The Best of The Decade: 2000 to 2009

Content has been scarce here at AATM.com since the holidays began a few weeks ago and this week has been even worse since I’ve been pounded in the soft parts with some type of godforsaken virus that has left my sinuses stuffed and inflamed, my throat sore, and given me a greasy Dirty Sanchez beard akin to something out of a Vietnam POW camp. Worst of all, being so congested makes me sound like a cross between Sylvester Stallone and Jar Jar Binks. Basically, I’m complaining and apologizing at the same time.

Hard to believe 10 years has come and gone so fast, but like it or not 2010 is here and we’re two years from Jesus coming back and nuclear Armageddon from our pals in Iran. To toast our rosy future, here’s a look back at my favorite films of the decade (in no particular order). If you want to add any of these to your DVD or Blu-ray collection, click on the Amazon.com widget at the bottom of the article.

1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

I’m not going to take the pansy route when it comes to Peter Jackson’s masterpiece and say the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. That’s too easy. Take a stance for heaven’s sake! Granted, all three movies are stellar, but in my opinion The Fellowship of the Ring is the most complete from top-to-bottom, even with the Calvin Klein Male Model Elf Fiesta after the troupe exits the Mines of Moria. I would put Return of the King in this spot, but the endless ending ruined it for me. It’s not horrible, but it was like Jackson just couldn’t say goodbye to the franchise in a succinct and timely manner.

2. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)

No motion picture made in the last decade did more to change the face of comedy than The 40 Year-Old Virgin, as well as launch the careers of so many mainstays working today and in the foreseeable future. Think about it. From director Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Funny People), to actors Steve Carell (Get Smart), Seth Rogen (Funny People),  and Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man), this movie caused a new genre to be born (the “bromance”) and even helped bit players Leslie Mann (Funny People), Jane Lynch (Glee), Jonah Hill (Superbad) and Elizabeth Banks (W.) to expand their skills beyond that of supporting actors. Plus any movie with an old Indian dude telling someone that life’s not about the “Arabian Goggles” or the “Hot Carl” is worth a spot on this list.

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Avatar Continues to Spank Booty at the Box Office

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If weekend estimates are accurate, Avatar is the box office champ for the third consecutive week, raking in an impressive post-holiday $68 million in domestic ticket sales. That puts its three week haul at $352 million and in 15th place on the highest grossing movies list. Now the “will it beat out The Dark Knight and Titanic” money watch will begin in earnest. It would be interesting if it took 12 years and another James Cameron film to best Titanic’s longstanding grip as the all-time box office champ. If you ask me, even though reviews are generally positive, I think word-of-mouth and repeat viewings have and will be key to Avatar’s success.

Rounding out the top five were Sherlock Holmes ($38M), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, It’s Complicated ($36M), ($18M) and The Blind Side ($12M). One has to wonder if the continued success of The Blind Side will help Sandra Bullock’s Oscar chances, and I think anyone who doesn’t think Avatar won’t be one of the best picture nominees is seriously smoking the ganja. I haven’t seen Alvin and the Chipmunks (thank the Lord), but I have seen Sherlock Holmes and that film lost its luster hardcore after a second viewing. That’s one I won’t be purchasing on Blu-ray; I’m not that big of a hi-def slut.

New Moon Punches Potter in the Box Office Privates

Stephen King might think J.K. Rowling is a better writer than oft-maligned Stephanie Meyer, but Twilight fans gave critics and naysayers the middle finger at midnight screenings on Friday, helping The Twilight Saga: New Moon become the highest-grossing midnight screening ever with $26.27 million. New Moon’s next target? The Dark Knight and the record for highest opening day with $67.2 million in ticket sales. Folks tracking New Moon’s progress believe the movie will gross over $70 million.

As it stands, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the highest grossing movie of 2009 with $402 million domestically. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a distant second with $301 million. I don’t know about you, but even with the overwhelmingly negative reviews of New Moon, I wouldn’t expect its box-office returns to diminish sharply, in fact, this seems the type of movie that would encourage repeat viewings from its ginormous fan base. I’m betting New Moon punches Harry Potter in the soft parts and at minimum, grabs second place on the list of box office cash cows for 2009.