The Top 20 Films Of The Decade As Decided By 40,000+ Flickchart Fans

Since our public launch in September, we’ve grown to well over 40,000 users, and garnered a total of more than 60 million rankings. As we approach the close of the year, and the start of a new decade, we thought we might take a moment to showcase the Top 20 films that our users have deemed to be considered the best-of-the-best from 2000-2009. So without further adieu, here are the best ranked films on Flickchart of the decade:

#20 – Children of Men

Alfonso Cuarón’s downtrodden vision of a doomed human future, combined with masterful cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, created an intensely powerful film. The humanity shown by the well-cast Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine lent itself to become entrenched as one of the decade’s best original examples of science fiction.

• Flickchart users ranked it 193,844 times
• winning 59% of matchups
• landing on 2823 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 157 users giving it the #1 spot on their list
  

#19 – Sin City

As one of the first “digital backlot” films to have widespread success, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s use of a large ensemble cast to portray the film noir comic book adaptation for the silver screen resonated with Flickchart’s users in a big way. The movie’s unique visual techniques even won itself the Technical Grand Prize when it screened at the Cannes Film Festival.

• Flickchart users ranked it 189,124 times
• winning 51% of matchups
• landing on 2452 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 120 users giving it the #1 spot on their list
  

#18 - Finding Nemo

A ubiquitous choice of the young – and the young at heart – Pixar’s fish fable achieved record breaking sales in theaters and on DVD. The film also pioneered the very latest technologies in eye-popping CG with its lush renderings of the ocean, its inhabitants, and its landscapes.

• Flickchart users ranked it 204,651 times
• winning 50% of matchups
• landing on 2886 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 146 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#17 - Casino Royale

To reinvent the franchise, the unlikely casting of Daniel Craig brought the Bond series to a new level of action, sophistication, and intensity that moviegoers had not expected. While the fate of future Bond films incorporating the same tone and delivery might be in question (see Quantum of Solace), there’s no denying that this film commanded the respect of critics, and Flickchart’s users, alike.

• Flickchart users ranked it 200,607 times
• winning 52% of matchups
• landing on 2754 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 129 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#16 - The Bourne Identity

While comparisons to Bond films are inevitable, Matt Damon’s portrayal of an amnesiac assassin worked in entirely new ways – through quick-cut editing, frenetic pacing, and a surprisingly involved character and plot development. Doug Liman’s direction of the story based off Robert Ledlum’s novel brought audiences a style of action film that has since been copied and replicated in movies ever since.

• Flickchart users ranked it 192,902 times
• winning 52% of matchups
• landing on 2779 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 127 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#15 – The Incredibles

This has-been superhero tale showed that writer/director Brad Bird could incorporate the sensibilities shown in his previous film, The Iron Giant, with the 3D mastery refined over the years from Pixar. This is the second title that Flickchart users ranked highest for the decade from the near-infallible animation studio.

• Flickchart users ranked it 215,925 times
• winning 52% of matchups
• landing on 2949 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 141 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#14 – Gladiator

The oldest title on the list from 2000, Ridley Scott’s historical epic gave Russell Crowe one of the best roles of his career earning his first – and only – Best Actor award. The film itself also won Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, and Best Sound.

• Flickchart users ranked it 213,601 times
• winning 55% of matchups
• landing on 3453 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 198 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#13 – Iron Man

Jon Favreau’s superhero film was a surprise hit with spot-on casting of Robert Downey, Jr. and an excellent combination of style, humor, and action to form a perfect example of a summer blockbuster.

• Flickchart users ranked it 219,085 times
• winning 58% of matchups
• landing on 3019 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 157 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#12 – Shaun of The Dead

As the only semi-horror title on the list, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg brought British humour into the most unlikeliest of places – a romantic zombie comedy (rom-zom-com) – and immediately cemented itself as a modern cult classic.

• Flickchart users ranked it 210,579 times
• winning 60% of matchups
• landing on 3339 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 208 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#11 – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Michel Gondry took the surreal artistry of his diverse music video background and applied it well to this quirky sci-fi story of love and memories, with the help of writer Charlie Kaufman, and two unusual, but brilliantly cast stars in Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey.

• Flickchart users ranked it 223,909 times
• winning 62% of matchups
• landing on 4010 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 333 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#10 – Wall-E

A bold, cautionary tale of humanity from Pixar wrapped within a CG robotic romance hooked audiences. With minimal dialogue, the film still captivated with its strong story, dazzling visuals, and environmental message.

• Flickchart users ranked it 232,414 times
• winning 62% of matchups
• landing on 3915 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 260 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#9 – Memento

Guy Pearce brought his own raw performance of a man afflicted with memory loss to Christopher Nolan’s narratively backwards psychological thriller. Scientific experts even remark that “anterograde amnesia” has never been more accurately depicted on film.

• Flickchart users ranked it 214,213 times
• winning 61% of matchups
• landing on 3396 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 202 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#8 – No Country For Old Men

The Coen Brothers’ first Best Picture win came with a lot of help by haunting portrayals from bad guy Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones. The supporting cast’s realistic performances, nihilist themes, and deliberate pacing all lent itself to critical acclaim for the successful adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel.

• Flickchart users ranked it 222,789 times
• winning 62% of matchups
• landing on 3485 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 204 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#7 – The Departed

After a career full of amazing films, Martin Scorsese was finally recognized with a Best Picture win for his latest modern gangster tale. Commanding roles from Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and an ensemble cast helped this Boston-based bloodbath receive a crowning achievement in cinematic history.

• Flickchart users ranked it 223,510 times
• winning 63% of matchups
• landing on 3550 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 206 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#6 – Kill Bill, Volume One

Quentin Tarantino’s homage to martial arts revenge cinema proved the director’s continued creativity in filmmaking. Violent, stylized, and full of cultural references – the movie rocked audiences and left them clamoring for its second half, “Kill Bill, Volume Two“.

• Flickchart users ranked it 229,427 times
• winning 59% of matchups
• landing on 3605 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 208 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#5 – The Lord Of The Rings : The Two Towers

The middle of the saga earned enormous amounts at the box office, boasted massively epic battle scenes, talking trees, and the introduction of one of the best all-CG characters, Gollum, brought to life by Andy Serkis and the Weta wizards.

• Flickchart users ranked it 252,419 times
• winning 60% of matchups
• landing on 4599 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 284 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#4 – The Lord Of The Rings : The Return Of The King

The dénouement of the Rings trilogy brought Peter Jackson and the production team 9 Academy Awards, 4 Golden Globes, 5 BAFTAs, 2 MTV Movie Awards, 2 Grammy Awards, and 9 Saturn Awards – making it the most honoured fantasy film in history.

• Flickchart users ranked it 265,088 times
• winning 64% of matchups
• landing on 5257 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 446 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#3 – Batman Begins

This reboot of a long suffering film franchise gave comic book movie fans something to cheer about with Christopher Nolan at the helm. Christian Bale brought a new, darker toned performance to the character’s origin story, and gave moviegoers a new angle to empathize with Gotham City’s caped crusader.

• Flickchart users ranked it 260,986 times
• winning 62% of matchups
• landing on 4251 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 247 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#2 – The Lord Of The Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring

The first film in the Lord of the Rings saga gained the most respect by Flickchart users with its many characters, incredible natural New Zealand environments posing as Middle-earth, and masterful storytelling. It depicted the beginning of Tolkien’s tale on film in a way that just couldn’t have been achieved before without Peter Jackson and the effects of New Zealand’s Weta Workshop.

• Flickchart users ranked it 273,458 times
• winning 64% of matchups
• landing on 5454 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 400 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

#1 – The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan’s third film on the list sits at the very top of the best films of the decade and the best of all-time charts on Flickchart. This film stands tall as one of the strongest comic book movies, one of cinema’s best villains in Heath Ledger’s posthumous performance, and one of the most successful films ever made.

• Flickchart users ranked it 355,488 times
• winning 77% of matchups
• landing on 7740 users’ Top 20 all-time lists
• 742 users giving it the #1 spot on their list

Do you have any films that you felt were completely overlooked? Are many of your favorites left out? Write a comment below, link to your own personal best films of the decade, and tell us why some of your top movies should have been on the list!