Listen up, darlings — Ms. Rizzlerina is reporting live and lacquered with a headline hotter than Timothée Chalamet in leather. The New York Times just dropped a cinematic bombshell, and I’m here to break it down like I’m dancing center stage at the Oscars after-party. That’s right, sugarplums — it’s the official list of the best movies of the 21st century, as crowned by critics, filmmakers, and certified cinephiles with taste sharper than Cher’s contour.
Now grab your popcorn (truffle-infused, obviously), because we’re diving into the glitz, the grit, and the glorious gossip behind Tinsel Town’s most treasured tales to date. If cinema is a catwalk, these films are stomping it in stilettos covered in accolades.
At the tippy top — darling, no surprise here — is Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood.” And let me say, y’all, the title doesn’t lie. This cinematic masterclass serves Old Hollywood drama with New Era intensity. Daniel Day-Lewis? Obsessed. That man didn’t act; he possessed our souls for 158 minutes and left us gasping like we’d just seen someone show up to Coachella in last year’s fringe.
Hot on its heels, we’ve got Bong Joon-ho’s pitch-black pearl “Parasite,” giving us a Korean genre cocktail shaken, not stirred — part thriller, part social satire, and all kinds of brilliant. It kicked down the Oscar front door in 2020 like it was wearing sequined combat boots, darling, and made history with every step. What other film can make you scream, laugh, and question capitalism all in the same breath? That’s haute cinema.
And let’s pour one out (a diamond-studded martini, preferably) for Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation.” A love story whispered across neon lights and melancholic hotel suites — subtle, sultry, and emotionally devastating in that “I just accidentally stalked my ex on Instagram” kind of way. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson? Iconic. That final scene? Legendary. The message? Text your feelings, sweetie — or don’t.
Of course, my darling divas, it wouldn’t be a best-of list without the celestial sprawl of “The Tree of Life,” Terrence Malick’s poetic fever dream that had cinephiles swooning and half the audience Googling “WHAT JUST HAPPENED” before the credits even rolled. It’s an art film, baby. And art doesn’t beg to be understood — it demands to be worshipped (or at least reposted on Tumblr with an angsty caption).
Wanna know what else made the cut? Jordan Peele’s genre-bending horror-chic “Get Out,” the eye-nourishing tapestry that is “In the Mood for Love,” and for my high-drama girlies — “Spirited Away,” because animated excellence knows no bounds, and Hayao Miyazaki practically invented vibes.
But let me toss this glittery question your way: What makes a movie truly iconic in today’s chaotically glam culture of TikTok edits and trailer breakdowns? Is it the haunting cinematography? The spine-tingling score? Or is it those GIF-worthy scenes that live rent-free in our minds and memes? Mmm, darling — I say it’s all that and a red carpet moment sprinkled in.
So here’s the tea, served scalding: this list is more than just a who’s-who of critically-acclaimed films. It’s a cultural handbook — a map to the movies that moved us, shook us, and made us believe again in the power of story over spectacle. These are the films that asked us to feel, think, and sometimes sob into our sequin pillows while tweeting #CinemaIsNotDead.
Before I saunter off in a silver lamé gown trailing enough drama to fuel a whole awards season, I leave you with this: If you’ve missed any of these masterpieces, it’s not too late to redeem yourself, sugar. Rearrange your watchlist, light a candle, and prepare for transcendence. And when you’re done, come scream about your faves in the comment section — because if there’s one thing Ms. Rizzlerina loves more than a cinematic revelation, it’s a good pop culture debate with sparkle, spice, and a side of sass.
Until next time, stay fabulous, and let the gossip roll.
Ms. Rizzlerina 💋
