Jim Dooley picks the top 10 movies released during the aughts (2000-09) that you "oughta" see.

10. Red Cliff (Chi Bi) It’s wartime in China, 1,700 years ago, and John Woo, after a so-so start, delivers a near epic by the time the final arrow is launched. 9. William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe Documentary about the life of famed (some would say infamous) attorney William Kunstler is handled in a top-notch […]

Up in the Air The year’s best film is a wicked indictment of disaffected 21st century culture. It’s also sharply written, well-acted, and features the performance we always knew George Clooney had in him: smart, smug and deeply, unforgettably sad. The Hurt Locker The 21st century finally has its war movie in Kathryn Bigelow’s relentlessly […]

1. 500 Days of Summer I so love “500 Days of Summer.” Equal parts poignant and entertaining, it’s “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” for the 20-something crowd. Added bonus: It’s the coolest flick to ever feature a Hall & Oates song. 2. A Serious Man A good man (Michael Stuhlbarg) has his morality, faith […]

Slumdog Millionaire A young boy in India endures unfathomable lows but his travels to a better life are nothing short of brilliant to watch. The Dark Knight Freed from the confines of an origin story, director Christopher Nolan lets loose with an intense, challenging, flawed and, yes, dark vision of Gotham under siege, featuring an […]

Before I get to the list I have to mention the films that didn’t crack the top ten that were very worth seeing: · Milk · Flash of Genius · Miracle at St. Anna · Frozen River · Vicky Cristina Barcelona · Encounters at the End of the World · Constantine’s Sword · Anamorph · […]

1. The Dark Knight My favorite film of the year and arguably the best superhero movie of all time. Christopher Nolan’s gothic epic is heightened by the maniacal flair of Heath Ledger (R.I.P.) and the notable absence of Katie Holmes. 2. The Wrestler Darren Aronofsky (“Requiem For A Dream“) is a master of bleak storytelling, […]

1. Juno ★★★★★ The vibrant, wildly quotable indie gem boasts a super-catchy soundtrack and establishes the careers of screenwriter Diablo Cody and actress Ellen Page. It's more addicting than orange tic tacs, and just as tangy. 2. Away From Her ★★★★★ In this heartbreaking glimpse of a husband (Gordon Pinsent) losing his beloved wife (Julie […]

No Country for Old Men ★★★★★ This Coen Brothers adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel may be their darkest film yet. It’s also one of their best. Juno ★★★★★ What’s sure to be the breakout indie hit of 2007 (and deservedly so) establishes the voice of screenwriter Diablo Cody and the career of young actress […]

Volver It’s appropriate that the title of this Pedro Almodóvar film translates as “to come back” since it signals a return to form for the famously female-centric director. Letters from Iwo Jima / Flags of our Fathers / A rare tie, but a well-deserved one for Clint Eastwood’s epic meditation on war from both sides […]