There’s been a daunting number of great movies released over the past quarter of a century, with the period encompassing – as of 2024 – a period that dates back from the present to the very end of the 1990s. 1999 itself was a particularly strong year for cinema, and then the 2000s and 2010s kept the hot streak alive, so to speak. Even a pandemic and strikes in the early 2020s haven’t entirely put a stop to great movies getting released in this first half of a still ongoing decade.
Because of how many good movies there are,narrowing things down to just a small selection – intended to highlight the very best of the best– is something of a fool’s errand, but fools have to do something to pass the time. Go easy on the opinion of one fool, and that fool’s picks for the best movies of the last 25 years. By no means does such a small ranking imply there aren’t countless other great films released during the period in question.
10’The Matrix' (1999)
Directed by Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski
The Matrixis about as good as it gets,as far as action movies are concerned. But, even better,The Matrixis much more than just an action movie. It’s one of the boldest and most entertaining science fiction movies ever made, exploring some complex and interesting ideas alongsidedelivering spectacle and unbelievably satisfying action. It’s both exciting and thought-provoking, and those two sides ofThe Matrixare in surprisingly perfect harmony throughout.
Later sequels were interesting and certainly had their moments, but 1999’sThe Matrixis the only outright perfect film in the series. It encapsulates the end of the 1990s and the start of the 2000s super well, has memorable characters, and features a distinctive visual style. Plus,the combination of gunfights (complete with slow motion) andgreat martial arts choreographyis to die for.
The Matrix
9’Spirited Away' (2001)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
A quintessentialgateway film for many into the anime genreoverall,Spirited Awayis perhaps the most discussed-to-death animated movie of the 2000s, but it’s more than earned the right to be endlessly discussed. It’sHayao Miyazaki’s most beautiful-looking movie, and perhaps his most imaginative, even if the plot – about a young girl having to rescue herself and her parents from a strange fantastical realm – is relatively simple.
At the risk of sounding corny, it’s the journeySpirited Awaytakes one on, rather than the destination, that makes it so memorable. It’s baffling how one film can contain so many unusual sights and distinctive characters, and then all somehow remain feeling coherent, but that’sSpirited Awayfor you.It’s just kind of on another level altogether, and proves overwhelming in the best of ways, even on repeat viewings.
Spirited Away
8’The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' (2001)
Directed by Peter Jackson
To keep going with great fantasy movies released in 2001,The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringis perhaps the best installment of the overall excellentThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, which some would prefer – perhaps justifiably – to count as a single nine-hour film. Or it’s more like 11 hours, if you choose to watch the extended editions, which are similarly impressive, emotionally satisfying, and even more epic (naturally).
The Fellowship of the Ringfeels the most self-contained of all the movies in the trilogy, functioning quite well as its own thing, in some ways, while also undeniably setting things up to conclude later on. The next two films do have to be watched to fullyappreciate whatPeter Jacksonwas going foras a whole, butThe Fellowship of the Ringdoes, inevitably,showcase all the strengths of the trilogy at their absolute strongest.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
7’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)
Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
One genre that’s generally had a pretty good run for much of the past 25 years has been the superhero genre, with the early 2000s seeing a handful of successful blockbusters centering on comic book characters.Spider-Manwas naturally one of them, and thoughtheTobey Maguirefilms are super endearingand undoubtedly nostalgic, the bestSpider-Manmovie of all time might well be animated: 2018’sSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
With a plot that involves the multiverse in a way that feels clever without being convoluted,Into the Spider-Versesees numerous Spider-people coming together, though the focus remains on Miles Morales and his distinctive origin story.It delivers whatyou’d expect out of a good superhero moviebut then goes beyond expectations in other ways: notably, the stunning, stylish, and unique animation, the witty humor, and the clever meta-commentary explored throughout.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
6’All of Us Strangers' (2023)
Directed by Andrew Haigh
It can be a little more difficult to crown amovie from the 2020s as an all-time great, considering the decade is still ongoing (as at the time of writing), butAll of Us Strangerscertainly feels like it has the capacity to be an enduring classic. At its most basic,it could be called a ghost story, but it’s also effective as an exploration of grief and memory, while being romantic in a sometimes bittersweet, sometimes tragic sort of way.
It’s also one of the best-acted films in recent memory, withevery member of its small cast – Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Claire Foy, and Jamie Bell – delivering phenomenal performances. The emotional punches found inAll of Us Strangersare also staggering. It’s a deeply sad movie, but it’s also touching and, once seen, proves difficult to shake.
All of Us Strangers
5’WALL·E' (2008)
Directed by Andrew Stanton
Sticka bunch of Pixar classicson a dartboard, making sure to include the likes oftheToy Storysequels,Finding Nemo,Ratatouille,The Incredibles,WALL·E, and maybe evenInside OutandCoco. Then, throw a dart in the board’s general direction. Hey, look, the dart landed onWALL·E.WALL·Eis the greatest Pixar movie of the past 25 years, rivaling the firstToy Story, and could well also stand as the greatest animated movie made by any studio in that time.
From a memorable opening act that’s light on dialogue, to the unexpected romance, to the ambitious sci-fi ideas, to an ultimately moving conclusion,WALL·Eis just perfect from front to back (not to mentionthe first Pixar film in the Criterion Collection). It’s one of the most striking Pixar films, easily, based purely on how it looks and sounds, and its environmental message – though simple – is presented/argued well. It’s moving, funny, unique, and gorgeous; everything you could want out of a Pixar film, or just about any film, really.
4’Whiplash' (2014)
Directed by Damien Chazelle
A film that makes drumming feel like the most intense thing in the world for just under a couple of hours,Whiplashtakes a straightforward premise that might even sound boring on paper, andmakes it unexpectedly thrilling in execution. It follows one young aspiring drummer who’ll stop at nothing to achieve perfection, and what happens when he comes into contact with a similarly dedicated – and terrifyingly perfectionist – instructor.
On top of having great music,Whiplashis also one of the most absorbing psychological dramas ever made. It kicks off at a ruthless pace and only gets more relentless as it goes along, concluding with an unbelievable final scene.Damien Chazelle has made several great filmssinceWhiplash, sure, but none hit quite the same as this one; the one that made him a director to keep an eye on going forward.
3’The Dark Knight' (2008)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
GivenThe Dark Knightis aChristopher Nolanfilm, you get certain things out of it that you might expect to see.Michael Caineis here, for one, as is a focus onremarkable stunts and action scenespulled off predominantly with practical effects.The pacing is breakneck, the editing almost overwhelmingly fast, and the themes explored rather complex, at least by the standards of something with mass appeal.
ButThe Dark Knightfeels a cut above Nolan’s other great films of the last 25 years, more or lessredefining what a 21st-century blockbuster could beand having it all come across as borderline effortless. It’s probably the best live-actionBatmanfilm ever made, andas far as portrayals of the Joker go,Heath Ledger’s is probably one that’ll never be topped.
The Dark Knight
2’Pan’s Labyrinth' (2006)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Pan’s Labyrinthis one of those rare movies that feels like it’s a bit of everything, genre and tone-wise. Admittedly,it doesn’t dip its toes into every genre, but the ones it chooses to explore are disparate, yet the film remains coherent.Pan’s Labyrinthis a dark fantasy movie, a gruelingly emotional drama, a war film, and a spin on a kind of fairytale, all at once. It might even be more than just those things.
It’s no exaggeration to call it one ofthe best non-English-language movies of all time, as it feltperfect upon its release in 2006, and has continued to age like the finest of wines close to 20 years later.Guillermo del Torohas scarcely missed as a director, but at the same time, he’s never hit the nail on the head quite as hard as he did when he madePan’s Labyrinth.
Pan’s Labyrinth
1’Parasite' (2019)
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Unpredictability is the name of the gamewhen it comes toParasite, but it’s unpredictable in a way that’s also super easy to get into and appreciate. Itdoes bold things narratively and thematicallywhile balancing those things with a clean, efficiently told story packed with great characters. Everyone is part of a cruel system here, and the film is not concerned with telling a story of heroes and villains in the traditional sense.
The set of rules that dictate everyone’s life, and their social status? That’sParasite’s villain, and everyone else is some kind of victim; some more victimized than others, sure, butParasiteismost focused on exploring a certain sort of ugliness that permeates much of the world at large. That might sound miserable. Sometimes,Parasiteis a bit miserable. But it’s alsothrilling, exciting, and darkly comedic. It has everything, and tells a narrative with a conclusion that feels inevitable, yet all the while, the journey there is unpredictable. It’s one of the best-written movies of all time, and the quality of the writing is pretty muchmatched by everything else, especially the actingand directing.
