This is part 2 of this list.
800. Purple Noon (1960)
René Clément / France / Italy
The original “Talented Mr. Ripley”, starring Alain Delon in a visually beautiful, romanticized thriller.
799. Baby Driver (2017)
Edgar Wright / UK / USA
How I like my action films; one that doesn’t take itself seriously and brings you along for the ride. Starring retro music, entertaining car chases, Ansel Elgortâs baby face, fun and evil Donald Draper.
798. Noah (2014)
Darren Aronofsky / USA
Noah was doomed to fail as it alienated Aronofsky fans that were not interested in biblical stories as well as Christians not interested in Hollywood action films. I saw this at the theater and was thoroughly amazed by its visual journey, Aronofsky does not fail to take me on a trip regardless of the story.
797. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Roberto Benigni / Italy
A comedy inside a concentration camp, there’s really something for everyone. If anything it teaches us to look at everything from the bright side as itâs our best hope to survive tough times.
796. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)
Rainer Werner Fassbinder / West Germany
Fassbinder’s iconic lesbian drama about women that love/hate each other, and makes his images look like colorful Rembrandts.
795. Timbuktu (2014)
Abderrahmane Sissako / France / Mauritania
A bit of a bummer honestly, but mostly a fascinating peek into what itâs like to live in Jihad extremist Mali. Thereâs a classic neorealist quality to this film that explores several unconnected stories in this city, mainly filmed in the gorgeous desert of Timbuktu.
794. Dracula (1931)
Tod Browning / Karl Freund / USA
As a viewer you feel just as hypnotized by Bella Lugosi as all the other fools in this film. A huge contribution to the vampire genre and my once big obsession with it.
793. The Cave of the Yellow Dog (2005)
Byambasuren Davaa / Mongolia / Germany
Film about a little girl and her dog, filmed in the stunning Mongolian countryside. A real family was used to tell the story, and as simplistic as it was it still felt refreshing and unique.
792. Gilda (1946)
Charles Vidor / USA
This film is all Rita Hayworth and her singing/dancing ONLY *hearteyes-emoticon*.
791. Chronicle of a Boy Alone (1965)
Leonardo Favio / Argentina
An Argentinian love-child of “Shoeshine” and “The 400 Blows”, following a young juvenile and a day after his escape.
790. Una Noche (2012)
Lucy Mulloy / Cuba / UK / USA
Strong little Cuban film about three people trying to escape it. Two of the actors took the advantage of the experience and actually defected their country while traveling to promote the film. That alone makes the journey of their characters even more real.
789. Twenty-Four Eyes (1954)
Keisuke Kinoshita / Japan
About a school teacher and her pupils before and after WWII on a small island in Japan. The passage of time is reflected with songs sang by the school children whose future would be devastated by war. Powerful when it needs to be but also a bit long.
788. Annie Hall (1977)
Woody Allen / USA
Woody Allen at his wittiest, with self-deprecating angst-ridden humor and a palpable chemistry with Diane Keaton.
787. Mother Joan of the Angels (1961)
Jerzy Kawalerowicz / Poland
Nothing like a good old nun possession in the morning. This film played a big role in the birth of nunsploitation, a genre in the film world believe it or not. Thereâs just a human interest in seeing purity be corrupted.
786. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Frank Darabont / USA
A perfectly competent film that does everything right and yet I don’t find it extraordinary for it to have such a massive reputation. It’s just good.
785. The Public Woman (1984)
Andrzej Ć»uĆawski / France
This film is basically just people yelling at each other while having mental breakdowns, random cat fights and the beautiful ValĂ©rie Kaprisky dancing naked while freaking out. It’s obvious why I enjoy Zulawskinâs films so much. The insanity makes me feel sane.
784. A Man and a Woman (1966)
Claude Lelouch / France
French love from a highly visual perspective, the camera style and color tinting resembles Soviet cinema and a little bit of 70s Tarkovsky. It looks tremendous and went on to win the Palme D’or as well as best foreign picture at the Oscars.
783. The Best Intentions (1992)
Bille August / Sweden
An essential for Bergman fans. Written by the man himself, based on his parents’ life. If only he had directed it also.
782. The Master (2012)
Paul Thomas Anderson / USA
Scientology is a curious thing. What is the difference between a community and a cult? The Master is more an experience than anything else and consists of a phenomenal group of actors.
781. LâArgent (1928)
Marcel LâHerbier / France
Somewhat of a slow burn at first, but that is expected with L’Hubier. One of the few films about money, power, and glamour that actually works for me and that is perhaps because of the complex characters and insane cinematography.
780. An American Werewolf In London (1981)
John Landis / UK / USA
I’ve gone through a brief obsession with werewolves and saw as many as possible but none could do it quite like Landis. A fine balance between camp and horror, as well as fun originality.
779. Old Yeller (1957)
Robert Stevenson / USA
Traumatic for anyone who’s ever loved a dog. Imagine watching this and not ending up with wet cheeks.
778. The Reader (2008)
Stephen Daldry / USA / Germany
If Kate Winslet wasn’t already one of my favorite actresses of all time “The Reader” made sure she would be. The scene in which she bathes the young lad is so ridiculously tender and intimate. I just wish the entire film had stayed in the past.
777. Yellow Submarine (1968)
George Dunning / UK
For those who like the Beatles and psychedelic animated rock musicals all in one.
776. Lord of the Flies (1963)
Peter Brook / UK
When a bunch of school boys are stranded on an Island and their primal nature begins to show. Infamous for inspiring “Survivor”.
775. The Red Shoes (1948)
Michael Powell / UK
The curse of the ballet shoes. A stunning visual film, full of color and dancing. A little stagey for my visual eyes but it is a beauty and so is Moira Shearer.
774. An American in Paris (1951)
Vincente Minnelli / USA
As far as best picture musicals ago, I really liked this one. Feels like the brother of Singing in the Rain with a touch of added Frenchness. Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron were a talented pair. The world needs more tap dancing.
773. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Quentin Tarantino / USA
My opinion on Pulp is similar to the likes of The Godfather and Shawshank, above stellar but it bores me to see it at the top of many lists. There are other Tarantino films that I enjoy much more, but the whole segment with Uma and Travolta is fire.
772. J’accuse (1919)
Abel Gance / France
Gance was a director ahead of his time but up to this point had only been making beautiful flops, with J’Accuse he made his first masterpiece. While it sure suffers from melodrama, it is a cinematic anti-war epic accusing humanity of all the injustice.
771. Beauty and the Beast (1946)
Jean Cocteau / René Clément / France
The Beauty and the Beast from a French surrealist perspective. Dreamlike and magical.
770. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Michael Cimino / USA
The Deer Hunter is one of the bleakest of Oscar winners, with an all star cast focusing on the before, during and aftermath of the Vietnam war. Most importantly on how mentally damning PTSD can be. Minus points for the questionable portrayal of the Vietnamese.
769. Harold and Maude (1971)
Hal Ashby / USA
A funny tragic love story between an older woman and a depressed teenager. Relatable in ways I don’t dare to express. Suicide is not a thing of laughter until it is (in this film).
768. The Aviator (2004)
Martin Scorsese / USA
DiCaprio as the mental head case that was Howard Hughes, an infamous pilot/filmmaker/philanthropist among other things. The scene in which Hughes locks himself up in his theater and collects a line of urine bottles is thoroughly fascinating.
767. Fargo (1996)
Joel Coen / Ethan Coen / UK / USA
I cannot enjoy the Coen brothers for whatever reason but Macy, McDormand, Buscemi and the wood chipper were on FIRE and made Fargo the exception.
766. Cry Baby (1990)
John Waters / USA
John Waters is just TOO MUCH camp for me, but this fun nonsensical musical starring Johnny Depp as an Elvis Presley-inspired cry baby is the perfect amount of camp! The 90s Rocky Horror.
765. Le Silence de la Mer (1949)
Jean-Pierre Melville / France
The close-up shots within this film are phenomenal. Melville creates an oddly sensual film starring a Nazi officer and his thoughts.
764. House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Rob Zombie / USA
Yes this is a Zombie trashy slasher at its core, but to me itâs the best of this genre. Itâs as if the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre fell down the rabbit hole. Equally bloody as it is just good ole redneck family fun.
763. Pépé le Moko (1937)
Julien Duvivier / France
About a French criminal hiding in the Casbah of Algiers. Cinematically beautiful and thematically interesting. It’s a rarity to see this part of the world portrayed in 30s cinema, let alone filmed with such delicacy.
762. Three Crowns of the Sailor (1983)
RaĂșl Ruiz / France
Raul Ruiz may be one of cinemaâs biggest trolls. What was this even about? Does it matter? If anything I find his work inspiring for its authenticity and originality.
761. Goodbye Uncle Tom (1971)
Gualtiero Jacopetti / Franco Prosperi / Italy
If Birth of a Nation and Salo had a love child. Portrays the worst of slavery in an exploitative way, teetering between genius and intolerable but thatâs art at its highest degree. An unforgettable film even if you wish to forget it, the fact that it exists alone is worth pause and further study.
760. Why Has Bodhi Dharma Left For The East? (1989)
Bae Yong-kyun / South Korean
Buddhist cinema is clearly not mainstream, you have to go out of your way to find it and this beautiful meditative gem is one of the first i’d recommend. Not my favorite but a good place to start finding inspiration for your next quest in life.
759. The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Scott Kalvert / USA
One of the finest 90s films about drug-addiction and much of it is because of young DiCaprio’s memorable performance.
758. Notorious (1946)
Alfred Hitchcock / USA
Hitchcock bringing Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant together is god’s work. Two of my favorite classic Hollywood actors with an incredible screen presence.
757. One Hundred Days After Childhood (1975)
Sergey Solovev / Soviet Union
Russian teens in summer camp going through the frustration and yearning of experiencing love for the first time. A tenderly shot Soviet coming of age.
756. The Elephant Man (1980)
David Lynch / USA
Based on the story of Joseph Merrick, a sideshow freak suffering from a horrifying skin disease called neurofibromatosis. Lynch here tackles something truly terrifying and that is human ignorance.
755. 7th Heaven (1927)
Frank Borzage / USA
Quite the charming love story, largely overshadowed by Sunrise that came out the same year but Janet Gaynor is truly a gem.
754. All About My Mother (1999)
Pedro AlmodĂłvar / Spain
Almodovar’s most acclaimed and colorful work, he is known for including themes involving transgenders and giving them a voice. This film is mainly about a woman’s life post the loss of her son.
753. The End of Summer (1961)
Yasujiro Ozu / Japan
Ozu’s penultimate film is a contender for Ozu’s most colorful and cinematic work, but thematically does not hit home as strongly as a few others. A sweet melancholic film that captures the time and heart of its characters.
752. Apocalypto (2006)
Mel Gibson / USA
A stylized look on what living in the Mayan times could be like. Epic in scale but grounded in realism. Notable because there just aren’t many other films quite like this.
751. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
François Truffaut / France
The piano, a love story, a crime scene and the French New Wave all in one little film.
750. Alexander (2004)
Oliver Stone / France / Germany / Italy / Netherlands / UK / USA
The most unfairly maligned film in history for me starring one of the most impressive humans to ever live; Greek bisexual world ruler Alexander who always inspired me in the history classes. Yes it has questionable accents and pacing, but with Stone releasing a new edit every couple years thereâs a cut out there for everyone!
749. Limite (1931)
Mario Peixoto / Brazil
Brazilian expressionist art film about three humans lost at sea. The story is told mainly through flashbacks and experimental editing. A visual beast from a fairly unrepresented region in the silent era.
748. Kagemusha (1980)
Akira Kurosawa / Japan / USA
Colorful, visual, lyrical and nightmarish. Kurosawa’s warm-up to “Ran”.
747. Jungle Fever (1991)
Spike Lee / USA
A mix between “Do The Right Thing” and “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner”. A confrontative Spike Lee with crackheads and some serious realness regarding interracial relationships in 90s America.
746. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Ang Lee / Canada / USA
I remember how big of a deal it was when this film came out, it wasnât even among the first films to positively represent the gay community but it was the first mainstream film to get recognized in award shows. So props for fighting the good fight, the film itself is a little frustrating but Ledger and Gyllenhaal made it worth it. I wish I knew how to quit you! etc.
745. Drive (2011)
Nicolas Winding Refn / USA
Saw this in the theater with a sweet girl that spent the majority of the film with her innocent eyes covered. That was probably the highlight of the experience, but ultimately Drive is a solid film about Gosling driving cars and killing people. But justice for Joan Holloway.
744. Jurassic Park (1993)
Steven Spielberg / USA
Death by T-Rex is one of the best ways to go. Classic dinosaur adventure for the entire family.
743. Hypothesis of the Stolen Painting (1978)
RaĂșl Ruiz / France
What solving a mystery inside paintings must be like. It cannot be denied how original Ruiz’ work is, and this simple film takes you to a previously unimagined world.
742. Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Mira Nair / India
Follows the lives of several street children growing up in Bombay. Hard hitting reality and one of the most unfiltered Indian films out there.
741. Scenes from a Marriage (1973)
Ingmar Bergman / Sweden
I’ve only seen the theatrical version, so i’m sure that the miniseries would provide me with more insight. Bergman at his most honest, relating this film to his personal marriage and would revisit these characters 30 years later with Saraband. I just simply prefer the nightmarish Swede over the angsty marital one.
740. Where Is the Friend’s Home? (1987)
Abbas Kiarostami / Iran
The day in the life of an 8 year old Iranian boy who tries to do the right thing yet due to small town ignorance goes through a traumatizing event. Its simplicity makes for an intriguing experience, and the film went on to inspire a spontaneous trilogy.
739. The Devils Backbone (2001)
Guillermo del Toro / Spain / Mexico
Metaphysical ghosts in a Spanish orphanage during the civil war. A survival story for the ages.
738. LâAge dâOr (1930)
Luis Buñuel / France
Buñuelâs first feature-length came a year after âUn Chien Andalouâ and does not disappoint. A film so bizarre and notable for being the first to include a toilet and human waste, as well as a woman kissing a disfigured hand. Highly Buñuelesque.
737. El Colombian Dream (2005)
Felipe Aljure / Colombia
The most obscure film on the list is a hidden gem from Colombia shot almost entirely in fisheye lens. Itâs like going through a hilarious psychedelic trip, and felt like quite a find for someone like me.
736. The Omen (1976)
Richard Donner / USA / UK
Iconic 70s horror following the life of the little antichrist and Satan’s quest to protect him from non-believers, including his own parents. All the deaths in this film are awesome.
735. Children of Heaven (1997)
Majid Majidi / Iran
A humanist film following two siblings that share the same pair of shoes. Iranian cinema is consistent in telling simple stories through the eyes of children and make them extraordinary.
734. Mr. Thank You (1936)
Hiroshi Shimizu / Japan
The most well-known Shimizu is a delicate humanist flower. Subtly tragic yet oddly optimistic and sweet. The entirety of the film is played out inside a bus as the passengers’ stories slowly unfold.
733. The Sacrifice (1986)
Andrei Tarkovsky / Sweden / UK / France
Tarkovsky’s final film has a certain Bergman-like quality to it, and stars one of Berman’s most prominent actors Erland Josephson. It’s my least favorite of his features and is still better than most films ever made. Tarkovsky literally went out in a blaze of glory.
732. Free Solo (2018)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi / Jimmy Chin / USA
The modern-day Safety Last! Sure to give sweaty palms and feet.
731. Shutter Island (2010)
Martin Scorsese / USA
A mystery with holes in the story but who cares, Dicaprio is phenomenal. And the track ‘On The Nature Of Daylight’ gives me goosebumps.
730. Pet Sematary (1989)
Mary Lambert / USA
A severely underrated little horror gem, one of my favorite of its kind. Starring dead pets and family members coming back to life, and also toddlers getting hit by trucks.
729. The Wrestler (2008)
Darren Aronofsky / USA
A character study about an old wrestler trying to rebuild his life and relationship with his daughter. Aronofskyâs most grounded film that leaves a lasting impression.
728. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
Mikio Naruse / Japan
My first Naruse and has yet to be topped. A study on female independence and survival within a male predominant society. It teaches us to keep going when dealt with a bad hand.
727. I Am Twenty (1965)
Marlen Khutsiev / Soviet Union
Essential to all cinephiles if only for spotting Tarkovskyâs cameo. Came out when the Soviets were mastering the art of cinematography, but I Am Twenty is a bit more grounded in its reality, focusing on the contemporary youth in the rainy streets of Moscow.
726. Kagero-za (1981)
Seijun Suzuki / Japan
Suzuki’s Kagero-za is experimental and haunting. Mixing some of Japan’s traditional ghost stories with the Japanese New Wave. It has the best use of wallart iâve ever seen.
725. Sunshine (2007)
Danny Boyle / UK / USA
Basically a sci-fi slasher directed masterfully and with a heart-pumping score. The final act is bonkers, with the most memorable utilization of the sun that i’ve seen on film.
724. Pi (1998)
Darren Aronofsky / USA
Aronofsky is one of my favorite visual directors and his debut is aesthetically maddening. One of my favorite themes in film is schizophrenic characters descending into madness, and Ï evokes the feeling of uncomfortable insanity better than most.
723. Kids (1995)
Larry Clark / USA
Parents what are your kids doing! With the drugs and the sex and the sin! First saw this with my mom when I was a kid myself and it was really uncomfortable! A look into the unrepresented teens of the 90s, yâall better be using condoms.
722. Blue Blood (1914)
Nino Oxilia / Italy
The oldest film on the list! An early visual masterpiece. Suffers from that 1910s melodrama but gets a pass for coming so early and leaving such a mark on me. Nino Oxilia deserves more credit for being an early film pioneer, he died fighting in WW1. And I just couldn’t keep my eyes off Francesca Bertini!
721. Viridiana (1961)
Luis Buñuel / Spain
Buñuel saw the world from a pessimist view and explores that in a film about a kind young woman initiating to become a nun, but the people and the world around her are rotten to the core.
720. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965)
Sergei Parajanov / Soviet Union
Lyrical is exactly how one would describe the atmosphere in this film. A majestic sight of Soviet Ukraine flooded with color and song. I’ve wanted to recreate the underwater sequence ever since I first saw the film.
719. The River (1997)
Tsai Ming-liang / Taiwan
This River contains all the best elements found in a Tsai film (minus musical numbers) centering around chronic neck pain, loneliness and sad masturbation.
718. To the Wonder (2012)
Terrence Malick / USA
While it is my least favorite Malick yet, I would happily die watching it. Emmanuel Lubezki’s cinematography is sensational.
717. Le SamouraĂŻ (1967)
Jean-Pierre Melville / France / Italy
My favorite Melville, a stylized beauty starring Alain Delon as a cold-blooded hitman. Hauntingly Bressonesque.
716. Maborosi (1995)
Hirokazu Kore-eda / Japan
Hirokazuâs debut film is perhaps his most cinematic and nostalgic yet. The frame compositions in this film are masterful. While the story isnât the most captivating of his, thereâs certainly a somber contemplative Ozu to be found throughout.
715. Miss Julie (1951)
Alf Sjöberg / Sweden
Sweet Swedish Summer madness. The original Mommy dearest.
714. Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz / USA
A nuthouse mystery with two of the greatest actresses in Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn. The final act ends with Taylor screaming her lungs out.
713. Scream (1996)
Wes Craven / USA
The only 90s slasher that self-proclaimed cinephiles can openly stan.
712. The Last Command (1928)
Josef von Sternberg / USA
The unfortunate events that led a Russian Czar to become a Hollywood extra. Emil Jannings is a legend.
711. The Story of Adele H. (1975)
François Truffaut / France
This film is about Victor Hugo’s daughter descending into an obsessive frenzy over a boy. Isabelle Adjani is the prettiest stalker to ever grace cinema.
710. I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
Jacques Tourneur / USA
A classic horror masterpiece with spooky voodoo zombies, great cinematography and a chilling soundtrack to boot. Certainly freakier than anything that had come before it, back when modern zombies were not yet a thing.
709. The Fall (2006)
Tarsem Singh / USA / India
One of the most impressive purely visual films, blending fantasy with reality. A film that finally gives the stuntmen some credit in film history. And Lee Pace is just swell.
708. Ferris Buellerâs Day Off (1986)
John Hughes / USA
Delightful 80s high school comedy with a lovable dork as the titular character that keeps breaking the 4th wall. Most notable for its post-credits scene and that is how all films should end.
707. Death of a Cyclist (1955)
Juan Antonio Bardem / Spain
An experimental film about a hit and run. Paranoia and guilt drive this story into a bizarre tailspin.
706. Toy Story 3 (2010)
Lee Unkrich / USA
The best Toy Story. It all just clicked perfectly, the adventure, the humor, the nostalgia and who can forget the incinerator. The series shouldâve just ended here.
705. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Terry Gilliam / Terry Jones / UK
âYour mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!’ Oh what a silly film this is, but the combination of its humor, killer rabbits, an animated sequence and the middle ages just worked for me somehow.
704. Gandhi (1982)
Richard Attenborough / UK / India / USA
“I am a Muslim and a Hindu and a Christian and a Jew and so are all of you”. This film feels important, and this was an important story to tell. I’ve got so much love for India and this film captures the heart of its search for freedom. Ben Kingsley did Gandhi proud.
703. A Single Man (2009)
Tom Ford / USA
The tragedy of beautiful saturation. Colin Firth as a gay man coping with the death of his partner and not being able to properly grief during the conservative 60s. The shot with the giant Psycho poster in the background is CINEMA!
702. Underground (1995)
Emir Kusturica / Bulgaria / Czech Republic / France / Germany / Hungary / Yugoslavia
Underground is a film that flips through multiple genres. It is insanity mixed with originality. The film opens with a zoo getting blown up and gets crazier from thereon. Among the most unusual and original films i’ve ever seen.
701. Pharaoh (1966)
Jerzy Kawalerowicz / Poland
Fascinating period film, a story set in Egypt but spoken in Polish. For 1966 this looked incredible, nearly matching Lawrence of Arabia’s beauty. A cinematic achievement on a massive scale.
700. All That Jazz (1979)
Bob Fosse / USA
âBye bye life, Bye bye happiness. Hello loneliness, I think I’m gonna dieâ. A delightful musical comedy about dying.
699. The Iron Giant (1999)
Brad Bird / USA
A lovely relationship between a child and his giant killer robot. Supermaaaaaan… name a more iconic sacrifice in an animated film.
698. The Fifth Element (1997)
Luc Besson / France
Silly over the top ridiculous and loud, just how I like my sci-fi. The blue opera singer sequence was lovely.
697. The Hunt (2012)
Thomas Vinterberg / Denmark
A very tricky subject. How an innocent lie ruined Hannibalâs life. A painful film to watch, but also an important one. Mads Mikkelsen is superb.
696. C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)
Jean-Marc Vallée / Canada
I related to this film wayyy too much. Who doesn’t love a David Bowie fan? It dips a little in quality towards the end though.
695. The Breakfast Club (1985)
John Hughes / USA
The most nostalgic 80s high school film ever, even though the characters are complete archetypes it is a classic. Don’t you forget about me~
694. Tristana (1970)
Luis Buñuel / Spain / France / Italy
Buñuel and Catherine Denueve were a great pair. A mix between his surrealist and realist style, fully utilizing his strengths of being a storyteller. Men are evil etc.
693. Orphans of the Storm (1921)
D.W. Griffith / USA
Perhaps the most consistently entertaining film Griffith ever made. Those silly aristocrats and their beheadings! Great set and costume design, Lillian Gish never fails to shine.
692. Water Lilies (2007)
CĂ©line Sciamma / France
A delicate coming-of-age flower starring synchronized swimming. This was Celineâs first feature and it established her love for lesbian heartbreak.
691. American History X (1998)
Tony Kaye / USA
This film cures racism! While certain aspects have aged poorly and feel silly, as a whole the film touched my soul profoundly. It’s brutal, who can forget the curb scene?
690. Revolutionary Road (2008)
Sam Mendes / USA / UK
An indirect sequel to Titanic. Marriage hell between two of the greatest actors including explosive outbursts and temper tantrums.
689. The Grey Automobile (1919)
Enrique Rosas / Mexico
A slice of Latin American film history based on a true gangster story. It is the only surviving film by Mexican film pioneer Enrique Rosas. A surreal viewing experience because it’s been perfectly dubbed with dialogue and appears as if it were a talkie coming from 1919.
688. Airplane! (1980)
Jim Abrahams / USA
Surely when you forget to laugh âAirplane!â can be of service, and don’t call me shirley.
687. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
George Cukor / USA
The triple threat of Hepburn, Stewart and Grant simply light up the screen in this love triangle for the ages. One of the few instances where the script and actors are such a force that the mediocre cinematography can be forgiven.
686. The Trial (1962)
Orson Welles / France / Italy / West Germany
Anthony Perkins finds himself in a hellish frenzy. The Trial stands strong among Wellesâ best cinematic work and according to him his best film. Loses points for some of the acting.
685. The Descent (2005)
Neil Marshall / UK
One of the most genuinely claustrophobic and frightening horror film of the 21st century imo, with amazing creature design. Would not want to find myself stuck in that cave.
684. Dead Poets Society (1989)
Peter Weir / USA
A heartfelt film starring rich white boys, carpe diem bitches. Robin Williams <3
683. Valhalla Rising (2009)
Nicolas Winding Refn / Denmark
Visually stunning in parts but a superior director could’ve made this be an even better film. Having said that, it was a meditative dark piece of cinema that is absolutely worth the strenuous journey.
682. Troy (2004)
Wolfgang Petersen / USA / UK / Malta
What can I say? I love films about Greek history and/or mythology and Troy is massive in scale starring the legendary Trojan horse and Bradâs abs. Take me to hades now.
681. Sazen Tange and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo (1935)
Sadao Yamanaka / Japan
Japanese cinema has always been humanist, so this film was no surprise in that respect. However, it was its sense of humor and irony that really made it stand out as one of the strongest Japanese productions of the 30s. The characters are well-rounded and likable, from an orphan, to a powerful Geisha and a one-eyed/one-armed Samurai.
680. Stray Dog (1949)
Akira Kurosawa / Japan
An explosive noirish Kurosawa, almost like a Japanese Rebel Without a Cause. Mifune is so great.
679. Day for Night (1973)
François Truffaut / France
Capturing what goes on behind the scenes of a film set. Not as stylized as Felliniâs or Godardâs perspectives on filmmaking, but if anything it reassured me that this is my passion.
678. Braindead (1992)
Peter Jackson / New Zealand
One of the ultimate b-horror cult classics, with zombie babies, lots of gore and lots of fun. The lawnmower scene is simply iconic.
677. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Edgar Wright / UK / Japan / USA
Is it a romantic comedy? With musical numbers? An animated computer game? With vegan superheroes? Yes, to all of the above. One of my most-watched films.
676. Raw (2016)
Julia Ducournau / France / Belgium
A Frenchier Ginger Snaps that teaches women how to pee while standing up. Not for vegans.
675. Tokyo Twilight (1957)
YasujirĂŽ Ozu / Japan
Possibly the bleakest of all Ozuâs films. One of those situations in which all goes awry and you keep waiting for someone to finally break down. Ozu mastered the art of emotional manipulation.
674. Tommy (1975)
Ken Russell / UK
Tommy can you hear me? A psychedelic musical with amazing visuals and The Who music. Prepare your ears to get rocked!
673. Variety (1925)
Ewald André Dupont / Germany
An expressionist noir that deserves more recognition, set in the circus and covered with vengeance. Beautifully shot with top-notch performances and a soundtrack you can rave to.
672. Spring Breakers (2012)
Harmony Korine / USA
A bizarre trip into arthouse cinema with neon colors and gangsters and James Franco singing Everytime by Britney Spears.
671. The Room (2003)
Tommy Wiseau / USA
You’re tearing me apart Lisa! Oh hai doggy! Anyway how’s your sex life? The Room is an iconic film directed by an alien called Tommy Wissau. This film should not exist and yet somehow it does, and it reaches a level of incomprehension that is so bad it actually becomes a masterpiece! One to watch when you’ve given up on this planet and just want to see aliens attempt human emotions.
670. V for Vendetta (2005)
James McTeigue / USA / Germany
Bald Natalie Portman holding up her arms and crying in the rain is a mood. Also this has cool masks and is about anarchy, death to society so what’s not to love.
669. F for Fake (1973)
Orson Welles / France / Iran / West Germany
It’s part documentary about forged art- and part Welles fucking with narrative structure and just having fun making movies. A high note for him to go out on and a quick peek into what went through his head.
668. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
Robert Altman / USA
A classic love story disguised as a western. ‘The Stranger Song’ haunted me for days after watching it.
667. Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg / USA
I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Jaws my whole life, probably because it gave me ocean phobia for a good couple of years growing up. Thanks a lot, Jaws.
666. Happiness (1935)
Aleksandr Medvedkin / Soviet Union
A surreal, silent, Soviet black comedy! Truly, a one of a kind type of film with pretty insane visuals. It is funny in an old lady failing to hang herself from a windmill kind of way.
665. mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky / USA
A delicious claustrophobic hell that gave me a minor headache. It could’ve been more subtle but the film was made to be divisive and cause strong feelings either way, and being an Aronofsky fanboy it took me on for a spin.
664. Suspiria (1977)
Dario Argento / Italy
An atmospheric and deeply visual horror film, poor dubbing aside, it is a visual epic and contains one of the most haunting scores in history. A hell of a trip.
663. The Science of Sleep (2006)
Michel Gondry / France / Italy
Eternal Sunshine but more French. A dreamy creative film about relationship drama for kids trapped in adult bodies.
662. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Hayao Miyazaki / Japan
Miyazaki at his lightest, most innocent and hopeful. Totoro is among his greatest creations, and this film reminds us that holding onto our inner child and thinking with our hearts is key in life.
661. Gomorrah (2008)
Matteo Garrone / Italy
A modern-day Italian gangster film. It explores organized crime and its consequences, shot in a documentary style to add realism.
660. Mad Love (1985)
Andrzej Ć»uĆawski / France
Oh the delicious INSANITY of this masterful monstrocity. If you can get past all of the characters behaving like children with ADD, the sweeping chaos will be sure to enthrall.
659. The Passion of Anna (1969)
Ingmar Bergman / Sweden
Bergman in color looked good, the style was a bit like a documentary with the characters breaking the 4th wall and giving confessionals. Intriguing psychologically and structurally.
658. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)
Park Chan-wook / South Korea
The most cinematic of the vengeance trilogy. Cold blooded vengeance can be such a beautiful thing, just don’t forget your rain jackets for all that blood.
657. Gun Crazy (1950)
Joseph H. Lewis / USA
The Bonnie & Clyde of the 50s. Great cinematography, great chemistry between leads and a fun lovers on the run type of story.
656. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Peter Jackson / New Zealand
Magical lesbian love accompanied by murder and insanity. Throw Kate Winslet in there and youâve got yourself a childhood classic.
655. The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927)
Alfred Hitchcock / UK
A strong contender for Hitchcockâs most visually stunning film, honestly why couldn’t they all look like this? A little gimmicky but its color tinting and deep shadows are everything.
654. Belle de Jour (1967)
Luis Buñuel / France / Italy
First Buñuel/Deneuve collaboration about a woman with deep masochistic cravings. A bold provocative sensitive Buñuel.
653. Lancelot du Lac (1974)
Robert Bresson / France
The most simplistic director takes on Camelot starring one of King Arthurâs knights. Pretty much the most realistic and mundane film youâll ever see about knights.
652. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Richard Brooks / USA
A surprisingly strong film, Paul Newman is way too pretty for a man and Taylor always impresses in this explosive drama.
651. Kwaidan (1964)
Masaki Kobayashi / Japan
An anthology Japanese horror exhibiting four haunting ghost tales. The tone is very much of an eerie dream that you can’t wake from.
650. La Strada (1954)
Federico Fellini / Italy
First Fellini/Giulietta Masina collaboration starring a wide-eyed, chaplin-like tramp that is sold to an abominable circus performer. A lovable yet crushing film.
649. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
Jacques Demy / France
This film turned me French. When you think about French musicals this is what you picture, colorful and sweet and actually somewhat enchanting.
648. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
James Gunn / USA
I dig this one even more than Vol .1 because I adore every character in this film, baby groot, and a frelling Ben Browder cameo. Its existence makes me happy.
647. Way Down East (1920)
D.W. Griffith / USA
Although the plot is fairly basic and typically Hollywood melodrama, Lillian Gish goes all in giving a performance to remember and helps create an early silent masterpiece.
646. Seven Chances (1925)
Buster Keaton / USA
Basic plot with Keaton having to marry in order to inherit a fortune. Things don’t pan out well when a storm of women all wish to marry him and hilarity ensues. Mr. Paleface was quite the charming man here.
645. The Banishment (2007)
Andrey Zvyagintsev / Russia
A stunningly shot Russian family drama clearly influenced by Tarkovsky. Love is complicated and so are the emotions in this film.
644. Borderline (1930)
Kenneth MacPherson / Switzerland
A film way ahead of its time both cinematically and thematically. It is gorgeously shot, with highly contrasted black and white images about racial and gender relations. Fearless, emotive and oozing with sensuality.
643. âA.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Steven Spielberg / USA
A Kubrick project that would’ve been much better had he not died before finishing and been taken over by Spielberg, and yet I find it to be quite enchanting. It is basically Pinocchio as an android, with some CGI that has aged amazingly well.
642. Never Cry Wolf (1983)
Carroll Ballard / USA
An overlooked gem for those who love wolves and running naked in nature. Released by Disney yet it’s more something you’d expect to see on National Geographic. Insightful on how wolves live and genuinely shows the beauty of wildlife.
641. Rapture (1979)
IvĂĄn Zulueta / Spain
A film made for film lovers by film lovers about film lovers. A bizarre trip into the mind of obsessive filmmaking.
640. A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
Daniel Petrie / USA
A time capsule made during the civil rights movement. Tensions were high and the cast brings out all these explosive emotions from such unfortunate times to the screen. Sidney Poitier was a superstar.
639. Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Franco Zeffirelli / UK / Italy
If you can stomach some over the top performances from 60s Zac Efron and his Juliet, this’ll be a top Shakespearen production of the legendary romance. The filming locations really give it that 14th-century vibe.
638. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Martin Scorsese / USA
One of DiCaprioâs best performances in a film about rich bastards ruining their lives. Possibly Scorseseâs funniest film.
637. Empire Records (1995)
Allan Moyle / USA
Guilty pleasure for sure! And one I loved as a teen. With a great soundtrack and loveable teen cliches. Itâs like Breakfast Club and Almost Famous had a baby.
636. GĂŒeros (2014)
Alonso Ruizpalacios / Mexico
A Mexican coming-of-age with brotherhood and anarchism. One of the most artistically ambitious films to come from Mexico in recent years and feels like an instant classic.
635. Early Summer (1951)
YasujirĂŽ Ozu / Japan
A more familiar Ozu dealing with family, marital issues and post-WWII Japanese society. One of his lighter and most hopeful films that hit off the 50s as Ozu’s strongest decade.
634. Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
Max OphĂŒls / USA
Don’t love someone who canât even remember you. Best OphĂŒls iâve seen so far.
633. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Curtis Hanson / USA
A dazzling 90s noir with the mesmerizing Kim Basinger and an all star cast.
632. Downfall (2004)
Oliver Hirschbiegel / Germany / Italy / Austria
Based on the final days of Hitler and is infamous for giving us the Hitler reacts meme.
631. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)
Kim Jee-woon / South Korea
My first Korean horror and was hooked immediately, a spooky tragedy of sisterly love.
630. Walkabout (1971)
Nicolas Roeg / Australia / UK
Aside from unnecessary slaughter of Kangaroos, Walkabout is a raw portrait of the wild Australian life, where two lost siblings are accompanied by a young aboriginal. At times unpleasant but always bold.
629. RashĆmon (1950)
Akira Kurosawa / Japan
Famously known for bringing Kurosawa and Japanese cinema into our western hearts. It is one moment told from four different perspectives. Essential cinema that created a storytelling trope.
628. Fantastic Planet (1973)
René Laloux / France / Czechoslovakia
A bizarre animated French trip. Say yes to drugs kids.
627. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Wes Anderson / USA / Germany / UK
Favorite live-action by Anderson yet, although mainly for its endearing style. Each scene is framed so delicately and colorfully.
626. The Children Are Watching Us (1944)
Vittorio De Sica / Italy
De Sica presents a divorce through the eyes of a four year old. This film explores the heartbreak a child experiences when being let down by his own parents.
625. Lady And The Tramp (1955)
Hamilton Luske / Wilfred Jackson / Clyde Geronimi / USA
I hate myself for loving some of these Disneys, but an accidental spaghetti kiss over a romantic dinner is relationship goals.
624. Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)
D.W. Griffith / USA
The biggest spectacle of the 1910s, and unlike with The Birth of a Nation it is socially acceptable to openly stan! While Intolerance does drag in certain parts, the overall impressive scale of the film, as well as Griffithâs massive achievement of interweaving four separate stories through the ages is bound to excite the inner cinephile in any god-fearing movie fan!
623. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
David Fincher / USA
An ambitious film essentially about aging, dying and living life to the fullest. Has a great message and itâs interesting to see Pitt reverse-aging. Not everything worked but kudos for originality.
622. The Turin Horse (2011)
BĂ©la Tarr / Ăgnes Hranitzky / Hungary
BĂ©la Tarr has created three major masterpieces in his career, and of the three I can appreciate The Turin Horse the most. A hopeless film paired up with his finest cinematic work yet, just not sure if iâm clamoring to see it again.
621. Shara (2003)
Naomi Kawase / Japan
Ozu with a shaky cam and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. This was my first film by Kawase and I fell in love with her style immediately. Very raw yet full of meditative sensitivity, the characters feel genuine in a way that only Japanese cinema is able to capture.
620. Serenity (2005)
Joss Whedon / USA
I am a leaf on the wind watch how I soar~ Firefly was a wonderful series cancelled way before its time, luckily Serenity came to give it proper closure and boy did it give the fans what they deserved.
619. An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
YasujirĂŽ Ozu / Japan
Ozuâs final film serves to reminisce about his body of work and is overall a bittersweet farewell to a grand master of cinema.
618. Atlantics (2019)
Mati Diop / Senegal / France / Belgium
Lingering between life and death, Atlantics is a beautiful metaphysical film that derives from a youthful love and transcends into a nightmarish coming of age. Notable for being the first competing Cannes entry directed by a black woman.
617. The Tales of Hoffmann (1951)
Michael Powell / Emeric Pressburger / UK
The Red Shoes + Opera. In many ways Powell’s most enjoyable film for me. While it is literally all ballet and opera, it’s also a freaking stunner of a film.
616. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Baz Luhrmann / USA
Baz Luhrmann’s hyperactive modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare. Plays off like a 2-hour MTV music video starring DiCaprio and Claire Danes. So OVER THE TOP and romantic <3.
615. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
John Cassavetes / USA
Gena Rowlands gives an explosive performance here. The characters in this film are mostly chaotic but you still want to root for them. I respect this film more than actually enjoy, but its grand anyways. Need to see more Cassavetes.
614. Harvey (1950)
Henry Koster / USA
Doctor, that is not my mother!’ *pointing at a painting of James Stewart and a giant bunny*. A really charming picture about insanity in which Mr. Stewart talks to an invisible rabbit.
613. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
Robert Wiene / Weimar Republic
The epitome of German expressionism. Conrad Veidt has one of the most memorable faces of silent film.
612. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Quentin Tarantino / USA
The film that put Tarantino in the books. Neat undercover cop/bank robbery gone wrong flick.
611. Singinâ in the Rain (1952)
Stanley Donen / Gene Kelly / USA
Truly a charming Hollywood musical with a star cast, great sense of humor and killer songs.
610. Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
Andrzej Wajda / Poland
The last of Wajdaâs anti-war trilogy, is a superbly shot morality tale set in a liberated but culturally disfigured Poland, where even the strong succumb and friends become foes.
609. City of Women (1980)
Federico Fellini / Italy
A late Fellini focusing on his love for women. Over the top and just pure joy, if anything Fellini’s experimental cinema never failed to entertain me.
608. The King and the Mockingbird (1952)
Paul Grimault / France
Best way to watch this is through child colored glasses. This is the type of animation that children need to stimulate their imagination, itâs simple yet challenging and artistically rich. Originally released in 1952 (but only fully completed until 1980) despite the messy production it is one of the greats. Wish I had grown up with it.
607. A Summer at Grandpaâs (1984)
Hsiao-Hsien Hou / Taiwan
A meditation on childhood in 80s Taiwan. Perhaps Houâs most simple and accessible film. It highly resembles the classic styles of Shimizu and Ozu which one canât go wrong with.
606. Two Women (1960)
Vittorio De Sica / Italy
A devastating WWII film starring Sophia Loren and her daughter who attempt to flee the chaos of war but no one would escape unharmed from that mess. Witness a mother/daughter dynamic go through psychological terror.
605. Rosemaryâs Baby (1968)
Roman Polanski / USA
Demon pregnancies are bad but when you’re giving birth to Satan it’s REALLY terrible. The real-life events that followed with the Manson family give it a pretty twisted reputation.
604. My Night at Maud’s (1969)
Ăric Rohmer / France
Rohmer better than most captures the complexity of love and creates such real and complex characters. Not his most enjoyable film, but it comes full-circle.
603. The Sixth Sense (1999)
M. Night Shyamalan / USA
Movies that heavily rely on a twist are not my favorite, but the Sixth Sense is the parent of movie twists and it works because the rest of the film maintains a strong level of emotional tension.
602. Strangers on a Train (1951)
Alfred Hitchcock / USA
Might as well have been called Rope part 2. Hitchcock certainly was enamored by queer villains but the upside is that they made pretty slick killers. Strangers is a good combination of witty dialogue and the suspense Hitchcock is so well known for.
601. Alexander Nevsky (1938)
Sergei M. Eisenstein / Soviet Union
Eisenstein and his 30s masterful revolutionary war epic decades before the rest of the world caught on. Stupendous visuals that take you back to such dark times.