How Bong Joon Ho’s $11 million ‘Parasite’ beat Nolan, Fincher, and the rest to become the 21st century’s greatest film?

In an era dominated by Hollywood blockbusters, reboots, and billion-dollar superhero universes, few expected a dark Korean comedy to outshine them all. But that's precisely what Parasite has done. Bong Joon Ho’s Palme d'Or–winning film has clinched the top spot in The New York Times’ list of the 100 greatest films of the 21st century — beating works by Christopher Nolan, the Coen Brothers, and David Fincher.

What’s more, Parasite didn’t just impress the critics. It also topped the readers' poll, reaffirming its wide cultural impact. Made on a modest $11 million budget and released globally after rave reviews at Cannes, the film went on to win four Academy Awards — including Best Picture — making history as the first non-English-language film to do so.

How the List Was Compiled

To mark the first quarter-century of this millennium, The New York Times, in collaboration with The Upshot, reached out to over 500 celebrated figures from the film industry — including directors, actors, and producers — asking each to name ten films released after January 1, 2000, that they considered truly great.


The responses were aggregated into a ranked list of 100 films. The final top 10, revealed in late June, has already stirred passionate debate. Participating names included Oscar winners like Bong himself, Pedro Almodóvar, Sofia Coppola, and Guillermo del Toro, as well as actors like Julianne Moore and John Turturro.

Why Parasite Resonates So Deeply

At its core, Parasite is a razor-sharp commentary on class divisions, disguised as a home-invasion thriller with a comedic twist. The New York Times praised Bong’s ability to shift between tones — from darkly funny to horrifyingly tragic — without ever losing narrative control. That genre fluidity, paired with social commentary and unforgettable visuals, has made the film an enduring cultural touchstone.

What began as a local story about economic inequality in South Korea quickly became a global parable. Audiences everywhere related to its portrayal of social ladders, survival tactics, and the illusion of meritocracy.

Surprising Snubs and Curious Trends

Just behind Parasite was David Lynch’s mind-bending Mulholland Drive, followed by Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood. Rounding out the top five were In the Mood for Love and Moonlight. Hollywood hits like Get Out, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and The Social Network also cracked the top ten.

But perhaps the biggest surprise came from Interstellar, which was loved by readers — earning a top-five spot in the public poll — but ranked only 89th in the critics’ list.

Several major trends emerged from the list that reflect the evolving cinematic landscape.

Despite their box office domination, franchise films — Marvel, DC, Star Wars — barely made a dent in the top 100. Hollywood’s reliance on sequels, reboots, and IP-driven storytelling may have mass appeal, but it hasn’t earned much critical reverence. Although streaming services have redefined how we watch films, their impact on this list was minimal. Only one Netflix original, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, made the cut — and at number 46. Theatrical cinema still commands more respect in artistic circles, at least for now.

Christopher Nolan, with five entries including Inception, Memento, and Oppenheimer, leads the list in terms of volume. Paul Thomas Anderson follows closely with multiple titles, including Phantom Thread and Punch-Drunk Love. Other familiar auteurs like David Fincher and Alfonso Cuarón also received multiple nods, proving that strong directorial vision remains a prized hallmark of excellence.

Only 11 of the 100 films were directed by women, highlighting the continuing gender disparity in cinema. Notable entries include Lady Bird by Greta Gerwig and Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola — yet none of these films made it into the top 20.

Perhaps the most encouraging trend is the prominence of non-English films. The global dominance of Parasite is no anomaly. The list also features French dramas like Anatomy of a Fall and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Norwegian coming-of-age gem The Worst Person in the World, Spanish-language standout Roma, and German thriller The Zone of Interest. Even hybrid productions like Everything Everywhere All At Once, which blends English, Cantonese, and Mandarin, reflect the modern viewer’s growing openness to stories beyond linguistic boundaries.