33 movies you must see before you die.
In random order. These films are the best of the best for my taste. I wish I could watch them again for the first time. This list is NOT a copy of the usual "250 best films of all time" list, with Godfather, Shawshank Redemption and Forrest Gump in the top 10. Not to mention, that 90% of the top 250 are more than questionable considering Avatar, Titanic and other milestones don't even make the list. The only aspect that determines whether a film is included in the IMDB's Top 250 is the average rating by the mass of viewers. My list here is different. My list focuses on:
- best entertainment factor
- outstanding cinematography and visuals
- outstanding actors
- the message of the movie
- the absolute lack of boredom
- unique movie experience
List activity
4.5K views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
33 titles
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsGerardo TaracenaRaoul Max TrujilloDalia HernándezAs the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.This film is an experience when you see it for the first time. I'm not necessarily a fan of indigenous movies, but this film captivated me. You will feel shocked, then you will feel frightened by the cold-hearted masses of people when they celebrate cruelty. this film is about the dark side of human nature. You will forget that you are watching a movie.
There's one scene in particular, that I think is the most haunting I've ever seen in a film. But that's not all. More is to come. Watch the movie and you will find yourself in a nightmare. My rating is 10/10.
By the way, most of the movies on this list are not appropriate for children - especially this one. - DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsWill SmithAlice BragaCharlie TahanYears after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.perhaps this is the best movie about "the last human on earth". and it is one of the best zombie apocalypse movies. My rating is 10/10.
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseEmily BluntBill PaxtonA soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.It doesn't get better than this. Edge of Tomorrow has a fascinating story about a time loop caused by advanced extraterrestrial alien technology. Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton keep you captivated throughout the playtime. ------------------> All actors are doing great. Brandon Gleeson is a perfect cast as well. And the team of Bill Paxton in the role of the Sergeant. Bill Paxton is hilarious in that role in the most positive way. He alone is worth watching the movie. My rating is 10/10. Edge of Tomorrow has no weaknesses.
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsBrad DavisIrene MiracleBo HopkinsBilly Hayes, an American college student, is caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey and thrown into prison.An underestimated movie based on a true story that deserves more attention. although it won an Oscar, I never heard anyone talking about this one. Writer and screenplay: Oliver Stone. shocking, heartbreaking. a must-watch. My rating is 9/10.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HardyWill PoulterA frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.About suffering, the loss of loved ones and living through hell. There are many incredible scenes. The bear scene is undoubtedly the most breathtaking bear attack in a film. shockingly realistic. the film deserved the Oscars. 10/10.
- DirectorMarc ForsterStarsBrad PittMireille EnosDaniella KerteszFormer United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatens to destroy humanity itself.Like "Left 4 Dead" with even more zombies. This film will take your breath away with countless apocalyptic scenes.
You see Brad Pitt throwing a grenade into a horde of attacking zombies in a jumbo jet at an altitude of 30,000 feet at a speed of 580 mp/h. A hole in the jumbo jet sucks them out and some of them are sucked into the turbine......
Hundreds of thousands (!) of zombies are shown in Israel and around Jerusalem.
Tens of thousands of zombies climb up a 100-foot wall on a pile of zombies and invade the city of Jerusalem.
One of my top 3 films about the zombie apocalypse.
Vastly Underrated. - DirectorAdam McKayStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJennifer LawrenceMeryl StreepTwo low-level astronomers must go on a giant media tour to warn humankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.very entertaining. satire with fantastic actors and a more realistic plot as some people might think. I want to mention that this is not a science fiction movie, even if it is classified as science fiction from IMDB. That was a mistake.
My rating is 10/10. - DirectorAlbert HughesAllen HughesStarsDenzel WashingtonMila KunisRay StevensonA drifter fights his way across a ravaged, post-apocalyptic America while protecting a sacred book that holds the secrets to humanity's salvation.must watch. apocalyptic. underrated. WATCH IT! 9/10
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Just in case you don't like fighting films: it is NOT A FIGHTING FILM. It's a brilliant film and Brad Pitt's best role in my opinion. In my personal Opinion, Top 3 of the best movies ever. because of the message, and the meaning behind Fight Club. 10/10. The main story is about a spiritual awakening process caused by tremendous mental suffering. The suffering is the result of identification with the ego, which sooner or later always leads to depression. Identification with the roles we play in a hypocritical society and identification with the things we own. These are big mistakes, and the protagonist makes them all. Nobody can help him, because nobody knows the reasons for his suffering, not even the doctor. then the process of awakening begins, it is a self-healing process of the protagonist's psyche: a psychosis. it happens unconsciously, the subconscious of the main character creates a hallucination: a man who shows him the root of the problem and what he has to change in his life to solve the problem. there are many different, false explanations for Fight Club. this is the only true explanation for Fight Club and what the main story is about.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittElliot PageA thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.Inception lets you sink into it until you forget you're watching a movie.
It's not just about that ingenious idea of sharing dreams and manipulating thoughts. There are incredible visuals. Outstanding actors with Cillian Murphy, Leonardo di Caprio, Tom Hardy and Gordon Levit in perfectly fitting roles.
And there is a complex story with many facets. On the other hand, it is easy to follow the story, since it will capture your interest for sure.
What got me the most though was the the subplot of Cobb's secret. You will develop empathy for Cobb and start to feel his sadness. His desperation. Nolan created a fascinating story about Cobb's life that will stick to you - perhaps forever.
Just to give you a glimpse of what his life is like: he already lived in another realm, and grew old in it. Then he returned to his old real life, where he was a young man when he changed the realm. Then he entered another realm to grow old in it again, followed by another return to the old and real young man's life.
If this isn't mind-blowing I don't know what else would be. - DirectorDavid MichôdStarsGuy PearceRobert PattinsonScoot McNairy10 years after a global economic collapse, a hardened loner pursues the men who stole his only possession, his car. Along the way, he captures one of the thieves' brother, and the duo form an uneasy bond during the dangerous journey.First of all: The plot description of IMDB is wrong. The movie is NOT about "his only possession, his car". The one who is responsible for that misleading description should get fired.
This is a hidden gem, and vastly underrated.
A movie, about a world in which friendship, love, and loyalty are the only reasons left to live. Don't miss that movie. Outstanding, and underrated. Guy Pearce with method acting. My rating is 9/10.
It is a slow and silent thriller with a ton of atmosphere thanks to Guy Pearce. It's perfect. It is not as freaky as the Mad Max movies - it's even better. It is serious, almost depressive.
Most importantly: the incredible performance from Guy Pierce. This movie is all about empathy for the protagonist. I love his role in this movie. 'Fear the man who has nothing left to lose' is the perfect description.
Guy Pierce is playing a broken man. A sad man who has lost everything. He only speaks if necessary. But then his life changed: the last thing that meant something to him had been stolen coincidentally, and he would do anything to get it back. He turns into an angry man inside, - and as I said before, it is not his car that the story is all about. It will be resolved in the final scene of the movie.
Robert Pattinson is also doing great.
Vastly underrated - DirectorRidley ScottStarsNoomi RapaceLogan Marshall-GreenMichael FassbenderFollowing clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.Alien Prequel, mindblowing visuals and tension. The average rating of 7.0 stars out of 10 is way too low. without a doubt, Prometheus is one of the greatest science fiction horror thrillers. again: the overwhelming visual effects. My rating is 9/10.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMichael FassbenderKatherine WaterstonBilly CrudupThe crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination, and must attempt a harrowing escape.Alien Prequel No. 2 is connected to the first prequel and is just as amazing as the first one. My rating is 9/10.
You might be wondering why Alien the Original is not on this list. My answer: Because it doesn't meet the requirements listed above: the cinematography and the acting are too old-fashioned, except Sigourney Weaver's. She is outstanding in the original as well as in all of her Alien movies.
Overall, these 2 prequels are the best for my taste. I hope that the next film in the franchise, "Alien Romulus" will be as excellent as these 2 prequels. It will be released in 2024, - CreatorCraig MazinStarsJessie BuckleyJared HarrisStellan SkarsgårdIn April 1986, the city of Chernobyl in the Soviet Union suffers one of the worst nuclear disasters in the history of mankind. Consequently, many heroes put their lives on the line in the following days, weeks and months.This is a 5-hour and 30-minute movie in 5 parts and they call it mini-series. One of the best movies ever made. It's eye-opening, shocking and reveals the unsettling truth. Especially if you're a young person. this a must-watch!! All of these 5 parts are fantastic. the last part, the trial, has a public IMDB rating of 9.8! Check it out, it is indeed 9.8 as the average of 70k votes in May 2024. So, there must be something outstanding in it, doesn't it? This is the reason, look here:
What led to the biggest disaster of mankind besides war, was only a handful of people who wanted to push their careers. These people in charge ignored all restrictions and safety regulations to further their careers. This is insanity. Their careers were more important to them than the safety of millions of people—an act of selfishness, greed and ignorance.
Watch this, if you want to know what happened in 1986 and how close it was to an even bigger disaster (hidden from the public - as it turned out) which would have turned most of Russia and parts of East Europe into inhabital
radioactive wasteland and killed millions more people.
what must mankind learn here: the threat is the people behind nuclear power - it is not nuclear power itself. My rating is 10/10 because of revealing the truth, the outstanding actors, the screenplay, and the movie's message to make menkind learn from it. - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsMatthew McConaugheyAnne HathawayJessica ChastainWhen Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans..
"Woohoo!! ...... ready for the next trick?"
Answer from the robot:
"It'll have to be good.. We're heading into Gargantua's pull..... ."
(which is a nearby black hole).
Interstellar is an epic science fiction movie. Travelling through a wormhole is not enough. This movie shows everything, even what it is like, when entering a black hole - a singularity with all the consequences in spacetime in terms of relativity. And it will give you goosebumps and tears towards the end. It is a lot about the meaning of life and the purpose of love. Again: purpose of love. Chris Nolan is not only a filmmaker artist and story writer. He is a wise man. I deeply admire his art. My rating is 10/10. - DirectorCameron CroweStarsTom CruisePenélope CruzCameron DiazA self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.mind blowing. mind-bending. but in the end it all makes perfect sense. very underrated movie. My rating is 9/10.
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaniel CraigChris EvansAna de ArmasA detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.NO NO NO WAIT! I refused to watch this family comedy-drama with James Bond for several years until I finally had nothing better to do and watched the 2nd part first (the sequel "Glass Onion"), because of Edward Norton, a divinely talented actor. Then I thought, well, that was stunningly good, Daniel Craig is a fantastic comedian. I couldn't believe it. Then, I finally saw the original "Knives Out" and all I can say is that it's a perfect comedy-drama with a fantastic plot and story that I won't spoil here. Trust me when I tell you that you won't be wasting your time. It's brilliant. My rating is 9/10.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.In case you don't know and think the film is old-fashioned and hyped: it's not. Pulp Fiction is perhaps the best film ever made, and it features the coolest and funniest scenes that lead to even more hilarious scenes. great actors, and a great script. It is very violent though. My rating is 10/10.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonMarton CsokasChloë Grace MoretzA man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him cannot stand idly by when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters.the greatest and most mind-blowing movie about a 1 man-army guy, who kicks the asses of people who deserve it. no other movie like this comes even close to it. better than John Wick and more realistic. My rating is 10/10.
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsDenzel WashingtonPedro PascalAshton SandersRobert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?this sequel is as mind-blowing as the original. The newly released 3rd part takes it to the next level and is highly recommended as the original and the sequel. My rating of the sequel is 9/10.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsCillian MurphyNaomie HarrisChristopher EcclestonFour weeks after a mysterious, incurable virus spreads throughout the UK, a handful of survivors try to find sanctuary.extremly thrilling and apocalyptic.
- DirectorPierre MorelStarsLiam NeesonMaggie GraceFamke JanssenA retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris."I have no time for mercy and fear".
After the introduction of the characters, the film turns into a high-speed train of "tell me what I want to know or I'll kick your ass like no one ever has".
No other film has this kind of non-stop high-tension action. an absolute must-see. the best of the genre. second to none. my raitig is 09/10. - DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason StathamHolt McCallanyJosh HartnettA mysteriously stoic character is hired as a security guard by a cash truck company responsible for transporting a lot of money around Los Angeles each week.This remake of an old movie is entertaining, brutal, and extremely impressive. It's Stratham's best movie. I am not a fan of his "Transporter" movies. But this one plays in a different league. I don't see any weaknesses. I rated it 09/10.
- DirectorZak HilditchStarsJessica De GouwNathan PhillipsDavid FieldA self-obsessed young man makes his way to the party-to-end-all-parties on the last day on Earth, but ends up saving the life of a little girl searching for her father. Their relationship ultimately leads him on the path to redemption.This movie might start an awakening process. it
kicks the viewer out of auto-pilot mode when they are watching the final 20 minutes with tears in their eyes. this movie has the most powerful message of any film that I know. many people in the modern Western world forget to think about the most important question of all: what is the meaning of life? what is life, what are we living for? but as soon as we know we will die for sure soon, due to a disease or an unavoidable lethal event, we start to think about these questions. this movie makes one thing pretty clear: on the last day on Earth, suddenly we see what matters in our lives. material things have no value at all. It is the non-material things that matter, they stay forever.
(think about it this way: even nonmaterial art stays forever. For example, Mozart's compositions. you get the point)
Things like friendship, compassion, love, forgiveness, and honesty, are the only things that matter if you think about it. your good and bad actions, compassion and helping other people. even on the last minute of Earth, just one thing matters: love.
So, even from a rational and logical point of view, love has the highest requirements of anything that can evolve in a universe. therefore everything supports the theory, that love is the purpose of the universe.
If this isn't a great message, I don't know what else would be. Vastly underrated. My rating is 9/10. - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsTom CruiseNicole KidmanTodd FieldA Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.Many people who watched this for the first time say, this is a "once in a lifetime" experience when it comes to movies. By the way, this movie has a suspicious background story: build up your own opinion due to these facts: the producers have seen the version of Stanley Kubrick - his final cut before the movies went public. a few days later Kubrick unexpectedly died. it was before the movie was released. then, the producers cut 20 minutes out and released the movie to the public. so they released a different version than Kubrick's. That is very suspicious, to say the least. My rating is 10/10.
the story is about a Satanistic occult ritual, a sex orgy. the cult members are leading politics, leaders of the world, and the elites. totally shocking and mindblowing, because it's not only fiction. Stanley Kubrick wanted to show the world a sign, of what the Illuminati cult is about. if you missed watching this movie in your life, you missed one of the most important and shocking movies ever made. In my book, it's Kubrick's greatest movie. Stanley Kubrick was not a weirdo, he had an IQ of 200 - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsJohn David WashingtonRobert PattinsonElizabeth DebickiArmed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.inversed entropy. What a fantastic idea. My rating is 9/10.
- DirectorMichael SpierigPeter SpierigStarsEthan HawkeSarah SnookNoah TaylorAs his last assignment, a temporal agent is tasked to travel back in time and prevent a bomb attack in New York in 1975. The hunt, however, turns out to be beyond the bounds of possibility.mindblowing stunning, mind bending. My rating is 8/10.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.10/10 is my rating. It is one of these movies you will never forget in your life. If you like surreal movies, this is one of the best if not the best. many people love it, but a lot of people don't understand the storytelling. Just in case you are one of them and are struggling to understand the movie here is the explanation in spoiler. I have read many different attempts at explanations. But it's not that difficult. A few minutes after the start, at minute 2:29, there's an important scene. It's a very underrated and overlooked scene because it's the most important scene in the story: someone is sleeping in a bed and the camera zooms in. That's it. About 100 minutes later, there's another key scene for the story: Betty (Naomi Watts) wakes up. Suddenly, the mood of the movie changes from surreal to realistic. Strange and surreal things have happened in the 100 minutes before Naomi Watts wakes up. What does all this tell the audience? They have been watching a dream for 100 minutes! A dream of Bettie. That explains everything. Dreams show our fears, desires, hopes and feelings in symbols. Dreams are a perfect way to show the state of a person's soul and how they feel inside. Bettie's soul was in a state of unfulfilled longings, disappointment and the resulting depression. The reason for Bettie's suicide at the end of the movie. What a brilliant move by David Lynch. Perhaps it is his best movie. And as you can see, Mulholland Drive makes perfect sense.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsTom CruiseJack NicholsonDemi MooreMilitary lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee defends Marines accused of murder. They contend they were acting under orders.Jack Nicholson is terrific in this one. I am not a fan of his, but he plays perfectly in the role of a tyrannic colonel and battalion commander who ignores human rights. The counterpart is played by a disrespectful young lawyer (Tom Cruise), who doesn't take the matter seriously at first. It starts slowly, but the tension builds steadily until a spectacular finale. A must-see movie. It doesn't get any better than this. 10/10
- DirectorGeorge NolfiStarsMatt DamonEmily BluntLisa ThoresonThe affair between a politician and a contemporary dancer is affected by mysterious forces keeping the lovers apart.overwhelming story and acting, full of surprises. keeps you on the edge of your seat. underrated. My rating is 8.5/10.
- DirectorEric BressJ. Mackye GruberStarsAshton KutcherAmy SmartMelora WaltersEvan Treborn suffers blackouts during significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life by reading his journal.A mind-bending story, with disturbing scenes, but in the end it all makes sense. This is one of the movies one could watch repeatingly and it wouldn't get boring because there are many details that are easily overlooked at the first watch. 08/10
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsBrad PittDiane KrugerEli RothIn Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.Tarantino's best movie behind Pulp Fiction. very violent though. perhaps a bit too much, but, this is what Tarantino is known for. It's not the violence, it is the perfect actors and these hilarious scenes that justify being considered one of the best movies ever made and one of Tarantino's best movies. it doesn't get better than this. My rating is 10/10.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.Perhaps the most captivating movie ever. Everyone with a glimpse of empathy will get sucked into this saddest love story ever.