Fans Pick the Best Movies of the Last 25 Years

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: Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent filmmaking moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.

Synopsis: In Earth's future, a global crop blight and second Dust Bowl are slowly rendering the planet uninhabitable. Professor Brand (Michael Caine), a brilliant NASA physicist,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses.

Synopsis: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong

Directed By: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

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: 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: 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: Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a feat even trickier than a 4G inverted dive, delivering a long-belated sequel that surpasses its predecessor in wildly entertaining style.

Synopsis: After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm

Directed By: Joseph Kosinski

Critics Consensus: Just as visually dazzling and action-packed as its predecessor, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse thrills from start to cliffhanger conclusion.

Synopsis: Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn's full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson

Directed By: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

Critics Consensus: Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.

Synopsis: Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet -- the evil Thanos. On a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin, Chadwick Boseman

Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

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: 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: 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: 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: While not everyone will be entertained by Gladiator's glum revenge story, Russell Crowe thunderously wins the crowd with a star-making turn that provides Ridley Scott's opulent resurrection of Rome its bruised heart.

Synopsis: Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) takes power and strips rank from Maximus (Russell Crowe), one of the favored generals of his predecessor and father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Featuring outstanding work from an excellent cast, The Departed is a thoroughly engrossing gangster drama with the gritty authenticity and soupy morality we come to expect from Martin Scorsese.

Synopsis: South Boston cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover to infiltrate the organization of gangland chief Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). As Billy gains the mobster's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

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: La La Land breathes new life into a bygone genre with thrillingly assured direction, powerful performances, and an irresistible excess of heart.

Synopsis: Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt

Directed By: Damien Chazelle

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: Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller.

Synopsis: Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, in pursuit of rising to the top of his elite music conservatory. Terence Fletcher (J.K.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser

Directed By: Damien Chazelle