I was 12 years old when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. As a young, innocent child, my mother never restricted my movie watching.
To give everybody a visual, I vividly remember watching “Die Hard” when I was 5 years old.
Growing up in the ‘00s, I feel like I have a good grasp of the cinematic triumphs and failures over the past decade. Here’s my list of the top 10 movies of the decade.
10. “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)
Directed by Ang Lee, “Brokeback Mountain” shares the story of two men who fall into a hidden love affair in a world that doesn’t welcome homosexuality.
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal star in the acclaimed drama that racked up three Academy Awards, including Best Director and Adapted Screenplay.
The film went through a bit of controversy because of its sensitive plot, but the movie is a must-see thanks to a strong cast and a gutsy script.
9. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008)
Brad Pitt leads the way as the lovable and innocent Benjamin who was physically born an old man and died a young boy.
Eric Roth, who gained fame by writing the screenplay for “Forrest Gump,” put together the script for “Curious Case” based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story of the same title.
Of the 13 Academy Awards the film was nominated for, “Curious Case” took home three Oscars and won the hearts of many with this fresh and exciting look at a man’s life as it ticks against the clock.
8. “Memento” (2000)
After seeing this movie for the first time last month, I had to immediately put this in my top 10.
Christopher Nolan (“Batman Begins” and “The Dark Knight”) directs this mind-bending thriller starring Guy Pierce as a former insurance investigator who is dealing with short-term memory loss while searching for his wife’s murderer.
The story is told in a counter-clockwise motion from end to beginning. Nolan uses the film as a way to grab the viewer’s brain and spin it around in ways I never imagined.
“Memento” is one of those films that come along every so often.
7. “The Dark Knight” (2008)
Another Christopher Nolan flick makes my list, and it’s hard to disagree.
“The Dark Knight” is second film in the newly restored Batman series starring Christian Bale.
Though the sequel was Nolan’s masterpiece, the film truly belonged to the late Heath Ledger. Ledger’s performance as the menacing and demonic Joker won the actor the Oscar for best supporting role.
“The Dark Knight” captured eight Academy Award nominations, winning two awards, while racking up more than $500 million at the box office.
6. “No Country for Old Men” (2007)
I’ve always been a sucker for Joel and Ethan Coen.
Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, “No Country for Old Men” is directed by the Coen brothers and won the Academy Award for best picture in 2008.
Set in 1980’s Texas, the film follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) after he stumbles across the wrong briefcase full of cash.
Tommy Lee Jones plays the county sheriff and Javier Bardem stars as the unforgettable Anton Chigurh.
The film’s melodic pace and cynical characters turn this film into a modern classic.
Check out the rest of my countdown in next week’s edition of the Clarion!