25 Films of the decade 2000-2009 (English)

It is that time of the year, (actually its way past that time) when you sit down and list your favourite films of the previous year/decade. In this case, it is the decade 2000-2009. Now I am absolutely aware of the problems associated with preparing these lists.

1) Firstly, there are still so many great films of the last decade that I haven’t seen.

2) I have so many favourite films, there are so many films I absolutely adore, it is very difficult to fit all of them in a list. I initially started with 20, then had to expand it to 25, but can actually go up to 100. I also am worried about the good films that my mind probably skipped when preparing this list.

3) Since the majority of the films I watch are usually in English, I will variably miss out on many great non English films. As a result, I will write up another list of 25 films, the category being non English films.

4) Often I need to see a movie at least twice, sometimes even more to really enjoy it and make up my mind about it. I also need a minimum gap of 1 year before I can look back at it again and see if my perception of the film has diminished a little bit. As a result, I have not included any film from the year 2009 simply because it is just too early to put them in decade list although there have been some awesome films made in 2009.

Taking all these into consideration, I have managed to list 25 notable films of the last decade consisting of American, British and Australian films. I do not understand the nuances and technicalities of filmmaking. The one and only criteria is that they are my favourite films.

The films are in alphabetical order and not in order of preference.

1) 21 Grams (2003)

Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Written by: Guillermo Arriaga

This is Innaritu’s second film, and first film in English. He carries on with his non linear story telling technique. The film is about three principal characters – Paul Rivers an ailing mathematician love-lessly married to an English émigré, Christina Peck, an upper-middle-class suburban housewife, happily married and mother of two little girls, and Jack Jordan, an ex-convict who has found in his Christian faith the strength to raise a family. They are all brought together by a terrible accident that will change their lives. This is one of those “slice of life” films. By the final frame, none of them will be the same as they will learn harsh truths about love, faith, courage, desire and guilt, and how chance can change our worlds irretrievably, forever. The film ends with a haunting soliloquy about the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.

2) Adaptation (2002)

Directed by: Spike Jonze

Written by: Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman, Susan Orlean

The opening soliloquy itself would have placed it in my top 25 list. It is the kind of start that establishes a strong place for the character immediately. You just started the movie and before you know it, you are totally engaged, slowly getting to know the main protagonist Charlie Kaufman, and wanting to know more of him. An ideal start for a wacky, crazy and absolutely incredible story about a Hollywood writer trying to adapt the best selling book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean. Chris Cooper bagged an Oscar for an unforgettable performance as John Laroche but performances from Nicholas Cage (in a double role) and Meryl Streep are of the highest class too.

3) A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints (2006)

Directed by: Dito Montiel

Written by: Dito Montiel

I first got a look of this film when it was the topic of discussion at the Stratton and Martha show. There was something about it, the pulled me to it. I immediately did a google search on Dito Montiel and the film. What I read immediately placed this film on my “must watch” list.

It is based on a memoir of the same name written by the protagonist Dito. It is a coming of age story of a young boy with big dreams and ambitions growing up in the bronx. One of my friends once described it as a “slice of life” and I don’t think there can be a better description for this film. The non linear narrative gives you a look at both the young and older Dito simultaneously. This works brilliantly for the film as it instantly intrigues us, we want to know more, we want to know how Shia Lebouf (younger Dito) became Robert Downey jr (older Dito). Apart from the sensitive direction, Montiel also manages to extract top performances from Chazz Palminteri, Channing Tatoum, Robert Downey Jr, Rosario Dawson, and Shia Lebouf, whose sincere performance holds this film together.

4) Babel (2006)

Directed by: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Written by: Guillermo Arriaga

4 interlocking stories all connected by a single gun all converge at the end and reveal a complex and tragic story of the lives of humanity around the world and how we truly aren't all that different. In Morocco, a troubled married couple are on vacation trying to work out their differences. Meanwhile, a Moroccan herder buys a rifle for his sons so they can keep the jackals away from his herd. A girl in Japan dealing with rejection, the death of her mother, the emotional distance of her father, her own self-consciousness, and a disability among many other issues, deals with modern life in the enormous metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. Then, on the opposite side of the world the married couple's Mexican nanny takes the couple's 2 children with her to her son's wedding in Mexico, only to come into trouble on the return trip.

Innaritu and Arriaga collaborate on their third and perhaps most ambitious film with a tagline “If you want to be understood, listen.” Like their previous two films, there are multiple characters, various subplots narrated in a non linear structure.

“England and America are two countries separated by a common language.” said the great George Bernard Shaw. Imagine the chaos, complication, isolation when nations and peoples are separated not only by languages but by cultures, values, perceptions, religions etc.

The film has some heart wrenching moments but in the end Innaritu manages to make an important point, the more different people are in terms of race, language, religion, the more we are connected by a common thread. This is how coincidence films should be made.

I have seen it twice now, and felt enriched each time at the end of it.

5) Batman Begins (2005)

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Written By: David S. Goyle, Christopher Nolan

As a child, my preferred hero was always Batman. Till this day, I have not been able to figure out exactly why I picked Batman over Spiderman and Superman. Maybe it was the colour black which happens to be my favourite colour, or the fact that it was aired on television at just the right time for me to watch. Needless to say, when Tim Burton’s Batman films came out, I was gifted with VHS copies of those films. Then, I grew up. I did not like Sam Raimi’s Spiderman (2002) and told myself that I had outgrown comic book heroes. This is precisely why, I will be forever thankful to Christopher Nolan, for reinventing and redefining Batman for me so and not allowing me to outgrow my favourite superhero. I have seen this film so many times now, each scene is etched in my memory, each dialogue, each movement. Add to that Liam Neeson’s voiceover with dialogues like “You have learnt to bury your guilt with anger, I will teach to you to confront it and to face the truth. You know how to fight 6 men, I will teach you to engage 600. You know how to disappear, I can teach you to become truly disappear.” If God ever came on earth, he would sound like Liam Neeson. If all that wasn’t enough to make this super hero film absolutely great, Nolan throws in the element of moral ambiguity with lines like “The first time I stole so that I wouldn’t starve, I lost many assumptions about the simple nature of right and wrong".” Batman Begins is an instant classic.

6) Before Sunset (2004)

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Written By: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke

Very seldom, we encounter films where the screenplay and performances by the actors draw us so deep into the film, make us sit with the characters and be a part of their lives, listen to their conversations, laugh with them, cry with them, hope with them, despair with them. Very rare. Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and July Delpy achieve this rare feat twice with this second part of their eternal and absolutely magnificent love fable about two soul mates. When a film has this sort of effect on me, I am often unable to find words that encapsulate my thoughts and feelings. This film is no different and all I can say to sum up my thoughts is, that after finishing the film, I was ready to start all over again, just to be with Jesse and Celine and enjoy their rendezvous.

7) Cinderella Man (2005)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Written by: Cliff Hollingsworth, Akiva Goldsman

Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man is the inspiring tale of washed up boxer Jim Braddock who came from nowhere to become a Champion. It is the ultimate story of the triumph of the underdog and strikes at the right chords to emotionally connect with the viewer. I am aware of a few reservations people had about the portrayal of Braddock’s opponent Max Baer. I am not too familiar with the boxing scene hence cannot comment on that. But as a film, Cinderella Man gets it right and boasts of a towering performance by Crowe.

8) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Written by: Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is yet another crazy brainchild of Charlie Kaufman. In the film self-referential film Adaptation, Charlie’s producer tells him after watching his Being John Malkovich that she would love a portal into his brain. Well this is the first Kaufman written film I saw and I had the same response..I wanted a portal into Kaufman’s brain, because I was just so awestruck by what I saw. Jim Carrery delivers his career best performance as Joel Barish and is ably supported by Kate Winslet as Clementine. I think directors (Michel Gondry and Spike Jonze) of films written by Kaufman deserve a lot of credit for making it all comprehensible and not isolating the audience which is easy to do considering Kaufman’s uncanny ability to write bizarre stories.

9) In Bruges (2008)

Directed by: Martin McDonagh

Written by: Martin McDonagh

In Bruges sees the arrival with a bang of British film director Martin McDonagh. As a member of my local cinema, I was given a free pass to this indie film as a way to promote it. I went, not knowing what to expect. However, what I got in the next 2 hours or so was astonishing, original and enthralling. McDonagh establishes himself as one of the most talented writers in the category of Tarantino, Shane Black, Guy Ritchie. His ability to mix humour with emotion is truly beautiful and places the viewer in the magical position – where he understands each character’s perspective, yet is unable to pick between them. In Bruges features top rate performances from Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes (who does a Ben Kingsley from Sexy Beast) and is considered a cult classic today.

10) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Directed by: Shane Black

Written by: Shane BlackKiss Kiss Bang Bang is the film that totally revived Robert Downey Jr’s career. It is the directorial debut of Hollywood screenwriter Shane Black (Lethal Weapon films) and is an underrated gem. Black’s displays his mastery as a writer with the ease with which he combines genres (humour, action, film noir) and ensures a thrilling ride for the audience. A must watch.

11) Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Directed by: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Written by: Michael Arndt

I was first told about this film by a friend whose recommendations I don’t usually take seriously. The title evoked a typical ‘film snob’ response from me - “I don't watch those kinds of films” He persisted and since he always took my recommendations seriously, I decided to give it a go with low expectations. Instead, by the time the first 10 minutes were over and I had been introduced to each of the 6 characters, I had already fallen in love with the film. This is a little gem of a movie that instantly makes its way into your heart. It was highly acclaimed when it came in 2006 and it deserved each of those accolades including the Oscar for Best Screenplay.

12) Memento (2000)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Written by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

Memento is perhaps one of the most important films of the last decade. With its unusual backward narration, Memento revolutionises the concept of non linear narration. The film right established Christopher Nolan as an A-grade film director and set a high benchmark which only Nolan himself can adhere to. The film is about a man who suffers from short term memory loss after an accident. Now this man is hell bent on finding the killers of his wife, so he uses notes, photographs and tattoos to hunt them. In order to draw the viewer into the film, Nolan’s extraordinary narrative style makes the viewer feel as dazed and disoriented as the protagonist Leonard. If that was not enough, the film is multi-layered, thus having various interpretations of the ending and message boards and forums dedicated to debating them. What an achievement!

13) Primer (2004)

Directed by: Shane Carruth

Written by: Shane Carruth

Primer is an extraordinary story of two friends who after various trials and errors come up with a machine that allows them to time travel. I am not going to say anything else, nor do I want you to know anything else or read anything else about it. Just watch the film and let it mesmerise you like it mesmerised me. The film might take repeated viewings to really seep into your mind.

The concept of the film is absolutely incredible but what is extraordinary is the fact that Shane Carruth pulled it off on such a tight budget. Unfortunately the Michael Bays and James Camerons of the world have all the money and technology available to them but neither do they have a good story nor a special vision. Shane Carruth proves with Primer that all you need is clarity of vision, perseverance and determination to make a great film.

14) Requiem For a Dream (2000)

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Written by: Hubert Selby Jr, Darren Aronofsky

If I had a gun held to my head and had to pick one film from these 25 films, and this happened 5 times, Requiem For a Dream would probably be my pick twice out of those 5 times.

Like I usually do, I started watching this film without reading too much about it. All I knew was that this was a highly acclaimed film and established Aronofsky as one of the frontline directors of his generation along with Christopher Nolan.

During the next 1 hour 40 minutes or so, I was shocked, disturbed, challenged, moved and emotionally drained at the end of it. Various scenes from the film simply stayed with me, and I couldn’t forget them even if I wanted to. From nowhere I would see the scene of Jennifer Connelly lying on her side on the couch, with a satisfied smile on her face, a reflection of fulfilled craving or the hospital scene of Ellen Burstyn when her friends come to visit her in the end.

The music by Clint Mansell is haunting and helps tremendously in creating the right atmosphere. Aronofsky also uses various innovative visual styles and establishes himself as an extremely talented director.

15) Road To Perdition (2002)

Directed by: Sam Mendes

Written by: Max Allen Collins, Richard Piers Rayner and David Self

“Sometimes there's so much beauty in Sam Mendes’ films, I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in.”

Sam Mendes is one of my most favourite directors of his generation. I have loved each of his films till now but Road To Perdition is perhaps my favourite Mendes film. I used the famous quote from American Beauty and changed it a bit because that is the best way I can sum up my thoughts.

Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure. However after his son is witness to a killing he has done Mike Sullivan finds him self on the run trying to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him. This is the plot according to IMDB. On paper it sounds very simple and that is where the beauty of the film lies because the film is so multi-layered. It is about loyalties, redemption, father-son relationships and much more. I don't want to ruin it by highlighting all the subtexts. Its for you to find out.

16) Sexy Beast (2000)

Directed by: Jonathan Glazer

Written by: Louis Mellis and David Scinto

There is hardly a guy who loves movies and does not like British Gangster movies. They are just a different class altogether. Sexy Beast has one of the most simple and unoriginal premises. Gal is a retired gangster after serving time, and now lives quietly in Spain. He is soon joined by his old friend and boss Don Logan who wants him to do this one last big job in London. Gal does not want to but Don Logan won’t take no for an answer. What ensues next is a story of battle of wits and will power told in the most innovate way. Ben Kingsley delivers and unforgettable performance as Don Logan who will go down as one of the most powerful characters. Writers Louis Melli and David Scinto come up with one memorable line after another and they are all written for Don Logan. Slick editing and tight direction ensure a thrilling ride.

17) Snatch (2000)

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Written by: Guy Ritchie

Lots of characters (mainly set in the British underworld), kick ass dialogues, hilarious and crazy situations and London are the ingredients of a kick ass Guy Richie movie, and in other words, everything a guy looks for in an entertaining film. Snatch is hilarious, entertaining, thrilling and then some. I have watched it many times and not once does it get boring. Performances are fantastic and Brad Pitt as a gypsy bare knuckle boxing champion is unforgettable.

18) Syriana (2005)

Directed by: Stephen Gaghan

Written by: Stephen Gaghan, Robert Baer

In 2006, I happened to come across this film with the tagline “Everything is connected”. The synopsis at the back seemed interesting. Syriana is directed by writer Stephen Gaghan of Traffic fame and like Traffic has multiple storylines intricately connected. Syriana is an intense, politically charged, taut thriller that entertains and enlightens. I had to watch it 3-4 times to fully digest everything, such is the depth of this film. A must watch for those into current affairs, global politics and economy and terrorism.

19) The Assassination of Jesse James by Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Directed by: Andrew Dominik

Written by: Andrew Dominik, Ron Hansen

Andrew Dominik’s take on 18th century American outlaw Jesse James and his murder in bizarre circumstances by Robert Ford is one of the most beautifully picturised films of the last decade. The film is yet another addition to the western genre in Hollywood yet its enthralling beauty and poetic narrative establishes it as a supreme piece of art. Casey Affleck comes out with an incredible performance Brad Pitt underplays well to support him. The cinematography by Roger Deakins is breathtaking and deserved an Oscar.

20) The Machinist (2004)

Directed by: Brad Anderson

Written by: Scott Kosar

An exciting, stylishly made, taut thriller that shocks, awes, enthrals and culminates into a powerful ending. Christian Bale delivers the performance of his career He lost about 60 pounds for this film by living on a can of tuna and an apple a day. You have to watch the film to see the effect. It has all the ingredients of a riveting thriller, along the lines of a Memento or any Hitchcock thriller.

21) The Proposition (2005)

Directed by: John Hillcoat

Written by: Nick Cave

Cinema is an amalgamation of various art forms – acting, music, writing, cinematography to name a few. A director’s job is to combine everything according his particular vision to create an overall effect. When each of those artists/technicians involved gets it right and the director is able to channelize it towards its intended purpose, the result would probably look like The Proposition. The film takes us to 19th century rural Australia and provides us with a view of a chaotic,violent, brutal and dark world where it is a struggle to hold on to some basic element of humanity. It is a landmark film in Australian cinema and an instant classic.

John Hurt is absolutely unforgettable in one of the most powerful cameos in cinema, but performances from Ray Winstone and Guy Pearce are first rate too.

This is an experience not to be missed. There is this scene early in the film when Ray Winstone character lays down the proposition to Guy Pearce's character. It is in voiceover while we are presented a view of rural Australia in all its brutal and ruthless glory.

"I wish to present you with a proposition. I know where Arthur Burns is. It is a God-forsaken place. The blacks won't go there, not the tracks; not even wild men. I suppose, in time, the bounty hunters will get him. But I have other plans, I aim to bring him down - I aim to show that he's a man like any other. I aim to hurt him. And what will most hurt him? Well I thought long and hard about that, and I've realized Mr. Burns, that I must become more inventive in my methods. But those be my words listen to me now, *don't* say a word. Now suppose I told there was a way to save your little brother Mikey from the noose. Suppose I gave you a horse, and a gun. Suppose Mr. Burns, I was to give you and your young brother Mikey here a pardon. Suppose I said that I could give you a chance to expunge the guilt, beneath which you so clearly labor. Suppose I gave you 'til Christmas. Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you. "

Its one of those powerful moments only cinema can create.

22) The Three Burials or Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Directed by: Tommy Lee Jones

Written by: Guillermo Arriaga

Mexican cowboy Melquiades Estrada is mistakenly killed by a Border Patrolman Mike Norton who quickly buries him in the desert. Estrada happened to be a close friend of ranch foreman Pete Perkins and had made a heartfelt request that in the even of his death, Pete should make sure his body is buried in his home town in Mexico. So Pete takes it upon himself to find the body, and take it back to Mexico and at the same time ensure Mike Norton gets his comeuppance.

The narrative is non linear like most films written by Arriaga and that is what makes it so interesting. Being a huge fan of Arriaga’s stories and non linear structures, I was always going to love the film. The film also boasts of excellent performances and beautiful background score. The magnificent visuals help highlight the sad reality of Mexican immigrants and the situation on the US-Mexico border.

23) Traffic (2000)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Written by: Simon Moore, Stephen Gaghan

Traffic is a multi starrer film with multiple storylines all intricately connected. It is a an intelligent and enthralling thriller about drug trafficking in America and provides us with characters and sub plots from various levels, starting from a judge spearheading the war on drugs all the way down to his teenage daughter who becomes a victim. The film does not attempt to preach or provide solutions but highlights a very important issue and does so in a very entertaining manner. Steven Soderbergh deservedly won his best Director Oscar and this is the film that made me a Benicio Del Toro fan overnight.

24) The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006)

Directed: by Ken Loach

Written by: Paul Laverty

Ken Loach’s masterful film on the IRA and the British occupation of Ireland won the Cannes Golden Palm in 2006. It is about two brothers, Damien and Teddy during the early days of the IRA in 1920. Teddy is enlisted with the IRA and is a strong, brave and stubborn character. He has dedicated his whole life to a higher cause – the liberation and freedom of Ireland. Damien, the younger, more educated and practical brother is a doctor about to move to London and work in a hospital there. But an incident involving his childhood friend being beaten to death in front of his mother by British soldiers changes his mind and he decides to join his brother to fight against the imperialist British empire. As the brothers Damien and Teddy get more and more involved with IRA, they grow as characters and Teddy becomes more practical and Damien becomes more idealistic.

This is where Ken Loach takes the film to a higher level, by not only providing a commentary on the proceedings of the war between IRA and Britain but also providing us with a human tale, about relationships, brotherhood, loyalties, ideologies, clash of ideologies, the thin and blurred line between realism and idealism, the contradictions inherent in socialism and capitalism, and what it really means to stand for something.

There are various sequences in the film that leave the viewer as confused and unsure as the two main protagonists, about which path to take, whether to compromise towards the objective or compromise on the objective. It reflects the problems associated with an armed struggle, colonialism, challenges of post colonialism.

There is a sequence where Damien writes a letter to his beloved and the lines of that letter will stay with me forever and sums up the film in my view.

“I tried not to get into this war, and did. Now I try to get out, and can’t. Dan once told me something I have struggled with all this time. He said it is easy to know what you’re against, quite another to know what you are for.”

The film in my view is a tad underrated and I was a bit disappointed it did not bag many nominations at the Academy awards

25) Zodiac (2007)

Directed by: David Fincher

Written by: James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith

David Fincher had earlier established himself as a master storyteller especially in the genre of crime and thriller with films like Seven, The Game and the cult classic Fight Club. So when he takes on a serial killer story, which also happens to be a true story, the end result is a completely spellbinding ride. You are glued right from the first scene and as Fincher unravels layer after layer, it only gets better like a delicious cake. Performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr are first rate too.

Honourable Mentions:

28 Days Later (2002)

Bread and Roses (2000)

Good Night and Good Luck (2005)

Hotel Rwanda (2004)

Kill Bill Vol 1&2 (2003 and 2004)

Narc (2002)

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Visitor (2008)

There Will Be Blood (2007)