The 10 Greatest Movies of All Time, Ranked by Critics and Fans

What makes a movie one of the best of all time? Critics and audiences weigh storytelling originality, directorial craft, cultural impact, and lasting relevance. Films like *Citizen Kane* redefined cinema's technical language, while *Parasite* proved great stories transcend any language barrier.

Which film tops the critics' all-time list? *Vertigo* (1958) currently leads [Sight & Sound's definitive critics' poll](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound) with 2,539 votes, edging out *Citizen Kane* for the first time in 2022.

Why is Citizen Kane still considered a masterpiece? *Citizen Kane* pioneered deep-focus photography, nonlinear storytelling, and low-angle cinematography — techniques still taught in film schools today. The [American Film Institute](https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movies/) ranked it #1 on its list of the 100 greatest American films.

Do you agree with these rankings? Every great-movies list sparks debate. Cast your vote above and help shape a community-driven ranking of the all-time best!

How were these movies chosen? Each film was scored on three equally weighted factors: critical consensus (Sight & Sound 2022 poll, Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer), cultural influence (major awards, academic study, lasting parody/reference count), and audience longevity (IMDb ratings sustained over at least a decade).

Why does The Godfather rank #1? The Godfather holds a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes score across hundreds of reviews and tops most combined critics-plus-audience polls. Its storytelling structure and performances set a template that filmmakers still follow today.

Is Citizen Kane still relevant? Yes. Despite its 1941 pacing, film schools worldwide teach Citizen Kane's deep-focus photography and nonlinear structure as foundational techniques visible in virtually every prestige drama made since.

What is the newest film on this list? Parasite (2019) — the only film ever to win both the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Picture in the same year.

What is the #1 movie of all time? The Godfather (1972) tops our list. It holds a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and has appeared at or near the top of the American Film Institute, Sight & Sound, and dozens of critics' polls for more than 50 years.

How did you rank these movies? Each film was scored using a mix of critical consensus (Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic), major award recognition, cultural longevity, and community votes cast here on Top10Grid. Rankings update as new votes come in — cast yours above!

Can newer movies make this list? Yes. Parasite (2019) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) both qualified by earning exceptional critical scores and lasting cultural impact, proving greatness isn't limited to older films.

Which film on this list won the most Oscars? The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) each won Best Picture — making them the only back-to-back Best Picture winners in Academy Award history.

This list combines critical acclaim, cultural impact, and audience sentiment. Rankings are determined by a weighted formula that considers Rotten Tomatoes scores, IMDb ratings, box office performance, and ongoing reader votes. You can vote for your favorite at the top of the page.

### How was this list of the greatest movies of all time chosen? Rankings reflect a blend of critical acclaim, cultural influence, and lasting audience popularity across the decades represented on this list.

### Why is Citizen Kane so often ranked #1? Citizen Kane is included on this list for the deep-focus cinematography and non-linear storytelling that reshaped Hollywood when it was released.

### Are modern films eligible for the greatest movies of all time? Yes. Mad Max: Fury Road, Parasite, and The Dark Knight appear on this list to show that post-2000 releases can stand alongside classics like Casablanca and Vertigo.

### Where can I vote for my personal favorite? Use the vote button on each item card to rank the film you think deserves the top spot on this greatest movies of all time list.

Lists like this one get compared on the wrong axis more often than not. "Best" here does not mean highest-grossing (Casablanca made a fraction of what The Dark Knight did) or most-watched today (Vertigo's initial run was a disappointment). It means a film that combines critical consensus, major-award recognition, and staying power in the culture decades on. That standard rewards films that get better on rewatch and worse on a single opening-weekend gross comparison — which is why a 1942 wartime romance and a 2015 car chase can sit on the same list without either one being the odd one out.

The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Citizen Kane share something the other seven films don't quite match: they succeed on every axis at once — Best Picture wins (or, for Kane, the closest thing to a consensus pick despite losing at the time), technical innovation still taught in film schools, and audience devotion that has never really cooled. Most of the rest of the list earns its place by dominating one lane especially hard — Fury Road on pure craft, Parasite on cultural crossover, Dark Knight on reinventing a genre — rather than leading on all three simultaneously.

Half of this list is Golden-Age or New Hollywood filmmaking that has had fifty-plus years to accumulate critical consensus: Kane, Casablanca, Vertigo, the two Godfathers. The other half — Fury Road, The Dark Knight, Parasite — earned a spot without that runway, on the strength of both critical and audience acclaim landing immediately rather than growing over decades. That split is worth knowing going in: the older films are safer, near-unanimous picks, while the newer ones are the ones most likely to look different on a list assembled ten years from now.