Best Films of the Decade 55-51

55. The Royal Tenenbaums

The first 30-45 minutes are perfect: quirky and funny with vivid colors and exquisitely designed sets. The opening sequence is perhaps the best of the decade. The second half of the film loses its narrative drive as the characters get bogged down in their neuroses and the audience realizes how unsympathetic and unrealistic the people they've been watching are. Still, it deserves to be on the list, if only for the "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard" sequence.

54. Billy Elliot
It wouldn't have made the list last year, but a 2nd viewing proved that Stephen Daldry did, in fact, deserve his Best Director nomination (for this film anyway) with excellent blocking and camera placement. It's very touching and honestly acted. And current personal experience makes this one hit awfully close to home.

53. Road to Perdition

Tom Hanks went against type which is respectable but a little distracting. Not surprisingly, his best moments are the fatherly ones with him quietly talking to his son. The late, great Paul Newman is perfectly cast as his surrogate father. The cinematography by Conrad Hall is unforgettable and Depression-era Chicago is recreated beautifully. This is my favorite Sam Mendes film. Favorite sequence: The "I'm glad it's you." scene - you know the one. Spoiler link.

52. Ratatouille and WALL-E
The message in Ratatouille is simple and appropriate for all ages: Live your life without limits and never let anything get in the way of your dreams. This enchanting tale reaches the sublime toward the end when a hardened food critic is transported back to his childhood. The kitchen scenes are brilliantly orchestrated by the best animated director ever - Brad Bird.

WALL-E was somehow forgotten during the original formation of the list and seems easiest to fit in here (but is probably a little bit higher). While Ratatouille focuses on individual achievement and excellence, WALL-E focuses on the collective, but their are flashes of individualism when the ship's captain takes on the computer. It's outlook and landscapes are surprising bleak for a kid's film. Much of the greatness lies in director Andrew Stanton's ability to make us care about 2 robots in love.

51. 21 Grams

As grim and depressing as dramas got this past decade - dealing with the loss of children, the loss of health, and the loss of religion. It's gritty and rough and a thoroughly wrenching experience to sit through. But that doesn't mean it isn't great. Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, and Benicio del Toro bring their beat-up characters to life. Melissa Leo didn't get her name very big on the poster, but she matches del Toro every step of the way.


56. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
57. Downfall
58. Hot Fuzz
59. The New World
60. Knocked Up
61. Inland Empire
62. United 93
63. Babel
64. Pan's Labyrinth
65. In the Bedroom
66. Monsters, Inc.
67. The Pianist
68. Batman Begins
69. 3:10 to Yuma
70. King Kong
71. In Bruges
72. No Direction Home
73. Intolerable Cruelty
74. Little Children
75. Gangs of New York