BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (2024)

As picked by Radio 1's Ali Plumb

Over the past 21 years, some big movies have hit cinemas, and some big lines along with them. This is a celebration of the most memorable, the most quotable movie moments from the century so far, and let me say straight away: limiting this list to just 21 quotes was a very tall order.

Some I got around through technicalities, such as Frozen’s ‘Let it go!’ being a lyric and not a spoken line of dialogue, whilst others were just a bit too expletive-led for the BBC homepage - see Training Day and Argo, for example - or much more on the “memey” side of things rather than actually being memorable in of themselves, such as much of the last two Star Wars prequels (“Hello there!”).

Some were hard to lose though, like “Call it friendo” from No Country For Old Men, or “D’ya like dags?” from Snatch - or even family favourites like “Squirrel!” from Up, or cult classics like “Oh hi Mark!” from the terri-brilliant The Room. But cut the long list down I did, and these are the results - that said, do let me know what I missed out (I know there’s a whole host of worthy ones I’ve forgotten), but remember: Fight Club and The Matrix came out in 1999. I was as astonished to realise that as you are, trust me.

Film: Gladiator (2000)
Spoken by: Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe)

See also: “Brothers, what we do in life... echoes in eternity”, “Strength and honor”, “I will see you again... but not yet, not yet”, “AM I NOT MERCIFUL?!”, “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the armies of the north…”

Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Spoken by: Gandalf (Ian McKellen)

See also (including the rest of the LOTR trilogy): "My precious...", “Fly you fools!”, “Po-tay-toes! Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew”, “The hobbits are going to Isengard!”, “There’s some good in this world Mr Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for”, “I am no man”, “I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you”

Film: 300 (2007)
Spoken by: Leonidas (Gerard Butler)

See also: “Tonight, we dine in hell!”, “Come back with your shield… or on it”

Film: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
Spoken by: Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane)

See also (including the rest of the Harry Potter series): “Not my daughter, you…”, "Did you put your name in the goblet of fire?", “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good”, “Mischief managed”

• Listen to Ali's brand new interview special with Daniel Radcliffe, on the Screen Time podcast

Film: Taken (2008)
Spoken by: Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson)

Film: Finding Nemo (2003)
Spoken by: Dory (Ellen DeGeneres)

Film: The Dark Knight (2008)
Spoken by: The Joker (Heath Ledger)

See also (including the rest of the Dark Knight trilogy): "I'm Batman", "He's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now", "Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up", "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain", "Some men just want to watch the world burn", "You think darkness is your ally", “It would be extremely painful… for you.”

Film: Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Spoken by: Brick (Steve Carell)

See also: “I'm in a glass case of emotion!”, “You're so wise. You're like a miniature Buddha covered in hair”, “60% of the time, it works every time”, “Milk was a bad choice”, “Agree to disagree”

Film: Black Panther (2018)
Spoken by: Everyone!

Film: Mean Girls (2004)
Spoken by: Regina George (Rachel McAdams)

See also: “You go, Glen Coco!”, “YOU CAN’T SIT WITH US!”, “On Wednesdays, we wear pink”, “She doesn’t even go here!, “Get in loser, we’re going shopping”

Film: Borat (2006)
Spoken by: Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen)

See also: “Very nice”, “I like!”, “My name-a Borat!”

Film: Whiplash (2014)
Spoken by: Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons)

• Watch Whiplash on BBC iPlayer (available until 12 April 2021)

Film: Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
Spoken by: Various

See also (from the rest of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy): “The greater good”, “Yarp”, “No luck catching them swans then?”, “How’s that for a slice of fried gold?”, "Let's go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for this all to blow over", "Let's Boo-Boo!", “Want anything from the shop?”, “Yeah boy-yee”

Film: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Spoken by: Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal)

Film: Spider-Man (2002)
Spoken by: Ben Parker (Cliff Robertson)

Film: There Will Be Blood (2007)
Spoken by: Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis)

Films: Iron Man (2008) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Spoken by: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)

See also (throughout the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe): “I can do this all day”, “On your left”, “Avengers… assemble”, “I love you 3000”, “Puny god”, “Hulk - smash”, “I am inevitable”, “That does put a smile on my face”, “I am Groot”, “Is it though?”, “That's my secret Cap - I'm always angry"

Film: Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
Spoken by: Nux (Nicholas Hoult)

See also: “If I'm going to die, I'm going to die historic, on the fury road!”, “I live, I die, I live again!”, “Witness me”

Film: Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Spoken by: Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz)

See also: “Y'know what, Uttivich? I think this might just be my masterpiece”, “Gorlami”

Film: Castaway (2000)
Spoken by: Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks)

Film: The Hunger Games (2012)
Spoken by: Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks)

See also: “I volunteer as tribute!”

Header photo ©: New Line Cinema / Walt Disney Studios / Village Roadshow Pictures / Warner Bros. / Lionsgate.

Radio 1's film critic Ali Plumb has put together his top 21st century films and there is something for everyone's mood.

• Underseen thrillers
• 21 feel-good films
• Time travel sci-fi
• 10 best indie films
• Underseen comedies
• Top 5 rom coms
• Action films
• Underseen gangster movies
• Top 5 heist movies