the departed – We Are Movie Geeks

The Top 21 Movies of the 21st Century……So Far!

It’s one thing to come up with a list of the best movies in any given year, but the best movies of a century that’s just in its 16^th year? We Are Movie Geeks polled a group of 30 carefully-selected (and mostly St. Louis-based) movie critics, movie bloggers, movie academics, movie promoters, and just plain old movie fans and asked for a list, in order of preference, of their Top Ten Favorite Films so far this century. Somewhere among the endless superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels, some really great movies have come out in the last 16 years. And some of them were indeed superhero blockbusters, franchise reboots, and sequels! The 21^st century has another 84 years to go, and there’s no doubt that these choices will change as the years go by, but since it’s doubtful any of those polled will be around when the century ends (unless Stephen Tronicek – born in 1999 – makes it to 101), we might as well do this now. To come up with our top 21, a super-scientific algorithm was generated….just kidding! We simply scored each movie based on its rank in any given list. If a movie was #1 on any list, it received 10 points, #2 received 9 points, and so on (a movie ranked #10 received 1 point – get it?). Of course, all of these lists are highly subjective and some favorite titles will be omitted, so prepare to argue with the selections of these 30 film buffs (and yes, we’re naming names!).

HERE ARE THE RESULTS!:

21. GLADIATOR (2000 – Ridley Scott)

20. UP (2009 – Pete Docter)

19. THE LEGO MOVIE (2014 – Phil Lord)

18. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007 – The Coen Brothers)

17. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013 – Steve McQueen)

16. THE REVENENT (2015 – Alejandro Innaritu)

15. INSIDE OUT (2015 – Pete Docter)

14. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOLESS MIND (2004 – Michel Gondry)

13. O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (2000 – The Coen Brothers)

12. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009 – Quentin Tarantino)

11. THE AVIATOR (2004 – Martin Scorsese)

10. SYNECEDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008 – Charlie Kaufmann)

9. MEMENTO (2000 – Christopher Nolan)

8. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001 – Wes Anderson)

7. BOYHOOD (2014 – Richard Linklater)

6. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (2003 – Peter Jackson)

5. THE DEPARTED (2006 – Martin Scorsese)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (2015 – George Miller)

3. PAN’S LABYRINTH (2006 – Guillermo Del Toro)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007 – Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001 – David Lynch)

Directors Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers each had two films on this list, as did writer Charlie Kaufman and Pixar director Pete Docter. Nothing from beloved directors Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Darren Aronofsky, Woody Allen, Cameron Crowe, Alexander Payne or David Fincher, but the all of them were well-represented on the individual lists, all of which are presented here:

Tom Stockman (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE AMERICAN (Anton Corbijn)

9. BLUE JASMINE (Woody Allen)

8. GRAN TORINO (Clint Eastwood)

7. THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (Rob Zombie)

6. CITY OF GOD (Fernando Meirelles)

5. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)

4. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

3. INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. LIFE OF PI (Ang Lee)

1. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

Andrew Wyatt (St. Louis Magazine, Gateway Cinephile)

10. UNDER THE SKIN (Jonathan Glazer)

9. THE TURIN HORSE (Bela Tarr)

8. OF TIME AND THE CITY (Terence Davies)

7. ZODIAC (David Fincher)

6. CERTIFIED COPY (Abbas Klarostami)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

3. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

1. CACHE (Michael Hanake)

Stephen Tronicek (FilmAnalyst)

10, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

9. BIRDMAN (Alejandro Innaritu)

8. CLOUD ATLAS (Tom Twyker, The Wachowski Brothers)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. A SERIOUS MAN (the Coen Brothers)

5. INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn)

4. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

3. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

2. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

Dana Jung

10. SIN CITY (Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller)

9. THIS IS THE END (Evan Goldberg)

8. AVATAR (James Cameron)

7. DISTRICT 9 (Neill Blomkamp)

6. APOCALYPTO (Mel Gibson)

5. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

2. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miler)

1. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

Mathew DeKinder (Suburban Journals of St. Louis)

10. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

9. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

8. MAD MAX FURY ROAD ROAD (George Miller)

7. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

6. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

5. INGLORIOUS BASTARDS (Quentin Tarantino)

4. ANCHORMAN (Adam McKay)

3. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

Jim Batts (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN (Judd Apatow)

7. CAPTAIN AMERICA THE FIRST AVENGER (Joe Johnston)

6. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

5. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

4. GHOST WORLD (terry Zwigoff)

3. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

Lynn Venhaus ( Belleville News-Democrat, Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. NEBRASKA (Alexander Payne)

8. 28 DAYS LATER… (Danny Boyle)

7. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

4. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

3. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (David Fincher)

2. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

Kent Tentschert (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

10. THE DESCENDANTS (Alexander Payne)

9. THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan)

8. BIUTIFUL (Alejandro Innaritu)

7. UP (Pete Docter)

6. THE READER (Stephen Daldry)

5. NIGHTCRAWLER (Dan Gilroy)

4. INCEPTION (Christopher Nolan)

3. THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan)

2. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

1. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

Rob Garica (HEC-TV)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. OVERNIGHT (Tony Montana)

8. BAMBOOZLED (Spike Lee)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MAN (The Coen Bothers)

6. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

5. CITY OF GOD (Fernanso Meirelles)

4. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

3. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

Sam Smucker

10. WINTER SLEEP (Nuri Ceylan)

9. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Kar Wai Wong)

8. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

7. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

6. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR (Abdellatif Kechiche)

5. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

4. THE LOOK OF SILENCE (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. THE PAST (Asghar Farhadi)

2. SILENT LIGHT (Carlos Reygadas)

1. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

Robert Hunt (The Riverfront Times)

10. AMERICAN SNIPER (Clint Eastwood)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guilermo del Toro)

8. THE TRIP (Michael Winterbottom)

7. SITA SINGS THE BLUES (Nina Paley)

6. NOTRE MUSIQUE (Jean-Luc Godard)

5. 2046 (Wong Kar-Wai)

4. WHAT TIME IS IT THERE? (Ming-Liang Tsai)

3. I’M NOT THERE (Todd Haynes)

2. WENDY AND LUCY (Kelly Reichardt)

1. CARLOS (Oliver Assayas)

Sam Moffitt

10. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

9. WHIP IT! (Drew Barrymore)

8. THE BABADOOK (Jennifer Kent)

7. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

6. SLITHER (James Gunn)

5. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

4. BLACK SNAKE MOAN (Craig Brewer)

3. MOON (Duncan Jones)

2. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

Michael Haffner (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

9. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

8. IN BRUGES (Martin McDonagh)

7. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sophia Coppola)

6. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

5. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

4. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

3. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Renee Hirshfield (Webster University, Southwestern Illinois College)

10. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (Shari Springer Berman)

9. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. TALK TO HER (Pedro Almodovar)

7. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

6. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

5. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

4. CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (Andrew Jarecki)

3. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

1. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

Sarah Hirshfield (Mount Holyoke College)

10. MONEYBALL (Bennett Miller)

9. ELEPHANT (Gus Van Sandt)

8. SNOWPIERCER (Bong Joon Ho)

7. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (Ana Lily Amirpour)

6. 4 MONTHS 2 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS (Cristian Mungiu)

5. SUPER 8 (J.J. Abrams)

4. INSIDE OUT (Pete Docter)

3. EX MACHINA (Alex Garland)

2. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toro)

1. THE SOCIAL NETWORK (Davis Fincher)

Kathy Kaiser (Matinee Chat)

10. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

9. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

8. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

7. IRON MAN (John Favreau)

6. CAST AWAY (Robert Zemeckis)

5. THE IMITATION GAME (Morten Tyldum)

4. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Innaritu)

3. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

2. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

1. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

Melissa Thompson (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. BILLY ELLIOT (Stephen Daldry)

9. A MIGHTY WIND (Christopher Guest)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. HAIRSPRAY (Adam Shankman)

6. ELF (John Favreau)

5. SPIRITED AWAY (Hayao Miyazaki)

4. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Gore Verbinski)

3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

2. MOULIN ROUGE! (Baz Luhrmann)

1. LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

Pete Timmerman (Webster University)

10. THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (Wes Anderson)

9. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

8. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

7. PUNCH DRUNK LOVE (Paul Thomas Anderson)

6. CHILDREN OF MEN (Alfonso Cuaron)

5. TROPICAL MALADY (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

4. THE ACT OF KILLING (Joshua Oppenheimer)

3. DOGTOOTH (Yorgos Lanthimos)

2. EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (Don Hertzfeldt)

2. IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (Wong Kar Wai)

Michelle McCue (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. GRAVITY (Alfonso Cuaron)

9. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

8. AN EDUCATION (Lone Scherfig)

7. THE LADY IN THE WATER (M. Night Shyamalan)

6. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

5. ROAD TO PERDITION (Sam Mendes)

4. THE LORD OF THE RINGS FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (Peter Jackson)

3. LOST IN TRANSLATION (Sofia Coppola)

2. MOON (Duncan Jones)

1. GLADIATOR (Ridley Scott)

Tim Venhaus

10. THE MASTER (Paul Thomas Anderson)

9. SUPERBAD (Greg Mottola)

8. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

7. BOYHOOD (Richard Linklater)

6. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

5. WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (David Wain)

4. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

3. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (Darren Aronofsky)

2. THE ROYAL TENENBAUM’S (Wes Anderson)

1. ADAPTATION (Spike Jonze)

Travis Keune (We Are Movie Geeks)

10. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

9. PANS LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

8. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

7. DRIVE (Nicolas Winding Refn)

6. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

5. THE WRESTLER (Darren Aronofsky)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

3. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Cate Marquis (We Are Movie Geeks, The Jewish Light)

10. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (Steve McQueen)

9. A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

8. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

7. AMELIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

6. THE PIANIST (Roman Polanski)

5. GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

4. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

3. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (Quentin Tarantino)

2. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOUGH? (The Coen Brothers)

1. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

Matt Myers (Allied Advertising)

10. LORD OF THE RINGS THE TWO TOWERS (Peter Jackson)

9. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Wes Anderson)

7. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

6. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michael Gondry)

5. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

4. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

3. AMÉLIE (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

2. KILL BILL (Quentin Tarantino)

1. SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Charlie Kaufman)

Max Foizey (ZekeFilm)

10. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

9. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU (The Coen Brothers)

8. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

7. ATONEMENT (Joe Wright)

6. UP (Pete Docter)

5. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

4. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

3. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

2. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

Sandy Olmsted

10. THE FAIRY ( Dominique Abel)

9. THE ARTIST (Michel Hazanavicius)

8. PARANORMAN (Chris Butler)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo Del Toror)

6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)

5. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE ( Jonathan Dayton)

4. HUGO (Martin Scorsese)

3. FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler)

2. HOCOLAT (Lasse Hallström)

1. BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD (Benh Zeitlin)

Carl Middleman (KFTK – 97.1FM)

10. BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)

9. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

8. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (Marc Webb)

7. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry)

6. CLOSER (Mike Nichols)

5. UP (Pete Docter)

4. OH BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? (The Coen Brothers)

3. CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON (Ang Lee)

2. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan)

1. THE LEGO MOVIE (Phil Lord)

Jim Tudor (ZekeFilm, ScreenAnarchy)

10. BUBBA HO-TEP (Don Coscarelli)

9. HOLY MOTORS (Leos Carax)

8. ALMOST FAMOUS (Cameron Crowe)

7. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

6. MULHOLLAND DRIVE (David Lynch)

5. HER (Spike Jonze)

4. THE INCREDIBLES (Brad Bird)

3. STAR WARS EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH (George Lucas)

2. TOY STORY 3 (Lee Unkrich)

1. THE TREE OF LIFE (Terence Malick)

Dane Marti

10. INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan)

9. INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch)

8. THE HURT LOCKER (Kathryn Bigelow)

7. MINORITY REPORT (Steven Spielberg)

6. THE REVENANT (Alejandro Iñárritu)

5. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD (Andrew Dominik)

4. LINCOLN (Steven Spielberg)

3. THE AVIATOR (Martin Scorsese)

2. LORD OF THE RINGS RETURN OF THE KING (Peter Jackson)

1. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Ian McDonald (Allied Advertising)

10.THE LIFE AQUATIC (Wes Anderson)

9. DJANGO UNCHAINED (Quentin Tarantino)

8. CABIN IN THE WOODS (Drew Goddard)

7. PAN’S LABYRINTH (Guillermo del Toro)

6. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Tomas Alfredson)

5. HOT FUZZ (Edgar Wright)

4. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (The Coen Brothers)

3. MAD MAX FURY ROAD (George Miller)

2. SPIDERMAN 2 (Sam Raimi)

1. THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)

This Week’s WAMG Podcast – Mark Wahlberg, LOVE & MERCY, and More!

This week’s episode of our podcast WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show is up! Hear WAMG’s Jim Batts, Travis Keune and Tom Stockman discuss the weekend box office, and next weekend’s releases. We also discuss at length the career of actor Mark Wahlberg in advance of this week’s TED 2, and debate the merits of the Brian Wilson bio LOVE & MERCY. WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show is a weekly podcast and we will soon be streaming at ONStl.com Online Radio.

Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:

Visit our WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS The Show Facebook page HERE

https://www.facebook.com/pages/WE-ARE-MOVIE-GEEKS-the-SHOW-Podcast/1687717491451801

Top 10 Tuesday: Brad Pitt Films

By Melissa Thompson and Michelle McCue

First man ever to be named “Sexiest Man Alive” twice by People Magazine (1994 and 2000), thrice nominated for acting Oscars for MONEYBALL, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON and TWELVE MONKEYS, producer of THE TREE OF LIFE and THE DEPARTED, and family man to the children he shares with actress Angelina Jolie, versatile actor Brad Pitt latest endeavor is this week’s wildly anticipated WORLD WAR Z.

Starring in, as well as producing WWZ, Pitt’s other starring vehicles have ranged from Greek hero Achilles in Wolfgang Petersen’s TROY to George Clooney’s forever-eating friend Rusty Ryan in Steven Soderbergh’s OCEAN’S 11, as well as superhero “Metro Man” in the animated MEGAMIND and Death in MEET JOE BLACK.

Gee-whiz, we even have a soft spot for his dead-beat – “Don’t condescend me, man” – Floyd in TRUE ROMANCE.

Presently Pitt is working on his next project, director David Ayer’s FURY, due for a 2014 theatrical release.

In April 1945, as Nazi Germany collapses, the five-man crew of an American tank, led by battle tested “Wardaddy” (Pitt), prepares for their deadliest mission into Nazi territory.

His name alone on the marquee guarantees box office success.

In his new role, Pitt embodies a Dad turned defender of the human race and Zombie hunter, and from the looks of the early reviews, WORLD WAR Z is being well received. It opened globally in England, France, Australia, South Korea and Germany earlier this month and IGN’s review called it “a big, sweeping – and fairly fresh – take on the age-old zombie genre.” Check out the photos from Monday night’s New York premiere HERE.

Before the film opens here on June 21^st, we thought we’d have a look at Brad Pitt’s 10 Best Films. No list would be complete with the actor’s splash onto the big screen with THELMA AND LOUISE.

It’s not even fair to say how sexy Pitt was as smooth talker J.D. in Ridley Scott’s movie.

10. KALIFORNIA

Pitt gave the term “white trash” a whole new meaning when he played serial killer Early Grayce in Dominic Sena’s KALIFORNIA. According to this encyclopedia of knowledge, Early states that once you move to the Golden State, “first month’s rent is free. State law.” Who knew?

9. Se7en

The chemistry between homicide detectives David Mills (Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) was undeniable in David Fincher’s Se7en. This bar scene written by Andrew Kevin Walker was a discourse on the human condition made all the worse by Pitt’s devastating resolution at the film’s end. He transformed from a man into WRATH right before our eyes.

8. A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

If there ever was a time when Pitt was the spitting image of Robert Redford, it was in this film when the actor played Paul Maclean in A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT. The hair, the twinkle in the eyes, the charming smile made a handsome combination.

7. MONEYBALL

As the General Manager for the Oakland A’s, Pitt made you fall in love with the game in Bennett Miller’s MONEYBALL. “How can you not be romantic about Baseball.” With a 2nd nomination as Best Actor as Billy Beane, we bet the farm that this likeable actor would be the one up at the podium at the 84th Academy Awards with the statuette in tow.

6. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Brad has us realizing that life is both interesting and difficult with many turns along the way in his the once-in-a-lifetime role of a man aging in reverse. Without a doubt, Pitt rightfully earned his first Best Actor Oscar nomination in David Fincher’s amazing THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON.

5. TWELVE MONKEYS

Subject – Mental Patient Jeffrey Goines. Think psychotic version of Tyler Durden in FIGHT CLUB… which we’ll get to in a moment. Seeing his first of three acting Oscar nods, Pitt’s jittery, hand-flapping motions in director Terry Gilliam’s apocalyptic film had us as well as The Academy convinced of the “The Army of 12 Monkeys”.

4. LEGENDS OF THE FALL

This one deserved a full length photo of Pitt as Tristan Ludlow. As he mourned in the family cemetery by the gravesite of his fallen brother, we cried right along with the grief-stricken Pitt in Edward Zwick’s epic LEGENDS OF THE FALL. Released in 1994, that scene along with the flowing locks of hair, still has us swooning some 20 years later.

3. FIGHT CLUB

While were sure Tyler Durden would be at the top of most Brad Pitt ” Best of ” lists, FIGHT CLUB found it’s way into the third spot. In David Fincher’s film, we became willing accomplices of Durden’s rules to “NOT talk about Fight Club!”

2. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD

The quietness of it. The stillness of it. The Assassination of Jesse James. Pitt’s understated performance made us empathize with the outlaw’s dignified death in Andrew Dominik’s THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD.

1. Inglourious Basterds

Nazi Hunter Lt. Aldo Raine demanded from his team “100 Nazi scalps” in Quentin Tarantino’s INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. While this was quite the introduction to the merciless, unforgiving character, it was the final scene with Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz that solidified his performance for our Number 1 spot.

Yes, Brad Pitt has had his share of “fluff” movies. Thelma and Louise, Cool World, Johhny Suede. But these were early in his career and they were short-lived. Soon after, he proved his acting mettle with A River Runs Through It, Kalifornia, Interview With The Vampire, and Legends of The Fall.

These were the roles that got him noticed. Roles that made directors want to cast him because, not only could he fill seats with his matinee-idol good looks, but because he was quietly becoming a damn good actor. In Se7en, and 12 Monkeys, he made you believe he was Detective David Mills and mental patient Jeffrey Goines and he was rewarded with an Oscar nomination for the latter.

To his credit and Hollywood’s delight, Brad Pitt has since managed to float effortlessly between light, big budget, Hollywood, mass-appeal movies (Troy, the Oceans trilogy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith) and more serious and interesting roles (Seven Years in Tibet, Fight Club, Babel and Killing Them Softly). There isn’t much doubt that an Oscar is in the very near future for Brad Pitt.

William Monahan adapting Grisham’s ‘The Associate

William Monahan, the screenwriter best known for writing ‘The Departed’, will be adapting the John Grisham novel ‘The Associate’ for a feature film for Paramount. Ã‚ The film will serve as a star vehicle for Shia Labeouf.

LaBeouf will play a Yale Law School student with a sordid secret that leaves him vulnerable to blackmail. He’s manipulated into taking a job at a law firm and working on a multi-billion-dollar lawsuit.

Monahan won an Academy Award for his adapted screenplay of ‘The Departed’, which was based on the Hong Kong film, ‘Infernal Affairs’.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing. Production begins in June in London.

Source: Variety

Tom Stockman (We Are Movie Geeks)

Andrew Wyatt (St. Louis Magazine, Gateway Cinephile)

Stephen Tronicek (FilmAnalyst)

Dana Jung

Mathew DeKinder (Suburban Journals of St. Louis)

Jim Batts (We Are Movie Geeks)

Lynn Venhaus ( Belleville News-Democrat, Webster-Kirkwood Times)

Kent Tentschert (Webster-Kirkwood Times)

Rob Garica (HEC-TV)

Sam Smucker

Robert Hunt (The Riverfront Times)

Sam Moffitt

Michael Haffner (We Are Movie Geeks)

Renee Hirshfield (Webster University, Southwestern Illinois College)

Sarah Hirshfield (Mount Holyoke College)

Kathy Kaiser (Matinee Chat)

Melissa Thompson (We Are Movie Geeks)

Pete Timmerman (Webster University)

Michelle McCue (We Are Movie Geeks)

Tim Venhaus

Travis Keune (We Are Movie Geeks)

Cate Marquis (We Are Movie Geeks, The Jewish Light)

Matt Myers (Allied Advertising)

Max Foizey (ZekeFilm)

Sandy Olmsted

Carl Middleman (KFTK – 97.1FM)

Jim Tudor (ZekeFilm, ScreenAnarchy)

Dane Marti

Ian McDonald (Allied Advertising)

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10. KALIFORNIA

9. Se7en

8. A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

7. MONEYBALL

6. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

5. TWELVE MONKEYS

4. LEGENDS OF THE FALL

3. FIGHT CLUB

2. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD

1. Inglourious Basterds

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