The Killing
The Killing is a raw take on both Kubrick and film noir that does things that other films from the director and in the genre wouldn’t necessarily be expected to do, but it works refreshingly well and earns a spot among the greats as well.
To Be or Not to Be
To Be or Not to Be is a uniquely fun screwball comedy that handles its subject matter well with plenty of irreverent laughter without ever actually stepping into the realm of making light of the struggles of others, earning a clear spot among the Greatest Films of All Time as it does so.
The Florida Project
The Florida Project benefits from strong performances and an original story as it highlights the realities of childhood and poverty alongside one another on its way to cementing a spot among the greats.
Jurassic Park
The thrill of adventure, the marvel of seeing people chased by a t-rex, and the human connections that tie the film’s story together go a long way in earning it a place among the greats.
The Farewell
The Farewell is one of those films that requires its audience to cast aside all their preconceptions and approach a story with an open mind, resulting in one of the most rewarding cinematic experiences I’ve had in a long time, and it certainly deserves its spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Song of the Sea
Anyone looking for an excellent coming-of-age tale that also has poignant themes and gorgeous animation will be hard pressed to find many films better than this one, cementing its place among the cinematic greats.
Killer of Sheep
In Killer of Sheep, Charles Burnett delivers a true indie darling, worthy of the name, in its raw portrayal of life and characters in Los Angeles’s inner city, the dehumanizing nature of poverty, and the undeniable drive of humanity to maintain their dignity in the midst of what society wants to consider humiliating circumstances.
Chimes at Midnight
Welles takes the lion’s share of the credit for the greatness of Chimes at Midnight in both his direction and acting, giving us a portrayal of the works of Shakespeare that stay true to the original content while highlighting their universal nature, earning the film a spot among the greats along the way.
Three Colors: Blue
The intentionality of Kieslowski combined with the emotionally engaging, well-acted attempt at listlessness from Binoche carry Three Colors: Blue to a place of cinematic greatness.
Le Cercle Rouge
Jean-Pierre Melville has given audiences a heist film rife with metaphysical and existential questions, which still entertains even those looking for just another heist movie, which is a feat worthy of a place among the greats.
Elevator to the Gallows
In Elevator to the Gallows, Louis Malle combines crime thriller with the comedy of errors to give us an entirely new take on what crime films can be, elevated even more by some excellent filmmaking and a beautiful jazz score from Miles Davis, all of which work together to earn it a spot among the greats.
Children of Men
With Children of Men, we are given a truly immersive sci-fi action experience, expertly crafted by Alfonso Cuarón to draw the audience in and then give them a heaping helping of thematic elements alongside the typical fare we’ve come to expect from such dystopic films, earning it a guaranteed place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Gangs of Wasseypur
Gangs of Wasseypur is an incredibly long (and resultingly difficult to follow in places) but deeply satisfying crime epic that has all the best pieces of western gangster flicks played out in the streets of an outlying Indian province with all of the additional complexities that that entails, earning it recognition as one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
Son of Saul
While Son of Saul is not quite as ubiquitously digestible as Spielberg’s Schindler’s List or Benigni’s Life Is Beautiful, it still offers yet another unique and impactful take on the Holocaust that goes beyond showcasing its horrors or garnering sympathy for its victims to celebrate the will of those who lived through it, earning this film also a spot among the greats.
Brother’s Keeper
Brother’s Keeper is a strong, if at times familiar, documentary that showcases the triumph of community and family over corruption and prejudice through the story of a single family’s struggle, which earns it a spot among the greats.
A Place in the Sun
Ultimately, A Place in the Sun is an inconsistent film, carried by strong leading performances bolstered by some interesting social commentaries that end up falling short of their potential due to the norms and mores of the era.
My Life as a Zucchini
My Life as a Zucchini brilliantly portrays its coming-of-age story with stellar writing and strikingly unique animation, earning a spot among the greats along the way.