Sticking with the theme from my previous post, here are my No. 1 movies from the years 2000 through 2008, as I saw it at the end of each year.
I still like these movies, but this list would change a bit if I had a do-over. Particularly egregious is my selection of “The Perfect Storm” in 2000, the year that “Almost Famous” came out.
My reviews are from the NDSU Spectrum (2000-02), the Brainerd Dispatch (2003-07) and this blog (2008).
2000 — “The Perfect Storm.” Following a 1999 movie year that gave us instant classics like “American Beauty,” “The Green Mile” and “The Hurricane,” 2000 was a relative bore. “The Perfect Storm” was the only movie that really floored me. … Director Wolfgang Petersen shows us nature’s fury and demonstrates why swordfishing is the country’s most jaw-droppingly dangerous occupation — getting pulled into the ocean by a wayward hook is an everyday threat for these guys.
2001 — “Ghost World.” This is the type of movie you could watch forever. Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are small-town teens who can’t find meaning in the world, until Enid meets Seymour (Steve Buscemi), an endearingly pathetic lover of old ragtime music. Edgy and understated, “Ghost World” makes sadness seem wonderfully appealing. Bonus points for the clever symbolic use of “the bus stop guy.”
2002 — “The Good Girl.” Here are six words I never thought I’d type: Jennifer Aniston is a fine actress. You wouldn’t expect it from her years of spewing sitcom drivel, but she gives an outstanding turn as a depressed wife and retail worker in rural Texas. Mike White delivers a poignant story about grasping at peace of mind in a torturous world. Jake Gyllenhaal emotes brilliantly and John C. Reilly is officially the world’s best character actor.
2003 — “School of Rock.” Mike White wrote a great script, but there’s no denying that Jack Black embodies the spirit of this movie, passing the Goblet of Rock to a class of fifth-graders he’s covertly taken under his wing. It’s the filmic equivalent of the song of the year: familiar yet irresistible. You know you’re waiting for that final encore of “Teacher’s Pet.”
2004 — “Garden State.” “Garden State” is a great romance film precisely because it doesn’t seem like a romance. It stars Zach Braff (who also directed and compiled the Shins-heavy soundtrack) as a bright 20-something wandering aimlessly through life. Refreshingly, he lacks the sarcasm usually found in this archetype, opening the door for Peter Sarsgaard to steal scenes as the best friend and Natalie Portman to steal male filmgoers’ hearts.
2005 — “Serenity.” This is Season 2 of the gone-too-soon space Western “Firefly” smushed into film format. It’s packed with Chinese swearing, quasi-quips (“Do you wanna run this ship?” “Yes.” “Well … you can’t.”) and a ship full of gorram great characters — from this millennium’s Han Solo, Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), to the not-so-fragile-after-all River (Summer Glau). And since writer-director Joss Whedon had to assume this might be the last time the Serenity Nine would saddle up, we learn the creepy secret of the villainous Reavers. I laughed, I cried … I hope this isn’t the final chapter.
2006 — “V for Vendetta.” This adaptation of Alan Moore’s famous comic book takes us to a not-too-distant future when England is ruled by an oppressive state. A masked rebel (or terrorist, depending on your viewpoint) named V (Hugo Weaving) and his charge, Evey (Natalie Portman), lead the resistance. Bravely, the film doesn’t tell the viewer which side to root for, and that makes it all the more compelling. If more blockbusters took their cue from “V,” moviegoing would be a lot more fun.
2007 — “Knocked Up.” What sets Judd Apatow’s comedies apart from the pack is that his characters are so real. It helps that we already know Ben and his pals from other Apatow works — for example, Martin Starr’s bushy-bearded stoner seems like a five-years-later version of his “Freaks and Geeks” geek. “Knocked Up,” while chronicling a surprise pregnancy, proves it’s more enjoyable to laugh with people than at them. The smile will still be plastered on your face after the credits roll.
2008 — “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” I love the chuckle-worthy lines, like when Nick says he asked for “the Ellen DeGeneres haircut,” or when Norah tosses off an insult like “fistful of a**h***s” (which would be a good band name). Also, Caroline talking to her turkey sandwich. Oh, and the soothing-but-poppy soundtrack, which isn’t ideal for exercising to, but I can’t resist.