I was debating whether to start a separate thread or include this in the thread about Film Comment’s best films of the 2010s, but a separate thread seems appropriate, even though there is a lot of overlap. In this thread, I’m going to discuss the list ten films per post, starting with the 100th film. Here’s the link to the article: The New York Times 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century (Note: I had trouble making this a gifted article, but if you want that, let me know, and I’ll try again.)

Some random thoughts before I begin:

• When I think about “best of” lists, I prefer using a tiered approach versus ranking the films. In this approach, the first tier films that are the most excellent and exceptional, in some way–something that would make them more than good or very good movies. For example, maybe the film is “firing on all cylinders–i.e., most of the different aspect of the film are excellently executed–to the degree that the film could be considered a masterpiece. Or perhaps the film is among the best of a particular genre. For something like the best of a decade, or in this case, the 21st century (so far), first tier films would be comparable to all-time great films. I guess second tier films would be right outside the first tier–films that are very good, but not good enough to be among the best ever. However, they are among the best, relative to the other films made in the 21st century.
• While going through this list, I plan on making my own list, which will include films that are not on the NYT list.
• In looking at the list, I get the sense that certain films seemed to have become entrenched in minds of cinephilies and filmmakers. Mulholland Drive, In the Mood for Love, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are examples. Maybe these films are truly deserving (and I tend to think they are), but I sense a kind of critical inertia behind these films, leading to lazy thinking and eventually the films high-ranking positions.
• On a related note, I’m not a fan of the methodology (at least what I understand of it) because it favors well-known, widely distributed, and well-respected films. The more obscure films that are harder to see are at a disadvantage. These conditions shouldn’t play a role in determining the ranking of these films, or if a film even makes it on the list.