A Ranking of the Best Movies of the Century

Parasite clocks in at No. 1 on the list from the New York Times
Posted Jun 27, 2025 6:33 AM CDT
NYT Ranks Best Movies of the 21st Century
This image shows Cho Yeo-jeong in a scene from "Parasite."   (Neon via AP)

Let the debate among cinephiles begin. The New York Times is out with an ambitious list, one that seeks to rank the best movies so far of the 21st century. Instead of relying solely on their own critics, the newspaper enlisted votes from more than 500 big Hollywood names, including A-list directors and actors. In the end, a 2019 foreign film (and best-picture Oscar winner) took top honors: Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho. The top 10:

  1. Parasite
  2. Mulholland Drive
  3. There Will Be Blood
  4. In the Mood for Love
  5. Moonlight
  6. No Country for Old Men
  7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  8. Get Out
  9. Spirited Away
  10. The Social Network
See the full list, which ends with Superbad at 100. You can also see top 10 favorites from individual voters.

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