300 Essential Movies To Watch Now

Critics Consensus: Sidney Lumet's feature debut is a superbly written, dramatically effective courtroom thriller that rightfully stands as a modern classic.

Synopsis: Following the closing arguments in a murder trial, the 12 members of the jury must deliberate, with a guilty verdict meaning death for the accused,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Critics Consensus: One of the most influential of all sci-fi films -- and one of the most controversial -- Stanley Kubrick's 2001 is a delicate, poetic meditation on the ingenuity -- and folly -- of mankind.

Synopsis: An imposing black structure provides a connection between the past and the future in this enigmatic adaptation of a short story by revered sci-fi author... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: A seminal French New Wave film that offers an honest, sympathetic, and wholly heartbreaking observation of adolescence without trite nostalgia.

Synopsis: For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents (Claire Maurier,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy, Guy Decomble

Directed By: François Truffaut

Critics Consensus: While its premise is ripe for comedy -- and it certainly delivers its fair share of laughs -- Priscilla is also a surprisingly tender and thoughtful road movie with some outstanding performances.

Synopsis: When drag queen Anthony (Hugo Weaving) agrees to take his act on the road, he invites fellow cross-dresser Adam (Guy Pearce) and transsexual Bernadette (Terence... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, Bill Hunter

Directed By: Stephan Elliott

Critics Consensus: Errol Flynn thrills as the legendary title character, and the film embodies the type of imaginative family adventure tailor-made for the silver screen.

Synopsis: When King Richard the Lionheart is captured, his scheming brother Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to reach the throne, to the outrage of Sir Robin... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains

Directed By: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley

Critics Consensus: A haunting journey of natural wonder and tangible danger, Aguirre transcends epic genre trappings and becomes mythological by its own right.

Synopsis: Don Lope de Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), a ruthless Spanish conquistador, vies for power while part of an expedition in Peru to find El Dorado, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, Helena Rojo, Del Negro

Directed By: Werner Herzog

Critics Consensus: Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, Airplane! is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.

Synopsis: This spoof comedy takes shots at the slew of disaster movies that were released in the 70s. When the passengers and crew of a jet... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves, Robert Stack

Directed By: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Critics Consensus: Akira is strikingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.

Synopsis: In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, 31 years after nuking the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tessho Genda

Directed By: Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.

Synopsis: In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.

Synopsis: After floating in space for 57 years, Lt. Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) shuttle is found by a deep space salvage team. Upon arriving at LV-426, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: Smart, sophisticated, and devastatingly funny, All About Eve is a Hollywood classic that only improves with age.

Synopsis: Backstage story revolving around aspiring actress Eve Harrington. Tattered and forlorn, Eve shows up in the dressing room of Broadway mega-star Margo Channing, telling a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders

Directed By: Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Critics Consensus: Almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love, loss and compassion.

Synopsis: New friends help a woman (Cecilia Roth) struggling to get her life in order after her son's (Eloy Azorín) death.

Starring: Cecilia Roth, Eloy Azorín, Marisa Paredes, Penélope Cruz

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: A taut, solidly acted paean to the benefits of a free press and the dangers of unchecked power, made all the more effective by its origins in real-life events.

Synopsis: Two green reporters and rivals working for the Washington Post, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), research the botched 1972 burglary of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam

Directed By: Alan J. Pakula

Critics Consensus: Almost Famous, with its great ensemble performances and story, is a well-crafted, warm-hearted movie that successfully draws you into its era.

Synopsis: Set in 1973, it chronicles the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an unabashed music fan who is inspired by the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: Amadeus' liberties with history may rankle some, but the creative marriage of Miloš Forman and Peter Shaffer yields a divinely diabolical myth of genius and mediocrity, buoyed by inspired casting and Mozart's rapturous music.

Synopsis: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a remarkably talented young Viennese composer who unwittingly finds a fierce rival in the disciplined and determined Antonio Salieri. Resenting Mozart... View Full Synopsis

Starring: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Jeffrey Jones, Elizabeth Berridge

Directed By: Milos Forman

Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.

Synopsis: "Amélie" is a fanciful comedy about a young woman who discretely orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating a world exclusively of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Critics Consensus: With towering performances and an unflinching script from Michael Haneke, Amour represents an honest, heartwrenching depiction of deep love and responsibility.

Synopsis: Retired music teachers Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) have spent their lives devoted to their careers and to each other. Their relationship faces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud

Directed By: Michael Haneke

Critics Consensus: The plot may be problematic, but such concerns are rendered superfluous by Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron's star power, the Gershwins' classic songs, and Vincente Minnelli's colorful, sympathetic direction.

Synopsis: Jerry Mulligan is an American ex-GI who stays in post-war Paris to become a painter, and falls for the gamine charms of Lise Bouvier. However,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary

Directed By: Vincente Minnelli

Critics Consensus: Filled with poignant performances and devastating humor, Annie Hall represents a quantum leap for Woody Allen and remains an American classic.

Synopsis: Comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) examines the rise and fall of his relationship with struggling nightclub singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Speaking directly to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Director Billy Wilder's customary cynicism is leavened here by tender humor, romance, and genuine pathos.

Synopsis: Insurance worker C.C. Baxter (Jack Lemmon) lends his Upper West Side apartment to company bosses to use for extramarital affairs. When his manager Mr. Sheldrake... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston

Directed By: Billy Wilder

Critics Consensus: A voyage to hell where the journey is more satisfying than the destination, Francis Ford Coppola's haunting, hallucinatory Vietnam War epic is cinema at its most audacious and visionary.

Synopsis: In Vietnam in 1970, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) takes a perilous and increasingly hallucinatory journey upriver to find and terminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest

Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola

Critics Consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.

Synopsis: Adrift in space with no food or water, Tony Stark sends a message to Pepper Potts as his oxygen supply starts to dwindle. Meanwhile, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth

Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Critics Consensus: Inventive, funny, and breathlessly constructed, Back to the Future is a rousing time-travel adventure with an unforgettable spirit.

Synopsis: In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

Critics Consensus: Terrence Malick's debut is a masterful slice of American cinema, rife with the visual poetry and measured performances that would characterize his work.

Synopsis: Inspired by real-life killers Charles Starkweather and Caril-Ann Fugate, this tale of crime and love begins in a dead-end town. Teenage girl Holly (Sissy Spacek)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates, Ramon Bieri

Directed By: Terrence Malick

Critics Consensus: Enchanting, sweepingly romantic, and featuring plenty of wonderful musical numbers, Beauty and the Beast is one of Disney's most elegant animated offerings.

Synopsis: An arrogant young prince and his castle's servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast until he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach

Directed By: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise

Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and highly original, Being John Malkovich supports its wild premise with skillful direction and a stellar ensemble cast.

Synopsis: In this quirky cult-favorite comedy, unemployed New York City puppeteer Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) reluctantly takes a temp job as a filing clerk for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean

Directed By: Spike Jonze

Critics Consensus: Smart, sophisticated, and refreshingly subtle, Being There soars behind sensitive direction from Hal Ashby and a stellar Peter Sellers performance.

Synopsis: Simple-minded Chance (Peter Sellers), a gardener who has resided in the Washington, D.C., townhouse of his wealthy employer for his entire life and been educated... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Warden, Melvyn Douglas

Directed By: Hal Ashby

Critics Consensus: An engrossing look at the triumphs and travails of war veterans, The Best Years of Our Lives is concerned specifically with the aftermath of World War II, but its messages speak to the overall American experience.

Synopsis: Fred, Al and Homer are three World War II veterans facing difficulties as they re-enter civilian life. Fred (Dana Andrews) is a war hero who,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright

Directed By: William Wyler

Critics Consensus: A promising work by Lin, the energetic Better Luck Tomorrow is disturbing and thought-provoking.

Synopsis: An accomplished high school student, Ben (Parry Shen) seems to excel at almost everything except winning over his dream girl, Stephanie (Karin Anna Cheung). When... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Parry Shen, Jason Tobin, Sung Kang, Roger Fan

Directed By: Justin Lin

Critics Consensus: An Italian neorealism exemplar, Bicycle Thieves thrives on its non-flashy performances and searing emotion.

Synopsis: Unemployed Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. His wife, Maria (Lianella Carell), sells the family's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Lianella Carell, Enzo Staiola, Elena Altieri

Directed By: Vittorio De Sica

Critics Consensus: The Big Lebowski's shaggy dog story won't satisfy everybody, but those who abide will be treated to a rambling succession of comic delights, with Jeff Bridges' laconic performance really tying the movie together.

Synopsis: Jeff Bridges plays Jeff Lebowski who insists on being called "the Dude," a laid-back, easygoing burnout who happens to have the same name as a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: Funny, heartfelt, and intelligent, The Big Sick uses its appealing leads and cross-cultural themes to prove the standard romcom formula still has some fresh angles left to explore.

Synopsis: Kumail is a Pakistani comic, who meets an American graduate student named Emily at one of his stand-up shows. As their relationship blossoms, he soon... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano

Directed By: Michael Showalter

Critics Consensus: A thrilling leap forward for director Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman is an ambitious technical showcase powered by a layered story and outstanding performances from Michael Keaton and Edward Norton.

Synopsis: Former cinema superhero Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) is mounting an ambitious Broadway production that he hopes will breathe new life into his stagnant career. It's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough

Directed By: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Critics Consensus: Though it's light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott's superb technical skill.

Synopsis: In 1993, the U.S. sends special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Colorful, atmospheric, and infections, Black Orpheus takes an ancient tale and makes it fresh anew, thanks in part to its bewitching bossa nova soundtrack.

Synopsis: Young lovers Orfeu (Breno Mello) and Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) run through the favelas of Rio during Carnaval, on the lam from a hitman dressed like... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes de Oliveira, Léa Garcia

Directed By: Marcel Camus

Critics Consensus: Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories -- and introducing some of its most fully realized characters.

Synopsis: After the death of his father, T'Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira

Directed By: Ryan Coogler

Critics Consensus: Misunderstood when it first hit theaters, the influence of Ridley Scott's mysterious, neo-noir Blade Runner has deepened with time. A visually remarkable, achingly human sci-fi masterpiece.

Synopsis: Deckard (Harrison Ford) is forced by the police Boss (M. Emmet Walsh) to continue his old job as Replicant Hunter. His assignment: eliminate four escaped... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Daring, provocative, and laugh-out-loud funny, Blazing Saddles is a gleefully vulgar spoof of Westerns that marks a high point in Mel Brooks' storied career.

Synopsis: In this satirical take on Westerns, crafty railroad worker Bart (Cleavon Little) becomes the first black sheriff of Rock Ridge, a frontier town about to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Slim Pickens

Directed By: Mel Brooks

Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.

Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who transforms him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Harrowing yet stirring, Boys Don't Cry powerfully commemorates the life -- and brutally unjust death -- of transgender teen Brandon Teena.

Synopsis: Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III

Directed By: Kimberly Peirce

Critics Consensus: Well-acted and thematically rich, Boyz N the Hood observes Black America with far more depth and compassion than many of the like-minded films its success inspired.

Synopsis: Tre is sent to live with his father, Furious Styles, in tough South Central Los Angeles. Although his hard-nosed father instills proper values and respect... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nia Long

Directed By: John Singleton

Critics Consensus: If The Breakfast Club's gestures towards authenticity are occasionally undercut by trendy flourishes, its blistering emotional honesty and talented troupe of young actors catapult it to the top of the teen comedy class.

Synopsis: Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The disparate group includes rebel John, princess Claire,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Paul Gleason

Directed By: John Hughes

Critics Consensus: Breathless rewrote the rules of cinema -- and more than 50 years after its arrival, Jean-Luc Godard's paradigm-shifting classic remains every bit as vital.

Synopsis: Petty thug Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) considers himself a suave bad guy in the manner of Humphrey Bogart, but panics and impulsively kills a policeman while... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Pierre Melville

Directed By: Jean-Luc Godard

Critics Consensus: A marriage of genuine characters, gross out gags, and pathos, Bridesmaids is a female-driven comedy that refuses to be boxed in as Kristen Wiig emerges as a real star.

Synopsis: Annie (Kristen Wiig) is a single woman whose own life is a mess, but when she learns that her lifelong best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper

Directed By: Paul Feig

Critics Consensus: This complex war epic asks hard questions, resists easy answers, and boasts career-defining work from star Alec Guinness and director David Lean.

Synopsis: Adaptation of the Pierre Boulle novel about POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British... View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Hawkins

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: Zellweger's Bridget Jones is a sympathetic, likable, funny character, giving this romantic comedy a lot of charm.

Synopsis: At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget (Renée Zellweger) decides it's time to take control of her life -- and start keeping a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones

Directed By: Sharon Maguire

Critics Consensus: Blockbuster dramatist James L. Brooks delivers with Broadcast News, fully entertaining with deft, deep characterization.

Synopsis: Intelligent satire of American television news. A highly strung news producer finds herself strangely attracted to a vapid anchorman even through she loathes everything he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, Robert Prosky

Directed By: James L. Brooks

Critics Consensus: A beautiful, epic Western, Brokeback Mountain's love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Synopsis: In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre as sheep herders in Wyoming. One night... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Linda Cardellini, Anna Faris

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: With its iconic pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford, jaunty screenplay and Burt Bacharach score, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid has gone down as among the defining moments in late-'60s American cinema.

Synopsis: The true story of fast-draws and wild rides, battles with posses, train and bank robberies, a torrid love affair and a new lease on outlaw... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin

Directed By: George Roy Hill

Critics Consensus: Great performances and evocative musical numbers help Cabaret secure its status as a stylish, socially conscious classic.

Synopsis: In Berlin in 1931, American cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) meets British academic Brian Roberts (Michael York), who is finishing his university studies. Despite... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York, Helmut Griem

Directed By: Bob Fosse

Critics Consensus: Arguably the first true horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari set a brilliantly high bar for the genre -- and remains terrifying nearly a century after it first stalked the screen.

Synopsis: At a carnival in Germany, Francis and his friend Alan encounter the crazed Dr. Caligari. The men see Caligari showing off his somnambulist, Cesare, a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Lil Dagover, Friedrich Feher

Directed By: Robert Wiene

Critics Consensus: Call Me by Your Name offers a melancholy, powerfully affecting portrait of first love, empathetically acted by Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer.

Synopsis: It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: Shaped by Todd Haynes' deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.

Synopsis: Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two women develop a fast bond... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy

Directed By: Todd Haynes

Critics Consensus: An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps Hollywood's quintessential statement on love and romance, Casablanca has only improved with age, boasting career-defining performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Synopsis: Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

Directed By: Michael Curtiz

Critics Consensus: Casino Royale disposes of the silliness and gadgetry that plagued recent James Bond outings, and Daniel Craig delivers what fans and critics have been waiting for: a caustic, haunted, intense reinvention of 007.

Synopsis: After receiving a license to kill, British Secret Service agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) heads to Madagascar, where he uncovers a link to Le Chiffre... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench

Directed By: Martin Campbell

Critics Consensus: Children of Men works on every level: as a violent chase thriller, a fantastical cautionary tale, and a sophisticated human drama about societies struggling to live.

Synopsis: When infertility threatens mankind with extinction and the last child born has perished, a disillusioned bureaucrat (Clive Owen) becomes the unlikely champion in the fight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Chiwetel Ejiofor

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

Critics Consensus: As bruised and cynical as the decade that produced it, this noir classic benefits from Robert Towne's brilliant screenplay, director Roman Polanski's steady hand, and wonderful performances from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.

Synopsis: When Los Angeles private eye J.J. Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate her husband's activities, he believes it's a routine... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez

Directed By: Roman Polanski

Critics Consensus: City of God offers a shocking and disturbing -- but always compelling -- look at life in the slums of Rio de Janiero.

Synopsis: In the poverty-stricken favelas of Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s, two young men choose different paths. Rocket (Phellipe Haagensen) is a budding photographer who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva

Directed By: Fernando Meirelles

Critics Consensus: Cinema Paradiso is a life-affirming ode to the power of youth, nostalgia, and the the movies themselves.

Synopsis: Young Salvatore Di Vita (Salvatore Cascio) discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the Cinema Paradiso movie house, where projectionist Alfredo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Salvatore Cascio, Philippe Noiret, Marco Leonardi, Jacques Perrin

Directed By: Giuseppe Tornatore

Critics Consensus: Orson Welles's epic tale of a publishing tycoon's rise and fall is entertaining, poignant, and inventive in its storytelling, earning its reputation as a landmark achievement in film.

Synopsis: When a reporter is assigned to decipher newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane's (Orson Welles) dying words, his investigation gradually reveals the fascinating portrait of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ruth Warrick, Everett Sloane

Directed By: Orson Welles

Critics Consensus: One of the best underdog romance movies ever, with an ending that will light up any heart.

Synopsis: A hapless but resilient tramp (Charlie Chaplin) falls in love with a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) on the tough city streets. Upon learning that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Hank Mann

Directed By: Charlie Chaplin

Critics Consensus: With its quirky characters and clever, quotable dialogue, Clerks is the ultimate clarion call for slackers everywhere to unite and, uh, do something we guess?

Synopsis: Dante (Brian O'Halloran) is called in to cover a shift at his New Jersey convenience store on his day off. His friend Randal (Jeff Anderson)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer

Directed By: Kevin Smith

Critics Consensus: Disturbing and thought-provoking, A Clockwork Orange is a cold, dystopian nightmare with a very dark sense of humor.

Synopsis: In an England of the future, Alex and his "Droogs" spend their nights getting high at the Korova Milkbar before embarking on "a little of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: A funny and clever reshaping of Emma, Clueless offers a soft satire that pokes as much fun at teen films as it does at the Beverly Hills glitterati.

Synopsis: Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd

Directed By: Amy Heckerling

Critics Consensus: Coco's rich visual pleasures are matched by a thoughtful narrative that takes a family-friendly -- and deeply affecting -- approach to questions of culture, family, life, and death.

Synopsis: Despite his family's generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach

Directed By: Lee Unkrich

Critics Consensus: With a terrific cast and a surfeit of visual razzle dazzle, Crazy Rich Asians takes a satisfying step forward for screen representation while deftly drawing inspiration from the classic -- and still effective -- rom-com formula.

Synopsis: Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Jon M. Chu

Critics Consensus: Creed brings the Rocky franchise off the mat for a surprisingly effective seventh round that extends the boxer's saga in interesting new directions while staying true to its classic predecessors' roots.

Synopsis: Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous father, boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died before Adonis was born. However, boxing is in his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad

Directed By: Ryan Coogler

Critics Consensus: Catapulting Ang Lee into the upper echelon of Hollywood filmmakers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features a deft mix of amazing martial arts battles, beautiful scenery, and tasteful drama.

Synopsis: In 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver to safe keeping,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.

Synopsis: With the help of allies, Lt. Jim Gordon and DA Harvey Dent, Batman is able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Critics Consensus: One of the most compelling and entertaining zombie films ever, Dawn of the Dead perfectly blends pure horror and gore with social commentary on material society.

Synopsis: As hordes of zombies swarm over the U.S., the terrified populace tries everything in their power to escape the attack of the undead, but neither... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Emge, Ken Foree, Gaylen Ross, Scott H. Reiniger

Directed By: George A. Romero

Critics Consensus: Socially minded yet entertaining, The Day the Earth Stood Still imparts its moral of peace and understanding without didacticism.

Synopsis: When a UFO lands in Washington, D.C., bearing a message for Earth's leaders, all of humanity stands still. Klaatu has come on behalf of alien... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe

Directed By: Robert Wise

Critics Consensus: Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, a precise feel for the 1970s, and a killer soundtrack, Dazed and Confused is a funny, affectionate, and clear-eyed look at high school life.

Synopsis: This coming-of-age film follows the mayhem of a group of rowdy teenagers in Austin, Texas, celebrating the last day of high school in 1976. The... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Sasha Jenson, Rory Cochrane

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Affecting performances from the young cast and a genuinely inspirational turn from Robin Williams grant Peter Weir's prep school drama top honors.

Synopsis: A new English teacher, John Keating (Robin Williams), is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles

Directed By: Peter Weir

Critics Consensus: Its many imitators (and sequels) have never come close to matching the taut thrills of the definitive holiday action classic.

Synopsis: New York City policeman John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson

Directed By: John McTiernan

Critics Consensus: Smart, vibrant, and urgent without being didactic, Do the Right Thing is one of Spike Lee's most fully realized efforts -- and one of the most important films of the 1980s.

Synopsis: Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: It may not be the best of David Lean's epics, but Dr. Zhivago is still brilliantly photographed and sweepingly romantic.

Synopsis: During the Russian Revolution, Yuri Zhivago (Omar Sharif) is a young doctor who has been raised by his aunt and uncle following his father's suicide.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: Framed by great work from director Sidney Lumet and fueled by a gripping performance from Al Pacino, Dog Day Afternoon offers a finely detailed snapshot of people in crisis with tension-soaked drama shaded in black humor.

Synopsis: When inexperienced criminal Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino) leads a bank robbery in Brooklyn, things quickly go wrong, and a hostage situation develops. As Sonny and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Critics Consensus: Don't Look Now patiently builds suspense with haunting imagery and a chilling score -- causing viewers to feel Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie's grief deep within.

Synopsis: Still grieving over the accidental death of their daughter, Christine (Sharon Williams), John (Donald Sutherland) and Laura Baxter (Julie Christie) head to Venice, Italy, where... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania

Directed By: Nicolas Roeg

Critics Consensus: A dark, tautly constructed adaptation of James M. Cain's novel -- penned by Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler -- Double Indemnity continues to set the standard for the best in Hollywood film noir.

Synopsis: In this classic film noir, insurance salesman Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) gets roped into a murderous scheme when he falls for the sensual Phyllis Dietrichson... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Hall

Directed By: Billy Wilder

Critics Consensus: Stanley Kubrick's brilliant Cold War satire remains as funny and razor-sharp today as it was in 1964.

Synopsis: A film about what could happen if the wrong person pushed the wrong button -- and it played the situation for laughs. U.S. Air Force... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: Bela Lugosi's timeless portrayal of Dracula in this creepy and atmospheric 1931 film has set the standard for major vampiric roles since.

Synopsis: The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), after hypnotizing a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into his mindless slave, travels to London and takes up... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bela Lugosi, Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye, David Manners

Directed By: Tod Browning

Critics Consensus: With its hyper-stylized blend of violence, music, and striking imagery, Drive represents a fully realized vision of arthouse action.

Synopsis: Driver is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he's been warming up... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks

Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn

Critics Consensus: Jackie Chan sends up some amazing and entertaining fight sequences in The Legend of Drunken Master.

Synopsis: From a land where honor and tradition reign, comes the legend of a martial-arts hero unlike any other -- the "Drunken Master" -- who can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jackie Chan, Ti Lung, Anita Mui, Chia-Liang Liu

Directed By: Chia-Liang Liu

Critics Consensus: Fueled by inspired silliness and blessed with some of the Marx brothers' most brilliant work, Duck Soup is one of its -- or any -- era's finest comedies.

Synopsis: When the tiny nation of Freedonia goes bankrupt, its wealthy benefactor, Mrs. Teasdale (Margaret Dumont), insists that the wacky Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho Marx) become... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx

Directed By: Leo McCarey

Critics Consensus: Playing as both an exciting sci-fi adventure and a remarkable portrait of childhood, Steven Spielberg's touching tale of a homesick alien remains a piece of movie magic for young and old.

Synopsis: After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). Bringing the extraterrestrial... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Drew Barrymore

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Edgy and seminal, Easy Rider encapsulates the dreams, hopes, and hopelessness of 1960s counterculture.

Synopsis: Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper), two Harley-riding hippies, complete a drug deal in Southern California and decide to travel cross-country in search of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Antonio Mendoza

Directed By: Dennis Hopper

Critics Consensus: The first collaboration between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is a magical modern fairy tale with gothic overtones and a sweet center.

Synopsis: A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human being -- the gentle Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he can finish assembling Edward, though,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: Election successfully combines dark humor and intelligent writing in this very witty and enjoyable film.

Synopsis: Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), a well-liked high school government teacher, can't help but notice that successful student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) uses less than ethical... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell

Directed By: Alexander Payne

Critics Consensus: David Lynch's relatively straight second feature finds an admirable synthesis of compassion and restraint in treating its subject, and features outstanding performances by John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins.

Synopsis: Dr. Frederic Treves (Anthony Hopkins) discovers Joseph (John) Merrick (John Hurt) in a sideshow. Born with a congenital disorder, Merrick uses his disfigurement to earn... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud

Directed By: David Lynch

Critics Consensus: Badass to the max, Enter the Dragon is the ultimate kung-fu movie and a fitting (if untimely) Bruce Lee swan song.

Synopsis: Bruce Lee plays a martial-arts expert determined to help capture the narcotics dealer whose gang was responsible for the death of his sister. Lee enters... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri

Directed By: Robert Clouse

Critics Consensus: Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.

Synopsis: After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo

Directed By: Michel Gondry

Critics Consensus: Less a continuation than an outright reimagining, Sam Raimi transforms his horror tale into a comedy of terrors -- and arguably even improves on the original formula.

Synopsis: The second of three films in the Evil Dead series is part horror, part comedy, with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) once again battling horrifying demons... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Denise Bixler

Directed By: Sam Raimi

Critics Consensus: The Exorcist rides its supernatural theme to magical effect, with remarkable special effects and an eerie atmosphere, resulting in one of the scariest films of all time.

Synopsis: One of the most profitable horror movies ever made, this tale of an exorcism is based loosely on actual events. When young Regan (Linda Blair)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb

Directed By: William Friedkin

Critics Consensus: The Farewell deftly captures complicated family dynamics with a poignant, well-acted drama that marries cultural specificity with universally relatable themes.

Synopsis: Billi's family returns to China under the guise of a fake wedding to stealthily say goodbye to their beloved matriarch -- the only person that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Gil Perez-Abraham

Directed By: Lulu Wang

Critics Consensus: Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, Fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand.

Synopsis: "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: Sleek, loud, and over the top, Fast Five proudly embraces its brainless action thrills and injects new life into the franchise.

Synopsis: Ever since ex-cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) broke her brother Dom (Vin Diesel) out of custody, they've traveled border to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson

Directed By: Justin Lin

Critics Consensus: While Fast Times at Ridgemont High features Sean Penn's legendary performance, the film endures because it accurately captured the small details of school, work, and teenage life.

Synopsis: Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a pretty, but inexperienced, teen interested in dating. Given advice by her uninhibited friend, Linda Barrett (Phoebe Cates), Stacy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Robert Romanus

Directed By: Amy Heckerling

Critics Consensus: Solid acting, amazing direction, and elaborate production design make Fight Club a wild ride.

Synopsis: A depressed man suffering from insomnia meets a strange soap salesman named Tyler Durden and soon finds himself living in his squalid house after his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Cannes Jury Prize-winner Fish Tank is gritty British realism at its very best, with flawless performances from newcomer Kate Jarvis, and Michael Fassbender.

Synopsis: Mia (Katie Jarvis) is a rebellious teenager on the verge of being kicked out of school. Her hard-partying mother, Joanne (Kierston Wareing), neglects Mia's welfare... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing, Harry Treadaway

Directed By: Andrea Arnold

Critics Consensus: Shakespeare gets the deluxe space treatment in Forbidden Planet, an adaptation of The Tempest with impressive sets and seamless special effects.

Synopsis: In this sci-fi classic, a spacecraft travels to the distant planet Altair IV to discover the fate of a group of scientists sent there decades... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Warren Stevens

Directed By: Fred M. Wilcox

Critics Consensus: Hugh Grant ably snatches up the bouquet of leading man status with Four Weddings and a Funeral, a sparkling romantic comedy given real charm by its chummy ensemble and Richard Curtis' sharp-witted screenplay.

Synopsis: Lovable Englishman Charles and his group of friends seem to be unlucky in love. When Charles meets a beautiful American named Carrie at a wedding,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow

Directed By: Mike Newell

Critics Consensus: Still unnerving to this day, Frankenstein adroitly explores the fine line between genius and madness, and features Boris Karloff's legendary, frightening performance as the monster.

Synopsis: This iconic horror film follows the obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, Boris Karloff

Directed By: James Whale

Critics Consensus: Realistic, fast-paced and uncommonly smart, The French Connection is bolstered by stellar performances by Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, not to mention William Friedkin's thrilling production.

Synopsis: New York Detective Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and his partner (Roy Scheider) chase a French heroin smuggler.

Starring: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco

Directed By: William Friedkin

Critics Consensus: Frida is a passionate, visually striking biopic about the larger-than-life artist.

Synopsis: This is the true story of Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) and her husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), the larger-than-life painters who became the most acclaimed... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, Mía Maestro

Directed By: Julie Taymor

Critics Consensus: Peter Weir's devastating anti-war film features a low-key but emotionally wrenching performance from Mel Gibson as a young soldier fighting in one of World War I's most deadly and horrifying battles.

Synopsis: Archy and Frank are two young Australian sprinters who want to join the army to fulfill their sense of duty. Turned down because they are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Lee, Mel Gibson, Bill Kerr, Ron Graham

Directed By: Peter Weir

Critics Consensus: Director Richard Attenborough is typically sympathetic and sure-handed, but it's Ben Kingsley's magnetic performance that acts as the linchpin for this sprawling, lengthy biopic.

Synopsis: This acclaimed biographical drama presents major events in the life of Mohandas Gandhi (Ben Kingsley), the beloved Indian leader who stood against British rule over... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielgud

Directed By: Richard Attenborough

Critics Consensus: Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.

Synopsis: Vincent Freeman has always fantasized about traveling into outer space, but is grounded by his status as a genetically inferior in-valid. He decides to fight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Gore Vidal

Directed By: Andrew Niccol

Critics Consensus: Brilliantly filmed and fueled with classic physical comedy, The General captures Buster Keaton at his timeless best.

Synopsis: One of the most revered comedies of the silent era, this film finds hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) facing off against Union... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley

Directed By: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton

Critics Consensus: Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.

Synopsis: Now that Chris and his girlfriend, Rose, have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway with Missy and Dean.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford

Directed By: Jordan Peele

Critics Consensus: A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.

Synopsis: In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Epcar, Mimi Woods, William Frederick Knight, Tom Wyner

Directed By: Mamoru Oshii

Critics Consensus: Girls Trip is the rare R-rated comedy that pushes boundaries to truly comedic effect -- and anchors its laughs in compelling characters brought to life by a brilliantly assembled cast.

Synopsis: Best friends Ryan, Sasha, Lisa and Dina are in for the adventure of a lifetime when they travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish

Directed By: Malcolm D. Lee

Critics Consensus: One of Hollywood's greatest critical and commercial successes, The Godfather gets everything right; not only did the movie transcend expectations, it established new benchmarks for American cinema.

Synopsis: Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, this mob drama, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, focuses on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano

Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola

Critics Consensus: Drawing on strong performances by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola's continuation of Mario Puzo's Mafia saga set new standards for sequels that have yet to be matched or broken.

Synopsis: The compelling sequel to "The Godfather," contrasting the life of Corleone father and son. Traces the problems of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in 1958 and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro

Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola

Critics Consensus: More than straight monster-movie fare, Gojira offers potent, sobering postwar commentary.

Synopsis: A fire-breathing behemoth terrorizes Japan after an atomic bomb awakens it from its centuries-old sleep.

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kochi, Akira Takarada, Akihiko Hirata

Directed By: Ishirô Honda

Critics Consensus: Goldfinger is where James Bond as we know him comes into focus - it features one of 007's most famous lines ("A martini. Shaken, not stirred.") and a wide range of gadgets that would become the series' trademark.

Synopsis: Special agent 007 (Sean Connery) comes face to face with one of the most notorious villains of all time, and now he must outwit and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton

Directed By: Guy Hamilton

Critics Consensus: Arguably the greatest of the spaghetti westerns, this epic features a compelling story, memorable performances, breathtaking landscapes, and a haunting score.

Synopsis: In the Southwest during the Civil War, a mysterious stranger, Joe (Clint Eastwood), and a Mexican outlaw, Tuco (Eli Wallach), form an uneasy partnership --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Aldo Giuffré

Directed By: Sergio Leone

Critics Consensus: Hard-hitting and stylish, GoodFellas is a gangster classic -- and arguably the high point of Martin Scorsese's career.

Synopsis: Henry Hill, a poor Irish-Italian growing up in the 1950s New York City, rises through the ranks of his neighborhood's organized crime branch; he ends... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Typically stylish but deceptively thoughtful, The Grand Budapest Hotel finds Wes Anderson once again using ornate visual environments to explore deeply emotional ideas.

Synopsis: In the 1930s, the Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular European ski resort, presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes). Zero, a junior lobby... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Critics Consensus: Jean Renoir's Grand Illusion is a masterful anti-war statement, bringing humane insight and an undercurrent of ironic humor to an unusual relationship between captor and captive.

Synopsis: A group of French soldiers, including the patrician Captain de Boeldieu (Pierre Fresnay) and the working-class Lieutenant Maréchal (Jean Gabin), grapple with their own class... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim, Jean Gabin, Marcel Dalio

Directed By: Jean Renoir

Critics Consensus: A potent drama that is as socially important today as when it was made, The Grapes of Wrath is affecting, moving, and deservedly considered an American classic.

Synopsis: The Joad clan, introduced to the world in John Steinbeck's iconic novel, is looking for a better life in California. After their drought-ridden farm is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin

Directed By: John Ford

Critics Consensus: Word is, Grease stars an electrifying John Travolta while serving up some '50s kitsch in a frenetic adaptation that isn't always the one that we want.

Synopsis: Experience the friendships, romances and adventures of a group of high school kids in the 1950s. Welcome to the singing and dancing world of "Grease,"... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway

Directed By: Randal Kleiser

Critics Consensus: With its impeccably slow-building story and a cast for the ages, The Great Escape is an all-time action classic.

Synopsis: Imprisoned during World War II in a German POW camp, a group of Allied soldiers are intent on breaking out, not only to escape, but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson

Directed By: John Sturges

Critics Consensus: Smart, sweet, and inventive, Groundhog Day highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs.

Synopsis: Phil (Bill Murray), a weatherman, is out to cover the annual emergence of the groundhog from its hole. He gets caught in a blizzard that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky

Directed By: Harold Ramis

Critics Consensus: Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect -- as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.

Synopsis: Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel

Directed By: James Gunn

Critics Consensus: Hairspray is perhaps John Waters' most accessible film, and as such, it's a gently subversive slice of retro hilarity.

Synopsis: When Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake), an overweight teen, auditions for a spot on a popular teen dance show, she beats out the spiteful Amber von... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ricki Lake, Divine, Jerry Stiller, Sonny Bono

Directed By: John Waters

Critics Consensus: Scary, suspenseful, and viscerally thrilling, Halloween set the standard for modern horror films.

Synopsis: On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six-year-old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, P.J. Soles

Directed By: John Carpenter

Critics Consensus: A Hard Day's Night, despite its age, is still a delight to watch and has proven itself to be a rock-and-roll movie classic.

Synopsis: The Beatles in their feature film debut, one of the greatest rock-and-roll comedy adventures ever. The film has a fully restored negative and digitally restored... View Full Synopsis

Starring: The Beatles, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman Rossington, John Junkin

Directed By: Richard Lester

Critics Consensus: Hal Ashby's comedy is too dark and twisted for some, and occasionally oversteps its bounds, but there's no denying the film's warm humor and big heart.

Synopsis: Cult classic pairs Cort as a dead-pan disillusioned 20-year-old obsessed with suicide and a lovable Gordon as a fun-loving 80-year-old eccentric. They meet at a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Cyril Cusack, Vivian Pickles

Directed By: Hal Ashby

Critics Consensus: Under the assured direction of Alfonso Cuaron, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban triumphantly strikes a delicate balance between technical wizardry and complex storytelling.

Synopsis: Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) third year at Hogwarts starts off badly when he learns deranged killer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

Critics Consensus: Led by a breakout turn from Amandla Stenberg, the hard-hitting The Hate U Give emphatically proves the YA genre has room for much more than magic and romance.

Synopsis: Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds -- the poor, mostly black neighborhood where she lives and the wealthy, mostly white prep school that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, K.J. Apa

Directed By: George Tillman Jr.

Critics Consensus: Though Al Pacino and Robert De Niro share but a handful of screen minutes together, Heat is an engrossing crime drama that draws compelling performances from its stars -- and confirms Michael Mann's mastery of the genre.

Synopsis: Master criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is trying to control the rogue actions of one of his men, while also planning one last big... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: Dark, cynical, and subversive, Heathers gently applies a chainsaw to the conventions of the high school movie -- changing the game for teen comedies to follow.

Synopsis: Veronica (Winona Ryder) is part of the most popular clique at her high school, but she disapproves of the other girls' cruel behavior. When Veronica... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk

Directed By: Michael Lehmann

Critics Consensus: Hedwig and the Angry Inch may very well be the next Rocky Horror midnight movie. It not only knows how to rock, but Hedwig's story has an emotional poignancy.

Synopsis: A German emigrant living in a trailer in Kansas is the victim of a botched sex-change operation. Adapted from the critically acclaimed off-Broadway rock theater... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cameron Mitchell, Michael Pitt, Miriam Shor, Stephen Trask

Directed By: John Cameron Mitchell

Critics Consensus: With death-defying action sequences and epic historic sweep, Hero offers everything a martial arts fan could ask for.

Synopsis: In this visually arresting martial arts epic set in ancient China, an unnamed fighter (Jet Li) is being honored for defeating three of the king's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen

Directed By: Yimou Zhang

Critics Consensus: A classic of the Western genre that broke with many of the traditions at the time, High Noon endures -- in no small part thanks to Gary Cooper's defiant, Oscar-winning performance.

Synopsis: Former marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is preparing to leave the small town of Hadleyville, New Mexico, with his new bride, Amy (Grace Kelly), when... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gary Cooper, Grace Kelly, Katy Jurado, Thomas Mitchell

Directed By: Fred Zinnemann

Critics Consensus: Anchored by stellar performances from Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday is possibly the definitive screwball romantic comedy.

Synopsis: When hard-charging New York newspaper editor Walter Burns discovers that his ex-wife, investigative reporter Hildy Johnson, has gotten engaged to milquetoast insurance agent Bruce Baldwin,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart

Directed By: Howard Hawks

Critics Consensus: Anchored by Mads Mikkelsen's sympathetic performance, The Hunt asks difficult questions with the courage to pursue answers head on.

Synopsis: A kindergarten teacher's (Mads Mikkelsen) world collapses around him after one of his students (Annika Wedderkopp), who has a crush on him, implies that he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm

Directed By: Thomas Vinterberg

Critics Consensus: Ikiru is a well-acted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most intimate films.

Synopsis: Mr. Watanabe suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. His attempts to communicate his anguish to his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Miki Odagiri, Kyôko Seki

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Tense, funny, and thought-provoking all at once, and lifted by strong performances from Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger, director Norman Jewison's look at murder and racism in small-town America continues to resonate today.

Synopsis: African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), the racist police chief of tiny... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Quentin Dean

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: An exquisitely shot showcase for Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung that marks a somber evolution of Wong Kar-wai's chic style, In the Mood for Love is a tantric tease that's liable to break your heart.

Synopsis: In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow's spouse is often away on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Kelly Lai Chen, Rebecca Pan

Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong

Critics Consensus: Smart, innovative, and thrilling, Inception is that rare summer blockbuster that succeeds viscerally as well as intellectually.

Synopsis: Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a thief with the rare ability to enter people's dreams and steal their secrets from their subconscious. His skill has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Critics Consensus: A classic Tarantino genre-blending thrill ride, Inglourious Basterds is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining.

Synopsis: It is the first year of Germany's occupation of France. Allied officer Lt. Aldo Raine assembles a team of Jewish soldiers to commit violent acts... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.

Synopsis: Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) is a happy, hockey-loving 11-year-old Midwestern girl, but her world turns upside-down when she and her parents move to San Francisco. Riley's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader

Directed By: Pete Docter

Critics Consensus: The endearing Iron Giant tackles ambitious topics and complex human relationships with a steady hand and beautifully animated direction from Brad Bird.

Synopsis: In this animated adaptation of Ted Hughes' Cold War fable, a giant alien robot crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel

Directed By: Brad Bird

Critics Consensus: Powered by Robert Downey Jr.'s vibrant charm, Iron Man turbo-charges the superhero genre with a deft intelligence and infectious sense of fun.

Synopsis: A billionaire industrialist and genius inventor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), is conducting weapons tests overseas, but terrorists kidnap him to force him to build... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow

Directed By: Jon Favreau

Critics Consensus: Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired.

Synopsis: In Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews impetuously marries the scheming King Westley, leading her tycoon father to spirit her away on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns

Directed By: Frank Capra

Critics Consensus: The holiday classic to define all holiday classics, It's a Wonderful Life is one of a handful of films worth an annual viewing.

Synopsis: After George Bailey (James Stewart) wishes he had never been born, an angel (Henry Travers) is sent to earth to make George's wish come true.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell

Directed By: Frank Capra

Critics Consensus: Compelling, well-crafted storytelling and a judicious sense of terror ensure Steven Spielberg's Jaws has remained a benchmark in the art of delivering modern blockbuster thrills.

Synopsis: When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, John Wick serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves -- and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise.

Synopsis: Legendary assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) retired from his violent career after marrying the love of his life. Her sudden death leaves John in deep... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Chad Stahelski