A consensus-led selection of five landmark films, balancing critical stature, influence, craft, resonance, and broad appeal.
A formally dazzling crime epic whose influence, performances, and enduring critical stature make it a defining American film.
Consistently represented in major all-time cinema discussions and recognized for exceptional filmmaking craft and cultural influence.We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A breathtaking meditation on memory, power, and cinema that remains a towering achievement in visual storytelling.
Frequently included among the greatest films in expert surveys and editorial all-time lists, with exceptional influence and formal ambition.We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A richly imaginative animated masterpiece that expanded global ideas of what popular cinema could achieve.
Empire’s readers and critics specifically highlight its groundbreaking influence, imaginative imagery, and lasting international reach.We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
A genre-defying South Korean thriller whose precision, tension, and social insight have made it a modern classic.
Empire describes it as genre-defying, expertly tense, and historically significant as the first non-English-language Best Picture winner.We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
An intimate, visually inventive coming-of-age story whose emotional clarity and technical achievement endure across generations.
Time Out praises its emotional range, fully realized characters, and mature themes of growing up and letting go.We earn commission from qualifying purchases.
Three independent write-ins unlock an honorable mention. The 10 strongest active mentions are shown; inactive mentions archive after 12 months. At 25 recent votes, a contender is scored for possible automatic Top 5 promotion.
No honorable mentions yet. Community suggestions appear below while they gather support.
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The five criteria create the AI baseline. The community adjustment is then added or subtracted to produce the current published score.
| Criterion | #1The Godfather | #2Citizen Kane | #3Spirited Away | #4Parasite | #5Toy Story |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 99 | 97 | 97 | 94 | |
| 99 | 98 | 98 | 96 | 96 | |
| 99 | 100 | 98 | 97 | 95 | |
| 98 | 98 | 96 | 96 | 94 | |
| 94 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 96 | |
| AI baseline scoreWeighted criteria result | 98.0 | 97.2 | 96.2 | 95.4 | 94.9 |
| Community adjustmentVote-share influence | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Current published scoreBaseline + community | 98 | 97 | 96 | 95 | 95 |
The five criteria create the AI baseline. The community adjustment is then added or subtracted to produce the current published score.
| Criterion | #1The Godfather | #2Citizen Kane | #3Spirited Away | #4Parasite | #5Toy Story |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 99 | 97 | 97 | 94 | |
| 99 | 98 | 98 | 96 | 96 | |
| 99 | 100 | 98 | 97 | 95 | |
| 98 | 98 | 96 | 96 | 94 | |
| 94 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 96 | |
| AI baseline scoreWeighted criteria result | 98.0 | 97.2 | 96.2 | 95.4 | 94.9 |
| Community adjustmentVote-share influence | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Current published scoreBaseline + community | 98 | 97 | 96 | 95 | 95 |
Choose any two contenders.
We’ll line up what matters.
1972
1941
Francis Ford Coppola
Orson Welles
Crime drama
Drama
English
English
United States
United States
Subjective ranking synthesized from recurring critical, reader, and institutional consensus, with scores assigned against the five published criteria.