A Rambling Raconteur

Before I share this list with you, I’m gonna need you to understand something:
I watch a lot of movies. A lot. And there are still many great films and flicks from the past ten years that I have missed. Because of the sheer volume of movies I’ve seen, I’m going to give you a much abbreviated list. These are the movies that stayed with me beyond the roll of the credits. The ones I constantly quote and reference, the ones I throw in my DVD player on a rainy day (or a sunny day, or a sad day, or a happy day, or a… I think you get the point.) Here’s my Favorites of the Decade and the reason behind my choices.
(Oh, and this list is based on purely personal preference. Nothing technical.)


Shaun of the Dead – Aim for the head! This movie opened up the world of Zombie flicks to me.
- Honorable Mentions: Zombieland, Dead and Breakfast

Hot Fuzz - A buddy cop/action flick that is an homage to buddy cop/action flicks. And it’s *hilarious*. I quote this movie all the time, often without realizing it.

Stranger Than Fiction – I often put this movie on in the background when I write. To me, this film was ridiculously true to life, but I think you have to be a write to understand how I mean that.

XMen – In 2002, I dyed my hair to look like Rogue. In 2007, I had a poster of Wolverine in my bathroom. That’s all I have to say about that.
Honorable Mention: The Punisher – I think I rented it then watched in 8 times.

Batman Begins – I had always thought Michael Keaton was the best Batman. Then in walks Mr.Bale. I know some people prefer the Dark Knight, but enjoyed Batman not being upstaged by his villain. It’s his movie after all.
Honorable Mention: The Dark Knight – Because dorks weren’t the only people to take a comic book movie seriously!

Snatch – Made me realized that I really like English films. And it introduced me to Jason Statham.
Honorable Mentions: RockNRolla, In Bruges, Lucky # Slevin

Dodgeball – Ridiculously quotable. Side-splittingly funny. “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

Elizabethtown – I liked this movie when I first saw it. Then it happened to me. After that, I realized I *loved* this movie.
Honorable Mention: Almost Famous – I automatically started singing along with “Tiny Dancer” when they were all on the bus.

Kung Fu Panda – An awesome Kung Fu movie with an animated panda, the animal which I personally believe would be my totem animal if I had one.
Honorable Mention: Chicken Little – Because I totally *got* that little chicken.

Serenity – This movie made me proud to be a science fiction fan. I still firmly believe that the best sci-fi isn’t one that’s drowning in gadgets and space suits, but one that is grounded in characters that *believe.* And this movie is all about belief. And it’s awesome. Like, space-western, gun-slinging, cool-heroes, everything-the-Star-Wars-prequels- weren’t awesome.
Honorable Mention: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Lord of the Rings – If you’ve ever been to my house, then you have undoubtedly met my life-size Legolas cut-out. Call me whatever nerdy names you want, I stand by my opinion that these movies are the best that this decade produced. Epic doesn’t even *begin* to cover the feel of these movies. I started crying about 2/3 of the way through the first one, and didn’t stop crying until a few hours after the credits rolled on the third one…3 years later. I honestly think Peter Jackson got inside my head. Minas Tirith, Edoras, Hobbiton… all of these were exactly like I pictured them in my mind. (sigh)


There you have it. My list. Please leave me your opinions and anything you think I left out, that should have made the short list. Although I warn you about arguing over the last two with me. That is a battle where many a brave warrior has made their last stand. :)