The MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s Countdown

Little Miss Sunshine missed making the honorable mention list. If it was a top 50, I think it finishes somewhere in the 40s for me.

Once, like Little Miss Sunshine, also just missed my list altogether. It'd also would be in the 40s.

Chicago was my number 22. What I dug about it was the verve and commitment of the cast as they torn into what could be described as an anti-musical. Instead of being uplifting and being about young love or landing success on Broadway, it's about murder, getting away with it, and becoming famous off the infamy. It telegraphs one of its key points a bit too early, but between the bravura Cell Block Tango and the knock 'em dead finale, there's more than enough excitement to lead to a standing ovation by the end.

A Beautiful Mind, I liked at the time, although I'm not sure how well it would hold up now. It did get used a few times in college (most notably, the prisoner's dilemma).

The Aviator was a solid old-school biopic about the rise and fall of Howard Hughes. I felt like Leo was trying a bit too hard, particularly with the OCD scenes.

I didn't like Gran Torino. Everything I've heard as a complaint for Million Dollar Baby was worse here and I never bought Eastwood's character was being sincere in helping the Hmong characters and their plight for any other reason than the script basically demanded it be the case. His attempts at redemption kinda reminded me of Sam Rockwell's character "redemption" in Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri, forced and unconvincing.

Michael Clayton was pretty solid. George Clooney is fine as a fixer facing one of his biggest challenges in this film that had a sharp script, good acting and an interesting plot. Fell a bit short making the official list...it might be in a battle for the last spots on my top 50.

52. Brokeback Mountain : At various times Brokeback Mountain was on my list, and it was tough to leave it off in the end because I really rate this film highly, and, both times I've watched it, the film has really had an effect on me. There were just other movies that it had to be sacrificed for. To me, it's one of the greatest love stories ever told on celluloid, and it's told in a hauntingly and visually splendid way. Those pastoral scenes really take my breath away. It definitely should have won the Best Picture Oscar over Crash, and although the Best Actor field was tougher, I wouldn't have disagreed at all if Heath Ledger had of won his first Oscar here. It was trumpeted around everywhere as "the gay cowboy movie" and that's all anyone could talk about, but Brokeback Mountain is far more than those few words. No matter what your sexual orientation, it's easy to feel empathy for those who live their lives in the shadow of some great lost love which, although never seemingly possible, still feels like an opportunity for fulfillment that was just let go. You'll always have those moments you shared with them, but they'll also haunt you.

51. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford : It's a shame this didn't crack the top 50. I would have expected it to. Stunningly shot by Roger Deakins, and the movie that really convinced me that Casey Affleck is worthy of being in films of note. This didn't really grab me the first time I saw it - I find it necessitates some familiarity with it's plot and my full attention, but when I give it that it really knocks me off my feet. There's a deep sadness to everything that's going on - the increasing isolation of Jesse James (conveyed well by Brad Pitt,) the desperation of Robert Ford to prove himself and the brotherly love (and at times sibling rivalry or hatred) that comes from the brothers of both. I don't mind the narration, which some people have a problem with - it speeds us through territory that would have made the film too long and unwieldy. Otherwise, there's a nice build-up of pressure being exerted from individuals and society that finds it's outlet in violence and death. I could watch scenes from this all day - I think it's a truly great movie. It was my #6.

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Films I've seen : 40
Films that have been on my radar : 6
Films I've never even heard of : 4

Films from my list : 8

#51 - My #6 - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
#56 - My #20 - In Bruges (2008)
#59 - My #16 - The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
#66 - My #9 - A Serious Man (2009)
#71 - My #23 - Snatch (2000)
#78 - My #13 - The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
#84 - My #21 - The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
One pointer - World's Greatest Dad (2009)

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Some facts about the next two films...

• #50 has 127 points, which means it has a 6-point separation from #51. That's tied for the biggest point gap so far, which was between #58 (V for Vendetta) and #57 (Million Dollar Baby). Again, a testament to how close all of this was.
• #50 is a (middling?) foreign film, and #49 is an international production.
• Both films were released the same year.
• Both films are from directors that haven't appeared yet in the countdown.
• I haven't seen them

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I'm thinking Babel and Cache?

Caché already came up at #85.

Little Miss Sunshine was #10 on my list and I was confident it was still going to make it.

Michael Clayton was #19 on my list and I was confident it was still going to make it.

A bit of a shock there to suddenly see two of my picks show up all the sudden on this 101 to 110 segment.

I watched Once in preparation for this countdown, as it did quite well on the Millennium Countdown, and thought it was very good, especially the music, but not enough to be one of my all time favourites. Still surprised it missed out though. I loved Chicago when it came out, especially watching it at the cinema. Over the years it's faded in my appraisal a bit - but visually it's still pretty stunning, and the songs are great. I never cared much for A Beautiful Mind for some reason. I thought Russell Crowe a little two rugged, rough and handsome to play John Nash. I've always regarded The Aviator quite highly, and it would have a chance of making my top 50. Surprised it didn't make the cut (like most of these films in this 10 movie bracket.) Gran Torino is still Clint Eastwood quality, but needed to be less direct with it's message. I like subtlety. I haven't seen Still Walking, Millennium Actress or Everything Will Be OK.

How my half-time list is shaping up :

1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) - #51
7 -
8 -
9 - A Serious Man (2009) - #66
10 - Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - #102
11 -
12 -
13 - The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) - #78
14 -
15 -
16 - The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) - #59
17 -
18 -
19 - Michael Clayton (2007) - #109
20 - In Bruges (2008) - #56
21 - The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) - #84
22 -
23 - Snatch (2000) - #71
24 -
25 - World's Greatest Dad (2009) - 1-pointer

My honest review for most of films that made the first half :

Ok, hint hint...

Let's hope this can be your honest review for most of the films in the second half...

I saw Brokeback Mountain at the theater with a packed crowd and you could hear sniffling quite a bit especially from about midway through. It was a very touching film, and the two I felt most badly for were Jack (Gyllenhaal) and Alma (Williams) because Ennis couldn't commit totally to either of them. Ennis even had a chance with two other ladies who loved him but it was a no-go with him. Yes, he was capable of love, with Jack and to a lesser degree, Alma, but he couldn't give his all to them. He pushed them away for different reasons. In the end it seemed the only one who could capture his heart was Alma Jr. (Kate Mara) and we never really got to go beyond their last conversation to see for sure. I felt sure that Ledger and Williams would take their respective Oscars home but I've learned never to try to guess anymore. Glad to see it made the list. Still, for this list I picked ones that tend to have a high rewatchable factor with me. I mean, over and over. And over.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is still one I've yet to see but not for lack of wanting to. Just comes down to a day for fitting in a longer (2 Hrs. and 40 minutes) movie late at night when I have no distractions (I love you, honey! ) and can really focus. So, no-go for both. Glad for one and further intrigued by the other.

#5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 63
#8. Unbreakable 62
#10. Million Dollar Baby 57
#22. Fantastic Mr. Fox 70
#20. Iron Man 83
#23. The Descent 80
#25. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 76

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"Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley."

None of these were on the list, but one ended up on the cutting room floor. Seen them all...

I rewatched Brokeback Mountain for this countdown, and it was as good as I remembered it. It was on my list for a while, but it got cut in the last round of cuts. I'm glad to see that it made the countdown anyway.

I watched The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford for the Westerns Countdown, and it just missed my list for that countdown, but it didn't have much of a chance for my list for this countdown.

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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

thief being the fun host 🤟

I watched Still Walking for the Foreign Language Movies Countdown, and I liked it enough that I considered it for my list for that countdown, but it wasn't in consideration for my list for this countdown.

I saw Little Miss Sunshine a while back, but I didn't really like it. I might give it another try someday, but I doubt it would have had a chance to make my list for this countdown even if I had rewatched it.

I watched Once for a HoF a while back. I love musicals, and I had read some great reviews of this movie so I expected to love both the movie and the music, but the movie was only okay, and the only song that I really liked was the song "Falling Slowly".

I've seen Chicago several times, and I considered it for my list, but it just didn't make my final round of cuts.

I watched A Beautiful Mind when I picked it as a blind nomination for the Best Picture HoF a while back. I liked it, but not as much as I expected. I rewatched it for this countdown, and it was better the second time, but it still didn't make my list.

Unfortunately The Aviator is one of the movies that was on my watchlist for this countdown that I just didn't get a chance to watch.

I haven't seen Millennium Actress.

I saw Gran Torino many years ago, but I don't remember much about it except that Clint Eastwood played a grouchy old man.

I watched Michael Clayton for this countdown, and I liked it enough that it was on my list for a while, but as I watched more movies, it eventually just got cut from my list in the final round of cuts.

I watched Everything Will Be OK for a Shorts HoF a while back. I thought it was interesting, but not great.

Dancer in the Dark is one, not sure on the other

*scans thread for new entries
*makes a note to amend Host Rating
*remembers site was problematic for a while
*leaves note asis

Michael Clayton rules. I actually prefer it to the usual 2007 favourites (NCfOM, TWBB, AoJJ). Reminds me of the extremely sturdy studio vehicles we used to get in the '90s, with top notch performances. I voted for it wholeheartedly, even if it's been a while since I last saw it.


I'm chewing over whether or not I'll get to Millennium Actress before it leaves the Criterion Channel tonight.

My other prediction is Talk to Her