Ranking the 97 Oscar Best Picture Winners From the Academy Awards

As always with awards season, there have been many declarations of whether the group of nominees or winners would be the best or worst films ever to take home Best Picture. To help us quantify that statement, we jumped into Oscar history and filled in any of our blind spots over the last few weeks. Here is our ranking (from worst to best) of every Best Picture winner from the Academy Awards.

97. Cimarron (1931)

Directed by Wesley Ruggles

While the Western has struggled with depicting non-white characters since the beginning of the genre, Cimarron is beyond many of its contemporaries. It’s hard to fully explain how racist Cimarron comes across in 2025, especially in its depictions of black and Indigenous characters. However, Cimarron is also boring beyond compare. Unlike Gigi, which was wildly celebrated as one of the great Oscar winners of all time, Cimarron only took home three wins, making it feel less egregious in terms of the Best Picture wins.

96. Cavalcade (1933)

Directed by Frank Lloyd

If you want Forrest Gump without heart, goodwill, or charm, you’ve found the movie you’re looking for. Following one family over forty years, Cavalcade watches various members die in some of the most momentous occasions of the 1890s through the 1930s. That’s the entire movie. With scenes on the Titanic, some set in the trenches of World War I, and others featuring domestic abuse, it’s just an all-around slog. Even more shocking is that nearly every death occurs off-screen, making for awkward conversations getting interrupted by news of a loved one’s passing.

94. The Broadway Melody (1929)

Directed by Harry Beaumont

It’s boring and a slog. Perhaps the most absurd aspect of The Broadway Melody‘s win is that it seemed to celebrate the rise of talkie films. However, The Jazz Singer was released in 1927, meaning The Broadway Melody had not broken any ground. Its only win on the night was Best Picture, losing for its other two nominations for Best Actress and Director. The titular song is good, but the rest is a cavalcade of talent complaining about their co-stars. The other performances feel actively bad.

93. Around the World in Eighty Days (1956)

Directed by Michael Anderson & John Farrow

Probably the most boring movie to win Best Picture, Around the World in Eighty Days is not even the best adaptation of this story. The weaker competition in Best Picture enabled this win, but there were plenty of alternatives to take this spot. It picked up five Oscars but did not receive a single acting nomination.

91. Crash (2005)

Directed by Paul Haggis

One of the more tone-deaf movies about race in America, Crash emerged as an alternative to Brokeback Mountain late in the Oscar race. It’s hard not to feel like homophobia contributed in this case, especially given the blunt and offensive ways Crash handles its material. The large ensemble helped, but few (if any) of the stories were executed well. It’s the kind of “issues” movie that gives movies with an actual purpose a bad name. It won 3 Oscars, taking screenplay and editing with Picture.

90. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

Directed by Robert Z. Leonard

Another shockingly dull movie, The Great Ziegfeld, rises from the bottom of the pack because of its impeccable craft. The staircase one-shot is a masterful vision of blocking and rehearsal. The scenes featuring The Follies and various Ziegfeld shows are astounding. His personal life, however, is far less exciting and drags as the movie expands to three hours in length. Unfortunately, it’s also a movie that features blackface, so it still has its problematic tendencies that the era seemed incapable of escaping.

88. Out of Africa (1985)

Directed by Sydney Pollack

While the cinematography from David Watkin is gorgeous, most of Out of Africa is dull to a fault. These kinds of epic movies often won Best Picture in the 1980s, yet Out of Africa feels especially underwhelming. It’s one of the few Meryl Streep movies nominated for Best Picture after the 1970s. She’s just fine, but it’s hard to say this was anything but a crowning career award for Pollack. It won 7 Oscars, including Pollack for Best Director.

87. My Fair Lady (1964)

A technical achievement for its costumes, choreography, and production design helps My Fair Lady remain a stalwart of the cinematic experience. However, god-awful nominations for Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway are just the tip of the iceberg for a not only sexist but downright boring movie. While much was made about Audrey Hepburn’s inability to sing (she was dubbed over), the rest of the cast struggled to sing. Even though Harrison had tremendous success on the stage, in the movie, he sing-talks his way through My Fair Lady. This ensures the musical is dull and awful to listen to. My Fair Lady is one of the worst Hepburn performances, and the Harrison win is unforgivable.

86. Oliver! (1968)

Directed by Carol Reed

After years of very good musicals winning Best Picture, Oliver! feels like the last gasp of that version of the Academy. With so much focus on the technical craft of Oliver! there’s no doubt that it has the big set pieces to entertain. However, in 1968, one could not imagine the Oscars could have picked a movie that was so out of touch with the world. Vietnam was raging, New Hollywood had arrived, and America was months away from Woodstock. Oliver! has not aged well anyway, but overtaking 2001: A Space Odyssey made the stark contrast between the past and the future a literal one.

85. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille

While my Sarasota roots feel hurt by ranking this so low, The Greatest Show on Earth is little more than an ad for the circus. The technical brilliance of The Greatest Show on Earth is undeniable, but in terms of Oscar Best Picture winners, the middle section is a doozy. We’re happy that Emmett Kelly, a very famous clown of the era, got a moment to showcase his craft with none other.

84. A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Directed by Ron Howard

While Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connolly are good in A Beautiful Mind, the messaging is all over the place. Making a movie that implies you can cure mental illness with love is irresponsible at best. This win was driven by the Oscars forgetting to nominate Ron Howard for Best Director for Apollo 13, and in this era, they rarely split Director and Picture.

83. Green Book (2018)

Directed by Peter Farrelly

There’s a rather straightforward case against Green Book. It’s a movie that feels like it was manufactured to handle race relations in America with kid gloves. Combined with the buddy-comedy feel and Mahershala Ali’s brilliant performance, it’s no wonder audiences fell for Green Book. That said, it’s still too broad and frankly too forgiving of the racism Doc Shirley suffers at his co-stars hands.

82. You Can’t Take it With You (1938)

Directed by Frank Capra

The final twenty-five minutes of You Can’t Take It With You almost makes up for the other hour and a half you sat through. Yes, it’s a screwball comedy, so it won’t have a shred of realism. Yet there are narrative inconsistencies throughout while the comedy is meandering and unfocused. I want to love this movie for the way it actively addresses class solidarity, but even that is a thread it drops when needed. It’s easily the worst of Capra’s Directors wins, and only took home awards for Capra and Best Picture.

81. Going My Way (1944)

Directed by Leo McCarey

A sweet and saccharine film, Going My Way is one of the feel-good movies that audiences rallied behind during World War II. Bing Crosby plays a “cool priest” who talks the local boys into singing in a choir while slowly winning over the parish to his unique approach to leading the church. Barry Fitzgerald’s brilliant performance as Father Fitzgibbons pulled on the Academy’s heartstrings so much that he was nominated for both Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actor. He would win Supporting Actor, and the Oscars changed the rules for this after his double nomination. It’s a fine movie, but ultimately feels extremely light compared to Mrs. Miniver or Casablanca (the two previous winners).

80. Tom Jones (1963)

Directed by Tony Richardson

While it looks the part, as an expertly crafted period comedy, there’s not much else to note about Tom Jones. It’s a light, mostly meandering sex comedy that feels every bit of two hours long. You’ll chuckle, but it’s another movie that feels out of place with the Best Picture wins coming right around the corner.

79. Patton (1970)

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner

The biopic has fallen out of style, and Patton certainly does not help make the case for its revival. While George C. Scott is wonderful, most of Patton feels old while you’re watching it. It’s mostly dull, even with Francis Ford Coppola writing the screenplay and Scott chewing the scenery. You want more out of this one, and it just never reaches the heights it needs to be considered a great war movie. An all-timer of an opening shot, though.

78. The English Patient (1996)

Directed by Anthony Minghella

One of the many epics showcases meant to invoke an era gone by, allowing The English Patient to play up its romance as a modern From Here to Eternity. Other than Ralph Fiennes’ brilliant performance, The English Patient never really lives up to that standard. It’s grandiose in its visuals, but its a dull movie for most of its runtime. The real incredible performance comes from Naveen Andrews, which the Oscars chose to ignore.

77. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

Directed by William Dieterle

Another example of “It’s not bad, it’s just boring,” Oscar winner. The Life of Emile Zola never really lives up to the heights of its subject. If it did, this might be the prototypical courtroom drama. Instead, it feels like a standard biopic, even by 1937 standards. There’s just not enough “there” to keep us engaged, even with Zola’s writings making up the film’s backbone.

76. Braveheart (1995)

Directed by Mel Gibson

While Braveheart is undeniably compelling to watch, the Mel Gibson of it all makes this tougher to enjoy. It goes beyond his politics and religion but to his performance and direction. The lack of period-accurate garb is a frustrating aspect. It’s also one of Gibson’s weakest performances of his career, making his spot as the lead feel like a vanity play instead of the pursuit of making a good movie. The makeup, sound, and score are impeccable. Winning in those categories should have been enough. Blame the Academy for choosing not to nominate Ron Howard for Apollo 13.

75. Rain Man (1988)

Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

The Tom Cruise performance stood out on this rewatch. It’s a far more complex and nuanced performance than many give it credit for, especially with much of the focus on Hoffman. However, Rain Man continues to suffer from anonymous direction and a weak screenplay. It’s a middling, if not bad, depiction of Autism. Rain Man certainly has heart but in service of what?

74. The Last Emperor (1987)

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

A technical play through and through, Bertolucci shines as a visual showcase. The production design rules and the costumes are gorgeous. Yet Beltolucci struggles to piece together the human element of The Last Emperor, and none of the actors were recognized for their work. Frankly, that’s not even a surprise. Pulled from the lineage of David Lean, it appealed to voters, but so many of the films competing against The Last Emperor have legacies this movie would kill for. Full Metal Jacket, Moonstruck, Fatal Attraction, and Broadcast News were all right there.

73. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Directed by Frank Lloyd

One of the first remakes to win Best Picture (and one that would be remade several times over), Mutiny on the Bounty from 1935 is the definitive take on the subject matter. The performance from Charlest Laughton runs circles around the rest of the cast, especially Clark Gable in victory lap mode. However, its depictions of indigenous men and women feel wildly out of step and make it hard to praise too greatly.

72. Gandhi (1982)

Directed by Richard Attenborough

A very long traditional biopic of a great man was a recipe for Oscar success in the 1980s. Gandhi might be the best of the bunch, which is why it took home Best Picture in 1982. That reputation relies entirely on Ben Kingsley’s totemic performance. While he’d have more unique performances in the future, it’s hard to deny this was a perfect role for him at this moment. Sadly, Gandhi is too paint-by-the-numbers to rank higher.

71. Chariots of Fire (1981)

Directed by Hugh Hudson

One of the most iconic soundtracks of all time, Chariots of Fire features one of the few scores (not by John Williams) that nearly anyone can identify. Chariots also features a dynamic performance by Ian Holm, which is among the best performances the veteran ever gave. The themes are surface level, but its crowd-pleasing nature and visual excellence still make Chariots of Fire a step up from its contemporaries.

67. Grand Hotel (1932)

Directed by Edmund Goulding

It’s a lighter Best Picture winner, but it’s also one that uses its ensemble to perfection. Grand Hotel might have only a single Oscar (for Best Picture), but its cast aged like a fine wine. Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore, and Lionel Barrymore make up the headliners. While many of the other winners from this era strain any credibility in their storytelling, Grand Hotel feels like an active acknowledgment of the ending party of the 1920s and the deep sadness of the Depression. It also handles its ensemble nature much better than its peers.

66. Dances with Wolves (1990)

Directed by Kevin Costner

There are long stretches of Dances with Wolves where the visuals are so astounding they’re impossible to ignore. However, Dances with Wolves is also boring. The pacing, and its massive runtime (over three hours), make it difficult to appreciate the aspects that work. To his credit, Costner provided more indigenous representation and material than many of his fellow Western directors. It’s imperfect, but it allows Dances with Wolves has more positive representation than some of the other films around it.

65. CODA (2021)

Directed by Sian Heder

CODA was a perfect feel-good movie for another year where the voters were unhappy with the arthouse nominees. Troy Kotsur and Emilia Jones provide the emotional heft to help CODA build as a powerful story about family and disability. While it does very little visually or with sound, its wholesome nature spoke to the Academy, and it captured the zeitgeist. Remember, this was also the Oscars that saw My Octopus Teacher come from nowhere to win Best Documentary. There was something in the water (other than the octopus).

64. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Clint had already won a Best Picture prize a decade earlier, and Hilary Swank won her Lead Actress Oscar less than five years earlier. Despite that, the Academy fell hard for Million Dollar Baby, a tragic tale of boxing and partnership. It became Clint’s second “farewell” tour and a celebration of his directing prowess. Of course, twenty years later, Clint is making better movies than Million Dollar Baby but without the fanfare. Even so, it’s a heartbreaking tale with enough good performances that the love made sense in 2004.

63. Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Directed by John Madden

With a very fun story, great performances, and tons of craft, Shakespeare in Love connected with the Academy in the right ways. Perhaps more importantly to its Oscar success, it received some dirty tricks from Miramax and stood out as the unique choice amongst its peers. It was a period comedy going against three war films and a stuffy drama about Elizabeth I. Of course, the story about an artist would have its fans, but more importantly, its voters did not cannibalize themselves. Shakespeare in Love is better than most remember, but beating Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line still aged poorly.

62. Chicago (2002)

Directed by Rob Marshall

Adapting the beloved musical with the iconic fingerprints of Bob Fosse all over it, Chicago is a showstopper to this day. A rich ensemble earned Oscar nominations for Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones (who won), Queen Latifah, and John C. Reilly. Richard Gere even got snubbed, but even without that nomination, it was a runaway favorite all night. Unless you’re a Lord of the Rings superfan, it’s hard to argue against the win here.

61. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Directed by John Ford

Often the recipient of “worst best picture wins” discourse, How Green Was My Valley is an excellent feature about the working class. Beating Citizen Kane does not do it any favors. Still, ignoring one of the best directors in history, who was working at a very high level, is foolhardy. There was obvious distrust towards Orson Welles, and with Ford sitting there as an alternative, it’s no surprise that How Green Was My Valley took home the big prize.

55. Argo (2012)

Directed by Ben Affleck

A fun little thriller, Argo picked up support in a year where every other movie was considered polarizing. Affleck stars as a CIA agent who has to get American civilians back to America in the aftermath of the 1979 Iranian hostage situation. The real secret sauce was top-to-bottom veterans throughout the cast, including Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Scoot McNairy, and a dozen more character actors. In that regard, it’s a fun throwback to ensemble thrillers of the 1970s. However, it never reaches the heights of Django Unchained, Life of Pi, Lincoln, or Zero Dark Thirty, which it was nominated against.

54. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu

While there was certainly some excitement over Birdman‘s initial win, many struggle with Iñárritu. Few directors embody the cilantro metaphor quite like him. Despite your feelings toward Iñárritu, the cast rises to showcase their talent. It’s a very deep cast, and Michael Keaton’s excellent performance opened the door for Birdman‘s emotional power. The same could be said for Edward Norton and Emma Stone, who both imbue their characters with a snapshot of that moment in their careers. Birdman is not as timeless as the films above it, but there’s something to be said about the actors struggling to leave their comic book roles becoming an even more relevant topic in 2025.

53. The Sting (1973)

Directed by George Roy Hill

A fun little caper with two of the biggest movie stars of all time reuniting, The Sting makes it on paper the Best Picture winner. The Sting was a massive box office achievement, featured impeccable craft, and the ensemble fired on all cylinders. While it’s certainly one of the lighter films to ever take the prize, competing against The Exorcist made those elements pop out even more. With 7 Oscar wins on the night without winning an acting prize, it was a juggernaut that the Academy fell in love with.

52. Spotlight (2015)

Directed by Tom McCarthy

A brilliant ensemble, Spotlight remains one of the better examinations of journalism on film. Following a group of reporters from the Boston Globe, Spotlight pulls back the curtain on the Catholic Priest molestation scandal that rocked the world after the initial reports were released. Both Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo picked up Oscar nominations. The ensemble goes much deeper, with Michael Keaton, Liev Schreiber, and Stanley Tucci delivering world-class work. However, it only walked away with Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture that night, making for one of the least rewarded Best Picture winners in recent years.

51. West Side Story (1961)

Directed by Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise

With some of the musical material ever put on stage and the classic framing of Romeo & Juliet, Robbins and Wise started their production on second base. They needed to get a solid effort to make it home. Instead, they got Rita Moreno, who instantly stepped into icon status with the greatest performance of Anita. To help liven up the show, they also added a new number — “I’m So Pretty,” which became an instant classic. The dancing is excellent, the songs are great, and ultimately, the stars at the center of the movie do not quite hit the quality you’d want.

49. Annie Hall (1977)

Directed by Woody Allen

Easily the most innovative of the comedies to win Best Picture, Annie Hall has suffered from being ripped off by every filmmaker since. It’s a cute movie, but Allen’s acid-tongued commentary elevates a doomed romance into something special. While other films in Allen’s career would suffer from revelations about his personal character, Annie Hall feels the most divorced from those allegations (thankfully).

48. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Directed by Robert Benton

The emotionally charged drama puts two of the best actors of all time against each other. Meryl Streep’s stunning role as Joanna Kramer is one of the most obvious star-making moments in film history. Meanwhile, Dustin Hoffman finally broke through with Oscar despite some bad stories behind the scenes. Both performers were on a collision course with Oscar and created one of the first true “children-of-divorce” features to resonate with popular culture. It’s brilliantly written and emotionally resonating to this day, making it one of the most intriguing small films on the list.

47. It Happened One Night (1934)

Directed by Frank Capra

Without Frank Capra, it’s not clear we would rank It Happened One Night even this high. It deserves credit for being the prototypical romantic comedy. However, the gender politics remain questionable, and Gable’s history with women makes it much harder to ignore some of his more brutish moments. There’s certainly comedy here, but Capra would make better versions of It Happened One Night several times in his career.

45. Hamlet (1948)

Directed by Laurence Olivier

Featuring an excellent performance from Olivier would make Hamlet feel important on its own merits. However, Oliver expertly adapts Shakespeare’s monumental play, cutting the sections that would cause Braughan’s nineties adaptation to run four hours. However, its the direction that is most surprising. The cinematography is gorgeous, the sets are astounding, and the ghost remains a haunting image almost eighty years later.

44. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

As America and the United Kingdom started to hear about a bubbling counter-culture, a drama about religious freedoms became a centerpiece of the zeitgeist. Returning to the Oscar stage after From Here to Eternity, Fred Zinnemann delivered a poignant story of belief and morality. One could just as easily find themselves in harm’s way for that devotion to their core beliefs. It became an important lesson in the years ahead, with the Civil Rights era just behind the film and Watergate on the horizon.

43. Anora (2024)

Directed by Sean Baker

The story of a sex worker trying to maintain her relationship is one of the best genre mashups in decades. Everything points toward Anora being a very dark, and tragic film. Instead, it’s one of the funniest movies of the decade. Combining a disdain for money, power and entitlement, Mikey Madison gives a career defining performance. Her instant Star is Born moment netted her the Oscar for Best Actress, and Sean Baker took home 4 Oscars on the night (for Picture, Director, Screenplay and Editing).

42. Gladiator (2000)

Directed by Ridley Scott

A return to the sword-and-shield epics of yesteryear, Ridley Scott banked on an impeccable cast assembled to add gravitas to his action showcase. The brilliant recreations of the Colliseum were so good that when Gladiator II failed to reach those levels in 2024, it caused the audience to turn on its sequel. The showdowns between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix are the moments we beg movies to have today. Both are astounding, and Scott maximizes the spectacle at every opportunity.

41. Ordinary People (1980)

Directed by Robert Redford

Perhaps the most maligned Best Picture winner of the 1980s, Ordinary People is among the best family dramas ever made. The performances from Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland are unbelievable. However, the Timothy Hutton and Judd Hirsh performances are the heartbeat of the movie, setting the template for decades of therapy on the big screen. Few movies can match the pure emotion pouring through the screen.

40. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

Directed by William Wyler

Few movies are more indebted to the times they were made than Mrs. Miniver. One of the best examples of an anti-war film on the homefront, Mrs. Miniver deploys shocking moments of death and destruction on seemingly helpless characters at its heart. Wyler forces us to care about these characters on a human level before forcing us to confront the devastating effects of war. In 1942, Mrs. Miniver was seen as a rallying cry. Today, it takes on a different meaning but reminds us that the damage of war is never limited to the soldiers in combat.

39. The Shape of Water (2017)

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro

While it’s not the Guillermo movie many of us would have wanted to win Best Picture (Pan’s Labyrinth), Del Toro’s romance was a massive breakthrough for the Academy. For one, it’s one of the oddest and most unique movies to take home the top prize, and it wisely leaned into Del Toro’s credit as a Hollywood historian to get the campaign over the finish line. However, it’s ultimately a movie about immigration, government overreach, and a woman overcoming the boundaries put into place by society. It was also the first movie in over a decade to win Best Picture with a female lead or represent genre filmmaking.

38. All the King’s Men (1949)

Directed by Robert Rossen

The story about the rise and fall of a populist politician, All the King’s Men, told a fictionalized version of the Huey Long story. As a politician rides populism into office, his actions became more tyrannical and threatening to any who opposed him. Broderick Crawford’s performance as Willie Stark has only grown in relevance. It’s also important to pull the aesthetics of film noir and use them in a political thriller.

37. All About Eve (1950)

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

A tale of deceit and deception, All About Eve served as the blueprint for how to con your way into fame. Place yourself near someone rich or famous, and slowly poison everyone against your former hero. All About Eve lives by its two great performances, with Bette Davis and Anne Baxter becoming icons for their work. It still holds a tie for the most Oscar nominations by a film but could not convert on many of them (Baxter and Davis lost to Judy Holliday). The story has been copied many times since then, and still, All About Eve might be the best version of them.

36. Platoon (1986)

Directed by Oliver Stone

Inspired by his own horrors during the Vietnam War, Oliver Stone forced audiences to experience the grit and grime of the conflict. With Charlie Sheen standing in for America in a very literal way, Platoon presents its protagonist with the evil in our hearts (Tom Beringer) and someone who means well in his service (Willem Dafoe). Stone brilliantly brings these ideas to life in the terrifying film and makes his point in no uncertain terms: Stone felt abandoned by the United States when he was sent to war.

35. Ben-Hur (1959)

Directed by William Wyler

A high-flying biblical epic with brilliant technological prowess, Ben-Hur has been heralded as one of the great American films. Its placement here is not a reflection on that aspect, especially given the strides it made in terms of production. Ben-Hur scored two wins for its cast, winning Charlton Heston and Hugh Griffith their Oscars. It’s still a little too long for its own good but in terms of grandiose pictures, not many stacks up to its visuals.

34. Wings (1927)

Directed by William A. Wellman

Our very first Best Picture winner is also one of the most stunning. It’s a little long, but the aerial battles and dogfights are unbelievable. Dozens of shots and visuals feel groundbreaking a century later (such as the oner through the ballroom). Due to its era, it contains a few of the silent film anachronisms that feel old-fashioned, but at the same time, its ending is as heartbreaking and emotional as one could hope. Wings is a stunning achievement that rarely gets brought up as one of the great early winners, but it deserves that recognition.

33. The Departed (2006)

Directed by Martin Scorsese

It’s easy to write off The Departed as a mere Scorsese genre exercise. It’s not his best gangster film, but even his third or fourth best is better than most movies ever made. Featuring brilliant performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Sheen, Matt Damon, and others, The Departed became a sensation the year of its release. It’s also one of the easiest to return to in Scorsese’s filmography, where it only really fails to live up to his own brilliance. We can’t knock it in this ranking, because it’s on the Academy they passed over Goodfellas and Taxi Driver.

32. The Deer Hunter (1979)

Directed by Michael Cimino

A film that is fully about what it means to grow up and die in America, The Deer Hunter was the first of the Vietnam films to make it to the Oscar stage. While Oliver Stone would cover many of the ideas of The Deer Hunter in far grander depth, the Christopher Walken performance continues to shake us to our core. It’s a brilliant performance from the actor and one that drives The Deer Hunter as the tragic epic it becomes.

31. Rebecca (1940)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

A haunting tale of metaphorical ghosts, Rebecca is another flick that highlights the brilliance of its director. Hitchcock’s impeccable framing and visual style are put front and center, allowing Rebecca to live up to the haunting images he captured. Again, we cannot knock Hitchcock for the Academy, ignoring his superior efforts, especially because Rebecca is still a true masterpiece.

29. Titanic (1997)

Directed by James Cameron

The massive Titanic sweep at the Oscars propelled several iconic Oscar moments. However, its easy to forget the ways the Oscars ignored the film. Leonardo DiCaprio went un-nominated, while Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart lost Best Supporting Actress. However, Cameron’s epic scope and visuals drive the stunning effects-based power of Titanic. It rightfully became a global phenomenon as a romance and disaster film. Much of Cameron’s best work is still here, even if the screenplay leaves something to be desired. It also crowned DiCaprio and Winslet as superstars, which they’ve more than lived up to over the past thirty years.

27. From Here to Eternity (1953)

Director Fred Zinnemann

Featuring several of the great stars of its era, From Here to Eternity is an epic about the lead-up to Pearl Harbor. However, the focus comes before the tragic day, unveiling several heartbreaking tales within the context of a larger tale. The performances from Montgomery Cliff, Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Deborah Kerr, and Donna Reed helped make several members of the cast instant icons. Sinatra and Reed would take home Oscar statues, but this is the one year you could reasonably argue a film should win all four acting categories. From Here to Eternity earns its place as one of the best films about the homefront.

Directed by Miloš Forman

One of only three films to win “The Big Five” in a single Oscar year, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest dominated an excellent year for the medium. Jack Nicholson’s first Oscar became one of his most definitive. Louise Fletcher crafted one of the scariest characters in film history, with Nurse Ratchet inspiring a Ryan Murphy TV series. Forman and the screenplay came along with the Best Picture win, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest remains a must-watch for anyone trying to understand our country’s past treatment of mental illness.

24. Rocky (1976)

Directed by John G. Avildsen

Perhaps the most famous boxing movie of all time, Rocky, is the exact kind of generational film that the Oscars should recognize. Ignoring the many sequels and Creed spin-offs, Rocky was a crowd-pleaser like few others. The fact that many lift up the film, despite its ending, speaks to the brilliance of its screenplay and storytelling. Avildsen crafts brilliant images, the music remains iconic, and Stallone’s brilliant performance makes Rocky a legendary feat nearly fifty years later. It also gets bonus points for feeling like a deserving winner over maybe the strongest Best Picture lineup ever.

21. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Directed by John Schlesinger

A lightning bolt film, Midnight Cowboy took advantage of the eagerness to finally reward a feature from the “New Hollywood” movement. It was shocking and provocative on every topic and even opened the door for additional queer discourse. However, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman deliver shockingly grounded and upsetting performances. It’s an emotionally taxing film, and on that should remain one of the great American films for decades to come. Without out, the road to fast edits and brilliant montages might have been years away from mainstream acceptance.

20. Oppenheimer (2023)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Formally unique for a biopic, Oppenheimer features one of the best scenes of the last two decades when the bomb goes off. The second act of Nolan’s epic certainly rises to the heights we expect, but whether you think the final hour lives up to the two that proceed, it is still a discussion worth having. A nearly billion-dollar gross and Nolan’s devotion to practical effects makes Oppenheimer feel like a modern masterpiece. However, it’s still a little too new to rank above many remaining on the list.

19. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Directed by Lewis Milestone

One of the most impressive anti-war films of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front remains shockingly remarkable as a technical feat. The sound rattles to the bone. The violence is both shocking and relentless. A pre-Hays code production meant Milestone could explore darker subjects than many filmmakers could for the next thirty years. The special effects are astounding, and how they edited the film is far more reminiscent of modern masterpieces than movies that are nearly 100 years old.

18. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Directed by Peter Jackson

On its own merits, Return of the King is an excellent Best Picture winner. However, it’s undeniably stronger in the context of the trilogy. If we took The Lord of the Rings as a franchise, it would rank higher than several movies. However, because it’s solely Return of the King, the three-and-a-half-hour epic sometimes falls a little short. The jaw-dropping Battle of the Pelennor Fields is an equal parts undeniable spectacle and still features some frustrating CGI. The multiple endings of Return of the King make it weaker than several of the movies above it, but it’s still the gold standard for fantasy filmmaking.

16. No Country For Old Men 92007)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

The Coen Brothers have few peers that can easily vacillate between the darkness in men’s hearts and comedy. Yet when the Coens got a chance to adapt Cormac McCarthy’s seminal novel, they proved their Oscar success with Fargo was far from a blip. Diving into one of the darkest stories of greed and death ever crafted, they made Anton Chigurh one of cinema’s most astounding villains. Javier Bardem’s performance is already among the best Supporting Acting wins ever. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, and Kelly Macdonald further highlight the incredible triumph of the Coen’s neo-Western.

15. Unforgiven (1992)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Few directors can direct themselves as an actor, but even fewer can turn in career-best work on both sides of the camera in a single movie. However, Clint has pushed himself into that discussion several times. Unforgivable is a gem of a feature, embracing the darkness of the American Western and allowing Clint to reckon with his past as a matinee idol. With brilliant performances throughout the film, Unforgiven is a special work from one of our greatest entertainers. The final showdown is among the best scenes of the 1990s and clarifies that Clint was ready to confront everything about his career in a single film. Unforgiven rules.

14. In the Heat of the Night

Directed by Norman Jewison

In the Heat of the Night became an instant sensation on the back of Sidney Poitier’s brilliance. The power of the narrative and its willingness to show its lead develop into an ally makes In the Heat of the Night a powerful vision of friendship. Rod Steiger’s win for Best Actor feels a little off because Poitier went unnamed, but Quincy Jones’ score win remains an iconic win in its own right. It’s a movie that was needed then, and In the Heat of the Night lived up to the moment.

13. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Directed by David Lean

The definitive Peter O’Toole performance comes in service to one of the greater cinematography achievements in film history. It’s a stunning work of art from beginning to end, which almost makes up for its unfortunate choice to put Alec Guiness in brownface. Even despite that, Lean’s brilliance as a filmmaker is never in doubt, and Lawrence of Arabia remains one of the most influential pieces of filmmaking ever crafted.

12. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Directed by David Lean

When a group of British POWs are forced to build a bridge under threat of death, Alec Guiness’ Col. Nicholson promises the best job possible. Simultaneously, escaped POWs get ready to blow it up. In doing so, The Bridge on the River Kwai becomes a far grander tale of men pushed to the limits of their capabilities. The performance from Sessue Hayakawa losing the Oscar is frankly unforgivable. Lean excels at capturing brilliant visuals, and The Bridge on the River Kwai is an essential text in the history of the medium.

11. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Directed by William Wyler

The definitive movie about life after war, The Best Years of Our Lives feels shockingly modern. The violence has already occurred, but the men and the women in their orbit feel incredible pain and loss. The violence that emanates from the the cast is stunning. Harold Russell delivers one of the great performances in film history, and there’s a reason it continues to influence decades later.

10. The Apartment (1960)

8. Moonlight (2016)

Directed by Barry Jenkins

One of the most life-affirming features of the last thirty years, Moonlight truly changed the course of the Academy Awards. Indie distributors struggled, and at the same time, the ghost of Brokeback Mountain hung over the Academy. In Moonlight, Barry Jenkins crafts a story of a boy seeking love but instead loses that connection time and time again. However, as he continues to wear his heart on his sleeve, Black/Chiron (played marvelously by Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, and Alex R. Hibbert) finally finds peace. With a stunning cast, including Mahershala Ali’s virtuoso performance, Moonlight etched itself into the history books. It also made A24 a force in the decade to come.

7. Terms of Endearment (1982)

Directed by James L. Brooks

The turbulent brilliance of Debra Winger and the passionate skills of Shirley MacLaine pushed Terms of Endearment into hollowed ground. It’s easy to forget that James L. Brooks came from the world of television when he brought his generational drama to life. What he crafted is the definitive film about mothers and daughters, a title that it still holds to this day. Brilliant at every turn, Terms of Endearment has few movies more adept at eliciting tears.

6. Amadeus (1984)

Directed by Miloš Forman

Arguably the greatest biopic ever made, Amadeus puts the subgenre to shame. Not only is Tom Hulce simply astonishing, but F. Murray Abraham delivers a stunning depiction of hatred and jealousy as Salieri. Even if you did know of Salieri’s music, he’s become one of the most infamous men of all time, thanks to Amadeus. The costumes and sets are S-tier, and there’s no doubt that Amadeus soars as one of the greatest films ever made.

5. Parasite (2019)

Directed by Bong Joon Ho

For decades, international features had been knocking on the door to take over the Oscars. However, it was Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite that broke through the barrier. In the process, we’ve already seen the world of film and television shift around us. International features are regularly nominated for Best Picture. Horror and thrillers find themselves celebrated among the year’s best. Perhaps most importantly, Parasite dug into class struggles in such a universal way that we continue to wrestle with the ways billionaires and millionaires use money to institute control over our lives. A true ensemble, there are no weak links amongst the cast.

4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Directed by Jonathan Demme

America has been obsessed with true crime for generations but never found itself face-to-face with the violence lurking beneath the surface. So much of The Silence of the Lambs has found its way into the lexicon of popular culture that it’s impossible to spoil. Yet when Demme puts Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Ted Levine in close-up, he finds some of the most distressing images ever captured on film.

3. Schindler’s List (1993)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

The effort to win an Oscar pushed Steven Spielberg to make some poor choices in his filmography. However, when he landed on Schindler’s List, he poured his heart and soul into the project. It’s impossible to imagine a world without this film, let alone the accomplishment it represents. Remember, Spielberg would release another film in 1993, Jurassic Park, which was simply swept to the side by the Oscars in favor of Schindler’s List. The devastating depiction of the Holocaust is arguably the greatest film ever made on the subject. It’s also one of the grand epics of American filmmaking that combines the greatest form of every craft to build a monument to those who perished.

2. The Godfather (1972)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

We are splitting hairs at the top of this list. The Godfather gets to build on many of the ideas first pushed by Casablanca, including what it means to find home and family as violence looms around you. Coppola’s brilliance is etched into every frame of The Godfather, and while Part II is also undeniable in its excellence, the original has just enough to maintain the lead.

1. Casablanca (1943)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

It’s simply a perfect film. The screenplay is absurdly good, the direction is astounding, and the cast is brilliant in every single role. The Humphry Bogart and Ingrid Bergman romance is arguably the best ever on screen, which makes the ending even more poignant. What can you say about a movie as relevant today as it was eighty years ago? Casablanca is one of the greatest American films ever made and is unlikely to lose that title anytime soon.

Read our list of the greatest films of all time here.

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