Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 3

Okay, no long-winded intro this time. Just the list.

#30: Tropic Thunder

A spot-on spoof of Hollywood and the movie-making process made by those intimately acquainted with it. Brilliant, hilarious, but occasionally let down by some crude, unfunny humor.

#29: X-men & X-men 2

Served well by focusing in on several core characters, these films weren't as spectacular as some of the other superhero fare of the decade, but were good character-driven movies about power, prejudice, and our possible responses to these. But X-men 3 was unfortunately a mess, with too many characters and too much stuff going on with very little real plot.

#28: The Orphanage

A Spanish film about a woman trying to reopen the orphanage in which she was raised, only to discover that something terrible happened there shortly after she left and that the spirits of the dead children have never left. Truly one of the most terrifying movies I've ever seen. And like most truly scary movies, no gore but a really creepy atmosphere. Please don't get it mixed up with "Orphan" which I've never seen but which is supposed to be pretty mediocre.

#27: Up

My second favorite Pixar movie of the decade. Very emotional story containing characters with a depth unseen in many live-action movies, let alone animated. Even the canine comic-relief characters have a depth about them, and the writers got dog psychology spot on. :) This was one of those movies I mentioned in a previous post that inspired me to be a better husband and father.

#26: Enchanted

Brilliantly walks the line between outright satire and affectionate tribute to Disney animated films. Great performances, especially by Amy Adams playing the very lost Princess Giselle, brilliant humor, catchy music and an authentic love story make this one for everyone. No dismissing it as a chick flick, guys... I can guarantee you'll love it.

#25: Serenity

The movie based upon the television series "Firefly". Both the series and the film represent some of the most creative science fiction in some time. It's a true Western in space, spiced with Joss Whedon's consistently clever dialog and realistic, edgy, but lovable characters. Check it out if you haven't seen it, but make sure you watch the series before the movie. It's only one season, as it was sadly canceled well before its time.

#24: War of the Worlds

Stephen Spielberg brought the classic tale into the modern era with a terrifyingly real portrayal. The story and visuals are at times reminiscent of the Nazi Holocaust, with the entire human race at the mercy of a vastly superior enemy. Truly chilling, with a fantastic performance by Dakota Fanning being one of the highlights.

#23: Shaun of the Dead

A very funny British comedy that rips into the zombie genre. Sounds simple enough but turns out to be one of the best comedies of the past 10 years.

#22: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

My favorite of the Harry Potter franchise. It just has the best story with some really unexpected plot twists. It's also the first of the Potter films to really resonate emotionally with me. In this one, you can really feel Harry's loneliness and pain in a way you just couldn't in the first two films.

#21: Iron Man

My second favorite superhero film of the decade. Extremely witty dialogue, a flawed hero who is nevertheless very likable, a redemptive story and a realistic feel.

That's all for this installment. Have a happy new year everyone!