100 best films of the 21st century, according to critics

Esperanto Filmoj Though the golden age of Hollywood ended decades ago, the magic of Hollywood may be even more remarkable this century. Consider how technology enables filmmakers to include incredible CGI creations or create thought-provoking documentaries filmed on smartphones. Hollywood has started opening its doors to allow women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and others to tell new, diverse stories that appeal to critics and audiences alike. What’s more, there are countless publications and online outlets to critique and discuss the latest films, highlighting smaller, more obscure movies that might have otherwise gone undiscovered. The rise of Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming platforms has changed the game. While most of their innovations have been geared toward changing the TV landscape as we know it, they’re also producing original movies faster than the biggest studios and working with some of Hollywood’s best stars to do it. As their feature films and documentaries continue picking up awards and critical acclaim, in 20 years, a list like this might feature more Netflix and Amazon originals than big-budget blockbusters or indie flicks. So which movies do critics say have bested the rest? Stacker collected data on the top movies of all time on Metacritic (as of October 2022) and ranked the top 100 from the 21st century according to Metascore, with ties broken by the number of IMDb user votes. Films with less than seven reviews were not considered. Read on to find out the 100 best films of this century, according to critics. You may also like: Different movies with the same plots #100. Zama (2017) Bananeira Filmes – Director: Lucrecia Martel – Metascore: 89 – Runtime: 115 minutes This Argentine period drama adapts a 1956 novel of the same name and takes place in the late 18th century. Awaiting a transfer from the Spanish crown, a frustrated magistrate remains stranded in a remote village. Director Lucrecia Martel employs a brooding and occasionally comic style while exploring themes of class and colonialism. #99. The Power of the Dog (2021) Netflix – Director: Jane Campion – Metascore: 89 – Runtime: 126 minutes Director Jane Campion won an Academy Award for this revisionist Western, which gradually builds toward a bone-chilling finale. At the heart of the story is rancher Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose brutish behavior belies a deeper internal conflict. National Herald India critic Namrata Joshi called it “a long-delayed contemplation on masculinity from the female eye, both about repression and control.” #98. Hit the Road (2021) JP Production – Director: Panah Panahi – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 93 minutes The feature debut from Iranian director Panah Panahi follows an idiosyncratic family on a road trip across the desolate countryside. As memories and tensions arise within the confines of their vehicle, the story wrangles in broader examinations of Iranian society. Expect to cry tears of both joy and sorrow before the final credits roll. #97. The Souvenir: Part II (2021) BBC Film – Director: Joanna Hogg – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 107 minutes This acclaimed sequel finds its protagonist (Honor Swinton Byrne) coping with the aftermath of a tragic romance. Her reflective journey takes the form of a student film project, which blurs the line between fact and fiction. Costar Tilda Swinton hinted in an interview that a third installment is in development. #96. The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) 20th Century Fox – Director: Martin McDonagh – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 109 minutes “In Bruges” director Martin McDonagh reunited with actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson for this pitch-black comedy about the sudden rift between two lifelong friends. Set in 1923 Ireland, the story’s simple plot line functions as a gateway to increasing chaos and cultural insights. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival and took home awards for writing and acting. You may also like: Best Clint Eastwood movies #95. The Fits (2015) Yes, Ma’am! – Director: Anna Rose Holmer – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 72 minutes An 11-year-old tomboy (Royalty Hightower) goes to extremes while trying to fit in with a local dance troupe in this unconventional drama. Director Anna Rose Holmer drew inspiration from the historical connection between hysterical fits and dance choreography when crafting the story. It blends slow-burn horror with coming-of-age themes to cultivate a unique exploration of racial and gender identity. #94. Hard to Be a God (2013) Sever Studio – Director: Aleksei German – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 177 minutes The final film from Russian director Aleksei German follows a team of scientists to a distant planet, where civilization is in the midst of its own Dark Ages. From this premise swells a philosophical treatise with no shortage of contemporary undertones. It was made over several years and completed after German’s death in 2013. #93. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2014) Arte France Cinéma – Directors: Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 115 minutes This Israeli drama makes up the third part of a trilogy about the life and marriage of Viviane Amsalem (Ronit Elkabetz). It chronicles her three-year struggle to obtain a divorce after her husband refuses to grant a dissolution. Tragedy and absurdity collide as the outmoded laws of a patriarchal society present her with one obstacle after the next. #92. It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012) Don Hertzfeldt – Director: Don Hertzfeldt – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 62 minutes Don Hertzfeldt’s animated masterpiece strings together three award-winning short films to create a purposefully fractured whole. It follows a young man named Bill as he suffers a neurological breakdown with philosophical ramifications. Portions of the story are based on Hertzfeldt’s personal experiences and former diary entries. #91. The Tale (2018) Gamechanger Films – Director: Jennifer Fox – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 114 minutes Director Jennifer Fox explores her traumatic past in this autobiographical drama about sexual abuse. It finds Laura Dern playing a thinly veiled alter-ego who uncovers a suppressed memory while working on a documentary. Writing for Little White Lies, critic Hannah Strong called it “harrowing but essential viewing.” You may also like: Most widely watched but universally hated movies of all time #90. Bloody Sunday (2002) Paramount Pictures Classics – Director: Paul Greengrass – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 111 minutes Before joining the Bourne franchise, British director Paul Greengrass crafted this gripping dramatization of the Bloody Sunday massacre. At the height of political unrest, British soldiers killed or injured a reported 28 unarmed Irish protestors in 1972. It won two prizes at the Berlin Film Festival, including the Golden Bear (in a tie with “Spirited Away”). #89. American Splendor (2003) Good Machine – Directors: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 101 minutes The film “American Splendor” is based on a series of autobiographical comic books by Harvey Pekar. Paul Giamatti stars in the biopic, which uses realistic footage and comic book-style art brought to life through animation. #88. Cold War (2018) Opus Film – Director: Pawel Pawlikowski – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 89 minutes Star-crossed lovers fight to stay together during the Cold War as they travel through Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia, and Paris. This foreign movie was filmed in black and white and nabbed the 2018 Cannes Film Festival award for Best Director. #87. The Worst Person in the World (2021) Oslo Pictures – Director: Joachim Trier – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 128 minutes This Norwegian dramedy trails a young woman named Julie (Renate Reinsve) through a series of existential dilemmas and romantic misadventures. It caps off director Joachim Trier’s beloved Oslo trilogy, which depicts various characters in a perennial state of self-doubt. #86. Burning (2018) Pandora Films – Director: Lee Chang-dong – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 148 minutes Unfolding at a purposefully gradual pace, this South Korean mystery centers on an aspiring novelist named Lee Jong-su. When his young female friend goes missing, Jong-su begins to suspect foul play. Entangled in the subsequent investigation are themes of psychological torment and class divide. You may also like: Why these famous films were banned around the globe #85. Paterson (2016) K5 International – Director: Jim Jarmusch – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 118 minutes Indie auteur Jim Jarmusch brings his unique sensibilities to this understated drama, which follows a week in the life of New Jersey bus driver Paterson (Adam Driver). Paterson is tethered to a series of daily rituals and channels his mundane observations through poetry. While the movie failed to snag Palme d’Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, its canine actor, Nellie, did win a posthumous award for Palm Dog. #84. Gosford Park (2001) Capitol Films – Director: Robert Altman – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 137 minutes 2001’s “Gosford Park” is a British mystery film starring Maggie Smith, Ryan Phillippe, Michael Gambon, and Kristin Scott Thomas. The upstairs-downstairs drama with a large ensemble cast snagged an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. #83. Hamilton (2020) Walt Disney Pictures – Director: Thomas Kail – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 160 minutes A live recording of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit Broadway musical, “Hamilton,” was recorded in 2015 and features the play’s original cast, including Miranda as the titular Alexander Hamilton. Based on Ron Chernow’s biography of the founding father, the show tells the real-life tale of Hamilton’s life from childhood to death. Originally slated to be released in 2021, the movie hit streaming services early as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. #82. Persepolis (2007) 2.4.7 Films – Directors: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 96 minutes French Iranian artist Marjane Satrapi adapted her own graphic novel when co-directing this stunning animated drama. It draws from her experiences as a precocious young girl in Iran who witnessed the Islamic Revolution firsthand before attending school in Vienna. At simultaneous odds with two starkly different worlds, young Marjane’s journey becomes a bewildering search for self-identity. #81. A Prophet (2009) Why Not Productions – Director: Jacques Audiard – Metascore: 90 – Runtime: 155 minutes A young convict of Algerian descent (Tahar Rahim) begins his first adult prison stint in this violent French drama. With his subsequent climb up the mob ranks comes newfound power and conflict alike. “Although it is 2 hours 29 minutes long and its story is not surprising, it is always riveting,” wrote critic Ed Koch for The Atlantic. You may also like: Incredible filming locations from popular movies #80. United 93 (2006) Regency Enterprises – Director: Steve McQueen – Metascore: 96 – Runtime: 134 minutes Adapted from a slave memoir of the same name, this movie tells the real-life story of a free Black man in New York (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is kidnapped and sold back into slavery. During his 12th year of slavery, he has a chance meeting with a Canadian that changes his life. The film, which also earned Lupita Nyong’o her breakout, Oscar-winning role, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. #9. Ratatouille (2007) Pixar Animation Studios – Directors: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava – Metascore: 96 – Runtime: 111 minutes What would you do if you found out that your fancy French meal was made by a rat? That’s the premise of this 2007 Pixar film, wherein a rat named Remy teams up with a young kitchen worker at a restaurant named Linguini to secretly become a chef. #8. Spirited Away (2001) Studio Ghibli – Director: Hayao Miyazaki – Metascore: 96 – Runtime: 125 minutes Beloved Japanese director and founder of the animation studio Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki may be best known for “Spirited Away.” The coming-of-age, animated fantasy is about a 10-year-old girl who enters the spirit world. #7. Parasite (2019) Barunson E&A – Director: Bong Joon Ho – Metascore: 96 – Runtime: 132 minutes From the director of “Okja” and “Snowpiercer” comes this pitch-black comedy, in which the underprivileged Kim family inserts itself into a wealthy household. As a bizarre symbiotic relationship develops, parasitic metaphors bubble to the surface. It won the Palme d’Or at 2019’s Cannes Film Festival by unanimous decision. #6. Gravity (2013) Warner Bros. – Director: Alfonso Cuarón – Metascore: 96 – Runtime: 91 minutes This Alfonso Cuarón film focuses on a medical engineer (Sandra Bullock) on her first space mission and a veteran astronaut (George Clooney) on his last. When their shuttle is destroyed, the two of them are lost in space, fighting to survive. You may also like: Famous movie quotes from the year you were born #5. Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020) Deblokada Produkcija – Director: Jasmila Zbanic – Metascore: 97 – Runtime: 101 minutes This gripping Bosnian drama unfolds against the backdrop of a violent war and dramatizes the notorious Srebrenica massacre. When the Serbian army takes control of her small town, a local UN translator tries desperately to save her family. Director Jasmila Zbanic’s minimalist approach renders palpable authenticity and severe emotional impact. #4. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007) Mobra Films – Director: Cristian Mungiu – Metascore: 97 – Runtime: 113 minutes Four months, three weeks, and two days: That’s how long a young Romanian woman has been pregnant. Aided by her university roommate, she seeks an illegal abortion. Directed by Cristian Mungiu, this film set in the late 1980s won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2007. #3. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)