Cinema has captured the hearts and minds of moviegoers for generations. The experience of watching a film is truly unlike any other; where else can one easily drift off into a world of excitement, horror, drama, or adventure better than in a movie theater? Cinema is the pinnacle of entertainment, the best form of storytelling today, and a major influence in our modern culture. Truly, cinema is wonderful, and over the last century, it’s blessed us with powerful tales.
Today, there’s no shortage of masterpieces, no limited sources of inspiration, but the following twenty let you experience the incredible wonder of the cinematic experience. These are the timeless classics, the most groundbreaking achievements, and, most importantly, the most influential movies from the last 100 years. Whether they were pioneers of their genres or became benchmarks in movie history, these twenty are undoubtedly inspiring and have had a hand in shaping modern cinema. Sit back and enjoy an awe-inspiring ride as you see the films that built pop culture.
20
‘Akira’ (1988)
Starting with the masterpiece that defined Japanese animation, 1988’s Akira is a cyberpunk action film released by Toho, which became a major milestone that changed the perception of anime and animated films in general. It’s a well-drawn, compellingly told story set in a dystopian future where a young biker gang leader races against time to save his friend and stop him from turning the city into chaos after acquiring telekinetic powers from a horrible accident.
Akira is visually flawless, featuring a perfect hand-drawn animation technique that holds up remarkably well. Furthermore, its unique, gritty style and cyberpunk, futuristic feel inspired the look of countless other dystopian-type movies. And, from its gripping, emotional narrative to the fantastic score, Akira changed how audiences, especially in the West, viewed Japanese animation, further pushing it more into the spotlight, where it continues to be popular today.
19
‘Bicycle Thieves’ (1948)
Featuring one of the most timelessly emotional tales in all of cinema history, 1948’s Bicycle Thieves is a riveting drama that represents the pinnacle of Italian Neorealism. Directed by the prominent storyteller of this compelling movement, Vittorio De Sica, Bicycle Thieves is a heartbreaking look into societal turmoil. It follows a desperate father in post-WWII Rome as he and his plucky young son scour the streets looking for the thieves who took his bike so he can use it for his job to provide for his family.
True to what Italian Neorealism was all about, this lean, 89-minute movie strips away Hollywood-style storytelling and glamour, replacing them with a raw, realistic tale that takes a hard look at societal injustice and hardships in the aftermath of one of the most devastating conflicts of the 20th century. Bicycle Thieves told a powerful, necessary tale that continues to influence modern filmmaking, allowing directors to dare to be bold and tell what needs to be told on the big screen.
18
‘Un Chien Andalou’ (1929)
From two of the most brilliant pioneers of surrealist art, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and painter Salvador Dalí, comes their highly influential 1929 silent short film Un Chien Andalou. Considered one of the most significant short movies ever made, this bizarre, twisted twenty-one-minute feature offers a nonsensical, dreamlike experience with a story with no clear direction or a basic plot.
It takes viewers into a strange series of events that almost feel straight out of a nightmare, featuring eerie visuals, a surreal tone, and a shockingly violent opening scene showing an infamous shot of a woman’s eye being sliced open. Eerie, absurd, and completely unlike anything that came out during its time, Un Chien Andalou was truly ahead of its time and paved the way for avant-garde and independent filmmaking. With a shoestring budget and nothing but the filmmaker’s passion behind its conception, it was one of the first to show that cinema can be the best art form to show an artist’s creative vision.
17
‘Planet of the Apes’ (1968)
One of the most gripping science fiction stories ever brought to the silver screen, Franklin J. Schaffner‘s 1968 dystopian adventure classic Planet of the Apes is a complex, thought-provoking tale that elevated the genre to extreme heights of acclaim. Charlton Heston commands the screen in an unforgettable story about an astronaut who crash-lands on a world where apes are the dominant species and have subjected humanity to living in chains.
A visual and storytelling groundbreaker, Planet of the Apes inspired an entire genre of sci-fi that focused heavily on thematic, cautionary tales and pushed powerful messages about real-world issues. Its now-iconic, shocking twist ending, in particular, struck a hard note that warned about humanity’s hubris, which could lead to its downfall. Along with its revolutionary makeup designs for the apes, Planet of the Apes is a significant piece of cinematic history that continues to profoundly impact viewers.
16
‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
If it’s intense, nonstop scares and an unforgettably haunting atmosphere audiences are looking for, look no further than the late William Friedkin‘s 1973 supernatural horror masterpiece, The Exorcist. Wildly hailed by many fans today as the scariest horror film in history, this shocking tale has become legendary not just in the genre. Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn and an Oscar-nominated Linda Blair star in a chilling premise about two Catholic priests who perform a deadly exorcism to free a young girl’s body from demonic possession.
Featuring an iconic score, remarkable direction, a flawless, Oscar-winning script, and two commanding performances, The Exorcist elevated and revolutionized the horror genre. It redefined the genre in the early ’70s, breaking boundaries, daring to offend and become controversial, and ultimately shaping the modern horror movies we get today. The Exorcist is an essential piece of horror history that has changed the game for the genre forever.
15
‘Modern Times’ (1936)
The great Charlie Chaplin shone as one of the Golden Age of Hollywood’s most recognizable icons with his legendary Little Tramp character. Across many films during the silent era, this likable protagonist and the amazing talent behind the character produced much laughter in stories that continue to inspire modern movie-making. But above so many of the Tramp’s iconic adventures, it’s his last tale in 1936’s Modern Times that became his most compelling. It follows him as an unlucky factory worker struggling to cope with the changing industrialized world and the effects of the Great Depression.
Modern Times is a comedy masterpiece that not only gave Chaplin one last big hurrah for the Tramp character but also helped signify the end of silent films and ushered in the age of talking pictures. It wasn’t the first talkie, but it marked the end of an era and the end of Chaplin’s run as his legendary character in a satisfying and emotional way. The story is also quite significant and influential, which tackles social commentary of the time and critiques industrial supremacy. Overall, Modern Times is a landmark that began a change in the industry and helped influence the current era.
14
‘The Jazz Singer’ (1927)
Modern Times may have ushered in the end of the silent age, but The Jazz Singer marked the beginning of the talkies. Released in 1927 as the first feature-length film with synchronized dialogue, this landmark achievement in filmmaking brought with it a new dawn of storytelling, which, of course, is still present today. It’s about a young aspiring jazz musician as he changes his life to begin a successful singing career, but is still torn between his love for his family.
While it is still debated where it’s the first sound film, there’s no doubt that The Jazz Singer got the ball rolling and marked the beginning of the current age of talking motion pictures. It’s interesting how one movie started a new way of filmmaking despite being only half a talkie — after all, it still kept some resemblance to a silent film. Nevertheless, The Jazz Singer is still a true inspiration that gave way for better films to come.
13
‘Night of the Living Dead’ (1968)
Witness the film that changed the trajectory of the horror genre in the latter half of the 20th century. Directed by the late George A. Romero, his game-changing zombie masterpiece Night of the Living Dead became one of the most influential horror films in history. Featuring the truly remarkable Duane Jones in the first leading role in a horror movie for an African American actor, it tells an iconic story of the dead rising from their graves, leading a small band of survivors to hold up until rescue in a secluded farmhouse.
Released in 1968 during the height of civil unrest and the Vietnam War, this revolutionary tale offered brilliant and heavy social commentary that perfectly summed up the struggles and fears of the time. It’s considered a masterclass in storytelling for its pressing themes and overall message. There’s also no mentioning this benchmark without addressing its impact on shaping the modern zombie craze, which is still prevalent today. It formed the building blocks of the modern horror entertainment industry, and pop culture just wouldn’t be the same without it.
12
‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)
Truly one of the first films to show the epic power of watching a film, the 1939 Best Picture-winning romantic drama Gone with the Wind is an absolute legendary cinematic achievement that’s still present in pop culture today. It tells the legendary story of a Southern belle (Vivien Leigh) who rises to lead her family through turmoil during and after the Civil War, while also being entangled in a romance between two loves.
With powerful direction, striking cinematography, flawless performances, and iconic lines, Gone with the Wind is a masterpiece that still looks and sounds awe-inspiring. It was one of the first true epics of the Golden Age of Hollywood, ushering in a dawn of big-budget, grand-scale films that told riveting and visually spectacular stories. Despite many problematic and controversial storytelling issues, Gone with the Wind is still an influential and timeless marvel that defines the cinematic experience.
11
‘Casablanca’ (1942)
In the history of the Academy Awards, one film has stood out the most for rightfully and truly deserving the honor of receiving Best Picture. Released in 1942 during the height of WWII and directed by Michael Curtiz, the romantic war drama classic Casablanca is arguably the greatest Best Picture winner, and it greatly earned it with its flawlessness and brilliance. Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it’s the legendary tale of a bitter American nightclub owner in the German-occupied city of Casablanca as he finds redemption when his old flame and her husband come to him to seek help in escaping from the Nazis.
Featuring iconic, timeless dialogue, remarkable characters, touching romance, and gripping drama, Casablanca has and continues to profoundly impact audiences of all generations. Its story is powerful and has a striking message about the need to rise against the might of authority that feels just as relevant now as it did back in the ’40s. It really is an ageless masterpiece that cinematic history could not be the same without.