Moviemaking is an art form that transports audiences to alternate worlds, often informing our views and allowing us to learn about the people and places around us in real life. The best films try something new while staying grounded in their principles. Great actors craft memorable characters, and talented musicians provide the sound of the picture.
There are so many movies to choose from in the history of Hollywood, but what if you could only watch 50 before you die? These essential films range from science fiction to fantasy, and even superhero flicks. No matter what genre is your favorite, you’ll find a fantastic movie experience amongst this GOAT list. These are the best movies of all time!
The Godfather (1972)
Francis Ford Coppola’s tale of moral descent within the mafia serves many purposes. Film students study its camera angles, music, and symbolism. Casual fans love the depiction of the mafia and its unforgettable characters. Brando, Pacino, and Keaton. Enough said!
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption is more than just a prison story. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman’s characters evolve and demonstrate the power of male friendship and modern masculinity as they learn about themselves and others behind bars. This is one of the best Stephen King adaptations.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Tom Hanks has never been better than in this poignant piece of historical fiction. Forrest Gump proves that whimsy and morality are the key ingredients to a life well lived no matter how many people look down on your intelligence. Robert Zemeckis used revolutionary special effects that led the way for future films.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The Dark Knight continues Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy with a darker tone and plenty of psychological tension. The battle between Batman and the Joker puts Gotham’s citizens at risk like never before. Heath Ledger elevated supervillain acting and blazed a trail for future stars like Joaquin Phoenix in Joker.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Everyone is more comfortable in The Empire Strikes Back. Harrison Ford takes Han Solo seriously. Mark Hamill feels more heroic as Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader’s evil tension clouds the entire story, strangling the audience with villainy. This second Star Wars film still feels fresh over 40 years later.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Raiders of the Lost Ark doubles as a Saturday morning cartoon-style romp and a picture that would set the standard for future adventure movies in its wake. Indiana Jones is a lovable treasure hunter played perfectly by Harrison Ford and Karen Allen fits well as Indy’s love interest. Even video games like Uncharted were inspired by this film.
The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix ushered in new cyberpunk themes in Hollywood. It also catapulted Keanu Reeves to the forefront of action and sci-fi films for the next 25 years. The story of a simulated reality that humanity must escape from feels more imminent every year with more artificial intelligence and advanced technology in real life.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The Return of the King closes Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy in precise, exacting fashion. Every plot thread climaxes and gives respect to its characters. The long run time is a turn-off to some casual viewers, but lovers of incredible cinema will understand that this is artistic genius flourishing.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
It’s hard to explain what Pulp Fiction is about. Quentin Tarantino’s gory magnum opus is a disjointed beauty with unique characters and career-defining performances from John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson. The movie indulges in meta-storytelling and understands its place in film lore.
Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club makes violence and male brawling into a flashy and fascinating dichotomy of how humans need to react and how they actually react to pent up mental health problems. David Fincher doesn’t hold back in his direction and Edward Norton is spectacular in the starring role.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)
Quentin Tarantino loves to dabble with Hollywood’s history and give personal accounts of long-forgotten events. Once Upon a Time…. in Hollywood transports audiences to Los Angeles during the time of the Manson murders and tries to recreate the jarring crimes of the era for a new age. Leonardo DiCaprio is somehow underrated here.
Inception (2010)
Dreams are kinda weird, right? Living a different life while sleeping is one of humanity’s freakiest mysteries, and Inception also realizes this. Leonardo DiCaprio commits thought crimes as someone who can invade the mind and manipulate dreams, in the process changing reality for those he enters.
GoodFellas (1990)
If The Godfather represents the Michael Jordan of mob movies, then Goodfellas is kind of like LeBron James. A newer, flashier interpretation of organized crime that hones in on different aspects of the mafia life than its predecessors, Goodfellas is Martin Scorsese’s best work. Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta are jaw-dropping.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain changed the game for LGBTQ+ movies forever. Ang Lee’s tender direction of two gay cowboys who traverse internalized homophobia and outside discrimination may feel corny to some, but certainly revolutionary to any objective observer. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were courageous for portraying queer characters at a time when it was less acceptable.
The Avengers (2012)
The Avengers represents Marvel’s peak and plummet at the same time. The film understands its characters and the larger superhero universe as it combines the efforts of Captain America, Iron Man, and so many others into one shared motivation. At the same time, a multiverse in other film series has become a curse of the industry because nobody could do it like Joss Whedon did.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
For all intents and purposes, The Silence of the Lambs is the best horror movie ever. With an incredible heroine played by Jodie Foster and two despicable killers led by the legendary Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter, this Jonathan Demme masterpiece understands how to make audiences think and scream at the same time!
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Foreign language films weren’t exactly getting a lot of awards attention in the 1990s. Life is Beautiful overcame this obstacle with a universal story of parental love. Roberto Benigni plays a father who goes deep into his bag of tricks to convince his son that a concentration camp is just a game.
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future made time travel movies fun and exciting for a new audience in the 1980s. Michael J. Fox’s innocuous innocence and chemistry with Christopher Lloyd continue to shine decades later as Marty and Doc try to navigate the paradoxes of time without taking themselves too seriously. Sequels followed, but the original remains the must-see movie of the franchise.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Timothée Chalamet’s breakout performance as an American teenager living in Italy who falls in love with an older man is a tender, sometimes awkward look at forbidden first love. The scenery of the countryside and the accompanying soundtrack make the story more artsy than it actually is, and an underrated supporting performance by Michael Stuhlberg deserves a shoutout. Call Me by Your Name is a landmark queer film of the 21st century and remains so in retrospect.
Parasite (2019)
Parasite is one of the most famous foreign language films of all time, and with good reason. The story of how wealthy and poor people interact and affect each other’s lives is seen through the lens of two juxtapositional families on opposite ends of the social spectrum. Elements of dark humor lighten the mood on a heavy topic.
Gladiator (2000)
Russell Crowe was at the top of his game in Ridley Scott’s original Roman historical battle epic. Joaquin Phoenix may be ultra-famous now, but his turn as Commodus in Gladiator got him out of the shadow of his brother and ushered in his stardom. Scott’s sequel, Gladiator II, will be released in 2024.
Casablanca (1943)
Casablanca is the romance film that all others are measured against. Humphrey Bogart plays a lovestruck nightclub owner who must overcome a contradictory affection. Ingrid Bergman is outstanding as the female lead who asks for Bogart’s help, and the two became perhaps the most iconic romantic duo in movie history.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Based on the famous novel by Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird was a revolutionary film that helped elevate Gregory Peck’s legacy. Atticus Finch is a lawyer who knows to choose right from wrong, even if it means sacrificing everything for the sake of a Black client who is wrongfully accused of sexual assault. Robert Duvall had one of his first iconic roles here.
Ben-Hur (1959)
Ben-Hur’s story is decent enough: a Jewish man is stabbed in the back by a Roman friend of incredible power. He tries to get back his liberties in the aftermath. The true greatness that propelled William Wyler’s historical epic to the pantheon of memorable films was the use of special effects at a time when there wasn’t a lot at filmmakers’ disposals. Creative use of props and music made Ben-Hur an experience that was ahead of its time.
Rear Window (1954)
Alfred Hitchcock is the top dog when it comes to classic thriller movies. We could choose any of his films as essentials, but Rear Window has all the elements of a magnum opus. Jimmy Stewart’s turn as a wheelchair-ridden man who uses his spare time to spy on his neighbors gets him into more than a little trouble when he catches a potential murderer. The film possesses both an entertaining and contemplative thematic base.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Is The Wizard of Oz the most intergenerational movie ever? It’s a rite of passage for parents to show this whimsical tale to their children as soon as they have the attention span to look at a screen for more than five minutes. Dorothy’s journey to meet the wizard is just as charming now as it was nearly 90 years ago upon release.
The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick took all of the best parts of Stephen King’s The Shining while changing key components to make for the best screen adaptation possible. The result is a frightening experience perfect for spooky season! Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance with palpable rage and unhinged craziness as he deteriorates right before his family’s eyes.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Matt Damon and Robin Williams are unforgettable in this story of a troubled genius and his therapist as they discover the meaning of their lives together. Good Will Hunting helped further the reputation of Damon and Ben Affleck as a formidable team. It also showed that Williams excelled just as much as a dramatic actor as he did a comedic one.
Meet the Parents (2000)
Meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time can be one of life’s most awkward exchanges. Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro feed into all of these stereotypes in Meet the Parents as Stiller plays the nervous nurse who wants to impress his potential father-in-law (De Niro). The movie emanates early-2000s comedic energy but is still a riotous romp today.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick’s experimentation with film techniques and movies as a literary art form peaked with 2001: A Space Odyssey. This science fiction story of a group of astronauts on a mission to Jupiter opened the doors for directors to engage in more contemplative subject matters without being criticized as corny or weird. The movie inspired a lot of alien and space fiction since.
Oppenheimer (2023)
Oppenheimer was more than just an awards-season darling in 2023. The film made the story of the atomic bomb and its development much more human as Christopher Nolan dove into the life and emotions of its creator, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Robert Downey Jr. also showed his non-Marvel acting chops in a supporting role.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane is the Babe Ruth of film. Often taught in movie classes and literature seminars as the ultimate work of motion picture fiction, Orson Welles’ story of a troubled businessman named Charles Foster Kane is equal parts of myth and magic. Even if it’s boring now, it’s requisite viewing for people who enjoy cinematic history.
The Sting (1973)
Paul Newman and Robert Redford have never been better than in this legendary crime flick about con artists taking from the mafia and the fallout of such a decision. The Sting is one of the more light-hearted and easily digestible movies of the 1970s despite its content being brought around the edges at first glance.
The Terminator (1984)
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the villain role to perfection in James Cameron’s iconic futuristic sci-fi drama The Terminator. Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese must rescue humankind from the ominous artificial intelligence Skynet. All they have to do is stay alive so Sarah’s son, John, can be the savior. Sounds easy enough. . .
Spider-Man (2002)
Sam Raimi’s first Spider-Man film is a testament to the depth of storytelling possible in a superhero movie with the requisite writers and creative talent behind the scenes. Spider-Man accurately translates New York City’s arachnid hero to the big screen using limited special effects and a more raw, realistic portrayal of violence.
The Truman Show (1998)
Jim Carrey was once the biggest comedy actor in Hollywood. His doubters claimed he couldn’t do drama, but The Truman Show changed that perception. Carrey plays a man whose entire life is a sham. He lives in a simulated reality television program that eventually lets its guard down. When Truman finds out the truth, his life will never be the same.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick is everything fun about a Tom Cruise movie, updated for modern audiences and older generations alike. Cruise returns as Maverick, now an older airman with new responsibilities and family ties. The movie helped catapult the box office back to relevancy after the stay-home orders of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Jurassic Park’s magic lies in the fact that certain scenes raise the hair on the back of your neck whether you’ve seen them once or ten times. Steven Spielberg’s creativity and craft have never been better than in this adaptation of Michael Crighton’s novel about a theme park housing real-life dinosaurs reincarnated from 65 million-year-old DNA. The Jurrasic Park franchise endures as one of summer’s indelible film series with several sequels and a reboot.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment develop a fascinating rapport as a psychologist and patient in which the latter has disturbing visions. The movie’s shocking climax overshadows its greatness during the lead-up to the end. Make no mistake, The Sixth Sense is much more than just a twist ending.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
No Country for Old Men is all cinematic vibes with no plot, and it couldn’t have worked out any better for the Coen brothers. Javier Bardem wanders the desert as the most psychotic individual in recent film history. Woody Harrelson does Woody Harrelson things. Tommy Lee Jones gets to monologue at the end of the day. Complete and utter masterpiece!
Raging Bull (1980)
Martin Scorsese takes a break from the mob to enter the boxing ring with Robert De Niro as his muse. Raging Bull lets viewers inside the psyche of a boxer whose personal and professional aspirations tangle into a toxic alchemy of destruction. It’s not as famous as Rocky, but it’s a better film.
12 Years a Slave (2013)
12 Years a Slave is unique 19th century-set drama that depicts the tumultuous journey of a man sold into slavery and eventually freed from his trauma. Brad Pitt served as a producer.giving the film some star power behind the camera as talented individuals such as Lupita Nyong’o did their thing on-screen.
Sophie's Choice (1982)
Sophie’s Choice is now known more as a colloquial term for an impossible choice one must make in life than for its great storytelling. That’s unfortunate as Meryl Streep is revelatory as a mother who must relive her memories of being in the Holocaust when she forms an abusive relationship with a man.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
All of The Lord of the Rings films are perfect, but The Fellowship of the Ring begins the adventure on a note that allows the sequels to shine in full. The formation of the group that is sent to destroy the One Ring fills fantasy fans with pride. The movie is as inspirational as it is thrilling!
The Sound of Music (1965)
Julie Andrews and her youthful clan of prodigious singers never seem to age out of style. The Sound of Music showed that the world wanted more tunes and joy on the big screen. It’s been copied and remade, but hardly duplicately nearly 60 years later.
Jaws (1975)
It’s hard to make a horror movie without zombies, demons, or ghosts, but Jaws was more frightening at the time than any poltergeist spectacle. Steven Spielberg leveraged the power of the ocean’s infinite darkness to implicate sharks as nature’s scariest sight. Nowadays we just have Sharknado. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Star Wars (1977)
Star Wars has grown so much, yet even younger fans understand how brilliant the original film is from 1977. Although not all of the actors bought in and many of the concepts seemed cheesy at the time, A New Hope introduced so many of the franchise’s storytelling tropes that remain ingrained in the picture today.
The Godfather Part II (1974)
The Godfather Part II matches its parent film in tone and excellence because it doesn’t try too hard. By maintaining the same characters and building upon their basis in The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola engages the audience in the full history of the Corleone family. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino both in the same movie? That’s almost unfair.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
It’s a Wonderful Life was revolutionary for being one of the first films to tackle depression and suicide. Now a Christmas classic, Jimmy Stewart portrays a man who discovers his worth and the holiday spirit at the same time.
Moonlight (2016)
Moonlight uses three different actors to depict the journey of a Black man who discovers how his sexuality and childhood experiences make him who he is today, for better or worse. Barry Jenkins’ direction is courageous and unique. Watching a film like Moonlight should be requisite as we try to fight against racism and homophobia.
