30 Groovy Movies

If there's any title I feel confident in bestowing upon myself it is "film lover."

Cinephile, film buff, just plain movie geek, or whatever you wanna call it, all I know is that there is nothing I love more in the world than watching a good ol' fashioned moving picture.

In this list I have compiled 25 of my all time favorite films, roughly ranked from best to worst. My tastes range from schlocky horror and foreign arthouse flicks to campy science fiction and swashbuckling adventure serials -- and everything in between.

This list is simply my (loose and ever-changing) opinion on my favorite films. It will be updated as I watch more and more movies, and I've got plenty of classics to catch up on.

My entire ranking of the films I have rated 8/10 or above is linked through my Letterboxd list:

Greatest Films of All Time RANKED (Loosely)

1. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

dir. Irvin Kershner

A film that lives up to the hype.

The Empire Strikes Back is one of the most breathtaking and exciting movies of all time. Fantasy, adventure, science-fiction, romance, comedy, philosophy, and family drama all wrapped up in one stunning picture.

Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan, and George Lucas proved to the world in 1980 that Star Wars wasn't just a one-trick Taun Taun, delivering the greatest movie sequel in history. The filmmakers of this movie heeded the words of Jedi Master Yoda and did a lot more than just try. They succeeded.

"Do or do not, there is no try."

2. Star Wars (1977)

dir. George Lucas

This sci-fi/fantasy classic rocked the world and changed movie history forever when it was released in 1977.

Visionary filmmaker, George Lucas, showed the true potential of the creativity that can be pumped into a typical hero's journey when he revealed his galaxy to the world, and the world hasn't stopped believing in it.

"May the Force be with you. Always."

3. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

dir. Steven Spielberg

No one will ever be as cool as Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr.

When you combine the minds and visions of two of the biggest directors of the 1980s with adventure serials from the 1950s, you get the best action movie of all time.

Harrison Ford brings his A-Game, kickstarting one of the most entertaining franchises in history with the most iconic hero ever put to screen.

"Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?"

4. Return of the Jedi (1983)

dir. Richard Marquand

Revenge. Rebellion. Redemption.

Return of the Jedi takes all of these concepts and boils them down into the perfect finale for the Original Star Wars trilogy.

"I am a Jedi. Like my father before me."

5. American Graffiti (1973)

dir. Richard Marquand

George Lucas's most personal film.

By taking a look at the hilarious and heartwarming stories of different teens in a small northern California town on the last day of high school, Lucas revolutionized the teen comedy flick. It is funny, philosophical, full of 60s nostalgia, and just plain fun. Not even a time traveling DeLorean can stand up to the cool factor of a piss-yellow/puke-green douce coupe.

"You're the most beautiful, exciting thing I've ever seen in my life and I don't know anything about you."

6. Apocalypse Now (1979)

dir. Francis Ford Coppola

Face the terrors of war.

Apocalypse Now is Coppola's finest and most piercing work. With the cast and crew living through many of the same horrors they depict on screen, you'll never feel more engulfed in a film than in this beautiful criticism of needless violence and loss of humanity.

"The horror..."

7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

dir. David Lean

The epic to define all epics.

Lawrence of Arabia is David Lean's incredible cinematic masterpiece that, despite being nearly four hours long, never drags. It is quite possibly the best executed character study in film history. Though it is somewhat outdated in some of its cultural depictions, the narrative and technical aspects of this movie is near perfect, deserving to be seen on the big screen.

"What is it, Major Lawrence, that attracts you personally to the desert?"

"It's clean."

8. The Third Man (1949)

dir. Carol Reed

Who is the third man?

The greatest noir film ever, The Third Man strings together a gripping mystery-thriller story with equally mysterious performances.

Without mentioning the movie’s striking lighting, creative sound design, perfect dialogue, and thought provoking philosophical themes, the film is at its best when Orson Welles is on screen. With the help of a strong build-up and the greatest entrance ever put to film, Harry Lime is Orson Welles’ most unforgettable character - and one of the silver screen’s best.

“If I offered you twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stopped, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money, or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare?”

9. Rumble Fish (1983)

dir. Francis Ford Coppola

One of two Francis Ford Coppola movies from 1983 set in Tulsa, Oklahoma and starring Matt Dillon in a leading role - the better of the two.

Rumble Fish is an artistic masterpiece. It is an incredibly stylized presentation of the confusion that comes with growing up and finding yourself, especially with the pressures of living up to the expectations of others before time runs out. The black and white cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, and the brief splashed of color (as well as the bizarre and creatively implemented sound design) immerses the audience inside the minds of Rusty James and the Motorcycle Boy.

Mickey Rourke and Matt Dillon give standout performances, showing the two sides of coming-of-age in it’s sensitivity and edginess.

The whole film feels like a visceral experience, with a loose narrative that is really driven by our relation to the struggles of our small town characters. Heartbreaking, thoughtful, exciting, and beautiful - Francis Ford Coppola had already proved that he was a hugely successful filmmaker, but this movie proved that he was a great artist.

“The Motorcycle Boy Reigns”

10. Stand By Me (1986)

dir. Rob Reiner

Coming of age incarnate.

The best movie about childhood, friendship, and adolescence I've ever seen. All four of the child stars prove to be great talents, with River Phoenix in particular truly showcasing a full range of emotional highs and lows. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and bittersweet.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone?"

11. The Last Crusade (1989)

dir. Steven Spielberg

As if Indiana Jones wasn't already cool enough, his dad ends up being James Bond.

Sean Connery really elevates this movie with his incredible relationship with Harrison Ford as Indy. The best father-son dynamic since Return of the Jedi, and a great end to a thrilling trilogy.

"That belongs in a museum!"

12. The Princess Bride (1987)

dir. Rob Reiner

Fantasy at its finest.

Melding fantasy, comedy, light-parody, and romance all into one epic adventure. This might just be the most quoted movie of all time.

"Inconceivable!"

13. Temple of Doom (1984)

dir. Steven Spielberg

Overlooked and underrated.

Temple of Doom has a tonal dichotomy of absurd humor and violently dark themes. Written during a dark time in George Lucas' personal life, the auteurist reflection of his personal pain mixed with his ever-irreverent comedic sensibilities are present in a way entirely unique to this entry in the series.

Though this film is certainly the weakest in the initial Indiana Jones trilogy, it cemented Indy as a true serialized adventure hero and introduced some of the most iconic set-pieces and moments in the Jones movies. That being said, it is also important to note the prejudiced depictions and underlying racism present throughout the film through its presentation of individual characters, groups of people, and even entire cultures. Any praise for this movie is certainly no excuse for these bigoted themes.

Through these glaring negatives, Temple of Doom still emerges as a thrilling, adventurous, warm (yet flawed) movie. "We... are going... TO DIE!"

14. Citizen Kane (1941)

dir. Orson Welles

The greatest movie of all time?

Citizen Kane is so famous for donning that label that its title is synonymous with greatness. While I’m usually quite disappointed by films that earn such extreme praise, Citizen Kane did everything but disappoint.

Rarely does a movie from the 1940s combine striking visual style, dynamic cinematography, perfect performances, and a tragic character study into one gripping story. Marking the start of Orson Welles’ fascinating career in filmmaking, the world has to thank Kane not just for the beauty present in itself, but for jumpstarting the beautiful run of film’s greatest auteur.

It’s all so cliche, but it’s all still so true.

“Rosebud.”

15. Suspiria (1977)

dir. Dario Argento

Beauty in the horror.

Suspiria is hands down the most stunningly vibrant and visually mesmerizing film I’ve seen. Reds have never been so red, blues so blue, greens so green, etcetera. The electric pigments and tones feel simultaneously gripping and unnerving in their aggressive usage — you can’t take your eyes off the screen.

The occult mystery may be a little silly, but the film delicately unravels the riddles of Tanz Academy and keeps you guessing until the final tense moments of campy thrills, somehow culminating in a perfect balance of refined class and cult fun.

“Bad luck isn’t brought by broken mirrors, but by broken minds.”

16. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

dir. Steven Spielberg

I want to believe.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is Spielberg’s childhood dream come true. His most personal film is one of his best, summarizing his career both through its emotionally-tied themes reflecting his industry strains of juggling work obsession with life as his overall mastery of unleashing the child-like wonder in all of us. It’s the ultimate Spielberg picture.

Close Encounters is one of the most mystical interstellar spectacles ever put to film, with a beautiful contrast between the small struggles of a nuclear family and the unknown forces from far away stars.

“Just close your eyes and hold your breath and everything will turn real pretty.”

17. Duel (1971)

dir. Steven Spielberg

What a thrilling ride.

Dennis Weaver's everyman is thrust into a deadly chase in a case of road-rage gone wrong. Steven Spielberg had the chance to show the world what he was truly made of when he directed his first full-length feature, and he knocked it out of the park when he took a very simple premise and turned it into pure suspense. Absolutely his most underrated movie.

"Terror in your rear view mirror."

18. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

dir. Victor Fleming

Unrestrained magic and imagination.

The Wizard of Oz was my favorite thing in the world as a kid before I was introduced to Star Wars and after I phased out Winnie the Pooh.

A colorful cast of characters on a mission to find the all-powerful Wizard of Oz and defeat a wicked witch is the ultimate amalgamation of fantasy and fairy tale. Genius music, fantastical locations, wacky creatures, and groundbreaking techniques prove The Wizard of Oz to be deserving of its overwhelming praise.

“Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

19. The Shining (1980)

dir. Stanley Kubrick

REDRUM. REDRUM.

Jack Nicholson gives this thrilling movie his all. Adapted from a Stephen King novel, (somewhat unfaithfully), Stanley Kubrick makes this story his own - presenting a psychologically terrifying film.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

20. The Invisible Man (1933)

dir. James Whale

Madness!

The Invisible Man is a shockingly fun and delectably energetic spectacle of visual effects and insanity.

The creatively innovative visual effects of this sci-fi horror flick still look great today - the SFX alone make the film well worth the watch. Beyond the superficial technical achievements, though, The Invisible Man is also a great story about how unrestrained power can drive a person to do terrible things. Claude Rains' vocal performance is incredibly captivating in its venomous tone and commanding range, allowing for the Invisible Man, whether hidden under wraps and behind large black goggles or in his unseen state, to leap off of the screen and demand your attention.

A tragic story of a good man placing his ambitions towards the wrong goals, creating one of the greatest film characters of all time.

"Power, I said! Power to walk into the gold vaults of the nations, into the secrets of kings, into the Holy of Holies; power to make multitudes run squealing in terror at the touch of my little invisible finger. Even the moon's frightened of me, frightened to death!"

21. Sunset Boulevard (1950)

dir. Billy Wilder

Hauntingly delicate in its decrepit pastiche.

Sunset Boulevard is a masterpiece by Billy Wilder that tells the story of a quickly fading old Hollywood star. It is one of the most melancholically beautiful films in tone, subject, and form. Norma Desmond's insecurities boom loudly with cinematic glitz and glamor that is covered in cobwebs.

"All right, Mr.DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

22. Schindler's List (1993)

dir. Steven Spielberg

Possibly the most important film ever made.

Spielberg's first Best Director Oscar couldn't be more well deserved. Schindler's List is powerful, shocking, and soul-crushing. Despite being very difficult to watch, it is the one movie that I can say with certainty that everyone on Earth must see at least once in their life.

"This pin...two people. This is gold. Two people. He would have given me two more, at least one. One more person."

23. Back to the Future (1985)

dir. Robert Zemeckis

Great Scott! This movie is a campy, hilarious, thought-provoking thrill-ride.

Back to the Future is one of the most iconic films of all time, providing pop culture with the (second) coolest movie vehicle ever put to screen. This is simply the greatest time travel story ever told.

"Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?"

24. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

dir. Steven Spielberg

Beautiful and horrific.

While the movie is best known for its chilling opening sequence at Omaha Beach, it's the trek to find Private Ryan that really shines a light on the way that one's humanity can be broken on the battlefield.

Spielberg's second of two Oscar wins for Directing - his dedication of the award to his WWII veteran father (with his first Oscar for Directing Schindler's List being dedicated to his mother) perfectly summarizes Saving Private Ryan's message of sacrifice in the name of family. The question the film asks to the viewers: is the bloodshed of many worth the life of one?

"It's like finding a needle in a stack of needles."

25. Return to Oz (1985)

dir. Walter Murch

I hadn’t rewatched this movie since the last thousandth time I watched it as a kid, and (while I knew it was a great film before watching it tonight) I wasn’t sure it would hold up.

I had nothing to fear... except for maybe the Nome King.

Return to Oz is a fantastical masterpiece. Not a sequel to the beloved 1939 musical, but rather a more faithful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s original children’s book series — also a favorite collection of mine growing up — this film shines as a unique fantasy movie paralleled only by Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.

Taking the set piece of the magical world of Oz and turning it into a dystopian horror-scape works shockingly well (though is maybe an odd choice for a kid’s movie... Mombi’s hall of heads and army of Wheelers were nightmare inducing as a 9 year old). The set and character designs are pitch perfect for the story being told.

Where to even start with the characters. There was Jack Pumpkinhead before Jack Skellington... The Gump before Forrest... TikTok before the app. This cast of eccentric robots, sticks, and sofas become just as endearing as the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion before them.

The climactic scene in the ornament room is incredibly reminiscent of of the climactic scene in The Last Crusade, and a lot of the dialogue in this works it’s way into George Lucas’s (a very good friend of the director) Star Wars prequel trilogy. These are just a couple examples of the cinematic reach and impact of Return to Oz, and it’s visionary filmic choices have seeped into countless other iconic films.

The effects are incredible. The claymation nomes and terrifying Nome King are chilling in their animation, and everything else in the magical land of Oz is a special effects spectacle of pure creativity.

The film was the first and only movie to be directed by editing mastermind Walter Murch. Though he went overtime on production and cost the studio a lot of money, his prowess as a filmmaker and inspired directorial decisions are on full display here. His daring choice to make this film so dark serves it well, as the balance between lighthearted adventure and horror fantasy makes Return to Oz a children’s film unlike many others — taking its audience seriously while still inspiring imagination. I only wish he had directed again, because Murch is arguably the greatest living editor today and one of my all time favorite filmmakers.

Overall, Return to Oz is more than just a nostalgic movie from my youth. It’s an exciting, beautiful, inspiring, and darkly toned fantasy flick like no other.

“If his brain’s ran down, how can he talk?”

“It happens to people all the time, Jack.”

26. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

dir. David Lean

David Lean + Alec Guinness = Magic.

The Bridge on the River Kwai is somewhat less grand in its scope than Lean's later epic Lawrence of Arabia, but this story of British prisoners of war building a stunning bridge for their Japanese captors is stunning in its own right.

Alec Guinness gives a fantastic performance as the determined and dignified Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson, rallying his troops to build the greatest bridge ever assembled. William Holden as Major Shears also perfectly plays his character as a soldier with gruff ambivalence for his cause. Having two protagonists who are on the same side of the war fight for opposing goals without knowing that the other is against him plays out in genius fashion in the tragic and triumphant climax of the film.

"Do not speak to me of rules. This is war! This is not a game of cricket!"

27. The Hidden Fortress (1958)

dir. Akira Kurosawa

Star Wars before Star Wars.

Kurosawa does it again. The Hidden Fortress is a surprisingly humorous adventure story of a noble general, two greedy peasants, and an undercover princess. With such masterful directing, sweeping set pieces, and memorable performances - it’s no wonder that George Lucas found inspiration from this cinematic gem.

Viewing the story through the eyes of the two lowliest and most bumbling side characters is a genius technique that set the path for two bickering droids to follow 19 years later.

“We can rely on their greed. Make them carry gold and they'll put up with anything.”

28. Alien (1979)

dir. Ridley Scott

Sci-Fi thrills and chills beyond compare.

The Xenomorph is handled in a way that will send shivers down the spine of even the most hardened movie-goer. Horror has never been so out of this world.

"In space no one can hear you scream."

29. Jaws (1975)

dir. Steven Spielberg

Duuuuuun Dun. Duuuuuun Dun.

A movie so popular that there's barely anything left to say about it. From the intense score to the chilling (largely unseen) presence of the shark, Steven Spielberg combined his intrinsic talents with those of his cast and crew to strike gold - quickly shooting him to film super-stardom.

A film incredibly similar in its themes and presentation to his very first movie, Duel; Jaws showed the world Spielberg's already-proven strengths and ended up birthing the blockbuster. A masterpiece of form, technique, and horror/thriller storytelling.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

30. Seven Samurai (1954)

dir. Akira Kurosawa

Kurosawa’s ultimate epic.

A film that has been recreated, parodied, paid homage, referenced, and revered like no other. Seven Samurai is the culmination of Kurosawa’s perfectionism and perseverance - creating a story with so much depth and nuance that the logistics of creating it are unfathomable.

With a wide and varied cast of characters none of them fall flat, instead each catching full interest of the audience through their meaningful roles in the story and their strong portrayals. Toshiro Mifune is, as always, a stand out.

Lawrence of Arabia is epic in the scope of its world, Seven Samurai is epic in the scope of its narrative.

“How can we find a samurai we can pay with only rice?”

“Find hungry samurai.”

Summary

I implore everyone to watch each and every film on this list, as I feel that they are some of the most important artistic creations in cinematic history. They span a dozen genres and are all important in their own right, highlighting incredible insight into filmmaking and providing unmatchable entertainment.

Vive le cinéma!

KP