Reddit users love debating their favourite movies and the best movies of all time; what don’t they like to debate over there? Of all the lists, the most contentious and troublesome is trying to rank the greatest movies of all time. Movie lists have the ability to both rile people up and get them excited. The reason for this is that movies are so personal and touch us emotionally so much that, when we do list our favourites, we invest so much that you’d think we made those movies.
Individuals are so diverse and have a range of opinions about what the best movies are; it’s almost impossible to come up with a definitive collection of the best movies. However, a pattern emerges if you look closely at Reddit movie lists. While users mention many different movies, some films keep popping up consistently in everyone’s favourite movie compilations and establish themselves as firm favourites on the ‘front page of the internet’, as Reddit has come to be known. Our list features the best of those films.
40. Die Hard (1988)
Officer John McClane has to save hostages in L.A.’s Nakatomi Plaza from a group of terrorist zealots. Are they terrorists, or is something else at play? Bruce Willis is at the top of his game as the hard-ass cop, John McClane. The dialogue is witty, and the film is a quintessential late 80s, early 90s action movie.
39. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Steven Spielberg is one of the most talented and respected directors in film. In Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg gives us one of the most scintillating war dramas ever. During the Normandy invasion of World War II, Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) is assigned the task of searching for Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have already been killed in the war, so that his parents may be spared the pain of losing all their sons. Watching this film, you feel like you’ve landed at Normandy and experienced the horrors of war yourself. The movie is as thrilling as it is moving.
38. Back to The Future (1985)
With this one, director Robert Zemeckis created the most beloved time-travel film ever. Michael J. Fox will always be Marty McFly, the cocky teenager sent to the 1950s by accident and who then unintentionally prevents his parents from falling in love. Viewers were thrilled by Fox’s performance and his attempt to reconcile with his parents and return to the future. You don’t have to be a Reddit user to know that this is one of the best movies of all time.
37. The Truman Show (1998)
Jim Carrey is brilliant as Truman Burbank, a hapless insurance salesman unaware that his entire life is taking place in a reality television programme watched daily by millions worldwide. Carrey’s talents let him move seamlessly between funny and dramatic in this film about the negative influence of media in people’s lives. Truman’s quest for freedom is inspirational and was a vehicle for Carrey to show his greatness as an actor.
36. Wreck-It-Ralph (2012)
‘I’m gonna wreck it!’ is the famous catchphrase of our anti-hero Ralph, voiced by the talented John C. Reilly. The movie’s premise about video game characters as actors is brilliant, and Ralph’s attempts at finding love and acceptance are genuinely touching. The visuals are spectacular, with the world of Sugar Rush a feast for the eyes, rendered so incredibly that it’s still marvellous to look at today.
35. Halloween (1978)
John Carpenter’s Halloween was pivotal in the slasher subgenre’s rise to prominence. The story of Michael Meyers and his Halloween killing spree was made on a modest budget of under a million dollars. Still, it became one of the highest-grossing independent films, tallying over $70 million at the box office. Meyers is the epitome of evil, killing his sister and hunting down Jamie Lee Curtis, who stars as babysitter Laurie Strode.
34. 12 Monkeys (1995)
It’s easy to forget how prolific Bruce Willis was in the 90s. In Terry Gilliam’s seminal post-apocalyptic masterpiece, Willis plays James Cole, a prisoner chosen to go back in time to stop a deadly virus from wiping out almost the entire Earth’s population. Is Cole a madman, or is he really a time-travelling hero?
33. Predator (1987)
Sci-fi, horror, and action all meet and have the most incredible time together in John McTiernan’s 80s testosterone-fueled masterpiece. The director takes audiences on a wild adventure with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers as they become sports for an extraterrestrial in the mood for a good hunt. Known for being the start of an era, it’s no wonder that Reddit agrees that this is one of the best movies of all time.
32. Up (2009)
Pixar’s sentimental, heart-wrenching tale about Carl, a widower living alone who rediscovers that life holds much adventure and joy even after the love of his life dies, is one of the studio’s best movies. Young and old will find something to enjoy in this story about age, youth and friendship.
31. Sideways (2004)
Paul Giamatti’s most poignant role is his performance as Miles Raymond, a depressed teacher and failed writer. The film is whimsical and charming, showing us that happiness can be found even after life has dragged you through the mud and all your plans have failed miserably.
RELATED: The 28 Best Lovecraftian Movies Of All Time
30. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989)
All the original Indiana Jones films are memorable. Still, if you had to pick one, it would be Indie’s adventures with his father, played by Sean Connery, as they hunt for the Holy Grail. The film’s humour, adventure and sense of fun are perfect; Ford and Connery are brilliant as father and son as they fight Nazis and learn to appreciate one another. You can’t go wrong with Indiana Jones, and it’s clear why this is one of the best movies of all time, and why Reddit agrees.
29. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Stunning martial arts sequences, cinematography, and a compelling story of love and honour are entwined in this stunning film that flows like a dream before your eyes. Ang Lee seamlessly directs and cleaves emotion and action to show the world how captivating Eastern cinema can be.
28. Jaws (1975)
Steven Spielberg hit the big time with Jaws, which film historians consider the first real summer blockbuster. Audiences were terrified to swim at the beach after the film showed a coastal resort town plagued by a man-eating great white shark who’s decided to hunt the locals.
27. Ed Wood (1994)
Known more for his Batman films starring Michael Keaton and his artistic relationship with Johnny Depp in films such as Alice in Wonderland and Edward Scissorhands, Burton’s less-known masterpiece, Ed Wood, is a strange and fascinating look at B-movie director Edward D. Wood. Depp is scintillating as Ed and Burton’s visionary direction comes to life in this black-and-white comedy-drama.
26. Fight Club (1999)
David Fincher directs this cult classic, which stars Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden and Ed Norton as the ‘Narrator’. Fincher’s is a brilliant exposé of the mindless, soulless void of consumerism and the emasculation of men as they seek identity and meaning in underground societies like Fight Club. The cult classic was, of course, always going to make the Reddit list for the best movies of all time.
25. Spirited Away (2001)
Considered one of the greatest animated films of all time, Spirited Away is an anime that tells the coming-of-age story of Chihiro, a ten-year-old girl who has to save her parents after they are transformed into pigs. The innocence of childhood and the anxieties of adulthood are explored in this magical adventure.
24. Inception (2010)
After The Dark Knight, Nolan was on a roll and showed how much he adores the James Bond franchise. Nolan mixes the spy genre with science fiction to deliver a tour de force of high-stakes action and drama. Still, unlike those other spy films, most action occurs in dreams.
23. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
One of the greatest sequels ever. Terminator 2 showed that the second film could be better than the first by miles. Arnold became the official king of action in the ’90s after his memorable portrayal of the T-800 Robot from the Future, who now has to protect Sarah and John Connor instead of killing them.
22. Vanilla Sky (2001)
Tom Cruise is fantastic playing the egotistical, vain media magnate David Aames. Director Cameron Crow weaves a magical, beautiful, sad, hopeful fable showing that happiness and contentment can be found in the little things.
21. Mulholland Drive (2001)
The world of David Lynch is bizarre but also poignant and beautiful. On first watch, Mulholland is weird, illogical and confusing as you try to understand what happened to aspiring actress Betty Elms (Naomi Watts), newly arrived in Los Angeles, who meets and befriends an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) recovering from a car accident. Underneath the confusing plot lies a sad tale about how chasing the limelight of Hollywood can turn into a nightmare.
20. Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s terrifying space horror sees a crew from a commercial space tug, Nostromo, come across a mysterious derelict spaceship on an uncharted planetoid and find themselves up against a hostile extraterrestrial that is hunting them. Alien spawned an entire franchise, so obviously it is one of the best movies of all time, and Reddit agrees.
19. The Prestige (2006)
Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are superb as rival magicians in Victorian-era London who attempt to outdo one another with their tricks until things turn deadly. The film takes viewers on a mesmerizing journey in which they are fooled by Nolan as he performs his own magic to trick the audience, leaving them questioning everything they see onscreen.
18. Pulp Fiction (1994)
No one can pay homage to the world of cinema as acutely as Tarantino. Pulp Fiction is his best example of pastiche and Tarantino’s love for classic Hollywood. Clever dialogue and the use of comedy and gratuitous violence made the film a classic. Still, it was also the movie that resurrected John Travolta’s career.
17. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
George Lucas cemented the summer blockbuster with his first Star Wars film. Still, the sequel put the world on notice that Star Wars was not just a fad but a new science fiction epic that became the greatest franchise in film history.
16. Shutter Island (2010)
Martin Scorsese’s brilliant neo-noir psychological thriller focuses on Teddy Daniel (Leonardo DiCaprio), a US Marshal investigating the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient of a psychiatric hospital who had previously drowned her three children. Nothing is what it seems as Teddy learns how harrowing this case really is.
15. The Matrix (1999)
Before the franchise was mauled and destroyed by The Matrix: Resurrections, it was pristine and glistened immaculately and showed how kung fu, science fiction and action could reach dizzying heights of brilliance. The Matrix is a perfect blend of philosophy and cyberpunk adventure.
14. Apocalypto (2006)
Movie heads have never forgotten about Mel Gibson’s historical masterpiece. Dramatic, intense, bloody and thrilling words describe this fast-paced chase through the Central American jungles of the pre-Columbian Mayan Empire. We follow Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) as he attempts to evade a host of slave raiders hunting him so that he can get back to his young, pregnant wife.
13. No Country For Old Men (2007)
Javier Bardem is engrossing as Anton Chigurh, a hitman looking to retrieve $2 million in drug money. Josh Brolin is Llewelyn Moss, a hunter who stumbles on the illicit cash; when he decides to take the money, he puts himself on Anton’s radar.
12. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stanley Kubrick delivers a powerful commentary on individual freedom and state control. The movie shows Alex, played by Malcolm McDowell, who leads a gang of delinquents in acts of grotesque violence – which is turned on him when he is captured and forced to endure remedial torture to fix him. Can humans be reconditioned, and does the state have the power to force their will? Kubrick asks all this and more in this disturbing avant-garde masterpiece.
11. The Dark Knight (2008)
Christian Bale becomes the Dark Knight, who must challenge the Joker (Heath Ledger) to save Gotham. Is the city worth saving, though? Chris Nolan delivers the ultimate Batman movie that eschews the campy versions of the past and showcases Batman as the hero Gotham needs but doesn’t deserve at that moment.
RELATED: Best Movies Of All Time – 15 Must-Watch Movies
10. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
All three movies are brilliant, and picking the best one is tough, so here are all three; they are technically one long movie anyway, just like the books. After many said it was impossible, Peter Jackson did an incredible job bringing Tolkien to life. He doesn’t get everything right, but Jackson gets the heart of the books right: even the least among us can affect positive change and fight evil with good.
9. Taxi Driver (1976)
Martin Scorsese has so many fantastic films under his belt, but Taxi Driver is one of his best. Robert De Niro stars as Travis Bickle, a lonely taxi driver whose mental health is deteriorating. Violent thoughts plague him, all made worse by the city’s decay. Bickle decides he must save a child prostitute, but is he more crazy than the hero?
8. Braveheart (1995)
The incomparable and controversial Mel Gibson delivered a powerful message of freedom by portraying Scottish rebel William Wallace and his fight against the English. Gibson was praised for his portrayal of Wallace and his work behind the camera as director of this classic historical war drama.
7. Apocalypse Now (1979)
The horrors of war can become a journey into the heart of darkness for even the best of men. Martin Sheen is Captain Willard, and he must find and eliminate Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), a once-promising officer who has reportedly gone completely mad.
6. The Godfather (1972)
The mercurial acting genius Marlon Brando portrays Don Vito Corleone, head of a mafia family, who decides to hand the family business to his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino). However, his decision unintentionally puts the lives of his loved ones in grave danger. The mesmerizing transformation of Michael from a reluctant outsider to a ruthless crime lord is one of cinema’s most iconic portrayals.
The Godfather is not only one of the best movies of all time according to Reddit, it is also a pop culture icon.
5. Interstellar (2014)
Misunderstood when it was released, this science fiction odyssey is Nolan at his very best. It mixes science, adventure and drama to deliver one of the most definitive statements on the power of science fiction to date. Matthew McConaughey is fantastic as Cooper, a brilliant space flight captain turned reluctant farmer and saviour of Earth.
4. Blade Runner (1982)
Auteur Ridley Scott’s dystopian saga about synthetic humanoid robots called Replicants is as spectacular now as when it was released. Can robots be autonomous, and do they have freedom? These and other pertinent questions are raised as we follow special agent Rick Deckard as he hunts down rogue Replicants only to uncover something he could never have believed.
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Pure cinema is where everything is communicated to the audience visually more than with didactic dialogue. Kubrick avoids spoon-feeding his audience and forces viewers to think and meditate on the meaning of the images before them. Stunning cinematography and an uncompromising narrative of Man’s relationship to the universe set 2001: A Space Odyssey apart as one of cinema’s most outstanding achievements.
2. The Godfather II (1974)
A riveting tale of deception, betrayal and revenge. We follow the rise and fall of the Corleone family. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) becomes something even his father would be appalled at, as he loses his soul to maintain an iron grip on power. Francis Ford Coppola delivers the greatest sequel ever, with many finding this second instalment in the trilogy better than the first.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a successful banker, is arrested for the murders of his wife and her lover and is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Shawshank prison. Andy maintains his innocence but accepts his fate and becomes a model prisoner others look up to.
One day, Andy gets a chance to change his life and fights for his freedom. Stephen King’s novella of the same name is the basis for this inspirational story of freedom and creating your own destiny, themes which strike at the heart of each individual. Standing the test of time, The Shawshank Redemption has earned its spot at the top on this list of the best movies of all time according to Reddit.
What do you think about this list? Do you agree with Reddit users who think these are some of the best movies of all time?
