I already don’t feel very confident in this list, but I thought it would be a worthwhile exercise once a year trying to rank the 50 best movies of all time. Or at least my 50 favorites. There’s undoubtedly a lot of bias that goes into making a ranking like this. I’m 24, so my taste still generally revolves around the movies released this century. I’ve discovered a handful of movies from the 20th century that’ll appear below (even as far back as 1940), but I’m only going off of what I’ve seen – sometimes many, many times – and what intersects with my general taste the most.
So this isn’t a list of the most accomplished movies, or most technically brilliant. These are my 50 favorite films. The ones I consider the “best” movies ever made, whatever that means. So there’s a lot of David Fincher, some Coen brothers and Wes Anderson, and a healthy representation of movies made within the last fifteen years. I plan to hopefully return to this once a year to make some updates, especially as I find more movies from the past that I really love and fill in the gaps of careers and film years I haven’t seen much of.
But for now, here are the 50 best movies of all time:
50. Bound (1996) directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski
Bound is one of the great debut movies ever made, introducing the world to directing duo Lana and Lilly Wachowski. The Wachowskis have made a career of the slick and stylish, tying together high-octane action and violence with silky smooth characters.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Bound (1996).
49 The Dark Knight (2008) directed by Christopher Nolan
48. Ratatouille (2007) directed by Brad Bird
Ratatouille could only be as effective as it is with these voice actors and this concept and director, and it all comes together to make one of Pixar’s most unique and loveable movies. Brad Bird conceptualizes a ridiculous premise to perfection, delivering a meta story about the intersection of art and criticism.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Ratatouille (2007).
47. When Harry Met Sally… (1989) directed by Rob Reiner
46. Where is the Friend’s House? (1987) directed by Abbas Kiarostami
45. Titanic (1997) directed by James Cameron
44. Sideways (2004) directed by Alexander Payne
43. Double Indemnity (1944) directed by Billy Wilder
42. On the Waterfront (1954) directed by Elia Kazan
41. All the President’s Men (1976) directed by Alan J. Pakula
40. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) directed by Robert Altman
39. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) directed by George Miller
38. Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) directed by Richard Linklater
37. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) directed by Tobe Hooper
36. Heat (1995) directed by Michael Mann
35. Oppenheimer (2023) directed by Christopher Nolan
Oppenheimer is undoubtedly one of the best movies directed by Christopher Nolan, who puts any doubt to rest that he wouldn’t be capable of capturing a story of this magnitude. Cillian Murphy gives an iconic performance that intensifies each moment rolling along this breakneck biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Oppenheimer (2023).
34. My Neighbor Totoro (1988) directed by Hayao Miyazaki
33. Chungking Express (1994) directed by Wong Kar-Wai
32. No Country for Old Men (2007) directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
31. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) directed by Irvin Kershner
30. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) directed by Stanley Kubrick
29. Scream (1996) directed by Wes Craven
Scream is an incredibly important film in horror movie history. It helped to redefine the genre and set the stage for a new wave of more violent, self-aware horror movies. The film’s impact can still be felt today, and it remains a must-watch for horror movie fans.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Scream (1996).
28. Psycho (1960) directed by Alfred Hitchcock
27. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) directed by Frank Darabont
26. Hereditary (2018) directed by Ari Aster
25. The Godfather (1972) directed by Francis Ford Coppola
24. A Man Escaped (1956) directed by Robert Bresson
23. Apocalypse Now (1979) directed by Francis Ford Coppola
22. Le Samouraï (1967) directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
21. The Florida Project (2017) directed by Sean Baker
20. The Great Dictator (1940) directed by Charlie Chaplin
19. Memories of Murder (2003) directed by Bong Joon-ho
18. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) directed by Sergio Leone
17. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) directed by Stanley Kubrick
16. Citizen Kane (1941) directed by Orson Welles
15. Blow Out (1981) directed by Brian De Palma
14. Sullivan’s Travels (1941) directed by Preston Sturges
13. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) directed by Amy Heckerling
12. The Thing (1982) directed by John Carpenter
11. Mulholland Drive (2001) directed by David Lynch
Well over 20 years since its release, Mulholland Drive is a worthy canonical entry into film history. David Lynch pieces together one of the strangest, most beguiling movies ever. Every image of this film is seared into my memory. Naomi Watts and Laura Harring both give powerhouse lead performances.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Mulholland Drive (2001).
10. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) directed by Wes Anderson
9. There Will Be Blood (2007) directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
8. Pulp Fiction (1994) directed by Quentin Tarantino
7. Zodiac (2007) directed by David Fincher
David Fincher’s Zodiac remains an undeniable classic since its 2007 release, standing as a pivotal moment in the director’s historic career. In this crime drama, Fincher navigates the web of the Zodiac killer’s decade-spanning reign of terror, creating an atmospheric and compelling story that has only grown in cultural significance and critical acclaim over the years.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Zodiac (2007).
6. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Inside Llewyn Davis is indeed a masterpiece of nuanced character study, where Joel and Ethan Coen bring their signature blend of dark humor, existential despair, and offbeat storytelling into a film that feels as emotionally resonant as it is stylistically unique. It’s a film that pulls no punches in portraying the painful, humbling reality of an artist struggling against not just the world, but also his own shortcomings. Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) may be a man adrift, emotionally wounded by the loss of his partner, selfish and hard to like, yet he is also profoundly human, filled with raw talent and unfulfilled potential.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).
5. The Godfather Part II (1974) directed by Francis Ford Coppola
4. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) directed by Wes Anderson
The Royal Tenenbaums not only stands as one of Wes Anderson’s best movies of his career, but also a defining work of the independent filmmaking scene in the early 2000s. It’s dripping with color and visual intensity, masking a story with deep themes of broken families.
Read Cinephile Corner’s review of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).
3. The Shining (1980) directed by Stanley Kubrick
2. Goodfellas (1990) directed by Martin Scorsese
1. The Social Network (2010) directed by David Fincher
More ‘Best of All Time’ Rankings from Cinephile Corner
Cinephile Corner has recapped the best movies of all time with the following ‘Best of‘ rankings:
- The Best Movies of All Time
- The Best Horror Movies of All Time
- The Best Directorial Debuts of All Time
