The Absolute Best
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Director/Creator: Frank Darabont
Plot: Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency. It is a powerful, emotional story about hope and friendship that sits at the top of nearly every “best of” list.
IMDb Rating: 9.3/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Apple TV
2. The Godfather (1972)
Director/Creator: Francis Ford Coppola
Plot: The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, featuring iconic performances and a gripping look at the mafia.
IMDb Rating: 9.2/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+
3. The Dark Knight (2008)
Director/Creator: Christopher Nolan
Plot: When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice. Heath Ledger’s performance is legendary.
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
4. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Director/Creator: Francis Ford Coppola
Plot: The early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate. It is one of the rare sequels considered equal to, or even better than, the original.
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+
5. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Director/Creator: Sidney Lumet
Plot: A jury holdout attempts to prevent a miscarriage of justice by forcing his colleagues to reconsider the evidence. Set almost entirely in one room, this film is a masterclass in tension, dialogue, and character study.
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Tubi (Free)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
Director/Creator: Steven Spielberg
Plot: In German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis. He manages to save over a thousand refugees from the Holocaust.
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Director/Creator: Peter Jackson
Plot: Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring. It is an epic, emotional conclusion to the fantasy trilogy.
IMDb Rating: 9.0/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
8. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Director/Creator: Quentin Tarantino
Plot: The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. It is famous for its non-linear storytelling, sharp dialogue, and cool style.
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Director/Creator: Peter Jackson
Plot: A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron. It sets the stage for one of the greatest adventures in cinema history.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Director/Creator: Sergio Leone
Plot: A bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery. It is the quintessential “Spaghetti Western” with an iconic score.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Tubi
Cinematic Masterpieces
11. Forrest Gump (1994)
Director/Creator: Robert Zemeckis
Plot: The presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and other historical events unfold from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, whose only desire is to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
12. Fight Club (1999)
Director/Creator: David Fincher
Plot: An insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more. It is a dark, psychological satire on consumer culture and masculinity.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Amazon Prime Video
13. Inception (2010)
Director/Creator: Christopher Nolan
Plot: A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O. It is a visually stunning and intellectually demanding sci-fi thriller.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Director/Creator: Peter Jackson
Plot: While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron’s new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.
IMDb Rating: 8.8/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
15. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Director/Creator: Irvin Kershner
Plot: After the Rebels are brutally overpowered by the Empire on the ice planet Hoth, Luke Skywalker begins Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader. It features one of the most famous plot twists in history.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
16. The Matrix (1999)
Director/Creator: The Wachowskis
Plot: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. It revolutionized action movies with its “bullet time” effects and philosophical themes.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Netflix
17. Goodfellas (1990)
Director/Creator: Martin Scorsese
Plot: The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mob, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. It is a fast-paced, gritty, and authentic look at gangster life.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
18. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Director/Creator: Miloš Forman
Plot: A criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse. Jack Nicholson delivers an unforgettable performance.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Amazon Prime Video
19. Se7en (1995)
Director/Creator: David Fincher
Plot: Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives. It is dark, atmospheric, and features a shocking ending.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
20. Seven Samurai (1954)
Director/Creator: Akira Kurosawa
Plot: A poor village under attack by bandits recruits seven unemployed samurai to help them defend themselves. It is a masterpiece of action cinema that influenced countless films, including The Magnificent Seven.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
More Global Favorites & Cult Classics
21. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Director/Creator: Frank Capra
Plot: An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. It is the ultimate holiday classic about the value of a single life.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Plex (Free)
22. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Director/Creator: Jonathan Demme
Plot: A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / MGM+
23. City of God (2002)
Director/Creator: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund
Plot: In the slums of Rio, two kids’ paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin. It is a kinetic, violent, and vibrant masterpiece of Brazilian cinema.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
24. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Director/Creator: Steven Spielberg
Plot: Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. The opening D-Day sequence is famously realistic and intense.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
25. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Director/Creator: Roberto Benigni
Plot: When an open-minded Jewish librarian and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor, and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
26. The Green Mile (1999)
Director/Creator: Frank Darabont
Plot: The lives of guards on Death Row are affected by one of their charges: a black man accused of child murder and rape, who yet has a mysterious gift. It is a heartbreaking and supernatural drama.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
27. Interstellar (2014)
Director/Creator: Christopher Nolan
Plot: A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity’s survival. It is an ambitious, emotional epic about love, time, and gravity.
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
28. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Director/Creator: George Lucas
Plot: Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee, and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire’s world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
29. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Director/Creator: James Cameron
Plot: A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten-year-old son John from a more advanced and powerful cyborg. It set the standard for modern action blockbusters.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Amazon Prime Video
30. Back to the Future (1985)
Director/Creator: Robert Zemeckis
Plot: Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Amazon Prime Video
Worth Watch Cinema & Global Classics
31. Spirited Away (2001)
Director/Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Plot: During her family’s move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl, Chihiro, wanders into a world inhabited by gods, witches, and spirits, where humans are changed into beasts. She must work in a magnificent bathhouse for the spirits to save her parents and return home.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
32. The Pianist (2002)
Director/Creator: Roman Polanski
Plot: A Polish Jewish musician, Wladyslaw Szpilman, struggles to survive the destruction of Warsaw during World War II. It is a harrowing and deeply moving true story about the power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
33. Psycho (1960)
Director/Creator: Alfred Hitchcock
Plot: A Phoenix secretary steals $40,000 from her employer’s client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a polite but highly disturbed young man. It revolutionized the horror/thriller genre with its iconic twists and tension.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Apple TV
34. Gladiator (2000)
Director/Creator: Ridley Scott
Plot: A former Roman General is sold into slavery after his family is murdered by an emperor’s jealous son. He seeks revenge as a gladiator, becoming the symbol of Rome’s lost glory.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
35. Parasite (2019)
Director/Creator: Bong Joon Ho
Plot: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan. This Oscar-winning film is a brilliant, darkly comic thriller about social inequality.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
36. The Lion King (1994)
Director/Creator: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Plot: Lion cub prince Simba is led to believe he caused the death of his father, Mufasa, and flees into exile. He later returns as an adult to reclaim his rightful place as king from his villainous uncle, Scar.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
37. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Director/Creator: Isao Takahata
Plot: A devastatingly emotional tale of a young boy and his little sister struggling to survive in Japan during the final months of World War II. It is widely considered one of the greatest war films ever made.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
38. The Departed (2006)
Director/Creator: Martin Scorsese
Plot: An undercover state cop and a mole in the police force attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston. This gritty thriller is a remake of the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
39. Whiplash (2014)
Director/Creator: Damien Chazelle
Plot: A young, promising jazz drummer enrolls at a cutthroat music conservatory where he is pushed to the brink by an abusive and intense instructor. It is a thrilling, high-energy examination of ambition and genius.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Netflix
40. Harakiri (1962)
Director/Creator: Masaki Kobayashi
Plot: A poverty-stricken samurai arrives at a feudal lord’s home and requests an honorable place to commit suicide. He is told the story of another young ronin who came with the same request, revealing a dark tale of cruelty and revenge.
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Where to Watch: Criterion Channel / Kanopy
41. The Prestige (2006)
Director/Creator: Christopher Nolan
Plot: After a tragic accident, two stage magicians in London become obsessed with creating the ultimate illusion while sabotaging each other’s acts to the detriment of their careers and personal lives.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
42. American History X (1998)
Director/Creator: Tony Kaye
Plot: A former neo-Nazi skinhead tries to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps after serving three years in prison for a hate-motivated murder.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
43. Léon: The Professional (1994)
Director/Creator: Luc Besson
Plot: Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl, is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. Léon trains her to be his protégé, and they form an unusual, protective bond.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Peacock
44. Casablanca (1942)
Director/Creator: Michael Curtiz
Plot: A cynical American expatriate, running a nightclub in Vichy-controlled Casablanca, must choose between his love for a woman and helping her and her Resistance leader husband escape the city to continue his fight against the Nazis.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
45. The Usual Suspects (1995)
Director/Creator: Bryan Singer
Plot: The sole survivor of a massacre on a ship tells the police a story concerning a mysterious criminal mastermind named Keyser Söze. It is famous for its intricate plot and legendary final twist.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
46. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Director/Creator: Giuseppe Tornatore
Plot: A successful film director returns to his home village in Sicily for the funeral of his old friend, the projectionist at the local movie theater, and reminisces about his childhood love affair with cinema.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Mubi
47. The Intouchables (2011)
Director/Creator: Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano
Plot: An unlikely friendship develops between a wealthy, physically disabled aristocrat and a young man from the projects who is hired as his caretaker. It is a globally successful, heartwarming comedy-drama based on a true story.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Netflix
48. Alien (1979)
Director/Creator: Ridley Scott
Plot: The crew of a commercial space tug investigates a mysterious signal from a nearby planet, only to discover a terrifying alien lifeform that begins to hunt them one by one. It is a masterpiece of horror and science fiction.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Disney+
49. Modern Times (1936)
Director/Creator: Charles Chaplin
Plot: Chaplin’s iconic character, The Tramp, struggles to survive in the modern, industrialized world. This silent-era comedy is a poignant social commentary on the Great Depression and the dehumanizing effects of factory work.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
50. Rear Window (1954)
Director/Creator: Alfred Hitchcock
Plot: A professional photographer confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and, in so doing, becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Peacock
Iconic Directors & World Cinema
51. Memento (2000)
Director/Creator: Christopher Nolan
Plot: A man is unable to form new memories following an accident. He attempts to hunt down his wife’s killer using an intricate system of polaroid photos and tattoos to keep track of clues.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
52. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Director/Creator: Francis Ford Coppola
Plot: During the Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission to assassinate a rogue Colonel named Kurtz who has set himself up as a god among a local tribe.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Showtime / Paramount+
53. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Director/Creator: Steven Spielberg
Plot: In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
54. Django Unchained (2012)
Director/Creator: Quentin Tarantino
Plot: With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. This Western is full of stylish action and sharp dialogue.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Netflix
55. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Director/Creator: Billy Wilder
Plot: A British barrister takes on the case of a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow, a case which only becomes more complex and twisting when the defendant’s wife agrees to testify against him.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Tubi (Free)
56. WALL-E (2008)
Director/Creator: Andrew Stanton
Plot: In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. It is an often-silent masterpiece of animation and social commentary.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
57. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Director/Creator: Billy Wilder
Plot: A screenwriter is drawn into the fantasy world of a faded silent movie star who dreams of making a triumphant comeback. This classic film noir is a dark satire of Hollywood’s obsession with youth and fame.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
58. Paths of Glory (1957)
Director/Creator: Stanley Kubrick
Plot: After an impossible mission during World War I, French commanding officers unjustly decide to court-martial three soldiers for cowardice. Their commanding officer must fight for their lives.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
59. Doctor Strangelove (1964)
Director/Creator: Stanley Kubrick
Plot: An insane American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a crisis that only the President of the United States and his advisors can prevent from escalating into a nuclear holocaust.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
60. The Great Dictator (1940)
Director/Creator: Charles Chaplin
Plot: In Chaplin’s first true talking picture, he plays both a Jewish barber and a fascist dictator named Adenoid Hynkel in a powerful and satirical attack on Hitler and the Nazi regime.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
61. Oldboy (2003)
Director/Creator: Park Chan-wook
Plot: After being secretly imprisoned for 15 years with no explanation, a man is released and given five days to find his captor and discover the reason for his incarceration. It is a stunning, violent neo-noir thriller.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
62. The Shining (1980)
Director/Creator: Stanley Kubrick
Plot: A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from the past and future.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
63. Toy Story (1995)
Director/Creator: John Lasseter
Plot: A cowboy doll named Woody is threatened and jealous when a new spaceman action figure, Buzz Lightyear, becomes his owner Andy’s favorite toy. This Pixar classic changed animation forever.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
64. Das Boot (1981)
Director/Creator: Wolfgang Petersen
Plot: The claustrophobic and terrifying lives of a German U-boat crew during World War II are chronicled, showing the sheer horror and boredom of submarine warfare.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
65. Amelie (2001)
Director/Creator: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Plot: Amelie, a shy waitress in Paris, decides to change the lives of the people around her for the better while struggling with her own isolation. This is a whimsical and charming romantic comedy.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
66. Princess Mononoke (1997)
Director/Creator: Hayao Miyazaki
Plot: A young prince is cursed and journeys to the west to find a cure. He gets caught in a battle between a mining colony and the guardians of the forest, including a fierce young woman raised by wolves.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
67. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Director/Creator: Stanley Kubrick
Plot: A two-part story covering the dehumanizing training of U.S. Marine Corps recruits during the Vietnam War, followed by the terrifying experience of the Tet Offensive.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO)
68. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Director/Creator: Sergio Leone
Plot: A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to New York after spending 35 years in hiding, reflecting on his life of crime and his relationship with his friends.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
69. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Director/Creator: Darren Aronofsky
Plot: The lives of four individuals are ravaged by drug addiction. It is a visually arresting, brutal, and emotionally devastating look at the destructive power of dependence.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
70. The Celebration (1998)
Director/Creator: Thomas Vinterberg
Plot: A wealthy patriarch is celebrating his 60th birthday when his son stands up and gives a damning speech, revealing dark family secrets. This film is a foundational piece of the minimalist Dogme 95 movement.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
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Modern Gems & Time Classics
71. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Director/Creator: Michel Gondry
Plot: When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a procedure to have each other erased from their memories. The film is a mind-bending, poignant exploration of love, loss, and memory.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Peacock / Amazon Prime Video
72. Snatch (2000)
Director/Creator: Guy Ritchie
Plot: Unscrupulous boxing promoters, bookies, a Russian gangster, and a couple of down-on-their-luck jewelry thieves all battle to find a stolen diamond. This is a fast-paced, humorous, and stylish crime caper.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Hulu / Max (HBO)
73. High and Low (1963)
Director/Creator: Akira Kurosawa
Plot: A wealthy executive of a shoe company must make a difficult decision after his chauffeur’s son is mistakenly kidnapped and held for ransom by men who intended to abduct his own child.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
74. The Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Director/Creator: Vittorio De Sica
Plot: In post-World War II Rome, a poor man searches desperately for his stolen bicycle, which he needs for his new job to support his family. This film is a foundational masterpiece of Italian Neorealism.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
75. Brazil (1985)
Director/Creator: Terry Gilliam
Plot: A bureaucrat in a dystopian future tries to correct a paperwork error and gets entangled in a surreal quest to find the woman of his dreams, clashing with the totalitarian state around him.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Criterion Channel / Peacock
76. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Director/Creator: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Plot: A silent film star falls for a chorus girl just as the film industry transitions to “talkies.” This exuberant musical is often cited as the greatest American musical film ever made.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
77. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Director/Creator: Stanley Kubrick
Plot: Humanity finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, object buried beneath the Lunar surface and, with the intelligent computer H.A.L. 9000, sets off on a quest. This visually stunning epic is a landmark of science fiction.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
78. North by Northwest (1959)
Director/Creator: Alfred Hitchcock
Plot: An advertising executive is mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies and must cross the country to escape them. It’s a stylish and quintessential action-spy thriller.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Tubi (Free)
79. Citizen Kane (1941)
Director/Creator: Orson Welles
Plot: Following the death of a media magnate, reporters investigate his life and legacy, focusing on his dying word, “Rosebud.” It is hailed for its groundbreaking cinematic techniques and narrative structure.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
80. Raging Bull (1980)
Director/Creator: Martin Scorsese
Plot: The self-destructive life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose rage and violence helped him rise to the top of the ring but destroyed his personal life, is chronicled in this acclaimed biopic.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
81. Rashomon (1950)
Director/Creator: Akira Kurosawa
Plot: A single crime—the murder of a samurai and the rape of his wife—is recounted from four contradictory perspectives, raising profound questions about truth and reality.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
82. Witness (1985)
Director/Creator: Peter Weir
Plot: An Amish boy is the sole witness to a murder in Philadelphia. A detective must go undercover and hide out in the Amish community to protect the boy, struggling to adapt to their peaceful, non-violent lifestyle.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Paramount+ / Amazon Prime Video
83. Heat (1995)
Director/Creator: Michael Mann
Plot: A seasoned career thief and his crew take on one last major score, but an obsessive, workaholic L.A.P.D. detective is determined to bring him down. Famous for the first on-screen pairing of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Netflix / Amazon Prime Video
84. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Director/Creator: Guillermo del Toro
Plot: In 1944 Fascist Spain, a young girl, obsessed with fairy tales, finds solace in a decaying labyrinth and meets a mysterious faun who promises to reveal her true destiny.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Netflix
85. Fargo (1996)
Director/Creator: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Plot: A pregnant Minnesota police chief investigates a series of murders that occur after a desperate car salesman hires two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to get money from his wealthy father-in-law.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
86. Die Hard (1988)
Director/Creator: John McTiernan
Plot: New York City cop John McClane travels to Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his estranged wife and must single-handedly thwart a group of highly organized terrorists who take over her office building.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
87. Prisoners (2013)
Director/Creator: Denis Villeneuve
Plot: When his young daughter and her friend go missing, a father is forced to take the law into his own hands as the days turn into weeks and the police investigation stalls. This is a tense, morally complex thriller.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Netflix
88. Finding Nemo (2003)
Director/Creator: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Plot: After his son Nemo is captured in the Great Barrier Reef, a timid clownfish named Marlin embarks on a perilous journey across the ocean to bring him home.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Disney+
89. The Great Escape (1963)
Director/Creator: John Sturges
Plot: Allied prisoners of war plan a massive escape from a high-security German POW camp during World War II. Based on a true story, this epic features an ensemble cast and thrilling action.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Apple TV
90. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Director/Creator: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois
Plot: A young Viking who aspires to hunt dragons becomes the unlikely friend of a rare Night Fury dragon, changing his village’s perception of the creatures in the process.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Peacock / Hulu
91. Amadeus (1984)
Director/Creator: Miloš Forman
Plot: The story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is told through the eyes of his rival, the jealous court composer Antonio Salieri, who believes God favored Mozart’s boorish genius over his own mediocrity and piety.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
92. The Kid (1921)
Director/Creator: Charles Chaplin
Plot: The Tramp finds an abandoned baby and raises him as his own. Their happy life together is threatened when the boy’s natural mother, now a famous opera singer, tries to reclaim him.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
93. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Director/Creator: John Huston
Plot: Two down-on-their-luck American prospectors and a grizzled old man venture into the Mexican wilderness in search of gold, only to have their newfound wealth begin to erode their morals and trust.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Tubi (Free)
94. The Apartment (1960)
Director/Creator: Billy Wilder
Plot: A man tries to climb the corporate ladder by lending his apartment to his executives for their illicit affairs, but his plan backfires when he falls in love with the building’s elevator operator.
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video / Paramount+
95. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Director/Creator: Ang Lee
Plot: A young woman in 19th-century China is trained in martial arts but dreams of freedom from a prearranged marriage. When a legendary sword is stolen, her path crosses with a mysterious bandit and a skilled warrior.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video
96. The Third Man (1949)
Director/Creator: Carol Reed
Plot: An American writer travels to Allied-occupied Vienna to visit his friend, who is supposedly killed in a suspicious accident. The writer investigates the death and uncovers a dangerous black-market ring.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Criterion Channel
97. Blade Runner (1982)
Director/Creator: Ridley Scott
Plot: In a dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, a “blade runner” is tasked with hunting down and retiring four genetically engineered humanoids known as replicants, who stole a ship and returned to Earth.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
98. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Director/Creator: Curtis Hanson
Plot: As corruption and scandal rock the Los Angeles Police Department in the 1950s, three very different detectives must navigate the city’s murky underworld to uncover the truth behind a series of murders.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Hulu
99. The Lives of Others (2006)
Director/Creator: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Plot: In 1980s East Berlin, a secret police agent tasked with monitoring a playwright and his lover finds himself increasingly captivated by their lives, leading him to make a life-altering choice.
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Kanopy
100. The Terminator (1984)
Director/Creator: James Cameron
Plot: A cyborg assassin is sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son will one day save mankind from extinction. A soldier is also sent back to protect her.
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Where to Watch: Max (HBO) / Amazon Prime Video