The Lost Weekend
Through Milland’s lead performance and Wilder’s writing and direction, it’s easy to see how The Lost Weekend earned the Best Picture Oscar and a place among the greatest films of all time.
The Brutalist
Strong performances and fantastic visuals earned The Brutalist enough recognition from critics, audiences, and awards bodies to earn it the title of top film of 2024 according to this blog’s formula.
Leaving Las Vegas
It’s a film carried by its performances, but they’re certainly strong enough to do so, earning it a place among the greats.
As Good as It Gets
An amazing trio of performances from Nicholson, Hunt, and Kinnear carry the film and its message in As Good as It Gets, selling the romance, comedy, and drama that the film needed to earn a place among the greats.
Reversal of Fortune
The leading performances of Reversal of Fortune are what have earned it a place among the all-time greats, but none stand taller than Jeremy Irons’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Claus von Bülow, which keeps the audience guessing and almost rooting against the narrative at every turn while staying fully hooked into how it’ll all play out.
The Theory of Everything
Two stellar leading performances make what could otherwise be a paint-by-numbers biopic combined with an okay example of a period romantic drama into a showcase of acting capabilities and moving performances in The Theory of Everything, saving its place among the greats.
Life Is BeautIFUL
Life Is Beautiful stands the test of time thanks to its strong central performance from actor/writer/director Roberto Benigni that speaks to the film’s message of fighting back against tragedy and oppression through celebrations of life and love, ultimately making the film one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
Tender Mercies
Tender Mercies is perhaps the quintessential country music film, combining original music with a deeply emotional performance and a very real-feeling setting to produce something that embodies country music as a genre.