20. Hugo (2011)
Who would have ever guessed that Martin Scorsese would be able to craft what is not only a terrific children's film but also a heartwarming tribute to cinema itself? Hugo is the best use of 3D that the world has ever seen because Scorsese wisely viewed it, not as a gimmick, but as another tool in the medium of film. The 3D in Hugo is used to draw the viewer into the world by making the dust on the tables and the steam from the trains seem like they're right there for you to touch. What really makes Hugo so fantastic is the characterization of Hugo himself. We see him as a lonely boy in search of a family after his father passed away and his search to "fix" himself like he does with the machines in the train station revels in the playfulness of childhood but also evokes some real world fears as well.
19. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)
The debut of Steven Soderbergh. It's a little bittersweet to talk of Soderbergh's brilliance as a director now because he's, apparently, given it up. He can certainly rest high on his laurels knowing that he made this film because it is not just an amazing movie but also an important step in the history of the medium. Sex, Lies and Videotape opened up the door to the independent film boom of the 90s while still remaining one of Soderbergh's finest films. The way the direction is handled fits the tone of the story perfectly and adds a depth that virtually all independent films lack. The film's themes of voyeurism and secrecy almost have a Hitchcock based style yet it's distinctly different and new. Soderbergh would later go on to prove that he can direct many different genres but his work here is still unlike anything he has ever done.