It's strange to think that there are only five months left in this decade of ours. It's been a strange one as far as the movies are concerned. There have been a few great pictures and loads of not-so-great releases. Studio budgets have gotten huge and CGI has become the gaudy, glaring centerpiece of the industry, usually to the detriment of the art. Looking back at each year since 2000, the worthwhile films stand in a sparse crowd when set apart from the otherwise disappointing offerings of the decade. Let's look back at some of the most important films of each year in the 2000's.

2000: Best In Show

I know this is an odd selection for a sort of "movie of the year" piece, but hear me out. Looking at the box office from 2000, the one thing that's most apparent is that light entertainment was pretty much the only thing happening that year. The only respectable entry in the "serious film" category of 2000 is Cast Away. The rest are broad comedies and action movies. It's only appropriate, then, that my selection for the Film of 2000 is a comedy that should be inconsequential, but isn't. The metric I'm using today is lasting power. Which movies do I want to see again and again? Which ones will I watch in the future? Best In Show is the finest of Christopher Guest's improv comedies. While I have a soft spot for A Mighty Wind, this one delivers with every frame.

2001: The Royal Tenenbaums

When people look back at the 2000's, just as they do with every other decade in film, they'll look for the strongest filmmaking voices of the era. Wes Anderson has certainly left his mark on the cinematic arts and this particular film remains his most affecting. The story of a semi-aristocratic family in modern-day New York, it has all the well-worn charm of a library and a truly stellar cast.

2002: Adaptation

I hated this movie the first time I saw it. Charlie Kaufman's weird, self-referencing meander is off-putting and odd, but he coaxes a singular performance out of Nicolas Cage and leaves an indelible imprint on the viewer's memory. While I certainly enjoyed all of the action and adventure of 2002 (Spider-Man, The Two Towers, Attack of the Clones), the literate grown-up in me appreciates the artistry and uniqueness of Adaptation.

2003: Lost in Translation

If I had to choose a single movie for this decade, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation would be it. It single-handedly reinvented Bill Murray's career and to this day it's Scarlett Johansson's best performance (oh, ScarJo, where did your understated indie side go?). Lost in Translation is the one movie in this world that actually feels like a hotel. It's clean and elegant, but transient and unfamiliar. It never attempts at huge, cinematic emotions, relying on small moments and guarded reactions instead. This may just be my favorite movie of all time.

2004: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Michel Gondry is an odd duck. His movies are either hard to fully embrace (The Science of Sleep) or not melancholy enough (Be Kind, Rewind). The sweet spot between the smiles and the surrealism is Eternal Sunshine. It features what will likely be regarded as the last good role Jim Carrey ever took and it has a truly one-of-a-kind idea. Famously snubbed at the Oscars, this movie is essential for romantics in what has turned out to be a deeply un-romantic decade.

I'll be back later this week to finish up the list. Feel free to share your own favorite films of the decade in our comments section.