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The Best Movies Of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated February 23, 2021 6.1m votes 432.5k 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
59,056
22,959
Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks, Sally Field
Released: 1994
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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2
103,459
41,444
The Shawshank Redemption
Morgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth
Released: 1994
Directed by: Frank Darabont
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3
51,518
18,794
Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon
Released: 1998
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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4
31,283
12,188
Toy Story
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
Released: 1995
Directed by: John Lasseter
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5
20,073
9,726
Catch Me If You Can
Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio
Released: 2002
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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6
28,758
10,591
The Green Mile
Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise
Released: 1999
Directed by: Frank Darabont
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7
78,356
45,643
The Dark Knight
Christian Bale, Michael Caine
Released: 2008
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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8
38,846
23,673
The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
Released: 1991
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
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9
14,723
6,607
Cast Away
Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt
Released: 2000
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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10
43,749
28,068
Back to the Future
Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
Released: 1985
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
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11
23,896
14,330
Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
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12
28,880
17,743
Braveheart
Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau
Released: 1995
Directed by: Mel Gibson
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13
35,574
21,619
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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14
20,419
12,698
The Terminator
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Paxton
Released: 1984
Directed by: James Cameron
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15
21,747
13,282
Die Hard
Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman
Released: 1988
Directed by: John McTiernan
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16
18,558
10,931
Full Metal Jacket
Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey
Released: 1987
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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17
16,041
9,543
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Released: 1983
Directed by: Richard Marquand
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18
23,408
13,615
The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers (2002)
Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen
Released: 2002
Directed by: Peter Jackson
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19
17,910
10,683
Alien
Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt
Released: 1979
Directed by: Ridley Scott
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20
26,359
16,098
The Shining
Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall
Released: 1980
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
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21
35,615
21,408
Inception
Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy
Released: 2010
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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22
12,899
7,005
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Harrison Ford, Sean Connery
Released: 1989
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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23
16,797
9,406
Scarface
Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer
Released: 1983
Directed by: Brian De Palma
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24
21,868
13,524
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong
Released: 1991
Directed by: James Cameron
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25
16,345
9,486
The Sixth Sense
Bruce Willis, Mischa Barton
Released: 1999
Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan
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