2003:

Bad Boys II — Director Micheal Bay is hated by mainstream film critic s, and the only reason why I can figure is that he makes action adventure summer blockbusters that the general public flocks to. I love his movies, including the much-maligned The Island. Anyway, this is an awesome action/comedy/buddy cop popcorn flick, better even than the first Bad Boys.

The Last Samurai — On the one hand, I do wonder how Hollywood can preach against racism with a straight face when they insist on making Caucasians the star of films about other ethnicities (see also The Windtalkers). But, this samurai film us awesome, and Cruise (couch-jumping wackiness aside) is, as always, an excellent actor.

Kill Bill vol 1 — You have to be a fan of Tarentino, Asian revenge films, and spaghetti westerns to really like this film series, I think, and since I am , I like it.

Open Range — An under-rated western, Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall star as open-range cattlemen finding themselves in a de-facto war with corrupt ranchers.

Underworld — Vampires fighting a war with werewolves with a human caught in the crossfire, plus Kate Beckinsdale in skin tight black leather.

21 Grams — Actually, I’ve never seen most of this movie, as I loathe Sean Penn. But, you do get to see Naomi Watts’ boobies (with nipples very much like traffic cones, I might add.)

Gigli — Dear God, am I kidding.

Bubba Ho Tep - Elvis (Bruce Campbell) and JFK(Ozzie Davis- yes, the black one) both alive and in nursing homes, fight for the souls of their fellow residents as they battle an ancient Egyptian Mummy. Funny and actually touching and sad.

2004:

Kill Bill vol 2 — Much more deliberate paced than vol 1.

Blade Trinity — The least of the Blade flicks, but Ryan Reynolds is Hi-Larious

Team America: World Police — The South Park dudes do marionettes. Skewers Hollywood big time. Hysterical.

Shaun of the Dead — A British comedy/zombie flick. Pure, unadulterated genius.

The Final Cut — Overlooked Robin Williams drama in which he plays a "cutter" — someone who takes the footage of a person’s life recorder through brain implants and makes memorials after their deaths. Williams plays it low key, and there is tension and atmosphere to spare.

2005:

The 40-Year Old Virgin — Raucously funny with a sweet heart behind the raunchy humor.

Sin City — By far THE most faithful adaptation of a comic book EVER, almost frame by frame. Awesome, over-the-top action with hard-boiled dialog and characters.

Grizzly Man — A fascinating look at a man who lived among grizzlies in the wold… until one ate him. If it weren’t a documentary using the man’s own footage, it would be modern-day Shakespeare.

2006:

The Departed - Scorsese on top of his game. Cat and mouse, betrayal, secrets, casual yet shocking acts of brutality- this is crime drama as high art.

Underworld: Evolution — Ups the ante in terms of plot and action.

Apocalypto — Maybe overlooked thanks to Mel Gibson’s drunken antics, but this movie is a heart-pumping adventure story set at the twilight of the Maya. Brutal, heart wrenching, then fist-pumping "Hell Yeah!" exciting.

2007:

300 — "SPARTAAANS!! PREPARE FOR GLORY!!"" Oh hell yes.

30 Days of Night — See my review.

Grindhouse — I include both movies here, as they should be watched together, like at the movies. Fun homage to b-movies.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon — Clever, original (yet flawed) deconstruction of the masked killer horror film archetype. The last act of the movie is a little bit of a let down from the rest of the flick, but worth watching nonetheless.

There are a lot of movies from the last couple of years that I haven’t seen yet, but that I am looking forward to, such as Wristcutters: A Love Story and The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward, Robert Ford.