With the exception of “Zodiac”, the rest of the films are not necessarily ranked by number. I didn’t prefer one over the other. I enjoyed each equally but simply enumerated them to keep count. The films were randomly ranked in the order they came to mind while I was preparing the list:

1. Zodiac (2007)

2. The 25th Hour (2003)

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

4. Finding Nemo (2003)

5. Gladiator (2000)

6. Lantana (2001)

7. Memento (2000)

8. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

9. Lost in Translation (2003)

10. Sideways (2004)

11. Moulin Rouge! (2001)

12. The Pianist (2002)

13. Gerry (2002)

14. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

15. The Departed (2006)

16. Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)

17. Disturbia (2007)

18. Monsters, Inc. (2001)

19. The Dark Knight (2008)

20. Les Rivieres Pourpres (The Crimson Rivers) (2000)

21. Nueve Reinas (Nine Queens) (2000)

22. Michael Clayton (2007)

23. Mystic River (2003)

24. Adaptation (2002)

25. Up (2009)

26. Vanilla Sky (2001)

27. Reservation Road (2007)

28. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

29. In the Bedroom (2001)

30. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

31. Cast Away (2000)

32. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

33. Juno (2007)

34. Star Trek (2009)

35. Minority Report (2002)

36. Frost/Nixon (2008)

37. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

38. Big Fish (2003)

39. No Country for Old Men (2007)

40. Shrek (2001)