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The 100 Best Movies of All Time 1
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans 1927
US/Germany Made after he left Germany, this is a Hollywood film by Murnau, the
director
of Nosferatu. A fable-like, expressionist look at the US in the
1920s
replete with magnificent art-deco scenes, it is the most artistic
of
the silent classics. Exquisitely visualized and sensually
photographed,
it features pioneering moving camera techniques (trolley
cars, city traffic) that create an unusual illusion of depth and vastness. 2
Dr. Strangelove 1964
US The magnum opus of cold war pictures, the film is outrageously
humorous
and a disturbingly frightening view of the way we used to
live.
You'll have to pay close attention to catch the details. Peter
Sellers
plays three roles and established himself as the man of a
thousand
faces before his Pink Panther days. 3
This is Spinal Tap 1984
US A parodied look at the life of a rock and roll band on tour where
everything
goes wrong. This is the funniest movie of all time. 1988
Germany This black and white Wim Wenders film set in Berlin is simply
ethereal.
Brooding
shots in the fog, Peter Falk, and an absolutely outstanding
soundtrack
featuring Nick Cave compliment the aura of mystery.
Director
Wenders and screenwriter/author Peter Handke combine for
an
artwork near the apex of German culture. 5
Amadeus 1984
US This revealing glimpse of one of our favorite composers may be the
best
period movie ever. This Academy
Award best picture winner serves
as an excellent introduction to classical music for the beginning
listener
and an evocative study for the devotee. 6
Metropolis 1926
Germany One of the last of the silent movies tackles both industrialization
and
totalitarianism.
An updated print for wide release matched with an
1980s
soundtrack only enhances the experience. 7
Alexander Nevsky 1934
Russian Eisenstein as director and none other than Prokoviev as composer provide us with a seminal achievement in this marriage of politics, history, and film. Medieval conflicts with the Germans turn into contemporary Soviet propaganda at the order of Comrade Stalin himself.
8
Jean de Florette 1987
France This story of revenge and regret is set in Southern France in the
early
part
of the 20th century. Featuring the two most famous French
actors,
Yves Montand and Georges Depardieu, everything about the
film
is superb. 1999
Serbia If you are in the mood for a different kind of movie, then Cabaret
Balkan
is your flick. Belgrade's residents try to co-exist in a society
rife
with chaos, finding humor in the oddest places, and all this with
hardly
a mention of the crippling war. Absolutely stunning. In Serbian. 10
Aguirre: The Wrath of God 1975
Germany Still finding its post-war identity in the 1970s, amidst the
"New German
Cinema"
this Werner Herzog film is a stand out. Explore the depths of
man's
evil in South America, and know that much of the tension you
see
is real. The director and lead (Klaus Kinski) had a love-hate elationship,
and filming in the jungle under dangerous circumstances
kept
the whole cast uneasy. 11
The Wall 1979
UK A psychological tour de force accompanied by ground breaking
animation
and the music of Pink Floyd. 12
On The Waterfront 1954
US Marlon Brando provides us with one classic line after another in
this
monumental
film. 13 Koyaanisqati 1982
US An Indian term for "people in motion", the film is an
endless stream of imagery
of society literally at work - automobiles, sidewalks and factories.
Set to a phenomenal soundtrack by Philip Glass, this film
wakes
you up to the possibilities of film as a media. 14
The Secret of Roan Innish 1995
Ireland Lovely modern fable with ancient roots set on a small Irish island.
This
single
film will fulfill and exceed all the stereotypes of Ireland you've
ever
heard. 15
IL Postino 1996
Italy Wonderful tale of love and poetry in Italy featuring the guise and words of Pablo Neruda. An excellent example of how European movies differ from American film and always seem to be better. You'll cry at the end. 16
The English Patient 1996
UK Masterful interpretation of Ondaatje's novel spanning WW II with an
all
star
cast. Scenes set in different times in Egypt and Italy alternate and
contrast
marvelously. 17
Big Time: Tom Waits 1988
US Hypnotic concert movie with Tom Waits in a changing array of roles.
The
variety of the spectacle matched with his incisive wit is jaw dropping.
Watch late at night for best effect. 18
The Good, the Bad, and the
Ugly 1966
Italy The definitive spaghetti Western with Eastwood as the "Man
with No
Name"
captures the feel of the classic Westerns with a modern touch
of
humor. 19
M 1931
Germany Although technically a "talkie", this German film with
muffled sound
would
be equally as gripping if completely silent. Here paranoia, mass
hysteria,
witch-hunts, and urban fear prefigure the coming years of
the
totalitarian state. 20
Dancer in the Dark 2000
US/Denmark Music by Bjork and direction by the violently anti-Hollywood Dane
Lars
von
Trier combine in a magnificent picture set in 1950s Washington
state.
A phenomenal update of the musical film from that era. 21
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966
US You know the story but may not know the film. In one of the last
black
and
white movies, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor stage a
phenomenal
performance, remarkable all the more so because it
seems
like they aren't acting. 22
East of Eden 1954
US In his first film James Dean exploded on American screens in this
film
based
on Steinbeck's book. Dean's ability to portray raw emotion is
stunning. 23
The Little Shop Around the
Corner 1940
US Jimmy Stewart had more famous films, but none were as thoroughly warm as this one about two people writing letters to each other while simultaneously hating each other in person.
24
A Clockwork Orange 1971
UK Brutal yes, but truly compelling. You would not think that the
combination
of gangs, Beethoven, and a few Russian words sprinkled
in
could possibly work so flawlessly. 25
The Last Command 1928
US With ample scenes of the horrors of war, this film garnered the
very
first
Academy Award for best picture. Anyone interested in the
history
of film must see this movie. 26
Austin Powers 1997
US The more you watch it, the more you like it. Almost a one man
production
by Mike Meyers. A rare example of a truly funny film. 27
Dead Man 1996
US Opens with a stunning scene of changing faces on a train as it
travels put
west and remains stunning throughout. Johnny Depp playing an
accountant
named William Blake is mistaken for the poet himself while
being
forced to flee after a brush with the law. This black and white
film
features ample cameos and a Neil Young soundtrack. 28
The Thing 1951
US While the Kurt Russell re-make from the early 1980s was also
outstanding,
the black and white classic is a masterpiece of suspense
and
also one of the early films to deal with the subject of UFOs in a
serious
manner. 29
La Femme Nikita 1985
France This French film examines the nature of crime and rehabilitation.
As a
cultural
study, the difference in tone between the French version and
the
American "No Way Out" with Bridget Fonda is stunning. 30
Apocalypse Now 1979
US Probably the pinnacle film about modern warfare. Psychological,
lingering,
unforgettable with classic moments, performances and
legendary
tales of behind the scenes chaos during the filming. Modern
adaptation
of Joseph Conrad "Heart of Darkness" set in Vietnam. 31
Come and See 1987
Russian A Russian film about war told from the point of view of young Ukrainian boy forced to become a partisan. The film uses German classical music to a produce a frightening degree of hatred. 32
The Tin Drum 1979
Germany This controversial film is nonetheless a masterpiece, following
life in
Poland
from the 1930s into the war from the point of view of a dwarf. 33
Double Indemnity 1944
US Perhaps the finest of the film-noir genre, this is Hollywood at its
best.
Suspense,
twists, and one of the most memorable scenes ever - a might
view from the hills with the Hollywood Bowl below. 34
An American in Paris 1951
US A 17-minute dance number at the end concludes this
enjoyable film
that
seems to come from a time so far away. Wonderful dancing by
Gene
Kelly and a George Gershwin soundtrack provide a poignant
example
of why the older movies seem to be so much better than the
new
ones. 35
The Atomic Café 1984
US This
documentary/film consists of little more than a series of US
Defense
Department videos strung together. The effect is striking. 36
The Last Laugh 1924
Germany A Friedrich Murnau silent film about aging and changing times told
from
the
point of view of an elderly doorman. 37
The Last Temptation of
Christ 1988
US Everything is superlative in this film based on a novel by Nikos
Kazantzakis.
Peter Gabriel's moving soundtrack enhances the final
result
greatly. Willem Dafoe as Christ has an eerie aura about him that
should
be seen. 38
Fight Club 1999
US Thoroughly
post-modern and surreal, a shocking commentary on our
times,
Brad Pitt trained for months to look buff for this film. One of the
very
best of 1999, the film is so good because its premise is so
intriguing. 39
Funny Face 1956
US Audrey Hepburn shines in this wonderful musical set in Paris in the
mid
50s. Watch Audrey become a model. Watch Audrey in a variety of
breath-taking
Parisian settings, especially in a Beat café. Watch
Audrey
with Astaire. See why Audrey may be the most compelling
female
film presence of all time. 40
The Third Man 1949
US/Austria Orson Wells made this movie in a post-war Vienna that is
wonderfully
exotic
to most Americans due to its lingering empirical feel as a
multinational
melting pot. Contains a legendary subterranean chase
scene
at the end and a bizarre instrument called the zither. 41
It Happened One Night 1934
US A battle of sexes 1930s style with Clark Gable and Claudette
Colbert,
directed
by Capra. A meeting of strangers from different classes
quickly
becomes a tug of war as they each teach each other about life
from
their point of view. 42
High Plains Drifter 1975
US Clint Eastwood stars simultaneously as a town's savior and scourge
in
this fascinatingly surreal Western. Filming at Mono Lake on the
California Nevada
border, now drained and only a shell of what it was in
the mid-70s, adds to the surreal tone. 43
White Heat 1949
US Of the gangster films, this Cagney flick is head and shoulders above
the
rest. Made when he was already getting up in years like the aging
gangster
he portrays, it's a fascinating tale of evil contrasted with a
good
deal of familial warmth. 44
The Searchers 1956
US John Ford and John Wayne team up in perhaps the best Western ever.
Here
the Duke searches the plains for years in his quest for revenge,
and
it seems difficult to separate the intensity of his character from
Wayne
himself. 45
Decalogue 5 1987
Poland OK, so it contains a gruesome killing scene, but Kieslowski's
Decalogue
series (in Polish) makes for stunning film work and a
fascinating
insight into uneasy alliance between communism and its
artists. 46
Wallace and Grommit: A
Close Shave 1995
UK Delightful claymation picture by the English Masters who also gave
us
"Chicken
Run." Featuring dogs (good and bad) and sheep (good). 47
Lola Rennt 1998
Germany The lead character has red hair and has to try and come up with
cash
quick
for her gangster boyfriend. She
lives the same hour three times making
different choices each time. A driving soundtrack and
outstanding
portrayal of modern Berlin make this film completely
mesmerizing. 48
The Forbidden Planet 1956
US Fighting the stereotypes of the sci-fi flicks as rapidly produced
with
bad
special effects, this film offers a well-developed psychology
courtesy
of Carl Jung. 49
The Seventh Seal 1956
Sweden A pinnacle production from Sweden's finest at their peaks, Sydow
the actor
and Bergman the director. A metaphysical film set during the
plague
and 30 Years War. 50
Breaking the Waves 1997
Norway/Den Haunting tale of love and devotion by Lars von Trier set in rural
coastal
Norway.
Oil rigs, cloudy skies, and Nordic vistas make this a very
different
movie for most Americans. The emotional content is
staggering. 51
Les Miserables 1995
France It is likely that the most recent filming of the French national
epic is the
best
yet. You probably know the story
already, but placing it in our century
and in Vichy France during WW II was a brilliant move. 52
Orphee 1950
France Outstanding film puts a modern surrealistic spin on Greek myth.
Filmmaker,
playwright, architect, and painter, the Frenchman John Cocteau
was perhaps our most versatile 20th century artist. 53
Fantasia 1940
US Landmark animation from the 1940s featuring some of the finest
classical
music ever. 54
North By Northwest 1959
US The most fast-paced Hitchcock spellbinder brings thrills at every turn with Cary Grant and puts contemporary movies to shame for their lack of innovation. Some of Hitch's most famous scenes are in this flick.
55
The Mask 1993
US A fun film with Jim Carrey at his best. Funny, artistic, and
exuberant,
this
is one of the most pleasantly refreshing films around. Also
features
an early look at the unearthly beautiful Cameron Diaz. 56
Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory 1974
US The ultimate classic children's' film for Generation Xrs features
bad
things
happening to bad kids, a semi-deranged scientist as
protagonist,
little orange people, music, and plenty of candy. 57
Wannsee Conference 1986
Germany This German production is one of the most intriguing and chilling
films
of
the holocaust. Lasting the exact length of the 1942 conference, the
script
is the actual notes of the meeting at which the Nazis outlined the
final
solution in a Berlin suburb. 58
The Shining 1980
US Jack Nicholson stars in perhaps the most frightening film ever
based
on
Stephen King's book about life during the off-season at a Colorado
resort. 59
Mr. Smith Goes to
Washington 1939
US Before "It's A Wonderful Life" Jimmy Stewart had already
made this
seminal
picture about the nature of American democracy. 60
Rebel Without a Cause 1955
US Released shortly after his unfortunate death, the most famous of
Dean's
three films establishes him as the voice of many generations.
Features
an exceptional scene at Los Angeles' Griffith Observatory. 61
Before Sunrise 1994
US An excitable Ethan Hawke and a luminous Julie Delpy talk about the
intricacies
of relationships while strolling about Vienna. Wonderfully
poetic. 62
Nosferatu (A Symphony of
Horror) 1922
Germany One of the earliest of all horror movies examines the Dracula
legend
for
the first time in film. 63
The Blues Brothers 1980
US This quintessentially American film showcases two brothers trying to raise money for an orphanage while trying to stay a few steps in front of the law. Very Chicago and very funny.
64
The Cabinet of Dr.
Caligari 1920
Germany Do you know what a somnambulist is? You will after watching this
film,
which is the finest example of expressionist film. 65
Tommy 1974
UK Pete Townshend made his opera into a movie a few years later, and
with
an all star cast of singers (Eric Clapton, Jack Nicholson, Ann
Margaret,
and Elton John) the film remains a very intriguing monument
to
the 1970s. 66
Vertigo 1958
US Hitchcock's superior artistic work to Psycho and Rear Window is
dominated
by fine outdoor scenes. 67
The Nasty Girl 1990
Germany A little girl delves into the history of her small town during the
war
years
in Southern Germany and gets more than she bargained for. 68
The Sheltering Sky 1991
US/UK Paul Bowles is an American author/composer who went to live in
northern
Africa in the late 1940s. The result of his novel is an
exceptional
film about life in the desert and marital tensions featuring
John
Malkovich. 69
The Big Red One 1980
US Starring Richard Thomas (John Boy in the Waltons) and a very crusty
Lee
Marvin, this movie traces the emotions of the American soldier
through
WW II and provides an exceptional historical perspective. 70
Star Wars 1977
US A landmark of special effects for its time, the story of the
underdog
making
it big remains an American classic. 71
Fitzcarroldo 1980
Germany A film about a man who wants to build an opera house in the South American jungle. To do so he must get supplies by dragging a boat up the side of a mountain. Featuring a very mystical performance by Klaus Kinski. 72
Ed Wood 1994
US Very well done and humorous look at one of the enigmas of American
Filmmaking.
Johnny Depp stars as the director whose movies were
so
bad that our video stores now stock as many of them as they can
in
their cult film section. 73
Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid 1969
US The most sublime American western stands as a fitting punctuation
point
to that genre before Eastwood's "Unforgiven" closed that
chapter
forever 20 years later. The luster on this film starring Robert
Redford
has not worn over time. 74
Blade Runner 1982
US A very sophisticated futuristic thriller starring Harrison Ford
features a
terrifying
society ruled by clones. 75
Cabaret 1972
US The Hollywood take on the decadent life of Berlin in the 20s and
30s.
Rarely
has Hollywood so artfully captured the mood of the past, and
certainly
the cast is without comparison. 76
Stop Making Sense 1984
US Taking its name from a line in the song "Girlfriend Is
Better," this is still
the
standard against which all other concert films are measured.
Filmed
over three nights at an L.A. theater, the film strenuously
avoids hoary rock-film conventions like backstage footage or
gratuitous audience shots, focusing instead on the magic of the
band's
performance. 77
Roxanne 1988
US Steve Martin updated the Cyrano legend to contemporary Los Angeles
in
this delightful film. 78
American Movie 1999
US This film about making movies set in Milwaukee has an extremely
funny
side to it and a thoroughly human backdrop. 79
Chocolate 2000
US/France One of the best films of 2000. Juliette Binoche (whose reputation grows with each film) sets up a chocolate shop in a sleepy French town in the 1950s and finds herself at war with the local culture. 80
Patton 1970
US This engrossing look at the American general is filled with
memorable
quotes
and an excellent performance by George C. Scott. An fine
musical
score and an emphasis on the general's fascination with the
history
of warfare make the film all the more riveting. 81
Equus 1979
UK Equus stars Richard Burton and is an exceptional psychological
study.
I
can't say more than that without giving away too much. 82
The Jerk 1980
US Steve Martin's first major picture after SNL and his comedy albums
may
seem dumb, but on closer review belongs to the glory period of
American
comedy from the late 70s/early 80s. Movies simply aren't this
funny anymore. 83
The Doors 1991
US The subject matter is compelling enough, but the performance of Val
Kilmer
as Jim is riveting, even unnerving. 84
The Manchurian Candidate 1962
US Gripping twists and an excellent performance by Frank Sinatra have
made
this one a classic of the Cold War era. 85
Caddyshack 1980
US Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, golf balls, and a
gopher star
in one of the most quotable American comedies. 86
Dirty Harry 1974
US Replete with memorable lines, breathtaking shots of San Francisco,
and
an excellent soundtrack, this moody Eastwood film overflows
with
surrealistic images and is, quite simply, an excellent artwork. A
modern
day "High Noon"? 87
Plan 9 From Outer Space 1959
US This one makes the list for sheer hilarity. This is the Ed Wood
film about
aliens
that is so badly made this it is now outrageously funny. 88
The Deer Hunter 1978
US A true American classic. Factory workers, best friends, and recent
immigrants
(from Russia) leave Pennsylvania and find their worst
fears
in Vietnam. Rarely has a subject matter and cast (Streep, De
Niro,
etc.) produced such an emotional movie.
89
Romeo And Juliet 1996
US Vastly underrated, this version of the classic features DiCaprio
and
Claire
Danes in Los Angeles as the American ideal of beauty and
youth. 90
The Trial 1964
US A late Orson Wells film that he regarded as his favorite. Based on
the
Kafka
novel, the film features a variety of breathtaking shots that
would
fit in well with a silent classic from the 1920s. 91
Roger and Me 1989
US A classic documentary in tongue and cheek fashion about
unemployment
in Flint, Michigan, the director's home town. You won't
know
whether you should laugh or cry. 92
Citizen Kane 1941
US The film that is talked about perhaps more than any other remains a
landmark
in cinematography. 93
The Producers 1978
US The funniest of the Mel Brooks films. Hoping to produce a flop and
avoid
paying back investors, an acting troupe makes a musical about he
Nazis that is so bad that it is viewed as a comedy and becomes a
smash
hit. 94
Casablanca 1942
US It remains one of the best Hollywood movies ever and is woven into American culture more than any other film. 95
West Side Story 1961
US Bernstein wrote the music and was involved in the breathtaking
movie
that
showcases rival gangs in New York in a fascinating adaptation of
"Romeo
and Juliette" as film, classical music, and ballet. 96
A Simple Plan 1998
US If this this Fargo-like film about friendship and murder in rural
America
were
a book, you would not be able to put it down. 97
Gross Point Blank 1997
US A refreshing and off-the-wall "Generation X" film about
murder, love,
and
interesting lines of work in the suburbs of Detroit. Features rising
stars
Minnie Driver and John Cusack. 98
On Her Majesty's Secret
Service 1969
UK The only one of the Bond films to make the top 100, this one
features
George
Lazenby as the Bond after Connery and before Moore. That
alone
makes it different, but it is the emotional content and the
performance
of the best Bond woman, Dianna Rigg, that set this one
apart. 99
Dangerous Liaisons 1987
UK Excellent cast provides scintillating tension. The basis is a novel
written
in 17th century France. Starring actors who excel at looking
and
acting evil: John Malkovich, Glenn Close, and Uma Thurman. 100
Ulysses Gaze 1997
Balkans/Greece Harvey Keitel wanders across Southeast Europe to witness not only
the
horrors of the Balkan Wars, but also the continuing aftereffects of
communism's
slow demise in Albania and Greece. A rare look at the entire
region. |