The s at Letterboxd are mostly people who truly love watching movies. That makes their opinions pretty valid and trustworthy, especially when it comes to finding the best film of any given year. These are people who don't just gravitate towards the most popular blockbusters or major franchises.
Looking at the ratings given out by those Letterboxd s, you can see which movies have the highest average on a five-star scale. Interestingly, this includes a blend of Academy Award winners, billion-dollar box office hits, cult classics, international films, and so much more. A few might even surprise you but all are worth checking out.
2000 - O Auto da Compadecida (4.52)
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It's not often that a comedy will rank as the best film of a year but O Auto de Compadecida isn't your average comedy. Known in English as A Dog's Will, this Portuguese film is actually one of the highest-rated movies ever on Letterboxd.
The plot centers on Chicó and João as they attempted to enter the paradise of the afterlife after being judged by the Virgin Mary, Jesus, and the Devil. While it's not one of the most well-known releases of the decade or even just of 2000, those who have seen it have given it sparkling reviews.
2001 - Spirited Away (4.47)
Stream On HBO Max
Although most people associate the greatest animated films of all time with Disney and Pixar, Studio Ghibli is right in the mix. That's especially true when they release a movie that is written and directed by the iconic Hayao Miyazaki.
Miyazaki is certainly behind some classics but there's a strong argument that Spirited Away is his best work. The premise is wild as it follows a girl who moves to a new town filled with spirits and has her parents turned into pigs by a witch. Of course, Miyazaki made it work to the tune of a Best Animated Feature Oscar win.
2002 - City Of God (4.40)
Stream On HBO Max & Max Go
Based on a 1997 novel of the same name, City of God was a pretty big success in almost every conceivable fashion. It grossed a strong return on a small budget and was a critical darling, even securing four nominations at the Oscars.
City of God is a Brazilian movie set during the '60s and '80s, depicting the rise of organized crime in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Not only was this up for multiple Academy Awards but it also went on to spawn a TV show and another movie set in the same world.
2003 - The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (4.40)
Stream On HBO Max
Plenty of franchises have gone on to take home more than one Oscar but none have done it to the level of The Lord of the Rings. While the first two entries of the trilogy are legendary and well-received, The Return of the King made history when it came to the Academy Awards.
The film has the record for the biggest Oscars sweep, winning in all 11 categories that it was nominated for. Many agree that it is a perfect ending to the epic series and has gone down as one of the most influential films ever released. It makes sense as the top dog from 2003.
2004 - Before Sunset (4.29)
Rent On Apple TV
Casual audiences have heard about some of the best film trilogies in history. Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Toy Story, and more come to mind. One that has flown under the radar but is arguably the one to get the most consistent reviews is the Before trilogy.
Richard Linklater's series started in 1995 with Before Sunrise and wrapped in 2013 with Before Midnight, while the middle leg is Before Sunset. This picks up nine years after the original, seeing Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) reunite in Paris after their original romantic night together. The film was widely praised and scored an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
2005 - Pride And Prejudice (4.11)
Stream On HBO Max
It's incredibly tough to fully narrow down Pride and Prejudice.
Despite the many versions available to watch, the 2005 iteration is often seen as the best and with good reason. The performances of the cast, especially Keira Knightley (who earned an Oscar nod), are spectacular, and the film was up for several other Oscars for costume design, original score, and more.
2006 - Children Of Men (4.21)
Rent On Vudu
As soon as the trailers premiered for Children of Men, audiences everywhere were pretty captivated. Based on a 1992 novel, the film takes place in a chaotic world where humans can no longer reproduce, only to find that one woman is pregnant and the protagonist (Clive Owen) must protect her.
On its own, the film would be a strong one but the steady hand of Alfonso Cuarón in the director's chair took this to the next level. Reviews were sparkling and though it was nominated for three Academy Awards, many felt it was snubbed of a Best Picture nod.
2007 - There Will Be Blood (4.39)
Stream On Netflix, Paramount+, & Hoopla
The interesting thing about There Will Be Blood is that it's not one of those movies that grabs a viewer ahead of time. You hear that it's a story about a man who goes on a ruthless quest to become wealthy during Southern California's oil boom and it might not intrigue you.
However, people were quickly swayed to give this a shot when they heard about the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis. The notorious method actor delivers arguably his greatest acting here, which is quite the feat. Day-Lewis took home pretty much every major acting award for this role.
2008 - The Dark Knight (4.43)
Stream On HBO Max & Netflix
For years, people viewed superhero movies (even the best ones) as nothing more than mindless fun that will make some money at the box office. The Dark Knight truly changed that as not only did this crack $1 billion at the box office but it also was widely considered one of the best films of the decade.
The movie sees Batman attempt to stop the Joker while also dealing with the tragic fall of Gotham's district attorney. Heath Ledger received a posthumous Oscar for Best ing Actor and over a decade later, despite so many big superhero movies coming since, many still believe this is the pinnacle.
2009 - Inglorious Basterds (4.28)
Stream On Starz
One of the most acclaimed directors over the past few decades is Quentin Tarantino. He has tried his hand at several different genres and concepts but 2009 saw him try to rewrite history (which he'd do again in a film 10 years later).
This one takes place in the 1940s and focuses on a group of Jewish-American soldiers who hunt down Nazis. With Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz leading a tremendous cast, it's no wonder Inglorious Basterds will go down as one of the best films ever made by Tarantino.
