10. Ascension

-- A great backdrop, Banshee vs. Rocket fights and great BR and Sniper fights only interrupted by the rotating antenna all made Ascension the perfect example of how far Halo MP had come since Combat Evolved. Tower of Power was awesome too.

9. Hemorrhage

--Blood Gulch remake #2, Hemorrhage is a perfect fit for Halo: Reach. It's easily the best BTB map in Reach and 4v4 Territories, Sniper and CTF are all a treat. Hemorrhage fits the identity of Reach perfectly.

8. Construct

--There was never a map better for Doubles, and Team Slayer and Oddball are great too.

7. Avalanche

--Avalanche is Sidewinder on steroids. It features tons of vehicles, two rockets, two snipers a laser and a revamped middle section for faster transportation. Add to that man cannons, hornets and classic Halo balancing, and you have a stunning remake.

6. Midship

--MLG and CTF Classic are both staples of this map.

5. Valhalla

--At first glance Valhalla seems like a Blood Gulch rip off, but as you play the map nothing could be further from the truth. Set in a beautiful, serene valley, Valhalla is a symmetrical map with a base on each side and a hill that dominates the landscape. Valhalla is large enough to be one of the best BTB maps ever made and yet small enough to be a great 4v4 map for CTF, 2 Bomb, Team Slayer and Snipers. Shooting off the large man-cannon in a frantic race for the Laser, speeding across the map on a mongoose to try and cap a flag, and trying to hold the Hill against the opposing team are some of the most enjoyable moments I have experienced in the entire Halo franchise.

4. The Pit

--When Halo 3 came out everyone was looking for the next great team map in Guardian or something similar to the greats of Halo past, instead they found it in The Pit. The Pit is a symmetrical map with no ledges to fall off of and no circular design to make it play evenly, what The Pit does have though is exceptionally balanced map design and a beginning of the game charge for the power weapons that is now legendary in Halo history. Two Sniper Rifles by Air Lifts guarded the Over Shield and Sword spawn, while the Rocket and Camouflage were up for whoever could out 'nade, and think, their opponent. The Pit found its stride not just because it was exceptional for 4v4 Team Slayer, Multi-Team and Doubles, but also because CTF on The Pit was the measuring stick for all Match-Making teams in Halo 3. If you could win that game, you could win any. The Pit soon became the map for competitive Halo 3 games and for good reason.

3. Forge World

--In a word, huge. Forge World represents how far the Halo 3 engine has come since 2007. Forge World features gorgeous landscapes and waterfalls on a map that contains an entire Blood Gulch, Ascension and Sanctuary remake as well as plenty more land, sea and cave locations to satisfy even the most demanding Forgers. Speaking of Forge, Forge World takes the mode to new heights never before dreamed of by Halo 3 Forgers. Forge World is so far above the competition that I had to decide whether I considered Forge World a map or a game mode before I could put it on this list. What the Community has already done with Forge World is enough to earn it this spot on the list, but the promise of even more great maps and art to come solidify it as at least #3 for all time. Community made maps on Forge World has already garnered its own Matchmaking playlist and promises to keep reach alive and thriving for months or even years to come. As far as Community impact, nothing surpasses Forge World. So why not #1? Well, because Forge World itself is completely impractical to play ANYTHING on.

2. Lockout

--Lockout was the defining map of the defining game on Xbox LIVE. When you challenged someone to 1v1 what map would you play? Lockout. When you played MLG what was the map of choice? Lockout. When you entered into Team Slayer what map were you always hoping to find? Lockout. Lockout is the map for competitive games. To this day it is unrivaled in Team BRs (or DMR's) and is the only map that one can argue is better for Oddball than Warlock. Lockout was so good, so incredibly popular in Halo 2, that Bungie found a way to work its new golden child into every playlist, including BTB--and it was even a blast to play there. Just pick a game-type--CTF, One Flag, KotH, Territories, etc.--and Lockout was fun to play it on. Team BRs on Lockout, you know you want to.

1. Blood Gulch

--Blood Gulch is Halo, and Halo is Blood Gulch, they're inseparable. As incredible as all the maps in the top five are, there could only ever have been one #1, and that map could only have been Blood Gulch. The design was so good that Blood Gulch fit perfectly into Halo 2 and Halo: Reach, and probably would have been great in Halo 3 too if Bungie had given it to us. But let's get past what its remakes have done and focus on the original. Blood Gulch was far and away the map of choice in Combat Evolved. Games of CTF could last hours but no one ever seemed to care because it was just so much fun, and despite its size Blood Gulch was always the most fun to play Team Slayer, KotH and Snipers on. If the simple memories of games played on Blood Gulch don't elicit excitement, that's only because you never played it or you didn't play it enough to truly experience what Blood Gulch had to offer. When Rooster Teeth was deciding on locations for their extremely popular Red Vs. Blue series, Blood Gulch was the obvious choice, just like it is now for the title of Best Halo Map Ever Made--and I can't imagine it ever loosing the crown.

So there you have it, every Halo map Bungie ever made ranked #78-1. What did you think of the list, what would you change? Fire away in the Comments below!

20. Breakpoint (Halo: Reach)

--Breakpoint is hands down the best Invasion map in Reach and is quickly becoming one of Halo's elite BTB maps. Nowhere but up to go for Breakpoint.

19. Citadel (Halo 3)

--Citadel ended up being the best symmetrical team map of the Mythic Map Pack (which is no small order). A Sniper Rifle and Rocket were the focal points of Citadel and when things died down it was all up to skill with a BR.

18. Guardian (Halo 3)

--Often called "the illegitimate child of Lockout", Guardian is a small, floating team map great for competitive slayer games, Oddball and Doubles.

17. Beaver Creek (Halo: CE)

--It may not have worked out in Halo 2, but back in Combat Evolved Beaver Creek was one of the best maps. Considerably smaller than other popular Combat Evolved maps, Beaver Creek was one that could even be played split-screen--a true Halo classic (much like the RvB episodes that took place in it).

16. Sandbox (Halo 3)

--Foundry may have started the Forge frenzy, but Sandbox took it to a whole new level. Finally we could make floating maps like Guardian and wide open maps playable in BTB. Sandbox was great because of all the tools Bungie gave us to make fun maps with.

15. Hang 'Em High (Halo: CE)

--Great for Pistol duels and Shotgun campers, this vertical map is one of Combat Evolved's best.

14. High Ground (Halo 3)

--Taking a page out of the Zanzibar book, High Ground is a map suited perfectly for Attack and Defend games. It also ended up being a good Team Slayer map.

13. Sword Base

--Vertical, med-sized Team map that's also great for FFA.

12. Sanctuary

--CTF on Sanctuary is classic, as is Neutral Assault--great for Team Slayer and FFA too.

11. Last Resort

--Last Resort took Zanzibar and made it better in every way. Smaller distance from the beach to the base, opening up Camp Froman and adding more ways into the base were the minor tweaks that went a long way, but what truly made Last Resort better than Zanzibar was the overhaul of the base.

Check back soon for the reveal of my #1 Halo map ever made!

40. Anchor 9 (Halo: Reach)

--A small team map with an outer-space twist, Anchor 9 is a unique and enjoyable Team Slayer and objective map.

39. Boardwalk (Halo: Reach)

Boardwalk somehow manages to be good for 4v4 Slayer, Snipers and BTB. It's a rare breed and a ton of fun. This is one map we might see rise on this list.

38. Standoff (Halo 3)

--Another map that's great for 4v4 and BTB, Standoff is gorgeous and fun.

37. Coagulation (Halo 2)

--The first Blood Gulch remake, Coagulation ended up being the best BTB map in Halo 2.

36. Countdown (Halo: Reach)

--A three-tiered team map designed for Team Slayer and CTF. Countdown could either turn into a Reach classic or fall rapidly.

35. Longshore (Halo 3)

--Longshore is a woefully underplayed Attack and Defend map in Halo 3.

34. Heretic (Halo 3)

--The Midship remake we all wanted didn't disappoint.

33. Desolation (Halo 2)

--Desolation ended up being an exceptional remake of Derelict that never got its chance to leave a mark on competitive Halo.

32. The Cage (Halo: Reach)

--A small Team map along the lines of Lockout and Guardian, The Cage looks to be on its way to becoming the map for competitive Team Slayer in Reach.

31. Powerhouse (Halo: Reach)

--Powerhouse is a good map but is rapidly falling on this list. As time goes by Powerhouse is losing its charm, but right now it's a great map for Team Slayer and objective games.

30. Blackout (Halo 3)

--The remake of Lockout was clamored for since Halo 3's launch, and with a few minor tweaks and a graphical overhaul became one of Halo 3's best.

29. Warlock (Halo 2)

--The remake of Wizard found its natural home in Halo 2. To this day no Halo map has matched Warlock in Oddball.

28. Turf (Halo 2)

--Turf has to be one of the most underappreciated maps in Halo history. Complete with a downed Scarab and Marine base, Turf is a small map great for a variety of game-types… and easily the best for Lava Man.

27. Paradiso (Halo: Reach)

--A large island map designed for BTB, Paradiso is lush and beautiful and a ton of fun in BTB.

26. Sandtrap (Halo 3)

--The largest map in Halo history to that point, Sandtrap is a huge map with plenty of open space for absolutely incredible vehicular combat and a base that moves! Unfortunately, Sandtrap was next to worthless outside of BTB.

25. Terminal (Halo 2)

--Terminal is the best BTB map for attack and defend game-types and is great for Big Team Slayer and even some 4v4 objective. Just watch out for the train.

24. Zanzibar (halo 2)

--Halo 2 didn't have a better map for One Flag or Assault. Zanzibar wasn't just great for attack and defend though, it was also a great team Slayer map. Camp Froman, indeed.

23. Sidewinder (Halo: CE)

--Sidewinder is the biggest map in Combat Evolved and was a great map for CTF LAN parties. Maybe it was even a little too big, but none-the-less, Sidewinder was the source of some great times.

22. Tempest (Halo: Reach)

--Tempest is probably the best looking map in Halo: Reach and quite possibly the best to cruise around in the warthog on. I expect Tempest to be added to BTB and find its stride in Objective as soon as more people get the DLC.

21. Snowbound (Halo 3).

--Maybe not Snowbound so much as the shield door-less Boundless, but Snowbound showed off Halo 3's stunning snow effects and combined tight BR duels on the outside and tense 'nade fights in the tunnels below. It was also one of the best maps for Team Doubles.

Check back soon for #20-11!

60. Ivory Tower (Halo 2)

--Ivory Tower is this low because it was just never balanced. The entire game depended upon the first fight to see who would take control of the top.

59. Headlong (Halo 2)

--A good map for BTB One Flag and Assault, Headlong provided some fun Banshee vs. Rocket fights.

58. Damnation (Halo: CE)

Shotguns dominated this map--a lot of fun for a 4-player FFA.

57. Orbital (Halo 3)

--An interesting design can't make this symmetrical map any better than an average team map.

56. Spire (Halo: Reach)

--Spire is too big for anything but Invasion, and lacks that epic final stand feeling that it should have.

55. Derelict (Halo: CE)

--Great pistol duels and intense, down-to-the-wire games were staples of this map.

54. Tombstone (Halo 2)

--Tombstone was a great remake of Hang 'Em High, perfect for team BR games.

53. Rat's Nest (Halo 3)

--Rat's Nest was the opposite of every other BTB map; vehicles went around the long way while foot soldiers had a straight shot at enemy objectives, but it just never really took off--great Raceway, though.

52. Asylum (Halo: Reach)

--Asylum is a remake of Sanctuary and plays like one.

51. Ghost Town (Halo 3)

--Bungie thought Ghost Town would become a classic but it never really captured that special something. Instead fans got a small team map good for attack and defend game types and Team Slayer.

50. Reflection (Halo: Reach)

--Reach's Jet Packs solves the balancing issues to make Reflection a fine map for Team Slayer.

49. Containment (Halo 2)

--Huge, symmetrical map perfect for vehicles and Big Team Battle carnage.

48. Pinnacle (Halo: Reach)

--Ascension minus the Banshee and rotating antenna. Still plays great.

47. Relic (Halo 2)

--A gorgeous island great for one flag and snipers.

46. Boneyard (Halo: Reach)

--A gigantic map that captures an epic final stand in Invasion. Also good for Big Team Slayer.

45. Cold Storage (Halo 3)

--The free remake of Chill Out ended up being a great FFA map for Halo 3.

44. Narrows (Halo 3)

--BR duels, Sniper fights and mad skirmishes for the Rocket make Narrows a great map for CTF, Two Bomb and Team Slayer.

43. Burial Mounds (Halo 2)

--Burial Mounds was one of those rare maps that mixed in great foot combat with just enough of a vehicular twist to mix it up.

42. Assembly (Halo 3)

--Assembly felt like a "wanna-be" Midship remake when it first came out but it soon found its own identity and established itself as a tight 4v4 team map.

41. Foundry (Halo 3)

--The default Matchmaking setting was bad, but Foundry kicked off the Forge frenzy and gave us Griffball.

#40-21 coming soon!

With Bungie unofficailly passing the torch of Halo multi-player maps (the new DLC is being created by a different developer and it's fair to say that Bungie is now concentrating fully on their new IP with Activision) I thought it would be fitting to rank every single multi-player map Bungie has ever created for the Halo franchise (Firefight excluded). For this list I tried to look at a map not just based on how fun it was to play in a given game (whcih was of course a huge factor), but also whether it earned a remake, whether it was itself a remake, and the impact the map had on the Halo Community. For Reach maps I have tried to anticipate how well each map will hold up in the long run and the impact it might have on the community in the future, but things might change in a month or two, so by no means consider this list set in stone. I have also added a bit of commentary or a brief explanatin for certain maps. With that, I start with Halo Maps #76-61. Enjoy!

76. Backwash (Halo 2)

--The map so bad it was removed from Matchmaking…

75. Longest (Halo: CE)

74. Chiron TL-34 (Halo: CE)

73. Boarding Action (Halo: CE)

--Who thought this would be a good idea? Still, Boarding Action did provide some interesting Sniper fights.

72. Waterworks (Halo 2)

--Simply too big and yet too crowded for good vehicle combat. Neutral Flag brought some good moments though.

71. Foundation (Halo 2)

--Zombies! Not much else though.

70. Epitaph (Halo 3)

69. Gemini (Halo 2)

68. Isolation (Halo 3)

--It may have been poorly designed and have a glitch ruining the one game-type that was worth mentioning (CTF), but Isolation was one of the best looking maps of the Halo franchise.

67. Wizard (Halo: CE)

66. Elongation (Halo 2)

--A step up from Longest, but still not good.

65. Rat Race (Halo: CE)

64. Zealot (Halo: Reach

--it's like a bad mix between Midship and a bad community map with too many man-cannons. Yuck.

63. Chill Out (Halo: CE)

62. Battle Creek (Halo 2)

--Battle Creek just never really worked in Halo 2. It was too small, too symmetrical and had too many obstacles in the way.

61. Prisoner (Halo: CE)

--This would be a great map to remake in Halo: Reach. Unfortunately, in Combat Evolved it was just a mediocre map you played when you wanted a change of pace.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for #60-41!

When I fall I know You're there,

When I am happy You are the source,

When I feel abandoned I know You care,

And I know You have plotted the best course.

I know my days here are short

Compared to the hours I will spend with You,

So while I'm here I will try not to disconcert

The trials You have given me to sort through.

You are my strength and my hope,

My solid Rock upon which I stand,

I know these things will fade and so I cope;

Knowing that I will spend my time in Your Promised Land.

You are my Redeeming King,

In Whom I am filled with reverence,

Your joy is stronger than even these words I sing,

And so I come to You in glad repentance;

That You may Bless me as my Father,

And take me home wrapped gently in Your arms;

Whilst' You bring me in Your Presence, still farther

I see the World as Your Farms.

So until the day You choose to come,

I will tarry here amongst you Flock,

Hoping to bring your Kingdom Come,

And seize this world in a joyous shock.

Until that day I need you to know,

I Love You And Need You, My Very Own!

The Trials Of My Of My Second Life

Introduction.

Southern Illinois, 1886, the small town and the outlying farms are dominated by those who consider themselves hardworking Christians. The keyword here is 'consider'. Unfortunately, many of the people in the area do not live the life of a Christian. It has been my mission to change that.

1. Jealous of a Bad Circumstance.

Why is it that in the Bible people are always so joyous to be resurrected? Don't they understand that they're just going to have to die again? Their attitude dumbfounds me. I just can't fathom being happy about my situation. I have already died once and now I have to go through it again. Why should I have to relive the coldness of deaths embrace, and experience my last breath being sucked from my lungs again? This second chance at life--this second chance to die--is totally and utterly unfair, and I don't want it. For some unbeknownst reason to me, others want my place; they dream of returning to the living when death finally finds them. I can't understand this anymore than I can understand the boy's joy when Elijah brought him back into this doomed world. It is simply beyond my comprehension, just as my hate for this second life is beyond theirs.

2. A Different Perspective.

I no longer live as I once did. There was a time when I loved the freedom of a horse beneath me and the feel of a gun in my hand. No longer. The things of this world that once brought me joy now only bring fear, and the prospect of death that was once far away now dwells dangerously close to my heart. My new life is so guarded and reserved that it dwells closer to the realm of paranoia than normality; my new status amongst my former friends is the towns fool. Such is the story of my second life. I view others as a problem and live as an outcast, and what others consider fun I consider an unnecessary risk. When I look at it I realize that the real difference between my first and second lives is my perspective--it's different.

3. There Is No Room for Love in Death.

Her name was Rachel, and we had been in love. Ours was a strange progression from dislike, to friendship and finally to lovers (not that we ever did anything disrespectable). She lived in town with her parents, and I lived out on a farm with my father. We walked away from our first meeting with a general dislike for each other (I looked down on her for living the easy life in town and she looked down on me for living the uncivilized life of a farmer). However, as we saw each other more our bond grew until seeing her was the highlight of my trips into town. It took more than a decade before we finally kissed, but after that we pursued each other without reserve. She began to make trips to my farm just as my father's health began to worsen. When he passed away, Rachel was my rock upon which I leaned and my decision was made--I would ask the girl to marry me. I received permission from her father with a few very important terms: that I would always take care of her, put her before myself and above all love her. I was more than happy to oblige to these terms and the thought of how I would propose consumed me. My fears that she would say no were unfounded but still I couldn't help but dread that she would deny me her love. Somehow, all of that changed when I died. Marriage seemed to be inconsequential and meaningless; it was a risk that I didn't want to take, a responsibility I didn't want to have, and a burden I didn't think I could bare. I made the decision to fall away from her love and keep the ring I had planned to give her. As a result we lost our friendship and she moved on to marry another man. I didn't care; I just wanted to live as securely as possible. Rachel could be another man's problem.

4. The Second Life of a Farmer.

The fewer risks I took, the poorer I became. You can't be a good farmer if it takes you two days to walk into town for supplies, and I found farm life wasn't exactly easy when the thought of death is dominating your mind. So I sunk into debt and lost the respect of my few neighbors who still held some for me. My life was a mess and I found that I would soon die of starvation and thirst if I didn't seek out help or make a change. I decided to seek out help, it seemed easier.

5. The Power of the Word 'No'.

"No", that was the answer I received from everyone I asked for help. Apparently, no one wanted to help a man who had been granted a great blessing and was squandering it. Time and time again I received the word "no" whenever I asked for money or food. Everyone just said no. I was running out of options, so I went to the last man I thought might help me, Jonathan, Rachel's father. I once had a good relationship with the man but we had since had a falling out, so to speak. This was my last chance; I didn't know what else to do. If Jonathan didn't help me, I would most likely die because there was no chance of motivating myself to break the barrier and see the tremendous opportunity I had been given.

6. Staring Down the Barrel of a Shotgun.

I stepped onto the porch to find the barrel of a shotgun staring me in the eyes. The handler was Rachel's father, Jonathan, and he was none too pleased to see me. Apparently he held me in contempt--both for squandering my second life and leaving the offer to marry his daughter at the door. If it hadn't been for Edna, his wife, I wouldn't have even entered his home.

7. Humbled In The Home Of A Christian Man.

The house was much like I remembered it. It was small yet cozy, with a stove in the middle of the main room. I didn't dare take my seat in the corner until Jonathan offered it out of fear of offending him. When we started talking the conversation focused mostly on Jonathan's disappointment in who I had become. He told me all about how I was squandering a gift from God, and that I was chosen to live twice for a reason. I just kept thinking about how he didn't understand. It took me a while, but I finally gathered up the courage to ask him for money, food or any other form of help he might be able to offer. I didn't expect the response I got.

8. The Words of Jonathan Swift.

"You need help, do ya'? Well, I'm not going to pretend to be surprised. A man can only live and thrive for so long under the conditions you lived under. That's the price you pay for living paranoid and fearful of everything. This world is demanding and you have to take risks--you have to fight for yourself--or else you'll end up broken and dying. You can't live in death like you were, because there is no room for love in death, and love is what keeps the human spirit working and motivated--love is what gives a man the will to fight for himself and the ones he cares for. I fancy myself a Man of God, and as such cannot turn you away in your broken state (both of mind and body). However, that does not mean I will give to you freely. With this bread, water and shelter I give you one condition: you need to put death and all of his friends behind you, and work to reconcile your relationship both with man and God; because if you don't, you will forever live in death. If you take this bread, you take it with a promise to learn to love once more and forsake your foolish ways. Now the question I ask you is this: will you do it? Will you receive this bread and drink, and with it life?"

9. My Answer.

The details of the night are unimportant. All you need to know is this: I listened to the words of Jonathan Swift and took them to heart. From that day on Jon and Edna taught me how to be a man again and showed me the path to Christ. They fed me and housed me for two weeks before I finally returned to my farm, and when I did I set about winning back the respect of my neighbors; reconciling my relationship with Rachel (who I'm happy to say stayed happily married and had two children), and living a life driven by purpose. However, because of my foolish behavior, my life was not an easy one. My days were long and my work load never seemed to diminish, but looking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way, because the lives I touched through my testimony are worth every hardship I have ever endured or will endure.

10: Acknowledgments.

It's hard to believe that I once considered myself cursed with this wonderful second life. If it had not been for Jonathan Swift I would still be living my life in death and begging for the pity of those who once held respect for me. I thank that man for touching my life in the most dramatic of ways, and his beloved wife for showing me kindness when I deserved none. I would also like to thank Rachel for forgiving me when I thought myself unforgivable, and for encouraging me to put my testimonies on paper (perhaps one day you will have the chance to read my full testimony). I also need to thank Katherine Huberday for the supplies required to write this journal and Dan Richmond for lending his restless hand to my farm. And finally I need to thank the reader of these pages for their time and care. I hope that this story changes your life in a joyous way for you and your loved ones.

Pastor Jaden Wright.

Some of you may know by now that I intend on releasing a short story entitled My Unfortunate Second Life here on my Blog. If you don't already know about it, you can check out my two previous updates in my Blog. With that out of the way, I would like to start what is going to be my final update on my story. The biggest news today is that the title of the story has been altered; it is now entitled The Trials Of My Second Life. I decided to change the name for two reasons. (1) The name didn't sound good, and (2) the former title didn't adequately describe what the story had become. The other news I have here is that I intend on posting my story either today or tomorrw, and I would like to apologize for how I have delayed the story from when I originally intended on posting it. However, that time has been well spent in refining the story to create a more enjoyable reading experience. I really hope you guys enjoy the story.

You should be warned, The Trials of My Second Life contains many Christian references and principles.

I will leave you with a quote that descibes the central focus of the story:

"There is no room for Love in Death"

It's been a long time since I posted my first preview and excerpt for this short story. Since then, the story has changed exponentially: the setting, the character, the narrative...everything is different. When I started writing Second Life, I never imagined that it would ever become what it has, and I'm happy to say that what it has become is far better than my original vision. I'm also happy to say that you can expect the story to be posted to this blog in full in the next couple of days--maybe even tomorrow. So, to whet your appetite for things to come, I would like to present an excerpt from the new and improved version of My Unfortunate Second Life. I really hope you enjoy the excerp and the story.

1.

Southern Illinois, 1886.

Why is it that in the Bible people are always so joyous to be resurrected? Don't they understand that they're just going to have to die again? Their attitude dumbfounds me. I just can't fathom being happy about the situation I'm in. I mean, I already died once, why should I have to suffer through it again? Why should I have to feel the icy grip of death overtake my limbs, feel the life being sucked from my lungs and suffer through the knowledge that the end is here--again? It's unfair, this second life of mine. It's completely unfair, and the worst part is that everyone is jealous of me. Everyone holds me in contempt for my second chance at living and resents me for not cherishing it--they all seem to want my place. Trust me; if I could trade lots with any one of you, I would--because I can't stand the ever looming presence of death.

You can expect that and so much more in the full version of My Unfortunate Second Life when it's posted in the coming days.

TOP 20 MOVIES OF THE DECADE (REVISED):

20. Gladiator (2000)

19. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

18. I Am Sam (2001)

17 Wall-E (2008)

16. Up (2009)

15. Inglorious Basterds (2009)

14. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

It's rare to find a comedy that can make you laugh as hard as Greek Wedding can, but it's even rarer to find one that keeps its jokes clean. Greek Wedding is one in a million.

13. World Trade Center (2006)

World Trade Center is the emotionally gripping true story of a group of Firemen who get trapped beneath the rubble of the fallen towers. WTC is a well told, but sad, story.

12. Ocean's Eleven (2201)

A star studded cast and quirky direction make Ocean's Eleven one of the most watchable movies ever made. I'm not sure if one can ever actually tire of this movie. And isn't that all that's needed in a movie?

11. Shrek (2001)

Shrek tells the bizarre story of an ugly ogre and a talking donkey's attempt to rescue a Princess from a tower for a wicked prince. Really, Shrek is the anti-fairytale that just shouldn't have been so good. But thankfully, it is. The story is clever, and the voice acting and writing are superb. Combine that with excellent animation and you have the recipe for one very entertaining movie.

10. Casino Royale (2006)

Bond is back and has finally returned to form. Casino Royal introduced us to the best Bond since Connery and recreated the series as a grittier, more realistic action movie. Casino Royale was expertly paced with great characters and even better action scenes.

9. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

It's a true to the book adaption of C.S. Lewis' beloved children's book. Enough said. Disney was fortunate enough to find great child actors for the four Pevensi children, and managed to create an entertaining battle sequence that was child friendly. All around, the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe was a great movie worthy of being seen multiple times.

8. Monsters, inc. (2001)

Hilarious, original and gorgeous, Pixar hit solid gold with this animated film about the lives of monsters that entertained children and adults alike. The characters were well crafted, the story well told, and the charm was obvious. Monsters, inc. is a must see.

7. Black Hawk Down (2001)

A realistic telling of a failed U.S. mission in Somalia captured the terrors and harsh realities of modern war, and the consequences of bad intel. The action was intense, and the drama was engrossing.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Who would have thought that a Disneyland ride could be such an incredible movie? "Pirates" truly was the pirate move that this generation wanted. With Johnny Depp portraying the loveable and insanely funny Jack Sparrow, and Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom carrying the roles of forbidden lovers, "Pirates" had everything (action, romance, comedy and pirates) and wrapped it up in one very entertaining package.

5. Finding Nemo (2003)

Dare I say that Finding Nemo is Pixar's most beloved movie? It's tough with the likes of Toy Story around, but Nemo could very well be. With gorgeous animation, loveable characters, a heart-warming story and hilarious writing, Finding Nemo found a way to entertain both children and, perhaps even more so, adults.

4. The Departed (2006)

There's a reason why the Departed is a classic: The Ending. Oh, and the two and half hours before that being so exceptional has something to do with it, too.

3. The Passion of the Christ (2004)

Few movies have ever had the cultural impact that the Passion did. Mel Gibson's portrayal of the betrayal, trial and crucifixion of Christ brings to your attention what mankind's savior actually had to do to become that. This realistic (and biblically accurate) telling of Christ's final days will forever remain a must-see film with a power to captivate and touch that no other movie has.

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight blew me away. Heath Ledger's Joker will forever be cemented in my mind as perhaps the greatest character ever portrayed in a movie. Add to that a meaningful story, an entire cast of great characters, exceptional directing and awesome action scenes, and you got yourself the most entertaining and breathtaking movie of the decade. The one flaw? It's not a movie you can watch over and over again.

1. The Lord of the Rings Series (2001, 2002, 2003)

I'm a huge fan of the books and, as such, hated the major changes made to the story to make the movies flow better, and feel more epic. However, that doesn't change the fact that everything was exceptionally done: The acting, directing, fight sequences…EVERYTHING! The characters were extraordinarily well casted and acted, and I can't say enough about the real world locals. With the two largest battle sequences ever put on film (in the Two Towers and Return of the King respectively) the Lord of the Rings didn't lack for action either. Oh, and the music was absolutely incredible, too. When a film (or this case a film series) executes everything so well, and pushes the bar to lengths we never thought possible, it becomes an obvious choice for best of the decade, and cements itself as one of the greatest film series' ever created. The Lord of the Rings truly defines what films in the 2000's were, and what films in the 10's will strive to be.