21 films that were shamefully left off the critics list of the greatest films of the 21st century

How many have you seen?

Given that film is subjective, we fully expected to see the recent list in the New York Times about the ’25 greatest films of the 21st century so far’ to divide opinion. It did.

To be honest, we were shocked that Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! didn’t make the grade but each to their own.

This being said, the New York Times list did contain a lot of the same films that featured on a similar list that the BBC made.

With this in mind, we’ve come up with our own selection of 21 films that were somehow omitted. If you haven’t seen this yet then you need to do so.

Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%
Deserves its place because: It’s superbly acted, brilliantly paced and it’s one of those rare films that make you think about its ending, long after the final credits role.

Whiplash (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%
Deserves its place because: JK Simmons gives a performance for the ages as Terence Fletcher, a music teacher that’s as much known for his incredible teaching talents as he is for his terrifying methods. Were the critics rushing or dragging when they left this off the list?

The Dark Knight (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%

Deserves its place because: It set the benchmark for what summer blockbusters should be. This is incredibly intelligent filmmaking that also featured a truly iconic performance from Heath Ledger.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%
Deserves its place because: It’s the finest comedy of the 21st century, a genre that rarely gets its deserved critical acclaim. Making people laugh isn’t an easy thing to do and a case could also be made for The Hangover, Anchorman or Shaun of the Dead.

The Departed (2006)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 91%
Deserves its place because: It’s not Scorsese’s finest film but it’s a perfect example of ensemble acting. Kudos to the excellent script from William Monahan.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Rotten tomatoes rating: 97%

Deserves its place because: In recent years, we can’t remember seeing a funnier or more original film. It’s a gem.

Battle Royale (2000)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 87%

Deserves its place because: There’s a reason why countless Hollywood films have ripped this off.

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%
Deserves its place because: Drugs, sex, travel, friends and life lessons. It’s almost impossible to watch this film and not feel the urge to go travelling.

Lord Of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
Deserves its place because: It’s easily the best film of the Oscar winning trilogy and the Battle of Helms Deep still ranks as one of the most breathtaking cinematic experiences.

The Social Network (2010)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%

Deserves its place because: As we’ve outlined previously, Fincher’s film was arguably the biggest travesty in the recent history of the Oscars.

Does anyone genuinely think that The King’s Speech is a better film? It’s Shakespeare for the smartphone generation.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2009)

Rotten tomatoes rating: 95%

Deserves its place because: Original, complex and visually stunning. There’s nothing else that’s quite like it..you know, apart from Del Toro’s other feature, The Devil’s Backbone.

Man On Wire (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%
Deserves its place because: Sometimes, the truth is far more interesting than fiction.

Let The Right One In (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%

Deserves its place because: It’s the finest horror of the modern era.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 85%
Deserves its place because: Students will always need something to talk about at 3:17am

Gravity (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
Deserves its place because: A simple premise that’s executed perfectly. The Oscar winner features some amazing cinematography and even better camerawork.

Sideways (2004)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
Deserves its place because: Like another film that was omitted from this list, High Fidelity, you’ll reach a point in your life when Sideways feels like it was made just for you.

The Orphanage (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 87%
Deserves its place because: Horror will never be a genre that’s beloved by critics but Juan Antonio Bayona’s gothic frightener works on so many levels. It’s creepy, unnerving, atmospheric and strangely positive about what it means to be a family.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 96%
Deserves its place because: Di Caprio has rarely been this charming and his scenes with Christopher Walken are excellent. This is one of Spielberg’s finest films but oddly enough, this and Minority Report were both left off the list.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93%
Deserves its place because: The Bourne Identity provided the perfect mix of brains and brawn, it not only reinvented the aesthetic of action films, but served Hollywood notice that audiences wanted intelligent plots and believable characters. The third installment of the saga took the best elements of its predecessors and perfected them.

In Bruges (2008)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 84%
Deserves its place because: Very few features have managed to balance laughs and pathos quite like Martin McDonagh’s film does. It features two incredible performances from Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson along with a host of memorable lines. 

They’re filming midgets!

The Raid (2012)

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 85%

Deserves its place because: We still haven’t caught our breath after watching it. It’s intense and brilliant.

There are countless others that we could have included such as;

Grizzly Man, Slumdog Millionaire, Minority Report, Zero Dark Thirty, Shaun of the Dead, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,  The Class, Up, In the Loop, Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, Guardians of the Galaxy, Gladiator, Training Day, and many, many more.

Let us know if there are any films that you would have included.