Napoleon Dynamite celebrates its 20th anniversary!
New millennium, new technology. Film cameras were the standard way to shoot a movie for over a century, and now they to had to make space for upstart digital. Without digital cameras, zombies would’ve stayed dead; 28 Days Later was only possible with how quick and easy it is to set up with them. Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation) and Neill Blomkamp (District 9) certainly benefited from the new technology.
Movies were also used to absorb our collective trauma. We escaped into magic and wonder in the months after 9/11 with Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, while we celebrated the end of the Great Recession by getting the hell off this planet with Avatar. And speaking of those series, we didn’t want their installments taking up all the spots on this list, so one movie representing the whole franchise was chosen for those worthy.
And your vast comic-book trivia knowledge became a social asset, not a bullseye for beatings. Iron Man, The Dark Knight, and Spider-Man 2 opened up new ways of connected storytelling (and money making). And it wasn’t just superheroes making the leap to the mainstream. Fanboy culture, the internet, and sites like the one you’re reading now helped bring “genre” movies to the cultural forefront: zombies (28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead), sci-fi (Avatar, Serenity), horror (The Descent, Saw), and fantasy (Pan’s Labyrinth).
Meanwhile, under-served voices started to make some noise in the mainstream with films led by females (Mean Girls, Whale Rider, Bend It Like Beckham, Twilight), made African-American filmmakers (Love & Basketball, Barbershop), and featuring Asian-American stars (Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Better Luck Tomorrow). And that’s not including the increasingly easy access to international material like City of God and Let the Right One In.
And we still haven’t touched upon Pixar’s golden age (WALL-E, Finding Nemo), Hollywood finding the formula for comedies perfectly balanced between smart and dumb (The Hangover, The 40-Year Old Virgin), or that the Fast & Furious series got its humble beginnings here. A lot happened in this decade: Discover it all with the 140 Essential Movies of the 2000s! —Alex Vo
#140
Adjusted Score: 51780%
Critics Consensus: National Treasure is no treasure, but it’s a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot.
#139
Adjusted Score: 56308%
Critics Consensus: Saw ensnares audiences with a deceptively clever plot and a myriad of memorable, nasty set pieces, but its lofty ambitions are undercut by a nihilistic streak that feels more mean than profound.
#138
Adjusted Score: 57152%
Critics Consensus: This teen romance flick feels like a predictable rehashing of other movies.
#137
Adjusted Score: 58086%
Critics Consensus: Having lost much of its bite transitioning to the big screen, Twilight will please its devoted fans, but do little for the uninitiated.
#136
Adjusted Score: 59894%
Critics Consensus: It’s hard not to admire its unabashed sentimentality, but The Notebook is too clumsily manipulative to rise above its melodramatic clichés.
#135
Adjusted Score: 59647%
Critics Consensus: Sleek and shiny on the surface, The Fast and the Furious recalls those cheesy teenage exploitation flicks of the 1950s.
#134
Adjusted Score: 62379%
Critics Consensus: This jukebox musical is full of fluffy fun but rough singing voices and a campy tone might not make you feel like “You Can Dance” the whole 90 minutes.
#133
Adjusted Score: 67018%
Critics Consensus: Taken is undeniably fun with slick action, but is largely a brainless exercise.
#132
Adjusted Score: 66181%
Critics Consensus: While believable characters are hard to come by in Transformers, the effects are staggering and the action is exhilarating.
#131
Adjusted Score: 67935%
Critics Consensus: Although this action-romance suffers from weak writing and one too many explosions, the chemistry generated by onscreen couple Pitt and Jolie is palpable enough to make this a thoroughly enjoyable summer action flick.
#130
Adjusted Score: 70851%
Critics Consensus: A simple-minded but visually exciting experience, full of blood, violence, and ready-made movie quotes.
#129
Adjusted Score: 69857%
Critics Consensus: A wacky satire on the fashion industry, Zoolander is one of those deliberately dumb comedies that can deliver genuine laughs.
#128
Adjusted Score: 97440%
Critics Consensus: A kinetic and fun movie that’s sure to thrill children of all ages.
#127
Adjusted Score: 72087%
Critics Consensus: A sugary tale overstuffed with too many stories. Still, the cast charms.
#126
Adjusted Score: 74598%
Critics Consensus: Dancer in Dark can be grim, dull, and difficult to watch, but even so, it has a powerful and moving performance from Bjork and is something quite new and visionary.
#125
Adjusted Score: 74068%
Critics Consensus: If it falls short of the deadly satire of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel, American Psycho still finds its own blend of horror and humor, thanks in part to a fittingly creepy performance by Christian Bale.
#124
Adjusted Score: 76312%
Critics Consensus: Though the material is predictable and formulaic, Reese Witherspoon’s funny, nuanced performance makes this movie better than it would have been otherwise.
#123
Adjusted Score: 76986%
Critics Consensus: With a weaker ending, Unbreakable is not as a good as The Sixth Sense. However, it is a quietly suspenseful film that intrigues and engages, taking the audience through unpredictable twists and turns along the way.
#122
Adjusted Score: 77856%
Critics Consensus: Though it occasionally stumbles into sitcom territory, Something’s Gotta Give is mostly a smart, funny romantic comedy, with sharp performances from Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, and Keanu Reeves.
#121
Adjusted Score: 72381%
Critics Consensus: Frustratingly uneven yet enjoyable overall, Idiocracy skewers society’s devolution with an amiably goofy yet deceptively barbed wit.
#120
Adjusted Score: 78175%
Critics Consensus: With little gore and a lot of creepy visuals, The Ring gets under your skin, thanks to director Gore Verbinski’s haunting sense of atmosphere and an impassioned performance from Naomi Watts.
#119
Adjusted Score: 80064%
Critics Consensus: The ending may be less than satisfying, but Denzel Washington reminds us why he’s such a great actor in this taut and brutal police drama.
#118
Adjusted Score: 76425%
Critics Consensus: An inspirational crowd-pleaser with a healthy dose of social commentary, Remember the Titans may be predictable, but it’s also well-crafted and features terrific performances.
#117
Adjusted Score: 79681%
Critics Consensus: The likable leads and subversion of racial stereotypes elevate Harold and Kumar above the typical stoner comedy.
#116
Adjusted Score: 80096%
Critics Consensus: Though it sometimes feels like a television sitcom, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is good-hearted, lovable, and delightfully eccentric, with a sharp script and lead performance from Nia Vardalos.
#115
Adjusted Score: 87406%
Critics Consensus: With surprisingly touching earnestness, The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants follows four best friends as they try on adulthood — and though it isn’t an easy fit, their journey becomes bearable thanks to the threads they share.
#114
Adjusted Score: 83813%
Critics Consensus: Visually stunning and thought-provoking, V For Vendetta‘s political pronouncements may rile some, but its story and impressive set pieces will nevertheless entertain.
#113
Adjusted Score: 82784%
Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling, with a thoughtful storyline and catchy musical numbers, Happy Feet marks a successful animated debut from the makers of Babe.
#112
Adjusted Score: 83272%
Critics Consensus: Though it’s light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott’s superb technical skill.
#111
Adjusted Score: 81836%
Critics Consensus: Wedding Crashers is both raunchy and sweet, and features top-notch comic performances from Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
#110
Adjusted Score: 82928%
Critics Consensus: A rare film that surpasses the quality of its source novel, this Devil is a witty expose of New York’s fashion scene, with Meryl Streep in top form and Anne Hathaway more than holding her own.
#109
Adjusted Score: 83535%
Critics Consensus: Team America will either offend you or leave you in stitches. It’ll probably do both.
#108
Adjusted Score: 85428%
Critics Consensus: Full of twists and turns, The Prestige is a dazzling period piece that never stops challenging the audience.
#107
Adjusted Score: 84189%
Critics Consensus: A promising work by Lin, the energetic Better Luck Tomorrow is disturbing and thought-provoking.
#106
Adjusted Score: 90887%
Critics Consensus: While not everyone will be entertained by Gladiator‘s glum revenge story, Russell Crowe thunderously wins the crowd with a star-making turn that provides Ridley Scott’s opulent resurrection of Rome its bruised heart.
#105
Adjusted Score: 85772%
Critics Consensus: A gloriously rude and gleefully offensive black comedy, Bad Santa isn’t for everyone, but grinches will find it uproariously funny.
#104
Adjusted Score: 88380%
Critics Consensus: Violent and definitely not for the squeamish, Park Chan-Wook’s visceral Oldboy is a strange, powerful tale of revenge.
#103
Adjusted Score: 86775%
Critics Consensus: A sort of Blair Witch Project crossed with Godzilla, Cloverfield is economically paced, stylistically clever, and filled with scares.
#102
Adjusted Score: 63231%
Critics Consensus: Step Brothers indulges in a cheerfully relentless immaturity that will quickly turn off viewers unamused by Ferrell and Reilly — and delight those who find their antics hilarious.
#101
Adjusted Score: 86010%
Critics Consensus: Waking Life‘s inventive animated aesthetic adds a distinctive visual component to a film that could easily have rested on its smart screenplay and talented ensemble cast.
#100
Adjusted Score: 89278%
Critics Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.
#99
Adjusted Score: 87772%
Critics Consensus: May leave you exhausted like the theme park ride that inspired it; however, you’ll have a good time when it’s over.
#98
Adjusted Score: 85730%
Critics Consensus: Zellweger’s Bridget Jones is a sympathetic, likable, funny character, giving this romantic comedy a lot of charm.
#97
Adjusted Score: 85866%
Critics Consensus: Besides bringing on the laughs, Barbershop displays a big heart and demonstrates the value of community.
#96
Adjusted Score: 88729%
Critics Consensus: With a clever script and hilarious interplay among the cast, The Hangover nails just the right tone of raunchy humor, and the non-stop laughs overshadow any flaw.
#95
Adjusted Score: 85810%
Critics Consensus: Visually groundbreaking and terrifically violent, Sin City brings the dark world of Frank Miller’s graphic novel to vivid life.
#94
Adjusted Score: 89807%
Critics Consensus: As fast-paced, witty, and entertaining as it is star-studded and coolly stylish, Ocean’s Eleven offers a well-seasoned serving of popcorn entertainment.
#93
Adjusted Score: 91295%
Critics Consensus: Battle Royale is a controversial and violent parable of adolescence, heightening teenage melodrama with life-or-death stakes.
#92
Adjusted Score: 93054%
Critics Consensus: A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family comedy, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell’s funny and charming performance as one of Santa’s biggest helpers.
#91
Adjusted Score: 72686%
Critics Consensus: Filled with inspired silliness and quotable lines, Anchorman isn’t the most consistent comedy in the world, but Will Ferrell’s buffoonish central performance helps keep this portrait of a clueless newsman from going off the rails.
#90
Adjusted Score: 89975%
Critics Consensus: Extremely one-sided in its indictment of the Bush administration, but worth watching for the humor and the debates it’ll stir.
#89
Adjusted Score: 93838%
Critics Consensus: David Lynch’s dreamlike and mysterious Mulholland Drive is a twisty neo-noir with an unconventional structure that features a mesmerizing performance from Naomi Watts as a woman on the dark fringes of Hollywood.
#88
Adjusted Score: 89462%
Critics Consensus: Billy Elliot is a charming movie that can evoke both laughter and tears.
#87
Adjusted Score: 88965%
Critics Consensus: Snappy dialogue and goofy characters make this Wild Wild West soap opera in space fun and adventurous.
#86
Adjusted Score: 91338%
Critics Consensus: Using its low-budget effects and mockumentary method to great result, Paranormal Activity turns a simple haunted house story into 90 minutes of relentless suspense.
#85
Adjusted Score: 90147%
Critics Consensus: Inspiring, compassionate, and with a sly undercurrent of social commentary, Bend It Like Beckham is a lively feel-good movie that genuinely charms.
#84
Adjusted Score: 90884%
Critics Consensus: Taking full advantage of Julia Roberts’s considerable talent and appeal, Erin Brockovich overcomes a few character and plot issues to deliver a smart, thoughtful, and funny legal drama.
#83
Adjusted Score: 89809%
Critics Consensus: Superior acting and authentic crooning capture the emotional subtleties of the legend of Johnny Cash with a freshness that is a pleasure to watch.
#82
Adjusted Score: 95848%
Critics Consensus: While simultaneously embracing and subverting fairy tales, the irreverent Shrek also manages to tweak Disney’s nose, provide a moral message to children, and offer viewers a funny, fast-paced ride.
#81
Adjusted Score: 93588%
Critics Consensus: Featuring witty dialogue and deft performances, In Bruges is an effective mix of dark comedy and crime thriller elements.
#80
Adjusted Score: 90945%
Critics Consensus: Richard Kelly’s debut feature Donnie Darko is a daring, original vision, packed with jarring ideas and intelligence and featuring a remarkable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled title character.
#79
Adjusted Score: 93966%
Critics Consensus: Deft direction and strong performances from its all-female cast guide The Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film.
#78
Adjusted Score: 102109%
Critics Consensus: With its vivid stop-motion animation combined with Neil Gaiman’s imaginative story, Coraline is a film that’s both visually stunning and wondrously entertaining.
#77
Adjusted Score: 83334%
Critics Consensus: Though the movie may be too intense for some to stomach, the wonderful performances and the bleak imagery are hard to forget.
#76
Adjusted Score: 91839%
Critics Consensus: Steve Carell’s first star turn scores big with a tender treatment of its titular underdog, using raunchy but realistically funny comedy to connect with adult audiences.
#75
Adjusted Score: 93490%
Critics Consensus: Kill Bill is admittedly little more than a stylish revenge thriller — albeit one that benefits from a wildly inventive surfeit of style.
#74
Adjusted Score: 94371%
Critics Consensus: A clever, offbeat romantic comedy, 500 Days of Summer is refreshingly honest and utterly charming.
#73
Adjusted Score: 101397%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and dramatically moving, The Pianist is Polanski’s best work in years.
#72
Adjusted Score: 91903%
Critics Consensus: The plot is utterly ridiculous, and the soccer in the movie is unlike any ever played anywhere on Earth, but watching Shaolin Soccer, you will probably find it impossible to care.
#71
Adjusted Score: 93925%
Critics Consensus: Tightly scripted, solidly acted, and impressively ambitious, X2: X-Men United is bigger and better than its predecessor — and a benchmark for comic sequels in general.
#70
Adjusted Score: 94052%
Critics Consensus: Driven by director Michael Mann’s trademark visuals and a lean, villainous performance from Tom Cruise, Collateral is a stylish and compelling noir thriller.
#69
Adjusted Score: 98854%
Critics Consensus: With acerbic wit, Terry Zwigoff fashions Daniel Clowes’ graphic novel into an intelligent, comedic trip through deadpan teen angst.
#68
Adjusted Score: 95048%
Critics Consensus: It might be more impressive on a technical level than as a piece of storytelling, but Avatar reaffirms James Cameron’s singular gift for imaginative, absorbing filmmaking.
#67
Adjusted Score: 94615%
Critics Consensus: Spike Lee’s energetic and clever bank-heist thriller is a smart genre film that is not only rewarding on its own terms, but manages to subvert its pulpy trappings with wit and skill.
#66
Adjusted Score: 108846%
Critics Consensus: Star Trek reignites a classic franchise with action, humor, a strong story, and brilliant visuals, and will please traditional Trekkies and new fans alike.
#65
Adjusted Score: 89011%
Critics Consensus: The Royal Tenenbaums is a delightful adult comedy with many quirks and a sense of poignancy. Many critics especially praised Hackman’s performance.
#64
Adjusted Score: 94091%
Critics Consensus: Bill Murray’s subtle and understated style complements director Jim Jarmusch’s minimalist storytelling in this quirky, but deadpan comedy.
#63
Adjusted Score: 95225%
Critics Consensus: Kinetically directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later is both a terrifying zombie movie and a sharp political allegory.
#62
Adjusted Score: 96242%
Critics Consensus: Deftly balancing vulgarity and sincerity while placing its protagonists in excessive situations, Superbad is an authentic take on friendship and the overarching awkwardness of the high school experience.
#61
Adjusted Score: 99552%
Critics Consensus: An exquisitely shot showcase for Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung that marks a somber evolution of Wong Kar-wai’s chic style, In the Mood for Love is a tantric tease that’s liable to break your heart.
#60
Adjusted Score: 100418%
Critics Consensus: Almost Famous, with its great ensemble performances and story, is a well-crafted, warm-hearted movie that successfully draws you into its era.
#59
Adjusted Score: 92397%
Critics Consensus: With biting satire, plenty of subversive humor, and an unforgettable turn by Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder is a triumphant late summer comedy.
#58
Adjusted Score: 108766%
Critics Consensus: Breathtakingly lovely and grounded by the stellar efforts of a well-chosen cast, Finding Nemo adds another beautifully crafted gem to Pixar’s crown.
#57
Adjusted Score: 96111%
Critics Consensus: An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes.
#56
Adjusted Score: 95330%
Critics Consensus: Another masterful, compassionate work from Pedro Almodovar.
#55
Adjusted Score: 97600%
Critics Consensus: The brutality of Amores Perros may be difficult to watch at times, but this intense, gritty film packs a hard wallop.
#54
Adjusted Score: 96976%
Critics Consensus: Led by a triumvirate of terrific performances, Alfonso Cuarón’s free-spirited road trip through Mexico is a sexy and wistful hymn to the fleetingness of youth.
#53
Adjusted Score: 99092%
Critics Consensus: Black’s exuberant, gleeful performance turns School of Rock into a hilarious, rocking good time.
#52
Adjusted Score: 97174%
Critics Consensus: Dizzyingly original, the loopy, multi-layered Adaptation is both funny and thought-provoking.
#51
Adjusted Score: 98464%
Critics Consensus: Unlike more traditional spy films, The Lives of Others doesn’t sacrifice character for cloak and dagger chases, and the performances (notably that by the late Ulrich Muhe) stay with you.
#50
Adjusted Score: 99227%
Critics Consensus: Clint Eastwood’s assured direction – combined with knockout performances from Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman – help Million Dollar Baby to transcend its clichés, and the result is deeply heartfelt and moving.
#49
Adjusted Score: 99115%
Critics Consensus: The brilliant minds behind Shaun of the Dead successfully take a shot at the buddy cop genre with Hot Fuzz. The result is a bitingly satiric and hugely entertaining parody.
#48
Adjusted Score: 99142%
Critics Consensus: As populace pleasing as it is intellectually satisfying, The Host combines scares, laughs, and satire into a riveting, monster movie.
#47
Adjusted Score: 83713%
Critics Consensus: A love-it-or-hate-it experience, Moulin Rouge is all style, all giddy, over-the-top spectacle. But it’s also daring in its vision and wildly original.
#46
Adjusted Score: 106208%
Critics Consensus: James Marsh’s doc about artist Phililppe Petit’s artful caper brings you every ounce of suspense that can be wrung from a man on a (suspended) wire.
#45
Adjusted Score: 100784%
Critics Consensus: A quiet, dialogue-driven thriller that delivers with scene after scene of gut-wrenching anxiety. David Fincher also spends more time illustrating nuances of his characters and recreating the mood of the ’70s than he does on gory details of murder.
#44
Adjusted Score: 77628%
Critics Consensus: A charming, quirky, and often funny comedy.
#43
Adjusted Score: 100027%
Critics Consensus: Little Miss Sunshine succeeds thanks to a strong ensemble cast that includes Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Abigail Breslin, as well as a delightfully funny script.
#42
Adjusted Score: 103003%
Critics Consensus: A classic Tarantino genre-blending thrill ride, Inglourious Basterds is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining.
#41
Adjusted Score: 101534%
Critics Consensus: Christopher Nolan skillfully guides the audience through Memento’s fractured narrative, seeping his film in existential dread.
#40
Adjusted Score: 100164%
Critics Consensus: Part satire, part shockumentary, Borat gets high-fives almost all-around for being offensive in the funniest possible way. Jagshemash!
#39
Adjusted Score: 97324%
Critics Consensus: A fine example of writer-director-star Christopher Guest’s gift for improv comedy, Best in Show boasts an appealingly quirky premise and a brilliantly talented cast.
#38
Adjusted Score: 100938%
Critics Consensus: Widely touted as a masterpiece, this sparse and sprawling epic about the underhanded “heroes” of capitalism boasts incredible performances by leads Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano, and is director Paul Thomas Anderson’s best work to date.
#37
Adjusted Score: 98679%
Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.
#36
Adjusted Score: 102976%
Critics Consensus: Technically brilliant and emotionally wrenching, District 9 has action, imagination, and all the elements of a thoroughly entertaining science-fiction classic.
#35
Adjusted Score: 108154%
Critics Consensus: A well-acted, intensely shot, action filled war epic, Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker is thus far the best of the recent dramatizations of the Iraq War.
#34
Adjusted Score: 98122%
Critics Consensus: Thought-provoking and visceral, Steven Spielberg successfully combines high concept ideas and high octane action in this fast and febrile sci-fi thriller.
#33
Adjusted Score: 101446%
Critics Consensus: Featuring gut-wrenching performances from Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu, 4 Months is a gripping portrayal of life in Communist Romania.
#32
Adjusted Score: 103189%
Critics Consensus: Featuring outstanding work from an excellent cast, The Departed is a thoroughly engrossing gangster drama with the gritty authenticity and soupy morality we come to expect from Martin Scorsese.
#31
Adjusted Score: 102491%
Critics Consensus: Boasting an entertaining villain and deeper emotional focus, this is a nimble sequel that improves upon the original.
#30
Adjusted Score: 102642%
Critics Consensus: One of the brightest, funniest comedies of the year, Juno‘s smart script and direction are matched by assured performances in a coming-of-age story with a 21st century twist.
#29
Adjusted Score: 102917%
Critics Consensus: The Bourne Ultimatum is an intelligent, finely tuned non-stop thrill ride. Another strong performance from Matt Damon and sharp camerawork from Paul Greengrass make this the finest installment of the Bourne trilogy.
#28
Adjusted Score: 102291%
Critics Consensus: Persepolis is an emotionally powerful, dramatically enthralling autobiographical gem, and the film’s simple black-and-white images are effective and bold.
#27
Adjusted Score: 102390%
Critics Consensus: Featuring an impressive star turn by newcomer Tahar Rahim, A Prophet is a French gangster film filled with arresting, immediate details.
#26
Adjusted Score: 103114%
Critics Consensus: A charming, captivating tale of love and music, Once sets the standard for the modern musical. And with Dublin as its backdrop, Once is fun and fresh.
#25
Adjusted Score: 104854%
Critics Consensus: The movie that catapulted Ang Lee into the ranks of upper echelon Hollywood filmmakers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features a deft mix of amazing martial arts battles, beautiful scenery, and tasteful drama.
#24
Adjusted Score: 104787%
Critics Consensus: Charming, thoughtful, and often funny, Sideways is a decidedly mature road trip comedy full of excellent performances.
#23
Adjusted Score: 88346%
Critics Consensus: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone adapts its source material faithfully while condensing the novel’s overstuffed narrative into an involving — and often downright exciting — big-screen magical caper.
#22
Adjusted Score: 105318%
Critics Consensus: Casino Royale disposes of the silliness and gadgetry that plagued recent James Bond outings, and Daniel Craig delivers what fans and critics have been waiting for: a caustic, haunted, intense reinvention of 007.
#21
Adjusted Score: 103109%
Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling and emotionally resonant, Slumdog Millionaire is a film that’s both entertaining and powerful.
#20
Adjusted Score: 103987%
Critics Consensus: Chicken Run has all the charm of Nick Park’s Wallace & Gromit, and something for everybody. The voice acting is fabulous, the slapstick is brilliant, and the action sequences are spectacular.
#19
Adjusted Score: 105543%
Critics Consensus: Bringing loads of wit and tons of fun to the animated superhero genre, The Incredibles easily lives up to its name.
#18
Adjusted Score: 96422%
Critics Consensus: City of God offers a shocking and disturbing — but always compelling — look at life in the slums of Rio de Janiero.
#17
Adjusted Score: 105784%
Critics Consensus: Let the Right One In reinvigorates the seemingly tired vampire genre by effectively mixing scares with intelligent storytelling.
#16
Adjusted Score: 99814%
Critics Consensus: Filled with engaging dialogue, Before Sunset is a witty, poignant romance, with natural chemistry between Hawke and Delpy.
#15
Adjusted Score: 105797%
Critics Consensus: Wall-E‘s stellar visuals testify once again to Pixar’s ingenuity, while its charming star will captivate younger viewers — and its timely story offers thought-provoking subtext.
#14
Adjusted Score: 97704%
Critics Consensus: A beautiful, epic Western, Brokeback Mountain’s love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
#13
Adjusted Score: 91295%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a brilliant screenplay and outstanding ensemble cast, Mean Girls finds fresh, female-fronted humor in the high school experience.
#12
Adjusted Score: 107445%
Critics Consensus: Mickey Rourke gives a performance for the ages in The Wrestler, a richly affecting, heart-wrenching yet ultimately rewarding drama.
#11
Adjusted Score: 110219%
Critics Consensus: An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat.
#10
Adjusted Score: 105703%
Critics Consensus: Powered by Robert Downey Jr.’s vibrant charm, Iron Man turbo-charges the superhero genre with a deft intelligence and infectious sense of fun.
#9
Adjusted Score: 99296%
Critics Consensus: Shaun of the Dead cleverly balances scares and witty satire, making for a bloody good zombie movie with loads of wit.
#8
Adjusted Score: 104940%
Critics Consensus: Bolstered by powerful lead performances from Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men finds the Coen brothers spinning cinematic gold out of Cormac McCarthy’s grim, darkly funny novel.
#7
Adjusted Score: 102723%
Critics Consensus: Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live.
#6
Adjusted Score: 100734%
Critics Consensus: Propelled by Charlie Kaufman’s smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry’s equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.
#5
Adjusted Score: 105174%
Critics Consensus: Pan’s Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.
#4
Adjusted Score: 104222%
Critics Consensus: Spirited Away is a dazzling, enchanting, and gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by the world around them.
#3
Adjusted Score: 103410%
Critics Consensus: Effectively balancing humor and subtle pathos, Sofia Coppola crafts a moving, melancholy story that serves as a showcase for both Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.
#2
Adjusted Score: 100800%
Critics Consensus: Full of eye-popping special effects, and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic to vivid life.
#1
Adjusted Score: 108632%
Critics Consensus: Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.