The Best Movies of the 21st Century

Check back every week for updates and be sure to submit your guesses for picks 1-10 for a chance to appear on the show.

Release Dates

  • ✺

    50-41: July 18th, 2025 (Episode 311 - “Do It Yourself”)

  • ✺

    40-31: July 25th, 2025 (Episode 312 - “What Else Did We Overshoot?”)

  • ✺

    30-21: August 1st, 2025 (Episode 313 - “Define Vacation”)

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    20-11: August 8th, 2025 (Episode 314 - “Candles 2: Cosmetics”)

  • ✺

    10-5: August 15th, 2025 (Episode 315 - “To Catch a Lizard”)

  • ✺

    4-1: August 22nd, 2025

Matt’s List (50-41)

50. The Scorpion King 3-Battle for Redemption (2012)

Matt’s Note: Billy Zane Master Class

49. Lake Placid 2 (2007)

Matt’s Note: Feels like a movie that just needed to be mentioned.

48. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Matt’s Note: One of two movies in the annual Christmas rotation.

47. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Matt’s Note: A populist pick.

46. Sunshine (2007)

Matt’s Note: Great cast and underrated flick.

45. Best in Show (2000)

Matt’s Note: Brilliant improv comedy.

44. Mister Lonely (2007)

Matt’s Note: A good movie but a sad movie so Pat should pass.

43. Hell or High Water (2016)

Matt’s Note: If you like westerns, this can’t be missed.

42. Prisoners (2013)

Matt’s Note: Denis Villeneuve partnered with Roger Deakins is a pairing that can’t be missed.

41. Punch Drunk Love (2002)

Matt’s Note: Denis Villeneuve partnered with Roger Deakins is a pairing that can’t be missed.

Matt’s List (40-31)

40. Coco (2017)

Matt’s Note: Feels really low, might have been a mistake.

39. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Matt’s Note: My favorite Coen Brothers film.

38. Star Trek (2009)

Matt’s Note: Special to me as a Trekkie.

37. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Matt’s Note: Let's go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over.

36. The Way, Way Back (2013)

Matt’s Note: One of the best summer movies and a quintessential Rhode Island flick.

35. Inception (2010)

Matt’s Note: The first of many Nolans on this list.

34. Krampus (2015)

Matt’s Note: A must watch every Christmas.

33. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Matt’s Note: A little long and plodding and that’s why it doesn’t rank as high as the other two.

32. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Matt’s Note: One of the best comedies ever made.

31. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Matt’s Note: Hard to remove recency bias but this one was a joy to watch in theaters.

Matt’s List (30-21)

30. Wonka (2023)

Matt’s Note: A magical movie fit for the holiday season.

29. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Matt’s Note: Roger Deakins and Brad Pitt, what more do you need?

28. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Matt’s Note: The best superhero movie ever.

27. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021)

Matt’s Note: Oh, Trish.

26. Kong: Skull Island (2017)

Matt’s Note: Perfectly paced with great monster action.

25. Lady Bird (2017)

Matt’s Note: It’s spelled “Saoirse.”

24. Her (2013)

Matt’s Note: More realistic with each passing day.

23. The Tree of Life (2011)

Matt’s Note: Pat wouldn’t understand.

22. Blue Valentine (2010)

Matt’s Note: We love the Gos.

21. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Matt’s Note: You either love or hate Wes Anderson’s style, and on this podcast it’s all love.

Matt’s List (20-11)

20. Casino Royale (2006)

Matt’s Note: Not just a great Bond. A great movie.

19. Whiplash (2014)

Matt’s Note: Similar to “Uncut Gems,” not necessarily a movie you enjoy but one you endure.

18. Before Sunset (2004)

Matt’s Note: Here representing the entire trilogy (even though yes, the first movie is from 1995).

17. La La Land (2016)

Matt’s Note: I’m a sucker for movies about lost love.

16. Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Matt’s Note: Nobody likes this movie but me, and that’s fine.

15. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Matt’s Note: Made me fall in love with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. Both of them are gorgeous.

14. Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Matt’s Note: Magical realism set in a swamp.

13. The Prestige (2016)

Matt’s Note: A Christopher Nolan movie that Pat would actually like.

12. Wall-E (2008)

Matt’s Note: Cinema.

11. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Matt’s Note: A great blockbuster that doubles as the rare legacy sequal that actually improves upon the original.

Pat’s List (50-41)

50. Pacific Rim (2013)

Pat’s Note: Impressive for a movie that had no pre-established IP.

49. Reign of Fire (2002)

Pat’s Note: The ultimate DUDE movie.

48. Up (2009)

Pat’s Note: You will cry.

47. Uncut Gems (2019)

Pat’s Note: Not a movie that you will enjoy, but that’s the whole point.

46. Funny People (2009)

Pat’s Notes: Eminem has some of the funniest parts.

45. Shrek (2001)

Pat’s Note: Shrek is relatable to the everyman. Farquaad is relatable to Matt.

44. Beerfest (2006)

Pat’s Note: Not the only Broken Lizard movie on this list.

43. The Batman (2022)

Pat’s Note: The best Batman movie of the 21st century.

42. Grown Ups (2010)

Pat’s Note: You’ll only understand this if you’re a real adult.

41. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Pat’s Note: One of the most underrated sci-fi movies of all time.

(40-31)

40. The Departed (2006)

Pat’s Note: Tried to get this higehr on the list but couldn’t. Suffers from being really popular.

39. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Pat’s Note: Should have a cult following like “Entourage.”

38. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Pat’s Note: The best James Bond movie.

37. Dodgeball (2004)

Pat’s Note: We could do a bunch of impressions from this but we’re not going to.

36. Step Brothers (2008)

Pat’s Notes: Quotable but suffers from Departed disease-it’s overplayed.

35. Speed Racer (2008)

Pat’s Note: Especially good because it stays true to the cartoon.

34. Wonka (2023)

Pat’s Note: Started as a joke but turns out we really do love this movie.

33. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Pat’s Note: Did not get the love it deserved at the box office.

32. Club Dread (2004)

Pat’s Note: Broken Lizard does it again.

31. Coraline (2009)

Pat’s Note: Impressive stop-motion. Corpe Bride is also good.

(30-21)

30. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Pat’s Note: Perfect ending to the trilogy.

29. Tropic Thunder (2008)

Pat’s Note: Had no idea that was Tom Cruise.

28. Van Helsing (2004)

Pat’s Note: This is what the Dark Universe should have been.

27. Super Troopers (2001)

Pat’s Note: Funny.

26. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Pat’s Notes: Not a fan of the culture surrounding this movie but the movie itself is great.

25. Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

Pat’s Note: Did not expect this to be good and it caught me by surprise.

24. Big Fish (2003)

Pat’s Note: Big time tear-jerker. A special movie.

23. The Avengers (2012)

Pat’s Note: Did something no movie had done before.

22. Hot Fuzz (2007)

Pat’s Note: #22 on the list and still just second-best of the Cornetto trilogy.

21. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Pat’s Note: Self-explanatory.

(20-11)

19. Coco (2017)

Pat’s Note: Beautiful and special.

20. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Pat’s Note: I want to see more of this, but as a TV series.

18. The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Pat’s Note: Matt doesn’t contemplate The Simpsons Movie.

17. Treasure Planet (2002)

Pat’s Note: This animation technique was so good but nobody appreciated it so it was never done again.

16. Superbad (2007)

Pat’s Notes: Our generation’s greatest comedy

15. Avatar (2009)

Pat’s Note: A moment in time.

14. Jurassic World (2015)

Pat’s Note: Might be hated by all of my friends, but it’s still special to me.

13. Transformers (2007)

Pat’s Note: Nothing quite like Shia LaBeouf’s energy in this.

12. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

Pat’s Note: Had to limit myself to one because I could have put way more on here.

11. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Pat’s Note: Still can’t believe where this was on Matt’s list.

✺ Frequently asked questions ✺

  • The Boiz shot from the dick. These are a blend of what they consider to be the “best”movies of this century and also their favorites.

  • Luckily this isn’t about you, so you don’t have to worry!

  • Unfortunately, Tombstone was released in 1993.

  • The Boiz tried to only pick their favorites from each major film series of the 21st century. However, they made an exception for The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

  • No, these are real movies and Matt actually likes them.

  • Sadly, no. There were no restrictions put in place to limit how many Adam Sandler movies could appear on the lists