The following list is the Official Definitive List of the 500 best movies made in the 2000s.
I found 28 different ranked lists online of “best” or “favorite movies of the 2000s” and pulled them all into Excel and merged them all to get this definitive compilation.  See my Methodology page for the research process that was used, including links to all 28 lists that were averaged. Below is a checklist you can print to track which ones you’ve seen, followed by the ranked list.

  1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
  2. The Dark Knight (2008)
  3. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  4. There Will Be Blood (2007)
  5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
  6. No Country for Old Men (2007)
  7. Memento (2000)
  8. Spirited Away (2001)
  9. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
  10. The Departed (2006)
  11. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
  12. Children of Men (2006)
  13. In the Mood for Love (2000)
  14. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
  15. Gladiator (2000)
  16. City of God (2002)
  17. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
  18. Up (2009)
  19. Lost in Translation (2003)
  20. Mulholland Drive (2001)
  21. Almost Famous (2000)
  22. WALL·E (2008)
  23. Before Sunset (2004)
  24. Iron Man (2008)
  25. Casino Royale (2006)
  26. Zodiac (2007)
  27. Finding Nemo (2003)
  28. Amélie (2001)
  29. The Incredibles (2004)
  30. American Psycho (2000)
  31. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
  32. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
  33. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
  34. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
  35. 28 Days Later (2002)
  36. Oldboy (2003)
  37. The Pianist (2002)
  38. Donnie Darko (2001)
  39. The Prestige (2006)
  40. Avatar (2009)
  41. Dogville (2003)
  42. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
  43. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
  44. The Wrestler (2008)
  45. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
  46. Ratatouille (2007)
  47. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007)
  48. The Hurt Locker (2008)
  49. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
  50. 13 Going on 30 (2004)
  51. Batman Begins (2005)
  52. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
  53. District 9 (2009)
  54. Synecdoche, New York (2008)
  55. Memories of Murder (2003)
  56. V for Vendetta (2005)
  57. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
  58. Caché (Hidden) (2005)
  59. The New World (2005)
  60. Yi Yi: A One and a Two… (2000)
  61. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
  62. Star Trek (2009)
  63. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
  64. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
  65. Snatch (2000)
  66. In Bruges (2008)
  67. Let the Right One In (2008)
  68. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
  69. Superbad (2007)
  70. Planet Earth (2006)
  71. 25th Hour (2002)
  72. Mean Girls (2004)
  73. Persepolis (2007)
  74. Shrek (2001)
  75. Syndromes and a Century (2006)
  76. Talk to Her (2002)
  77. Mystic River (2003)
  78. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
  79. Training Day (2001)
  80. Sin City (2005)
  81. Y tu mamá también (2001)
  82. The White Ribbon (2009)
  83. Hot Fuzz (2007)
  84. Amores Perros (2000)
  85. Once (2007)
  86. Juno (2007)
  87. The Lives of Others (2006)
  88. Best in Show (2000)
  89. Chicken Run (2000)
  90. Moon (2009)
  91. The Bourne Identity (2002)
  92. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
  93. A History of Violence (2005)
  94. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
  95. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
  96. In the Loop (2009)
  97. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
  98. Life (2009)
  99. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
  100. Adaptation. (2002)
  101. Borat (2006)
  102. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
  103. The School of Rock (2003)
  104. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
  105. Gran Torino (2008)
  106. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
  107. Werckmeister Harmonies (2000)
  108. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
  109. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
  110. A Prophet (2009)
  111. Tropic Thunder (2008)
  112. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
  113. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
  114. Sideways (2004)
  115. Traffic (2000)
  116. Gangs of New York (2002)
  117. Ghost World (2001)
  118. Eastern Promises (2007)
  119. Into the Wild (2007)
  120. Cast Away (2000)
  121. The Child (2005)
  122. The Hours (2002)
  123. Far from Heaven (2002)
  124. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
  125. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
  126. The Hangover (2009)
  127. Miracle (2004)
  128. Band of Brothers (2001)
  129. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
  130. Mary and Max (2009)
  131. Murderball (2005)
  132. The Queen (2006)
  133. White Material (2009)
  134. Zoolander (2001)
  135. 300 (2006)
  136. A Serious Man (2009)
  137. Elf (2003)
  138. High Fidelity (2000)
  139. 500 Days of Summer (2009)
  140. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
  141. Unrelated (2007)
  142. Minority Report (2002)
  143. Big Fish (2003)
  144. Atonement (2007)
  145. Collateral (2004)
  146. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
  147. The Son (2002)
  148. Man on Wire (2008)
  149. The Notebook (2004)
  150. Legally Blonde (2001)
  151. Taken (2008)
  152. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
  153. The Squid and the Whale (2005)
  154. Love Actually (2003)
  155. Sexy Beast (2000)
  156. Hunger (2008)
  157. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
  158. Russian Ark (2002)
  159. The House of Mirth (2000)
  160. Infernal Affairs (2002)
  161. Half Nelson (2006)
  162. Elephant (2003)
  163. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)
  164. Spellbound (2002)
  165. The Blue Planet (2001)
  166. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
  167. Road to Perdition (2002)
  168. Battle Royale (2000)
  169. Whale Rider (2002)
  170. Millennium Mambo (2001)
  171. The Fast and the Furious (2001)
  172. Rachel Getting Married (2008)
  173. Gosford Park (2001)
  174. Dogtooth (2009)
  175. Miami Vice (2006)
  176. The Piano Teacher (2001)
  177. The Headless Woman (2008)
  178. Volver (2006)
  179. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003)
  180. Inside Man (2006)
  181. 24 Hour Party People (2002)
  182. Tropical Malady (2004)
  183. Team America: World Police (2004)
  184. Trouble Every Day (2001)
  185. This Is England (2006)
  186. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
  187. Match Point (2005)
  188. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
  189. Waltz with Bashir (2008)
  190. Saw (2004)
  191. Primer (2004)
  192. Erin Brockovich (2000)
  193. The Last Samurai (2003)
  194. Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
  195. Millennium Actress (2001)
  196. X2: X-Men United (2003)
  197. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)
  198. Monsoon Wedding (2001)
  199. You Can Count on Me (2000)
  200. Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
  201. Bamboozled (2000)
  202. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
  203. Wendy and Lucy (2008)
  204. Step Brothers (2008)
  205. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005)
  206. Broken Flowers (2005)
  207. Watchmen (2009)
  208. Waking Life (2001)
  209. Wedding Crashers (2005)
  210. Ten (2002)
  211. X-Men (2000)
  212. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2006)
  213. The Band’s Visit (2007)
  214. The Gleaners and I (2000)
  215. Spider-Man (2002)
  216. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
  217. Remember the Titans (2000)
  218. Fish Tank (2009)
  219. Unbreakable (2000)
  220. 2046 (2004)
  221. The Fountain (2006)
  222. Munich (2005)
  223. Hero (2002)
  224. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
  225. Serenity (2005)
  226. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
  227. Morvern Callar (2002)
  228. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
  229. Bright Star (2009)
  230. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
  231. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
  232. Coraline (2009)
  233. Billy Elliot (2000)
  234. Meet the Parents (2000)
  235. American Gangster (2007)
  236. North & South (2004)
  237. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
  238. Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
  239. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
  240. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
  241. The Descent (2005)
  242. The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
  243. Downfall (2004)
  244. Zombieland (2009)
  245. Long Way Round (2004)
  246. The Fall (2006)
  247. The Host (2006)
  248. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
  249. Crash (2004)
  250. Walk the Line (2005)
  251. Bad Santa (2003)
  252. Apocalypto (2006)
  253. The Man from Earth (2007)
  254. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
  255. Cloverfield (2008)
  256. About a Boy (2002)
  257. Signs (2002)
  258. 21 Grams (2003)
  259. The Others (2001)
  260. Junebug (2005)
  261. Black Hawk Down (2001)
  262. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
  263. Gomorrah (2008)
  264. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
  265. Birth (2004)
  266. Michael Clayton (2007)
  267. Transformers (2007)
  268. Babel (2006)
  269. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
  270. Knocked Up (2007)
  271. Old School (2003)
  272. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
  273. Brick (2005)
  274. The Station Agent (2003)
  275. The Aviator (2004)
  276. Blow (2001)
  277. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
  278. Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
  279. Frost/Nixon (2008)
  280. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
  281. Colossal Youth (2006)
  282. Shaolin Soccer (2001)
  283. Jackass: The Movie (2002)
  284. Generation Kill (2008)
  285. Maria Full of Grace (2004)
  286. The Painted Veil (2007)
  287. In America (2002)
  288. Mysterious Skin (2004)
  289. Good Bye Lenin! (2003)
  290. John Adams (2008)
  291. The Fog of War (2003)
  292. Sunshine (2007)
  293. Love & Basketball (2000)
  294. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
  295. Away from Her (2006)
  296. Battlestar Galactica (2003)
  297. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
  298. Garden State (2004)
  299. Milk (2008)
  300. The Ring (2002)
  301. The Illusionist (2006)
  302. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007)
  303. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
  304. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
  305. Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace (2004)
  306. Shrek 2 (2004)
  307. The Believer (2001)
  308. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
  309. Ip Man (2008)
  310. Julie & Julia (2009)
  311. The Best of Youth (2003)
  312. Grizzly Man (2005)
  313. In the Cut (2003)
  314. Summer Heights High (2007)
  315. Stranger than Fiction (2006)
  316. Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)
  317. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
  318. Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
  319. Goodbye, Dragon Inn (2003)
  320. Where the Heart Is (2000)
  321. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
  322. Alle Anderen (Everyone Else) (2009)
  323. Unfaithful (2002)
  324. Blood Diamond (2006)
  325. United 93 (2006)
  326. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (2008)
  327. 3 Idiots (2009)
  328. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
  329. National Treasure (2004)
  330. Kung Fu Panda (2008)
  331. Waiting for Happiness (2002)
  332. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
  333. Water (2005)
  334. Irreversible (2002)
  335. The Blind Side (2009)
  336. Ray (2004)
  337. Black Friday (2004)
  338. Cocaine Cowboys (2006)
  339. Fat Girl (2001)
  340. Inland Empire (2006)
  341. Cinderella Man (2005)
  342. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
  343. An Education (2009)
  344. Paprika (2006)
  345. Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)
  346. Innocence (2004)
  347. The Machinist (2004)
  348. Winged Migration (2001)
  349. Stardust (2007)
  350. Up in the Air (2009)
  351. Enter the Void (2009)
  352. Control Room (2004)
  353. Moolaadé (2004)
  354. Man on Fire (2004)
  355. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
  356. Mission: Impossible III (2006)
  357. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
  358. Osama (2003)
  359. In the Bedroom (2001)
  360. Public Enemies (2009)
  361. Mr. Nobody (2009)
  362. House of Flying Daggers (2004)
  363. Jane Eyre (2006)
  364. Monster’s Ball (2001)
  365. Grey Gardens (2009)
  366. Songs from the Second Floor (2000)
  367. Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
  368. Bleak House (2005)
  369. Father of My Children (2009)
  370. Mamma Mia! (2008)
  371. Baby Boy (2001)
  372. State of Play (2003)
  373. Precious (2009)
  374. Celda 211 (2009)
  375. Still Walking (2008)
  376. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
  377. The Reader (2008)
  378. Sicko (2007)
  379. Grandma’s Boy (2006)
  380. Millions (2004)
  381. Panic Room (2002)
  382. The Son’s Room (2001)
  383. Finding Neverland (2004)
  384. Still Life (2006)
  385. Our Beloved Month of August (2008)
  386. The Savages (2007)
  387. The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)
  388. The Patriot (2000)
  389. The Class (2008)
  390. Ponyo (2008)
  391. George Washington (2000)
  392. To Be and to Have (2002)
  393. Wordplay (2006)
  394. The 10th Kingdom (2000)
  395. In the Shadow of the Moon (2007)
  396. Marie Antoinette (2006)
  397. Swades (2004)
  398. You, the Living (2007)
  399. 8 Mile (2002)
  400. Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (2004)
  401. Food, Inc. (2008)
  402. Silent Light (2007)
  403. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
  404. Born Into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light Kids (2004)
  405. In My Skin (2002)
  406. Sin Nombre (2009)
  407. The Visitor (2007)
  408. High Tension (2003)
  409. Iraq in Fragments (2006)
  410. 50 First Dates (2004)
  411. Paid in Full (2002)
  412. Flight of the Red Balloon (2007)
  413. The Man Without a Past (2002)
  414. X-2: X-Men United (2003)
  415. Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (2002)
  416. Open Water (2003)
  417. I Heart Huckabees (2004)
  418. Code Unknown (2000)
  419. Death Proof (2007)
  420. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)
  421. Drag Me to Hell (2009)
  422. Night and Day (2008)
  423. The Beaches of Agnès (2008)
  424. Angels in America (2003)
  425. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
  426. Emma (2009)
  427. Friday Night Lights (2004)
  428. Ginger Snaps (2000)
  429. Nine Queens (2000)
  430. Lilo & Stitch (2002)
  431. Bad Education (2004)
  432. Something the Lord Made (2004)
  433. FLCL (2000)
  434. Platform (2000)
  435. The Lost Room (2006)
  436. The Pledge (2001)
  437. Bamako (The Court) (2006)
  438. Black (2005)
  439. What Time Is it There? (2001)
  440. I, Robot (2004)
  441. Reprise (2006)
  442. The Village (2004)
  443. Pulse (2001)
  444. Quills (2000)
  445. Two Days in Paris (2007)
  446. 3-Iron (2004)
  447. Le Pont des Arts (2004)
  448. Hustle & Flow (2005)
  449. Liverpool (2008)
  450. La danse (2009)
  451. The Chorus (2004)
  452. The Constant Gardener (2005)
  453. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
  454. My Winnepeg (2007)
  455. Summer Hours (2008)
  456. Enemy at the Gates (2001)
  457. Night at the Museum (2006)
  458. Before Night Falls (2000)
  459. Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
  460. Son of the Bride (2001)
  461. The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
  462. Sense & Sensibility (2008)
  463. Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
  464. Drumline (2002)
  465. Elite Squad (2007)
  466. Ten Canoes (2006)
  467. Monster (2003)
  468. Paranormal Activity (2007)
  469. Riding Giants (2004)
  470. Capote (2005)
  471. My Sassy Girl (2001)
  472. Observe and Report (2009)
  473. Girlfight (2000)
  474. Prayers for Bobby (2009)
  475. Tsotsi (2005)
  476. Talk to Me (2007)
  477. Cowards Bend the Knee (2003)
  478. G.O.R.A. (2004)
  479. The Stoning of Soraya M. (2008)
  480. Cars (2006)
  481. Wit (2001)
  482. Death to Smoochy (2002)
  483. Valhalla Rising (2009)
  484. Frozen River (2008)
  485. My Life Without Me (2003)
  486. Turtles Can Fly (2004)
  487. Broken Embraces (2009)
  488. Castaway on the Moon (2009)
  489. Secretary (2002)
  490. Pitch Black (2000)
  491. Fragile as the World (2001)
  492. The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005)
  493. The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (2003)
  494. The Sea Inside (2004)
  495. Holes (2003)
  496. Caramel (2007)
  497. Two Lovers (2008)
  498. We Own the Night (2007)
  499. Mondays in the Sun (2002)
  500. Night Watch (2004)

Loading