The Top 20 Movies of The Decade (2000-2009)

20. The Day After Tomorrow

  One of the year’s most exciting disaster movies of all time. Coming out at the start of the summer films for 2004, The Day After Tomorrow had a gross of $544, 272, 402 worldwide on May 28th, 2004. It had great opening memorial day weekend, where many fans including myself sold out theaters to see what would it be like if Global Warming had start occurring, with New York City being one of its biggest targets. The Day After Tomorrow was an interesting story in especially its plot between the relationship between father and son played by Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal. Dennis Quaid,  a government climatologist, goes out investigating signs of a another possible ice age where there are climate disasters being faced on other parts of the world.  Jake Gyllenhaal is stuck in New York City along with his friends, where they remain inside a public library until the storm has passed. Finally Dennis Quaid as Jack, is able to find his son, Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), knowing he has survived the storm, where the rest of the world is able to understand how this natural disaster has been a learning lesson for the future. I felt this movie had great special effects, and i felt i got my money’s worth when it really delivered on an exciting ride of nothing but an adrenaline feeling to make the viewers feel they were right there in that situation. This movie may have not garnered many fans but it has been a cult classic of famous natural disaster films. I think compared to Director Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day and 2012, The Day After Tomorrow has kept viewers interesting and on the edge of their seats for more exciting story telling.

19. Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

 The Pirates of The Caribbean franchise has been huge this past decade where several fans have made this franchise the top grossing trilogy along with other successful films. This Movie has made pirate adventure seem fun for all audiences especially with the likes of a new favorable character of Captain Jack Sparrow played Johnny Depp. Alongside other notably stars like Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, and Geoffrey Rush they have made the Pirate films very entertaining and always making the top grossing lists of every summer and film lists. We the success of sequels, The Curse of the Black Pearl has to make this list for being the one that started it all, allowing a simple Disney theme park ride to evolve into another great idea for famous producer, Jerry Bruckheimer. Johnny Depp’s performance definitely steals the show in this movie, with his humor, smart wits, and cunning personality he has made this one of his most memorable performances for the past decade.  Many people have developed this as the new cult following of wearing an eyepatch and having a parrot on your shoulder, this will make the old millenium memorable, especially since the Pirate franchise will continue with a fourth installment coming in Summer of 2011. Until  then Pirates of the Caribbean still holds strong for further years to come.

18. 300

  This is by far Frank Miller’s Best Graphic Novel turned into a feature Film, where it’s nothing but a historical war scene brought to you up close and in person. This movie was so intense that it really makes understand how aggressive it was for a Spartan Soldier to be trained as a young boy leaving home to become a Man with a whole new outlook on War. Gerald Butler’s Best performance til this day, where his portrayal of King Leonidas comes to life with a kick in the chest that has us falling with amazement to an endless pit. What made this movie so well was not only the intense fight scenes and special effects to show a dark new world of epic war battles, but the story that goes along with it. The promotion was by far the best for any spring time movie which came out in early March of 2007. I just remembered what drew me most into this movie where the memorable quotes of King Leonidas, which goes to show how committed these spartan soldiers were to be dominant and the absolute best of all mankind. This is the kind of movie that shows you how to build character and how a small army like 300 could go against the odds in facing 3 million without fear. This movie helps people prove the point in which it’s not the size of your army but it’s the size of your heart in the fight. Where the littlest guy can stand up to the toughest dog in the yard.

17. Finding Nemo

 One of Pixar’s Most fun-filled family animation comedies after following the successes of other great Pixar films like Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Monster’s Inc. Finding Nemo was a great journey to have your two fishes, father and son, be separated from one another to be reunited together in the end. This film garnered so many well positive reviews that it grossed over 860,000,000 worldwide coming after the top grossing movie of 2003, tHe Return of the King, with Finding Nemo winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. I really enjoyed the story along with the cast of new characters such as Dory played by Ellen DeGeneres, who was the most forgetful fish to remember in names however was the most memorable character of animation in this past decade. It has brought a whole new style to viewing underwater life along with the ideas of what fish are really thinking in a fish tank in a dentist’s office. Finding Nemo has been a gotten the attention of not just children of all ages but young and mature audiences as well which makes it a fun-filled family movie that has a bot of everything for the whole family.

16. 50 First Dates

  One of this past decade of great films be without two of everyone’s favorite actors, Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, teaming one more time on the big screen. This movie was one of the best romantic comedies of the past decade with a good release date of February  13, 2004 around that Valentine’s Day weekend. Even though the story is to have a theme of amnesia with the character of Lucy Whitmore (Drew Barrymore), still Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore’s chemistry on-screen is very lovable and kid friendly that it goes back to when the two were two together in The Wedding Singer. With this being part of  Happy Madison Productions, Adam Sandler puts his spin on things when we have cameos by his friends Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Dan Aykroyd, Blake Clark, and Allen Covert as Ten Second Tom along with a surprised cameo by Kevin James. we can expect a lot of funny jokes and Sandler’s typical humor along with a new lovable sweet gentle side to established it is also a love story worth telling. This movie well not be forgotten as it makes our list for a great team like Sandler and Barrymore, who also won the MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team in 2004.

15. Iron Man

  To start the Summer of 2008, they had to go with a big explosion and it was a good idea to start with one created by Stark Industries. Iron Man came out in May 2nd of 2008, which was one of the most exciting movies to come out from Marvel Studios in a long time. Director Jon Favreau’s visual and Robert Downey, Jr.’s performance made this the coolest way to approach and view super hero movies. Iron Man had broken the traditional superhero rules and became a new enhanced technological armour that Tony Stark has done with style. Great Reviews by several critics makes this a memorable movie to watch over and over again, where we can’t get enough of Iron Man that more sequels will be coming out including the start of the new Avengers movie set to release out in 2012. Until we shall be thankful for Iron Man coming out this past decade and continue watching Iron Man soar through the sky to be faster than a speeding bullet and avoid planes that are coming towards him. Iron Man makes this list for being the superhero that comes in cool style.

14. Ocean’s Eleven

  All we can see is that Ocean’s Eleven has been one of the best Heist movies of not just this decade but of all time as well. This movie has been a cult following especially due to the great assembled cast of George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Bernie Mac, and Julia Roberts. So many famous names and so many action to go around. Critics love this movie for being fun from start to finish. With this being a remake from 1960, The Rat Pack would be pure proud to see the success that this movie has led with the actor’s careers but as well as the sequels that followed them. This movie really brings your friends together in how to get yourself out of a jam, get back at an old enemy, find a second chance to the one you love, and another way to make some money, which is what it’s all about. Ocean’s Eleven delivers great story telling with a great well thought out plan of how to rob 3 casinos in one night. With George Clooney in the lead we can clearly see he was meant to play a role like Danny Ocean, in charge of ten other criminal masterminds. Ocean’s Eleven keeps going strong through this decade heading into the next one.

13. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

   One of the Best novels to come to life on the big screen, where many have felt it is the best trilogy since Star Wars. The Lord of The Rings trilogy is by far one of the most well-respected films of our generation, where it has top grossed several movie lists and won so many Academy Awards. Director Peter Jackson’s visual are just phenomenal, having to go into preproduction since 2001, to get assemble the greatest cast since The Godfather. With many memorable names, The Lord of The Rings trilogy has made movie cinema very interesting loved by so many, where it has garnered a huge cult following of fans who dress and behave like elves and hobbits. The lord of The Rings definitely knows how to capture the heart of someone to an enchanted new world of hope and adventure. It’s been a huge success that we can’t get enough of it that Peter Jackson is working on two sequels/prequels that will connect the stories of the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings franchise. It was well established during this decade it will continue onto the next one.

12. Superbad

    There are two films that every student should right after leaving their summer vacation and enter their senior year, One is Risky Business and the other is The highest grossing hig school comedy of 2007, Superbad. Superbad is a coming of age story, with the cast of breakout actors Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse who find a way to become cool popular guys by the end of one night with a series of strange events along the way. From Producer Judd Apatow, along with a great screenplay by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who the inspirations of the two protagonists of the movie, made this movie a very fun laughable comedy of our time. It helped remind us of what it was like to be cool, young, and lose your virginity right before you get to college. This movie has so many funny scenes that its not stop along with an important name that will be remembered for centuries to come, McLovin. Superbad is Super funny and will never be forgotten, it makes it’s list of being the greatest coming of age story since stand by me. We all are the underdogs in life so we just want to reach out further to see a whole new world, just like Seth, Evan, and Fogell or McLovin.

11. The 40 Year Old Virgin

   One of the Best Rated R comedies in the past decade, The 40 Year Old Virgin tells the story of a man who hasn’t had sex in the longest time with his friends trying to look out for him to make sure he loses his virginity as soon as possible. It’s done in both a laugh out comedy style of improvised dialogue along with a sweet story of a shy Andy (Steve Carell) and Trish (Catherine Keener), who go through the process of dating before they have sex. This film was by far one of the best comedies that came out during the summer of 2005. It helped launched the careers of breakout stars of today Steve Carell from The Office, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Romany Malco. It definitely helped place Steve Carell along with the other famous comedic performers who star in big budget comedy films. This was a way for Steve Carell to put himself on the map as well as help the start of Judd Apatow productions. With a great screenplay by Carell and Apatow, the 40-year-old Virgin became a successful film that even famous film critics Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper even enjoyed watching this movie, putting it in their top ten list. I felt this movie was done correctly with how a man solves a crises like this where his friends step in to show him a good time, up until a new girl shows up in your life who made actually be the one you have been waiting for this whole time. With the famous waxing of the chest scene, we will be screaming with high laughs for more decades to come as we watch The 40 Year Old Virgin turn into the 41 Year Old Happy Man.

10. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone

 One of the best book franchises of all time, The Harry Potter books having been selling like crazy that Hollywood had to get their hands on it for a screen adaption. I really enjoyed the rise of this franchise, from the start of developing a new world of Hogwarts and wizardry, where nothing is impossible and escape your world to enter a another one. Great Performances from the young talented cast members of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson. This was their total breakthrough in show business and we can expect great things from them. I know i would love to see them continue with their careers and maybe set for higher and extraordinary roles, perhaps get nominated for the Oscar. It’s just fun to watch the story of Harry Potter and his friends go against Voldmont and the other challenges they face as they grow and attend Hogwarts academy. Many kids and parents enjoy this movie making it always on any top grossing list, that it will forever continue to be the best franchises based on children’s books.

9. Slumdog Millionaire

 A great story telling how if we work hard, if we believe hard enough, then all of our dreams are destined to come true. A Great job from Director Danny Boyle with his amazing visual cinematography of shooting in India, to get the real atmosphere of the lives of Jamal Malik and his friends, family, and peers. It really gives a good sense of how Jamal Malik’s quest to appear on the India version of Who wants to be a millionaire? just to make sure he doesn’t win the money, but the ultimate grand prize of true love. great breakthrough performances by Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto, where the couple was so convincing of falling in love that it actually convince them to fall in love in real life. It’s really a true underdog story of how the not so typical average guy wants to be with the girl of his dreams which he has to go along with the obstacles of having a troubling childhood to adulthood. Actually with him being on the india version of who wants to be a millionaire? he becomes successful ni winning because it was based on more than just luck and intelligence. But it’s because he was destined to, where it all works out for the happy couple in the end. Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar for Best Picture at the 2009 Academy Awards, With great success, comes great recognition.Thats why it makes our list of the greatest movies of the past decade. Especially with the theme of going after anything that your heart desires, making all dreams worth living.

8. Kill Bill Vol. 1

 If were talking about the greatest movies of this past decade from 2000 to 2009, We must have a Quentin Tarantino Film on this list. With Other great hits as Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs coming out in the early nineties, The Kill Bill series makes our list for the awesome kung fu style fighting and a great plot of Beatrix Kiddo aka “The Bride” (Uma Thurman) go after her killers along with the master of this plan, her former lover Bill aka “Snake Charmer” (David Carradine). Kill Bill is intense where we see how much blood, flesh, guts, and every substance mixed with all of the above come in order. Tarantino is very creative with setting up shots and just the fights having a great flow to the editing style of the film. It does an outstanding job of choreography with these fighting moves where they just look real that you can’t help but to look away and yet still watch. Uma Thurman has an outstanding performance where i don’t know who could have nailed this role exactly like she did. This movie has been nominated and won all 3 MTV Movie awards for Best fight, Best Villain, and Best Female performance for Uma Thurman. The movie continued with more success as Kill Bill Vol. 2 was also another great sensation. Tarantino has confirmed he will be working on Kill Bill vol. 3 to come out possibly 2014, just to make sure The Bride has a ten-year period of peace. However I’m sure Kill Bill will dominant the next decade with its 3rd installment, but for now it is safe making our list of the best movies of the past decade.

7. Gladiator

 The first Film to win the Oscar coming from the start of the decade was no other than Ridley Scott’s greatest film ever, Gladiator. Russell Crowe’s greatest performance for playing the role of Maximus Decimus Meridius, with a difficult name to pronounce like that, it makes right for the name to fit his personality for being a tough warrior. I find this movie’s visual shots and cinematography to be very life-like to make it look like the Roman empire as it was back in the day. I enjoy this Genre type of Film where it’s similar to all other Period Peace’s like 300 and Troy, where it may not or may have been accurate but it still is Entertainment for sure. I feel Gladiator gives a bit more of heart from the character of Maximus of not only is out competing for his life at the coliseum, but also does it for the lives of the Emperor Aurelius, his wife and son who he had lost. Maximus was voted #50 of the American’s Film Institute’s Best Hero’s character, where it was definitely Russell Crowe’s performance that makes the character very loveable and well-respected, where we do agree that we have been entertained.

6. Transformers

 Indeed Transformers makes our list for one of the best films of the past decade. Transformers came out in July 4, 2007 where it definitely did more than just sparks of fireworks for that fourth of July weekend, especially with Director Michael Bay who is best known for action films. Transformers was the best film that did come out that top year with it not being the only 3 rd installment that was successful like The pirates, shrek, and spider-man series. Transformers grossed over $700,000,000 where it had reached the top list of the year’s best movies. Transformers had great promotion of commercials and advertising where fans could not wait to see what the designs would look like for the autobots and decepticons. Fans were pleased and enjoyed every minute of the film that it was nominated for 3 Academy Awards for technical achievements and did Win Best Movie for the MTV Movie Awards in 2008. What drew more attention was the success for up incoming superstars of Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, that now have become household names. Shia LaBeouf was having a huge success that year along with his other films that same year, Surf’s Up and Disturbia. Megan Fox became the most attractive women in every men’s desire that there seems to be a new dominant female in summer blockbusters like Angelina Jolie. Overall the fight scenes, the action stunts, the explosion was all adding up to make it Such a big sensation for the next decade as sequels have come in order. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has garnered so much this past summer that Michael Bay is already in talks about doing Transformers 3. It seems transformers is another hot franchise that it will make the next decades list of great movies.

5. Star Trek

 One of America’s favorite Science Fiction television series returning back to the big screen. Star Trek coming out along with several other awesome films to bring buzz for this past summer. However Star Trek was the one film that did not get mixed reviews where critics and fans all agreed it was the best film for 2009. It was a great way to bring back our favorite characters of the USS enterprise. We were all excited or looking forward to seeing the new Captain Kirk played by Chris Pine and Spock played by Zachary Quinto. Most definitely we were pleased, especially Trekkie fans, when we saw the return of the original Spock played by Leonard Nimoy. We just love to see the original members come back to play their tribute in part of the new series to come for the Star Trek films. Director J.J. Abrams does a magnificent job in creating the new locations for the USS enterprise and Starfleet Academy, where it was just looking at the rise of these awesome characters that we love to see so much. Star Trek has had a huge success in the late 70’s and early 80’s, that we can expect the success to continue for the next decade as there is suppose to be another sequel for Star Trek with the new actors all agreeing to sign up for the next set of films coming out. It was very inspiring for people who were never into the Star Trek theme, can now be interesting with great acting, very written story plot, and intense special effects. After Watching this movie you will be saying “Live Long and Prosper”.

4. 8 Mile

 Eminem is one of the most best stop selling artist in the Hip Hop , Music, and Recording Industry that after accomplishing the Music Industry, he had to go and set his sights on accomplishing the movie industry. 8 Mile was a huge financial success with it portraying the story of Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith, Jr. a close resemblance to the early life of Marshall Mathers who grew up to be Eminem in the near future. I enjoyed this film so much where it establishes the rising action of a character as in the beginning B-Rabbit chokes during his first rap battle where he never gets any breaks in life especially with moving back up north to 8 Mile to live with his mother, sister, and his mother’s abusive boy-friend. After all the struggles that B-Rabbit faces, he soon returns to the mic where he wins the rap battles he faces against his enemies of “Leaders of the Free World”. In the end, Jimmy Smith, Jr goes forward in life with a new confident spirit inside of him. It all works out where we see our protagonist get to the top of his goal by the end of the film. Eminem does a great job in portraying this role especially since it was his first breakthrough role. Eminem won both the best breakthrough and best male performance awards for his role in 8 mile. The film had gotten so much well reviews that it had won so many awards for it’s hit song for “Lose Yourself”, in which it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. Eminem’s success continues til this day where we probably know how B-Rabbit would have gotten to in life, with him still having that dream of becoming a famous rapper. This movie lays down the law that if you believe in yourself, there is nothing that could stop you of one day you will get to live your dreams.

3. Spider-Man

 So far as the new decade was approaching we didn’t have a great superhero story until May 3, 2002 with our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Spider-Man was the biggest box office sensation of the decade with so much press that it was a cultural phenomenon, where many people couldn’t wait for its release as great promotion was given prior to the film. With its early teaser posters and trailers, Spider-Man was already stirring up buzz for showing footage of The World Trade Center, Twin Towers which were removed after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. However Spider-Man kept a positive spin on this tragedy as it still premiered and garnered over $800,000,000 on its theatrical release. Spider-Man has always been my favorite Marvel superhero of all time, so it was very anticipating to finally see him on the big screen. Spider-Man has always been around for decades in cartoon shows, tv shows, comic books, action figures, video games, even cereal boxes. That we wanted to know when was the new Spider-Man movie going to be released in theaters? Once it was released, it was non stop talk over the web crawler that after its release Director Sam Raimi and lead actor Tobey Maguire were already in talks about doing Sequels. Spider-Man 2 and 3 were released where it still continued to dominant it’s success and will for several more decades to come. With those famous words mention by Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben- “With great power comes Great Responsibility”, we will wait patiently for the new release of Spider-Man 4 set to be release May 6, 2011. It will be the next big thing for the next decade as Spider-Man will swing it’s self onto theaters and more top grossing lists.

2. Juno

 The hit Song “Anyone else” says it all with I don’t see any other movie that would not be including in this list without having Juno. Juno is an amazing work of art that cam out for limited release where it had already earned back it’s inital budget of $6.5 million in just twenty days. This makes Juno the highest grossing film distributing by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Juno is so just heartfelt and warm, where you fall in love with the entire atmosphere of the love between family, friends, and your soul mate. Juno helps establish and builds relationships to see how it all was dealt with while someone got pregnant during her young adolescent life. Ellen Page and Michael Cera along with the rest of the Cast do an amazing job with bringing a great group of characters together that i have not probably seen in the most recent time. Juno is sweet, romantic, funny, and pure brilliant. The film was well received by critics that it made the top ten list of every film critic for the best movies of 2007, including being # 1 for famous film critic, Roger Ebert. The film went to be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (Jason Reitman),  Best Actress (Ellen Page), and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Juno was well adored by fans that it has to make the top of the list where we see this pure magical touch on a sensitive subject like teen pregnancy, however Juno does an amazing job that both members of pro-choice and pro-life committees have given it well criticism and praised it as well. I think Juno is very inspiring and has capture all of our hearts, where we don’t see how anyone can see any other movie but Juno for being on this list of the greatest movies of the decade.

1. The Dark Knight

 We all knew it was coming and finally the number one movie of all time for the past decade between the years of 2000-2009 was The Dark Knight. One of the most anticipating sequels of all time, where we were expecting a film like this to come out during the first time back in 1989. There are Movies out there that are just to good that they make you want to quit making movies. It was such a life changing moment we watching the dark Knight, where you realize how fantastic was this movie that you have to reach down to yourself and admit that is some brilliant work or art, film, and every other category it rightfully belongs to. There are so many things to talk about that you can’t help but to mention everything at the same time. Director Christopher Nolan did an Outstanding job in directing , writing, editing, and producing this film that he rightfully deserves a great amount of credit for many more decades to come. Christian Bale did a tremendous job as Batman, where we felt he was indeed meant to play this role and we have enjoyed it so much that we really fell in love with the character that we all felt like children watching our hero do what he does best. It makes you feel like a kid again and play superhero where everyone fights over to be Batman again. Every single cast member did an awesome job that everyone deserves their credit but one person stands alone, Heath Ledger for his portrayal as The Joker. We have seen the Joker before but we never thought we seen him again like this. Ledger did a great job that there’s no words to describe how talented he was in searching for how to play the Joker in the newest form, where he totally defined a new meaning for a psychotic killer. Nolan did an amazing job with special effects, cinematography, sounds, designs, sets, where it really seems like there’s a lot to recognize of greatness. Fans love Batman for years and they will continue for more centuries. The film was such a big impact that it succeeded with over $1,000,000,000 on its theatrical release. The Dark Knight was the highest grossing movie out of 2008 that it was so untouchable. The Dark Knight actually reached the success of high grossing movies like Titanic. It was nominated for several awards including 8 academy awards. The film however was not nominated for Best Picture where many people felt it should have gotten its recognition that it deserve as well as Christopher Nolan for Director and Screenplay. The Dark Knight had a well written story that we can’t help but to repeat the quotes from the dialogue that we end up reciting the whole movie. It was the biggest movie of the year, the decade, and may give Citizen Kane a run for its money as well as the number spot of Best Movies of all time. It truly was a masterpiece and for that we are no longer serious about anything except waiting for its 3rd installment in the Batman series. As soon as it comes out we will have nothing but to put smiles on our faces.

 There we have the Best 20 Movies from the past decade from 2000-2009, where we can expect a great decade to come for more exciting moives along the way.