Movies that score well with both audiences and reviewers online satisfy the majority of viewers and carve a niche for themselves.
These flicks tend to have a few basic characteristics in common: a strong, coherent storyline; richly drawn — and well acted — characters; good cinematography and (if applicable) special effects; and a satisfying ending.
Related: Hollywood big budget films that flopped badly!
These films span cinema history from 1924 to the current times. Many feature famous performers of the past and present, as well as some of the film world’s most acclaimed directors have worked tirelessly to produce these classics and they have become iconic productions.
All these movies are well worth re-discovering just to witness the brilliance of the perception exercised by every member of the unit involved in the production of these extraordinary movies. Watching them over again is indeed a pleasure.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
The Milos Forman-directed drama about a criminal who encourages rebellion against
an oppressive nurse in a mental hospital did exceptionally well at the 1976 Academy
Awards, winning the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
Seventeen years later, the movie was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress and added to the National Film Registry.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Sergio Leone’s 161 minute epic “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” is perhaps the most iconic Western of all time.
Rife with memorable long shots and close-ups, the film’s story is told more with imagery than words — a decision made in part due to the ease of shooting a movie with little sound.
The Dark Knight (2008)
“Dark, complex and unforgettable,” was the cumulative verdict of the critics and this sequel to “Batman Begins” pits Batman against his arch-enemy, The Joker, played here by the late Heath Ledger, whose performance won him an Academy Award for best actor in a supporting role.
It was mentioned that probably it was the smartest and most stylish action movie since ‘The Matrix, and this comment still stands.
Casablanca (1942)
“Here’s lookin’ at you, kid,” is one of Hollywood’s most famous lines. Its source –wartime melodrama “Casablanca” — is just as iconic.
The movie set a standard for romance and atmosphere that everything released after strived to match.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
“The Shawshank Redemption” tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne who is given two life sentences for murder in the oppressive Shawshank State Penitentiary.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including best picture, in 1995, but, ironically,failed to win any reflecting badly on the Academy itself. It is an audience favourite, however, and currently has an outstanding 9.3 out of 10 rating with over 2.2 million user votes.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
“Pulp Fiction,” Quentin Tarantino’s follow-up to “Reservoir Dogs,” is among the 1990s’ most definitive films. A wildly inventive mix of crime, film-noir, and comedy, the movie scored the Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.
Its reputation has held up well over the past 25 years, with 96% of audiences giving the film a positive rating.
The Godfather (1972)
Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster epic “The Godfather” breathed new life into the American film industry upon its release in 1972.
The film won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and continues to entertain movie fans to this day. The film currently has 98% positive ratings from both critics and audiences. Critics Consensus on the site describes the film as one of Hollywood’s greatest critical and commercial successes and credits it for establishing new benchmarks for American cinema.
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