Spider-Man 2
The visuals and story of Spider-Man 2, highlighted by iconic moments, an unforgettable villain, and a compelling arc for Peter coming to terms with his role as both person and superhero, make the film not just one of the best superhero films of all time but simply one of the Greatest Films of All Time.
Cold War
Pawel Pawlikowski has given us a truly enthralling romance in Cold War; bolstered by the performances of his two leads, it offers audiences a love worth rooting for in the face of the storms of life and the hardships of the Cold War in Europe, earning the film a much-deserved spot among the greats.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs earns its spot among the greats thanks to its phenomenal feats of animation, iconic character designs, and classic music that all bolster the film’s watchability.
The Constant Gardener
Carried by its two leading performers, The Constant Gardener supplies us with a compelling look at government and pharmaceutical corruption and exploitation that maintains its watchability primarily through Weisz and Fiennes, who earn it a spot among the greats.
An Education
Between its artful, innovative, and unique coming-of-age story and the wonderful performance from Carey Mulligan, An Education more than earns its place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
Swing Time
Swing Time is really a fun, if a bit simple, musical romantic comedy that hits all the right notes along with a few of the wrong ones on the path to cinematic greatness, bolstered by its two charismatic and compatible leads.
Intolerance
Credit is owed where it’s due, and for D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance, credit is owed greatly to its filmmaking techniques that gave audiences a historical epic interwoven with a tale of the Christ, a French historic melodrama, and a modern parable of legalism and capitalism, earning it a place among the greats.
The Magnificent Ambersons
Orson Welles took what should be a depressing, bleak look at the outlook of America in a post-industrial world and made it into a gripping film that looks wonderful even as it beats you over the head with the inevitability of its conclusion, earning The Magnificent Ambersons a place among the greats.
Rye Lane
Raine Allen-Miller has crafted Rye Lane as one of the most original and endearing romantic comedies of all time, bolstered by a solid leading man in David Jonsson and an unforgettable leading lady in Vivian Oparah, all of which culminate in a film fully worthy of its place among the Greatest Films of All Time.
The Age of Innocence
A trio of performances with immense depth and a director dedicated to crafting a gorgeously compelling picture of 19th-century high society in New York make The Age of Innocence work wonderfully as a film and earn it a spot among the greats.
Mrs. Miniver
Mrs. Miniver’s cast lends a much-needed sense of weight and emotion to this film about surviving the turmoil of the early days of World War II, earning it a spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
The Handmaiden
Park Chan-wook’s masterpiece of a film in The Handmaiden is elevated to that status by its brilliantly engaging story, beautifully crafted production, and compellingly portrayed leading trio of characters, earning it a spot among the greats.
Love and Death
The way that Woody Allen interposes his own style within the world and expectations of Russian period dramas and the other influences of Eastern Europe feels so seamless and hilarious that the placement of Love and Death among the Greatest Films of All Time feels more fitting than just about any other film from the writer/director.
Journey to Italy
Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders are the ideal leads to bring Rossellini’s film about the more mundane side of marriage and holding it together or watching it fall apart to the big screen, and together the team makes a film that stands the test of time and earns a spot among the greats.
Solaris
Andrei Tarkovsky gives his audience plenty to ponder in Solaris, using everything from production design to dialogue to the performances of his actors to portray a truth about humanity and our need to see ourselves in the world and people around us, giving us an All Time Great in the process.
Walk the Line
With Johnny Cash’s music underpinning the whole thing, Walk the Line shines among 21st century biopics thanks to its director’s (and subject’s) willingness to air out all the dirty laundry and thanks to the unforgettable performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in the leading roles.
Out of Africa
The leading performances of its central love triangle help Out of Africa overcome some narrative slowness, giving the audience a trio of complex characters to dwell on and examine, earning it a place among the greats.
To Have and Have Not
To Have and Have Not is full of a slew of iconic characters that help set it apart from its predecessors with similar stories and still earn a deserved spot among the Greatest Films of All Time.
The Kids Are All Right
Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right hits the right notes in its examination of the complex nature of family thanks to the combination of her writing and the perfect trio of leading performers to make it sing, earning it a place among the greats.