A Few Projects for the '00s

It's been awhile, but I came to a realization this weekend that I think warrants a discussion or two. About a month and a half ago, we went through each decade and tried to set aside the five 'most essential' films for that period. I thought that process went really well, but I think we missed a pretty interesting conversation: this year is 2009, technically the last year of the '00s, and we haven't talked about what this decade's 'essential films' are. So, my suggestion is that we do that. I think all the contributors/readers here should try to put together a list of at least 5 and no more than 10 movies from this decade that they deem 'essential,' and then we'll duke it out in the comments.

I'm also interested in having a conversation about what films are looming on the horizon this year that might be worth getting excited about (and might make these lists). Let me know if you think that's a good idea, and I'll start a new thread.

Okay, I'll get to work on at least the first project and have a list up some time tomorrow.

2004 "Shouldawonit" Oscars

BEST ACTOR (Jamie Foxx / Ray):
Johnny Depp / Finding Neverland (1 vote)
Jim Caviezel / The Passion of the Christ (1 vote)

BEST ACTRESS (Hilary Swank / Million Dollar Baby):
Hillary Swank / Million Dollar Baby (2 votes)

BEST DIRECTOR (Clint Eastwood / Million Dollar Baby):
Clint Eastwood / Million Dollar Baby (1 vote)
Mel Gibson / The Passion of the Christ (1 vote)

BEST PICTURE (Million Dollar Baby):
Million Dollar Baby (2 votes)

2005 "Shouldawonit" Oscars

BEST ACTOR (Philip Seymour Hoffman / Capote):
Heath Ledger / Brokeback Mountain (2 votes)

BEST ACTRESS (Reese Witherspoon / Walk the Line):
Felicity Huffman / Transamerica (1 vote)

BEST DIRECTOR (Ang Lee / Brokeback Mountain):
Ang Lee / Brokeback Mountain (1 vote)
Chan Wook Park / Oldboy (1 vote)

BEST PICTURE (Crash):
Munich (1 vote)
King Kong (1 vote)

2006 "Shouldawonit" Oscars

Next verse, same as the first:

BEST ACTOR (Forest Whitaker / The Last King of Scotland):
Tommy Lee Jones / The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (1 vote)
Forest Whitaker / The Last King of Scotland (1 vote)
Ryan Gosling / Half Nelson (1 vote)

BEST ACTRESS (Helen Mirren / The Queen):
Kate Winslet / Little Children (3 votes)

BEST DIRECTOR (Martin Scorsese / The Departed):
Paul Greengrass / United 93 (1 vote)
Alfonso Cuaron / Children of Men (2 votes)

BEST PICTURE (The Departed):
United 93 (2 votes)
Pan's Labyrinth (1 vote)

2007 "Shouldawonit" Oscars

Same drill. Here's a list (actual winners are in parenthesis):

BEST ACTOR (Daniel Day-Lewis):
Daniel Day-Lewis (3 votes)

BEST ACTRESS (Marion Cotillard):
Cate Blanchett (2 votes)
Ellen Page (1 vote)

BEST DIRECTOR (Joel Coen):
P. T. Anderson (3 votes)

BEST PICTURE (No Country For Old Men):
There Will Be Blood (2 votes)
No Country For Old Men (1 vote)

2008 "Shouldawonit" Oscars

That's it: I'm throwing down the gauntlet. Gaston, we talked the other night about a new list project: the "Shouldawonit Oscar Awards." We take the 4 Big Categories--Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture--and we list the REAL winners for each year. I think the smart way to do this is to work backwards from 2008. So, let's get to it: I declare this post the post for 2008. Let's use the comments section to actually haggle the nominees. I'll keep a running tally of vote-getters here in the main post.

BEST ACTOR:
Mickey Rourke (3 votes)

BEST ACTRESS:
Kate Winslet (3 vote)

BEST DIRECTOR:
Danny Boyle (3 votes)

BEST PICTURE:
Man On Wire (1 vote)
Slumdog Millionaire (1 vote)
There Will Be Blood (1 vote). Yep.