Copyright © 2016 by Chris Stuckmann
Published by Mango Media Inc.
Cover Design: Elina Diaz
Cover Border Art by Matthew Brando
Interior Design, Theme and Layout: Elina Diaz
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior
ISBN 978-1-63353-094-2
Theaters around the world are dominated by comic book heroes, ice princesses, apocalyptic love-struck teens, and whatever masterpiece Pixar is rolling out. It’s clear that cinema is as healthy as ever. Oscar-worthy directors, indie geniuses and foreign artists are creating stunning, boundary-pushing work. Since the turn of the century, movie lovers have been enjoying a second golden age. But which films are the best of the best? What are the top movies since 2000 to see before you die? Chris Stuckmann, one of YouTube’s most popular film reviewers gives us his best of the best! In his book debut, Stuckmann delivers his list of the very best 50 Movies since 2000 – with that style and punch that YouTube viewers have come to love. These are the films you must see before you die.
Dedication:
To my parents, for trying to understand my passion.
To my wife, for that push I need to pursue it.
To my friends, for inspiring me to follow it.
And to you, for actually caring.
“A celebration of movie love, by a lover of movies, for the lovers
of movies. Equal parts fun & insightful.”
Jeremy Jahns, YouTube Movie Reviews
Foreword
Scott Mantz
Film Critic for Access Hollywood
“Get Stuckmannized!”
Over the course of my 15-year career as the resident film critic and film correspondent for Access Hollywood, I’ve had many high points: interviewing Tom Cruise in Vienna in support of Mission: Impossible– Rogue Nation; sharing my Star Trek bar mitzvah photo album with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto during the London junket for Star Trek Into Darkness; interviewing Ringo Starr on his 75th birthday while wearing one of my (many!) Beatles tee shirts; being recognized by Drew Barrymore, who saw my film reviews on the little TVs in the back of NYC taxis; and the chance to discover so many independent gems while covering the Sundance, Toronto and Telluride film festivals.
But, without question, the highest point of them all was when my good friend and very respected film critic Chris Stuckmann asked me to write the foreword for his new book about the 50 best movies of the last 15 years.
But I’m getting ahead of myself here. I can’t talk about Chris without telling my own backstory of how I became a film critic.
When I grew up in Philadelphia, movies were my passion. I was introduced to celluloid heroes at a very young age, thanks to my forward-thinking parents, who took me to see very grown-up movies like Jaws, Taxi Driver, Rocky, Foul Play, Star Wars, The Spy Who Loved Me and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
What the hell were they thinking? Taxi Driver? I was 7-years-old, for cryin’ out loud!
But that’s where my passion for film was born. I was never much of a sports fan. I was bored to tears watching sports, and I sucked in my brief attempts to play them. It was a hard time for me, because my dad, my brother and all my friends were downright sports fanatics. I became something of a loner, so while they were watching the big games or playing two-touch football or wiffle ball in the cul-de-sac, I would ride my bike to the local theaters, where I continued my cinematic education. It was a glorious time, thanks to then-new releases like Alien, Apocalypse Now, Raging Bull, The Empire Strikes Back, The Shining, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and the movie that would become my all-time favorite: Blade Runner.
As I grew older, my love for film knew no bounds. I saw and read everything I could about the greatest filmmakers of all time. But making a living in the movie business was something that never occurred to me. Movies were a hobby– a big hobby, but nothing more. So when it came time to choose a major while studying as an undergrad at Penn State University, I did what any c...