Asking a film geek to pick a favorite movie or even a top 5 is like asking a sommelier to choose their favorite wine. Movies are indelibly paired with life, and who we are when we experience them. As a rule, all stories should be about believable characters who are permanently changed by going through conflict. Sometimes a film is beloved because it was important to me at that time, or altered my way of seeing the world. Every movie on this list is flawed, like people, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t extraordinary in some way. This list is my way of weighting the elements of movies that are my favorites, with some crossover in categories.
Max’s Academy Awards (*** denotes winner):
Best Picture:
***Network, 1975, Sidney Lumet
Brazil, 1985, Terry Gilliam
Citizen Kane, 1941, Orson Welles
Interstellar, 2014, Christopher Nolan
Ghostbusters, 1984, Ivan Reitman
Die Hard, 1988, John McTiernan
Raising Arizona, 1987, Joel & Ethan Coen
Goodfellas, 1990, Martin Scorsese
Unforgiven, 1992, Clint Eastwood
The Producers, 1967, Mel Brooks
Aliens, 1986, James Cameron
The Seven Samurai, 1954, Akira Kurosawa
Apocalypse Now, 1979, Francis Ford Coppola
Edge of Tomorrow, 2014, Doug Liman
Writing (original):
***Network, 1975, Paddy Chayefsky
2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968, Arthur C. Clarke & Stanley Kubrick
The Spanish Prisoner, 1997, David Mamet
Citizen Kane, 1941, Orson Welles
Thelma & Louise, 1990, Callie Khouri
The Producers, 1968, Mel Brooks
The Sting, 1973, David S. Ward
The Wild Bunch, 1969, Walon Green & Sam Peckinpah
The Usual Suspects, 1995, Christopher McQuarrie
Blazing Saddles, 1974, Mel Brooks
Writing (adapted):
***Adaptation, 2002, Charlie & Donald Kaufman from “The Orchid Thief” by Susan Orlean
L.A. Confidential, 1997, Curtis Hanson & Brian Helgeland from the novel by James Ellroy
The Man Who Would Be King, 1975, Gladys Hill & John Huston from the story by Rudyard Kipling
Fight Club, 1999, Jim Uhls from “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk
Arrival, 2016, Eric Heisserer from “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang
The Godfather, 1972, Francis Ford Coppola & Mario Puzo from the novel by Mario Puzo
All the President’s Men, 1976, William Goldman from the book by Woodward & Bernstein
The Princess Bride, 1987, William Goldman from his book
Children of Men, 2006, Alfonso Cuaron, Timothy Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby from the novel by P.D. James
Directing:
***2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968, Stanley Kubrick
Titanic, 1997, James Cameron
Ran, 1985, Kurosawa
The Bridge on the River Kwai, 1957, David Lean
Henry V, 1989, Kenneth Branagh
Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Christopher Nolan
Stanley Kubrick
Steven Spielberg
Akira Kurosawa
James Cameron
Joel & Ethan Cohen
Errol Morris
George Miller
Actor in a leading role:
***Daniel Day-Lewis, My Left Foot, 1989
George C. Scott, Patton, 1970
Ben Kingsley, Gandhi, 1982
Jack Nicholson, Chinatown, 1974
Actress in a leading role:
***Meryl Streep, Kramer vs Kramer, 1979
Hilary Swank, Boys Don’t Cry, 1999
Jody Foster, Silence of the Lambs, 1991
Meryl Streep, Sophie’s Choice, 1982
Brie Larson, Room, 2015
Julie Andrews, Victor/Victoria 1982
Animated feature film:
***Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka), 1988
Akira, 1988
The Incredibles, 2004
Into the Spider-Verse, 2018
The Iron Giant, 1999
Kubo and the Two Strings, 2016
Rango, 2011
Cinematography:
***The Right Stuff, 1983, Caleb Deschanel
Inception, 2010, Wally Pfister
Pan’s Labyrinth, 2006, Guillermo Navarro
Psycho, 1960, John L. Russell
Lawrence of Arabia, 1962, Freddie Young
Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Roger Deakins
Caleb Deschanel
Conrad Hall
Documentary (feature):
***Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, 1997
Hoop Dreams, 1994
Koyaanisqatsi, 1982
The Thin Blue Line, 1998
Paradise Lost, 1996
Visual Effects:
***Titanic, 1997
Interstellar, 2014
Aliens, 1986
Star Wars, 1977
Starship Troopers, 1997
Apollo 13, 1995
Babe, 1995
Actor in a supporting role:
***Christopher Walken, The Deer Hunter, 1978
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight, 2008
Bill Murray, Ghostbusters, 1984
Andy Serkis, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2003
Robin Williams, Good Will Hunting, 1997
Gene Hackman, Unforgiven, 1992
Denzel Washington, Glory, 1989
Tom Berenger, Platoon, 1986
Lawrence Oliver, Marathon Man, 1976
Actress in a supporting role:
***Jodie Foster, Taxi Driver, 1976
Faye Dunaway, Chinatown 1974
Angela Lansbury, The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
Linda Hunt, The Year of Living Dangerously, 1983
Glenn Close, The World According to Garp, 1982
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave, 2013
Costume design:
***Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015, Jenny Beavan
Black Panther, 2018, Ruth E. Carter
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, 2003, Richard Taylor & Ngila Dickson
Ran, 1985, Emi Wada
Spartacus, 1960, Valles & Bill Thomas
The Man Who Would Be King, 1975, Edith Head
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 1989, Gabriella Pescucci
Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992, Eiko Ishioka
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 1994, Tim Chappen & Lizzy Gardiner
Titus, 1999, Milena Canonero
Kingsman: The Secret Service, Arianne Phillips, 2015
Editing:
***Lawrence of Arabia, 1962, Anne V. Coates
Back to the Future, 1985, Arthur Schmidt & Harry Keramidas
Reservoir Dogs, 1992, Sally Menke
The Quick and the Dead, 1995, Pietro Scalia
The French Connection, 1971, Gerald B. Greenberg
Apocalypse Now, 1979, Lisa Fruchtman, Gerald B. Greenberg, Walter Murch
Raging Bull, 1980, Thelma Schoonmaker
Psycho, 1960, George Tomasini
The Matrix, 1999, Zach Staenberg
Pi, 1998, Oren Sarch
Jaws, 1975, Verna Fields
Apollo 13, 1995, Dan Hanley & Mike Hill
Inception, 2010, Lee Smith
International:
***Oldboy, 2003, Chan-wook Park
The Killer, 1989, John Woo
Rashomon, 1951, Akira Kurosawa
Life is Beautiful, 1997, Roberto Benigni
The Lives of Others, 2006, Florian Henckel von Donnsersmarck
Pan’s Labyrinth, 2006, Guillermo del Toro
The City of Lost Children (La Cite des Enfants Perdus), 1995, Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet
El Norte, 1983, Gregory Nava
Makeup & Hairstyling:
***The Elephant Man, 1980, Christopher Tucker
An American Werewolf in London, 1981, Rick Baker
Amadeus, 1984, Paul LeBlanc & Dick Smith
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001, Richard Taylor & Peter Owen
Pan’s Labyrinth, 2006, David Marti & Montse Ribe
Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015, Damian Martin, Lesley Vanderwalt, & Elka Wardega
Music (score):
***A Clockwork Orange, 1971, Wendy Carlos
Amadeus, 1984, Neville Marriner
Arrival, 2016, Johann Johannson
Jaws, 1975, John Williams
Koyaanisqatsi, 1982, Philip Glass
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980, John Williams
Mishima, 1985, Philip Glass
Halloween, 1978, John Carpenter
Psycho, 1960, Bernard Herrmann
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, 1966, Ennio Morricone
Blade Runner, 1982, Vangelis
Interstellar, 2014, Hans Zimmer
Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015, Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, 2003, Klaus Badelt
Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Ennio Morricone
Hans Zimmer
Jerry Goldsmith
John Barry
Sound (combining the two categories):
Gravity, 2013
All Is Lost, 2013
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1988
Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015
Pi, 1998
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Drama
12 Years a Slave, 2013
8 Queens
A Clockwork Orange, 1971
A Few Good Men
Adaptation, 2002
All is Lost, 2013
All the President’s Men, 1976
Amadeus, 1984
Apollo 13, 1995
Babe, 1995
Blood Simple, 1984
Brazil, 1985
Breaking Away, 1979
Broadcast News, 1987
Casino
Chinatown, 1974
Citizen Kane, 1941
City of Lost Children
Cons, Magic, & Heists
Cool Hand Luke
Delicatessen, 1991
Dirty Harry
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
El Norte, 1983
Fight Club
Gladiator, 2000
Glengarry Glen Ross, 1992
Goodfellas
Harold and Maude, 1971
Heathers, 1989
Henry V, 1989
House of Games
Hunt for Red October
In the Heat of the Night, 1967
Jaws
JFK
Karate Kid
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, 2005
L.A. Confidential, 1997
Lawrence of Arabia, 1962
Life is Beautiful, 1997
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Marathon Man, 1976
Miller’s Crossing, 1990
Mishima, 1985
Network, 1975
New Jack City
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Oldboy, 2003
Once Were Warriors
Out of Sight, 1998
Parasite
Pulp Fiction
Raging Bull, 1980
Raising Arizona
Ran, 1985
Reservoir Dogs
Roshomon, 1951
Rushmore
Rushmore, 1998
Say Anything
Scarface
Shakespeare in Love, 1998
Silence of the Lambs
Silkwood, 1983
Sixteen Candles
Snatch
Spartacus
Swimming with Sharks, 1994
Taxi Driver, 1976
The Big Lebowski
The Breakfast Club
The Conversation, 1974
The Departed, 2006
The Fisher King, 1991
The French Connection, 1971
The Fugitive, 1993
The Godfather
The Godfather 2
The Last Emperor, 1987
The Lives of Others, 2006
The Man Who Would Be King, 1975
The Manchurian Candidate, 1962
The Prestige
The Right Stuff, 1983
The Shawshank Redemption
The Spanish Prisoner, 1997
The Sting, 1973
The Sweet Hereafter, 1997
The Untouchables, 1987
The Usual Suspects
The Warriors
The World According to Garp, 1982
The Year of Living Dangerously, 1983
Thelma & Louise
Titanic, 1997
Top Gun
True Romance
True Romance, 1993
Wag the Dog, 1998
Action & Adventure
Big Trouble in Little China
Commando
Conan the Barbarian
Die Hard
Dr. No
From Russia with Love
Goonies
Heat, 1995
Highlander
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Leon (The Professional), 1994
Lethal Weapon
Mad Max
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
Mad Max: The Road Warrior
Max Max: Fury Road
Predator
Red Dawn
Ronin, 1998
The Bourne Identity
The Dark Knight, 2008
The Killer, 1989
The Rock
True Lies
War
Apocalypse Now
Bridge on the River Kwai
Das Boot, 1982
Full Metal Jacket, 1987
Glory, 1989
Platoon, 1986
Animated
Akira, 1988
Fantasia, 1940
Fantastic Mister Fox, 2009
Grave of the Fireflies, 1988
Inside Out, 2015
Into the Spider-Verse, 2018
Kubo and the Two Strings, 2016
Persepolis, 2007
Rango, 2011
Spirited Away, 2001
The Incredibles, 2004
The Iron Giant, 1999
The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993
The Secret of NIMH, 1982
The Triplets of Belleville, 2003
The Wrong Trousers, 1993
Wall•E, 2008
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, 1988
Sci-Fi
2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968
Alien, 1979
Aliens, 1986
Arrival, 2016
Attack the Block, 2011
Blade Runner, Director’s Cut
Children of Men, 2006
Contact, 1997
Dark City, 1998
District 9, 2009
Dune, 1984
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, 1982
Escape from New York
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004
Explorers
Galaxy Quest, 1999
Gattaca, 1997
Gravity
Groundhog Day, 1993
Inception, 2010
Interstellar, 2014
Jurassic Park, 1993
Mad Max: The Road Warrior, 1981
Mars Attacks!
Pi, 1998
Planet of the Apes
Repo Man, 1984
Robocop, 1987
Running Man
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, 1980
Starship Troopers
The Abyss, 1989
The Fifth Element
The Last Starfighter, 1984
The Matrix, 1999
The Mist, 2007
The Terminator 2
The Terminator, 1984
The Thing, 1982
They Live
Total Recall
Tron
Tron, 1982
WarGames, 1983
Time Travel
Back to the Future, 1985
Edge of Tomorrow, 2014
Groundhog Day
Primer, 2004
Tenet, 2020
Timecrimes (Los Cronocrimenes), 2007
Fantasy
Excalibur
Labyrinth
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Pan’s Labyrinth
Star Wars (A New Hope)
Star Wars (Return of the Jedi)
Star Wars (The Empire Strikes Back)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 1989
The Dark Crystal
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Princess Bride
Thriller
The Silence of the Lambs, 1991
Fargo, 1996
Memento, 2000
Payback, 1999
Reservoir Dogs, 1992
Se7en, 1995
Shallow Grave, 1994
Comedy
A Fish Called Wanda, 1988
Airplane!
Beetlejuice, 1988
Best in Show
Better off Dead
Beverly Hills Cop, 1984
Blazing Saddles, 1974
Coming to America
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 1988
Doctor Strangelove, 1964
Dr. Strangelove
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Fletch
Fletch, 1985
Friday
Ghostbusters, 1984
Goonies, 1985
Gremlins
Grosse Pointe Blank, 1997
Heathers
History of the World Part I
Midnight Run, 1988
Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975
Monty Python’s Life of Brian, 1979
National Lampoon’s Vacation
Office Space, 1999
One Crazy Summer
PeeWee’s Big Adventure
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Scrooged
Spaceballs
Spies Like Us
Spinal Tap
The Jerk, 1979
The Man with Two Brains
The Producers
Top Secret!
Trading Places
Weird Science
Who Frames Roger Rabbit?
Young Frankenstein, 1974
Musical
Little Shop of Horrors, 1984
O Brother, Where Art Thou?, 2000
Team America: World Police, 2004
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Sound of Music, 1965
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Horror
An American Werewolf in London, 1981
Evil Dead 2, 1987
Halloween, 1978
Let the Right One In, 2008
Lost Boys
Poltergeist
Shaun of the Dead, 2004
The Exorcist, 1973
The Mist
The Shining
Westerns
A Fistful of Dollars
Silverado
Silverado, 1985
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Quick and the Dead
The Seven Samurai, 1954
The Wild Bunch, 1969
Unforgiven
Young Guns
Documentary
Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control, 1997
Hoop Dreams, 1994
Koyannisqatsi, 1982
Paradise Lost, 1996
The Thin Blue Line, 1998