Welcome to the official Filmverdict Top 100 Films! This list has been compiled, using incredibly complex mathematical algorithms (i.e. guesswork) and a lot of deliberation, to celebrate the first birthday of Filmverdict. Remember these results reflect the personal opinions of two people, so this list is by its nature hugely subjective and is not presumed to be at all exhaustive. Nonetheless, enjoy! - Rich (RM)
100-71 | 70-41 | 40-11 | 10-1
70 to 41
70. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) [DVD Review]
Sergio Leone and Robert De Niro - one of those collaborations filmgoers
dream of. A gangster epic on a sprawling scale. JG
69. Vertigo (1958)
A Hitchcock psychological thriller that keeps you guessing throughout.
A beautiful accomplishment which has welcomed hosts of stylistic and
thematic imitators since. JG
68. The French Connection (1971)
William Friedkin illustrates how "based on a true story" crime can be
expertly captured on celluloid. He may be overzealous, alcoholic and bigoted
but Gene Hackman's Det. Popeye Doyle is one of cinema's greatest-ever
heroes. JG
67. American Beauty (1999)
Alan Ball's darkly comedic script and Kevin Spacey's Oscar-winning deadpan performance make for an insightful look at American suburbia. RM
66. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep and Christopher Walken are on fine form in the 1978 Best Picture Oscar winner from Michael Cimino. The famed Russian roulette scene is astonishingly powerful. JG
65. Airplane! (1980)
Features the highest gag-per-minute ratio of any film ever made. Fact. RM
64. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Classic mockumentary which is turned up to 11 throughout. JG
63. The Lion King (1994)
Disney's reworking of Hamlet on the savannah is a touching journey with many iconic characters and a great soundtrack by Elton John and Tim Rice. RM
62. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
A rookie Quentin Tarantino incorporates many of the themes and aesthetics that have become his hallmarks here: violent crime, pop culture references, memorable dialogue and nonlinear stories. JG
61. Ben-Hur (1959)
Possibly the most spectacular film ever, Ben-Hur still astounds with its magificent sets and the absolutely stunning chariot race that is almost unbeatable for getting the adrenaline pumping. RM
60. Mean Streets (1973)
Marty "Maestro" Scorsese at his raw and visceral best. JG
59. Rain Man (1988)
Dustin Hoffman proves again why he is one of Hollywood's greatest with his
autistic turn, whilst director Barry Levinson confirms Tom Cruise's star status. JG
58. Miller's Crossing (1990)
The Coen brothers' overlooked gem, Miller's Crossing is a complex gangster yarn displaying their peerless ear for dialogue. Rewards, and demands, repeat viewings. RM
57. Alien (1979) [DVD Review]
Superb production design and a truly memorable creature are just two of Alien's many successes. RM
56. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
A Will Ferrell quote-a-thon with an original take on the scotch-swigging
seventies. JG
55. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick's multi-layered existential space journey still provokes impassioned debate to this day. The effects still hold up too. RM
54. The Green Mile (1999)
Michael Clarke Duncan and Tom Hanks draw on emotions an individual never
realises they have. The journey through the deep and dark underbelly of the
prison microcosm is instantly memorable. JG
53. City of God [Citade de Deus] (2002)
Goodfellas in the favelas. Fernando Meirelles uses untrained actors and the real locations to gripping and heartbreaking effect. RM
52. Schindler's List (1993)
Spielberg's biographical Holocaust tale of Oskar Schindler gained his first
Best Director Oscar. A tender dose of inspired filmmaking which fully
justifies all the critical acclaim. JG
51. There's Something About Mary (1998) [DVD Review]
The Farrelly Brothers in their finest hour of trademark gross-out hilarity.
The deranged romance of Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller is squirm-inducing but
extremely worthwhile, especially for the uproarious mistaken hitchhiker interrogation sequence. JG
50. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The trilogy concludes with some of the most monumental battles ever filmed, but crucially it doesn't forget about the personal journeys of the characters. RM
49. Dances with Wolves (1990)
The film that some people were predicting would end Kevin Costner's career turned out to be a majestic revisionist epic for the ages. RM
48. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
The ultimate teen flick and the template for high quality attempts which
have followed in the genre. JG
47. Batman Begins (2005) [Cinema Review/DVD Review]
An absolutely enthralling rebirth of the iconic Caped Crusader. RM
46. The Departed (2006) [Cinema Review/DVD Review]
Scorsese's Oscar-winner may be late but the wait has made the Boston-based
drama even sweeter. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon make fine foes and Nicholson is unmissable in his "Just Jack!"-persona swansong. JG
45. Unforgiven (1992)
A perfect partner to his earlier forays into the western genre, Clint Eastwood
steps into the director's chair and is greeted with a much-deserved Oscar
statuette for his efforts. JG
44. The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter's best film is this gripping Antartic-set sci-fi thriller. Few films boast as much tension. RM
43. Dirty Harry (1971)
Clint Eastwood and his .44 Magnum were born companions. JG
42. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Sergio Leone's wonderful homage to the traditional American western was also his final entry in the genre he revived. RM
41. Ronin (1998)
John Frankenheimer's action thriller contains an underrated De Niro
performance, an intriguing MacGuffin and one of the greatest car chases in
cinema history. JG
Next 30 >>
Got any comments? Sign the Guestbook!
Text copyright Filmverdict 2006. Any film stills are copyright of their respective owners. Used without permission, sorry!
