The 100 Best Blockbuster Movies Ever

Summer is here, which means that movie studios have begun putting out many of their biggest releases of the year. Recent decades have seen bigger and bigger box office successes spread out more evenly around the calendar, but with schools closed and families looking for something to do, these few weeks still reliably produce many of Hollywood’s biggest hits.

Blockbuster movies aren’t really a genre, which can mean that the definition of what one is can be hard to pin down, so for the sake of simplicity I’m going to define them as any movie that earned $100million or more at the domestic box office, not adjusted for inflation, according to Box Office Mojo. I’m sure that will rankle some readers, but undertakings like this are pretty much guaranteed to do that anyway, so it is what it is.

To determine the “best” movies under that umbrella, I took the qualifying film’s ratings on Letterboxd and blended them with a dash of my own opinions and this is the result. You will almost certainly disagree with some, or even much, of the list, but I hope it leads to some good discussions, as well as opportunities to discover and rediscover some truly great films.

A man running through a heavy rainstorm near yellow taxis, showing expressions of urgency and concern.

100 The Day After Tomorrow

Out of all the Roland Emmerich disaster flicks, this one perhaps holds up the best. The message remains timely, the action is consistently compelling, and the core emotional beats work well. This is cheese of the highest order.

Close-up of a cat's face, showcasing large, expressive eyes and a fluffy fur texture.

99 Gremlins

There’s something truly special about many of the megahits of the 1980s, and this team up between director Joe Dante, writer Chris Columbus, and executive producer Steven Spielberg is a great example of that. The adorable Gizmo may be what drew audiences to the theaters, but the sort of darkness that’s largely absent from current “family” fare made it truly stand out.

A close-up of two people, one holding a yellow water gun and the other looking up, against a colorful background.

98 Barbie

It’s no small feat to take an IP that doesn’t really have a story attached to it and turn it into a megahit that really resonates with audiences, but Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach make it look like child’s play with Barbie. Mixing quirky comedy with real pathos, it proved to be an unexpected delight when it hit theaters in 2023 and showed the world that you can teach an old doll new tricks.

Four men sitting in cockpit seats with serious expressions, wearing uniforms and headsets.

97 Ghostbusters

There are some parts of this horror-tinged comedy classic that haven’t aged that well, but the anarchic spirit coursing through its slime-filled veins makes it hard to look away, as does the absolutely perfect cast.

Close-up of two characters with dark hair and pale skin, featuring one with bright red lips, set against a shadowy background.

96 The Addams Family (1991)

I don’t think we’ll ever see a better version of these characters on a screen of any size than what director Barry Sonnenfeld gave us here (and in his sequel Addams Family Values). In my mind Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, and Jimmy Workman will always be the Addams.

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95 Minority Report

Thought-provoking and relentlessly entertaining, this Philip K. Dick adaptation is top-tier Spielberg. It’s a shame his name doesn’t carry quite the same cache with general audiences anymore, as even into this millennium he has remained one of our most reliably great directors.

A focused individual aiming a bow in a forest setting, highlighting the tension of archery.

94 The Hunger Games

Sure, a case could be made that the series gets better as the political allegories grow denser, but the first entry may be the most purely entertaining, largely due to its relatively straightforward story, intense action, dark subject matter, and some impressive performances, especially from Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.

A large, industrial-looking flying vehicle emerging from fog or smoke.

93 District 9

Neill Blomkamp has never been able to match the brilliance of his debut feature, but this razor-sharp South African sci-fi actioner remains a thrilling ride with some very smart things to say.

A panoramic view of a futuristic setting illuminated by colorful lights, resembling a spacecraft or advanced technology.

92 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Early in his career, it often seemed like Steven Spielberg could do no wrong. That he made a hit movie in which the alien invaders turn out not to be bad guys into a massive success that remains a part of the cultural conversation to this day is a testament to that. It’s not without its flaws, but the last 30 minutes are pure cinema of the best kind.

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91 Terms of Endearment

This isn’t the kind of movie most would think of when talking about “blockbusters”, but James L. Brooks emotionally devastating 1983 family dramedy went on to earn $108million and became a cultural touchstone in its own right. Given the state of movies today, we’re unlikely to see a similar success story any time soon.

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90 Inside Out

A coming-of-age story told from the perspective of our own anthropomorphized emotions that turned out to be one of Pixar’s most resonant and relatable. The core conceit is unique in a way that only the best of the studio’s movies can be.

A figure dressed in a blue and red superhero costume stands in a futuristic environment with a soft blue background.

89 Superman (2025)

I’m basically begging a certain segment of the internet to spam the comments by including this one, but for my money James Gunn’s recent reboot of Superman is the best version yet. I’m not going to pretend that Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of the “Man of Steel” isn’t the top take on the character itself, but none of the movies he was in are as good as this one. Bryan Singer’s 2006 take was okay, and the less said about the Snyderverse the better, but Gunn’s outré earnestness proved the perfect fit for the franchise.

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88 The Devil Wears Prada

The whole cast excels in this sharp comedy, but there’s no denying that Meryl Streep’s ~~Anna Wintour~~ Miranda Priestly steals the spotlight every time she’s on screen. This one’s massive box office haul puts the lie to the notion that “women don’t go to the movies” (as does this year’s sequel).

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87 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Thrillingly dark in a way that big-budgeted entertainment so rarely is, Gareth Edwards’ Star Wars entry shows that it is still possible to tell a good story within this universe. Which only makes the other recent entries all the more frustrating.

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86 Big Hero 6

While Disney’s Pixar Studios often gets all the acclaim, the House of Mouse itself is still sometimes capable of telling a great story. Combining thrilling action, cute humor, and tons of heart, this animated feature is perhaps one of the best Marvel Comics adaptations ever made.

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85 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

All three of the entries in Matt Reeves’ Apes trilogy are better than anyone likely expected them to be, but it’s this middle installment that really stands out. Epic in scale while still filled with intimate moments and with some deeply resonant messaging, this movie is not to be missed.

A group of colorful LEGO construction figures with hard hats, engaged in a building scene.

84 The LEGO Movie

Funny, moving, and thrilling, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s The LEGO Movie delights all ages, largely due to the filmmakers’ innate understanding of why so many generations love the toys so much.

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83 Home Alone

How a movie about a duo of burglars getting repeatedly bludgeoned by a child managed to become a Christmas classic is hard to say, but it might have something to do with the deeply human, if implausible, story that director Chris Columbus and writer John Hughes centered the chaos around.

Close-up of two people sharing an intimate kiss, with water droplets visible.

82 Spider-Man

Not to knock Tom Holland’s charming run as America’s favorite webslinger, but Tobey Maguire’s take in Sam Raimi’s trio of films remains the one to beat. The follow-up may be slightly better overall, but they really captured something special here that to this day has been very difficult to beat.

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81 9 to 5

With clever writing and a stacked cast comprised of three legendary actresses (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton), this satirical look at office culture in the 80s may be somewhat dated today, though not as much as it probably should be by now.

Three young men engaged in a conversation, with expressions of concern and surprise.

80 Superbad

The long history of raunchy teen comedies reached its apotheosis in the uproarious Superbad. Putting likable characters dealing with relatable dilemmas into comically absurd situations isn’t exactly a revelatory idea, but Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s script nails the formula, and we’ve all been McLovin’ it ever since.

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79 Dune (2021)

Visually stunning and unusually intelligent, the first film in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy took Frank Herbert’s difficult to adapt novels and created a sci-fi masterpiece. Imaginative, engaging, and nearly without peer.

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78 Aladdin (1992)

Disney struck gold with this take on a classic Middle Eastern tale. The story is good enough that it probably would have worked well enough without Robin Williams’ manic genie, but it’s that voice performance that truly propelled this movie to greatness.

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77 Hidden Figures

Not the most original movie, but this take on the real story of a group of Black female scientists working at NASA during the Space Race is a crowd-pleaser through and through, as evidenced by its hefty take at the box office.

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76 Beauty and the Beast (1991)

One of Disney’s most beautiful animated movies. That’s it.

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75 Toy Story 2

Sometimes it is possible to create magic twice. This time the toys have to rescue Woody from a greedy toy collector in a movie that many fans consider an improvement over the already excellent original.

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74 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

No one captures childlike wonder quite like Spielberg, and even he has possibly never done it better than he did here. Sweetly sentimental in all the best ways and just plain fun to watch.

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73 Skyfall

There’s fun to be had in nearly all the James Bond movies, but the Daniel Craig era is perhaps the franchise’s best. By ditching the camp for more serious-minded escapades, the world’s favorite spy was brought firmly into the modern day and the results were never less than thrilling.

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72 The Help

A sparkling piece of uplifting entertainment with an incredible cast, this movie will forever put you off of chocolate pie.

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71 The Birdcage

It’s impossible to overstate just how much we lost with Robin Williams’ passing. Here he delivers another top-notch comic performance, this time alongside an equally scene-stealing Nathan Lane, in a perennial queer favorite.

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70 Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

The plot is elaborate, the stars are cool, and the movie was a smash. This is pure Hollywood.

Close-up of a fighter pilot wearing a helmet and mask, focused and in action, with an airplane flying in the background.

69 Top Gun: Maverick

Decades after its predecessor hit theaters, Top Gun: Maverick surprised box office analysts with its success. It surprised the rest of us by being far better than it had any right to be, soaring above the original in nearly every way.

A scene from a bus featuring a tense interaction among several characters, with one character expressing surprise.

68 Spider-Man 2

Bigger and better than the first entry, Sam Raimi’s second Spider-Man film with star Tobey Maguire stands apart as one of the best superhero films of all time.

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67 Knives Out

There’s little that is more fun than a well-plotted mystery and Rian Johnson is proving himself to be cinema’s modern master of the genre. Having spawned a pair of excellent sequels, his Daniel Craig-led Knives Out franchise is a consistent joy to watch, though perhaps none of the later entries have been able to quite match the brilliance of the original.

An animated rabbit with large ears interacts joyfully with a man in a black suit and hat, set against a muted background with an American flag.

66 Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Much was made of this movie’s innovative blend of live-action and animation at its release, and for good reason, but it’s the story, characters, and world that the technology was used to bring to life that allowed it to live on. Not afraid to get dark with the material, we’ve never gotten another film quite like this one again.

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65 Platoon

Oliver Stone’s war saga told a compelling story about the brutality of war that really resonated with audiences, to the tune of $130+ million.

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64 Mission: Impossible – Fallout

In a series with some incredible highs and dreadful lows, this sixth entry is the peak. Other modern action blockbusters can only aspire to be as great as this.

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63 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Who could have guessed that mixing a Disney World ride with a gleefully bizarre Johnny Depp performance would net us one of cinema’s most memorable characters?

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62 How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

As with most live-action remakes of animated hits, it seemed largely unnecessary at first. But this one works in a way most other don’t and somehow managed to take an already great story and make it better. Sign me up for the sequel.

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61 Scream (1996)

Clever, funny, and tense, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson’s slasher revived and revitalized the genre, for better or worse, giving Spirit Halloween one of their most enduringly popular costumes in the process.

Close-up of a masked figure in a dark setting, emphasizing the intense expression and costume details.

60 The Batman

Matt Reeves’ dark, noirish spin on Batman proved one of the best takes on the material to date, bested only by Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. Gritty and bleak but stunningly realized and thrilling to watch, I can’t wait to see where he takes this version Gotham City next.

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59 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

A suitably epic finale for one of the greatest fantasy film series of all time. It may not be the absolute best of the franchise, but it’s pretty magical regardless.

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58 Chicago

Musicals are never a sure thing at the box office, but the combined star power of Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere, some catchy jazz-inflected songs, and stylish staging added up to a smash hit when this hit theaters back in 2002.

A white race car with red accents and the number 98 speeding on a racetrack, with another car visible in the background.

57 Ford v Ferrari

Had it not been nominated for an Academy Award I don’t think I would have watched Ford v Ferrari and that would have been a genuine shame. It’s not a topic I really have any interest in, but James Mangold turned it into a high-octane thrill ride that kept me riveted.

Close-up of red and silver robotic hands with a textured grip against a dark background.

56 Avengers: Endgame

The Marvel house style was possibly beginning to wear a little thin by the time Endgame hit theaters, but it still earned a rapturous response from the massive crowds that turned out on opening weekend, creating the kind of communal experience that feels exceedingly rare at the multiplex these days. A fitting finale for the studio’s first few “phases”.

A group of people sitting in a courtroom, focusing on a speaker, with varied expressions of concentration.

55 A Few Good Men

Capping off an incredible run of diverse films, the like of which many other directors can only dream of, the late Rob Reiner gifted us with this legal thriller. Much like those movies that preceded it, it became an instant cultural phenomenon, permanently imprinting lines and scenes into our shared psyche.

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54 Casino Royale (2006)

Any movie that could make a game of poker as thrilling as this one does is fully deserving of its spot on this list.

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53 Gone Girl

Stylishly vicious in the way that only a David Fincher film can be.

A group of airline staff, including flight attendants in blue uniforms and a pilot, smiling and socializing in an outdoor setting, with palm trees and vintage cars in the background.

52 Catch Me If You Can

Based on the “true” story of Frank Abagnale Jr., this is Spielberg at his most playful and DiCaprio at his most charming.

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51 Kramer vs. Kramer

There aren’t very many family dramas on this list, but this 1979 divorce story struck a nerve with audiences. The typically strong performances from Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep ensure that it continues to do so.

50 The Sixth Sense

Blending emotional moments with eerie imagery and a killer twist, M. Night Shyamalan built an entire career off of the success of this movie. Say what you will about the films that followed, but there’s no denying that this one is a classic.

Close-up of two animated characters with green skin, one with red hair, smiling in a forest setting.

49 Shrek 2

There’s a virtually limitless well of material that the Shrek universe can mine from its fairy tale roots, as evidenced by this sequel that manages very nearly just as winning as its predecessor.

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48 Sinners

Melding period drama with vampire horror, Ryan Coogler tells an epic and engaging story that features one of cinema’s most memorable scenes. That he also proved an intelligent movie largely led by Black actors could rake in a hefty profit only makes it all the sweeter.

A young soldier looking surprised and alarmed, with a dark smoke-like background.

47 1917

Sam Mendes didn’t actually shoot the entire two hours of his World War I thriller in one continuous take, but he convincingly makes it look as if he did and the result is breathtaking.

A scene featuring a green ogre character standing in front of a wooden dwelling, surrounded by greenery.

46 Shrek

Sure, the CGI looks downright janky by today’s standards, but this animated hit remains a hilarious and heartening take on classic fairy tales. It is really hard to believe we all thought this ever looked impressive though.

Close-up of Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story, with Buzz wearing his space suit and Woody smiling.

45 Toy Story

Speaking of poorly-aged computer animation, the original Toy Story can be downright ugly at times, especially when its “human” cast appear onscreen. But as it’s sweetly earnest story makes that easy to forgive and lets it remain among Pixar’s very best.

Two men wearing hats looking concerned, with a warm, glowing background.

44 Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Deftly mixing humor and a touching story about fathers and sons into the series’ action-adventure formant, some consider this the best of the franchise. Even those that disagree still treasure this entertaining and memorable entry.

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43 Logan

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is never better than he is director James Mangold’s darkly emotional installment. And the sequence involving the AI-controlled semi-trucks only seems to get more terrifying as time goes on.

A young character in a red jacket gazes at a vibrant, illuminated cityscape filled with colorful buildings and bridges at night.

42 Coco

I’m kind of a sucker for movies about the afterlife and Pixar’s Coco is one of the best. Imaginatively incorporating traditional Mexican beliefs to tell a fun and moving story that isn’t afraid of a little darkness, it has almost instantly become required Día de los Muertos viewing.

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41 Get Out

I don’t find much of this movie’s horror-tinged examination of American race relations to be all that frightening, but it’s never less than compelling and it’s positively packed with clever ideas and messages.

A close-up of an elderly couple smiling together, featuring a man with glasses and a woman with gray hair and glasses, in a warmly lit indoor setting.

40 Up

How many other family films open up with a nearly wordless 10-minute montage that left entire theaters full of moviegoers sobbing in their popcorn? None. The entire movie is great, but that sequence alone earns it a spot here.

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39 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Handing the reins of a mega-successful franchise to an auteur like Alfonso Cuarón was a bold choice that paid off handsomely. Beautiful to look at, cleverly written, and darkly suspenseful, while never forgetting the playfulness that gives the Potterverse much of its charm, this is about as magical as movies get.

A character aiming a blaster gun in a spaceship interior, showcasing a tense moment.

38 Star Wars

There’s a pleasant, almost comforting, hokeyness to George Lucas’ original Star Wars, that somehow only seems to make it more endearing. Pulling from Westerns, samurai stories, and of course science fiction serials that he loved growing up, Lucas created a world that almost everyone continues to find irresistible, even if the current leadership seems unsure of what to do with it.

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37 Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan reminds us that he is capable of making history interesting to modern audiences in a way that few others currently can. Juxtaposing the titular physicist’s creation of the atomic bomb with his trial for allegedly supporting communism, it’s a surprisingly tense film that parallels its plot to modern concerns.

A man and woman dance joyfully against a colorful sunset background, with the woman wearing a yellow dress and the man in a white shirt and tie.

36 La La Land

Catchy tunes, stunning cinematography, and truly stellar performances mix with a bittersweet tale to sweep us off our feet. The soundtrack got stuck in my head the second I started writing this.

A digital matrix backdrop featuring cascading green code and abstract figures.

35 The Matrix

As with much popular culture The Matrix has gone on to inspire an intense fandom that seems to completely misunderstand the material, but that’s hardly the filmmakers’ fault. Featuring then-groundbreaking effects and action sequences, this clever, dark sci-fi adventure took tons of creative risks and was richly rewarded for doing so.

A character wearing a fedora and leather jacket stands in a dark cave, holding a golden artifact, surrounded by rocky textures and faint light.

34 Raiders of the Lost Ark

None of us will ever forget the magical feeling we had when we first saw Indiana Jones’ first adventure and we’ve been in love with him ever since, even if he doesn’t always treat us the best.

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33 Gladiator

Russell Crowe’s Maximus stole our hearts and took over the popular imagination in Ridley Scott’s exciting swords-and-sandals epic. Still as thrilling to behold today as when it won Best Picture.

Three women walking together outside a historic building, with varied expressions on their faces.

32 Little Women (2019)

The 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic book will likely forever be the favorite of some, but the $100million+ taken in by Greta Gerwig’s version proves that audiences were more than ready to revisit the March sisters.

A man wearing a hat, standing in the rain with a serious expression on his face.

31 Unforgiven

By the early 90s the Western was all but dead at the box office, but leave it to Clint Eastwood (and a strong cast) to breathe some life into it. With a cleverly meta plot and some of the genre’s all-time best filmmaking, it’s no wonder it was such a success with both audiences and critics.

A person stands before a series of blue steps against a cloudy sky, contemplating the ascent.

30 The Truman Show

Reality TV was still relatively new and omnipresent cameras weren’t yet a thing when The Truman Show premiered, but this prescient tale about a man who suspects his whole life has been faked for television remains a funny, thought-provoking, and investing story that is well worth watching.

A group of four characters standing next to each other against a futuristic backdrop with blue lighting.

29 Guardians of the Galaxy

Running out of more immediately recognizable characters to give movies too, Marvel brought in director James Gunn and gave him a surprising amount of creative freedom to bring the then-largely unknown Guardians of the Galaxy to life. The result is the best installment in the entire franchise and a truly standout sci-fi adventure in its own right.

Two characters in robes dueling with lightsabers in a forested area.

28 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ang Lee’s wuxia epic was a surprise box office hit but this gorgeous, thrilling story deserved every dollar. This is truly masterful filmmaking.

A whimsical robot with large blue eyes surrounded by a colorful, vibrant background filled with flowers and petals in shades of yellow, purple, and red.

27 The Wild Robot

Come for the frequently breathtaking animation and stay for the sweetly resonant story. Nearly frame of this modern animated classic is a joy to behold.

A close-up of a smiling couple against a warm, orange background, showcasing an intimate moment.

26 Titanic

With a solid blend of moving romance—fully sold by charming costars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet—and awe-inspiring spectacle, it’s kind of hard to believe anyone thought this historical disaster flick was a risk. Thankfully someone decided to take it, as nearly three decades on Titanic remains a beloved classic.

A person holding a red light in front of a large dinosaur in a dark, rainy environment.

25 Jurassic Park

Steven Spielberg was at the peak of his career when he decided to adapt Michael Crichton’s best-selling novel, with screenwriter David Koepp. The sequels have proved him to be the best fit for the job, as none since have been able to match his gift for mixing genuine awe with high suspense.

A silhouetted figure stands in a misty landscape, framed by a broken circular shape and looming dark structures in the background.

24 Arrival

Amy Adams gives a stunning performance in what is one of the most deeply moving science fiction films to come along in decades. Eric Heisserer does a fantastic job adapting the brilliant Ted Chiang’s short story and the always impressive Denis Villeneuve ensures it all looks gorgeous. This is a masterpiece.

A close-up of two performers in a dramatic scene, one in a dark suit and the other in a white outfit, set against a blue-lit background.

23 Pulp Fiction

Wild, weird, and wonderful, this is the movie that truly turned Quentin Tarantino into a household name, much like McDonald’s ~~Quarter Pounder with Cheese~~ Royale with Cheese.

Scene from a science fiction movie featuring two characters inside a futuristic car.

22 Back to the Future

In the 80s Steven Spielberg was at least partly responsible for an almost overwhelming number of pop culture touchstones, like this Robert Zemeckis helmed sci-fi comedy. Spielberg served as executive producer and while it’s definitely its own thing, it’s easy to see his influence throughout. I cannot overstate how much nearly all of us loved this movie (and Michael J. Fox) when it came out and it’s great to see how well it holds up to this day.

Two animated characters stand against a large, glowing moon in a night sky. One character is a lion with a content expression, while the other is a smaller, comical creature. The scene conveys a sense of friendship and adventure.

21 The Lion King (1994)

The “live-action” remake of this animated classic could boast some striking CGI animals but it can’t hold a candle to the original. An utterly lovely family saga that moves as much as it entertains.

A whimsical scene featuring a small blue and gray rat enthusiastically gesturing, while a larger brown rat with distinct fur is standing behind it, both against a blurred background.

20 Ratatouille

Leave it to Pixar to change the world’s minds about the idea of discovering a rat in the kitchen.

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19 Django Unchained

With his signature blend of impressive visuals, pitch black humor, and fearless storytelling, Tarantino’s star-studded revenge thriller skewers the legacy of the American South in one of his most purely entertaining features.

A young person intently drawing white patterns on a blue-grey surface.

18 Good Will Hunting

Sure, being truly original can carry you a decent distance, but sometimes taking a tried and true formula and executing it exceptionally well is all you really need to do. Funny and tender in equal measure, there’s a good reason this launched the careers of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

A silhouetted figure in a dark outfit stands against a vibrant, swirling green and orange abstract background.

17 Project Hail Mary

The directing duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller might be some of the most exciting voices working in blockbuster cinema right now, and their beautifully optimistic space adventure (penned by Drew Goddard based on Andy Weir’s novel) is a shining example of why. It’s enough to almost restore your faith in humanity at a time when we need it back more than ever.

A scene featuring two characters in an urban environment, one pointing a gun and wearing sunglasses, while the other looks towards the camera.

16 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

By flipping the script of his original sci-fi horror film, writer/director James Cameron crafted one of the rare sequels that improves upon its predecessor. With a tense plot, fun performances, and several now iconic scenes, it’s one the best action movies of all time.

Close-up of a person's face, showing wide eyes and a hand holding a ring in focus.

15 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The first entry in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy showed the world that Tolkien’s beloved story was in masterful hands. Magisterial, epic, and fully involving, it’s hard to overstate just how much this movie took our collective breaths away when this vision of Middle-Earth first appeared on screen.

A group of soldiers wearing helmets and military uniforms, looking serious while aboard a boat, with water visible in the background.

14 Saving Private Ryan

There may not be a better war movie than Spielberg’s World War II tale. Humanistic as all of his work is but unafraid to show us the horrors of combat, it is hands down one of the legendary director’s best films.

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13 The Departed

Our methodology means that most of legendary director Martin Scorsese’ doe’s oeuvre doesn’t qualify for this list. Lucky for many of the other movies here as he has crafted more masterpieces than most other filmmakers. Adapted from the hit Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, this twisty crime saga is intelligent, suspenseful, and packed to the gills with incredible performances.

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12 Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino’s grimly humorous WWII revenge thriller is easily his best. An amalgamation of all of his best traits as both a writer and director, it’s revisionist history of the highest order.

Close-up of a man's face wearing a mask, focusing on his eyes and expression.

11 The Silence of the Lambs

Horror movies have traditionally been given little respect at the Academy Awards, but Jonathan Demme’s serial killer thriller was strong enough to break through any genre snobbery to win Best Picture (and Actor, and Actress, and Director, and Screenplay) in 1992. Jodie Foster is compelling as FBI cadet Clarice Starling, but it’s Anthony Hopkins’ chillingly suave Hannibal Lecter that truly stood out, launching a bloody franchise on its strength alone.

A person in formal attire standing in a modern architectural space with geometric patterns.

10 Inception

Thrillingly dense (though probably less complex than some would lead you to believe), Christopher Nolan’s journey into our dreams is a film unlike any other. And that’s probably for the best, as it’s unlikely that any other filmmaker could handle the twisty, multilayered plot with its sprawling cast of characters quite as well as him.

Three men walking together in an outdoor setting, two in suits and one in an orange jumpsuit, with power lines in the background.

9 Se7en

From the moment that the Nine Inch Nails-backed opening title sequence begins it’s clear that you’re in for a masterfully dark ride. Often imitated, never duplicated, it remains one of the best thrillers ever made.

A dramatic scene depicting two characters in a standoff with swords, surrounded by a crowd in the background, suggesting a tense moment.

8 Dune: Part Two

Villeneuve and his impressive cast continued to stun audiences with his Dune follow-up. The visuals are somehow even more striking than they were in Part One and the story remains engaging and timely. I cannot get enough of this universe.

Two silhouettes engaged in a lightsaber duel with blue and red lightsabers against a foggy background.

7 The Empire Strikes Back

It’s hardly a controversial take to say that this is the best entry in the Star Wars franchise. Everything is on point here, largely thanks to the story that maintains the original’s sense of fun while also upping the emotional stakes. When people tell you they love these movies, this is usually the one they are thinking of.

A stylized depiction of a superhero character in a dynamic pose, with a lively background featuring blue and green hues, conveying a sense of motion and energy.

6 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

With a gorgeously unique animation style and some truly clever writing, this is both the best version of Spider-Man we’ve seen on screen and one of the best uses of the multiverse concept to appear in popular fiction.

Aerial view of a spiral pattern made with black objects on a light surface.

5 Interstellar

Anyone who claims that Christopher Nolan doesn’t really do “emotion” hasn’t seen Interstellar. With some of the most impressive visuals in a career that is marked out by them, several truly tense moments, and a few mind-bending plot beats, blended with more than a dash of Spielbergian schmaltz, it’s a hard movie to resist.

A close-up view of a large animal emerging from a body of water, with visible teeth and splashes around it, suggesting a dramatic scene.

4 Jaws

Widely held to be the first blockbuster, Spielberg’s 1975 killer shark adventure remains one of the best. Mixing bloody b-movie thrills with strong character development and almost literary moments, it’s popcorn entertainment of the highest order that continues to frighten audiences to this day.

Close-up of a robot with large expressive eyes, set against a backdrop of industrial debris and machinery.

3 WALL·E

It’s hard to overstate just how impressive an achievement this movie is on nearly every front. This is a film that respects the audience’s intelligence to an almost unheard-of degree, going over 30 minutes without any dialogue (outside of background noise) and still clearly conveying its message and emotionally involving the viewer. That it’s targeted towards children only makes it that much more of a rare gem.

A close-up of a character with clown makeup holding a playing card, set in a dimly lit environment.

2 The Dark Knight

The entirety of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy of Batman films is worthwhile, but the middle entry is the one that truly stands out, thanks in no small part to Heath Ledger’s brilliant performance as the Joker. This has become the version of this world that all others are compared to and, so far, have been unable to equal.

A close-up of a man with long hair and intense expression, standing in front of a battle scene, with another figure visible in the background.

1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Sure, the source material is strong, but there was never any guarantee that Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy would work. Thank goodness New Line took the chance anyway, as the end result is one of the most epic, exciting, emotional, and memorable cinematic experiences ever crafted. Far too precious to be in other spot on this list than this one.

Neither the Avalon Free Public Library nor its staff receive compensation for inclusion on this list or for links to external websites and stores.

Cover photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash.