Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part 4

Okay, it's down to the top 20...

#20: Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

I know. How could I include one of the hated Star Wars prequels in my top films of the decade? Well for me, this film came close to the sense of fun and adventure present in the original trilogy while also being the darkest and most serious film of the whole series. Sure, there are moments of cheese scattered here and there, but they were there in the originals too. If the other prequels had been more like this film, I think we may have had a better story than what we had.

#19: A Beautiful Mind

Brilliant because it successfully takes us into the mind of a paranoid schizophrenic in a way that truly puts us in his shoes. This is no easy task because such mental disorders are so foreign to us, difficult to understand, and even scary. But for many that fear of the unknown was turned to compassion because of this film.

#18: Star Trek (2009)

What a reboot! I've never been much of a trek fan, but J.J. Abrams, the visionary creator of Lost (the best show on TV, incidentally), injects some real energy and a sense of adventure into the franchise. The amazing effects and awesome action sequences are grounded in the characters and relationships that Abrams masterfully develops, so that I connect with them in a way I never did in the original show/movies. Although technically a prequel, it also results in an alternate reality that will allow future installments to go in a completely different direction from the original series, so I'm really excited to see what we're going to get next.

#17: Batman Begins

Another reboot, this time of the Batman series. Again, never been a huge Batman fan. Liked the Tim Burton film, but not really much else that I had seen, at least as far as screen adaptations. But Christopher Nolan, director of the fantastic movie Memento (see my top 10), focuses on character, realism and draws some pretty deep themes out of the story. Leads into an even better sequel (again see my top 10), making this the best comic-based franchise of the decade.

#16: Signs

An alien invasion movie that's really more about a man's loss of faith in a good God and the deep love a family for one another. Also one of the most frightening and suspenseful movies I've ever seen.

#15: Spirited Away

One of the most imaginative films I've ever seen. It's kind of a Japanese Alice in Wonderland, filled with references to Japanese mythology and folklore. A visually rich story of a little girl's love for her parents and her willingness to risk anything to save them.

#14: The Ring

An American remake of a Japanese horror film. I use the term horror loosely, because this isn't a violent or gory film. Instead it slowly builds a sense of dread that culminates in one of the most terrifying final acts I've ever seen. Many other remakes of Japanese horror films followed in the footsteps of this one, but most were cheesy imitations that failed to capture the sense of fear of the unknown that this film so brilliantly did.

#13: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

One of the most unique films I've ever seen. A man pays to have all his memories of a painful relationship erased, only to realize while it's happening that there were also many moments of pure joy that the pain had eclipsed, and that he still loves this woman despite the suffering that she has brought. He fights to find a way to keep the memories of her, but it seems to be a losing battle. At times painful and heart-breaking to watch, but well worth the emotional effort.

#12: Minority Report

A sci-fi spin on the classic "guy-is-framed-and-is-on-the-run-trying-to-prove-his-own-innocence" story. Except that in this case he's accused of something he hasn't done yet, and for all he knows his own attempts to vindicate himself may lead to him committing the very crime for which he's accused. Full of thrilling chases, dazzling effects and some pretty mind-bending ideas, it's one of the best sci-fi films of the decade.

#11: Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

Originally pinned to be the first film in a series based upon the books (which I've never read), this unfortunately probably won't happen due to a lack of box-office success. Which is sad, because I've never had a film immerse me so deeply in high-seas adventure as this one.

Well, that's all for this installment. Stay tuned for the fifth and final installment of this epic saga, coming soon to a computer screen near you.