Series: 2009 Top 100

One of Brad Bird’s and Pixar’s best films — and that’s saying something in both cases. The story of an unlikely chef with a great gift being the literal symbol of filth is mined for all its potent power, and the payoff of Anton Ego embracing the titular dish is one of my favorite moments in any movie. It has all the sense of danger and visual power to not let you forget that you’re in the perspective of a street-roaming pest. Masterpiece.

The ultimate “blockbuster” movie for my money. Great cast, great premise, ultra-tight script where even the smallest details get a payoff down the line, a soaring score… There’s something exquisite watching all components of the movie-making process come together into a satisfying whole.

The cherry on top is that the precision and color of its contemporary details makes it feel like an inadvertent “period piece” — the movie just feels 1980s in its slang, fashion, and aesthetic.

One of my favorites.

Invented a new genre, and also perfected it. A brilliant concept and exploration of humanity’s boundaries. Groundhog Day is a conceptual and screenwriting masterpiece that entertains and inspires (even if I’m not crazy about Andie MacDowell or some of the creepy romcom undercurrents)

The most quotable comedy of my young adulthood. Unmatched cast chemistry. A tapestry of dick jokes with an undercurrent of homoerotic best friend love. Not for all tastes, but a masterpiece.

A bizarre documentary about pet cemeteries that manages to be both hilarious and perhaps the most probing look at the human condition that I’ve ever seen.

Charming beyond reason. Amy Adams is absolutely phenomenal as a Disney princess come to life. The romance and idealism are palpable. Too many flaws to be truly great, but damn close.

The time travel rules and logic are Swiss cheese, but the energy and comedy and charm are there, if nowhere near the peak powers of Part I.

A balls-to-the-walls time travel romp across, like, 4 timelines.