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The Best Movies Of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated April 7, 2021 6.0m votes 433.7k voters 16.1m views4.8k items

List RulesVote up the top movies of all time.

These are the best movies of all time, ranked by movie experts and film fans alike. What are the greatest movies in cinema history? This list of the top films ever made was created by taking best movie suggestions from Ranker users and letting them vote to determine which famous movies are the best ever made.

So, what are the best movies of all time? The list includes a wide range of films from all over the world, from art house European cinema to top action films and must-see blockbusters to established, highly-regarded classics of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The entries span many genres and include some of the greatest movie villains created by the best writers and top film directors in the industry. Included are movies that were recognized in their own time – including a number of Academy Award recipients and even Best Picture selections – as well as cult movies or sleeper hits that took time to find an audience. 1994 American drama film Shawshank Redemption, for example, was not highly regarded or popular in theaters when it first opened, but has since risen to the top 10 of many best movie lists.

If your favorite movies still aren't included with this ranking of good movies to watch, add them by clicking "rerank" below to make your own list. Or just vote for the top rated movies below that are most worthy of the title of the greatest movie ever. Also, check out Ranker's lists of the greatest actors of all time.

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1
58,657
22,954
Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks, Sally Field
Released: 1994
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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2
101,248
41,008
The Shawshank Redemption
Morgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth
Released: 1994
Directed by: Frank Darabont
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3
50,493
18,558
Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon
Released: 1998
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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4
30,725
12,193
Toy Story
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Released: 1995
Directed by: John Lasseter
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5
19,767
9,810
Catch Me If You Can
Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio
Released: 2002
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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6
28,200
10,552
The Green Mile
Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise
Released: 1999
Directed by: Frank Darabont
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7
76,775
45,125
The Dark Knight
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Released: 2008
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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8
14,785
6,652
Cast Away
Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt
Released: 2000
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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9
38,084
23,487
The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
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10
28,347
17,486
Braveheart
Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau
Released: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
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11
23,420
14,186
Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
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12
42,901
27,785
Back to the Future
Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
Released: 1985
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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13
16,508
9,288
Scarface
Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer
Released: 1983
Directed by: Brian De Palma
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14
38,483
23,666
The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (2003)
Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen
Released: 2003
Directed by: Peter Jackson
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15
23,030
13,484
The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (2002)
Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen
Released: 2002
Directed by: Peter Jackson
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16
34,862
21,224
The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen
Released: 2001
Directed by: Peter Jackson
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17
18,194
10,809
Full Metal Jacket
Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey
Released: 1987
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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18
25,821
15,826
The Shining
Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall
Released: 1980
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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19
16,055
9,337
The Sixth Sense
Bruce Willis, Mischa Barton
Released: 1999
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
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20
12,662
6,945
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Harrison Ford, Sean Connery
Released: 1989
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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21
17,652
10,630
Alien
Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
Released: 1979
Directed by: Ridley Scott
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22
15,771
9,480
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1983
Directed by: Richard Marquand
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23
21,494
13,345
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong
Released: 1991
Directed by: James Cameron
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24
20,054
12,541
The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Paxton
Released: 1984
Directed by: James Cameron
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25
34,849
21,167
Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Released: 2010
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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