It's hard to believe that the first 5 years of the decade are about to come to an end. So The BM Rant offers the Top 20 movies from 2000-2004. Some are already classics, some are quirky comedies that wouldn't sniff an award. All of them got Brian and Matt to stop engulfing popcorn long enough to appreciate what was made. Here goes:
20. Training Day—The triumph of Training Day is that it leaves one questioning both the morality of Denzel’s vigilante street justice and that of those who choose to take a more passive (and legal) approach to cleaning up the streets. Denzel isn’t all bad in this flick, and the dichotomy is perfectly struck.
19. Black Hawk Down---The intense, visceral combat story of how a "minor" mission in Somalia turned into a horrible ordeal. The camerawork places the viewers squarely in the chaotic crossfire. A great cast ably supports the film's authentic feel. Gutwrenching.
18. The Contender—Gary Oldman, Joan Allen and Jeff Bridges each turn in great performances in this taut, believable political drama about politics’ ugly side. Does it have a good one?
17. School of Rock---The perfect role for Jack Black, and the movie is lent extra gravity through Richard Linklater's mature direction. It's funny without being silly; warm without being cheesy. Also, we're spared the sight of bad live performance miming because the kids can actually play their instruments.
16. Road to Perdition—We love the father/son story in this movie, although we still wonder why it was so easy for Tom Hanks’ character to kill off the entire mob. Still—a great revenge flick.
15. Best in Show---Fred Willard nearly steals the entire film. "To think in some country's these dogs are eaten." Hilarious.
14. Old School—Will Ferrell streaking, Elisha Cuthbert with a near wedgie in a pair of pink panties. ‘Nuff said.
13. X2: X-Men United---Better than the original. Characters are even more fully developed, and the action sequences are tighter and more explosive. Plus, Wolverine has CLAWS. What's cooler than that?
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Article comments
1 - Triniman
There's a lot of great films to choose from, but there's a few in your list that I wouldn't include if I had to make my own list:
The Royal Tenenbaums - could not get into this film.
Memento - not bad, certainly more original than most.
The Passion of the Christ - to some people, the most important subject matter. Even so, not as well as done as, say, Mystic River. Some people will confuse "faith" for "quality" when judging this film.
Gangs of New York - a pretty good film but not among Scorsese's best.
School of Rock - worth seeing for sure, but among the cream of the crop for the half-decade?
I haven't seen some of the lesser-known films and can't offer a comment(Sexy Beast, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Old School, Road To Perdition, Best In Show, The Contender) but I agree with the rest of your list.
Here are a few of the ones that I would list, in addition to some of the ones listed by Matthew.
Adaptation
The Incredibles
Spartan
Kill Bill Vol. 1
28 Days Later
Mulholland Drive
Lost in Translation
Spider-Man
Snatch
The Bourne Identity
2 - Big Time Patriot
I'm not sure if it was in the last 4 years, but I really liked "The Transporter". An action movie but made much cooler by being in France..
3 - Al Barger
Somehow you've missed all the really, really best ones. Not that your movie picks were bad, but dude, where's
Team America
A Mighty Wind
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Kill Bill
4 - Eric Berlin
Great job overall of running down the first half of the decade in film. I strongly disagree with about one-third of your list, but that's the subjective nature of the beast, isn't it? Great fun, too.
My #2 or #3 would probably be Adaptation, with Memento and Lost In Translation in the Top 5. Team America would have likely snuck in at the bottom.
Mystic River and Lord of the Rings are going to be movies still discussed and screened in 50 years' time. In fact, if pressed, I would probably list:
1 - Lord of the Rings
2 - Adaptation
3 - Mystic River
4 - Eternal Sunshine
5 - Memento
6 - Lost in Translation
I didn't like Lost in Show at all. Great cast, a few cute scenes, and that's it. Old School, a much lower brow film, has more laughs in the opening credits. With Gangs of New York and The Royal Tennenbaums, I give them credit as ambitious films, but they both break down and become clunky and lack entertainment value, I'm afraid to say. Wes Anderson should rein it back in: Rushmore is a delightful comedy with exactly the right sensibility.
Interesting choices with Training Day and Black Hawk Down: both tough, uncompromising films that stay with you for quite some time.
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com
5 - Matt
Since this was a joint effort between Brian and myself, much compromise had to go into picking the movies. For instance, we both had to have seen the movie for it to be included. That prevented movies like Adaptation and Lost in Traslation from being included.
I loved Kill Bill; Brian hated it. Hence its exclusion from the list.
As for The Passion, this movie was judged based on quality, not faith for sure. Brian and I are both jaded from 12 years of Catholic school. Believe me--we're far from religious. We believe its one of the best made films of the last 5 years. period.
6 - Matt
Triniman--also--almost all of your films that you mentioned were on our list of about 35 that we had to narrow down to 20. We love Spiderman, Snatch and Bourne Identity. Great flicks. Again, LIT was not seen by myself, so it had to go. Picking a list with another person is more difficult, but I think it creates a better finished product. We both had 28 Days Later in the top 30, not top 20. Mulholland Drive? Brian liked it a lot--I thought it was subpar at best.
7 - MCH
No "Seabisquit"?
8 - visualsimplicity
This is a recent movie, but I think it's good enough for consideration for the last half decade, so how about Garden State?
9 - Matt Egan
Garden State--Brian saw--I didn't. Seabiscuit we like and it was considered, but ultimately a bit to schmaltzy for us to keep in the top 20.
10 - The Theory
My list would have to include Spirited Away... one of the most important animated films in a long time.
11 - Triniman
Okay, I did not realize that the list was one that was agreed upon by two people - Matthew and Brian, the BM Rant.
12 - Al Barger
See, even just two people making such a list is getting to be a committee, tending to bland down the results.
13 - Steve S
We didn't get into Traffic. Depp's Blow was better.
I enjoyed Crouching Tiger, but for some reason fell asleep halfway though it. But I dreamed pleasant thoughts, so that must count for something.
Memento was genius. Training Day was good too. Road to Perdition, I would agree with too.
Gladiator was good, but wouldn't be in my top 20, although it would have been if I had made my list back when it came out.
I agree with the comment by another about Mulholland Drive. For some reason, that movie hit me upside the head.
I actually enjoyed A.I., Donnie Darko, Moulin Rouge and A Beautiful Mind.
There was so much hype around Kill Bill, I just didn't see what everyone was so estatic about. It was boring and implausible, and I'm not talking just the stunts. Though I do love Uma.
14 - Eric
Interesting list, but a bit meiocre in a lot of ways. I mean are these just personal favorites or are you basing it on the impact of the film on society/industry? Or are you judging it also on it's quality as a film, from an objective basis?
I would nix:
Training Day-good, but not great
Road to Perdition
School of Rock-Pretty run of the mill...Ithought
The Contender-Not a very good movie, though there are some good performances
X2-Spiderman 2 was better and should be on the list
Gangs was good and day Lewis gives one of the greatest performances ever, but The Aviator was better.
Movies I think you missed:
City of God
Amelie
SpiderMan 2
Donnie Darko
The Pianist
Requiem for a Dream
Before Sunset
Garden State
Amores Perros
Almost famous
There are plenty more that I think deserved a spot on the list, but hey whatever....it's all opinion at the end of the day.
I do agree with your number one however...LOTR was a great set of movies and even though they are not my favorites of the last five years...anyone who is serious has to put them at number one. In my opinon there is a difference between a list of the "best" and a list of favorites...LOTR trilogy is easily the "best" of the last five years. I also commend you for putting the Passion of the Christ on your list...too many people ignore this landmark film. I am not religous in the slightest, not even a believer, but this was one of the most powerful films I have ever seen...it trancended entertainment and became a true experience, whether your religous or not. It can't be ignored and I bow my head to you for not ignoring it.
15 - T. Clay McCurdy
Good list, although it seems that you are looking at main stream movies. Many obscure tittles were not mentioned. I really enjoy movies that are strange. examples of movies that I am refering to-circa pre 2000- All David Lynch, vanilla sky, evil dead movies, Blood Simple, and many others. I did not see many movies between 2000-2004 because I quite going to movies because of a personal crisis. that is why I type 2-2004 seach and found you. I did see many movies that you mentioned.
Donnie Darko!!!!,The Ring
, are movies that fits my criterion, Also Joy Ride because I recognized that voice from scilence of the lambs(I know his name but it escapes me at the moment)It is amazing that he came on the CB mentioning that he liked the rain, and I knew who it was-movie people like this type of recognition. He was not in the movie, just his voice.
Also circa pre 2000-KALIFORNIA, I have watched this movie about 50 times, I hated it the first time, see it over and over. What I just realized is I like movies that I could watch again and again and enjoy it.
Training Day was a great movie but I can not watch it over twice, same with Gladiator. I am sure many of you have movies that you see over and over, and some great films that once is enough. I am forgeting a movie-The Interview? brit film that is great. Also an older movie that fits-Deciever with Tim Roth-great film.
Sorry about this brain storm, I like your web site. Thank You
16 - River223
Old School, and X2?
17 - amit
pirates of the carribean