Year Released: 1993 Schindler’s List is a historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg and released in the early 90’s. It’s hard to find many “best films” lists that don’t include this movie, which stars Liam Neeson as Schindler himself. It earned a $300 million profit, scoring $322 million at the box office against a $22 million budget.
The film was nominated for twelve Academy Awards, the most nominations of any film on our list, and won seven, including Best Director and Best Picture. In 2004, the Library of Congress preserved it in the National Film Registry. And, a few years later in 2007, the AFI ranked it number eight on their list of the 100 best American films.
Casablanca
Year Released: 1942 Even those who’ve never before seen a single minute of Casablanca have likely heard the famous line, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” But those who haven’t seen it should definitely check it out sometime, considering it is widely known as one of the greatest films of all time.
At the 16th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for a total of eight honors, and wound up receiving three; Best Director, Outstanding Motion Picture, and Best Writing in a Screenplay.
Citizen Kane
Year Released: 1941 The legendary Orson Welles is the man behind this classic. His 1941 drama/mystery film has been called the “Mona Lisa of all films.” Citizen Kane has been praised by critics all over the globe, and named a “work of genius,” repeatedly, in publications from all four corners of the world.
The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1942. It was nominated for eight more, including Best Director. Unfortunately, John Ford’s How Green My Valley beat it out in that big five category.
12 Angry Men
Year Released: 1957 More than 50 critics have pulled together to give this film a perfect 100% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. They aren’t the only ones who love this 1957 courtroom drama, either. Roger Ebert gives it a 4/4, and 94% of Google users have rated it positively, as well.
The film was written by Reginald Rose and directed by Sidney Lumet. Shot in a single location, it’s known for its minimalistic filmmaking. The year after its release, it won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written Drama, and several decades later in 1997, it was added to the PGA Hall of Fame.
Sherlock Jr.
Year Released: 1924 . And we’re looking back on the 1920s during Hollywood’s silent film era to revisit this silent comedy directed by and starring Buster Keaton. Keaton plays a projectionist who wants to be a detective and finds himself framed for a crime he didn’t commit instead.
Sherlock Jr. holds a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is constantly named one of the best films of all time. It’s considered such a classic that it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in 1991.