My new goal to work towards is to watch all 100 films on the New York Times’ 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century list, which was published in 2025. So far, I have made it through a quarter of the films, which feels like a milestone to celebrate. As a result, I decided to rank all 25 films I’ve seen so far. These films are purported to be the greatest of all time–not just by NYT either, but by other esteemed outlets including Rolling Stone and The Ringer. But how do their collective options fare against one person (a.k.a. me)? Below are my hot takes and unfiltered opinions, not necessarily from a critical perspective but from a personal one. And you know what, that’s important too. Because even if the movie is on a “best of” list, that doesn’t always mean it’s someone’s favorite film or even a film they would choose to watch in their free time. After all, some of my favorite films I could watch over and over include 50 First Dates and Elf, and I’m pretty sure they won’t be making it on a list like this. But it is fun to see what critics consider to be the best–I have even discovered a few more movies I love in the process. Here are my thoughts on the movies I’ve seen from The New York Times list so far.
Films I Did Not Like
25. Tár (2022)
Focus Features via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #67
This movie, about a female conductor’s downfall in the classical music world, had so much potential to be an intriguing look on a fascinating subject…but instead it ended up completely uninteresting. I do not understand the appeal. It is slow moving, and coming from the classical music world as a classically trained clarinetist it could’ve done so much more for the world it’s portraying. Having an entire movie be centered around the Mahler Symphonies is so cliché. If you want a basic (but good) composer from the Romantic era, go with Beethoven or Tchaikovsky. Better yet, pick a composer that deserves more recognition such as Florence Price. Maybe that’s just me ranting about something I’m passionate about–but in short, for me, this movie was not a high note.
24. Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood (2019)
New York Times Ranking: #44
Great cast, poor execution. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie starring in a ‘60s period piece about fame, glamour, and the Manson murders…how could it go so wrong? I know a lot of people love Quentin Tarantino, but for a movie centering around the entertainment industry it should have been more entertaining. It was too violent, too profane, too confusing…maybe that’s just Quentin Tarantino’s style, but it was not an enjoyable movie even though it seemed advertised as such. Maybe The Adventures of Cliff Booth will fare better.
Films I thought were OK
23. Best in Show
New York Times Ranking: #57
Another film with a great cast and a squandered opportunity. Future Schitt’s Creek co-stars Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy, along with other stars including Jennifer Coolidge and Jane Lynch, star in the improvised comedy about a competitive dog show. I love improv (I reference Curb Your Enthusiasm multiple times a week), and I love cute animals. However, I did not find this movie that funny! Simply put, disappointing.
22. Moneyball
New York Times Ranking: #45
So many mediocre white men get biopics, and this is a great example with Brad Pitt playing the general manager of an OK baseball team that still has yet to win or even be in the World Series. Pitt’s charisma basically sells the entire movie–that’s about all it has going for it.
21. The Hurt Locker (2008)
New York Times Ranking: #68
I have mixed feelings about this movie so I’ll try to keep it short. I went in expecting this to be similar to director Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 film Point Break, a thrilling action movie where Keanu Reeves plays an FBI agent named Johnny Utah who tracks a gang of bank-robbing surfers, whose leader is Patrick Swayze’s philosophical Bodhi, which leads to an epic exploration of bromance via skydiving…and The Hurt Locker was absolutely NOT THAT. In my notes I wrote: “I thought this was gonna be a fun action movie but it’s actually about THE HORRORS OF WAR.” Jeremy Renner gives a fantastic performance as military man William James, who, as the Times puts it, “[looks] more at home in a blast suit than in the cereal aisle.” There are some standout scenes, including the opening which kills off what you think will be a major character, as well as some action when James sneaks off base in the middle of the film. But outside of that, I found the movie rather boring, which left me wanting more.
20. Memento
Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #62
Now we come to the age old question…what defines a movie as “good”? Is Memento simply on “Best Of” lists because it is an excellent film, or because it’s so stylistically unique you have no choice but to single it out? I would honestly put Memento in the latter category because I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s doubtful anyone would try it again because they’d be cast aside as a copycat. It’s a murder mystery…but not in chronological order, leaving the audience just as disoriented as the amnesiac main character (played by Guy Pearce). Which is probably the point. But at the end of the day, I would rather enjoy a movie than be confused, and the fact that my Christopher Nolan-loving boyfriend hadn’t even watched this movie before I started making my way through this list is proof it’s not his best.
19. Punch Drunk Love (2002)
New York Times Ranking: #56
It is true Adam Sandler gives a singular performance in this movie. It is also true that the third act of the film brings together the first two acts in an excellent way. However, the first two acts are kind of boring, and I would much prefer to watch the less-praised Sandler films such as 50 First Dates or Mr. Deeds any day. That said, this is better than Just Go With It, so let’s leave it at that.
18. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
New York Times Ranking: #22
Much like Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson is an acquired taste, and is one I am not a huge fan of. I thought this movie about the storied history of a hotel was cute and colorful, had a stacked cast (Sairose Ronan, I see you!), and Wes Anderson probably should have won some sort of Oscar for it. But I don’t really remember much beyond that.
17. Spirited Away (2001)
New York Times Ranking: #9
Similarly with The Grand Budapest Hotel, I thought this movie was cute and super creative in making a story in which a girl named Chihiro encounters a whimsical world of supernatural creatures. Definitely a super influential animated movie that still serves as inspiration today–one of Billie Eilish’s songs from her album Hit Me Hard and Soft, “Chihiro,” is named after the protagonist and captures the spirit (no pun intended!) of the film well.
16. The Dark Knight (2008)
New York Times Ranking: #28
Definitely one of the best superhero movies ever made but also super dark. Heath Ledger gives an all-time villain performance, and his posthumous Oscar was well-deserved. The origin story of Harvey Dent’s Two-Face in this is haunting, and unlike the Avengers, you don’t really walk away feeling like this is a feel-good story. I guess not all superheroes can save the world.
15. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #85
As far as Will Ferrell movies go, I much prefer Elf, and even in the off-season from Christmas I still quote it (“Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”) Anchorman is perfectly serviceable, and has a great cast with Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, and Christina Applegate joining Farrell in the world of 1970s broadcast news. When I watched this, however, I cringed more than laughed, so I don’t think all the humor was up my alley. But it’s hard to deny the sheer star power of the cast and not be awe-struck by their perfect comedic timing.
Films I Liked
14. Interstellar (2014)
New York Times Ranking: #89
Christopher Nolan’s epic in which Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway travel through space and time to save humanity is certainly awe-inducing for the sheer scale of it. It’s honestly shocking it didn’t get a nomination for Best Picture at the Oscars. What makes this movie drop in my ranking, however, is the ending in which McConaughey’s character traverses through wormholes to help his daughter solve a time-bending equation–while sweet, it’s almost too unbelievable, making the film feel more sci-fi at the end, compared to its more grounded feeling throughout the rest of it. But the acting is great, and I think it’s Nolan’s most ambitious project (certainly not his most confusing, though; that honor goes to Tenet).
13. Michael Clayton (2007)
New York Times Ranking: #93
George Clooney’s best performance in which he plays a “fixer” whose world is blown up when a lawyer goes off his meds and decides to become a whistleblower in a case for a chemical company he was previously defending. Though the beginning starts with a car exploding, the entire film is pretty subdued, which makes it all the more compelling and engaging thriller. Sometimes the biggest chaos bubbles up underneath the surface, making for an intriguing conclusion which feels earned in the best way.
12. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
New York Times Ranking: #11
Action movies are one of my favorite movie genres, so you can bet this movie absolutely ripped when I was watching it. Maybe I could have found a better format than my 22” college dorm TV, but nonetheless, it was an enjoyable watch from start to finish. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron were excellent leads–it’s just too bad that they had a legendary feud. It would be higher except Mission: Impossible–Fallout is my favorite action movie of the 21st century, and nothing will ever top the adrenaline I felt watching Tom Cruise scale a cliff to diffuse a bomb in theaters. Not even the post-apocalyptic heavy metal guitarist.
11. Inception (2010)
New York Times Ranking: #55
In some ways, Inception feels like a spiritual sister to Interstellar–probably because they were both directed by Christopher Nolan. In the twisty 2010 heist film, Leonardo DiCaprio is a thief who enters people’s dreams to steal their secrets. That sounds cool and all, but what if it cost you the love of your life? Much like Interstellar, Inception is a trip, but it’s ranked higher on this list because there are many more memorable set pieces such as the spinning hallway providing layers and levels of intrigue that make you wonder if the inception was in fact a deception. AND THAT ENDING!!!! Still something I think about to this day.
10. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Paramount Pictures via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #20
Another Leonardo DiCaprio film that shows his range. If Inception showed off his dramatic side, The Wolf of Wall Street proved that Leo can be pretty freakin’ funny. Chronicling the life of Jordan Belfort, a businessman who earns his fortune through scamming others, The Wolf of Wall Street is pure chaos from beginning to end–and that’s what makes it so good (a three hour movie should be entertaining, after all). Featuring excellent performances from DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie (this was her breakout role) and the late, great Rob Reiner, this movie proves that…even if you’re a terrible person, you can still get an amazing movie made about you, thus giving you more publicity. Wait, that’s a terrible message. This movie proves…money can in fact buy happiness? Also not great. Hmm. Let’s just go to my next ranking.
Films I Loved
9. Wall-E (2008)
New York Times Ranking: #34
Even if the planet has been transformed to trash, love is still possible. Providing us with an infinitely better message than The Wolf of Wall Street, WALL-E follows the titular robot as he falls in love with fellow robot Eve and works to save our waste-strewn land. This movie is a huge tearjerker, but it proves that even in dire times, positivity is possible. And that’s a lovely thing to remember.
8. Gone Girl (2014)
New York Times Ranking: #64
Now to experience some mood whiplash, we move to Gone Girl, a David Fincher movie based on the Gillian Flynn novel that follows Amy (Rosamund Pike), a woman who is presumed missing and killed by her aloof husband Nick (Ben Affleck). Turns out though, she may be the mastermind the entire operation. This is one of those movies where you think you get everything one minute and have the rug pulled out under you the next. A movie that sticks with you once it’s over–and has been even the inspiration for crimes in real life.
7. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
New York Times Ranking: #63
All Olive (Abigail Breslin) wants to do is compete in the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant. To support her, her family embarks on a cross country trip in their rundown yellow Volkswagen. Her family includes Steve Carrell as her depressed uncle, Paul Dano as her brother (who has taken a vow of silence), Toni Collete as her supportive mother, Greg Kinnear as her kind of douchey father Richard, and Alan Arkin as her super inappropriate grandpa. The movie is a rollercoaster, going from tearjerker to shocking to heartbreaking to hilarious. The ending, in particular, had me laughing, crying, and crying from laughter. A great movie to watch any time.
6. Up (2009)
New York Times Ranking: #50
I have watched this movie twice–first when I was younger when it debuted in theaters, then in high school during Spanish class. The first time I watched it, I loved it (I was six, after all)–the second time I watched it, I really understood it. Even though it was in a language I didn’t completely comprehend, I still could feel the heartbreak and loss Carl experienced in his life, and how Russell coming into his life meant so much. Watching Up in Spanish proved to me that you don’t always need to understand the language to understand the meaning of emotions behind it. After all, feelings are universal.
5. Oppenheimer (2023)
Universal Pictures via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #65
Yes, I did Barbenheimer, and there will never be another theatrical event like it. Christopher Nolan’s biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, is a movie of grandeur, a movie about a massive event that changed the world–and the emotional fallout one man experiences. Watching the film means you are basically watching Cillian Murphy have a three-hour existential crisis–and it is absolutely bone-chilling when he realizes the consequences of his invention. Add in stellar performances from Emily Blunt and Robet Downey Jr., as well as basically the other half of Hollywood that wasn’t in Barbie, and you have one of the most deserving Best Picture winners in Oscar history. And it’s also proof that Christopher Nolan doesn’t just make confusing movies that defy the laws of time and physics!
4. The Social Network (2010)
New York Times Ranking: #10
Though it was released sixteen years ago, before AI, before the rise of Instagram and TikTok, before influencers were even an economically viable career, The Social Network somehow manages to become more relevant each day. David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s depiction of the early days of Facebook through the eyes of Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg is a movie of epic proportions, even if scrolling through Facebook on your phone sometimes feels so miniscule. Sometimes the smallest things have the biggest impact on our lives–and the world. I do not understand how this lost Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The acting, including standout performances from Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake (the best acting of his career!), as well as writing and direction make this film feel timeless, even if the technology has grown outdated. Hopefully The Social Reckoning will be just as good.
3. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
New York Times Ranking: #71
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts walk into a room, and Hollywood is never the same. Ocean’s Eleven, a heist movie following Clooney, Pitt and a host of other A-list celebrities as they break into a casino so Clooney can win back the heart of Julia Roberts is the stuff of legend. There will never be another movie like this. It’s smart, smarmy, sexy–and director Steven Soderbergh makes it all look like such a breeze. So many iconic moments, from Don Cheadle’s terrible British accent to Brad Pitt eating the entire film to a baby-faced Matt Damon right before his debut as Jason Bourne. If Bradley Cooper can pull off his alleged reboot starring Margot Robbie (admittedly, a perfect casting choice) I’ll be impressed. None of the others have lived up to the hype so far (we don’t even talk about Ocean’s 12)–so in the meantime, I’ll just keep re-watching this every time it’s on cable.
2. Bridesmaids (2011)
New York Times Ranking: #32
Why did it take me so long to watch Bridesmaids? I loved Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. I love SNL, which many of the cast members in this movie came from! And I love anything that makes me laugh. This movie, which follows a group of women (Kristen Wiig, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, breakout star Melissa McCarthy) as they gather to celebrate their friend Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph) wedding, is funny from start to finish. Wiig’s Annie, in particular, is the standout as she essentially enters a phase of self-destruction stemming from jealousy that her life should be different, more like Lillian’s or Helen’s (a fantastic Rose Byrne). Bridesmaids isn’t just funny, it’s relatable, and it also proves comedies should be nominated for more Oscars (McCarthy was nominated for her role, and Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumulo for the script). Time to paaarrrr-taaayyy!
1. Arrival (2016)
Paramount Pictures via YouTube
New York Times Ranking: #29
It’s tough to describe a film you love so much. Arrival is a movie that may seem like it’s about aliens arriving to Earth, but under the surface is more about communication. Amy Adams (who was SNUBBED at the Oscars) plays Louise Banks, a linguistics professor who is recruited to help understand the language of aliens that arrive on Earth. But it’s about so much more than that. It’s about her connection with Ian Donnely (Jeremy Renner), a fellow recruit on the alien mission; it’s about their attempts to be listened to by authorities, who become impatient and want to make decisions that could have a destructive impact; it’s about listening to one another. And the twist at the end is so good it can’t be spoiled. I cried for probably twenty minutes after–but don’t let that prevent you from watching this. Arrival shows the power of communication across time, across languages, and between those who love one another. Words have power–and what you say can quite literally change the world.
The Pop Culture Pundit 
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