Filmotomy Culture: The 100 Best Films of the 21st Century

100. Far From Heaven

We begin on a meticulous high note, with the first but not the last of the Todd Haynes entries. Far From Heaven, on the contrary, is near-perfect cinema. Lavish in both its story-telling and general appearance (costumes, sets, demeanors), the film also boasts a towering central performance from the illustrious Julianne Moore. One of her highly-regarded should-have-won Oscar nominated turns. — Robin Write

99. Leave No Trace

One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2018, much of the talk in these neck of the woods was regarding the awards season’s shocking disregard of the little picture. Leave No Trace is astutely, poignantly directed by Debra Granik, focusing on a PTSD-suffering father and his smart-willed teenage daughter. Both choose to live in a public park area in Portland, Oregon, seemingly closed off from the world that surrounds them. The captivating Ben Foster continues to slip under the acting-accolade radar, though it is the young Thomasin McKenzie as the daughter who just about steals the show with an assured, emotional breakthrough. — Robin Write

98. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

I cannot not be biased about this. First of all, the soundtrack. One of the best lyrical outfits of all time — and I choose these words carefully. What follows? A truly entertaining, beautiful creation that doesn’t directly copy but winks to Homer’s masterpiece in a most flirty, audaciously impish way. Now, one ought not to have even heard of the Odyssey to enjoy this, it stands proud and it stands alone, no historic crutches needed. If, however, you are one of the lucky ones to be familiar with the artistic starting point, you are guaranteed a trip to the absurdly funny and, in the name of Homeric balance, the agonizing human struggle. Aristotle viewed The Odyssey neither strictly a comedy, nor a rigid tragedy and the Coens seem to agree as they manage to carry this profound complexity onto a simple story that comes to life by amazing execution in acting, filmmaking, and excellence in setting the vision into stone. — The Greek

97. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

As far as expectations go, this one had a lot to live up to. Peter Jackson filmed all three chapters of The Lord of The Rings back-to-back – and claimed to be the biggest fan of Tolkien’s book of the century. That is a lot of weight on this man’s shoulder’s. The Fellowship Of The Ring is a creative ensemble piece, a cinematic experience that made us want to see movies. As the end credits unexpectedly pasted across the screen we were, no matter how many times we looked at our watch during the film, eagerly awaiting the next one already. The heart of the film is the fellowship, and it is strong with this one – in adventure, in story-telling, in film-making. — Robin Write

96. The Master

Unmistakably Paul Thomas Anderson, with stunning cinematography and performances coerced as close to perfection as any arthouse analysis could attempt to outline, The Master is by no means without faults, however, it truly fills in the narrative’s later amorphic gaps with anticipation and emotion. Surprisingly, next to the megalith that was Philip Seymour Hoffman, the ride seems entirely driven by Joaquin Phoenix and his stellar portrayal of Freddie, a man as much in need of a rooted sense of belonging as the freedom to escape into a different somebody at his foggy mind’s troubled bid. A rigid must-watch as a character study, a sentimental should-watch as a pleasure; albeit a rather dark and demanding one, The Master rightfully features in this list — and many more to come. — The Greek

95. American Honey

A lens-hugging break-out central performance from Sasha Lane just about carries the movie to the finish line. An assured performance, her heavy expressions and no-fear attitude display her character’s inner turmoil. I’ll rave about the Robbie Ryan cinematography though, given a clear platform to really let his hair down with his talent for visual scope and outdoor lighting. Andrea Arnold has not particularly tripped here, her dedication and determination are all over this. She’s so aware of her craft, and what makes characters tic. — Robin Write

94. Holy Motors

Director Leos Carax and actor Denis Lavant have, of course, worked together before on The Lovers on the Bridge. Holy Motors pairs them up again, in what quickly becomes one of the most extraordinary, striking, mind-boggling pieces of cinema of any year. Lavant is remarkable. His enigmatic character is made-up, costumed, propped, inhabited in various guises. An old vagabond, a crazed red haired man who kidnaps Eva Mendes, a gangster Chinaman, a bed-ridden man, and perhaps most poignantly an ordinary man in an emotional exchange with is daughter. Kylie Minogue also turns up late on. — Robin Write

93. The Lobster

The Lobster is an off-the-wall, unmissable journey, an education, in this very life we lead, but also in how to write a truly original, seminal movie. Original as in, not just making up a story and running with it, but an achievement of such kinetic, deep-seated exploration of the type of thought-provoking channels of mankind that rarely get touched on, let alone enlightened in this manner. But love, the yearning for a soulmate, the appreciation of singledom, the mystery of it all, is around us all the time, and we think we know it well. — Robin Write

92. Hereditary

Um… excuse you, Toni Collette. Excuse you and how dare you, really. Want an Oscar? Here, have two. Three. Fuck it, have them all. I could nitpick about where that missing half a star went but it’s really not worth your reading time. Just watch this. Just watch it. PS: Not to be overlooked, Gabriel Byrne was pretty hot, too. Alex Wolf is a miracle to behold. Ari Aster does magic and the members of the editing/sound teams each deserve acknowledgement by full name, individual mentions. — The Greek

91. Synecdoche, New York

Synecdoche, New York marks yet another chunk of the unique and brilliant from Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is also a film not just written by, but also directed by Charlie Kaufman. Hoffman is wasting away as a theatre director unable to curb his elaborate production expanding into madness. In turn, the narrative blends stature with deterioration, and you have to simply experience the unraveling rather than attempt to put together the pieces. The cast, too, is worth the admission, with the likes of Michelle Williams, Emily Watson, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener and Dianne Wiest all contributing finely to the constructed bedlam. — Robin Write

90. Up

Pixar’s most darkly dramatic comedy to date, a deep-seated, most private affair, Up not only features already in many Best Movie lists but is also a safe bet for many more, and I’m fully on board with the notion, with one minor gripe to voice. Most people adore Up because of the heart-wrenching story between Carl and Ellie and their bittersweet love triangle with tragedy — not unlike than any other dramatic Pix-animated punch in the proverbial gut only so, so much different. As much as Finding Nemo’s opening scene hurt (and boy, did it), Up delivers it in a profoundly personal way that makes you, and me, and all of us, become both Carl and Ellie, and each and every one of the what-ifs we carry come to life through their love, and pain, and loss. And that is fine, great even, this is one golden nugget of emotion rightly adored by the masses. — The Greek

89. A Serious Man

The abrupt cut to titles as a tornado approaches a school, to Jefferson Airplane’s “Somebody to Love”, is the kind of what-the-fuck moment that still make Joel and Ethan Coen such refreshing filmmakers. A Serious Man might well be one of the Coens’ more personal ventures, but it still has something of that sombre satire we are accustomed to. And at the centre of it, quickly falling apart at the seams, is Jewish professor, Larry Gopnik, and with it a breakout performance from the terrific Michael Stuhlbarg. — Robin Write

88. Before Midnight

You’ll see as you churn your way through this list, just how far apart Before Midnight is from the middle film of the Richard Linklater trilogy. Did voters get the two films mixed up? Nonetheless, all three real-time romances were loved by audiences. The 2013 film has Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) yet another nine years later, now struggling with parenthood and career choices. Their relationship is as rich and fragile as ever, and we are left wondering how they can maintain their romance. — Robin Write

87. Dancer in the Dark

Lars von Trier finally got his Palme d’Or for his relentless Cannes Film Festival attendance over the years. Dancer In The Dark is perhaps much better known for the devastatingly good performance from Icelandic singer, Björk, as the ill-fated Selma. Also a winner in Cannes, for Best Actress. Carrying a hefty return to the Dogme 95 movement von Trier helped create, Dancer In The Dark is about as downbeat, grainy a musical you can find. If you can call it that. — Robin Write

86. Adaptation

In writing Adaptation, Charlie Kaufman (him again?) invented a twin brother for himself, and even managed to get the fictitious character a writing credit on the film (and an Academy Award nomination to boot). Adaptation is loosely based on Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief, with Kaufman taking satirical liberties. Spike Jonze is director, with Nicolas Cage playing the dual roles of the Kaufmans, Charlie and Donald. Even in its punchy wit, the film depicts writer’s block in a rather authentic way. Meryl Streep is also great in support, and of course Chris Cooper, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. — Robin Write

85. Inland Empire

David Lynch’s 2006 what-the-fuck Inland Empire at first sight certainly depicts the blurring of fantasy and reality. So much so, as a viewer you also lose your mind somewhat part way into the three-hour run-time. There’s a host of familiar Lynchian faces here – Laura Dern, Justin Theroux, Harry Dean Stanton, Grace Zabriskie, Diane Ladd – and also the likes of Jeremy Irons, Julia Ormond, Mary Steenburgen, William H. Macy and Nastassja Kinski show up at one time or another. Lynch wrote, directed, edited, provided music, contributed to the sound design, but also shot the entire film in low-res digital video. It gave him complete freedom of control. Though there was hardly a script to revise. Inland Empire‘s nightmarish vision and muddled structure, what with phantoms and lost girls, even out-mystifies Lost Highway or Mulholland Drive. — Robin Write

84. Shoplifters

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s stunning portrait of a makeshift family bonded by circumstance pulls heartstrings that won’t seem be reattached. This story of familial love beckons the audience to examine our own views of loss, community, and parentage, wrapped together with strong acting and a gorgeous, garbage-filled landscape. — Michael Frank

83. Nightcrawler

The Academy Award for creepiest, budging eyeballs goes solely to Jake Gyllenhaal in one of his best performances to date; a performance completely snubbed by the Academy that year. Like Gone Girl, this film questions how far the media will go to present the perfect news story. — Courtney Young

82. 35 Shots of Rum

Claire Denis’ deeply emotional, brutally honest depiction of a loyal father and daughter relationship makes the list, showing it might not be as underseen as we thought. And perhaps the most pleasant surprise of this entire collection. The bond between father (Alex Descas) and daughter (Mati Diop) in their little Paris suburb bubble is a tight one, so much so they each struggle to connect with reciprocal feelings from potential partners. Diop of course might be more recognisable now, given she won the Grand Prize at Cannes this year as a director. — Robin Write

81. Werckmeister Harmonies

I’m guessing that the Hungarian film, Werckmeister Harmonies, from 2000, is the most obscure entry in the list. Truth is, the black and white communist drama, directed by Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky, is actually highly acclaimed. Indeed, you will find it on similar lists at BBC or Sight & Sound. Adapted from the László Krasznahorkai novel, The Melancholy of Resistance, Werckmeister Harmonies might even suit the moniker, The Thirty-Nine Shots, given the steady-paced structure within it two and a half hours. — Robin Write

80. Spring Breakers

For those of you looking for a deeper meaning behind the neon-dazed art-house creation of Spring Breakers, there may not be one. And that’s the point. With casting choices including Disney darlings Selena Gomez/Vanessa Hudgens and ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars” Ashley Benson, the film’s cultural casting statement certainly raises eyebrows and elicits confusion with it’s R-rating (Rachel Korine, the fourth spring breaker in the gang of four, is actually director Harmony Korine’s wife). To understand the logic behind Spring Breakers, you need understand it’s writer/director–Harmony Korine. Rarely using a linear narrative while incorporating scenes filled with symbolism and metaphorical meaning, some of Korine’s earlier work include underground oddities like Gummo and Trash Humpers, Spring Breakers is his most mainstream work. — Courtney Young

79. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ang Lee’s 2000 swish-buckling epic was (perhaps before Roma) the closest thing to an international Best Picture Oscar winner. If it wasn’t for the fact Hollywood are a sucker for dusty sandals and brutish comebacks, it might well have. Sweeping and glorious in pretty much all areas of the technical craft, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon also boasts a classic case of story-telling, where lucid moments of romance play just as big a part as the wuxia culture and visual splendor. — Robin Write

78. Drive

So perfectly stylish and refreshingly cool, even in its very dark and violent moments. You can see the director’s blueprint all over the movie, via the edgy, yet very different, performances from main actors (Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks in particular), to the shifts in movement and pace. I mean, at times it almost lingers so much it comes to a complete halt, but is not for one second tedious or uninteresting. Even the electronic music Refn uses sits right beside the chugging tone of the film’s narrative, and could have been so out of place in anyone else’s grip – but is a perfect companion to it. — Robin Write

77. Spotlight

Spotlight tells the true story of the Boston Globe’s Spotlight team and their years-long investigation into allegations of child molestation and cover-up at the hands of the local Catholic Archdiocese. The story led to local, national and international, wide-reaching repercussions for the Catholic Church as thousands more came forward in the aftermath. An emotionally gripping drama featuring an all-star cast (Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, among others) at their best, Spotlight serves as a timely reminder about the importance of good journalism and speaking truth to power. — Shadan Larki

76. Zero Dark Thirty

While the film critics were wowing Zero Dark Thirty, aiding it’s potential to be a serious Oscar front-runner, Glenn Greenwald was writing in The Guardian about how the movie actually endorses the kind of torture it depicts. There was then direct criticism of those praising the movie, and the snowball of controversy got bigger and bigger, tarnishing the movie with so much mud it got stuck. Director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal attempted to defend their creation, but it was too late. Bigelow, for Best Director, was astonishingly not. Having made Oscar history a few years earlier to a well-earned reception, Bigelow and Zero Dark Thirty now become victims of a truly damaging smear crusade. It really was game over for a film greater than the rest of 2012. — Robin Write

> > > Onward to the Films at 75 – 51