode poked fun at the media. Homer gets mistaken for Bigfoot after being spotted by a photographer while Homer is covered in mud and was just stung by many bees in the mouth. The media runs with the story, especially after Marge admits that she is married to the “beast.” It’s funny how the idea of the media circus has not changed much since this episode aired in 1990, and that the media will believe anything if it will make a good story.

My rating: 4/5 – This is one of the purely funniest episodes of season 1 so far. The characters and relationships are beginning to get more defined, and the humor is getting sharper. Overall, I found the episode to be very enjoyable.

Moaning Lisa – Season 1, Episode 6

In “Moaning Lisa,” we get to see the origins of Lisa’s passion for the saxophone. We also get another episode where another character mopes around for the entire episode. In “Homer’s Odyssey,” we follow Homer through his depression brought on by his sudden unemployment. Here, Lisa falls into a depression for some reason. It is never really fully explained.

The episode basically deals with Lisa’s sudden depression and how it affects her at school and at home. There is also a subplot dealing with Homer and his attempts to beat Bart at a boxing video game. The subplot provides most of the comedic moments as it simply is not fun to watch characters, in this case Lisa, mope around for the duration of the episode.

One thing I noticed was how far video games have come since the original airing of this episode (February 11, 1990). Bart’s boxing game is primitive compared to the games we have today. Homer and Bart play the game with a joystick, and the screen graphics are low resolution with cheesy sound effects. Now, with the PS3s and the XBox360s, and the Wiis, it is clear technology has come a long way.

This episode also introduces Lisa’s mentor, Bleeding Gums Murphy. I already know that he dies in a later episode, but it was nice seeing his origins. His introduction also led to what I think is the funniest line in the episode. When Marge sees Lisa with BGM, she pulls her away and tells BGM “it’s nothing personal. I just fear the unknown.” I love how this show says things that a lot of people only think or are too scared to say. I think many people can relate to that line, including myself.

Despite funny moments, the episode has problems. The biggest one is that I never felt the cause of Lisa’s sadness is really explained in great enough detail. It also ends so suddenly, and for no apparent reason. That just seemed too easy. The show seems like it’s still trying to find its sense of humor, and it is starting to look like they’re heading in the right direction.

My rating 2.5/5 – While I like the direction the humor is going, this is not one of the funnier episodes that I have seen so far. I also found the ending a little to sudden and easy. There is no tight resolution. It just ends.

Bart the Genral – Season 1, Episode 5

“Bart the General” is not as funny as the previous episode, but I still found it to be pretty enjoyable. The episode centers around Bart, who tries to take revenge Nelson, a school bully. I enjoyed how the episode portrayed this small scale schoolyard fight in the style of a large scale war movie. I especially enjoyed all of the references to war movies that the episode makes. Their take on the marching sequence from Full Metal Jacket was particularly funny. Plus, I liked how the Bart-Nelson conflict ended with an armistice. I thought the whole war satire was very well done, and was my favorite aspect of the episode.

The episode aired on February 4, 1990, just two and a half years after the release of Full Metal Jacket, so I would guess the references would be a lot fresher in the audience’s mind at the time of the airing. It has been several years since I have last seen it so I am sure there are references to the film that I have missed.

This episode also marks the first appearance of Nelson Muntz, who becomes a recurring character later on. Out of all the episodes that I have seen him in, this is the only one where Nelson is actually portrayed as the villain. However, this was a good way for the show to develop his intimidating personality.

My rating: 3.5/5 – I found this episode very enjoyable. It has an accessible story, and continues to set up the characters very well. Bart displays more vulnerability here than any other episode I have seen him in. I also thought the war satire was very well done.