The Best Movies of the Decade (2000-2009)

In this weekend's edition of the Top 5, the column I host over at the Movies zone of 411mania, I and some of my fellow writers shared our personal opinions on the Top 5 Movies of the Decade (2000-2009). My Top 5 list, though, was taken from a larger version that I've been working on for a while now. So, here is the rest of my full list of what I personally feel were the Top 20 Movies of the Decade (with a link to the Top 5 column at the end). Keep in mind, there are plenty of movies I haven't seen which might have ended up on here instead, so this is just how this list stands as it is now.

20) Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Horribly depressing? No doubt about it. But it is also impossible to shake. I still think it would be beneficial to show this one in schools...although the whole "ass to ass" thing probably prevents that.
19) The Incredibles (2004)
Despite not being based on an actual comic-book, Pixar still made one of the best comic-book movies ever. In fact, this is a much better Fantastic Four movie than Fantastic Four was.
18) Traffic (2000)
I honestly believed Soderbergh's gripping examination of the drug trade would be a much bigger classic than it ended up. But oh well, I still find it fascinating.
17) Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Tarantino's strongest work since Pulp Fiction, and a film that reveals more (and gets better) with every viewing.
16) The Hurt Locker (2009)
By wisely removing the politics and just focusing on the men doing the fighting (or, in this case, defusing the bombs), Katheryn Bigelow made the smartest and best war film of the modern era.
15) Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
I suppose someone might make a better dark fantasy movie than this someday...but I highly doubt it.
14) Crank (2006)
No...seriously. Crank was one of the most original action movies to come along in some time. Heck, one of the most original movies, period. You hadn't seen anything like this up until this point, and I'm sure its reputation and influence will only continue to grow.
13) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
A film about losing love, and wanting to forget about it, actually ends up becoming a poignant tribute to the power of love.
12) Shaun of the Dead (2004)
I know, I know...Shaun was my #2 Horror Movie of the decade, and yet here it is on this list, while my #1 Horror Movie of the decade, The Descent, isn't. That's simply because I feel The Descent is more effective as a horror film, but I won't deny that Shaun is a more appealing movie overall. If you still think that doesn't make sense, well, it's my list, so oh well.
11) Oldboy (2003)
One of the most twisted revenge sagas ever filmed, with a mind-blowing ending you'll never forget.
10) The Dark Knight (2008)
Nolan's follow-up to Batman Begins is not just the greatest comic-book movie ever made, but one hell of a crime drama, period.
9) Mulholland Dr. (2001)
It doesn't matter if you understand it or not (although, for the most part, I think just about everyone ended up coming to the same conclusion about what its mind-bending narrative means) - it's impossible not to get drawn in and completely engrossed by Lynch's storytelling here. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if this might not surpass Blue Velvet as Lynch's best.
8) No Country for Old Men (2007)
The Coens did the smart thing and stayed extremely faithful to Cormac McCarthy's brilliant novel. McCarthy's writing teamed with Coens' filmmaking strengths proved an incredibly potent combo.
7) Memento (2000)
Nolan again, this time with one of the coolest experiments in movie history - one that probably shouldn't have worked, but that just goes to show how talented the man is.
6) Brokeback Mountain (2005)

I still get angry thinking about Crash beating this for Best Picture. So many people made fun of this movie when it was first announced, but all but the most homophobic morons were forced to shut up when it turned out to be not just a "gay cowboy" movie, but in fact one of the best romantic stories ever put on film.

Check out my Top 5 Movies of the Decade here.