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

25. Whiplash

Jazz drumming at an elite conservatory didn’t puncture my curiosity initially, but Whiplash has more to offer than a tremendous jazz score. The film shares a dynamic duo whose relationship heavily blurs the line between right and wrong. Miles Teller rips through this film with an elevated level of dedicated ferocity that I haven’t seen from a young actor recently, while J.K. Simmons is both electrifying and terrifying to glimpse on screen. — Courtney Young

24. Let the Right One In

Let the Right One In is probably the most creative and solidly-structured of the core subject — vampires are not easy to do well outside of margins set in stone based on the limitations of the genre. Now, either a lovely horror story or a horrific love affair, this exceptional take on the bizarre and the devious will lurk in the cold shadows and tease in red with a promise to take residence in your memories; fulfilled as soon as you invite it in. A tasteful taunt of the senses and a challenge of your morals providing you just let go and take it for what it is; a sweeping, divergent, often contrasting but never contradictory experience. — The Greek

23. The Dark Knight

The genre that has dominated our lifetime has been the comic book movie. But the one film has shown to be head and shoulders above anything before and after its release, and that’s The Dark Knight. Marketed as a superhero movie, Christopher Nolan’s Batman sequel is actually the best crime movie of the millennium. With Michael Mann style direction, a haunting performance from Heath Ledger and a devilishly layered script, The Dark Knight is the ultimate battle for the soul of humanity. While the volume of superhero movies will grow, no film will ever move the culture and elevate film more than this crowning achievement from Nolan and company. — Ryan McQuade

22. City of God

A breathless pace leads us through Rio de Janeiro’s slum towns, in Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund’s City Of God. Few films hit the ground running and never let up, but skilful editing and ingenious use of every cinematic trick in the book (freeze frames, zooms, high speed footage, even a chase sequence involving a chicken) prove utterly riveting, forcing you to face the grim realities of the characters. The use of non-actors is incredibly effective, while the neat choice of having the main character a photographer, provides many opportunities to create frame within frame visual tableaus, the ultimate eyes of the audience. Only the click of the shutter provides the blink. — Chris Watt

21. Inglorious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds was the movie geek fans’ favorite, with Tarantino showing a truly inventive and historical outburst following some disappointing murmurs surrounding the Kill Bill movies. And the magnificence of Oscar winner Christoph Waltz raised the bar in acting. Let’s not forget Melanie Laurent, whose Shosanna is the heroine of the movie, a character and a performance both commanding and affecting. As for the endless debate of whether Tarantino indeed writes strong, uncompromising women, take note of Shosanna’s once in a lifetime chance to exact the most incredible revenge, and form the real heart of the picture. Until the leery soldier shot her dead. Thanks Quentin. — Robin Write

20. Almost Famous

Whether you were there to experience it in real time or discovered the albums years after their creation, it is hard to deny that the music born between the 1960s-1970s was something truly world changing. Cameron Crowe gives us a little backstage pass so to say into what that time felt like in 2000’s Almost Famous. The story of the film is loosely based off of Crowe’s own experiences when he was a teen contributor to Rolling Stone magazine in the 70s. This told through the eyes of William Miller (Patrick Fugit) a young teen hailing from a household that disapproves of rock music who gets the fantastic chance to report on the Stillwater band as they go on tour. The time on the road alongside the influence of Penny Lane (Kate Hudson) changes him in many ways opening up to self discovery and the process of growing up. — Katie Keener

19. Boyhood

An easy honor to bestow on a film-maker who invested twelve years of his life on Boyhood. Not just that, but carrying the weight of time with a remarkable crew and cast – of course two of which started as little children, and were young adults by the close. More than that perhaps, Linklater merged the years into one unit, still maintaining his unique way of showing us life, reminding us of why we loved him in the early years of Slacker and Before Sunrise. A remarkable achievement.  — Robin Write

18. Amélie

I’m not ashamed in any sort of way to admit that Amélie is one of my favorite films of all time, nailed in the top ten, and making many cases for the number one spot. Composer Yann Tiersen’s poingnant, diverse score, or Bruno Delbonnel’s fluorescent, fabulous photography, the delicious, electric screenplay by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant. The list of incredible parts that make up this masterpiece are countless. Of course, Jeunet deserve much of the credit for nailing down a phenomenal vision and pacing. With a terrific, eclectic cast, the star of the show is Audrey Tautou as Amélie, balancing all manner of quirks and emotions throughout, bringing to the screen one of the most feel-good characters ever seen on film. — Robin Write

17. Lost in Translation

In her sophomore smash hit, Sofia Coppola introduces us to a familiar world within the realms of loneliness and isolation. Lost in Translation revolves around Bob Harris (Bill Murray) who’s experiencing a mid-life crisis in Tokyo while filming a commercial advertising a whiskey for $2 million when he “could be doing a play”. Bob encounters philosophy college graduate Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) who’s undergoing her own psychological breakdown while her fashion photographer husband is noticeably absent while working on location. Bob and Charlotte are two people at opposite ends of life with a comparable connection, and the two form one of the most unique bonds between two individuals struggling with various components of being lost. — Courtney Young

16. Inception

Christopher Nolan’s greatest motion picture in my eyes. Squeezed in between his Batman ventures, Inception is an astounding feat in story-telling, mind-boggling, and of course some of the most swarve, exhilarating visual effects helping to craft a full-on cinematic experience. Add to that a large, formidable cast, a real human element to the out-there plot, a stunning score by Hans Zimmer – need I go on? The movie of our dreams you might say. — Robin Write

15. Children of Men

At the core of Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men is themes of hope and faith, in the face of despair and anguish. Cuaron’s masterpiece is a prime example of a masterclass in handling strong themes such as hope and faith while juggling the film’s technical achievements, mainly seen through Cuaron’s impeccable direction and Emmanuel Lubezki’s stunning cinematography. Hope and faith more specifically, relates to the clear notion that hope depends on future generations. In our constantly changing world, this statement is more than ever legitimate in our society as a way of providing confidence for the future, to teach younger generations right from wrong and through the cautionary tale of Children of Men hope and faith is projected through the power of the film medium. — Jasper Bowman

14. La La Land

Aesthetically, my eyes were gently caressed with beauty for the full duration of the movie and for that I’m most appreciative. Ryan Gosling is his usual, immaculate self, succeeding in gracing us with yet another stunning performance — stylish, suave and utterly charming. Emma Stone has her ups and middles but never a down, and she gave me one of the sole two scenes that made my breathing falter against an emotional hiccup; another win. Along with the glossy couple, I got to glide with effortless elegance through a Starry Night, brush shoulders with Monet, journey into the colourful and the capricious. — The Greek

13. Mad Max: Fury Road

George Miller’s box office bash is entertainment at its finest, clashing desolate beauty with a simple, big budget, action-driven narrative focused on two stars with immediate appeal in Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron. The effects show just how far we’ve come with film, and Miller uses every inch of technology at his disposal to create a movie you can rewatch on any day of the week. — Michael Frank

12. Zodiac

The harrowing murders at the hands of the Zodiac killer live in infamy to this day and David Fincher’s Zodiac is a truly remarkable film that takes a deep dive into the story. Robert Graysmith’s book of the same name serves as the basis and he is portrayed here by Jake Gyllenhaal. While working as a cartoonist doing work of political satire he is in the right place at the right time as cryptic letters from the killer come into the paper. The murders are still fairly fresh so it is a hot button issue and Graysmith becomes entrenched in figuring out how to connect the dots despite some initial disapproval of some colleagues. Alongside the core story we also see into different snapshots from when the Zodiac strikes and it all works together in a tight, gripping and cohesive film. — Katie Keener

11. Before Sunset

Picking up nine years after the events of its predecessor, Before Sunset is a film about the power of yearning. A love letter to love. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are now so identifiable as their characters that they virtually disappear inside them, while Richard Linklater’s unobtrusive direction lends a naturalism missing from most romance pictures. This is, however, more than a meeting of hearts, but a meeting of minds, with dialogue tackling every subject, effortlessly moving their real-time journey forward, culminating in a slow walk up a round staircase that is arguably the sexiest moment of anticipation in modern cinema. — Chris Watt

10. A Separation

When I was first watching A Separation I knew I was watching something great, but honestly had little idea how great. Asghar Farhadi is a master of inner human conflict, characters moving from room to room, reacting to the what’s real, behaving as we would, all with a seemingly heavy heart and hard to resist drama. Farhadi drags you into the domestic world he has created, from the culture he knows too well, making you feel, without having to rely on melodramatic scores or flashy photography. Family ties are already coming apart at the seams, when the turning point occurs, changing what was a rocky road into bedlam. Superb performances, and a terrifically open, gripping screenplay, A Separation is one of the most engaging, important, and essential motion picture experiences of recent years. — Robin Write

9. Spirited Away

Wow. Just…wow. When you witness an artist pour everything he or she knows into their vision of what a film will be? That’s when you see real magic. Hayao Miyazaki crafts an Alice Through the Looking Glass-style fable of a young girl who wanders through an abandoned theme park with her parents, which happens to be a resting place for wandering spirits, yet comes out finding her courage, as well as a more mature, blossoming young woman. There s not one sequence that feels out of place or completely unnecessary, and every frame is beautifully crafted and drawn. The sequence where Chihiro and No-Face board the train heading towards the sixth stop is a hautingly-goregous standout. — Jonathan Holmes

8. Moonlight

There are moments in life, when you are watching a film that you know you are watching something special. Thus is the case from the get go when we see Barry Jenkin’s South Florida masterpiece begin to unfold into one of best films of all time. A story that covers the life of a young African American man whose struggling with his sexuality and personal identity, is heartbreaking, tender and uplifting. Jenkins took Tarell Alvin McCraney’s story and transformed it a three-part epic that is one of the most personal films ever put to screen. Moonlight shows audiences a story they have never seen before and also gives us the best director of his generation in Jenkins. — Ryan McQuade

7. The Social Network

Has it really been almost ten years since Jesse Eisenberg went slapping down the halls of Harvard in flip flops and sweatpants as Mark Zuckerberg, the fast-talking computer nerd on the verge of revolutionizing the way we communicate with each other? It was all so simple then, back when Zuck was still cool. The Social Network, with Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay and penchant for rapid-fire dialogue, made the story of Facebook’s creation play like a thriller. Complete with the backstabbing backstory of Zuckerbergs’s betrayal of his friend and partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), his denial that anyone else—certainly not the Winklevoss twins, played brilliantly by Armie Hammer—had any part in his own creation story, the film zeroes in on Zuckerberg’s ruthless ambition, and through his relationship with his girlfriend, ironically highlights his own inability to connect. Like the tagline says, you don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies. Directed by David Fincher, The Social Network earned eight Oscar nominations, winning both Best Writing in the Adapted Screenplay category as well as for its score by Nine Inch Nail’s Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. — Sim Carter

6. In the Mood for Love

Bad timing can be the worst thing when it comes to romantic love, something beautifully portrayed in Wong Kar-wai’s 2000 masterpiece. The story moves along like a dream as we gently pass through periods of time following the intertwined paths of Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) and Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung). Both of them married and both attached to spouses who they lack any true connection with; a connection that they find in each other. What Kar-wai brings to the screen here is breathtaking with saturated color palettes and direction that flows like a bittersweet ballad. It goes without saying that Cheung and Leung are the heart of the film with a chemistry that makes this story of two ships passing in the night so memorable. — Katie Keener

5. Pan’s Labyrinth

Embroiled within a labyrinthine garden, a strange but vivid world, occupying creatures and wonders, Ofelia is tasked by a faun creature to, in turn, find a key from the belly of a toad, retrieve a dagger from a child-eating monster, and bring her newborn baby brother to the labyrinth. Although she may regret the harsh consequences, Ofelia is somewhat defiant at times, still swayed by innocence, temptation, and a good heart. Surrounded by the brutality of the adult world, her mistakes, if you like, represent an admirable independence and bravery. This is Guillermo del Toro’s greatest world of wonders, beautifully crafted with every ounce of cinematic love. — Robin Write

4. No Country for Old Men

Joel and Ethan Coen, the minds behind such whimsy films as Raising Arizona, Fargo, and The Big Lebowski, give viewers one of the most tense thrillers of the 21st Century. A breakthrough turn by Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem as the frightening Anton Chigurh make for a captivating, extensive on-screen chase. — Mackenzie Lambert

3. There Will Be Blood

2007 is the best year for films in the millennium and the film of that year is Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. On the surface, PTA’s close to three-hour epic is about what one man will do to gain control of all the oil that surrounds him. But There Will Be Blood is truly about is about how capitalism works for those that take advantage of the system while also showing the level of greed that surrounds someone when they get a considerable amount of wealth. Led by an MVP performance from Daniel Day Lewis, Anderson film is a true American classic while also being a cautionary tale for the rest of the world. — Ryan McQuade

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

An unthinkable notion to explore with a screenplay, something we all somehow think about in our lives, but almost impossible to imagine this could make it to the screen. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is like someone being able to explain the depth of dreams, to portray human memories onto film. The movie achieves its ambitious intentions like magic (in spite of Kaufman’s standard third act wobbles), applying a true sense of love and loss and regret. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet provide as compelling an on-screen chemistry as it gets. I’d marry both Joel and Clementine. — Robin Write

1. Mulholland Drive

Written and directed by David Lynch, the magnificent, mind-boggling Mulholland Drive still continues to have the movie world yapping about the seemingly infinite interpretations in the guises of Betty, Rita, Diane or Camilla. An old Hollywood struggle tale, complete with a femme fatale and vintage attire. It certainly echoes film noir, but is oh so much more. A dark parable on the long, hard classic journey from lowly waitress to movie star, perhaps. The film’s identity themes are right there on name-tags while coffee is pouring.

Lynch spellbinds his audience, even on multiple repeat viewings, zig-zagging your heart and soul this way and that. The Club Silencio scene is like an ax to the gut, and Betty’s intoxicating audition is an extraordinary moment – just two of a hat-ful of moments that have saliva dripping from dropped jaws. Lynch was vocal about his striving to unite his boiling pot of unique ideas into a perfect whole, and Mulholland Drive is a bravura example of just that. A lot of what we love about the movie we do not yet understand. Be it blue keys or red lampshades, as well as deep-seeded feelings that awake within us. What is clear is that Mulholland Drive is a masterpiece unlike any other. Angelo Badalamenti’s brooding score pumps the blood with heightened emotions. And in the performance of Naomi Watts is not just the breakthrough of 2001, but one of the most nuanced, shape-shifting acting turns this century. — Robin Write

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So there we have it, the 100 Best Films of the 21st Century as voted for by any of you. Please do leave your comments below about the lit – be it disgruntled or overjoyed.

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