Let's take a moment to look at some of the most memorably ridiculous moments from the last 10 years of film. Note that in this context, “ridiculous” doesn't necessarily mean bad; just ridiculous.

• Dead or Alive (1999): The ending — oh God, the ending. (Spoilers ahead!) The gangster and the cop have their final showdown and riddle one another with bullets. Both stagger, but refuse to fall. One combatant uses his remaining arm (one has been blown off) to reach behind his back and pulls out a previously unseen rocket launcher. His opponent, now unarmed, reaches into his own chest and pulls out his soul in order to throw it. Both projectiles meet halfway, and BOOM! The camera pulls back to a ridiculously long shot of the planet Earth, as Japan is consumed by a massive explosion. The audience erupts into manic glee.

• Tears of the Black Tiger (2000): The gayest, silliest and most pastel-coloured Thai western in existence. You must see this.

• The Mummy Returns (2001): Where else are you going to see people running really fast in an attempt to outrun sunlight? Also notable for The Rock's “I'm-tired-and-thirsty-in-the-desert” face, as well as his cheesy CGI monster incarnation at the end.

• xXx (2002): No film in recent memory has made me want to run out and read the MAD magazine parody immediately afterwards like this one. Greatest moment: A water-soluble bomb (?!) is being transported by a solar-powered submarine (?!?!) along a canal (…) and the only one who can stop it is the biggest show-off in the world. “Wahoo! Look at me go! I'm water skiing... to the extreme! Hey, any girls watching?” “Dammit, Xander, will you just hurry up and deactivate the bomb already? Yeesh!”

• Cabin Fever (2002): Notable for the crazy child who starts doing kung fu for no reason, before biting the guy who's just sitting there, minding his own business.

• Resident Evil (2002): After toying with the human intruders by sliding an easily avoided laser up and down the hallway a few times, the security system stops fucking around and dices the last survivor with an inescapable wall of laser. Take that!

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003): Silly moments abound in this one, but the one to beat is the car chase. Yep, a car chase in the Victorian Era. Through the non-existent streets of Venice, Italy. In a car that doesn't exist yet. Driven by Tom Sawyer. Who's a secret agent. Then Venice blows up, and nobody cares.

• House of the Dead (2003): Actual question: “You did all this to make yourself immortal. Why?” Actual answer: “To live forever!” Ah. I see. Serves me right for asking.

• The Book of Mormon Movie, Volume 1: The Journey (2003): Only devout Mormons went to see this, and 75 per cent of them walked out. Don't hold your breath waiting for Volume 2.

• House of Wax (2005): Ridiculous dialogue: Trying to figure out who the “evil” twin is, when they're clearly both evil. Ridiculous visuals: the melting house. Cool!

• Snakes on a Plane (2006): While the film itself had its share of glorious absurdity, the best part was the anticipation, as Internet forums filled up with hilarious speculation about what sort of nonsense was in store for us in theatres.

• Live Free or Die Hard (2007): Actual dialogue: “You just killed a helicopter with a car!” “I was out of bullets.”

• Big Man Japan (2007): A troll-haired giant protects Japan from the weirdest monsters you'll ever see. Best of all, the film abandons all of its previous fancy computer animation in favour of marvelously fake-looking rubber suits for the delirious finale.

• Grindhouse (Planet Terror) (2007). Rose McGowan spraying bullets from her machine gun leg while arcing gracefully through the air, propelled by her own grenade launcher attachment. Oh yes.

• RocknRolla (2008): Right about the eighth time the Russian mercenaries get up and resume the fight. Again. Gets funnier every time.

• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008): You know I'm talking about nuking the fridge. But Shia LaBeouf swinging Tarzan-style through the jungle with a bunch of gibbons comes mighty close.

• Machine Girl (2008): The whole damn movie.

• Crank 2 (2009): Jeez Louise! Have you seen this movie? What's the craziest scene? Oh I don't know... how about the part where Jason Statham and his opponent grow to Godzilla size, and have a slow-motion giant monster beat-down amid a tangle of power lines?

• Zombieland (2009): You know which character I'm talking about.

• Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus (2009): For most of its running time, the most entertaining thing about this snorefest is the title. Then the magic happens... a giant shark leaps out of the ocean and devours a passenger 747 airliner in mid-flight! Bwaaa ha ha ha haaa!