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

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

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.

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (2)

"Are you not entertained?"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (3)

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…”

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"You shall not pass!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (5)

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”

“THIS IS SPARTA!”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (6)

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

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

"You're a wizard, Harry."

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (7)

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”

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“Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming..."

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (10)

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

“Why so serious?”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (11)

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.”

"I love... lamp!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (12)

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”

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (13)

    Steve Carell runs through his biggest films with Radio 1's movie critic Ali Plumb with hilarious tales from Anchorman and 40-Year-Old Virgin to Despicable Me and Welcome to Marwen.

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"Wakanda forever!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (14)

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

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (15)

    In an interview from 2018, the late Chadwick Boseman reveals how he became Marvel's iconic Black Panther.

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“Stop trying to make fetch happen!”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (16)

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”

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (17)

    The star of Mean Girls, The Notebook & more looks back on her career in a special interview, from 2016.

    Watch: Rachel McAdams - Movies That Made Me

“Jagshemash!”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (18)

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

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

"Not quite my tempo."

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (19)

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

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“You’ve got red on you.”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (20)

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”

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

    From Shaun Of The Dead, through Mission: Impossible to Star Trek Beyond; Simon takes Ali Plumb through his career, in an interview from 2016.

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"I wish I knew how to quit you."

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (22)

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

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (23)

    Jake recalls career highlights from his best movies, including Donnie Darko, The Day After Tomorrow, Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac and End of Watch.

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"With great power comes great responsibility."

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (24)

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

“I drink your milkshake. I drink it up!”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (25)

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

“I am Iron Man”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (26)

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"

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (27)

    The story of The Avengers characters so far, featuring all the stars from the franchise, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and more

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"Oh what a day. What a lovely day!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (28)

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”

"That's a bingo!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (29)

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”

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (30)

    Legendary director Quentin Tarantino talks to Ali Plumb about his iconic films, from Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill to 2019 movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

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"Wilson!"

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (31)

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

  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (32)

    Tom Hanks talks to Radio 1 movie critic Ali Plumb about two decades and more of playing Pixar's iconic cowboy Woody.

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“May the odds be ever in your favour”

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (33)

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.

BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (34)

Still wondering what else to watch?

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

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  • BBC Radio 1 - Radio 1's Screen Time - The 21 Most Iconic 21st Century Movie Quotes (35)

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