Movie Central's Best Films of the 21st Century

A beautiful story about family love and accepting yourself for who you are.

"The cold never bothered me anyway."

Frequency is a tug at my heart – having lost my father in an accident in my late teens, to have the opportunity to speak to him again, to change the course of time, to make a different outcome – the dream (to counter the nightmare).

This process prompted a re-watch and it’s actually aged ok. There are the unrealistic moments since it is Fantasy that are a bit predictable and the CGI is cringe-worthy but the feels remain. The cameo by a very young Michael Cera was unexpected. Glad to have brought a bit of a fringe piece to the fore.

Few filmmakers are able to unnerve their audience like Michael Haneke, and Caché stands tall as quite possibly his most frustrating and unsettling film to date. The beauty of Caché is its open-endedness, holding back on providing answers to the question it poses — is it a story about class, about colonialism, about guilt, about envy, about god? It forces the viewer to search inward to find a resolution. Maybe it is simply a story about a paranoid man, forced to choose if he should address his destructive past, or continue living his privileged life. The decisions made lead to one of the most emotionally nauseating climaxes ever put to film, a moment which everyone who has seen this movie surely has tattooed inside their brain, regardless of their own preference to forget the film or not.

We love cinema gang. This movie is so fantastic (perhaps a little recency bias on my part but fuck it). I love music and when music is so intricately woven into the dna of a film I can’t help but love it too. I love the time this film takes and the sudden genre change (I wish I had seen 0 ads before seeing this one damn). As a white woman, I can’t possibly speak to everything this holds but I will say I’m so glad it has been made and well received by audiences at large. Shoutout to Wunmi Mosaku aka the love of my life. also

Everyone is crazy hot in this movie
Jesus Christ.

“Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion”

Donnie Darko checks all of the boxes! A killer soundtrack, a cast to end all casts, Frank ♡, and no shortage of spooky and ambiguous elements. As a teenager I made it part of my personality to love this movie despite not really understanding any of it.

Hell is other people, and their adorable dogs. Mostly improvised with a stacked cast of comedy legends, Best In Show crafts a showcase of weird dog people that you’d hate to be trapped in a conversation with but also can’t help but stare at.

Imagine being out at sea and noticing a body floating in the water. You hurry the boat to retrieve it but find that the man is still alive. But when he awakens, he has no memory of his past life. This is the story of Jason Bourne’s journey across Europe to find out who he is. And as he travels he discovers the impossible truth of who he was and who’s trying to kill him!

I love how this movie withholds information to the viewer. It allows the mystery of Bourne’s identity to go through several unexpected twists and setbacks without the audience sitting there and waiting for him to put the pieces together himself. We are along for the ride in every way with very few breaks from his perspective during the duration of the film. I also like the action sequences sprinkled thoughout, they are well done in the sense that they aren’t over the top or campy, but rather, elevate the tension of the scenes they’re placed in.

I also want to add that I love the way this movie fades to black into the credits with the song “Extreme Ways” by Moby (If you’ve never heard it you should check it out!). If I ever get the privilege of producing a film, this is how it would end! The song signifies a mood of unfinished business, or a wrong left un-righted. Just the way I want a suspenseful movie to end… to leave me in suspense for the sequel! (that’s The Bourne Supremacy, 2004)

If you are a fan of the action thriller drama, I can’t recommend this film enough! And if you like this movie, I would recommend a similar action thriller starring Matt Damon called “The Adjustment Bureau” (2011).

(Before talking about this movie, I recognize and strongly condemn how Sion Sono allegedly treated the actresses he's worked with. If you want to explore this movie and other works by him, consider second-hand sources so that money doesn't directly benefit him.)

Trying to recommend Love Exposure to the average movie watcher… is very difficult. Considering it is a near 4 hour long epic with a story line that tackles love, abuse, as well as religious trauma in a very non-sugar coated manner with the same level of chaos and zaniness as a shonen anime series from the 2000s, it is a film that requires viewers to pay attention to the content, symbolism and actions of the characters if they can stomach it.

Depicting perversion in the medium of film can be a risky move, often leading viewers to question whether this content is intended to discomfort and shock the audience. However, despite how explicitly the perversion is shown, Love Exposure manages to avoid the label of "shock-value for the sake of it", as with this sort of content comes a nuanced portrayal of what has led each figure in the story to inhabit their morally questionable mannerisms, a balance of sympathy and accountability throughout their development, as well as a thorough depiction of how they have managed to overcome their struggles and wrongdoings in the conclusion.

Yu and Yoko are both individuals who have deep-seated wounds from trauma coming from their religious and familial backgrounds. The result is ultimately an unhealthy viewpoint of love and relationships. With Yu, it comes from the death of his mother, and his father wanting him to find his "virgin Mary", a pure-blooded, innocent woman to fulfill his desires. Yoko faces an intense hatred of men due to the significant men in her life abusing and neglecting her. Their connection, or lack thereof, stems from the harmful idealizations they have placed on one another due to their respective traumas, and throughout the movie's long runtime, leaves the audience wondering whether both individuals will find a proper understanding and appreciation for each other.

Love Exposure is a work layered with symbolism that covers these grounds. From Yu treasuring the Virgin Mary statue as a way to depict his chauvinistic perspective toward Yoko to the passionate reiteration of 1 Corinthians 13 to project how religion altered and ruined the two protagonist's perspective on love, Sono creates a disturbing, unfiltered yet honest and allusive film that is rewarding as it is reformative of the concept of romance.

Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite finds Olivia Colman’s Queen Anne at the center of a war fought in whispers, bedchambers, and elaborate wigs. What makes this film so electrifying is its queerness–presented not as subtext, but as the driving force of the narrative. The relationships between Anne, Sarah (Rachel Weisz), and Abigail (Emma Stone) are messy, erotic, and deeply powerful, blurring the line between intimacy and political strategy. Whether or not Queen Anne’s real relationships were romantic (many historians have long hypothesized her queerness), Lanthimos uses this speculation to show how desire has always shaped power. By queering the royal court, The Favourite doesn’t just retell history: it reframes it. The Favourite is a period piece that feels subversively modern, filthy, and utterly hysterical.

This film is ICONIC. The characters, dialogue, costumes, soundtrack, colour palette, and the one of a kind intro credit sequence are all burnt into my memory. I think this meandering style of quirky comedy follows in the footsteps of classics like The Big Lebowski; it’s unconventional, random, and at times just downright strange. Like its central theme, this movie doesn’t pander to all audiences and is unapologetically its true self in style, presentation, and pacing. Truly one of a kind. The dance sequence is an undeniable highlight but I think I’d write out the whole movie if asked which scene is the best.

Vote for Pedro!

Hidden Figures is the untold story about the bravery, intelligence, and determination of the black women who helped NASA get Man into space.

"Here at NASA, we all pee the same color."

Radiator Springs: the town you never knew you wanted to visit, but after watching Cars, you’d happily trade your left lug nut to drive “low ‘n’ slow” down Route 66. I don’t know what it is about this particular Disney movie, but it’s just so good. It might be the scenery, the soundtrack, the animation, or the lovable and charming characters… no matter what it is, I love it.

Brokeback Mountain was and still is a groundbreaking piece of cinema. It's a film that's beautiful in every respect, as beautiful as it is so deeply sad. One of the first to tackle a LGBT romance with the gravity and tenderness that it rightly deserves. It has overcome the limitations of the "gay cowboy movie" label, as its merits are rightfully being appreciated with each passing year as a well-crafted, emotionally resonant drama. This is essential viewing for film lovers, and especially for film lovers who consider themselves allies of the LGBT+ community.

Only the Coens could so deftly blend Greek mythology and Americana. Loosely based on Homer’s The Odyssey, O Brother, Where Art Thou? uses the framework of the epic poem to create this wonderful great depression era road movie wherein three jailbirds (George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson) on the lam try to return home in order to find buried treasure. On the way, they encounter blind record producers, Robert Johnson, a cyclops, some ‘sy-reens’ (sic), and the KKK, all while being chased by the devil himself.

The backbone of the film (and its greatest strength) is the soundtrack produced by T-Bone Burnett, which, much like the film, perfectly blends the modern with the historical in its choice of folk, bluegrass, gospel, and country music, leading it to winning the Album of the Year Grammy that year. It may not be a perfect film, but much like the rest of the Coens catalogue, when you and the film are on the same wavelength, there is no other experience like it.

A foot-popping, heartfelt, and all-around pleasant movie that is (mostly) relatable, as “you know, most kids hope for a car on their 16th birthday, not a country!” It makes me want to be friends with Mia and long for a reality where Clarisse Renaldi is my grandmother. “Princess, look out the window... and welcome to Genovia.” I could watch this movie any day, any time, and for any occasion.

I don’t have a super deep or profound reason for loving Moonrise Kingdom — I just do. It was the first Wes Anderson film I ever watched, and that makes it really special to me. I love the aesthetic, the story, and the entire vibe of the film. It’s just really nice.

Spoilers? Maybe? This movie is so incredibly beautiful in its visuals and soundtrack and yet so profoundly heartbreaking. This is the most I’ve wept due to a film in years. To find myself identifying with someone who refuses to see themselves and to move forward is terrifying and jarring. I am queer and the lengths it took me to own that identity with the mentality I carried from being raised in the church was so incredibly difficult but I’m so glad for where and who I am. To watch someone so scared and lonely and stuck and yearning for love and acceptance and belonging is such a vivid mirror to anyone who has felt Othered in search for community. To feel so distressed and stuck is so horrifying but don’t worry…

There is still time

Spielberg’s direction of this true story is beyond entertaining and features two of this century’s best actors: Leo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. The film tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., who is arguably the modern world’s most popular con artist. It’s an FBI agent vs. con artist criminal chase portrayed as a Tom and Jerry cat and mouse game with a very interesting ending that leaves you wanting to learn more about the current dealings of the main character. The movie is funny, sad, thrilling, and thought-provoking and I always enjoy watching it (I’ve probably seen it over ten times!).

Baby Driver is a chewy, sugary, loveletter to fast cars, bank heists, and old iPods. The movie itself dances to the groovy soundtrack while the cinematography has that eye-popping, almost animated quality you can always count on Edgar Wright to deliver. The story isn't anything groundbreaking, but it's self aware enough to wear its tropes on its rolled up white tee sleeves; this allows the audience to lean into the corniness of the quips and the quiffs without rolling one's eyes (too often). It's like Grease meets GTA. With a devilish rogue's gallery, a charming little romance, and enough diner scenes to make David Lynch blush, Baby Driver truly deserves to be taken for a spin around the block. A few times. At least.

This movie is sharp, hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, all while doubling as the best tourism ad Bruges never asked for. I love traveling to Bruges, and every time I rewatch this film, I feel like I am already back there, wandering the cobblestone streets and ducking into every museum Colin Farrell would have hated. It is great when a movie can place you back in a place you love, all from the confines of your couch. I can taste the fries and waffles. The writing is flawless. “You are in a dream. You are in a dream in a place like this.” Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are magic together, and Ralph Fiennes is chaos in a tie. The ending sticks, the pacing is perfect, and the whole thing leaves me wanting one more bite and one more night in Belgium.

We had a movie poster in our rec room that Will had brought home from the theatre of this one – I hadn’t seen it in the theatre but when it came up on streaming, decided to check it out – and watched it multiple times. If you’ve read my review of Frequency, you’ll know I’m a sucker for crossing the line from the living to the lost. The fantasy of opportunity to connect with those taken from us too soon is hard to resist. To say what you always wanted to say… Domhnall Gleeson and Bill Nighy as the Son/Father combo give just the right mix of tragic awkwardness and crude complacency. Add in the beauty and grace of Rachel McAdams and the mix is complete. A classic for me.

Chat GPT pls write a coming-of-age movie but pls for the love of God make it original. Combine The Fault in Our Stars with The Kings of Summer with Submarine. Have it be a love story but also like not really at all. Maybe Brian Eno does the soundtrack IDK. Write that the protagonist loves filmmaking and then have the movie itself look like it was made by him. And finally, make sure when someone watches they feel transported back to their high school grad year, but this time they understand what it means to be a true friend, follow their dreams, and choose what’s right over what’s easy.

The Handmaiden really took me for a ride the first time I watched it. What you first think is a typical period piece lesbian romance turns out to be so much more. The twists and turns and multi-perspective story telling really keeps you on your toes, while providing an insightful commentary on the fetishization of young “innocent” women. It’s a disturbing but loveable pyschological thriller that you can’t take your eyes off once you start watching.

Smart, sexy, sweaty – Challengers is not just about tennis, it is tennis. With a techno club soundtrack that sets your heart racing and cinematography that draws you in from your seat, it’s a full sensory experience that takes you straight into the game of tennis – and the game of love.

I dare anyone not to think of Elle Woods as a feminist role model. She's intelligent but empathetic. Approachable but not easily pushed over. Hard-working but stops to appreciate the little victories in life. She's full of integrity. She gives voice to those who can't speak up for themselves. She knows her own worth. She finds personal and professional success in the balance between her stodgy, serious profession and her vibrant personality.

Elle, and Legally Blonde, has been there for every major milestone of my career as a litigator so far. I think this film should be essential viewing for every new lawyer.

This movie came out when I was 10 years old and it was the funniest shit I’d ever seen. I’m now 27 years old and it’s still probably the funniest shit I’ve ever seen.

Famously bookended by a wedding and a funeral, Edward Yang's final masterpiece is a sweeping and novelistic meditation on the cycle of life and the pathos of things, amalgamating the recurrent themes and motifs of the auteur's filmography into a vibrant tapestry of the sorrows and joys of a middle-class Taiwanese family navigating the complexities of a society at the intersection of modernity and tradition. Across three generations of this family we witness their shared dreams, struggles, and heartaches, and observe the ways in which a child is doomed to repeat their parents' mistakes, but also the ways in which they are inextricably and beautifully interlinked — the intergenerational experience is treated here not as a succession of events and experiences toppling into one another, but a handshake across time and space, a wistful recollection of a past that simultaneously reinvents itself in the present.

Still, there is an aching loneliness at the center of Yi Yi's patient narrative — characters are frequently framed in isolation, or separated by the mise en scène within a single shot; they have difficulty confronting their emotions before they reach a breaking point; they all have their own place in the world, yet that place seems to be nowhere at all. Yang artfully dangles these characters before his audience like loose threads yearning for a greater cohesion and reveals how they can be woven together, bonded not just by a familial fabric or a cultural DNA, but the shared condition known as humanity.

The original Transformers wasn't just a movie. It was a full blown adolescent fantasy brought to life. Forget Oscars. Forget plot. This film delivered everything a mid-pubescent boy could ever want: alien-robots, overly exaggerated slow motion explosions, cars turning into cannon wielding death machines... and Megan freaking Fox, glistening in the California sun, bent over a yellow Camaro like she was sent from the heavens. That scene alone was a spiritual experience.

Yes, Optimus Prime gave speeches with Linkin Park playing epic music in the background. And yes, there was technically a plot. But let's not lie to ourselves. We were there for the chaos, the explosions, the CGI transforming sequences, and the Goddess Megan Fox in cutoff jeans and a tank top tighter than my jeans after she leaned over that engine. Transformers didn't just stimulate. It awakened.

“It seems the whole country is eager to get rid of the old and make way for the new, but some of us aren’t so ready to let go of the past and sometimes the past isn’t ready to let go of us either.”

This film explores the way the past shapes our future whether we accept it or not. A super cute story of falling in love and preserving the legacy of people who came before you. Classic beautiful Ghibli visuals, plus a wonderful, boppy soundtrack.

Juno is a perfect little movie. The relationship between Juno and Paulie tugs at my heartstrings just as much as when it came out. Plus, an underrated killer soundtrack.

(SPOILER IN HERE) This movie sent me into an existential crisis, and honestly made me contemplate about becoming a misandrist. I HATED its dreadfully perfect ending and I HATED how Anora was treated. Mikey Madison played the part of Ani so beautifully and so authentically that I think she should receive an Oscar every year for the rest of her life. The movie’s demonstration of class disparity was something that I feel like isn’t really talked about enough, but was something so real and so important that the story represented. This movie is literally so good. I watched it for the first time in the movie theatre and I heard a man near me laughing in the scene where she was screaming and being tied up by Vanya’s staff and it both enraged and devastated me. I actually really hate this story, but it is genuinely the best movie I have ever watched.