All lists - page 2
iCheckMovies allows you to check many different top lists, ranging from the all-time top 250 movies to the best science-fiction movies. Please select the top list you are interested in, which will show you the movies in that list, and you can start checking them!
Order by:
Filter
-
Paste's 100 Best Superhero Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 7:2. Published in January 2017 (updated June 2023) Two things quickly become evident when putting together a list of the 100 Best Superhero Movies of All Time. First, this is the Golden Age for such films, a decade where technology, long-unrequited fandom and surging popular awareness have all combined to thrill moviegoers and make Hollywood billions of dollars. Second, it’s still fair to say that most superhero films are not that good. There’s no real contradiction at play here. The niche just lacks the pedigree of its fellow movie genres. Though superhero comic books may have started to make a dint in popular culture 75 years ago (give or take), technology only crossed over from hindrance to enabling force in the last 20 years or so. As a result, while curating a 100 Best Westerns of All Time or 100 Best Documentaries of All Time list requires the exclusion of arguably good films to select the best 100—for superhero movies? The pickings get slim after 40. In fact, the real challenge for this list was choosing amongst the dreck (some of it beloved dreck!) that would fill out the bottom half. It turns out it’s much easier to argue for or against a top 10 film’s exact placement (and frankly, compelling arguments could be made for almost any of our top 5 as deserving the #1 position), than weighing the relative “merits” of Masters of the Universe, Swamp Thing and Elektra. This also means the bottom half of this list will change swiftly compared to, say, The Best B-Movies of All Time. In fact, it’s a safe assumption if there are 15 superhero movies in the next three years, at least 14 of them will knock numbers 86-99 off this list. (Our #100 is a bit of a wild card.) Finally, some criteria. To be considered for this list, a film must possess at least two of the following three qualities: 1) It must involve costumed shenanigans, 2) It must involve a superpowered protagonist and/or 3) the protagonist must exist in a world where the supernatural/extraordinary is demonstrably present. These criteria are why meta-commentary films like Kick-Ass and Super are not on this list. And it’s also why some films with pulpy characters like Zorro, Tarzan and Conan are not, while others like The Phantom are. (Zane’s costume combined with the Skulls of Touganda do the trick.) Admittedly, the lines gets blurry. Also absent from this list is any consideration of foreign superhero films. That’s not because some are not worthy—especially given the movie quality issue mentioned at the top—it’s just an area we’d rather get better versed in before pouring into this list. Next year, perhaps. The three Matrix films were counted as a single entry in the source list. -
Paste's 100 Best Western Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 7:0. List published in June 2016 Is the Western the most American of movie genres? You can make an argument for the Western film’s internationality on the names of the directors who have contributed to its iconography: You have your John Fords and your Anthony Manns, your Sam Peckinpahs and your Samuel Fullers, but over in Europe you also have filmmakers like Sergio Leone, Enzo G. Castellari and Sergio Corbucci, among many, many others, as authors of Western offshoots that influence filmmakers even today. (And of course there are those great entries in the Western canon that were lifted wholesale from Akira Kurosawa’s filmography.) Hell, let’s flash from the Western’s glory days to the last decade, where Kim Jee-woon and Takashi Miike have put their individual stamps on its tropes and motifs. For these reasons, there’s certainly an argument to made that the Western is truly “universal.” But no matter where Western movies are made, no matter what subgenre classifications they are individually accorded, and no matter who makes them, the films always engage with symbols, eras and images that are quintessentially “American.” The Western is the domain of the cowboy, the solitary hero. It’s a place where law and chaos are ever in conflict with one another and where the difference between survival and death usually comes down to who is faster on the draw. It’s a testament to the rich, awesome power of the Western as a narrative mode that filmmakers from around the planet have found stories worth telling within its purview, but even the Italian maestros simply added their own unique (and significant) flourishes to a cinematic tradition that is American in its DNA. Maybe it’s more accurate to say that they made the Western their own. Spaghetti Westerns are, after all, a cousin to American Westerns in terms of style, content, themes and morality. The Italian Westerns are literally gritty where American Westerns are polished and clean; they deal in ambiguity instead of black and white. The average Spaghetti Western hero looks like a total bastard next to the clean-cut heroes of American Westerns, who uphold all of the best and most commonly accepted standards of heroism as we know them. Who would you rather save the day for you? Will Kane, or the man with no name? There’s a divide separating the Westerns made by Europeans and those shot by Americans, but if you can sort these movies out by their varying approaches, you can’t keep them all from standing under one umbrella. (A better point of debate: Did the Spaghetti Western become a thing in 1958 or 1964?) Like the wide and sprawling landscapes that are so much a part of the Western’s character as a genre, the Western itself is a big, open canvas for storytelling of all stripes. With that in mind, we here at Paste set about collecting Westerns from all over the map and across the ages to assemble our picks for the 100 best Western films of all time. —Andy Crump -
Mark Cousin's The Story of Film: A New Generation
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. Film critic and documentarian Mark Cousins returns to his long running Story of Film project with a new chapter dedicated to the cinematic innovators of the 21st Century. Drawing on a broad range of examples from around the world and across every genre, he expertly interrogates key sequences to reveal the new ideas which are extending the language of cinema. From Frozen to Cemetery of Splendour, The Act of Killing to Lover’s Rock, cinema in the digital age proves to be as valued and versatile as it’s ever been and a welcome return to the big screen. -
Ottawa International Animation Festival Grand Prize Winners
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. The Grand Prize winners in the Ottawa International Animation Festival's main competition. This prize has been awarded annually since 1976. -
Paste's 50 Best Samurai Films of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. What is it about the samurai that captivates Westerners? The armor and swords, the reverent attitude and the reputation for supreme competence in warfare are all pretty impressive, but they don’t get to the heart of it. I believe it might be that at the core of every samurai is the code of bushido, the feudal Japanese equivalent of chivalry, with its one edict above all else: If the time should call for it, protect your lord with your life. That self-abnegation in service of something greater than oneself is the question at the heart of the works of generation after generation of directors as they revisit the samurai film. And it’s why we’re so excited to present Paste’s list of the 50 Best Samurai Films of All Time. This is a broad genre, just from a the standpoint of how much history falls within it. The American Western falls more or less within the bounds of the 19th Century, yet samurai films offer centuries of warfare, palace intrigue and a drawn-out end of an era for the history and film buff to chew on. Samurai flicks really have something for everyone. Fans of period pieces will love the intricate set design, costuming and portrayals of towering historical figures in the midst of epic conflict. If operatic drama is more your speed, you can sit back and watch committed actors dine upon lavish scenery. Action junkies get to watch riveting combat with cool-looking swords. And fans of film history in general will delight in tracing the lineage of some of the West’s cinematic touchstones to their forebears in the East, as well as some stellar Eastern adaptations of Western canon. It is with solemn bushido reverence that I invite you to join us as we dive into 50 films that exemplify this mightiest of genres. We’ve formed this list with a careful eye toward the classic jidaigeki (Age of Civil War period piece) and chambara (swordfighting) films that typify the genre in Japan, but also to some of the weird and subversive outliers that challenge audience expectations or the mythic idea of the samurai code. And because this genre is so deeply steeped in the history of its homeland, we’ve also arranged this list in a loose sort of historical chronological order and added some context that might help clarify the settings of some of the movies. In the interest of keeping things tight, we’ve excluded anime entries, but for a definitive list that includes some animated samurai action, check out Paste’s 100 Best Anime Films. Published August 2017 -
Stockholm International Film Festival: Bronze Horse
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. An award given for best film at the Stockholm International Film Festival. Awarded since 1990. -
Sutherland Trophy
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. Created in 1958, the Sutherland Trophy was awarded annually by the British Film Institute to "the maker of the most original and imaginative [first or second feature] film introduced at the National Film Theatre during the year". In 1997, the criteria changed to honour the maker of the most original and imaginative first feature screened during the London Film Festival. -
Time Out's 50 Best Gangster Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 6:0. Call it an offer you can't refuse, a Sicilian message or a pair of cement shoes: The gangster film has an iron-clad lock on the hearts of movie lovers. Some of Hollywood's finest exports are crime sagas, and the indie and foreign-film worlds have followed suit with classics of their own. Gritty or romantic, coolly silent or loaded with tough talk, these movies are five-course feasts, heavy on the red sauce—and make plenty of room for the most notorious mobsters from Chicago, like Al Capone, who appears on our list more than once. If we've forgotten a movie in our countdown, let us know (but we have the corner table, so we'll see you coming). List published March 2015 -
Istanbulfilm's Balkan cinema lists
Favs/dislikes: 5:0. A list of films compiled from various Balkan countries. Most countries are represented with various standouts from their respective national cinemas. Albania (1-8), Bosnia and Herzegovina (9-17), Bulgaria (18-48), Croatia (49-62), Greece (63-91), Macedonia (92-102), Romania (103-134), Serbia (135-171), Slovenia (172-183) -
Yerevan International Film Festival - Golden Apricot
Favs/dislikes: 5:0. The Festival is dedicated to the theme of Crossroads of Cultures and Civilizations, and features a multitude of films representing various nations and religions, collectively depicting the richness of the human experience. -
Film4's 50 Films to See Before You Die
Favs/dislikes: 4:0. Compiled in 2011, Film4's critics compiled a list of "must see" films. -
Sight & Sound's 101 Hidden Gems
Favs/dislikes: 4:0. 'One vote wonders from Sight and Sound's 'Greatest Films of All Time' poll. The films are presented chronologically. Some films are still to be added to IMDB: 1. Le Chat Qui Joue (1897) 36. 6 et 12 (1968) 51. Mouth to Mouth (1975) 52. Gerdy, the Wicked Witch (1976) 91. Qabyo 2 (2003) 101. The Names Have Changed, Including My Own and Truths Have Been Altered (2019) -
Cannes Film Festival - Caméra d'Or
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. Since 1978, the Caméra d'Or has been awarded to the best debut feature film presented at the Cannes Film Festival. -
Films from the South "Silver Mirror" Award
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. Films from the South is a Norwegian film festival which takes place in Oslo. The films chosen focus on Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle east. The Silver Mirror is awarded to the best film. -
National Canadian Film Day: 150 Canadian Films
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. Need a place to start? REEL CANADA is here to help with our “150 Canadian Films” list. This is not a “best ever” list and is by no means definitive. But the films on this list do reflect the vast range of stories that Canadians tell. It’s a list as diverse as the country itself, providing examples of excellence in every conceivable genre. Think of it as a sampler. If you love movies or Canada or both, there is something here for you. -
Paste's United States of Film Lists
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. A continuing series of films published by U.S. state highlighting some of the major films produced or set in each state. States organized alphabetically. Illinois (1-20) Louisiana (21-35) Massachusetts (36-45) Michigan (46-65) Pennsylvania (66-85) Vermont (86-95) Virginia (96-115) -
Platino Awards Best Film Nominees
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. All nominees (including winners) of the Platino award for Best Latin American or Iberian film. -
Sight & Sound Presents the New Hollywood
Favs/dislikes: 3:0. Part of a new series launched by Sight & Sound magazine, providing an in-depth exploration of the new Hollywood movement. Volume 1: 1967-1975 Volume 2: 1975-1980 -
American Gangster Cinema
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. The filmography listed in the book American Gangster Cinema: From Little Caesar to Pulp Fiction (2002) by Fran Mason -
BFI London Film Festival - Best Film
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. Although held annually since 1953, the BFI added a formal awards ceremony (and the best film award) in 2009. This list contains all of the winners since the creation of this award. -
Crave's Best Political Movies
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. A nation divided. A war of ideals. It sounds a lot like reality and it sounds a lot like a movie. Indeed, the history of cinema is fertile with motion pictures with political storylines and lofty social ambitions. Ever since we discovered that the moving image has a distinct power over the masses, artists and governments have been using films to convey their message… for better and often for worse. Compiling a list of the best political movies in history is a daunting task. We had to allow for films that espouse ideas and ideals that don’t necessarily match our own. We had to consider a film’s quality as a political document and/or statement as a separate entity from its overall quality (the so-called “best movie ever made” only ranks at #49 on this list for that very reason). And we had to cast a wide net, so this Big List was voted upon and written by a half dozen film critics: Crave‘s William Bibbiani and Witney Seibold, The Wrap‘s Alonso Duralde, Linoleum Knife‘s Dave White, Blumhouse‘s Alyse Wax and Collider‘s Brian Formo. They each nominated 50 films, ranked from #1-50, and we tabulated those votes to come up with the following Top 50 Best Political Movies Ever. (Stick around at the end, when we’ll reveal our 50 runners-up as well.) -
MSN.com's 100 Best Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. Whether we watch them at drive-in theatres (yes, they do still exist) or multiplexes, or on our TV sets, laptops, or smartphones, movies are a part of our life. They divert and entertain us, make us laugh or cry (or both), get us thinking, inspire us, and sometimes are so powerful that they leave us simply drained. What makes a good movie? It’s largely a matter of personal taste, of course. The history of cinema is full of examples of critically acclaimed films that do little at the box office (“Brazil,” “The King of Comedy”) and, conversely, smash hits that the critics mostly disliked (“The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” “The Da Vinci Code”). Movies that score well with both audiences and reviewers — and there are many — tend to have a few basic characteristics in common: a strong, coherent storyline; richly drawn -- and well-acted -- characters; well-done cinematography and (if applicable) special effects; and a satisfying ending. The movies on this list share those virtues to a greater or lesser extent. They cover a wide range, spanning cinema history from 1921 to 2018. They include silent films and technologically dazzling blockbusters. Many feature famous performers of the past and present, as well as some of the film world’s most acclaimed directors — Charlie Chaplin, Frank Capra, George Cukor, Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston, Stanley Kubrick, Sam Peckinpah, and Francis Ford Coppola. Some of these movies will be familiar to almost anyone — “Citizen Kane,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” “Star Wars” (now retitled “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope”). Others are more obscure, but well worth discovering. Taken as a whole, this list provides a vivid illustration of why movies are so important to us. List added January 2019 -
Paste's 50 Best Movie Soundtracks
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. Published April 2016 The key to a great musical accompaniment in a film is imperceptibility. When a song is so perfect for a movie moment, audiences won’t even notice it until the scene has already begun. The fit is intuitive. But listening back to a soundtrack after seeing a movie immediately can create a different experience. The melodies and lyrics conjure visual memories from those other stories. Sometimes, though, a soundtrack stands on its own, independent of the film that united those individual tracks. Whatever the situation, movie soundtracks offer essential cultural contributions to both movies and music, and we’ve rounded up the 50 best of all time. -
Paste's 50 Best Zombie Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. Here’s a film truism that everyone can agree upon: George Romero’s 1968 Night of the Living Dead is probably the most influential and important “zombie film” of all time. It codified an entirely new meaning for the term, which is ironic, given that the word “zombie” never actually appears in the movie, where the creatures are typically referred to as “ghouls.” But regardless, NOTLD catapulted the Americanized idea of “zombies” past their Haitian voodoo origins and into the cultural consciousness as dead bodies come back to life or otherwise reanimated, who fed upon the living. Few films in any genre can claim to be so influential. But is it the best zombie movie of all time? Despite its classic, definitive imagery, and despite everything it contributed to the history of horror cinema, it’s not as if Night of the Living Dead is a flawless film. It can be slow, a bit dated, and is limited by its minimal budget in more ways than one. With the historical record taken into account, it’s a great film. But it’s simply not the “greatest zombie movie of all time,” if we’re being objective. What, then, even makes for a great zombie film? Are they determined more by great human characterization, or by the utilization of the zombies themselves? What’s more important: A unique setting, or great practical effects? Gore and mayhem, or wry social commentary? Black comedy, or genuinely frightening suspense? Each can make for valid, classic examples of zombie cinema. And please, let’s not debate what is and isn’t “zombies.” We all know that the “infected” of 28 Days Later aren’t Romero-style zombies, but the construction of the film is 100 percent “zombie movie.” Likewise with many other entries on the list—it’s about intent and presentation, not whether the creatures fit within a very specific guidelines. So without further ado: Here are the 50 greatest zombie movies of all time. The list could easily have been longer, and we trimmed quite a few classics just to get down to 50. Will we reach 100 next year? Who’s to say? -
Paste's Greatest Christmas Movies of All Time
Favs/dislikes: 2:0. While any list of favorites or “best” contain a strong dose of subjectivity, a list of the Best Christmas Movies of All Time is even less constrained by questions of cinematic quality and other, objective criteria. After all, if your holiday comfort food is Last Christmas or Christmas with the Kranks, who are we to judge? Still, that doesn’t mean some films haven’t distinguished themselves over time (and, often, through critical consensus) as go-to holiday fare, and while we won’t judge you, we will absolutely judge—or at least rank—those. Publishes November 2022
Showing items 26 – 50 of 73