Naming your child, your fantasy football team, or your boat…these are difficult decisions that must be carefully thought out. Who would have thought naming a decade would be so difficult?! I was born in the seventies, grew up in the eighties, became a young stud in the nineties, and then the year 2000 came along. Yes, it’s the new millenium. But what is the DECADE from 2000-2009 called? As it comes to a sudden close, no one seems to know. Some reference the “aughts”, which is what folks called the decade between 1900-1909.  That’s a term I’ll gladly repudiate.  The “2000′s” is another name which is completely unoriginal and nonsensical. In the distant future, what the hell does the “2000′s” really mean? For lack of a better name, I’m simply going to reference this turbulent decade as “The Oh’s”.

Over the next week or so, I am going to pay tribute to some of the best things to happen in the film world during The Oh’s. It seems so fitting that this CGI heavy decade will conclude with James Cameron’s “game changer” in Avatar.  As the world around us changed and became more paranoid and cynical, the films released in The Oh’s became a mirror image.  Comic book adaptations became darker, horror became more violent, and the apocalypse was insinuated in many plotlines.

This week I’m going to provide you a list of all this decades’ films that are deserving of your first or second (or third) viewing. Some of these films you may have seen. Others you might have never even heard of. But I can assure you one thing, they are all deserving of your time. I’ll include video links and Netflix links for each of them.  You can thank me later.

First up are the 5 films that you’ll find in the classics section of the video store sometime in the year 2050.  Our future children will see the extreme cynical views we had on our world through these films.  These 5 films accurately portray the inner thoughts amongst many during this trying decade.  These aren’t films like The Ugly Truth or Spiderman 3 that you’ll forget  the second you leave the theater.  These will linger with you, remind you of your place in the world during The Oh’s, and grow in stature as time moves forward.

5. The Departed (2006)

“Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe f#$k yourself.” – Staff Sgt. Dignam

When the name Martin Scorsese is mentioned, I’m sure you immediately think about his classic films of long ago: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, etc. Many began to wonder if he simply was too old to continue making the brilliant pieces of art that he seemed to create so easily in the past. Gangs of New York was met with a shrug. The Aviator was overdone. And then Scorsese announced that he was going to make another mob film (cinephiles met this news with cautious excitement). Scorsese’s new DeNiro, Leonardo DiCaprio, instantly signed on. Then Jack Nicholson. And Matt Damon. Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg. Everything was too good to be true, right?

For once, a film went beyond the hype. Scorsese fearlessly took us into the cat and mouse game of Irish mafia and undercover cops set in parts of Boston I want nothing to do with. Jack Nicholson proved he’s still on top of his game as Frank Costello. And in a move that was obviously a make-up for Scorsese having ZERO Best Director Oscars, he finally received the award he should have won 3 times over.  This film gets better with each viewing. The acting is superb. The directing is breathtaking.  And the screenplay is top notch. Here are two great dialogue heavy scenes from the film which show the subtle humor in a mob based thriller. For anyone who hasn’t seen the film, F-bombs are dropped often. Apparently they come hand in hand with a Boston accent. There’s your warning.  See the clip HERE. Add it to your NETFLIX queue.

4. No Country For Old Men (2007)

“Call it…friendo.” – Anton Chigurh

Here’s a film that echos the cynicism and paranoia in the modern world perfectly. What kind of world do we live in? Is there purpose in moving through life morally? What truly is right and wrong? The essence of these thoughts is played out by one of the scariest “villains” in film, Anton Chigurh.  The Coen Brothers will have you at the edge of your seat from the moment Llewelyn Moss has the bright idea to bring the wounded man water to the abrupt conclusion. This film leaves so many questions, which only adds to its brilliance. All the answers are in the film if you watch carefully.  A close examination of the film reveals the exploration of true evil in the world and a study in obsolescence. This along with the Coen Brother’s wink-wink-wit provides a roller coaster ride.  Chigurh is unrelenting. Moss is bumbling, yet prideful. Something has to give. The film won Best Picture in a tight race with There Will Be Blood. This one will haunt generations to come.  If you want to revisit the amazing trailer, see it HERE. Add it to your NETFLIX queue.

3. Children of Men (2006)

Tagline: “No children. No future. No hope.”

Want a swift kick in your ass? Watch Children of Men.  This will  jump into your favorite movies list.  Powerful, beautiful, and thought provoking — this film still sticks with me to this day. Director Alfonso Cuaron has created one of the most fascinating, coherent futuristic dystopias I have ever seen. The terror of the film revolves around the idea that women can no longer become pregnant. The countdown begins to the end of the world. But one woman has been found to be pregnant, but how? It would be easy to find the story of a crumbling world devoid of procreation faced with its first pregnancy extremely cheesy. Instead, this film is a landmark achievement with scenes that must be seen to be believed. There are brilliant tracking shots without edits that last over several minutes. The beginning desperation of the world is portrayed brilliantly through amazing set design and cinematography. Unfortunately, the film was released on Christmas Day 2006. Not the ideal time to watch the potential end of the world with the family. And after that, the film was swept under the rug. It received Oscar nominations for editing, cinematography, and screenplay, but was mostly forgotten. The more that people discover this film, the more that everyone will realize how shunned it truly was.  Check out a clip of the film HERE. And add it to your NETFLIX queue.

2. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

“Will you keep out all the sadness?” – Carol

Spike Jonze took a classic children’s book and brilliantly expanded it into a worthy adaptation for adults and older children. As the hourglass continues to pour, so will the love and respect for this piece of art.  I’ve poured my heart out in my review of the film HERE.  If you were ever a kid…truly a kid–you will appreciate the richness and subtly this film brings. This isn’t a movie about talking hamsters or about a princess. This is about childhood. For better or for worse.

Check out a clip from the film HERE. 

1. There Will Be Blood (2007)

“You’re a bastard from a basket.” – Daniel Plainview

Paul Thomas Anderson is my favorite modern day writer/director. Watch any of his films and you’ll find brilliance. Enough said.

There Will Be Blood is a masterpiece. It’s not for everyone. But neither are pieces from Picasso.  Daniel Day-Lewis does some of the greatest acting since the heyday of Marlon Brando. He IS Daniel Plainview.  This tale of corruption, ambition, and industry is a slow burn that takes multiple viewings to truly grasp the layered scope. This is alot to ask for a 158 minute film. But it is worth it. Between the acting, Jonny Greenwood’s (Radiohead) haunting score, and PTA’s masterpiece screenplay, this film is destined to be a classic. It has put Paul Thomas Anderson in the same breath as Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Federico Fellini, and Sergio Leone. It’s that perfect.  See a clip of it HERE. Don’t be surprised when you still hear about this film 60 years from now.

Oh yeah, Paul Thomas Anderson just announced his next film. It’s a “fictional” look at Scientology.

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