Welcome to the thrilling conclusion of our analysis of the greatest Best Picture winners at the Academy Awards. In this final installment, we unveil the top 25 films that have left an enduring legacy on the world of cinema. From immortal film criterion to esteemed contemporary crafts, these cinematic gems have captivated audiences for generations. Let’s dive right into the grand finale of our 95-year odyssey and celebrate the artistry, storytelling, and enduring impact of these extraordinary films. and Part Three (50-26) here.
You can find Part One (95-76) here; Part Two (75-51) here; and Part Three (50-26) here.
25. The French Connection (1971)
Summary: In William Friedkin’s The French Connection, Gene Hackman stars as Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle, a bigoted and eccentric police officer consumed by his job. Alongside his partner Cloudy (Roy Scheider), he’s on the trail to bust a shipment of heroin on its way from France to New York. Embedded in the style and themes of classic film noir, The French Connection is a grim and relentless detective thriller that is celebrated as one of the most authentic films about police work (celebrated by all who would not censor it, that is). It also happens to feature the greatest car chase scene in film history.
What it beat: A Clockwork Orange, Fiddler on the Roof, The Last Picture Show, Nicholas and Alexandra
Hindsight’s a bitch: There isn’t a film on this portion of the list that I disagree with. All 25 of these films find a place in my own Top 100 films of all-time, so I make no arguments against any of them winning. My personal preference from 1971: Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. This is the fifth time I have argued for a Kubrick film as the best of its year. This doesn’t surprise me, as Kubrick is the director that I would cite as the greatest ever. What does surprise me is that none of his five masterpieces ever won Best Picture.
24. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Summary: Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings is one of the most astonishing achievements in the history of film. Creating a franchise that both revolutionized visual effects (Gollum) and was emotionally gripping enough to contain four finales is what led to The Return of the King tying the Oscar record of 11 wins.
What it beat: Lost in Translation, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Mystic River, Sea Biscuit
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Academy got it correct. The third installment in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy probably won for the collective set of films, not just on its own merit. Because of this assumption – and due to all three films being shot at one time – I view the trilogy as one title when placing it on lists. Jackson’s massive accomplishment is nothing short of magical.
23. All Quiet on the Western Front (1929/1930)
Summary: No film detailed the horrors of World War I better than Lewis Milestone’s All Quiet on the Western Front. A technically groundbreaking film that doubles as an extremely powerful anti-war message, All Quiet is the oldest film on my own top 100 list. The 2022 remake was my number one film of the year, showing how outstanding Erich Maria Remarque’s classic novel was in its time and to this day.
What it beat: The Big House, Disraeli, The Divorcee, The Love Parade
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Academy got it correct.
22. Rocky (1976)
Summary: The ultimate tale of the underdog might also be one of the great longshot films to ever win Best Picture, and there may never be a more stirring and energetic film to win the coveted prize. Full of montages and crowd-pleasing moments that have become clichés in sports films, Rocky is an incredible tale of a down-and-out boxer who gets a shot at the heavyweight title. Rocky beautifully encapsulates the essence of the blue-collar worker, drawing a striking parallel to Sylvester Stallone’s own journey before this monumental breakthrough. Stallone wrote, starred in, and handled the boxing choreography for one of the most benevolent films ever made. Want proof? I bet you thought about that Rocky theme as soon as you saw the image above. That’s just an example of the enduring legacy of the film.
What it beat: All the President’s Men, Bound for Glory, Network, Taxi Driver
Hindsight’s a bitch: When discussing the finest years in film history, 1976 undoubtedly emerges as a strong contender for the top of that list. I could argue for several of these nominees to win, but Martin Scorsese’s timeless Taxi Driver remains my favorite of the group.
21. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Summary: Midnight Cowboy was the perfect film to bring in the counter-culture vibe of the ’70s, and the mutable MPAA implementation that was still in flux makes for its often referenced stat as the only X-rated film to win Best Picture. Gritty, grimy, and groundbreaking for its time, John Schlesinger’s buddy film about two desolate and penniless characters – one a greasy con artist (Dustin Hoffman), the other a naïve gigolo (Jon Voight) – form a bizarre friendship. Paired with another film that year, Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider, Midnight Cowboy brought an end to the “Cultural Decade” and helped usher in the New Hollywood era of the “Me Decade.”
What it beat: Anne of a Thousand Days, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Hello Dolly!, Z
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Academy got it correct. Few films have been more avant-garde in approach, nor more perpetually relevant than Midnight Cowboy.
20. The Sound of Music (1965)
Summary: In The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews is Maria, an Austrian nun who takes on an assignment as the governess to the seven Von Trapp children. She tends to their needs, romances their father, and teaches the children to sing. And if you don’t sing along to every word of the gorgeous Rodgers & Hammerstein soundtrack, what fan of movies are you really? One of the highest grossing blockbusters of all-time, Robert Wise’s The Sound of Music is a film that has resonated with audiences spanning several generations.
What it beat: Darling, Doctor Zhivago, Ship of Fools, A Thousand Clowns
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Sound of Music is one of those films I must have watched over a hundred times as a child. You know, way back when we only had like four channels and a closet full of VCR tapes (google it, youngins). The Academy got it correct.
19. Ben-Hur (1959)
Summary: The first film to set the record for winning 11 Oscars, William Wyler’s epic tale of Christ, Ben-Hur, remains one of the greatest stories ever told. From the antagonizing, Odysseyesque journey of the main protagonist (Oscar-winning performance by Charlton Heston), to the incredible cast of thousands, elaborate set designs, and one of the greatest sequences in film history (the spectacular chariot race), Ben-Hur is one of the most influential films on this list (just look at the list of epics that followed in its wake).
What it beat: Anatomy of a Murder, The Diary of Anne Frank, The Nun’s Story, Room at the Top
Hindsight’s a bitch: This is another film that shaped my youth. Being my father’s favorite movie ever made, I have seen Ben-Hur so many times I can quote just about every line. The fact that I never get tired of watching it (despite a 212-minute runtime) is proof enough that Ben-Hur is one of the greatest movies ever made. The Academy got it correct.
18. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Summary: Michael Cimino’s tale about the physical, emotional, and psychological impacts the Vietnam War had on a group of friends remains one of the ultimate masterpieces in film history. The Deer Hunter stars Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, John Savage, and John Cazale – who all give performances that are among the finest of their career. It’s a controversial film in the way it depicts the Viet Cong (the Russian roulette scenes, in particular), but in war, there are rarely good guys. The intense and dramatic turns that happen over the course of the film are as gut-wrenching and enthralling as anything I have ever seen. Very few films have ever captured the unsparing aftermath of war quite as devastatingly.
What it beat: Coming Home, Heaven Can Wait, Midnight Express, An Unmarried Woman
Hindsight’s a bitch: From the blue-collared, Pennsylvania town to the cruel and decimating jungles of Southeast Asia, The Deer Hunter is a perfectly compelling film. The Academy got it correct.
17. Annie Hall (1977)
Summary: One of the most brilliant and inventive comedies, Woody Allen’s Annie Hall is his most grounded and accomplished work. Bittersweet and hysterical, Allen plays the neurotic Alvy Singer, a divorcee reflecting on his past relationships, most notably the love of his life, Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). One of the quintessential romantic comedies to ever win Best Picture.
What it beat: The Goodbye Girl, Julia, Star Wars, The Turning Point
Hindsight’s a bitch: As much as I love Annie Hall, there was a little film called Star Wars that same year. Take nothing away from Annie Hall, a bona fide masterpiece, but Star Wars has a legacy that is unmatched in the cinematic universe.
16. Amadeus (1984)
Summary: Winner of eight Academy Awards, Miloš Forman’s Amadeus is a fascinating study of the real-life rivalry of 18th-century composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) and Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham). Lavish and flamboyant in every manner, Amadeus is the rare period piece costume drama that made me fall in love with it. F. Murray Abraham’s vile and sinister performance as the envious Salieri, a man with more desire to produce music than God gave him talent to create, is one for the ages.
What it beat: The Killing Fields, A Passage to India, Places in the Heart, A Soldier’s Story
Hindsight’s a bitch: Never has there been a more extravagant tale of jealousy and contempt than what is formed between two artists in Amadeus. The Academy got it correct.
15. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Summary: In the aftermath of a botched drug deal, a weathered Sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) contemplates the nature of violence as he races against time to locate a missing man (Josh Brolin) before the sinister figure of Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) hunts him down. Based on the neo-western Cormac McCarthy novel, No Country for Old Men is the Coen Brothers’ masterpiece. Filled with violence, suspense, and the dark comedy that has made the Coens famous, No Country remains a deeply profound look at how time passes us all by, and no matter how hard we try, we can’t stop what’s coming.
What it beat: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Coens’ best film remains the greatest film of the 21st century. No Country works as an ode to West Texas, thanks in large part to the devastatingly gorgeous landscapes shot by the incomparable Roger Deakins. As much as I also love There Will Be Blood, the Academy got it correct.
14. The Apartment (1960)
Summary: Billy Wilder’s The Apartment works as both poignant tragedy and romantic comedy. Hoping to climb the corporate ladder, Jack Lemmon plays CC Baxter, an office shill who loans out his apartment to his bosses so they can carry out their affairs without getting caught. Things become complicated when one of the bosses (Fred MacMurray) wants to use the apartment to take Baxter’s workplace crush, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), there for the evening.
What it beat: The Alamo, Elmer Gantry, Sons and Lovers, The Sundowners
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Apartment is smart as a whip, as enchanting as it is thought-provoking. A terrific examination of the desperation to get ahead in corporate America as well as a study in melancholy, Billy Wilder and his legendary co-writer, I.A.L. Diamond, prove once again why they are the greatest screenwriting duo of all-time. As much as I love The Apartment (as seen by its high placing on this list), Alfred Hitchcock’s immortal and hair-raising thriller, Psycho (which wasn’t even nominated), was the best film of 1960.
13. West Side Story (1961)
Summary: Jerome Robbins and William Wise’s West Side Story, a musical re-interpretation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, takes place on the streets of 1950s New York City. Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer star as the modern-day versions of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers. Societal class and teenage angst are central themes as a group of white kids match wits – and cutting-edge dance choreography – with a group of Puerto Rican youth, fighting for supremacy over the neighborhood they share. Loaded with innumerable and distinguished songs by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim (each one an earworm of its own), West Side Story is a tale of race and social decorum and is an incredibly inventive adaptation of the legendary love story.
What it beat: Fanny, The Guns of Navarone, The Hustler, Judgement at Nuremberg
Hindsight’s a bitch: One of the two or three greatest musicals of all-time (and the best to ever win Best Picture), the Academy got it correct.
12. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Summary: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, and Harold Russell star as a trio of veterans returning home from war in William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives. Perhaps no film has detailed the struggles of our heroes returning home from battle as well as Best Years. Post-traumatic stress disorders and difficulties with reintegrating into society are just a couple of challenges these men face. Its groundbreakingly authentic views of veterans was bolstered by Harold Russell’s Oscar-winning performance. Russell, an actual veteran who lost his hands in the war, is playing himself, and as such provides a visceral and tender-hearted core to the film.
What it beat: Henry V, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Razor’s Edge, The Yearling
Hindsight’s a bitch: The Best Years of Our Lives makes for an incredible companion piece to Michel Cimino’s The Deer Hunter (see #18 on this list). Both films portray the impacts of war in unique and paramount ways. Like The Apartment, it’s hard to say that a film ranked this high wasn’t the one I would have voted for. The sentimentalist in me can’t help but slightly prefer It’s a Wonderful Life for all its mushy heart and tenderness.
11. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Summary: Rather than spending his time crushing rocks and doing hard time in prison, habitual criminal Randall P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) decides to take “the easy way out” by committing himself to a mental institution. Little did he know he’d run into the caretaker from his worst nightmares, Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). Adapted from Ken Kesey’s novel of the same name, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is an electrifying observation of the need for reform in our mental institutions. Along with It Happened One Night and The Silence of the Lambs, Cuckoo’s Nest is one of three films to win the Big Five at Oscar: Picture, Director (Miloš Forman), Actor (Nicholson), Actress (Fletcher), and Screenplay.
What it beat: Barry Lyndon, Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Nashville
Hindsight’s a bitch: Oh boy. Now we are reaching into movies that would be in my top 15 or so films of all time. As much as I love Jaws, the Academy got it correct. There are few characters I connect with more than Nicholson’s McMurphy (what the hell does that say about me?), making Cuckoo’s Nest a tough one to leave outside my top ten. In one scene, McMurphy comes to realize that most of the crackpots around him are all at the asylum voluntarily. The shock of this discovery quickly transitions into a disquieting realization that as kooky as all these men around him are, McMurphy is the one who is required to be there. That’s a feeling I have been all too familiar with throughout my life, and the way Nicholson pulls it off makes for one of the greatest performances in all of film.
10. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Summary: The Silence of the Lambs is the only horror film to ever win Best Picture. It is also one of the three films I mentioned above that won the Big Five. Jonathan Demme’s eerie film stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, a young FBI recruit who wrestles wits and power dynamics with the famed genius and convict Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to help track down another serial killer. Suspenseful and shrewd, Hopkins’ Lecter is one of the most fascinating villains in film (despite less than 20 minutes of screentime). In spite of his contemptible reproach and steely demeanor, there’s just something about Lecter that makes us root for him.
What it beat: Beauty and the Beast, Bugsy, JFK, The Prince of Tides
Hindsight’s a bitch: Fava beans and chianti will never be regarded without a lizard-tongued shiver. The Academy got it correct.
9. Schindler’s List (1993)
Summary: Known primarily for his huge blockbusters, Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece is his contemplative adaptation of Ken Keneally’s solemn chronicle of the Holocaust, Schindler’s List. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), like most German manufacturers at the time, was a member of the Nazi party. But unlike the average entrepreneur, Schindler was a complex individual who went from capitalizing on the times by operating war factories for the Nazis, only to end up saving more than 1,000 Polish Jews from certain death. Spielberg’s most personal film is also his finest and most altruistic.
What it beat: The Fugitive, In the Name of the Father, The Piano, The Remains of the Day
Hindsight’s a bitch: Crazy to think that in the same year that Spielberg made Schindler’s List, he also delivered the enormous hit, Jurassic Park. The Academy got it correct.
8. On the Waterfront (1954)
Summary: Known for the powerful portrayal of anguish that permanently changed acting, Marlon Brando is Terry Malloy, a former heavyweight contender who has been reduced to a struggling longshoreman in Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront. Corruption employs the docks where Terry works, led by mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). While Johnny is the devil on Terry’s left shoulder, Father Barry (Karl Malden) is the angel on the right. Terry is torn between his loyalties to Johnny’s gang – where his older brother Charley (Rod Steiger) is a top man – and his moral outrage urging him to stand up to the exploitation of the mob. What makes Waterfront even more fascinating is that Budd Schulberg’s screenplay is an allegory for his decision to identify 17 names to the House Committee on Un-American Activities (revealing them as Communists).
What it beat: The Caine Mutiny, The Country Girl, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Three Coins in the Fountain
Hindsight’s a bitch: This feels like one of the easiest choices, looking back. And one that is cemented by one of – if not THE – greatest performances of all time. On the Waterfront “coulda been a contender” for the top spot on a list like this. The Academy got it correct.
7. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Summary: David Lean directed three of the greatest films of all time, including two in my top ten. Bridge on the River Kwai stars Alec Guinness as Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson, a British officer charged with constructing a strategically important bridge for the Japanese who have incarcerated him and his men in a Burmese prison camp. While this task places Nicholson in a precarious and morally -conflicted spot, his view is to defy his captors by showing them the superiority of English men through erecting the perfect overpass. Here is a man so consumed with pride and honor that he forgets which side he is on, and only realizes the errors of his ways too late.
What it beat: Peyton Place, Sayonara, 12 Angry Men, Witness for the Prosecution
Hindsight’s a bitch: One of the great, action-packed epics of the late 50s, The Bridge on the River Kwai is an exceptional case study about the hysteria of war and the pride that comes before the fall. The Academy got it correct.
6. Gone with the Wind (1939)
Summary: Dubbed the “Golden Year of Cinema,” 1939 is often cited as the greatest year in the history of film. Five movies from 1939 made the original American Film Institute’s Top 100 Films list. Many of these movies hold up extraordinarily well, but none more stunningly than Victor Fleming’s Gone with the Wind. Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable star as the southern belle and her wily and charismatic love interest, set amongst the backdrop of the antebellum South as the Confederacy meets its ruin. The performances, set designs, costumes, Technicolor photography, and Max Steiner’s exhilarating score keep this film as bewildering and extravagant a film today as it ever was.
What it beat: Dark Victory, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Love Affair, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ninotchka, Of Mice and Men, Stagecoach, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights
Hindsight’s a bitch: The lunacy of this era can be summarized with the way Gone with the Wind – long thought of as one of the two or three greatest American films – has attained a patina of disrepute for the way it depicted black characters and romanticized the South at the time. The time of the film, of course, being the Civil War, for Christ’s sake. But I digress from such asinine and irresponsible revisionist politics that choose to sterilize our history rather than take the complicated and nuanced approach of studying it for what it was. While I would not argue against The Wizard of Oz, the Academy got it correct.
5. All About Eve (1950)
Summary: No one ever sizzled on the silver screen quite like Bette Davis in Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s All About Eve. A fierce and fiery emulation of swanky, Broadway socialites, Anne Baxter stars as Eve Harrington, an ambitious young actress who will do anything it takes to become a star. Margo Channing (Davis) is the biggest star of her era, and the one Eve looks to supplant. A penetrating anecdote on the viciousness of narcissism, cynicism, deceit, and celebrity, All About Eve is one of the most revolutionary and sharp-edged screenplays ever written.
What it beat: Born Yesterday, Father of the Bride, King Solomon’s Mines, Sunset Boulevard
Hindsight’s a bitch: It is in my top five Best Picture winners ever, so I clearly admire and love this film. I would have, however, cast my vote a different way, if you can believe that. For as brilliant as All About Eve is, Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard remains as untouchable as any film on this list.
4. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Summary: Francis Ford Coppola’s follow-up to the 1972 Best Picture winner remains the greatest sequel ever made. Detailing the Corleone saga by broadening their tale with two overlapping narratives, The Godfather Part II presents the rise of both Vito (Robert DeNiro) and his son, Michael (Al Pacino), as two generations of mob bosses. Through a compelling dual character study, the sequel beautifully explores the intertwined yet distinct paths of its protagonists, mirroring and diverging from its predecessor. The result is a breathtaking display of filmmaking that leaves us in awe of its expansive scope, meticulous attention to detail, and sheer perfection.
What it beat: Chinatown, The Conversation, Lenny, The Towering Inferno
Hindsight’s a bitch: Some would argue Part II outshines the first Godfather. I wouldn’t take that side of the argument, but that just tells you how incredible Coppola’s films are. Consider the fact that he also directed Best Picture nominee The Conversation the same year? Holy moly. Despite my eternal love for Chinatown, one of the three greatest screenplays ever written, the Academy got it correct.
3. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Summary: David Lean created an epic masterpiece with his biopic, Lawrence of Arabia, a movie that has become influential to generations of filmmakers. With breathtaking desert landscapes, an incredible cast, and a triumphant Maurice Jarre score, it’s hard to imagine Lawrence of Arabia existing without the great Peter O’Toole. As the larger-than-life, controversial, and complicated titular T.E. Lawrence, Peter O’Toole gives one of the singular performances in the history of film. His immense onscreen presence is a worthy juxtaposition for the man he portrays – a hero in the British army who led the Arabs against the Turks during the First World War. An astounding masterpiece of colossal proportions, Lawrence of Arabia is one of the five greatest films ever made.
What it beat: The Longest Day, Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, Mutiny on the Bounty, To Kill a Mockingbird
Hindsight’s a bitch: What more can you say about the winners at this point? These top three (along with Citizen Kane and 2001: A Space Odyssey) remain the only films I have ever given a perfect score to (10/10). The Academy got it correct.
2. The Godfather (1972)
Summary: There is not a single inharmonious note in The Godfather’s nearly three-hour runtime. Always the 1B to the film that I have listed in the top spot, The Godfather is in many ways the greatest movie ever made. The innovative use of shadowy lighting and cinematography by Gordon Willis, a cast that includes multiple Oscar-winners (along with a list as long as my arm of other amazing character actors), a perfect screenplay adaptation, and Nino Rota’s brooding and authoritative score make it hard not to place this film at number one. The Godfather works like a masterfully conducted orchestra, whose immaculate symphony is a meticulously crafted and extraordinarily integral thread in the fabric of cinema history.
What it beat: Cabaret, Deliverance, The Emigrants, Sounder
Hindsight’s a bitch: Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s The Godfather was brilliantly detailed in Paramount’s miniseries, The Offer. If you have not seen it yet, I would highly recommend it, whether you are a fan of this film or not (but if you aren’t a fan of this film, are you really a fan of anything?) The Academy got it correct.
1. Casablanca (1943)
Summary: Casablanca not only stands as a timeless masterpiece, but its screenplay is widely regarded as the pinnacle of cinematic writing. With iconic quotes like “Here’s looking at you, kid,” “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine,” and “We’ll always have Paris,” the film’s dialogue is embedded into our cultural consciousness. Directed by Michael Curtiz, Casablanca weaves together romance, suspense, drama, and political intrigue with perfection. With an incredibly gripping narrative, filled with unforgettable characters and endlessly quotable dialogue, Casablanca is a heart-wrenching and inspiring tale of sacrifice, love, integrity, and the power of patriotism. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are captivating and thrilling together. Their chemistry adding immense depth to the complex love triangle at the center of the film. Casablanca’s wartime atmospheric setting adds intrigue and danger to its timeless allure and gives weight to a group of people who might otherwise not amount to a hill of beans.
What it beat: For Whom the Bell Tolls, Heaven Can Wait, The Human Comedy, In Which We Serve, Madame Curie, The More the Merrier, The Ox-Bow Incident, The Song of Bernadette, Watch on the Rhine
Hindsight’s a bitch: What more can I say about the film I consider to be the greatest ever made? The Academy got it correct.
Great movies possess the extraordinary ability to transport us to captivating worlds, stirring our hearts and inspiring us to greatness. Over the course of 95 years, the Best Picture winners have delivered unforgettable stories, performances, music, and entertainment that have enthralled audiences worldwide.
I firmly uphold the belief that art should never be subjected to censorship. The freedom of expression and the embrace of diverse perspectives not only nurtures great storytelling but also provides invaluable opportunities for us to learn from our mistakes and grow as a society. Without that freedom, art is lost and history is destined to repeat itself.
As we bring this series to a close, I hope you have enjoyed the countdown of the greatest Best Picture winners in the 95-year history of the Academy. Thank you for reading along and for some great conversation. I’ve enjoyed hearing about your rankings and the films you love. Whether we agree or differ in big or small ways, that’s what makes this whole thing fun. When we communicate with respect and tolerance, we create community. That’s what makes the work genuinely meaningful and fulfilling.
I was born in the 90s and I feel like most my peers have watched the Sound of Music. However, I feel like it kinda stopped being known from the ’00s kids onwards.
I’ve watched The Bridge on the River Kwai so many times w/ my late-grandfather when I was a kid. I think this is one of the main film that pique my interest on movie. We’ve watched Lawrence of the Arabia as well together once, but it’s insanely long that I kinda forgot what is the plot about.
Amadeus is so underrated. I don’t think I’ve ever known someone in my life who has watched it. I kinda have low expectation when I tried to watch it because I’m not too satisfied w/ Gandhi and The Last Emperor (which are another biopics made around the same time) but Amadeus totally blew my mind. Again, I don’t understand why it is not more well known.
Ok, I finally finished! This probably isn’t perfect, but it’s the best I could do as a parent of a toddler, haha!
One thing to know about me that will help you better understand my ranking is that I am, and have always been, unapologetically feminist, which is why films starring men rank much lower in my list than those starring women (that wasn’t purposeful, just an observation from my list that makes sense).
This list reflects how much I enjoy these films overall, not so much whether I agree with
where they ended up compared with the rest of the selection in a given year (that would take even more time, and honestly, I’d probably never finish). Enjoy!
These films I haven’t yet seen and therefore are excluded from my ranking:
1985 – Amadeus
1976 – One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
1974 – The Sting
1971 – Patton
1969 – Oliver!
1967 – A Man for All Seasons
1965 – My Fair Lady
1964 – Tom Jones
1963 – Lawrence of Arabia
1959 – Gigi
1957 – Around the World in 80 Days
1956 – Marty
1953 – The Greatest Show on Earth
1952 – An American in Paris
1950 – All the Kings Men
1949 – Hamlet
1948 – Gentleman’s Agreement
1947 – The Best Years of Our Lives
1946 – The Lost Weekend
1945 – Going My Way
1944 – Casablanca
1942 – How Green Was My Valley
1939 – You Can’t Take It with You
1937 – The Great Ziegfeld
1936 – Mutiny on the Bounty
1935 – It Happened One Night
1933/1934 – Cavalcade
1931/1932 – Cimarron
1930/1931 – All Quiet on the Western Front
1929/1930 – The Broadway Melody
1928/1929 – Wings
Top:
1. 2010 – The Hurt Locker
2. 2005 – Million Dollar Baby
3. 1961 – The Apartment
4. 1951 – All About Eve
5. 1941 – Rebecca
6. 1962 – West Side Story
7. 1955 – On the Waterfront
8. 2017 – Moonlight
9. 2014 – 12 Years a Slave
10. 2016 – Spotlight
11. 1979 – The Deer Hunter
12. 1978 – Annie Hall
13. 1966 – The Sound of Music
14. 1954 – From Here to Eternity
15. 2000 – American Beauty
16. 2011 – The King’s Speech
17. 1981 – Ordinary People
18. 1986 – Out of Africa
19. 1984 – Terms of Endearment
20. 1994 – Schindler’s List
21. 2004 – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
22. 1998 – Titanic
23. 1988 – The Last Emperor
24. 1973 – The Godfather
25. 1975 – The Godfather Part II
26. 1940 – Gone with the Wind
27. 1980 – Kramer vs. Kramer
28. 1958 – The Bridge on the River Kwai
29. 1972 – The French Connection
30. 1938 – The Life of Emile Zola
31. 1991 – Dances With Wolves
32. 1997 – The English Patient
33. 1943 – Mrs. Miniver
34. 1982 – Chariots of Fire
35. 1977 – Rocky
36. 1983 – Gandhi
37. 1993 – Unforgiven
Middle:
38. 2003 – Chicago
39. 2013 – Argo
40. 2021 – CODA
41. 2020 – Parasite
42. 2008 – No Country for Old Men
43. 2009: Slumdog Millionaire
44. 2007 – The Departed
45. 2002 – A Beautiful Mind
46. 1995 – Forrest Gump
47. 1970 – Midnight Cowboy
48. 1992 – The Silence of the Lambs
49. 1999 – Shakespeare in Love
50. 1989 – Rain Man
51. 2001 – Gladiator
52. 1996 – Braveheart
53. 1990 – Driving Miss Daisy
54. 1968 – In the Heat of the Night
55. 1987 – Platoon
56. 1960 – Ben-Hur
57. 1932/1933 – Grand Hotel
Bottom:
58. 2019 – Green Book
59. 2012 – The Artist
60. 2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once
61. 2015 – Birdman
62. 2006 – Crash
Mark, I made this list about a year ago, which I call “The Desert Island Movie List.” I tinker with it all the time, adding and deleting movies – classics, guilty pleasures, and movies that have personal stories attached to them, which I’ll tell you all about whenever we have that pizza at Angelo’s. It’s a long one, which means I would have to spend an extended vacation on that desert island. I’d say the first 56, through “The French Connection,” are the equivalent of your top 25 Oscar picks. The rest are more or less random…
THE DESERT ISLAND MOVIE LIST:
BEN-HUR
THE GODFATHER/THE GODFATHER PART II
CASABLANCA
THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
THE DEER HUNTER
VERTIGO
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
THE WIZARD OF OZ
GONE WITH THE WIND
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
WEST SIDE STORY
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
THE EXORCIST
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW
THE APARTMENT
ANNIE HALL
BONNIE AND CLYDE
THE GRADUATE
CHINATOWN
TAXI DRIVER
APOCALYPSE NOW
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
CITIZEN KANE
THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
THE LAST DETAIL
EASY RIDER
NASHVILLE
MCCABE & MRS. MILLER
M.A.S.H.
BLUE VELVET
PSYCHO
REAR WINDOW
THE BIRDS
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTIAL
JAWS
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
SCHINDLER’S LIST
SAVING PRIVAE RYAN
PATTON
THE HOSPITAL
DR. STRANGELOVE: OR HOW I STOPPED WORRYING AND LEARNED TO LOVE THE BOMB
PATHS OF GLORY
LOLITA
BARRY LYNDON
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
MIDNIGHT COWBOY
DELIVERANCE
THE WILD BUNCH
ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY?
THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR
SOPHIE’S CHOICE
THE CONVERSATION
STRAW DOGS
DAYS OF HEAVEN
GOODFELLAS
DIRTY HARRY
BULITT
DR. NO
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
GOLDFINGER
AMERICAN GRAFFITI
STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE
STAR WARS: EPISODE V -THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
ALIEN
NETWORK
DOG DAY AFTERNOON
12 ANGRY MEN
ROCKY
ORDINARY PEOPLE
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
BEFORE SUNRISE
BEFORE SUNSET
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
BOYHOOD
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
ON THE WATERFRONT
LUST FOR LIFE
SPARTACUS
THE VIKINGS
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
OUT OF THE PAST
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER
THE SUNDOWNERS
DOUBLE INDEMNITY
SUNSET BOULEVARD
THE BIG SLEEP
THE MALTESE FALCON
THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE
THE AFRICAN QUEEN
IN A LONELY PLACE
TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT
TOM JONES
WHOS AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY
THE DAY OF THE JACKAL
ALL ABOUT EVE
NOW, VOYAGER
BRIEF ENCOUNTER
DODSWORTH
THE COLLECTOR
MRS. MINIVER
THE BIG COUNTRY
FRIENDLY PERSUASION
GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
PICNIC
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
RIO BRAVO
RANDOM HARVEST
MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE
BRINGING UP BABY
SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH/STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
BLACK NARCISSUS
THE RED SHOES
THE SINGING DETECTIVE (1986)
SUNRISE: A SONG OF TWO HUMANS
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
A DAY AT THE RACES
DUCK SOUP
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)
THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD
THE SEA HAWK
CAPTAIN BLOOD
SAN FRANCISCO
PRIVATE LIVES (1931)
HERE COMES MR. JORDAN
HEAVEN CAN WAIT
SHAMPOO
REDS
THE PARALLAX VIEW
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
THE THIRD MAN
SLAP SHOT
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
THE STING
HUD
THE HUSTLER
COOL HAND LUKE
DANCES WITH WOLVES
FIELD OF DREAMS
TITANIC
AMERICAN BEAUTY
1917
THE SIXTH SENSE
A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE
TO SIR, WITH LOVE
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER
ON THE BEACH
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
EL CID
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
KING OF KINGS
CABARET
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
MARY POPPINS
MY FAIR LADY
EDUCATING RITA
SOME LIKE IT HOT
BLAZING SADDLES
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
ANIMAL HOUSE
ALTERED STATES
THE TERMINATOR
KING KONG (1933)
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951)
PLANET OF THE APES
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)
INVADERS FROM MARS (1953)
THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951)
FORBIDDEN PLANET
THIS ISLAND EARTH
EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS
THE QUARTERMASS XPERIMENT (AKA THE CREEPING UNKNOWN)
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
DARBY O’GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE
THE TIME MACHINE
CARRIE
HALLOWEEN
FOREIGN/INTERNATIONAL FILMS:
THE BEST OF YOUTH
JULES AND JIM
THE 400 BLOWS
DAY FOR NIGHT
THE RULES OF THE GAME
BREATHLESS
BICYCLE THIEVES/THE BICYCLE THIEF
UMBERTO D.
TOKYO STORY
PERSONA
FANNY AND ALEXANDER
CRIES AND WHISPERS
SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE
LAST TANGO IN PARIS
PATHER PANCHALI
Paul! What a great list!
Thank you for your time and effort to share it.
I don’t know how or why Disqus put your comment in the spam filter. I’m sorry I didn’t see it ands rescue it sooner.
You guys can all always email me if a comment of yours disappears, okay? RyanAdams.AD@gmail.com
Paul. I’ll bump your list here up to the featured comment on this page.
And you should please feel welcome to repost it in another more recent discussion page, okay?
Man, I’m good with that desert island!
Gone With the Wind has been consistently criticized — and rightly so — for the failure of its studio to support its own black actors in dealing with a movie that popularized (or supported) racist tropes. This has been ongoing since the film’s release, and is not something that was invented by modern cineastes.
I’ve hated the book ever since I read it — talk about revisionist tripe! — and dislike the film, but can’t argue its place on this list.
Great series!
Appreciate your insight! Thank you for reading.
Fantastic series, Mark! Like Jerm, I’m still working on my list, but I will post (without commentary), although it will be a shorter list because there are still winners that I haven’t seen.
With that said, it would be great if you or others at AD posted a list of what one film you would have nominated for Best Picture each of the 95 years. There are so many good films out there that didn’t get half the recognition they deserve. Case in point, can you believe that Sophie’s Choice wasn’t nominated for Best Picture?! I cannot! Love, love, love that film!
I love that idea. Thank you for reading along Jim!
Sophie’s Choice is a remarkable film for Meryl’s tour de force, but I don’t remember thinking the movie was BP material….however I say that without having seeing it in 10ish years—time changes perspective. Movies that portray The Holocaust I don’t watch often, just very heavy. However, like Rufussondheim, Sophie’s Choice is one of the best of that topic—in a gut wrenching way. Definitely gonna need to re-watch soon.
When you do, circle back! It’s one of my top five films of all time. There’s so much going on in it, it blows me away.
I love the idea of new lists! – Sure, it gives us something to talk about, but it also either informs us or reminds us of movies we’ve missed or haven’t thought about in years and deserve a revisit.
Great list!
I haven’t seen all the winners (shamefully not Casablanca) but I think this is really good for the most part! (Obviously opinions differ and I get irrationally upset at The Apartment being ranked 13th (it’s #1 for me))
Great choice for #1. Thanks for reading and get on Casablanca!
By the way (and leaving aside whether they were robbed or in contention), my top 50 favourite Best Picture nominees which didn’t win.
Ninotchka (1939)
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Suspicion (1941)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Great Expectations (1946)
The Red Shoes (1948)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
High Noon (1952)
12 Angry Men (1957)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
The Graduate (1967)
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Chinatown (1974)
The Conversation (1974)
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
All the President’s Men (1976)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Star Wars (1977)
Midnight Express (1978)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Raging Bull (1980)
The Mission (1986)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Goodfellas (1990)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Fargo (1996)
Secrets & Lies (1996)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Master and Commander: the Far Side of the World (2003)
The Aviator (2004)
Michael Clayton (2007)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Milk (2008)
A Serious Man (2009)
The Social Network (2010)
The Tree of Life (2011)
Gravity (2013)
Her (2013)
Boyhood (2014)
Whiplash (2014)
Brooklyn (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Phantom Thread (2017)
Mank (2020)
Promising Young Woman (2020)
“All 25 of these films find a place in my own Top 100 films of all-time”
That feels very excessive to me, but each to their own, glad to see such Oscar passion as that from a writer here, and (like you I imagine) I recall being a budding film buff in my childhood and teens and how many of these films (seen and mostly unseen) loomed so large as must-see (in obsessively-reread print books on film history and the like) that very often delivered and changed you. I was from a small town with one ordinary video shop, and just had the 5 channel free-to-air TV, so every time you saw a Best Picture (or film in the awards season) it did really mean something.
My #1-25 with Mark’s same section bolds and prior section italics (and how many make my top 100 all-time), and remember purely personal preference for me whereas Mark is considerate of other factors.
1. The Godfather Part II
2. The Godfather
3. On the Waterfront
4. Amadeus
5. The Deer Hunter
6. The Apartment
7. The Silence of the Lambs
8. No Country for Old Men
9. Titanic
10. Terms of Endearment
11. Gone With the Wind
—-my personal top 100 all-time—
12. 12 Years a Slave
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
13. Rebecca
14. All Quiet on the Western Front
15. How Green Was My Valley
16. The Last Emperor
17. Lawrence of Arabia
18. Schindler’s List
19. All About Eve
20. Dances With Wolves
21. It Happened One Night
22. A Man For All Seasons
23. Hamlet
24. The English Patient
25. Unforgiven
It is a really solid conservatively placed listing by Mark, can function objectively as a good primer for those just getting started, he seems very aware of the decades of discussion around these winners and where they have tended to place. The Bridge on the River Kwai back in the IMDB board days tended to be one of the most revered, however I think that has cooled a bit these past 15 years (it is no longer in my Lean top 5 either). Titanic is my highest that didn’t make your top 25, which is understandable, seeing it as a 9yo was the most impactful cinematic viewing of my life and James Cameron was my formative favourite director throughout my childhood (has my favourite end scene too). Casablanca was your highest that didn’t feature in my top 25, I have it just outside the top 40. Very fine, elite quotability, one of my fave coffee mugs is actually Casablanca memorabilia, can understand the selection. The worst film by far in your top 25 to me is West Side Story (I’m more of a Young Savages person myself), but everything else here ranges very good to magnificent. Thanks for this trip down memory lane and enjoyed sharing your love and appreciation for these films in general and the friendly comments space you fostered for related discussion.
Thank you for reading and for your insight and kind words! Glad you are able to find comparisons and differences to your own ranking. I’ll have to check out Young Savages, I have not seen it.
I can’t argue with number one to be sure.
Hey, did anything newsworthy happen today? I’ve been watching movies all day and I heard a lot of buzzing that something significant went down.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/55415ad0924e8a30edf5325e2d7344e8d991878c8ac0c8e4319450f953c6d725.gif
there’s so much smoke!
And I was in a fluke car accident and got trapped under the driver’s side door as it rolled down the road 100 feet. The car didn’t get hurt at all miraculously as it backed into a hillside of mulch!
Play the lottery…immediately!
Wow, thanks for the superb series of articles covering a memorable saga of 100 Years full of great films.
That said, I have to disagree with 1961 because it had the Judgement at Nuremberg which is on the same HOLY MOLY page for me just like the Chinatown you mentioned (By which I wholeheartedly agree. Dang, what a year. Also, add 1 more to the camp who believes Part 2 to be the best Godfather).
Judgement at Nuremberg is a terrific film! Thank you for reading along!
Terrific indeed.
I got the chance to rewatch it a few months ago and that 2nd viewing had a much more powerful impact (I might have been in West Side camp otherwise).
A million time thanks again for this sublime series as well as your kind reply.
Mark, if I ever meet you, I am going to take you to dinner. You have no idea how happy you’ve made me. I’m probably around your father’s age, a boomer who has seen “Ben-Hur” at least as many times as you have, quote just about every line, and like your father, it’s my all time favorite movie. The first time I saw “Ben-Hur” was at the Coronet Theater in San Francisco the last week of February in 1960, on a 6th grade field trip. It was a 9:30 AM screening, and it was the greatest movie experience of my life. I begged my dad to see it again, since my mom hadn’t seen it. Well, dad drove me and my mom to the Coronet nearly a year later, in January 1961, and as soon as Miklos Rozsa’s overture began to play, I was in total bliss. Since then, I’ve seen it at least 14-15 times in a theater, including its 1969 re-release 3 weekends in a row, and at least 100-150 times on VHS, DVD, and Turner Classic Movies.
The first time I saw “Lawrence of Arabia” was in August of 1963. My neighbor Jim and I took the bus from Castro Valley, CA to the United Artists Theater on Market St. in San Francisco, and we were mesmerized by David Lean’s masterpiece. I loved those roadshow presentations back then, with souvenir books to buy in the lobby.
My Uncle Steve was crazy about “The Sound of Music,” and in August of 1965, he drove me, and my cousins Tina and Connie, to see it in downtown Cleveland at the Lowe’s Ohio. We barely got there on time, and ended up sitting in the front row, just as Julie was on the hill singing the title song.
So many of your top 25 are on my all time list. I first saw “The Godfather” at the Kuhio Theater in Waikiki, the very first weekend it came out in March of 1972, when I was stationed on shore duty in Hawaii. I was with some Navy buddies, including my lifelong friend Bob, for whom “Ben-Hur” is also his all time favorite movie. Bob and I saw a lot of movies together in the 70’s, including “Godfather 2,” “Rocky,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Annie Hall” and “The Deer Hunter.” I could go on and on with the anecdotes, but I’ll just say thank you for making my day.
I thought Lawrence of Arabia was a slog. I much prefer the 1991 remake. Plus it’s only 4 minutes…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HN_cStcp80
Okaaay…
Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your memories. Comments like this make all the time spent putting this together well worth it. I appreciate you sharing!
Are you still in Cleveland, or is that just where your uncle lived? I’m not far from there.
Mark, I was born in Cleveland, visit my cousins there whenever I can, and I went to Ohio St., where Uncle Steve was the professor of oral pathology, before he re-located to the Augusta School of Dentistry in Georgia. I’ve lived in 6 states, over the course of my life, and now live in Worcester, MA. My mom is 99, and although physically still in remarkable shape, has “issues,” and I am her support, along with my “baby” sister, who lives with her family in Wellesley. It’s been difficult these past 2 or 3 years, but it is what it is. My dad moved us to the Bay Area when I was 9, so I became a Giants fan, and got to see Mays, McCovey and Marichal in thier glory. Here’s a story for you – my very first baseball game was at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1957. My dad and two uncles took me to see the Indians – NO one in Cleveland can stand the new moniker (my cousin Tina has an Indians blanket in the guest bedroom), and the Red Sox were in town. I got to see Ted Williams hit a two run homer to the opposite field in left, and beat the Indians 2-1. I grew up hating the Dodgers of course, and since I’ve been in Massachusetts since 2000, the Red Sox have won 4 World Series. Like all teams, they’ve fallen on hard times. Terry Francona was the best manager they had, and I still root for the – OK, I have to say it, Guardians – in that weak AL Central, and I have faith that Terry will get them going like last year. So, yep, movies and baseball and reading a good book are my true loves. You live not far from Cleveland? Really? Well, moving back there in the not too distant future has been something I’ve been seriously considering for the past few years. Tina would love that. I spent last Thanksgiving with her and my other two cousins, while my sister took care of our mother for 10 days. I plan to see them sometime this summer or early Fall. Tina has been to just about every restaurant in Cleveland. Joe’s Deli in Rocky River is amazing. Angelo’s Pizza in Lakewood is the best pizza in Northeast Ohio. I think I’m hinting at something here…
I better include one movie related story, after all that baseball talk. In August of 1961, my dad and one of my uncles drove me and Tina to downtown Cleveland to see “Spartacus” at the Hippodrome – I’m sure that was where it was playing – dropped us off and picked us up 4 hours later – can you believe that? Tina and I talk about it even now. She was 7 and I was 12. I would like to know what your dad thinks of “Spartacus.” I loved it as a kid, and most of my life, but lately, I don’t know what I think.
O-H!!!
I envy your baseball history. I am a passionate fan of the sport. Seeing Mays and Williams, my lord. That’s incredible. And we agree again, Terry is the man. Best in the game as far as I’m concerned.
Hit me up when you return. I’d enjoy getting a slice with you at Angelo’s!
It’s a deal.
I really hope that the Zone of Interest is as good as they say. I’ve come to the conclusion over the years that Schindler’s List would be a better movie if we only experienced the camp as Schindler experienced the camp. His growing horror could have been a harrowing experience for us as we can truly relate to his experience. But I don’t think Spielberg could ever envision such a thing, nor does he have the talent to be that subtle in a serious drama. Funny that in his horror/action films he loves dropping clues and ratcheting up the suspense. But here, he wanted to us over the head.
I will always argue the the best Holocaust film in which we experience the horrors first hand will be Sophie’s Choice. There’s something about getting that involved in one story before, during, and after that gives us a better understanding of the horror and its effects long term.
The other Holocaust film I don’t think gets its due isn’t really a Holocaust film. Heck most people don’t even think about it as a film with history. Too often Cabaret gets dismissed as the story of an erratic woman’s bizarre search for love within a decadent Berlin nightclub. But her story is really just a macguffin. People wonder how the Nazis could rise to power. All they need to do is watch Cabaret. It is hard to argue, though, that Cabaret is a better film than The Godfather.
But now I am not so sure. Since his famous descent on the escalator, it feels like we’ve been experiencing our own Cabaret. Never has a film captured slow-motion horror like Cabaret. It’s my favorite mainstream film of all time.
——
I really hope that people who love West Side Story: The Movie make a huge effort to see a professionally staged version. It’s not a musical that’s staged very often as it’s extraordinarily complex (and also the large cast is cost prohibitive) It’s a shame. Not only does the choreography come alive, you also see what they cut. Somewhere is probably the best dream ballet of all time, but in the movie it becomes a simple love song, and in Spielberg’s version it becomes a political statement. It’s both, and the show does it justice.
Sound of Music is Piffle either way. Maybe some people actually need to stream some original Broadway Cast albums. I can understand that ten years ago this was financially prohibitive, but today, it’s as simple as can be. I challenge you to sit and listen with the the libretto to Fun Home and not be emotionally devastated by the end.
Thanks for the list, Mark! You and I are not cinema friends, but you can’t be all bad if you take the time to provide us with this much pleasure and opportunity for debate.
It’s become weirdly fashionable to bash Schindler’s List, but apart from that ONE scene, Spielberg consciously avoided his usual go to moves and faux-populism. I think he did the book justice.
Well, I am not bashing it, just saying it’s absurdly overrated. Again, it’s a perfect film for Humanities 101, but as for an actual film covering history it’s pretty wanting. I’ve not read the book, but I don’t think the goal of a film is to do justice to the book.
My absolute main reason I do not think the movie should be heralded is that we never get to know any of the Jewish characters beyond the surface level. Most of the murdered Jews have no names, no story, just a technically perfect scene.
I’ll never get over the fact that Spielberg is on the record saying that he didn’t care to explain why this was all happening, that knowing evil exists is sufficient. I beg to differ.
One can categorize Kingsley and Davidtz characters as above the surface characters. In fact, Davidtz has some of the best scenes in the movie.
they are both good and their scenes are effective. But their total screen time is dwarfed by the screen time of nameless Jews being murdered.
He did. It is a very good movie.
P.S. Fiennes should have won. He was robbed!
Appreciate your insight! And we are now cinema friends.
Thanks for this! I really enjoyed reading your summaries and reasoning. Well done!
Appreciate you reading!
Todd Field’s TAR is overall a far bigger “cinematic achievement” than at least half of these films listed by Mark above.
Tells you all you need to know about the Academy Awards…!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7d86b473e52325744345876556fc21848347f8e0673d7a9d25541af5d4e15bc5.gif
And they left out one of the finales from the book!
I would have gladly taken a dozen more.
West Side Story over No Country For Old Men???
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/43c0f71c449a28d90f8a55950961dbcb4f8f09cff78955d9c0ffcc2901b39a22.gif
I love NCFOM and think it will just continue to rise in time.
They should teach the film in every screenwriting class as an example of how to destroy what Bob McKee hath wrought.
Rocky, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music over LOTR?? Yikes!
LOTR is probably the worst movie on this list. I consider it one of Oscar’s travesties.
Granted 2003 is a pretty weak year in my opinion. I would have to go overseas to get the best films. A daring work like Irreversible or a unique film like The Son are far better that LOTR. But if an English film was required I would have gone with Elephant, a movie with no explanations but somehow is the perfect explanation. It’s that well made.
of course, then, there is the fantastic gay film Latter Days. Sure it’s poorly written, poorly directed and poorly acted. But damn, it’s heart is in the perfect fucking place. The story construction is top notch and allows so many heartfelt moments. This is the perfect gay movie a straight person could never make. It’s in my top 10.
And there’s also CAMP – the only movie I know of with an appearance by Stephen Sondheim. And you get a very young Anna Kendrick giving her best musical performance on film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7UuT0UCRTI
I agree that it was a weak year, but think they managed well with 4 of the 5 nominees (save Seabiscuit obviously).
My fantasy lineup would look like this:
Carandiru
Dogville
Kill Bill Vol. 1
Master & Commander: the Far Side of the World
Matchstick Men
Alternate: Whale Rider
City of God (2002) and Dogville (2003) both had delayed year eligibility, so you could swap City of God in here for Dogville if so inclined to reflect what the Academy was seemingly able to work with.
LOTR is incomparable, in my opinion. Twelve hours of absolute mastery and grandeur! The moment the film opens and Cate Blanchett begins narrating, I leave the worries of this world behind and am transported to Middle Earth!
Howard Shore’s legendary music, Andrew Lesnie’s magnificent cinematography, top-notch VFX and sound designs, and brilliant performances make LOTR an unforgettable masterpiece.
I am with you.
Twelve hours of absolute mastery and grandeur!
Yes. The problem is that they awarded the project for the final film, which felt awkward, but was correct. I wish that they could have just given its awards for all of it at once (and thrown in a couple of Best Supporting awards to Andy Serkis, Sean Astin, and Ian McKellen, as well), but whatever. With the exception of a handful of other films, LOTR was the cinematic achievement of the past twenty-five years. And I’m not even a fan of the books!
Andy Serkis was robbed!
Agreed. Back in April ROTK was shown in select theaters to mark the 20th anniversary. From Indiewire: “‘Air’ and ‘Renfield’ Were Outgrossed Thursday by ‘The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’ — Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,’ which will see its 20th anniversary in December, grossed approximately $1.2 million Thursday night. Per sources, that placed it #2 for the day (behind ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’) — even against films playing 3,000 or more theaters. By comparison, Amazon’s ‘Air’ (MGM) reported $982,598 for the day in 3,507 locations. ‘Renfield,’ a horror comedy starring Nicolas Cage as Dracula, grossed $900,000 in previews in 2,750 theaters. ‘The Pope’s Exorcist,’ also previewing, did $850,000 in 2,650.” I think that certainly says something about how popular it remains (and I was one of those ticket buyers last April, I’ve never missed the opportunity to rewatch those films on the big screen!).
I would love to watch it again on the big screen!!
It was unforgettable alright, watching it was about as much fun as a night in a holding cell.
Like seriously, if I had to watch all three movies back to back or spend it in a holding cell, I’d probably pick the holding cell. My self-hatred is more interesting than those films.
LOL! That’s sad. Very sad indeed.
I see that you are just trying to pick artsy films so that you can look intelligent here, but you are not. The fact that LOTR is one of the top 50 greatest films of this century according to the Sight and Sound poll with 11 votes shows it!
And you also can’t say Oscar’s travesties. They swept every major award; even the most snobbish film critics, such as the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle, picked that fantasy film as Best Film.
I am glad that we are all required to think the same things. Makes life easier. I guess I will have to change my opinion.
Lord of the Rings is a doubleplusgood movie.
I actually got your point there, but not just “Oscar’s travesties.” It’s overstatement.
Thank you for knowing me better than I know myself.
Here are my top 25:
1. All About Eve
2. The Silence of the Lambs
3. Gone with the Wind
4. It Happened One Night
5. Moonlight
6. Lawrence of Arabia
7. The Bridge on the River Kwai
8. The Godfather Part II
9. The Godfather
10. Casablanca
11. Parasite
12. The Sound of Music
13. Schindler’s List
14. Everything Everywhere All at Once
15. The Hurt Locker
16. Unforgiven
17. The Apartment
18. No Country for Old Men
19. American Beauty
20. One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
21. 12 Years a Slave
22. My Fair Lady
23. Annie Hall
24. Marty
25. Platoon
I was fully expecting to have a completely different top 10, but we agree on 8 films (though all jumbled up). Bear in mind, my list is solely based on my preference without a consideration for legacy.
EEAAO over No Country for Old Men..??
Jesus.
No need to invoke Jesus.
I’m sorry for not consulting you for your opinion and input before posting my list based on my personal opinion.
Seriously, this is my list. I went over it a number of times. Both films are great. I prefer EEAAO to NCFOM. Next year I might change my mind. Who knows?
Have you posted your own list?
Embarassing Admission
I’ve never seen No Country. Or There Will be Blood.
I don’t know why I should bother. That was like 8 years ago. Surely the world has moved on.
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That’s a pretty great list. Thanks for reading!
I’ve never understood Casablanca’s masterpiece status. Is it slick entertainment at its best? Yes. Is it cinematically inventive? Not really. Inventive in its storytelling, its structure? Not really. It’s the product of the studio system, probably one of its best products, but it’s far from the greatness and the vision behind films such as The Godfather.
Never understood the love for this film either, lol!
It brought A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte to the masses.
Meh…
I didn’t see Casablanca until I was in my early twenties, by which fifty years had elapsed for it to influence generations of filmmakers. I was distinctly unimpressed, even though my Dad took care to explain to me exactly why it was so influential (The Usual Suspects had just come out).
All About Eve is my benchmark for award-winning films.
All About Eve is AMAZING!!
Old = Classic. At least that’s what my film teachers told me.
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