What are the Best Movies of All Time

The list of movies made so far is long. But which of them have been particularly successful and made true film history? The best movies of all time at a glance.

These are the films that you watch and know inside that they are masterpieces of their craft. They often surprise us with an original story, coupled with remarkable acting. At the same time, the cinematography, that is, the camera technical resolution, rarely falls short and offers an impressive, often stirring, visual counterpart to the story. Above all, however, a very good film is able to captivate the viewer emotionally by offering a profound story with complex, multi-layered (often contradictory) characters. This profundity at the same time gives the film a strong credibility and also identification with the characters.

Which films have taken this particularly to heart?

A look at our list of the best movies of all time should provide some clarification here.

Shown is the very colorfully lit entrance of an IMAX cinema at night. Arranged vertically is the word "shelf" in capital letters in white font. To the left and right is the word "IMAX" in capital letters and in blue color. This cinema is an inviting place to watch the best movies of all time.

To see the best movies of all time, a cinema of this kind is especially recommended: It is evening and from a street we see the entrance of a US cinema. On a typically illuminated display board, the movie titles "Protoje" and "Raging Fyah" are shown in capital letters and above them, in blue illuminated cursive, the name of the cinema "Bluebird". Several people are standing in line in front of the cinema.

1. The Godfather (IMDb 9,2/10)

The Godfather tells the story of the leader of the New York mafia family Don Corleone (played by Marlon Brando), who wants to bequeath his rule to his unruly son to ensure the inheritance of the family dynasty. The multiple Oscar-winning film relentlessly depicts the atrocities of organized crime at the time. Particularly positive is the excellent acting of the main actors, which gives the story an unprecedented profundity. Ultimately, the film makes for a thoroughly breathtaking, suspenseful and emotionally moving cinematic spectacle. The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

– Powerful, gripping

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video, where it is also available to rent/buy as it is on the Sky Store and Apple TV, and can also be rented on DVD.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (IMDb 9,0/10)

In the third part of the fantasy saga “The Lord of the Rings”, the capital of Gondor, Minas Tirith, is in great danger: the sinister ruler Sauron wants to capture the important city in order to secure his sole rule over Middle Earth.
An all-decisive battle between humans and orcs begins. The eleven-time Oscar-winning third part offers the viewer an incredibly spectacular and awe-inspiring ending. Especially the digitally very elaborately staged battles provide the viewer with an unprecedented, epic, audiovisual spectacle and “in the thick of it” feeling. Rounding out the part is a top cast including Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Elijah Wood as Frodo, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn and Andy Serkis as Gollum, to name a few. A resonating epic film from Peter Jackson and certainly one of the best movies of all time in fantasy.

– Epic, thrilling

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video, WOW and Sky go and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play among others and can also be rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

3. The Dark Knight (IMDb 9,0/10)

The fictional metropolis Gotham City is once again haunted by a villain. The unpleasant contemporary and psychopath, called Joker (Heath Ledger, † January 22, 2008) once again puts Christian Bale to an extremely tough test in his role as Batman. The award-winning Batman film offers the viewer an impressive and suspenseful action spectacle. Already the beginning of the film is a unique selling point and knows how to skillfully captivate its audience and give the story momentum. The posthumously Oscar-nominated supporting actor Heath Ledger provides the viewer with an unprecedented, sophisticated spectacle of horror, euphoria and madness in his role as the Joker. A terrific film – shot by director Christopher Nolan.

– Dark, spectacular

The film is currently available to stream on Netflix and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store, Apple TV and more, and can also be purchased or rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

4. Schindler’s List (IMDb 9,0/10)

Steven Spielberg’s deeply moving historical film tells the story of businessman Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson), who employs Jewish workers from the Krakow ghetto in his enamelware factory during World War II and feels increasingly responsible for their safety. To match the cruelty of war, the film was intentionally shot in black and white (with deliberate exceptions of some scenes), which makes it look all the more authentic and powerful. Liam Neeson triumphs in his role and not least the excellent film music (composed by John Williams) makes many a tear roll. A gripping masterpiece that won’t let you go in a hurry.

– Emotionally charged, gripping

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video, Netflix, WOW and Sky Go and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store and Apple TV, among others, and can also be rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

5. Pulp Fiction (IMDb 8,9/10)

Quentin Tarantino’s cult film contains four subplots that are connected to each other, telling the story of two killers, a couple who rob a diner, a boxer, and the story of a gangster’s bride. Here, a brilliant, absolutely new narrative style meets quirky, grotesque dialogues, a good portion of humor as well as relentless scenes of violence in the Tarantino style. A clear recommendation and, not least due to its glorious cast, one of the best movies of all time.

– Original, action-packed

The film can currently be streamed on Joyn, WOW and Sky Go and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store and Apple TV, among others, and can also be bought or rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

6. Fight Club (IMDb 8,8/10)

Edward Norton plays an office worker who has been suffering from insomnia for quite some time. By chance he meets the soap merchant Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, who introduces him to the Fight Club and changes his life. However, this club-going also has its price and leads the protagonist to dark secrets. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are a true force in their roles. The film captivates with its dark backdrops, lets the viewer dive deep into the soul world of the protagonist and offers a good mix of profundity and action. The director was David Fincher.

– Violent, gloomy

The film is currently available to stream on Disney+, Joyn and Netflix, and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store and Apple TV, among others, and can also be rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

7. Forrest Gump (IMDb 8,8/10)

Winning six Oscars and three Golden Globes, the tragicomedy tells the extremely moving story of “Forrest Gump” (played by Tom Hanks), whose intelligence is very limited. With an IQ of just 75, he nevertheless manages to record a lot of extraordinary achievements. In his role, Tom Hanks provides us with an extraordinary acting, for which he won the Oscar in 1995. An unprecedented masterpiece by Robert Zemeckis, it has earned its place on the list of the best movies of all time simply because of Tom Hanks’ outstanding performance.

– Moving, thrilling

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video and is available to rent/buy on Sky Store, Apple TV, Google Play and more, and can also be rented/purchased on DVD/Blu-Ray.

8. Inception (IMDb 8,8/10)

In this action-packed sci-fi thriller, Leonardo DiCaprio takes on the role of Dom Cobb, who, thanks to a dream technology, has been able to steal valuable, secret information from important companies. However, his groundbreaking idea also brings him into the sights of various corporations. In addition to a deeply original story, the film is also very convincing with its visual effects, which depict the surreal dream worlds and also dream transitions very impressively. Also, the film composer Hans Zimmer provides an unprecedented soundtrack for this film, which will not let go of many an enthusiast and has left its mark. A cleverly staged masterpiece from director Christopher Nolan.

– Innovative, exciting

The film is currently available to stream on Netflix and is available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store, Apple TV and more, and can also be purchased/rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

9. Saving Private Ryan (IMDb 8,6/10)

It is an absolute classic of its genre: Saving Private Ryan is a cinematic masterpiece by director Steven Spielberg and certainly one of the best movies of all time when it comes to war films. After landing in Normandy, Captain Miller (played by Tom Hanks) is given a special mission to work with his unit to recover soldier James Francis Ryan, whose brothers have tragically all already died in combat, and bring him home safely. The film sets completely new standards with its opening alone, relentlessly depicting the Omaha Beach massacre. In addition to the story, special mention should be made of the cinematography, which does a great job of depicting the turmoil of war on camera, and the immersive, very convincing film soundtrack.

– Powerful, shocking

The film is currently available to stream on Prime Video and Netflix, and is available to rent/buy from the Sky Store and Apple TV, among others, and can also be rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

10. Inglourious Basterds (IMDb 8,3/10)

A squad of Jewish U.S. soldiers is given the mission of tracking down and eliminating high-ranking Nazi officers in France occupied during World War II. The film is particularly impressive with its 1st chapter, in which a French dairy farmer is interrogated by a German SS colonel (played by Christoph Waltz): In this scene, actor Christoph Waltz convinces with his original and extremely refined acting, which rightly earned him an Oscar. In keeping with Tarantino’s style, the violence in the film is also not neglected and lends the story presented a strong immersion and credibility.

– Original, powerful

The film is currently available to stream on Netflix and is also available to rent/buy on Prime Video, Sky Store, Apple TV and Google Play, among others, and can also be purchased or rented on DVD/Blu-Ray.

On an exterior facade, the word "Wall of Fame" is displayed in capital letters as a red glowing neon light.

Our conclusion

Our list of the 10 best movies of all time presented here provides a colorful cross-section of powerful film epics, psychologically profound, emotionally overwhelming and original unconventional works: Films like “The Godfather,” “Schindler’s List” and “Forrest Gump” are clearly compelling for their main characters and the stories they tell. “Pulp Fiction” delivers a completely new approach to film narrative and polarizes with sometimes grotesque scenes and dialogue. Films like “Inception” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” offer not only an epic story with a top cast, but also a masterful performance in the field of visual effects and digitally created worlds.

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