Gentlemen! Top 25 films of the previous decade.

[KindGrind]

I never understood the love for Morvern Callar. I do own it and I've watched it twice. It's one of those movies I think is not for me. Reminded me of Fatih Akin's The Edge of Heaven, a very unique setting (for me anyways), with well-told story, but ultimately I don't connect to the characters at all. Should be noted that Head On, also by Akin, is excellent, albeit quite heavy.

Herzog's Grizzly Man was great. Truly a great mind with an amazing voice. His other offerings for the new millenium aren't bad, but nothing imo compared to his earlier work, mostly Aguirre, one of my all-time favorite.

I'm with you on There Will Be Blood, among the very best of the decade... if not the best.

It is still all a matter of taste!

[KindGrind]

This thread led me to research other films on IMDB that might have made it into my top 25 if only I'd seen them. What do people make of these:

My 2 cents, fwiw.

Letters from Iwo Jima - Wanted to sleep just past the midpoint. By the end, I wish I had slept.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - An amazing script led by a very apt director makes this one of the best of the decade. Carey is surprisingly good. "Sand is overrated."
Mystic River - Overrated. Tired of the subject matter. Quality acting, Robbins/Penn shined in this. Just not something I'd want to rewatch ever.
Amelie - A movie that wants to be loved so bad (almost like a cute little puppy), and achieves it. Truly makes you happy, a very light movie with lots of fine little touches. You can tell that Jeunet comes from the Comics world...
Lives of Others - A superbly acted drama. Very touching.
Downfall - Hard subject, amazing performance by Bruno Ganz. This is not your usual WW2 movie. Deserves to be watched, although this is one you won't come back to often.
Hotel Rwanda - Not anything special from a filmmaking standpoint, but an enjoyable watch.
Into the Wild - I disliked it a lot. Hated the moralizing tone throughout. Uninspiring.
The Road - Depressing, but some scenes will stay with you. Gives a good idea of the book, although some casting choices keeps this from being a hit for me.
Million Dollar Baby - Will make your mother cry. This is an "Oscar recipe drama".
Toy Story 3 - Haven't seen it yet, but definitely will. Watched the second with my son yesterday, so a viewing of this one may be in order shortly.
Amores Perros - A superb fresque of mexican urban life told through dogs and their masters. This is not exactly it, but it's the best I can come up with right now. Intertwining stories, flashmacks, some parts are quite hard to watch, Visceral cinema.
V for Vendetta - I have never read the comic it'S based on - I liked it the first time. I never wanted to watch it past my second viewing, once I realized how Portman's character was annoying me to no end. Maybe it was the botched English accent... I don't know.

[Skykid]

The Japanese drama 'Tokyo Sonata' probably wasn't on most people's radar, but it has stuck with me as one of the decade's top 10.

It's good but not great. Good subject matter, but loses its way sufficiently for most of the middle and ends up lacking clarity of its own points. Suffers from the 'we-don't-know-how-to-edit-or-when-to-end-our-movies', or 'Kojima syndrome' that Japanese live action seems to be afflicted with. It other words, too cocking long.

Departures was a better Japanese film, and very good actually. One of the best I've seen in terms of modern stuff. Still no masterpiece though (and also a touch too long and meandering.)

[CMoon]

Damn it Skykid! Why can't you make your new avatar a fat leonardo dicaprio?

[CMoon]

I think Werner Herzog's output over the decade must be mentioned. For his highlight reel lets include two transcendent documentaries, Grizzly Man and Encounters At the End of the World, and three movies for Hollywood -- 'Rescue Dawn', 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans', and 'My Son My Son What HAve Ye Done ?'.

I haven't seen the hollywood ones, but Grizzly Man really is one of the best movies of this decade for me. I wish I'd thought of it on first pass, but wasn't thinking of documentaries. Though it really is so much more. A film that works on so many levels!

Edit: Inspired by these posts, I'm rewatching Grizzly Man now. Perhaps what makes this more than so many other things are when you recognize the deep level of sincerity Treadwell is acting on. When he thanks a fox for being his friend, it might be more sincere than anything you've ever said. I know it isn't a film for everyone, but here's a guy who crossed a certain line and tried to be a modern day shaman or something. He might have been insane, and he might have been wrong, but most people aren't even capable of being as sincere and honest as he is here.

[Skykid]

Damn it Skykid! Why can't you make your new avatar a fat leonardo dicaprio?

Because he doesn't flow like water.