Top 100 Movies

By Tess Jones

This list of the greatest films ever made contains movies from every genre, style, and time period. From Star Wars to Citizen Kane, these movies have moved people deeply and generated massive popularity. The films on this list will live on for years to come because of their merit with critics and audiences alike.

Top 100 Movies of All Time

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King movie poster

Creating a list of the top 100 movies of all time is no simple task. Box-office numbers rise with inflation favoring newer movies and don't take into account smaller films with critical acclaim or Oscar wins. On the other hand, lists made exclusively by critics tend to ignore the public voice.

Both theater ticket sales and critical acclaim were included in creating this list. Box-office numbers were included from IMdB and Box Office Mojo's yearly box office list and inflation-adjusted list. Points were assigned to these box-office numbers based on their rank. Points were also assigned to the top 100 entries based on the user-rating list from IMdB, the AFI top-100 list, and Oscar best-picture winning films. The result is a true measure of the top movies as judged by both theater-goers and critics.

Top 100 Movies List

Rank	Title	Year	Description
1	Forrest Gump	1994	A well-rounded favorite, Forrest Gump won six Oscars, ranked high on both charts at Box Office Mojo, and made the AFI Top-100 list.
2	The Godfather	1972	This original film from 1972 began a three-part series and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It had a star-studded cast with Marlon Brando and Al Pacino portraying life in the mafia. The film won three Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actor.
3	Titanic	1997	Directed by James Cameron, Titanic was one of the top-grossing films of all-time and won 11 Oscars.
4	The Lord or the Rings: Return of the King	2003	The third and final installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Return of the King grossed $377,019,252. It won the best-picture Oscar and is loved around the world for it's interpretation of a literary classic.
5	Star Wars	1977	This classic launched a generation-spanning franchise created by George Lucas that has won countless awards and inspired spin-offs in every type of media imaginable.
6	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial	1982	The top-grossing film of 1982, E.T. is one of Steven Spielberg's best all-time films. Look for a very young Drew Barrymore as main character Elliot's little sister.
7	The Dark Knight	2008	The second film in Christopher Nolan's take on the Batman franchise, The Dark Knight ranks number seven with IMdB user ratings. Heath Ledger received an Oscar for best actor in a supporting role post-humously for his performance as The Joker.
8	Gone with the Wind	1939	This classic film from 1939 has stood the test of time. It is number one on the inflation-adjusted box-office gross list and number six on the list of AFI's top 100 movies of all time. Set during the civil war, Scarlett O'Hara entertains audiences for a the two-part, 238-minute epic.
9	Schindler's List	1993	While Schindler's List didn't have high box-office returns, it had high enough critic rankings to make it to the top ten, not to mention seven Oscars.
10	The Sound of Music	1965	Number three on the inflation-adjusted box-office gross list at Box Office Mojo, The Sound of Music stars Julie Andrews as a Governess in Austria. The film garnered five Oscars including Best Picture.
11	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest	1975	Starring a young Jack Nicholson, the film was directed by a brilliant Milos Foreman who also helmed Amadeus (number 72 on the list).
12	Lawrence of Arabia	1962	Peter O'Toole stars in this epic 1962 film that took home seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography.
13	The Godfather: Part II	1974	The second in the Godfather trilogy, this film is ranked number three with IMdB users. It won six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Director.
14	Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back	1980	The second movie released in the Star Wars universe, The Empire Strikes Back continues the story of Luke Skywalker as played by Mark Hamill.
15	Raiders of the Lost Ark	1981	The top-grossing film of 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark introduced the world to Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones in a thrilling action film that holds up over time.
16	Casablanca	1943	In this 1943 gem Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman unexpectedly meet overseas at the start of World War II. The film originated the famous quote, "Here's looking at you, kid."
17	Avatar	2009	The number one, top-grossing movie on IMdB, Avatar was directed by James Cameron. The film is a testament to the beauty possible in a new, modern age of cinematography and special effects.
18	Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace	1999	Two decades after the Star Wars trilogy was released, George Lucas directed this prequel with modern special effects. The film grossed $474,544,677 and was the top-grossing movie for 1999.
19	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring	2001	The first film in the trilogy, Peter Jackson brought the famous books to life in this epic adventure film.
20	Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi	1983	The third of the early 1980's Star Wars movies, in the overall story of Star Wars this film is actually the last and sixth film that concludes the story.
21	The Sting	1973	This 1973 film won seven Oscars including Best Picture and stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
22	The Avengers	2012	The Avengers blew the box-office away with a gross of $623,279,547.
23	Shrek 2	2004	The sequel to Shrek was the number one grossing movie of 2004 and is one of the top 10 all-time highest grossing movies per Box Office Mojo.
24	Jurassic Park	1993	Steven Spielberg had another hit with this 1993 top-grossing movie about a real live dinosaur park gone awry.
25	All About Eve	1950	"Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night," a line delivered by Bette Davis with drink in hand, will live in the hearts and minds of movie-goers forever. All About Eve is a timeless film about a young actress named Eve (played by Anne Baxter) who tries to wedge her way into the lives and spotlight of an established star.
26	Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest	2006	This film from the swashbuckling series featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest outgrossed all the other Pirates movies earning a coveted spot on the top-100 list.
27	The Lion King	1994	Animated Disney film The Lion King about a young lion named Simba was an instant classic. The film earned a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical.
28	Spider-Man	2002	Director Sam Raimi hit the nail on the head with a pitch-perfect performance from Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man. The film grossed $403,706,375 per IMdB and went on to have several sequels.
29	The Silence of the Lambs	1991	Jodie Foster plays FBI agent Clarice Starling investigating a disturbing case that forces her to communicate with a killer played by Anthony Hopkins. The film won numerous Oscars including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Actress in a Leading Role.
30	The Bridge on the River Kwai	1957	This classic film tells the story of story of British prisoners of war tasked with building a bridge is on most critics' top-100 lists. It's inflation-adjusted gross puts the film at $437,920,000.
31	The Best Years of Our Lives	1946	This film about veterans returning to their lives after WWII won seven Oscars and was directed by William Wyler.
32	Ben-Hur	1959	Also directed by William Wyler, Ben-Hur stars Charlton Heston in a dramatic film featuring a famous chariot race among other memorable cinematic moments.
33	Toy Story 3	2010	Toy Story 3 has a surprising critic review rating of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. It grossed $414,984,497 and also won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.
34	Rocky	1976	Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone won three Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It had a respectable box-office gross.
35	On the Waterfront	1954	Marlon Brando plays a longshoreman in this classic directed by Elia Kazan. The film won eight Oscars.
36	West Side Story	1961	One of the most popular film musicals, West Side Story tells the love story of Maria and Tony, who are linked with opposing gangs in New York City. The film won eight Oscars and has an inflation-adjusted all-time gross of $450,560,80.
37	The Dark Knight Rises	2012	Christian Bale is back again as Batman in this Christopher Nolan-directed film that grossed $448,130,642.
38	The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers	2002	The second film in the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers continues the story of Frodo and the ring. The film grossed $340,124,059.
39	Independence Day	1996	This blockbuster starring Will Smith was the Box Office Mojo top-grossing film of 1996. The film was directed by Roland Emmerich.
40	Jaws	1975	Directed by Steven Spielberg, the famous music from Jaws won composer John Williams an Oscar for Best Music-Original Dramatic Score.
41	Unforgiven	1992	Unforgiven stars and was directed by Clint Eastwood in a story about a retired gunslinger returning for one last job. The film won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
42	Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith	2005	The top-grossing film of 2005, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith marks the final Star Wars film produced thus far and is the third in the overall storyline.
43	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs	1937	This timeless, animated Disney film has been re-released countless times, building its box-office gross significantly over the years.
44	The Graduate	1967	Simon and Garfunkel crooned "Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson" for this film featuring a young Dustin Hoffman having an affair with an older woman. The movie won Mike Nicholas an Oscar for Best Director.
45	Annie Hall	1977	Diane Keaton plays Annie in one of Woody Allen's all-time best films. The film won four Oscars.
46	Home Alone	1990	A very young Macaulay Culkin won over audience's hearts in this Christmastime blockbuster that had a gross of $285,761,243.
47	Rain Man	1988	With genius casting of Dustin Hoffman opposite Tom Cruise, Rain Man won four Oscars and was also the top-grossing film of 1988.
48	Midnight Cowboy	1969	This film won the Best Picture Oscar and stars Jon Voigt and Dustin Hoffman.
49	It Happened One Night	1934	Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this film directed by Frank Capra tells the story of a well-to-do woman who must accept help from a reporter angling for a news story. The film won five Oscars including Best Picture.
50	The Apartment	1960	Jack Lemmon plays Baxter, a man who lends his apartment key to executives in his company for trysts. Shirley MacLaine complicates matters. The Apartment won five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
51	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone	2001	The film that introduced the world to Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter grossed $317,557,891 and launched a film franchise worthy of the book series by J.K. Rowling. The movie was directed by Chris Columbus.
52	Gladiator	2000	Russell Crowe won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in this Roman-set action film. The movie also won the Oscar for Best Picture and grossed $187,670,866.
53	The Departed	2006	Ranked highly by IMdB users, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon play men undercover in both the Irish mafia and the police force in Boston. The movie won four Oscars and was directed by Martin Scorsese.
54	American Beauty	1999	American Beauty took home five Academy Awards including Best Picture. It stars Kevin Spacey as a father in suburbia having a mid-life crisis and falling into depression.
55	The Deer Hunter	1978	This 1978 Best Picture Oscar winner has a star-studded cast including Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep.
56	Back to the Future	1985	The top-grossing movie of 1985, Back to the Future remains ranked in the top-100 with IMdB users.
57	Citizen Kane	1941	Often at the top of critic's lists, Citizen Kane was directed by and stars Orson Welles. The film follows a reporter trying to uncover the meaning of a famous man's last spoken word, "rosebud."
58	Psycho	1960	Famous for its shower scene, Alfred Hitchcock changed the landscape of thriller movies with this film revered by critics.
59	It's a Wonderful Life	1946	A Christmastime staple starring James Stewart, It's a Wonderful Life tells the story of George Bailey who learns what the world would be like without him. The film was directed by Frank Capra.
60	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2	2011	The highest-grossing Harry Potter movie and the top movie of 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was the final movie in the 8-film series.
61	Finding Nemo	2003	This animated story of a small fish trying to make his way home grossed $380,383,870 at the box office. It won the Oscar for best Animated Picture and was nominated for best original screenplay.
62	Spider-Man 2	2004	Directed by Sam Raimi, in Spider-Man 2 Peter Parker battles Doctor Octavius. The film grossed $373,377,893.
63	Spider-Man 3	2007	The third and final Spider-Man movie starring Tobey Maquire, Spider-Man 3 grossed $336,530,303.
64	Batman	1989	Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker gave the world this top-grossing film of 1989.
65	Saving Private Ryan	1998	Saving Private Ryan won five Oscars including Best Director for Steven Spielberg. The film stars Tom Hanks and made $216,119,491 at the box office.
66	Platoon	1986	Directed and written by Oliver Stone, Platoon stars Charlie Sheen as a disenchanted soldier in Vietnam. The movie won four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
67	Vertigo	1958	Among the top Hitchcock movies on any film aficionados' list, Vertigo stars James Stewart as a detective afraid of heights.
68	City Lights	1931	The story of a tramp trying to woo a blind flower girl, City Lights influenced films for years to come. The film was directed by, written by, and starred Charlie Chaplin.
69	Sunset Blvd.	1950	Directed by Billy Wilder, this film about a disillusioned silent-screen star clinging to her former glory won three Oscars including best screenplay.
70	In the Heat of the Night	1967	Breaking racial barriers, Sidney Poitier plays a talented detective waylaid in a small, southern town in this 1967 film. The movie won five Oscars including Best Picture.
71	Braveheart	1995	Directed by and starring Mel Gibson, Braveheart won five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography.
72	Amadeus	1984	This 1984 film about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as told in flashback by his bitter rival won eight Oscars and was directed by Milos Foreman.
73	The Passion of the Christ	2004	Although criticized for it's extreme violence and lack of spirituality, The Passion of the Christ grossed $370,270,943. Mel Gibson directed this film about the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus.
74	Inception	2010	Leonardo DiCaprio starred in this mind-bending film by director Christopher Nolan. The movie grossed $292,569,851, an amazing feat for an original property.
75	Beverly Hills Cop	1984	In the top-grossing movie of 1984, Eddie Murphy plays a Detroit cop in a fish-out-of water story landing him in Beverly Hills. The movie sold $234,760,500 in tickets.
76	Raging Bull	1980	Robert De Niro won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as a boxer. The film was directed by Martin Scorsese.
77	Singin' in the Rain	1952	Singin' in the Rain is a timeless musical about a cast moving from silent films to talkies. Gene Kelly starred in and co-directed the film.
78	Apocalypse Now	1979	Based on Joseph Conrad's book Heart of Darkness, the movie Apocalypse Now is the story of a dark mission in Vietnam. The film stars Martin Sheen and Marlon Brando and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.
79	Rear Window	1954	Starring James Stewart and Gene Kelly, this Hitchcock-helmed film about a man with a broken leg who peers at his neighbors through his window has an inflation-adjusted gross of $405,355,700.
80	The Shawshank Redemption	1994	Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman play two men in prison in this movie directed and written by Frank Darabont. It is based on a short story by Stephen King. It is the number one user-rated film on IMDB with a rating of 9.2.
81	The Sixth Sense	1999	This story about a boy who talks to spirits was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The movie stars Bruce Willis and grossed $293,501,675.
82	Dances with Wolves	1990	Dances with Wolves stars and was directed by Kevin Costner. The movie won seven Oscars including Best Picture and made $184,208,848 at the box office.
83	Chicago	2002	Broadway musical turned movie, Chicago grossed $170,684,505 and won six Oscars including Best Picture. The movie stars Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones and was directed by Rob Marshall.
84	Slumdog Millionaire	2008	Winner of the 2008 Best Picture Oscar, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of a Who Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant remembering in flashback each event in his troubled history that provides him the answers to the game. The movie won eight Oscars in total and took home $141,319,195 at the box office.
85	Argo	2012	Ben Affleck directed and stars in this 2012 Oscar Best Picture winner. Argo earned $134,282,925 in ticket sales.
86	Terms of Endearment	1983	Starring Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson the comedy/drama Terms of Endearment won five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
87	Driving Miss Daisy	1989	Driving Miss Daisy won four Oscars including Best Picture. The movie grossed $106,593,296 and featured Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy.
88	Kramer vs. Kramer	1979	Dustin Hoffman plays a father abandoned by his wife who must care for his young son, eventually battling his wife in court for custody. The film won five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for Hoffman, and Best Actress for Streep.
89	Million Dollar Baby	2004	Million Dollar Baby won four Oscars including Best Picture. Hillary Swank plays boxer Maggie Fitzgerald. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and earned $100,422,786 in box office sales.
90	Shakespeare in Love	1998	With a box-office gross of $100,241,322, Shakespeare in Love tells the story of a writer inspired to write what would later become a famous play. The film stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes and won seven Oscars including Best Picture.
91	2001: A Space Odyssey	1968	A favorite with critics and audiences alike, this story of evolution told mostly in pictures was directed by Stanley Kubrick.
92	To Kill a Mockingbird	1962	Based on the book of the same name, in To Kill a Mockingbird lawyer Atticus Finch defends a young black man accused of rape. The movie won three Oscars including Best Actor for Gregory Peck.
93	Double Indemnity	1944	This classic film noir stars Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. The movie was directed by Billy Wilder.
94	Dr. Strangelove	1964	In a comedy about a potential nuclear disaster, Stanley Kubrick directs Peter Sellers in a 1964 comedic tour de force.
95	The French Connection	1971	Gene Hackman stars in this movie about cops in New York City breaking up a drug smuggling operation. The film won five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay.
96	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	2009	This follow up to 2007's Transformers starring Shia LaBeouf grossed $402,076,689. The movie was directed by Michael Bay.
97	Terminator 2: Judgment Day	1991	The top-grossing film of 1991, Terminator 2: Judgment Day tripled its gross from its predecessor. The sequel earned a 98% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and was directed by James Cameron.
98	The Exorcist	1973	Number nine on the inflation-adjusted all-time box-office gross list, horror film The Exorcist was directed by William Friedkin.
99	Doctor Zhivago	1965	This story of a love affair between a Russian doctor and a young woman set during a time of revolution has a startling inflation-adjusted gross of $999,290,400 per Box Office Mojo. The film stars Omar Sharif and Julie Christie.
100	Pulp Fiction	1994	Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction stars John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Samuel L. Jackson. The film won the Best Screenplay Oscar and had a gross of $107,930,000.

The Greatest Movies of All Time

Even though this list contains titles as different and varied as Shakespeare in Love and The Godfather, the films on this list all have one thing in common: their theater ticket sales and critical reception has secured them a place in film history. People will study, watch, and enjoy these movies for generations to come.