Top Movies Made in the Past Ten Years

By Caitlyn Hallman

My original movie list was far too long. Giving a name check to every film that I truly love turned out to be a lengthy and difficult proposition and one worthy of its own website. Therefore to simplify the process, I moved my attention to films made within the past ten years. Meaning there will be no film on this list made before 1992. I would also like you to note that this is a list of my favorites. It's completely objective and solely based on my opinions. So, please don't email any complaints of a blatant omission. I realize that some obvious classics do not appear, Pulp Fiction and Fargo, for example, and while I acknowledge their greatness, they are simply just not my personal favorites.

Here's the list in no particular order:

A lovely, good-natured, and bittersweet movie about the perils of fame and rock n' roll. The year is 1964, the place is Erie, Pennsylvania, and Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) has just been thrown in as a replacement drummer for the local garage band The One-Ders. Fame comes quickly to the band. In the span of three months their name is changed to The Wonders, they have the number seven song (amazingly enough called 'That Thing You Do!') on the Billboard Hot One Hundred, and they are living in Los Angeles. But as their celebrity soars, the band falls apart as the army, fast women, and ballooning egos get in the way. The band breaks-up just after 'That Thing You Do!' becomes the number two song in the country. All is not lost, however, for Guy manages to win the heart of the girl (Liv Tyler) and find a lucrative career as a studio musician.

Moral: Fame and bands may come and go, but the music always stays.

Murder never looked so good. Based on the true story of two New Zealand schoolgirls, who kill one's mother, this was Kate Winslet movie debut. Director Peter Jackson takes you directly into the murderers' psyches with a startling result: they are highly likeable, witty, and charming. While never shying away from the grizzly nature of the deed, the film makes you into sympathetic conspirators to the girls.

Moral: Murder has a reason.

Based on the Nick Hornby novel, John Cusack stars as the hapless record shop owner who can't manage to stay in a long-term relationship. It's the story of record collecting, list making, and the nature of love. Jack Black, also give a truly inspired comedic performance.

Moral: It's not who you are, it's what you like.

Louisa May Alcott's classic story of sisterhood brought to the big screen. Winona Ryder plays Jo in the best role of her career. Beautifully filmed and remaining true to the book, the movie is both touching and delightful without becoming overly sentimental. A true family classic.

Moral: There's nobody like your sisters.

Ewan McGregor's break through role. Contrary to what the title leads you to believe, it is not a story about wacky railway enthusiasts. Rather it's a grimy, black comedy about Scottish heroine addicts with a hip soundtrack and nifty camera effects.

Moral: Don't do drugs...unless you can still look as good as Ewan McGregor when you do them.

Who is Tyler Durden? A tricky question that this shockingly violent and surprisingly funny film sets out to answer. Inspired by pre-millenium angst caused by commercialism, fading family values, New Age feel-good thinking, and Ikea furniture, one man finds therapy in fighting. Soon he is leading a revolution. Brad Pitt was never better as the club's charismatic leader, and the plot twist at the end is worth the price of admission (it even holds up after multiple viewings).

Moral: You are not born a special, unique snowflake, you have to earn your right to be unique.

Baz Luhrman's all signing, all dancing romantic spectacular. Robbed of the Oscar, this film adds new sparkle to the faded genre of the movie musical. The recipe is fantastic: take an old-fashioned love plot (consumptive courtesan falls for a penniless poet while starring in a hit musical and defending herself from the advances of the devilish duke), add a gorgeously camp set, mix in a charming leading man (Ewan McGregor), and season with hit pop songs. Yummy!

Moral: The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.

And just to add a runner up to the list, I would also recommend Ever After (1998) the retake on the Cinderella story starring Drew Barrymore. It's surprisingly intelligent.