Movie best lists can bring out the worst in us. Trying to show our smarts more often exposes our ignorance. Such Academy anointees as “The Artist,” “Nomadland,” “A Beautiful Mind,” “Green Book,” and “CODA” are perfectly respectable movies. OK, not “Green Book.” But their rewatchability value is almost too low to measure. At least for me. So in choosing the 21 best movies of the 21st century—with the Oscars having just closed the book on 2025, I’ve decided to put my picks to the toughest test of all. To make the list, a movie doesn’t have to be just as good the second, third or even fourth time; it has to be better.
The 21 Best Movies of the 21st Century
Here’s a look back at the 21 time-capsule classics that the new century has brought us so far.