When it comes to news out of the world of Stephen King from this past week, there is no question as to what was the biggest headline. It has been announced that director Doug Liman has been tapped by Paramount Pictures to spearhead what would be the first film adaptation of The Stand – source material that has already inspired a pair of miniseries (the first in 1994 and the other just five years ago in 2020). The plan is to make just a single movie, not attempting a duology like Andy Muschietti’s IT and IT: Chapter Two, and the search is on for a writer to pen the script. But I think I can save everybody a lot of time, money, and effort: it is not possible to make a proper feature-length adaptation of The Stand, and Hollywood should stop trying.

My thoughts on this particular subject lead this week’s edition of The King Beat, but it’s not a solo headline thanks to Stephen King contributing to The New York Times’ reflection on cinema in the first 25 years of the 21^st century. The takes are hot, so without further ado, let’s dig in!

It’s Not Possible To Make A Single Feature Film Adaptation Of Stephen King’s The Stand, And I Don’t Know Why Hollywood Keeps Trying

In 1982, George A. Romero and Stephen King teamed up to make what would become the first anthology based on King’s work: Creepshow. As a screenwriter, King adapted a couple of his own short stories and created three quick original spooky treats, and as director, Romero aesthetically leaned into the love he shared with his collaborator for old school horror comics like Tales From The Crypt, The Vault Of Horror and The Haunt Of Fear. It was a passion project for the duo… but it was also a means to an end: their real hope, according to author Scott Von Doviak’s Stephen King Films FAQ, was to garner enough industry clout so that they could have proper financial resources and creative control to make a movie based on his pandemic epic The Stand.

If you know your King history, you know that things didn’t work out as planned. It’s not that Creepshow wasn’t a success (nearly quadrupling its budget at the box office), but the author was never able to crack a proper way to adapt the novel. Making trims and cuts didn’t work out as hoped, and decades before Andy Muschietti’s IT and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, he even attempted a duology approach. It wasn’t until King saw director Tommy Lee Wallace’s IT in 1990 that he recognized the potential in approaching the story as a network miniseries, and a medium change was initiated (with Mick Garris ultimately taking the helm instead of George A. Romero).

But did the blend of Stephen King’s failure to make a feature and his successful job making a miniseries dissuade Hollywood from killing the dream of a Stand movie? Hell no. Ben Affleck, Scott Cooper, and David Yates share a bond in that they are all filmmakers who were attached to an incarnation that never made it out of development, and Josh Boone even ended up navigating the same route as King: he first became attached to direct a film in February 2014, and the project pivoted to the small screen a little less than a year-and-a-half later (first it was going to be on cable, and then it ended up being one of the first CBS All Access originals in late 2020).

Even putting aside the fact that we are less than a decade removed from that miniseries, I can’t fathom any reason why anyone thinks at this point in cinema history why a movie based on Stephen King’s The Stand is necessary – and more importantly, I don’t think it’s actually possible.

The principal issue is that the Stephen King novel is defined by its spellbinding scope – and while there are many things that are magical about film as a storytelling medium, one of its great hindrances is its limited narrative real estate. It’s true that movies are now longer on average than they’ve ever been before, but it’s still rare for a wide release to eclipse 180 minutes. A proper feature version of The Stand would need all that time and much, much more.

We’re talking about a novel that not only depicts a plague that wipes out the vast majority of humanity, but features a dozen or so protagonists and antagonists– following the characters on treks across the United States in preparation for a showdown between the forces of Good and the forces of Evil. Without wholly changing the story (and if they do that, what’s the point of calling it an adaptation?), the only option that filmmakers have at their disposal in trimming the material is cutting and combining characters… but those creative decisions are far from easy, as all of the main players have key roles to play, and their arcs are intertwined. If it’s not following the full journeys of Abagail Freemantle, Stu Redman, Frannie Goldsmith, Nick Andros, Tom Cullen, Nadine Cross, Glen Bateman, Larry Underwood, Harold Lauder, Lloyd Henreid, The Trashcan Man and, of course, Randall Flagg, it’s not The Stand.

The good news? I am firmly of the belief that this will end in a pleasant intersection of “shouldn’t happen” and “won’t happen.” I think most Stephen King fans would agree that we have not yet seen a perfect adaptation of the book, but if that perfect adaptation is made one day, it won’t be a solitary feature; it will be a limited series that takes the exact approach that Mike Flanagan is taking with The Dark Tower: just do the book. This new development with Doug Liman may eventually evolve into that, but in lieu of that transpiring, I await the day that headlines arrive saying that this feature effort is not happening.

Stephen King’s Picks For The 10 Best Movies Of The 21st Century And How To Watch Them

What are the best movies of the 21^st century so far? That’s an exceptionally tough question, both because 25 years is a long time and because there have been many phenomenal films released during that time. I would personally be hard pressed to provide my own list without viewing it as a fluid list… but the good news is that you’re not here to read my list! You’re here to check out Stephen King’s opinion.

The New York Times has published a sprawling feature taking a look back at the last quarter century of movies and highlighting the titles that are the best of the best, and part of the effort includes contributions from a variety of filmmakers, actors and creatives who created their own personal Top 10s. On the list of folks who participated is the great Stephen King. The lists are in alphabetical order instead of being ranked, but you can scope out his picks (and learn about where you can watch them) below.

Black Hawk Down

Directed by Ridley Scott, the film tells the true story of a Black Hawk helicopter being shot down behind enemy lines during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1992. It’s currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription.

Brokeback Mountain

Celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year, director Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain is based on the short story by Annie Proux and follows a pair of American cowboys (Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal) who carry on a secret affair. Those with an Amazon Prime Video subscription can watch it with a few clicks.

Children Of Men

Children Of Men, the acclaimed film from director Alfonso Cuaron, is set in a future where women have stopped having children and an activist (Clive Owen) finds himself working to protect the last pregnant woman on the planet. The movie isn’t currently streaming, but it is available for digital rental and purchase from all major online outlets.

Million Dollar Baby

Clint Eastwood’s Oscar drama won Hilary Swank her second Academy Award – the actress playing a female boxer who rises to prominence before a tragic accident preemptively ends her career. While not currently in any streaming libraries, it is widely available for digital rental and purchase.

No Country For Old Men

One of three winners of the Academy Awards’ Best Picture prize on this list, No Country For Old Men is Joel and Ethan Coen’s adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy book of the same name – centering on a hunter (Josh Brolin) who finds a satchel of drug money and finds himself hunted by a deadly assassin (Javier Bardem). You could be watching the movie right this instant if you have a Paramount+ subscription.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

One of two Coen brothers movies on Stephen King’s list (the only filmmakers represented twice), O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a delightful spin on Homer’s The Odyssey, following a trio of hapless fugitives (George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro) as they go on an epic journey for fortune, freedom, and redemption. It’s not streaming, but it is currently available for rental and purchase online

Oppenheimer

In case you’ve forgotten in the time since the craze of Barbenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Oscar winner Cillian Murphy) and his effort to try and beat the Nazis in a race to create the world’s first atomic bomb. The epic is presently included for Peacock subscribers.

The Departed

The only Martin Scorsese movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars, The Departed is a gangster feature set in Boston that follows the journey of an undercover cop (Leonardo DiCaprio) investigating the Irish mafia while a mole for the criminal organization (Matt Damon) infiltrates the Massachusetts State Police. It’s not streaming, but digital rental and purchase options are plentiful.

The Rule Of Jenny Pen

You didn’t really expect Stephen King’s list of the 10 best 21^st century films to not include any horror, did you? Now available with a Shudder subscription, James Ashcroft’s The Rule Of Jenny Pen stars Geoffrey Rush as a judge who is forced to live in a rest home following a stroke and finds himself tortured by a power-tripping fellow resident (John Lithgow).

Train To Busan

A second horror title to finish the list – and a selection from outside Hollywood. Yeon Sang-ho’s Train To Busan is a South Korean zombie movie that sees passengers on a high speed rail try to survive as the titular city is overrun by the undead. It’s presently available to stream on Netflix.

If you need a recommendation of something to watch this weekend, that’s not a bad list to work from!

That wraps up this edition of The King Beat, but there is never a dull week that goes by in the world of Stephen King, and I’ll be back here on CinemaBlend next Thursday with perspective on all of the big news, and developments. In the meantime, you can learn all about the long history of King adaptations with my series Adapting Stephen King, or make efforts to spiff up your personal King library with my guide on how to build the ultimate Stephen King collection.

Did you know that it's been twenty years since Brokeback Mountain was released? Yeah, neither did I until about a week ago.

I've talked about my journey with sexuality a few times here. I'm proudly bisexual, and I've realized that for a long time, probably ever since high school. However, there was a time when I didn't fully understand what it was like and how it felt, and that's what led me to watch a lot of movies, such as Brokeback Mountain, back then.

I didn't quite get it – I think we have to be a certain age for things like this to hit us harder. While I regularly recommend some of the best LGBTQ+ movies and television shows available, I sometimes like to revisit certain films and shows that helped set me on the right path to understanding my feelings.

So now, I decided to rewatch Brokeback Mountain in honor of its 20th anniversary – jeez, Louise, that just aged me – and its re-release in theaters. I didn't quite realize back then just how much this film meant to me and how it guided me in the right direction of understanding who I was. So let's get into it.

Aside From The Story, The Movie Itself Is Amazing

I know everyone talks about Brokeback Mountain for the story, and don't get me wrong – the story is phenomenal. I mean, it beats out many of the other best romance movies out there because it truly portrays love in its rawest form and how it can either change or break you.

That's something that, as a mild fan of romance movies and fun rom-coms, I can appreciate – taking an honest look at love.

But this movie, in general, is just fantastic all around.

There's something about the cinematography that makes me smile every time, as I feel like every shot is filmed with such intention. Of course, the backdrop of the mountains only adds to the intensity of the moment. I don't even need to comment on the acting because you already know it's great – both the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal give all-time great performances here.

Even the score is fantastic. It was written by Gustavo Santaolalla, whom I know very well from both The Last of Us games and the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us. I just never knew he also wrote for this film, so it makes sense why it's fantastic.

This movie is a cinematic triumph by director Ang Lee, and we are fortunate to have witnessed it in our lifetimes.

It Shows The Complexities Of Sexuality, Something I Didn't Quite Understand.

But enough about how fantastic the movie is overall – let's talk about the story and why it meant so much to me.

As a young woman, I didn't really understand what sexuality was until I was older. As I've mentioned before, I grew up in a fairly religious household, with crosses in every single room, saying grace at dinner, and attending church every Sunday – you know, the usual.

To this day, I'd say I still am religious, not like when I was younger and forced to be, but I still believe in God and have come to terms with both that as well as who I am. But for a time, I was really struggling because it felt like I couldn't really be who I was without angering my family or my faith.

This movie really made me realize that I'm not alone in holding this thought. Let me explain.

While religion doesn't play a super heavy role in Brokeback Mountain, it opened my eyes to the fact that sexuality is such a complex topic for so many people, and it was totally alright for the younger me to be confused. Ennis is the perfect example of that.

As a teen, I didn't quite understand why it was so passionate and intense. Still, as an adult, I guess seeing Ennis struggle with his feelings and trying to come to terms with it was an eye-opener for me that it's a pretty constant thing even for older people to really understand whom they like, what they are into, and how they are going to approach it – especially when it conflicts with everything they have ever known.

It's one of those movies that really gave me the confidence to embrace the feelings I did have, because why spend my life constantly trying to push them down when I know they are there? There are other people out there who feel the same way.

It Also Details How Life Changes So Quickly Without Even Realizing, Leading To Regrets

Something else that I think hit me hard as a kid and now hits me even harder as an adult is how quickly life changes – and it's a lesson I believe everyone should learn.

When it comes to Brokeback Mountain, watching the downfall of Ennis and Jack is something that hits you hard every time because, in reality, everything that leads to their separation is laced with worries over the future and then leads to regrets about the past.

If you haven't seen the movie, I won't spoil it, but certain moments occur where the outcomes of decisions could have directly altered the future, and it prompts one to think.

How does one come to live a life with no regrets? Because this movie is the exact opposite. It's almost like a warning sign to those who watch – try to live your life as authentically as possible, because if you don't, you will have regrets.

And I think, as a young woman, that sat with me. While I certainly didn't make as much living in college as I had hoped to earn while pursuing my degree, I have made it my mission over the last few years to say yes more, to go out and do more, and to say no as little as possible. I never know what I might be missing out on – that includes accepting who I am.

As I said, I struggled with that for a while, but once I truly learned to accept my sexuality, and also where I came from and who I was, I realized that I could actually start living. And that…was a fantastic feeling.

Upon Further Thinking, I Really Don't Understand How This Didn't Win Over Crash

I know that this is old news, but I don't understand how Crash won Best Picture at the Oscars over Brokeback Mountain; you must have already known that, though.

I do think that Crash is also a good movie and a decent commentary on racial tensions across the United States and the police force. I also believe that Brokeback Mountain is one of those movies that, even if you aren't a part of the LGBTQ+ community, has a lot going for it. Anyone could find a connection with it. It hits every part of the soul.

Even twenty years later, people are still talking about this movie while Crash has sort of…vanished into the ether except for the controversy surrounding it, but that's just my take.

Either way, I really enjoyed rewatching this movie as an adult, and if you haven't seen it in a while, I would highly recommend checking it out. Trust me, you won't regret it – and you probably won't want to quit it either. (Did that pun make sense? I'm not sure, but watch the movie.)

I was 6 years old when Brokeback Mountain was released, and for most of my life, I’ve been hearing a lot of deserved praise for one of the 2000s' best movies. Over that time, I’ve also heard a lot about how tragic this film is, but never learned exactly why. When I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time in celebration of the western's limited release for the 20th anniversary, I figured out why pretty quickly, though, and correctly predicted how it would end.

However, there is a detail I didn’t expect regarding the end that absolutely wrecked me, despite my hunch being correct.

I Had A Feeling Jake Gyllenhaal’s Character Was Going To Die From The Start

In this all-time great western drama, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack is the more reckless of the two lead characters. We see that through his history with rodeo as well as his relationship with his horse on Brokeback, which tragically parallels the spontaneous and reckless event that ultimately leads to his death.

Early on, I realized he wouldn’t survive this movie. He lives as openly and as freely as he can in a place where it's not accepted. Jack is always the one asking Ennis to run away with him, and he’s the one willing to take the risk to live with his love.

In the film, Jack’s wife tells Heath Ledger’s Ennis that he died when the tire on his car exploded. However, Ennis also imagines his love being beaten to death, making the actual cause of his death a bit ambiguous. However, I think it also implies how dangerous it was for these men to live and love each other.

I had a feeling Jack would be the one to die, because he's the one who's more willing and ready to love Ennis openly. He also wears his emotions on his sleeve and acts in reckless ways here and there, juxtaposing Ennis’ reserved and overprotective ways.

Thinking about all of that, I figured this kind of tension and ultimate end would happen for these two men. However, I didn’t expect it to happen years after their first trip up the mountain.

However, I Had No Clue How Much Time This Movie Spanned. So, When Jack Died All Those Years Later, It Shocked Me

When I started watching Brokeback Mountain, I had assumed the film's events would all take place on that trip up the mountain when they first meet. I did not expect it to span more than a decade of time.

So, rather than a fast and fiery love story, this movie is a bit more methodical and slow-burning, with pockets of fire and passion throughout. This makes it so the story doesn’t burn fast and bright; and is more like embers barely staying alit as these two men wrestle with their feelings and societal expectations.

Every time Jack proposes that they run away together, it gets more heartbreaking. Every time they leave each other after a trip, it becomes more emotional. And eventually, when Jack dies, seeing an older Ennis come to terms with what he lost is absolutely heartbreaking.

For over a decade, Ennis struggles with his life and love and never takes the leap to be with the man he treasures most. All his repressed feelings keep him away from what he really wants, and then, eventually, years and years later, the option to finally act on said emotions is taken away from him forever.

If this story only took place over a short period of time, Jack’s death would still be very sad, don’t get me wrong. However, because it happened over many years, these men live a lot of their lives, and their relationship is core to their existence for so long, so for it to be taken away without having reached its full potential is a heartbreak I wasn't expected.

Seeing Ennis In Jack’s Home And How He Reacted To His Old Jacket Is What Wrecked Me

Now, the real moment that absolutely brreaks me comes after Ennis learns of Jack’s death. He travels to the home of his love’s parents, and while there, finds his old jacket from their trip on Brokeback Mountain, covered in blood.

Ledger’s performance in this scene is remarkable. Without saying a single word, he’s able to communicate the heartache and grief he feels about this loss, as he takes the jacket from the closet and hugs it. It's almost like he's transported back to that fateful trip while also mourning everything they’d lost in the present.

After that, we get to look forward to the future for a second as Ennis learns that his daughter is getting married. When she goes to his home, it's clear how lonely he is; however, it's lovely to see him happy for his kid finding love, while still hard not to think about what could have been with him and Jack in that moment. Especially considering they were around the same age when they first met as his daughter is in this scene.

Then, to twist this tragic knife a bit more, that final scene features Ennis going to his closet to put away his daughter’s sweater that she left behind. When he opens the door, Jack’s old shirt and jacket are still hanging there, front and center, with a picture of the mountain they fell in love on.

Watching him fix those buttons with tears in his eyes and adjust the photo took me right back to where their relationship started, and got me thinking about everything that could have been, but sadly never was.

This film, which arguably should have won Best Picture, is truly a tragedy, and it’s easily one of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal’s best movies, because they are utterly beautiful and heartbreaking as these star-crossed lovers. Even though I knew that from the start, there was plenty I didn’t realize that made this all the more emotional, and because of that, I’ve been deeply and profoundly moved.

As strange as this might sound, I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time. No, not the first time since what is considered one of the best 2000s movies came out back in 2005, but the first time ever. For a variety of reasons, namely being a 17-year-old when Ang Lee’s heartbreaking epic about unrequited love first came out, I didn’t see it back then, and I’ve put it off more times than I can count since.

With the 20th anniversary rerelease of Brokeback Mountain right around the corner (it opens for a limited run on Friday, June 20th), I decided to finally go back and watch the magnificent Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal movie. While I was initially a little ticked off at myself for waiting all these years, upon reflecting, I’m really glad I waited until I was a 37-year-old father of three opposed to being a foolish high school senior. Here’s why…

I Don't Think The Inner Turmoil Of Ennis And Jack's Relationship Would Have Hit As Hard

Above all, Brokeback Mountain is a movie about love, loss, heartbreak, and the enduring human spirit despite living in a world that won’t accept you for who you are. Being a teenager, who a) didn’t know nothing from nothing, and b) had never experienced true heartbreak, I think the inner turmoil of the core relationship wouldn’t have hit as hard. I honestly don’t think I would have fully understood everything these two cowboys with hard exteriors and tender hearts were going through over the course of the movie.

Honestly, watching Heath Ledger’s Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack attempt to hide their true nature from their wives, children, bosses, and society as a whole while putting up a facade of standard heterosexual roughnecks was heartbreaking. It was only on Brokeback Mountain that the two felt they could be themselves and be happy.

The Passage Of Time And Its Effect On Relationships Resonated So Much For A Man Approaching His 40s

At its core, art forces you to reflect on your past, your present, and what brought you here, and Brokeback Mountain did just that. Watching Ang Lee’s dramatic take on Annie Proulx’s transformative 1997 short story in the New Yorker, with its depiction of the passage of time and its effect on relationships, was nothing short of masterful. The agony and ecstasy of life and love are explored in great detail as Ennis and Jack go from two strangers on a sheep drive together to star-crossed lovers who just can’t quite make it work, while also not being able to quit each other either.

With my 40s quickly approaching (time seems much faster these days), this aspect of the movie resonated with me a whole lot, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since the credits rolled. At the same time, this is something that I think would have been lost on me way back when. Again, having not gone through love, heartbreak, and rebirth at the time the film came out, I don’t think the messages and themes of this heartbreakingly poignant movie would have been lost on me.

I Also Found Myself Wrapped Up In The Drama Of Ennis And Jack's Families

Though the main focus of Brokeback Mountain is on the decades-long relationship between Ennis and Jack, I can’t sit here and claim that this was the only aspect of the movie. Everything about the two leads’ respective lives off the mountain was just as interesting, especially as the two separate worlds become entangled and increasingly more complicated, especially as the two main protagonists marry, have kids, and attempt to build lives for themselves away from Brokeback.

Though I’ve never had to go through an experience like Ennis and Jack, I found myself getting wrapped up in the ups and downs of their respective marriages and trials and tribulations through parenthood. Being married and having children of my own, I oftentimes find myself being torn between who I was and who I am now, and I can only imagine how difficult it had to be for two people who couldn’t admit to their families (or the world) that they weren’t with the one they loved. Heartbreaking, to say the least.

Brokeback Mountain Requires Patience, Empathy, And Restraint, All Of Which I Didn't Have Back Then

The thing about Brokeback Mountain is that it’s a long movie. Though not the longest movie I’ve ever seen, the pacing of the film makes it so that you need a great deal of patience while taking it all in. The same can be said about the story, as you need to be patient while Ennis and Jack’s relationship slowly blossoms into something so powerful. I don’t know how I would have been able to handle the slowness of the epic back then, but as a 37-year-old, it was absolutely stunning and created a slow and meditative experience.

The movie also requires a tremendous amount of empathy from its audience. If you aren’t able to put yourself in the shoes of the main characters, or even their families at times, this is a hard film to watch. It also takes a surprising amount of restraint at times, especially when it comes to Jack’s heartbreaking death, which is left ambiguous after recalling a story Ennis told earlier in the movie. Like patience, my empathy and restraint back in 2005 weren’t what they are today, though I still need to work on all three.

Also, I Don't Think I Could Have Handled Brokeback Mountain's Complexities As An Immature 17-Year-Old Boy In The South

I make no claims of being a perfect human being these days, but I am a much better person than I was at 17 years old, and I don’t think I’m alone. Here’s the thing: I don’t think I could have handled the complexities, the nuances, or even the emotions at the core of Brokeback Mountain way back when.

This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t have liked the movie, as I probably would have enjoyed it all the same. I just think that an immature teenage boy from the South wouldn’t have been as open to everything that unfolded. Times change, and so do people, and I honestly think waiting so long to watch this gem was the right choice. However, I’m still kicking myself for missing out on such a lovely story.

All in all, watching Brokeback Mountain was a profound, emotional, and delightful experience, and no, it's just because I can now enter the conversation about it getting snubbed at the Oscars.

Filmmaker Ang Lee has had a wildly successful career, including acclaimed films like the endlessly rewatchable Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hulk. He's also behind the acclaimed drama Brokeback Mountain, which had some trouble being made. As that title reaches its 20th anniversary, the director explained how it helped him find new passion for his career, and prevented him from an early retirement.

The 2005 movie is on of the best LGBTQ+ movies ever, and was universally acclaimed upon its release. Lee spoke to Deadline about the movie's life, and revealed that he wanted to retire after the long and grueling filming shoots of both Crouching Tiger and Hulk. But shortly before his late father died, he made him promised him he wouldn't retire early so he might set a good example for his child. Ang Lee shared the power of Brokeback on his life, saying:

Talk about an emotional impact. As the filmmaker shared, the last two movies he worked on took a serious physical toll on him. This is far beyond the normal exhaustion that comes with film sets, so it's understandable that he might have considered giving up directing altogether. But in the end the tragic tale gave him a new lease on life and work.

While Brokeback Mountain didn't win Best Picture, it was universally acclaimed upon its release. It was a huge risk for its stars, with Jake Gyllenhaal facing stigma for playing a queer character. In the same interview he spoke about the power the film had, offering:

In the end, there are a ton of people who ultimately saw the movie, which was made with a modest $14 million budget and earned $178 million at the box office. Stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger formed a strong bond, and their performances were given a ton of praise. And this was in a time where it was very rare for leading men in Hollywood to play gay characters.

While reflecting on the difficulty of bringing Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to life, Ang Lee spoke the outlet about how much he learned bringing Brokeback Mountain to life. In his words:

In the end, the he would be given a new passion for filmmaking, and still hasn't retired to this date. Lee brought something new to Gemini Man, and is attached to another upcoming movie titled Thrilla in Manila. And we've got Brokeback Mountain to thank for his ongoing film career.

Thrilla in Manila is still in development, so it's unclear when it will arrive in theaters. we shouldn't expect it as part of the 2025 movie release list, but hopefully more information comes sooner rather than later.

Okay, so hear me out. I do not hate the movie Crash. And I mean the 2004 Paul Haggis film. Not the identically titled movie by David Cronenberg. I know it’s popular to dogpile on Crash, especially since it won Best Picture. But, I honestly kind of like it.

Is it one of the best movies to ever win Best Picture? God no. Is it heavy handed as all hell? Absolutely. That said, I don’t think it’s a bad movie in any way. However, I’m still upset that it beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture, even after all these years.

Because after rewatching Brokeback, I think I love it now even more than when I initially saw it. So, here’s why I’m still a little pissed that Brokeback Mountain didn’t win Best Picture back in 2006.

Heath Ledger And Jake Gyllenhaal Were Fearless In Their Performances, And These Roles Are The Highlights Of Their Respective Careers

Brokeback Mountain isn’t my favorite Jake Gyllenhaal movie. That would be Nocturnal Animals. It’s also not my favorite Heath Ledger movie. That would be The Dark Knight.

However, in both of their respective careers–Jake Gyllenhaal’s long one, and Heath Ledger’s relatively short one–I still think that these were the bravest, most fearless roles that either of them ever did. It’s little wonder that both of them were nominated at the 76th Academy Awards, with Ledger up for Best Actor, and Gyllenhaal for up Best Supporting Actor (Which neither of them won, unfortunately).

The story of two cowboys who fall in love between 1963 and 1983, Brokeback Mountain was a landmark film, and honestly could have been the death of either actor’s career, even back in 2005. But honestly, it seems like neither of them cared. Scenes of them having sex or passionately kissing were rather explicit, but it’s not like it was banging us over the head with its themes.

On the contrary, it was all quite elegant. Their vulnerability was palpable, and it made their romance feel both irresistible, but also dangerous, which it was. In that way, Brokeback Mountain wasn’t heavy handed like Crash was with its themes of racism. It was actually quite subtle, which likely wouldn’t have been the case without Ang Lee’s Academy Award-winning directing (The one major award that this film did win), or Gyllenhaal’s and Ledger’s superb acting.

In every way, these were the performances of a lifetime, and if the film couldn’t pick up Best Picture, I would have liked it if either Gyllenhaal or Ledger had nabbed one of the Best Actor awards. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be.

The Story Is Still Beautiful, Haunting, And Relevant

Jack Twist, played by Gyllenhaal, and Ennis Del Mar, played by Ledger, love each other. That said, they can’t fully love each other. That’s because even though they want to, society dictates that they shouldn’t, and, more importantly, that they can’t.

Yes, they make excuses to see each other, but over the years, they grow apart and both of them get married to women and have children. Their love for each other lasts for years, and neither of them are truly happy with their lives since they miss each other so much, and wish to be together.

And, God Almighty, is that heartbreaking, or what? This isn’t a Romeo and Juliet story, and yet, it kind of is. Both of their respective families look upon their relationship with disgust, and it’s almost like the Montagues and the Capulets in a way, with their wives being the stand-ins for the parents.

That said, it’s society itself that is keeping them apart, because if they were born later or lived in a different part of the country, perhaps they could have lived out their dreams. And, that’s the true tragedy of the film, but also what makes it incredibly relevant. Because while same-sex relationships are still frowned upon in certain corners of the country, it’s accepted in many others.

The setting is important though, and why we ranked this film as one of the greatest westerns of all time. Because who knows? If this story were set in San Francisco, it might have had a different outcome. But, it’s because it takes place in a part of the country where homosexuality might be seen as a sin that it still feels relevant today.

That Said, It Still Feels Like A Time Capsule

Though it didn’t make the list of best LGBTQ+ movies on Rotten Tomatoes, I still feel like Brokeback Mountain is an important film, and mostly because it’s such a time capsule.

Just think, same-sex marriage became legal in all 50 states by 2015. That’s a whole decade after Brokeback Mountain came out, which is kind of mind-boggling. In fact, if Brokeback Mountain came out today, I guarantee that it would still be up for Best Picture.

That said, even though its story is still bold and ambitious, I don’t think it has the same potency today that it had back then, and that’s because we’ve actually come a long way since 2005. In a lot of ways, Brokeback Mountain walked so that a movie like Moonlight could run, as the idea of a film about two gay lovers doesn’t really seem all that revolutionary anymore.

Which is great! Brokeback Mountain kind of broke the mold by taking two very popular actors at the time and putting them in a movie like this. It wasn’t a film that hid from its premise, but rather, embraced it, which makes it feel all the more important.

And, while I’m not for awarding a movie just because it’s important, I do feel like Brokeback Mountain was more important to the zeitgeist than a movie like Crash, which seemed like it had a lot to say, but didn’t really say anything (You mean that racism is bad, and that we shouldn’t judge people on one encounter alone? Really? I didn’t know that).

So, in that way, Brokeback Mountain is still relevant, but it’s also a time capsule to a bygone era, and one that I feel should have been awarded for Best Picture. But, there’s one other major reason why I think it should have won.

It’s Absolutely Better Than Crash

I haven’t beaten around the bush when it comes to this article: Brokeback Mountain is, quite simply, a better movie than Crash. The acting is better. The direction is better. The story is better. Pretty much everything is better.

And again, this is coming from somebody who actually likes Crash. So much so that if Crash came out another year, I really don’t have a problem with it winning, as shoot, Driving Miss Daisy won. Hell, Green Book won Best Picture, and I actually think Crash is better than that film.

However, Crash is not better than Brokeback Mountain, which still holds up today. In a lot of ways, Brokeback kind of feels like the Facebook movie, The Social Network, in that it perfectly represents a time and a place.

Crash could have represented a time. But, it really just feels like a stew of events that is all stirred up together, which isn’t bad, per se, but it doesn’t (and didn’t back then, even) feel worthy of beating Brokeback Mountain, which was both about the time presented in the film, but also about the time when it was released.

That’s why after rewatching Brokeback Mountain, I’m still of the opinion that it really should have won, and it stands as one of the most egregious losses in all of the Academy Awards history.

But, what do you think? Do you agree that Brokeback Mountain should have beaten Crash for Best Picture? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I stopped taking award ceremonies seriously a long time ago, to be honest, because there is ultimately no right or wrong answer in regards to the finest achievements in any subjective art form, including cinema. However, I still enjoy watching the Academy Awards, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences does manage to surprise me with its choices from time to time, and I am certainly not the only one. See for yourself as we reminisce about the Oscar wins and losses that left movie lovers a little shocked.

Moonlight Wins Best Picture

Seeing Barry Jenkins' acclaimed A24 movie tracing a gay Black man's lifelong identity struggle, Moonlight, take home the top prize at the 2017 Oscars was surprising enough, given that La La Land was the frontrunner. However, the moment itself became infamous due to an incident in which presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway were handed the wrong envelope and accidentally announced the romantic musical as the victor at first.

Citizen Kane Only Takes Home Best Original Screenplay

Citizen Kane is widely celebrated as the greatest movie of all time in retrospect, but you would not know it from its low turnout at the 1942 Academy Awards, at which it was nominated in nine categories but only earned Best Original Screenplay. Its mixed reception (and reported boos at the Oscar ceremony, according to Collider) were the result of a smear campaign ordered by William Randolph Hearst, who is said to have inspired star, director, and co-writer Orson Welles' drama about a megalomaniacal media tycoon.

Mikey Madison Wins Best Actress Over Demi Moore

After Demi Moore's tragic performance in the instant classic horror movie, The Substance earned her the Best Lead Actress award for nearly every other ceremony prior, experts were convinced the Hollywood veteran would win the category at the 2025 Academy Awards. Thus, it was shocking to see then-25-year-old up-and-comer Mikey Madison take home the gold for her performance in the title role of Anora.

Alan Arkin Wins Best Supporting Actor Over Eddie Murphy

It seemed like Eddie Murphy was a lock to be the first Saturday Night Live star to win an Oscar for his supporting role in the 2006 musical Dreamgirls. Yet, it ended up going to Alan Arkin for Little Miss Sunshine. With all due respect to the late actor's wonderful performance in the beloved dramedy, many still believe Murphy deserved the award and even blame his ill-received comedy Norbit from the same year for hurting his chances.

Shakespeare In Love Wins Best Picture Over Saving Private Ryan

Director Steven Spielberg's powerful war movie, Saving Private Ryan, was the frontrunner to win Best Picture at the 1999 Oscars. While Spielberg took home his second directorial prize, the movie lost to Shakespeare in Love. A retrospective by Den of Geek claims the romantic period drama's wins – also including Best Actress, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, and Score – were the result of the producers' strategic campaigning, supposedly altering the Academy's decision-making process forever.

Marisa Tomei Wins Best Supporting Actress

Marisa Tomei beat esteemed Hollywood veterans Vanessa Redgrave and Miranda Richardson in the 1993 Oscars' Best Supporting Actress category for her breakthrough role as Mona Lisa Vito in My Cousin Vinny. Her win for the otherwise hilarious and charming performance was such a surprise that many speculated presenter Jack Palance had accidentally read the wrong name, and the Academy just let her keep it.

Barbra Streisand And Katharine Hepburn Tie For Best Actress

The third time that an Oscar vote ended in a tie occurred in 1968 when both Barbra Streisand and Katharine Hepburn earned Best Actress. Streisand won for her performance in Funny Girl, and Hepburn's role in The Lion in Winter also impressed an equal number of Academy voters.

Suicide Squad Wins Best Makeup And Hairstyling

In 2017, director David Ayer's Suicide Squad took home the award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for the way it transformed its actors into bizarre DC supervillains. Setting aside the comic book movie's largely negative reception, the film's victory over the eye-popping makeup effects in Star Trek Beyond was shocking.

Anora Wins Best Picture

The story of a young "lady of the night" and her ill-fated marriage to a rich, Russian twenty-something became the 2025 Oscars frontrunner late in the game, which made its Best Picture victory over safer bets like The Brutalist quite a surprise. Anora also made history when Sean Baker earned Oscars for directing, writing, and editing in the same night.

Anthony Hopkins Wins Best Actor Over Chadwick Boseman

There was so much confidence in the chance that Chadwick Boseman would win a posthumous Best Actor Oscar for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom that the category was saved for the end of the 2021 telecast. Instead, it went to The Father's Anthony Hopkins, who was not even present at the ceremony, which left a bit of a sour taste in viewers' mouths.

Crash Wins Best Picture Over Brokeback Mountain

The world was absolutely convinced that director Ang Lee's buzzy gay love story, Brokeback Mountain, would take home the top prize come Oscar night in 2006. Instead, the winner was writer and director Paul Haggis' examination of modern prejudice, Crash, much to the surprise and even dismay of many critics and audiences at the time and for years to come.

Marcia Gay Harden Wins Best Supporting Actress

In 2001, Marcia Gay Harden's portrayal of Lee Krasner in Pollock earned her both her first Academy Award nomination and win, but that is not what made it such a remarkable achievement. The actor had not won a single accolade for the performance before beating the likes of Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand in Almost Famous on Oscar night.

Eddie Redmayne Wins Best Actor Over Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton's performance in 2015's Best Picture Oscar winner, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), was poised to earn him the Best Actor award that night. Instead, the former Batman actor lost to Eddie Redmayne, whose portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything is retrospectively not held in as high regard.

Rocky Wins Best Picture

Rocky, starring writer Sylvester Stallone as the titular aspiring boxer, is a great underdog story, and the same could be said about its jog to the Oscars stage in 1977. The film won three Oscars, including Best Picture over strong contenders Taxi Driver, Network, Bound for Glory, and All the President’s Men.

Bob Fosse Wins Best Director Over Francis Ford Coppola

It is rare to see a movie win the Best Picture Oscar without seeing its director also take home a statuette. However, that is what happened in 1973 when Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather won the top prize, but best director went to Bob Fosse for Cabaret.

Three 6 Mafia Win Best Original Song

When Three 6 Mafia won the 2006 Oscar for Best Original Song for Hustle & Flow's “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” it was not the first time that a hip-hop artist earned the award, as Eminem had won for "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile only a few years earlier. Still, a rap song earning such an accolade was still considered a rarity, and adding the fact that Dolly Parton (for Transamerica's "Travelin' Through") and Kathleen "Bird" York (for "In the Deep" from Crash) were the competition, it was an unexpected victory.

Driving Miss Daisy Wins Best Picture

The competition between Driving Miss Daisy and its fellow Best Picture Oscar nominees (Born on the Fourth of July, Dead Poets Society, Field of Dreams, and My Left Foot) was not exactly fierce. What made its victory – in addition to wins for Best Actress (Jessica Tandy), Adapted Screenplay, and Makeup – a surprise was that its director, Bruce Beresford, was not even nominated.

Beatrice Straight Win Best Supporting Actress

Beatrice Straight appears in 1976's Network, in which she, as Louise, tearfully and angrily reacts to her husband, Max Schumacher (William Holden), revealing he has been having an affair. Her powerhouse performance in the five-minute sequence was enough to convince the Academy that she deserved the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Adrien Brody Wins Best Actor For The Pianist

Adrien Brody won his first Academy Award for leading the 2002 World War II-era biopic, The Pianist, making him the youngest person to win in the Best Actor category at 29 years old. Making matters even more surprising, he was going up against esteemed Oscar winners Jack Nicholson (About Schmidt), Michael Caine (The Quiet American), Nicolas Cage (Adaptation), and Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York), the latter of whom was the frontrunner.

Olivia Colman Wins Best Actress Over Glenn Close

In 2019, Glenn Close received her seventh Academy Award nomination for her role in The Wife, which had already earned the actor multiple accolades, convincing many that this would finally be the year she goes home with an Oscar. Instead, her losing streak would continue when the Best Actress winner turned out to be Olivia Colman for her wonderful performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' absurdist period satire, The Favourite.

Dances With Wolves Wins Best Picture Over Goodfellas

Kevin Costner made his directorial debut with the Civil War-era, Western movie classic, Dances with Wolves, which took home Best Picture. While it was an undeniably impressive achievement for the actor and filmmaker, who also starred in the drama, it was a bittersweet occasion as esteemed veteran Martin Scorsese's acclaimed crime thriller, Goodfellas, only took home a statuette that night for Joe Pesci's supporting performance.

Grace Kelly Wins Best Actress Over Judy Garland

At the 1955 Academy Awards, the frontrunner in the Best Actress category was the legendary Judy Garland for the first remake of A Star is Born. Thus, it came as quite a shock to see Grace Kelly winning the Oscar for her role in The Country Girl as the wife of an alcoholic actor desperately seeking a comeback.

Parasite Wins Best Picture

By Oscar night 2020, it was nearly impossible to tell which of the many Best Picture frontrunners, from Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to Sam Mendes' 1917, would prove to be the victor. Yet, nobody anticipated that Bong Joon Ho's South Korean thriller Parasite, which had also won Best International Feature that night, would take home the top prize, becoming the first foreign-language film to do so.

Art Carney Wins Best Actor Over Al Pacino

Al Pacino's two-decade losing streak would end in 1993 when he won the Best Actor Oscar for Scent of a Woman, which was also his eighth nomination. One of the most surprising instances in which he lost was in 1975, when his performance as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II was expected to be the winner until he was bested by Art Carney in the road trip comedy Harry and Tonto.

Green Book Wins Best Picture

While it was well-received upon release, many critics and experts feared the idea of a simple and safe drama like Green Book winning Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars against more esteemed and refreshingly ambitious films like Roma, The Favourite, and A Star is Born. Of course, that turned out to be exactly what happened.

Kevin Costner Wins Best Director Over Martin Scorsese

Not only did Kevin Costner's Dances with Wolves earn the top prize at the 1991 Oscars, but the first-time filmmaker was also awarded Best Director. Also nominated in that category that year, and for the third time, for his expertly crafted mafia drama, Goodfellas, was Martin Scorsese, who would not take home the award until 16 years later for The Departed.

Anna Paquin Wins Best Supporting Actress

The Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominees in 1994 included Rosie Perez for Fearless, Winona Ryder for The Age of Innocence, Emma Thompson for In the Name of the Father, and Holly Hunter for The Firm (the latter two of whom were nominated for two acting categories the same year). However, the winner was The Piano's Anna Paquin, who, at just 11 years old, became one of the youngest people to receive an Academy Award.

The Color Purple Wins Nothing

You can usually count on the film with the most Oscar nominations to go home with at least one statuette, but that was not quite the case in 1986. The Color Purple was tied with Out of Africa with 11 nominations, and while Sydney Pollack's romantic drama earned seven awards, including Best Picture, director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Alice Walker's celebrated novel left completely empty-handed.

Joel Grey Wins Best Supporting Actor

Three of the Best Supporting Actor nominees at the 1973 Academy Awards were from The Godfather (namely Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, and James Caan), and none of them ended up taking home an Oscar. The winner, instead, was Joel Grey, for his performance as "Master of Ceremonies" in Cabaret.

Juliette Binoche Best Actress Over Lauren Bacall

Screen legend Lauren Bacall earned her sole Oscar nomination in 1997 for The Mirror Has Two Faces. However, the Best Actress winner that night was first-time nominee Juliette Binoche for her performance in The English Patient, which also won Best Picture.

The Greatest Show On Earth Wins Best Picture

Steven Spielberg has cited director Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth as an early influence on his interest in filmmaking. However, most modern audiences and critics are baffled by the fact that this drama, taking place at the circus, was voted Best Picture at the 1953 Academy Awards.

Robert Donat Wins Best Actor

In a Best Actor Oscar category that also included Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind and Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the winner turned out to be Robert Donat for Goodbye, Mr. Chips, surprisingly.

Nothing breaks our hearts more than when a beloved character dies in a movie. Even the most stoic people shed a tear when characters like Goose in Top Gun don't make it to the finish line. Sometimes these characters grow through multiple movies, and sometimes it only takes one for us to end up blubbering when the end comes. Here is our list like that, our list of movie deaths that just crush us.

It goes without saying, but there are major spoilers ahead!

Tony Stark - Avengers: Endgame

Over the first 22 MCU movies Tony Stark/Iron Man was the heart of the franchise. Robert Downey Jr.'s character started the whole thing off in the original Iron Man and in a lot of ways, the Infinity Saga (the first three phases of the MCU) should have ended with Avengers: End Game and the death of Tony Stark. We all knew something like this was likely, but it didn't make it any easier when it came.

Thomas J. - My Girl

There is nothing harder in life than children dying long, long before their time. The fact that no one saw it coming in My Girl makes it doubly tough. What seems like a sweet, innocent childhood romance comes to a crashing halt with the death of Macauley Culkin's character Thomas. It's just brutal, but props to Anna Chlumsky who does an amazing job as Vada.

Ricky - Boyz In the Hood

Of all the characters in Boyz In The Hood that you most want to see get out of the cycle of poverty and despair in the movie, Ricky tops the list. You always have the sense that Tre (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is going to make it and you always sense Doughboy (Ice Cube) won't. Ricky (Morris Chestnut) is in the middle and could go either way. That's what makes his death so heartbreaking. He's so close to getting out, but just can't escape the violence.

Mufasa - The Lion King

How much detail do we really need to go into here? Mufasa's death is the catalyst for Simba's growth, but that doesn't make his untimely death any easier to watch. Disney really knows how to tug at the heartstrings, don't they?

Jenny - Forrest Gump

Jenny (Robin Wright) never really treats Forrest (Tom Hanks) all that well in Forrest Gump. Most of the time, she kinda treats him like dirt. In the end, she does come around, and when she does, you feel the pain right along with Forrest. It's even harder than watching his mother (Sally Field) go earlier in the movie.

Marley - Marley And Me

Pets dying. We all know it's coming, yet, we're never fully prepared for it. Not in life, nor on the big screen. Marley's death in Marley In Me is inevitable, but that doesn't make it any easier at all.

John Coffey - The Green Mile

In Frank Darabont's 1999 classic The Green Mile, we know that Michael Clarke Duncan's character John Coffey is locked up for a crime he didn't commit and is facing a punishment not of his own making. Not only do we feel for Coffey for his wrongful conviction, but because Duncan plays the role with such sweet sincerity that we can't help but love the guy. His execution is like our own, it hurts way too much.

Shelby - Steel Magnolias

Julia Robert's first big break came in Steel Magnolias and like all her work, her infectious smile and great attitude endear us to her quickly. Her death, though part of life, is excruciating as a result.

Neil - Dead Poets Society

When someone dies by suicide, especially a teenager, there is an extra level of sorrow and frustration. Such is definitely the case with Neil (Robert Sean Leonard) in Dead Poets Society. It's so unfair for everyone, and you even feel for his domineering father who drove him to it. Robin Williams gives one his best performances in the movie, but it's Leonard's role as Neil that really sticks with you.

Jack Dawson - Titanic

Say what you want about Titanic, love it or hate it, but you can't deny the impact of Jack's death at the end. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in the movie made him one of the biggest stars of all time, and his death takes our breath away every time.

Radio Raheem - Do The Right Thing

Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing is one of the best debuts by a director ever. Radio Raheem's death isn't like most of the others on this list because it doesn't just make audiences sad, it makes them mad. It's the anger part of grieving that hits the hardest here.

Guido - Life Is Beautiful

The director, writer, and star of Life Is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni, is wonderful in the movie. He makes us laugh throughout and then, near the end, he crushes our hearts with his death. Like others on this list, we sense the dread from the outset, but when the end comes, it leaves us shattered.

Old Yeller - Old Yeller

There is no one who can stop a tear from rolling down your cheek at the end of Old Yeller when Travis (Tommy Kirk) is faced with doing the inevitable after his dog is infected with rabies. Most of us see the movie as kids and the trauma lives on with us far into adulthood.

Goose - Top Gun

It's not often that a big summer blockbuster hits you as hard in the guy as Top Gun does when Goose (Anthony Edwards) is killed in a training exercise. You see it on Maverick's (Tom Cruise) in the aftermath, but when Goose's widow (Meg Ryan) tells Mav how much Goose loved flying with him, turn on the waterworks and let it all out, because you're going to need to.

Brooks - The Shawshank Redemption

If you know anything about prison movies, you probably know that someone is going to get killed. One of the many things that sets The Shawshank Redemption apart and makes it one of the best movies of the 1990s, is that you don't expect the death you get in it or how it happens. The affable Brooks seems like a good guy, and that makes his suicide in the end just brutal to take in.

Johnny - The Outsiders

Johnny (Ralph Macchio) goes out as a hero in The Outsiders and that's something even he can't believe. It's a brutal moment, as he is in the hospital after the fire when he tells Pony Boy (C. Thomas Howell) to stay golden and it's stuck with audiences forever.

Maximus - Gladiator

Given the circumstances, Maximus' death is as satisfying as it is tragic in Gladiator. Russell Crowe's character's vengeance is what drives the movie and when he finally gets it at the end, there is nothing more left to do in this world. It doesn't make it easy though.

Maggie - Million Dollar Movie

Maggie's (Hillary Swank) death in Million Dollar Baby isn't easy to ever watch. You spend so much time rooting for her, that while her death doesn't feel like a waste, it sure feels like she had so much more left in her. It's not just the injury that leads to her death, but it's her tragic desire to see things through to their natural (or unnatural) end that makes it so hard to watch.

Father - The Road

There is nothing about The Road that is easy to watch. It's not a movie you really ever want to want a second time, despite how fantastic it is. Viggo Mortensen is fantastic as the character simply known as "Father" and his death is really hard to take, because he and his son are the only hope in the movie.

Jack - Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain is a classic love story with a twist that changed cinema forever and even if Jack's denial is in some ways a predictable event in this kind of story, it doesn't make it any easier for audiences.

Dobby - Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Dobby may just be a side character in the Harry Potter series, but his death in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 is still one of the hardest to take to in the whole franchise. Dobby's innocent nature and good heart quickly made him a fan favorite and watching him die is heart-wrenching.

William Wallace - Braveheart

"Freedom!" Or something like that. Setting aside just how historically inaccurate Braveheart is and looking at it as a stirring movie with some awesome action scenes, it makes William Wallace's death brutal at the end. It crushes Scotland's dreams, sure, but it's also the tragic end of a love story and that's what makes it so heartbreaking.

Brian Piccalo - Brian's Song

James Caan played a lot of tough guys over his brilliant career, but it was the softer side of a tough guy, the real-life Brian Piccalo, whose death haunts us the most. The true story about the tragic life of Piccalo and his wonderful friendship with Gale Sayers, played by Billy Dee Williams, is meant to rip out the audience's hearts, and boy oh boy does it.

Apollo - Rocky IV

Like a few others on this list, if you weren't prepared for it, Apollo Creed's death in Rocky IV is a serious blow. It's not the kind of thing you'd ever expect from a big summer popcorn-chomper of a movie. It brilliantly raises the stakes in the movie and is, in the end, what makes it such an enduring movie, despite being a relic of the Cold War.

Captain Miller - Saving Private Ryan

Audiences really come to love and respect Tom Hanks' Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan and after all he'd been through, and all he'd done, to see him not make it to the end of the movie, or the end of D-Day for that matter, really stings. We hope Ryan made it worth it, and we think he did, aside from the cheesy ending.

Bing Bong - Inside Out

How is it that a cartoon's death can bring anyone to tears? Let alone one that isn't even "real" in the movie? Yet here we are, wiping our faces as Bing Bong sacrifices himself in Inside Out. The power of cinema indeed.

Wolverine - Logan

For decades we watched Wolverine over the entire life of the X-Men franchise. Hugh Jackman's performance was perfect every time, right up until the end when the seemingly immortal anti-hero becomes as mortal as the rest of us at the end of Logan. Deadpool may have celebrated his death, but we don't.

Rosie - JoJo Rabbit

Even the most absurd films, like Jojo Rabbit, can have devastatingly heartbreaking moments in them. Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) dying, despite the movie being about the subject matter it is about, is still a little shocking and very sad. Jojo finding her the way he does makes it even tougher to watch.

Gwen Stacy - Amazing Spider-Man 2

When you watch a superhero movie, you really never expect the hero to suffer any real heartbreak that you aren't ready for. Batman's parents are always going to die, for example, but you know that going in. Spider-man failing to save Gwen (Emma Stone) in Amazing Spider-Man 2 is shocking and completely heartbreaking.

The Iron Giant - The Iron Giant

There is, at least, some respite from the death of the Iron Giant in The Iron Giant - we know in the end that he's going to be okay. That doesn't make the initial moment of his destruction any easier though. Once again cartoons break out hearts.

Bambi's Mother - Bambi

Disney is responsible for some of our favorite cinematic moments as kids. And some of our most traumatic. There is a very good chance that everyone reading this was deeply traumatized by the death of Bambi's mother in Bambi, no matter what age you are now.

Donny - The Big Lebowski

Donnie was a bowler. He also loved to surf, probably. the Steve Buscemi character's death at the end of The Big Lebowski is not what anyone would have ever expected from the shaggy dog story we enjoyed for the previous two hours. It turns out that Donnie really tied the movie together and no one liked seeing him go.

It's a tale as old as time, one person's love for another goes unrequited by the other. Sometimes there are societal pressures, sometimes the time just isn't right for one person, and sometimes they just aren't that into the other person. Here is our list of heartbreaking examples of unrequited love in movies.  

Past Lives

2023's Past Lives was a gem. The Celine Song written and directed romance story tells the story of two kids living in South Korea who never seem to have the right time to let a romance bloom from their friendship. In the end, the audience is left wondering what could have been, right along with the characters. 

Love Actually

There is no better example of unrequited love on film than that scene between Andrew Lincoln and Kiera Knightly in Love Actually. You know the one. After realizing he is in love with Juliet (Knightly), Mark (Lincoln) goes to her door and lays his cards out, literally, in the form of posters with his feelings written out for her to read. She is briefly entranced, but both realize they'll always only be friends. 

Casablanca

It's just never the right time for Rick (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) in Casablanca. It's one of the greatest unrequited love stories ever told on film as these two seemingly soul mates are stuck remembering a magical time that they could never recapture. In the end, they do the right thing, make the correct decisions, and know that they will never be together. They will always have Paris. 

(500) Days Of Summer

(500) Days Of Summer is pretty much the classic version of the unrequited love story. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel) start a casual relationship that Summer is completely honest about... at least at first. As Tom falls in love, Summer tries to keep it casual until it all comes to a head and Tom is left brokenhearted. 

Rushmore

Wes Anderson's 1998 classic Rushmore is one of the more uncomfortable examples on this list. High school student Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) becomes infatuated with a teacher (Olivia Williams) while his classmate Margaret (Sara Tanaka) falls in love with Max. Both are rebuffed by their crushes and it gets messier from there. 

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is not a smart man. He is a loyal man, though. That loyalty means that from a young age, he is in love with Jenny (Robin Wright). At no point in the many incredible events of his life does he ever fall out of love with his childhood best friend. Jenny, on the other hand, while loyal to Forrest in a way, lives a very different life and rebuffs Forrest throughout it, at least until the very end of her tragic life. 

Brokeback Mountain

One of the greatest examples of societal pressures leaving two lovers unable to find the love they crave with each other is Brokeback Mountain. Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) are passionate about each other, but their community would never accept their love, so they are forced to deny it and it creates an absolutely heartbreaking scenario. 

The Royal Tenenbaums

We'll admit, that this is one of the weirder, and frankly, more disturbing examples of this list. Richie Tenenbaum (Luke Wilson), you see, is in love with his sister, Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow). It makes for some very uncomfortable moments, to be sure. It's obvious a love that is rightly forbidden. Sometimes you shouldn't root for the couple to get together. 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby is the ultimate example of how destructive unrequited love can be. Gatsby, played in the Baz Luhrmann movie by Leonardo DiCaprio, has long regretted asking Daisy (Carey Mulligan) to wait for him. Instead, she marries George (Jason Clarke) and things get very tragic as a result. 

Lost in Translation

Bob (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johannson) are two people stuck in happy marriages who meet in a Tokyo hotel. Though they quickly bond during a night out on the town with each other, things remain pretty awkward. Neither seems to know what to do and as a result, nothing romantic happens. At least until the very end of the movie when they finally share a kiss and leave the end open. So maybe this one works out?

Pretty In Pink

Another classic example of love unreturned is poor Duckie (Jon Cryer) in Pretty In Pink. Duckie will do anything for Andie (Molly Ringwald) and while she is forever grateful for Duckie's loyalty and friendship, she is in love with Blaine (Andrew Shue). Famously, she chooses Blaine at the end, leaving some fans of the movie upset. 

Doctor Zhivago

Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) and Lara (Julie Christie) have one of the greatest love stories of all time in the classic Doctor Zhivago. Unfortunately, war and other romantic commitments mean they never have a chance for that "happily ever after). 

There's Something About Mary

The thing about Mary (Cameron Diaz) is that everyone is in love with her. It's hard to say whose love is the most unrequited here because there are seemingly dozens of men left in the dust by her in There's Something About Mary. Obviously it finally works out for one of them, Ted (Ben Stiller) but then what about the rest? What about Brett Farve? He did nothing wrong! 

Great Expectations (1998)

1998's Great Expectations retells the classic Charles Dickens novel set in modern-day New York City. Finn (Ethan Hawke) falls in love with Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow) but she is evasive and, frankly, mean, about it. She leads him on and uses him to make her fiancee jealous. He never forgets her and eventually, years later, his love is returned. 

La La Land

La La Land is a classic example of two people never quite syncing up romantically when they clearly have a passion for each other. For one reason or another throughout the movie, the time never quite works for Seb (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone). They were just destined to be apart. 

Les Misérables

Les Misérables includes one of the most famous examples of unrequited love in Western storytelling. Eponine, played by Samantha Barks in the 2012 adaption of the musical, is in love with Marius, but he doesn't return the feelings and as a result, she gives one of the most stirring performances of a song on film with "On My Own."

Roxanne

Steve Martin's underrated comedy Roxanne is loosely based on the famous play Cyrano de Bergerac. Like Cyrano, Martin's character, C.D., has everything going for him, but his unnaturally large nose holds him back from professing his true love for Roxanne (Daryl Hannah). 

My Best Friend's Wedding

The title says it all. My Best Friend's Wedding is another classic example of how things happen between two close friends who maybe want more, but never take the leap and realize it's too late when one or the other moves on. It's a hard moment for everyone involved. 

Chasing Amy

There are a lot of problematic things in Chasing Amy that we don't need to get into here. Despite those problems, the story is still, at its heart, a story about a man (Ben Affleck) in love with a woman (Joey Lauren Adams) who doesn't reciprocate that love. She has no obligation to, but that doesn't make it less heartbreaking in the end for Affleck's character, Holden. 

Once

Missed connections, or bad timing, is the tale told in Once. Two musicians with an obvious connection both artistically and romantically never connect on the latter for a myriad of reasons and though both seem to want it to happen, life and fate keep them apart. It's a sad, and actually somewhat heartwarming story. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) is like almost every high school in some ways. We've all had crushes in high school that go unfulfilled, but Lara takes things to an extreme, writing letters to all the crushes she has, and it's a lot. The letters are never meant to be read by the intended recipient but kept only for her. When the letters get out, things get very messy with love triangles and lots of hurt feelings. 

The Remains of the Day

James Stevens and Sally Kenton (Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, respectively) are servants in stately English country estates who have a very complicated relationship that seems like it should be more than it is. Sally is especially in love with James, but he refuses to let her in. There is regret on both sides in the end, though nothing ever comes of their love. 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) just can't get over his ex, Sarah (Kristen Bell). When he finds himself stuck in the same Hawaiian resort as Sarah and her obnoxious new boyfriend, played by Russell Brand, things go from bad to worse. He obsesses over Sarah and is blind to the fact that Rachel (Mila Kunis) is the much better romantic option. Eventually, he realizes the choice is clear. 

Edward Scissorhands

Poor Edward (Johnny Depp) in Edward Scissorhands. He never really has a chance to find true love, despite his obvious attraction to Kim (Winona Ryder). She too, reveals her love to him, finally, but both realize it can never happen between them and they part forever. 

The Last Of The Mohicans

Like many classic stories of unfulfilled love The Last Of The Mohicans sees Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Cora (Madeleine Stowe) unable to truly be happy together because of the circumstances of their time and place in history. It's not that they don't try, it's that war and society won't allow them to live happily ever after. 

West Side Story

There is no more classic example of forbidden love than Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Many versions of Shakespeare's classics have been told on film, and West Side Story is one of the greatest of them all. Two people caught between their love for each other and their loyalty to their gangs find it impossible to be together in one of the most tragic stories ever told. 

An Affair to Remember

A tragic missed connection fouls up what could have been an amazing romance between Nickie (Cary Grant) and Terry (Deborah Kerr) in An Affair To Remember. For once, the stars align and it seems two lovers, caught in unhappy relationships, will ditch their partners to be together but fate intervenes tragically and it seems they will never end up happy. Or will they?

He's Just Not That Into You

So, do we really need to explain how this one works? The title alone tells you everything you need to know, right? He's Just Not That Into You is a movie with an all-star cast whose characters are in a lot of messy relationships and there are unrequited feelings all around. 

One Day

Dexter (Jim Sturgess) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) spent 20 years flirting with the obvious. They are great friends and at times, each one wants more, but it's never at the same time. 

Her

Well, this is one of the weirder ones here, for sure. Her is an unrequited love story about a man, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who is in love with a computer program with the voice of Scarlett Johansson. It's easy to see why things don't work out here, right?

Broadcast News

Broadcast News is an underrated classic from the '80s that despite a myriad of Oscar nominations, seems to be almost forgotten these days. That's too bad because it's a great movie. In the movie, there is a pretty messy love triangle between the three main characters, though none end up together. None of them seem particularly happy about it, either. 

Paper Towns

Unrequited high school love is something most people are familiar with and Paper Towns tells a fairly straight forward version of the classic tale of the socially awkward kid in love with the popular kid. Even though it's not the most original of stories, it's told in a great way and is a surprisingly sweet movie. 

Sally Albright and Harry Burns, Bridget Jones and Mark Darcy, Anna Scott and William Thacker — the best romantic comedies of all time have given the world some of cinema's most beloved pairings. But what about those movies that aren't classic rom-coms? Plenty of sci-fi classics, adventure epics, soaring musicals and heartrending dramas have introduced movie lovers to twosomes worth rooting for. Here are the 32 best movie couples from outside the rom-com genre. 

Han Solo and Princess Leia (Star Wars)

"I love you!" "I know!" And there you have the famous dynamic between Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) throughout the entire Star Wars franchise. The good-natured bickering, palpable tension and lasting love through both ups and downs between the rakish captain of the Millennium Falcon and the regal Jedi-turned-general make theirs one of the best couples in any galaxy. 

Joel and Clementine (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Not even a Lacuna memory erasure procedure could make Joel Barish (Jim Carrey, in one of his best performances) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet) forget each other in the 2004 Michael Gondry-directed classic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Though both characters initially wanted to dissolve their relationship, getting to relive all of their moments together — both good and bad — made them, and us, want to see their romance rekindled. 

Jackson and Ally (A Star Is Born)

The love story between an established Hollywood star and a plucky aspiring singer has been told across several film versions of A Star Is Born — though the duo is known as Norman and Esther in previous iterations — but Bradley Cooper's Jackson and Lady Gaga's Ally reinvigorated the cinematic romance in the 2018 romantic musical, thanks to their electrifying chemistry and incredible duets. That devastating ending wouldn't hit nearly the same way without them.

Rose and Jack (Titanic)

James Cameron's Titanic does so much as a movie: one part historical drama, one part disaster epic, and one part onscreen romance for the ages. And guiding moviegoers through all of it is the instantly iconic pairing of scrappy third-class artist Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and sheltered high-class debutante Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). 

Chiron and Kevin (Moonlight)

In the 2016 Oscar winner for Best Picture, we get to see Chiron and Kevin together through three periods of their lives in Miami, from their childhoods to teendom to adulthood. Their sweet connection turns sultry when the pair (now played by Trevante Rhodes and André Holland, respectively) reunites as grown men at a Florida diner, with Barbara Lewis' "Hello Stranger" crooning over the jukebox. 

Rick and Ilsa (Casablanca)

It's ironic that arguably the greatest cinematic romance of all time is actually between exes. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) may not be together anymore in the 1942 masterpiece Casablanca, as she has since moved on and married Czechoslovak Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). But they'll wistfully "always have Paris," and we'll always have them. 

Marianne and Héloïse (Portrait Of A Lady On Fire)

This subtle yet stirring 2019 drama from Céline Sciamma tells the story of a slow-burn romance between two young women in late 18th-century France: a young aristocrat named Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) and the painter commissioned to paint her portrait, Marianne (Noémie Merlant). Together, the LGBTQ+ movie couple crafts a connection as singular and stunning as anything found on a canvas. 

Tish and Fonny (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Director Barry Jenkins composes a stunning cast for this film adaptation of James Baldwin's 1974 novel, including Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bryan Tyree Henry and Regina King. But the heart of the story beats with its core couple Tish and Fonny, portrayed by KiKi Layne and Stephan James. The film is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping from highs (the birth of a child) to lows (wrongful incarceration), but the heart-wrenching love between Tish and Fonny threads it all. 

Ennis and Jack (Brokeback Mountain)

One of the best LGBTQ movies of all time, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain broke hearts the world over with its beautifully rendered romance between Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), two Wyoming cowboys whose intense but repressed passion stretches across decades. The realities of early-'60s America meant that the men couldn't be publicly open with their relationship, which made their time together both savored and tragic. 

Elizabeth and Will (Pirates Of The Caribbean)

Although Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann has several love interests throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, including Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and James Norrington (Jack Davenport), even casual fans know that her one true love is none other than blacksmith-turned-pirate Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). Spanning five Pirates movies, the swashbuckling duo takes on everything from arrests and kidnappings to ghost captains and mysterious curses. 

Neo and Trinity (The Matrix)

To say that love changes the world in The Matrix films is an understatement: it literally is what brings Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) back to life and frees them from the confines of simulated reality. A true fusion reaction, the connection that they generate throughout the seminal sci-fi franchise is enough to power them through hardships both human and machine.

Reynolds and Alma (Phantom Thread)

Not every movie romance is a happily-ever-after breeze. For controlling couture designer Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and clumsy but calculating country waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps), things aren't entirely smooth sailing after they meet-cute at the restaurant she works at and marry shortly thereafter, especially because the bride has taken to micro-poisoning her husband to render him sweet and submissive. Her actions are twisted, no doubt, but Reynolds ends up finding it all weirdly endearing, and so do we. 

Rhett And Scarlett (Gone With The Wind) 

One of the most iconic pairings ever on the big screen, Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) weather a lot throughout this four-hour 1939 Oscar winner, from civil war to typhoid fever to the loss of a child. Ironically, it's their very own natures that they can't outrun, from Rhett's ruthlessness to Scarlett's stubbornness. When the Southern belle finally realizes that she's really loved Rhett all along, it's too late, as he harshly leaves her with one of the movie's best parting lines: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

Clarence and Alabama (True Romance)

In sickness and in health, until arrest do us part — those could basically be the vows of Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) and Alabama Whitman (Patricia Arquette), a pair of newlyweds on the run from the Mafia after stealing a shipment of drugs. Things get unsurprisingly dark for our brazen bride and groom, but the sheer devotion that the two have for each other is a welcome bright spot. 

Gomez and Morticia (The Addams Family)

Who would have thought that one of pop culture's healthiest onscreen couples would be the exceedingly odd, decidedly macabre Morticia and Gomez Addams? Though incarnated by numerous performers on screens big and small, the portrayals by Anjelica Huston as Morticia and Raul Julia as Gomez in 1991's The Addams Family deliciously embody the characters' endless enthusiasm for each other. Madly in love, indeed!

Jesse and Céline (The 'Before' Trilogy)

It's incredibly rare to follow a beloved movie couple for years — in Richard Linklater's Before Trilogy, you movingly get to follow Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) across decades, from the star-crossed travelers who meet on a Eurail train and later fall for each other while playing tourist in Vienna in 1995's Before Sunrise, to the long-together older versions we find summering in Greece with their children in 2013's Before Midnight. 

Albert and Armand (The Birdcage)

Sure, stereotypes abound in Mike Nichols' 1996 comedy The Birdcage, especially surrounding Armand (Robin Williams, in a classic performance) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane), a gay couple whose son (Dan Futterman) is set to marry the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of a very conservative senator (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Dianne Wiest). But in the middle of all of the flamboyant hijinks, Armand and Albert prove to have the film's most stable relationship, one marked by compassion, communication and acceptance. 

Peter and Mary Jane (The 'Spider-Man' Trilogy)

Along with giving moviegoers a rain-soaked, upside-down lip lock we won't soon forget, Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst's take on Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson imbued some palpable real-life chemistry into the beloved comic-book couple. In keeping with Spider-Man tradition, the actors briefly dated offscreen as well, though Dunst joked that filming that epic smooch was far less pleasurable than it looked.

Noah and Allie (The Notebook)

Let's be real, it would take a very special gentleman to have us rooting for anyone other than James Marsden to get the girl. It's good, then, that director Nick Cassavetes cast Ryan Gosling at his dreamiest opposite Rachel McAdams in this 2004 melodrama, widely considered one of the best romantic movies of all time. The actors' off-set connection (they dated IRL from 2005 to 2007) is passionately felt in the characters' constant bickering and bantering, not to mention those intense rainstorm smooches. 

Edward and Bella (Twilight)

Neither age (she's 17-year-old and he's a cool 104) nor species (she's a human and he's a blood-drinking, sparkly-skinned vampire) could keep them apart. No, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) remained astonishingly loyal to and protective of each other throughout the entire Twilight Saga film franchise, despite jealous werewolves, vampire armies and creepy half-vamp babies trying to get in their way (though Stewart hilariously does not agree with her character's infatuation). 

Katniss and Peeta (The Hunger Games)

Surviving tough times is a given in any relationship but few movie couples have been tested by as much hardship as Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). The characters first bond as "tributes" in the government's annual Hunger Games — which require them to fight to the death until only one person is left alive — and despite the odds, they're able to parlay that trust and partnership into the franchise's best romance. (Sorry, Gale.) 

Emma and Adèle (Blue Is The Warmest Colour)

Much has been made about the physical intimacy between Léa Seydoux's Emma and Adèle Exarchopoulos's Adèle in the 2013 French drama Blue is the Warmest Color, but their connection goes far deeper than the film's explicit sex scenes. The feelings between the two young women are so raw and fierce that when they meet again at a restaurant after years of separation, we absolutely believe Emma when she says she will always feel "infinite tenderness" for what they had. 

Ron and Hermione (Harry Potter)

Some of the best romances come out of friendships, and the coupling between Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) is no exception. For years, Harry Potter fans watched as the young wizard and witch danced around their feelings for each other — granted, they were busy fighting the Wizarding World's darkest forces at the time — so when the longtime pals finally locked lips in Deathly Hallows — Part 2, the big moment felt completely earned. 

Jamal and Latika (Slumdog Millionaire)

It's the intense love and loyalty that Jamal (Dev Patel) has for Latika (Freida Pinto), who he first met as a kid in the slums of Mumbai, that fuels his every move in this Danny Boyle-directed musical drama. Whether he's stealing shoes at the Taj Mahal, taking a job as a chaiwala at a call center or winning India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Jamal is doing it all to get back to Latika. And when he does, it's only fitting that his whole world breaks out in song and dance. 

Romeo and Juliet (Romeo + Juliet)

They are the O.G. star-crossed lovers and in Baz Luhrmann's 1996 retelling of the Shakespearean classic, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes beautifully lead the Romeo + Juliet cast as our eponymous pair and capture all of the intensity of first love. Yes, with family feuds, fatal duels and friar mix-ups aplenty, this relationship was doomed to fail, but at least it pulsed with youthful verve and captivating chemistry while it lasted. 

Oliver and Elio (Call Me By Your Name)

Some relationships may be short in span but sweeping in their impact. In Luca Guadagnino's 2017 masterpiece Call Me by Your Name, the romance between 17-year-old Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) and graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) — who is assisting Elio's father (Michael Stuhlbarg) for the summer — only lasts a few short, sun-soaked weeks. But the after-effects of their coupling ripple through both young men long after the cold settles in. 

Rick and Evelyn (The Mummy)

One of the best things about the romance between adventurer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) is that it subverts that tired beauty-and-brawn stereotype. Evelyn is obviously lovely but she's no distressed damsel — she's as capable of deciphering hieroglyphics as she is sword-fighting the undead. And Rick is fittingly valiant but needs to be rescued himself every now and then. Together, they make the perfect mummy-fighting pair. 

Tony And Maria (West Side Story) 

Taking inspiration from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, there was always an undercurrent of tragedy between Tony (Richard Beymer) and Maria (Natalie Wood), two Upper West Side teens tied to rival NYC street gangs. The relationship between the young lovers remains pure and passionate — iconically portrayed in that famous "Tonight" balcony scene — even as they get caught up in prejudice, violence and societal divides.

Mia And Sebastian (La La Land)

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have teamed up several times onscreen, including 2011's Crazy, Stupid, Love and 2013's Gangster Squad, but it was 2016's La La Land that best used their fizzy, years-honed friendship and produced their most iconic pairing as struggling jazz pianist Sebastian Wilder and aspiring actress Mia Dolan, who meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. 

Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie And Clyde)

Just because a couple is doing bad deeds doesn't mean we can't root for them, right? Yes, Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) were up to all sorts of criminal mischief in the 1967 neo-noir Bonnie and Clyde, from bank robberies to gang kidnappings, but their actions were powered by a passion so intense, it was deadly. 

Rocky and Adrian (Rocky)

Yo, Adrian! The relationship between Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Adrian Pennino (Talia Shire) — who first meet over turtle food at a Philadelphia pet store — is one of the connecting threads of the Rocky film franchise. Despite her misgivings about Rocky's dangerous career, Adrian is a supportive, steadfast presence for Rocky both inside the ring and out, so much so that even when he loses, he still feels like a winner. 

Maria and the Captain (The Sound Of Music)

How do you solve a problem like Maria? You fall in love with her, of course! And who could blame Captain von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) for catching feelings for the effervescent governess to his seven children, especially when she's played by the incomparable Julie Andrews? Watching his gruff, widowed military officer soften under Maria's care is, simply, one of our favorite things. 

Here lies the hopes and dreams of “happily ever after.” While we often go to the movies to see couples ride off into the sunset, it doesn’t always shake out that way. Across Hollywood history, there’s been tons of matches made in heaven, but right now we’re going to focus on those memorable break-ups we’re still not over, and may never get over. But hey, sometimes a truly great break-up in a film can be relatable, cathartic and as we'll see, really big break-ups can lead to even better results later on. Or, the break-up in and of itself is the happy ending. Either way, breakups are part of life, so let the tears pour for these ill-fated couples.

SPOILERS ahead! 

Mia & Sebastian, La La Land 

One of the best finales to a movie is arguably Damien Chazelle’s La La Land ending. After Emma Stone’s Mia and Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian fell in love in the musical comedy, their relationship ultimately falls apart after Mia is cast as the lead in a movie being shot in Paris. After Mia nails her audition, we catch the couple five years later, where both of them have found success in their fields, but are no longer together. In an emotional scene, Mia comes across Sebastian’s booming jazz club and he plays their song as the movie imagines what could have been if they stayed together. 

Joel & Clementine, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is not only one of the greatest breakup films out there, but the best movies of the 2000s, too. As we learn during the film, Kate Winslet’s Clementine decides to go through a trial procedure to forget her ex Joel after their breakup, which involves an argument that goes wrong regarding their thoughts about children. Within the movie’s apt meditation on breakups, the Eternal Sunshine ending has Joel and Clementine deciding to give each other another shot, knowing full well the outcome could play out the same between them this time. 

Joe & Summer, (500) Days Of Summer 

When (500) Days Of Summer opens, it warns its audience that they are not about to see a love story, but even so, it’s easy to still get swept up in the couple’s romance. While the 2009 movie is told through the eyes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Joe, where he paints Zooey Deschanel’s Summer as the villain, the pairing operates as an interesting commentary on how people can idolize the other and ignore the signals that point to the other not being the right person for them. The breakup in this movie is sad, until Joe gets a poetic second chance with a woman aptly named Autumn. 

Daniel & Miranda, Mrs. Doubtfire 

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the best Robin Williams movies, especially because of how it handles the realities of divorce. Throughout, the movie follows Williams’ Daniel as he disguises himself as a character named Mrs. Doubtfire in order to spend more time with his three children amidst his separation from Sally Field’s Miranda. Sadly, by the finale, the parents do not get back together. However, the breakup makes way for a sweet message for those who can relate.  

 Annette & Sebastian, Cruel Intentions 

In 1999’s Cruel Intentions, Ryan Phillippe’s Sebastian breaks things off with Reese Witherspoon’s Annette in an especially emotional scene that leaves Annette by herself in absolute tears over him. The whole thing is the result of a bet Sebastian makes with Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Kathryn, where his winnings would be getting her in bed. But, once Sebastian goes to Kathryn to cash in, he learns she had been two steps ahead of him the whole time. This movie definitely lives up to its name! 

Ted & Joanna, Kramer vs. Kramer 

One classic breakup movie we’re not getting over anytime soon is Kramer Vs. Kramer, which centers on a couple’s divorce proceedings and how it affects their young son. Starring Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman as the couple, the drama brings a grounded perspective about how marriages can fall apart and how figuring out custody between parents can be a harrowing process. 

Gale & Dewey, The Scream Movies

In between the scares of the Scream movies, a sweet romance blossomed between Courteney Cox’s journalist character Gale Weathers and David Arquette’s Deputy Dewey Riley. However, in 2022’s Scream, we learn that the couple split up due to Gale’s aspirations to live in New York City and Dewey’s substance abuse issues. What makes this breakup a real stab in the chest is when Dewey is killed off later in the movie. 

Theodore & Samantha, Her

Can you fall in love with someone’s voice? That’s certainly true for Her’s Theodore (played by Joaquin Phoenix) once Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) comes into his life. He and the artificially intelligent virtual assistant hit it off during Spike Jonze’s critically acclaimed sci-fi film, but it’s not to be forever. In the end, Samantha chooses to join other AIs once her operating system seeks more knowledge outside of him. 

Ennis & Jack, Brokeback Mountain 

Ang Lee’s 2005 film Brokeback Mountain sees Jake Gyllenhaal’s rodeo cowboy Jack and Heath Ledger’s ranch hand Ennis falling in love in secret before leaving their relationship to live typical heterosexual lives with wives and kids. While they reconnect years after their first encounter, they never have a chance to really live happily with one another, and they have an especially tragic ending to their story by the time the movie concludes. 

Han Solo & Leia Organa, The Star Wars Movies 

One of the most iconic couples in movie history is Harrison Ford’s Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s Leia Organa, who famously said the lines “I love you,” with “I know.” Unfortunately, when the Star Wars movies continued in 2015 with The Force Awakens, we learned that the couple had parted ways after having issues with losing their son Ben Solo to the Dark Side. Sadly, Han Solo also dies at the hands of Ben as well. 

Dani & Christian, Midsommar

We’re not over this breakup in particular because of how traumatizing it is to experience! Ari Aster’s Midsommar tells the story of a couple, who are strained as is but their vacation to a Swedish midsummer festival really becomes the cherry on top of its demise. The festival is a front for a pagan cult recruiting and the couple cement their breakup when Christian is stuffed inside a bear and burned alive whilst Dani watches in horror and becomes the newest crowned member. 

Rick & Ilsa, Casablanca

An especially classic breakup in cinema is the one between Humphrey Bogart’s Rick and Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa at the end of 1942’s Casablanca. It’s about former lovers who reunite years after an affair. While one might expect their reunion to lead to the pair rekindling their love, Rick surprises Ilsa at the end of the movie by deserting her as she boards a plane because he feels she would be better off with her current fiancé. 

Peter Quill & Gamora - Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3

One of the sweetest couplings in the MCU once belonged to Chris Pratt’s Peter Quill and Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, who met during the events of the first Guardians of the Galaxy. Sadly for the pair, Thanos’ plot to destroy half the universe caused a major rift between them (quite literally) when Thanos sacrificed Gamora to get the Soul Stone. There seemed to be a silver lining for the couple in Vol. 3 when Gamora returned, but during the final Guardians of the Galaxy movie’s ending, the pair went down separate paths. 

Celeste & Jesse, Celeste and Jesse Forever 

2012’s Celeste and Jesse Forever is a rather ironic title considering Rashida Jones’ Celeste and Andy Samberg’s Jesse don’t get a happily ever after. The movie is about high school sweethearts who marry young and decide to separate years later. Despite their separation, the former couple insist on remaining best friends, making for some funny and rather awkward situations between them. Ultimately, the couple need to let go and move on from each other. 

Gary & Brooke, The Break-Up

After Jennifer Aniston had starred in numerous romantic comedies over the years, the Friends actress changed things up with 2006’s The Break-Up alongside Vince Vaughn. The comedy follows a longtime couple that decides it's not working between them but refuses to move out of their condo. A lot of funny things go down when they become roommates following the breakup. While it could have been a setup for a sweet rekindling, they ultimately stay broken up. 

Oliver & Elio, Call Me By Your Name 

Call Me By Your Name is about 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) who meets a handsome doctoral student Oliver (Armie Hammer) while spending the summer in Italy in 1983. The pair strike up a passionate love affair over the course of the sunny months, but sadly for Elio, it was only a fling. At the end of the film, Elio sits tearfully by the fireplace in winter as he learns Oliver has since become engaged. 

Nora & Hae Song, Past Lives 

Past Lives, which was such a powerful 2023 movie that it became one of the 2024 Oscar nominees for Best Picture, is about two childhood friends who cross paths on multiple fronts throughout their lives. Greta Lee plays Nora, a Korean woman who has to say goodbye to her best friend Hae Song (Teo Yoo) as a kid when her family immigrated to New York. As adults, Hae Song visits Nora in the Big Apple, after she’s already been married. There’s a sense that the couple missed out on something special, but as the ending illustrates, they’ll have to perhaps wait for their next life to see their lives align. 

Rhett & Scarlett, Gone With The Wind

One of the most tragic love stories in cinema is certainly 1939’s Gone With The Wind between Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara. With the backdrop of the Civil War behind it, the sprawling epic brings together Rhett and Scarlett during the war’s dire circumstances, leading to their marriage and the birth of their daughter Bonnie Blue. However, when Scarlett’s initial crush Ashley comes between them, Rhett leaves her under the morning fog glow and she is heartbroken. 

Noah & Allie, The Notebook

A particularly sad breakup in the movies comes via 2004’s The Notebook. When the movie begins, two teens, Allie and Noah (Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling) from the opposite side of the tracks fall in love. However, Allie’s parents put a rift between them and they don’t see each other for years. Little does Allie know that after their breakup, Noah wrote to her every day for an entire year and her mother kept them from her. Lucky for this romance, it ends in a happy (yet very bittersweet way) down the road. 

Jerry & Dorothy, Jerry Maguire

In 1996’s Jerry Maguire, which is one of Tom Cruise’s best performances ever, the actor’s character of Jerry and Renée Zellweger’s Dorothy have an incredibly grounded and quite sad breakup scene when they realize they don’t want the same things anymore. The sequence really tugs at the heartstrings because Jerry had started to bond with Dorothy’s young son Ray since their marriage. 

Alice & Dan, Closer

In 2004’s Closer, Jude Law’s Dan leaves Natalie Portman’s Alice heartbroken when he confesses he’s been cheating on her. As she protests the breakup, he admits he’s “selfish” as she cries in his arms. She asks him to make tea, but while he’s preparing it she jets out the door and he never sees her again. 

Nicole & Charlie, Marriage Story

Breakups are always more difficult when children are involved. In 2019’s Marriage Story, audiences get a chance to see the pitfalls that come with divorce as a successful theater director Charlie (Adam Driver), and his wife and actress Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) go through the motions of ending their marriage. 

Bernadine & John, Waiting To Exhale 

In 1995’s Waiting To Exhale, Angela Bassett’s Bernadine, who is the mother of two kids, has spent much of her adult life shelving her career aspirations to raise her children. So we really feel the sting when she finds out that her husband of eleven years has been cheating on her with his bookkeeper and plans to divorce her. Of course, Bernadine gets her revenge by sending her ex’s car up in flames. 

Peter & Sarah, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Sometimes the worst breakups are about the timing of it all, and we’re definitely not over this super awkward one in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. In the 2008 comedy, Kristen Bell’s Sarah dumps her longtime boyfriend Peter (Jason Segel) while he’s butt naked in their apartment. Then, they both run into each other in Oahu where Peter runs into Sarah and her new man, Aldous (Russell Brand). It’s funny as a movie, but gosh this is a nightmarish scenario! 

Danny & Debbie, About Last Night

In the 2014 movie, Michael Ealy and Paula Patton’s Danny and Debbie relationship blossoms and then falls apart during the movie’s runtime. It all comes to a head during a New Year’s Eve party that leads Debbie to move out. Thankfully, in the case of this movie, the pair do makeup by the end of the film! 

Katie & Hubbell, The Way We Were

1973’s romantic drama The Way We Were, had Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford playing lovers amidst their experiences with the House Un-American Activities Committee. Despite their differing opinions, they fall for each other, get married, and have kids. Their different beliefs ultimately drive them apart, but at least they get an epic kiss goodbye at the end.  

Dean & Cindy, Blue Valentine

Marriage is hard work. In 2010’s Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling depicted a rather grounded couple’s story in a narrative that impressively plays with timelines. The working-class romance is a tragic one that puts the spotlight on how ego can be the pitfall of a once passionate love.  

Emma & Adele, Blue Is The Warmest Color

French award darling Blue Is The Warmest Color had us messed up following watching Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos’ Emma and Adèle fall in love only to fall apart. The 2013 movie follows the two women across many years as they become closer, only for some major blemishes in their relationship to lead to an emotional breakup that changes them forever. 

Julianne & Michael, My Best Friend’s Wedding

There’s something romantic about marrying your best friend, as Julia Roberts’ Julianne hopes to do during My Best Friend’s Wedding, but her motivations are so crossed. Throughout the movie, she tries to break up Dermot Mulroney’s Michael with Cameron Diaz’s Kim, but ultimately she realizes Michael is not the one for her. It’s still a sweet wedding as another one of her BFF’s surprises her at his wedding and they dance the night away. 

Su & Chow, In The Mood For Love

There’s nothing quite like the romantic tension that Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung created in 2000’s In The Mood For Love. The movie is about two Shanghainese expatriates Su and Chow, who are already married, but fall into an emotional affair with one another as they learn of each being cheated on by their spouses. However, the tension never explodes into the affair we want it to as the movie ends with Chow confessing his love in a hole in a temple wall rather than to Su. 

Ben & Janine - He’s Just Not That Into You

He’s Just Not That Into You is one of those romantic comedies that follows a series of intertwined couples played by A-list actors. The most cutting arc in the movie is perhaps as Jennifer Connelly’s Janine realizes her husband Ben (Bradley Cooper) has been cheating on her with his yoga instructor Anna (Scarlett Johansson) amidst her slaving over house renovations for their place. After a particularly awkward moment between Ben, Janine, and Anna, Janine figures it all out and sends Ben packing. 

Evan & Kayleigh - The Butterfly Effect 

In 2004’s science fiction thriller, The Butterfly Effect, Ashton Kutcher plays Evan, a man who learns he can travel back in time and alter the past, present, and future. Sadly for Evan, as he discovers this power, he is met with the reality that his love Kayleigh (Amy Smart) often has traumatic fates if he is with her. By the end of the movie, he has to use his powers to make sure they are not together and she never even knew him. What could be worse than a breakup that the other person doesn’t even know about or experienced? 

So much heartbreak!! To keep it rolling, check out the TV breakups we're not over yet next! 

Few film genres capture both the beauty and brutality of the human experience more so than the Western. For as long as people have been making movies, acclaimed directors like John Ford, Sergio Leone, and Quintin Tarantino have taken moviegoers from all corners of the Earth and transported them to the Old West.

“But what is the best Western?” is a question that has come up countless times over the years, and the topic was recently brought up at CinemaBlend where we love discussing everything from the greatest war films ever made to the top 100 ‘90s movies, and just about everything else. Several of us sat around a digital cookfire and went through the history of the genre and picked out what we believe are the best Westerns of all time.

From classics like Once Upon a Time in the West and the “Man with No Name” trilogy to more contemporary neo-Westerns like No Country for Old Men and Hell or High Water, we’ve come up with quite a list. Saddle up and hold on tight because this is going to be a ride you won’t forget…

30. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Coen Brothers’ most underrated movie (and we’re sticking to that), The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is as unconventional as you can get. Unlike their remake of True Grit, which is also on this list, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is an anthology western featuring six unique tales that offer a wide range of tones. 

You have your somewhat hokey and fun vignettes, like the titular segment, and “Near Algodones,” but then you have your dour and dreary ones like “The Mortal Remains” and the deadly serious, “Meal Ticket.” In the end, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western like no other, which makes sense, coming from the Coen Brothers. 

29. Dances With Wolves (1990)

Kevin Costner isn’t exactly Clint Eastwood, but his dalliances with the Western genre, on screens both big and small, have earned him a seat at the table of Hollywood frontier legends. Dances With Wolves is the star’s directorial debut and a true labor of love, one in which he starred, directed, and produced in order to tell the story of a Civil War Lieutenant who discovers a new purpose when he encounters the Sioux tribe. When Costner told Westerns, he aimed for the sweeping grandeur of the American plains, making Dances With Wolves as gorgeous and virtual spectacular as it was moving and traditional.

28. 3:10 To Yuma (2007)

James Mangold makes excellent pictures. Too many of them get labeled as “Dad Cinema,” but that just means his movies – from Ford v. Ferrari to Cop Land – tend to speak to a masculine demographic, though one that also contains a brain and a beating heart. You find both ingredients hard at work in Mangold’s 2007 action drama, 3:10 to Yuman, during which a soldier turned rancher (played by Christian Bale) must track and detain a known felon (played by Russell Crowe) in order to pay off some stifling debt. Mangold’s movies are meat-and-potatoes offerings, with little flair but hearty helpings of character development, moral intrigue, and terrific central performances. You know what you get, and what you get is great.  

27. Brokeback Mountain (2006)

Possibly Ang Lee’s best movie, Brokeback Mountain definitely isn’t your “typical” Western, in that there aren’t any shootouts, nor does it take place in the past. Instead, this Academy Award-nominated masterpiece is about two cowboys (played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) who fall in love, despite their knowledge that many people (including their wives) would view their relationship with disgust. 

But that’s what makes Brokeback Mountain so effective. It plays with the tropes of a Western being “masculine,” as what even is masculinity? These men work hard jobs, but they’re also in love with each other, which makes the ultimate outcome all the more difficult to swallow. All these years later, and we still can’t quit this film. 

26. Bone Tomahawk (2015) 

If you want a mean-spirited, gritty movie, then look no further than Bone Tomahawk. Categorized as a horror western, Bone Tomahawk certainly is a western. But it’s also scary! Directed by S. Craig Zahler, and starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Lili Simmons, and many others, Bone Tomahawk doesn’t romanticize the American West. 

Instead, it portrays an indigenous tribe of cannibals, and a sheriff’s hunt to rescue people who were captured (and hopefully not already eaten) by them. Bone Tomahawk is not for the faint of heart. It doesn’t shy away from gruesome imagery, and there is always an impending sense of dread throughout. We’ve seen many Westerns, but none are like this one.

25. Wyatt Earp (1994)

Not to be confused with Tombstone, which came out just six months earlier, Wyatt Earp tells the epic and sprawling story of the titular lawman (played by Kevin Costner) as he makes a name for himself in the Old West and eventually becomes the sheriff of Dodge City and Tombstone. Gun battles, incredible mustaches, and another reenactment of the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral make Lawrence Kasdan’s 1994 biographical drama a fun yet often forgotten Western experience. Sure, it’s not as much fun or fondly remembered as Kurt Russell’s Tombstone, but this three-hour love letter to the West is a gem.

24. The Wild Bunch (1969)

Set in the dying days of the Old West, where cowboys and gunslingers are becoming a thing of the past, Pike Bishop (William Holden) and his band of outlaws prepare to pull off one final heist and ride off into the proverbial sunset. But upon finding out that the robbery is all one big setup by his old partner, the aging cowboy attempts to flee for the wild and untamed lands of Mexico.

Sam Peckinpah’s The Wild Bunch is one of the best movies that focuses on the final chapter of the Old West and features some incredible characters who are trying to come to terms with a changing, more modern world and their place in it. This classic is wild, it’s violent, and it’s enchanting.

23. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)

There are Spaghetti Westerns and then there is Once Upon a Time in the West, Sergio Leone’s masterful 1968 epic that is not just one of the best Westerns from an Italian director, but one of the genre’s touchstone moments. Set in the fictional town of Flagstone, the movie follows various killers, drifters, and strangers who all find themselves in the same place at the same time, resulting in cinematic gold.

From Tonino Delli Colli’s beautiful cinematography to Ennio Morricone’s legendary score to Henry Fonda playing against type and portraying the film’s villain, a vicious outlaw named Frank, the movie is perfect in every way.

22. The Searchers (1956)

John Wayne and director John Ford are two of the most iconic names in Western film history. Together they made 14 movies, and one of their undisputed masterpieces is The Searchers from 1956. The plot is a classic Western, a Civil War vet, Ethan Edwards (Wayne) and his nephew search for his niece (played by Natalie Wood) who is abducted by a Comanche tribe. 

Now, let’s be clear, there are a LOT of problems with this movie from a social perspective. The depiction of Native Americans is offensive, especially by Wayne’s character, and that cannot be ignored. However, the filmmaking by Ford is breathtaking and cemented Ford’s place in the pantheon of American directors, and maybe the finest Western filmmaker of all time. 

21. Tombstone (1993)

Tombstone may be based on a true story, but that doesn’t mean the story is accurate, but that doesn’t matter, that’s not why anyone watches this movie. Its story is actually kind of irrelevant, though it is great. No, Tombstone is about all the fantastic performances by a cadre of amazing actors at the peak of their talents delivering some of the most memorable lines in movie history. 

You don’t tussle with Kurt Russell, especially as Wyatt Earp. Val Kilmer, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Dana Delaney, Sam Elliott, Charlton Heston, Billy Bob Thorton, Micheal Rooker… the cast list goes on and on. You can’t find a better cast, and you’re a daisy if you do. 

20. Shane (1953)

George Stevens’ marvelous Western, Shane, stars Alan Ladd as a mysterious and skilled gunfighter who rides into a small town in Wyoming Territory and slowly changes the lives of everyone he meets. This is especially true for Joey Starrett (Brandon deWilde), the young son of a couple of settlers who takes a liking to the cowboy and tells him about the bad players who have been preying upon the town making life difficult for its inhabitants.

There’s a lot that makes Shane one of the best Westerns of all time, including the showdown with Jack Wilson (Jack Palance), a notorious gunslinger. It also doesn’t hurt that the movie features what could be the most emotional endings of all time with the young Joey crying for Shane to “come back.”

19. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

More than anything else, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ranks as one of the most gorgeous pictures you will ever see put to film. Legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, Skyfall) makes magnificent use of light and shadows to stage this breathtaking Western about outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt), his adoring patron Robert Ford (Casey Affleck), and the contention forming between the men that led to the former’s murder. Andrew Dominik’s feature is moody and visceral, but also complicated regarding its approach to history, legends, and how one can be distorted to influence the other. Still, Pitt and Affleck are tremendous, and Deakins deserved the Oscar (which he lost to Robert Elswit and There Will Be Blood).

18. High Noon (1952) 

Directed by Fred Zimmerman, and starring Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, and many others, High Noon is a classic amongst classics. It’s also the kind of Western that you might watch in a film class since it can be seen as an allegory for the McCarthyism that was going on at the time. The story of a marshall (played by Cooper) who has to make a difficult decision, High Noon still resonates today in a big way since it deals with themes of bravery and heroism. 

It also begs the question, should you fight for others, or should you fight for your own survival? In the end, there are many different ways to look at the situation, but it’s effective here because of the constant ticking clock. A lot of Westerns like to take their time, but not High Noon. It’s tense to the very end. 

17. The Quick And The Dead (1995)

If the climactic, practically obligatory gun duel is your favorite scene in any Western, The Quick and the Dead — which takes place during a gunfighting tournament — must be a heavenly blessing in your eyes. Sharon Stone stars as a mysterious sharpshooter who blows into the quaint village where the deadly competition is held, setting her sights on defeating its wealthy, ruthless leader, played by Academy Award winner Gene Hackman.

What makes this one of director Sam Raimi’s best movies is the way the Evil Dead franchise creator keeps every last stand-off sequence feeling fresh by incorporating his one-of-a-kind, nearly cartoonish visual style, but without ever downplaying the scenes' emotional impact. Also featuring great performances by future Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, The Quick and the Dead is a good, old-fashioned, wildly entertaining slice of high-stakes Western cinema.

16. True Grit (1969) 

Here’s the thing. Should John Wayne have beaten Jon Voight or Dustin Hoffman for Best Actor at the 1970 Academy Awards? No. Of course not. Either Voight or Hoffman should have won for Midnight Cowboy. But, when we’re talking about cowboys, then there probably isn’t one who is more iconic than the Duke. 

The story focuses on a teenage girl (played by Kim Darby) who hires a U.S. Marshall (played by John Wayne) to hunt down the man who killed her father, and what makes this movie special is the relationship between them, as you get a sense that Wayne’s character is protective over his new client, even though she can very well take care of herself. Add in a Texas Ranger (played by Glen Campbell) who is also on the hunt for the same man, and you have a Western that feels timeless. 

15. Back To The Future: Part III (1990)

When Robert Zemeckis ended Back to the Future Part II, he concluded on a cliffhanger that sent Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) back to the old West, forcing Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) to program their DeLorean to travel back decades to save his best friend. It was all an excuse to let Zemeckis, his team, and his crew stage a modern Western, one that playfully recycles the story beats of the first two Back to the Future films – the introduction of Biff, Marty meeting a female relative, a combustive third-act chase – but adds in hilarious Western tropes. What we didn’t expect, however, was a winning love story woven into the Part III screenplay between Doc and Clara (a delightful Mary Steenburgen), a schoolteacher with a taste for science-fiction. A sweet conclusion to a terrific time-traveling trilogy. 

14. The Magnificent Seven (1960)

When asked to picture your favorite scene in any Western, you might conjure the image of a tense stand-off pitting one gunslinger against a dastardly foe. Director John Sturges elevates that cliche to an even more exciting effect by pitting seven gunslingers against an army of dastardly foes in The Magnificent Seven.

Inspired by one of the best samurai movies, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, the film stars Yul Brynner as a gunfighter who enlists the help of six other men with similar talents (played by Steve McQueen, Horst Bucholz, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, Brad Dexter, and James Coburn) to defend a Mexican village from a group of tyrannical bandits led by the ruthless Calvera (Eli Wallach). It is a wonder in itself to see some of the most legendary action stars of their time fighting side-by-side, but the exhilarating magic they create onscreen is what makes this an essential tale of good vs. evil worth revisiting again and again.

13. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

On a Mount Rushmore of Western movie icons, there is undoubtedly a spot for Clint Eastwood, whose most famous contributions to the genre are his characters from Sergio Leone’s Dollars Trilogy. However, allow us to present our case for why his most definitive Western role is the eponymous anti-hero of The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Eastwood also directs this spellbinding, Oscar-nominated adaptation of Forrest Carter’s book — also one of the best Civil War-era movies — about a farmer whose family is killed in cold blood, transforming him into a vengeful, cold-blooded killer himself with a sharp aim, a sharper tongue, and a menacing scowl. The Man with No Name (as the actor’s Dollars Trilogy characters are collectively called) is a calm, cool cat, but Josey Wales is one mean, unforgiving son of a gun, which is exactly the kind of role Eastwood plays best. 

12. A Fistful of Dollars (1967) 

The first movie in Sergio Leone’s “The Man With No Name” trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars is really just the Akira Kurosawa movie, Yojimo, but set in the West. And it’s awesome! The movie that made Clint Eastwood a movie star, this Spaghetti Western is about an anti-hero named Joe (so, he DOES have a name!) who pits two different groups against each other in order to take the gold at the heart of the conflict for himself. What makes this movie work though is just how cool it is. 

Clint Eastwood’s trademark stare is here in all of its glory, and he carries the film from being what could have just been a standard western, into a classic. Sure, it may be the weakest in the trilogy, but as a launchpad to two other great westerns (and Clint Eastwood’s career), it’s WAY up there on the scale. 

11. Logan (2017)

The best superhero movies are basically chapters in different genres, be it the 1970s political intrigue of Captain America: The Winter Soldier or the crime-gangster epic of The Dark Knight. So when director James Mangold accepted the challenge of telling a final Wolverine story for Hugh Jackman, he borrowed the formula of the Neo-Noir modern Western, making Logan essentially a Man with No Name modeled after Clint Eastwood in the Spaghetti Westerns of his Italian era. And it helped to make Logan one of the best comic book adaptations of the time, a gritty survivalist story about a grizzled mentor giving it all to protect a young charge (Dafne Keen), with stunning performances from both Jackman and Patrick Stewart in roles they’d worn comfortably for years. It’s a little sad this no longer serves as Jackman’s farewell to the part, but we’ll always have Logan as some form of sendoff.

10. For A Few Dollars More (1965)

The second in Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy starring Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name, For a Few Dollars More follows the legendary Spaghetti Western icon as he reluctantly teams up with another bounty hunter by the name of Col. Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) to find and take out the murderous El Indio (Gian Mari Volonte) and end his reign of terror. From Eastwood’s iconic entrance to the epic duel at the end of the movie, this classic doesn’t let off the gas.

The gunfights, the shaky bond shared by the Man with No Name and Col. Mortimer, Sergio Leone’s attention to detail, and an all-time great score by the late Ennio Morricone make For a Few Dollars More not only one of the best Westerns of all time but also a crowning achievement of 20th-century cinema. No wonder the movie, like other titles in the trilogy, is so beloved nearly 60 years after it first hit the big screen.

9. Django Unchained (2012)

There is a case to be made that every Quentin Tarantino movie is a Western in some respect, but his first undisputed contribution to the genre — and still, arguably, his best — is Django Unchained. Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx stars in the title role as a slave who is offered freedom by German-born bounty hunter King Schultz (Inglourious Basterds’ Christoph Waltz in his second Oscar-winning role) in exchange for help identifying a pair of notorious criminals. When Schultz learns that Django has been separated from his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), he offers to help rescue her from cruel Mississippi plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Like Tarantino’s previous efforts, Django Unchained not only aims to pay homage to the iconic Spaghetti Westerns of yesteryear with its rousing score, dazzling gunfights, and cold-blooded revenge plot, it also rips the classics to shreds with the filmmaker’s signature silver-tongued dialogue, cheeky dark humor, and choice to make a Black man the sharp-shooting hero of a story set in the pre-Civil War United States. That alone makes this deliriously entertaining thrill ride one of the most powerful and satisfying revenge stories of its time.

8. True Grit (2010)

Usually, we frown on remakes. Why try and mess with something that worked well the first time, as was the case with John Wayne’s 1969 classic True Grit? We had The Duke in an eye patch, being hired by an adolescent girl to track down a murderer in hostile territory. Now that’s a Western! But lo and behold, every once in a while, a remake improves on the original, and drastically. That’s what happens when you hire Joel and Ethan Coen to breathe new life into the classic tale. Their take on True Grit soars under the leadership of a brilliant Jeff Bridges, playing Rooster Cogburn, and pairing him with the masterful, young Hailee Steinfeld – an instant star. 

Everything about True Grit worked, from the way that brilliant cinematographer Roger Deakins captured the sprawling landscapes of the American West, to Carter Burwell’s triumphant, emotional score. I’m not sure why we ever doubted the Coen brothers. Mauve because of The Ladykillers. But we delight in revisiting this magnificent tale because of the beautiful chemistry shared by Bridges and Steinfeld, a pair in which we shall invest for decades to come.

7. Blazing Saddles (1974)

Let’s get this out of the way at the top: Blazing Saddles is purposefully and hugely un-PC. It doesn’t want to be, and it’s not, at all. It’s incredibly hard to walk a line between funny and offensive when one wants to make a move like this, but director and writer Mel Brooks and co-writer Richard Pryor are no ordinary mortals. It takes talent on that level to make a movie this racy, this beloved. It’s both of its time and timeless. 

People often ask if you could make a movie like Blazing Saddles today and the answer is yes, but you better have the skills of Pryor and Brooks. It also helps to have actors like Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder just chewing up the scenery (in a good way) as well. Comedic Westerns are rare, and they rarely work, but not only is Blazing Saddles one of the best comedies of all time, it delivers as a Western as well, with shootouts, cowboys, horse stunts, and everything else you want in one. 

6. The Hateful Eight (2015) 

Though The Hateful Eight isn’t Quentin Tarantino’s best movie that would be Pulp Fiction, of course, it is high on his list of films. What’s great about this movie, which stars the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern, and a whole host of other talented actors, is that this is one of the greatest bottle movies of all time. And why this works is because it plays against conventions. 

Westerns typically take place in wide-open vistas. We’re really supposed to get a sense of the land, as it is often a character in its own right. And it’s a character in The Hateful Eight as well, but a deeply confining and claustrophobic one. We feel just as trapped as the characters, which works wonders when it comes to character development. Plus, the dialogue is phenomenal, but what else would you expect from a Quentin Tarantino movie?

5. Hell Or High Water (2016)

In 2016, a couple of years before Taylor Sherdinan introduced audiences to the world of Yellowstone, the prolific actor, writer, director, and producer nearly won an Academy Award for his tense and poignant neo-Western, Hell or High Water. In what is essentially an old-school Western set in modern times, the David Mackenzie-directed crime drama follows brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) as they pull off a series of bank robberies in West Texas for a surprisingly righteous cause. Though they’re pulling off daring heists for a good reason, the fact remains that they’re breaking the law, which draws the attention of a soon-to-be-retired Texas Ranger by the name of Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges).

What follows is an intricate cat-and-mouse game where absolutes like right and wrong are thrown out the window and blow together like a tumbleweed where such lines are blurred and become one mess of humanity. As violent as it is heartfelt, this modern classic is a step above most Westerns as of late.

4. Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood made his bones in Westerns early in his career and over the years, he’s starred in some of the best. None are better than Unforgiven. Eastwood directed and starred in this stone-cold classic alongside Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris. Eastwood plays Will Munny, a retired and reformed outlaw trying to live his life in peace on a farm in Kansas. Reluctantly, Munny agrees to join a young bounty hunter to make some money for his family and asks his old friend Ned (Freeman) to join in the hunt. 

What follows is a classic Western revenge ride after Sheriff "Little" Bill Daggett (Hackman), beats up Will and later kills Ned. There is nothing you want from a Western that Unforgiven doesn’t deliver on and that’s why it’s one of the few in the genre to win Best Picture at the Oscars in 1992, adding Best Supporting Actor for Hackman, and Best Director for Eastwood to its awards haul. 

3. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)

Paul Newman and Robert Redford. They aren’t the last movie stars to walk the planet. It just feels like some classic era of Old Hollywood went out the door when these two stopped making movies… and stopped collaborating on screen together. In their defense, it would be near impossible for the duo to keep raising the bar on movies such as The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Best to go out on top. 

That’s not how Butch and Sundance go out, as the final shots of George Roy Hill’s vintage Western suggest the legendary criminals went out with the guns blazing. But the entire movie proves to us why these outlaws were notorious – and why Newman and Redford were two of the most charismatic, magnetic screen presences the industry had ever seen. Essentially, Butch and Sundance is one long chase, with the title characters fleeing from a posse following a botched train robbery. The pursuit is relentless, and the adventures these men reluctantly find themselves on make for one unforgettable story. Hill’s movie doesn’t adhere to the mold of many other Westerns, but by breaking out and doing his own thing, the director struck a picture that stands the test of time.

2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1967) 

Sergio Leone’s best Western, and quite frankly, one of the greatest Westerns of all time, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is such a good movie, that even people who claim not to like the genre usually like this film. That’s the power of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Starring Clint Eastwood as “the good,” Lee Van Cleef as “the Bad,” and Eli Wallach as “the ugly,” this epic starts with an unlikely partnership, only to crescendo into one of the most satisfying duels ever put to film. 

What are the characters fighting over? Well, money, of course, which makes sense since this is the third film in the “Dollars trilogy” (also known as The Man With No Name trilogy), which began with A Fistful of Dollars. The films don’t necessarily connect, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly can be viewed as a singular story, but as the final film in a trilogy, it definitely works. Also, you just gotta love those long shots and close-ups. Plus, that Ennio Morricone score is the chef’s kiss. This is a Western for the ages!

1. No Country For Old Men (2007)

When imagining the quintessential Western, the otherwise beloved Neo-Western thriller No Country for Old Men is probably not the first that comes to mind — given that its setting, tone, and narrative structure are a far cry from the genre’s more traditional elements. However, that is a key reason why the Best Picture Oscar winner has managed to impress us over the more familiar classics — let alone every other detail that makes it one of the greatest movies of the 2000s and one of the most perfectly constructed films ever made..

Joel and Ethan Coen’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel follows three men united (but kept physically separate) by volatile consequences — a magnificent Josh Brolin as retired hunter Llewellyn Moss, Javier Bardem’s Academy Award-winning role as the sadistic hitman chasing after him, Anton Chigurh, and Tommy Lee Jones as aging Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who is looking for both of them in 1980s Texas. However, the one true protagonist is Bell — already grown disillusioned and downright terrified of the violence consuming his life and society even before blood hits the screen. Yet, amid the brutal, but beautifully constructed action sequences, it is the quiet moments in No Country — including its polarizing ending — that lend best to the powerful commentary on violence that secures the film’s supremacy in a historically violent genre.

Every year, the Academy Awards ends with the honors of Best Picture being announced to the world. Admittedly, the Academy doesn’t always get it right. For every Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, there’s a potential Crash to take its place the next year. So let’s talk about the Best Picture losers that really should have won, and why these golden competitors deserved more. 

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh’s bittersweet story of Buddy (Jude Hill) growing up during The Troubles in Ireland was bested by CODA as the top of the 2022 Academy Awards winners lineup. It was a surprising upset that made history for streaming originals, but it also left a beautifully formed tale of childhood and struggle behind in the dust.

1917

Bong Joon-ho’s darkly comedic Parasite, was an absolutely sterling choice for Best Picture. However, looking back on 2019’s films to be honored, Sam Mendes’ 1917 was both a technical and emotional marvel. Depicting World War I through what looked like a single take, the powerful film should have emerged victorious.

A Star Is Born

On the sliding scale of egregious wins/losses at the Oscars, 2019’s Academy Award winners possess one of the most upsetting upsets in the show’s entire history. Director/star Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born failed to secure the win over Peter Farrelly’s Green Book when it came time to award the top prize. You can still hear the screams from that night floating through the air, if you listen close enough.

Arrival

2017’s Academy class of nominees saw La La Land and Moonlight duking it out for Best Picture honors, right to the epic Oscar night mistake that saw victory proclaimed and reversed in the same moment. If only Arrival had seen its fortunes faring better as the true BP winner, perhaps this whole incident could have been avoided entirely. We’ll never truly know.

The Big Short

How strong of a year did the Oscars have in 2016? There are several movies that could have handily taken the prize, despite the fact that Spotlight’s Best Picture win is still something to celebrate. Much like that true-to-life drama, Adam McKay’s The Big Short was a movie that tackled personally identifiable issues and should have won the top prize in the process.

Whiplash

You could very easily mention Birdman’s 2015 win in a room of movie fans and draw a fair amount of sighs and cheers. At the same time, if you said something like "Whiplash was the true best picture of 2014," you just might hear a more unified response supporting that very claim. 

The Wolf of Wall Street

Oh, The Wolf of Wall Street, how you deserved so much more. Though 12 Years A Slave took the top prize, 2014’s Best Picture race did have some other competitors that felt as deserving as the winner. What’s even crazier than this film not winning is that Margot Robbie wasn’t even nominated for her star-making performance.

Gravity

Another heavy hitter that looked like it might take Best Picture in 2014 was Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. Though it was nominated in the same class as Wolf of Wall Street and 12 Years A Slave, Sandra Bullock’s bad day in space was an absolutely golden flick that should have triumphed.

Hugo

2012 gave the world another divisive Best Picture winner that’s still questioned to this day: The Artist. However, if Hollywood wanted to honor the art of filmmaking, with another movie made with visual gimmicks and a story full of heart and emotion, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo would have been a fantastic choice for the honors. 

The Social Network

Some upsets in the category are so large the world tends to skate over history in favor of a more fitting result. 2011’s victory for The King’s Speech is definitely present, since just as we’ll continue to call out Andrew Garfield deserving an Oscar nod, we’ll continue to highlight how The Social Network should have been the top movie of this Academy Awards scrum.

Up in the Air

The first year of the modern Academy Awards with an expanded Best Picture field, The Hurt Locker was named the top flick of its class. And yet another story about wounds that cut personally and professionally should have really been the belle of the ball. It’s ok: Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air will still reign in our hearts, even if the Academy was not so kind.

Inglourious Basterds

Some might argue that with a newly expanded nominee field came some nominations for movies that could have won the “popular film” Oscar. If anyone tells you Inglourious Basterds is one of those movies, you look them straight in the eye and ask them to repeat it. This just might be Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, and that's a bingo.

Frost/Nixon

History comes alive at its best in movies like Frost/Nixon. Watching the verbal sparring match between Michael Sheen and Frank Langella was one of the joys of the film. Ultimately, No Country For Old Men took the top prize at the 2009 Academy Awards, but there’s a silent majority that would make the case for this being the truly deserving title. 

Milk

At once deeply heartwarming and utterly tragic, Gus Van Zant’s Milk chronicled the life and loss of openly gay politician and activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). A member of the highly competitive year that saw No Country For Old Men win top honors, the picture deserves extra consideration to this day. 

Michael Clayton

Some years are just too good in the history of film, and it’s a shame there aren’t more ties for movies that equally deserve the win. No Country For Old Men saw itself at the heart of that very storm as the victor of 2008’s Oscars. That being said, good luck trying to make a case against Michael Clayton being the true victor of that year, especially with that explosive finale.

Brokeback Mountain

Mark 2006 down as yet another Oscar competition where the winner was marked as a controversial bad kid of the family. Crash would take the top prize, but you could already hear viewers openly questioning why Brokeback Mountain’s heartbreaking tale of forbidden love didn’t make the grade. 

Good Night, And Good Luck

Crash’s 2006 win saw a field of better, more competitive films losing out on the Best Picture moniker. Even with George Clooney walking away with a Best Supporting Actor win for Syriana, the loss of his directing/co-writing efforts in Good Night, and Good Luck still remains one of the most notable mistakes. At least the film made the list of CinemaBlend's 100 Best Movies of the 2000s, and rightfully so.

The Aviator

How, how, how did Million Dollar Baby beat The Aviator in 2005’s Best Picture race? Martin Scorsese’s historical drama brilliantly danced between celebrating old Hollywood opulence while also diving into the tortured psyche of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio). Scorsese eventually scored a big win with The Departed a couple years later, but this loss still stings quite a bit.

The Green Mile

When Stephen King goes to the Oscars, his work goes in style. Just five years after Frank Darabont sent The Shawshank Redemption to its Best Picture showdown, the legendary collaborator scored another nod with The Green Mile. American Beauty won that year, a win that over time and consideration makes this King loss all the more upsetting.

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan feels like a movie that should have, without question, won a BP trophy at the Oscars. That feeling was firmly in place right until the night the actual victor, Shakespeare in Love, took home its spoils. Go ahead and take some time to punch the floor if you have to. It’s perfectly natural.

L.A. Confidential

Titanic truly was the ship of dreams for James Cameron and most everyone involved in its production. It was a mythic victory that made history for years to come, but was it really the correct choice? When the BP race that included that film also featured L.A. Confidential within its ranks, you don’t need to be a detective to know the real answer.

Apollo 13

Here’s an interesting Academy Awards two-step: in 1995, Forrest Gump won Best Picture, but it probably shouldn’t have. Meanwhile,1996 saw Mel Gibson’s Braveheart winning those same honors; the same year that the Tom Hanks starring Apollo 13 should have brought home the gold. 

The Shawshank Redemption

Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption is a perfect movie; full stop. Darabont’s adaptation of Stephen King’s fairy tale for adults is still a well-regarded picture to this very day, standing as one of the best films of all time. And yet it couldn’t beat Forrest Gump for the big prize at the 1995 Oscars. I wish I could tell you that was the right choice.

Goodfellas

As far back as Oscar watchers can remember, the loss of Goodfellas to Dances With Wolves was one of the worst upsets to behold at the Academy Awards. Whether you’re a clown or not, that competition was not funny or amusing and may have inspired some fans to swear as much as Joe Pesci has in his entire career with Martin Scorsese.

Working Girl

1989's Oscars were all about Rain Man fever, as Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman's dramedy took home that year's top prize. Which is fine and good but, if the Academy wanted to reward that genre in a better fashion, director Mike Nichols' Working Girl was right there, waiting for the chance. At least Carly Simon's iconic "Let The River Run" won Best Original Song in that same year, so the Melanie Griffith/Harrison Ford/Sigourney Weaver love triangle didn't go home empty handed.

Broadcast News

The Last Emperor is the movie that won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Picture; at least that’s what it says in the history books. And yet, there’s quite a bit of room for doubt, when taking into account that the powerhouse dramedy Broadcast News was also up in that same race. At the same time, the movie’s loss is one that Albert Brooks’ Aaron Altman would view as just another day at the office.

Network

1977 was a red hot year in Academy history, as Rocky became the underdog to rise up and claim ultimate Oscar victory. While the flick's place in the pantheon of sports movies is without question, the presence of Sidney Lumet’s Network in that same contest makes me wonder if the right choice was made, or if anyone else is as mad as hell that this satire wasn’t chosen as the top film.

Little Women

Greta Gerwig not being nominated for directing Little Women is an Oscar travesty. But the fact that the movie failed to win Best Picture in 2020 just makes that fact even more heartbreaking. And considering how the movie's story breaks viewers' hearts with a classic and well-known piece of literature, it’s even more aggressively aggravating. 

The Post

The Shape of Water absolutely deserved Best Picture in 2017, especially when it came to striking a blow for genre films at the Oscars. Even with that in mind, Steven Spielberg’s political/journalistic epic The Post is admittedly a more traditional pick that stands as one of the best “What If” cases in Academy Awards history.

The Martian

Admittedly The Martian is a movie that, while technically being a work of science fiction, rides the lines of more traditional Oscar genres rather well. You can argue whether it’s a comedy or a drama contender, especially thanks to the Golden Globes debacle that inspired that same question. What you can’t argue is that Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel wasn’t a prime contender for the Academy's biggest honor in 2016.

Brooklyn

Director John Crowley’s Brooklyn was a quietly effective story that recounted the immigrant experience and all of its highs and lows. But not all of the beauty in the world could push this film ahead of Spotlight in 2016’s Oscars race; and that’s something that will continue to stick out for as long as we keep these records.

The Queen

2007 saw Martin Scorsese winning pretty huge for The Departed, after losing some well-fought battles with films like Goodfellas and The Aviator. At the same time, Stephen Frears’ The Queen was sitting right there, expertly navigating the story of Princess Diana’s death and how Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) worked though the ensuing public fallout. 

Even royalty can somehow be overlooked at the awards show, proving how unpredictable this long-held tradition truly can be. The Academy Awards have always been a night of winners and losers, and all anyone can do is hope that the right balance between both sides is struck. 

But there will always be a history of people arguing over who the real winners were, as you can see with the films we’ve highlighted above. So when things don’t go the way you hoped on Oscar night, take comfort in the fact that there’s usually someone that’ll be in that same corner you’re cheering from.

Anne Hathaway’s career has become a complex array of projects that range in tone, style, and most importantly genre. However, some of her best movies are romantic comedies, but she also has an equally impressive collection of performances in romantic drama movies. These films have the fanciful nature of a dreamy romance and the angst of a captivating drama. 

Some of her most iconic roles are in romantic dramas. For this list, I focused mainly any that have a romantic relationship at the center; romance doesn’t have to be the main focus but it has to be important to the storyline. Additionally, I ranked the following movies based on the importance of Hathaway’s character to the story, even if she isn’t the main character, and the quality of the movie (performances, storyline, etc.)

Let’s take a look a some of Anne Hathaway’s best romantic drama movies. 

8. Passengers (2008) 

Passengers follows psychotherapist Claire (Hathaway) as she treats several patients involved in a deadly plane crash who were the only survivors. One of them, Eric (Patrick Wilson), and she develop feelings for one another. While nearing the line of unethical behavior, strange things begin to happen around her, such as her patients disappearing. 

This isn’t just a romantic drama, because it’s also a mystery and thriller. However, Eric and Claire’s romance is one of the main plots. Everyone gives interesting enough performances, but the romance isn’t the most exciting one. The movie itself also left me feeling unsatisfied, because the final act doesn’t quite deliver an M. Night Shyamalan-level twist. 

7. The Other Side Of Heaven (2001) 

The Other Side of Heaven is based on John H. Groberg’s first autobiography, In the Eye of the Storm, about his experiences as a missionary in the Tongan islands. The film blends comedy and drama as John adjusts to his new surroundings in this fish-out-of-water story. Christopher Gorham plays John, and Hathaway plays Jean, the girl back home that he loves. 

This film has a questionable storyline at its center, because of the whole depiction of a missionary trying to convert people to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, especially because it’s only told from one perspective. That aside, Hathaway is a key part of the film but she isn’t in it that much. It very much follows John with some scenes of Hathaway’s character writing and responding to John’s letters. She doesn’t get enough scenes to showcase her talent here.  

6. Song One (2014) 

Song One follows Franny (Hathaway) as she returns home when her brother gets into an accident and goes into a coma. She decides to meet one of his favorite musicians, James (Johnny Flynn), to tell him about her brother. They become friends and that grows into a romance.

This is a family drama and a tribute to singer-songwriters that incorporates musicians, such as Flynn, to showcase the independent music scene. The movie makes interesting style choices, and Flynn and Hathaway have genuine and charming chemistry. Song One’s one major flaw is that the overall storyline lacks oomph. 

5. Brokeback Mountain (2005) 

Brokeback Mountain follows the love story of cowboys Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) over the course of two decades. It’s one of the best movies of the 2000s. Anne Hathaway plays Lureen Newsome Twist, Jack’s wife. 

Though she only plays a supporting role, and the love story isn’t between Jack and Lureen, she still plays a critical part in the movie. This is a movie where the supporting characters deliver equally passionate performances as the main cast. It’s both one of Michelle Williams’s best performances and Hathaway’s. It's also by far the most well-written, acted, and directed movie on this list, but because Hathaway isn’t the lead romantic interest in this drama, I ranked it lower than the next four. 

4. Modern Love: Take Me As I Am, Whoever I Am (2019) 

Modern Love is an anthology series based on The New York Times column of the same name. Hathaway appears in Season 1 Episode 3, “Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am.” She plays Lexi, a woman with bipolar disorder, and we watch her encounters with a man she meets at a grocery store, and how her mental illness affects her quest for love and everyday life. 

Though “Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am” isn’t a romantic drama movie, it is a romantic dramedy with an emphasis on drama. The Modern Love episode is also one of Hathaway’s best performances in a movie or TV show, because of how she creates a fully fleshed out character in a short time frame.  

3. Nicholas Nickleby (2002) 

Based on Charles Dickens’s novel, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, the film follows Nicholas Nickleby (Charlie Hunnam) as he encounters various people throughout his life and travels. It features an A-list cast that includes Jamie Bell, Nathan Lane, Christopher Plummer, and Alan Cumming. Anne Hathaway plays Madeline Bray, Nicholas’s main love interest. 

Here's another movie where Hathaway plays the main love interest but isn’t in most of the movie. However, the difference between this one and The Other Side of Heaven is that overall the film is very captivating.

You’re enthralled by Nicholas’s journey and the people he meets along the way. The film features many great performances, especially by Plummer. The major flaw of is Hathaway's lack of screen time. However, she definitely beguiles whenever on screen in Nicholas Nickleby.  

2. One Day (2011) 

One Day follows best friends Emma (Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) over the course of several decades. Emma is in love with Dexter even before they truly meet, however, life and circumstances (and Dexter’s general behavior) keep them in the platonic zone for many years. One Day is based on David Nicholls's book of the same name.

This drama may be one of Hathaway’s most famous romantic dramas. It’s also the film on this list most true to the definition of a romantic drama: Dexter and Emma’s romance (or lack of it) is the center of the film. Sturgess and Hathaway, despite her accent, give great performances. You experience and see all the shades of their complicated relationship. It may be one of the movies with a controversial ending, but that adds to the complexity of their love story.

1. Becoming Jane (2007) 

Becoming Jane is inspired by the life of Jane Austen, and tells a love story similar to Pride and Prejudice with enemies to lovers in Thomas Langlois Lefroy (James McAvoy) and Jane Austen (Hathaway). It also depicts some of how Austen’s passion for writing grew into a successful career. 

McAvoy is one of those actors who makes on-screen chemistry look easy. His pairing with Hathaway is no exception; they are so magnetic together on screen that you can’t help but want more movies with them together. They’re co-stars who need to work together again. Hathaway is passionate, charming, and willfully headstrong in Becoming Jane. It’s a depiction of Austen that should make dedicated fans of the author proud. 

Anne Hathaway’s romantic drama movies feature some of her most heartfelt and earnest performances. They help showcase her range and ability as one of the most charismatic actresses of her generation. 

There’s no single CinemaBlend opinion on anything. Through countless arguments over the years, I’ve learned we’re not even on the same page about how to define the word best, from our choices for the top 100 '90s movies to our picks for the best horror movies of all time. What makes a movie the best is impossible to nail down from one person to the next, though it's perhaps easier to consider when thinking about a decade of movies that came and went and can't be added to anymore. But for the most part, it's all about what you like.

It’s because of those clashing perspectives that this Best Movies Of The 2000s list is unlike any list that a single person from our team could have crafted, taking into account both Oscar-worthiness and popcorn-friendliness. The list accounts for movies that have aired 5,000 times on cable, and movies that have been shared lovingly from generation to generation. It’s a retro-hodgepodge of what we loved then and then, from Adam Sandler's raunch to Daniel Day Lewis' aplomb.

This list is CinemaBlend’s collective celebration of the 2000s, in all its neon-hued glory, and we hope everyone will find plenty to love, though a few disagreements and good-natured debate never hurt anyone. Let the arguments begin…

100. Avatar (2009)

While it's the last on this list, there's no denying Avatar's impact on the film industry back in 2009. The movie is a sci-fi masterpiece that features incredible visuals, mainly following the tale of Jake Sully, a human who finds love and acceptance within the world of the Na'vi, the native people of Pandora.

The film takes the audience on a wild ride for two and a half hours. While the story of saving a planet from foreign invaders could be more groundbreaking, the unique visual effects that fans get to see are. And now, with a successful sequel out more than ten years later, it's the perfect chance to revisit the original.

99. Erin Brockovich (2000)

Julia Roberts had established herself as one of the most beloved actors in the world in the 1990s, and as calendars flipped over to the year 2000, she didn’t waste any time starring in yet another critically acclaimed box office hit. Hitting theaters in March 2000, Erin Brockovich tells the story of the titular lawyer who started a landmark case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for groundwater contamination, and it’s a stellar work that further cemented the clear talents of director Steven Soderbergh. It’s thrilling and dramatic, but also funny and fun – in large part due to Roberts’ charm and charisma.

98. The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover is part travelogue and part comedic shitshow. It races its characters through what feels like an entire TV season’s worth of odd locations and ridiculous scenarios, somehow finding time for hospital visits, naked gangsters, weddings, Blackjack heaters, stolen tigers, missing babies and stun gun demonstrations. It sounds like way too much plot for an hour and forty minute movie, but the key to a good comedy isn’t the situations the characters find themselves in, it’s the rapport and natural chemistry between the actors/characters going through those situations. And Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms are fantastic together. Their clashing vibes, energy levels and comedic sensibilities somehow blend into a perfect cocktail, and with Oscar-nominated director Todd Phillips stirring the drink, The Hangover is able to turn its B-movie premise into one of the funniest comedies of the 2000s.

97. Cloverfield (2008)

The first decade of the Aughts saw one word playing into many of its most cherished cinematic successes: reinvention. For director Matt Reeves’ Cloverfield, two different types of genre favorites were mashed together to create a wildly new, very mysterious product: monster movies like Godzilla and found footage pictures such as The Blair Witch Project. 

Amping up the scale of what a handheld camera could cover, Cloverfield’s ingenious marketing campaign kept audiences guessing about what its true intentions were. In the wake of a mysterious/title-free teaser, it was anyone’s guess what writer Drew Goddard’s movie was about. To live up to the hype after stoking such anticipation for an unknown quantity only cemented Cloverfield as a certified success. In a market where it felt like the trailers gave everything away, a major studio movie broke with the norm, all in the name of a monstrous triumph. 

96. National Treasure (2004)

The race to steal the Declaration of Independence was on in 2004 as Nicolas Cage and his team of treasure hunters went on a high stakes mission to find the greatest treasure. This story sweeps across American history, and is held together by Cage’s protagonist and his drive to find this great prize, and protect the Declaration of Independence by stealing it, of course.

This Disney staple is a family classic, and an action adventure bound to entertain just about anyone. It was such a success that a sequel soon followed, and maybe, someday, National Treasure 3 will happen. However, let us not forget the majesty that is the original National Treasure. 

95. The Notebook (2004)

There’s a reason that when one thinks of the genre “romance” The Notebook instantly comes to mind. The 2004 Nicholas Sparks adaptation is nothing short of a timeless classic that gracefully dances between being a forbidden and second-chance love story. It’s the movie that made Ryan Gosling a Hollywood hunk matched by a passionate yet grounding performance by Rachel McAdams. Together they are a firecracker of chemistry who left a generation longing to kiss in the rain. Cliché and mushy as The Notebook can be, when the music swells on the final scene, it never ceases to remind us why it’s one of the most endearing and cathartic love affairs we’ve ever seen. 

94. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Though it's been nearly two decades since its release, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy still stands as one of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s greatest collaborations. The 70s-set movie marked McKay’s directorial debut and, with it, he masterfully injects humor and social commentary into a satirical workplace comedy set within the world of broadcast news. His screenplay is funny and occasionally, downright hilarious, but the cast truly makes the movie shine. Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carrell and more are just flawless. And of course, it’s Ferrell’s portrayal of the titular character that really puts it over the top.

93. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Anyone angling for a great sports drama that not only delivers sheer emotion but also captures the spirit of the pastime it’s tackling should check out Million Dollar Baby. Director Clint Eastwood’s Best Picture-winning film tells the story of an aspiring boxer (played by Hilary Swank), who teams up with a veteran trainer (Eastwood) in the hopes of achieving in-ring glory. The result is an emotionally affecting – and sometimes brutal – story about resilience and parental bonds. This boxing flick won Swank, Eastwood and co-star Morgan Freeman all Oscars and, when you see the movie, you’ll understand why.

92. Saw (2004)

2004's Saw revitalized the horror genre years ago, thanks to James Wan and Leigh Whannell, with its shocking twists and equally astonishing violence. But while the movie did include some truly grotesque “games” for Jigsaw’s victims, this was more than the mere “torture porn” that plagued the aughts. There was intention behind Jigsaw’s pain — making people think about the lives they’d led before forcing them to, “Live or die, make your choice.” 

The audience was along for the ride, trying to figure out why Adam (Whannell) and Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes) were chained up in a bathroom and how they could escape before it was too late. Thanks to some brilliant misdirection, the ensuing plot twist was truly gasp-inducing. These days you might not be able to get away with that ending, but don’t say you saw it coming back in 2004.

91. Super Troopers (2001)

Super Troopers From a plotting and acting perspective, Super Troopers isn’t exactly The Departed. Its basic premise, and even many of its specific scenes, are just nimbly bimbly excuses for the cast to make raunchy jokes about the natural absurdities of being a cop. That works, though, because the movie understands what we want as an audience: non-stop jokes and shenanigans about liters of cola, littering and smokin’ the reefer. From cat game to syrup fights to biker confusion, Super Troopers has its own vibe and unique sense of humor. It’s just out there, doing its own thing, and that’s why, more than two decades later, fans are still pulling over to watch it… even if they’re already pulled over and they can’t pull over any further.

90. War of the Worlds (2005)

Steven Spielberg wouldn’t be the first to adapt H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds novel for the screen, nor would he be the last. But his modern-day take on the 19th Century sci-fi novel certainly made an impression. From the main characters — led by Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier, father to Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and Robbie (Justin Chatwin) — to the various settings, to the unnerving sight (and sound) of the tripods emerging from below the ground to decimate or capture any humans in their path, War of the Worlds made its mark as an epic sci-fi action movie about survival and the choices a struggling parent has to make to protect his children from a worst-case-scenario. In true Spielberg fashion, the movie is thrilling and occasionally chilling, but also offers that added layer of a family element to keep us invested from beginning to end. 

89. Sin City (2005)

Most comic book adaptations aim to reimagine the characters and events of the source material in a way that more closely resembles reality. However, when director Robert Rodriguez teamed up with famed author and illustrator Frank Miller (acting as co-director) to bring his graphic novel series, Sin City, to the big screen, they did more than just adapt it. They brought it to life.

This anthology-style collection of three interconnected stories — all of which take place in the same hopelessly down-trodden, crime-ridden metropolis — is a masterclass in noirish storytelling (the razor sharp dialogue is straight out of a Raymond Chandler classic), astonishingly unique visual design (every beautifully grayscale frame resembles a comic book panel), and flawless acting from the entire Sin City cast, including Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Mickey Rourke, and so many more amazing A-listers. When it comes to non-superhero-related comic book movies, this might be the best of them all.

88. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Anticipation for the feature adaptation of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary — itself a reinterpretation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice — was high, to say the least, for those of us who adored the book, when it finally made its way into theaters in 2001. Renee Zellweger’s mix of charm, determination for romance and occasional awkwardness alone are reason enough to love the adaptation. Then factor in the excellent chemistry she shares with both love interests — Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy — not to mention the fantastic supporting cast, well-timed bits of hilarity and genuinely heartfelt moments of romance and what’s not to love about Bridget Jones’s Diary? 

87. Taken (2008)

Taken isn’t the most emotionally complicated or the most realistic movie, but it has a really good sense of its own strengths and leverages that particular set of skills perfectly. Liam Neeson might not be the prototypical action star, but he’s an Oscar-nominated actor uniquely good at portraying single-mindedness and determination. Taken is able to harness the badass fatherly intensity of a desperate man searching for his daughter and pair it with ruthless action sequences that rely more on craftiness than brute strength. The result is one of the best and most rewatchable action movies of the 2000s, a tight 90 minutes that’s so much fun it produced two sequels, a TV series and an unexpected late career resurgence for Neeson.  

86. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Before Will Smith earned his third Oscar nomination for King Richard, and after his nomination for Ali, he received his second Academy Award nod for The Pursuit of Happyness. Based on the real story of Chris Gardner, the movie follows Gardner's struggle to find a job to provide for his son during a year when they are homeless. 

The movie is inspiring for anyone, featuring an uplifting and memorable story. That, paired with an incredible performance from Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith – who made his acting debut in the film – makes this the perfect movie to watch on any given day. 

85. The Bourne Identity (2002)

Before Daniel Craig came along and ushered in a new era for the James Bond movie franchise a few years later, Doug Liman’s The Bourne Identity welcomed audiences to the 21st century with this fresh, unique, and action-packed spy thriller. Matt Damon, who had already shown a great deal of depth in movies like Good Will Hunting and The Talented Mr. Ripley a few years earlier, became a bonafide action star with his portrayal of Jason Bourne, a trained killer with no recollection of his dark past.

There are few early 2000s action sequences as memorable as the movie’s iconic car chase through the streets of Paris. Audiences, used to seeing spies and assassins whipping around in souped-up sports cars were in for the ride of their lives with Bourne behind the wheel of a weathered Mini Cooper.

84. Love Actually (2003)

Love Actually has become annual holiday viewing for many since its premiere in 2004. Renowned rom-com filmmaker Richard Curtis struck gold with an A-list cast, as ten loosely connected plotlines each portray a different kind of love. Everybody’s sure to have their favorite stories within the movie, but they all strike an emotional chord, albeit in different ways. 

As these characters navigate the holidays, Love Actually tackles themes of grief, infidelity, unrequited love, workplace romance and more, while never losing its charm and eliciting tons of laughs. Throw in infinitely quotable dialogue (“Let’s get the shit kicked out of us by love!”), an infuriatingly hilarious cameo by Rowan Atkinson, and one absolutely iconic dance from Hugh Grant, and you’ve got yourself a classic.

83. (500) Days of Summer (2009)

In a decade greatly defined by bubblegum romantic comedies where audiences can take comfort in the same three act structure often ending in wedding bells, (500) Days Of Summer flipped the genre on its head. Romance and love can be a tricky, complicated thing that not only may be finite, but clouded by one’s fantasies, projections of potential and manic pixie dream girls. Marc Webb’s indie rom-com announces up front that it is “not a love story” and cleverly plays with structure as Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Tom falls for Zooey Deschanel’s Summer. Between its stunningly memorable soundtrack, creative use of mixed media against its gorgeous L.A. backdrop, (500) Days Of Summer is a dark horse of a romantic comedy that tackles the expectations vs. reality of love with a sharp wit. 

82. Knocked Up (2007)

Most romantic comedies try a lot harder at one of those two things. They’re either romantic movies with a few solid laughs sprinkled in or they’re clearly comedies that shoehorn a romance in there as an afterthought. Knocked Up works so well because it tries really hard at both. It succeeds a little more as a comedy, given it has Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Craig Robinson, Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd, but it also takes a lot of time and care with its love story and has many thoughtful things to say about relationships and parenting. It never takes the easy way out or betrays itself for a cheap, inauthentic laugh, which lets the natural chemistry between Rogen and co-lead Katherine Heigl grow into a budding relationship you actually root for. 

81. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

As proven decades ago by George A. Romero, slow zombies are quite scary – but in 2004, director Zack Snyder and screenwriter James Gunn teamed up to show us just how freaky fast zombies can be. Dawn Of The Dead is a movie that stays true to its source material, gathering a bunch of strangers in a shopping mall as the dead come back to life, but it has its own energy and no shortage of standout moments. The beginning is a terror, the ending is deeply unsettling (including the material in the end credits), but the baby is where this one hits its peak.

80. Remember the Titans (2000)

Remember the Titans will make you laugh, cry, cheer and feel a whole range of emotions as you go on a journey with newly integrated T.C. Williams football team to win the state championship. This incredible movie about bringing a football team together is led by Denzel Washington, and it’s not only regarded as one of his best movies, but it’s also widely known as one of the greatest sports films. 

Washington and Will Patton lead the stacked cast of Remember the Titans, which includes Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst as the team’s leaders. Along with them, the movie also features Donald Faison, Craig Kirkwood and Ethan Suplee as well as a very young Ryan Gosling and 10-year-old Hayden Panettiere, among many others. Overall, it’s an inspiring and moving movie about acceptance and determination. Let’s just say Remember the Titans always has us saying “We want some more!” 

79. Juno (2007)

While Elliot Page was an actor at a young age, Juno was the movie that made him into a household name. And for good measure, as Jason Reitman’s quirky 2007 flick delivers in both comedy and heartfelt, human moments. Page earned an Academy Award nomination at the time for his performance, which surely feels justified. 

2007's Juno centers around its title character, a teenage girl who accidentally gets pregnant. She decides to carry the baby to term, arranging an adoption with a married couple (played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman). After being filled with plenty of funny moments (and a killer soundtrack) the ending provides an emotional catharsis that puts Juno above many movies around its time.

78. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

It’s no wonder that Disney has been trying for 20 years to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Inspired by a theme park attraction, but blazing its own trail, Pirates created one of modern cinema’s most iconic characters in Captain Jack Sparrow. But the rest of the cast, including Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and a scene-stealing Geoffrey Rush, is no less compelling. From sword fights to ship battles, Black Pearl’s action is near perfect, with the Johnny Depp vs. Orlando Bloom duel a textbook example of how to tell a story with an action scene. It set a bar so high that even its own sequels were never going to clear it.

77. Ray (2004)

Cinema lovers have been graced with plenty of great biopics over the decades, and Ray certainly stands as one of the best. Directed by Taylor Hackford, the movie chronicles the life and career of the great Ray Charles. James L. White’s screenplay effectively tells Charles’ story, chronicling his professional and personal highs and lows in the process. And of course, the production is (appropriately) infused with incredible music. There are plenty of great performances on display, but it’s Jamie Foxx’s uncanny – and Oscar-winning – turn as the titular musician that really makes this period drama worth a watch or two.

76. Unbreakable (2000)

M. Night Shyamalan had an unenviable task in 2000 – following up his overnight sensation, The Sixth Sense. Was that movie a flash in the pan? Or would Shyamalan live up to the billing he was receiving in the press as, “The next Spielberg?” Remarkably, Shyamalan came up with a deeper, more meaningful film that also started the bandwagon for superhero-movie fascination, only with a meditative origin story for a strong man (Bruce Willis) who doesn’t recognize his invulnerability. Pulp Fiction co-star Samuel L. Jackson tapped into his fiendish side to play Willis’s nemesis, a man plagued with brittle bones who assumed that his opposite had to exist in the world. But it was Night’s ability to generate an intense mood that boosted Unbreakable. We rode a wave of increasingly suspenseful tension until the moment Willis donned his raincoat and embraced his destiny. Unbreakable started a trilogy, but also guaranteed that Shyamalan was here to stay as one of our most original and effective storytellers. 

75. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall occasionally gets overlooked as being just another rom-com from the aughts – specifically the rom-com featuring the oddball pairing of Mila Kunis and Jason Segel, but I can’t imagine that anyone who’s lumping this movie into just another group of rom-coms has seen it recently because it is profoundly and consistently weird. 

Segel’s TV composer main character dreams of creating a Dracula musical featuring puppets called A Taste For Love. He also wants to get over his titular ex-girlfriend - hilariously played by Kristen Bell, who somehow ends up in the hotel room next to him having loud sex with her new rock star boyfriend. That messy journey of acceptance and moving on, amidst all its weirdness or maybe because of all its weirdness, never feels like a cliche. It’s consistently funny and has so many thoughtful things to say about relationships, break-ups and finding yourself. Don’t write it off.

74. School of Rock (2003)

Jack Black was many things in 2003, though many wouldn’t have considered his comedic stylings family-friendly until School Of Rock. Black’s musical abilities from his band Tenacious D paired with the wholesome story of teaching some kids how to rock, was fun for everyone and really skyrocketed him further into the mainstream and into more roles for younger audiences like Kung Fu Panda and Nacho Libre. Sure, he’d still do raunchier stuff like Tropic Thunder, but this movie was imperative to show the range he had as an actor. 

Let’s also not forget this movie boasted other celebrities who are notable talents in 2023, like Miranda Cosgrove and The White Lotus showrunner Mike White. Oh, and the music is still as great as it was then, even decades later. There’s a strong message here about the importance of teaching children about music and helping them follow their passion, and it’s that message that will keep this movie relevant for decades to come. 

73. Up (2009)

Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, has always been known for its films that have reached a broad audience, starting with their debut full-feature film, Toy Story. However, in 2009, the studio released Up, the first Pixar film to receive a nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Up is mainly about Carl, an older man living a lonely life, and to fulfill his promise to his late wife, he travels across the world in a floating house to South America – with the help of a local wilderness explorer who tags along for the ride. 

A lot can be said about Up, from its stunning animation to the beautiful soundtrack, but nothing beats the story. It's a tale of a found family and of finding love and compassion in places you would never expect. And you must always remember – the wilderness must be explored!

72. District 9 (2009)

Coming in at 72 on the list might just be an indicator of how underrated District 9 is, considering it’s one of the best science fiction movies of the 2000s. Neill Blomkamp’s feature walks the line between messaging about the various mistreatment marginalized groups are subjected to, to how humanity would respond if aliens were really discovered to be on Earth. Given recent reports at government hearings, it isn’t all that unbelievable that it wouldn’t take long for humanity to get back to normal after finding a bunch of alien refugees on Earth. 

Perhaps the best compliment to pay District 9 is that it’s a phenomenal standalone sci-fi movie with no sequels or prequels. This could be why it’s typically lower on the sci-fi lists as there may be a community of people that simply forgot about it as the years went on. Now is the time to revive the credit it deserves and maybe bump it up a few notches on future top lists. 

71. Shrek (2001)

Think of every DreamWorks Animation movie you can think of – I bet Shrek is one of the first that pops into your head. 

Shrek was a momentous occasion for DreamWorks Animation when it was released. It was a huge box office success, received rave reviews, and was even the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature winner. The movie mainly follows Shrek, an ogre whose swamp is suddenly overrun with fairytale creatures, and to get them out, he must save Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a dragon on a mountain of lava and bring her to Lord Farquad. 

The DreamWorks Animation film created an empire of Shrek success. With numerous sequels and spinoff movies, Shrek is one of the most successful animated franchises ever. The first film featured some great CGI animation for 2001 but also had the hilarity of adult jokes that parents would get while their kids enjoyed the fantasy, animation, and love story. Besides, who wouldn't love listening to Eddie Murphy crack jokes as Donkey for an hour and a half? 

70. Mulholland Drive (2001)

There are two sides to David Lynch: the fairly normal filmmaker who wants to tell a linear story in a somewhat straightforward manner (examples include The Elephant Man and The Straight Story), and the absolute bonkers off-the-wall batshit fever dream of an avante-garde video artist (examples include Eraserhead and Inland Empire). What makes Mulholland Drive such a beautiful film, is that it’s the perfect balance of these two sides of the iconic writer/director. In fact, without spoiling anything, the film even has a pivotal moment where it completely changes tonally, effectively showing these two distinct sides of Lynch. Perhaps more importantly, this tonal switch is expertly pulled off by the film’s star Naomi Watts, who, between this and 2001’s 21 Grams, was at a point in her career where she was showing off her chops with an authenticity that was hard not to notice. Mulholland Drive will show you the full range of skill you need to see from both Watts, and the legendary auteur that is David Lynch. 

69. Watchmen (2009)

“Unadaptable” is a word that’s been used when approaching the most ambitious literary adaptations. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ landmark graphic novel Watchmen was one such project, earning that brand after decades of potential adaptations failed to tackle the ambitious superhero narrative properly. 

Even in light of multiple cuts, and the ending being substantially altered from what was depicted in the 1985 source material, Watchmen is a miracle to behold. Somehow, the complicated narrative told through various mediums in that graphic novel was streamlined into a product that didn’t water down the full story. 

Only Zack Snyder’s third directorial effort, Watchmen is a powerful statement of the man’s developing skills in that point of his career. Arriving in the wake of Iron Man and The Dark Knight, it proved comic adaptations could be more than market-driving crowd pleasers. In the case of Watchmen, such movies could also be masterpieces.

68. Sideways (2004)

How the hell did Sideways, a dialogue-driven dramedy about a schoolteacher who loves wine, become such a mainstream pop-culture phenomenon? Try going wine-tasting without hearing a joke about drinking from the spit bucket, or somebody saying, “I am not drinking any fucking merlot!”

Sideways’ writer and director, Alexander Payne, has always told stories that are rather grounded in reality. Aside from Downsizing where he literally shrank Matt Damon, these are movies about common issues that most folks can relate to. The Descendants is about grief, About Schmidt is about aging, and Sideways is about letting go. With the script came Payne’s first Academy Award, a life-changing role for Paul Giamatti, and one of the best films of that decade. The bleak nature of the ending with just a dash of hope is a testament to real-life, and relatable for the average person. That is how a movie about a failed middle-aged writer with a drinking problem managed to cement its place in film history. 

67. Lost In Translation (2003)

Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an American actor past his prime. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is a young, married, recent college graduate. Both are in Tokyo — Bob to shoot promos for a Japanese whiskey and Charlotte to follow her photographer husband (Giovanni Ribisi) on his latest assignment — and overcome with feelings of loneliness and disillusionment until a chance meeting at their hotel bar gives the unlikely duo a sense of fulfillment when they both need it most.

Lost in Translation is one of the first films produced by Focus Features and is still considered to be one of the production company’s best releases two decades later for the refreshingly unique — albeit, unlikely — love story that still manages to warm hearts from its unforgettable opening shot to its cryptic, much-debated final moment. The charming, invigoratingly honest dramedy also managed to be a major turning point for Murray (who earned his sole Academy Award nomination), Johansson (a breakthrough performance), and second-time writer and director Sophia Coppola, who earned a well-deserved Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

66. The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

In the mid-2000s, big screen comedy underwent a titanic shift. Through the late ‘90s and the turn of the century, the genre was dominated by the so-called Frat Pack (Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jack Black, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson)… but then along came The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the directorial debut from Judd Apatow. The film is hilarious and sweet, with a collection of wonderful characters exploring the high highs and low lows of sexuality and romance in the 21st century – and while not everything about it has aged perfectly, it does a tremendous job at leaning into the talents of its stars. And it’s a game-changer.

While it’s Steve Carell’s movie, a huge part of its legacy is featuring the breakout performance by Seth Rogen. In the wake of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Rogen and Apatow became the biggest names in funny, with not just their own comedic voices becoming popular, but also their improvisation-heavy styles.

65. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Hot Fuzz is the kind of action movie where every second feels crafted by a team of action movie fans, as opposed to a cast and crew just going through the motions. Co-written by the A+ pair Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, starring Pegg opposite frequent co-star Nick Front, Hot Fuzz is mostly set far from metropolitan skylines and endless high-rises, and its quaint Wicker Man-esque village makes for a wildly unique setting for any story filled with this many Point Break references.

As the second film in the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Hot Fuzz built on Shaun of the Dead's already stellar cast with a host of UK legends such as Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Olivia Colman, Bill Bailey, and the list goes on and on. (When you have Cate Blanchett making uncredited appearances, you're doing something right.) Unlike the other two Cornetto films, though, Hot Fuzz probably deserves another straightforward sequel set in this universe, with a new killer crime for Nicholas Angel and Danny Butterman to get crackin’ on.

64. Walk The Line (2005)

Music biopics might feel like they’re a dime a dozen, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t gems to behold in the genre, and one of those is absolutely James Mangold’s Academy Award-winning drama, Walk the Line. In it, Joaquin Phoenix portrays country music legend Johnny Cash through his tumultuous rise to fame, which includes his relationship with eventual wife, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon).

Sure, on one hand, we’ve seen music’s superstars descend into alcoholism and drug addiction on the big screen time and time again, but it’s how all the pieces of Cash and Carter’s story are put together that make the film a must watch. As such, the performances of the leads are everything here, and seeing June attempt to staunch her feelings for her married co-performer, while also trying to knock some sense into him as she watches his addictions grow and Johnny become more erratic, are some of the best parts of the movie. Witherspoon didn’t win a Best Actress Oscar for nothing, and Phoenix is at his peak here, as well.

63. Lilo & Stitch (2002)

With Walt Disney Animation fresh out of its renaissance after the ‘90s, the 2000s were a particularly experimental period for the studio which, looking back, found inspiration from numerous science fiction classics. The best 2D animated movie from the House of Mouse of the decade is a lively spin on E.T., but this mysterious alien is an intergalactic fugitive with a bad temper who falls to the Hawaiian Islands, becomes best friends with a young orphaned girl who teaches him the gospel of Elvis Presley. 

Not only is Lilo & Stitch an incredibly quotable, fun, family adventure, it’s one of Disney’s most authentic and original films that speaks to finding one’s ohana in unexpected places amidst great loss. Few Walt Disney Animation movies have felt as simultaneously intimate and commercial as Lilo & Stitch. Experiment 626 remains a gem that made Disney’s growing pains of the 2000s worth the while. 

62. Monsters, INC (2001)

Before Up, The Incredibles and even Finding Nemo, there was Monsters, Inc. Pixar’s decision to make its fourth feature a story about a company that generates scream-based power in a world inhabited by ferocious creatures may have seemed odd at the time. However, it ultimately turned out to be an inspired (and very) lucrative decision. Set in the world of Monstropolis, the film centers on two pals – both employees of the titular corporation – who must return a human child to her world in order to keep her out of harm’s way. And the result is a hilarious and heartwarming romp about loyalty and tolerance.

Pete Docter – who’d go on to direct Up, Inside Out and more – really proved himself as a filmmaker with this directorial debut. The flick is beautifully animated and populated with plenty of lovable characters. Speaking of which, John Goodman’s James P. “Sully” Sullivan and Billy Crystal’s Mike Wasowski still stand as two of Pixar’s most popular creations. The interactions between the two sometimes mirror the interplay of some of cinema’s best comedic duos. Monsters, Inc. would spawn a sequel and TV spinoff, but it’s the 2001 movie that’s truly an eclectic piece of storytelling.

61. The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Picture award, but the voters got it right when it came to the prize handed out at the end of the 21st century’s first decade. Director Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is a heart-stopper that tears down the wall between film and audience: when Jeremy Renner’s Staff Sergeant William James is suited up and defusing bombs, you hold your breath in fear, terrified to feel the heat of the fiery explosion that will result with one false move by the protagonist.

Screenwriter Mark Boal’s work puts us directly in James’ mind – a soldier who is incapable of leaving the battlefield behind – and Jeremy Renner’s turn is a career best. In retrospect, it’s wholly understandable why Renner’s performance changed the trajectory of his career and turned him into the Marvel-bona fide star that he is today.

60. Moulin Rouge (2001)

On paper, Moulin Rouge is a movie that just should not exist. The premise alone, a modern jukebox musical set in 1890s Paris, creates a level of cognitive dissonance on its own that suspension of disbelief should be impossible. It’s the sort of thing that only a director like Baz Luhrmann would even try, but somehow, he not only makes it happen, he makes it work.

Everything about Moulin Rouge goes hard. The performances, the songs, the sets. It creates its unreality so perfectly that it’s near-impossible to avoid being swept up by it and brought along for the ride. And the absinthe-infused magic is so far removed from reality that even 20 years later Moulin Rouge feels just as fresh. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are perfect as the star-crossed lovers. We know how the story will end before it begins, but it doesn’t make any of it less heartbreaking. Luhrmann’s films can sometimes focus on style over substance, but there’s no lack of substance here. 

59. Elf (2003)

Elf is probably the most recent Christmas movie that became an instant classic. Jon Favreau crafted a delightful and bonkers story for the 2003 movie, with Will Ferrell offering one of his most iconic performances of all time. And it’s a movie that’s re-watched annually by countless families every Holiday Season… or other times in the year when you need a good laugh.

Elf’s concept is both ridiculous and simple; Buddy is a human raised by elves who eventually goes to New York City to find his birth father (played by Godfather icon James Caan). The juxtaposition between Buddy’s eternal optimism and the hard streets of the Big Apple is fodder for countless funny bits throughout its runtime. There’s also a touching story about family and the holiday spirit that makes Elf a true beloved Christmas movie. Plus, it’s got a pre-Game of Thrones appearance by Peter Dinklage. And of course, Santa (I know him!).

58. Good Night, and Good Luck (2005)

In the 1950s, few people were as outspoken about the threat of Communism than Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy, whose blacklisting of anyone he deemed suspicious was so notoriously frequent that “McCarthyism” — a term associated with fear mongering — was coined after him. One of the few people brave enough to take a stand against him was CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow, whose defiance of the politician and the Red Scare nearly cost him his career, but also made him into one of the most influential icons of his craft.

This monumental moment in journalism history is dramatized with nearly the same level of passion for truth and justice in Good Night, and Good Luck. — named after the famous concluding catchphrase of Murrow, portrayed here in an Academy Award-nominated performance by David Strathairn. George Clooney, who also plays Murrow’s producer, Fred Friendly, earned his first Oscar nominations as a director and co-writer for this riveting history lesson, made even better with Robert Elswit’s gorgeous cinematography and exquisite acting from the star-studded ensemble, which also includes Jeff Daniels, Patricia Arquette, Robert Downey Jr., and Frank Langella.

57. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Wes Anderson’s style is so distinct that it has become something of a joke in pop culture, frequently being parodied on shows like Saturday Night Live. When folks reference Wes Anderson, and the trademarks of a Wes Anderson film, they’re primarily lifting it from The Royal Tenenbaums. The point is, Tenenbaums is by far the most Wes Anderson-y film to ever Wes Anderson; absolutely jam-packed with quirkitude, a variety of eccentric characters and deadpan dialogue delivery. This is the quintessential hipster flick that helped to define a generation of indie millennial film buffs.

Aside from The Royal Tenenbaums’ effect on pop culture, it truly exists as a wonderful, honest, hilarious, and heartbreaking film. Over twenty years ago when the film was released, there wasn’t a lot like it in mainstream American cinema, with the somewhat privileged (yet painfully relatable) themes it explores being limited to conversations had by those gathering to watch Jean-Luc Godard in their NYU dorm rooms. With his first Oscar nomination, The Royal Tenenbaums introduced much of the world to Wes Anderson, and many still consider it to be his finest work to date. 

56. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Oftentimes sequels don’t measure up to their predecessor, but Spider-Man 2 is one of the exceptions. Director Sam Raimi and screenwriter Alvin Sargent kept the best elements from the first Spider-Man movie and improved upon them, with the follow-up doing an excellent job exploring how Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker handles the burden of heroism and trying to balance his web-sliding activities with his civilian life. However, Spider-Man 2’s MVP is Alfred Molina, whose more sympathetic take on Doctor Octopus quickly cemented him as one of the best superhero movie villains of all time. It’s no wonder we still have yet to see another actor play the tentacled antagonist in a live-action movie. As a bonus, I love how the movie recreated the panel from 1967’s The Amazing Spider-Man #50 of Peter Parker leaving his costume behind in the garbage. A touch like that is a great Easter egg for Marvel fans, but is also just a gorgeous shot for the casuals watching the tale unfold.

55. Ratatouille (2007)

Pixar Animation’s eighth feature film, Ratatouille, is as surprising as its premise. It came at a time when the studio was high on a winning streak, redefining how we looked at toys, bugs, monsters, cars, superheroes and fish. Sure, making an audience empathetic to rats feels like a stretch, but the 2007 movie had a fresh and quirky way in that kept Pixar at an all-time high. What if one rat was secretly a gourmet cook in Paris, France? The results are so charming. 

Fronted by a charismatic voice performance from Patton Oswalt as Remy, packed with decadent and often mouth-watering animation greatly displayed inside a top-tier French kitchen and beautifully underlined by an all-time great score from Michael Giacchino, Pixar told a hilarious underdog story with the creativity and wonder the studio remains beloved for. It’s one of those movies that has one doing a double take at every human and animal you encounter next time you walk outside in playful curiosity about the world thinking “Anyone Can Cook.” 

54. Superbad (2007)

Seth Rogen has touted himself as a “permanent teenager,” and never has that title been truer than in the 2007 teen buddy comedy Superbad. The movie — which he penned with Evan Goldberg and stars a number of the regular Judd Apatow players — carries the funky vibe of the 1970s throughout, but its story is timeless. The only thing more relatable than high-school seniors Seth and Evan (played perfectly by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera) trying to get to a party to impress some girls was their underlying anxiety over not knowing what would happen to their friendship after graduation.

The laughs come a mile a minute — some may say it’s the funniest movie of all time — with an impressive cast that also includes Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, Emma Stone and, of course, Seth Rogen. But in the end it’s the friendship at the heart of the story that makes this one worth watching again and again. Superbad is also responsible for giving us “McLovin,” for which we should be forever grateful.

53. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

One of the most intriguing stories related to the crime of check fraud is that of Frank Abagnale Jr., who impersonated various professions, passed off millions of dollars worth of phony checks, and outran the FBI between the ages of 16 and 21. At least, that is what the fraud prevention consultant claimed in his memoir, Catch Me If You Can. The book inspired an excellent movie of the same name.

This 1960s-set crime drama stars future Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio as the young, elusive con artist, who enters an intense, enduring game of cat-and-mouse with two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks as a veteran FBI agent who will stop at nothing to bring him to justice, even if he becomes friends with him in the process. Following Minority Report, director Steven Spielberg completed his one-two punch of masterfully entertaining films in 2002 with this dazzling, devilishly charming, and even heartwarming tale. 

52. Cast Away (2000)

Everybody scream “Wilson!” with me! Now, let’s all break into violent sobs as we remember Tom Hanks losing his best friend… a volleyball with a face painted on it. Cast Away is a miracle. It’s essentially a one-man show that you can’t pull your eyes off of, because you root so hard for Hanks and want to see how he’s going to get off the deserted island on which he is stranded. Director Robert Zemeckis places us in Hanks’ sandals, so we feel frustration as he fails to get a makeshift raft over the incoming tide, and elation when he figures out how to start a fire. Hanks already was viewed as one of our greatest actors before he single handedly carried this survival story, but the gripping performance earned him his fifth Oscar nomination. (He lost to Russell Crowe in Gladiator.) Listen to this remarkable stat: Zemeckis filmed Cast Away’s first half with a chunky Hanks, then had to pause production while his leading man lost enough weight and grew enough hair to play his marooned self in the movie’s second half. During that pause, Zemeckis filmed an entire feature: 2000’s marital thriller What Lies Beneath, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford.

51. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

One thing to know about Ang Lee is that he keeps audiences guessing when it comes to his projects. And given his body of work leading up to the 2000s, not too many people might’ve expected him to helm a wuxia martial arts epic with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Yet movie lovers should be so glad he did. His seventh directorial effort is a masterpiece featuring beautifully choreographed fight sequences, impeccable production design, imposing performances and more.

Based on Wang Dulu’s 1942 novel of the same name, the highly ambitious production centers on a seasoned warrior and his equally skilled ally (and love interest), who aim to hunt down the former’s fabled sword so it can be delivered for safekeeping. Their quest ultimately leads them down a path neither could’ve ever imagined. Ang Lee assembled a highly formidable ensemble of actors led by Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi, who all give career-best performances. The martial arts genre features a wide array of movies, but few can meet the standard set by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

50. Legally Blonde (2001)

“What? Like it’s hard” to be one of the top 50 movies of the 2000s? It’s not for Legally Blonde, that’s for sure. Casually going to law school at Harvard to win back your ex-boyfriend is a far-fetched idea, but Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods doesn't just pull it off, she succeeds in grand fashion, obviously.  

Elle Woods is such an icon, she’s funny, gorgeous, and hyper-intelligent, and seeing her harness all of that to succeed at Harvard was empowering. Reese Witherspoon and the cast of Legally Blonde are also on their A-games in this movie, creating a hilariously smart and unique story. From Jennifer Coolidge’s “bend and snap” moment with our leading lady to the adorable rom-com subplot between Elle and Luke Wilson’s Emmett, the film is packed with memorable stories from fabulous characters.

Since then, Withersoon’s lawyer’s story has expanded into a sequel and a Broadway musical, because a world with more Elle Woods in it is “So Much Better.” 

49. Tropic Thunder (2008)

Tropic Thunder is a relentless and vicious commentary on the motion picture industry and all the absurdities associated with it. For two unyielding hours, Ben Stiller’s satirical action comedy mercilessly skewers the executives, the actors, the directors, the writers, the agents and even an explosives coordinator, painting them as deeply flawed and emotionally unstable people who will do anything to stay relevant and protect their own fragile egos. From blackface to stolen valor to exploiting the mentally handicapped, there’s no line they won’t cross in pursuit of their next award, their next paycheck or their next high.

Tropic Thunder shouldn’t work. From one angle, it’s a big budget, big studio action comedy filled with explosions, fart jokes and Tom Cruise dancing to Flo Rida. From another angle, it’s a deeply clever satire that repeatedly and without apology seeks out complicated and problematic subject matter. It’s a movie within a movie disguised as another movie, but instead of a disorganized mess, it somehow all comes together thanks to a fantastic script, an Oscar-nominated Robert Downey Jr. performance and the greatest little kid reaction shot in the history of movies.

48. Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe went on an absolute tear in the 2000s with a number of memorable movies, so it’s no surprise that the one he won the Best Actor Oscar for is on this list. Gladiator is an absolute triumph from start to finish, with knockout performances led by the direction of Ridley Scott. Maximus is an immediately likable character brought down to the lowest point of his life. He keeps fighting and survives solely because of the revenge he hopes to deliver to Commodus. 

And while Joaquin Phoenix did not win an Oscar for his nominated performance as Commodus, Maximus’ journey isn’t quite as sweet without him being every bit as unlikable as he should be. When the big scene finally comes for Maximus and Commodus to square off, how can you not be on the edge of your seat? Without a doubt one of the best gladiator movies of all time.

47. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

While not strictly a love story, Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire definitely owes a lot to the genre, as Jamal’s (Dev Patel) lifelong love for childhood friend Latika (Freida Pinto) drives much of what he does. The drama follows Jamal as he relays the events of his young life that have led him to correctly answering questions on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, after he’s arrested and tortured for cheating.

As Jamal takes us through the harrowing events of his childhood that led him not only to fall for Latika, but to compete on the show in an effort to find her again, we’re taken through an action-packed tale of survival under extreme circumstances, what a young man will go through to save the love of his life, and how we all probably know a lot more than we think we do. Definitely hard to watch at times, but inspirational nonetheless.

46. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

On one hand, Jonathan Daylon and Valerie Faris’ Little Miss Sunshine is one of the funniest movies of the 2000s, but on the other hand it’s one of the most tragic stories to come out of the decade. The “road trip from Hell” setup had been done countless times prior to the film’s 2006 release, but rarely had the subgenre been as effective, emotional, or laugh out loud funny.

Michael Arndt’s hilarious, heartbreaking, and nuanced screenplay, which earned him an Oscar, doesn’t play it safe by avoiding life’s tragedies (both major and minor), but instead faces them head-on, creating a cathartic experience for his characters and audience alike. Transformative performances by the late Alan Arkin (he also won an Academy Award), Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette and the rest of the Little Miss Sunshine cast make you feel their characters are family, which is the heart and soul of this outstanding film.

45. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Keira Knightley’s Pride & Prejudice is hardly the first take on the novel of the same name, but the 2005 film arguably set the standard for modern Jane Austen movie adaptations. The love story between Elizabeth Bennet (Knightley) and Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) is beautifully told, and made all the more memorable for the cinematography, soundtrack, and chemistry between the stars. In fact, the cast was stacked with stars who either already had or would become big names, including Donald Sutherland, Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, and Kelly Reilly in addition to Knightley and Macfadyen. 

The world of the Bennet family in this Pride & Prejudice feels lived in and domestic in a way that adds a touch of modern realism to a Regency-era period drama and contrasts the more austere beauty of Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley estate. The film isn’t as faithful to the book as the beloved 1995 BBC miniseries, but it hits the important beats of the original Jane Austen story in just over two hours while also being completely accessible to viewers who haven’t read the book, with moments like the iconic hand flex of Mr. Darcy that fans far and wide know well. 

44. Adaptation (2002)

Adaptation is a book adaptation about the adaptation process. Understood? Wonderful. 

Nicolas Cage plays dual roles as the most neurotic possible version of screenwriter Charlie Kauffman, as well as his fictitious twin Donald Kauffman. Originally hired to write the film adaptation for Susan Orlean’s bestseller The Orchid Thief, Charlie Kauffman experiences a debilitating case of writer’s block, stemming from a slew of mental health issues including social anxiety, body dysmorphia and depression. This sends him on something of a tortured artist’s odyssey that leads him to write himself, and the experience, into his script. Thus, we get Adaptation, a hybrid of both the story of The Orchid Thief, and Kauffman’s experience adapting it.

These days, such a meta concept is somewhat commonplace, but over 20 years ago, this was the most bonkers script since Kauffman’s Being John Malkovich. Malkovich was even worked into Adaptation’s storyline, with John Cusack, Catherine Keener and the titular John Malkovich playing themselves. The point is, this film is WEIRD in the best of ways, yet still managed to grab Oscar nominations for Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, as well as a win for Chris Cooper. Adaptation is perhaps the greatest cinematic insight into the creative writing process, and the effect it has on one’s psyche, ever made.

43. Love & Basketball (2000)

The best romantic comedies might get a lot of attention from fans of lovey dovey stories, but romantic dramas deserve our eyeballs as well, and Love & Basketball is one that really should be praised. This romance (which is also a fantastic sports drama) tells the story of Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps), two talented, basketball-obsessed kids who bond over their love of the sport, but have several trials as they attempt to take their relationship from friends to lovers in their high school and college years and, later, in their twenties.

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature-length directorial debut does an amazing job of showing how hard it can be for two people who are so dedicated to their craft to make time for one another, especially as the pressure to succeed in their sport pulls them in different directions. But, it goes much further than that, with each of their complicated family dynamics and emotional wounds taking this love story to the next level.

42. Minority Report (2002)

If you had the chance to predict and prevent a tragic crime, the choice sounds obvious, right? That is until you are faced with the possibility that the prediction is wrong and your arrestee was destined to be innocent. That provocative idea was the basis for a 1956 short story by prolific science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick, which was later adapted into one of director Steven Spielberg’s most exciting films of the decade, if not his full career.

Tom Cruise stars as John Anderton — the chief for a special police unit that uses a trio of clairvoyant siblings to detect future murders — who begins to question their seemingly “perfect” system when he makes the horrifying discovery that the potential perpetrator of his next case is himself, forcing him to go on the run. The truth behind this prediction revealed in the brilliant twist ending of Minority Report is one of the many fascinating and thought-provoking aspects of this astonishingly inventive sci-fi masterpiece that is not quite dystopian, but far from utopian either.

41. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Over the past few years, there have been great strides for representation and diverse stories in Hollywood. But back in the early 2000s, this wasn’t exactly the case. Which is why Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain was such a groundbreaking movie upon its release. Hollywood simply wasn’t telling queer love stories through major blockbusters, let alone honoring them with major Awards Nominations.

While there’s been some backlash about straight actors playing LGBTQ+ roles, Brokeback likely only got produced because of its bankable (and yes straight) lead actors. For their part, both Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger offer moving and complicated performances that still stand up today. Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway also really deliver, which is par for the course for those talented actresses. This quartet of performers tell their characters’ stories through decades of time, and to devastating results. And the acclaimed film is still so beloved that it’s being adapted for the stage on the West End, starring Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges. 

40. American Psycho (2000)

Author Bret Easton Ellis’ novel American Psycho is a shocking literary experience. There are scenes in it that will make even the most seasoned horror fan blanche – and reading it, you can understand why it was deemed unadaptable for a time after its publication. When it did finally get brought to the big screen, co-adapted by screenwriter Guinevere Turner and director Mary Harron, the material was understandably pulled back a bit, but the movie still remains a scary and biting satire that takes aim at the hardcore capitalism in the 1980s.

Years before he became a big screen legend playing Batman, Christian Bale became a horror icon with his performance as Patrick Bateman – a white, rich sociopath who enjoys torturing and slaughtering women… but who nonetheless blends in with all the rest of New York’s white, rich sociopaths. It’s a rich cinematic experience that manages to be both satisfyingly scary and surprisingly funny.

39. 28 Days Later (2002)

Certain movies can be credited as causing shifts so powerful, an entire genre felt its influence. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland’s 28 Days Later is one such film, as this lo-fi British horror-thriller would go on to see interest in movies like Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Shaun of the Dead being boosted. 

Revitalizing the zombie genre, while not calling its own creatures by the Z-word, the normal rules didn’t apply in this horror masterpiece. In the world of the previously coma-ridden Jim (Cillian Murphy), the vicious “infected” could come from anywhere, with blazing speed. Survival, in some situations, could be measured in a heartbeat, with a drop of blood or saliva making the difference. 

Stocked with a who’s who of actors like Brendan Gleeson, Christopher Eccleston, and Naomie Harris, 28 Days Later did for zombies what Scream did for slasher films. Challenging the status quo with relentless energy, the film is all at once terrifying, heartbreaking, and hopeful. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland resurrected the undead genre with stunning results.

38. Amelie (2001)

One of the most delightful stories committed to film. French ingénue Audrey Tautou was perfectly cast as the title character Amelie, who is believed to have a delicate heart condition and so is overprotected by her doting parents. As a result of her gently-imposed isolation, Amelie develops an overactive imagination, which leads her on a series of whimsical adventures. Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet embraces magical realism as a style, with Tautou basically gliding through this giddy fantasy as she works to make the lives of everyone around her happy, and possibly find love on her own in the process. Amelie seems to transmit joy, and if you aren’t uplifted by Tautou’s effervescent performance, you might want to check to ensure you still have a pulse. Now, go borrow someone else’s lawn gnome, photograph it in front of a celebrated vacation spot, and spread the joy of Amelie with anyone who hasn’t yet seen this delightful gem. 

37. Donnie Darko (2001)

There may not be a more aggressively strange and maddeningly perplexing movie on this list than Donnie Darko. Yet, its mysterious and nearly off-putting nature may be the reason why — despite nearly becoming a cable TV movie (if not for Christopher Nolan’s praise) and ultimately bombing at the box office — it remains an enduring cult hit.

At its core, writer and director Richard Kelly’s feature-length debut is the story of an emotionally troubled young man (Jake Gyllenhaal) whose struggle to navigate adolescence in the late 1980s is worsened by visions of an apocalyptic soothsayer in a horrifying rabbit suit, but it is much more than that. It is a sharp coming-of-age satire on par with some of John Hughes’ films, a classic time travel movie, and a pervasively grim fantasy tale that serves as a perfect Halloween tradition, among other things. Above all, however, Donnie Darko is unique enough to defy categorization, resulting in a one-of-a-kind experience. 

36. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

If we’re only including one adaptation of the Harry Potter series on this list, it has to be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The source material has our lead trio entering into their teen years with more studies than ever and higher stakes all around. New characters are introduced, major reveals transpire and there’s also that twisty bit of time travel. Oh, and let’s not forget the bone-chilling Dementors, whose powers include dredging up a person’s darkest memories and fears. 

Those things on their own give Prisoner of Azkaban an edge over some of the other books, but Alfonso Cuarón’s adaptation does more than just bring one of the best installments of the series to life. New layers of the magical world emerge on the screen thanks to the cinematography, not to mention Cuarón’s vision and patient approach to the pacing, which gives us the chance to really soak in the surroundings in any given scene. Whether it’s showing the change of seasons at Hogwarts or the stunning sight of Harry soaring over the lake on the back of a Hippogriff, it’s more than enough to set the film above its predecessors and raise the bar firmly for the adaptations that would follow. 

35. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Devil Wears Prada is already a classic. While the film quality itself is high, the movie has also become part of the fabric of pop culture, thanks to its quotable lines and the unbelievable performance of one Meryl Streep. Anne Hathaway is regularly transformed into a meme thanks to the scene where Annie shows up to work post-makeover in Chanel Boots.

Aside from the pop culture of it all, The Devil Wears Prada is a delightful movie romp. The fashions are aspirational, and the cast is truly on top of their game. Special points to Emily Blunt, who became a household name following her performance as Emily. And considering how light and frothy even the movie’s drama is, the rewatchability of this book to movie adaptation cannot be understated. If you haven’t watched Devil Wears Prada recently, by all means move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.

34. The Lord Of The Rings Movies (2001-2003)

There are very few fantasy movie franchises out there that have been great all the way through. They have their dips and slides, but if there’s one major fantasy franchise to rule them all, it has to be The Lord of the Rings movies. 

The film franchise mainly follows Frodo Baggins as he travels with the Fellowship on a quest to destroy the One Ring in order to take down the person who made it, Sauron. But don't take that premise at face value – there is so much more to this story than meets the eye. 

The Lord of the Rings movies are perfect in every shape and form. From the battle sequences to the visual effects to the acting, there is much to love and adore about these films. The Lord of the Rings delivers in ways fans can't even imagine. There's a reason why the franchise is so popular years later – and how spinoffs, such as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, have been released in recent years. The love keeps pouring in. 

33. Casino Royale (2006)

When James Bond was given his iconic Walther PPK in Dr. No, Sean Connery’s initial incarnation is told the weapon has “a delivery like a brick through a plate glass window.” The same could be said for 2006’s Casino Royale, as the introduction to Daniel Craig’s James Bond movies wasn’t shy about changing things up, and surprising even the most experienced 007 fans with how it would depict Commander Bond’s exploits.

Director Martin Campbell’s franchise reboot was as lean and mean as they come. Casino Royale showed 007 getting his ass handed to him, and his heart broken. Such vulnerability didn’t weaken the character, but rather it humanized him and added a suspense that the Bond movies had lost for some time.

Daniel Craig stepped into the role of the modern James Bond as if it were a tuxedo perfectly tailored for his presence. Wryly funny, yet cold and calculating when he had to pull the trigger, Craig made the role his own from frame one. To see such an iconic series redefined so perfectly, after 20 movies and over four decades of history before it, is something that still astonishes as much now as it did upon initial viewing.

32. Batman Begins (2005)

One of the most notorious bombs in Hollywood history is 1997’s Batman & Robin — a movie that, despite having some fans, is so cartoonishly absurd and dismissive of the source material’s essential themes and tone that it would be the last we would see of one of DC Comics’ most important characters on the big screen for years. The Caped Crusader’s resurgence in cinema — and in modern pop culture — can be traced back to when director Christopher Nolan went back to basics and all the way back to the beginning of his war on crime in Batman Begins.

Christian Bale immediately asserted himself as one of the best actors to play Batman with his grounded and stoic performance as a Bruce Wayne desperate to rescue his beloved Gotham City — one of the most stunningly realistic and effectively grimy depictions of the burdened metropolis — from the cesspool of crime and corruption it has become. While it is not widely considered to be the absolute best of the live-action Batman movies so far (more on that one later), most would agree that Batman Begins is one of the best superhero movies in general for its refreshingly earnest and complex approach to comic book lore, exhilarating action sequences and technical mastery, and reinventing the Dark Knight for a new generation without losing sight of what made him an icon in the first place.

31. Children of Men (2006)

In a dystopian future, environmental malpractice has led to constant war, famine, and total human infertility. So imagine the surprise felt by former political activist Theo Faron (Clive Owen) when he learns that a young female refugee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) is pregnant, and is poised to deliver the first natural childbirth in eighteen years. 

Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron was coming off of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (considered by many to be the best film in that saga) when he unleashed his talents on Children of Men. His breathtaking approach to editing and cinematography propels the action forward at a feverish pitch, with Cuaron often choosing to stage his movements in long, eye-popping, unbroken shots that lure the audience to the edge of their seats. Cuaron says this is a movie about hope, but you have to endure a lot of credible despair to finally unearth it. It’s worth the effort.

30. Ocean's Eleven (2001)

As times change, what’s considered popular is as fluid as water itself. Sometimes a movie can be ahead of the curve in that respect, dictating a whole era of cool in its very existence. Director Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven did just that, as both an uber slick heist movie, and as a modernized remake of a pre-existing film. 

The 1960’s Rat Pack extravaganza about war veterans looking for one big score was turned into a gathering of thieves, assembled by one man (George Clooney) looking for something more than cash. While the stakes were changed, and the number spelled out in the title, this film nailed the breezy energy that made the original so lovely.

Be it an all-star cast including Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts, the insanely slick soundtrack, or even just the way George Clooney could rock a suit without a tie, Ocean’s Eleven doesn’t telegraph its style. It presents it with great confidence, and allows you to decide if it’s worth your while. It’s a love letter to the past, while playing to the viewer of today; with a result as cool as that drink you just ordered at the bar.

29. Chicago (2002)

If you look at just about any list of the best musicals of the 21st century, it’s basically a guarantee that Chicago will be there. The adaptation of Bob Fosse’s long-running musical is one of few musical films to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Catherine Zeta-Jones took home a trophy as well for her stellar performance as the “All That Jazz” singer who killed her husband and sister, Velma Kelly. This film has intrigue, sex, murder, genius performances and a whole lot of jazz, and it's truly a masterful musical adaptation.

Rob Marshall ultimately made a musical that stays true to its stage roots, but also heightens the entire story through movie magic. Take “Cell Block Tango” for example, the majority of the song is performed on a stage, and the women singing about murdering their husbands are in black costumes similar to the wardrobe from Broadway. However, it’s bigger as a whole, and it flashes between the actual prison, and this staged dream-like sequence. By doing this for every number, the film both elevated and paid homage to its predecessor, which is just one of the many reasons it’s so incredible.

28. Iron Man (2008)

From being the first self-financed Marvel Studios production, executives initially being opposed to casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, and most of the dialogue being improvised since the script wasn’t finished when production began, there was a lot that could have gone wrong with Iron Man. And yet, the end result stands as a triumph in large part due to Downey’s performance as the genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist.

But of course, one can’t discuss Iron Man without addressing how it changed the film franchise game. Once Nick Fury emerged from the shadows and mentioned the Avengers Initiative in the post-credits scene, that was the first big tipoff that this movie was the first chapter in a shared universe, just like in the original Marvel comics. More than a decade later, the MCU still stands as a Hollywood powerhouse, and many franchises, both superhero and from other genres, have followed in its footsteps. 

27. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)

The slacker bastard child of George Romero's Dead films and Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead is a rarity in cinema, and not just for having the gall to sacrifice the soundtrack to 1989's Batman. It's a largely perfect amalgam of authenticity and parodical storytelling, anchored to the comedic whims and wiles of  director Edgar Wright, his co-writer Simon Pegg,  and Pegg’s co-star Nick Frost. As it goes with that trio’s other film on this list (see #65), Shaun’s biggest strength is its characters who feel real enough to legitimize the zombie apocalypse chaos, while also making viewers care about them even when the gory threats aren’t around the corner.

Shaun of the Dead may go down as the funniest horror movie to have ever existed, while also delivering some genuinely disturbing moments throughout that keep the adventure from falling too far into the funnies. Simon Pegg even transcends the dual genre description by spinning palpable emotion out of his struggle to prioritize the safety of his relationship, his BFF, and his mom. And if that wasn’t enough, it allowed moviegoers to spend some time in the Winchester, and that’s a slice of fried gold that makes everyone’s life better.

26. Moon (2009)

Whenever we sit down for a sci-fi film, especially one that takes place on a remote station somewhere away from our planet, we all know that we’re in for a twisty tale, and Moon certainly fulfills that promise. Duncan Jones’ 2009 directorial debut (he also came up with the story) focuses on Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), the lone human working a mostly automated mining facility on the far side of the moon, who begins to have troubling hallucinations as he nears the end of his work contract.

What follows is surprising, as not only does the story take several intriguingly unexpected turns, but it also examines what it’s like to be isolated from others (including loved ones), holding on to a sense of community, and one’s willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Throw in a creepy AI, which can’t quite be determined as a helper or a hindrance for a time, and you get science fiction gold.

25. The Incredibles (2004)

Released during the early years of the superhero movie’s surging popularity, The Incredibles still holds up tremendously after all this time, despite so many other offerings from Marvel, DC and other studios being delivered nearly two decades after its release. To be sure, Pixar’s sixth full-length feature does a spectacular job at both honoring classic superhero stories and tropes, as well as poking fun at them, including the hilarious ‘no capes’ gag. But The Incredibles’ greatest feat isn’t how it handles these larger-than-life elements, but rather how it makes these characters feel relatable and complex in the midst of the action.

From Bob and Helen Parr being concerned about their children’s welfare, whether they’re living everyday life in suburbia or fighting bad guys in costume, to understanding that Syndrome’s sinister motivations stem from the hurt he endured as an adolescent, The Incredibles never pushes aside its humanity in favor of spectacle; instead, they compliment each other quite nicely. Throw in outstanding vocal performances from actors like Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter, and Brad Bird excelling as both the director and screenwriter, this movie stands out not just as a superhero movie, but as one of the greatest entries in Pixar’s library.

24. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Join Us In Creating Excellence. More powerful than any anti-drug ad, Requiem for a Dream hit theaters in 2000 and has stood the test of time as possibly the most affecting portrayal of addiction to date. Based on the Hubert Selby Jr. book of the same name, Darren Aronofsky’s film explores more than just the heroin addictions of Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Wayans’ characters. Ellen Burstyn’s obsession with being on television and fitting into her red dress is haunting, and there’s no questioning why the role earned her an Academy Award nomination.

The work behind the camera was equal to the all-around horrifying performances, as Darren Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique added to the story in how every shot was framed, the choreography of the characters’ movements, and the use of sound effects and split screens. The score was worthy of praise all on its own, with "Lux Aeterna" — the song that played over the climax of the film — leaving such an impression that it has gone on to be re-orchestrated for several other movie and video game trailers. 

Combine all of this and add a little of Christopher McDonald’s Tappy Tibbons J.U.I.C.E., and you’ve got a real feel-bad movie that may never fully leave you.

23. Oldboy (2003)

Because many have such good storylines, South Korean films have become some of the biggest international movies.. A few examples could be Parasite and The Wailing. One movie in particular stands above many of them, and that's Oldboy. 

Directed by Park Chan-wook, the film is loosely based on the Japanese manga of the same name and focuses on Dae-su, a man imprisoned in a cell that looks like a hotel room, for fifteen years, without knowing who the person was behind his capture. But when he gets his chance at freedom, he makes it his mission to find out who committed the crime all those years ago – only to find out there is much more to his imprisonment than he thought. 

Oldboy is incredible. The action scenes are probably some of the best recorded on a movie screen and have been imitated many times – just the corridor fight scene itself is enough to satisfy any action-movie fan. The story is intriguing all the way until the end, which will blow the minds of first-time viewers. Truly, Oldboy is a staple of the South Korean film industry – and a fantastic movie of the 2000s. 

22. Collateral (2004)

Michael Mann had already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest directors in the world of crime thrillers, but he further made a case for himself with his 2004 thriller, Collateral. Clocking in at exactly two hours, this cool, violent, and ruthless neo-noir classic not only sees one of the best Jamie Foxx performances with his portrayal of cab driver Max (a role that should have earned him an Oscar), it also introduces one of Tom Cruise’s most unhinged characters: Vincent, a mysterious and deadly assassin.

Cruise, who was coming off movies like Minority Report and The Last Samurai, is incredibly refreshing as the film’s antagonist, and it shows a side of the star that audiences don’t get to see as much. Seeing the actor’s undeniable charm and big-screen energy used to breathe life into someone who is pure evil is quite the experience, and really messes with the viewers’ mindset. In addition to actors like Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the movie also treats the city of Los Angeles less like a backdrop and more as another character, one that feels more alive as the story goes on, much like Mann’s 1995 heist film, Heat.

21. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Since the early days of moviemaking, Walt Disney’s viewpoint of the fairytale has had a stake in popular culture. It’s G-rated, soft and sweet, and there’s always a happy ending. Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth brings to life a fairytale that redefined what a fantasy movie can look like with its distinct and unforgettable vision. Set in 1944 Spain as the country picks up the pieces of the Spanish Civil War, the R-rated fantasy film follows a young girl named Ofelia as she faces the violent reality of the Francoist period and stumbles upon a dark wonderland in the shadows (or at least the shadows of her imagination). 

As del Toro was coming off two more commercial movies in Blade II and Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth is a breathtaking highlight in an all-time great filmmaker’s career. Across two hours, the Spanish-language movie brings to life an extraordinary vision that beautifully balances being twisted and innocent all at once with memorable horror, gore, mythical creations and a ton of gorgeous practical creature effects. How does he balance a magical quest with political drama? Some especially memorable words in Pan’s Labyrinth answers that question: If “door is locked,” one must “create your own.” In a landscape where fairytales can be predictable, del Toro opened a wonderfully defiant world of his own with Pan’s Labyrinth.

20. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) And Vol. 2 (2004)

After turning the heist movie on its head with 1992’s Reservoir Dogs, and changing the way audiences perceive movies in general (and winning a screenwriting Oscar) with 1994’s Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino very quickly made himself into one of the most unique and esteemed icons of the medium. However, after releasing his 1997 Elmore Leonard adaptation, Jackie Brown, we would not see him direct anything for another six years. Little did we know that he was planning to come back with something big — so big, that just one movie was not enough to tell the story. Based on a character Tarantino created with star Uma Thurman on the Pulp Fiction set, Kill Bill follows a deadly assassin initially known only as The Bride — one of the greatest female action heroes — who wakes up from a four-year coma with a furious urge to punish those who tried to put her to sleep permanently, with her former boss (David Carradine) being the primary target. 

For years, it was debated whether or not the stylistically disparate halves of the story — with Vol. 1 being an ode to ‘70s kung fu movies and Vol. 2 counting as Tarantino’s first western, essentially — should count as one film. Well, even if the director had never officially clarified that he does see Kill Bill as one movie, we still would have designated one spot for both volumes of this exquisitely crafted, gorgeously choreographed, visually and emotionally breathtaking epic on this list, because that is the only way to experience "the whole bloody affair.” 

• A Kill Bill Quote To Remember: “That's right. I killed your master. And now I'm gonna kill you too, with your own sword, no less, which in the very immediate future, will become... my sword.” (The Bride)

19. Training Day (2001)

In 100 years, when film historians look back to determine why Denzel Washington was considered one of the best actors of his generation, director Antoine Fuqua's Training Day should be at the top of any screening list. Detective Alonzo Harris is a special kind of monster, and Washington’s work offers incredible escalation and power. At first, he just seems like a hardened detective who has made some scary discoveries about how best to patrol the city of Los Angeles, but he becomes a whole different kind of beast by the end – one that King Kong ain’t got nothin’ on.

But while Training Day features an all-time great performance from one of the all-time great actors, not to be ignored is just how terrific the movie as a whole is. Ethan Hawke is also at the top of his game as up-and-coming officer Jake Hoyt, who faces death and peril as he slowly understands the real game that Alonzo is playing, and David Ayer’s screenplay is special – packing the believable character arcs and growing stakes into a limited 24-hour time frame. Even on the tenth viewing it is successful at raising your pulse and getting you to invest in the protagonist’s peril, and that’s the mark of a truly great thriller.

• A Training Day Quote To Remember: “You gotta control your smiles and cries, because that's all you have and nobody can take that away from you.” (Jake Hoyt)

18. The Wrestler (2008)

Still considered one of the best movies of 2008 more than a decade later, Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler is a grueling battle royale of emotions that doesn’t pull any punches with its story about a broken-down professional wrestler looking for one last shot at redemption. Channeling both the triumph and tragedy, and the agony and ecstasy of putting one’s life on the line day-in and day-out for decades, Mickey Rourke gave audiences the performance of a lifetime with his portrayal of washed-up wrestler, Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a one-time larger-than-life titan caught somewhere between his past and uncertain future.

There are a lot of parallels between the character and Rouke’s own journey in this semi-autobiographical drama, which adds a tremendous amount of depth to not only his performance, but also the movie in general. Though wrestling is often considered a fake sport, Rourke’s performance and Aronofsky’s commitment to portraying the industry in an honest and genuine light is incredibly real. The physical, mental, and emotional pain can be felt in each of Randy’s movements, heard in his voice, and seen in his eyes as the former champ wrestles in high school gyms and attempts to make ends meet by taking on shifts at a local grocery store deli. Then there are the religious allegories that are explored through Randy’s character, as well as Marisa Tomei’s Cassidy, which make it all even more potent.

• A The Wrestler Quote To Remember: “I'll tell you somethin', I hate the fuckin' 90's.” (Randy Robinson)

17. Finding Nemo (2003)

Pixar has created some of the greatest animated films of all time, and Finding Nemo may be the studio’s true crowning achievement. It is as beautifully animated as it is emotionally powerful. The undersea world of Nemo is gorgeous simply to look at, and that’s just as true today as it was when the film was released. 

2003's Finding Nemo’s voice casting is second to none. Nobody does neurotic like Albert Brooks. Nobody can play clueless like Ellen DeGeneres. Nobody plays a tough guy of questionable sanity like Willem Dafoe. These are the actors you would cast if you were telling this story in live-action, and they bring it all to the voice performances in a way that truly brings these characters to life.

And Finding Nemo is able to balance its emotional extremes perfectly. We’re used to Pixar movies making us cry but years before Up, Finding Nemo opened with an incredibly heartbreaking moment. But after that, it’s able to be hilarious, scary, and even exciting. Finally, it concludes with the sort of resolution that stands the test of time, as young children will see the film and relate with Nemo, then grow up, and begin to understand Marlin in a new way.  Nemo does it all, not bad for a clownfish with a bad fin. 

• A Finding Nemo Quote To Remember: “Of course I like you. It’s because I like you, I don’t want to be with you. It’s a complicated emotion.” (Marlin)

16. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

“I think this just might be my masterpiece.” That’s the final line in writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, and coming as it does at the end of 153 minutes of perfection, it’s hard not to read it as a message directly from the filmmaker to the audience. In 2009, Tarantino was coming off of a low point in his career with the disappointing theatrical release of Grindhouse, but his follow-up is a phenomenal World War II epic that only he could make: Nazi-killing action packaged in a love letter to cinema.

Two stories – the revenge of Mélanie Laurent's Shosanna Dreyfus and the mission of the titular troop – play out in parallel with equal captivating energy right up until they collide in the (literally) explosive finale. While there isn’t a star in the expansive ensemble who doesn’t deliver a memorable performance (from Brad Pitt to Michael Fassbender to even Mike Myers), there isn’t a person who can watch the film and not walk away mesmerized by the work done by Christoph Waltz in his star-making turn as Hans Landa. It’s not an easy thing to blend a vibe of dastardly evil with sharp charisma, but Waltz is a force in the role, and it remains the best thing he has done in his career.

• An Inglourious Basterds Quote To Remember: “Well, you don't got to be Stonewall Jackson to know you don't want to fight in a basement.” (Lt. Aldo Raine)

15. Spirited Away (2001)

Studio Ghibli is one of the world's most-known anime film studios. Co-founded by legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki, the studio has created some of the best anime films of all time, one of which is Spirited Away – which Hayao Miyazaki directed. 

Spirited Away is about a journey into the spirit world following the young Chihiro. Taking place in Japan, we follow the little girl, who happens to be moving to a new neighborhood with her family. When her parents decide to take a shortcut to their new home and explore what looks to be an abandoned amusement park, Chihiro is forced to go along. However, there's magic everywhere, and her mom and dad turn into pigs against their will for eating a gluttonous feast. For her to get them back, she must work for the spirits in the bathhouse, so they can return to the human world. 

The premise itself sounds like a lot at first, but it's become Studio Ghibli’s – and Hayao Miyazaki's – highest-grossing film. It’s also the only anime film to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the only hand-drawn film (so far) to accomplish the task. The movie features themes about love and learning to grow up and be brave. It's the perfect gateway movie into the anime film – indeed, one of the best movies of the 2000s. 

• A Spirited Away Quote To Remember: “I don't need any help; this place is full of soot.” (Kamaji)

14. The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige is a battle of wills between two talented and irreparably flawed magicians, who can’t stay out of each other’s lives. Their differing roles in a shared tragedy push them apart and then repeatedly back together, as their initial determination to succeed steadily gives way to an obsession for vengeance. That obsession drives them to sacrifice and abandon everything healthy about their lives until they’re each left with only a singular drive to sabotage the other.

Based on that description, The Prestige sounds like a really dark movie. In many ways, it is, but in director Christopher Nolan’s hands, it’s also often really fun. It has a sense of wonder and mystery about it, as it not only dives into the idiosyncrasies of magic but also the exciting possibilities of science in the 1890s and early 1900s. It was a time and place in which anything felt possible, and you really feel that hopeful uncertainty thanks to a timeline that jumps to and fro and fantastic performances from Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall and a perfectly cast David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. Like a great magic trick, the first time you watch The Prestige, you’re fascinated by the spectacle and simply along for the ride. Then every time you rewatch it afterwards, you’re blown away by all the subtle skill required to pull it off.

• A The Prestige Quote To Remember: “Nobody cares about the man in the box.” (Robert Angier)

13. There Will Be Blood (2007)

Looking back, 2007 was one of the best movie years in recent memory, considering classics like No Country For Old Men, Zodiac, and Superbad all premiered on the big screen. But one of the biggest, baddest, and most arresting of those releases was Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. An epic period drama about oilman Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) doing everything in his power and stepping on anyone in his way in his quest for wealth in the early 20th-century oil boom, the movie is a deep and vast exploration of a man’s psyche and desire to become the biggest player in the game.

While Day-Lewis’s performance is tremendous and more than deserving of the Oscar he received, it’s made even better thanks to his character’s conflict with Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a religious zealot who is just as tenacious and hungry for power as his counterpart. Several of the movie’s most iconic scenes (like the oil-town baptism and shocking ending sequence) are the result of the actor’s tremendous chemistry and ability to play off each other’s words. The pair, who get along like oil and holy water, create a dynamic that’s not quite a battle between good and evil, but instead something much deeper than that, which adds another level to this incredible cinematic achievement.

• A There Will Be Blood Quote To Remember: “You're an orphan from a basket in the middle of the desert, and I took you for no other reason than I needed a sweet face to buy land.” (Daniel)

12. In Bruges (2008)

Prior to 2008, Martin McDonagh was established as a talented and popular playwright, but he had ambitions to make his way into movies. In 2004, he directed the incredible short film Six Shooter (which won an Academy Award), and then he moved to features. He made his debut with In Bruges, and anyone who saw it instantly recognized McDonagh’s potential to become one of the best filmmakers working today (potential he has made good on with the genius of Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and The Banshees of Inisherin).

In Bruges takes a high concept premise – two hitman hide out in Belgium waiting for instructions after a job goes bad – and weaves a remarkable meditation on life and death. It’s a dark comedy (and a hilarious one at that), but it has a beautiful blend of tones that radiate from the genius work of stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. Farrell and Gleeson have a unique chemistry that works on both comedic and dramatic levels (it’s far from a mystery why McDonagh reunited them for The Banshees of Inisherin) and the bizarrely rage and logic-filled energy that Fiennes brings in the third act is icing on the cake.

• An In Bruges Quote To Remember: “I kinda like hearing people having sex. Means at least somebody around here's happy.” (Ray)

11. Almost Famous (2000)

If a 15-year-old going on tour with a raucous rock band wasn’t enough of a hook, Almost Famous also happens to have one of the most memorable posters/ DVD box covers of all time. It focuses on the enigmatic Penny Lane, the heroine of Cameron Crowe’s film, whom everyone loves to love and admire and most don’t bother to understand. With distinct shades and tendrils of blonde hair, she draws you into her world of Humble Pie and heartbreak, and in between commentary on what made the ’70s the ’70s and a slick soundtrack including Led Zeppelin, The Who and of course Elton John, she helps turn the film into one of the best of the 2000s.

It’s a career-defining performance for Kate Hudson, and she’s not the only one who delivers. Jason Lee grows a mustache and long hair to fall into his hilarious lead singer role while Billy Crudup is similarly unrecognizable as the talented and moody Russell Hammond. Patrick Fugit plays William Miller, younger than most but wiser than some, and he finds a terrific foil in Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays famed music writer Lester Bangs. Throw in great work from Frances McDormand, Zooey Deschanel and even Jimmy Fallon and it’s a masterclass of terrific performances. If it’s been a while since you’ve revisited the movie, maybe throw on some purple-tinted sunglasses and kick back to the tune of Simon & Garfunkel’s “America.” Settle in, you’re almost home.

• An Almost Famous Quote To Remember: “If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends.” (Penny Lane)

10. No Country For Old Men (2007)

No matter what kind of film genre is up for discussion, the power and breadth of the Coen Brothers' filmography is worthy of inclusion, and they don't make 'em much better than 2007's No Country for Old Men. An adaptation of Carmac McCarthy’s 2005 novel that’s every bit as faithful as it is chilling, the film meticulously dips its toes most heavily into the cinematic waters of crime thrillers and westerns. That said, Javier Bardem’s unflinching hitman, Anton Chigurh, would be at home in any horror narrative, with his Two-Face-esque coin flips and an unstoppable drive that rivals Jason Voorhees or Michael Meyers. At least if a big ol’ stack of cash was also their end goal.

Despite being one of Joel and Ethan Coen’s driest films regarding their signature screwball humor, the movie is an exercise in tension that thrives on its lack of levity, though it’s hard not to smile whenever Woody Harrelson is on the screen in any capacity. With a stellar cast including Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt and more, No Country for Old Men is, to date, the only Coen brothers masterpiece to win them the Oscars for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture, with Bardem taking the gold for Best Supporting Actor. It’s not the awards that best signify its impact, however, but the bolt pistol gripped in Chigurh’s ever-steady hand.

• A No Country For Old Men Quote To Remember: “Well all the time ya spend trying to get back what's been took from ya, more is going out the door. After a while you just have to try to get a tourniquet on it.” (Ellis)

9. Memento (2000)

Talk about a movie that you definitely need to watch without your phone in your hand. Christopher Nolan’s Memento is a mind-bending combination of different angles that demands and deserves your entire attention. The story is told backward, broken up by clips of a black and white, forward-moving montage of a mysterious one-sided phone call in a hotel, led by Guy Pearce, whose character Leonard, also happens to have anterograde (or short-term) amnesia, stopping our protagonist from creating new memories as he looks for his wife’s killer, who also gave him this debilitating injury.

As mentioned, Nolan basically begins at the end and works his way back, for the most part. The juxtaposition of the timelines bring the audience into the obvious confusion that Leonard lives with every day. "Even if you get revenge, you're not going to remember it," he's told by his new friend Teddy (played by Joe Pantoliano) but his reply shows just how far his love and determination will go, stating "My wife deserves revenge whether or not I remember it."  Toss in Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) to add some confusing sympathy (or treachery) and you will probably want a second viewing just to wrap your mind around what you might have initially dismissed as unimportant plot points from this Nolan classic. You’ll notice that Nolan has popped up numerous times on this list (and rightfully so) and he has also once again recently hit it out of the park with 2023’s Oppenheimer.  

• A Memento Quote To Remember: “So you lie to yourself to be happy. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all do it.” (Teddy G.)

8. Wall-E (2008)

Do you know who is a genius? Sound designer Ben Burtt. You might not know his name, but you certainly know the movies he contributed to over the years, including Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and 2009’s Star Trek. Burtt designed the “vocals” for R2-D2, Darth Vader’s heavy breathing, and the “voice” of E.T. But, his work truly soared when he lent dialogue to the adorable Waste Allocation Load Lifter assigned to an abandoned Earth. MIraculously, the first half of Pixar’s ingenious WALL-E works as a silent film, following our main character as it goes about its daily routine with a pet cockroach in tow. WALL-E’s life is upended when another robot named EVE arrives, searching for any sign of life. 

From there, the fate of humanity starts to be revealed, and it’s rather grim. Director Andrew Stanton’s animation for the film ranks as some of Pixar’s most magnificent, embracing the scorched orange of a deserted Earth and then painting with vivid colors for WALL-E’s eventual outer-space adventure. The environmental messages of the film are important without ever being preachy. And, the eventual romance felt and shared by WALL-E and EVE will lift every single heart, with the lovers sharing hardly any words. 

• A Wall-E Quote To Remember: “I see the ship's log is showing that today is the 700th anniversary of our five year cruise. Well, I'm sure our forefathers would be proud to know that 700 years later we'd be... doing the exact same thing they were doing.” (Captain B. McCrea)

7. The Departed (2006)

There are crime films and then there are Martin Scorsese crime films, and when it comes to The Departed, the director doesn’t let us down. A remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, the 2006 movie gives us a range of characters to root for, root against or simply watch just to see what they’ll do or say next. That includes Leonardo DiCaprio’s undercover cop character Billy Costigan, Matt Damon’s sneaky, spying Colin Sullivan, Jack Nicholson’s mob boss character Frank Costello, and Vera Farmiga’s well-meaning therapist Dr. Madolyn Madden. To say that things get complicated might be understating it, but it’s the complexity of the characters and their roles in this story that makes The Departed such a fantastic and gripping movie from beginning to end. 

In a way, it’s all business for everyone involved, but it’s also personal for each character on some level or another. It’s impossible not to feel anxious for DiCaprio’s character as he attempts to navigate the criminal world without being caught for who he really is, just as it’s impossible not to grow increasingly frustrated by Matt Damon’s character for posing as an upstanding law enforcer who’s actually up to no good. It’s thrilling, stressful, riveting and ultimately satisfying, and that’s not even factoring in Mark Wahlberg’s character every time he has something to say (that’s just a bonus). 

• A The Departed Quote To Remember: “You know what I like about restaurants? . . . You can learn a lot, watching things eat.” (Frank Costello)

6. Best In Show (2000)

Nobody does mockumentaries like Christopher Guest, and 2000’s Best in Show is an absolute masterclass. The mundane musings of everyday conversation combine with outlandish characters and awkward situations to deliver one of the best movies of the decade. The dog show is the event that brings these unique and individually brilliant characters under one roof, but it’s no Maguffin. As bonkers as each dog-lover’s trip is to get to the show, everything is turned up to 11, if you will, when they all come together, and the event itself is perfectly colored by Fred Willard’s commentary.

There’s a reason this phenomenal cast has stuck together to appear in other projects. The chemistry between Eugene Levy’s Gerry and Catherine O’Hara’s Cookie (with her “hundreds” of boyfriends) left people begging for more, which they got in A Mighty Wind. Jennifer Coolidge was excellent in her attempts to substantiate her marriage to her ancient sugar daddy husband by saying they bonded over a love of soup and the ability to “not talk or talk forever.” The genius casting of John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean gave audiences the married couple they never knew they needed. 

Best in Show exploits the banal in some situations while heightening reality in others, to where Harlan Pepper naming nuts and the couple describing how they met at Starbucks (but two different Starbucks) land laughs just as hard as Gerry’s literal two left feet or Cookie walking with her knee out of socket.

• A Best In Show Quote To Remember: “Why don’t they put the bloodhound — put on one of those Sherlock Holmes hats and put a little pipe in his mouth? Are they ever allowed to do anything like that? Dress up the dog in a funny way? It would really get the crowd going. You know what I mean? The Sherlock Holmes hat with a pipe. I don’t know if you could make it look like smoke is coming out of the pipe.” (Buck Laughlin)

5. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher’s greatest accomplishment, and that’s saying a lot. The director has spent countless hours analyzing the compulsion that drives people to seek the truth – be it lawyers parsing through statements to figure out who invented Facebook (The Social Network), or detectives tracking a serial killer who is inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins (Seven). But Zodiac is Fincher’s magnum opus, an engrossing true-crime thriller based on the books of Robert Graysmith tracking the diligent work of three men consumed by the search for the identity of the Zodiac Killer. 

Jake Gyllanhaal serves as the ideal audience surrogate, a puzzle designer for the San Francisco Chronicle who gets swept up in the mystery of the serial killer, who antagonized the police and the media as he committed vicious murders around San Francisco in the 1970s, Fincher painstakingly recreates the time period with breathtaking visuals and top-notch costuming and set design. His emphasis on the bustle of a newsroom is particularly spot on. The film also lingers in the haze of fear, anxiety, and suspense that comes from a killer on the loose. But it’s the supporting roles of Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, as well as an inability to truly deliver a concrete ending, that makes Zodiac such a rewatchable movie, and a captivating masterpiece.

• A Zodiac Quote To Remember: “I am not the Zodiac. And if I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you.” (Arthur Leigh Allen)

4. Mean Girls (2004)

From wearing pink on Wednesdays to shouting “You go Glen Coco” it’s undeniable that Mean Girls has seriously influenced pop culture over the last (almost) two decades. So, “get in loser,” it’s time to appreciate this beloved coming-of-age comedy from Tina Fey.

This movie is a classic teenage tale about a girl who moves from Africa to the United States where she experiences the rude awakening that is high school by way of The Plastics. While it’s your typical coming-of-age story, it’s infused with the signature sense of humor from Fey – who was in the midst of her legendary run at Saturday Night Live – and it shows the high school experience in a totally unique way with a cast of characters played by actors who have since become icons. 

Not only did the film solidify Lindsay Lohan as an early 2000s star, it also simultaneously jumpstarted the careers of many in the Mean Girls cast, including little known actresses like Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried. On top of that, its legacy has lived on, as it was adapted into a Broadway musical, and is eventually coming back to the screen with an adaptation of said stage production. To say this film is a quintessential 2000s classic almost feels like an understatement because of the lasting impact it has managed to have on people of all ages since its release in 2004. 

• A Mean Girls Quote To Remember: "She doesn't even go here!" (Damian)

3. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

You could argue that Jim Carrey makes much better dramatic movies than he does comedic features. And that opinion is coming from someone who adores Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, as well as Dumb & Dumber. But when you factor in the dramatic detours he embarked on for The Truman Show, Man on the Moon, and this incredible romance, you begin to wonder how many Oscars Carrey might have if he got the industry to treat him seriously, instead of talking out of his ass (literally). 

Carrey and Kate Winslet are magnificent as Joel and Clementine, two soul mates who undergo a radical procedure to have their memories of each other erased after a bitter argument. Only screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) could keep such a twisty premise from flying off the rails. And while the side-mission actions of the memory technicians can get a little silly, we remain wholly invested in Joel and Clementine’s complicated journey because of the heartbroken and beautiful chemistry shared between Carrey and Winslet. It’s a real challenge presented to these stars, as we’re not supposed to know whether Joel and Clementine are better off together or apart. But the satisfying resolution says as much about fate as it does about the existence of true love, so long as we remember how and when to look for it.

• An Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind Quote To Remember: “Constantly talking isn’t necessarily communicating.” (Joel Barish)

2. The Dark Knight (2008)

It’s been said before, but it’ll be said again – The Dark Knight is one of the greatest superhero films (and one of the greatest movies) ever made. Christopher Nolan’s ambition as a filmmaker has been well-noted, but even he outdid himself with his 2008 follow-up to 2005’s Batman Begins. The second chapter in the journey of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne sees the iconic DC Comics hero going up against the dangerous and unpredictable Joker. All the while, the Caped Crusader and his allies must also contend with mob bosses and Harvey Dent, Gotham City’s honorable district attorney who becomes the deformed Two-Face.

Where does one even start when it comes to singing this movie’s praises? There’s the impeccable screenplay, massive set pieces, engrossing score and much more. Yet I suppose what stands out the most are the performances, especially that of the late Heath Ledger. The actor, who posthumously won an Oscar for his work, fully committed to his role as the Clown Prince of Crime and is absolutely mesmerizing. His villainous turn is just one of the many reasons why Nolan’s film is a thrilling and compelling piece of work that’s still incredibly entertaining now, over a decade later.

• A The Dark Knight Quote To Remember: “Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just...do things.” (The Joker)

1. City Of God (2002)

Making its Brazil and festival run in 2002 and eventually hitting theaters in the U.S. and elsewhere  in the year that followed, Fernando Meirelles’ City of God, based on Paulo Lins’ semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, served as an inflection point in the world of cinema and served as a preview of what the the next few years would look like. Told through the eyes of young photographer Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), the movie explores the life of street kids in the Cidade de Deus (City of God) favela in Rio de Janeiro, an expansive slum filled with endless supplies of drugs, ruthless gangsters, and corrupt cops who allow the madness to continue. One of the most violent movies of the 2000s, City of God is a lesson in brutality, especially whenever depicting the exploits of Li’l Dice (Douglas Silva), a ruthless and sociopathic young criminal who stops at nothing in his quest for complete control. Oddly enough, the older version of the character known as Li’l Ze (Leandro Firmino) never comes off as cold blooded as his younger self, which further illustrates the movie’s point about youth and violence. 

At the same time, City of God is also one of the most beautiful movies of the 2000s, and not just on an aesthetic level (though César Charlone’s cinematography is out of this world). The endearing spirit of those who wish to escape a life of crime, ranging from Rocket to the ill-fated drug dealer Benny (Phellipe Haagensen), adds a level of heart and soul one may not expect from a two-hour crime drama about young criminals with short fuses and, in many cases, tragically  shorter lifespans. 

• A City Of God Quote To Remember: “You need more than guts to be a good gangster; you need ideas.” (Rocket)

How we put this list together

Using a combination of internal recommendations and other best of lists, we compiled a spreadsheet of all the movies from the 2000s that we considered to be culturally relevant and/or critically well-reviewed. We pushed together some multi-part movies like Kill Bill and Lord Of The Rings and then had our staff of almost 30 go through and assign a score for each movie they’ve seen based on their own personal opinions. We disqualified any movies that didn’t get a minimum number of ratings and dropped the lowest score for each, as if we were judging a figure skating competition. We then ordered the top 100 based on average score and had someone who gave that movie a particularly high score write up a paragraph explaining what’s so great about it. This rigorous scientific process resulted in Idiocracy being slotted at 101, an omission I’m still furious about.

Michelle Williams could very well be the most underrated actress in Hollywood today. Sure, she’s been nominated for five Oscars, won two Golden Globes, and been in some of the most impactful movies of the 21st century, but Williams seems to always fly under the radar, only to fly up unnoticed with the release of each Academy Award-nominated performance that seemingly catches everyone by surprise. 

We shouldn’t be surprised, though. Not in the slightest. The list of the best Michelle Williams movies and TV shows streaming is one that goes back a little over two decades at this point, with outstanding performances ranging from a symbiote superhero to a slight dramatization of Steven Spielberg’s mother. To celebrate Williams, we’ve put together a quick list of the very best performances from her incredibly versatile career. 

The Fabelmans (2022)

Told through a series of vignettes, Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama, The Fabelmans, takes audiences back to where it all began for Hollywood legend. The good, the bad, the magical, and the heartbreaking are all on display in this sprawling drama about a young boy finding his voice while his family falls apart.

Michelle Williams is the real scene-stealer in The Fabelmans, with her portrayal of Mitzi Schildkraut-Fabelman, a character based on Spielberg’s late mother, Leah Adler. She is a tour de force in several of the movie’s most memorable scenes, including the tornado chase sequence, the camping trip, and during a foreboding nightmare about a certain family member.

Rent/buy The Fabelmans on Amazon.
Buy The Fabelmans on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Manchester By The Sea (2016)

Kenneth Lonergan’s Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea is in the running for the most gut-wrenching movie of the century with its heartbreaking story about an already broken man trying to come to terms with the death of his older brother, which leaves him the guardian of his teenage nephew. That is just part of the story, however.

Casey Affleck received heaps of praise for his portrayal of Lee Chandler, and rightfully so, but Michelle Williams’ take on his ex-wife, Randi, is one of the most heartbreaking and harrowing performances I’ve ever seen. The scene in which Randi finally opens up to Lee about their shared tragedy is without a doubt the most powerful speech of her career.

Stream Manchester by the Sea on Prime Video.
Rent/Buy Manchester by the Sea on Amazon.

My Week With Marilyn (2011)

Set during the heights of Marilyn Monroe’s (Michelle Williams) career, Simon Curtis’ 2011 biographical drama, My Week with Marilyn follows the ill-fated actress as she is given a brief respite from her career, her shaky marriage to Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott), and the exhaustion brought on by both.

Williams would go on to win her first Golden Globe and be nominated for an Oscar for her captivating portrayal of Monroe, a performance that is in the top tier of portrayals of the Hollywood starlet, and at times, it feels as if this is a documentary instead of a painstakingly crafted docudrama.

Stream My Week with Marilyn on HBO Max.
Rent/buy My Week with Marilyn on Amazon.
Buy My Week with Marilyn on DVD on Amazon.

Blue Valentine (2010) 

Told through a nonlinear narrative structure, Derek Cianfrance’s 2010 drama, Blue Valentine, jumps between past and present to tell the story of Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), a couple with a string of bad luck and major blowups. 

Though the movie does tear you down emotionally with one grueling scene after another, the performances by Williams and Gosling make it to where you just can’t stop watching. You won’t find it on the list of best romantic comedies or anything like that, but this Oscar-nominated drama is something you just have to see, even if it’s only once, and even if it’s just to see Williams and Gosling feed off one another’s grief and anger.

Stream Blue Valentine on Freevee.
Rent/buy Blue Valentine on Amazon.
Buy Blue Valentine on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Shutter Island (2010) 

Though it just missed the cut on the list of best Martin Scorsese movies, the acclaimed filmmaker’s 2010 psychological thriller, Shutter Island, is a movie you just can’t afford to miss. Set at the isolated Ashecliff Hospital for the Criminally Insane, the movie follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he tries to get to the bottom of a missing persons case, or so he believes.