What are the best movies of all time? Ranking the best movies ever made is a pretty impossible task. However, the closest thing to a definitive ranking is a list based on audience ratings. In that sense, IMDb's list of the top-rated films of all time might be among the best of its kind.
10.The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) - 8.8
The so-called Spaghetti Westerns changed Westerns forever with unique styles of filmmaking that were unlike anything audiences had seen before. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the definitive entry in that subgenre.
The film follows three deadly men on a quest to retrieve buried treasure in the midst of the Civil War. The movie helped popularize the Mexican Standoff trend which is still used in action movies today, made a star of Clint Eastwood, and gave movie fans one of the most iconic film scores of all time.
9.The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Rings (2001) - 8.8
- Available on HBO Max
Peter Jackson's hugely popular fantasy trilogy kicked off with The Fellowship of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien's books were brought to life as fans were transported to Middle Earth where Frodo Baggins and a band of heroes set out to destroy the powerful One Ring before Sauron can use it for evil.
The film wonderfully introduces this beautiful world and its characters. The simple yet thrilling quest is filled with fun, terror, and action. It's not hard to see why fans were immediately drawn to this franchise.
8.Pulp Fiction (1994) - 8.9
- Available on Showtime, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand
Quentin Tarantino is one of the most popular filmmakers of all time. His unique voice, extensive film knowledge, and penchant for mixing hilarious comedy with brutal violence helped to inspire a generation of filmmakers. Pulp Fiction is regarded by many as his masterpiece, and it's hard to argue with that.
7.The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003) - 8.9
- Available on HBO Max
Few people thought adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's epic Lord of the Rings series for the big screen would be possible, but Peter Jackson proved them all wrong. With The Return of the King, Jackson managed to conclude one of the greatest film trilogies of all time in a truly satisfying way.
The film brings the quest to destroy the One Ring to a big end. While the film gets ridiculed for dragging out its finale, Jackson and his team did a beautiful job bringing it all to a close in this emotional spectacle that features some truly amazing battle sequences.
6.Schindler's List (1993) - 8.9
- Available on Starz, DIRECTV and Spectrum On Demand
Steven Spielberg is known for creating a number of the best movies of all time. However, it is his most difficult movie to watch which ranks the highest, which is appropriate as it is one of his finest jobs as a director.
Schindler's List is a harrowing story of the real-life tale of Oskar Schindler and his attempts to save Jewish citizens during the Nazi rule in Germany. While Schindler may be an inspiring hero, the film is most effective as a horrific depiction of the Holocaust. Shot in haunting black and white, Spielberg created a film that will last in the minds of viewers for years to come
5. 12 Angry Men (1957) - 8.9
- Available to rent on Apple TV
Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men is a smaller-scale movie, however, that does nothing to lessen its impact. The film is set almost entirely inside a juror's room as the twelve men debate a murder case they have just overseen. With one voice insisting the accused is innocent, the film details the life-or-death debate which ensues.
While the setting might seem dull, it only helps to give the movie a sense of intensity. The filmmaking brilliantly makes the room seem more and more confined as the debate rages on. The claustrophobic feel adds to the atmosphere of it all. It's stunning proof that small-scale films can pack a big punch.
4.The Godfather: Part II (1974) - 9.0
- Available on Paramount+
It probably seemed like a preposterous idea at the time for Francis Ford Coppola to make a follow-up to his widely acclaimed crime saga, but The Godfather: Part II proved it was a very good idea.
3.The Dark Knight (2008) - 9.0
- Available on HBO Max
The superhero genre might not get a lot of respect from most cinephiles, but Christopher Nolan's second Batman film proved they can deliver smart, epic, and thrilling movies.
The Dark Knight details Batman's desperate attempt to stop Joker from destroying Gotham as he searches for someone to take up the role of the city's protector. The film feels like a crime epic, with that darker take on the Caped Crusader. However, the film is most remembered for the late Heath Leger's mesmerizing performance as the anarchist Joker.
2.The Godfather (1972) - 9.2
- Available on Paramount+
The Godfather: Part II is one of the most acclaimed films of all time and still it's not the highest-ranked film in that trilogy. That honor goes to the original. There's a lot of debate among film fans about which is the better movie, but it's safe to say they are both massive achievements in cinema.
This is the story of the Corleone family, an Italian-American mafia family who struggle with maintaining power after their patriarch is nearly assassinated. The film is violent, funny, intense, emotional and so much more. There are countless quotable lines and unforgettable sequences. It's no wonder it is regarded as such an inspiring film to so many of today's best filmmakers.
1.The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - 9.2
- Available on HBO Max
It's no surprise that the highest-ranked film of all time is also one of the most crowd-pleasing films of all time. It can be easy to assume that a story set inside a maximum-security prison would not have many pleasing moments, but The Shawshank Redemption manages to be a surprisingly uplifting tale.
Based on a Stephen King story, the film is told over several years at the titular prison and centers on a friendship between two inmates. The relationship between the two men is one of the most heart-warming friendships ever shown on screen and it helps give the film those beautiful moments which lead up to one of the greatest endings in film history.
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