Is Avatar One of the Top 100 Movies of the Decade?

Posted by on November 11th, 2009   Filed under: Action, Lists, Sci-fi
Source: NY Mag

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The end of the decade is almost upon us, which means that over the next month or so you can expect to see all kinds of lists counting down the “Best Of” the previous 10 years in just about everything. One of the first publications out of the gate with their Best Movies of the Decade list is London’s Telegraph, who count down their top 100 movies from 2000 to 2009. There are some interesting choices and some predictable ones, along with a few movies I’ve never even heard of.

One thing that has a few people raising an eyebrow, however, is the fact that they’ve included James Cameron’s Avatar on their list, based solely on the 15-minute IMAX preview! Isn’t that a little presumptuous? To be fair, they did tack it on at the end of the list at #100, but it still feels like they’re going mainly based on hype rather than anything concrete. Do you think that Avatar will end up being one of the decade’s best films? Do you agree with the rest of their choices? I have a feeling they’re going to get some flack for that #1. Check out their top 20 after the jump, and read the rest over at Telegraph.co.uk.


20. Lost in Translation
19. Capote
18. Mamma Mia!
17. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
16. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
15. Before Sunset
14. Saw
13. West of the Tracks
12. Amelie
11. The Lives of Others
10. Slumdog Millionaire
9. The Passion of the Christ
8. Amores Perros
7. Borat
6. Memento
5. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
4. There Will Be Blood
3. The Incredibles
2. Brokeback Mountain
1. Fahrenheit 9/11



  • Jersey Jason

    I gotta say, I’m not too stoked on this. Mainly because of the character design. It looks like the planet where Jar Jar Binks lived. That being said, it will most likely have major success.

  • I saw this and thought it was a mostly terrible list. I think Avatar looks amazing, but that’s a tad ridiculous if you haven’t seen it yet and Fahrenheit 9/11 at number 1? What the hell? We are posting a top 100 on our site, hopefully people enjoy it.

  • Nick D

    No matter what was in the 15 minutes, it is a little preemptive to dub it a film that will usher in a new way of film making.

  • I like to think that Avatar will be one of the films of the decade; but with so much hype around it, i’m sure everyone will be a little disappointed.

    Not too sure about their list though. No Children of Men, Pans Labyrinth, Only one Lord of the Rings film, I could go on.. And Fahrenheit 9/11 is number 1?? Nah, that doesn’t have my vote.

  • BigHungry

    I feel… wait I know – I could of done a better job with a board and a dart blindfolded.

  • CyberG4

    Any list with Fahrenheit 9/11 as #1 and Borat in the top 10 has no credibility to begin with, so I don’t really care. Also if you want to do top 100 films of the decade, most good films come out in the later half of the year, and thus they really should be waiting untill they can see all of this year’s fall/winter offerings

  • demonhead6

    I could of farted in a bag then paper weighted it with a turd and made a better list.

  • This list is completely fucked. HOWEVER, when I went to the actual article it says the top 100 MOST DEFINING films of the decade. Not “best.” So one could make the argument that Michael Moore really did make quite the impact on documentary films over the past ten years. Though I would say Bowling for Columbine started that if that’s the case.

  • Swarez

    To begin with, lists are stupid and are only made to generate traffic to said sites. They don’t prove anything other than people disagree on what they consider to be the best.
    And Avatar one of the best of the decade? Maybe, too early to say naturally. But from what I’ve heard about the story line it’s far from something original or unique. I’m sure it will be entertaining enough though. It will however be near the top of technical achievements since it will be the best CGI in a film so far and anyone who says otherwise is a fucking moron.

  • That would also explain Avatar being on the list. It’s not the quality of the film, but how it will help define films in the future. Still, any list that mentions a title that they haven’t seen is ridiculous and immediately invalid.

  • This has inspired me to blow off most of my work today and start preparations for my own list.

  • Jackson

    Did they really base this on 15 minutes? I’ve worked for CTV and reviewers there get to preview films months in advance.

  • Primal

    For me, it depends who’s list I’m looking at. Seeing a blogger’s top 100 films list, I get an idea of what kinds of films they are into. For longtime listeners/viewers such as myself to FJ, its nice to see lists every now and then to create discussion. I don’t think lists/polls/podcasts or any other traffic generating methods are stupid at all.

    As for Avatar, it’s definitely premature to put it on this list. o well

  • I expect the FILMJUNK TOP 100 to put this list to shame and crush all internet links in the process. put the tea kettle on boys you have work to do.

  • Mike

    this is terrible, but i do like that Memento is there. I’m guessing that’s there excuse for not ranking The Dark Knight in the top 20. Isn’t it the highest grossing film of the decade?

  • Napalm

    18. Mamma Mia!

    WHAT?!

  • Napalm

    FilmJunk Top 10 (or 20) Movies of the Last Decade: WE NEED THIS!

  • pcch7

    ok so they´re not choosing movies based on how good they are.. Mamma Mia was bad and lots of other weak choices there. And did they seriously complaing about Kidmans singing in Moulin Rouge? Wtf, her singing is good. She´s not a singer so wtf do they expect? Celine Dion?..

    Filmjunk needs to do a list of your own, and do a proper list

  • pcch7

    I meant to say “complain”

  • boopadoop

    Hey Jersey Jason

    Jar Jar Binks and his race lived underwater and all they show of the planet otherwise just looks like a forest.

    ???

  • Falsk

    @Napalm Hahaha… for some reason I didn’t question it until you did.

    Also….. Lost in Translation!?

    Some of these do make sense as trend-setters. But there are certainly some head-scratchers in there. Whatever. Who cares. Most of you are already making your own lists right now. Aren’t you? AREN’T YOU!?

  • AlexG

    i agree that some choices are great and some terrible
    great: LOTR (bit of a fanboy, but still), There Will Be Blood, Lost in Translation, Lives of Others, 4 months…

    i know borat was hilarious, but best of the decade? hmmm

    otherwise, i think ppl here have done well to point out all the shitty ones but seriously.. SAW? that’s just going by popularity, that is

  • Marc

    I have a feeling that Avatar is going to be one of the biggest box office bombs of all time. I recently read an article that this film cost an estimated $500 Million USD to produce. Here’s a Youtube clip taking about the very same subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxYFF6s-QQ

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m rooting for James Cameron and this film but I just don’t see people latching onto this like they did Aliens, Terminator, or Titanic! I guess only time will tell.

  • Falsk

    @AlexG, these aren’t the “best” films, but what would be considered most influential. “Saw” started the torture porn trend.

  • noman112

    i shit on this film

  • MM

    Those blue creatures are laughable.

  • Liney

    I just looked at the actual article itself, and it’s not supposed to be ‘best films of the decade’ but ‘films that defined the decade’. With this in mind, the number one spot seems more plausible. Also with this in mind, it seems likely that, whether good or bad, Avatar probably will help define the decade (or more likely the next decade depending on its success or failure).

    An actual “Best films of the decade” has been published by a rival paper:

    http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6902642.ece

  • Because it’s James Cameron, you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Everything this guy touches becomes GOLD, from Terminator to Titanic. And Avatar looks nothing short of the same..

  • Larry

    15 min of Avatar is better than all of Moore’s films combined, especially his ignorant-liberal-fest F9\11.

  • Roose

    Mamma Mia, Saw, & Borat….who was high when they made this list. Walle was better than Incredibles (which was still awesome), and West of the tracks was a documentary…so dont see how it even goes on this list.

  • that motherfucker from vancouver

    that is the shittiest list i have ever seen

  • kyriacos

    mamma duo..

  • Napalm

    Just came across Yahoo’s Biggest FLOPS of the decade:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091127/film_nm/us_decade_flops

  • kyriakos

    Brokeback Mountain and Fahrenheit 9/11 were the best movies of the decade?

    jesus christ sean Next decade i am going to film a movie about gay talibans that will blow your mind away..

    anyhow..
    I sure hope Avatar will be at least watchable..

    but without any gay talibans in it i highly doubt..

  • nirupan

    maan.. where the hell is city of god!!?? that was THE best movie i saw this decade