The Top 30 Films Of All Time That You Need To Watch ASAP! (2024)

During the late 1960s, cowboy movies were all the rave! The Wild Bunch is all about Pike Bishop, the biggest, baddest cowboy in cowboy history who plans to retire after one final epic robbery. And you know how cowboy fights go, lots of shooting and violence, a trait for which the movie was heavily criticized for.

Yet another cowboy film, the iconic John Wayne stars in this film! The movie is about a civil war veteran (John Wayne) searching for his abducted niece in the dangerous Cromach territory. The plot twist is that he is not actually trying to rescue her. *dun, dun duuuun.*

If you know Alfred Hitchco*ck, you know that he only makes THE BEST films. One of his top films is Notorious, a Spy Movie, where the female lead and American daughter of a convicted German war criminal, Alicia Huberman, needs to cross enemy lines by making Alexander Sebastian (Cary Grant) fall in love with her.

Faith or Love? The Black Narcissus story revolves around a group of nuns with an evangelical mission to trek up the Himalayas and build a community complete with a school and a hospital. However, when they reach the top, their focus shifts to something else. Can they hold on to their faith? Or will they succumb to sweet temptation?

Another Alfred Hitchco*ck movie, Strangers on a Train, has received critical acclaim from every major movie critic worldwide! This psychological thriller follows two men who are each plotting to murder someone in their lives and they soon unravel a chain of mysterious events. This movie was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography.

Badlands was released in the 1970s and follows a crime of passion where it is honed from the real-life story of couple Charles and Caril-Ann. Caril-Ann enrages her father by falling in love with bad boy, Charles and together, the couple flees the town and has several run-ins with authorities.

Unforgiven boasts of many of today’s biggest celebrities like Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Gene Hackman. Unforgiven is yet another cowboy story that Clint Eastwood directed! He also won Best Director and Best Actor for this film.

In a Lonely Place stars the iconic Humphrey Bogart, who plays the character, Dixon Steele. Dixon starts a love affair with his neighbor, Laurel. However, their relationship is off to a rocky start when police start to question Dixon about the murder of a young woman. Certain that the love of her life is innocent, Laurel stands by Dixon. As days pass, she watches Dixon’s behavior become increasingly bizarre, and she truly wonders if the love of her life could be a murderer.

Laura is probably one of the most celebrated mystery classics of all-time. The story is about a detective investigating a murder case, but as time goes by, he falls hoplessly in love with the beautiful Laura, who is also a victim.

The Lord of the Rings franchise is not only one of the bestselling novels, but its film adaptation is also very popular amongst children and adults alike! The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is the fourth-highest movie of all time and has jumpstarted many of its cast, including Elijah Wood, to stardom.

The Apartment is categorized as a romantic film, but many have questioned this as it combines romance and drama into one alluring film. The story follows an insurance clerk who allows men to use her Apartment to get together with other females behind their wives’ back.

Better start getting your tissues, kids, because next up on the list is Wall-E! Wall-E is the last robot on Earth, and he spends his time tidying up the Earth by picking up trash. He then accidentally bumps into another robot, Eve, and they journey together to explore the galaxies and beyond. The film also imparts an important message about how to take care of the environment.

Coco is another film perfect for a family movie night! Miguel aspires to become a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, even though his family has banned any sort of relationship with music. Miguel suddenly finds himself in the land of the dead, and together with his sidekick, Hector, they embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock Miguel’s family history.

Now that’s three for Alfred Hitchco*ck’s films! Shadow of a Doubt is a psychological thriller movie that follows Uncle Sam’s story, visiting his relatives in Santa Rosa. His niece quickly finds out that Uncle Sam is wanted for murder, but she still has her suspicions even though the case is closed.

Starring the great film actor Leonardo Di Caprio, this sci-fi movie explores the mysterious world of lucid dreaming and the hive-mind dream experience. It is considered one of the most original films ever made and has a shocking plot twist!

The Philadelphia Story is about a lady named Tracy who is separating from her husband, Dexter, and gets ready to marry her new man, George. Fate then allows Tracy to cross paths with ex-husband Dexter and a man named Macaulay. Tracy must then decide her feelings about the three-man in her life.

Paul Newman stars as Luke, a rebel prisoner on the Florida Prison Farm. His stubbornness, and refusal to play by the warden’s rules leave Luke a hero at the end of the film.

And that is four movies from the legendary Alfred Hitchco*ck. A woman named Rebecca marries a rich widower, but her husband’s former wife’s ( who was also named Rebecca) death plagues their marriage.

LA Confidential is another Hollywood film that stars Danny Devito, Kim Basinger, and Kevin Spacey. The plot revolves around hotshot corrupt cops amid Hollywood’s Golden Age.

The Kid stars Charlie Chaplin, and this film is the stars’ first full-length movie! It was first released in the early 1920s, and many critics have raved about the silent film over the years.

His Girl Friday is categorized as a romantic comedy starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russel. The story is all about an investigative reporter working on a murder case while trying not to lose his ex-wife and best investigator.

Iconic duo Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman star in All the President’s Men, which revolves around the Watergate scandal. The detective duo are researching the scandal within the democratic party headquarters and they receive a tip from the mysterious Deep Throat. Drama ensues.

This popular sci-fi movie stars the legendary James Cameron. The plot is about a crew who awakens from a deep cryogenic sleep. Now, the trouble begins when one of the crew members finds an alien egg. It isn’t long until the egg latches onto the crew member and begins to wreak havoc throughout the spaceship.

It looks like a match made in heaven when Johnny (Carey Grant), falls in love with Julia (Audrey Hepburn). However, the two quickly find the honeymoon period over when Johnny becomes more interested in traveling. Johnny also begins to wonder if he is more suited to Julia’s outspoken sister, Linda.

Now, who doesn’t love a good old jewelry heist? Reservoir Dogs is all about a jewelry heist gone wrong, and the surviving criminals start to turn on each other. This 1992 film was written and directed by the legendary Quentin Tarantino.

All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the best anti-war movies of all time. The story revolves around the German’s efforts to prepare for World War I. This controversial film was banned in Germany because of its propaganda, and film theater owners also reportedly released rats in their theaters to discourage people from seeing it.

Playtime is one of the most expensive films ever made in France. Its plot revolves around Clumsy Monsieur Hulot, who finds himself overwhelmed by the intimidating, often chaotic world of corporate organizations. He meets a quirky American tourist, and together they try to figure out the new urban environment.

This spy noir film revolves around the Mexican drug enforcement agency and stars the iconic Orson Welles, who also directed.

The Grapes of Wrath is based on the John Steinbeck novel of the same name. The story revolves around a poor farmer’s life wrought by drought, economic hardships, and agricultural changes. Make sure to grab a box of tissues, as this is a sure tear-jerker!

The Sweet Smell of Success revolves around a newspaper columnist who does not approve of his sister’s new relationship with a jazz musician. He hires a PR specialist to try and break up the two.

The film is nothing more than amazing. Into the Wild is a captivating film adaptation of the same-titled book by Jon Krakauer that recounts Christopher McCandless’ journey into the Alaskan wilderness. It has a similar kind of yearning that McCandless did when he made the decision to leave his parents and his privileged life behind in order to pursue happiness through contact with nature right after graduating from law school. The movie Into the Wild, which explores the need for freedom, seems to realize that desire in and of itself.

At first glance, it seems to be a film that portrays racial conflict in America in the wake of 9/11 in a very startling manner, highlighting the subtleties and intricacies of human nature and its way. This film examines bias by reflecting on the many aspects of human personality. Crash paints a shockingly accurate image of stereotypes and is sure to make you pause before passing judgment on a new atmosphere.

Waking Life is one of the best films ever produced. This film has a lot of intellectual content. The nameless protagonist encounters people while trudging through the dreamlike state he can’t seem to awaken from. Sometimes they are silent witnesses to monologues, and other times they are conversing about a variety of topics like truth, free will, chaos, suicide, and cinema, which are all vividly illustrated in the animation. It would be interesting to see Richard Linklater’s animated creation, which features a suitably creepy soundtrack.

The Pay It Forward story tells us an 11-year-old child starts an initiative to demonstrate kindness and empathy to serve other people. Although in the real world, selfishness may prevail over compassion due to its abundance and there’s no need to return for thoughtful consideration. This movie makes you long for a world where there is a kindness pay-it-forward program and motivates you to try and do the same.

The Dead Poets Society showcases Robin Williams at his best as it depicts a fight between conventional and conservative beliefs and a conflict between realism and romanticism. The social and political standards that shape your life will be called into question after watching this inspirational film. In Dead Poets Society, you are urged to dream big and not give up on your goals easily

This film is a love story unlike any other, and it is based on the theme of Alexander Pope’s famous quotation. In their portrayal of a couple of estranged lovers who are trying to erase one another from their memory. Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey expertly highlight the complexities of relationships and the agony of loss. The story will make you heartbroken because you’ll understand the devastating effects of falling in love and trying to break it.

The film “Forrest Gump” is a comedy-drama film in 1986. It is about a charming character whose innocent optimism will make you feel inspired. It is a reflection on the present as viewed through the uncynical eyes of a guy who sees things for what they truly are. In a story full of hearty laughs and somber truth, Tom Hanks’ performance is a stunning balancing act between comedy and tragedy.

The same-titled novel by Yann Martel served as the basis for this inspirational drama. The Indian man who’s living in Canada narrates his life story about how he survives the trials and is financially successful in filming. At the age of 16, he endures a shipwreck in which his family died during that time. Furthermore, he ends up adrift in the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Royal Bengal Tiger. This film faces different aspects wherein you will choose who you believe in things or prefer to hold on to for a miracle.

The film is both heartbreaking and warm. It also exhorts viewers to find comfort in solitude. This film is also based on the real-life story of Cheryl Strayed, who left her past life and is living a new one. The film portrays both nature’s true beauty and a longing to live a new, fulfilling life. Wild demonstrates how to live a normal life while being alone. It is a movie that sparks many discussions about the quality of life one has and inspires many viewers to assess how to change their lives and live life.

This movie garnered a lot of attention from the viewers. Evelyn must fend off a strange multiverse enemy as reality is torn apart by an interdimensional rift. What might at first seem to be an out-of-this-world, strange, action-packed thrill trip actually contains some incredibly powerful messages about family, love, and the lives we choose to live. As you watch the movie, there are several emotions you get, such as laughter and tears. However, it might even make you stop and think about what is important in your own life.