This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro and Sabrina Tavernise. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, ready by 6 a.m. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp

The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century

August 14, 2025 00:40:32 7.56 MB ( 31.35 MB less) Downloads: 0

Warning: This episode contains strong language.

This summer, The New York Times put out a list of the top 100 movies of the past 25 years. It prompted furious debate about what movies stand the test of time, why they matter and what those movies tell us about ourselves.

Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter for The Times, discusses how the list came to be, and actors and directors including Celine Song, Molly Ringwald and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speak about their votes.

Guest: Kyle Buchanan, who is a pop culture reporter and serves as The Projectionist, the awards season columnist for The New York Times.

Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com, via Associated Press

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.