300 Essential Movies To Watch now

Critics Consensus: Jurassic Park is a spectacle of special effects and life-like animatronics, with some of Spielberg's best sequences of sustained awe and sheer terror since Jaws.

Synopsis: In Steven Spielberg's massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: King Kong explores the soul of a monster -- making audiences scream and cry throughout the film -- in large part due to Kong's breakthrough special effects.

Synopsis: Actress Ann Darrow (Fay Wray) and director Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) travel to the Indian Ocean to do location shoots for Denham's new jungle picture.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Frank Reicher

Directed By: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Critics Consensus: Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.

Synopsis: Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell

Directed By: Curtis Hanson

Critics Consensus: L'Avventura marks a bewitchingly ambiguous milestone in Antonioni's career -- and European cinema in general.

Synopsis: In Michelangelo Antonioni's classic of Italian cinema, two lovely young women, Claudia (Monica Vitti) and Anna (Léa Massari), join the latter's lover, Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Monica Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lea Massari, Dominique Blanchar

Directed By: Michelangelo Antonioni

Critics Consensus: Elevated by a perceptive performance by a perfectly cast Lou Diamond Phillips, La Bamba distills its subject's creative energy -- and reflects his music's enduring appeal.

Synopsis: Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called Donna that he wrote for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña

Directed By: Luis Valdez

Critics Consensus: An epic, breathtakingly stylish cinematic landmark, La Dolce Vita remains riveting in spite of -- or perhaps because of -- its sprawling length.

Synopsis: In Federico Fellini's lauded Italian film, restless reporter Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) drifts through life in Rome. While Marcello contends with the overdose taken by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Yvonne Furneaux, Anouk Aimée

Directed By: Federico Fellini

Critics Consensus: Lady Bird delivers fresh insights about the turmoil of adolescence -- and reveals writer-director Greta Gerwig as a fully formed filmmaking talent.

Synopsis: A teenager (Saoirse Ronan) navigates a loving but turbulent relationship with her strong-willed mother (Laurie Metcalf) over the course of an eventful and poignant senior... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet, Lucas Hedges

Directed By: Greta Gerwig

Critics Consensus: A career highlight for Preston Sturges, The Lady Eve benefits from Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda's sparkling chemistry -- and a script that inspired countless battle-of-the-sexes comedies.

Synopsis: It's no accident when wealthy Charles falls for Jean. Jean is a con artist with her sights set on Charles' fortune. Matters complicate when Jean... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette

Directed By: Preston Sturges

Critics Consensus: The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean's status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.

Synopsis: Due to his knowledge of the native Bedouin tribes, British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is sent to Arabia to find Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: Let the Right One In reinvigorates the seemingly tired vampire genre by effectively mixing scares with intelligent storytelling.

Synopsis: When Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a sensitive, bullied 12-year-old boy living with his mother in suburban Sweden, meets his new neighbor, the mysterious and moody Eli... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl

Directed By: Tomas Alfredson

Critics Consensus: The most successful installment in a phenomenally successful series, Lethal Weapon helped redefine action movies for the 1980s and 1990s.

Synopsis: Following the death of his wife, Los Angeles police detective Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) becomes reckless and suicidal. When he is reassigned and partnered with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mitch Ryan

Directed By: Richard Donner

Critics Consensus: Like Water for Chocolate plays to the senses with a richly rewarding romance that indulges in magical realism to intoxicating effect.

Synopsis: The youngest daughter in her family, the beautiful Tita is forbidden to marry her true love, Pedro. Since tradition dictates that Tita must care for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lumi Cavazos, Marco Leonardi, Regina Torné, Mario Iván Martínez

Directed By: Alfonso Arau

Critics Consensus: Emotionally stirring, richly drawn, and beautifully animated, The Lion King is a pride within Disney's pantheon of classic family films.

Synopsis: This Disney animated feature follows the adventures of the young lion Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), the heir of his father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones). Simba's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Madge Sinclair

Directed By: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Critics Consensus: The Little Mermaid ushered in a new golden era for Disney animation with warm and charming hand-drawn characters and catchy musical sequences.

Synopsis: In Disney's beguiling animated romp, rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel (Jodi Benson) is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Rene Auberjonois

Directed By: Ron Clements, John Musker

Critics Consensus: Remixing Roger Corman's B-movie by way of the Off-Broadway musical, Little Shop of Horrors offers camp, horror and catchy tunes in equal measure -- plus some inspired cameos by the likes of Steve Martin and Bill Murray.

Synopsis: Meek flower shop assistant Seymour (Rick Moranis) pines for co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincent Gardenia

Directed By: Frank Oz

Critics Consensus: Hugh Jackman makes the most of his final outing as Wolverine with a gritty, nuanced performance in a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero action film that defies genre conventions.

Synopsis: In the near future, a weary Logan (Hugh Jackman) cares for an ailing Professor X (Patrick Stewart) at a remote outpost on the Mexican border.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Richard E. Grant

Directed By: James Mangold

Critics Consensus: Full of eye-popping special effects, and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring brings J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to vivid life.

Synopsis: The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces are unrelenting in their search... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Critics Consensus: Visually breathtaking and emotionally powerful, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a moving and satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.

Synopsis: The culmination of nearly 10 years' work and conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien classic, "The Lord of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Critics Consensus: The Two Towers balances spectacular action with emotional storytelling, leaving audiences both wholly satisfied and eager for the final chapter.

Synopsis: The sequel to the Golden Globe-nominated and AFI Award-winning "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers" follows the continuing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Critics Consensus: Effectively balancing humor and subtle pathos, Sofia Coppola crafts a moving, melancholy story that serves as a showcase for both Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

Synopsis: A lonely, aging movie star named Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and a conflicted newlywed, Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), meet in Tokyo. Bob is there to film... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris

Directed By: Sofia Coppola

Critics Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.

Synopsis: Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who both aspire to be professional basketball players. Quincy, whose father, Zeke (Dennis Haysbert),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert

Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Critics Consensus: With exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller's post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.

Synopsis: Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe enslaves apocalypse survivors inside the desert fortress the Citadel. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa leads... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne

Directed By: George Miller

Critics Consensus: Anchored by a powerful performance from Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's biopic of legendary civil rights leader Malcolm X brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message.

Synopsis: A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr.

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: Suspenseful, labyrinthine, and brilliantly cast, The Maltese Falcon is one of the most influential noirs -- as well as a showcase for Humphrey Bogart at his finest.

Synopsis: In this noir classic, detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) gets more than he bargained for when he takes a case brought to him by a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Gladys George

Directed By: John Huston

Critics Consensus: A classic blend of satire and political thriller that was uncomfortably prescient in its own time, The Manchurian Candidate remains distressingly relevant today.

Synopsis: Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury

Directed By: John Frankenheimer

Critics Consensus: Thanks to the Wachowskis' imaginative vision, The Matrix is a smartly crafted combination of spectacular action and groundbreaking special effects.

Synopsis: Neo believes that Morpheus, an elusive figure considered to be the most dangerous man alive, can answer his question -- What is the Matrix? Neo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving

Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Critics Consensus: Elevated by a brilliant screenplay and outstanding ensemble cast, Mean Girls finds fresh, female-fronted humor in the high school experience.

Synopsis: Teenage Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) was educated in Africa by her scientist parents. When her family moves to the suburbs of Illinois, Cady finally gets... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows

Directed By: Mark Waters

Critics Consensus: A visually awe-inspiring science fiction classic from the silent era.

Synopsis: In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge

Directed By: Fritz Lang

Critics Consensus: A slapstick skewering of industrialized America, Modern Times is as politically incisive as it is laugh-out-loud hilarious.

Synopsis: This comedic masterpiece finds the iconic Little Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) employed at a state-of-the-art factory where the inescapable machinery completely overwhelms him, and where various... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Henry Bergman, Tiny Sandford

Directed By: Charlie Chaplin

Critics Consensus: An insightful, energetic blend of Hollywood and Bollywood styles, Monsoon Wedding is a colorful, exuberant celebration of modern-day India, family, love, and life.

Synopsis: The exuberant ensemble comedy unites a Punjabi family for the wedding of a family member. Relatives from all over the world descend on Delhi for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shetty, Kulbhushan Kharbanda

Directed By: Mira Nair

Critics Consensus: A cult classic as gut-bustingly hilarious as it is blithely ridiculous, Monty Python and the Holy Grail has lost none of its exceedingly silly charm.

Synopsis: A comedic send-up of the grim circumstances of the Middle Ages as told through the story of King Arthur and framed by a modern-day murder... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle

Directed By: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones

Critics Consensus: Moonlight uses one man's story to offer a remarkable and brilliantly crafted look at lives too rarely seen in cinema.

Synopsis: A look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami. His epic journey to manhood is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mahershala Ali, Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes

Directed By: Barry Jenkins

Critics Consensus: David Lynch's dreamlike and mysterious Mulholland Drive is a twisty neo-noir with an unconventional structure that features a mesmerizing performance from Naomi Watts as a woman on the dark fringes of Hollywood.

Synopsis: A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. She wanders the streets of Los Angeles in a daze before taking... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Ann Miller

Directed By: David Lynch

Critics Consensus: No doubt most will come to My Left Foot for Daniel Day-Lewis' performance, but the movie's refusal to go downbeat will keep it in viewer minds afterwards.

Synopsis: No one expects much from Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis), a boy with cerebral palsy born into a working-class Irish family. Though Christy is a spastic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Ray McAnally, Brenda Fricker, Ruth McCabe

Directed By: Jim Sheridan

Critics Consensus: My Neighbor Totoro is a heartwarming, sentimental masterpiece that captures the simple grace of childhood.

Synopsis: This acclaimed animated tale by director Hayao Miyazaki follows schoolgirl Satsuke and her younger sister, Mei, as they settle into an old country house with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Salonga

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: Naked lives up to its title with a thoroughly committed performance from David Thewlis that's backed up with some of Mike Leigh's most powerful direction.

Synopsis: An unemployed Brit vents his rage on unsuspecting strangers as he embarks on a nocturnal London odyssey.

Starring: David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell

Directed By: Mike Leigh

Critics Consensus: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! is loaded chock full of gags that are goofy, unapologetically crass, and ultimately hilarious.

Synopsis: Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen), a rather clueless police detective, tries to foil a plot to turn innocent people into assassins through mind control. After his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leslie Nielsen, George Kennedy, Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalban

Directed By: David Zucker

Critics Consensus: Robert Altman captures the bravado and cynicism of the American dream in Nashville, a sprawling epic bursting with vivid performances and an unforgettable soundtrack.

Synopsis: In this acclaimed Robert Altman drama, the lives of numerous people in the Tennessee capital intersect in unpredictable ways. Delbert Reese (Ned Beatty) is a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin, Karen Black, David Arkin

Directed By: Robert Altman

Critics Consensus: The talents of director John Landis and Saturday Night Live's irrepressible John Belushi conspired to create a rambunctious, subversive college comedy that continues to resonate.

Synopsis: When they arrive at college, socially inept freshmen Larry (Thomas Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) attempt to pledge the snooty Omega Theta Pi House, but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland, Karen Allen

Directed By: John Landis

Critics Consensus: Driven by populist fury and elevated by strong direction, powerful acting, and an intelligent script, Network's searing satire of ratings-driven news remains sadly relevant more than four decades later.

Synopsis: In this lauded satire, veteran news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) discovers that he's being put out to pasture, and he's none too happy about... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden, Robert Duvall

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Critics Consensus: Featuring Robert Mitchum's formidable performance as a child-hunting preacher, The Night of the Hunter is a disturbing look at good and evil.

Synopsis: The Rev. Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) is a religious fanatic and serial killer who targets women who use their sexuality to attract men. Serving time... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, Evelyn Varden

Directed By: Charles Laughton

Critics Consensus: George A. Romero's debut set the template for the zombie film, and features tight editing, realistic gore, and a sly political undercurrent.

Synopsis: A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the United... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Keith Wayne

Directed By: George A. Romero

Critics Consensus: Wes Craven's intelligent premise, combined with the horrifying visual appearance of Freddy Krueger, still causes nightmares to this day.

Synopsis: In Wes Craven's classic slasher film, several Midwestern teenagers fall prey to Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a disfigured midnight mangler who preys on the teenagers... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss

Directed By: Wes Craven

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by powerful lead performances from Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men finds the Coen brothers spinning cinematic gold out of Cormac McCarthy's grim, darkly funny novel.

Synopsis: While out hunting, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds the grisly aftermath of a drug deal. Though he knows better, he cannot resist the cash left... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Critics Consensus: Gripping, suspenseful, and visually iconic, this late-period Hitchcock classic laid the groundwork for countless action thrillers to follow.

Synopsis: This classic suspense film finds New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) pursued by ruthless spy Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) after Thornhill... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Leo G. Carroll

Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: A rom-com with the right ingredients, Notting Hill proves there's nothing like a love story well told -- especially when Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are your leads.

Synopsis: William Thacker is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott appears in his shop.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Emma Chambers

Directed By: Roger Michell

Critics Consensus: Violent and definitely not for the squeamish, Park Chan-Wook's visceral Oldboy is a strange, powerful tale of revenge.

Synopsis: Dae-Su is an obnoxious drunk bailed from the police station yet again by a friend. However, he's abducted from the street and wakes up in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung, Ji Dae-han

Directed By: Park Chan-wook

Critics Consensus: With his electrifying performance in Elia Kazan's thought-provoking, expertly constructed melodrama, Marlon Brando redefined the possibilities of acting for film and helped permanently alter the cinematic landscape.

Synopsis: Dockworker Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) had been an up-and-coming boxer until powerful local mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) persuaded him to throw a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb

Directed By: Elia Kazan

Critics Consensus: Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher are worthy adversaries in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, with Miloš Forman's more grounded and morally ambiguous approach to Ken Kesey's surrealistic novel yielding a film of outsized power.

Synopsis: When Randle Patrick McMurphy gets transferred for evaluation from a prison farm to a mental institution, he assumes it will be a less restrictive environment.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, William Redfield

Directed By: Milos Forman

Critics Consensus: Only Yesterday's long-delayed U.S. debut fills a frustrating gap for American Ghibli fans while offering further proof of the studio's incredibly consistent commitment to quality.

Synopsis: A put-upon 27-year-old Japanese office worker travels to the countryside and reminisces about her childhood in Tokyo and what life could have been.

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Ashley Eckstein, Alison Fernandez

Directed By: Isao Takahata

Critics Consensus: Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.

Synopsis: In 1944 in Spain, Ofelia and her ailing mother arrive at the post of her mother's new husband, a sadistic army officer who is trying... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero, Álex Angulo

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

Critics Consensus: Marked by GW Pabst's innovative, atmospheric direction and a surprisingly modern storyline, Pandora's Box ultimately owes its power to Louise Brooks' monumental, iconic performance.

Synopsis: In this acclaimed German silent film, Lulu (Louise Brooks) is a young woman so beautiful and alluring that few can resist her siren charms. The... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Louise Brooks, Fritz Kortner, Francis Lederer, Carl Goetz

Directed By: Georg Wilhelm Pabst

Critics Consensus: An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft.

Synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Jo Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik

Directed By: Bong Joon Ho

Critics Consensus: The Passion of Joan of Arc is must-see cinema for Renée Maria Falconetti's incredible performance alone -- and an all-time classic for innumerable other reasons.

Synopsis: Spiritual rapture and institutional hypocrisy come to stark, vivid life in one of the most transcendent masterpieces of the silent era. Chronicling the trial of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, André Berley, Maurice Schultz

Directed By: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Critics Consensus: A film that requires and rewards patience in equal measure, Pather Panchali finds director Satyajit Ray delivering a classic with his debut.

Synopsis: Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work. Alone, his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee, Runki Banerjee

Directed By: Satyajit Ray

Critics Consensus: Offering a wonderfully witty script, spotless direction from George Cukor, and typically excellent lead performances, The Philadelphia Story is an unqualified classic.

Synopsis: This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey

Directed By: George Cukor

Critics Consensus: Powered by Holly Hunter's main performance, The Piano is a truth-seeking romance played in the key of erotic passion.

Synopsis: After a long voyage from Scotland, pianist Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) and her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin), are left with all their belongings, including... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin

Directed By: Jane Campion

Critics Consensus: Ambitious, adventurous, and sometimes frightening, Pinocchio arguably represents the pinnacle of Disney's collected works -- it's beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant.

Synopsis: When the woodworker Geppetto (Christian Rub) sees a falling star, he wishes that the puppet he just finished, Pinocchio (Dickie Jones), could become a real... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Don Brodie, Walter Catlett, Frankie Darro, Cliff Edwards

Directed By: Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske

Critics Consensus: Pitch Perfect's plot is formulaic, but the performances are excellent and the musical numbers are toe-tapping as well.

Synopsis: College student Beca knows she does not want to be part of a clique, but that's exactly where she finds herself after arriving at her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine

Directed By: Jason Moore

Critics Consensus: Bitingly cynical without succumbing to bitterness, The Player is one of the all-time great Hollywood satires -- and an ensemble-driven highlight of the Altman oeuvre.

Synopsis: Certain that the anonymous threats he's been receiving are the work of David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio), producer Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) tries to fix things... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward, Whoopi Goldberg

Directed By: Robert Altman

Critics Consensus: A remarkable achievement, Playtime's packs every scene with sight gags and characters that both celebrates and satirizes the urbanization of modern life.

Synopsis: Clumsy Monsieur Hulot finds himself perplexed by the intimidating complexity of a gadget-filled Paris. He attempts to meet with a business contact but soon becomes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacques Tati, Barbara Dennek, Jacqueline Lecomte, Valérie Camille

Directed By: Jacques Tati

Critics Consensus: A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.

Synopsis: In 1770 the young daughter of a French countess develops a mutual attraction to the female artist commissioned to paint her wedding portrait.

Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino

Directed By: Céline Sciamma

Critics Consensus: Molly Ringwald gives an outstanding performance in this sweet, intelligent teen comedy that takes an ancient premise and injects it with insight and wit.

Synopsis: Andie (Molly Ringwald) is an outcast at her Chicago high school, hanging out either with her older boss (Annie Potts), who owns the record store... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Annie Potts

Directed By: Howard Deutch

Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh.

Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Critics Consensus: With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation.

Synopsis: A prince becomes involved in the struggle between a forest princess and the encroachment of mechanization.

Starring: Claire Danes, Billy Bob Thornton, Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: Infamous for its shower scene, but immortal for its contribution to the horror genre. Because Psycho was filmed with tact, grace, and art, Hitchcock didn't just create modern horror, he validated it.

Synopsis: Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the lam after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin

Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: Injecting its compendium of crime tales with the patois of everyday conversation, Pulp Fiction is a cinematic shot of adrenaline that cements writer-director Quentin Tarantino as an audacious purveyor of killer kino.

Synopsis: Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are hitmen with a penchant for philosophical discussions. In this ultra-hip, multi-strand crime movie, their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: Rafiki tells a familiar story with bracing originality, marking director/co-writer Wanuri Kahiu as a talent to watch.

Synopsis: Kena and Ziki live very different lives in Nairobi. Kena works in her father's shop and awaits the start of nursing school, while Ziki passes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera

Directed By: Wanuri Kahiu

Critics Consensus: Arguably Martin Scorsese's and Robert De Niro's finest film, Raging Bull is often painful to watch, but it's a searing, powerful work about an unsympathetic hero.

Synopsis: The story of a middleweight boxer as he rises through ranks to earn his first shot at the middleweight crown. He falls in love with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.

Synopsis: Dr. Indiana Jones, a renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the ark of the covenant, which... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Wolf Kahler

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.

Synopsis: Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Takashi Shimura, Masayuki Mori

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Hitchcock exerted full potential of suspense in this masterpiece.

Synopsis: A newspaper photographer with a broken leg passes time recuperating by observing his neighbors through his window. He sees what he believes to be a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Raymond Burr

Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: The Red Shoes is one of the best-looking movies ever, and blends multiple moods and styles with balletic grace.

Synopsis: In this classic drama, Vicky Page (Moira Shearer) is an aspiring ballerina torn between her dedication to dance and her desire to love. While her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Robert Helpmann

Directed By: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger

Critics Consensus: Repo Man is many things: an alien-invasion film, a punk-rock musical, a send-up of consumerism. One thing it isn't is boring.

Synopsis: After being fired from his job, Los Angeles slacker and punk rocker Otto (Emilio Estevez) lands a gig working for an eccentric repossession agent named... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton, Tracey Walter, Olivia Barash

Directed By: Alex Cox

Critics Consensus: Though the movie may be too intense for some to stomach, the wonderful performances and the bleak imagery are hard to forget.

Synopsis: Imaginatively evoking the inner landscape of human beings longing to connect, to love and feel loved, the film is a parable of happiness gloriously found... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

Critics Consensus: While over-the-top and gory, Robocop is also a surprisingly smart sci-fi flick that uses ultraviolence to disguise its satire of American culture.

Synopsis: In a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, evil corporation Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the city government to privatize the police force. To test their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, Ronny Cox, Dan O'Herlihy

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: This story of a down-on-his-luck boxer is thoroughly predictable, but Sylvester Stallone's script and stunning performance in the title role brush aside complaints.

Synopsis: Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a small-time boxer from working-class Philadelphia, is arbitrarily chosen to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young

Directed By: John G. Avildsen

Critics Consensus: With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy.

Synopsis: Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Tullio Carminati

Directed By: William Wyler

Critics Consensus: A frightening tale of Satanism and pregnancy that is even more disturbing than it sounds thanks to convincing and committed performances by Mia Farrow and Ruth Gordon.

Synopsis: A young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. Waifish Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her struggling actor husband Guy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer

Directed By: Roman Polanski

Critics Consensus: Its genius escaped many viewers at the time, but in retrospect, The Rules of the Game stands as one of Jean Renoir's -- and cinema's -- finest works.

Synopsis: André is having an affair with Christine, whose husband Robert is himself hiding a mistress. Christine's married maid is romantically entangled with the local poacher.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Mila Parély, Roland Toutain

Directed By: Jean Renoir

Critics Consensus: A charming tale of a love affair that overcomes cultural taboos.

Synopsis: Wil is a lesbian, but she does not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan, or her very traditional grandparents. She's shocked, however, to find out... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen, Jessica Hecht

Directed By: Alice Wu

Critics Consensus: Anchored by another winning performance from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg's unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre.

Synopsis: Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: One of the definitive Generation X movies, Say Anything... is equally funny and heartfelt -- and it established John Cusack as an icon for left-of-center types everywhere.

Synopsis: In a charming, critically acclaimed tale of first love, Lloyd (John Cusack), an eternal optimist, seeks to capture the heart of Diane (Ione Skye), an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor

Directed By: Cameron Crowe

Critics Consensus: Director Brian De Palma and star Al Pacino take it to the limit in this stylized, ultra-violent and eminently quotable gangster epic that walks a thin white line between moral drama and celebratory excess.

Synopsis: After getting a green card in exchange for assassinating a Cuban government official, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) stakes a claim on the drug trade in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Directed By: Brian De Palma

Critics Consensus: Schindler's List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg's signature tender humanism to create the director's dramatic masterpiece.

Synopsis: Businessman Oskar Schindler arrives in Kraków in 1939, ready to make his fortune from World War II, which has just started. After joining the Nazi... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Horror icon Wes Craven's subversive deconstruction of the genre is sly, witty, and surprisingly effective as a slasher film itself, even if it's a little too cheeky for some.

Synopsis: The sleepy little town of Woodsboro just woke up screaming. There's a killer in their midst who's seen a few too many scary movies. Suddenly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard

Directed By: Wes Craven

Critics Consensus: Held aloft by a transfixing performance from Javier Bardem as a terminally ill man who chooses to die, The Sea Inside transcends its melodramatic story with tenderness and grace.

Synopsis: Ramón Sampedro (Javier Bardem) is a Spanish ship mechanic and part-time poet who is left a quadriplegic after a diving accident. This film tells the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Javier Bardem, Belén Rueda, Lola Dueñas, Mabel Rivera

Directed By: Alejandro Amenábar

Critics Consensus: The Searchers is an epic John Wayne Western that introduces dark ambivalence to the genre that remains fashionable today.

Synopsis: In this revered Western, Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) returns home to Texas after the Civil War. When members of his brother's family are killed or... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Natalie Wood, Vera Miles

Directed By: John Ford

Critics Consensus: Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo, Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. -- but doesn't ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied.

Synopsis: Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 legally desegregated the South, discrimination was still rampant in certain areas, making it very difficult for Blacks to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Giovanni Ribisi

Directed By: Ava DuVernay

Critics Consensus: A brutal, relentlessly grimy shocker with taut performances, slick gore effects, and a haunting finale.

Synopsis: When retiring police Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) tackles a final case with the aid of newly transferred David Mills (Brad Pitt), they discover a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Arguably Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, The Seven Samurai is an epic adventure classic with an engrossing story, memorable characters, and stunning action sequences that make it one of the most influential films ever made.

Synopsis: A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Inaba, Seiji Miyaguchi

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Narratively bold and visually striking, The Seventh Seal brought Ingmar Bergman to the world stage -- and remains every bit as compelling today.

Synopsis: When disillusioned Swedish knight Antonius Block returns home from the Crusades to find his country in the grips of the Black Death, he challenges Death... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Björnstrand, Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Critics Consensus: This is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man. Can you dig it?

Synopsis: John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn), the leader of the black... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Christopher St. John, Charles Cioffi

Directed By: Gordon Parks

Critics Consensus: Shaun of the Dead cleverly balances scares and witty satire, making for a bloody good zombie movie with loads of wit.

Synopsis: Shaun is a 30-something loser with a dull, easy existence. When he's not working at the electronics store, he lives with his slovenly best friend,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Critics Consensus: Steeped in old-fashioned storytelling and given evergreen humanity by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, The Shawshank Redemption chronicles the hardship of incarceration patiently enough to come by its uplift honestly.

Synopsis: Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover and is sentenced... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler

Directed By: Frank Darabont

Critics Consensus: Though it deviates from Stephen King's novel, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness -- exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.

Synopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer's block. He settles in along with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: Understated yet ultimately deeply affecting, Shoplifters adds another powerful chapter to director Hirokazu Koreeda's richly humanistic filmography.

Synopsis: On the margins of Tokyo, a dysfunctional band of outsiders is united by fierce loyalty and a penchant for petty theft. When the young son... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lily Franky, Sakura Andô, Mayu Matsuoka, Kirin Kiki

Directed By: Hirokazu Koreeda

Critics Consensus: While simultaneously embracing and subverting fairy tales, the irreverent Shrek also manages to tweak Disney's nose, provide a moral message to children, and offer viewers a funny, fast-paced ride.

Synopsis: Once upon a time, in a far away swamp, there lived an ogre named Shrek whose precious solitude is suddenly shattered by an invasion of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow

Directed By: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson

Critics Consensus: Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Synopsis: Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Critics Consensus: Clever, incisive, and funny, Singin' in the Rain is a masterpiece of the classical Hollywood musical.

Synopsis: A spoof of the turmoil that afflicted the movie industry in the late 1920s when movies went from silent to sound. When two silent movie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen

Directed By: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Critics Consensus: M Night Shayamalan's The Sixth Sense is a twisty ghost story with all the style of a classical Hollywood picture, but all the chills of a modern horror flick.

Synopsis: Young Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is haunted by a dark secret: he is visited by ghosts. Cole is frightened by visitations from those with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams

Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan

Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling and emotionally resonant, Slumdog Millionaire is a film that's both entertaining and powerful.

Synopsis: As 18-year-old Jamal Malik answers questions on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," flashbacks show how he got there. Part of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor

Directed By: Danny Boyle

Critics Consensus: With its involving story and characters, vibrant art, and memorable songs, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs set the animation standard for decades to come.

Synopsis: The Grimm fairy tale gets a Technicolor treatment in Disney's first animated feature. Jealous of Snow White's beauty, the wicked queen orders the murder of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, Lucille La Verne, Moroni Olsen

Directed By: David Hand

Critics Consensus: Solaris is a haunting, meditative film that uses sci-fi to raise complex questions about humanity and existence.

Synopsis: A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetskiy

Directed By: Andrei Tarkovsky

Critics Consensus: Some Like It Hot: A spry, quick-witted farce that never drags.

Synopsis: After witnessing a Mafia murder, slick saxophone player Joe (Tony Curtis) and his long-suffering buddy, Jerry (Jack Lemmon), improvise a quick plan to escape from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe, George Raft

Directed By: Billy Wilder

Critics Consensus: Unapologetically sweet and maybe even a little corny, The Sound of Music will win over all but the most cynical filmgoers with its classic songs and irresistible warmth.

Synopsis: A tuneful, heartwarming story, it is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers, one of the world's best-known concert groups... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn

Directed By: Robert Wise

Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.

Synopsis: Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali

Directed By: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

Critics Consensus: Spirited Away is a dazzling, enchanting, and gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by the world around them.

Synopsis: 10-year-old Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong turn down a wooded path,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: A legendarily expansive and ambitious start to the sci-fi saga, George Lucas opened our eyes to the possibilities of blockbuster filmmaking and things have never been the same.

Synopsis: The Imperial Forces -- under orders from cruel Darth Vader (David Prowse) -- hold Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hostage, in their efforts to quell the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness

Directed By: George Lucas

Critics Consensus: Dark, sinister, but ultimately even more involving than A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back defies viewer expectations and takes the series to heightened emotional levels.

Synopsis: The adventure continues in this "Star Wars" sequel. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) face... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams

Directed By: Irvin Kershner

Critics Consensus: Straight Outta Compton is a biopic that's built to last, thanks to F. Gary Gray's confident direction and engaging performances from a solid cast.

Synopsis: In 1988, a groundbreaking new group revolutionizes music and pop culture, changing and influencing hip-hop forever. N.W.A's first studio album, "Straight Outta Compton," stirs controversy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr.

Directed By: F. Gary Gray

Critics Consensus: Arguably the greatest movie about Hollywood, Billy Wilder's masterpiece Sunset Boulevard is a tremendously entertaining combination of noir, black comedy, and character study.

Synopsis: An aging silent film queen refuses to accept that her stardom has ended. She hires a young screenwriter to help set up her movie comeback.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson

Directed By: Billy Wilder

Critics Consensus: Deftly balancing vulgarity and sincerity while placing its protagonists in excessive situations, Superbad is an authentic take on friendship and the overarching awkwardness of the high school experience.

Synopsis: High school seniors Seth and Evan have high hopes for a graduation party. The co-dependent teens plan to score booze and babes so they can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader

Directed By: Greg Mottola

Critics Consensus: Superman: The Movie deftly blends humor and gravitas, taking advantage of the perfectly cast Christopher Reeve to craft a loving, nostalgic tribute to an American pop culture icon.

Synopsis: Just before the destruction of the planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El (Marlon Brando) sends his infant son Kal-El on a spaceship to Earth. Raised by kindly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder

Directed By: Richard Donner

Critics Consensus: The blood pours freely in Argento's classic Suspiria, a giallo horror as grandiose and glossy as it is gory.

Synopsis: Suzy (Jessica Harper) travels to Germany to attend ballet school. When she arrives, late on a stormy night, no one lets her in, and she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Joan Bennett, Eva Axén

Directed By: Dario Argento

Critics Consensus: Boasting narrative depth, frank honesty, and exquisite visual beauty, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a modern animated treasure with timeless appeal.

Synopsis: A tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors to prove their love by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Darren Criss

Directed By: Isao Takahata

Critics Consensus: Tangerine shatters casting conventions and its filmmaking techniques are up-to-the-minute, but it's an old-fashioned comedy at heart -- and a pretty wonderful one at that.

Synopsis: After hearing that her boyfriend/pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a transgender sex worker and her best friend set out to find... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan

Directed By: Sean Baker

Critics Consensus: A must-see film for movie lovers, this Martin Scorsese masterpiece is as hard-hitting as it is compelling, with Robert De Niro at his best.

Synopsis: Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.

Synopsis: Disguised as a human, a cyborg assassin known as a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) travels from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). Sent... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: T2 features thrilling action sequences and eye-popping visual effects, but what takes this sci-fi action landmark to the next level is the depth of the human (and cyborg) characters.

Synopsis: In this sequel set eleven years after "The Terminator," young John Connor (Edward Furlong), the key to civilization's victory over a future robot uprising, is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: Driven by ride-or-die chemistry between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon while director Ridley Scott provides scorching visuals fit for a postcard, Thelma & Louise is a feminist adventure that's equal parts provocative and rollicking.

Synopsis: Meek housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon), an independent waitress, on a short fishing trip. However, their trip becomes a flight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Widely touted as a masterpiece, this sparse and sprawling epic about the underhanded "heroes" of capitalism boasts incredible performances by leads Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano, and is director Paul Thomas Anderson's best work to date.

Synopsis: Silver miner Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) leads a hardscrabble life with his son, H.W. (Dillon Freasier). When he hears about oil oozing from the ground... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Grimmer and more terrifying than the 1950s take, John Carpenter's The Thing is a tense sci-fi thriller rife with compelling tension and some remarkable make-up effects.

Synopsis: In remote Antarctica, a group of American research scientists are disturbed at their base camp by a helicopter shooting at a sled dog. When they... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, Richard Dysart

Directed By: John Carpenter

Critics Consensus: This atmospheric thriller is one of the undisputed masterpieces of cinema, and boasts iconic performances from Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles.

Synopsis: Set in postwar Vienna, Austria, "The Third Man" stars Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, who arrives penniless as a guest... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Trevor Howard, Alida Valli

Directed By: Carol Reed

Critics Consensus: Smartly directed, brilliantly acted, and packed with endlessly quotable moments, This Is Spinal Tap is an all-time comedy classic.

Synopsis: "This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Critics Consensus: A mostly unqualified triumph for James Cameron, who offers a dizzying blend of spectacular visuals and old-fashioned melodrama.

Synopsis: Two young lovers from different backgrounds meet and fall in love on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates

Directed By: James Cameron

Critics Consensus: A complex and timely satire with as much darkness as slapstick, Ernst Lubitsch's To Be or Not To Be delicately balances humor and ethics.

Synopsis: Acting couple Joseph (Jack Benny) and Maria Tura (Carole Lombard) are managing a theatrical troupe when the Nazis invade Poland. Maria is having an affair... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Carole Lombard, Jack Benny, Robert Stack, Felix Bressart

Directed By: Ernst Lubitsch

Critics Consensus: To Kill a Mockingbird is a textbook example of a message movie done right -- sober-minded and earnest, but never letting its social conscience get in the way of gripping drama.

Synopsis: Scout Finch (Mary Badham), 6,and her older brother, Jem (Phillip Alford), live in sleepy Maycomb, Ala., spending much of their time with their friend Dill... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, John Megna

Directed By: Robert Mulligan

Critics Consensus: Tokyo Story is a Yasujiro Ozu masterpiece whose rewarding complexity has lost none of its power more than half a century on.

Synopsis: The elderly Shukishi (Chishu Ryu) and his wife, Tomi (Chieko Higashiyama), take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chishu Ryu, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura

Directed By: Yasujirô Ozu

Critics Consensus: Tootsie doesn't squander its high-concept comedy premise with fine dialogue and sympathetic treatment of the characters.

Synopsis: New York actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is a talented perfectionist who is so hard on himself and others that his agent (Sydney Pollack) can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman

Directed By: Sydney Pollack

Critics Consensus: Under Paul Verhoeven's frenetic direction, Total Recall is a fast-paced rush of violence, gore, and humor that never slacks.

Synopsis: Douglas Quaid is a bored construction worker in the year 2084 who dreams of visiting colonized Mars. He visits "Rekall," a company that plants false... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: Entertaining as it is innovative, Toy Story reinvigorated animation while heralding the arrival of Pixar as a family-friendly force to be reckoned with.

Synopsis: Woody (Tom Hanks), a good-hearted cowboy doll who belongs to a young boy named Andy (John Morris), sees his position as Andy's favorite toy jeopardized... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney

Directed By: John Lasseter

Critics Consensus: A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use.

Synopsis: Heroin addict Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor) stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Begbie (Robert... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd

Directed By: Danny Boyle

Critics Consensus: Remade but never duplicated, this darkly humorous morality tale represents John Huston at his finest.

Synopsis: In this classic adventure film, two rough-and-tumble wanderers, Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and Curtin (Tim Holt), meet up with a veteran prospector, Howard (Walter Huston), in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt, Bruce Bennett

Directed By: John Huston

Critics Consensus: Jacques Demy elevates the basic drama of everyday life into a soaring opera full of bittersweet passion and playful charm, featuring a timeless performance from Catherine Deneuve.

Synopsis: Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Marc Michel

Directed By: Jacques Demy

Critics Consensus: Uncut Gems reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema -- and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material.

Synopsis: A charismatic jeweler makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire act, he must balance business,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett

Directed By: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Critics Consensus: As both director and star, Clint Eastwood strips away decades of Hollywood varnish applied to the Wild West, and emerges with a series of harshly eloquent statements about the nature of violence.

Synopsis: When prostitute Delilah Fitzgerald (Anna Thomson) is disfigured by a pair of cowboys in Big Whiskey, Wyoming, her fellow brothel workers post a reward for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Critics Consensus: An unpredictable scary thriller that doubles as a mournful meditation on love, loss, and human comfort.

Synopsis: Hitchcock's romantic story of obsession, manipulation and fear. A detective is forced to retire after his fear of heights causes the death of a fellow... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore

Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: Michelle Williams gives a heartbreaking performance in Wendy and Lucy, a timely portrait of loneliness and struggle.

Synopsis: Wendy (Michelle Williams), a near-penniless drifter, is traveling to Alaska in search of work, and her only companion is her dog, Lucy. Already perilously close... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Will Oldham, John Robinson

Directed By: Kelly Reichardt

Critics Consensus: Buoyed by Robert Wise's dazzling direction, Leonard Bernstein's score, and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, West Side Story remains perhaps the most iconic of all the Shakespeare adaptations to visit the big screen.

Synopsis: A musical in which a modern day Romeo and Juliet are involved in New York street gangs. On the harsh streets of the upper west... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris

Directed By: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise

Critics Consensus: With a fascinating real-life story and powerhouse performances from Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne, What's Love Got to Do With It? is a can't miss biopic.

Synopsis: Based on the life of the legendary soul singer, Tina Turner (Angela Bassett) -- born Anna Mae Bullock -- discovers her love of singing in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Jenifer Lewis

Directed By: Brian Gibson

Critics Consensus: The Wild Bunch is Sam Peckinpah's shocking, violent ballad to an old world and a dying genre.

Synopsis: In this gritty Western classic, aging outlaw Pike Bishop (William Holden) prepares to retire after one final robbery. Joined by his gang, which includes Dutch... View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien

Directed By: Sam Peckinpah

Critics Consensus: Wild Strawberries were never so bittersweet as Ingmar Bergman's beautifully written and filmed look at one man's nostalgic journey into the past.

Synopsis: Crotchety retired doctor Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström) travels from Stockholm to Lund, Sweden, with his pregnant and unhappy daughter-in-law, Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), in order to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Victor Sjöström, Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Critics Consensus: An absolute masterpiece whose groundbreaking visuals and deft storytelling are still every bit as resonant, The Wizard of Oz is a must-see film for young and old.

Synopsis: When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr

Directed By: Victor Fleming

Critics Consensus: Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot's charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion.

Synopsis: Before she is Wonder Woman, she is Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright

Directed By: Patty Jenkins

Critics Consensus: Led by a triumvirate of terrific performances, Alfonso Cuarón's free-spirited road trip through Mexico is a sexy and wistful hymn to the fleetingness of youth.

Synopsis: The lives of Julio and Tenoch, like those of 17-year old boys everywhere, are ruled by raging hormones, intense friendships, and a headlong rush into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

Critics Consensus: Superbly acted and satisfyingly engaging, Your Sister's Sister subverts rom-com conventions with sensitive direction, an unconventional screenplay, and a big heart.

Synopsis: A man (Mark Duplass) falls into bed with his best friend's (Emily Blunt) sister (Rosemarie DeWitt), leading to an unexpected love triangle when his friend... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mark Duplass, Mike Birbiglia

Directed By: Lynn Shelton

Critics Consensus: Gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, Zero Dark Thirty dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with intelligence and an eye for detail.

Synopsis: Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle

Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow