Time Magazine’s Top 50 Most Underrated Movies of the 21st Century You Need to See!

American critic Stephanie Zacharek from the esteemed Time Magazine has compiled a list of films that she believes are the most underappreciated of the 21st century. Whether they failed at the box office, were poorly distributed, or simply overlooked, these movies are worth a second look.

Zacharek provides no explicit reasons for her choices, and it’s clear she opted not to repeat directors. Ten of the fifty films were directed by women, and the list almost completely eschews blockbusters. It seems Zacharek’s aim was to highlight hidden gems that might have been missed.

While the focus is on American films, the list also includes French, Italian, German, Vietnamese, and British productions. Without further ado, here is her list, and like us, you might discover some intriguing films:

The List of 50: How Many Have You Seen?

• 20th Century Women by Mike Mills (2016).
• The 25th Hour by Spike Lee (2002).
• The Man from U.N.C.L.E. by Guy Ritchie (2015).
• American Splendor by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (2003).
• Beyond the Lights by Gina Prince-Bythewood (2014).
• Breakfast on Pluto by Neil Jordan (2005).
• Bright Star by Jane Campion (2009).
• Good Morning, Night by Marco Bellocchio (2004).
• Control by Anton Corbijn (2007).
• CQ by Roman Coppola (2002).
• Dark Skies by Scott Charles Stewart (2013).
• The Beat That My Heart Skipped by Jacques Audiard (2005).
• Dolemite Is My Name by Craig Brewer (2019).
• Dreamin’ Wild by Bill Pohlad (2023).
• Femme Fatale by Brian De Palma (2002).
• The Magic Flute by Kenneth Branagh (2006).
• Hamlet by Michael Almereyda (2000).
• Wuthering Heights by Andrea Arnold (2012).
• Head On by Fatih Akın (2004).
• Idlewild Gangsters Club by Bryan Barber (2007).
• The Shallows by Jaume Collet-Serra (2016).
• Jane Eyre by Cary Joji Fukunaga (2012).
• Masked and Anonymous by Larry Charles (2002).
• Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World by Peter Weir (2003).
• Miss Juneteenth by Channing Godfrey Peoples (2020).
• Monkeybone by Henry Selick (2001).
• Mudbound by Dee Rees (2017).
• Mustang by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (2015).
• Only Lovers Left Alive by Jim Jarmusch (2013).
• Passing by Rebecca Hall (2021).
• The Taste of Others by Tran Anh Hung (2023).
• Peterloo by Mike Leigh (2018).
• Wolfwalkers by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart (2021).
• Phoenix by Christian Petzold (2014).
• The Skeleton Key by Iain Softley (2005).
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Julian Schnabel (2007).
• I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead by Mike Hodges (2005).
• Shortbus by John Cameron Mitchell (2006).
• Somewhere by Sofia Coppola (2011).
• Talk to Me by Kasi Lemmons (2007).
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by Tomas Alfredson (2012).
• Top Five by Chris Rock (2015).
• I Could Never Be Your Woman by Amy Heckerling (2007).
• A Very Long Engagement by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2004).
• A Cat in Paris by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol (2010).
• The Electrical Life of Louis Wain by Will Sharpe (2022).
• Ghost Town by David Koepp (2008).
• The Painted Veil by John Curran (2007).

AlloCiné provides daily coverage with over 40 articles about cinema and TV series, including interviews, streaming recommendations, and quirky facts about your favorite films and series. Subscribe to AlloCiné on Google Discover to explore the treasures of a site designed by and for film enthusiasts every day.