The 20 Best Films of the 21st Century
Last day for 40% off sale; $30/year on annual subs
The New York Times has been doing a poll of best movies of the 21st century. I didn’t participate…but I like lists, so I thought I’d share my quickly compiled thoughts.
Before I do though! This is the LAST DAY of my 40% off SALE. Annual subs are $30/year. It’s going to be a while before I do another one of these, so if you have been hesitating, now is the moment!
Okay, here is my list! (I haven’t reviewed all of them, but I provide links for those I have.)
20. Listening to Kenny G (2021) (review)
19. Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
17. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
16. Bridesmaids (2011)
15. Sorry to Bother You (2018) (review)
14. Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
13. Tears of the Black Tiger (2000)
12. The Clock (2010)
11. Shaun of the Dead (2004) (review)
10. The Love Witch (2016) (review)
9 Saving Face (2004)
8. Femme Fatale (2002) (review)
7. The Raid (2012)
6. Drive Away Dolls (2024) (review)
5. Titane (2021) (review)
4. You Won’t Be Alone (2022) (review)
3. Horror Noire (2019) (review)
2. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
1. Inglorious Bastards (2009)
I tried as usual with these things not to get stuck in a rut…though (again as usual) my preferences and predilections are of course visible. Horror is overrepresented, as is English language cinema. There’s no animated film (Spirited Away almost made it, but then didn’t.) There’s only one of what you might call gallery films (The Clock), and only one entry from Bollywood. Two documentaries (The Act of Killing almost made it), and only one studio blockbuster (The Lord of the Rings…which I thought about leaving off, but then couldn’t quite.)
There are a bunch of films that appear on a lot of these lists that I didn’t choose—In the Mood for Love, Mulholland Drive, Get Out, Midnight are I think the big ones. I love all of those movies, but not quite, quite as much as some of the other ones on here that don’t generally get mentioned as best ofs.
About half of these are by non white directors; only six are by woman directors. That last number is a measure of the movie industry’s sexism…but also of my own limitations as a viewer, unfortunately.
Feel free to leave your own lists in comments! And I hope maybe there’s something on here you haven’t seen before that you might be inspired to check out.
I’m interested not so much in which movies you pick but in how you draw meaning from each, using a consistently satisfying style of critical thinking.
For one example, while I’ve seen enough cruelty to never want to see horror movies I appreciate how you can explain the director’s mindset, a hyperbolic story arc and any social metaphors being attempted.
Keep up the good work, to coin a phrase.
Lord of the Rings is high on my list. It’s still, sadly, super relevant. Frodo “I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this ha happened.” Gandalf “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work, Frodo, than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case you also were meant to have it, and that is an encouraging thought.“
Rest of my list is pretty standard stuff you’d find on a lot of lists. With having young kids for the past several years it’s been hard to seek out even slightly less mainstream stuff.