140 must-watch movies everyone should see at least once in their life

We've all been there: sitting on the couch, snacks ready, endlessly scrolling through Netflix or Hulu trying to find a movie that you actually want to watch. There are sooo many options out there, from rom-coms to classic horror movies to spy thrillers, that sometimes it can get overwhelming. But don't worry, for those nights when you're not sure what to put on, we went ahead and rounded up the must-watch movies that everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. Consider it your ultimate movie bucket list, and you'll never spend a night scrolling through streaming services again.

What makes a movie a "must-watch" film? For our purposes, it's something that defined or changed a genre or had a significant cultural impact. There are a lot of classics on this list, and you might be surprised by how relevant some of them still feel. But if you're looking for something a bit more recent, there are plenty of contemporary films on here too. We've included many Oscar contenders—winners and losers alike—as well as movies that will give you something solid to talk about at a party or around the water cooler. Nothing starts a conversation like, "Have you seen [fill in the blank]?" Who knows? This list might just help you make some new friends.

Without further ado, here are 124 of our picks for must-watch movies you can stream now. Pro tip: bookmark this list and save it for your next "I have nothing to watch!" night in.

1. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Peter Parker's Spider-Man story is the one most widely known, but I'd say Miles Morales's journey is much more exciting especially as it's portrayed in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. One day he's bitten by a radioactive spider, and the next he gets thrown into a multiverse with multiple other Spider-people just like him. With a creative hybrid animation style, this is a movie you absolutely cannot miss.

2. Avatar

Groundbreaking CGI and 3D filming technology, plus direction by the James Cameron, made for a killer combination that allowed Avatar to dominate box offices. The first movie was definitely a major cinematic landmark, and still remains one of the most relevant films to date.

3. The Wizard of Oz

Before there was Wicked, there was The Wizard of Oz! This 1930s classic was the very first film to use Technicolor, revolutionizing cinema with its vibrant, fantastical colors. So if you're not necessarily a huge fan of the story, it's still worth nerding-out over if you're a fan of films in general.

4. Bridge to Terabithia

Two kids escape the difficulties of their everyday lives by creating their own imaginary, magical world called Terabithia. But when tragedy strikes, one of the friends must stay strong and hang onto their imaginary kingdom. Apologies in advance for the emotional trauma this film might cause.

5. Harry Potter

No one can deny the impact of the magical storytelling of the Harry Potter film series—especially on millennials. One need only watch the first film to see what the fuss is all about.

6. Zootopia

Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) is the first rabbit to join the police force in mammal metropolis Zootopia. It's her dream job, but she's not being taken seriously by her colleagues. In the hopes of becoming the hotshot detective she's always wanted to be, she jumps at the opportunity to solve a mysterious case. But this means working with her natural nemesis, a fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman).

7. Top Gun: Maverick

Airplanes, hot pilots, and a whole lot of action (including an unforgettable beach scene)—Top Gun: Maverick might just be better than the original film that came out 36 years prior.

8. Finding Nemo

You absolutely do not have to be a child to appreciate this Disney Pixar marine adventure film. Finding Nemo brings the world underwater to life in such a beautifully mesmerizing way, with a heartwarming family story. It has also—without a doubt—forever changed the way people see clownfish and other creatures of the reef.

9. Ghostbusters

After stumbling upon a gateway to another dimension, a team of four scientists must save New York City from a sinister supernatural entity hell-bent on causing a sticky marshmallow apocalypse.

10. Mrs. Doubtfire

One of the funniest, heart-warming family films to ever have been made, featuring the iconic Robin Williams. This slapstick comedy follows a divorced actor who is willing to go great lengths in order to maintain a close relationship with his three kids—even if this means putting on layers of prosthetics and masquerading as the nanny.

11. Pride & Prejudice

Kiera Knightley's and Matthew MacFayden's as Ms. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy must never be forgotten. This film is nearly as canonical as Jane Austen's novel.

12. Eternity

Far from being a gimmicky romcom, this movie is a fun and funny exploration of the true meaning of love. It's storytelling that puts audiences at ease, with brilliant acting from Elizabeth Olsen (as always), while also holding a profound message.

13. Okja

It's been 10 years since young girl Mija has been the caretaker of a massive, but adorable and lovable, creature she calls Okja. It's been a simple and happy existence for the pair of friends in the mountains of South Korea, until multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves. Mija then embarks on a rescue mission and makes her way to New York City.

14. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

The original Star Wars film series deserves at least one watch-through in its entirety. But often regarded as the best of the catalogue is Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back for its iconic storytelling. We still recommend watching the films in the recommended order.

15. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

If you want to trace the great Michelle Yeoh's legendary career, start with this film. It's also the first mainstream movie to make wuxia (Chinese fiction genre featuring high-flying, acrobatic martial arts) mainstream.

16. 3 Idiots

If there's one modern Bollywood movie to watch as an introduction to the genre, 3 Idiots is the one. Two friends search for their long-lost college roommate who forever changed their lives and outlook on education. Since graduating from their rigid engineering college, he seems to have disappeared, with a shroud of mystery surrounding his true identity.

17. The Holdovers

This nostalgic, touching tale is about a curmudgeonly instructor at an all-boys New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus over the holidays to babysit students who have nowhere to go for Christmas. He forms an unlikely bond with a quick-witted troublemaker, and the school's head cook.

18. E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

E.T. is one of the most beloved motion pictures of all time. The film follows the story of a gentle alien who becomes stranded on Earth, and ends up befriending a 10-year-old boy. When E.T. becomes sick, this leads to government intervention and spells trouble for their friendship.

19. The Menu

A young couple (Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor-Joy) are part of an exclusive group of people traveling to a fine-dining restaurant located on a private island. It's run by a famous chef (Ralph Fiennes) who has prepared a lavish menu for the evening. But, by the third course, it becomes clear to the guests that their meal will be full of shocking surprises—and not in a good way.

20. Inception

This mind-bending sci-fi thriller will truly make you think as it explores the idea of dreams within dreams. A thief (Leonardo DiCaprio) possesses the rare ability to enter people's dreams, and uses this to his advantage, making himself an indisposable asset in corporate espionage. But this talent has also cost him everything he holds dear in life. Now, to redeem himself, he must attempt to plant an idea in someone's mind.

21. Past Lives

Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) were childhood friends back in South Korea. But since Nora's family moved to the U.S. they've drifted apart. At some point while Nora's in college, she reaches out and they enter an online situationship of sorts, which they end up breaking off because of the distance. Years later, they reunite in New York when Hae Sung visits for a week. Then and there the pair must confront their notions of love and destiny.

22. Triangle of Sadness

A young influencer couple winds up going on a luxury cruise, surrounded by wealthy people who are out-of-touch with the reality most people live. Things make a wildly dramatic shift when a storm hits the ship.

23. In the Mood for Love

A journalist (Tony Leung) and his wife move into a new Hong Kong apartment where an executive secretary (Maggie Cheung) and her husband live as well. Their spouses are always away, and so the two find comfort in each other. When it becomes apparent that their spouses are cheating on them, they begin to explore the possibility of doing the same and being together.

24. The Lobster

A newly single bachelor (Colin Farrell) moves into a hotel full of other single people. In this dystopian society they live in, they must find a romantic relationship within 45 days. Otherwise, they will be transformed into the animal of their choice. Talk about pressure!

25. The Handmaiden

Set in 1930s Korea, an orphan pick-pocket is recruited by a swindler to help steal a wealthy family's fortune. She enters as the new handmaiden to a Japanese heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate. Her mission is to seduce and defraud her mistress, but then things make an unexpected turn.

26. Free Solo

This Academy Award-winning documentary follows free solo climber Alex Honnold as he achieves his life-long dream to ascend the 3,200-foot vertical rock formation, El Capitan, in Yosemite National Park—without a rope.

27. The Iron Claw

This heart-wrenching film follows the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the world of professional wrestling. Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Maxwell Jacob Friedman portray the threesome as they go through the motions of their careers, find love, and deal with their complicated relationship with their father and coach.

28. Birdman

This film is one of the greatest modern cinematic feats of this time. The whole movie was made to appear like it was all taken in one shot. It follows a washed-up former superhero film star (Michael Keaton) as he tries to make a major acting comeback on Broadway. During this time, he deals with self-doubt, critics, and his own family problems with his estranged daughter (Emma Stone).

29. Atlantis: The Lost Empire

This is by far one of the most underrated and overlooked Disney movies of all time. Atlantis: The Lost Empire tells the story of historian Milo Thatch who leads an underwater expedition crew of archaeologists and explorers with the goal of finding the lost ancient city of Atlantis. But as soon as they find it, exploration isn't the only thing on the agenda. They must protect it from forces—both mystical and human.

30. The Banshees of Inesherin

Set on a small Irish island town, two lifelong friends find themselves in a strange situation. Suddenly, Colm (Brandon Gleeson) no longer wants Pádraic (Colin Farrell) to speak with him, but he won't say why. He swears that he will cut off one of his fingers each time his former-friend speaks with him. Despite this, Pádraic is desperate to repair their relationship, and get to the bottom of why it was severed in the first place.

31. Poor Things

This Academy Award-winning film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is centered around a young woman named Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) who is brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist. We follow Bella as she runs away from her life in London to explore the world, finds her freedom, and evolves into a person who stands for equality and liberation.

32. The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular ski resort presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes). Gustave prides himself in the work that he does, providing first-class service, including satisfying the sexual needs of some elderly women who stay at the hotel. When one of the women unexpectedly passes away, he becomes the prime suspect in her murder.

33. Whiplash

Miles Teller plays Andrew, a jazz drummer who is young, hungry, and will go to great lengths to rise to the top of his elite music conservatory. A ruthless, top-tier instructor (J.K. Simmons) discovers Andrew and his talents, and takes him under his wing, putting him in the top jazz ensemble. Things seem to be going Andrew's way, until his teacher's methods become more and more questionable. Soon, his ambition turns into obsession, and he begins to question his sanity.

34. Babylon

The film follows an aspiring young starlet (Margot Robbie), a silent film superstar (Brad Pitt), and an immigrant eager to work in the industry (Diego Calva) as they navigate 1920s Hollywood. During this turbulent time, the shift from silent pictures to the world of sound begins.

35. Palm Springs

This movie takes the time loop trope to a whole other—extremely fun—level. Sarah (Cristin Milloti) is in Palm Springs for her sister's wedding, but after entering a mysterious cave at the end of the night she winds up in a time loop. She later discovers that she's not the only guest stuck in the same day. Nyles (Andy Samberg) has been there a while, and is having a blast.

36. My Octopus Teacher

Filmmaker Craig Foster documents a year spent diving in the kelp forests of South Africa, where he forges an unusual friendship with a female octopus. Throughout the film, he talks about everything he's learned not just about science, but about life from the sea creature.

37. Dune: Part One

This movie brings the sci-fi book series to life in one cinematic masterpiece directed by Denis Villeneuve. Though Dune was made into a movie back in 1984, it was nowhere near the scale of this 2021 version. Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is a gifted young man whose great powers are beyond his own understanding. Due to an inevitable war, he must hone his skills and venture off to the most dangerous planet in the universe to protect his family and his people.

38. Dune: Part Two

You certainly can't watch one and not watch the other. This sequel to the first Dune film is action-packed, fun, and explains a lot of things you may have missed in the first film. And, of course, there's also more screen time for Zendaya.

39. Elf

I'm not sure what rock you've been hiding under if you haven't seen this movie. Elf is the Christmas movie to watch, even if you're not big on the holidays. Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a human who accidentally ends up in the North Pole and is raised by one of Santa's elves. But when he finds out about the truth, he decides to find his biological father in New York City.

40. 21 Jump Street

Best friends and cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are pumped about joining the secret Jump Street unit. Their first mission is to go undercover as high school students to stop a dangerous drug ring operating on campus. Soon, they discover that going back to high school isn't as easy as it sounded, and they must confront their own issues from that time of their lives.

41. Call Me By Your Name

It's the summer of 1983. Elio (Timothée Chalamet) is 17 and enjoying yet another season at their family's grand Italian villa. However, he's a bit put off by the presence of Oliver (Army Hammer), a handsome doctoral students who is spending his summer interning for Elio's father. Soon, it becomes clear that his feelings towards Oliver aren't of annoyance but of a curious yearning and previously-unexperienced desire.

42. Arrival

When you hear movie buffs talk about the performance that should have won Amy Adams an Oscar, odds are they’re talking about Arrival, the sci-fi drama about a woman recruited to help find a way to communicate with aliens who inexplicably land on Earth. Everything about this movie, directed by Denis Villeneuve, works, from Adams’ performance to the score and cinematography.

43. Creed

There are many classic boxing movies, but none have brought the genre into the 21st Century quite like Creed. Though it’s technically a Rocky spinoff, writer-director Ryan Coogler completely reinvigorated the franchise by focusing on Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), a young boxer desperate to honor his father’s legacy and forge one of his own. It’s a pretty traditional boxing film, but there is a one-take fight scene that will leave you wondering how they shot it for years.

44. Her

Spike Jonze’s musings on the future of AI and the personal connection formed between user and virtual assistant becomes more relevant every year as smart technology infiltrates every aspect of modern life. The film explores the relationship between a lonely man (Joaquin Phoenix) who starts having a deep, romantic connection with his new operating system, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson).

45. Gone Girl

Ben Affleck gives arguably one of his best performances in Gone Girl, the adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s thriller about Nick Dunne (Affleck), a man who finds himself as suspect number 1 after his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike) disappears.

46. Boyz in the Hood

Writer-director John Singleton's feature debut is a modern classic that follows the lives of three young men in Crenshaw. The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Angela Bassett, Ice Cube, and Regina King. That list alone is worth the hype.

47. Meet Me in St. Louis

Meet Me in St. Louis is the epitome of an old Hollywood musical. The film follows the Smith family for one year, all leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. Judy Garland stars as Esther, the middle sister delivering one of her most iconic performances and originating the now-classic “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

48. Everything Everywhere All At Once

A Chinese immigrant (Michelle Yeoh) is struggling to connect with her husband (Ke Huy Quan) and her adult daughter (Stephanie Hsu) all while trying to pass a tax audit. As if that isn’t enough, she finds herself at the center of a war for the multiverse, sending her on an adventure that could determine the fate of the entire world, and of her family.

49. Eighth Grade

Bo Burnham’s painfully accurate depiction of middle school can be difficult to watch, but it’s so worth it. The film is an honest and respectful look at modern adolescence, as it follows Kayla (Elise Fisher), an awkward and sweet eighth grader struggling to keep up with her classmates and find her own way.

50. Passing

Based on Nella Larsen’s book of the same name, Passing follows the reunion of two childhood friends, Irene (Tessa Thompson) and Clare (Ruth Negga). Though they were once close, as adults they find themselves living very different lives—one as a light-skinned Black woman, the other who is white-passing.

51. Selena

As far as biopics go, Selena is the one that lives up to the hype. Anchored by Jennifer Lopez as the Tejano star, Selena Quintanilla, Selena manages to make a biopic that honors the music and musician while also shedding light on her rich family life and her tragic death.

52. Knives Out

Rian Johnson’s whodunit Knives Out captured an audience thanks to its all-star cast—Chris Evans! Jamie Lee Curtis! Ana de Armas!—and its central detective, Benoit Blanc, played by an unrestrained and over-the-top Daniel Craig, whose exaggerated Southern drawl is both ridiculous and strangely endearing.

53. Black Panther

If you only ever see one Marvel Cinematic Universe film, make it Black Panther. This movie changed the way superhero films were thought of for a generation of young viewers, and that's something worth watching in itself.

54. Pan's Labyrinth

Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) escapes her reality as the stepdaughter of a violent Falangist officer in 1944 Spain by entering a dreamy, but also nightmarish fantasy world in Guillermo del Toro’s gorgeous 2006 hit. The genre-bending film mixes fantasy and historical drama with a side of creature feature and horror to make something truly unique. You will definitely be thinking about this one for years to come.

55. Fences

Two words: Viola. Davis. The actor is at the top of her game in this adaptation of August Wilson’s play directed by Denzel Washington, who stars opposite Davis as a working class father in the 1950s struggling to connect with his teenage son. The entire film is worth watching, but Davis stands apart, giving a performance that will be talked about for decades.

56. Parasite

This Best Picture winner follows the wealthy Park family and the poverty-stricken Kim family. Ki-woo, the son of the Kim family, fakes his credentials to get hired as a tutor for the daughter of the Park family, and quickly realizes that the rest of the family can also scheme their way into jobs working for the Park family. But when the Parks leave for a weekend vacation and the Kims have the run of the home, things get bizarre. It's simultaneously entertaining, thought-provoking, and thrilling. TBH, I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after I watched it.

57.  The Social Network

The Social Network tells a fictional account of how Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard college student, and his friends created the most important social networking site of the early 2000s, and all the drama and millions that followed. The film, which was released in 2010, stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake, and, as time goes on and Facebook evolves, acts as an artistic time capsule of the aughts.

58. To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Romantic comedies are fewer and further between than they were in the ‘90s, but some are still just as good. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Netflix’s adaptation of Jenny Han’s novel that follows Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a hopeless romantic whose fake relationship with her middle school crush (Noah Centineo) turns into something she never expected, is proof that the genre is still thriving.

59. Magic Mike XXL

It’s easy to hype up Magic Mike XXL, a movie about a bunch of male strippers (Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez) who go on a road trip to a male stripper convention, during which they meet more male strippers (Donald Glover, Stephen ‘tWitch’; Boss, Micheal Strahan), but, truly, this film more than lives up to it. Never has there been a mainstream movie so tailored to straight women’s sexuality. You’ll never listen to “I Want It That Way” the same way again.

60. Alien

Sigourney Weaver ushered in the era of the female sci-fi hero as Ripley in Alien, the first entry into Ridley Scott’s extra-terrestrial horror franchise. The movie is stunning, but also worth watching just so you can recognize when other movies reference it.

61. Catch Me If You Can

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as young conman, Frank Abignale Jr., who manages to live as a Panam pilot, a doctor, and a lawyer, all while FBI Agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) on his tail.

62. Titanic

Oh, this? Just one of the greatest love stories ever told. Just ignore the fact that there was totally room for Leo on that door at the end...

63. Moonlight 

This gorgeous coming-of-age film follows Chiron, a young Black boy, as he explores his sexuality and identity. It's told in three parts, chronicling Chiron's childhood (Alex R. Hibbert), adolescence (Ashton Sanders), and early adult life (Trevante Rhodes). It won three Oscars, including Best Picture, so you should add it to your queue now if you haven't seen it already.

64. The Shawshank Redemption

Widely considered one of the best movies of all time, this classic is worth a watch. It follows Andy (Tim Robbins), a banker sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife and her lover, and his friendship with Ellis "Red" (Morgan Freeman), a fellow inmate and prison smuggler.

65. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

This movie might inspire you to take your own day off, just saying. Fingers crossed that you can also spring your best friend and boo from school, "borrow" a nice car, and find yourself performing in a giant parade before the day is over.

66. The Notebook

If you somehow haven't seen this romantic drama yet, wyd?? Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams star as Noah and Allie in this epic love story that's got young love, letter writing, lots of drama, kisses in the rain, and heartbreak. I'll just say this: keep the tissues handy.

67. 12 Angry Men

If you never had to watch this in your high school English class, it's time to catch up. This 1957 film is about the jury of a murder trial and the tensions that arise when one member raises doubts about whether the accused is actually guilty. It forces the rest of the jury to re-evaluate their own thoughts about the case, but not without drama. Listen, it's a classic for a reason.

68. Get Out

This chilling horror film about a Black man (Daniel Kaluuya) who visits the family home of his white girlfriend (Allison Williams) is without a doubt one of the best movies in recent history. No spoilers, but there are several twists you definitely don't see coming.

69. Forrest Gump

This sweet story follows Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), a man with an intellectual disability, as he finds himself playing a role in major historical events like the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. But all he really wants is to spend time with his childhood best friend, Jenny (Robin Wright) and make her proud.

70. Boyhood

Okay, this will make you want to call your parents. The premise is simple: it follows a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) from childhood to his first few days at college. This film was actually shot over 12 years, with the actors shooting for a few days each year. So it's like you're actually watching Mason grow up, which is a really cool way to experience a movie.

71. Slumdog Millionaire

This Best Picture winner from 2008 follows Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an orphan raised in the slums of Mumbai, as he edges closer and closer to winning 20 million rupees on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

72. Schindler's List

This historical drama is a must-see, but be warned, it can be tough to watch. It takes place in Poland during World War II and follows Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a businessman who hires many Jewish people to work in his factories. As time passes, he becomes increasingly concerned about the treatment of Jewish people by Nazis and turns his attention to saving lives instead of making money. It's all in black-and-white, except for one very meaningful moment of color.

73. Promising Young Woman

This *very* dark comedy grapples with sexual assault and trauma. It follows Cassie (Carey Mulligan), a woman who dropped out of med school after her best friend was sexually assaulted. Now, she spends her time working at a coffee shop and proving to "nice guys" that they aren't so nice. I promise, it's not like anything you've seen before.

74. Mean Girls

Has there ever been a more quotable comedy? If you somehow didn't watch this every time it was on TV while you were growing up, it's time. It follows Cady (Lindsay Lohan), a smart teenager who just transferred to a new high school after spending her childhood in Africa. She starts hanging out with the school's most popular girls in order to take one of them down, but finds that girl world is more complicated than it seems.

75. Dead Poets Society

Robin Williams plays an English teacher at a boarding school in 1959. The drama follows him as he builds a relationship with his students and teaches them how to live adventurously rather than conforming to their families' expectations.

76. Rocky

It's worth a watch just for the training montage alone. Rocky is about a struggling boxer in Philadelphia (Sylvester Stallone), who gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to face off against a heavyweight champion. Also, it won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1976.

77. Brokeback Mountain

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal play two cowboys who fall in love while working as ranch hands in Wyoming. But their secret relationship gets even more complicated when they decide to marry their respective girlfriends.

78. Million Dollar Baby

Hilary Swank plays aspiring boxer Maggie, who convinces a gruff trainer played by Clint Eastwood to take her on and train her. Despite his initial reluctance, he agrees and they form a close friendship — until an accident in the boxing ring changes everything for both of them.

79. When Harry Met Sally...

Basically the rom-com blueprint. It follows Sally (Meg Ryan) and Harry (Billy Crystal) through 12 years together, from their super awkward first meeting to a few chance run-ins to a close friendship where they talk each other through relationship woes, and then...well, you can probably guess the rest.

80. Legally Blonde

If you've never seen this iconic 2001 movie about Harvard law student Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) finding and proving herself, it's time. If nothing else, you have to see it and get caught up before Legally Blonde 3 comes out.

81. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

It's not often that a fantasy adventure movie takes home the Oscar for Best Picture. But this movie did just that, and it also took home 10(!!!) additional Oscars, including one for Best Director. It's the third film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and it follows Gandalf and Aragorn as they lead the World of Men against Sauron's army in hopes of drawing his attention from Frodo and Sam as they head towards Mount Doom with the One Ring.

82. The Godfather

If you wrote this off because the film bros in your life wouldn't shut up about it, I get it. But the thing is, there's a reason it's considered one of the best movies of all time. It's a Shakespearean story about the patriarch of an organized crime dynasty (Marlon Brando) as he turns over the reins to his son (Al Pacino). You know, kinda like Succession but with a tad more murder.

83. An Inconvenient Truth

This thought-provoking documentary follows former presidential candidate Al Gore as he works to raise public awareness about the dangers of global warming. It came out in 2006, and you might be surprised at how relevant it still feels today, even as the conversation around climate change has evolved. You could make it a double feature and watch 2017's An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.

84. Up

Need a movie you can watch with the whole fam? Up is about a 78-year-old man who ties a bunch of balloons to his house and flies away to Paradise Falls, where he's always hoped to travel with his wife. Unfortunately for him, there's a stowaway on board named Russell, a bumbling but enthusiastic wilderness explorer scout.

85. Casablanca

A classic romance film, Casablanca is about an American nightclub owner in Morocco confronted with a difficult decision during World War II. When his former lover and her husband, a Czech resistance leader, turn up looking for his help so they can obtain exit visas and escape the Nazis, he must decide whether or not to help them flee.

86. Little Miss Sunshine

This sweet, offbeat comedy follows a dysfunctional family as they take a road trip in a beat-up VW bus to get their daughter to a beauty pageant. It has a hilarious cast, including Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin and Greg Kinnear.

87. The Power of the Dog

Jesse Plemons plays George, a wealthy Montana rancher, and his real-life wife Kirsten Dunst stars as the widowed innkeeper he falls in love with. When George brings Rose and her son to his family home where he lives with his brother Phil, tensions rise. Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch), a well-regarded rancher, subtly and not-so-subtly torments Rose and her son until he abruptly decides to take the boy under his wing and teach him about the land. It's definitely got some twists you won't see coming.

88. Erin Brockovich

This based-on-a-true-story movie stars Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich, a single mother and legal assistant who discovered that a California power company was polluting a city's water supply. She does some digging, and ends up involving her law firm in one of the biggest class-action lawsuits in American history.

89. Fight Club

The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club. But I'll break that rule to explain that this suspenseful movie is about an unfulfilled insomniac man who meets an enigmatic soap salesman. After they get into a fistfight in a parking lot, they realize that they found the experience cathartic, and the fight club is born.

90. The Farewell

This touching movie centers around a Chinese family who find out that their matriarch only has a short time left to live. They decide to keep her terminal cancer diagnosis from her and gather the family in China under the pretense of a wedding so they can spend time together. It's based on director Lulu Wang's family history.

91. Psycho

This psychological thriller from 1960 follows a secretary who is on the run after stealing money from her employer to pay her boyfriend's debts. But when she checks into the remote Bates Motel for a night, the unimaginable happens.

92. Good Will Hunting

This touching movie follows Will (Matt Damon), a secretly gifted mathematician who works as a janitor at M.I.T. After getting arrested during a fight, he begins seeing a psychologist as part of an agreement to avoid jail time. Through his sessions with a therapist played by Robin Williams, he starts to think differently about his friendships, his relationship, and his potential.

93. The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy's strongest film is The Dark Knight.Heath Ledger plays the Joker terrorizing the city of Gotham, and, once again, Batman (Christian Bale) is the only one who can stop him.

94. It's a Wonderful Life

Just one of the best classic holiday films of all time, nbd. George Bailey is a depressed businessman contemplating ending his life until an angel shows up to show him what things would be like if he never existed.

95. American History X

This movie follows two brothers, Danny (Edward Furlong) and Derek (Ed Norton). Danny was the leader of a white supremacist gang who went to prison for killing two Black men who attempted to steal his truck. After being released from jail and renouncing his hateful views, he tries to keep his younger brother Derek from going down the same violent path. Warning: this movie is graphic.

96. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

What if you could literally just erase a person from your memory after a painful breakup? Sounds like the dream, but as the main characters in this tender, romantic sci-fi movie find out, things can get complicated when you agree to a futuristic treatment that wipes your memory of your ex.

97. Pulp Fiction

If there's one Quentin Tarantino film that could be classified as a "must-watch," it's this one. This 1994 movie follows two hit men, a mob boss and his wife, and a boxer who's past his prime. Their lives all weave together in a series of bizarre, often violent, and funny incidents.

98. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This 1960s western follows three men: a professional gunslinger, a hitman, and an outlaw. Two of them reluctantly partner up to try and find a trove of buried gold before the third one can get to it.

99. Rear Window

James Stewart stars as a photographer confined to his apartment in a wheelchair as he recovers from a broken leg. He spends his time looking out his window and observing his neighbors (when he's not being visited by his girlfriend, played by literal princess Grace Kelly). One night, he observes what he thinks could be a murder, and things get intense as he tries to take action from afar.

100. Steel Magnolias

Dolly Parton, our queen! This movie is about a group of women in a small Louisiana town as they support each other through weddings, divorces, fights, children, illness, grief, and everything in between. In addition to Dolly, the all-star cast includes Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, and Olympia Dukakis. You'll definitely want to call your BFF and/or your mom after watching.

101. Remember the Titans

This film tells the true story of a Black football coach (Denzel Washington) who has been hired to coach a high school team during their first season as a desegregated school. In his position, he must not only lead the team to a winning season, but address racism between the players as well as prove himself in the community.

102. The Graduate

Dustin Hoffman stars as an aimless young man who has recently graduated from college. He's seduced by Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's law partner. After meeting her daughter Elaine, he starts to fall for her, and Mrs. Robinson is *not* happy about it. The last scene is one of the most famous in cinematic history, so you'll definitely want to give it a watch.

103. Don't Look Up

This one is about two astronomers who are trying to warn people about an approaching comet that's going to destroy all of human civilization. The comet's approach is an allegory for climate change, and many of the characters are meant to represent how indifferent politicians and others are to the very real effects of climate change. If that doesn't sell you, it's got a STACKED cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Jonah Hill, and more.

104. The Silence of the Lambs

This chilling movie follows a young FBI cadet (Jodie Foster) trying to catch a serial killer who skins his victims. To understand and catch him, she has to get help from another serial killer, an incarcerated man who cannibalized the people he killed (Anthony Hopkins). Honestly, Hannibal Lecter's "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti" is the stuff of nightmares.

105. My Best Friend's Wedding

On the surface, this seems like a pretty standard rom-com: Julianne is in love with her best friend, who just got engaged to another woman. But there's something kind of quietly subversive about this movie in that Julianne (Julia Roberts) toes the line between likable and unlikable as she sets out to break up the happy couple. Plus, it doesn't give the cliche ending you're probably expecting.

106. Nomadland

This beautifully shot drama about a woman in her 60s who loses her job when the factory she works in is shut down is another Oscar winner. Frances McDormand stars as a woman who lives a modern-day nomadic existence, living in a van and taking on gig jobs, in this thoughtful look at the impact of the Great Recession.

107. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

If you've never seen this super campy cult-favorite movie, time to change that. The plot isn't really important when you've got catchy musical numbers and a bizarre cast of characters, but basically a couple finds themselves stranded by the side of the road and must seek refuge at Dr. Frank-n-Furter's spooky castle.

108. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge

This Bollywood movie spent 1,000(!!!) consecutive weeks in theaters. It follows a young woman embarking on a trip across Europe with her friends, and a wealthy young man doing the same. As they keep bumping into each other across Europe, they fall in love. But when the vacation is over, they have to prove to their families that they're truly meant to be together — which is no small feat, considering her father has promised her hand in marriage to another man.

109. 2001: A Space Odyssey

This film from Stanley Kubrick follows a group of astronauts traveling to Jupiter in search of an alien monolith, guided by a supercomputer called HAL. Although it was made in 1968, many of the ideas about technology, artificial intelligence, humanity, and existentialism are just as potent today as they were then.

110. Singing in the Rain

In the mood for something a little more lighthearted? Singing in the Rain is a 1952 musical about Hollywood's transition from the silent picture era to talking pictures. It follows a silent film star (Gene Kelly) and his co-star/pretend girlfriend, who has an...unfortunate voice. When he meets a beautiful aspiring actress and chorus girl (Debbie Reynolds), he realizes that she might be who he's been looking for all along.

111. Do The Right Thing

This 1989 movie from Spike Lee is just as relevant today as it was when it was released. It takes place in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year as tensions between neighbors escalate, eventually reaching a violent crescendo.

112. Jaws

The movie that gave us the most iconic score of all time, Jaws is a suspenseful classic from Steven Spielberg about a shark terrorizing a small beach town. Warning: don't watch it before your beach vacation.

113. The Truman Show

This psychological comedy-drama follows Truman (Jim Carrey), a man who has unknowingly spent his entire life being the star of a non-stop TV show. Unbeknownst to him, his entire life has taken place on a set populated by actors. But as the show approaches its 30th year, Truman starts to notice some odd happenings and questions his life.

114. Lost in Translation

If you've ever felt a little lost or lonely, this film will hit you right in the feels. It centers around two American tourists in Tokyo who strike up a short-lived friendship. One of them is an aging movie star there to shoot a commercial and one is a newlywed accompanying her photographer husband, and both of them feel a little uncertain about where they're headed. It's gorgeously shot and has great performances from Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson.

115. All The President's Men

This political thriller tells the true story of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), who uncovered the details of the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

116. The Shining

Heeeeeere's Johnny! This chilling movie based on the novel by Stephen King is about a writer who takes a job as an off-season caretaker for a remote hotel. He and his family move to the hotel for the winter, but it isn't long before the isolation starts to take its toll on his family and things turn violent.

117. Clueless

Ugh, as IF we wouldn't include this on our list of must-watch movies. Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is a popular, rich student in Beverly Hills who enjoys playing matchmaker and giving makeovers (and shopping, of course). Come marvel at young Paul Rudd who plays Cher's love interest/ex-stepbrother and wonder how he literally hasn't aged since 1995.

118. Some Like it Hot

If you've always wondered why Marilyn Monroe was such a big deal, watch this film to understand why. It follows two men who go undercover in an all-female band after witnessing a brutal mob killing. Marilyn plays Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, a ukulele player/singer.

119. Daughters of the Dust

This 1991 movie was the first American feature film made by an African-American woman (writer-director Julie Dash) to receive theatrical distribution. It takes place in 1902 and follows the lives of the Gullah, who are the descendants of slaves living off the coast of South Carolina, as they struggle to maintain their cultural heritage while considering a move to the mainland.

120. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

This western stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the two leaders of an outlaw group. When one of their capers goes wrong, the pair decide to make an escape to Bolivia before it's too late.

121. Breakfast at Tiffany's

Ofc you've seen the pictures of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly with her long cigarette holder and opulent jewelry. But have you ever actually seen the movie? It's based on Truman Capote's novel about a young woman living in New York who becomes interested in her new neighbor but believes her past endeavors and aspirations of marrying rich will keep them apart.

122. To Kill a Mockingbird

If your high school English teacher didn't show this to your class, time to catch up. Based on the book of the same name, it tells the story of Atticus Finch, a small-town Southern lawyer who defends a Black man against a false allegation and teaches his children about prejudice. It's a powerful film led by actor Gregory Peck.

123. (500) Days of Summer

This is not a love story," explains a voiceover in the movie. And that's kinda true...but not totally. It's about Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), two coworkers who get into a situationship, which is fine until one of them catches feelings and the other one doesn't. What's interesting about this movie is that neither one of them is totally in the right when it comes to their relationship. You could watch it more than once and come away with a different conclusion each time.

124. Taxi Driver

Robert De Niro plays a Vietnam War veteran suffering from PTSD who spends his nights working as a taxi driver and ruminating on what a dark, dirty place New York City has become in Martin Scorsese's 1976 classic.

125. Minari

This moving film tells the story of a family who immigrates from South Korea to a farm in Arkansas in the 1980s in pursuit of the American dream. It's loosely based on writer and director Lee Isaac Chung's real-life upbringing, and it is truly a gorgeous story about family, immigration, and ambition.

126. Jennifer's Body

The Megan Fox-issance of the last few years gave this movie new life, and thank god it did. Jennifer's Body is a campy comedy-horror film about a high schooler possessed by an evil demon, and her best friend who's trying to stop her killing spree.

127. Little Women

There have been several movie adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's novel about four tight-knit sisters, but there's something special about this one. It's got an all-star cast: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Laura Dern, and oh, Meryl Streep!! And despite taking place in the 1800s, the conversations about love, financial security, friendship, and creative pursuits feel very relevant.

128. The Big Lebowski

This film follows Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, who has been confused with a millionaire of the same name. He sets out to get restitution for a rug that's been ruined by debt collectors and find the millionaire's missing wife, with the help of his trusty bowling buddies, ofc.

129. The Matrix

When this sci-fi movie came out in 1999, everyone went crazy for the groundbreaking visual effects (and a young Keanu Reeves). It tells the story of a young computer programmer who encounters mysterious rebels and learns about the true nature of his reality.

130. A Woman Under the Influence

In this 1974 drama, Gena Rowlands gives an emotional, riveting performance as Mabel, a housewife experiencing mental illness that affects her marriage and her relationships with her children.

131. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

This 1975 movie won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Writing, so it basically swept the Oscars that year. It follows R.P. McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a criminal who pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution. While there, he forms relationships with the other patients and leads them in an uprising against the cold, tyrannical nurse who oversees the facility.

132. The Breakfast Club

This quintessential '80s movie follows five high school students in Saturday detention. They're stereotyped as a brain, a beauty, a jock, a rebel, and a recluse, but through the course of a nine-hour(!!!) detention with a tedious essay assignment, they realize they have more in common than they assumed.

133. Train to Busan

This Korean thriller will have your heart pounding, trust me. When a virus breaks out across the world and starts turning people into zombies, passengers on the train from Seoul to Busan are forced to fight for their lives.

134. Life is Beautiful

There's no way around it, you're going to cry at this Best Foreign Language Film winner. It follows a Jewish father and his son in Italy as they're sent to a concentration camp during the Holocaust. To keep the family's spirits afloat and shield his son from some of the horrors of their life, he hides his son from harm by pretending it's all an elaborate war game.

135. Spirited Away

This magical animated film from Hayao Miyazaki follows a 10-year-old girl who wanders into a world filled with spirits, gods, monsters, and otherworldly entities and must save herself — and her parents. The kids in your life will love it, but so will the adults.

136. Back to the Future

This wacky '80s movie follows Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) a high schooler who is accidentally sent 30 years into the past because of a time-traveling device invented by his best friend, a very eccentric scientist (Christopher Lloyd). Marty has to make sure his parents (who are teenagers at the time) meet and fall in love so that he doesn't accidentally end up never existing. Just go with it.

137. Young Frankenstein

Mel Brooks delivers the Frankenstein comedy you never knew you needed with this movie about the grandson of the infamous scientist Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder). When he inherits his grandfather's castle in Transylvania, he goes for a visit and finds information about reanimating a dead body. Shenanigans ensue.

138. Roma

This gorgeous black-and-white film chronicles a year in the life of Cleo, a housekeeper for a middle-class family in 1970s Mexico City. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year in 2019.

139. Se7en

Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman star in this 1995 psychological thriller about two detectives chasing down a serial killer whose crimes are all connected to the seven deadly sins. You'll never forget the "what's in the box?" scene.

140. I, Tonya

This dark in-your-face comedy will make you think about figure skater Tonya Harding (played by Margot Robbie) in a totally different way. She's famous for her believed involvement in an incident where her rival Nancy Kerrigan was brutally attacked, and the movie spends some time focusing on that — but it also tells us a lot about Tonya's abusive upbringing and violent marriage.