10 Most Perfect Movies Released Since 2005, Ranked

I did not put this list together by looking at influence, awards, or how often these films get cited. I thought instead about the movies I watched after 2005 that quietly reset my expectations and held my attention through the end credits. Each one commits fully to its story, its characters, and its tone, moves forward with patience, allows scenes to breathe, and trusts the audience to keep up.

Children of Men (2006) imagines a near future where humanity cannot reproduce, and follows Theo Faron as he escorts Kee, a woman who carries something the world has not seen in decades. There Will Be Blood (2007) tracks Daniel Plainview’s rise from prospector to oil baron, a life of transactions and a rivalry that strips away the need for other people.

No Country for Old Men (2007) finds Llewelyn Moss with a suitcase of money while Anton Chigurh advances with an unsettling order, and a sheriff bears witness to a world that no longer behaves by familiar rules.

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