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When it’s not getting review bombed by angry fans, IMDb is a fountain of filmic knowledge that has all the answers. Besides being the solution to every movie section at Trivia Night, the Internet Movie Database also has a list of the top 250 films of all time, as decided by Hollywood’s toughest judges — the general audience. It’s a ranking that is crammed with unquestionably brilliant films, but it’s also a pretty big pile to get through. 240 of these popular picks are all well and good, but let’s not kid ourselves. It’s the top 10 on the list that are what we always want to get to.
IMDb’s top 10 consist of some absolutely essential viewings not just for die-hard cinephiles, but anyone that is in the mood to sit down for a certified banger that hasn’t lost its touch. With the youngest entrant on the list being just over a decade old, there aren’t just great watches in here but contenders which legitimately changed cinema for the better. Mob bosses, elves, and rich orphans with too much time to spare, this list has got it all. So, take a peek at which ones are better than the rest and if they need to find their way back on to your watch list. (For your convenience, the films are listed in the order of their ranking.)
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
United Artists
The only Western on this list and probably deemed by many as the only one worth seeing, Sergio Leone’s “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” is coated in bullets and cinematic brilliance, homing what Quentin Tarantino has described as “the best moment in the history of cinema.” He’s referring, of course, to the legendary stand-off between Clint Eastwood’s Blondie aka The Man With No Name, Lee Van Cleef’s Angel Eyes, and Eli Wallach as the lovable but treacherous Tuco. Together, they’re all tied in a tale of bounties, hidden gold, and lone gunmen out for themselves no matter what deals are done, making “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” undeniably one of the coolest films ever made.
Leone’s visuals of itchy trigger fingers and sun-kissed staredowns have become legendary, only elevated by Ennio Morricone’s unmistakable score that will have you reaching for your hip whenever you hear it. Plenty of filmmakers have tried to capture the perfectly drawn-out tension of the movie’s shootouts, including Tarantino himself. Unfortunately, no one has come close to matching Leone’s final chapter in his “Dollars” Trilogy, not even the filmmaker responsible for “Inglourious Basterds” and “The Hateful Eight.” Every frame sizzles, and every line that comes tumbling out of the scene-chewing faces of its talented trifecta is poetry. To quote Wallach’s side-switching bandit, “When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.” In this case, Leone fired off the perfect round.
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
New Line Cinema
In 2001, Peter Jackson dared to take us on an unexpected journey and gave us an introductory installment with scale and scope that hadn’t been felt since a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” was the beginning of one filmmaker’s achievement to finally make a live-action adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved and groundbreaking contribution to the fantasy genre. He did so masterfully, with a bit of help from a group of travelers and one terrifying trinket. Elijah Wood leads the way as young Frodo Baggins, appointed with the unthinkable task of destroying a weapon that could tear Middle-earth a new one. Thankfully, he’s backed by the likes of Ian McKellen as the stoic and superbly handled Gandalf, Viggo Mortensen’s rugged and noble ranger, Aragorn, and Sean Bean filling his on-screen death quota as Boromir.
Crammed with career-defining roles and others that elevated names to become ingrained in popular culture, “The Fellowship of the Ring” is truly an ensemble piece that shines just as brightly as it did 23 years ago. Not only does the CGI used to mold Middle-earth and its inhabitants still hold up, but the trickery in scaling up and down some of its characters is still absolutely flawless, transforming Jackson from a former schlock and horror director into a storyteller to rival the greats. It was an epic introduction to one of the best trilogies ever come strolling out of Hobbiton.
8. Pulp Fiction
Miramax
After turning heads in 1992 with “Reservoir Dogs,” a young filmmaker named Quentin Tarantino kept all eyes on him in 1994 with a game-changing follow-up. “Pulp Fiction” gave Hollywood a jolt with a whole new way of storytelling and dialogue that crackled throughout. It ensured that Tarantino wasn’t a one-hit wonder like he could’ve so easily been and applied his talent of making morally skewed and excessively sweary characters that became addictive to watch.
This isn’t just a frenetic tapestry of criminally good stories woven together. We’re getting a peek inside Tarantino’s brain, firing on all cylinders with the same kind of energy that he’d give us for years to come. Deviating into hyperfast and hilarious dialogue between an eclectic cast, the film became a comeback gig for John Travolta and a career-defining role for Samuel L. Jackson. In fact, every segment of this wickedly devious but whiplash-paced masterclass has a standout moment, courtesy of a cast that a director on their second gig could only dream of and was just a stronger taste of things to come.
From Uma Thuman and Travolta strutting their stuff to “You Never Can Tell” to a made-up Bible quote that’s so good it’s set in stone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Pulp Fiction” changed cinema for the better. It also set a path for Tarantino that the world would never want him to leave, no matter how many times he may threaten us with his retirement.
7. Schindler’s List
Universal
One of cinema’s most revered directors dared to revisit humanity’s darkest chapter and in doing so, delivered a history lesson that’s both beautiful and bleak in equal measure. “Schindler’s List” is without question one of Steven Spielberg’s greatest works, telling the true story of the German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1,000 Jewish people from Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Liam Neeson provides an Oscar-winning turn as Schindler, the suave businessman whose humanity is tested in the face of true evil and wrestles with himself over just how much good he can do to stop it. It’s a task made all the more difficult thanks to Ralph Fiennes as Amon Göth, who conjures one of the most disturbing and inhumane performances ever put on screen, playing his part in a film that was told in a very particular way to deliver a truth that’s impossible to ignore.
One of Spielberg’s genius choices was to shoot the film in black and white, which Universal tried to change before the director refused, telling then-studio head Tom Pollock, “I will not colorize the Holocaust.” We should be thankful that the director got his way, as abandoning all but a little red coat is enough to hammer the message home (which Spielberg was the only storyteller capable of telling).
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
New Line Cinema
Peter Jackson entered Middle-earth with a hope and a dream backed by millions of fans wondering if he’d succeed. Two years after “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” was released, he achieved the unthinkable, rounding his trilogy out spectacularly with “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” Having mastered the balancing act needed to tame the geography of Tolkien’s world and the sprawling story threads throughout it, Jackson’s near-perfect swan song saw him head off into Undying Lands with an incredible 11 Oscars in 2004, and the fantasy film genre hasn’t been the same since. But just like any film, it’s a team effort, and the one behind the end of all things put their heart and soul into it.
Led by a career-best from Elijah Wood as the nearly broken Frodo Baggins, the trilogy’s darkest hours (which go over four if you’re factoring in the Extended Edition) are illuminated by some incredible last hurrahs from a cast that have all had their own story to tell in helping destroy the One Ring. Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn finally embraces his past, which still brings chills; Andy Serkis’ incredible turn as Gollum comes with a thick layer of pity that hasn’t faded, and Sean Astin’s honor of being the best BFBFF (big-footed best friend forever) in cinema history remains undisputed. Argue all you like about the Eagles not getting involved sooner. “Return of the King” bows to no one as a fantasy movie of the ages.
5. 12 Angry Men
United Artists
So many movies on this list have come from directors who, after years of refining their craft in filmmaking, delivered something that they had no idea would become an important contribution to movie history. Sidney Lumet, however, did it on his first try and all it took was putting a dozen men in a room together and letting the sparks fly. “12 Angry Men” is the courtroom drama that sees a group of strangers battle for the outcome of a young man on trial for his life and depending on nothing but their performances (that and some ingenious use of different eye levels) to keep it bubbling for its 96 minute runtime.
One to certainly file under “they don’t make them like this anymore,” the magic of this courtroom drama is that we barely spend time in one. The tension and genius storytelling comes instead from Reginald Rose’s script, which keeps the film’s band of decision makers trapped inside a room with only one way out and 11 other men stopping them from getting there. The result is a barbarous back and forth by a brilliant group of actors who all plead their case for the truth, even if it might not be the truth after all. Put any trial movie in the witness box and they’ll be sure to buckle under the pressure of a true classic.
4. The Godfather Part II
Paramount Pictures
How do you top what might arguably be one of the greatest films ever made? You dare to give the world another one. Francis Ford Coppola’s follow-up to “The Godfather” offered us our first tantalizing sample of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the same movie but had them stealing scenes in different eras. Taking over from Marlon Brando, De Niro steps into the shoes of Vito Corleone during his early years, moving to the United States and starting a life for himself and his family by any means necessary.
Besides exploring more of the testing times that are rooted in the Corleone family history, “The Godfather Part II” expands on “The American Dream” and the desperation to hold onto it as Vito makes his way onto the path of crime and becoming a known presence in the criminal world he’ll come to rule. Pacino portrays Michael Corleone at the peak of his powers, and with it comes one of the most cold-hearted characters to ever grace the screen. Putting all those around him in order and struggling to trust them just the same, Michael’s family and the business he struggles to keep separate culminates in a heartbreaking but chilling trip out to the water with Fredo that still breaks hearts.
3. The Dark Knight
Warner Bros.
It took 14 years for another Batman movie even to enter the debate of being as good or better than Christopher Nolan’s 2008 sequel, perhaps because, much like “The Batman,” “The Dark Knight” is a thriller first and a Caped Crusader caper second. Following the game-changing origin story of “Batman Begins,” Nolan returned to cause more chaos in Gotham and he used a bank-robbing clown to do it, thereby elevating the genre to an award-worthy standard that few have come close to since. Undoubtedly, this is Heath Ledger’s scene-stealing extravaganza as The Joker, but that’s only amplified by the collective tour de force performances from those that are caught on the receiving end of it all in Nolan’s Bat-verse.
“The Dark Knight” was rife with top-tier acting, including Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon and Michael Caine as Alfred, as well as newcomers to the franchise Maggie Gyllenhaal and Aaron Eckhart (as the doomed Rachel Dawes and Harvey Dent, respectively). Like everything else in this film, they have no choice but to be pulled in by Ledger’s turn as the monster in make-up that you’re itching to see throw down with Christian Bale’s Batman. Put aside, if you can, that jaw-dropping introductory bank heist and the debut of the Batpod — the real draw is seeing this world’s Dark Knight face off against The Joker, which is worth the admission alone. Nolan built more tension in an interrogation room than some comic book movies could only dream of, and he didn’t need “Ave Maria” to do it.
2. The Godfather
Paramount Pictures
Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” is the benchmark by which all other gangster films daren’t venture. But then why would you? Even the best mob movies have struggled to give a more romantic but ruthless depiction of organized crime than the 1972 cinematic staple. It’s probably because there’s more to it than that. In between the horse heads and trips back to the homeland, this is a story of the family ties that bind and the legacy it leaves you with, whether you like it or not. By taking hold of this core detail, some of the film’s most unsettling characters are all the more relatable, and we love them for it. It transforms what could’ve been a story of wiseguys into men with codes and true family values.
“The Godfather” is deservedly up on IMDb’s list and so many others because it is a turning point in cinema and a passing of the torch between a pair of titans of the silver screen. Marlon Brando’s often imitated and never duplicated hushed head mob boss is deafening as Don Vito Corleone, which makes Al Pacino’s turn as his reserved but ruthless son, Michael, a flawless shift in power. Throw in equally legendary performances from James Caan, Robert Duvall, John Cazale, and outsider-looking-in Diane Keaton, and not a single second nor a cannoli is wasted in what is unquestionably a perfect film.
1. The Shawshank Redemption
Castle Rock Entertainment
Everything about “The Shawshank Redemption” should stop it from earning the top spot on IMDb’s best movie list. A box-office bomb upon release, Frank Darabont’s adaptation of one of Stephen King’s non-horror stories initially only earned $6 million less than its production budget. Its title didn’t exactly roll off the tongue either, with Tim Robbins — who played one-half of the film’s diamond-cut double-act, Andy Dufresne — having once admitted to Entertainment Weekly that it might be why it was so easily forgotten, and even more reason as to why the original title was scrapped.
However, as Morgan Freeman’s Red explains in this beloved prison drama, “Time can draw out like a blade,” and it’s only gotten kinder to this misunderstood masterpiece that is now an unwavering classic. Throw a rock hammer in every direction, and you’ll find incredible performances encased in the walls of Shawshank from both sides of the prison bars. From Clancy Brown’s immovable and relentless Captain Hadley to James Whitmore’s heart-wrenching Brooks, “The Shawshank Redemption” truly thrives thanks to Robbins and Freeman leading the way with a friendship you’re almost jealous not to be a part of. Their relationship is fueled by hope and respect, defiantly chipping away at their struggles both together and apart. Expertly paced with both its darkest and brightest moments caught through the lens of Roger Deakins’ stunning cinematography, “The Shawshank Redemption” never fails to lift spirits, break hearts, and spark a hankering for a warm bottle of suds on a freshly tarred roof.