Year Released: 1952 Everyone in the western world is at the very least familiar with the famous theme (title) song from Singin’ in the Rain. “What a glorious feeling, I’m happy again!” But the film that the song was pulled from was just as successful, especially in its heyday in the ‘50s.
The musical comedy was both directed and choreographed by Gene Kelley, along with Stanley Donen. Kelley also stars as male lead, Don Lockwood, a silent film star whose production company is transitioning over to sound for the first time. In 1953, the film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director and the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Musical.
Sunrise
Year Released: 1927 This 1927 film, which is also known by its longer title, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, is a romantic silent drama. The picture was directed by German director F.W Murnau, who was also the man behind the famous silent vampire film, Nosferatu. Sunrise was the director’s American debut.
Like most of the films on our list, Sunrise has glowing reviews from critics on every major platform, including a 4/4 from Roger Ebert and a 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film won three Academy Awards in 1929, including the Oscar for Best Actress, awarded to Janet Gaynor. This made her the first actress in history to receive that honor multiple times.
Apocalypse Now
Year Released: 1979 Martin Sheen plays a war captain in 1970’s Vietnam who leads a team upriver on the hunt for an officer (played by Marlon Brando) who’d completely lost his mind. The film was directed, produced, and co-written by Francis Ford Coppola, and somewhat based on the 1899 novella Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad.
Critics around the world praised the film, and it is constantly named one of the best films in history by publications left and right. At the 52nd Academy Awards, it was nominated for eight different accolades, winning for Best Cinematography and Best Sound, and just missing out on Best Picture and Best Director.
Toy Story 3
Year Released: 2010 The Toy Story franchise has brought joy to children and families all over the world for decades. In 2010, the third installment hit theaters and did not disappoint fans, new or old. In this movie, the gang of toys are accidentally dropped off at a daycare center and chaos ensues.
Toy Story 3 won a number of awards throughout 2010 and 2011, including both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Animated Film. Although the film had a mega $200 million budget, it still grossed an impressive $1.067 billion worldwide.
Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back
Year Released: 1980 This addition to the famed movie franchise did just as well as the rest of them, scoring a 95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with nearly a 9/10 score on IMDb. The original cast teamed up with George Lucas to create another mega hit that grossed nearly $223 million after its 1981 re-release.
Critics were just as thrilled with the film as audiences, with one even using the word “thrilling” to describe his experience in theaters. The Empire Strikes Back won the Academy Award for Best Sound, along with several other accolades over the years.