The Best 10 movies of the last Decade....that you've probably never heard of.

This is the hardest list I've ever tried. The point is to bring you the best movies that not a whole lot of people have seen, but movies that NEED to be seen. I give them all my highest regard, as they are truly works of art. Slipping through the cracks of the system, usually falling in our laps on DVD. I picked one to represent each year....



(2000) Shadow Of The Vampire

I will absolutely never forget when I saw this movie. My friend Chad and I were cruising into Eugene to fart around and decided to go watch a movie. I got to pick. And Chad has never let me forget how much he hated this movie. I, on the other hand, loved it. It's such a crazy premise-that the guy who played the vampire in Nosferatu, was in fact, a REAL vampire. With two great performances from John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe. See this if you are a fan of real vampire movies.

(2001)The Score

This one almost went to Frailty, which I have to mention. It's good. But The Score is GREAT. DeNiro and Edward Norton...and Marlon Brando in one of his final roles! You will absolutely love this movie. It's a tight, suspenseful little film that is as under-rated as they come.

(2002) The Salton Sea

Val Kilmer's finest work. That sentence makes my brain hurt, but it's true. It's absolutely criminal how few people have heard of this one. All you need to know is that it has Vincent D'Onofrio in it with no nose. Yes, this film is ridiculous....ly awesome.


(2003)The Cooler

Alec Baldwin deserved an award for his performance here...and he got one. William H Macy plays pathetic in this one better than he ever has since. And that includes Wild Hogs. And it's actually a compliment in this context. A constant loser, his character has his life turn around when he meets and falls for a pretty girl...but the show is absolutely stolen by Baldwin. Every scene he's in is prime. It's funnier than in 30 Rock and more serious than any drama he's made that I can't name.

(2004)The Machinist

This dark look at the mental state of an insomniac will grip you from scene one. This is Christian Bale pre-fame....along with American Psycho, his best work. It's sad, lonely, depressing and awful. In all the best ways.

(2005)The Descent

Holy cow. This is the horror fans dream. An slick, original concept, claustrophobic and scary as hell. And while there is some gore...the reason this is so great is because the scares are from the suspense of it all. They put on a horror clinic with this one, and owned everyone in the game.

(2006)Running Scared

Who knew the blond guy from The Fast And The Furious could actually act? I didn't, until I saw this. This is a guys movie. In that there' a lot of violence...and it's a girl's movie, too. You'll be proud of mama bear in this one. I guarantee it. The only issue I have with it is what seems like I studio forced ending. While that doesn't ruin it, it does soften it just a little. This movie is a hard movie. Worth the rent, for sure.

(2007)Sunshine

You might recognize the name Danny Boyle. He directed a little movie called Slumdog Millionaire. Well, he also directed this, and this is better. Simple as that.

(2008)Apaloosa

This is the best western to come out this decade. If you don't like the word western, just move along, but if you liked Tombstone, Unforgiven or 3:10 To Yuma, you're in for a treat. Great directing from Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen is simply on point in this.

(2009)Moon

I totally forgot this on my best of '09 list. I'm glad, so I can put it here. Sam Rockwell turns in an unforgettable role as the lone employee of some big company's operation to harvest a miracle energy source on the moon. With a small budget, it's amazing to witness a movie set entirely on the moon and you don't notice that it's not really the moon. Good stuff.

The Machinist is one of Nate's favorite movies. It is a fantastic movie about choice and redemption...not for the kids, but marvelous, it is sad...but I don't think it is depressing...I think it has great spiritual undertones. Christian Bale ate only 3 cans of tuna a day in order to get thin enough for the role.

JW recommended Moon as well...

and Jay Witty told me I would love The Descent but because of claustrophobia I have never rented it, but after watching Pandorum last night, I think I will be able to handle it.

I loved The Score So great and Ed Norton is flippin HAWT

Pandorum was fantastic! If you liked it, you'll love The Descent.