My Favorite Films

Behold a list of my all-time favorite films, featuring movies that have been formative to my intellectual and aesthetic tastes (and film education) as well as those that have provided me the most bountiful and voluptuous filmgoing pleasures. I am passionate about all of the following works in one way or another and hold them dear to my heart - they exemplify what cinema means to me.

Note: order is always provisional! I still have so much to see. Although my top ten has remained nearly unchanged for close to a decade, so I feel pretty comfortable about that group.

 

80. The Apu Trilogy, Ray, 1955-1959

79. Close-Up, Kiarostami, 1990

78. Brazil, Gilliam, 1985

77. Amarcord, Fellini, 1973

76. The Seventh Seal, Bergman, 1957

75. Vive L'Amour, Tsai, 1994

74. Diamonds of the Night, Němec, 1964

73. Black Girl, Sembène, 1966
72. Pelle the Conqueror, August, 1988 

71. The Servant, Losey, 1963

 
70. Taste of Cherry, Kiarostami, 1997
69. Empire of the Sun, Spielberg, 1987
68. Mon Oncle, Tati, 1958
67. Swing Time, Stevens, 1936
66. The Blue Angel, Sternberg, 1930
65. The General, Keaton/Bruckman, 1927
64. Little Fugitive, Ashley/Engel/Orkin, 1953
63. Night of the Living Dead, Romero, 1968
62. Cléo from 5 to 7, Varda, 1962

61. Viridiana, Buñuel, 1961

 

60. Mamma Roma, Pasolini, 1962

59. A Serious Man, Coens, 2009

58. To Be or Not to Be, Lubitsch, 1942

57. Tabu: A Story of the South Seas, Murnau, 1931
56. Hour of the Wolf, Bergman, 1968

55. La Jetée, Marker, 1962

54. The Tree of Life, Malick, 2011

53. Howards End, Ivory, 1992

52. Forbidden Games, Clément, 1952   

51. The Right Stuff, Kaufman, 1983

 

50. Lost in Translation, Coppola, 2003

49. The Black Stallion, Ballard, 1979

48. Lawrence of Arabia, Lean, 1962

47. The Draughtsman's Contract, Greenaway, 1982

46. The Long Day Closes, Davies, 1992

45. News from Home, Akerman, 1977

44. The Last Picture Show, Bogdanovich, 1971

43. Vertigo, Hitchcock, 1958

42. Crimes and Misdemeanors, Allen, 1989
41. Woman in the Dunes, Teshigahara, 1964

 

40. Double Indemnity, Wilder, 1944

39. It Happened One Night, Capra, 1934

38. Medium Cool, Wexler, 1969

37. Network, Lumet, 1976

36. Taxi Driver, Scorsese, 1976

35. Il Posto, Olmi, 1961

34. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Dominik, 2007

33. Pitfall, Teshigahara, 1962

32. Ran, Kurosawa, 1985

31. Metropolis, Lang, 1927

30. Ugetsu, Mizoguchi, 1953

29. Le Samouraï, Melville, 1967

28. Hud, Ritt, 1963

27. On the Waterfront, Kazan, 1954

26. The Conversation, Coppola, 1974

25. Once Upon a Time in the West, Leone, 1968

24. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Spielberg, 1982

23. Amadeus, Forman, 1984

22. The Silence, Bergman, 1963

21. Late Spring, Ozu, 1949

20. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, Akerman, 1975

19. The Graduate, Nichols, 1967

18. City Lights, Chaplin, 1931

17. Chinatown, Polanski, 1974

16. Sunset Boulevard, Wilder, 1950

15. Au Revoir les Enfants, Malle, 1987

14. Cries and Whispers, Bergman, 1973

13. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Murnau, 1927

12. 8 1/2, Fellini, 1963

11. The Godfather: Parts I and II, Coppola, 1972/1974

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick, 1968

09. The Passion of Joan of Arc, Dreyer, 1928

08. M, Lang, 1931

07. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Schrader, 1985

06. Apocalypse Now, Coppola, 1979
05. Bicycle Thieves, De Sica, 1948

04. The 400 Blows, Truffaut, 1959

03. Nights of Cabiria, Fellini, 1957

02. Persona, Bergman, 1966

01. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Jackson, 2001-2003