If you wanted a basic introduction to 20th Century American Cinema, here's a chronological list of 100 films I'd suggest watching.
Note: I don't like all of these - it's not a personal list. Some I think are really pretty lousy. That said, I have seen nearly every film included (with one exception). Instead of personal favorites, this list is a collection of American films ranging from the experimental to the classics to the blockbusters, and across a wide variety of genres. Oscar-winners and cult flicks. Anything I would consider "essential" to a century of film-making and film history in America.
Ready? Here goes:
The Great Train Robbery, 1903
Dir. Edwin S. Porter for Edison Manufacturing Company
This roughly 12-minute story tells of bandits robbing a train, and then getting their comeuppance. It had more of a plot than previous films, and innovative camerawork.
The Land Beyond the Sunset, 1912
Dir. Harold M. Shaw for Thomas A. Edison Inc.
From the Edison corporation we get another film, but this one may genuinely tug at the heart-strings. The purpose of the film was to promote the Fresh Air Fund - and so an important new role in cinema for explicitly changing public opinion.
Barney Oldfield's Race for a Life, 1913
Dir. Mack Sennett for Keystone Film Co.
A mustachioed villain ties a damsel in distress to the railroad tracks as her sweetheart tries to save her in time. The style is fairly goofy, a la the Keystone Cops.
Birth of a Nation, 1915
Dir. D.W. Griffith for Epoch Producing Co.
A repugnant, blatantly racist pro-vision of the Klan from the first American director to create epics (clocking in at over two hours in length). It was, predictably, very popular, and was influential for cinematography.
Where Are My Children?, 1916
Dir. Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley for Universal
In an era when even discussing birth control was a crime, this 65-minute film deals with both birth control and abortion arguments. The melodrama was also an early female-directed work.
The Poor Little Rich Girl, 1917
Dir. Maurice Tourneur for Artcraft Pictures Corporation
Mary Pickford was one of America's first movie stars, winning hearts (along with Lillian Gish) during the silent era. The 25 year-old depicts an 11 year-old in an adaptation of a popular play.
Safety Last!, 1923
Dir. Fred C. Meyer and Sam Taylor for Pathe Exchange
A comedy starring Harold Lloyd in a slapstick set of routines. Lloyd was a great stuntman, as seen in the famous scene hanging from the clock, and was in other popular 1920s films such as Speedy.
Sherlock Jr., 1924
Dir. Buster Keaton and William Goodrich for Metro-Goldwyn Pictures
The great comedian Buster Keaton provides amazing laughs and stunts along with fabulous cinematography. The last film on the list shorter than an hour.
The Gold Rush, 1925
Dir. Charlie Chaplin for United Artists
Chaplin thought this was some of his best work, with his Little Tramp character going to the Klondike. Like his other comedies it has a standard boy-meets-girl story with a happy ending.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, 1927
Dir. F.W. Murnau for Fox Film Co.
From the same mind as 'Nosferatu' comes a gentle story of compelling visuals and allegory. It won the Oscar for Best Artistic Picture in the first year of the awards - a category that only last the one ceremony.
Wings, 1927
Dir. William A. Wellman for Paramount
The aerial shots, to modern viewers, aren't that special, but they represent a major breakthrough in cinematography for the time. Clara Bow is also fun as the main character in this WWI film and the Oscars' first Best Picture win.
The Jazz Singer, 1927
Dir. Alan Crosland for Warner Bros.
Al Jolson stars - often in offensive blackface - in the first film with synchronized sound. This is the one film on my list I've not seen.
The Last Command, 1928
Dir. Josef von Sternberg for Paramount
Emil Jannings won the Oscar for his performance as a Russian general who flees the Revolution and ends up a Hollywood extra. William Powell plays an excellent villain at the start of his career as well.
Grand Hotel, 1932
Dir. Edmund Goulding for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
A classic from the Classic Hollywood era with an all-star ensemble cast that won Best Picture. Greta Garbo (who wants to be alone) loves John Barrymore, while Joan Crawford and Lionel Barrymore end the movie on a touching note.
Duck Soup, 1933
Dir. Leo McCarey for Paramount
The zany antics of the Marx Brothers is at their best in this tale of Groucho becoming the leader of a small country. One of the first great sound comedies.
King Kong, 1933
Dir. Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack for RKO
A great monster movie, with now-hokey stop-motion special effects (and now-disturbing racism). Fay Wray screams her head off, and, unlike the earlier precursors, such as 1925's The Lost World, King Kong features a new-to-audiences plot.
42nd Street, 1933
Dir. Busby Berkeley and Lloyd Bacon for Warner Bros.
The cinematography of a Busby Berkeley film is just surreal - but highly influential in using the camera in novel ways. The film is a vaguely meta story of Depression, where if the main character's show isn't a hit then they're all in trouble.
Top Hat, 1935
Dir. Mark Sandrich for RKO
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers at their peak. It's a fairly blase story, and clearly filmed in a sound studio, but the songs and dances are fun examples of those popular 1930s musicals.
Modern Times, 1936
Dir. Charlie Chaplin for United Artists
The final mostly-silent film on my list, and the end of Chaplin's Little Tramp. That said, he exits on a high note, with a powerfully funny and inspiring film about alienation and the human struggle.
Showboat, 1936
Dir. James Whale for Universal
Less than 10 years after its Broadway debut, America's most important early musical got made into a film (although a lousy hardly-an-adaption came out in 1929). Paul Robeson has the show-stopping number of Ol' Man River.
Dodsworth, 1936
Dir. William Wyler for United Artists
Hollywood dramas were usually over-the-top affairs, but Dodsworth is a quieter, more nuanced film. It marks the rise of Wyler's excellent directing career as American films start to mature.
Bringing Up Baby, 1938
Dir. Howard Hawks for RKO
For those who only know Katharine Hepburn for her regal roles, or Cary Grant from Hitchcock, here they are in a screwball comedy. The pair must keep track of a leopard and fall in love in the process.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939
Dir. Frank Capra for Columbia
The first, but not last, Capra-Stewart pairing on this list, wherein Jimmy Stewart plays an everyman-type who goes to Congress. Heartwarming and, of course, quintessentially American.
Ninotchka, 1939
Dir. Ernest Lubitsch for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Lubitsch specialized in light comedies. The story tells of a Soviet woman who melts in the romantic world of Paris.
The Wizard of Oz, 1939
Dir. Victor Fleming for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The incomparable Judy Garland stars as Dorothy in the American fantasy musical spectacular. And while color films will be reserved for spectacle well into the 1960s, it marks an important watershed in popular color films (all apologies to Robin Hood the year before).
Gone with the Wind, 1939
Dir. Victor Fleming for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Epic and sprawling (clocking in at just shy of four hours and starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable) Mitchell's best-selling book became a blockbuster movie and won Best Picture. The Civil War and Reconstruction tale is far less problematic than The Birth of a Nation which preceded it, but still a product of a more racist time - offset slightly by Hattie McDaniel's Best Supporting Actress win.
His Girl Friday, 1940
Dir. Howard Hawks for Columbia
Cary Grant returns in another screwball comedy, lampooning the newspaper business and fast-paced New York lifestyles. Rosalind Russell provides the romantic foil in an excellent performance.
Fantasia, 1940
Dir. lots of folks for Walt Disney
Meanwhile, in animation, Disney had been revolutionizing cinema in different ways (from feature-length animation to inventing the multi-plane camera). Fantasia was the boldest of these beautiful experiments.
Citizen Kane, 1941
Dir. Orson Welles for RKO
Long-lauded as one of America's, and the world's, finest films. An unflattering but sympathetic portrayal of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, with a significant innovation in camerwork, story-telling, and superb acting by Welles.
Sullivan's Travels, 1941
Dir. Preston Sturges for Paramount
A Hollywood screenwriter is tired of comedies and wants to write about real life. He ends up on the road getting more real life than he bargained for, and learning the value of comedy.
Casablanca, 1942
Dir. Michael Curtiz for Warner Bros.
A patriotic story about America's choices which coincided with America's entry into the Second World War. Humphrey Bogart gives the performance of his career in the frequently-quoted, Best Picture-winning, film.
Stormy Weather, 1943
Dir. Andrew L. Stone for 20th Century Fox
Of course, with most of Hollywood focused on the War, there came as a result a brief surge in African-American musicals, of which Stormy Weather is the best. Lena Horne leads an all-star cast including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (whose life the movie is about), Fats Waller and the Nicholas Brothers.
The Lost Weekend, 1945
Dir. Billy Wilder for Paramount
Winning both Best Picture and the Palme D'Or (a rare feat for an American film) Wilder's movie tells of an alcoholic's struggle. Ray Milland's performance is for the ages.
It's a Wonderful Life, 1946
Dir. Frank Capra for RKO
The second feel-good Capra-Stewart pairing, this time with Christmas. One of America's most beloved films.
The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946
Dir. William Wyler for RKO
Deserved winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this post-WWII film tells of the troops coming home - and how that is not as easy as one expects. It's not all ticker-tape and parades.
Out of the Past, 1947
Dir. Jacques Tourneur for RKO
During a decade of lots of film noir, Out of the Past stands out as an archetypal film. Robert Mitchum stars as the good guy, Kirk Douglass as the baddie, in a detective story of California and secret pasts.
White Heat, 1949
Dir. Raoul Walsh for Warner Bros.
A brutal crime movie starring Jimmy Cagney as the ruthless gangster. A very influential gangster film and shocking in its violence despite being post-code.
All the King's Men, 1949
Dir. Robert Rossen for Columbia
Based on Robert Penn Warren's novel from 1946, which tells of a Huey Long-style potential American dictatorship.Won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Actor.
All About Eve, 1950
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz for 20th Century Fox
Bette Davis and Anne Baxter are phenomenal as the actress and her understudy who will do anything to get ahead. Scathing and captivating story of show business and winner of Best Picture.
The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951
Dir. Robert Wise for 20th Century Fox
The 1950s were a great era for science fiction - and this is one of the classics. The then-novel trope of more-powerful-than-human space visitors provide a cautionary warning for a planet.
A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951
Dir. Elia Kazan for Warner Bros.
And so Marlon Brando explodes into American film history as the dangerous Stanley. Vivien Leigh, sticking to the Southern Belle but with a tragic twist, gets her second Oscar.
Singin' in the Rain, 1952
Dir. Gene Kelley and Stanley Donen for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
One of America's favorite movie musicals, and often-considered Gene Kelley's best work. The plot tells of the foibles of a Hollywood company transitioning from silent films to talkies, with many classic songs.
High Noon, 1952
Dir. Fred Zinnemann for United Artists
Gary Cooper stars in this high-drama Western told in real time. As the suspense builds towards the climactic shootout the aging hero finds himself alone in a lawless West.
Carmen Jones, 1954
Dir. Otto Preminger for 20th Century Fox
A very peculiar entrant in the legacy of African-American cinema: an all-black cast retelling of Bizet's Carmen, where Carmen Jones makes parachutes for the War effort (with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II). Dorothy Dandridge stars alongside Harry Belafonte, and made history as the first black woman nominated for Best Actress.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956
Dir. Don Siegel for Allied Artists
Much of the sci-fi of the 50s was hokey monsters in drive-through b movies. But Invasion goes much deeper, creating a true sci fi horror masterpiece of anti-McCarthyism.
The Searchers, 1956
Dir. John Ford for Warner Bros.
Ford's swansong, and one of the most famous pairings of the director with John Wayne. The Monument Valley shots are great - the depiction of Indigenous Peoples (in this case, the Comanche) not-so-much.
12 Angry Men, 1957
Dir. Sidney Lumet for United Artists
The ultimate courtroom drama stars Henry Fonda as the juror trying to save a boy's life. The cinematography, and suspense, make it a classic.
Sweet Smell of Success, 1957
Dir. Alexander Mackendrick for United Artists
One of those movies that film buffs love and no one else has heard of - starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in a film noir based on the dangerous influence of columnists like Walter Winchell of the bygone newspaper era. A gripping psychological drama of the first order.
Vertigo, 1958
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock for Paramount
Recently crowned the greatest movie of all-time, Vertigo is the apex of Hitchcock's thrilling dramas. Set in San Francisco it is awash in innovation.
Some Like It Hot, 1959
Dir. Billy Wilder for United Artists
Considered one of the great romantic comedies, starring the comic duo of Tony Curtis (poking fun at Carey Grant) and Jack Lemmon. Marilyn Monroe is the girl, and there's a quantity of cross-dressing and mistaken identity not often seen outside Shakespeare.
Psycho, 1960
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock for Paramount
A new type of psychological horror film required newspaper ads to tell audience members not to spoil the surprise ending. So begins the slasher genre, with cinematography to rival all others in that category.
West Side Story, 1961
Dir. Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for United Artists
The Best Picture-winning remake of the Broadway musical by Bernstein and Sondheim. As the 1960s became a popular decade for movie musicals West Side Story led the way with its Romeo and Juliet story of New York street gangs.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961
Dir. Blake Edwards for Paramount
Prior to directing more madcap stories, Edwards created a romantic comedy with greater subtlety. Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly became her signature role.
Judgement at Nuremberg, 1961
Dir. Stanley Kramer for United Artists
Spencer Tracy stands as the judge against Oscar-winning Best Actor Defendant Maximilian Schell, based on the trials at the end of World War II. A courtroom drama that simmers and boils with tension.
To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962
Dir. Robert Mulligan for Universal
The American literary classic was adapted into the classic film. Gregory Peck shines as Atticus Finch in the beloved movie.
The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
Dir. John Frankenheimer for United Artists
A fever-pitch political thriller of the Cold War with sleeper agents starring Frank Sinatra. Innovative narrative structure and cinematography make for a compelling hit.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964
Dir. Stanley Kubrick for Columbia
One of the all-time great black comedies about the Cold War mentality run amok. A sort of sarcastic Cuban Missile Crisis and cult hit.
In the Heat of the Night, 1967
Dir. Norman Jewison for United Artists
Sidney Poitier, one of the best actors of 1960s, stars in a movie that deals with southern racism which won Best Picture. The drama mystery reflects the ongoing struggle for recognition and civil rights.
Bonnie and Clyde, 1967
Dir. Arthur Penn for Warner Bros.
The unofficial end of the Code era is a violent telling of antihero bank robbers during the Depression. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star in the New Hollywood classic.
The Graduate, 1967
Dir. Mike Nichols for Embassy Pictures
Dustin Hoffman is introduced to the American public in a counterculture-ish landmark. The ending is one of the best in America's canon.
Night of the Living Dead, 1968
Dir. George A. Romero for Continental Distributing
A horror classic which spawned the zombie genre. An indie film that produced an outsized legacy on American cinema.
2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968
Dir. Stanley Kubrick for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Not everyone's cup of tea, but an incredibly innovative sci fi film. The HAL 9000 ranks as one of the great villains in all of cinema.
Easy Rider, 1969
Dir. Dennis Hopper for Columbia
While Europe was developing the New Wave, America was far behind - Easy Rider helped to address that. Heavily indebted to Goddard, and a counterculture fixture.
The Godfather and The Godfather II, 1972 and 1974
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola for Paramount
Taken together, the crime epic of Brando, Pacino, and De Niro as three generations of Italian Mafiosos runs 370+ minutes. Both halves of the film won Best Picture and numerous other Oscars.
Chinatown, 1974
Dir. Roman Polanski for Paramount
Jack Nicholson's best role as the detective in 1930s Hollywood. Often regarded as one of the best films of all time.
Blazing Saddles, 1974
Dir. Mel Brooks for Warner Bros.
One of America's funniest comedies, and one of the first to address race in a new way. The Little and Wilder pairing is hilarious.
Jaws, 1975
Dir. Steven Spielberg for Universal
The blockbuster that started the blockbuster. A young Spielberg made his initial mark on creating a new type of thriller, and changed how we view movies.
Network, 1976
Dir. Sidney Lumet for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
A prescient drama of television and mass media in America and how corruptible it could (did) become. Great performances by an all-star cast including multiple acting Oscars.
Rocky, 1976
Dir. John G. Avildsen for United Artists
The quintessential feel-good sports story starring Sylvester Stallone as the eponymous Philadelphia boxer, who also wrote the script. Winner of the Oscar for Best Picture.
Taxi Driver, 1976
Dir. Martin Scorsese for Columbia
Dangerous psychopath Bickle (De Niro) shocks in the violence of this gritty New York neo-noir. Scorsese begins his influential career directing crime movies and won the Palme D'Or.
Star Wars, 1977
Dir. George Lucas for 20th Century Fox
The space opera that redefined science fiction, and launched numerous careers. The John Williams score, the special effects, the quotability - all define a watershed film.
Grease, 1978
Dir. Randal Kleiser for Paramount
Consistently voted one of America's favorite movie-musicals. The soundtrack and goofy adults-as-high school kids performances charmed the country.
Animal House, 1978
Dir. John Landis for Universal
The college comedy could arguably be traced back to Harold Lloyd, but the modern cottage industry of frat comedies starts here. John Belushi is the main comedian in this early comedy that meant to shock the audiences in new (soon to be stale) ways.
The Muppet Movie, 1979
Dir. James Frawley for ITC Entertainment
Jim Henson's lovable Muppets take a road trip to try and make it in Hollywood. Fun songs like "Rainbow Connection", cameos from top comedians and actors, and funny gags all make it a delightful watch.
Apocalypse Now, 1979
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola for United Artists
This film is the definitive cinematic statement on America's involvement in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Another rare Palme D'Or winner.
Airplane!, 1980
Dir. David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams for Paramount
One of the funniest movies, line for line, ever filmed, Airplane! is a hilarious spoof of disaster flicks like Towering Inferno, Airport 1975, and Zero Hour!. Leslie Nielsen and Lloyd Bridges provide some of the best comedy in the surreal slapstick masterpiece.
My Dinner with Andre, 1981
Dir. Louis Malle for New Yorker Films
An indie movie of the first order - Wallace Shawn meets Andre Gregory for dinner, and... they talk. Making that entertaining for two hours is a feat of film brilliance.
Blade Runner, 1982
Dir. Ridley Scott for Warner Bros.
Landmark depiction of an LA sci-fi noir that would be copied for the next two decades. Harrison Ford stars, and Rutger Hauer gives a career-defining performance - see the Final Cut version that Scott got to control.
Koyaanisqatsi, 1982
Dir. Godfrey Reggio for New Cinema
Arguably this is a not a narrative film, but a documentary. Maybe so, but I think there's a narrative in the experimental structure, and while there aren't characters, per se... aren't there?
The Big Chill, 1983
Dir. Lawrence Kasdan for Columbia
What happens when the boomers grow up and enter their late 30s? This great drama has Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, and Jeff Goldblum starring, to mention a few of a terrific ensemble.
El Norte, 1983
Dir. Gregory Nava for PBS
Latinx heritage has been mostly absent from American cinema, with a few, vaguely troubling exceptions (Charleton Heston's portrayal of a Mexican lawyer in Touch of Evil, for example). As such El Norte provided an important watershed in bringing new narratives to American audiences.
The Terminator, 1984
Dir. James Cameron for Orion
Cameron's scary post-apocalyptic time travel film launched a major franchise. But the original is a gritty vision coupled with a good performance by Schwarzenegger as the killer assassin robot.
Back to the Future, 1985
Dir. Robert Zemeckis for Universal
"And he's friends with a disgraced nuclear physicist..." A very weird movie, as John Mulaney points out, but it ended up being an American favorite.
The Princess Bride, 1987
Dir. Rob Reiner for 20th Century Fox
Another beloved favorite and one of the best rom coms ever. The high fantasy story has produced some of the decade's most quoted lines and scenes.
Die Hard, 1988
Dir. John McTiernan for 20th Century Fox
This movie became a watershed action flick. Bruce Willis stars in everyone's favorite Christmas movie (or maybe not) about a cop taking out a building full of terrorists, with lots of explosions.
Coming to America, 1988
Dir. John Landis for Paramount
The 1970s were a...troubled time for African American cinema. After the blacksploitation of that decade, new stars like Eddie Murphy were a welcome relief - and this fish-out-of-water story about an African prince coming to NYC might be his best of the decade.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1988
Dir. Robert Zemeckis for Buena Vista Pictures
A landmark of animation and special effects. The combination of Disney and Warner Bros cartoons in a 1940s Los Angeles creates a surreal, excellent film experience.
Do the Right Thing, 1989
Dir. Spike Lee for Universal
The highlight of Lee's career is a tour de force of racial conflict in Brooklyn. Veteran black film stars like Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis share the screen alongside newcomers like Samuel L Jackson.
Goodfellas, 1990
Dir. Martin Scorsese for Warner Bros.
The best crime movie since The Godfather and one of the best films of all-time. Joe Pesci got his Oscar for his violent outbursts in a genre re-defining work.
Unforgiven, 1992
Dir. Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros.
A new type of Western distinct from John Ford came along with this tale told from the point of view of an aging outlaw, Eastwood, who directed the work. Winner of Best Picture at the Oscars.
Jurassic Park, 1993
Dir. Steven Spielberg for Universal
Before it became a franchise, the original was the apotheosis of Spielberg's blockbuster movies. The blend of early, believable CGI with real effects made for a fantastic sci fi adventure on scary dinosaur island.
Groundhog Day, 1993
Dir. Harold Ramis for Columbia
Bill Murray's best performance in a small-town rom com. At turns witty, charming, and darkly humorous.
Pulp Fiction, 1994
Dir. Quentin Tarantino for Miramax
Tarantino's novel narrative structure made this pulp an instant classic, and won him the final Palme d'Or on our list. An all-star cast depicts the seedy underbelly of 1970s L.A.
Clerks, 1994
Dir. Kevin Smith for Miramax
In a decade of slacker pride, no film better captured, in surveillance camera black-and-white, the lives of young guys going nowhere, working the retail shifts at convenience stores. Smith also wrote the film, and it is chock-full of quotable moments.
The Shawshank Redemption, 1994
Dir. Frank Darabont for Columbia
Another American favorite, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. A feel-good classic of two prisoners getting justice after being long denied.
Toy Story, 1995
Dir. John Lasseter for Buena Vista
Animation hadn't changed too much since the 1950s - Disney put out a new film every few years, and they were of mixed quality going into the 90s. Then all of a sudden animation became popular again, and Toy Story heralded the start of a new 3D animation movement and a company called Pixar...
Titanic, 1997
Dir. James Cameron for Paramount
One of the biggest blockbusters of the decade. The Best Picture winner also brought Leonardo DiCaprio to a wider audience than teen fans.
The Big Lebowski, 1998
Dir. Joel Coen for Gramercy Pictures
A highlight from the Coen Brothers canon. Set in the early 90s, Jeff Bridges' Dude has to solve a noir-style caper when he'd rather want to go bowling.
The Truman Show, 1998
Dir. Peter Weir for Paramount
An eerily prescient precursor to reality television (when "The Real World" was only a few years old on MTV). Mixing humor with real pathos Jim Carrey gives an excellent performance.
The Matrix, 1999
Dir. the Wachowskis for Warner Bros.
After trying to make cyber dystopias since at least Tron, Hollywood finally got it right with the last big hit of the decade. The franchise immediately went off the rails, but the first remains a late-90s touchstone.
And so there it is. Those are The 100 Essential 20th Century American Movies. Superlatives:
15 directors with two films: James Cameron, Frank Capra, Charlie Chaplin, Francis Ford Coppola, Victor Fleming, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, John Landis, Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Billy Wilder, Robert Wise, William Wyler, and Robert Zemeckis.
14/15 Best Picture Winners: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Wings, Grand Hotel, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, The Lost Weekend, The Best Years of Our Lives, All the King's Men, All About Eve, West Side Story, In the Heat of the Night, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Rocky, Unforgiven, and Titanic.
Palme d'Or recipients: The Lost Weekend, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, and Pulp Fiction.
How many have you seen?
Note: I don't like all of these - it's not a personal list. Some I think are really pretty lousy. That said, I have seen nearly every film included (with one exception). Instead of personal favorites, this list is a collection of American films ranging from the experimental to the classics to the blockbusters, and across a wide variety of genres. Oscar-winners and cult flicks. Anything I would consider "essential" to a century of film-making and film history in America.
Ready? Here goes:
The Great Train Robbery, 1903
Dir. Edwin S. Porter for Edison Manufacturing Company
This roughly 12-minute story tells of bandits robbing a train, and then getting their comeuppance. It had more of a plot than previous films, and innovative camerawork.
The Land Beyond the Sunset, 1912
Dir. Harold M. Shaw for Thomas A. Edison Inc.
From the Edison corporation we get another film, but this one may genuinely tug at the heart-strings. The purpose of the film was to promote the Fresh Air Fund - and so an important new role in cinema for explicitly changing public opinion.
Barney Oldfield's Race for a Life, 1913
Dir. Mack Sennett for Keystone Film Co.
A mustachioed villain ties a damsel in distress to the railroad tracks as her sweetheart tries to save her in time. The style is fairly goofy, a la the Keystone Cops.
Birth of a Nation, 1915
Dir. D.W. Griffith for Epoch Producing Co.
A repugnant, blatantly racist pro-vision of the Klan from the first American director to create epics (clocking in at over two hours in length). It was, predictably, very popular, and was influential for cinematography.
Where Are My Children?, 1916
Dir. Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley for Universal
In an era when even discussing birth control was a crime, this 65-minute film deals with both birth control and abortion arguments. The melodrama was also an early female-directed work.
The Poor Little Rich Girl, 1917
Dir. Maurice Tourneur for Artcraft Pictures Corporation
Mary Pickford was one of America's first movie stars, winning hearts (along with Lillian Gish) during the silent era. The 25 year-old depicts an 11 year-old in an adaptation of a popular play.
Safety Last!, 1923
Dir. Fred C. Meyer and Sam Taylor for Pathe Exchange
A comedy starring Harold Lloyd in a slapstick set of routines. Lloyd was a great stuntman, as seen in the famous scene hanging from the clock, and was in other popular 1920s films such as Speedy.
Sherlock Jr., 1924
Dir. Buster Keaton and William Goodrich for Metro-Goldwyn Pictures
The great comedian Buster Keaton provides amazing laughs and stunts along with fabulous cinematography. The last film on the list shorter than an hour.
The Gold Rush, 1925
Dir. Charlie Chaplin for United Artists
Chaplin thought this was some of his best work, with his Little Tramp character going to the Klondike. Like his other comedies it has a standard boy-meets-girl story with a happy ending.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, 1927
Dir. F.W. Murnau for Fox Film Co.
From the same mind as 'Nosferatu' comes a gentle story of compelling visuals and allegory. It won the Oscar for Best Artistic Picture in the first year of the awards - a category that only last the one ceremony.
Wings, 1927
Dir. William A. Wellman for Paramount
The aerial shots, to modern viewers, aren't that special, but they represent a major breakthrough in cinematography for the time. Clara Bow is also fun as the main character in this WWI film and the Oscars' first Best Picture win.
The Jazz Singer, 1927
Dir. Alan Crosland for Warner Bros.
Al Jolson stars - often in offensive blackface - in the first film with synchronized sound. This is the one film on my list I've not seen.
The Last Command, 1928
Dir. Josef von Sternberg for Paramount
Emil Jannings won the Oscar for his performance as a Russian general who flees the Revolution and ends up a Hollywood extra. William Powell plays an excellent villain at the start of his career as well.
Grand Hotel, 1932
Dir. Edmund Goulding for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
A classic from the Classic Hollywood era with an all-star ensemble cast that won Best Picture. Greta Garbo (who wants to be alone) loves John Barrymore, while Joan Crawford and Lionel Barrymore end the movie on a touching note.
Duck Soup, 1933
Dir. Leo McCarey for Paramount
The zany antics of the Marx Brothers is at their best in this tale of Groucho becoming the leader of a small country. One of the first great sound comedies.
King Kong, 1933
Dir. Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack for RKO
A great monster movie, with now-hokey stop-motion special effects (and now-disturbing racism). Fay Wray screams her head off, and, unlike the earlier precursors, such as 1925's The Lost World, King Kong features a new-to-audiences plot.
42nd Street, 1933
Dir. Busby Berkeley and Lloyd Bacon for Warner Bros.
The cinematography of a Busby Berkeley film is just surreal - but highly influential in using the camera in novel ways. The film is a vaguely meta story of Depression, where if the main character's show isn't a hit then they're all in trouble.
Top Hat, 1935
Dir. Mark Sandrich for RKO
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers at their peak. It's a fairly blase story, and clearly filmed in a sound studio, but the songs and dances are fun examples of those popular 1930s musicals.
Modern Times, 1936
Dir. Charlie Chaplin for United Artists
The final mostly-silent film on my list, and the end of Chaplin's Little Tramp. That said, he exits on a high note, with a powerfully funny and inspiring film about alienation and the human struggle.
Showboat, 1936
Dir. James Whale for Universal
Less than 10 years after its Broadway debut, America's most important early musical got made into a film (although a lousy hardly-an-adaption came out in 1929). Paul Robeson has the show-stopping number of Ol' Man River.
Dodsworth, 1936
Dir. William Wyler for United Artists
Hollywood dramas were usually over-the-top affairs, but Dodsworth is a quieter, more nuanced film. It marks the rise of Wyler's excellent directing career as American films start to mature.
Bringing Up Baby, 1938
Dir. Howard Hawks for RKO
For those who only know Katharine Hepburn for her regal roles, or Cary Grant from Hitchcock, here they are in a screwball comedy. The pair must keep track of a leopard and fall in love in the process.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 1939
Dir. Frank Capra for Columbia
The first, but not last, Capra-Stewart pairing on this list, wherein Jimmy Stewart plays an everyman-type who goes to Congress. Heartwarming and, of course, quintessentially American.
Ninotchka, 1939
Dir. Ernest Lubitsch for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Lubitsch specialized in light comedies. The story tells of a Soviet woman who melts in the romantic world of Paris.
The Wizard of Oz, 1939
Dir. Victor Fleming for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The incomparable Judy Garland stars as Dorothy in the American fantasy musical spectacular. And while color films will be reserved for spectacle well into the 1960s, it marks an important watershed in popular color films (all apologies to Robin Hood the year before).
Gone with the Wind, 1939
Dir. Victor Fleming for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Epic and sprawling (clocking in at just shy of four hours and starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable) Mitchell's best-selling book became a blockbuster movie and won Best Picture. The Civil War and Reconstruction tale is far less problematic than The Birth of a Nation which preceded it, but still a product of a more racist time - offset slightly by Hattie McDaniel's Best Supporting Actress win.
His Girl Friday, 1940
Dir. Howard Hawks for Columbia
Cary Grant returns in another screwball comedy, lampooning the newspaper business and fast-paced New York lifestyles. Rosalind Russell provides the romantic foil in an excellent performance.
Fantasia, 1940
Dir. lots of folks for Walt Disney
Meanwhile, in animation, Disney had been revolutionizing cinema in different ways (from feature-length animation to inventing the multi-plane camera). Fantasia was the boldest of these beautiful experiments.
Citizen Kane, 1941
Dir. Orson Welles for RKO
Long-lauded as one of America's, and the world's, finest films. An unflattering but sympathetic portrayal of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, with a significant innovation in camerwork, story-telling, and superb acting by Welles.
Sullivan's Travels, 1941
Dir. Preston Sturges for Paramount
A Hollywood screenwriter is tired of comedies and wants to write about real life. He ends up on the road getting more real life than he bargained for, and learning the value of comedy.
Casablanca, 1942
Dir. Michael Curtiz for Warner Bros.
A patriotic story about America's choices which coincided with America's entry into the Second World War. Humphrey Bogart gives the performance of his career in the frequently-quoted, Best Picture-winning, film.
Stormy Weather, 1943
Dir. Andrew L. Stone for 20th Century Fox
Of course, with most of Hollywood focused on the War, there came as a result a brief surge in African-American musicals, of which Stormy Weather is the best. Lena Horne leads an all-star cast including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson (whose life the movie is about), Fats Waller and the Nicholas Brothers.
The Lost Weekend, 1945
Dir. Billy Wilder for Paramount
Winning both Best Picture and the Palme D'Or (a rare feat for an American film) Wilder's movie tells of an alcoholic's struggle. Ray Milland's performance is for the ages.
It's a Wonderful Life, 1946
Dir. Frank Capra for RKO
The second feel-good Capra-Stewart pairing, this time with Christmas. One of America's most beloved films.
The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946
Dir. William Wyler for RKO
Deserved winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this post-WWII film tells of the troops coming home - and how that is not as easy as one expects. It's not all ticker-tape and parades.
Out of the Past, 1947
Dir. Jacques Tourneur for RKO
During a decade of lots of film noir, Out of the Past stands out as an archetypal film. Robert Mitchum stars as the good guy, Kirk Douglass as the baddie, in a detective story of California and secret pasts.
White Heat, 1949
Dir. Raoul Walsh for Warner Bros.
A brutal crime movie starring Jimmy Cagney as the ruthless gangster. A very influential gangster film and shocking in its violence despite being post-code.
All the King's Men, 1949
Dir. Robert Rossen for Columbia
Based on Robert Penn Warren's novel from 1946, which tells of a Huey Long-style potential American dictatorship.Won the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Actor.
All About Eve, 1950
Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz for 20th Century Fox
Bette Davis and Anne Baxter are phenomenal as the actress and her understudy who will do anything to get ahead. Scathing and captivating story of show business and winner of Best Picture.
The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951
Dir. Robert Wise for 20th Century Fox
The 1950s were a great era for science fiction - and this is one of the classics. The then-novel trope of more-powerful-than-human space visitors provide a cautionary warning for a planet.
A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951
Dir. Elia Kazan for Warner Bros.
And so Marlon Brando explodes into American film history as the dangerous Stanley. Vivien Leigh, sticking to the Southern Belle but with a tragic twist, gets her second Oscar.
Singin' in the Rain, 1952
Dir. Gene Kelley and Stanley Donen for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
One of America's favorite movie musicals, and often-considered Gene Kelley's best work. The plot tells of the foibles of a Hollywood company transitioning from silent films to talkies, with many classic songs.
High Noon, 1952
Dir. Fred Zinnemann for United Artists
Gary Cooper stars in this high-drama Western told in real time. As the suspense builds towards the climactic shootout the aging hero finds himself alone in a lawless West.
Carmen Jones, 1954
Dir. Otto Preminger for 20th Century Fox
A very peculiar entrant in the legacy of African-American cinema: an all-black cast retelling of Bizet's Carmen, where Carmen Jones makes parachutes for the War effort (with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II). Dorothy Dandridge stars alongside Harry Belafonte, and made history as the first black woman nominated for Best Actress.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956
Dir. Don Siegel for Allied Artists
Much of the sci-fi of the 50s was hokey monsters in drive-through b movies. But Invasion goes much deeper, creating a true sci fi horror masterpiece of anti-McCarthyism.
The Searchers, 1956
Dir. John Ford for Warner Bros.
Ford's swansong, and one of the most famous pairings of the director with John Wayne. The Monument Valley shots are great - the depiction of Indigenous Peoples (in this case, the Comanche) not-so-much.
12 Angry Men, 1957
Dir. Sidney Lumet for United Artists
The ultimate courtroom drama stars Henry Fonda as the juror trying to save a boy's life. The cinematography, and suspense, make it a classic.
Sweet Smell of Success, 1957
Dir. Alexander Mackendrick for United Artists
One of those movies that film buffs love and no one else has heard of - starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis in a film noir based on the dangerous influence of columnists like Walter Winchell of the bygone newspaper era. A gripping psychological drama of the first order.
Vertigo, 1958
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock for Paramount
Recently crowned the greatest movie of all-time, Vertigo is the apex of Hitchcock's thrilling dramas. Set in San Francisco it is awash in innovation.
Some Like It Hot, 1959
Dir. Billy Wilder for United Artists
Considered one of the great romantic comedies, starring the comic duo of Tony Curtis (poking fun at Carey Grant) and Jack Lemmon. Marilyn Monroe is the girl, and there's a quantity of cross-dressing and mistaken identity not often seen outside Shakespeare.
Psycho, 1960
Dir. Alfred Hitchcock for Paramount
A new type of psychological horror film required newspaper ads to tell audience members not to spoil the surprise ending. So begins the slasher genre, with cinematography to rival all others in that category.
West Side Story, 1961
Dir. Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins for United Artists
The Best Picture-winning remake of the Broadway musical by Bernstein and Sondheim. As the 1960s became a popular decade for movie musicals West Side Story led the way with its Romeo and Juliet story of New York street gangs.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961
Dir. Blake Edwards for Paramount
Prior to directing more madcap stories, Edwards created a romantic comedy with greater subtlety. Audrey Hepburn's portrayal of Holly Golightly became her signature role.
Judgement at Nuremberg, 1961
Dir. Stanley Kramer for United Artists
Spencer Tracy stands as the judge against Oscar-winning Best Actor Defendant Maximilian Schell, based on the trials at the end of World War II. A courtroom drama that simmers and boils with tension.
To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962
Dir. Robert Mulligan for Universal
The American literary classic was adapted into the classic film. Gregory Peck shines as Atticus Finch in the beloved movie.
The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
Dir. John Frankenheimer for United Artists
A fever-pitch political thriller of the Cold War with sleeper agents starring Frank Sinatra. Innovative narrative structure and cinematography make for a compelling hit.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964
Dir. Stanley Kubrick for Columbia
One of the all-time great black comedies about the Cold War mentality run amok. A sort of sarcastic Cuban Missile Crisis and cult hit.
In the Heat of the Night, 1967
Dir. Norman Jewison for United Artists
Sidney Poitier, one of the best actors of 1960s, stars in a movie that deals with southern racism which won Best Picture. The drama mystery reflects the ongoing struggle for recognition and civil rights.
Bonnie and Clyde, 1967
Dir. Arthur Penn for Warner Bros.
The unofficial end of the Code era is a violent telling of antihero bank robbers during the Depression. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star in the New Hollywood classic.
The Graduate, 1967
Dir. Mike Nichols for Embassy Pictures
Dustin Hoffman is introduced to the American public in a counterculture-ish landmark. The ending is one of the best in America's canon.
Night of the Living Dead, 1968
Dir. George A. Romero for Continental Distributing
A horror classic which spawned the zombie genre. An indie film that produced an outsized legacy on American cinema.
2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968
Dir. Stanley Kubrick for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Not everyone's cup of tea, but an incredibly innovative sci fi film. The HAL 9000 ranks as one of the great villains in all of cinema.
Easy Rider, 1969
Dir. Dennis Hopper for Columbia
While Europe was developing the New Wave, America was far behind - Easy Rider helped to address that. Heavily indebted to Goddard, and a counterculture fixture.
The Godfather and The Godfather II, 1972 and 1974
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola for Paramount
Taken together, the crime epic of Brando, Pacino, and De Niro as three generations of Italian Mafiosos runs 370+ minutes. Both halves of the film won Best Picture and numerous other Oscars.
Chinatown, 1974
Dir. Roman Polanski for Paramount
Jack Nicholson's best role as the detective in 1930s Hollywood. Often regarded as one of the best films of all time.
Blazing Saddles, 1974
Dir. Mel Brooks for Warner Bros.
One of America's funniest comedies, and one of the first to address race in a new way. The Little and Wilder pairing is hilarious.
Jaws, 1975
Dir. Steven Spielberg for Universal
The blockbuster that started the blockbuster. A young Spielberg made his initial mark on creating a new type of thriller, and changed how we view movies.
Network, 1976
Dir. Sidney Lumet for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
A prescient drama of television and mass media in America and how corruptible it could (did) become. Great performances by an all-star cast including multiple acting Oscars.
Rocky, 1976
Dir. John G. Avildsen for United Artists
The quintessential feel-good sports story starring Sylvester Stallone as the eponymous Philadelphia boxer, who also wrote the script. Winner of the Oscar for Best Picture.
Taxi Driver, 1976
Dir. Martin Scorsese for Columbia
Dangerous psychopath Bickle (De Niro) shocks in the violence of this gritty New York neo-noir. Scorsese begins his influential career directing crime movies and won the Palme D'Or.
Star Wars, 1977
Dir. George Lucas for 20th Century Fox
The space opera that redefined science fiction, and launched numerous careers. The John Williams score, the special effects, the quotability - all define a watershed film.
Grease, 1978
Dir. Randal Kleiser for Paramount
Consistently voted one of America's favorite movie-musicals. The soundtrack and goofy adults-as-high school kids performances charmed the country.
Animal House, 1978
Dir. John Landis for Universal
The college comedy could arguably be traced back to Harold Lloyd, but the modern cottage industry of frat comedies starts here. John Belushi is the main comedian in this early comedy that meant to shock the audiences in new (soon to be stale) ways.
The Muppet Movie, 1979
Dir. James Frawley for ITC Entertainment
Jim Henson's lovable Muppets take a road trip to try and make it in Hollywood. Fun songs like "Rainbow Connection", cameos from top comedians and actors, and funny gags all make it a delightful watch.
Apocalypse Now, 1979
Dir. Francis Ford Coppola for United Artists
This film is the definitive cinematic statement on America's involvement in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Another rare Palme D'Or winner.
Airplane!, 1980
Dir. David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams for Paramount
One of the funniest movies, line for line, ever filmed, Airplane! is a hilarious spoof of disaster flicks like Towering Inferno, Airport 1975, and Zero Hour!. Leslie Nielsen and Lloyd Bridges provide some of the best comedy in the surreal slapstick masterpiece.
My Dinner with Andre, 1981
Dir. Louis Malle for New Yorker Films
An indie movie of the first order - Wallace Shawn meets Andre Gregory for dinner, and... they talk. Making that entertaining for two hours is a feat of film brilliance.
Blade Runner, 1982
Dir. Ridley Scott for Warner Bros.
Landmark depiction of an LA sci-fi noir that would be copied for the next two decades. Harrison Ford stars, and Rutger Hauer gives a career-defining performance - see the Final Cut version that Scott got to control.
Koyaanisqatsi, 1982
Dir. Godfrey Reggio for New Cinema
Arguably this is a not a narrative film, but a documentary. Maybe so, but I think there's a narrative in the experimental structure, and while there aren't characters, per se... aren't there?
The Big Chill, 1983
Dir. Lawrence Kasdan for Columbia
What happens when the boomers grow up and enter their late 30s? This great drama has Glenn Close, Kevin Kline, and Jeff Goldblum starring, to mention a few of a terrific ensemble.
El Norte, 1983
Dir. Gregory Nava for PBS
Latinx heritage has been mostly absent from American cinema, with a few, vaguely troubling exceptions (Charleton Heston's portrayal of a Mexican lawyer in Touch of Evil, for example). As such El Norte provided an important watershed in bringing new narratives to American audiences.
The Terminator, 1984
Dir. James Cameron for Orion
Cameron's scary post-apocalyptic time travel film launched a major franchise. But the original is a gritty vision coupled with a good performance by Schwarzenegger as the killer assassin robot.
Back to the Future, 1985
Dir. Robert Zemeckis for Universal
"And he's friends with a disgraced nuclear physicist..." A very weird movie, as John Mulaney points out, but it ended up being an American favorite.
The Princess Bride, 1987
Dir. Rob Reiner for 20th Century Fox
Another beloved favorite and one of the best rom coms ever. The high fantasy story has produced some of the decade's most quoted lines and scenes.
Die Hard, 1988
Dir. John McTiernan for 20th Century Fox
This movie became a watershed action flick. Bruce Willis stars in everyone's favorite Christmas movie (or maybe not) about a cop taking out a building full of terrorists, with lots of explosions.
Coming to America, 1988
Dir. John Landis for Paramount
The 1970s were a...troubled time for African American cinema. After the blacksploitation of that decade, new stars like Eddie Murphy were a welcome relief - and this fish-out-of-water story about an African prince coming to NYC might be his best of the decade.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1988
Dir. Robert Zemeckis for Buena Vista Pictures
A landmark of animation and special effects. The combination of Disney and Warner Bros cartoons in a 1940s Los Angeles creates a surreal, excellent film experience.
Do the Right Thing, 1989
Dir. Spike Lee for Universal
The highlight of Lee's career is a tour de force of racial conflict in Brooklyn. Veteran black film stars like Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis share the screen alongside newcomers like Samuel L Jackson.
Goodfellas, 1990
Dir. Martin Scorsese for Warner Bros.
The best crime movie since The Godfather and one of the best films of all-time. Joe Pesci got his Oscar for his violent outbursts in a genre re-defining work.
Unforgiven, 1992
Dir. Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros.
A new type of Western distinct from John Ford came along with this tale told from the point of view of an aging outlaw, Eastwood, who directed the work. Winner of Best Picture at the Oscars.
Jurassic Park, 1993
Dir. Steven Spielberg for Universal
Before it became a franchise, the original was the apotheosis of Spielberg's blockbuster movies. The blend of early, believable CGI with real effects made for a fantastic sci fi adventure on scary dinosaur island.
Groundhog Day, 1993
Dir. Harold Ramis for Columbia
Bill Murray's best performance in a small-town rom com. At turns witty, charming, and darkly humorous.
Pulp Fiction, 1994
Dir. Quentin Tarantino for Miramax
Tarantino's novel narrative structure made this pulp an instant classic, and won him the final Palme d'Or on our list. An all-star cast depicts the seedy underbelly of 1970s L.A.
Clerks, 1994
Dir. Kevin Smith for Miramax
In a decade of slacker pride, no film better captured, in surveillance camera black-and-white, the lives of young guys going nowhere, working the retail shifts at convenience stores. Smith also wrote the film, and it is chock-full of quotable moments.
The Shawshank Redemption, 1994
Dir. Frank Darabont for Columbia
Another American favorite, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. A feel-good classic of two prisoners getting justice after being long denied.
Toy Story, 1995
Dir. John Lasseter for Buena Vista
Animation hadn't changed too much since the 1950s - Disney put out a new film every few years, and they were of mixed quality going into the 90s. Then all of a sudden animation became popular again, and Toy Story heralded the start of a new 3D animation movement and a company called Pixar...
Titanic, 1997
Dir. James Cameron for Paramount
One of the biggest blockbusters of the decade. The Best Picture winner also brought Leonardo DiCaprio to a wider audience than teen fans.
The Big Lebowski, 1998
Dir. Joel Coen for Gramercy Pictures
A highlight from the Coen Brothers canon. Set in the early 90s, Jeff Bridges' Dude has to solve a noir-style caper when he'd rather want to go bowling.
The Truman Show, 1998
Dir. Peter Weir for Paramount
An eerily prescient precursor to reality television (when "The Real World" was only a few years old on MTV). Mixing humor with real pathos Jim Carrey gives an excellent performance.
The Matrix, 1999
Dir. the Wachowskis for Warner Bros.
After trying to make cyber dystopias since at least Tron, Hollywood finally got it right with the last big hit of the decade. The franchise immediately went off the rails, but the first remains a late-90s touchstone.
And so there it is. Those are The 100 Essential 20th Century American Movies. Superlatives:
15 directors with two films: James Cameron, Frank Capra, Charlie Chaplin, Francis Ford Coppola, Victor Fleming, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, John Landis, Sidney Lumet, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Billy Wilder, Robert Wise, William Wyler, and Robert Zemeckis.
14/15 Best Picture Winners: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Wings, Grand Hotel, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, The Lost Weekend, The Best Years of Our Lives, All the King's Men, All About Eve, West Side Story, In the Heat of the Night, The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, Rocky, Unforgiven, and Titanic.
Palme d'Or recipients: The Lost Weekend, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, and Pulp Fiction.
How many have you seen?
