June 30, 2025

Cinema Beyond Cinemas: the 10 Best Films of the 21st Century, So Far

Jeffrey St. Clair

Mulholland Dr. poster (detail).

The New York Times is putting together a list of the 100 best films of the 21st century, and they asked a few writers and filmmakers to submit their top 10 picks. They didn’t ask me, naturally, but I sent this to them anyway.

1. Mulholland Dr.
Director: David Lynch

 

2. A Prophet
Director: Jacques Audiard

 

3. In the Mood for Love
Director:  Wong Kar-wai

4. Spirited Away
Director: Hayao Miyazaki

5. Goodbye to Language
Director: Jean-Luc Godard

6. Old Boy
Director: Park Chan-wook

7. Spring Breakers
Director: Harmony Korine

8. A Separation
Director: Ashgar Farhadi

9. The Act of Killing
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

10. Pan’s Labyrinth
Director: Guillermo Del Toro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcHasH-nLhU

 

Jeffrey St. Clair is co-editor of CounterPunch. His most recent book is An Orgy of Thieves: Neoliberalism and Its Discontents (with Alexander Cockburn). He can be reached at: sitka@comcast.net or on Twitter @JeffreyStClair3.