Now that's good cinema! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most memorable, culturally relevant, and/or influential films of the last five decades.
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00:00I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, no matter what the others promise to do,
00:04when it comes to the showdown, they won't be there.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable,
00:12culturally relevant, and or influential films of the last five decades.
00:16Now you got it, don't think, just do.
00:18Come on, Lucy, you got him. Drop down and take the shot.
00:25It's... it's a dinosaur.
00:27Uh-huh.
00:28In 1993, Steven Spielberg sent viewers to a magical and dangerous island in Jurassic Park.
00:33The movie contains some groundbreaking effects that bring dinosaurs to life.
00:37Not only that, Spielberg puts you in situations that feel like a thrill ride.
00:47Boy, I hate being right all the time.
00:49You're completely immersed in tension as a T-Rex attacks a tour group.
00:52There are also some chilling sequences, such as the raptors hunting the kids,
00:56giving audiences engaging set pieces to keep them guessing.
00:59The director and the special effects team create nothing short of a one-of-a-kind experience.
01:03Along with inspiring a series of spin-offs, this film stands on its own as a sci-fi marvel.
01:11Clever girl.
01:17Well, the purpose of this institute is to provide a haven for independent minds.
01:22That's you. You are the man for the job.
01:26One half of 2023's most celebrated movie meme,
01:29Oppenheimer surprised many prognosticators with its almost billion-dollar gross worldwide.
01:34At three hours long and without a lot of conventional action,
01:37it might not have seemed like an obvious blockbuster.
01:40But that's what Christopher Nolan does.
01:42He makes great movies that usually make a whole lot of money.
01:45This biographical drama about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer is exactly that.
01:49In fact, the A.V. Club called it Nolan's best movie yet.
01:53Which, if you look at his impressive filmography, is no easy feat.
01:58They weren't.
02:06The movie that put the cool back into martial arts spectaculars
02:09kicked off the millennium in great style.
02:17Combining gorgeous and stunning action courtesy of acclaimed choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping
02:21with the revenge-fueled drama of a western and simply wondrous and surreal special effects,
02:26Crouching Tiger manages to take the somewhat aging martial arts template
02:29and make it even more relevant and entertaining than ever before.
02:41Featuring huge international stars like Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh
02:45and directed with enormous verve by Ang Lee,
02:48it's larger than life in all the best ways.
02:51Take that, laws of physics.
02:59As with pretty much every Guillermo del Toro movie,
03:02Pan's Labyrinth is just as beautiful as it is heavy, provocative and unsettling.
03:12In essence, it's a story about a little girl who wants to prove her worthiness of being a princess.
03:17But it's the eclectic characters and subplots throughout that make this a true spectacle.
03:21Picture Alice in Wonderland, but R-rated.
03:24The themes are so vast in this movie that it really needs to be watched multiple times to fully appreciate it.
03:29And its various characters, be it the vicious Captain Videl,
03:32the mysterious Fawn or the nightmarish Pale Man,
03:35feel as though they could have movies of their very own.
03:48During the Disney Renaissance,
03:50the company was riding high on a number of compelling animated projects.
03:53The Lion King stands out as one of their finest entries ever,
03:57following the tragic death of his father.
03:59Simba learns about life and takes back the throne.
04:18It includes incredible performances from Jeremy Irons and James Earl Jones.
04:22There's also the award-winning soundtrack with songs from Elton John and Tim Rice.
04:27The influential movie went on to inspire a long-running Broadway show and a remake.
04:32Combining strong story elements and emotional depth,
04:35the animated adventure ranks highly among Disney classics.
04:47Mixing science fiction and romance,
04:49this Michel Gondry film is a departure for funnyman Jim Carrey,
04:52whose performance was widely hailed as one of the best of its time.
04:55Alongside Kate Winslet, another accomplished thespian taking on a challenging role.
04:59You're not a stalker or anything, right?
05:01I'm not a stalker. You're the one that talked to me, remember?
05:04That is the oldest trick in the stalker book.
05:06The movie is a refreshing delight that now has a lot more to offer.
05:10It's not just a story about a man who's in love with a woman.
05:13That is the oldest trick in the stalker book.
05:15The movie is a refreshing delight that nabbed the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
05:19After discovering his former love has deleted him from her memory through a new and advanced procedure,
05:24protagonist Joel Barish sets out to do the same.
05:27But he soon has second thoughts.
05:29You're erasing her from me.
05:31You're erasing me from her.
05:35As doctors attempt to chase down all memories of Joel's love,
05:38we enter the frightened labyrinth of his mind.
05:41Oh, this is...
05:47I'm gonna have to give him this.
05:51Steven Spielberg aspired to shoot this historical drama as if it were a documentary.
06:01The result may be the most immersive and horrifying depiction of Nazi Germany ever put to film.
06:06You need to convince him you have betrayed something valuable to the war effort.
06:09Like what?
06:10I'm a musician.
06:11What did you do?
06:13Schindler's List demonstrates how black and white cinematography can feel more authentic than color.
06:17I think you are drunk.
06:21That's power, Herman.
06:24That is power.
06:27It breaks humanity down to its basic components,
06:29allowing us to see the evil in the world that many turned a blind eye to.
06:33When color does briefly enter the picture,
06:35it provides both a glimmer of hope and a gut punch of guilt.
06:39Schindler's List is not only a reminder of the lives lost,
06:42but also that one person can make a difference.
06:45I threw away so much money.
06:52You have no idea.
06:55If I just...
06:56There will be generations because of what you did.
06:59The film would finally bring Spielberg the Oscar gold for Best Director and Best Picture.
07:05Number 43, Hereditary.
07:07Listen to me, Steve.
07:08I know you don't trust me and there is nothing I can do about that.
07:12But they put a curse on us when we brought Charlie back.
07:14We made a pact with something.
07:16In case you thought that smart, thought-provoking horror films had gone away
07:20since the heyday of classics like The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby,
07:23the past decade has shown otherwise, amazingly.
07:26Get Out and Hereditary were both feature film directorial debuts.
07:30With Hereditary, Ari Aster shows a directorial mastery beyond his years.
07:35He isn't without seasoned talent to work with.
07:37Toni Collette is a revelation as Annie Graham,
07:40a grieving mother spiraling into madness,
07:42and not just of the psychological variety.
07:45The fact that Collette wasn't nominated for Best Actress might be the snub of the decade,
07:50but Hereditary will persist for generations.
07:53I just don't want to put any more stress on my family.
07:57I'm not even really sure if they could...
08:01could give me that spark.
08:13Fans of the first Top Gun from 1986 were beyond excited and nervous
08:17when they heard the long-awaited sequel was finally getting made.
08:20Excited because it would mean more Jets, air action, and of course, more Tom Cruise.
08:25Over 30 years later though,
08:27would it be able to capture the excitement and energy of the first one?
08:30The answer was a resounding yes.
08:33Top Gun Maverick not only had even better in-air action than the first one,
08:37but it was a surprisingly thoughtful film about redemption
08:40and making the most of the time you still have.
08:42This one was a runaway hit with both audiences and critics,
08:45raking in over 1.4 billion dollars and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
08:51Thank you for saving my life.
08:54It's what my dad would have done.
09:00Completing the iconic trilogy initiated back in 2001,
09:03Peter Jackson's opus The Return of the King splits its epically long run time
09:07between Aragorn and his men battling Sauron's army
09:10and Frodo's journey to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring.
09:13Look, Mr. Frodo.
09:15The doorway.
09:18We're almost there.
09:19Thanks to these two running plots,
09:21we get a heady mix of heavy violence and delicate storytelling
09:24that's been called one of cinema's great achievements.
09:27By closely mirroring J.R.R. Tolkien's stirring and beloved novel,
09:31this movie gives fanboys and fangirls something to shout about.
09:34The Academy was equally impressed,
09:36awarding the picture a record-tying 11 Oscars.
09:39My friends.
09:47You bow to no one.
09:51Is this Wakanda?
09:52No, it's Kansas.
09:55A lot of superhero movies have been released in the 21st century,
09:59but only a handful of them were influential enough to be considered for this list.
10:03Black Panther was one of those handful.
10:05It took the MCU nearly a decade to produce a film with a primarily black cast.
10:10Anyone who thought Black Panther wouldn't reach Marvel's usual levels of success
10:14couldn't have been more wrong.
10:15Not only did Black Panther make over $1 billion,
10:18it also earned unprecedented levels of acclaim for the MCU.
10:22This extended to the Oscars,
10:24where it became the first comic book superhero movie to be nominated for Best Picture.
10:28This was sadly Chadwick Boseman's only opportunity to take center stage as T'Challa.
10:33Few things last forever, but Wakanda will.
10:36Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows.
10:39We cannot.
10:41We must not.
10:48Illinois, Chicago.
10:49Kwa-sun-bae is Kim Jin-mo.
10:51He is your cousin.
10:55Using literal staircases,
10:57director Bong Joon-ho explores class structure and social and economic disparity
11:01in modern-day South Korea in this brilliant black comedy thriller.
11:05While Parasite satiated the audience's desire for an engaging and surprising story,
11:09the film also reached some critical milestones.
11:12After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival,
11:14it became the first Korean film to win the coveted Palme d'Or.
11:17Then, almost a year later,
11:19it became the first non-English language film to ever take home the Oscar for Best Picture.
11:34Number 38.
11:35Everything, everywhere, all at once.
11:38A mix of genres and film styles,
11:40Everything, everywhere, all at once is an experience that cannot be described,
11:44but instead, must be seen to truly be appreciated.
11:47IndieWire described it as a, quote,
11:49and we could not have said it better ourselves.
11:52The film was a surprise hit.
11:54Beyond the $141 million box office,
11:57on a budget of $1.5 billion,
11:59it was the first Korean film to win an Oscar.
12:02The film was a surprise hit.
12:03Beyond the $141 million box office,
12:06on a between $14 and $25 million budget,
12:09it won seven Academy Awards,
12:11including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.
12:16In fact, the film seemed to win every accolade everywhere all at once,
12:20taking home a whopping 266 awards out of 405 nominations.
12:33Number 37.
12:34The Shawshank Redemption.
12:46Based on Stephen King's novella,
12:48The Shawshank Redemption follows a man as he's carted off to jail for his wife's murder.
12:52But, rather than being a tale of despair and hopelessness,
12:55it's a story of fortitude, friendship, fidelity, and of course, redemption.
13:02...that on the second to last day of the job,
13:05the convict crew that tarred the plate factory roof in the spring of 49
13:10wound up sitting in a row at 10 o'clock in the morning,
13:13drinking icy cold Bohemia.
13:15With Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman working together to bring the story to life,
13:19this Frank Darabont film was not a runaway box office hit.
13:22But its positive reviews, eventual popularity,
13:25and seven Academy Award nominations ensured its spot in cinema history.
13:29Aaron, I'm in here.
13:33I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really.
13:39Get busy living,
13:41or get busy dying.
13:43Number 36.
13:45Goodfellas.
13:46While some may credit Raging Bull as Martin Scorsese's career-defining achievement,
13:50we have to give that distinction to Goodfellas.
13:52As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.
13:55What's so enthralling about Goodfellas
13:57is how it captures both the glamour and depravity that come with being a gangster.
14:01You got some nerve standing me up.
14:04Nobody does that to me.
14:05Who the hell do you think you are?
14:07Frankie Valli or some kind of big shot?
14:09Much like Henry Hill's wife Karen,
14:11we know that we should be repulsed by this lifestyle,
14:13but a part of us can't help but be attracted to it.
14:16You know what it reminds me of? I need this knife.
14:18I'm gonna take this. It's okay?
14:19Okay, yeah. Bring it back, though. You know.
14:21Of course, the moment that best sums up the film
14:23is Tommy DeVito's funny-how confrontation.
14:26I'm funny-how. I mean funny like I'm a clown.
14:28I amuse you.
14:30I make you laugh.
14:31Balancing black comedy and legitimate dread,
14:33the scene could turn ugly at the drop of a hat.
14:36Don't go busting my balls, Billy, okay?
14:38Hey, Tommy, if I was gonna break your balls,
14:40I'd tell you to go home and get your shine box.
14:42The same can be said about most of the scenes in this unpredictable rollercoaster,
14:45keeping the audience on their toes every step of the way.
14:55There were plenty of action movies before Die Hard,
14:58but this one had something special.
14:59It had a grounded hero played by Bruce Willis,
15:01who brought humor and pathos to the film.
15:03He wasn't indestructible,
15:05but he did have an edge to him that gave the genre something fresh.
15:08There's also the exceptional work from Alan Rickman
15:11as the villain Hans Gruber.
15:12I wanted this to be professional,
15:15efficient, adult, cooperative.
15:17Not a lot to ask.
15:19Alas, your Mr. Takagi did not see it that way,
15:21so he won't be joining us for the rest of his life.
15:24Together, these performers head up an exciting standoff at Nakatomi Plaza.
15:28You could argue that this film set the new standard for action movies
15:32with its mix of entertainment and slick writing.
15:34It also solidified Willis as more than just a TV star,
15:37setting him up as the next big thing in Hollywood.
15:52Come play with us, Danny.
15:54Delivering his own spin on Stephen King,
15:56Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of the novel
15:58might be the most dissected film of its kind.
16:01The Shining is a culturally resonant release
16:03that prompted fan theories about every aspect of the movie.
16:06It's also completely terrifying,
16:08combining a spooky setting with a compelling breakdown of a hotel caretaker.
16:12No charge to you, Mr. Torrance.
16:16No charge?
16:18Your money's no good here.
16:19Jack Nicholson becomes the lead writer
16:22in an entertaining performance that lets him really go crazy.
16:25With Nicholson and Shelley Duvall's committed work,
16:27this unforgettable experience has been scaring people since 1980.
16:31Kubrick's vision is nothing short of a horror classic,
16:34turning King's plot into a cinematic art piece.
16:38Wendy!
16:39Sally!
16:40Darling, light of my life.
16:42I'm not gonna hurt you.
16:44You didn't let me finish my sentence.
16:46I said, I'm not gonna hurt you.
16:48I'm just gonna bash your brains in.
16:54Picking up on the themes of their previous films,
16:56the Coen brothers faithfully adapt this Cormac McCarthy novel.
16:59I got it under control.
17:00I got it under control.
17:04When a man finds a motherload of cash after a drug deal goes sour,
17:07he becomes the target of a compassionless assassin.
17:10We watch as this monosyllabic hitman plows through all that gets in his way
17:14as he hunts the money down.
17:16With you gone and I don't have the money, he can't touch me,
17:18but I can sure touch him.
17:20It's an Academy Award-winning case of cat and mouse,
17:22masterfully executed at the hands of the Coen brothers,
17:25which they later followed with the also astonishing,
17:28but quite different, Inside Llewyn Davis.
17:35The Force is strong, William.
17:39The son of Skywalker must not become a Jedi.
17:44While the first film in George Lucas' Star Wars saga was a fun space adventure,
17:48the second is much darker and more emotional.
17:50Luke, don't give in to hate.
17:54That leads to the dark side.
17:57Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned.
18:00Save you again.
18:02I will.
18:03Considered by many as the strongest of the three original films,
18:06Empire is not only a feast for the eyes,
18:08with its expensive and extravagant visuals,
18:11it's also a timeless story to which we can all relate.
18:14Aside from the distant planets, lightsabers, and alien creatures, that is.
18:17He told me you killed him.
18:19No, I am the father.
18:27No. No.
18:31It's not true.
18:34That's impossible.
18:36Innovative and creative, this chapter in the life of Luke Skywalker and friends
18:40is epic filmmaking at its finest.
18:45When the social network hit theaters,
18:47Facebook was still a relatively new phenomenon.
18:49Jump 10 years later and it is impossible to imagine the world
18:52without the social media platform.
18:54Hey, Cameron, I'm still a little skeptical that we have enough functionality
18:58in the site to really draw the attention and gain the critical mass
19:01necessary to get a site like this to run.
19:03Together, director David Fincher and writer Aaron Sorkin
19:05shape the story of Mark Zuckerberg into a modern Shakespearean drama.
19:09You have part of my attention. You have the minimum amount.
19:12The rest of my attention is back at the offices of Facebook,
19:15where my colleagues and I are doing things that no one in this room,
19:17including and especially your clients,
19:19are intellectually or creatively capable of doing.
19:21The question is whether this is a story of triumph or tragedy.
19:24It's hard to say, since Facebook's story is far from over.
19:27But this film depicts a legendary origin story that was relevant in 2010
19:32and remains very much a part of the zeitgeist all these years later.
19:36Drop the the. Just Facebook.
19:39It's clear.
19:40Expertly crafted, brilliantly written, flawlessly acted,
19:43and timely while also being timeless,
19:45the social network shows that cinema is still very much alive and well.
19:50Welcome to Facebook.
19:56Afternoon Delight
19:59I don't know, Ron. That sounds kind of crazy.
20:03Sounds like you have mental problems, man.
20:05Yeah, you got mental problems, man.
20:07Yeah, it really does.
20:08Man.
20:09Afternoon Delight
20:11After leaving Saturday Night Live,
20:13Will Ferrell embraced his destiny as a film comedy legend.
20:16You could argue that his movie and TV roles
20:19were all leading to the perfection and goofiness of Ron Burgundy.
20:22As a news anchor in the 1970s,
20:24Ferrell's hero is an unfiltered man who loves scotch,
20:27his dog Baxter, and speaking his mind.
20:29He's just one of many iconic characters that make up Anchorman.
20:32This period comedy relishes in silly set pieces such as the news fight,
20:36allowing various stars to shine.
20:39It's one of the greatest comedies of the 2000s,
20:42allowing the likes of Paul Rudd and Steve Carell
20:44to elevate the hilarious script.
20:46Even with a debatable sequel,
20:48the original film's hilarity never ceases to amaze us.
20:51I'd also like to share with you that we are currently dating
20:54and that she is quite a handful in the bedroom.
20:57Uh, well, that's going to do it for all of us here at 6 o'clock.
21:01For the Channel 5 News, I'm Ron Burgundy.
21:04Uh, well, that's going to do it for all of us here at 6 o'clock.
21:07For the Channel 4 News team, I'm Ron Burgundy.
21:10You stay classy, San Diego.
21:14Brought to us by Paul Thomas Anderson,
21:16this drama follows prospector Daniel Plainview
21:19as he builds his empire during the Southern California oil boom.
21:22If we decide to drill for oil,
21:24and if the well begins to produce,
21:26I'll give your church a $5,000 signing.
21:28$10,000.
21:29Do you want to find someone else that's going to come up here and drill, Eli?
21:31Make the investment and do all the hard work that goes into it?
21:34While he's met with many speed bumps along the way,
21:36it's watching Daniel Day-Lewis portray the character's descent
21:39into greed and madness at the cost of all else
21:42that makes it a truly gripping watch.
21:44And for another stunningly gripping psychological drama,
21:47check out Anderson's 2012 The Master with Joaquin Phoenix.
21:50Both the character and Anderson's film are unyielding and ambitious,
21:54and both helped win Day-Lewis his second Oscar for Best Actor.
21:58I drink your milkshake.
22:04I drink it up!
22:08You can't wear a tank top two days in a row,
22:10and you can only wear your hair in a ponytail once a week.
22:13So I guess you pick today.
22:15In the mid-2000s,
22:17this teen comedy helped to establish a new vocabulary.
22:20Tina Fey's script mixes great lines,
22:22characters, and a hilarious look at high school.
22:25Lindsay Lohan's transfer student falls in with popular girls
22:28that transform her personality.
22:30Fey uses this concept to subvert your expectations,
22:33helping to create one of the best teenage films of the decade.
22:37I can't go out.
22:39I'm sick.
22:41Boo, you whore.
22:46Lohan and the cast come together
22:48to deliver some of their greatest performances,
22:50with Rachel McAdams stealing the show as Regina George.
22:53The movie's mix of both relatable humor and fantasy sequences
22:56makes it unforgettable.
23:08Okay, okay, we're out of here.
23:10We're out of here, I'm leaving.
23:13Come on, turn it off!
23:15At the end of the 20th century,
23:17The Blair Witch Project set out to give the horror genre
23:19a much-needed remix.
23:21It follows three filmmakers as they explore a creepy legend
23:24and get lost in the woods.
23:25Filmed on a modest budget,
23:27the production grounds viewers in the terror of every moment.
23:30It all builds up to one of the most horrifying endings
23:33in cinematic history.
23:44The movie itself arguably influenced
23:46a whole host of found footage stories.
23:48It also featured some effective viral marketing,
23:50playing up the possibility that the plot and characters were real.
23:53The unique look and the actors' realistic work
23:56make this one of the scariest films ever.
23:59And it's all because of me that we're here now,
24:02hungry,
24:04and cold,
24:06and hunted.
24:10When this ship docks,
24:13I'm getting off with you.
24:16This is crazy.
24:18I know. It doesn't make any sense.
24:20It's hard not to talk about the 1990s without mentioning Titanic.
24:24James Cameron's historical epic wasn't the first film about the tragedy,
24:27but it was the most successful.
24:29The movie had a record-breaking release
24:31that led to billions at the box office,
24:33blending a fictional romance with a real tragedy.
24:36It also gave audiences one of the most famous love stories of the 1990s.
24:40Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's work is so compelling
24:43that it prompted a long-standing debate about a floating door.
24:46It's just gonna take a couple of minutes to get the boats organized.
24:51Along with telling an engaging story,
24:54the film was a monumental achievement in special effects.
24:57Together with Céline Dion's theme song,
24:59the project is one of the most enduring cultural artifacts of its era.
25:02The 700 people in the boats had nothing to do but wait.
25:09Wait to die. Wait to live.
25:16I'm sorry.
25:20What you gotta be sorry for?
25:22While it's linked to an infamous Oscar mix-up,
25:25this movie is much more than a trivia answer.
25:27The film itself is one of the most beautiful and honest works
25:30of the last several decades.
25:32Directed by Barry Jenkins,
25:33this adaptation follows the life of Chiron at three different ages.
25:37The character comes to better understand himself
25:39through the help or pain of others.
25:41It's an intensely moving drama that covers universal themes of identity,
25:45acceptance, and love.
25:47Remember the last time I saw you?
25:55For a long time, I tried not to remember.
25:58Deservedly winning Best Picture,
25:59Moonlight represents the power of independent filmmaking.
26:02Each performer gives a nuanced portrait of three-dimensional characters,
26:06with Mahershala Ali being just one standout.
26:09I hate her.
26:11Hmm.
26:13Yeah, I bet you do.
26:16I hated my mom, too.
26:20So, this is what a party looks like.
26:24It's warmer than I thought.
26:26If its lasting impact on pop culture was only its soundtrack,
26:30Frozen would still be a defining release.
26:32The Disney movie was nothing short of an incredible success.
26:35It arguably re-energized the company's animation department
26:38and became its own box office juggernaut.
26:41I am wonderful!
26:43I've always wanted a nose.
26:45It's so cute. It's like a little baby unicorn.
26:48Hey, whoa!
26:50Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell lead up a cast of acting and singing talents.
26:54Josh Gad also shows up as Olaf the Snowman,
26:57giving this warm-hearted tale a few much-needed laughs.
27:00Menzel steals the show as the Ice Queen and Let It Go singer Elsa.
27:04Let it go, let it go.
27:08That perfect girl is gone.
27:11Whether or not you love the film all these years later,
27:14it still remains one of Disney's most notable projects of this century.
27:21Oh, what a day! What a lovely day!
27:24In 2015, we aren't sure how many moviegoers were even aware of the first Mad Max movie,
27:30released back in 1979.
27:32Regardless of whether or not you've seen that one,
27:34or the two sequels that followed in the 1980s,
27:36Mad Max Fury Road is well worth your while.
27:39We could get into the film's narrative,
27:41but the whole post-apocalyptic story is secondary to the action.
27:44The film puts all its eggs in one basket.
27:47The basket being the chase through the desert landscape,
27:50which comprises the vast majority of the movie.
27:52It is a bold move, and it pays off big time.
27:55The energy is palpable,
27:57and the stunts, 90% of which were done practically,
28:00are incredible.
28:23In Avengers Infinity War,
28:25Thanos destroyed half of all life in the universe.
28:29The good guys team up again to reverse his actions.
28:32They're both great movies,
28:33but when it came to selecting one for our list,
28:35it had to be Endgame.
28:37Technically, Spider-Man Far From Home was the final film in Phase 3 of the MCU,
28:41but Endgame was truly the climax that Marvel had been building to.
28:45And to paraphrase Fifth Harmony,
28:47it was worth it.
28:48Even with the first-rate special effects and larger-than-life action,
28:51the film never loses the characters,
28:53and honors our emotional connection to them.
28:56Avengers!
29:03Assemble.
29:06Do they know I'm...
29:07Do they know I'm black?
29:11No.
29:14Should they?
29:15Today, we all know that Jordan Peele is one of the great psychological horror filmmakers working in Hollywood.
29:21But back in 2017,
29:23very few of us would have guessed that one half of the sketch comedy duo Key and Peele
29:27would make one of the best horror films of the 21st century,
29:30in a genre where we thought we'd seen it all.
29:32It turns out we hadn't.
29:33Peele's film is social commentary, satire, and horror.
29:37It's a film as funny as it is scary,
29:39blending the two in ways that make for an experience unlike any other.
29:44By the way, I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could.
29:48Best president in my lifetime, hands down.
29:57You're waiting for a train.
30:01A train that will take you far away.
30:03It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb,
30:06an expert dream thief who is tasked with the difficult goal of planting an idea in a target's mind
30:11and having it grow as if it were their own.
30:22With its star-studded cast, incredible set pieces, and electrifying action
30:26all built on the foundation of a brilliant concept,
30:29it is yet another example of Christopher Nolan's mastery.
30:41After Ma became pregnant, that became our home.
30:44Much like Nolan's Interstellar,
30:46it is a story as emotional, personal, and intimate as it is a science fiction tour de force.
31:01Nobody could have expected a sequel to a Best Picture winner to be this good.
31:05Not only does The Godfather Part II measure up to its predecessor,
31:08it finds a way to expand upon the story in a near-perfect way.
31:11Michael Corleone takes control as he investigates an attempt on his life and expands his business.
31:19I know it was you, Fredo.
31:21You broke my heart.
31:24You broke my heart.
31:25While the family don becomes suspicious of his own crew,
31:28Corleone finds himself making the ultimate sin by the devastating conclusion.
31:32Al Pacino gives a transcendent performance in the lead role,
31:35while Robert De Niro wows in flashbacks as young Vito.
31:38The timeline shifts, enthralling story, and talented cast
31:41add up to another defining film for Francis Ford Coppola's career.
31:46This movie might be the quintessential sci-fi-horror movie.
31:49At the very least, it features one of the most terrifying monsters in cinema.
31:53Ripley and the gang fight to survive against a xenomorph that keeps them guessing.
31:57Along the way, director Ridley Scott and his team
32:00find a way to make the most of their time on the set of the film.
32:03It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:05It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:07It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:09It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:11It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:13It's a film that's a little bit like a movie.
32:15Ridley Scott delivers an atmospheric experience
32:17that keeps you anxious the whole time.
32:29Everything from the production design to the creature effects
32:32raise the bar for future entries in the genre.
32:34Many films have tried to capture the shocking and creepy moments of Alien,
32:38but few can compare to the originality of the first one.
32:41A series of sequels and prequels have attempted to expand upon this iconic movie
32:45with varying degrees of success.
33:00With cinema legends like Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando in the lead roles,
33:05Apocalypse Now crackles with scene after scene of horrifically and masterfully executed death and destruction.
33:17Based on Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness,
33:20Francis Ford Coppola's gritty, Oscar-nominated war epic
33:23moves the action of the novella from the Belgian Congo to Vietnam in the 60s.
33:27The story follows a group of soldiers tasked with assassinating a rogue colonel,
33:31but the result is less a journey about the horrors faced during wartime
33:34and more about the shadows of the soul.
33:56From Philip Seymour Hoffman's all-encompassing performance in Capote
33:59to Viggo Mortensen's understated yet intense work in David Cronenberg's A History of Violence,
34:042005 gave us some of the century's finest performances.
34:08And you won't find a better pair of performances than in Brokeback Mountain,
34:12a love story that many believe should have won Best Picture.
34:14Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal are spellbinding as two sheepherders
34:18who fall in love at a time when queerness was considered taboo.
34:21Brokeback Mountain serves as a safe haven where they can express their love,
34:24but these two will never have the life they want together.
34:27As heartbreaking as Ang Lee's film is,
34:30it remains one of modern cinema's most beautiful romances
34:33and a landmark for LGBTQIA plus representation in mainstream media.
34:54As one of the best cult comedies,
34:56The Big Lebowski is endlessly entertaining.
34:59The Coen brothers craft a twisty narrative filled with colorful characters.
35:02At the center of it all,
35:03Jeff Bridges breathes life into the slacker warrior known as The Dude.
35:07His compelling investigation is hilarious,
35:10quotable,
35:10and completely strange.
35:20He has friends like Walter and Donnie,
35:22making scenes at Bowling Alley some of the funniest ever.
35:25Every part of this unique film feels lived in and absolutely unforgettable.
35:29It's no wonder it's developed its own following,
35:31even compelling fans to create a festival celebrating the movie's greatness.
35:36I'm sorry, I wasn't listening.
35:53Creating many legendary films,
35:55Steven Spielberg once again finds a way to excite us and make us cry.
35:59E.T. is much more than a story about a boy and an alien.
36:02Through his unlikely friendship with the extraterrestrial,
36:05Elliot learns much more about life than anybody could have imagined.
36:08It's a heartbreaking tale that tugs at your emotions and makes you believe in something.
36:21With John Williams' score,
36:22the movie soars in imaginative scenes such as the climactic flight.
36:27Few kids movies can capture the child in all of us quite like this one.
36:31Spielberg pulls at the heartstrings in the best way possible,
36:34creating one of his greatest triumphs.
36:56In the late 1970s,
36:57John Carpenter's Halloween helped usher in a sea of change for horror films.
37:01The scary movie helped revitalize the genre and shaped it for the next few decades.
37:06Carpenter's vision started a long-running franchise,
37:09pitting everyday people against the terrifying Michael Myers.
37:12The spooky character still ranks among the most indelible villains in cinematic history.
37:31With the director's keen eye behind the camera,
37:34he assembled a team that included a young Jamie Lee Curtis in her breakthrough role.
37:38He even wrote the legendary soundtrack that still haunts us to this day.
37:42It might not be the first slasher ever,
37:44but it definitely influenced the subgenre going forward.
37:47After conquering television screens,
38:13this British comedy troupe set their sights on cinematic glory.
38:16Their film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail,
38:18takes a much different look at the legend of King Arthur.
38:20Everyone from John Cleese to Terry Gilliam plays a variety of roles
38:24that combine absurd comedy and an anachronistic tone.
38:37The comedians aren't afraid to break the fourth wall,
38:39enter dark territory,
38:40and even defy all logic with their incredible and funny script.
38:44The movie still lives on through cultural references and the ongoing legacy of Monty Python.
38:49It's hard to imagine the cinematic comedy world without this release,
38:53reminding us all of the multi-purpose uses for coconuts.
39:12At the forefront of computer animation,
39:14Pixar started making features in the 1990s with Toy Story.
39:17It was a revolutionary creation that pushed technology even further.
39:21The studio also assembled an all-star cast,
39:23with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen taking the leads.
39:34Their characters clash as Hanks' cowboy Woody
39:36worries about being replaced by Buzz Lightyear.
39:38Their adventure features plenty of comedy for all ages,
39:41but it also contains action-packed moments and a great soundtrack.
39:45The film's tremendous critical and commercial success inspired a series of follow-ups.
39:49For kids growing up in the 1990s,
39:52this movie represents the start of a lifetime friendship with these toys.
40:11Few films captured the spirit of 1985 quite like Back to the Future.
40:20The movie features a defining performance for Michael J. Fox,
40:24who took a big leap onto the big screen after establishing himself on Family Ties.
40:28It also features the music of the 1980s hitmakers Huey Lewis and the News.
40:33The movie perfectly blends the best of the 1980s with nostalgia for the 1950s.
40:42It's time-bending plot inspired two sequels and set a high bar for future storytellers.
40:55Few movies can be this entertaining, funny, and even romantic all in one bundle.
41:00They don't make blockbusters quite like this anymore,
41:03giving audiences endless time-traveling thrills.
41:11On the night I go back, it's better if you get...
41:19Number nine, The Breakfast Club.
41:21Now, I may not have caught you in the act this time, but you can bet I will.
41:26You make book on that, missy.
41:30Many of John Hughes's films define a generation of young people,
41:33with the ability to nail down the human details within coming-of-age stories.
41:37The Breakfast Club is no different,
41:38as it assembles five personalities for a life-changing day of detention.
41:42As an all-star ensemble, the actors give career-defining performances
41:46playing disparate people that learn to connect with each other.
41:49Andrew, you've got to be number one.
41:55I won't tolerate any losers in this family.
41:57To this day, this movie serves as an outlet for people to discover themselves
42:01or reminisce about their formative years.
42:03The poster alone has become symbolic of Hughes's influence on the 1980s
42:07and American pop culture.
42:10Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.
42:17Number eight, Rocky.
42:19What brings you here tonight?
42:22Mr. Jurgens, the poster's wrong.
42:25What do you mean?
42:27Well, I'm wearing white pants with a red stripe.
42:29It wasn't his first movie, but Rocky was Sylvester Stallone's ticket to the big show.
42:34He wrote his own star-making turn as a working-class guy that becomes a boxer.
42:38Rocky Balboa trains, falls in love, and learns a lesson about success.
42:43It's a feel-good tale that reminds audiences that winning isn't everything,
42:47asking viewers to search inside themselves for something more.
42:50What are you thinking about when that buzzer sounds?
42:52What do you think about when the 15th row, you're coming out?
42:56Rocky.
42:58Rocky.
42:59Standing tall among sports movies, this might be the ultimate underdog story.
43:03Balboa is probably Stallone's finest creation and the defining work of his long career.
43:09He is the heart and soul of this movie,
43:11providing a humane performance that kick-started a popular series.
43:23Number seven, Do the Right Thing.
43:25Down, ooh, ooh, left hand, hey, KO by love.
43:29If I love you, I love you.
43:35As sharp as ever, Do the Right Thing captures race relations in America
43:39better than most any film ever has.
43:42Spike Lee's masterpiece explores a tense summer heat in Brooklyn.
43:45The director plays a delivery guy, Mookie,
43:47that's caught between the loyalties of his boss and his neighborhood.
43:50If you don't behave, I don't want him in here anymore.
43:52He's out.
43:54I can't do nothing with him, Sal.
43:55You talk some brother talk to him.
43:57Brother talk?
43:58Bitter disputes build up to violence and police brutality
44:01that feels lifted out of today's headlines.
44:03Lee's movie has a timeless quality,
44:05with his finger on the pulse of issues that continue to persist in American society.
44:09The acting, writing, and intense drama strikes a chord
44:12in one of the most important movies of the 1980s.
44:15Son of a bitch!
44:25Number six, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
44:28After a successful 1970s,
44:40Steven Spielberg started off the 1980s strong with this adventure classic.
44:43He took Harrison Ford and made him even more of a movie star than he already was.
44:48Ford commands the screen as Indiana Jones,
44:50infusing all of his wit and charm into another iconic role.
44:54I'll tell you everything.
44:56Yes, I know you will.
45:06Let her go.
45:06Spielberg then surrounds the star with a fantastic cast,
45:09a fun plot, and amazing stunts.
45:12The latter includes a truck chase that rivals any of the director's other action sequences.
45:16From the boulder to the opening of the ark,
45:19this movie never fails to keep you on the edge of your seat.
45:21It's easy to see why it spawned a franchise
45:24and became a beloved staple of 1980s American filmmaking.
45:37Number five, The Dark Knight.
45:39I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you a stranger.
45:47Proving that superhero movies don't need to be filled with spandex and cheesy send-off lines,
45:51Christopher Nolan's second Batman film redefined the genre
45:55and impressed both comic book fans and the general public alike.
45:58You leave a man's life to chance?
46:00Not exactly.
46:01Dark, twisted, and deeper than the franchise's previous entry,
46:05the story follows the caped crusader as he faces off against the infamous Joker,
46:09played by an electric Heath Ledger.
46:11You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness.
46:19Though Ledger passed away before the film's release,
46:21he was awarded a posthumous Oscar for his work,
46:23which helps give Batman's story a gritty and realistic spin.
46:26And why do you want to kill me?
46:31I don't want to kill you.
46:33What would I do without you?
46:34Number four, The Matrix.
46:38What?
46:45What the hell?
46:46In the year 1999,
46:48the Wachowskis helped to revolutionize sci-fi and action movies.
46:52They created a world-class and mind-bending concept with The Matrix.
46:56The movie is a never-ending roller coaster full of fights and slow motion.
47:00It's also full of amazing twists,
47:02such as the one that occurs after Neo takes a pill.
47:05From learning kung fu to dodging bullets,
47:08the movie is filled with wall-to-wall moments that have become fixtures of pop culture.
47:12The compelling blockbuster raises the bar for movies
47:15on both a technical and storytelling level.
47:17Regardless of how you feel about the sequels,
47:20the first film is an undeniable classic in every way.
47:23You're gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:25I'm gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:27I'm gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:29I'm gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:31I'm gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:33I'm gonna enjoy watching you die.
47:43Number 3. Pulp Fiction
47:45Is this film driven by its standout performances?
47:48Yes.
47:49Is it driven by its extreme violence?
47:51Of course.
47:56But more than that,
47:57Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-winning Pulp Fiction
47:59is driven by subtle, articulate, and pop culture-heavy dialogue.
48:04This is a tasty burger.
48:07Vincent, you ever had a big kahuna burger?
48:10The non-linear plot follows an interwoven group of colorful characters in intricate detail.
48:14With such dark humor, you will laugh in spite of yourself.
48:17Go make yourself a drink and I'll be down in two shakes of a lion's tail.
48:21With a soundtrack that perfectly punctuates the mood
48:23and sound bites you'll be quoting for years,
48:25Pulp Fiction has everything necessary to make you watch it over and over again.
48:29You're the weak and I'm the tyranny of evil men.
48:37But I'm trying, Ringo.
48:40I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd.
48:45Number 2. Jaws
48:55While the disastrous production did not bode well,
48:57Jaws became a certified classic upon release.
49:00It's a tense story about a deadly shark,
49:02directed to perfection by Steven Spielberg.
49:05The director's efforts, the esteemed cast,
49:07and the amazing score mix together into one of the best thrillers ever.
49:11It also helped to create the formula for the modern blockbuster.
49:15It's really a miracle of evolution.
49:16All this machine does is swim and eat and make little sharks.
49:21And that's all.
49:22At the time,
49:23the movie was among the most financially successful releases in Hollywood history.
49:27The plot also scared plenty of audience members out of the water.
49:31It raised the bar for filmmaking in general,
49:33along with establishing Spielberg as a generational talent.
49:38You're gonna need a bigger boat.
49:41Before we continue,
49:42be sure to subscribe to our channel
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49:52make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
49:571. Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope
50:10From the mind of George Lucas,
50:11Star Wars was born out of everything from Joseph Campbell's writing to Flash Gordon.
50:16The filmmaker combined all of these influences
50:18into one of the most successful pieces of entertainment ever.
50:21Star Wars takes the hero's journey into space
50:24as Luke Skywalker escapes his planet and follows his destiny.
50:27You don't believe in the force, do you?
50:30Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other.
50:32I've seen a lot of strange stuff,
50:34but I've never seen anything to make me believe
50:36there's one all-powerful force controlling everything.
50:40This space opera expanded the limits of special effects
50:43thanks to the groundbreaking work of industrial light and magic.
50:45Bringing sci-fi fantasies to life,
50:47the movie created a franchise,
50:49merchandise,
50:50video games,
50:51and amusement park rides.
50:52It is undeniably one of the defining films of its year,
50:56decade,
50:56and century.
51:06Which movie from 2024 should end up on this list?
51:09Let us know in the comments below.
51:11Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
51:13and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.