We all rely on Rotten Tomatoes when it comes to deciphering whether a movie is worth the watch. It’s the most popular film reviewing platform and it includes both a critics rating and an audience rating, these can differ quite vastly at times. But here, the critics and audience have come together to rank the best movies of all time and there may be one or two sneaky sequels in there.
Here are the top 10 best movies of all time according to Rotten Tomatoes users and critics.
10. Toy Story 2
That’s right, this sequel has made it into the top 10 and beating the original. Toy Story 2 has proven a hit with the critics who awarded it with 100% and said: “The rare sequel that arguably improves on its predecessor, Toy Story 2 uses inventive storytelling, gorgeous animation, and a talented cast to deliver another rich moviegoing experience for all ages.”
9. On the Waterfront
1954’s On the Waterfront is a classic drama meets gangster movie that stars Marlon Brando. The critics prefer it here and award it 99%, stating: “With his electrifying performance in Elia Kazan’s thought-provoking, expertly constructed melodrama, Marlon Brando redefined the possibilities of acting for film and helped permanently alter the cinematic landscape.”
8. Chinatown
Chinatown is a mystery from 1974 that the critics describe as “bruised and cynical as the decade that produced it, this noir classic benefits from Robert Towne’s brilliant screenplay, director Roman Polanski’s steady hand, and wonderful performances from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway”. The film is widely considered one of the greats.
7. Top Gun: Maverick
Another sequel to creep into the list, the follow-up to Tom Cruise’s Top Gun (1986), Top Gun: Maverick has become largely preferred among fans due to its stakes being higher and improved action quality. The fans prefer this one, ranking it at 99% but the critics say: “Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a feat even trickier than a 4G inverted dive, delivering a long-belated sequel that surpasses its predecessor in wildly entertaining style.”
6. Schindler’s List
This 1993 classic, starring Liam Neeson is a story of a German industrialist who saved more than a thousand mostly Polish–Jewish refugees from the Holocaust during the Second World War. The critics give it 98% and state: “Schindler’s List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg’s signature tender humanism to create the director’s dramatic masterpiece.”
5. Parasite
One of the more recent features to make the list, this South Korean thriller/comedy movie Parasite is one of the most successful foreign langauge movies ever. The critics rate it highly at 99% and state: “An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft.”
4. Seven Samurai
1956’s Seven Samurai follows a samurai and six others who he trains to help defend themselves and their village. The critics rank it with a stellar 100% and say: “Arguably Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece, The Seven Samurai is an epic adventure classic with an engrossing story, memorable characters, and stunning action sequences that make it one of the most influential films ever made.”
3. L.A. Confidential
L.A. Confidential gets bronze from the Rotten Tomatoes crowd. The story centres on three policeman each dealing with their own motives and demons. With 99%, the critics think it’s “taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride”.
2. Casablanca
Casablanca is a story of love and morals and was both filmed and set during the Second World War. The critics award it with 99% and say: “An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps Hollywood’s quintessential statement on love and romance, Casablanca has only improved with age, boasting career-defining performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.”
1. The Godfather
Getting gold is The Godfather. The epic gangster film was always going to make the cut. This time it’s the audience who rank it highest with 98%, but the critics aren’t far behind at 97%, they say: “One of Hollywood’s greatest critical and commercial successes, The Godfather gets everything right; not only did the movie transcend expectations, it established new benchmarks for American cinema.”