Must see movies of the last few years

Ok... I used to go to the video store several times a month, but in the last few years I mostly stopped renting movies, since I spend too much time online. Anyway, I'm certian that I've missed some really great movies in the last few years. Although, I do borrow dvds from friends and go to see movies at the theater still, there's usually some lesser know movies that I like, that I don't get to see unless I find them at the video store.

So, my question to you all is: What movies from the last 3-4 years would you say are "must see"?

Mmm...

The Incredibles.

The Lord of the Rings.

Amelie.

Harry Potter.

Kung Fu Hustle.

"Aimee Does Albany."



P2

Serenity.

I second Kung Fu Hustle for must see (literally--the visual style is captivating).

What genre of movie do you typically like?

I saw that. She was SO faking it.

Primer
The Devil's Backbone

Give us a preferred genre?

OOO.. this is my favorite game. I like to find that one movie that few have seen and most have never heard about. Make them sit and watch it and it almost feels like you are watching it for the first time again.

In no order whatsoever:

Shawn of the Dead - English comedy. Really funny film. Gave a new genre of film making. RomZom. Like RomCom only with Zombies.

Duets - I caught this little film in the video store a few years back. Had a class assignment to go find one that I would never watch and then write up a critique. Very funny film about Karoake. Who knew that Hewy Lewis could be so funny?

CQ - Written/Directed by Roman Coppola. I still oddly find people who haven't seen this clever little film.

Big Trouble - While it has a lot of big names, many people never saw it. Funny movie from a funny book.

In Good Comany

Confessions of a Dangerous Mind - Directed by George Clooney and Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman. Generally I do not like George Clooney with his less then good roles, but I just really loved this film. Interesting, beautifully shot and just rather well made film.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind- Written by Charlie Kaufman. I do not like Jim Carey's humour. Just not a fan. But he sure can act. It's a cute little story told Really interestingly about couple's erasing memories after a breakup. Finally a film that tells about real relationships. Its not always one person that is better off, but both sides can muck things up.

Sin City - Finally a Graphic Novel that LOOKS like one. Interesting (even if you've read them) and very very very well made.

Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Wes Anderson. Really see anything done by Wes Anderson, you won't be sorry.

Garden State - Written/Directed/Acted by Zach Braff (That guy from Scrubs). As we can see I like style. I especially love it when a new director comes out with a first film with oodles of it.

Super Size Me - Interesting film about a relentless guy making himself ill to show American that fast food is bad. I haven't walked into a McDonald's since. Well 'cept that one time I was dragged while being very very drunk.

Kinsey - Evocative. Any movie that is picketed by the religious right HAS to be good doesn't it? Well, not really. But this one is. Very stunning BioPic.

The Million Dollar Hotel - OK. This one is sort of old (2000). But it was so off the radar that I have to bring it up. It's a tale of quiet desperation and pervasive sadness that dares to violate pretty much every unwritten rule in the movie business.

A Very Long Engagement - Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Not your typical war movie. Stunning, Stylized, and oh so interesting.

Tis all I can think of for now. At least for the semi lesser knowns.

I really enjoyed these movies last year...

Sin City

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

40 year old Virgin

and of course Star Wars: Episode III

MJ

Thanks for the suggestions so far!
For those wanting feedback on my preferences, I took movies suggested so far and comment on those I've already seen.
I didn't want to give a list of criteria up front, since I don't mind seeing good movies that are outside my normal tastes. For the most part i've only really seen the blockbuster type movies recently, but I was hoping to hear about the smaller indie and foreign films I've missed.
I will certainly be printing this out and taking it with me to the video rental store.

The list so far:
The Incredibles: Saw this with my neices and nephews, cute movie.
The Lord of the Rings: saw these in the theater and bought the extended editions
Amelie
Harry Potter: I've seen all these when they come out and buy the dvds
Kung Fu Hustle
Serenity
Primer
The Devil's Backbone
Shawn of the Dead
Duets
CQ
Big Trouble
In Good Comany
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Sin City: I heard good things about this when it came out, saw it in the theater and later bought the dvd
Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Garden State
Super Size Me
Kinsey
The Million Dollar Hotel
A Very Long Engagement: ok, I haven't seen it yet, but I rented it last night. I read the book years ago when it came out, so i'm intrested to see how it was adapted
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
40 year old Virgin
Star Wars: Episode III: Yes, I see all the star wars movies. I sat down the other week and watched all 6 back to back on consecutive nights.

Ooh. Eternal Sunshine was a great movie... and I'll never, ever see it again.

Zuzu, a proposition:

If you like Amelie or Kung Fu Hustle, I get $L 1 finder's fee for each you like.

Conversely, as insurance, I'll pay you $L 1 for either that you hate. No time limits.



You may choose to cancel such agreement, up until the scene in Amelie where all the glasses in the bar start rattling.

What say ye?

Some I've enjoyed recently, and many tend toward the dramatic genre, but there are some funnies in there too.

Hero (The cinematography is AMAZING and the story is good too)

The Last Samurai (I am not a Cruise fan, but I loved this movie)

Crash (I cried when it was over...it moved me to such sadness. But it's an awesome movie.)

Mystic River (another hard topic, but great movie)

Collateral (another Cruise film, but Jamie takes the flick) And on that note:

Ray (Jamie deserved the oscar he got)

The Aviator (Leo does such an awesome job in this flick)

Something's Gotta Give (funny)

Million Dollar Baby

Cold Mountain

Big Fish (one of my all time favs)

Pirates of the Carribean (just plain fun)

Under the Tuscan Sun (Best chick flick I've seen in a long time.)

Mona Lisa Smile (not a must see, but good)

The Village (not what I expected and I loved that!)

Paycheck (I hate Ben Affleck too, but liked this story)

Road to Perdition

I'll stop there.

Here's a few off the top of my head...

Dogma - Kevin Smith does religion

Dark City - hard to follow but gorgeous noir surrealism

The Ladykillers - A Coen bothers classic

Harold & Kumar Go To Whitecastle - "Doogie Howser stole my car!"

Saved! - a girl gets pregnant while attending a baptist highschool. Hilarity ensues.

Pity you limit to recent movies
I'm VERY partial to the Evil Dead movies (Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness).
Meet the Parents
Meet the Fockers
Charlie & the chocolate factory
Finding Neverland (not my usual taste in movies, but good none the less)
Stuck on You
Van Helsing (hubba hubba hubba)

A few oldies that are always good to revisit:
Die Hard Series
Lethal Weapon Series
Highlander Series
Blast from the Past
Bedeviled

omg this list could go on and on and on..... lol

Oh boy... there are *so many* great films out there..

OK in no particular order :

The Sixth Sense;
the Alien movies;
The Green Mile ( really pulled me in, I was so wanting to torture that sneaky masochist XXX XX X XXXXX );
Mystic River;
the Harry Potter movies;
Lord of the Rings;
Little Shop of Horrors ( with Rick Moranis );
Forrest Gump;
The Shining...

and many more I don't remember at the moment

I think it was a born again christian school. But Hilarity does indeed ensue!

Beyond the Sea - Bobby Darin Bipic which I thought was considerbly better than Ray. Both were completly different sorts of films, but I enjoyed the Bobby Darin one more. And how could you really go wrong with Kevin Spacey? Did all the vocals too. yay!

Not yet to Video:

Walk The Line - Jonny Cash Biopic. Joaquin Phoenix wears Johnny Cash like a suit. One of the things that made Jonny Cash so well.. Jonny Cash is because no one sounded like him or looked like him. Joaquin did all his own singing for this film and.. wow!

Memoirs of a Geisha - While the book is far better, this is a good addition to it. The scenes are beautiful. The only problem I had was that it just goes through the events so fast that they aren't as powerful. The meaning of it gets lost.

A few more, some older selections too. Most of the love it or hate it variety:

Barton Fink - NY writer in Hollywood gets writers block amid serius of bizarre events

Bubba Ho Tep - Bruce Campbell, Elvis, a Mummy, what more do you need?

Open Water - Sharks! Shaky camera! Hooray!

Buffet froid - bizarre and unreal dark comedy

The Big Empty (2003) - take suitcase, deliver to cowboy…easy enough, no?

Pauly Shore is Dead - Pauly fakes his own death (not akin to his normal films)

Demons - aka Demoni (1985) demons in a movie theater

Pulse - aka Kairo (2001) - web cam to the dead?

Dark Water - aka Honogurai mizu no soko kara (2002) - 'nother Japanese horror

Donnie Darko - giant bunny, impending doom

Highway - chased by thugs? take a road trip to Seattle at time of Kurt Cobain's memorial

The Motorcycle Diaries - aka Diarios de motocicleta - young Ernesto Guevara goes on a road trip and finds true calling

Cold Blooded - Cosmo get promoted to hitman, whacky hijinx ensue! Jason Priestly is funny? you bet

Hurlyburly - Hollywood excess back in the day!

Ravenous - horror, black comedy and cannabalism

The Tenant - Le Locataire (1976) Roman Polanski film

I don't know about "must see", since nothing lately has fallen into that category except perhaps Lord of the Rings.

Several of my favorites have already been mentioned but here's some more I keep returning to:

Ocean's Eleven
Lost in Translation
Code 46

I just rented "Primer," and it was one of the best films I've ever seen. It's especially amazing once you find out how much they spent to make it. But if you like films like "Pi" and "Memento," or anything that deals with the paradoxes of time travel, you should check it out.

And perusing my Netflix list, some others I'd highly recommend are "Batman Begins," "Constantine," "Love Me If You Dare" (French with English subtitles), and "I Heart Huckabees." And mark me down as yet another vote for "Eternal Sunshine."