Back in 2020, I decided that it would be a good idea to post a top ‘25 Films of the Decade’ list to celebrate some of the best films of the 2010s. . . it took some tinkering (lots of crossing this one off and adding that one) – but I’ve got to say, the response made it absolutely worth it. With all that feedback, many asked if I could do the same for the decade before. . . it has taken longer than expected, but good things come to those who wait. So, without further ado, here are the best of the 2000s . . . with a short description as to why each film made the cut.
2000
Gladiator – Director: Ridley Scott; Screenplay: David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson
The winner of five Academy Awards (and I will forever say that Joaquin Phoenix was robbed. . . despite Benicio del Toro being an excellent actor), ‘epic’ is the word that immediately comes to mind when thinking of this ancient Roman sword and sandal action drama. Checking all of the important boxes, this feature brings a stellar script to life thanks to powerful performances, striking visuals, a memorable score from Hans Zimmer, cinematic violence and tears, and so very much more. Funnily enough, it also somehow made one of the longer names in movie history utterly memorable. . . for who can forget Russell Crowe giving that echoing Maximus Decimus Meridius speech in the Colosseum.
Snatch – Director/Screenplay: Guy Ritchie
Only the second film of Guy Ritchie’s career, this, along with his first – 1998’s Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, helped put him on the map for his unique combination of action and comedy set in British underground crime worlds. Falling in love with his snappy fast paced dialogue, cheeky storytelling, and flashily slick direction, he has been a film maker to watch over the past two and a half decades – with way more hits than misses. And, like many of the others on this list, you can’t argue with his cast: Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Stephen Graham, Ewen Bremner, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina, Jason Flemyng, Lennie James, Vinnie Jones, and other character actors along the way!
2001
A Knight’s Tale – Director/Screenplay: Brian Helgeland
Much like another movie on this list that will pop up in the year 2003, A Knight’s Tale is here for sheer re-watch-ability. What at first might sound a bit gimmicky – a medieval set film using classic rock as its soundtrack, Helgeland fuses its action/adventure jousting and sword play with a charmingly romantic love story, searing drama, plenty of comedy, and a ‘changing your stars’ storyline that all clicks together in perfect harmony. Also, who would have thought at the time that its star, Heath Ledger, would pass away so soon, Mark Addy would gain popularity thanks to Game of Thrones, Paul Bettany would become a major Marvel comic book movie star, Bérénice Bejo would be a part of a silent film that would win Oscar Best Picture (and she’d pick up a nomination for Supporting Actress), Alan Tudyk would become attached to numerous cult classics (Firefly; Tucker and Dale vs Evil), while Breaking Bad’s Laura Fraser, great British character actors Rufus Sewell and James Purefoy, as well as a few others would make for such an enthralling cast. Add all of this with a soundtrack that surprisingly works wonders (think Queen, David Bowie, Thin Lizzy, and AC/DC to name a few), and you’ve got a quite successful picture at the time that is now most definitely a cult classic.
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring – Director: Peter Jackson; Screenplay: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson
If it didn’t feel a bit too exploitative, I’d have the entire trilogy on this list, but instead, all of The Lord of the Rings love comes right here in this segment. A spectacle that is as epic as they come, it combines a superlative ensemble cast, a cinematic visual masterpiece that has since drawn countless tourists to New Zealand, Howard Shore’s memorable score, CGI that has awed and inspired, laughter, tears, and everything in between, making it one of the most successful trilogies of all time. Perhaps there is no better example of how influential these movies are than that all three still sit within the top 11 movies of all-time on the IMDb fan voter list. . . and we’re now going into their 25th anniversary cycle starting in 2026.
2002
Minority Report – Director Steven Spielberg; Screenplay: Scott Frank, Jon Cohen
Feeling almost more prescient now than it did back in the year 2002, Steven Spielberg’s first pairing with Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds would come just three years later) took a Philip K. Dick short story and showed us a dystopic future world where crime can supposedly be predetermined and prevented before it actually occurs. Bringing up all kinds of complex philosophical questions about our freedom, determinism/predeterminism/fatalism, and justice wrapped up in a visually stylistic cinematic vision; it also showed off numerous ideas and concepts at the time that are available now – self-driving vehicles, touch screens, tech driven personalized advertising, data surveillance, and other such things. . . though the glossy sheen hides a much more sinister world here. Lastly, shout outs to Max von Sydow, Samantha Morton, and Colin Farrell – who all have memorable roles in this one along with Cruise.
Spider-Man – Director Sam Raimi; Screenplay: David Koepp
This has been a tough one for me. I have long been a supporter of X2: X-Men United as one of the best early comic book movies that helped develop the growing trend, but it is hard to deny Spider-Man – it came one year earlier and grossed twice as much money as the latter (with over 825 million dollars). Not only memorable for its technical innovations, people will always have love for Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst as the original Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson (that web hanging kiss was so very big at the time), while Willem Dafoe, even decades later, is still ranked as one of the greatest villains within super hero fandom. And, lest we forget Bruce Campbell, who makes his typical cameo in a Sam Raimi movie while also getting the honour of naming Parker as Spider-Man in his first appearance in disguise (fighting none other than ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage).
We Were Soldiers – Director: Randall Wallace; Screenplay: Harold G. Moore, Joseph Lee Galloway, Randall Wallace
One of the better war movies of the 2000s, this story does an interesting job delving into the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, their families back home on the army base, the opposing troops they’re in combat against, as well as a journalist/photographer on the ground with the troops. . . all of this painting a more dynamic picture compared to a lot of war entries. Certainly a tough emotional watch, it puts the viewer right in the action, a vivid, violent depiction of the Vietnam War. The cast, which features Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Keri Russell, Barry Pepper, Jon Hamm, among others, also deserves a mention – as they all bring their A game.
2003
Memories of Murder – Director: Bong Joon-Ho; Screenplay: Bong Joon-Ho, Sung-bo Shim
Only Bong Joon Ho’s second movie, 2003’s Memories of Murder already shows the masterful brush strokes of a confident young artist, writing a thought provoking, multi-layered script (based upon a series of real life murders as well as Alan Moore’s graphic novel “From Hell”) that is paired with a mesmeric visual onscreen presence. Intertwined with an almost cosmic dark humour, haunting drama, edge of your seat suspense, touches of comedy, and a most perplexing mystery, even his planned imperfections are perfect. . . while the closing scene will reintroduce the idea of memory in multiple ways – nostalgia or the haunting kind, depending on your perspective. It’s certainly worth much reflection.
Oldboy – Director: Park Chan-wook; Screenplay: Jo-yun Hwang, Joon-hyung Lim, Park Chan-wook
A former film critic turned filmmaker, Park Chan-wook has done nothing but make gems since he started making movies (both Stoker and The Handmaiden were on my best of the 2010s list). One of the most visually stunning directors of this century, this twist filled psychological action thriller pushes the boundaries of cinema in unforgettable ways. . . you’ll certainly never see a corridor full of baddies in the same way ever again. Arguably, this isn’t for the faint of heart. It also seems quite fitting that two of cinema’s best minds (see Bong Joon-Ho in the description above), both from South Korea, released absolute gems in 2003 quite early on in their respective careers.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – Director: Gore Verbinski; Screenplay: Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie
Perhaps a bit of a miracle considering this idea came from a Disney theme park attraction, none of the sequels have been able to live up to this majestic original. Furthering the stardom of Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley, like several other films around the time, its fusion of family style spooks, dynamic action comedy, epic adventure, unexpected romance (think The Mask of Zorro, The Mummy, A Knight’s Tale), as well as revitalizing old school swashbuckling pirates with a twist made for a re-watch-able saga that can be seen over and over.
2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – Director: Alfonso Cuarón; Screenplay: Steve Kloves
Perhaps I’m starting a bit of a controversy here, but there is no denying that this is the best of the Harry Potter movies. Saying nothing negative of the rest, this is where the story started getting darker and taking some chances. . . it could be argued that this is the only one that matches the magic of the book it is based upon. Brought to vivid life by one of the more creative cinematic minds of our time, Cuarón magically weaves a complex tale that deals with time travel with aplomb – greying the labyrinthine edges as the franchise entered Potter’s teenage years whilst setting the tone for the next five blockbuster features.
2005
A History of Violence – Director: David Cronenberg; Screenplay: John Wagner, Vince Locke, Josh Olson
Here’s a fun little fact to start with – this was the last movie to be released on VHS as DVDs took over. A psychological crime thriller, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) seems like an ordinary family man, though after he stops some robbers at his café (becoming a local hero), people from Philadelphia start crawling out of the woodwork and seem to have Tom confused with a former mobster they knew. Living on the edge with striking violence and edgy sexuality, Cronenberg and Mortensen develop a richly mysterious protagonist who might just be hiding a past life. With wildy memorable supporting parts from Maria Bello, Ed Harris and William Hurt (I for one believe he should have won Best Supporting Actor for his highly memorable ten minutes of screen time), there is a reason that this film has was added to the Criterion Collection in 2025.
Match Point – Director/Screenplay: Woody Allen
One of Allen’s films shot in Europe (in this case London) outside of his typical New York, it explores the quotation, “I’d rather be lucky than good” through its metaphorical tennis themes, with the aforementioned quote (which also relates to fate/chance) weaving its quirky philosophical analysis through topics such as love and lust, fiery ambition, British class, and infidelity in intoxicating ways. Though his movies generally revolve around the same themes and concepts, some hit better than others. . . and this is certainly one of them.
2006
Bon Cop, Bad Cop – Director: Erik Canuel; Screenplay: Leila Basen, Alex Epstein, Patrick Huard
A rare Canadian film that was quite a success in its native country, this is probably one that a lot outside of Canada haven’t seen. Perfectly exemplifying the complex culture between English and French Canada in a most laugh out loud way, a detective from Ontario and Quebec must dysfunctionally work together to solve a growing murder mystery that has started with half of a dead body straddling each province. Infusing hockey humour, Canadiana, and so much more, it’s a bilingual action black comedy that earned itself a sequel in 2017, and a brand new television series follow-up that is expected to be released in 2026.
Children of Men – Director: Alfonso Cuarón; Screenplay: Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton,
David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby
One of the most visually engaging films of the 2000s, this dystopic sci-fi epic set in 2027 finds Theo (Clive Owen), who lives in the last quasi-civilized place left in the world (England), getting roped into an underground mission long after he has lost all of his faith in life, love, and humanity. Featuring extended single takes through a war torn city, a cinematic car chase that is still utterly awe-inspiring, and numerous mesmeric surprises, its rich in what makes human beings both amazing as well as horrible, and ends on a pitch perfect note that leaves the audience involved in the movie and its rather open-ended outcome. It’s also worth noting Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, and Chiwetel Ejiofor all in important roles, while it was in many ways the role at the time that gave people the idea that Owen would have made an intriguing James Bond (Casino Royale with the then new Daniel Craig came out the same year).
The Departed – Director: Martin Scorsese; Screenplay: William Monahan, Alan Mak, Felix Chong
The winner of four Academy Awards – including Best Picture and Best Director, you won’t find too many casts better than this one: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Anthony Anderson, and Alec Baldwin are the main players. A remake of the Hong Kong picture Internal Affairs, it reiterates why Scorsese is one of the biggest directors of the last half century. Getting the most out of his cast, concocting violently engaging crime stories chock full of memorable visuals and immersive storytelling, it, like several other films on this list, is wholly gripping from beginning to its ratty final shot.
Keeping Mum – Director: Niall Johnson; Screenplay: Richard Russo, Niall Johnson
A British dark comedy that has long been a bit under the radar, outside of its outrageously good cast. . . think Maggie Smith, Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Patrick Swayze (in one of his last roles), it thrives on that oh so English sense of humour – taking a murderous small town premise and flipping it onto its comedic head. With a quirky Smith fixing a family’s numerous issues in most peculiar ways, there is also a charm and a class that gives this one plenty of re-watch-ability.
Pan’s Labyrinth – Director/Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro
A masterpiece adult fairytale set during the Spanish Civil War, del Toro develops a rich story that will leave half its audience seeing its conclusion as utterly depressing, while the others will take it the opposite way. . . a lot of it depending on your outlook in life. Featuring some of the most memorable moments of violence and deaths ever put on screen, its brutality is visceral, life lessons hard, and script oozing spiritual elements. A coming-of-age picture which combines elements of horror, war, fantasy, historical drama, and even more, it never loses its place, a near perfect screenplay brought to vivid life thanks to both its stunning visual team and superlative actors.
2007
Eastern Promises – Director: David Cronenberg; Screenplay: Steven Knight
The second ultra-successful film of the decade from David Cronenberg, this continued his pairing with Viggo Mortensen (this role also brought the Lord of the Rings alum his first Academy Award nomination for acting). Rooting this Russian gangster story in England, it’s centered on the strong triumvirate of Mortensen, Vincent Cassel and Naomi Watts. Its atmospheric crime driven story combines searing drama, gritty violence, as well as a psychological edge, making for a unique and gripping tale that holds your attention from beginning to end. Arguably its most memorable scene finds Mortensen having to defend himself in the nude within a Russian bathhouse. . . vulnerable, visceral, and vicious, it shows touches of Cronenberg’s classic body horror infused within this nuanced, tensely dramatic crime feature.
Hot Fuzz – Director: Edgar Wright; Screenplay: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
A cleverly concocted spoof of the action genre, Hot Fuzz follows Wright and Pegg’s equally as successful first effort of Shaun of the Dead by weaving a memorably bloody action comedy homage, all by pulling from so many stereotypical beats that have become entrenched tropes along the way. With witty dialogue, snappy visual editing, and stellar performances from its dynamic British cast (Timothy Dalton being just one perfect example), it’s one of the great multi-genre features of the 21st century.
The Orphanage – Director: J.A. Bayona; Screenplay: Sergio G. Sánchez
A beautifully constructed old-school gothic infused horror film (it’s also worth noting Guillermo del Toro was an executive producer on the project), the Spanish language film is one of the sleeper cult classics of the decade. Not to be confused with the English language Orphan from a few years later, it is beautifully constructed, making for a powerful film that mixes heartfelt emotion with an eerie atmosphere that lingers long in your brain. A final note for horror fans. . . Belén Rueda, the lead here, had a great stretch of spooky gems during this time period (also track down Julia’s Eyes and The Body if you like this one).
Superbad – Director: Greg Mottola; Screenplay: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
The only straightforward comedy on this list, outside of being absolutely hilarious, its biggest impact could be the careers that it launched thanks to its success. Michael Cera had already been seen on the tv series Arrested Development, but this was his first movie followed closely by Juno the same year. Acting off of Jonah Hill as the other co-lead, it was also his big cinematic break after a number of small roles. For their third wheel, it was actually Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s first time in front of the camera. Throw in that it was Bill Hader’s catapult away from SNL, Seth Rogen getting a big boost for his triple threat of acting, co-writing, and producing, and lest we forget this being Emma Stone’s first movie as well. . . all of this making a massive ripple effect that is hard to ignore.
2008
Gran Torino – Director: Clint Eastwood; Screenplay: Nick Schenk, Dave Johannson
Though it clearly has its flaws, Gran Torino is really where Clint Eastwood’s acting career should have ended. Widely labeled at the time as being just that, it is the perfect bookend to his impressive and lengthy acting filmography. Playing with what would seem to be a typical Eastwood type role (think The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Dirty Harry). it takes a memorable change of tone that plays against type compared to most of his other climactic finales, making even the most stoic of longtime movie fans get a little choked up.
In Bruges – Director/Screenplay: Martin McDonagh
Starting his career with an Oscar for Best Short Film, Live Action in 2006 for Six Shooter, just a few years later Martin McDonagh started building his stellar feature film career with this gem. With arguably one of the best scripts written this century, it is a screenplay worth much study. . . for each comment within, whether seemingly important or throwaway, comes back in a most intriguing and clever way. Originally advertised more as a comedy, it is best described as a dramedy – both hilarious and heartbreaking. Featuring stellar performances from Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes, audiences have, over time, become enthralled with Ray and Ken’s journey within the historic Belgian city. . . making it a cult classic, and seriously boosting tourism to the medieval locale.
2009
District 9 – Director: Neill Blomkamp; Screenplay: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
A clever reworking of both South Africa’s history and the present, this sci-fi action epic opens like an intense documentary, grounding the premise before taking off with the protagonist into the alien-centred storyline. Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, its intense premise, when combined with its heart and real-world allegory, makes for very unique viewing and food for thought.