21st century films that are already considered modern classics

When Everything Everywhere All At Once came out, everyone was talking about it. It nearly swept the Oscars, and it helped make A24 culturally relevant — a rare feat for a production company. People will keep talking about this movie for years to come. 

There’s a lot that goes into a film becoming a modern classic, and it can be hard to pinpoint. But Barbie might have cracked the formula. The film had the perfect cast and an incredible rollout, and it opened on the same day as another modern classic. It was also really, really good. 

The other half of "Barbenheimer," Oppenheimer was the best movie that came out in 2023, and it became an instant classic. It was grand, intense, well-cast, well-written, and well-directed. Everybody agreed that it’s a fantastic film. 

It’s damn near impossible for a movie with a cast as good as the one assembled for Brokeback Mountain to be bad. That, coupled with a story never before told in Hollywood, Brokeback Mountain is a modern classic. 

A good period piece has the power to unite a country through film, and that’s what There Will Be Blood did. The unity didn’t last for long, but for a short period, everyone agreed that There Will Be Blood was one of the best movies of the year. 

Despite the Oscars drama surrounding this film, La La Land is arguably the best movie musical of the 21st century. Beautiful and original, it felt like a hearken back to movie musicals of decades prior, and it served as a reminder of why a movie musical can be such a good investment. 

Horror films don’t often make a splash at the Academy Awards, but Get Out finished the end of awards season with four nominations and one win (not even Psycho won an Oscar). Jordan Peele’s film instantly became a genre staple. 

Inception is still used as a reference when something is remotely meta. The film could’ve gone so wrong, but thanks to Christopher Nolan, it went so right, and it’s one of the best movies of the century. 

There’s a good amount of evidence to support the argument that Christopher Nolan is the best director of the century. He’s made nothing but bangers of films, including The Dark Knight.  

The primary inspiration behind The Social Network , Mark Zuckerberg, wasn’t a huge fan of the film, but everyone else was. The David Fincher film is one of those rare movies that performed great at the box office, received outstanding reviews, and won tons of awards, including three Oscars. 

One sign of a classic film is that it remains culturally relevant well past its release year, and Ratatouille is still part of the zeitgeist. We don’t even think Pixar knew just how much audiences would connect with an epicurean rat. 

Wes Anderson has made some great movies, and  The Grand Budapest Hotel is the best. It’s funny, kooky, and beautiful. If there’s any non-silent film from this century worth watching on mute, it’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

Any movie that manages to remain a cultural touchstone well after its release is a classic, and such is the case for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind . The movie features some of Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey’s best work.

Comedy films are especially tricky to make because audiences have such differing senses of humor. But School of Rock had everything going for it, including a great cast and great music. 

Another comedy film to absolutely rivet audiences, The Hangover became a franchise for a reason. People love good comedy. 

Everyone wanted to live like Jordan Belfort after watching The Wolf of Wall Street . Despite it being a cautionary tale, Martin Scorsese made Belfort’s story look so good. Who wouldn’t want their life to be directed by Scorsese? 

Frozen was such a good children’s movie that adults were going to see it on their own. Everybody was singing “Let It Go,” and the film almost immediately got greenlit for a stage adaptation. It warranted a sequel, and children still dress up like Elsa and Anna. 

Daniel Craig’s run as James Bond was one for the ages. His work rivals any Bond actor, and it all started with 2006’s Casino Royale. That film could make even the most ardent Bond detractors into fans. 

Who could’ve ever predicted the success that Napoleon Dynamite would have? It’s one of the most famous independent films of all time, and it’s one of the best. It’s both strange and funny, yet compelling and comforting. It’s a movie that will live on for decades. 

Good things happen when Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio team up. Marty pulled out all the big guns for The Departed, and he ended up with an Oscar-winning film and an absolute classic.