Ranking Every Best Picture Winner

After a very competitive (read: contentious, but in a good way) Oscar season, we can finally breathe. The problem (thankfully) isn’t too few great movies, but a few too many. It's been a year of dueling Warner Bros. titans. Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another is a masterful riff on Pynchon that's timely, clever, complex, and fun. Closer to the Oscars, a groundswell of support for Ryan Coogler’s masterful Sinners (which broke records with 16 nominations) brought it into strong awards contention, thanks to a last-minute set of awards wins, including Best Ensemble at the Actor Awards (you know, the SAG ones), making the race a little tighter than expected.

The rest is now history, with One Battle netting a deserved Best Picture statuette, while Best Director went to Paul Thomas Anderson. (If I had my way, a split between One Battle and Sinners would have been the night's tie). Battle took home six awards, with four going to Coogler's beloved vampire tale.

The year was also flush with great performances across categories, from Amy Madigan’s stellar award-winning supporting turn in Weapons to Jacob Elordi’s sympathetic Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, or Michael B. Jordan's exceptional, Oscar-winning performance of twins we got in Sinners. Jessie Buckley's tearful portrayal of Agnes Shakespeare in Hamnet scored the film its one Oscar. Gorgeous cinematography, beautiful scripts, and major tension. 2025 was a great year at the movies! 

To celebrate the Oscars, I ranked every Best Picture winner from worst to first. 98 entries are a hefty pack of films, but here is my ranking. What’s your ranking?

98. Gigi (1958)

Vincente Minnelli is great; Gigi isn’t. It’s boring at best, creepy overall, and “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” is somehow creepier in context.

97. Cavalcade (1933)

Extremely boring.

96. Cimarron (1931)

Also boring and laden with racist stereotypes.

95. The Broadway Melody (1929)

Foundational musical and the first all-sound film to win Best Picture, but that’s all the points it gets.

94. The Greatest Show On Earth (1952)

This early circus drama does have scale going for it, but it’s simply not that good.

93. Crash (2005)

A heavy-handed, cringe-worthy race parable with all the insight of an excited Freshman college paper written after the author just learned that racism was real.

92. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

David Niven plays a rich Brit trying to circumnavigate the globe on a bet. It’s beautiful and extravagant with great visuals, but also a shallow affair stretched over three hours.

91. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

When you have ‘The Great…" in a film title, it should actually be great. The film’s Broadway productions are nice to watch, but it doesn’t quite hold up otherwise.

90. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Dev Patel plays a rags-to-riches kid whose life in India’s slums gives him the answers to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Realistic tragedy converted into a palatable-for-Americans rags-to-riches story for American appetites was a bad idea.

89. Out of Africa (1985)

A married writer (Meryl Streep) falls for a big game hunter (Robert Redford) in a historical romance that leans into early cinema’s fascination with colonial travels. It’s simply not good enough for that to be cute 60 years later.

88. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

The power struggle on board the famed ship is sort of interesting and Gable does what he can, but it’s a middling affair.

87. Oliver! (1968)

We’ve reached the point on the list where a lot of films are just fine; this is one of those.

86. Green Book (2018)

Mahershala Ali plays a talented pianist touring the Jim Crow South, with Viggo Mortensen playing his slightly racist driver who comes around. The big issue is that Mortensen is somehow the protagonist… it literally follows the wrong, less interesting character.

85. CODA (2021)

It’s fine.

84. Chariots of Fire (1981)

Two determined and very different young runners in early 1920s U.K. overcome challenges to train for the 1924 Paris Olympics. Visually lovely, the performances are talented, but the story traffics in stereotypes and the pace is slooooow.

83. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

A comedy about an elderly Jewish woman (Jessica Tandy) driven around by a Black driver (Morgan Freeman) who eventually form a friendship that bypasses racial prejudices. Yet another difficult watch due to an approach to race that doesn't hold up.

82. Gentleman's Agreement (1947)

Elia Kazan's drama centers Gregory Peck as a journalist writing a story on antisemitism, so he pretends to be Jewish. It's an odd plot you couldn't do today, but the earnestness of its efforts to combat antisemitism (especially so soon in the aftermath of WWII, no less) translates to some memorable moments.

81. The Life of Émile Zola (1937)

The Life of Émile Zola capably tells the story of the influential French writer, but while Zola is a worthy biopic subject, it's hard to shake the feeling that this is a biopic that follows the wrong subject entirely. The sections with Dreyfus are by far the most interesting and impactful parts of the film, so… why are we following Zola?

80. Tom Jones (1963)

Adapting the Henry Fielding classic, Tom Jones is a raunchy and irreverent comedy that portrays 18th-century England as a wonderland for horny weirdos. It's a fun satirical romp, but it neither hits particularly high comedic heights nor is it as moving as many Best Picture winners.

79. Forrest Gump (1994)

Sure, this accidental tour of American history by Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) feels contrived at times. Yes, the tone in certain situations (like the reality of the life of Jenny, played by Robin Wright) is an odd choice, on occasion. Hanks is still charming and, at times it's fun. The Oscars are like a box of chocolates... you never know what you're gonna get. That's all I have to say about that.

78. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Kramer vs. Kramer aims to show the complexities and hardships of divorce by taking the novel angle of focusing on a career-oriented man (Dustin Hoffman) forced into single fatherhood and a custody battle. Stellar performances (though Meryl Streep is underutilized), it’s supposed to fairly portray the complexity of a custody battle. In practice, uneven screen time and the framing of the characters’ choices erode that balance, so it falls short of its potential.

77. Going My Way (1944)

Bing Crosby plays a cool young priest sent to replace an elder priest at a New York Catholic Church. Their conflicting styles produce drama in a musical whose songs are pretty good, but it has limited value outside folks really invested in Catholic Church succession drama.

76. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Russell Crowe played the schizophrenic genius John Nash with respectful emotion and grace, elevating a film that rests heavy on his shoulders. Beyond that, it's a fine film that's simply eclipsed by the caliber of other entries on this list.

75. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Paul Scofield makes a solid Sir Thomas More, and A Man for All Seasons is a solid royal drama showing his conflicts with Robert Shaw's King Henry VIII.

74. Gone with the Wind (1939)

Gone with the Wind stood out for some time as one of its era's most sweeping epics, and a lot of it still works. From a modern lens, this de facto Confederate-apologist yarn is a difficult watch now: the idealization of the Confederate South is wrongheaded, and it impedes the story’s own stakes–if the driving drama of the story is how difficult a Southern Belle has it because Confederate slavery and the South have fallen, it’s hard to care that her privileged life was ripped away.

73. American Beauty (1999)

Best Picture-winner American Beauty has a stellar script, despite the subject – a depressive father lusting after his daughter's teenaged friend Angela – having a serious ick factor. Audiences probably could still get past that (Sam Mendes is a brilliant director) were it not for Kevin Spacey. It's a hard watch now, but hey, points to the casting director for spotting a believably icky vibe; it's still a good film.

72. My Fair Lady (1964)

Yes, My Fair Lady is a classic starring an electric Audrey Hepburn. At the same time, it’s far too long for a film of its minuscule dramatic weight. Henry Higgins is also an abusive jerk throughout (literally dehumanizing) and he never evolves enough to make up for it.

71. Ordinary People (1980)

Ordinary People mines complex emotional territory, following a family in the aftermath of a tragedy that rips them apart. It’s a little melodramatic, but Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland land tremendous performances. What really sinks the film so low is that the rest of the cast fail to meet their level of accomplishment, making for a feature that’s nuanced in some scenes and unbelievable in others.

70. The Artist (2011)

Filmed as a black-and-white part-silent film, The Artist is a fun, nostalgic, charming outing despite failing to be the best musical about that period and its struggles (that would be Singin' in the Rain). It's a fun but ultimately vapid film that's most notable for its return to silent film techniques in an era that doesn't use them.

69. The King's Speech (2010)

Colin Firth gives a strong performance as England's King George VI, working through a stutter to give the most high-stakes speech possible-declaring war on Germany in 1939. It's good, but the fact that it won Best Picture over Black Swan, Inception, and The Social Network highlights that it wasn't particularly innovative or daring.

68. Grand Hotel (1932)

Grand Hotel was the only film to win Best Picture without being nominated in any other category. Its a veritable who’s who of the era’s talent, with John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Greta Garbo. It’s a good deal of fun if you can surrender to it, but once that novelty wears off, there isn’t much under the surface.

67. Braveheart (1995)

Braveheart may be a little long and periodically overdramatic, but the Mel Gibson of it all aside it's a solid (if somewhat inaccurate) historical war epic.

66. Rain Man (1988)

Dustin Hoffman plays the autistic older brother of Tom Cruise, reconnecting on a road trip after some time apart. There are some uncomfortable stereotypes in Rain Man, but Hoffman and Cruise treat the subject with empathy and respect, making for a better final product than one might fear.

65. Nomadland (2020)

Chloe Zhao's look at an underclass of older nomadic workers who roam between seasonal work is a beautiful look at a population we don't see onscreen. Frances McDormand is stellar. At the same time, her character spends the majority of the film entirely static, leaving a lot of potential on the rhetorical table.

64. Chicago (2002)

Chicago revived the musical in the modern era, becoming a success on top of being the first musical to win Best Picture since Oliver! It’s a fun Jazz Age romp about a Murderess’ Row of criminal women.

63. Dances With Wolves (1990)

Before Avatar, Kevin Costner arguably embodied the "white savior" trope in Dances with Wolves. It's thematically outmoded, but otherwise a solid directorial effort from director-star Kevin Costner, and there's at least a sincere attempt to capture the beautiful Sioux culture with respect.

62. The English Patient (1996)

A war drama starring Ralph Fiennes as a severely burned man in the care of Juliette Binoche's nurse Hana, there are a number of worthwhile scenes (thanks to a talented cast and stellar production value). At the same time, it can be a little bit overbearing in its emotional development.

61. Terms of Endearment (1983)

Terms of Endearment covers thirty years of the tense relationship between a mother, Aurora (Shirley MacLaine), and her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). Real issues are dealt with, given richness by a great script (written and directed by James L. Brooks) alongside talented performances. It's a tearjerker (sometimes a melodramatic one), but one worth watching.

60. Argo (2012)

Argo is a fascinating story based in real life events: the CIA fakes a sci-fi film production to rescue citizens from a chaotic Tehran situation. Great premise, well portrayed thanks to Ben Affleck's smart direction.

59. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

William Wyler’s Mrs. Miniver highlights the dramas of a middle-class English family around the tense chaos of WWII. Greer Garson excels as matriarch Kay Miniver, and it's a well-performed and often moving window into a number of poignant crises, though at times it falls prey to propagandistic melodrama.

58. All The King's Men (1949)

A solid film noir about power and corruption looking at the rise and fall of fictional politician Willie Stark (a great Broderick Crawford). If anything, it's a little too resonant these days (except it's difficult to suspend disbelief that corrupt politicians can fall from grace).

57. Hamlet (1948)

Hamlet was a pretty straightforward adaptation of one of the Bard's most intense tragedies, but in Laurence Olivier's hands, it's a must-see interpretation.

56. Ben-Hur (1959)

The chariot race still stands as one of the biggest, best stunts in film history (despite its dangers), and Charlton Heston shines as an enslaved but rebellious Jewish prince. As far as Biblical epics go, you don't really get better than this.

55. Gandhi (1982)

Gandhi takes liberties with the life of Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi, but a number of strong directorial choices from director-producer Richard Attenborough and a great performance from Ben Kingsley nonetheless turn it into a beautiful tribute to a champion of nonviolent resistance.

54. From Here to Eternity (1953)

A tale following a trio of soldiers stationed in Hawaii just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, it's a solid historical war tale with a deservedly famous (and groundbreaking in its era) steamy adulterous beach kiss.

53. Shakespeare in Love (1998)

A period romantic comedy about William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow), its Best Picture win (one of seven wins from thirteen nominations) came as a surprise to many, given its competition against Saving Private Ryan. Should Ryan have won? Yes. But it's a solid period romantic comedy nonetheless.

52. Anora (2024)

Sean Baker's handprints are all over this film, as writer, director, producer, and editor, creating a singular vision that turns this story of a young sex worker caught in the web of a criminal empire's immature heir. The story meanders as it approaches its conclusion, but it's a great film overall.

51. The Hurt Locker (2009)

Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq War thriller provides constant tension, as a bomb-disposal crew put themselves in danger over, and over, and over. Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie give strong performances for a film that encapsulates the war of the era.

50. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Good luck walking away from Clint Eastwood's boxing tragedy Million Dollar Baby with anything less than tear-stained shirts; Hilary Swank is excellent in a depressing and occasionally melodramatic depression factory.

49. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

A non-Western John Ford outing sees the Morgan family divided by the social issues of the time, distilled through the lens of an early-20th century miners strike. How Green Was My Valley boasts strong performances and gorgeous camera work.

48. The Sting (1973)

A pair of con artists (Robert Redford, Paul Newman) take on the crime boss responsible for a mutual friend’s murder via One Great Con, an operation so complex and engaging you can’t help but be impressed at its intricacy. Sandwiched between the first and second Godfather films it’s a bit vapid but a lot of fun thanks to tight direction, intricate plotting in an exceptional script, and wonderful performances from two of the era’s finest.

47. Titanic (1997)

Jim Cameron's historical romance became an absolute phenomenon, in part because of the inherent tragedy of the situation, but also because of the insane chemistry between Jack (a young Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (a stellar Kate Winslet). It's a spectacular and gorgeous doomed love story that still works thirty years later.

46. The Sound of Music (1965)

Robert Wise's musical about the singing von Trapp family is a wonderful showcase thanks to gorgeous vistas, excellent performances from Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, and heightened stakes as the family flees the Nazis. You won't be able to watch this without singing a song or two, or desire ripping a Nazi flag in half (which you should anyway).

45. The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Emperor is Bernardo Bertolucci's tale of the Chinese Emperor Puyi's life after fleeing China following the Soviet invasion of Manchuria. It isn't typical fare for the Italian director (famous for controversial but excellent works like The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, and The Dreamers), but it is a beautiful, often harrowing, complex tale.

44. Marty (1955)

Marty follows an Italian-American butcher who, in his mid-30s, suspects he's doomed to life as a bachelor before he connects with high school teacher Clara. Ernest Borgnine is stellar, as is Betsy Blair as Clara. It's a little weird that so much of the plot rests on folks gaslighting the audience into thinking a normal-looking lady is extremely plain but it's a solid 1950s Oscar-winner.

43. The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Vietnam War was a needless historical tragedy and it fueled a number of all-time-great films, including Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now. The story of three lifelong friends upended and forever changed by the Vietnam War, The Deer Hunter stands as one of the best. It's long but emotionally complex with some unforgettable scenes, and exemplary performances from Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and John Savage.

42. Spotlight (2015)

Tom McCarthy's look at the Boston Globe's Spotlight team and their brave exposé on the Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal is far more of an exhibition of journalistic grunt work than a film with typical Best Picture fare. The ensemble film nevertheless excels thanks to a great cast and a smart script that refuses to shy away from its tough subject.

41. You Can't Take It With You (1938)

Frank Capra once again centers class issues in this romantic comedy about Tony Kirby (James Stewart), a man from a wealthy background who falls in love with stenographer Alice (Jean Arthur). It's well-used for both moral implications and comedic effect.

40. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

After WWII, readjustment to civilian life was a complex affair for many. The Best Years of Our Lives takes on the challenge of portraying that sincerely and with honesty, centered in a realism that still translates.

39. Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

A multiverse-hopping sci-fi comedy that's really about immigrants, feeling alienated from one's family, and class (and martial arts, and bagels, and taxes...), Everything Everywhere All At Once is an absolutely batshit crazy pile of madness that should not work but it does. We'll probably never see anything quite like it again, at least not in this universe.

38. Amadeus (1984)

In portraying Mozart as an overgrown child with an uncanny aptitude for natural genius, and centering around the rumors that rival Salieri had a role in his declining fortune, Amadeus is at once a portrait of ambitious jealousy, a showcase of artistry, and a testament to betrayal.

37. An American in Paris (1951)

Vincente Minnelli's Gigi may not stand the test of time but his An American in Paris still does. The 1951 classic musical is a great showcase of George and Ira Gershwin's musical talents, and Gene Kelly's charm and dancing prowess.

36. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

The great Sidney Poitier plays a visiting detective working to help racist Mississippi cops catch a killer for a fine, multi-layered film that still holds up. It's also a fine showcase of Poitier's on-screen brilliance.

35. Patton (1970)

George C. Scott gives an all-timer performance as the notoriously tough general George S. Patton, and who can forget the giant American flag speech?

34. Gladiator (2000)

Ridley Scott's Gladiator remains one of the best historical epics of all time. A thrilling Russell Crowe plays former general Maximus, wronged and betrayed by Joaquin Phoenix' terrible Commodus after the latter discovers that his father Marcus Aurelius wants Maximus to succeed him. There's betrayal, incredible combat, and stellar performances throughout.

33. Wings (1928)

The very first Best Picture winner, Wings was surprisingly ahead of its time on a number of fronts. Stunning early aerial battles, fantastic camera work, and a moving central story about two rival pilots in love with the same woman, Wings holds up a century later.

32. The Shape of Water (2017)

Guillermo del Toro's Cold War drama about a woman who falls in love with an aquatic-humanoid (who may be a god?) is a surprisingly unconventional tale that fits well into the director's explorations of humanity and the monstrous. It's romantic and immaculately made but it's also about how outsiders can band together against the most powerful governments in the world and win.

31. The Departed (2006)

The Departed is a stellar Scorsese picture with a strong premise: an undercover cop infiltrates the Irish Mob, while a Mob loyalist becomes a mole within the police force. As each side starts to suspect something's afoot it builds towards a remarkable tension for one of Scorsese's best (though Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas should have won Best Picture first).

30. 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Based on an unfortunate true story, 12 Years a Slave centers on Solomon Northup, a free Black man tricked into becoming a slave. Steve McQueen provides skilled direction while Chiwetel Ejiofor gives a heartbreaking performance in a film that's hard to watch but necessary viewing.

29. Platoon (1986)

Oliver Stone helmed three Vietnam-war films: Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, and Heaven & Earth. Platoon is a war epic that focuses dead center on the horrors of war. In capturing the complex ethics of the war and warfare itself through the tension between Platoon Sergeant Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Sergeant Elias (Willem Dafoe), Stone allowed the film to cut a little deeper than a mere tour of terror might allow.

28. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Following young hustler Joe Buck (Jon Voight) and con artist "Ratso" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), Midnight Cowboy was a key transitional film that helped shift Hollywood out of the '60s and into the experimental '70s. It was the only X-rated film to win Best Picture (actually, the only one to ever win an Oscar), proving a milestone in film history and showcasing the talents of both Hoffman and Voight.

27. Annie Hall (1977)

The Woody Allen of it aside, Annie Hall remains a stellar comedy. You know it had to be good because the majority of his subsequent films are clear regurgitations of what worked in Hall.

26. One Battle After Another (2025)

Paul Thomas Anderson's revolutionary comedy manages to breeze by despite its length, thanks in part to exceptional performances across the board, ample amounts of comedy, and Anderson's ability to craft a fully lived-in, rich world. It's a blast, hands down.

25. Oppenheimer (2023)

Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was a bold, well-told tale of the scientist who helped the U.S. build the bomb. One of the film's only flaws is, ironically, Robert Downey Jr.'s performance as Rear Admiral Strauss, which won him Best Supporting Actor.

24. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Iñárritu's fantastic showbiz satire centers on an aging actor (Michael Keaton) struggling with art and identity in his effort to transcend his famed superhero role by starring in a stage play. A trippy, meta, magical realist tale starring the former-Batman Keaton (and being shot in a fake one-take), Birdman is absolutely wild with an electric, frantic pace. It's a great demonstration of the magic of cinema.

23. Rocky (1976)

Sylvester Stallone may not consider Rocky a sports movie but it has fueled the fabric of almost every sports movie since. This story of fictional boxer Rocky Balboa’s efforts to rise from nowhere and become heavyweight champion of the world remains the best sports-centric film of all time: well-written, excellently performed, and full of real emotion.

22. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy may be the best trilogy of all time. Return rocks but slightly loses points for it’s the worst of the three. Even still, it’s wild that Tolkien received an adaptation this fantastic. 

21. Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood's epic 1992 Western follows aging outlaw William Munny (Eastwood), who takes on a final contract kill. Frustrated with the inaction of the law, sex workers hire Munny to "handle" a cowboy who attacked and disfigured one of their own. Munny's efforts for revenge are opposed by Sheriff "Little Bill" Daggett (Gene Hackman), setting up a deadly confrontation between Eastwood and Hackman that's an all-timer in the cinematic landscape.

20. Rebecca (1940)

It's surprising that Alfred Hitchcock's only Best Picture win came for Rebecca instead of some of his more famous films. Still, this story of the haunting of the wife (Joan Fontaine) of an aristocrat (Laurence Olivier) by his dead wife's presence is still an exceptional classic with great suspense and fine performances.

19. The Lost Weekend (1945)

Centering a writer struggling with the throes of alcoholism on an isolated weekend, it’s a harrowing and worthwhile drama from Billy Wilder that showcases his range as a director.

18. West Side Story (1961)

West Side Story adapts and modernizes Romeo and Juliet brilliantly, with catchy songs, great performances, and choreography. Everything works, for maybe the best musical of all time (at least other than The Nightmare Before Christmas).

17. All About Eve (1950)

Joseph L. Mankiewicz' All About Eve follows aging Broadway star Margo Channing (Bette Davis) who finds herself increasingly besieged by ambitious young fan Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter). It's tense, smartly written, and capably performed, with themes that still resonate today.

16. No Country for Old Men (2007)

The Coen Bros.' neo-Western crime thriller centers on a man who finds a lot of money in the desert (Josh Brolin), but has to survive being hunted by a vicious and effective assassin, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). The movie is as great as Chigurh's haircut is terrible.

15. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

An incredible epic war film about a POW camp and the battle of wills between Commander Shears (William Holden) and British Commander Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness), the tension over Nicholson’s insistence that the prisoners of war help the enemy by working hard and doing good work is a surprising point of tension delivered brilliantly.

14. The French Connection (1971)

William Friedkin delivers one of the finest neo-noir films of all time, following a shady but determined detective (RIP Gene Hackman, legend) trying to break a drug smuggling ring. It’s so good it was actually worth all that public endangerment in the car chase sequence.

13. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

A 1930 adaptation of an anti-war classic simply shouldn’t be this good. Emotional. Epic. Adeptly paced. It's fantastic.

12. On the Waterfront (1954)

Elia Kazan took fifteen minutes out of his gleeful participation in McCarthy’s anticommunist blacklist to direct On the Waterfront, but the crime drama is excellent thanks to Budd Schulberg’s great script and a stunning performance from Marlon Brando. 

11. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The cat-and-mouse game between Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter and Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling continues to be incredible to watch.

10. It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened One Night, featuring Claudette Colbert as a socialite who falls for a reporter (played by Clark Gable), is a hilarious exemplar of how good so many 1930s comedies were. The story perpetually shifts, the dialogue is witty and adeptly delivered. 

9. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

A tense battle of wills between the arrested Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) and the sadistic mental institution’s Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), this adaptation captures the spirit of the Ken Kesey classic with an absolutely stellar script and pitch-perfect performances.

8. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

In many ways, Lawrence of Arabia is the prototypical epic: surely not the first, but it feels grand and massive, a major accomplishment in its era that stands the test of time.

7. The Godfather 2 (1974)

The Godfather is a masterpiece, but The Godfather Part II is so good that you can have a spirited debate over which is better. It’s a time-hopping set of stories tracing Vito Corleone’s immigrant tale while also following Michael’s complex journey as family patriarch. Both stories are immaculate.

6. The Apartment (1960)

Billy Wilder was a legend, in part for his ability to pull off an incredible array of different genres and tones. The Apartment is hilarious yet sad and serious, brilliantly sliding between tones better than almost anyone.

5. Moonlight (2016)

Barry Jenkins’ moving tale of a young Black man who comes to understand that he’s gay over the course of a life, is brilliant all around and one of the most romantic movies in film history, easy.

4. Schindler's List (1993)

Spielberg’s World War II drama about German industrialist Oskar Schindler is a stark portrayals of the horrors of Nazism, with an incredible performance from Liam Neeson. It’s a hard watch and a stark reminder to stamp out fascism in all forms, forever.

3. Parasite (2019)

Bong Joon-ho has long been one of our finest filmmakers, and the class thriller Parasite shows why. Incisive in its critical lens, Parasite slides between tones effortlessly with a skill we haven’t seen since Wilder’s best.

2. The Godfather (1972)

There’s little that hasn’t been said about The Godfather. Suffice to say it has almost everything: high stakes, love, loss, violence, family, betrayal, and a fall from grace for Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) that’s tragic yet feels fated.

1. Casablanca (1943)

Literally everything about Casablanca works. The script is rock solid and full of classic lines. The politics are stellar. Bogart, brilliant. It’ll make you cry because of the doomed romance, and when a room of crying French patriots sing the French national anthem in resistance.