Canonical List

👑Empire's 500 Greatest Movies of All Time

Empire magazine's reader + critic poll — where popular and arthouse canons meet

89 matched films

#1
Jaws

Jaws

19758.1

Steven Spielberg

AdventureHorrorThriller
8.1
#2
The Godfather

The Godfather

19729.2

Francis Ford Coppola

CrimeDramaAuteur
9.2
#3
The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption

19949.3

Frank Darabont

Drama
NFX
NFX
9.3
#4
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

19808.7

Irvin Kershner

ActionAdventureFantasy
D+
D+
8.7
#5
Aliens

Aliens

19868.4

James Cameron

ActionAdventureHorror
D+
D+
8.4
#6
Inception

Inception

20108.8

Christopher Nolan

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
NFXPrimeMax
NFXPrime
8.8
#7
GoodFellas

GoodFellas

19908.7

Martin Scorsese

BiographyCrimeDramaAuteur
Prime
Prime
8.7
#8
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Star Wars

19778.6

George Lucas

ActionAdventureFantasy
D+
D+
8.6
#9
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

20018.9

Peter Jackson

AdventureDramaFantasy
NFXMax
NFXMax
8.9
#10
The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight

20089.1

Christopher Nolan

ActionCrimeDrama
NFXMax
NFXMax
9.1
#11
Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction

19948.8
CrimeDrama
8.8
#12
Back to the Future

Back to the Future

19858.5

Robert Zemeckis

AdventureComedySci-Fi
Prime
Prime
8.5
#13
Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park

19938.2

Steven Spielberg

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
NFXPrime
NFXPrime
8.2
#14
Raiders of the Lost Ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark

19818.4

Steven Spielberg

ActionAdventure
8.4
#15
Blade Runner

Blade Runner

19828.1

Ridley Scott

ActionDramaSci-FiAuteur
PrimeMax
PrimeMax
8.1
#16
The Godfather Part II

The Godfather Part II

19749.0

Francis Ford Coppola

CrimeDramaAuteur
9.0
#17
Alien

Alien

19798.5

Ridley Scott

HorrorSci-FiAuteur
D+
D+
8.5
#18
Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

19918.6

James Cameron

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
8.6
#19
Interstellar

Interstellar

20148.7

Christopher Nolan

AdventureDramaSci-Fi
NFXPrimeMax
NFXPrime
8.7
#20
Heat

Heat

19958.3

Michael Mann

ActionCrimeDrama
NFX
NFX
8.3
#21
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

20039.0

Peter Jackson

AdventureDramaFantasy
NFXMax
NFXMax
9.0
#22
The Matrix

The Matrix

19998.7

Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski

ActionSci-Fi
Max
Max
8.7
#23
Die Hard

Die Hard

19888.2

John McTiernan

ActionThriller
D+
D+
8.2
#24
There Will Be Blood

There Will Be Blood

20078.2

Paul Thomas Anderson

DramaAuteur
8.2
#25
2001: A Space Odyssey

2001: A Space Odyssey

19688.3

Stanley Kubrick

AdventureSci-FiAuteur
8.3
#26
Gladiator

Gladiator

20008.5

Ridley Scott

ActionAdventureDramaAuteur
Prime
Prime
8.5
#27
Parasite

Parasite

Gisaengchung

20198.5

Bong Joon Ho

DramaThrillerAuteur
8.5
#28
Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now

19798.4

Francis Ford Coppola

DramaMysteryWarAuteur
MUBI
MUBI
8.4
#29
12 Angry Men

12 Angry Men

19579.0

Sidney Lumet

CrimeDrama
9.0
#30
Casablanca

Casablanca

19428.5

Michael Curtiz

DramaRomanceWar
8.5
#31
The Thing

The Thing

19828.2
HorrorMysterySci-Fi
8.2
#32
Seven

Seven

Se7en

19958.6

David Fincher

CrimeDramaMystery
8.6
#33
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

20028.8

Peter Jackson

AdventureDramaFantasy
NFXMax
NFXMax
8.8
#34
The Shining

The Shining

19808.4

Stanley Kubrick

DramaHorrorAuteur
8.4
#35
Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road

20158.1

George Miller

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
Prime
Prime
8.1
#37
Fight Club

Fight Club

19998.8

David Fincher

CrimeDramaThriller
NFXD+Max
NFXD+
8.8
#38
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo

19668.8

Sergio Leone

AdventureDramaWestern
8.8
#39
Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia

19628.3

David Lean

AdventureBiographyDrama
MUBI
MUBI
8.3
#40
Mulholland Drive

Mulholland Drive

Mulholland Dr.

20017.9

David Lynch

DramaMysteryThrillerAuteur
MUBI
MUBI
7.9
#41
Schindler's List

Schindler's List

19939.0

Steven Spielberg

BiographyDramaHistory
9.0
#42
Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan

19988.6

Steven Spielberg

DramaWar
8.6
#43
La La Land

La La Land

20168.0

Damien Chazelle

ComedyDramaMusic
8.0
#44
Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver

19768.2

Martin Scorsese

CrimeDramaAuteur
8.2
#45
Past Lives

Past Lives

20237.8

Celine Song

DramaRomance
7.8
#46
Whiplash

Whiplash

20148.5

Damien Chazelle

DramaMusic
8.5
#47
It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life

19468.6

Frank Capra

DramaFamilyFantasy
8.6
#48
Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War

20188.4

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
D+
D+
8.4
#49
Psycho

Psycho

19608.5

Alfred Hitchcock

DramaHorrorMystery
8.5
#50
No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men

20078.2

Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

CrimeDramaThriller
8.2
#51
Rear Window

Rear Window

19548.5

Alfred Hitchcock

DramaMysteryThriller
8.5
#52
Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane

19418.2

Orson Welles

DramaMystery
8.2
#53
Vertigo

Vertigo

19588.2

Alfred Hitchcock

MysteryRomanceThriller
8.2
#54
Get Out

Get Out

20177.8

Jordan Peele

HorrorMysteryThriller
Prime
Prime
7.8
#55
Hot Fuzz

Hot Fuzz

20077.8

Edgar Wright

ActionComedyMystery
7.8
#56
Spirited Away

Spirited Away

Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi

20018.6
AdventureAnimationFamily
NFX
NFX
8.6
#57
Seven Samurai

Seven Samurai

Shichinin no samurai

19548.6

Akira Kurosawa

ActionDramaAuteur
8.6
#58
Titanic

Titanic

19978.0

James Cameron

DramaRomance
D+
D+
8.0
#59
The Exorcist

The Exorcist

19738.1

William Friedkin

Horror
8.1
#60
Fargo

Fargo

19968.1

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

CrimeDramaThriller
MUBIMax
MUBIMax
8.1
#61
The Social Network

The Social Network

20107.8

David Fincher

BiographyDrama
7.8
#62
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

20048.3

Michel Gondry

DramaRomanceSci-Fi
Prime
Prime
8.3
#63
The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski

19988.1

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

ComedyCrime
8.1
#64
Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer

20238.2

Christopher Nolan

BiographyDramaHistory
8.2
#66
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

19898.2

Steven Spielberg

ActionAdventure
8.2
#67
Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing

19897.9

Spike Lee

ComedyDramaAuteur
MUBI
MUBI
7.9
#68
Avengers: Endgame

Avengers: Endgame

20198.4

Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

ActionAdventureSci-Fi
D+
D+
8.4
#70
Children of Men

Children of Men

20067.9

Alfonso Cuarón

DramaSci-FiThrillerAuteur
7.9
#71
Arrival

Arrival

20167.9

Denis Villeneuve

DramaMysterySci-FiAuteur
7.9
#72
Magnolia

Magnolia

19998.0

Paul Thomas Anderson

DramaAuteur
Max
Max
8.0
#73
The Lion King

The Lion King

19948.5

Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

AdventureAnimationDrama
D+
D+
8.5
#74
Trainspotting

Trainspotting

19968.1

Danny Boyle

CrimeDrama
MUBI
MUBI
8.1
#75
The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs

19918.6

Jonathan Demme

CrimeDramaHorror
MUBIMax
MUBIMax
8.6
#76
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood

20197.6
ComedyDrama
NFX
NFX
7.6
#77
In the Mood for Love

In the Mood for Love

Fa yeung nin wah

20008.0

Wong Kar-Wai

DramaRomanceAuteur
8.0
#80
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

20188.4

Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman

ActionAdventureAnimation
NFX
NFX
8.4
#82
Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain

20057.7

Ang Lee

DramaRomance
7.7
#83
Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds

20098.4
AdventureDramaWar
NFX
NFX
8.4
#84
Pan's Labyrinth

Pan's Labyrinth

El laberinto del fauno

20068.2

Guillermo del Toro

DramaFantasyWar
8.2
#85
Rocky

Rocky

19768.1

John G. Avildsen

DramaSport
Max
Max
8.1
#87
Raging Bull

Raging Bull

19808.1

Martin Scorsese

BiographyDramaSportAuteur
8.1
#88
The Piano

The Piano

19937.5

Jane Campion

DramaMusicRomance
Max
Max
7.5
#89
American Psycho

American Psycho

20007.6

Mary Harron

CrimeDramaHorror
NFXD+
NFXD+
7.6
#90
Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day

19938.0
ComedyDramaFantasy
MUBI
MUBI
8.0
#91
The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel

20148.1

Wes Anderson

ComedyDramaAuteur
NFXD+
NFXD+
8.1
#92
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

19758.6

Milos Forman

Drama
8.6
#93
Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation

20037.7

Sofia Coppola

ComedyDramaAuteur
NFX
NFX
7.7
#95
Memento

Memento

20008.4

Christopher Nolan

DramaMysteryThriller
MUBI
MUBI
8.4
#98
When Harry Met Sally...

When Harry Met Sally...

19897.7
ComedyDramaRomance
PrimeMUBI
PrimeMUBI
7.7
#99
Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait de la jeune fille en feu

20198.0

Céline Sciamma

DramaRomanceAuteur
Max
Max
8.0