These screen classics just never get old.
Hooray for Hollywood! Although these days it’s more like Hollyweird as the once glittering Tinseltown is subsumed with strikes, declining box-office (which, besides a few notable exceptions, has failed to return to pre-pandemic levels both in overall attendance and box-office receipts), an over-reliance on existing IPs over original content, and the ongoing culture war contributing in no small measure to the decline as increasing audience numbers tune out to having an overt political message pushed in their face.
But if the recent output of Hollyweird is so depressing, it only makes those classics of cinema shine even brighter. Movies that make you laugh, cry, gasp, cheer, and every other emotion across the spectrum. Movies with compelling characters that resonate with audiences and embedded themselves deep in the culture, movies made by master craftsmen who blazed a trail for and inspired countless more to follow their dreams and get into the movie business, movies that are so rewatchable that you never tire of them and still engage you mightily no matter how many times you see them.
These are the films that age like a fine wine and continue to both entertain and enthrall generations, both young and old. Of course, making a list of the ‘best’ films of all time can be nothing but highly subjective in nature as one person’s popcorn is another one’s poison and opinions on any given movie can differ wildly. So for this article, we’ve tried to balance personal and popular opinion in compiling what we believe to be the 5 best films of all time.
Lights, camera, roll sound, aaaaand… ACTION!
1. The Godfather (1972)
Consistently voted by press and public alike as probably the greatest film ever made, this sprawling saga about the mafioso Corleone crime family is so much more than just a gangster flick, it’s a movie about family, tradition, loyalty, betrayal, and the passing of the torch to a new generation. Based on the bestselling pulp novel by Mario Puzo and masterfully directed by Francis Ford Coppola, this masterpiece is probably the pinnacle of American cinema.
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
As the film’s tagline says “fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free” and this film has been bringing hope and inspiration to millions since its initial release, wherein it flopped badly at the box-office before undergoing a phoenix-like resurrection thanks to repeat showings on television and ebullient word-of-mouth. Set primarily in a New England prison and focused on the growing relationship between two inmates, this masterwork was directed by a first-timer in Frank Darabont and it’s hard to overestimate just how much of a home-run he struck with a film that has become so enduringly beloved.
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3. Schindler’s List (1993)
Director Steven Spielberg could have more than a few of his films on a ‘best of’ list but there’s little doubt that this harrowing masterpiece is his finest work and very much a labor of love for the Jewish filmmaker. Shot (almost) entirely in black and white and telling the inspiring true story of German industrialist Oskar Schindler who saved 1,100 Jews from the Nazi Holocaust, this is a movie that is not an easy watch but continues to educate and enthrall 30 years after its release with its portrayal of uncommon bravery in the midst of unspeakable evil.
4. Star Wars (1977)
The film that changed Hollywood in a day, became a pop cultural phenomenon like no other before or since, revolutionized forever how movies were made and marketed and presented, and launched an expansive franchise that’s a multi-billion industry unto itself. Writer/director George Lucas wanted to create a homage to the cinema serials of his youth, but what he created was a space fantasy that resonated on a profound emotional level with audiences as well as dazzling them with revolutionary visual effects the likes of which no-one had ever seen before. There may have been further Star Wars films after this, but this was the trendsetter, the rule breaker, the original that started it all, and in this author’s opinion by far still the best.
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5. Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg makes his second appearance on the list and if Schindler’s List is his greatest ‘serious’ film, then this film is undoubtedly his greatest ‘popcorn’ movie. The turbulent making of this movie has achieved legendary status (the initial 55-day shoot ballooned to 159 days!) and invented the summer blockbuster upon its release in June 1975. Centered around a cozy New England island dependent on tourism that finds itself under siege when a gigantic and highly predatory Great White shark stakes a claim in the Atlantic waters surrounding it, this is a thriller that has not only thrilled countless millions over the years but also induced a phobia of sea swimming in more than a few folks. Oft copied but never bettered, this aquatic masterwork retains an astonishing freshness no matter how many times it’s experienced.
Everyone has their favorite movie so grab some popcorn, get comfy, and enjoy it all over again… go on, you know you want to!