Female critics call this the “best movie of the 21st century,” and you’ve probably never heard of it

Though not exactly a holiday upper, female critics call this dark romance the best movie of the 21st century. So once you’re done watching your cheerful holiday rom-coms and claymations and want to slide back into cold, hard reality, now you know where to go. (We’re kidding. Sort of. We’re not kidding. Happy holiday!)

The disparity in ratings between male and female critics has often been documented. And unfortunately, since film critics still tend to be mostly men, it can mean women’s perspectives on many films go unnoticed. So while BBC’s recent survey on the best film of the 21st century was technically David Lynch’s Mullholland Drive, breaking reviews down by gender revealed that female critics ranked a different film even higher.

Wong Kar-wai’s lesser known In the Mood for Love received the highest number of votes from female critics.

Furthermore, thirteen of the critics polled rated In the Mood for Love as their number one movie of the 21st century, regardless of gender. Made in 2000 but set in 1962 Hong Kong, In the Mood for Love is about two neighbors who discover their spouses are having affairs with one another. They come together to cope, but end up falling in love themselves.

Not only are the plot and character arcs supposedly expertly crafted, but it’s also apparently incredibly beautifully shot. Check out the trailer below for a quick look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2rzeq4V00k?feature=oembed

We’re honestly shocked that a movie with such stellar ratings isn’t more widely know, and we’re intrigued. Basically, we know what we’re watching after the tinsel clears.