We're listing the top 20 movies that we think everyone should watch at least once today. We're ranking the big ones, the well-regarded classics, and those movies that you should watch at least once in your lifetime as part of a healthy cinematic diet on this list. Do you know of any that we overlooked? Inform us in the comments.
20. Parasite
The parasite has achieved amazing critical and economic success for a number of reasons, which contributes in part to the notion that it merits your cinematic attention. For one thing, it's the only movie to never have been shot in English to win the Academy Award for best picture. This parasite successfully dispels the long-standing taboo against foreign-language films receiving Oscar nominations while also introducing global cinema to a larger audience. In the same vein, the parasite's director, Pong Joon Ho, hails from the field of genre filmmaking, thus establishing these authors as legitimate competitors for films of different styles and lengths.
19. The breakfast club
It's been argued that the writing in movies aimed at children and teenagers is only occasionally the best. Thankfully, movies like The Breakfast Club and Fast Times at Ridgemont High have challenged this idea and stereotype. Both movies take the issues facing their young heroes seriously and show a great deal of respect for them. Although the breakfast club may begin isolating its high school members during detention, it soon becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. By the end of the film, everyone in the breakfast club has undergone a shift of some sort, and we, the audience, are left with our wits challenged and our hearts that much fuller for having accompanied them on their journey.
18. The good the bad and the ugly
To enjoy Sergio Leone's The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, you don't necessarily need to enjoy Westerns, but having an understanding of the genre surely helps. Leone's vision is a masterclass in epic storytelling and is sure to captivate even the most wary of viewers. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly doesn't cut corners and advances the genre's use of violence in both scope and style. Instead of focusing just on a treasure hunt or a gun battle, Leonie's picture takes the traditional western archetype and drags it into modern cinema for a completely new lease on life.
17. Singing in the rain
If you haven't seen Gene Kelly dance, you haven't lived, and if you haven't seen Gene Kelly dance, you haven't seen Singing in the Rain. It doesn't matter if musicals are your taste or not; this movie has a similar impact to Leone's Westerns. Old Hollywood sparkle and elegance are at their height in Singing in the Rain. It evokes a time of refinement and artifice long past. Kelly and his co-stars, Debbie Reynolds and Sid Cherise, light up the screen like lightning during a thunderstorm, adding grace and beauty to the singing and dancing. Everyone should see Sing It in the Rain at least once because it has an unmatched electricity that cannot be equaled.
16. The dark knight
Unfortunately, those same stars don't stay with us forever, which is why movies like Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight serve as important time capsules to remember the performances we love. Our favorite movie stars enter our lives on the silver screen and leave us with something that cannot be measured with money or time: an emotional connection. Although Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight is about Batman, Heath Ledger is the star of it, and his performance is something that has to be seen to be believed. Ledger's portrayal of the Joker surprised viewers and industry experts alike.
15. Crouching tiger hidden dragon
When it was published in 2000, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon followed in the footsteps of Giants. It's easy to draw comparisons between the film's explosion and critical praise and the kung fu mania that erupted after Bruce Lee's entering the Dragon in the 1970s because of its astounding crossover appeal with viewers. The crouching tiger's hidden dragon, however, is crucial. Furthermore, it broke with the martial arts cliches of the 1970s by popularizing the more physically graceful and thematically sophisticated wushu form. The Crouching Tiger is a martial arts movie, but it's also much more than that. A stunning film experience that begs to be relished
14. Apocalypse now
There are several ways for moviegoers to appreciate how expansive Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now was. On the surface, Koala's movie appears to be one of the darkest and most captivating war movies of all time, but there is also the war that Coppola's wife documented with documentary footage shot on set. It was a genuinely traumatic experience for everyone involved to shoot Apocalypse Now, and those results are displayed there on the screen. It's a heady and psychedelic trip into the depths of darkness and an abyss where there is no light.
13. Toy Story
Who says children must only watch children's movies? Not the Pixar crew, whose Toy Story franchise has gained popularity among kids and adults all around the world. Buzz Woody and the Gang has a worldwide appeal since it illustrates what happens when kids are preoccupied with their toys. Additionally, Toy Story addresses universal themes such as feelings of abandonment, confusion, and grief, as well as the emotional changes associated with growing up. Additionally, it does so with a gentle patience that effortlessly crosses the screen and enters our hearts. Simply put, Toy Story is a classic.
12. The Maltese falcon
German expressionism was a major influence on the film noir movement, which shaped American cinema's history in black and white. One of the best examples of this type is The Maltese Falcon, a motion picture that is studied by students for its contributions to visual style and narrative design. In fact, the Maltese falcon's significance and influence can be observed in more contemporary works like Quentin Tarantino's pulp literature, which is indebted to the movie. From Mary Astir's seductive femme fatale to Humphrey Bogart's tough private eye, it's all here. The Maltese falcon helped develop cinematic cliches rather than adhering to them.
11. The Exorcist
What about desert island horror, the movies that fans could not survive without? The original Halloween is undoubtedly on that list, but perhaps foremost is William Friedkin's The Exorcist; it is a tour de force that still manages to disturb decades after its original release. There are few areas of film fandom with as much dedication as the world of horror. Horror fans want to see it all, re-watching their favorite scares again and again.
10. Citizen kane
Speaking of Citizen Kane, there's a good reason why critics continue to praise this 1941 movie so highly. It is both a textbook illustration and a game-changer for the medium to praise this 1941 movie so highly. It is both a textbook illustration and a game-changer for the medium. Orson Welles, a legendary figure in Hollywood, saw his career defined by this accomplishment. Numerous directors tried to recreate the stirring and nuanced themes of Bernard Hermann's renowned music for Citizen Kane by studying the composers' editing methods, story structure, and cinematography. Citizen Kane didn't make much money during its original run, which is maybe not surprising, but word of mouth spread quickly, and soon Wells's picture would go on to become one of the most influential ones ever made.
09. The lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring
Unless your name is Peter Jackson, it might be difficult to keep an audience's attention over a lengthy, big-budget epic. Although respected filmmakers like Ralph Bakshi, Jules Bass, and Arthur Rankin Jr. attempted to bring the world of author J.R.R. Tolkien to life this time, the first installment of Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy followed in their footsteps. Jackson had the resources, the setting, and the cast to create an update that would become widely regarded as the definitive representation of Tolkien on screen, and it's been difficult to refute those claims since The Fellowship of the Ring.
08. Modern times
The silent film industry produced a number of well-known stars and unbelievably talented legends. One was Buster Keaton, and our next item comes from another, the legendary C. W. Chaplin. The actor's natural charm and extraordinary physical comedy abilities are on full display in Chaplin's film, which also showcases his ability to inject biting satire into a contemporary story. Chaplin's film even got him in trouble with the US government due to his left-leaning political views, but despite or perhaps precisely because of this controversy, modern times remain unerroneous.
07. Gone with the wind
An expensive epic is everyone's favorite. right Titanic was a huge hit when it came out in 1997, but Gone with the Wind from 1939 might be one of the underdogs when it comes to making it big nowadays. The movie's content has several contentious elements. Although discussing the context is necessary, Gone with the Wind's status as a technical marvel and a cultural icon remains unchanged. The movie's length of more than three hours may surprise newcomers, but Gone with the Wind is still one of those movies that genuine medium experts should take the time to watch. It's a great, sweeping love story that probably won't be replicated in filmmaking again.
06. Star wars episode four a new hope
From character-driven films and jarring productions to the summer blockbuster season that inadvertently began with Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1976), the 1970s were a true golden age for American filmmaking. George Lucas, a friend and coworker of Steven Spielberg, made a small movie called Star Wars that would go down in movie history. It might be referred to as episode 4, a new hope, today. Even then, it was simply referred to as "Star Wars," a global phenomenon that captured the interest of viewers everywhere. The space opera to end all space operas, Star Wars was a huge hit that revolutionized summer moviegoing and inspired one of the most adored film sequels. The empire responds.
05. Seven samurai
Cinephiles are aware of certain names as true silver screen masters. Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese great who made some of the art form's most impactful films, is one of them. His 200-plus-minute epic is a masterwork of narrative structure and aesthetic splendor. Although the movie is about samurai, it also deals with topics such as loss, finding one's place in the world, dealing with change over time, and how we define ourselves once something that defines us is gone. More than just action and swordplay are shown in Seven Samurai. It is a genuine movie experience.
04. Psycho
What distinguishes a horror film from a thriller, and what defines one? It's hard to say, but horror movie aficionados applauded when The Silence of the Lambs won the 1992 Academy Award for best picture. Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock succeeds on all levels, acting as a gripping and sad character study while delivering some of the most recognizable shocks of the decade. Psycho, a timeless horror film with twists that yet feel shockingly new today, may be one of filmmaker Hitchcock's greatest works. He wasn't renowned as the master of suspense for nothing.
03. A space odyssey 2001
It should come as no surprise that the films in our top tier were produced by some of the best filmmakers in history. Unquestionably, one of those individuals is Stanley Kubrick, a creative obnoxious whose austere and endlessly watchable works have gone on to become textbook examples of how to produce a movie. One of Kubrick's best-known works, 2001: A Space Odyssey, is also one of his best. It is a work of hard sci-fi that confronts its audience at every turn and is a measured, moody film that explores the place of humanity in the world while also daring to become marvelously psychedelic throughout its running time. Seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey is essential.
02. The Godfather
Our favorite movies are frequently quoted. Whether you like it or not, some of those quotes end up being so well-known that they become part of the language and zeitgeist of pop culture. One of those movies is The Godfather, but it also stands out because Francis Ford Coppola's colossal crime epic still lives up to expectations. No matter how many of its beats you've memorized or how much trivia you know, this is a movie that never gets old. It's amazing that Coppola put together this ideal cast and released the ideal film at the ideal time. Watching The Godfather is always a wise choice because it is the best.
01. The Wizard of oz
Everyone enjoys movies, and each person has a favorite. Many people place The Wizard of Oz at the top of this list, and with good reason—it's wonderful how well it fits into our movie-watching routines as kids and continues to stick with us as we get older, becoming one of those comforting movies we find ourselves watching repeatedly. Let's say you haven't seen The Wizard of Oz. The wonder of Dorothy's travels in the Land of Oz is part of the DNA strands of unexplainable magic that bind us all as movie fans; therefore, in that instance, it doesn't matter because a first viewing is just like the hundredth: warm, familiar, and universally sentimental.