Husbands and Wives
Judy Davis’s strong turn as the wildly entertaining Sally only does so much to distract the audience from Woody Allen’s well-written defense of his own troubling life choices, which make this film great, but probably shouldn’t earn it a spot on anyone’s must-watch list.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
With two quality performances, tactfully done explorations of human relationships, and an infectious amount of authenticity baked into its every moment, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore distinguishes itself as a highlight in Scorsese’s filmography and truly one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
The Class
The Class’s experiential take on education from the point of view of a single teacher gives the audience a unique but very authentic take on the world of the classroom that feels more real than just about any other film made on the subject, earning it a much-deserved spot among the greats.
Incendies
Adapting Mouawad’s play of the same name, Incendies benefits from a strong nonlinear story that gives each of its three main characters plenty of space to play in the haunting and war-torn world of the film that Villeneuve and Turpin worked hard to create on the screen, warranting it a spot solidly among the greats.
A Star Is Born (1937)
In what is the first of many films of this name, A Star Is Born (1937) establishes its universal story of hopes, dreams, love, addiction, and heartbreak with the help of two fantastic leading performances from Janet Gaynor and Fredric March.
Taxi to the Dark Side
Taxi to the Dark Side presents a clear and unpleasant look at American military intelligence gathering practices, offering a clear moral (and sometimes practical) condemnation of our current modes of torture and incarceration, which earns the film recognition as a bold and great documentary.
Let the Right One In
Let the Right One In is an intentionally crafted film with all parts working in sync to take the audience through its unique story to a conclusion that feels so inevitable by the time it happens because of the craftsmanship that brought it there, making this truly one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
American Splendor
With one of the most unique deliveries of a biographical story and a subtle but lovable turn from Paul Giamatti, American Splendor asserts itself as a truly unique and great film, worth watching for any fan of the medium.
The Magician
In The Magician, Bergman has crafted his own sideshow, blending genres and subplots and skillful camerawork together into a singularly unique and entertaining piece of film, deserving of mention among the greats.
Scarface (1932)
Paul Muni’s leading performance helps cement the many tropes of gangster films contained in Scarface into the canon of gangster cinema, earning the film a place among the greatest films of all time.
The Sixth Sense
Osment, Collette, and Willis lead Shyamalan’s derivative but still creative and touching story about overcoming challenges to make The Sixth Sense one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
Halloween (1978)
Halloween’s combination of archetypal characters and plot devices, solid jump scares, thrilling chase sequences, and musical perfection has made it not just one of the best slashers of all time but one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Andersen’s opus on the use, portrayal, and erasure of Los Angeles by the Hollywood film industry offers a unique perspective on that particular aspect of film history and film culture, inserting itself through a use of great films into a place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Miyazaki’s coming-of-age film about a witch who delivers things on a broom achieves its level of greatness through the filmmaker’s consistently excellent animation and a poignant message about passion and commodification that is relevant for all audiences.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street owes its greatness to the insanely excellent performances of its leading characters (and strong ensemble support) and the visually striking directorial choices of Martin Scorsese.
Incredibles 2
The constant improvements of the Pixar animation team combined with Brad Bird’s solid blend of comedy and action help keep Incredibles 2 familiar and worth watching, deserving of a mention next to the other film greats.
The Killer (1989)
John Woo’s action masterpiece The Killer is highlighted by an incredible variety of action set pieces – all excellently choreographed – and some authentic character relationships that keep the audience engaged, earning its reputation as one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
