The Best Movies of the 2020s
The canon in progress: the 2020s ranked by our composite score across 20+ authoritative lists, awards and polls — a decade still being decided, re-scored as each year's festivals and polls land.
One Battle After Another (2025) leads with a composite score of 3.50. Top 100 of 290 films in our library.
- 1One Battle After Another2025 · Paul Thomas Anderson · United States · drama, thriller, action3.50
Oscar Best Picture winner 2025 · BAFTA Best Film winner 2026 · Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #1
- 2Anatomy of a Fall2023 · Justine Triet · France · thriller, crime, drama3.33
Palme d'Or winner 2023 · César Best Film winner 2024 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #3
- 3Oppenheimer2023 · Christopher Nolan · United States / United Kingdom · biography, thriller, drama3.23
Oscar Best Picture winner 2023 · BAFTA Best Film winner 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #1
- 4Drive My Car2021 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · Japan · drama3.17
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2021 #1 · Japan Academy Prize winner 2022 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #2
- 5Anora2024 · Sean Baker · United States · comedy, drama3.08
Palme d'Or winner 2024 · Oscar Best Picture winner 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #2
- 6Nomadland2020 · Chloé Zhao · United States · drama3.00
Oscar Best Picture winner 2020 · BAFTA Best Film winner 2021 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2021 #1
- 7The Zone of Interest2023 · Jonathan Glazer · United Kingdom / Poland / United States · drama, war2.68
Cannes Grand Prix winner 2023 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #3 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2023
- 8CODA2021 · Siân Héder · United States / France / Canada · comedy, drama, musical2.36
Oscar Best Picture winner 2021 · Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner 2021 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #6
- 9The Power of the Dog2021 · Jane Campion · United Kingdom / United States / New Zealand · drama, western2.28
BAFTA Best Film winner 2022 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2021 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #6
- 10The Fabelmans2022 · Steven Spielberg · United States · drama2.27
TIFF People's Choice winner 2022 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #4
- 11Poor Things2023 · Yorgos Lanthimos · United States / United Kingdom / Ireland · thriller, fantasy, sci-fi2.18
Venice Golden Lion winner 2023 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2023 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #4
- 12All We Imagine as Light2024 · Payal Kapadia · India · drama2.14
Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #1 · Cannes Grand Prix winner 2024 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2024 #5
- 13Triangle of Sadness2022 · Ruben Östlund · Sweden / Germany / United Kingdom · drama, comedy2.11
Palme d'Or winner 2022 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022 · Criterion Collection spine #1178
- 14Afternoons of Solitude2024 · Albert Serra · Spain / France / Portugal · documentary2.11
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2025 #1 · San Sebastián Golden Shell winner 2024 · Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #6
- 15Everything Everywhere All at Once2022 · Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert · United States · sci-fi, action, comedy2.10
Oscar Best Picture winner 2022 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #9 · Letterboxd Top 250 #244
- 16It Was Just an Accident2025 · Jafar Panahi · Iran / France · drama2.09
Palme d'Or winner 2025 · Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #4 · Criterion Collection spine #1317
- 17Tár2022 · Todd Field · Germany / United States · drama, musical2.00
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #1 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #11
- 18Licorice Pizza2021 · Paul Thomas Anderson · United States · drama, comedy1.95
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #1 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2022 #2 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2021
- 19Two Seasons, Two Strangers2025 · Shō Miyake · Japan1.75
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2025 #1 · Locarno Golden Leopard winner 2025
- 20Titane2021 · Julia Ducournau · France / Belgium · drama, horror1.73
Palme d'Or winner 2021 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #20
- 21Emilia Pérez2024 · Jacques Audiard · France · musical, comedy, crime1.56
César Best Film winner 2025 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #6
- 22The Secret Agent2025 · Kleber Mendonça Filho · Brazil / France / Germany · drama, thriller1.54
Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #3 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2025 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2025 #4
- 23Belfast2021 · Kenneth Branagh · United Kingdom · drama, biography, comedy1.53
TIFF People's Choice winner 2021 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2021 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #7
- 24All the Beauty and the Bloodshed2022 · Laura Poitras · United States · documentary, biography1.52
Venice Golden Lion winner 2022 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #6 · Criterion Collection spine #1210
- 25City Hall2020 · Frederick Wiseman · United States · documentary1.50
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2020 #1 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2021 #2
- 26Memoria2021 · Apichatpong Weerasethakul · Colombia / Thailand / Germany · drama1.50
Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #1 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2021 #3
- 27Close Your Eyes2023 · Víctor Erice · Spain / Argentina · drama1.50
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #2 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2024 #2 · Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #15
- 28May December2023 · Todd Haynes · United States · drama, romance1.50
Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #1 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2024 #2
- 29Conclave2024 · Edward Berger · United Kingdom / United States · thriller, drama, mystery1.50
BAFTA Best Film winner 2025 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #3
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- 32EO2022 · Jerzy Skolimowski · Poland / Italy · drama1.49
Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #2 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2022 #4 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #4
- 33All Quiet on the Western Front2022 · Edward Berger · Germany / United States · war, drama1.45
BAFTA Best Film winner 2023 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022
- 34Annette2021 · Leos Carax · France / Germany / Belgium · musical1.45
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2021 #2 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #4 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #5
- 35The Room Next Door2024 · Pedro Almodóvar · Spain · drama1.43
Venice Golden Lion winner 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #4
- 36Fallen Leaves2023 · Aki Kaurismäki · Finland · comedy, drama, romance1.43
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #4 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #5
- 37Pacifiction2022 · Albert Serra · Spain / France / Germany · drama, thriller1.39
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2022 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #5
- 38A Man2022 · Kei Ishikawa · Japan · drama1.38
Japan Academy Prize winner 2023 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2022 #2
- 39Kokuho2025 · Sang-il Lee · Japan · drama1.38
Japan Academy Prize winner 2026 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2025 #2
- 40Sentimental Value2025 · Joachim Trier · Norway / France / Denmark · drama, comedy1.36
Cannes Grand Prix winner 2025 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2025 · Criterion Collection spine #1311
- 41Misericordia2024 · Alain Guiraudie · France / Spain / Portugal · comedy, drama, crime1.33
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2024 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2025 #7
- 42Killers of the Flower Moon2023 · Martin Scorsese · United States · thriller, drama, crime1.29
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #2 · Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #3 · Criterion Collection spine #1302
- 43Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn2021 · Radu Jude · Romania / Czech Republic / Croatia · drama, comedy1.28
Berlin Golden Bear winner 2021 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #11
- 44Trenque Lauquen2022 · Laura Citarella · Argentina / Germany · drama, mystery, thriller1.26
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #1 · Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #13
- 45Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy2021 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · Japan · drama1.22
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2021 #3 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2022 #5 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #7
- 46Minari2020 · Lee Isaac Chung · United States · drama1.20
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner 2020 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2020
- 47Evil Does Not Exist2023 · Ryusuke Hamaguchi · Japan · drama1.19
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2024 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #6 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2024 #7
- 48Perfect Days2023 · Wim Wenders · Japan / Germany · drama1.11
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2023 #2 · Letterboxd Top 250 #143 · Criterion Collection spine #1226
- 49Top Gun: Maverick2022 · Joseph Kosinski · United States · action, drama, adventure1.08
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #2 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022
- 50Godzilla Minus One2023 · Takashi Yamazaki · Japan / United States · action, sci-fi, adventure1.07
Japan Academy Prize winner 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2023 #8
- 51The Father2020 · Florian Zeller · United Kingdom / France · drama1.04
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2020 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2021 #5 · Letterboxd Top 250 #174
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- 53There Is No Evil2020 · Mohammad Rasoulof · Iran / Czech Republic / Germany · drama1.00
Berlin Golden Bear winner 2020
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- 56Crimes of the Future2022 · David Cronenberg · Canada / Greece / France · sci-fi, horror, thriller1.00
Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #1
- 57Small, Slow But Steady2022 · Shō Miyake · Japan / France1.00
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2022 #1
- 58The Works and Days2022 · Anders Edström, C.W. Winter · United States / Sweden / Japan · drama1.00
Berlin Golden Bear winner 2020
- 59Okiku and the World2023 · Junji Sakamoto · Japan · drama1.00
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (Japanese) 2023 #1
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- 63Father Mother Sister Brother2025 · Jim Jarmusch · United States / Ireland / France · comedy, drama1.00
Venice Golden Lion winner 2025
- 64
- 65Yellow Letters2026 · İlker Çatak · Germany / Turkey / France · drama1.00
Berlin Golden Bear winner 2026
- 66Stars at Noon2022 · Claire Denis · France · drama, romance, thriller0.99
Cannes Grand Prix winner 2022 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #17
- 67Nickel Boys2024 · RaMell Ross · United States · drama0.98
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2024 · Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #48 · Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #13
- 68Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World2023 · Radu Jude · Romania / Croatia / France · comedy0.96
Film Comment year-end poll 2024 #2 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #7
- 69I'm Still Here2024 · Walter Salles · Brazil / France · drama, biography0.96
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #10 · Letterboxd Top 250 #119
- 70Promising Young Woman2020 · Emerald Fennell · United Kingdom / United States · drama, comedy, thriller0.95
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2021 #3 · Oscar Best Picture nominee 2020
- 71Showing Up2022 · Kelly Reichardt · United States · drama, comedy0.92
Film Comment year-end poll 2023 #2 · Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2023 #10
- 72Nanny2022 · Nikyatu Jusu · United States · horror0.91
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner 2022 · Criterion Collection spine #1196
- 73The Woman Who Ran2020 · Hong Sang-soo · South Korea · drama0.88
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2020 #2 · Film Comment year-end poll 2021 #16
- 74The Substance2024 · Coralie Fargeat · United Kingdom / France / United States · horror, sci-fi, drama0.84
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2024 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2025 #5
- 75Decision to Leave2022 · Park Chan-wook · South Korea · mystery, drama, romance0.83
Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #7 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #12 · Rolling Stone 100 Best of the 21st Century #89
- 76Nope2022 · Jordan Peele · United States / Japan / Canada · horror, thriller, mystery0.82
Cahiers du Cinéma annual top 10 2022 #3 · Film Comment year-end poll 2022 #8
- 77The Banshees of Inisherin2022 · Martin McDonagh · Ireland / United Kingdom / United States · comedy, drama0.81
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2022 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2023 #6
- 78West Side Story2021 · Steven Spielberg · United States · romance, musical0.77
Oscar Best Picture nominee 2021 · Kinema Junpo Best Ten (International) 2022 #8
- 79Beginning2020 · Dea Kulumbegashvili · France / Georgia · drama0.75
San Sebastián Golden Shell winner 2020
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- 84Compartment No. 62021 · Juho Kuosmanen · Finland / Russia / Estonia · drama0.75
Cannes Grand Prix winner 2021
- 85
- 86Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash2021 · Edwin · Indonesia · comedy, drama, action0.75
Locarno Golden Leopard winner 2021
- 87
- 88Nightsiren2022 · Tereza Nvotová · Slovakia / Czech Republic · drama, horror, mystery0.75
Locarno Golden Leopard winner 2022
- 89
- 90The Kings of the World2022 · Laura Mora Ortega · Colombia / Luxembourg / France · drama, adventure0.75
San Sebastián Golden Shell winner 2022
- 91The Night of the 12th2022 · Dominik Moll · France / Belgium · thriller0.75
César Best Film winner 2023
- 92A Thousand and One2023 · A.V. Rockwell · United States · drama0.75
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner 2023
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- 95The Rye Horn2023 · Jaione Camborda · Spain / Portugal / Belgium · drama0.75
San Sebastián Golden Shell winner 2023
- 96
- 97In the Summers2024 · Alessandra Lacorazza · United States · drama0.75
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner 2024
- 98The Life of Chuck2024 · Mike Flanagan · United States · sci-fi, drama, fantasy0.75
TIFF People's Choice winner 2024
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Every other decade page on this site ranks a settled canon; this one ranks a decade still running. We are barely past its midpoint, the festivals and polls that decide these things are still landing, and the films of 2025 and 2026 have had almost no time to gather the citations that lift a title up the table. Read this page as a photograph of a canon caught mid-formation — accurate today, certain to be rearranged tomorrow.
The decade the theater nearly closed
The 2020s opened with cinema's distribution model breaking. The COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread theater closures and release delays, and it accelerated a shift toward streaming that was already underway (Wikipedia, 2020s in film, accessed 21 July 2026). One durable consequence runs all through this list: the festival circuit, not the multiplex, became the launchpad for the films that score well here. Another is that the decade's commercial center of gravity moved. Non-Hollywood productions topped the annual global box office for the first time — Japan's Demon Slayer anime led 2020 — and by 2025 China's Ne Zha 2 had grossed over two billion dollars. The films that win our score and the films that win the box office have rarely stood further apart.
How to read our list
A film appears here because its release year falls between 2020 and 2029; it is then re-ranked, against every other title in the library, by our composite score drawn from more than twenty lists, awards and polls. That score is the only ordering — never any single publication's. The top of the decade is a tight pack, not a runaway: One Battle After Another (2025) leads at 3.50, with Anatomy of a Fall (2023) at 3.33, Oppenheimer (2023) at 3.23, Drive My Car (2021) at 3.17 and Anora (2024) at 3.08 all within shouting distance — and toward the lower reaches films sit on a single festival citation, worth at most 1.50, while the rest of their evidence has yet to arrive.
That thinness at the bottom is the recency effect, and it is the honest caveat of the whole page. A 2026 title with one Cannes berth cannot yet out-score a 2020 film that has had five years to collect awards and polls. The Academy's own Best Picture winners scatter accordingly: Oppenheimer scores 3.23, but Nomadland (2020) sits at 3.00, CODA (2021) at 2.36 and Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) at 2.10 — a reminder that a statuette is one dampened input to our score, not the score itself, and that no awards sweep alone can carry a film to the top of a decade. Come back each year; the order will have moved.