Note, I can’t rate what I haven’t seen, so please send ahead suggestions if I’m missing something vital.  I tried to make this list without snobbery.  Also, while the era of production clearly influences the general aesthetic flavor of these films, I didn’t include films that were only valued because of their time.  For example, Birth of a Nation is painful to watch and in my opinion just really, really poor in almost every aspect – so I didn’t include it.

Also, try to keep  an open mind.  I myself don’t particularly LOVE all of these films, but I still might think they are great.  Also, a great comedy is valued differently than a great drama or a great action film.  I’ve listed them alphabetically to try to keep some form of objectivity in terms of which type of film is better than which other type of film.

​

1. 12 Angry Men   (1957)

2. 12 Years a Slave   (2013)

3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea   (1954)

4. 2001: A Space Odyssey  (1968)

5. The 400 Blows   (1959)

6. 8 ½   (1963)

7. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

8. A Face in the Crowd   (1957)

9. A Few Good Men   (1992)

10. A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

11. A Place in the Sun   (1951)

12. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

13. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

14. A Shot in the Dark   (1964)

15. A Story of Floating Weeds   (1934)

16. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

17. A Taste of Cherry   (1997)

18. About Schmidt   (2002)

19. The Act of Killing (2012)

20. Adaptation   (2002)

21. The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)

22. The Adventures of Robin Hood   (1938)

23. The African Queen   (1951)

24. After Hours   (1985)

25. Aguirre, the Wrath of God   (1972)

26. Akira   (1988)

27. Alexander Nevsky   (1938)

28. Alice (1988)

29. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)

30. Alien   (1979)

31. All About Eve   (1950)

32. All the King’s Men   (1949)

33. All the President’s Men   (1976)

34. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

35. Alphaville (1965)

36. Amadeus   (1984)

37. Amarcord (1973)

38. Amelie   (2001)

39. American Beauty   (1999)

40. American History X   (1998)

41. American Graffiti    (1973)

42. American Movie   (1999)

43. Amores Perros (2000)

44. An Affair to Remember (1957)

45. An American in Paris   (1951)

46. An Officer and a Gentleman   (1982)

47. Andrei Rublev   (1966)

48. Angel Heart   (1987)

49. Annie Hall   (1977)

50. Anomalisa (2015)

51. Apocalypse Now   (1979)

52. The Apu Trilogy   (1955)

53. The Asphalt Jungle   (1950)

54. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

55. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

56. The Aviator   (2004)

57. L’Avventura   (1960)

58. Babel   (2006)

59. Babette’s Feast  (1987)

60. Bad Day at Blackrock (1955)

61. Band of Outsiders   (1964)

62. Barry Lyndon   (1975)

63. Barton Fink   (1991)

64. Battle Royale   (2000)

65. Battleship Potempkin   (1925)

66. Beauty and the Beast   (1946)

67. Being There   (1979)

68. Belle de Jour  (1967)

69. Ben-Hur   (1959)

70. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

71. Beverly Hills Cop   (1984)

72. Beyond the Black Rainbow   (2010)

73. The Bicycle Thief   (1948)

74. Big   (1988)

75. The Big Chill   (1983)

76. The Big Lebowski (1998)

77. Big Night   (1996)

78. The Big Sleep   (1946)

79. Billy Elliot   (2000)

80. The Birdcage (1996)

81. Black Narcissus   (1947)

82. Black Orpheus   (1959)

83. Blade Runner   (1989)

84. Blade Runner: 2049 (2017)

85. Blood Simple   (1984)

86. Blow-Up   (1966)

87. Blue   (1993)

88. Blue Velvet   (1986)

89. Body Heat   (1981)

90. Bonnie and Clyde   (1967)

91. Boogie Nights   (1997)

92. Born into Brothels   (2004)

93. Boyz N the Hood   (1991)

94. Branded to Kill (1967)

95. Braveheart   (1995)

96. Brazil   (1985)

97. Breaking the Waves   (1996)

98. Breathless   (1960)

99. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

100. Bridge on the River Kwai  (1957)

101. Bringing Out the Dead   (1999)

102. Bronson   (2008)

103. Buena Vista Social Club   (1999)

104. Bullitt   (1968)

105. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid   (1969)

106. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari   (1920)

107. Cadillac Records   (2008)

108. The Cain Mutiny   (1954)

109. The Candidate   (1972)

110. Capote   (2005)

111. Casablanca   (1942)

112. Casino   (1995)

113. Casualties of War   (1989)

114. Chariots of Fire (1981)

115. The Chess Players   (1927)

116. Children of Men   (2006)

117. Children of Paradise   (1945)

118. Chinatown   (1974)

119. Chopper   (2000)

120. Chungking Express   (1994)

121. The Cider House Rules   (1999)

122. Cinema Paradiso   (1988)

123. Citizen Kane   (1941)

124. City Lights   (1931)

125. City of God   (2002)

126. Close Encounters of the Third Kind   (1977)

127. Come and See   (1985)

128. The Contender   (2000)

129. The Conversation   (1974)

130. Cool Hand Luke   (1967)

131. Cries and Whispers   (1972)

132. The Crucible   (1996)

133. Crumb (1994)

134. Dances With Wolves   (1990)

135. Dangerous Liasons   (1988)

136. Das Boot   (1981)

137. Day for Night   (1973)

138. Days of Heaven   (1979)

139. The Dead Poets Society   (1989)

140. Deadringers   (1988)

141. The Decalogue   (1989)

142. Deep Red   (1975)

143. Deepwater (2006)

144. The Deer Hunter   (1978)

145. Delicatessen   (1991)

146. Deliverance   (1972)

147. Dersu Uzala   (1975)

148. Diabolique   (1955)

149. Diary of a Chambermaid   (1964)

150. Diary of a Country Priest (1951)

151. Die Hard (1988)

152. Diner (1982)

153. Dirty Harry   (1971)

154. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie   (1972)

155. Do the Right Thing   (1989)

156. Doctor Zhivago   (1965)

157. Dog Day Afternoon   (1975)

158. Don’t Look Back   (1967)

159. Don’t Look Now   (1973)

160. La Dolce Vita   (1960)

161. Double Indemnity   (1944)

162. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde   (1931)

163. Dr. Strangelove   (1964)

164. Drive   (2011)

165. Drunken Angel   (1948)

166. Duel   (1971)

167. The Duelists   (1977)

168. Early Summer   (1951)

169. Easy Rider   (1969)

170. Ed Wood   (1994)

171. The Elephant Man   (1980)

172. Eraserhead (1977)

173. The Exorcist   (1973)

174. Fanny and Alexander (1982)

175. Fantasia   (1940)

176. Farewell My Concubine   (1993)

177. Fargo   (1996)

178. Fast Times at Ridgemont High   (1982)

179. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

180. Fightclub   (1999)

181. First Blood (1982)

182. Fitzcarraldo   (1982)

183. Five Easy Pieces   (1970)

184. Flesh + Blood (1985)

185. Flowers of St. Francis   (1950)

186. The Four Feathers (1939)

187. For a Few Dollars More   (1965)

188. Forbidden Games   (1952)

189. The French Connection   (1971)

190. The French Lieutenant’s Woman   (1981)

191. Frida (2002)

192. From Here to Eternity   (1979)

193. Full Metal Jacket   (1987)

194. Gallipoli   (1981)

195. Gandhi   (1982)

196. Gattaca (1997)

197. Germany, Year Zero (1948)

198. Ghostbusters (1984)

199. Giant   (1956)

200. Glengarry Glenn Ross   (1992)

201. Glory   (1989)

202. The Godfather (1972)

203. The Godfather II   (1974)

204. The Gold Rush   (1925)

205. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly   (1966)

206. Good Morning Vietnam   (1987)

207. Good Will Hunting   (1997)

208. Goodfellas   (1990)

209. The Graduate   (1967)

210. The Grand Illusion   (1937)

211. The Grapes of Wrath   (1940)

212. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

213. The Great Dictator   (1940)

214. Great Expectations (1946)

215. The Great Escape   (1963)

216. Il Grido   (1957)

217. Grizzly Man   (2005)

218. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner   (1967)

219. The Guns of the Navarone   (1961)

220. Halloween   (1978)

221. Hara Kiri (1962)

222. Hard Eight   (1996)

223. Heat   (1995)

224. Heaven’s Gate   (1980)

225. High and Low   (1963)

226. High Noon (1953)

227. The Homesman   (2014)

228. Hoop Dreams   (1994)

229. Holy Mountain   (1973)

230. Hotel Rwanda   (2004)

231. The Hours   (2002)

232. House of Sand and Fog   (2003)

233. How Green was my Valley   (1941)

234. Hud   (1963)

235. Hurlyburly   (1998)

236. The Hurt Locker (2008)

237. Ikiru   (1952)

238. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

239. The Insider   (1999)

240. Intolerance   (1916)

241. Ivan the Terrible Part 1   (1945)

242. Ivan the Terrible Part 2   (1958)

243. It Happened One Night   (1934)

244. It’s a Wonderful Life   (1946)

245. JFK   (1991)

246. Jacob’s Ladder   (1990)

247. Jaws   (1975)

248. Jules and Jim (1963)

249. Jurassic Park   (1993)

250. Kagemusha   (1980)

251. Key Largo   (1948)

252. The Kid (1921)

253. The Killers   (1946)

254. The Killing   (1956)

255. The Killing Fields   (1984)

256. King Kong   (1933)

257. The King of Comedy   (1982)

258. The King of Kong   (2007)

259. Klute   (1971)

260. Knife in the Water   (1962)

261. Koyaanisqatsi   (1982)

262. Kramer vs Kramer   (1979)

263. LA Confidential   (1997)

264. The Last Emperor   (1987)

265. The Last of the Mohicans   (1992)

266. The Last Picture Show   (1971)

267. The Last Temptation of Christ   (1988)

268. Late Spring   (1949)

269. Lawrence of Arabia    (1962)

270. Legends of the Fall   (1994)

271. Leon the Professional (1994)

272. Let the Right One In   (2008)

273. The Life Aquatic   (2004)

274. The Life of Ivan   (1962)

275. The Lilies of the Field   (1963)

276. Little Miss Sunshine   (2006)

277. Little Shop of Horrors   (1986)

278. Local Hero   (1983)

279. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels   (1998)

280. Locke   (2013)

281. Lolita   (1962)

282. Lost Highway (1997)

283. Lost in Translation   (2003)

284. The Lower Depths (1957)

285. M   (1931)

286. M*A*S*H   (1970)

287. Mad Max   (1979)

288. The Magnificent Ambersons   (1942)

289. Magnolia   (1999)

290. Malcolm X   (1992)

291. The Maltese Falcon   (1941)

292. Man of Aran   (1934)

293. Man of Marble   (1977)

294. Manhattan (1979)

295. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

296. The Man Who Wasn’t There   (2001)

297. The Man Who Would be King   (1975)

298. The Man With the Movie Camera   (1929)

299. Mandy (2018)

300. Marathon Man   (1976)

301. Marwencol   (2010)

302. Master and Commander   (2003)

303. The Matrix   (1999)

304. Mean Streets   (1973)

305. Memento   (2000)

306. Metropolis   (1927)

307. Midnight Cowboy   (1969)

308. Midnight Express   (1978)

309. Miller’s Crossing   (1990)

310. Million Dollar Baby   (2004)

311. The Misfits   (1961)

312. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters   (1985)

313. The Mission   (1986)

314. Modern Times   (1936)

315. Moonstruck   (1987)

316. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington   (1939)

317. Murder on the Orient Express   (1974)

318. Mutiny on the Bounty   (1935)

319. My Dinner with Andre   (1981)

320. My Fair Lady   (1964)

321. My Left Foot (1989)

322. Mystic River   (2003)

323. Naked Lunch   (1991)

324. Nanook of the North (1922)

325. Nashville   (1975)

326. The Navigator (1924)

327. Network   (1976)

328. Night Moves   (1975)

329. Night of the Hunter (1955)

330. Night of the Living Dead   (1968)

331. North by Northwest (1959)

332. North Dallas Forty (1979)

333. Nosferatu (1922)

334. Nostalghia   (1983)

335. Notorious   (1946)

336. La Notte   (1961)

337. O Brother Where Art Thou?   (2000)

338. Old Boy   (2003)

339. On Golden Pond   (1981)

340. On the Waterfront   (1954)

341. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest   (1975)

342. Once Upon a Time in the West   (1968)

343. Out of Africa   (1985)

344. Out of the Furnace   (2013)

345. Papillon   (1973)

346. Paris, Texas (1984)

347. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

348. Paths of Glory   (1957)

349. Patton   (1970)

350. Perfume   (2006)

351. Persepolis   (2007)

352. Persona   (1966)

353. Philadelphia   (1993)

354. The Philadelphia Story   (1940)

355. Pi   (1998)

356. The Pianist   (2002)

357. The Piano   (1993)

358. Picnic at Hanging Rock   (1975)

359. The Picture of Dorian Gray   (1945)

360. Pinocchio (1940)

361. Pirate Radio   (2009)

362. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

363. Planet of the Apes (1968)

364. Platoon (1986)

365. Playtime (1967)

366. The Pope of Greenwich Village    (1984)

367. Possession (1981)

368. Prince of the City (1981)

369. The Proposition (2005)

370. Psycho   (1960)

371. The Public Enemy   (1931)

372. Pulp Fiction   (1994)

373. Purple Rain   (1984)

374. Raiders of the Lost Ark   (1981)

375. Rainman   (1988)

376. Raise the Red Lantern   (1991)

377. Raging Bull (1980)

378. Ran   (1985)

379. Rashomon   (1950)

380. Rear Window   (1954)

381. Rebecca   (1940)

382. Rebel Without a Cause   (1955)

383. The Red and the White   (1967)

384. Reds (1981)

385. Redbeard (1965)

386. The Reflecting Skin (1990)

387. Reservoir Dogs   (1992)

388. Restrepo   (2010)

389. Requiem for a Dream   (2000)

390. The Right Stuff   (1983)

391. The Road   (2009)

392. Robocop   (1987)

393. Rocky (1976)

394. The Rocky Horror Picture Show   (1975)

395. Roma (2018)

396. Rome, Open City (1945)

397. Rosemary’s Baby   (1968)

398. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

399. Rules of the Game (1939)

400. Rumblefish   (1983)

401. Run Lola Run (1998)

402. Russian Ark (2002)

403. Sabrina   (1954)

404. The Sacrifice   (1986)

405. The Saint of Fort Washington (1993)

406. Salesman (1968)

407. Le Samourai (1967)

408. Sansho the Bailiff  (1954)

409. Santa Sangre (1989)

410. Saturday Night Fever

411. Satyricon   (1969)

412. Schindler’s List   (1993)

413. The Searchers   (1956)

414. Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

415. Searching for Sugarman   (2012)

416. Serpico   (1973)

417. Seven Samurai   (1954)

418. The Seventh Seal (1957)

419. Sexy Beast   (2000)

420. Shaft   (1971)

421. The Shawshank Redemption   (1994)

422. Silkwood (1983)

423. The Shining (1980)

424. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

425. Sideways (2004)

426. The Silence (1963)

427. The Silence of the Lambs   (1991)

428. The Singing Detective (1986)

429. Singing in the Rain (1952)

430. Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)

431. Sling Blade   (1996)

432. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves   (1937)

433. The Social Network   (2010)

434. Solaris   (1972)

435. Some Like it Hot (1959)

436. The Sound of Music   (1965)

437. The Sorrow and the Pity   (1969)

438. Spartacus (1960)

439. Stalker   (1979)

440. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

441. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

442. State of Grace   (1990)

443. The Sting (1973)

444. La Strada   (1954)

445. Straw Dogs (1971)

446. Stray Dog (1949)

447. Sunrise   (1927)

448. Sunset Blvd.   (1950)

449. Suspiria   (1977)

450. Synechdoche, New York   (2008)

451. THX-1138   (1971)

452. Talk Radio   (1988)

453. Talk to Her   (2002)

454. Taxi Driver (1976)

455. Tetsuo the Iron Man (1989)

456. There Will Be Blood   (2007)

457. The Thin Blue Line   (1988)

458. The Thing (1982)

459. The Third Man (1949)

460. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

461. Throne of Blood   (1957)

462. To Kill a Mockingbird   (1962)

463. Tokyo Drifter (1966)

464. Tokyo Story (1953)

465. Tootsie   (1982)

466. El Topo   (1970)

467. Touch of Evil   (1958)

468. Toy Story (1995)

469. Traffic (2000)

470. Training Day (2001)

471. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

472. Ugetsu   (1953)

473. Unforgiven (1992)

474. The Usual Suspects (1995)

475. Valhalla Rising (2009)

476. Il Vitelloni (1956)

477. Vertigo   (1958)

478. The Wages of Fear   (1953)

479. Wake in Fright   (1971)

480. The Way We Were (1973)

481. West Side Story   (1961)

482. Whale Rider   (2002)

483. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?   (1962)

484. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

485. The White Diamond   (2004)

486. White Heat   (1949)

487. Winter’s Bone   (2010)

488. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?   (1966)

489. Wild at Heart   (1990)

490. The Wild Bunch   (1969)

491. Wild Strawberries   (1957)

492. Wings of Desire (1987)

493. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

494. Whiplash   (2014)

495. Wonder Boys (2000)

496. Woodstock (1970)

497. Yojimbo   (1961)

498. Young Frankenstein (1974)

499. Zero Dark Thirty   (2012)

500. Zodiac (2007)