The 20 Greatest Films of All Time
List activity
493 views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
20 titles
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Simply perfect.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.A beautiful tragicomedy that evokes both laughs and tears. It changed the way I look at life.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Widely considered THE American film, The Godfather is a masterpiece that is literally without flaw.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.Without a doubt, the greatest sequel of all time. It's the perfect expansion to the classic.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJack NicholsonFaye DunawayJohn HustonA private detective hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles finds himself caught up in a web of deceit, corruption, and murder.Neo-noir cinema at its best. Chinatown offers some of the greatest performances of all time (Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway), and one of the most clever and intriguing screenplays.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.The film that marked the beginning of my worshiping of Stanley Kubrick, on top of defining the sci-fi genre.
- DirectorGuillermo del ToroStarsIvana BaqueroAriadna GilSergi LópezIn the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.A dark fairytale that very few people foresaw. One of the best foreign films of all time, and deeply thought-provoking.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesA former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.Hitchcock's greatest achievement. Vertigo has enough suspense to give you a heart attack!
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.Sergio Leone's fantastic definition of the western genre. Clint Eastwood shines in this memorable epic.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsDustin HoffmanAnne BancroftKatharine RossA disillusioned college graduate finds himself torn between his older lover and her daughter.Everyone, at some point in their life, can relate to this film. Ultimately, that's why The Graduate is so great.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsFaye DunawayWilliam HoldenPeter FinchA television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about the news media for its own profit, but finds that his message may be difficult to control.Network is the most entertaining/hilarious satire I have ever seen. The writing and acting are both so terrific that the whole thing is overwhelming. You need to stop for a minute to take a breath, while watching.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.An incredibly well-crafted film from the masterful Steven Spielberg. It's heartbreaking, and stunning.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenDiane KeatonTony RobertsAlvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.Woody Allen's best, and the most refreshingly honest romantic comedy of all time. I don't think it will ever be surpassed, though (500) Days of Summer came close.
- DirectorJean-Pierre JeunetStarsAudrey TautouMathieu KassovitzRufusDespite being caught in her imaginative world, Amelie, a young waitress, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love.The most fabulous tale of life, love, and fate. If the cinematography isn't enough to take your breath away, you don't breathe.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsGregory PeckAudrey HepburnEddie AlbertA bored and sheltered princess escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome.An escapade story that really washes over you. And Audrey Hepburn is irresistible.
- DirectorCurtis HansonStarsKevin SpaceyRussell CroweGuy PearceAs corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.Chinatown's miracle child. Spectacular.
- DirectorDavid LeanStarsCelia JohnsonTrevor HowardStanley HollowayMeeting a stranger in a railway station, a woman is tempted to cheat on her husband.One of the most compelling stories ever told. It's a romantic classic that is often overlooked.
- DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.There's something about Casablanca that completely captivates you, regardless of what generation you're from. Perhaps it is the unforgettable chemistry between Bogart and Bergman. Whatever it may be, it's one of the most beloved stories told on film.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsTyrone PowerMarlene DietrichCharles LaughtonA veteran British barrister must defend his client in a murder trial that has surprise after surprise.With one of the most shocking climaxes of all time, Witness for the Prosecution is easily Billy Wilder's most exceptional film, and among the greatest of courtroom drama.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.Stanley Kubrick displays his true genius again by crafting the most shocking, twisted, and controversial classic. Amen.