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The culture-watchers at the paper of record have once again handed down a definitive-sounding list meant to tell the rest of America what to admire. In late June the New York Times published a poll of more than 500 filmmakers, actors and insiders compiling their picks for the 100 best movies of the 21st century, and the results read like a manifesto of coastal taste rather than a reflection of America’s moviegoing public.
Topping that elite-sanctioned list was Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, with David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive and Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood following close behind — a lineup that spotlights arthouse flair and foreign-language prestige over mainstream storytelling. There’s nothing wrong with recognizing international cinema, but the NYT’s placement betrays a preference for films that fit a certain metropolitan worldview, often guided by ideological urgency and festival accolades.
Not everyone on the left-leaning podium agreed with that exact ranking, though; Rolling Stone’s own roundup this summer put Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood at the very top, reminding Americans that raw, uncompromising tales about ambition and character still matter. That choice should be celebrated by people who love strong American filmmaking rather than bowing at the altar of trendier festival favorites.
If you look beyond the critics’ bubble, the public’s ballots tell a different story: readers and general audiences skew toward big, entertaining pictures that actually moved moviegoers — Avengers-level blockbusters, The Dark Knight-era cinema and crowd-pleasing masterpieces that provoke conversation without lecturing. The divide between the insiders’ list and popular opinion shows exactly why so many Americans feel condescended to by cultural elites who mistake moralizing for artistry.
Those elites love to lionize films that foreground identity politics or avant-garde nihilism, and then act surprised when Main Street doesn’t clap on cue. Conservatives don’t want art policed for ideological purity; we want stories that respect courage, family, patriotism and personal responsibility, told with skill and heart. The ongoing fights over which films get canonical status are less about aesthetics than about who gets to set the rules for American taste.
There’s still hope in the movie canon for works that honor American grit and craftsmanship — titles like There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, The Social Network and The Dark Knight show filmmakers can make smart, morally resonant blockbusters or dramas that speak to a broad audience. Those movies, many of which landed on the NYT list despite the paper’s biases, prove that great storytelling transcends ideology and that audiences are hungry for films that challenge and uplift rather than lecture.
So here’s a simple proposition for hardworking Americans: trust your own judgment. Don’t let a handful of industry tastemakers on the coasts dictate what counts as the best of the century; vote with your time, your ticket purchases and your attention, and keep celebrating films that reflect the values and the grit that built this country.
