Tootsie (1982)
What are the best movies of all time? Depends on who you ask, of course. We’ve got our own ideas, ranging from the best movies out right now, to all-time Academy Award-winning classics.
But in a fascinating experiment, we’ve decided to ask only actors—including such luminaries as Juliette Binoche, Andy Serkis, Bill Hader and Nick Kroll—for their favorites. After receiving dozens of ballots from working professionals and compiling their votes, we present a distinctly performance-centric top-100 list, filled with great picks. Dive in and let us know where you differ.
Director: Sydney Pollack
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Bill Murray
A struggling actor (Hoffman) secretly cross-dresses as a woman to land a role in a daytime soap opera—and gets too good at the deception.
“Who doesn't want to see Dustin Hoffman in a dress talking with a southern accent?”—Nick Kroll
“The game-changing cinematic cross-dressing performance—and a more important movie, from both a craft and sensibility perspective, than most people make it.”—BD Wong
Time Out says: “The tone is quick-witted and appealing, with some of the smartest dialogue this side of Billy Wilder, and a wonderfully sure-footed performance from Jessica Lange.”
The Godfather (1972)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan The stately, Oscar-winning Mafia epic revived Marlon Brando's career and made a star of Al Pacino.
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
“The richness of the world that Francis Ford Coppola creates, and the stillness of Al Pacino’s performance—I almost luxuriate in these things because the feeling is so intense.”—George MacKay Time Out says: “An everyday story of Mafia folk, incorporating a severed horse's head in the bed and a number of heartwarming family occasions, as well as pointers on how not to behave in your local trattoria (i.e., blasting the brains of your co-diners all over their fettuccini).”
Director: John Cassavetes
Cast: Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, Fred Draper Gena Rowlands gives one of the most emotionally charged performances in the history of cinema as a housewife experiencing a nervous breakdown. Peter Falk costars as the husband driving her around the fabled bend. “Gena Rowlands made such an impact on me. She is one my great influences.”—Betty Buckley “This is one of the most incredible performances I have ever seen. Gena Rowlands makes me physically tense while watching her downward spiral but not in a way that she blocks you out. You can see every fleeting thought and feeling flicker across her face and body.
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Unbelievable.”—Kyle Soller
Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Director: Giuseppe Tornatore
Cast: Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili A warm, romantic story about an elderly Italian projectionist’s friendship with a young boy. “I seriously wonder if the people who dismiss this film have ears. Cinema Paradiso is mainly a delivery device for Ennio Morricone’s most profoundly emotional score—and there’s a lot of competition for that title. Overall, it’s a pure an expression of movie love as I have ever seen.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor Time Out says: “The film retains its wide-eyed charm, pitched halfway between unrestrained romanticism and unknowing kitsch. It’s never exactly been fashionable to like Cinema Paradiso, and time won’t have done much to soften the sneers of dissenters. But the advantage of brazen sentimentality is that it gives the film very little to lose.”
Director: Robert Mulligan
Cast: Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton This adaptation of Harper Lee’s landmark novel features Gregory Peck as an Alabama lawyer who defies prejudice by defending a young black man accused of rape. “It’s my favorite book, and they didn’t fuck it up. ‘Stand up, your father is passing’—the line still makes me weep.
Annie Hall (1977)
It’s a masterclass in how it is always better to do what is right than what is popular.”—Emma Kennedy
The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall With this grand, sweeping sequel, Coppola cuts between Mafia don Vito Corleone’s youth in Sicily (and later, New York City) and the fallout from his death decades later. “There’s the taut, simmering intensity of Al Pacino; there’s the warm, swaggering charisma of Robert De Niro; and there’s Robert Duvall’s masterfully understated performance. I mean, it’s The Godfather—what can I say?”—Riz Ahmed
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton Woody Allen is Alvy Singer, a New York comic trying to understand what went wrong during his bumpy love affair with the complex, winning Annie (Keaton). "When I think of this film, I think of two scenes: first, Diane Keaton and Woody Allen's characters struggling to cook lobsters; second, Woody's Alvy going for Easter lunch with Annie's relatives and us seeing how they all see him as a rabbi. The rapport between Woody and Diane is electric. The film now feels like a blueprint for so many that came later on—and not just Woody's own."—Dave Calhoun, Global film editor, Time Out
Boogie Nights (1997)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds Anderson’s sprawling tale about a genuinely “gifted” porn star (Mark Wahlberg) is where the director’s talent for big-picture storytelling first made itself apparent.
The Red Shoes (1948)
It also wins the contest for the best prosthetic-cock cameo of the past few decades, hands down. “Punch Drunk Love is probably my favorite of Paul Thomas Anderson’s movies, but this is the one I think best marries his ambition, technical perfection and sheer verve. One of America’s all-time greatest filmmakers hit it out of the park at essentially his first at-bat.”—Zoe Kazan “His films are where you dream of being as an actor.”—Patrick Kennedy
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Cast: Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring, Moira Shearer A heady, dazzling tale of a dancer (Shearer) caught between the demands of love and work. “Pretty much perfect in every way. Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were masters, and this film about the heights and depths of creativity makes full use of their talents.”—Zoe Kazan “Completely unique and compelling.”—Anne-Marie Duff
Taxi Driver (1976)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd Yes, as a matter of fact, we are talkin’ to you. Robert De Niro stars as a psychotic cabbie alongside Jodie Foster, who plays a pubescent prostitute, in this classic set in seedy ’70s Gotham.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
“I first saw this when I was in fifth grade at a sleepover and it completely changed my life. For me it’s the best directed and acted film of all time. If you want to learn how to act on film, all you have to do is watch Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver.”—Bill Hader
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Penelope Allen A desperate, likable schmo (Pacino) tries to pull off a Brooklyn bank robbery in broad daylight and bites off more than he can chew. “Brilliant and unexpected. Al Pacino and John Cazale give two beautiful performances in the kind of movie I always wanted to be in. Also, the late Sidney Lumet is a director I would have loved to work with.”—Freddie Fox
Goodfellas (1990)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci In the 25 years since Scorsese’s rapturously entertaining gangster classic debuted, we’ve seen the release of The Sopranos, Pulp Fiction and Breaking Bad—all of which owe a debt to arguably the most influential film of the director’s career.
Withnail & I (1987)
“If it is on, I have to watch it. The sheer epic scope of the passage of time noted by voiceover, music and stellar production design makes it a masterpiece in my eyes. There isn’t a false note to be found among the many sprawling performances by an utterly perfect ensemble.”—John Gallagher Jr.
Director: Bruce Robinson
Cast: Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths A huge cult film in its native England, this acerbic comedy stars Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann as two unemployed actors in the late ’60s who embark on a disastrous holiday. “Every line of dialogue is quotable gold. The first time I saw it I wanted to write down each word but was far too mesmerized. It’s as hilarious as it’s heartbreaking. I heard Bruce Robinson originally imagined the film as a novel, which makes sense given its sweeping literary tone.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
It plays out like a grand old classic.”—John Gallagher Jr
Kes (1969)
Director: Ken Loach
Cast: David Bradley, Brian Glover, Freddie Fletcher British filmmaker Loach is consistently named as a major influence by directors from around the world; this film is proof that all that praise is more than warranted. Loach’s unsentimental, affecting tale of the relationship between an impoverished boy and his pet falcon set the mold for every examination of working-class strife that would follow. “You might have to watch this one with subtitles, the Yorkshire accents are so thick. But it’s worth it. A scene where a young boy explains to his class how he trains a kestrel is one of the truly transcendent moments in film. It’s beautiful.”—Bill Hader
Director: Victor Fleming
Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger The look on Judy Garland’s face when she first sees Oz. The cackle of the Wicked Witch of the West. The melody to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Ray Bolger’s wonderfully loose-limbed dance. Flying monkeys. You can’t improve on this one. “This movie changed my life forever. I saw it for the first time when I was five years old, and even then I remember worshipping the Wicked Witch of the West. Margaret Hamilton just looked like she was having the most fun of anyone.
The Shining (1980)
And that’s the exact moment I knew what I wanted to do with my life.”—Kristen Johnson
On the Waterfront (1954)
Director: Ken Loach
Cast: David Bradley, Brian Glover, Freddie Fletcher Director: Elia Kazan
Cast: Marlon Brando, Karl Madden. Lee J. Cobb Marlon Brando’s softheaded utterances, his angelic frown and darkening stare as Terry Malloy, dockworker and washed-up boxer, still burn out of the actor’s deep conviction 60 years on. A beautiful and important film. “I know, I know, I'm biased. But what an amazing film that absolutely captures what was a sea change in American acting. Iconic for a reason.”—Zoe Kazan
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd Stanley Kubrick presents horror at its most artful, as Jack Nicholson takes an off-season job as a caretaker at a snowed-in Colorado hotel, and brings his family along for the ride. “Contemplating the sheer mastery that went into this film—from its Steadicam tracking shots to its overall glacial freeze—is almost too frightening to bear. I don’t need the movie to be some kind of hidden apology for faking the Apollo moon landing (as some conspirators have suggested) for it to work for me. Perfect to watch on a snowy day as the light slants sideways.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
Breaking the Waves (1996)
Director: Lars von Trier
Cast: Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgård, Katrin Cartlidge Lars Von Trier’s earthy, Scotland-set melodrama, both strange and tragic, tells of a woman (Watson) whose dying oil-worker husband urges her to sleep with other men. “The first time I saw this film, I thought my heart was going to burst. There was an immediacy to the filmmaking that I had never experienced before.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
I loved the chapter cards and the ’70s rock songs, and I was so completely swept up in that mad, sick, romantic, tragic story. Everyone in the film is fantastic, especially my all-time favorite actress Katrin Cartlidge, but Emily Watson is totally devastating. The performance has a transcendence to it, like she's channeling spirits. It is so intense and so real, and the camera is totally merged with her, and you're just feeling, almost physically, every second of this performance which swings from childlike naïveté to violent and complicated sexuality to absolute grief and despair. It's unbelievable.”—Melanie Lynskey
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson Remember when the term Tarantino-esque hadn’t quite cracked the lexicon yet? Then this triptych of tales happened. Surprisingly, the video-store-geek-turned-auteur’s criminal opus still feels fresh, despite the legion of god-awful clones it’s spawned. Accept no substitutes, and relive ’90s cinema glory daze one more time.
La Haine (1995)
“I am drawn to filmmakers who are blessed enough to take the rules, respect them and flip them on their head—all the while maintaining an entertaining piece. Tarantino personifies that here.”—David Gyasi
Gladiator (2000)
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen A Roman general fallen into slavery (Crowe) seeks to avenge the death of his family at the hands of an emperor’s corrupt son. “I remember being so awed when I watched this. I was completely thrilled by the scale of the battle and the gladiator scenes, and I was lost in the darkness of Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Commodus.”—George MacKay
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui Full of attitude and insight, this French drama offers a night and day on the streets of Paris as three friends roam the city in the wake of a shocking act of police brutality. “This bristles with authenticity and realism, and yet it’s such a honed and composed vision. It’s probably my favorite film ever. It’s dangerous, hilarious, bold, game-changing.”—Riz Ahmed
Jaws (1975)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss Or, as we like to call it, Three Men and a Shark. Yes, it’s the film that created the template for the contemporary Hollywood blockbuster. Pity that most of its successors suck so hard.
Raging Bull (1980)
“So much more than a movie about a shark! The three leads play off each other beautifully.”—John Dagleish “I watch it every Fourth of July. It has everything you’d want in a movie. It’s what we’ll show the aliens when they land: ‘This is called a movie.’”—Bill Hader “I still can’t believe that Steven Spielberg came along and changed the whole game with this movie before he was even 30 years old. Now, 40 years later, it is just as compelling, thrilling and terrifying as ever.”—John Gallagher Jr.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci Is it really the best film of the ’80s? It’s certainly a strong contender (ba-da-bing!), and there’s little doubt that Robert De Niro’s performance is one of the all-time greats—not just for the remarkable physical transformation, but also for his embodiment of male sexual jealousy presenting itself as rage. “The fire of Robert De Niro's performance is so fascinating throughout that only after watching it, when you step away from it, do you appreciate the work and the length to which he went to achieve it. It is really inspiring.”—George MacKay “Brutal and beautiful.
Some Like It Hot (1959)
This opened up the possibilities of what film acting could be to me.”—Michael Sheen
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
Director: Mike Nichols
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal Nichols’s first film adapts Edward Albee’s merry-go-round of yelling, screaming, shrieking and bickering for the screen, and gives Taylor and Richard Burton a forum to engage in some very public relationship therapy. George Segal and Sandy Dennis play the other couple caught up in the web of deceit and denial. “This is balls-to-the-wall, fearless, theatrical, old-school, Hollywood-royalty movie acting.”—BD Wong
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon Everybody remembers Lemmon and Curtis in drag, affecting hideous falsettos and tottering in high heels, but Curtis’s devastating Cary Grant impression is the film’s comic highlight. Meanwhile, Marilyn Monroe delivers one of her most effervescent, coherent performances. “I had an obsession with Marilyn Monroe from the age of 10 and this is one of my favorites.”—Joanne Froggatt
Fargo (1996)
Director: Joel Coen
Cast: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy The Coen brothers’ darkly funny crime story features a star turn from Frances McDormand as a pregnant sheriff, and its multiple Oscar nominations helped to bring American indie cinema in from the cold.
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
“I've seen Fargo more times than I can count at this point. Marge Gunderson is such an aspirational character for me, both as an actor and as a human. She's who I want to be when I grow up.”—Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Director: Charles Laughton
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Billy Chapin One of the major tragedies of film history is that Charles Laughton directed only one picture. The one turned out to be a masterpiece: evocative, disturbing and unforgettable. Silent icon Lillian Gish plays a gun-toting woman who protects a group of on-the-run children from Robert Mitchum’s maniacal preacher. “This brilliant, atmospheric thriller is Robert Mitchum’s finest hour. Daring for its time, it’s about a serial-killer preacher who targets women.
Chinatown (1974)
It’s also notable for being the only film ever directed by actor Charles Laughton. He was a master in the making.”—Emma Kennedy
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon A magnificent exercise in escalating unease, Polanski’s poker-faced adaptation of Ira Levin’s neogothic best-seller follows the pregnancy of Manhattan mom-to-be Mia Farrow as she unwittingly carries the devil’s offspring. One of the best films of the 1960s. “A horror film that makes you hear baby bumps in the night! It’s been on my mind lately as a pivotal turning point between old-school thrillers—ones that might be called ‘Transylvanian’—and a new breed of modern fear: urban, chatty, cynical.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
Director: Roman Polanski
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston Polanski’s masterpiece is several things: a cynical history of L.A.’s property grabs of the ’30s, a gorgeously lush postnoir, and Jack Nicholson’s finest two hours, as a seedy private detective drawn to the money. Robert Towne’s legendary original script takes American greed and shoots it through a Hollywood prism. “The height of my favorite movie star’s career. Jack is subtle and bemused in this, trusting his director’s brilliance. It has all the humor, intelligence and darkness you’d expect from Polanski and writer Robert Towne.
La Vie en Rose (2007)
I can watch it over and over.”—Patrick Kennedy
The Apartment (1960)
Director: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray One of the blackest Hollywood comedies ever made, Billy Wilder’s gem stars Jack Lemmon as a lowly office worker whose star rises when he lends out his city pad to bosses for extramarital affairs. Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner was clearly paying attention. “A wonderful satire about corporate culture and how people are used by it. Bitter and sweet, this is one of my favorites by Wilder.”—Betty Buckley
Director: Olivier Dahan
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory The grande dame of doomed chanteuses, Edith Piaf, finally gets her tragic biopic; director Olivier Dahan and actor Marion Cotillard do the great singer justice. “Marion Cotillard in this film is my bench mark for a best-actress award. If you're not as good as her, then you don't deserve it.”—Katie McGrath
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciaran Hinds John Huston’s smudgy fingers are all over Paul Thomas Anderson’s towering masterpiece about an insatiable oil man and capitalist (Daniel Day-Lewis) who’s in desperate need of a hug.
All About Eve (1950)
“I was lucky enough to catch this at its Ziegfeld premiere, where a manic Paul Thomas Anderson was constantly sprinting between his seat and the projector booth in order to get the sound levels right (and by ‘right’ I mean ‘louder’). It could have been distracting, but I guess that’s the luxury of knowing that the crowd can’t take their eyes off the screen.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Cast: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders Bette Davis tears down her own iconic image with this satirical tale of a cruel, manipulative Broadway actor and the starry-eyed girl (Baxter) who worships her. “A perfect plot and incomparable performances throughout.”—Celia Imrie
Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Director: Roberto Benigni
Cast: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini Italian comedian Roberto Benigni vaulted onto the international stage with this controversial Holocaust story of a father who distracts his son from the horrors of concentration camp life by pretending it’s all a game. “This film captivated me from start to finish.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
To bring so much light, humor and love to the most dire and evil of situations is genius. I'd like to think it reflects the best parts of our humanity.”—David Gyasi
Director: Joseph L Mankiewicz
Cast: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders Bette Davis tears down her own iconic image with this satirical tale of a cruel, manipulative Broadway actor and the starry-eyed girl (Baxter) who worships her. “A perfect plot and incomparable performances throughout.”—Celia Imrie
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Director: George Cukor
Cast: Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart Patrician but spunky Katharine Hepburn falls back in love with devil-may-care charmer Cary Grant in this adaptation of Philip Barry’s wittily sophisticated comedy of manners.
The Sting (1973)
“The lightness of touch, the grace and wit, the primacy of love—everything about the film makes me sing. The best of America with three of the greatest movie actors ever.”—Patrick Kennedy
Director: George Roy Hill
Cast: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Robert Shaw No, it didn’t deserve to win an Oscar over movies like Mean Streets and Badlands, but it’s still a thoroughly entertaining yarn, with lead actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford fairly oozing charisma. “The ultimate grifter movie, utterly charming and so satisfying to watch. A perfect blend of characters, too, from Robert Redford, Paul Newman and Robert Shaw.”—John Dagleish
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
Director: Christopher Guest
Cast: Guest, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara The first of Christopher Guest’s successful run of semi-improvised comedies (based on the model of This Is Spinal Tap), this one follows a small-town amateur drama group thrilled to learn that a New York big shot might attend their opening night. “I watch this once a year.
Citizen Kane (1941)
Everyone in this movie is perfect. Every performance is beyond inspired. Watch the DVD extras to see Parker Posey’s character’s audition. It’s genius.”—Bill Hader
Director: Orson Welles
Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotton, Dorothy Comingore Regularly proclaimed the greatest movie of all time, Orson Welles’s tale of a troubled newspaper magnate changed filmmaking forever, and remains a thunderous, witty and original piece of work. “Don’t let its greatness scare you away. Citizen Kane is actually quite enjoyable to watch.”—Gilbert Gottfried
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
Director: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly
Cast: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds One of the most purely joyous movies ever made, this is the pinnacle of Hollywood’s musical golden age, with Gene Kelly in timeless form as a silent film star facing the advent of talkies.
The Celebration (1998)
“Easily my favorite musical movie. I wanted to be Gene Kelly watching this as a kid.”—John Dagleish
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Cast: Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo The most powerful film to come out of Denmark’s austere Dogme 95 movement, this heartbreaking drama sees a young man accusing his father of sexual abuse at the patriarch’s birthday party. "I associate watching The Celebration with that wave of Dogme filmmaking and mouthy bravado that came in the late 1990s. I'm don't know which I saw first: this, or Lars von Trier's even more confrontational The Idiots, but both seemed fresh, new, unseen.
American Beauty (1999)
These days, shaky, intimate, handheld digital filmmaking is everywhere. Back then, it felt like we were getting closer to these characters, to this family's horror, than we ever could before.”—Dave Calhoun, Global film editor, Time Out
The Lives of Others (2006)
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Cast: Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch One of the biggest foreign-language hits of the last decade, this smart, inquisitive thriller follows a lonely East German operative (Mühe) who grows increasingly jealous and fond of the revolutionary couple he’s employed to spy on. “A beautiful and heartbreaking film.”—Ellie Bamber
Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch Overpraised on its release (it gave Spacey his second Oscar), this sardonic bile fest about a suburban family’s unraveling, complete with sociopolitical overtones (see title), strikes us as painfully schematic nowadays. It’s just a plastic bag, people. “Outstanding performances by the whole cast, utterly beautiful cinematography and a beautiful script.”—Faye Marsay
Léon: The Professional (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Cast: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman Check out black swan Natalie Portman as an ugly duckling (yeah, right) adopted by Jean Reno’s taciturn hit man.
A Star Is Born (1954)
Gary Oldman goes overboard and then some as their antagonist. “I'm not sure that Natalie Portman has ever topped the performance she gave at age 12 in Léon.”—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Director: George Cukor
Cast: Judy Garland, James Mason, Jack Carson James Mason and Judy Garland headline the definitive version of this oft-told Hollywood sob story, which was painstakingly semireconstructed (some lost scenes feature dialogue and stills only) in 1983. ‘There’s a scene towards the end of this film where Judy Garland is in the middle of a screaming fight and she turns her back to the camera to cry. I never knew a back could be so interesting. I was obsessed with it, how I could still see her grief and her anger from how she held herself. I’d never seen someone put so much emotion into acting, to the point where you want to ask them if they’re okay.
A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
I thought that was just so cool.”—Jessica Barden
Casablanca (1942)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains An immortal but ill-fated WWII romance between a surly club owner (Bogart) and a woman from his past (Bergman), Curtiz’s classic might be the most gracefully averted disaster in Hollywood history: Despite being half-shot without a script, almost every line of the movie has been etched into the collective unconscious. "It’s just perfect, isn’t it? Not a line, not a shot, not a hair out of place. The romantic core is heartbreaking, but the film is surprisingly tough too: all that business about Claude Rains blackmailing young women, and Rick’s attitude to his poor discarded Yvonne. It never pulls punches."—Tom Huddleston, assistant UK film editor, Time Out
Director: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
Cast: David Niven, Kim Hunter, Robert Coote Made by Britain’s independent filmmakers the Archers at the height of their powers, this supernatural romance stars David Niven as a dead British pilot attempting to argue his way back to corporeal existence. “My favorite film since I was about 12. Romantic, disturbing, beautiful, strange and challenging. One of the most extraordinary opening scenes of all time.
Mean Streets (1973)
Deceptively simple and truly groundbreaking.”—Michael Sheen
An American in Paris (1951)
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant Minnelli’s classic musical tells the story of an American GI (Kelly) who lingers in Paris after the war, becomes a painter and naturally falls into a love triangle with a humble French girl and a lonely heiress. “I was so affected by this movie. The way Gene Kelly moved and showcased his ladies just melted me when I was a teenager in Texas. I've been looking for ‘that guy’ ever since.”—Betty Buckley
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, David Proval Scorsese’s iconic breakthrough rolls through the rusted underbelly of Little Italy as it used to be, shining a light on the violent world of small-time hoods that he would explore for the next 40 years (and counting). “Scorsese marked me deeply as a film lover and as a thinker. He turned the frustrations of his youth into much more than mere nostalgia (this isn’t just another American Graffiti). There’s a hard piece of wisdom here: You can’t save every soul.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher Star Wars has more of a nostalgic pull for those born between 1960 and 1975, but there’s no denying that Empire is the trilogy’s real masterpiece, in spite of its unresolved conclusion.
The Turin Horse (2011)
Do, or do not. There is no try. “Star Wars defines my whole childhood…it bonds me with my brothers. We don't trust nonfans.”—Katie McGrath
Director: Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky
Cast: Erika Bók, János Derzsi, Mihály Kormos The story goes that Friedrich Nietzsche once encountered a horse that was being whipped by its master, and that after intervening, the philosopher never spoke a word again. Béla Tarr’s apocalyptic final film imagines what might have happened to the horse. “It’s been four years since I saw this movie and I still feel cold. The sequence where the carriage rides over the top of the hill only to return a few moments later might be the most vividly concise illustration of despair I’ve ever seen.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
The Princess Bride (1987)
Director: Rob Reiner
Cast: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright A beloved fairy tale that doubles as a testament to the need for keeping such things alive, Reiner’s winking adventure weaves a classic yarn about a kidnapped princess (Wright) and the dashing swordsman (Elwes) who’s determined to rescue her.
This Is England (2006)
"I would’ve been 11 or 12 when I saw this at the cinema—my mum was sick in bed, so I saw it on my own then ran back and told her the entire plot in painstaking detail, a bit like Peter Falk and Fred Savage in reverse. I was so excited by it. That balance of real adventure and self-mocking humor just exploded my brain."—Tom Huddleston, assistant UK film editor, Time Out
Director: Shane Meadows
Cast: Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley A traumatized portrait of England’s East Midlands in the early ’80s, This Is England follows a fatherless and feral 12-year-old kid (Turgoose) as his search for acceptance finds him caught up with a group of local skinheads. “The way in which you become completely engrossed by all of the performances makes it all the more terrifying when the story turns. The use of music in the film is absolutely amazing. Every time I watch the film, I find it affecting.”—George MacKay
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Ben Stiller, Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow Wes Anderson’s career-defining comedy introduces a sprawling family of neurotic New York geniuses as they gather to confront the father who screwed them all up.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
“Wes Anderson is currently the most inventive and creative storyteller currently working in American cinema. This is one of his finest. If you don’t like this film, we can never be friends.” —Emma Kennedy
Director: Victor Fleming
Cast: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Thomas Mitchell This peerlessly epic Civil War melodrama about the sordid love life of a slave-owning Southern belle is a cornerstone of American cinema (for better or worse). “I’m a late-comer to the epic romance between Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.
Nil by Mouth (1997)
The four-hour running time always put me off (four hours!), but this is love story to swoon to.”’—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Director: John Schlesinger
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Sylvia Miles A newbie male prostitute by the name of Joe Buck (Voight) arrives in New York and tries to learn the lay of the land under the tutelage of hustler extraordinaire Ratso Rizzo (Hoffman). “Jon Voight as the big dumb Texas cowboy and Dustin Hoffman as lowlife Ratso—this is a film to watch for its intense, committed performances.”—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Director: Gary Oldman
Cast: Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles Oldman’s feature debut proves the rare exception to the rule that famous actors make lousy directors. Yes, it’s exceptionally bleak—the plot finds Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) terrorizing his family—but there are many moments of grace. “A ridiculously brilliant film. I don’t think you will find a more heartbreaking and relentless performance than Kathy Burke’s turn in this. She is sublime. Utterly sublime.
All That Jazz (1979)
As is everyone else. Just beautiful casting. What is perfect about Nil By Mouth is that it’s devastating to watch but it has humor in it. That, for me, is the perfect recipe for a good, engaging, honest film.” – Amanda Abbington
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly Four Coney Island residents are consumed by substance abuse in this vividly hyperstylized drug trip down the rabbit hole. “This is my idea of the perfect second movie: Darren Aronofsky’s follow-up to Pi is tougher, bolder, more humane, more outraged, more everything. He’s always been great at conveying the fragility of bodies, but I don’t think he’s yet eclipsed his work with Ellen Burstyn here.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
Director: Bob Fosse
Cast: Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Leland Palmer Time has been surprisingly kind to Fosse’s nihilistic, autobiographical story of a hard-living director (Roy Scheider, never better) on the cusp of burning out for good. Not even Jessica Lange playing death can derail this update on 8½. “Possibly my favorite film of all time. I love Fosse with an irrational passion.
Harold and Maude (1971)
The editing, the music, the precision with which he charts this man's loss of control. Never has there ever been a more searing or imaginative exploration of the self on film.”—Zoe Kazan
Truly Madly Deeply (1990)
Director: Anthony Minghella
Cast: Juliet Stevenson, Alan Rickman, Jenny Howe Before it was a hit song by Savage Garden, Truly Madly Deeply was a winsomely fantastic comedy about a bereft British woman (Stevenson) whose long-time love returns home as a ghost. “Juliet Stevenson traverses the emotional terrain starting from the depth of sorrow all the way up to ecstasy of joy with such a generosity, openness and commitment that it served as a powerful example for me. If she can do that, then it’s possible I can do it too.” —Lili Taylor
Director: Hal Ashby
Cast: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Vivian Pickles A suicidal teenager (Cort) falls in love with the free-spirited 79-year-old woman (Gordon) he meets at a funeral in Hal Ashby’s wistfully transgressive romance, the influence of which can be seen in just about everything that premieres at Sundance. "I first saw it as a teenager growing up in the London suburbs and was totally sold on Harold and Maude’s sunny, hippy, be-yourself message—and that lovely Cat Stevens soundtrack."—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Notorious (1946)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Claude Rains Many folks consider this one Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest; if nothing else, it features Cary Grant at his least sympathetic, playing an agent who coerces Ingrid Bergman into marrying spy Claude Rains in order to secure information. “Absolutely perfect screenplay, acting, camera, everything.
Being There (1979)
The most romantic movie I know. Gotta put Hitchcock on the list.”—Zoe Kazan
Director: Hal Ashby
Cast: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas Sellers is pitch perfect as a befuddled gardener who unwittingly rises to national prominence in Hal Ashby’s trenchant satire of an American media culture that had recently been dumbstruck by the musings of theoretician Marshall McLuhan. "Peter Sellers would lose himself inside his roles in a way I find scary but totally compelling. His performance here is so blank, so strange, it’s haunting. And as political satire, Being There still feels timely: just look at the rise of Donald Trump and you’ll see that the cult of idiocy is alive and well."—Tom Huddleston, assistant UK film editor, Time Out
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Michael Bates, Patrick Magee Up for a bit of the ol’ ultraviolence, me droogies? Kubrick’s sensationalistic, chilling social satire has its detractors, but it says more about the perverse necessity of free will than a dozen Ayn Rand books and Rush songs combined.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
“I saw this at the same fifth grade sleepover as Taxi Driver. A double mind blower. My dad’s favorite movie. We used to listen to the soundtrack when he drove me to Little League games.”—Bill Hader
Director: Frank Capra
Cast: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore Now considered to be the quintessential Christmas movie, this saccharine-sweet melodrama follows suicidal George Bailey (Stewart) as an angel shows the frustrated businessman what his small town would have been like without him. “I could watch Jimmy Stewart do a crossword and never get bored. I showed it to my twin brother at Christmas betting him £20 he couldn't not cry. Towards the end I tapped him on the shoulder to see if he had managed it, and he just held up a £20 and said, ‘Shut up and let me watch.’”—Tom Bateman
The Sacrifice (1986)
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Cast: Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edwall Set at the dawn of World War III, Tarkovsky’s final film is a somber meditation on contemporary spirituality, featuring a fine performance by Bergman regular Erland Josephson and more gloom than you can shake a stick at.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
“The films of Andrei Tarkovsky are one of cinema’s great adventures, demanding yet rewarding like no other work. When I saw his final movie, it hit me hardest for having grown up terrified by nuclear holocaust. The Sacrifice goes on a perfect double bill with WarGames.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
Director: Milos Forman
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman Forman helped Jack Nicholson win the first of his three Oscars (to date) for his indelible performance as renegade asylum patient Randle Patrick “R.P.” McMurphy, anticonformist hero to the loonies with whom he shares bed and board. “Jack Nicholson is mesmerizing in everything. Great character diversity.”—Roxanne McKee
Monster (2003)
Director: Patty Jenkins
Cast: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern Shedding her starlet status and disappearing into the darkest role of her career, Charlize Theron brings real-life criminal prostitute Aileen Wuornos back to life in this frightening biopic about the last years of a serial killer.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
“Charlize Theron delivers the most astounding, towering performance in this film. She captures every single detail of Aileen Wuornos and the physical transformation is tremendous.”—Faye Marsay
Director: Elia Kazan
Cast: Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Vivien Leigh The Tennessee Williams adaptation against which all others are measured, this barnstorming melodrama stars Marlon Brando as the brutish Stanley Kowalski, and Vivien Leigh as the spiraling sister-in-law who drops anchor in the broiling New Orleans apartment that Stanley shares with his wife.
Blade Runner (1982)
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young The cyberpunk noir that created the template for sci-fi cinema as we know it today, Ridley Scott’s rain-soaked Philip K.
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Dick adaptation stars Harrison Ford as a man charged with hunting down a group of rogue “replicants” in dystopian Los Angeles.
Director: Terrence Malick
Cast: Nick Nolte, Jim Caviezel, Sean Penn Malick returned to filmmaking 20 years after Days of Heaven with this towering adaptation of James Jones’s WWII novel. It’s beautifully photographed and upends expectations at every turn, especially in how it treats the celebrity-laden cast. “My first properly spiritual experience watching a film.”—Riz Ahmed
The Third Man (1949)
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Alida Valli Turning postwar Vienna into a riveting labyrinth of shadows, Carol Reed’s iconic noir follows struggling American novelist Holly (Cotton) who combs the city in search of mysterious Harry Lime (Welles), the old friend who invited him there.
Amour (2012)
“When I first saw this one, I was cowed by its reputation as one of the great noirs—Orson Welles was like a god to me. But returning to it recently, I was struck by how hilarious it is. Closer to a nightmarish Barton Fink than is discussed.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
Director: Michael Haneke
Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert Charting the moments when one couple’s autumn years turn wintry, Michael Haneke’s tender, tragic story of an elderly husband and wife dealing with the latter’s debilitating illness couldn’t be more aptly named. “People assume that the title is ironic, which makes plenty of sense given Haneke’s well-earned reputation as the coldest director on earth. But I’ve always felt like this is one of the most crushingly romantic movies ever made: All marriages end, but few end as lovingly as the one between Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
Tender Mercies (1983)
Director: Bruce Beresford
Cast: Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley Mac Sledge (Duvall) has a drinking problem, an ex-wife (Buckley) and a country-music career on the skids. But he struggles to find a way forward, via reflection, abstinence and the affections of a widow (Harper). “This film was a great blessing in my life! I played Duvall's ex-wife: country-western star Dixie Scott.
Tokyo Story (1953)
I got to work with my heroes in this movie. The song I sang, ‘Over You,’ was nominated for an Oscar and it won the Golden Globe. I sang it on the Globes. This film is an American classic. As our sound man Chris Newman said one night during dailies, ‘This is the ashram of filmmaking.’ All of these amazing world-class artists combined their expertise in a beautiful portrait of alcoholism and redemption.”—Betty Buckley
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Cast: Chishû Ryû, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara Ozu’s depressing but somehow still hopeful masterpiece quietly dissects the generation gap, as children either patronize or just plain ignore their elderly parents. Just about every Ozu film is worth seeing, but this one may be his finest. “This is the first Yasujiro Ozu film I saw. It blew me away. And made me want to call my parents.
A Room for Romeo Brass (1999)
Watch it.”—Kyle Soller
Star Wars (1977)
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher Yes, the acting’s a little clunky. Sure, the dialogue sounds like it was translated from Serbo-Croatian. Still, the first film in the series still retains an earnest, can-do charm, not to mention plenty of Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan. “This holds such a huge place in my heart for so many reasons, nostalgia being just one of them.”—John Dagleish
Director: Shane Meadows
Cast: Andrew Shim, Ben Marshall, Paddy Considine Paddy Considine (Dead Man’s Shoes) has become one of the U.K.’s most important actors; here’s another chance to catch his first standout performance, as he causes a rift between two young Yorkshire lads. "Shane Meadows is my favorite living British filmmaker, and this is his most perfect film—rough-edged but so intimate and moving. The terrifying scene on the beach where Paddy Considine’s character flips is forever burned into my memory.
Naked (1993)
Amazingly, he’d never acted before in a film."—Tom Huddleston, assistant UK film editor, Time Out
Scenes from a Marriage (1973)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Cast: Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson, Bibi Andersson Originally a five-hour TV miniseries (accused of spiking the divorce rate in Sweden), Ingmar Bergman’s unsparing domestic drama charts the steady dissolution of the union between a divorce lawyer (Ullmann) and a college professor (Josephson) "I can remember seeing this at London's National Film Theatre on re-release in the early 2000s. It was probably the second Ingmar Bergman film I saw, after Wild Strawberries, and it terrified me: such fearless acting, such a complicated, truthful, watch-through-the-fingers depiction of a relationship. Now a bit older, not much wiser, I'm not sure I dare watch it again.”—Dave Calhoun, Global film editor, Time Out
Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge Johnny (Thewlis), a viciously snide layabout, flees the Manchester rape police to drop in on his wary ex-girlfriend (Sharp) in London. After seducing her roommate (Cartlidge), he hits the town on a verbal rampage. “All hail David Thewlis!
Brazil (1985)
His riotous and thoroughly unclean performance in this twisted Mike Leigh film is so full of fire—after he screams “I’m a werewolf!” and howls, I was never going to abide anyone else playing Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter movies.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
The Goonies (1985)
Director: Richard Donner
Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman It’s a guilty pleasure from the ’80s about plucky kids in search of pirate treasure, and a trip down memory lane for a generation that affectionately remembers John Matuszak as “Sloth” rather than the former defensive end for the L.A. Raiders. “Frequently tried to recreate this with friends and cousins.”—Riz Ahmed
Director: Terry Gilliam
Cast: Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robert De Niro Gilliam’s dystopic vision of the future is hilarious and chilling by turns; Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Bob Hoskins and Jim Broadbent are among the superlative cast. Once seen, never forgotten. “Terry Gilliam is without doubt one of my favorite directors and this future vision of a bureaucratic nightmare perfectly demonstrates the glimpse you get into his imagination in all his movies. Some of my favorite actors pop up all the way through it, too.”—John Dagleish
Caché (Hidden) (2005)
Director: Michael Haneke
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Maurice Bénichou A TV host (Auteuil) and his wife (Binoche) start receiving ominous videotapes of their comings and goings filmed outside their Paris home, coupled with suggestive crayon drawings.
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Their happiness unravels as the police are powerless in the absence of a clear threat. “I’ll never forget stumbling into the lobby after the New York Film Festival screening of Caché—perfect strangers were practically interrogating each other, demanding answers about that sly last shot. I didn’t want to leave that atmosphere, which I guess is part of the reason why I became a film critic.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
Director: Michael Cimino
Cast: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep Steelworking Pennsylvanians put away their hunting rifles, down their final beers and head off to serve in Vietnam, where unimaginable horrors await them. “One of the best casts around at the time of filming and one of the most understatedly powerful and moving stories about the Vietnam era. I’m a pretty huge John Cazale fan and this is his final film. He was dying of bone cancer during filming and Meryl Streep threatened to leave the shoot if the studio fired him like they wanted to. Heartbreaking.”—Kyle Soller
The Piano (1993)
Director: Jane Campion
Cast: Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel It’s simple, really: Lady (Holly Hunter) meets gent (Harvey Keitel). Gent has piano.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Gent demands sexual favors in exchange for lady to play said instrument. Lady and gent fall in love. Roll end credits. Oh, and Anna Paquin’s in it too. “I must have been 16 or 17 when I first saw The Piano, and can remember being completely shocked by the sex between Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel. I think I’d never sex on screen before from a woman’s perspective.”—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham In a towering pink mansion situated somewhere in a dreamlike 1930s Alps, the elegant Monsieur Gustave (Fiennes) keep old-world civility alive as best he can, while a young lobby boy (Revolori) comes under his fragrant tutelage. “I never thought that Wes Anderson would top The Fantastic Mr. Fox—and he obviously won’t, because holy shit, what a masterpiece. The Grand Budapest Hotel, however, runs a close second, and that ain’t bad.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
Carmen Jones (1954)
Director: Jane Campion
Cast: Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel It’s simple, really: Lady (Holly Hunter) meets gent (Harvey Keitel). Gent has piano.
The African Queen (1951)
Gent demands sexual favors in exchange for lady to play said instrument. Lady and gent fall in love. Roll end credits. Oh, and Anna Paquin’s in it too. “I must have been 16 or 17 when I first saw The Piano, and can remember being completely shocked by the sex between Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel. I think I’d never sex on screen before from a woman’s perspective.”—Cath Clarke, UK film editor, Time Out
Director: John Huston
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley Katharine Hepburn reportedly based her performance in this first-rate WWI adventure on Eleanor Roosevelt; Humphrey Bogart, meanwhile, finally won the Oscar he’d long deserved by playing a salty boat captain. Simple and sublime. “I first saw this at San Francisco’s famous Castro Theatre, and it was like being transported back to a magical time when all you needed for a grand adventure was a guy, a girl and the worst boat in the world (and maybe a few evil Germans for good measure). Not for nothing, but the Rock learned everything he knows about forehead sweat from Humphrey Bogart’s Charlie Allnut.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Director: Peter Greenaway
Cast: Michael Gambon, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard An exquisite French restaurant is taken over by louche investing gangster Albert Spica (Gambon). While he bickers with the chef and wait staff, Spica’s bored wife Georgina (Mirren) starts up an affair with a bookish regular.
Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
“I started out as a child actor in 1985 and remember watching Michael Gambon in The Singing Detective in '86. I was in awe. What he did looked exactly what I imagined the word ‘craft’ to be. Then seeing him in this made me understand what type of actor I wanted to be. To transform.”—Nicholas Pinnock
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Cast: Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Maribel Verdú This early work from Cuarón (Gravity) follows 17-year-old horndogs Julio (Gael García Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) on a road trip to a legendary beach. When they’re joined by an older woman, innocence, friendship and sexuality collide. “I was still a teenager when this movie came out (I heard about it while reading Entertainment Weekly in the waiting room of a doctor’s office), and I had very teenage reasons for wanting to see it.
Sophie's Choice (1982)
What sticks with me now isn’t the sex so much as the sadness of that last scene, which feels more realistic every time I see it.”—David Ehrlich, New York associate film editor, Time Out
The Hustler (1961)
Director: Robert Rossen
Cast: Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, Piper Laurie Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason turn the pool table into an existential battlefield in this remarkably sordid, unsentimental drama. Even though it’s set in seedy billiards rooms, a certain grace comes through. “Paul Newman is my God.”—Katie McGrath
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Cast: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol Brooklyn, summer, 1947. A wanna-be novelist (MacNicol) befriends a wildly passionate couple who charm him with their impulsiveness: intense Nathan (Kline) and his Polish immigrant girlfriend, Sophie (Streep), who hides a deeper pain. “This is such a thought-provoking film, brilliantly acted, and Meryl Streep is perfection in this movie.”—Joanne Froggatt
Whiplash (2014)
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Miles Teller, J.K.
Love Actually (2003)
Simmons, Paul Reiser At New York’s exclusive Shaffer Conservatory, jazz is more than a passion—it’s a martial discipline led by abusive instructor Terence Fletcher (Simmons). When drumming hopeful Andrew (Teller) makes the core ensemble, he’s plunged into a world of pain. “There isn't one needless second in this film…every frame is perfect.”—Katie McGrath
Director: Richard Curtis
Cast: Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Bill Nighy As Christmas nears, ten romantic plots play out, in a London-set ensemble comedy with room for sympathetic stepdads (Neeson), American graphic designers (Linney) and an affable, recently elected Prime Minister (Grant). “Not sure exactly why, but if this movie is on TV, I’m watching it.”—Nick Kroll
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Melinda Dillon An Indiana power-grid worker (Dreyfuss) begins to have unshakable visions after he gets a glimpse of an alien presence. Others are similarly touched in Steven Spielberg’s quasi-religious parable suffused with awe and a famous five-tone musical sequence.
Paris, Texas (1984)
“This is a film that has seemed to change over the years for me. It terrified me as a child, then later it spoke to me about the sacrifices of artistic vision, and later again about a spiritual journey towards death and beyond.”—Michael Sheen
Director: Wim Wenders
Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell Sam Shepard’s dusty, aphoristic dialogue gets sterling support from Robby Müller’s sun-bleached cinematography in this atmospheric tale of a drifter (Harry Dean Stanton) trying to put his life and his family back together. “When I saw this, it changed the way I looked at how to tell a story. The concept is so simple but it’s executed with such poetic grace: the cinematography, the music, Sam Shepard's script and Harry Dean Stanton delivering one of the best monologues ever over the phone.”—Kyle Soller
Persona (1966)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Cast: Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook Ingmar Bergman’s most hallucinatory film finds an actress (Liv Ullmann) and her nurse (Bibi Andersson) gradually bleeding into one another, as if the dam separating their individual identities had somehow burst.
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
"I saw this in a Bergman double feature at the Barbican in London, and was left rattled and intoxicated. It features the sexiest scene I’ve ever seen in a film, without so much as a glimpse of flesh."—Tom Huddleston, assistant UK film editor, Time Out
Director: Woody Allen
Cast: Martin Landau, Alan Alda, Mia Farrow A wealthy ophthalmologist (Landau) deeply ensconced in an extramarital affair that could ruin his life turns to violent assistance, while a struggling documentary filmmaker (Allen) trains his camera on a glib success story (Alda) to make ends meet. “The quote everyone remembers is Alan Alda's 'If it bends, it's funny…if it breaks, it isn't.' But I'm more floored by the quiet, intense parts of this drama, especially the scenes between Landau and his mob brother Jack (the great Jerry Orbach), who sees things a lot more clearly.
This movie is Woody's closest at achieving the Bergman-esque toughness he's always admired.”—Joshua Rothkopf, New York film editor
The Great Beauty (2013)
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Cast: Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli In decadent modern-day Rome, a former literary sensation turned celebrity gossip columnist (Servillo) has a belated crisis of conscience in this dazzling update of La Dolce Vita. “Just a beautiful film.”—Nicholas Pinnock