Top 20 Greatest Movie Quotes of Century (So Far)

“Taken” (2008)
Liam Neeson’s character, Bryan Mills, delivers this line over the phone to his daughter’s kidnapper. It’s a monologue for the ages, where rather than threaten the kidnapper, the CIA officer highlights his skillset with chilling effectiveness. After Neeson’s done with his speech, we look forward to watching the rest of the movie to see him back up the claims that he makes. The scene is so awesome that it helped Liam Neeson jumpstart a successful action movie career for the next decade after “Taken’s” release.

“Zoolander” (2001)
In the early 2000s, Ben Stiller was at the peak of his comedy game, starring in movies like “Meet the Parents” and “Zoolander.” Playing dim model Derek Zoolander, Stiller is able to go in outlandish directions saying the craziest things. Zoolander is a shallow bimbo who doesn’t quite put things together, yet he wants to pay it forward by setting up a facility dedicated to children’s literacy. When he’s presented with the model for the building, he thinks it’s the actual school and doesn’t like what he sees. What follows is a hilarious meltdown where the vapid celebrity goes full diva.

“Saw” (2004)
This line is part of a message that Amanda finds where she finds out that she’s about to play one of Jigsaw’s gruesome, violent games. If you’re tied up in a dingy room, and a puppet on a grainy video says he wants to play a game, then you know it’s not going to be a fun game. The simple declaration adds to the creepy minimalism that plays in the scene. Tobin Bell, the actor who played Jigsaw, delivers his lines with a gruff voice that is the stuff of nightmares.

“Napoleon Dynamite” (2004)
“Napoleon Dynamite” came out in 2004, the same year as “Anchorman” and “Mean Girls,” which helped make 2004 a great year for quotable comedies. This independent film is full of great quotes from quirky, colorful characters like Kipp and Uncle Rico, but perhaps “Vote for Pedro” is the most enduring line. It’s the simple slogan for Napoleon’s classmate and best friend, Pedro, who’s running for class president. The slogan is as laidback and lowkey as the character of Pedro, and the minimalist quality is part of the charm.

“There Will Be Blood” (2007)
Inspired by real life congressional testimony from the Teapot Dome hearings, the “milkshake” line comes at the end of the movie. Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, is an oil man that has conned Eli, played by Paul Dano, out of oil from land promised to him. To explain how he scammed his victim, Daniel uses a “milkshake” analogy which clarifies an otherwise complicated concept. Day-Lewis won his second Best Actor Oscar for this role, and this scene undoubtedly helped secure this win. The way he says the “milkshake” line makes what could have been a weird moment instead the ultimate way of saying you owned your opponent.

“Shrek” (2001)
“Shrek” is a playful take on the classic fairy tales, and one of the film’s central messages is how you shouldn’t judge someone or something based on appearance. The “Ogres are like onions” analogy fits in well with this central message, which is delivered by Shrek, an ogre who was a victim of being unfairly judged for his monstrous appearance. It’s fun to watch SNL veterans like Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy play off of each other in this scene, with Murphy playing Donkey who has a difficult time understanding the analogy.

“300” (2006)
Director Zack Snyder made his adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae as loud as possible, from the visual effects to the costumes to the acting. This over the top declaration is just one of the many examples of Snyder’s stylistic choice. The line was featured heavily in movie trailers and commercials, with moviegoers eagerly anticipating the moment Gerard Butler’s Leonidas shouts the line before kicking that Persian messenger down the well. At the time of the film’s release, the line was so ingrained in pop culture, it inspired countless parodies.

“No Country for Old Men” (2007)

This is a question Anton Chigurh poses to a storekeeper before Chigurh calls on the man to participate in a coin toss for his life. Since we know that he’s a murderous psychopath, the question is more menacing for the audience than it is for the bewildered storekeeper, who is completely unaware of the stakes of the coin toss. The strange question helps build tension within the scene, which is already uncomfortable because of Chigurh’s weird, antisocial behavior when interacting with the storekeeper.

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019)
Having successfully gathered the stones and executed his plan, Thanos came out the big winner in “Avengers: Infinity War.” When “Endgame” was released the following year, Thanos had already established a reputation for being an intimidating villain. Part of what made him such a scary villain was his sincere belief that his mission was a righteous one, and another part was that he was the first major MCU villain to beat the good guys. When the Mad Titan calls himself “inevitable,” it’s effective because all we’ve seen him do is win. Thanos is such a powerful cinematic character, it’s as if going up against him were going up against fate itself.

“Training Day” (2001)
Speaking of scary villains, Denzel Washington turned in a terrifying performance in “Training Day” as Alonzo Harris, a crooked L.A. cop who wasn’t afraid to get violent. Toward the end of the movie, Alonzo’s neighborhood turns on him, which leads him to go on a rant where he utters the “King Kong” line. The line is nothing more than empty bravado at that point, but when we look back at what he did previously to that scene, it’s not hard to imagine Alonzo giving the giant ape a run for his money.

“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004)
One of the most memorable scenes from “Anchorman” was the fight scene with all the rival news channels who acted like street gangs. There were a ton of cameos of famous comedic actors from the different channels, and the fight was an epic brawl, with the newscasters bringing out weapons like baseball bats, a trident, and even a grenade. After the violent conflict, the next scene shows Ron Burgundy’s response to the incident, which is this understatement. “Anchorman” was full of absurd quotes like this which makes it a classic that comedy fans quote to this day.

“Gladiator” (2000)
Russell Crowe’s character Maximus confronts the crowd with this taunt after slicing through opponents in the arena, demanding recognition for the blood that was shed. However, Maximus says the line with such cockiness and swagger that he dominates the moment and wins the crowd over, as if they don’t know they’re being scolded. The scene is a highlight in a performance that would win Crowe a Best Actor Oscar. The line is so significant that Jay-Z sampled the quote for the track “What More Can I Say” on his 2002 “Black Album.”

“Mean Girls” (2004)
It was between this line and “that is so fetch,” and we decided not to make “fetch” happen. At a high school assembly where the girls are required to get up and make a public apology to their classmates, one girl gets very emotional with her appeal that everyone treat each other with respect. However, this tear filled apology is undercut by Damian, poorly concealing his identity in a hoodie and sunglasses, who blurts out this line. This completely changes the apology the sensitive girl makes from something heartfelt to something awkward and completely non sequitur. Looking back, we should have known she was suspect when her idea of everybody getting along was middle school.

“Spider-Man” (2002)
Some major themes from Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man” trilogy include the importance of doing the right thing and not losing yourself in changes that come your way, and both are perfectly reflected within this line. A piece of wisdom Uncle Ben shares with Peter Parker shortly before Ben passes, the saying stays with Peter throughout the series and it becomes the mantra that guides the tough decisions he has to make. The line was already made famous by “Spider-Man” comics, but appearing in the movies gave it a bigger significance in pop culture.

“Black Panther” (2018)
When “Black Panther” came out in 2018, filmgoers fell in love with the technologically advanced homeland of the African superhero. One couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride from the countrymen uttering this phrase as they locked their arms into their chests, despite the fact this was a fictional place. This line is revisited in “Avengers: Infinity War” when T'Challa shouts it as he assembles his warriors at the Battle of Wakanda. The phrase is so central to Wakanda that the upcoming sequel to “Black Panther'' is subtitled “Wakanda Forever.”

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)
After breaking into the Dursleys’ house to take Harry away to Hogwarts, Hagrid tells Harry about the wizard background he never knew he had, leaning in to drop this bombshell. This revelation that Hagrid makes to Harry was a big moment from the first film’s trailer, thanks in large part to Robbie Coltrane’s booming presence. With these words comes a sense of wonder as Harry’s world opens up to magic. It’s also vindication for Harry after being treated horribly by his aunt and uncle by showing that he’s special after all.

“Iron Man” (2008)
Tony Stark makes this statement at the end of the first “Iron Man” at a press conference after giving up on hiding his identity from the public. This frank admission made right before the credits roll sets Tony apart from other superheroes, who tend to keep their true identities secret at all costs. Stark later repeats this line in “Avengers: Endgame” after he stealthily takes away the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos and snaps his fingers. It’s the statement that sums up his identity, and it’s the statement he goes out on.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is full of memorable quotes to pull out for the right occasion. Who hasn’t held onto a prized object and referred to it as “my precious” at least once? But we’re going with the words Gandalf the Grey shouted to the Balrog while holding off the monster at the Mines of Moria. Standing his ground, Gandalf ends up making a noble sacrifice to make sure his companions make it through the mines alive, and the scene is made more powerful by Ian McKellen’s passionate delivery of the line.


# 1: “You Are Tearing Me Apart, Lisa”
“The Room” (2003)
This line is a brilliant homage to the classic James Dean line in “Rebel Without a Cause.” Nah, we’re just messing with you. Here’s our real number one pick.

“The Dark Knight” (2008)
Featured in a tense scene where Heath Ledger’s Joker gives a backstory to how his face became disfigured, “Why so serious?” was a tagline that was heavily featured in the film’s marketing including movie trailers, commercials, and tshirts. The line perfectly encapsulates this version of the Joker, a nihilist and an anarchist who wants to tear down the pretense of polite society and let chaos ensue. It’s lines like this and Harvey Dent’s line about “You either die a hero...” that hit home the movie’s dark themes about moral grayness.