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The 21st century’s 100 greatest films – according to the critics

This David Lynch thriller, starring Naomi Watts, topped the list.

This David Lynch thriller, starring Naomi Watts, topped the list. Photo: Supplied

What is the best movie of the 21st century?

The BBC has been on the hunt for the answer, surveying film critics across the world to determine the 100 greatest films.

The culture arm of the media organisation received responses from 177 reviewers from every continent except Antarctica.

Mulholland Drive (2001) was named at the top of the list, while Boyhood (2014), Spirited Away (2001), There Will Be Blood (2007) and In The Mood For Love (2000) rounded out the top five.

Often described as mind-bending, Mulholland Drive juggles a number of plotlines and characters and was originally a television series pilot before it was shelved.

The most popular directors in the list were Wes Anderson, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Christopher Nolan, Michael Haneke, Paul Thomas Anderson and Joel and Ethan Coen.

Many recent blockbusters did not make the cut, with no Harry Potter, The Avengers, Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars movies on the list.

And, despite a number of accolades including best picture and best supporting actress at the 2014 Academy Awards, 12 Years a Slave only came in at number 44.

Three movies tied for the 100th position.

Here is the full list. Tell us what you think in the comments below.

1. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)

2. In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar-wai, 2000)

3. There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)

4. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)

Spirited Away was released in 2001.

Spirited Away was released in 2001. Photo: YouTube

5. Boyhood (Richard Linklater, 2014)

6. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Photo: Supplied

7. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)

8. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (Edward Yang, 2000)

9. A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011)

10. No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2007)

11. Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013)

12. Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)

13. Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)

14. The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer, 2012)

15. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)

16. Holy Motors (Leos Carax, 2012)

17. Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)

Pan's Labyrinth was released in 2006.

Pan’s Labyrinth was released in 2006. Photo: Supplied

18. The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, 2009)

19. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015)

Doof Warrior in a scene from Mad Max: Fury Road.

Doof Warrior in a scene from Mad Max: Fury Road. Photo: Supplied

20. Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman, 2008)

21. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, 2014)

Grand Budapest Hotel was rated 21st on the list.

Grand Budapest Hotel was rated 21st on the list. Photo: Supplied

22. Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)

23. Caché (Michael Haneke, 2005)

24. The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2012)

25. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)

26. 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002)

27. The Social Network (David Fincher, 2010)

Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network.

Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network. Photo: Supplied

28. Talk to Her (Pedro Almodóvar, 2002)

29. WALL-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008)

Wall-E and Eve in Pixar's Wall-E, released in 2008.

Wall-E and Eve in Pixar’s Wall-E, released in 2008. Photo: Supplied

30. Oldboy (Park Chan-wook, 2003)

31. Margaret (Kenneth Lonergan, 2011)

32. The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)

33. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)

34. Son of Saul (László Nemes, 2015)

35. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee, 2000)

36. Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2014)

37. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2010)

38. City of God (Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund, 2002)

39. The New World (Terrence Malick, 2005)

40. Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005)

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain. Photo: Supplied

41. Inside Out (Pete Docter, 2015)

42. Amour (Michael Haneke, 2012)

43. Melancholia (Lars von Trier, 2011)

44. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)

45. Blue Is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche, 2013)

46. Certified Copy (Abbas Kiarostami, 2010)

47. Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2014)

48. Brooklyn (John Crowley, 2015)

49. Goodbye to Language (Jean-Luc Godard, 2014)

50. The Assassin (Hou Hsiao-hsien, 2015)

51. Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010)

Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page in Inception.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page in Inception. Photo: Supplied

52. Tropical Malady (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2004)

53. Moulin Rouge! (Baz Luhrmann, 2001)

54. Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2011)

55. Ida (Paweł Pawlikowski, 2013)

56. Werckmeister Harmonies (Béla Tarr, director; Ágnes Hranitzky, co-director, 2000)

57. Zero Dark Thirty (Kathryn Bigelow, 2012)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxC_JNz5Vbg

58. Moolaadé (Ousmane Sembène, 2004)

59. A History of Violence (David Cronenberg, 2005)

60. Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006)

61. Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer, 2013)

62. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds.

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. Photo: Supplied

63. The Turin Horse (Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky, 2011)

64. The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino, 2013)

65. Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold, 2009)

66. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring (Kim Ki-duk, 2003)

67. The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GxSDZc8etg

68. The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)

69. Carol (Todd Haynes, 2015)

70. Stories We Tell (Sarah Polley, 2012)

71. Tabu (Miguel Gomes, 2012)

72. Only Lovers Left Alive (Jim Jarmusch, 2013)

73. Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004)

74. Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine, 2012)

75. Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014)

76. Dogville (Lars von Trier, 2003)

77. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007)

78. The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese, 2013)

Leonardo Dicaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street.

Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street. Photo: Supplied

79. Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe, 2000)

80. The Return (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2003)

81. Shame (Steve McQueen, 2011)

82. A Serious Man (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2009)

83. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)

84. Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)

85. A Prophet (Jacques Audiard, 2009)

86. Far From Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002)

87. Amélie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)

Audrey Tautou in Amélie.

Audrey Tautou in Amélie. Photo: Supplied

88. Spotlight (Tom McCarthy, 2015)

89. The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, 2008)

90. The Pianist (Roman Polanski, 2002)

91. The Secret in Their Eyes (Juan José Campanella, 2009)

92. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)

93. Ratatouille (Brad Bird, 2007)

94. Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)

95. Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson, 2012)

96. Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton, 2003)

97. White Material (Claire Denis, 2009)

98. Ten (Abbas Kiarostami, 2002)

99. The Gleaners and I (Agnes Varda, 2000)

100. Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade, 2016)

100. Requiem for a Dream (Darren Aronofsky, 2000)

100. Carlos (Olivier Assayas, 2010)

Finding Nemo characters Dory and Marlin, played by Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres.

Finding Nemo characters Dory and Marlin, played by Albert Brooks and Ellen Degeneres. Photo: www.imdb.com

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