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Image by Federico Napoli
From the Japanese films of the 1950s to the rise of French New Wave cinema in the 1960s, there has been no shortage of defining decades in the context of international pictures throughout the history of the medium. However, the 2000s might just be the absolute best of them all, with all corners of the globe producing impressionable masterpieces that have aged far more gracefully than some of their Hollywood counterparts and appear set to endure as quintessential classics for many years to come.
In fact, so strong is the assembly of international films of the decade that such cherished hits like Let the Right One In, Yi Yi, and Amores Perros are among the movies to miss out on making the top 10. The films that did make the cut consist of everything from wondrous French romances to enchanting Spanish fantasies, and even to crime classics of Asian cinema.
10 'Y Tu Mamá También' (2001)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Image via 20th Century Studios
After making two American movies in the mid-to-late 1990s—A Little Princess and Great Expectations—Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón returned to his native Mexico to make Y Tu Mamá También. A coming-of-age road movie, it follows two headstrong teenage boys on a cross-country trip as they are joined by an alluring older woman. As the trio’s adventure unfolds, each individual finds themselves forming a deeper connection with those around them as they grow more aware of the world they live in.
Coasting on the exceptional performances of Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, and Maribel Verdú, the sprawling comedy drama is a vivid meditation on the impulsive and carnal urges of young adults. Undercutting its light and humorous exterior with poignant glimpses of drama and serious life-and-death moments, Y Tu Mamá También is a perfectly poised dramedy that excels at being both accessible and eye-opening with tremendous impact.
Release Date June 8, 2001
Runtime 106 Minutes
9 'In the Mood for Love' (2000)
Directed by Wong Kar-wai
Image via Universal Pictures
There can be no denying that Wong Kar-wai is one of the most defining film directors of the 1990s, which makes it quite ironic that the film many regard to be his magnum opus was released at the turn of the century. A tender yet heartbreaking meditation on love and connection, it follows the bond that develops between two neighbors who learn that their spouses are having an affair. They struggle to contain their newfound feelings for one another while resisting the urge to stoop to the level of their partners.
Like all of Wong Kar-wai’s defining masterpieces, In the Mood for Love thrives as a beautifully shot picture that brings outstanding depth and nuance to its characters while relishing the silent moments where everything important is left unsaid. Mixing the anguish of unrequited love with the life-affirming warmth of the spark of new romance, In the Mood for Love is one of the finest and most contemplative romantic dramas to have ever been released.
In the Mood For Love
Release Date March 9, 2001
Cast Tony Leung Chiu-wai , Maggie Cheung , Siu Ping-Lam , Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung , Rebecca Pan
Runtime 98 Minutes
8 'Oldboy' (2003)
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Image via Show East
One of the most shocking thrillers ever made, Oldboy has amassed a certain reputation in the years since its release in 2003. The South Korean film follows a man who is captured and contained in a room where he is fed through a pet door. When he is inexplicably released 15 years later, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) embarks on a vengeful quest as he is ordered to track down his captor in five days or suffer an even worse fate.
The film is famous for its one-shot hallway fight scene, which encapsulates the punishing brutality and exceptional action choreography that defines many of the movie’s most intense moments. However, it also thrives as an engrossing story of captivating intrigue that isn’t afraid to take some disturbing twists. The end result is one of the most unforgettable action-thrillers that international cinema has ever seen.
Release Date November 21, 2003
Cast Choi Min-sik , Yoo Ji-tae , Kang Hye-jung , Kim Byeong-Ok , Oh Tae-kyung , Yoon Jin-seo , Woo Il-han , Ji Dae-Han
Runtime 120 Minutes
Directed by Ang Lee
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
One of the most acclaimed international pictures of all time, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a mesmerizing marriage of martial arts magnificence and engrossing period storytelling. The arresting epic follows a great warrior in 19th century China who bequeaths his cherished sword to his lover for safe keeping. However, when the legendary blade is stolen, they must embark on a search for the bandit, who is herself on a conquest for love and power.
The film’s defining quality is its incredible wuxia action sequences, surreal and elegant fight scenes that achieve a sense of grandeur and wonder through their astonishing stunt work and technical film-making craft. It won four Academy Awards from 10 nominations at the 73rd Oscars ceremony and is regarded by many to be among the finest action-fantasy movies ever made from any era.
Release Date December 8, 2000
Runtime 120 Minutes
6 'The Lives of Others' (2006)
Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmark
Image via Buena Vista International
With the James Bond franchise undergoing a dramatic shift and the onset of The Bourne Identity and its sequels, the 2000s can be looked back on as a spectacular decade for spy thrillers. One of the genre’s best offerings of the time came in the form of the German espionage drama The Lives of Others, which follows a Stasi surveillance agent tasked with spying on a couple involved in the performing arts. As he carries out his mission, however, he finds himself becoming increasingly invested in their lives.
It offers nothing in the way of senseless bombast or action excess, instead finding a compelling weight in its quiet lingering on ideas of free will and morality, as well as in its unique story of human connection. It has endured as one of the best pictures of the 2000s, and many regard it to be among the finest spy movies of all time as well.
The Lives of Others
Release Date March 23, 2006
Cast Martina Gedeck , Ulrich Mühe , Sebastian Koch , Ulrich Tukur , Thomas Thieme
Runtime 137 Minutes
5 'Spirited Away' (2005)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Image via Studio Ghibli
Over the course of recent decades, the animated films of Studio Ghibli—and, by extension, the masterpieces of Japanese animation at large—have stood among the most accessible and universally admired pictures in international cinema. Perhaps the defining highlight of the studio’s filmography is Spirited Away, a mesmerizing fantasy adventure that sees a young girl whisked away to a magical realm where she must work tirelessly to free her parents from a curse that has turned them into pigs.
A beautiful marriage of astonishing hand-drawn animation and enchanting fantasy storytelling, Spirited Away has long been celebrated as the perfect encapsulation of Hayao Miyazaki’s imaginative might in regard to both his narrative style and his visual display. It is not only among the best foreign language films, but it is viewed by many to be the greatest animated picture of all time as well.
Release Date July 20, 2001
Cast Rumi Hiiragi , Miyu Irino , Mari Natsuki , Takashi Naitô , Yasuko Sawaguchi , Tsunehiko Kamijô , Takehiko Ono , Bunta Sugawara
Runtime 125 minutes
4 'City of God' (2002)
Directed by
Image via Miramax Films
There seem to be few international movies that have developed the renown or the reputation of the Brazilian crime epic City of God. A harrowing and uncompromising drama, it follows the upbringing of two boys in a particularly ruthless neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. They pivot away from each other in their teenage years, with one developing an interest in photography while the other finds work as a drug dealer.
Every moment of shocking violence brings with it an irrepressible urgency, while each poignant moment of connection illustrates a painful hopelessness to both of the boys’ situations. Remembered for its most devastating and punishing scenes, City of God is among the most harrowing crime movies ever made. There are many who would also categorize it among the best pictures of any genre released this century.
Release Date February 13, 2004
Cast Alexandre Rodrigues , Leandro Firmino , Matheus Nachtergaele , Phellipe Haagensen , Douglas Silva , Jonathan Haagensen , Seu Jorge , Jefechander Suplino
Runtime 130 Minutes
3 'Memories of Murder' (2003)
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
Image via CJ Entertainment
With a brutal basis on true events, and yet also featuring a darkly hilarious satire, Memories of Murder is a masterfully balanced murder mystery thriller that juggles its many elements, tones, and ideas to be one of the most engrossing films in crime cinema. Set in rural South Korea in 1986, it follows a rugged local detective and a more sophisticated investigator from Seoul who join forces in response to an active serial killer and rapist in the countryside.
The film is a testament to Bong Joon-ho’s incredible ability to stitch cynical comedy, confronting violence, and the palpable desperation of the central characters together to make for an arresting viewing experience that stays with viewers long after the credits role. It contains everything great crime cinema should offer and more to be one of the most unique and captivating movies the genre has ever seen.
Memories of Murder
Release Date May 2, 2003
Cast Kang-ho Song , Sang-kyung Kim , Roe-ha Kim , Jae-ho Song , Hie-bong Byeon , Seo-hie Ko
Runtime 132 Minutes
2 'Amélie' (2001)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Image via UGC Fox Distribution
A wondrous tale of profound humanity and quiet goodness that brings to life the city of love in transfixing fashion, Amélie is a spellbinding romantic tale that stands as the pinnacle of feel-good cinema. The titular Amélie (Audrey Tautou) is a reclusive waitress who takes to anonymously influencing the lives of those around her as a means to connect to the world. However, she finds herself in far less control of her own life when she falls in love with a quirky young man who collects discarded photos.
Amélie is ultimately a film defined by its effervescence, an enrapturing and gorgeous tale of true love that exudes plenty of awe-inspiring style and no small amount of endearing cheekiness as well. Tautou’s performance is among the most iconic that international cinema has ever seen, and the film has endured for well over two decades as a heart-warming masterpiece that is the embodiment of romantic cinema at its brilliant best.
Amélie
Release Date August 16, 2001
Cast Audrey Tautou , Mathieu Kassovitz
Runtime 123 Minutes
1 'Pan’s Labyrinth' (2006)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
The childlike wonder of fairy tale adventure meets the mystical allure of dark fantasy in Guillermo del Toro’s defining masterpiece, Pan’s Labyrinth. Set in Francoist Spain, it follows a young girl as she, along with her heavily pregnant mother, travels to an army base in the hills at the behest of her stepfather, the ruthless Captain Vidal (Sergi López). As young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) explores the woods around the compound, she discovers a mystical faun who tells her she is the long-lost princess of the underworld, and she can return to her rightful place if she completes three dangerous tasks.
From the grueling portrayal of the real-life conflict to the fantasy intrigue that is as spellbinding as it is sinister, and even to the array of exceptional performances and Javier Navarrete’s sublime score, Pan’s Labyrinth is graced with perfection across the board. It sits comfortably alongside such genre classics as The Lord of the Rings at the pinnacle of fantasy cinema, and there are many who regard it to be the greatest foreign language picture in the history of the medium.
Pan's Labyrinth
Release Date January 19, 2007
Runtime 118 minutes
English (US) ·