Jackass: Number Two [2006] 61%A guilty pleasure, but one that I feel will represent gross-out humor for years to come. The cast came back with a bang to almost every pressure point on the body and the results are equally shocking and hilarious. There is a good reason they put warnings before and after this movie because if anyone else had swam with sharks, they’d be dead right now.Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back [2001] 53%
One of director Kevin Smith’s best. It ditches Jason Mewes as a side man and puts him in the lead on one of the best road trip movies of the decade. It pays homage to every film Smith has done before with almost every cameo you’d expect. It also features signature raunchy humor and a surprise performance from Morris Day and the Time.
Juno [2007] 93%Easily one of my favorites of the decade. I once went six months thinking at least once a day about “Juno”. I think this captures Michael Cera at his best and pushes Ellen Page into my heart. The hipster language and vibe may feel forced to some, but to me, it’s almost a perfect look at how we can know a lot and still be naïve.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 [2003] 85%
Another top choice for my decade is another masterpiece from director Quentin Tarantino. This movie’s plot is simple and only enhanced with a non-linear storytelling, but it’s pretty damn entertaining and Uma Thurman delivers as she takes down everyone imaginable. There were many revenge movies this decade, but I felt this was one of the best.
Knocked Up [2007] 90%
Another classic raunchy comedy from director Judd Apatow that shot Seth Rogen into the spotlight and gave hope to those that thought the Hard R comedies were dead by mixing every sex joke with a little heart.
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist [2002] 11%
Proof that I am still human and not quite a bulletproof critic. This movie probably lives off the one day I was in Sacramento and saw this on TV right as we were checking out. The satire was amazingly slapstick and low brow and kept us laughing out of the unexpected. Since, I’ve watched this movie to death, but that one moment will live forever as one of the most unexpectedly funny moments in movie viewing.
Legally Blonde [2001] 67%
In looking through movies, I remember having fond memories of this Reese Witherspoon vehicle that featured Selma Blair pre-“Hellboy”. It definitely makes the list for the one fact that it manages to twist the dumb blonde stereotype on it’s head by making Witherspoon’s character charming and naïve… and an amazing lawyer.
Lilo and Stitch [2002] 85%
One of the last of Disney’s hand drawn animated movies that I really enjoyed. The odd couple of a little girl and an alien may have been done many times before, but by placing it in Hawaii, the results make for a fun time and an excellent amount of surfing. The family morals and Stitch’s hi-jinks make this one entertaining family gem.
Little Miss Sunshine [2006] 90%
This movie probably started me on the path to seeing independent movies every year. The dysfunctional family story may have been done before, but for some reason, in this tale that features everything imaginable is a subtly funny tale as a family takes their daughter across country in a failing van to win a beauty pageant, but learn that the looks are not as important as the person. It also launched young Abigail Breslin into the spotlight with an Oscar nomination and countless roles to follow.
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers [2002] 96%
Easily my favorite of the three if for one reason. It introduced us to the tortured masterpiece called Gollum. The story may not have an ending nor beginning, but it does have some of my favorite moments, including talking trees and the taking down of the two towers. Overall, this trilogy is the one to beat.
Loser [2000] 25%There wasn’t really much of a reason to put this on the list. But then I realized that the soundtrack was amazing, Jason Biggs is a good actor, and I can’t splice away my interest in Everclear from this movie. The two intertwine, thus managing to both stay relevant in my interests collection.
Lost in Translation [2003] 95%Considered to be one of Bill Murray’s best. Who could disagree? This tale of a man who finds love with Scarlet Johanson in Japan was amazingly done as a fish out of water tale that holds up by noticing the insecurities of inter-cultures and how finding someone to relate to is the only thing you really want.
March of the Penguins [2005] 94%
If you know me, you will know that I love the penguins. This documentary on Emperor Penguins was amazingly deep and makes you sympathize with them as they face hardships. To add to the already amazing story, is a top notch narration from the amazing Morgan Freeman, easily making this one of my favorite documentaries of all time.
Mean Girls [2004] 84%
It’s hard to believe, but this is the movie that got me through high school. Somehow the story about not judging people by joining clicks became my blueprint for the four years I spent at Millikan. It also made me have a three year crush on Lindsay Lohan that sadly died with her downward spiral of what once seemed like a promising career. It remains amazingly deep and complex five years later and I doubt anyone from my generation will not be able to recite some piece of dialogue from the movie.
Meet the Parents [2000] 84%
Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro seem like an odd pairing, but somehow it manages to result in an ultimate comedy that analyzes generations and disciplines through two very different families when Stiller visit’s his fiance’s family to get permission. It also features a notably hilarious scene involving a champagne cork, an urn, and a cat. You’ll have to see it to believe it.
Memento [2001] 93%
One of the last minute entries turns out to be one of the best. The amazing story telling makes this tale of revenge gone wrong is amazingly complex as it begins at the end and works it’s way to the beginning, where everything tries to make sense. It requires amazing attention to detail and makes me believe that Christopher Nolan is one of the genius directors of the decade who redefined how to make blockbusters by adding intellect into the action.
Milk [2008] 94%
This biopic on the gay politican Harvey Milk was not the most mind blowing entry on my list, but it did manage to make me believe that he was a nice guy with good intentions. It also made me believe that we should be proud of who we are and not to discriminate those different from us. It delivers solid performances and proves to me that James Franco can play very diverse roles.
Monsters, Inc. [2001] 95%
One of Pixar’s best features the voice work of John Goodman and Billy Crystal as monsters who work to fuel a factory by scaring children. The result is an amazing thrill ride with high powered creativity. I doubt I liked any Pixar movie this decade more than this one.
Monsters Vs. Aliens [2009] 72%Like “The Incredibles” did for superheroes, this take on monster movies is an amazing satire that features a top notch voice team with a plotline that almost seems hacked from the 1950’s monster films that inspired the characters. It’s also very funny and resulted in one of Dreamworks Animation’s best movies of all time, only second in my opinion to “Shrek”.
Napoleon Dynamite [2004] 71%I don’t get how any of these jokes are funny, but it’s hard to have been a high school student and not have been affected by this film in any way. Kids were wearing Vote for Pedro t-shirts and the catchphrases spread like wildfire. While Jon Heder has done way better, the one thing I take from this movie is his quirky performance that inspired so many cheap immitation and almost put him in the type-casting bin.
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