Fernando Meirelles' City of God was the most riveting, unforgettable drama of the 2000s. Nominated for four Oscars but otherwise snubbed by the Academy, this violent and gritty tale about urban youth in Rio de Janeiro features some of the most electric direction, editing, and cinematography in recent cinema history.

Munich is just another example of why Steven Spielberg should focus more of his attention on directing dramas. This controversial film about a team of Israeli special forces hunting down those responsible for the murder of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics in Munich is suspense at its best.

Martin Scorsese's remake of the Chinese crime film series Infernal Affairs finally netted him his first Oscars, for Best Director and Best Picture. This bloody, ultraviolent film features excellent performances from virtually the entire cast, most notably Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg.

Like The Departed, Joel and Ethan Coen's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's No Country For Old Men brought them their long-overdue first Oscars for Best Direction and Best Picture. Javier Bardem's soon-to-be legendary performance as hitman Anton Chigurh drives this southwestern thriller.

Requiem for a Dream is one of the hardest films to watch and, undeniably, one of the most affecting. This is one of the best films ever made about the perils of drug addiction and showcases the creativity and vision of director Darren Aronofsky.

Alfonso Cuarón's Children of Men is one of the best science fiction films of the decade and is a thought-provoking vision of an earth where humans have lost the ability to reproduce. From a film study perspective, the hand-held camera work, long takes, and cinematography in this film are truly memorable.

Featuring an absolutely fantastic supporting performance by Ben Kingsley, the British Sexy Beast does the gangster film right. Kingsley received Best Supporting Actor nominations from the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes for his violent but hilarious portrayal of a sociopathic London underworld figure who won't take no for an answer from a retired and reluctant safe cracker played by the underrated Ray Winstone.

It is hard to imagine what kind of film There Will Be Blood would have been without the virtuosic turn by Daniel Day Lewis as Texas oilman Daniel Plainview. While this film lost out to No Country for Old Men for Oscar glory, Paul Thomas Anderson's nihilistic character study sticks with the viewer long after its chilling conclusion.

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is an energetic portrait of the lives of children growing up in the slums of Mumbai. Many aspects of this film are reminiscent of City of God, from the styling of the narrative to the camerawork and direction, but the hopeful, life-affirming message of this film made it a crowd-pleaser the world over and helped it capture eight Oscars.

Simply put, Million Dollar Baby is a downer. Hilary Swank and Clint Eastwood give stunning performances in this film about a female boxer and her trainer. The twist ending of this film, endlessly discussed at the time of its release and subsequent Oscar wins, is truly heart-wrenching.

Some dismiss Christopher Nolan's Memento as a gimmick, a film made from the perspective of a man who cannot form new memories as he searches for his wife's murderer. To do so is to overlook one of the most innovative and best-constructed dramas of this decade and a career-defining lead performance by Guy Pearce. This film launched Nolan's career, which reached new heights after his 2008 blockbuster, The Dark Knight.

Masterfully adapted from the graphic novel of the same name by Josh Olson, who was rewarded with an Academy Award nomination for Best Writing, A History of Violence is one of legendary horror/science fiction director David Cronenberg’s finest and most accessible films. This thriller focused on a diner owner (played by Viggo Mortensen) whose peaceful Midwestern existence is shattered by a violent attempted robbery. William Hurt received an Oscar nomination for playing Mortensen's brother despite only being in the film for eight minutes.

After viewing Richard Kelly's follow-up bomb, Southland Tales, it's hard not to wonder if Donnie Darko was an accidental masterpiece. This film deftly tackles difficult existential questions while telling a compelling tale of the titular character, an emotionally troubled teen played by Jake Gyllenhall. The mystery of the theatrical cut of this film (as opposed to the more heavy-handed yet comprehensible director's cut) is its best aspect, as the viewer tries to understand if Darko truly sees the same things the viewer does or if they are only a figment of his troubled mind.