I thought about it for a month now.  There were so many great films made in the last 10 years that there is no way for me to list the BEST films so I’m just giving you my favorites from the last 10 years.

I was going to do the top ten but I just couldn’t.  To be honest, I’ll probably disagree with this list tomorrow.  But for now, here is my top 20 list of my favorite films of the last 10 years.  (I’ll be listing them in reverse order so as to increase the drama as you scroll down.  Fun!)

20.  Cinderella Man (2005) – Boxing movie about James Braddock directed by Ron Howard and starring Russel Crowe.  Why did nobody see this movie?

19.  Mission: Impossible III (2006) – The third and possibly best Mission Impossible movie directed by one of my favorite contemporary directors, J. J. Abrams.

18.  Shaun of the Dead (2004) – Not only a great comedy but a fun and effective zombie movie as well.

17.  Iron Man (2008) – I really hope the sequel is as awesome as the first.  RDJ was born to play this role.

16.  Walk the Line (2005) – The biopic of Johnny Cash directed by another great contemporary director, James Mangold.  It gets overshadowed by Ray but I like this one better.

15.  The Dark Knight (2008) – After the smoke settled and the hype died down, I love this movie but I don’t think it’s my favorite Batman film.  The Joker was great though.

14.  Spiderman 2 (2004) – The best Spiderman film and the best Comic Book film ever made.  Iron Man runs a close second.  Before you throw stones, remember those other movies you are thinking of (300, Dark Knight, Watchmen) are closer to Graphic Novel movies.

13.  The Incredibles (2004) – The plot of this movie suprised me, as does all of Pixar’s films.  Aside from Toy Story, this is my favorite Pixar film.

12.  Avatar (2009) – The only film from 2009 to make my list.  It almost made the top ten but not quite.  I still love it and can’t wait for the DVD release.  Check out my review.

11. 3:10 to Yuma (2007) – James Mangold again!  I have a soft spot for westerns and this one delivers all the right ingredients.  Crowe and Bale are great!  Check out my scene study on this film.

And for the top ten – drum roll please!

10.  Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) – Aside from the western, there is no better world to go visit for 2 hours.  Don’t let the 3rd one ruin your memory of the first.  Jack Sparrow’s reveal at the beginning is the best character entrance put on film.

9.  O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) – Ahh, remember when the Coen Brothers made funny movies?

8.  The Prestige (2006) – Chris Nolan on the list again.  I didn’t like this film when I first saw it but gave it another chance and realized the brilliance in the opening shot.  See it twice.  You’ll thank me.

7.  Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Ahh, remember when Spielberg made good movies?  Finally, a movie where Dicaprio’s boyish looks worked FOR the film.

6.  Batman Begins (2005) – I loved The Dark Knight but given the choice, I put this one in my DVD player.  Another Nolan film.  He’s brilliant.

5.  There Will Be Blood (2007) – When I saw this film, I remember thinking to myself that I was watching my generation’s Citizen Kane.  I still agree.  There is not a bad shot in the film.  Beautifully crafted.  See my scene study on this one.

4.  The Last Samurai (2003) – See my recent blog post about this one.

3.  The Aviator (2004) – Scorsese makes the top ten.  Huzzah!  And another one from 2004.  What a great year for films.

2.  Cast Away (2000) – Ahh, remember when Zemeckis made movies with real people in them?

And without further ado -

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003) – What can I say?  The trilogy is a masterpiece.

Please post your top ten list in the comments section.  What did I miss?  What do you agree with and disagree with?  Let’s celebrate the last 10 years of filmmaking together.