#11 Chicago by Rob Marshall

There hasn't been a movie since Chicago that has looked or felt quite like Chicago. It is a movie that is candy for eyes in all of its dancing, singing glory. The story is there, but more as a set piece for spectacular song and dance sequences and yet it never feels disconnected, cheap, or worthless. In fact a deeper look points to commentary on the judicial system and on criminal celebrity. In all subjectivity I love this movie, its such a fun and smart movie musical that as an adaptation is the best musical adaptation to this day.

#12 Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron

Aside from Blade Runner this is the only movie on my list dealing with the future, but this is the near future. It is a future where women can't have children, and the youngest living person has just died. The canvas Cuaron paints is bleak with people who are not the everyday heroes of ultimate good intentions, instead we get Theo, a man with nothing to lose, and Kee a snotty girl who happened to get pregnant. What makes the movie work is that we don't care if they are likeable we care that they live to get the baby to the Tomorrow, a ship that is supposed to be working on the cure for infertility. We believe so badly in the world created for us that we wouldn't care if it was Hitler carrying a baby to the ship, thats how strongly we believe in this world. This movie goes beyond its premise though to be a commentary on immigration, governments, mortality, heroes, and ultimately hope. The most striking scene in this film and probably in any in the past few years is a miraculous cease fire due to the sounds of a baby's cry. I dare you to watch and not be moved.

#13 All That Jazz by Bob Fosse

All That Jazz is what many call "viciously" inventive and original, that is it holds nothing back in its brash vision. In some cases such an auteuristic approach would lead to a flimsy film caught up in the directors narcissism, but All That Jazz is about exactly that, a narcissistic director, in fact its about its own director. If for no other reason this film deserves a spot for the director Bob Fosse's relentless self-deprecation. This film still stands up to today as a film about a man who everyone loves and hates at the same time, a man caught up in himself, a man who is losing himself, and we as the viewer are fascinated. Some call Cabaret Fosse's masterpiece, I say nay.

#14 Fame by Alan Parker

There have been countless movies made about students in high school. Countless others about artists making it, but few if any about students in a high school for the arts trying to make it any way they can. There is something so poignant in the quiet desperation that Fame paints in each of the characters as they have no other dream, no other hope, but to make it. The stories feel real and characters are the people you grew up with and come graduation day there isn't a bunch of happy feelings or sad eyes, but an explosive farewell that is to say "Here I come world, whether I'm ready or not. I'm gonna shine."

#15 Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarantino

What Quentin Tarantino has created with Pulp Fiction is the kind of thing only horror movies and Adam Sandler movies can do in all their silliness and that is to become more than a movie but part of popular culture. Tarantino's masterpiece, however, is not the silly schlock that Sandler and horror movies are, but it is a film that is aware these other films exist, it is entirely self-aware yet clever, intelligent and always engaging. Many critics comment on Tarantino's adept skill at writing dialogue and this film bears witness to the reasoning behind such praises.

#16 Stranger Than Fiction by Marc Forster

Stranger Than Fiction isn't nearly as strange as it's title suggests, but that isn't to say to it's not an innovative or vastly entertaining movie. No, this film is about as fun as a thoughtful metanarrative can get, and boy is it a great load of enjoyment. Will Ferrel stars as Harold Crick, a man caught up in a repetitive, mundane life pummeling with all certainty to his death and he knows it thanks to Karen Eiffel (Emma Thompson). The plot is thick with narrative invention such as how do you change a masterpiece of a novel to save someones life? How much do you sacrifice for art? Ferrell is sensitive and charming as Crick and the audience genuinely cares about this doofy auditor. The supporting cast of Queen Latifah, Maggie Gyllenhal, Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson all fill their roles dutifully to bring about a unifying cohesive ending that is just as beautiful and simple as the preceding story.

#17 Edward Scissorhands by Tim Burton

This film showed up on my first top 10 list a couple years ago and hasn't returned until now. While some may argue against Tim Burton's ability and judgment this film is to the credit of Burton's vast imagination and genius. There have been few modern fantasies that have told such an endearing tale as the one witnessed in the sadly romantic and whimsical Edward Scissorhands. Even when I was younger I was able to resonate with the plight of such a gentle person confined to his prison of lonely outcast. Today I look at it as a commentary of suburban america and while it isn't as upfront as American Beauty or the like it is probably just as unforgiving. To this day I still anticipate the ending in hope that Edward and Kim could somehow be together, but alas it was not meant to be.

#18 Blade Runner by Ridley Scott

Over the many years of film there have been a great number of movies about the future. Some have been fun, cheerful and full of fantasy, others have been gritty and bleak; some have been good, and others have been awful. Without argument, however, Blade Runner is the peak of these films. It is truly visionary in its dark view of the future of humanity, it is full of fantastic elements and yet grounded in a believable and human story and setting. We see Harrison Ford in a role that leaves him more vulnerable than his heroic identities of Dr. Jones or Han Solo; we see Dennis Hopper playing a maniac who in the end winds up being the victim of a cruel fate, and we see ourselves calling into question what is just, what is love, and ulimately what is life?

#19 Brick by Rian Johnson

Maybe I am blinded by its sheer amount of vision, but to me Brick is an amalgamation of all things great about the noir genre updated to a contemporary setting and right on rhythm with its inspirations. This film helped set Joseph Gordon-Levitt into the light of serious acting post 3rd Rock from the Sun days, and boy is he great. The twists and turns will boggle you and then intrigue you until you can't tell left from right, and then when the end hits you want to watch it all over again with what you know now.

#20- The Sound of Music by Robert Wise

The Sound of Music is often considered THE musical outside of West Side Story and in my opinion it is far superior. It has wonderful music, the beautiful and gargantuan talent of Julie Andrews, and a story about the effects of World War II. Besides, there has been so few on screen couples with the chemistry of Andrews and Plummer in this film. Give it a chance and even you will be hearing music in the hills.

Coming Soon: The New Top 20

Yes my avid readers it has been a few months of processing, thinking, and personal change since my last top 20 list and so over the next week or so you will be witnessing a new list.