Best films of the decade

The best of the decade in film:

Best drama: "Michael Clayton" (2007) Writer-director Tony Gilroy's gripping look at corporate corruption had top-flight performances from George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and Tom Wilkinson.

Best sci fi film: "Avatar" (2009) James Cameron takes special effects and cinematography to a whole new level while still dealing with serious themes in this grand space yarn.

Best comedy: "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" (2006) Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen took to the streets in character as a clueless foreign reporter and ended up with an outrageous comedy that offered a scathing view of modern society.

Best romance: "Lars and the Real Girl" (2007) This touching and funny story about a shy young man (Ryan Gosling) in love with a life-sized doll was full of heart, and the cast -- " Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner -- was superb.

Best horror film: "The Descent" (2005) Writer-director Neil Marshall turns a women's caving expedition into a hellish nightmare, beginning with faint whispers and then letting the blood flow.

Best independent film: "Kill Bill: Vols 1 and 2" (2003-2004): Quentin Tarantino hit a delirious high with this epic about a female assassin (Uma Thurman) out for revenge, also offering David Carradine his first good role in years as the title character,

Best musical: "Moulin Rouge" (2001): Director Baz Luhrmann's skillful and dazzling mix of classic pop songs and Bohemian romance, starring a stunning Nicole Kidman and surprising Ewan MacGregor, started the decade off on a high note.

Best fantasy: "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (2001-2003): Director Peter Jackson epic recounting of the fantasy classic was endlessly inventive, visually splendid and filled with great characters and huge action sequences.

Best art house film: "Mulholland Drive" (2001): David Lynch's story of a young actress trying to survive in Hollywood reached logic-defying emotional crescendos while introducing the unknown Naomi Watts.

Best thriller: The "Bourne" movies (2002-2007): Writer Tony Gilroy, directors Doug Liman and especially Paul Greengrass, and star Matt Damon, showed that the thriller genre can leave you gasping for air even as it grapples with serious themes.

Male movie star of the decade: George Clooney, who brought long lost charm to leading man status while making some of the best films -- " "Michael Clayton," "Syriana," "Up in the Air," "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and "Good Night, and Good Luck" among them -- that hit theaters. All while doing humanitarian and political work.

Female movie star of the decade: Angelina Jolie, certainly the most high profile movie star alive. But Jolie is more than just a sex symbol, she's also an actress who's managed to bridge serious work ("A Mighty Heart," "Changeling") and action stardom ("Wanted," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Lara Croft"). Blend in her humanitarian work, all those kids and Brad, and she owned the decade.

Director of the decade: Steven Soderbergh, the filmmaker who bridges the ever-widening gap between studio films and independent art productions with the greatest ease. Soderbergh delivered major blockbusters like "Erin Brokovich," "Traffic" and the "Ocean's" movies while still working on curious oddities like "Bubble" and "The Girlfriend Experience." Nobody straddled and symbolized the split nature of modern filmmaking like Soderbergh.