On the heels of their recent (and in some quarters controversial) ranking of the top 25 movies released since the year 2000, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott — The Times’s chief film critics — share the “wrangling” and “horse-trading” that was involved in putting it together.

MANOHLA DARGIS We have been talking about — and working on — “The 25 Best Films of the 21st Century” for months, so it’s almost hard to believe it’s actually finished. Now, after many, many (many!) movies and 10,000 words, it may seem strange that we have more to say, but us being us, of course we do.

A.O. SCOTT And so does everyone else. A big part of the reason to do this is to start arguments and invite readers to find fault. I believe I once wrote that “it’s the job of critics to be wrong,” and the response to our list so far has proved me right.