Around the time I started this site, I did a “Top 100 of the 1990s” with the intention of doing a new decade every year. I had meant to do a new decade every year, but as with life, stuff came up. I got overwhelmed by my primary responsibilities on this site: reviewing new film and television releases. Hence, folks have some guidance when consuming new content.

Recently, I conducted a small poll on my personal Instagram (@fartgetis2) to ask what past decade I should do a “Top 100 Films” on. Overwhelmingly, the answer came back: “the 2000s”. Not the best decade for film, in my approximation; in fact, I was low-key hoping the poll results would be the 1970s or 1980s, but some beautiful gems came out of a post-9/11 mindset. Some of my choices are obvious and well-known, and others you may not have heard of. Please remember that art is subjective, and these choices are personal. 

Please don’t threaten to kill my family cause I like Sideways. 

I decided to release this article in ten parts, covering ten films each, to not overwhelm the viewer and make the movies stand out more. This was an arduous ranking process, especially for selections #73-#100, picking 28 films out of nearly 150 possible contenders.

So, let’s get started with #100-#91:

100. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

2000 / dir. The Coen Brothers / 107 minutes

cast: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, Chris Thomas King, Michael Badalucco, Daniel von Bargen, Wayne Duvall, Ray McKinnon, Stephen Root

How great a filmography The Coen Boys must have for this to barely creep into their Top 10 Best Movies. The first digitally color-graded motion picture (technically, Jason X was, but that movie’s release was pushed back cause it’s such a piece of shit) is an almost surreal-looking slice of Southern Americana, gorgeously photographed by GOAT Roger Deakins and brought to life by stunning musical sequences and some delightful broad comic performances. Sure, there are some story choices made that never would fly today, no matter the intent or context – the blackface thing, the only black character being the least developed – but this is a very creative and well executed adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Probably the best. Way better than Cold Mountain, which you will absolutely not be seeing on this list. (Streaming on Hulu)

99. In the Mood for Love

2000 / dir. Wong Kar-wai / 98 minutes

cast: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Siu Ping Lam, Rebecca Pan, Kelly Lai Chen, Joe Cheung, Chan Man-Lei, Chin Tsi-ang

Speaking of gorgeous cinematography, holy schnikes! In the Mood for Love is one of the most aesthetically beautiful movies ever captured on film, a philosophical slow burn from Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai that garbage critic Richard Roeper famously thinks is boring and dumb. While it is a very slow movie that requires patience and active thinking on the viewer’s part, it’s not nearly as boring and dumb as that talking dildo masquerading as a major film critic. It follows the low simmering romance between a journalist (Tony Leung – Chungking Express, Hard Boiled) and a secretary at a shipping company (Maggie Cheung – Hero, Police Story 1, 2 and 3) in 1962 Hong Kong. The problem is, both are married, but, each of their spouses is having an affair…so who knows? (Streaming on Max)

98. The Magdalene Sisters

2002 / dir. Peter Mullan / 119 minutes

cast: Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duffy, Eileen Walsh, Geraldine McEwan, Daniel Costello, Mary Murray, Frances Healy

A really disturbing but thoroughly engaging period piece about abuse at the hands of the Catholic church, based on a true story. Back in the 60s, in Ireland, “morally objectionable” girls were sent to Magdalene Asylums where maniacal nuns would basically beat the “sin” out of them, as fucked as that sounds. Some were there for being raped by family members, or being single mothers, having an intellectual disability, or in one case, just being too beautiful, which, of course, is irrefutable evidence that the devil is living inside your vagina. This film, written and directed by brilliant Irish character actor Peter Mullan (Top of the Lake, Session 9), might be too unbearable to watch if not for the sensitive way the central characters are drawn, not to mention the incredible performances by Anne-Marie Duff, Nora-Jane Noone, Dorothy Duff, and Eileen Walsh. This plays almost like a gender reversed Shawshank Redemption, darker and less whimsical, but carrying the viewer through depressing material based on their investment in the characters and their desire to see them overcome this nightmare situation. If there was ever a movie that made you want to punch a nun in the face, it’s this one. (Available for $4 rental on Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, and AppleTV+)

97. Munich

2005 / dir. Steven Spielberg / 163 minutes

cast: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Ciarán Hinds, Mathieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, Geoffrey Rush, Michael Lonsdale, Mathieu Amalric, Hiam Abbass, Zian Adwan, Lynn Cohen

Ridiculous sweaty sex scene intercut with footage of Israeli athletes being shot to death aside, this is a very serious-minded, intelligent and moral, without ever being didactic, film that stands as one of the most uncharacteristically cold Steven Spielberg efforts. In 1972, the Summer Olympics were being held in Munich, Germany, and Black September, a Palestinian militant group, carried out a terrorist attack which resulted in the deaths of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. But the movie isn’t about that, it’s about the top secret Israeli revenge mission, unofficially led by Golda Meir, which tasked five Mossad agents with finding 11 Palestinians deemed responsible for the attack in Munich, and kill them for retribution. Eric Bana, in a good-ish performance, leads the team that consists of a fantastic pre-James Bond Daniel Craig, Amelie‘s Matthieu Kassovitz, Hanns Zischler, and veteran Irish character actor, Ciarán Hinds. As the team works on completing their hit list, they realize a chunk of their humanity is disappearing in the process and also that their country may have lied to them – some or all of the 11 names on the list may not even be responsible for Munich – but might be on there for basically business or political reasons. Along the way, the team shacks up in a half-way house with some Palestinian Liberation Organization members and in one of the film’s best scenes, Bana and their leader have a deep conversation where they realize they aren’t so different. Like all good films, Munich offers no clean resolution or definitive answers besides the fact that wrath and murder will chip away at any sane person’s soul. (Available for $4 rental on Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, and AppleTV+)

96. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

2007 / dir. Sidney Lumet / 117 minutes

cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, Albert Finney, Rosemary Harris, Michael Shannon, Brian F. O’Byrne, Amy Ryan

Legendary filmmaker Sidney Lumet‘s very last movie and not a bad one to go out on. You know him right? Dog Day Afternoon, Network, 12 Angry Men, Serpico, The Verdict, all those masterpieces? Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is an intense family drama disguised as a bank heist movie about two scummy brothers – Andy (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke) – who decide to rip off their mom and pop’s literal mom and pop jewelry store. Shit goes horribly wrong in the process which sends everyone into a spiral, including their father played by Albert Finney and Andy’s wife/Hank’s secret lover, Gina (Marisa Tomei). The movie is told out of chronological order, which doesn’t seem entirely necessary, but it doesn’t detract from the raw emotion and power of the actors. This stands as one of Hoffman‘s best and most intense performances, there’s a moment where a pulsing vein in his forehead steals a scene from Ethan Hawke delivering a monologue. This isn’t going to be the last time this list mentions the great PSH. (Streaming on Peacock and Tubi)

95. Batman Begins

2005 / dir. Christopher Nolan / 140 minutes

cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, Morgan Freeman

Nothing against the two very good Burton Batmans, but Nolan‘s Batman Begins was, I think, the best live action superhero movie up until that point. It really took the character seriously, both Batman and Bruce Wayne, and despite a pretty bad Katie Holmes (they later course corrected with the stellar Maggie Gyllenhaal) the supporting cast is really impressive and help create a fully developed and realized Gotham City. It’s an actual origin story for the caped crusader and Nolan is not afraid of really taking liberties and making Batman Begins his own. Also, if you haven’t watched it since the 2000s, you’ll notice a young Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) towards the end of the movie. (Streaming on Max)

94. Drag Me to Hell

2009 / dir. Sam Raimi / 99 minutes

cast: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver, Dileep Rao, Adriana Barraza, David Paymer, Reggie Lee, Octavia Spencer

Sam Raimi is an acquired taste I guess, but I love that he brings a real goofy, comic book flavor to some of the most graphic and brutal horror scenarios. He isn’t afraid of trying to present really dark shit as fun, and besides the near immaculate Evil Dead 2, Drag Me to Hell is easily the best example of this. Alison Lohman plays a nice bank lady who is up for an Assistant Manager position. She’s the hardest worker at her branch, but she’s competing with the bank’s biggest butt kisser for the position. To show she has the financial interests of the bank in mind, she denies this old gypsy woman’s third mortgage extension request. This sends the old lady into a tizzy and she both attacks Alison Lohman, and puts a curse on her. At first Lohman doesn’t believe it, but quickly she starts experiencing insane paranormal events. Drag Me to Hell is great at switching gears between legitimately scary horror and raucous humor, and we’re super invested through both because Raimi takes the time to fully establish the characters. This is a great movie night movie that begs to be watched in a group. (Available for $4 rental on Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and AppleTV+ )

93. Collateral

2004 / dir. Michael Mann / 120 minutes

cast: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Javier Bardem, Barry Shabaka Henley, Jason Statham, Bruce McGill, Irma P. Hall, Debi Mazar

One of the tensest thrillers of filmmaker Michael Mann‘s impressive career, the guy who basically invented throwing gallons of water on streets for night time shoots. Jamie Foxx is a nerdy ass taxi driver who has the misfortune of picking up a charismatic but ruthless hitman (Tom Cruise – in one of his best performances). The hitman forces Foxx to drive him around Los Angeles so he can kill his way through his contractor’s hit list. Foxx does everything he can to get away from the assassin, but Cruise is just too damn clever to be shook. I love films that take place over the course of a single night and Collateral is one of the best of them. (Streaming on Showtime and Paramount+)

92. The Prestige

2006 / dir. Christopher Nolan / 130 minutes

cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, Piper Perabo, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Ricky Jay

One of Nolan‘s most underrated films, The Prestige is a carefully constructed magic trick on the viewer and a good representation of Nolan at his best, which is making movies that are self-aware of how exhaustedly detailed they are. Christian Bale, who played Batman for the filmmaker just the year before, has excellent chemistry with co-star Hugh Jackman. They play dueling magicians with a personal score to settle. Other supporting performances from Michael Caine, Scarlett Johannson, Rebecca Hall, Andy Serkis and David Bowie as Nikola Tesla are all on point. This is a fun movie to watch and pay close attention to, Nolan has crafted it like his own magic show for us. He’s quiet the sorcerer. (Available for $4 rental on Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, YouTube, and AppleTV+ )

91. Bug

2006 / dir. William Friedkin / 102 minutes

cast: Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick, Jr., Lynn Collins, Brian F. O’Byrne

Based on an excellent stage play by Tracy “Mr. Carrie Coon“ Letts, Bug is a deliciously claustrophobic and downright gross story about paranoia and mental illness. Confined almost entirely to a cheap motel room, the story follows Agnes, a waitress at a lesbian bar reeling from the disappearance of her young son ten years prior. She’s being harassed via anonymous phone calls by her violent ex-husband (Harry Connick, Jr.) who just paroled, and she’s of course drowning her problems in alcohol and substances. One night, her best friend R.C. (Lynn Collins), brings her friend Peter (Michael Shannon), a war veteran drifter, to party with them. Over the course of the film’s first act, Peter and Agnes begin to form a close bond and maybe romance, but they also feed each other’s schizophrenic tendencies. What starts out as shared delusion of tiny bugs crawling on their skin, soon escalates into ripping each other’s teeth out (cause of government implants) and covering the entire motel room in aluminum foil so “they” can’t read our thoughts. This is an extremely intense and disturbing story, brought to life by Exorcist director William Friedkin, but it’s never a chore to watch because of the fully developed characters and the astonishing the performances that inhabit them. Ashley Judd has never been better and Michael Shannon delivers one of the most chilling portrayals of the entire decade. This is one of the few play adaptations that feels like it has a personality of its own and isn’t simply just a filmed stage production. (Streaming on Tubi)