My Top 10 Greatest Films from the 21st Century

For some unknown reason, I wasn't asked to join the BBC that compiled the 100 greatest films of the 21st century. So I decided to write my own list. This list is pretty Hollywood centric, and maybe that's a bad thing. But I really wanted it to reflect films that are important to me. Thee films maybe aren't my most favorite movies (though some of them are), but they are what I consider to be important in showcasing the best in terms of visual storytelling, themes, and historical relevance.

10. Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)
This melancholy, understated romance explores themes of isolation, human connection, and the effects of technology on human life. Boosted by expert performances, the script is warm and affectionate and the cinematography is striking. Spike Jonze is an incredibly heartfelt director, milking outlandish scenarios for what they say about modern human life.

9. ParaNorman (Sam Fell & Chris Butler, 2012)
Laika is a studio that specializes in stop-motion animation. Their films, including Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, and The Boxtrolls, focus on dark, mature themes through the family-friendly lens. For me, ParaNorman is their masterpiece. Equal parts zany homage to 80s horror and serious look at bullying, the film is an absolute joy. It's scary in all the right places, beautiful to look at, and quite emotionally resonant.

8. Volver (Pedro Almodovar, 2006)
Academy Award nominee Penelope Cruz is luminous in this farcical melodrama about the past, motherhood, femininity, and familial bonds. Almodovar directs a stacked cast of Spanish actresses, and his script is tough and witty. This film introduced me to Almodovar--and to Spanish cinema as a whole-- and was also the beginning of my admiration for melodrama as a genre.

7. A Single Man (Tom Ford, 2009)
Fashion icon Tom Ford makes his directorial debut with this somber piece about grief, loss, and new beginnings. Visually, the film is gorgeous. Ford's handling of colors and design bring out the emotional truths of the film. Stars Colin Firth and Julianne Moore--balanced by Nicholas Hoult and Matthew Goode--bring such life to the story. This film is both melancholy and magnificent.

6. Bridesmaids (Paul Feig, 2011)
I was debating between Bridesmaids and Spy, both feminist comedies. But the lasting impact of Bridesmaids won out. This film sparked a national discussion of women in comedy, and female representation as a whole. Star Kristen Wiig delivers a layered comedic performance--half tragic, half hysterical--and her co-stars are exceptional. Perhaps not visually inventive, but a landmark comedy nonetheless.

5. Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015)
The Academy Award for Best Picture went to this film, and the film is also my top movie of 2015. Spotlight is a quietly powerful film, with righteous heroes fighting for the unheard and going through the painstaking work of journalism. With subtle and delicate performances, unflinching cinematography, and exceptional dialogue, this movie is a restrained achievement.

4. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)
I was really debating between putting this on the list or Tarantino's slave revenge epic Django Unchained. Inglourious Basterds is however a beautifully crafted historical fantasy, that plays with the audience's perception of right and wrong. Tarantino explores the idea of whitewashing history in his trademark style. Visually the film is sprawling. Brad Pitt and Melanie Laurent provide dynamite performances.

3. American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)
Only a woman could make this scathing an adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' disturbing novel. Her film is satriical of toxic masculinity, with themes that are relevant to this day. Both bitingly funny and unflinchingly brutal, the film is a gorgeous and honest takedown of yuppie culture. Christian Bale's work is career-defining, with Chloe Sevigny, Reese Witherspoon, and Willem Dafoe offering exeellent support.

2. Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
When I want some instant Fincher, I might put on Gone Girl or even TGWTDT. However, it's hard to deny that this meticulous and creepy look at the Zodiac killer is the true Fincher masterpiece. Fincher builds suspense elegantly, both through atmosphere and well-crafted set pieces. The rainy, grimy look of the film is its best asset, and it compliments the themes of obsession, anxiety, and truth extremely well.

1. Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005)
I just don't know how to quit this movie. The Oscar winning film is both an epic story about America and a very intimate romance. The cinematography alone is eye-popping, and Lee's sophisticated direction gives the film an urgency. The film is sad, full of longing and hard times. Acting is fantastic all around, with these four actors on the verge of breaking out. Brokeback Mountain for me is the defining film of the 21st century. The film had a hand in bringing progressive ideas to the Hollywood conversation, but without pandering to straight audiences. Brokeback Mountain catapulted two of my generation's best actors (Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) to their esteemed adult careers, and also provided the platform for Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway to show their range after their previous teen roles. Ang Lee is one of the few minority directors treated like a white male director, and Brokeback Mountain is his glorious magnum opus.

The Alternate Universe Top 10 aka Movies I Felt Bad About Leaving off the List (in alphabetical order)
Beyond the Lights (Gina Prince Bythewood, 2014)
Carol (Todd Haynes, 2015)
Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron, 2013)
Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton, 2003)
Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff, 2001)
Spy (Paul Feig, 2015)
There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
Under the Skin (Jonathon Larson, 2013)
Wild Tales (Damian Szifron, 2014)

PS - Stay tuned for a Bollywood version of this list!

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