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


40 to 11

40. Scarface (1983)
Al Pacino's Tony Montana may be endlessly seen as a cinematic mentor to many hip-hop artists and rappers, but this Oliver Stone-written, Brian De Palma-directed, cocaine-orientated film is a stunning achievement in terms of performance, over-the-top yet clear storytelling, and iconography. JG

39. Platoon (1986)
Oliver Stone's 1986 Best Picture winner stems from his own personal experiences and the presentation of violence and the moral ambiguity created by the realities of guerilla warfare is as authentic as any war movie ever made. JG

38. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) [DVD Review]
Two heartthrobs master the conventions of the buddy movie formula. Paul Newman and Robert Redford share a natural chemistry all too rare in film history. JG

37. The Godfather Part II (1974)
Coppola weaves a beautifully intricate yarn which proves sequels can seriously push their predecessors in regards to momentous viewing pleasure. JG

36. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) [DVD Review]
Defines the term 'action adventure', for good reason. Harrison Ford embodies one of cinema's greatest characters. RM

35. Forrest Gump (1994) [DVD Review]
How can one film say so much about American culture? Zemeckis and Hanks create the feel of distorted Americana with glorious aplomb. JG

34. Se7en (1995)
David Fincher's grisly serial killer thriller is mostly remembered for the horrific murder scenes, but it's the flawless hard-hitting ending that really leaves its mark. RM

33. Raging Bull (1980)
Scorsese's venture into authentic grandeur oozes savage machismo. Like always, De Niro's extraordinary performance is an extension of his director's vision in front of the camera. What an animalistic yet soulful partnership they make with their biographical tale of Jake La Motta. JG

32. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The 'difficult second film' is carried off with aplomb by Peter Jackson, who makes the battle of Helm's Deep one of cinema's greatest combat sequences. RM

31. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
David Lean's stunning 70mm epic biopic is a completely engrossing look at a unique individual, and launched the career of Peter O'Toole. RM

30. Back to the Future (1985)
A brilliantly structured script with a killer concept and a wonderful sense of humour make Back to the Future a nostalgic treat. An unbeatable advert for DeLorean, too. RM

29. Rear Window (1954) [DVD Review]
A glance at James Stewart's eyes confirm the fact that nobody after Hitchcock has ever been able to suspend an audience in ignorant bliss quite like the tubby auteur. Exquisite and undiminished, just like Grace Kelly's vintage beauty. JG

28. Goldfinger (1964) [DVD Review]
The James Bond prototype which has indirectly influenced every action thriller post-1964. JG

27. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The template for how blockbuster sequels should be made. Larger in scope, darker in tone, Empire is the film that ensured the Star Wars films would endure for so long. RM

26. Taxi Driver (1976) [DVD Review]
An undisputed masterpiece from Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro's career-defining anti-hero, a faultless rookie turn from Jodie Foster, and a chilling soundtrack contribute to one of the film world's finest works. JG

25. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The first of Peter Jackson's trilogy proved that the material was in good hands. The utilisation of the untouched New Zealand scenery was a masterstroke that provided a beautiful backdrop to the adventure. Stunning, emotional, thrilling: perfect escapism. RM

24. Star Wars (1977)
Two years after Jaws came the film that decisively ushered in, for good or bad, the age of the summer blockbuster. George Lucas's iconic space opera took standard fairytale conventions - a young hero coming of age, a princess to rescue, etc. - and applied a wonderful original spin on them. RM

23. The Godfather (1972)
Coppola chronicles the life and times of the Corleone family with delightful operatic ease and masterminds an offer one cannot refuse. Quite possibly the greatest cast in cinema history, the portrayal of the royal-esque mobsters draws on vast psychological depth and complexity. JG

22. Jackie Brown (1997)
The only film by Quentin Tarantino based on previously existing source material, Jackie Brown is mature, confident and rewarding. RM

21. The Terminator (1984)
Arnold Schwarzenegger's iconic mainstream breakthrough is hardly the showcase of a thespian but James Cameron's film is much more than just The Governator's cyborg assassin. A hybrid of genres, The Terminator obeys sci-fi and action constraints with superb aplomb, and even ventures into horror. JG

20. Zodiac (2007)
An epic true crime story with an obsessive attention to detail. David Fincher makes incredible use of the latest CGI, but you wouldn't know it - it's that good. Rarely, if ever, has an on-film investigation been so believable, meticulous, shocking and fascinating. RM

19. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) [DVD Review]
A magnificent conclusion to the trilogy, driven by the chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Let's hope the new instalment doesn't tarnish the memory. RM

18. Casino (1995)
The f-word is used 398 times and Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro swap New York for the glistening neon light of Las Vegas. An enthralling and detailed analysis of mob dealings in the desert with another magnetic performance from Joe Pesci drenched in his unique caustic nature. JG

17. The Untouchables (1987)
De Niro steals the show in De Palma's masterpiece as a delectably evil Al Capone but Connery and Costner are perfectly cast as the honorable law-protectors. The staircase montage is an exemplary instance of bona fide cinematic tension. JG

16. Jurassic Park (1993)
When CGI came of age. Amazingly, the effects still look good compared to current blockbusters, and the premise is unbeatable. Classic Spielberg. RM

15. Ocean's Eleven (2001) [DVD Review]
An extraordinary cast creates an elaborate sting involving a number of interlocked distractions that must be coordinated precisely. Sounds complicated but Soderbergh concocts a caper flick which simply epitomises coolness. JG

14. L.A. Confidential (1997)
An exquisite modern noir that creates a seamless 50s aura and has an amazing all-star cast. In particular, Kevin Spacey and Russell Crowe are standouts, while Guy Pearce does extremely well in a relatively thankless 'good guy' role. RM

13. Fargo (1996)
The Coens' take on normality gone awry is arguably their finest work. The extremely black hilarity has resulted in a highly original classic featuring the most original and least-flamboyant Best Actress Oscar winning performance in history from Frances McDormand. JG

12. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The first film to cost $100 million puts almost every subsequent mega-budget blockbuster to shame. Schwarzenegger returns to the role he was born to play and the combination of Robert Patrick and some groundbreaking computer wizardry create a menacing villain. Relentless and enthralling. RM

11. JFK (1991)
Regardless of the fact that it's almost complete fiction, Oliver Stone's controversial film depicting the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy is exceptionally compelling filmmaking that weaves a captivating and persuasive spell. RM

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