Our regular Cinema Connoisseur Allen Gaynor is still being questioned by the authorities, so his twin brother Sal Gaynor continues sharing his list of the top films of the past decade, this week counting down from 40 to 21.

40. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) — Sure, the sequels left a lot to be desired, which taints this film a little bit. Not enough to keep it off my list however. Johnny Depp was so fantastic as Captain Jack Sparrow in this fun-filled movie that he earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination in a genre that typically is not up for those awards.

39. 3:10 to Yuma (2007) — Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are two of the angriest actors working in the business today, and two of the most talented as well. This western casts Bale as a rancher who agrees to help take famed robber (Crowe) to the authorities in order to earn some money and save his land.

38. In The Bedroom (2001) — Much to the dismay of his parents, a college-aged man dates a woman (Marissa Tomei), who has two kids, and a jealous ex. A tragedy occurs, leading to the young man's parents being even more dismayed.

37. Team America: World Police (2004) — The only film on this list with a cast comprised of puppets. The creative force behind “South Park” brings us this look at an elite fighting force that must battle terrorism and a group of liberal minded celebrities. The puppet sex scene is a scorcher.

36. The Dark Knight (2008) — One of the most successful movies of all-time, highlighted by the departed Heath Ledger's Oscar winning turn as the Joker. Not just another super hero movie, and not just another action film. It is something special.

35. Rocky Balboa (2006) — The original Rocky is my favourite film of all-time. Still, when I heard this one was being made, I was skeptical. Boy, was I wrong! While a nearly 60 year old man challenging for boxing's world title may seem ridiculous, the film handles it perfectly. After watching it, I was inspired to pick fights with people half my age.

34. Ocean's Eleven (2001) — George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are among the many stars in this fun caper film about a seemingly impossible casino robbery.

33. Cinderella Man (2005) — Russell Crowe stars as real life boxer Jimmy Braddock, who loses everything, including his children, after breaking his hand during the Great Depression. Against all odds, he makes an improbable comeback that leads to a title shot against the heavyweight champion.

32. Insomnia (2002) — A police detective (Al Pacino) is sent from the big city to help solve a murder in a small Alaskan town. Things unravel when he accidentally shoots his partner, and engages in an elaborate cover-up to hide his guilt.

31. Shrek (2001) — Often imitated but never duplicated, this animated classic featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz is responsible for starting a multi-billion dollar merchandising empire.

30. Gangs of New York (2002) — Martin Scorsese directed this look at New York in the 1800s, with Daniel Day-Lewis starring as a ruthless mob leader, and Leonardo DiCaprio leading a group of Irish immigrants as he looks to avenge his father's death.

29. (500) Days of Summer (2009) — Told in a non-linear fashion, this film takes a look at the relationship between a young man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and a young woman (Zooey Deschanel). Unfortunately for the young man, he is far more into her than she is into him.

28. A History of Violence (2005) — A seemingly ordinary man's life is turned upside down after he kills some criminals during a holdup. However, when more criminals come to town to look into the situation, we learn that the man's past may not be so ordinary after all. Viggo Mortensen stars.

27. Closer (2004) — Jude Law and Natalie Portman are a couple. Julia Roberts and Clive Owen are also a couple. At least that is how things start out. Things get a whole lot more complicated from there in this dialogue heavy drama.

26. Knocked Up (2007) — After a one night stand leads to a pregnancy, a directionless stoner (Seth Rogen) and a motivated career woman (Katherine Hiegl) try to build a relationship in this hilarious box office hit comedy.

25. Gladiator (2000) — Revenge, like ice cream, is a dish best served cold. After his family is murdered, a Roman General (Russell Crowe) becomes a gladiator to seek vengeance on the corrupt prince (Joaquin Phoenix) who is responsible for their deaths.

24. Sideways (2004) — Two men (Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church) go on a road trip to California wineries, and end up falling for two local women. Crack open a bottle (or box) of wine and enjoy this one.

23. Casino Royale (2006) — The James Bond franchise was reborn with this highly enjoyable film about Bond's first mission, where he must stop the banker of the world's foremost terrorist organizations by competing in a high stakes poker game.

22. No Country For Old Men (2007) — If you happen to come across a bunch of dead bodies and $2 million, stay the hell away from it. Josh Brolin's character doesn't in this Best Picture winning film, and ends up with a relentless killer (Javier Bardem) tracking him. Another superb film from the Coen brothers.

21. Old School (2003) — Three 30-something men (Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn) decide to relive their glory days by starting a fraternity. As always, a crusty dean (this one played by Jeremy Piven) tries to spoil the fun.

Next week I'll countdown numbers 20 through 1. To view numbers 100 through 41, visit www.cinemaconn.com