TOP 20 MOVIES OF ALL TIME
Feb 27
Creating a public list of the top 20 movies of all time stresses me the hell out. We all connect with movies in very different ways. Depending on my mood, and the day of the week, I can switch in and out movies that would disgust you. Movies like Will Smith’s “Hancock” and the Norm MacDonald cult classic “Dirty Work” get dangerously close sometimes. And you’re not going to see typical top list entries like “Citizen Kane” or “Casablanca” on this list. I’m a product of the 80s and 90s, worked at Blockbuster Video receiving free rentals for far too long, and the newest movie to make this list was released in 2005.
20.) “Pulp Fiction” (1994)
This is the most “Tarantino” film that Quentin Tarantino has ever made. Love him or hate him he makes a damn fine film filled with damn fine characters who deliver some damn fine lines of dialogue.
19.) “Robin Hood” (1973)
We all have a Disney classic that we played on repeat until we drove our parents nuts. For me, my first Disney love was “Robin Hood”.
18.) “Blade Runner” (1982)
The very definition of a cult classic, Ridley Scott’s murky vision of the future is just drowning with atmosphere.
17.) “Akira” (1988)
Katsuhiro Ôtomo’s deeply strange post-apocalyptic study on destruction and rebirth is the most mesmerizing hand-drawn animation I’ve ever seen.
16.) “Ghostbusters” (1984)
This movie is so weird and genre stuffed I often wonder how the hell it ever got made. I can’t think of any other movie that makes me laugh so hard AND scares the complete shit out of me.
15.) “The Cable Guy” (1996)
I saw this movie for the first time at the Mall of America in Minnesota when I was 13 and hated it because it wasn’t Ace Ventura, The Mask, or Dumb and Dumber. The following summer it was on HBO, and I must have watched it 10 times.
14.) “The Mummy” (1999)
As far as campy adventure films go, “The Mummy” truly has it all. Action, comedy, romance, and horror all perfectly balanced creating an epic that often feels like a ride.
13.) “Jaws” (1975)
I’m scared of sharks. It’s not an inborn fear, it’s because of “Jaws”. That’s how effective this film is.
12.) “The Shining” (1980)
This is a true horror masterpiece adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name that favors tension, atmosphere, and suspense over excessive blood and gore.
11.) “The Big Lebowski” (1998)
This is the Coen Brothers at their absolute best. An aging slacker mistaken for a millionaire of the same name seeking restitution for a house rug that got pissed on.
10.) “Labyrinth” (1986)
One of the few feature films directed by Jim Henson that didn’t star a Muppet. This is dark fantasy at its finest.
9.) “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, co-written by George Lucas, starring Harrison Ford, and music composed by John Williams. What did you think would happen!
8.) “The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
Screenwriter and director Peter Jackson did it. He brilliantly filmed a movie that many said was unfilmable.
7.) “Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
I’m a shameless Star Wars prequel lover and “Revenge of the Sith” is just so damn good.
6.) “Alien” (1979)
Director Ridley Scott’s dark and frighteningly intense story about the crew of a commercial spaceship responding to a mysterious distress call is the ultimate blend of science fiction and horror.
5.) “The Matrix” (1999)
While the “Matrix” isn’t narratively groundbreaking, it does provide one hell of a captivating moviegoing experience.
4.) “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
The original “Star Wars” is pure imagination full of adventure and excitement. Its sequel builds upon the mythos and takes a much darker turn.
3.) “Vanilla Sky” (2001)
We all have that one movie we passionately connect with that people just don’t understand. For me it’s director Cameron Crowe’s adaptation of 1997’s "Abre los ojos" starring my all-time favorite actor Tom Cruise.
2.) “Jurassic Park” (1993)
Seeing Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur epic “Jurassic Park” in theatres when I was 10 was hands down the best movie going experience I’ve ever had.
1.) “The Neverending Story” (1984)
Nostalgia is a powerful force. We all have a single movie that captivated us at a young age, inspired us to unlock our imaginations, and to this day reminds us why we love movies so much. For me, “The Neverending Story” is that movie.
At the end of the day this list represents the top 20 movies I most consistently consider to be awesome and influential. As I get older, have more life experiences, and watch more movies, I may have to adjust this list.