What's the greatest film of the 21st century?

[Deleted User] · 31/07/15 - 13:32

Something that's caused much debate in the office... what, if any, are the great movies of the 21st century? Are films not as good as they used to be?

Let us know what you think the best films of the last 15 years are. Would Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Inception or any Lord of the Rings films make your list? Particularly interested in the best blockbusters.

Let us know in this thread.

Thanks!
Simon (DS Movies Ed)

[Deleted User] · 31/07/15 - 13:59

I've not rated a film 10 on IMDb that was released after 1999 (Fight Club.) Films need time for evaluation, and revaluation before they can be considered 'classics'; I don't think 'instant classics' exist.

I don't think cinema is any worse now not when you have directors like Chris Nolan working.

dee123 · 31/07/15 - 14:11

If i had to choose a top ten, in no real order:

Pan's Labyrinth, Children Of Men, Spirited Away, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Incredibles, Mystic River,
Kill Bill Vol. 1, Minority Report, Looper, Toy Story 3.

[Deleted User] · 31/07/15 - 14:18

dee123 wrote: »

If i had to choose a top ten, in no real order:

Pan's Labyrinth....

Well that's killed this thread

Yes, Pan's Labyrinth is the best film of the 21st century. My 9 rating might be underscoring it.

necromancer20 · 31/07/15 - 14:27

Film is as good as its ever been IMO, especially with regards to acting (at least from this side of the the Atlantic). There's always fantastic blockbusters released every now and then (Bourne trilogy, Gravity, Mad Max 4, Pixar, Christopher Nolan's blockbusters etc.) but it's easy to be sniffy because of the sheer amount of generic/awful ones that counter them and almost make you think that blockbuster cinema is dead.

Hmm, greatest... The Tree of Life is a film I've endlessly debated with myself over whether it is truly genius or just overly ambitious for its own good (that's probably the greatness there I suppose, that it makes you think). But it's probably the most visually stunning film I've ever seen and I'd recommend people seeing it at least once. City of God is terrific in its rawness. This is England too. I don't think Guilermo Del Toro has ever come close to matching Pan's Labyrinth, also great. I'm hugely fond of Spielberg's AI and I think it marries the best of him and the late Stanley Kubrick perfectly (though it alienated both fans of the director).

My favourite sets of blockbusters however go to The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Knight trilogies in terms of sheer artistic value on top of great popcorn entertainment.

stripedcat · 31/07/15 - 15:09

I'd probably say that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the best film of the 21st century - so far, anyway. Although, I don't know if that counts - as it is from 2000 - so is that the 21st century or 20th?

A few other notable films :-

Traffic(same year as Crouching Tiger - but superb - and to think it was adaptation of mini series).

Pan's Labyrinth(grows on me more as I get older)
City of God(just an amazing tale)
Hotel Rwanda
Memento(same year as Traffic and Crouching Tiger)
Mystic River(one of Eastwood's best films)
Gran Torino(another superb film from him)
Shaun of the Dead(probably best comedy of the 21st century)
Inglorious B@stards(a superb tour de force from QT - and a return to form after Kill Bill)
Moon(intelligent sci fi)
District 9(another intelligent sci fi)

bass55 · 31/07/15 - 15:22

City of God is breathtakingly good.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy also set the standard for 21st Century epic action/adventure movies, and they will be pretty hard to match.

Callum_Brown · 31/07/15 - 15:42

Off the top of my head - Memento, Inception, Up, Whiplash.

Parthenon · 31/07/15 - 16:56

No County for Old Men
Whiplash
Her
City of God
Zero Dark Thirty
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Prestige
A Beautiful Mind

The above films first came to mind, but perhaps Whiplash needs more time to be re-evaluated. And I know I'm forgetting some brilliant films, it's impossible not to.

Mad Max: Fury Road probably deserves to be up there too. I'd throw in Hot Fuzz as a comedy entry. I think it's the best comedy of this century (so far).

Virgil Tracy · 31/07/15 - 17:22

I doubt anyone will ever agree with me but - I actually think it's :

Matrix Reloaded .

Dandem · 31/07/15 - 18:05

1. Inception
2. Shutter Island
3. 50/50
4. V For Vendetta
5. Her

I really do like 21st century cinema. My top 50 would probably be made up majority of films released from 2000 and beyond. Honorable mentions would go to Scott Pilgrim, Hanna, WALL-E, Warrior, Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World, Wanted, The Departed and Ocean's Eleven.

Sorcha_27 · 31/07/15 - 18:33

I couldn't possible choose

However 2 of the best biopics are walk the line and love and mercy.
Blue jasmine is pretty amazing aswell as was wolf of wall street and the departed.

bingbong · 31/07/15 - 19:00

I think Hollywood has had a bad smaug covering it for a while, since Gladiator which is a sort-of-ish blockbuster. Last year it lifted,bells rang,babys stopped crying etc Interstellar,American Sniper and Maleficent - all took more than $500 million at the worldwide box-office, there were plenty of non blockbuster decent films as well, Birdman and Snowpiercer !!!!. A top vintage for me 2014.

From the dark years, Inception and Gran Torino ( maybe didn't bust a block).
Forgot, Zero Dark Thirty.

White Chicks/Cornetto Trilogy/Tinker Tailor didn't burst any blocks but at least they all had something to entertain ( me anyway!! ).

Deb Arkle · 31/07/15 - 19:21

Reading the thread title, I immediately thought of Memento - easily the best film I've seen this century.

Pan's Labyrinth second best.

necromancer20 · 31/07/15 - 20:16

Parthenon wrote: »

but perhaps Whiplash needs more time to be re-evaluated.

Whiplash was a knockout film, completely relentless from start to finish.

Virgil Tracy wrote: »

I doubt anyone will ever agree with me but - I actually think it's :

Matrix Reloaded .

The Matrix Reloaded is a film I often defend (Revolutions too, though that's often one step too for some people lol). It turned everything you knew about The Matrix upside down and not everyone liked it for that. It still features arguably the best chase scene of the 21st century (actually when I said that, my mind immediately went to Fury Road hm...)

I'm surprised no one's yet mentioned (and which I should've done in my original post) There Will Be Blood.

Sorcha_27 · 31/07/15 - 20:20

There will be blood is one of my least favourite films ever.

roger_50 · 31/07/15 - 20:40

The Lives of Others (2006) perhaps.

giratalkialga · 31/07/15 - 20:52

Mad Max: Fury Road stuck out for me as a masterclass in action movies for these reasons:

* Wide, long, still takes and no split-second, headache-inducing cutting so that we can actually see what's going on.
* A protagonist who is always is danger and never on top of things.
* Practical stunts for most of the time, using stunt doubles discreetly and using CGI only when it's the only way.
* Acting was good (a given for any film)
* Interesting characters
* No pandering to the 12A/PG-13 rating for added profit (a 12A action film doesn't have to be bad but it's blatantly obvious when one is watered down and sanitized)

October 5th can't come quickly enough

Sorcha_27 · 31/07/15 - 21:34

roger_50 wrote: »

The Lives of Others (2006) perhaps.

That's a superb film.

I also thought downfall about Hitler was great.

Parthenon · 31/07/15 - 21:43

roger_50 wrote: »

The Lives of Others (2006) perhaps.

That's a good shout.

Mark A · 31/07/15 - 22:15

Couldn't give a flying guff what anyone else thinks but the film I've enjoyed seeing the most this century has probably been Avatar.

Regards

Mark

Chris1964 · 31/07/15 - 22:17

bass55 wrote: »

City of God is breathtakingly good.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy also set the standard for 21st Century epic action/adventure movies, and they will be pretty hard to match.

Yes I think the timing of the three films was just perfect-heralding a new century with simply superb showpiece setting a standard for a new age. Tremendous stuff imo.

trayhop123 · 31/07/15 - 22:42

Parthenon wrote: »

. I'd throw in Hot Fuzz as a comedy entry. I think it's the best comedy of this century (so far).

gotta agree , its not just laugh out loud brilliance , its also a very clever film how everything in the plot ties up together nicely by the end.

the bit that still puts me in stitches is when we see the dead mime , he's still in a pose

[Deleted User] · 01/08/15 - 06:46

roger_50 wrote: »

The Lives of Others (2006) perhaps.

There's been a lot of brilliant 'foreign language' films in the past fifteen years. Along with the five mentioned already (Pan's Labyrinth, The Lives of Others, Downfall, City of God, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) I thought that 'A Separation' and 'Oldboy' were both exceptional, and 'Let the Right One In' and 'The Hunt' weren't too shabby either.

tahiti · 01/08/15 - 07:37

'Dogtooth' (2009)

Maybe not the greatest but surely amongst the most original so far

Edit: not a blockbuster , apologies to the OP I forgot

CLL Dodge · 01/08/15 - 07:55

Films I've most enjoyed:

Ae Fond Kiss
Pan's Labyrinth
The Lives of Others
Downfall
Lost in Translation
Let the Right One In
Martyrs
Children of Men

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What's the greatest film of the 21st century?

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