My Top 25 Movies of All Time (subject to change)
A 22-year-old film buff for life makes another pointless top-20 list that you probably won't care about but I hope you'll browse through and tell me what you think.
List activity
785 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
25 titles
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJonathan PryceKim GreistRobert De NiroA bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.What can I say? Brazil is a movie with simply everything. It's just as functional as art as well as entertainment. It's so dense with detail it becomes a sensory overload, but with repeated viewings it reveals unimaginable depths that it would take pages and pages for me to scratch the surface of. It's a satire on everything. It's dark, wickedly hilarious, strangely beautiful, and whimsical to the point of surrealism. I have yet to even attempt a formal review, but Terry Gilliam's Brazil is my favorite movie of all time, for reasons I can't quite pinpoint because it simply is what it is; everything I could possibly look for in a film is accounted for and I can never get sick of watching it.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.An epic story of crime, vengeance, family, rivalry, human compassion and violence, the passing of generations and the changing of times, The Godfather is another film where great art and great entertainment collide in a way that makes something truly special. This technically applies to this one and Part II. They are flawless as individual movies and compliment each other better than any pair of sequels I've ever seen. There's nothing I can add that hasn't been said already. These aren't just movies; they're the modern standard-bearers for cinematic perfection, world class literary filmmaking at it's most awe-inspiring. Watch them both, then watch them again. Don't stop until you've memorized them.
- 19641h 35mPG8.3 (520K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Where to begin with this one... it's the perfect dark comic satire on the scariest scenario imaginable which is the total annihilation of all life on the planet. It's a big pissed off joke about how easily this can actually happen, for such stupid reasons, and all the wrong reactions from the people supposed to protect us from it; these keep the laughs coming endlessly, but it never lets you forget how terrifying it really is. Satire is a favorite genre of mine, and this is the perfect satire because it's about things that truly do effect us all.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.My all-time favorite "just-for-laughs" kind of comedy; loaded with absurd, lunatic antics and dialogue that would double even the most miserable person over with laughter, it's the kind of movie so out-there, so ultimately meaningless, that when you hold it under deep scrutiny, meaning emerges however you choose for it to. It helps that the characters feel real enough to feel like old friends, it has Jeff Bridges (my favorite actor) in the role of his life, and it's ultimate message is to just take it easy; is there a better message for a comedy to have? Seriously, this movie makes me so happy it's indescribable; I've probably seen this more than any other movie on the list and I don't think I could possibly tire of it. The perfect comfort movie.
- DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'Yes, Citizen Kane, the ultimate cinematic cliche. "Greatest movie of all time," many say. "It's no Citizen Kane," others say in reference to most other movies in general. It's a movie with a reputation so mythic that it has spawned people who despise it just because it's reputed to be the pinnacle of movie-making. I'm not a snob or a hater. I plain and simply love this movie to death, because it's brilliantly entertaining on every level; it's the kind of movie that ends and you immediately want to watch it again. Since there has been more written about it than any other movie, I won't lengthen this with details. I'll just say, you don't have to be a film snob to adore this flick. Its reputation may be astronomically hyperbolic, but that's only because it really is that good. Greatest of all time? Can never be stated as a fact about any film, but this comes awfully close.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.Probably the film highest on the list that I have watched fewest times, because it's such a stressful experience. Apocalypse Now isn't a film about war; it IS war. The film isn't about gung-ho combat, brothers in arms, and loving one's country. The film is simply the essence of war as it is; hallucinatory, senseless chaos that invokes unimaginable horror to the point you're desensitized. It has no right or wrong. It's all insanity and it's all wrong. This film is perfect because it sets out to make an artistic statement and accomplishes it in a bigger way than the filmmakers probably intended.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsAdam SandlerEmily WatsonPhilip Seymour HoffmanSocially frustrated Barry Egan calls a phone-sex line to curb his loneliness. Little does he know it will land him in deep trouble and will jeopardize his burgeoning romance with the mysterious Lena.Not so much one of the greatest movies of all time in an all-encompassing sort of way as it is one I never get tired of watching. It's a fun cinematic experiment from my favorite director; not tied down by such grand ambitions, he allows himself an absurd level of creative freedom evident in every frame. It just so happens to be an incredible character study with arguably the best performance Adam Sandler will ever give. The love story is touching, and wonderful detail is evident in every scene; it's equal parts uncomfortable and euphoric, and this tonal dichotomy leaves you feeling a very specific emotion that probably doesn't have a name yet, but it's an incredible feeling. This is a small masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsMartin LandauWoody AllenBill BernsteinAn ophthalmologist's mistress threatens to reveal their affair to his wife while a married documentary filmmaker is infatuated with another woman.It was a toss-up between this and Manhattan, but ultimately I find this to be Woody Allen's ultimate accomplishment. As a comedy, a suspense film, a deep character study, it succeeds on all counts. But the thematic achievements here are astounding; as a study of good and evil, comedy and tragedy, it's as mind-bogglingly complex as it is simple enough to watch easily. It leaves me pondering big questions in a way few movies do, as well as it entertains.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsTom CruiseJason RobardsJulianne MooreAn epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.A film audiences either worship or loathe with a bitter passion, I fall somewhere in the middle (I don't worship any film), but it's great enough to me to end up in my top ten. It's an insanely energetic, chaotic, and ultimately draining roller coaster of raw emotion and human vulnerability that's as messy as life itself. I can understand how the length and some of the more bizarre details could put some off, but I can't find a single thing to dislike about Magnolia. Paul Thomas Anderson's passion for all his projects inspires me like few artists can.
- 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.Hilarious dialogue, cool characters, brutal yet wacky violence, a timeline that keeps folding in on itself like origami, a catchy soundtrack, and non-stop references to all things classic about cinematic storytelling make this a wildly entertaining celebration of the film medium itself. You can feel the young Tarantino's joy and exuberance in every frame, every word spoken. While there are flashes of deeper themes here and there, Pulp Fiction's main goal is to thrill and excite its audience and it does exactly that. I've seen it so many times I don't even need to watch it to watch it; I can just think about it and not miss a beat.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsFred MacMurrayBarbara StanwyckEdward G. RobinsonA Los Angeles insurance representative lets an alluring housewife seduce him into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague, an insurance investigator.This is where classic film noir all but begins and ends for me. What else could you possibly want in a seedy 40's thriller? Evil femme fatales? Barbara Stanwyck is who they all want to be. Charismatic hero making bad choices? Fred McMurray is flawless. Unbearable tension and a story that makes you shout at the characters? Like you wouldn't believe. Throw all this together with some of the wittiest dialogue ever written for film and you've got a brilliantly entertaining iconic work.
- DirectorCharles CrichtonJohn CleeseStarsJohn CleeseJamie Lee CurtisKevin KlineIn London, four very different people team up on a jewel heist, then try to double-cross one another for the loot, complicated by their efforts to fool a very proper barrister.The first time I watched A Fish Called Wanda with my sister, we found ourselves laughing so hard, so often, and so uncontrollably, that a neighbor from across the hall knocked on our door and asked us to keep it down as it was almost two in the morning. It's the kind of genius hilarity that is often attempted and rarely perfected; where the surprisingly complex, endlessly twisting plot is as funny as the scenes and jokes itself. And I swear on my life, that if I ever see a funnier comic performance than Kevin Kline as Otto, I may never be able to laugh again. See it and don't lose control of your motor functions.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroVal KilmerA group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors- it was a toss-up between this and The Insider, but I have to go with Heat because I find it to be the most exhilarating, satisfying action film I've ever seen. It's the kind of film where the action is driven by plot and characters that are actually fleshed out into multiple dimensions. The acting is stellar, the story is all over the place at times, but seamlessly flows, intriguing the audience every step of the way. The large cast of characters are all worth deeply caring about. Oh yeah, and the bank robbery climax is the single greatest action sequence ever filmed. Period. Pretentious? Maybe, but that doesn't matter in a movie so endlessly entertaining and rewatchable as this.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJohn TurturroJohn GoodmanJudy DavisA renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.As a wannabe writer myself, this film spoke to me loudly. This is as good a movie as I can imagine being made about the admittedly tedious problem of writer's block and the uncomfortably personal disorientation that can result. Any deeper meanings aside, this is on the list because the whole feel of it is exactly the feel I always look for in films; the tone is creepy, funny, and surreal. I'm a fan of the 40's noir look and Hollywood setting, which this movie pulls off to perfection, and the imagery is simply gorgeous; I'd love to see this in black and white. I don't have to over analyze Barton Fink; aside from Lebowski, it's simply the Coens' most pleasurable film and I enjoy every minute of it just letting it wash over me.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsJeff BridgesIsabella RosselliniRosie PerezA man's personality is dramatically changed after surviving a major airline crash.This is an exhilarating and heart-wrenching story about a man who has a near-death experience and the pros and (many) cons of his more cynical yet carefree and, as the title states clearly, fearless outlook on life. It ponders big profound questions about life, death, and the existence of God without even pretending to present an easy answer, which is a rarity in any mainstream Hollywood film. This would have been a magnificent movie anyway, but the reason it's this high on the list is Jeff Bridges; his performance is a work of staggering yet humble greatness that takes this movie to soaring new heights of quality. Best actor of his generation in one of the most underrated flicks ever made.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsGriffin DunneRosanna ArquetteVerna BloomAn ordinary word processor has the worst night of his life after he agrees to visit a girl in Soho he met that evening at a coffee shop.What is it with me and the "lark" films of great directors? Big Lebowski with the Coens, Punch-Drunk Love with PT Anderson, and this with Scorsese? Probably that their joy of filmmaking is evident in any of their movies, but when they make movies just for the sake of it, their passion is at its purest. The director of great character studies like Raging Bull and Taxi Driver made a strange, underappreciated little movie about a normal guy having the worst night of his life, and it's my favorite of his movies; a nightmarish comedy that makes you sweat as often as it makes you laugh. Check it out.
- 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.Hard to believe this was once considered controversial and outrageous. It currently feels more like an origin story for the age we live in. Everyone can now say whatever they want and get it out there whether through TV or whatever means of communication they can access; in this film, a broken down man rants about the very real problems that nobody seems to care about and while all hell breaks loose, the ratings soar. It works as a satirical prophecy of the present, but the real meat of Network is the dialogue, quite possibly the most perfect dialogue ever written. Seriously, watch it for the writing alone. It's better than a lot of great music.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Yes, this is on the list. No bandwagon jumping here, I just think it's a near-perfect movie. Whenever I read Chuck Palahniuk, I picture it in the style of this film because it totally captures his tone. The laugh-out-loud but pitch black humor, the emphasis on the grotesque, the bitter criticism of modern society; it's all there. The movie is so energetic and fun to watch, and it's so unlike any other mainstream Hollywood flick. Some people love this film because of Tyler Durden's philosophy; I love it because it exposes the hypocrisy of such a viewpoint. I could go on and on about Fight Club. It's an icon of its time, and a hell of a fun movie to watch.
- DirectorTerry JonesStarsGraham ChapmanJohn CleeseMichael PalinBorn on the original Christmas in the stable next door to Jesus Christ, Brian of Nazareth spends his life being mistaken for a messiah.My name is Brian and I'm a sucker for any movie where the main character is repeatedly called "Brian of Nazareth." But seriously though, aside from being absolutely hysterical, the way religious followers are portrayed in this film is exactly how I've always seen it; not always, but often, they are blind and misguided. It also attacks revolutionary groups, in a way that keeps my own silly revolutionary aspirations in check. Another satire on my top twenty, but a classic film nonetheless.
- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsBrigitte LinTakeshi KaneshiroTony Leung Chiu-waiTwo melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.No film has ever put me in a more romantic mood than this one. It tosses out all conventional filmmaking and storytelling styles and focuses entirely on the mood; through two stories, it portrays heartache at it's toughest, and the kind of longing that you've undeniably felt for someone and probably never knew someone felt about you. The music, the imagery, the performances, I absolutely adore this movie. It makes me see the world as such a beautiful place without pandering or manipulation.
- 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.Had to include a Hitchcock on here, and while I've admittedly seen only a few of his movies, it's probably because I don't see how he could have ever topped this one. This is such a haunting yet strangely beautiful story, with nerve-wracking suspense that you can never pin-point the source of because the movie is always changing up on itself. It's also a tragic love story that turns terrifying and romantic for the same reasons; the writing, acting, pacing, it's all flawless. It's the kind of classic thriller that has the power to entertain anyone, but has such an original story that it couldn't be ripped-off or imitated. I am a sucker for it.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsSimon PeggNick FrostMartin FreemanAn overachieving London police sergeant is transferred to a village where the easygoing officers object to his fervor for regulations, all while a string of grisly murders strikes the town.Layers upon layers of jokes dominate every second of this instant classic. Many of the jokes are the kind you don't even realize are jokes until the eighth, the ninth, the tenth... hell, even the twentieth viewing. This is the crown jewel of the Cornetto trilogy, a masterpiece of laugh-out-loud funny and loving homage to an incredibly fun genre. Bruckheimer action flicks are brainless as can be; Hot Fuzz adds intelligence to the style and manages to be a much better movie than anything he's put out. But overall, it makes the list because it never gets old. I'll love this movie until the day I die.
- 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.The cinematic equivalent of warm physical comfort, like delicious hot chocolate in front of a cozy fire with a fluffy blanket wrapped around you. Everything about this film is so pleasing that I'm ashamed to put it this low on the list; I just haven't analyzed and viewed it quite as often, but there's no way it couldn't be here. A potentially uninteresting story told through a strange combination of genres, Casablanca comes together beautifully; so beautifully, that it's hard to argue with those who consider it THE movie. Another one where there's nothing more I can say that hasn't already been said. Just see it again and again. That's as much of an order as I have the authority to give. I'm going to take a break from this list and watch it again.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.Dream logic is beautifully utilized for this enigmatic rubix cube of a movie. While many hate David Lynch for his completely twisted way of seeing the world, I find his creepy yet darkly humorous dream style intoxicating. This is as balanced as his style gets; not a bizarre story told in a waking state, and not incomprehensible like some of his other dream work, Mulholland Dr. is a perfect combo of random, disturbing, non-sequitor events with a story that is perfectly decipherable were you to look closely enough. This one haunts me and stays with me for weeks every time I revisit it. Don't give up on it, as the story actually oozes with meaning, which its detractors accuse it of not having.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsRussell CroweAl PacinoChristopher PlummerA research chemist comes under personal and professional attack when he decides to appear in a 60 Minutes exposé on Big Tobacco.From a story that doesn't seem very cinematic comes a superb exercise in dramatic tension that turns out to be a perfect movie. Literally flawless, this moody, dialogue-driven, pulse-pounding piece of gold runs 160 minutes, and its relentless avalanche of riveting dialogue, scorching performances, and high-tension drama ensures that the viewer will not get bored for a second. I was actually disappointed to see it end, while exhausted by it at the same time. High in energy and unforgettable, The Insider might just be the best movie you've never seen.